Author's Note: Thank you to all my readers, reviewers, and subscribers.

Of Light

Chapter Thirty Five

- The Hidden Threshold of the Crypt -

Simultaneously, both DG and Cain cursed the other in their head for being such a distraction.

Where the outlander and his company had lain in wait, neither knew. DG only knew that one second, she'd been leaning in for a kiss from a man who made her head spin, the next she was literally spinning to see the outlander walking towards them. Cain drew his gun, but four human men had already stepped out from where they'd hidden in the deep forest growth. In less than a minute, they were surrounded, and at gunpoint.

The outlander was closing in. Cain grabbed DG roughly by the arm and yanked her behind him, all the while keeping his gun trained at the massive creature coming toward them. DG glared at him, the heat of her eyes scathing. One of these days, she would catch a break... and probably die of the shock, and subsequent boredom of it.

"Don't I know you?" she asked the outlander, as he came to stand directly in front of Cain. His four soldiers trained their guns on the Tin Man; DG was too scared to move, too nervous to keep her mouth shut. "Weren't you one of the – "

The outlander curved his lips into a sneer. "Yes, your Highness. I am Lt. Drake Shore." He gave a polite nod of his head. "I will not be underestimating your magic a second time. Though, I dare say, the numbers are a little more in my favor now."

DG exhaled shakily. "Can you call off your dogs?" she asked, nodding to his soldiers.

"I don't think so," the lieutenant said, his sneer widening.

"What do you want?" Cain asked. At the sound of his voice, DG found herself reaching out snake a hand underneath his jacket, to grip his shirt between two fingers; the barest possible amount of contact, but God, if it didn't anchor her to him... Cain shifted ever so slightly toward her, and the rough material of his service jacket brushed her arm.

"I was sent here to retrieve the Emerald. Take in mind," Lt. Shore said, speaking directly at DG as if the shield of Cain was non-existent, "that your refusal to hand it over will result in the death of your escort."

With those words, DG heard the unmistakable sound of the four weapons pointed at her Tin Man being cocked, the strange electronic sound of priming up, those strange guns, and she hoped to hell the extra chambers and wires didn't make them any worse than their counterparts on the Other Side.

"Wyatt," she whispered, trying not to let the fear in her voice stand out... but who was she kidding? Her mind was whirling, racing past moments that she didn't want to relive... the Longcoat attack, the ambush in the woods... the Witch's tower, the time she'd spent in the coffin... back and back until she could almost smell the death and decay of the Papay fields, and Tutor's voice, his always strangely fortuitous voice, rang clear in her head.

DG... use your gift...

Her eyebrows shot upwards at the idea, as her head began to spin on an entirely different track. What do I do, what do I do? she asked herself again and again, as if Tutor's voice or her sister's would suddenly explode with the right answer.

The lieutenant was staring at her, his gray eyes cold. She tightened her two-fingered grip on Cain's shirt.

Well, DG... nothing like trying something new, she told herself. Concentrating harder than she ever thought she had on her magic, she willed herself to be able to do something she'd never tried. She tried to project her voice, herself, to Cain.

"Wyatt, can you hear me? God, please give me some sort of sign that you can hear me."

Cain cleared his throat, and oh, if she stretched her imagination, it could almost have been an affirmation.

DG's heart leaped; her grip on the back of his shirt tightened further still, her fingertips brushing against the muscles of his back. She could feel the heat of him through the material that covered his skin, his jacket bristled against the back of her hand.

The lieutenant was growing impatient. "It is time for you to retrieve the Emerald for me, Princess."

DG shook her head. "It's too late. The Emerald is already encased within the Tomb, I can't just walk in there and take it out again." Okay, so that was a bold-faced lie; she depended on Shore's ignorance, she hoped not too much.

"That is very unfortunate for both of you," the outlander growled. To his men, he gave a slight nod of his head.

DG didn't know how she managed to react so fast; quicker than she could even think about it, she screamed "No!" as all four weapons discharged at Cain; she threw her arms out, and a shield of pure magic ensconced them; translucent, but solid, the bullets deflected, sparking where they ran into the barrier.

