Chapter Eleven

Justified

Elysion

The Palace

By the time the group made it back to the surface it was beginning to grow dark. The sun was setting across the Ivory Peaks bathing the city in a blood red light. David managed to get John Sykes back into the palace with the help of the temple guards without anyone noticing or so he hoped. When he reached his chambers the day's excursion into the catacombs coupled with Rush's attack against Wagner caught up with the blond and he collapsed bonelessly into a plush chair. Torgal and Emma went on ahead to the Congress to hand in their reports while Pagus stayed with John and the medics assigned to help him.

Rush had been placed on the bed in the guest chambers as soon as he entered the palace, complete exhaustion overcoming the young brunet. His kin was hot to the touch and Rush took off his jacket before going to bed revealing that both arms were now marked with the ancient language. He didn't want to pester Rush anymore so David left him to get some rest. Now in the silence he could sort through the events thus far and try to make sense of everything. There was a lot more going on than a kidnapping and Remnant snatching. The seals were the true target of Wagner and whoever he was serving. And whatever they were doing it was hurting Rush physically and mentally.

Then there was John Sykes and that tablet he and his wife created. Surely something like that would be a deaths sentence for the user? No one could have more than one Remnant bound to them, it was a proven fact. In a very rare case two Remnants could be used but no more than that. The mind just couldn't cope with all that raw power flowing through it. And then there was the doctor's reaction to seeing Rush. The man looked like he saw am ghost. There was no denying the fear in his eyes or the shock.

But there was also something else in those eyes that David barely caught a glimpse of. He thought he saw guilt but that didn't make sense. Rubbing his aching head the Marquis got off the chair and approached the high window. He gazed down upon the city with a frown marring his features. It felt like the world was sitting on a knife's edge and yet the people below lived in blissful ignorance of what was happening around them. Or maybe they simply chose to live their lives as they saw fit regardless of the state the world was in now.

David was tired, he wanted to sleep and forget about these questions for a little while until he felt better. But his worry for Rush along with his anxiety over his planned trip to Nagapur to meet with Duke Hermeien. Personally David disliked the man immensely. There was something off about him. His eyes were stone cold most of the time and the way he sneered at and disrespected woman made the blond sick to his stomach. He saw firsthand how cruel and vile the duke could be to the female of the species.

He treated them like second class citizens. It was disgusting but David couldn't say anything about it. The man was still the Chairman after all. His family was the most powerful in the world. There were times he was tempted to let Emma beat some manners into the creep. Sighing he turned away from the window and approached the bedroom. He wondered if Rush would be well enough to come to Nagapur.

He didn't want to leave the burnet here by himself. He liked having Rush around to brighten things up and to tell him good stories and jokes. He never had a close friend before. The generals were as close to a family as he could get but with Rush it was different somehow. He frowned when he heard a whimper coming from the bedroom.

Gently pushing the door open he saw Rush lying on his side, his face showing pain and a tinge of fear. No doubt he was having a nightmare, maybe seeing those things he saw in his vision down in the catacombs. When another whimper escaped his peach pink lips David felt his heart constrict. He knelt down beside the bed and gently ran his fingers through the silky brown locks. After a few moments he started to calm down and eventually began to snore softly. A small smile touched his lips when Rush stopped whimpering and David reluctantly withdrew his fingers.

"Lord David?" Pagus' voice called from the adjoining room.

"What is it Pagus?" the blond left the bedroom.

"John Sykes is in a coma. So far we have been unable to awaken him." Pagus reported.

"Wagner…" the blond teenager scowled. "Are there any other leads on where Marina Sykes could be?"

"Emma wanted me to inform you that she may know where Marina could be." Pagus replied.

"That's excellent news." David breathed out his relief. "Where is she now?"

"She begs for you forgiveness but she and Torgal have gone to the Numor Mines to find her. She believed that you needed rest." Pagus answered.

"She was always like that." David smiled a little. "I want her to report to me as soon as she and Torgal return. We are expected in Nagapur for an audience with Duke Hermeien." The blond teenager slumped back onto the chair.

"Perhaps you should sleep." Pagus pointed out. "You look dead on your feet."

"I am tired but I'm worried about Rush…and the doctor." David added quickly.

"Of course my lord. But only time will tell now." The qsiti replied sagely. "How is Rush?"

"He's asleep now. But more marks have appeared on his arms. Whatever it is it's spreading." David rubbed his eyes.

