Other Worlds
Chapter 6
Okay here's chapter 6. Aldrich has a small part and depending on whether or not you peeps want Duo in the fic will determine what chapter 7 is like. Please review and tell me what you think or you can e-mail me at onichan01@yahoo.com.
Disclaimer: You guess.
…. = denotes thought
Heero awoke with a throbbing pain in his head. He closed his eyes and moaned. The wound on his thigh felt like it was on fire. He tried to get up, but found that he couldn't move his arms or legs. He looked down and saw that his hands had been tied behind his back and his legs had been bound together too.
He looked up to examine his surroundings. He was in a dark cell. The only light came from the tiny window in the cell door. The dirt walls and floor were damp and the air smelled musty and old. Rats skittered about in corners; their beady eyes glittered at him in the darkness. Heero shuddered. He had always hated rats.
"Great. This is just fucking great." sighed Heero. He was tied up, who knew where, in a dark little cell. On the plus side though, someone had cleaned and dressed his wound. He wondered who did that. He worked himself into a sitting position against the wall. He looked around the cell and noticed a small figure slumped against the far wall. Curious, he scooted himself over.
It was Nikita. She had been tied up just like Heero. She looked a little more roughed up than Heero though. Her pale skin sported a few dark bruises and blood trickled slowly from a small cut on her forehead. She was still breathing though, much to Heero's relief. He scooted up next to her and nudged her with his shoulder.
"Nikita. Nikita, wake up." Nikita's eyes fluttered open then squinted back shut as she moaned in pain. Her body felt like one giant bruise and she was having trouble feeling her hands. She looked over and saw Heero.
"Oh Heero, thank the gods you're alright!" exclaimed Nikita. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. Heero stiffened slightly as he felt her warm breath wash against his cold skin. "I was so worried about you…"
"Well, you don't have to worry anymore, I'm okay." said Heero. He nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head, loving the way her silky hair felt pressed against his face. He stopped himself and pulled away as soon as he realized what he was doing. "We need to worry about getting out of here right now."
"Oh yes, of course." Nikita pulled away blushing lightly. "There's a dagger in my boot. If you can get it out we'll be able to get out of these ropes." Heero turned around so he could reach her boot. He stuck his hand in and felt around until he felt his hand hit something sharp. He grabbed it and pulled it out.
"I got it." he said.
"Good. Now try to cut the ropes off my hands." said Nikita. She turned around so that she and Heero were back-to-back. Heero worked the dagger between them, carefully sawing at Nikita's bonds. A while later Heero felt the dagger cut through the last rope and Nikita broke free.
"Ah gods, that feels better!" exclaimed Nikita happily while she rubbed at her tender wrists. She took the dagger from Heero, finished cutting herself free and then released him. They both stood up, stretched their sore, cramped muscles, and turned to face their next obstacle to freedom. The door.
Heero walked over to look it over. It was a thick wooden door with a small window that had been cut near the top with iron bars across it. Halfway down the door was an iron handle and a keyhole, They, unfortunately, had no key. The door looked very solid and Heero wouldn't be able to break it down without causing a lot of noise and possibly attracting some unwanted attention. He looked out the little window and saw a guard sleeping slumped against the wall, about five feet away.
"Well? Have figured out a way for us to get out?" asked Nikita a little impatiently.
"There's a guard sleeping out there. If I try to break the door down, I'll probably end up waking him and he may alert others to our escape." said Heero.
"Let me see." Nikita walked over to the door and looked out.
"That's no guard! That's Turk!" exclaimed Nikita happily. "I wonder what he's doing here? Hey Turk!"
"Huh…Nikki…?" the guard murmured sleepily. He yawned and got up as he stretched. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean 'what am I doing here? What does it look like I'm doing here?" hissed Nikita. "More importantly, what are you doing here? Since when do you work for bandits?"
"I'm not working for bandits. I'm on a job." he winked one jade green eye. "I'm undercover here."
"Undercover?" asked Nikita.
"Yeah, I was hired by some old woman to fetch a book or something that these bandits apparently have. She's paying quite a bit or I wouldn't be here otherwise." replied Turk. "So how'd you wind up here?"
"We were attacked by some bandits and were captured. We woke up here." said Nikita. "These bandits are after Heero for some reason."
"Heero?" asked Turk, cocking an eyebrow.
"Yes. He's Heero." Nikita gestured to Heero who was standing behind her. Turk waved hello and Heero just nodded.
"Not a very friendly fellow is he?" said Turk.
"Oh, he's pretty nice once you get to know him." Nikita smiled warmly at Heero. Heero found himself smiling slightly as well.
"Oh? And how well have you two 'gotten to know each other'?" asked Turk with a little grin.
"Stop that! It's not like that at all!" Nikita blushed. "I swear Turk, you're as bad as my brother with the way you pick on me all the time."
"I can't help it. Your just so cute when your angry." he giggled as he reached through the bars to pinch Nikita's flushed cheek.
"Do that again and you'll lose that hand!" growled Nikita while she batted away his hand.
"Hmph. Threaten me like that and I might not let you out." said Turk in mock threat.
"Oh yes you will, or risk incurring my brother's wrath." replied Nikita.