The four enemy soldiers ducked and shouted, as their bullets waylaid in different directions; Lt. Shore, however, only glared at them more maliciously.

Cain had craned his head to look at her, watching her carefully over his shoulder. "How long can you hold this?"

DG closed her eyes to shut out the distraction of his intense blue eyes. She came to a stark realization. Not long, she thought, trying to send her voice to him again. "Please don't move," she begged him, hoping that he could hear her voice ringing inside her head. She'd apologize later for the invasion...

Shoving her arms to the side, away from her body, as if to push outwards at the walls of their shimmering, white shield, DG focused on the blast, as all four of the human soldiers toppled, their weapons flying out of their hands and hanging suspended in midair.

DG's hands suddenly burned with the force of her magic; holding her hands wide open, fingers extended, a second blast of energy erupted from her open palms. The weapons, all four, blew apart, metal and wires flying everywhere. DG cried out, her arms flying over her head to ward off the projectiles; a flash emitted around her, and the pieces fell uselessly to the ground.

"Enough!"

It was the shout of the outlander. Wyatt put out an arm to hold her behind him as the four soldiers began to stagger to their feet. DG's hands tingled with the anticipation of another attack.

"I can do this for a while," DG said; she sounded confident, but truly she was doubtful of that fact. How much longer she could keep it up, she wasn't sure; though her magic itself was powerful, her magical stamina had yet to increase much since beginning her lessons; foolish now to think how much she should have been paying attention to Toto.

Somewhere in the fray of energy and light, Cain had trained his weapon directly onto the lieutenant again. Cain was tense, DG could read frustration and agitation in his shoulders, the way he stood, probably torn between depending on something he couldn't see and counting her magic as a powerful ally.

Perhaps none of this was the answer; this was a battle neither would win. DG knew that Cain would die for her before letting her relinquish the Emerald, she knew that she would also die for it, if it came down to that. She knew she would never be able to use her magic to kill the men standing around her, either, and if she used too much of her power, she might lose consciousness.

Dorothy's words rang into her head, as invasive as she always seemed to be. When the power is gone from the stone... use it as a bargaining chip with the Commander... it is truly important to him... might make a strong ally...

DG took a deep breath. No time like the present to start the negotiations... and perhaps she and Cain would walk away from there. She put a careful hand on Cain's arm. He glared down at her, taking his eyes off of the outlander for only a moment, before turning back to his opponent.

"Wait," she said, stepping away from the shelter Cain gave her. She directed her words at Lt. Shore, trying to stop her voice from wavering, or cracking as it liked to do when she was upset.

"Stop moving, girl," the lieutenant commanded; despite being unarmed, his men looked ready to jump Cain and subdue him the old fashioned way. The thought of them hurting him made her stomach lurch painfully.

"Kiddo," Cain said, his voice harder than she'd heard in a long time.

She looked up at him, asking him with her eyes to trust her, trying to calm him with her mind. "It's okay. Let me do the talking. Just don't lower that gun."

Cain lowered his chin slightly, studying her with his eyes, his face stony, impassable. He exhaled deeply, and without having to say a word, DG knew he'd understood her, heard her.

DG took a defiant step forward; the outlander took a step towards her to match her movement. She swallowed nervously.

"You're a brave little witch," Lt. Shore said angrily.

"I am not a witch," DG told him, defensive. A breeze blew her hair away from her face, though whether it was natural or because of the magic boiling inside of her, she didn't know. She held her hands before her in supplication, showing him that she had no intention of using her magic... and she didn't.

"You play a dangerous game, little girl."

DG looked away, trying to keep her anger in check; she was tired of being considered a child, treated as one, escpecially when everyone seemed to expect the world of her. She straightened her spine, knowing Cain was at her back.

"I have a message for your master," DG said, trying to harden her voice to the low, even tone Cain was always able to manage under stress. She wanted so much to be able to just hide behind him and let him take care of everything, but Cain was only one man with one weapon, and they were surrounded. How many soldiers would he be able to shoot before they wrestled the gun from him if they attacked again?