"Don't dwell on it yet Lord David. Get some rest now." Pagus turned and left the room. The blond sighed but he was so very tired and he made his way to the other bedroom to get some sleep.

In the calm of his room Rush slept on but his dreams were uneasy.

Rush was walking away from them. He saw Torgal, Pagus, Blocter and another woman who reminded him of a younger Emma. He frowned when he saw Irina crying. Why was she there and looking so upset? They were yelling at him to come back. His body felt like it was on fire and yet it didn't hurt at all. In fact it felt so safe and warm there wrapped up in the flames.

His eyes fell on the last person standing there. David was calling him, reaching out with his hand in a desperate attempt to grab him. His blue eyes were red and blotchy as if he had been crying. David didn't seem like the kind of guy who cried. He strong, cool headed and a good leader. He wouldn't cry without a good reason. Rush wanted to ask what was wrong but no words escaped his lips.

"Rush!" David screamed helplessly. "You promised you wouldn't go! You said you'd stay! Don't go!"

"D-Dave…" he whispered. He felt so tired and drained of all strength. But the look on David's face was heartbreaking…he wanted to wipe that look away.

"You…you said you wouldn't…leave me…you promised…" David fell to his knees. Tears leaked from his sapphire eyes. "You...promised…"

"Forgive me…" Rush murmured and then the flames erupted around him.

Numor Mines

It had been years since she came here but Emma knew this place like the back of her hand. She came here in search of a Remnant long ago and re heard reports that her daughter had been seen here lately. Torgal was unaware of her connection to these mines but Emma trusted that the sovani would want to find Marina as soon as possible. The mines had been abandoned long ago due to a vicious monster infestation but they would pose no threat against her and Torgal combined.

First they would have to navigate through the tunnel and then take the wheel controlled life down to the next section of the mines. Is Mrs. Sykes was here Emma knew exactly where to find her. She only hoped that the woman was here and that this wasn't a waste of time. Torgal had brought four blades along to this excursion. They did not have time to dwell here long. David had received word that he was needed in Nagapur so they had to get this mission done quickly. Emma led her companion to the first lift and began to pull the wheel to lower the wooden platform down.

She remembered that there was another lift at the other end of the next tunnel. At least they wouldn't have to spend time going back to the entrance. There was a Teleport Stone at the bottom of the mine. When the lift hit the bottom she stepped off with Torgal by her side. He didn't question her decision to come to this place but he was concerned as to why she did not inform David. Knowing the young lord he would insist on coming with them but he was exhausted from the catacombs scenario as was Rush.

Blocter offered to stay behind in Elysion and stock up on supplies for the trip to Nagapur while Pagus sought out ways to heal John Sykes. Then there was the mystery of Rush. He possessed secrets and they were working their way to the surface. Emma doubted that the boy had any idea what was happening to him. The fear and pain in his eyes made it all the more obvious to her. She stopped thinking about the strange teenager as she walked through the next tunnel until she reached a fork. One pathway was blocked off with rubble so that left one other option.

Emma stopped when she came to a thick wooden door. If she remembered correctly there was another lift behind this door. Torgal was busy cutting down the bugs that had nested in the mines. Being down here so long without a decent food source made the beasts weak against a formidable enemy. Blood and bones lay scattered across the pathway when Torgal was finished. His blades were thick with black fluid and pieces of the beetle's shells. Emma pushed the door open and approached the next lift.

It was a longer ride to the bottom this time. Her hands kept a firm grip on the wheel even when insects flew towards them from the darkness of the mines depths. Torgal kept them at bay with little effort at all and soon they reached the bottom of the pit. It smelled of damp moss down here and the air was a little thin. There was only one tunnel to go down and that would take them into the chamber long ago abandoned by the people who built it.

"So this is where the doctor could be? Why this place?" Torgal asked when they stepped through the door and into the dimply lit chamber.

"I came here a long time ago to find a Remnant of my own. I found one but I was too naïve to fight it off. Marina Sykes saved my life." Emma responded.

"And you believe she came here to find the Remnant?" Torgal raised a black eyebrow.

"When John mentioned that tablet I remembered something from that time. She had something that saved my life." Emma answered.

"What's that?" Torgal gripped his blades.

"That would be the Remnant." Emma replied. She smiled grimly when the two headed creature appeared from the darkness armed with a sword and shield. It ebat her once but she was experienced now and more world weary. She would defeat it this time.

"This time I will not lose."