"Well, I wouldn't want that now would I? Hold on a minute and I'll get the door open." he fumbled with the keyring for a moment before finally unlocking the door. Nikita and Heero stepped out, relieved to be free of that dark little room.
"Thank you Turk. I owe you one." said Nikita.
"You sure do, and I'm not going to let you forget it." grinned Turk.
"Do you know the way out?" asked Heero.
"No I'm afraid I still don't know these tunnels very well. I never really bothered to learn all the paths." said Turk sheepishly as he ran a hand through his messy chestnut brown hair. "Tonight was my last night here. I got what I came for and I'm going to leave soon."
"Be careful then." Nikita pulled the tall wiry man in a friendly hug.
"You too Nikki." replied Turk. "I'll try to stir up some trouble so you two can escape more easily."
"Thank you." said Heero.
"Come on Heero. We better get going." Nikita took his hand in hers and started leading him down the right hallway. Heero looked back to se Turk waving goodbye to them.
"Take care you two. And take good care of Nikki Heero." he said. Heero nodded to him and turned his attention back to following the blond elf.
It was not long before they reached the end of the hall and came to a large wooden door. It was not locked and they both pushed it open a few inches. They peeked inside and their eyes widened in shock. Nikita gasped at the sight that lay before them.
Meanwhile…
Aldrich knocked on the door of the small wooden cottage and waited patiently for answer. The sound of stumbling could be heard inside along with a loud crash and a few loud obscenities. Aldrich chuckled softly to himself.
Still the same, eh Taren?
The door flew open revealing an angry, stout old man. He was shining bald and wore a stained yellow robe and clutched a pair of glasses in one gnarled old hand. His gray eyes narrowed as he glared at Aldrich from under large, white bushy brows.
"What do you want?" he snarled in a gruff voice. "If you're selling anything, I don't want any of it!"
"Taren, is that any way to greet an old friend?" Aldrich said in mock hurt. "Maybe if you put on your glasses, it would help you remember me." Taren fumbled with his glasses for a moment before finally slipping them over his hooked nose. A warm smile crossed his wrinkled face as he recognized his old friend.
"Aldrich! It's good to see you!" said Taren. He gestured for Aldrich to come inside. He drew Aldrich into warm hug. "How are you doing? It's been quite a while since I've seen you."
"I've been doing quite well. How have you been?" asked Aldrich as he made his way through the messy interior of the cottage. Large, old books were scattered everywhere, some open with papers of barely legible notes lying around them. Bottles of ink, wine, and who knew what else covered tables and shelves. Taren walked over to the fireplace and cleared off two chairs. He sat down and motioned for Aldrich to do the same.
"So, what brings you to me this time?" asked Taren.
"There have been some strange happenings going on." said Aldrich. "Especially to me and my sister."
"What do you mean?" the old man leaned forward slightly in his chair.
"Well, my sister and I came upon this odd foreigner in Jenret Forest. He said he didn't know how he got there, that he had just woken up in the middle of the forest." said Aldrich.
"The boy's obviously lying. No one just wakes up in the middle of Jenret Forest." said Taren.
"I thought so at first as well." replied Aldrich. "But I cast a small truth seeking spell and discovered that he was indeed telling the truth. That's not the strangest thing though."
"Oh?"
"Yes. There was a strange magical energy surrounding the boy." Aldrich steepled his hands in front of him as he recalled the tale. "It made my skin tingle every time I got near him. I don't think my sister could sense it because she's not as powerful a magic-user as I. But during moments of high stress for him the energy got stronger. The night I left he had a nightmare. During it the energy got so strong I could see it. It was a light blue aura."
"Does the boy use any magic at all?" asked Taren. Aldrich shook his head. "Hmm…that is strange. It might explain some things though."
"What do you mean?" asked Aldrich.
"The sorceress Shara has been hiring every bandit in the country to search for a certain boy." Taren stroked his long white beard as he tried to remember what he had heard. "There's supposed to be something very special about this boy. I think they said he was the reincarnation of…oh blast, I forgot!" grumbled Taren in frustration. "I do remember that she gave a few of the bandits seeking crystals…"
"Seeking crystals?" asked Aldrich in disbelief. "Those are usually only used for…"
"I know." replied Taren. "Your friend may be in trouble."
"Especially if Shara is after him." said Aldrich, getting up. "I must hurry and get to Canderis so I can warn Nikki and Heero."
"You mean Nikki isn't with you?" asked Taren while he walked Aldrich to the door. "You left her behind again?"
"Well, I do travel faster without her." replied Aldrich lamely.
"Aldrich you should be ashamed of yourself! Always leaving behind your poor little sister like that, what if something should happen to her?" scolded Taren.
"And that's exactly why I must be hurrying, to find her and make sure nothing does happen to her. "Goodbye old friend!" said Aldrich as he disappeared out the door to escape further scolding from the stout old wizard.
"That boy," Taren chuckled, "is going to be the death of poor Nikki yet."
And that's the end of chapter 6. Tell me what you thought of it and if you would like to see Duo in the story. Chapter 7 will not be posted until I know whether or not you people would like to see him in it. After all, I'm writing this for your enjoyment, so shouldn't you have some say?