Lt. Shore smirked, looking amused. "You might deliver it in person, Princess. If you do not hand over the Emerald, we'll have to take you as a consolation prize."

DG slowly shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere but home."

The lieutenant sighed. "Must it really come down to this, Princess?"

"If you take the Emerald, or me, you could start a war."

The smirk was back, this time wider, more menacing. "Girl, your mother's country is a broken shell. Her army is in disarray and her most important advisor spent almost ten annuals separated from his brain. The Commander's forces are vast, and his resources unlimited. To start a war would be a very foolish thing." Then he laughed. "The entire House of Gale went missing for almost a week and the country was none the wiser. How do you know your parents would not just fake your death again, and cover the whole messy business up?"

What little confidence DG had faltered. Probably his exact intent.

She laughed, trying to regain her grip on herself. Her fingers began to tingle again... No, no. You can't attack him. She didn't even understand what she was doing, what she was supposed to do, but she did it anyway. "I have a message for your master," she said again. "It's a good one. You're going to want to hear it. So you might want to tell your lackeys to back off."

The lieutenant watched her carefully for a moment, and then nodded towards his soldiers. Then... no! Instead of backing off, they all advanced on Cain and herself at once. DG cried out in protest, trying once again to throw up a shield, but the sudden leaping of her heart made it hard to focus on what she was doing; there was one useless flash of light, and then men continued towards them, unscathed.

Time seemed to slow down for her... a mere five steps, and the soldiers would be on them. Cain grabbed her roughly and dragged her up against his chest as he fired a shot. One soldier went down, stumbling backwards; he hit a tree and then fell sideways, into the thick undergrowth, where he lay, motionless and almost out of sight.

It took a second to register that Cain got off a second shot; the soldiers had bridged the gap and were upon them – as the second shot was fired, the soldier whose heart it was aimed at yanked down on Cain's arm, so that the muzzle was forced downwards. The bullet entered the soldier's leg, and he fell away with a scream of pain.

What happened over the next few seconds, DG wasn't sure; she felt rough, human hands grab around her upper arms, trying to yank her from Cain's grip. She clung to the front of his jacket, but an arm wrapped around her waist and began to drag her away. Her eyes zeroed in on the flurry of movement of Cain and the last soldier as they engaged in a battle to beat each other to a pulp; somewhere in the battle, the gun had been thrown away. In a few swift moves, Cain swept his leg out to hook the man's ankles, knocking him to the ground.

DG screamed, enraged. Immediately, the soldier holding her let go, yelling in pain; certain she'd scorched him, she turned on him, white stars exploding before her eyes as she directed a blast of energy directly at his chest. He was knocked backwards, and he tumbled head over heels down the hill towards the ridge.

More hands seized her; summoning what energy she had, she tried to push against the hard, towering body that held her. "Bitch!" the lieutenant cried out as his sandpaper skin burned with the contact of the princess. Ignoring the fiery pain in his hands, he tightened his grip on her, staring down at her so maliciously that she almost felt her own face begin to burn. Concentrating hard, DG tried to summon what she had left, but she felt tapped, drained... her head snapped to the side, trying to find Cain. He was struggling to his feet, leaving the unconscious or possibly dead soldier laying prone on the ground.

"Wyatt!" she cried out. Somehow, between the two of them, they'd conquered all four soldiers, but she'd almost run dry and Cain was no match for the outlander unarmed.

Unarmed... the lieutenant had yet to even withdraw a weapon; her mind whirling, she knew that he must have one. He had her pressed firmly against his chest, glaring down at her... his hand hovered near her neck, as if he might be thinking about strangling her.

Please, please, just a little more. Concentrate, DG... concentrate. Images of light on rippling water, spinning dolls, glowing symbols raced through her mind, and she felt a spike of energy.

"Cain, catch!" she thought desperately. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the lieutenant's weapon fly through the air towards her partner.

All the air seemed to escape her then as Cain's voice came from behind her, strong and sure. "Let her go."

The lieutenant glared mercilessly at Cain; DG felt herself being spun around to face Cain, to see his eyes so intense and hard that it hurt to see him so angry. The outlander's hand closed on her throat, only resting on her skin, scratching her, but in a perfect position to apply dangerous pressure. She swallowed hard, trying to regulate her breathing. It had come down to this, it all came down to this... she was empty, almost helpless, trapped by a body a foot and a half taller, two hundred pounds heavier. To fight him might mean death.

A horrible thought flashed through her brain... would a bullet even penetrate an outlander? Without intending to, she knew she'd projected the thought to Cain; his eyebrow cocked at her, and his lips set in a firmer line.

"I'm willing to take the risk," Cain said firmly.

DG closed her eyes, and waited for the shot. It didn't come. Seconds passed, before she braved to crack her eyes open. The Tin Man and the outlander seemed to be sizing each other, staring each other down, a show of pride and of rage and of something far more primal. Ozian law against a banished mercenary. DG shivered, a feeling like an electric shock coursing through her skin.

The lieutenant gave a hoarse shout, a strange foreign word that sounded like a curse. A moan cut through the air, the strange sound of a man in pain; the soldier shot in the leg was struggling to get onto his hands and knees. Without taking his gaze or his aim off of Lt. Shore, Cain gave the man a hard shove with his foot.

DG took a deep breath, wondering if she could summon anything to save her life; how many times over the years had she used that silly little saying, she couldn't cook to save her life, she couldn't sew to save her life... how those things could save her life now, she would never understand...

Daughter of Light.

Her hands began to warm, and she knew they must be glowing faintly, though with the outlander holding her arms straight down at her sides, she couldn't be sure.

… To save her life.

To save Cain the pain of losing her, of letting something happen to her. She would not be another mark on that man's conscience, not when...

A couple of hundred feet from the spot where they stood, weeks before, DG had stood in confrontation with her sister and the Dark Witch that possessed her. The Witch's magic had been fluid, in control, with no scorch marks or flashes of light to betray the subtle events.

Witch.

Grasping onto thoughts of those times past, DG pushed with everything she had in her; a scream ripped from her lips at the impossibly painful effort. Light magic, like fire, coursed through every vein in her body, and a shock-wave erupted outwards, throwing both Cain and the lieutenant off their feet; Cain flew backwards and hit the closed, concealed doors of the Tomb, as the outlander landed on his back and slid a few feet down the hill.

DG spun around, stalking towards the lieutenant; the blast had not been strong enough to render him unconscious, only to knock him off his feet. DG stood over him as he rolled off of his back, moving to stand again. Her hand flying up, she held him in place; she could hear him choking, trying and unable to draw breath.

Her voice was weak, all her energy draining straight out of her hands. "I have a message for your master," she whispered, a third and final time. Looking up at her, almost fearfully, the lieutenant only nodded.

Behind her, she heard Cain crossing the distance to her; he walked up behind her, his arm extending past her to hold the gun trained directly at Shore's head. She felt him against her back; he was completely rigid, how he managed to keep himself from shaking, she'd have to ask later. His free arm encircled her waist, holding her protectively close. "I've got you, darlin'."

Cain's voice, the gentle touch of his hand against her stomach, sapped the rage out of her, almost as if the contact was sucking out her poison and anger. Letting her connection to the lieutenant break, dropping her hands to her sides pathetically, DG almost fell backwards against Cain. "He can have the Emerald... after I've found a way to destroy the magic that dwells within it."

Against her, Cain shifted. "DG," he said slowly.

Ignoring him, DG watched Shore struggle to his feet, watching her warily, ready to be attacked again. He didn't know how completely exhausted her powers were. She had sucked herself so dry, she wondered if she'd ever be replenished; if they were attacked by anything bigger than a coyote, she might not be able to defend herself.

"No, it's okay," she told him.

Shore was on his feet, and glaring down at her. Shrinking back against Cain, she managed to project what strength she had left into her eyes, and her voice. "Your master will have the Emerald within two annuals time, though any promise beyond that I can't make."

"How can I trust what you say?" Shore asked.

"You can't." DG was surprised; her head turned sideways and she looked up at Cain as he spoke to the lieutenant, his aim never wavering off of the outlander's head. "Take it or leave it, Lieutenant. Leave it and we'll find out if you bleed."

DG nodded. "When the second anniversary of the Eclipse has passed, the Commander must send an envoy to Central City. The Emerald will be passed to him, and your master can have what he wants."

Shore was still shaking his head in disbelief. "This is a Gale trick."

DG's vision was beginning to swim. She clung desperately to consciousness, wanting only to resolve the entire mess. Then she'd be perfectly happy to pass out in Cain's arms.

"I think you've seen plenty of 'Gale tricks' this afternoon," DG said slowly, weakly. "Now go, the Commander is gonna want this news pronto."

A strange sound cut through the day around them, ringing clearly over the wind rustling the trees about them; the sound of hooves, of shouts, of men. DG craned her neck past the outlander, through the trees. She could vaguely make out the shapes of men riding hard and fast along the ridge; she could make our four or five figures.

It couldn't be...

"Well, look at that," Cain said, sounding amused... how the hell could he find something funny right now? He lowered his arm, so that the gun was aimed towards the outlander's chest. "It's the cavalry."

Her heart leaped with hope. "Take the message," DG said, not unkindly, to the lieutenant. "Otherwise, it'll be your turn in a prison cell."

Shore considered her words. After a few moments, as the sound of hooves grew louder, as the men caught sight of the group and began to shout; she heard her name and Cain's called. Princess Dorothy Gale! Captain Cain!

In the flurry of very few seconds, the men were off their horses, running up the hill with weapons drawn, all pointed on the outlander; at the sight of the men alighting their mounts, DG collapsed, and Cain dropped his weapon to catch her.

"Take the outlander into custody," said the man at the forefront, the only one who had not drawn his weapon. Cain had met the man only once, but knew him as a general, the name escaping him.

"No," Cain said firmly. "The princess wants him to carry a message back to the Commander."

The general eyed Cain with suspicion, as his company of three soldiers began to secure and search the area. One checked the body of the enemy soldier who had rolled down the hill, one continuing up the hill to where one of the lieutenant's soldiers still lay bleeding on the ground. "We got one dead up here, General!" someone shouted.

The third of the general's soldiers kept his weapon trained on the outlander. "This was not in the plan I was given by the Queen," the general said shortly.

Cain shook his head. "It wasn't in any plan. Seems things have changed." Cain swung DG up into his arms, securing his hold on her. "You'll have to ask this one when she wakes up."

The general bent to pick up the weapon Cain had dropped, holding it idly as he straightened, and studying the massive outlander before him. He gave a defeated sigh. "Fine. I will have two of my men escort him through the mountains to the border of the desert. Let the bastard die in the crossing."

Cain smirked. "Oh, I'm sure he won't."

A few hours later, twilight was descending; the first of the suns had set and the second lay half hidden by the horizon. Cain had raised DG's unconscious form up onto their stolen horse. He gently leaned her forward so that she lay resting against the horse's thick neck, her face cushioned by the soft mane. Never before had Cain seen a horse stay so still, and he gave the mare an affectionate pat.

General Andrus walked towards him. "You will ride to the road, and head east. You will meet an army transport that was dispatched a few hours after us. Stay on the road, and they will find you."

Cain nodded. "You should've brought more men," he said, nodding towards the one soldier left, standing watch over the three human soldiers who remained alive; two laying in an unconscious heap, the third moaning in pain as the young, allied troop bent over him, mercilessly digging around in his wound to remove the bullet lodged somewhere in his muscle.

Andrus turned towards Cain, considering him; after a moment, he laughed, and nodded.

"Make haste," the general said, as Cain mounted the horse. He pulled DG against him, leaning back slightly so that she could rest upon him; he had no idea how long it would be until she awakened, but he figured hours. Her magically induced stupor seemed impenetrable; she was limp and helpless in his arms, and despite himself, he found his grip tightening on her. Her forehead rested upon his neck, and her breathing was soft and regular; though she'd exhausted herself, she would be fine.

Taking the reins in one hand, he gave the mare a gentle nudge with his heels, kicking up rocks and dust as they left the general and the prisoners behind.