Hey all! I've done it! I've done another chapter! *lies down to die* I'm really in the mood for typing chapters, but I get tired of doing it so quickly ( I have little motivation as a writer - More for an artist!).

Anyhow, here's the next part in the story. Sorry to keep you all waiting! We're getting close to the end now. Probably up to 12 chapters for this one - same as the last fic. So don't forget to Review after you've read this! I need the reviews to keep me going you know ;)

~ Keysha

***

The Kryzdal Guardian

Chapter Nine: The Bond

***

"Xemie? You okay?"

Xema's eyes slowly fluttered open. The bonds on her wrists and ankles had been undone, and she now lay in Daxter's arms, snuggled against his chest.

"Ye-Yeah, I'm fine Dax." She sighed. "When did you get here?"

A little while ago, while you were still asleep. Don't worry, we took care of Karma."

"What did you do to her?"

Daxter grinned. "We boiled her alive.

Xema smiled and closed her eyes. "Good, good." She let out a rather heavy sigh. "It's a shame - this is only a dream."

"What?" Daxter gasped. "How can you say that?"

"Daxter? You're a giant ottsel!"

***

"AGH!"

Xema woke up in a cold sweat. It was night; she could see the silvered moonlight pouring through the little window in the room. Mocking her almost, it was free, and she was caged up like a bird.

"That - was too weird!" Xema gasped heavily as she vividly recalled the image of her, as a humanoid, being cradled by a giant ottsel.

She glanced down at her wrists. The cuts were getting deeper. She tried to lie back down, but had trouble doing so without moving her bonds, which seemed to saw their way deeper into her wounds.

No longer under the watchful eye of her sister, Xema let the tears come, flowing down her face - at first only a small trickle, but soon becoming raging rivers caressing her cheeks.

"Daxter." She whispered to no one but her self. "I miss you."

***

"Is everything okay?"

Kryzdal placed a hand on the boy's shaking shoulder. It was late at night, and the two had set up camp, not far from their intended destination.

Try as he might, Daxter could not sleep. Knowing how close he was to Xema, knowing that every moment they hung around was more time that Karma could hurt her, it tortured him.

And now, his heart began to hurt.

He places a hand to his chest. "I can't sleep. It hurts - here."

Kryzdal nodded.

"It happens. It's in our genes, to share the pain of those we love."

"Has she been hurt?" Daxter asked, whipping around to face Kryzdal. "She's not - " He paused, dreading to say it "Dead?"

"If she's dead, you would be able to tell. And so would I." Kryzdal put a hand on top of her heart. "I'm her mother, like you, I care for her. It would feel - like she is no longer with us - if she died. Tell me, do you feel that?"

Daxter just shook his head, trying to force back the tears that were fighting to take over his already blurry vision.

"She's not hurt - just - sad."

"She misses you."

Daxter looked up, a determined look in his eye.

"She NEEDS me!"

***

A little further from the campsite of Kryzdal and Daxter, another group were also trying to sleep. Draco, Jewlii, Jak and Keira, along with a large number of Palace guards, were resting for the night, wings aching beyond imagination.

Keira lay in Jak's arms, resting her head against his chest and gazing out over the starry sky.

"Do you think she's okay?" Jak asked, only half asleep. Keira shrugged.

"There's no real way to tell. I hope so." She sighed. "I feel like, I'm so incredibly useless! I just KNOW Daxter and Kryzdal are almost at Karma's hideout! They might actually already be THERE!"

Jak nodded.

It was usually HIM that was the hero. The one helping others - this time, it seemed Daxter had taken over the role. It wasn't the fact that he wasn't GRATEFUL that he didn't have to do all the work. However, he did feel something.

Left out.

He felt the weight on his chest move, and found Keira gazing into his eyes.

Okay, so maybe being left out wasn't so bad AFTER all!

***

Karma looked down at the small body curled up on the floor.

"Wake UP!"

There was no response. Karma, loosing her temper, kicked Xema hard, but still there was no response.

"Oh come now Xema! I KNOW you're not dead! I can see you're still BREATHING!"

Karma smacked Xema's head. There was hardly a moan coming from the weak body. The older woman just sighed.

"Fine! Die there! See if I really care! You know fully well that I WON'T!"

There was a loud bang as Karma slammed the door.

And then the room grew cold and silent.

***

"This is it!"

Daxter gazed around. From the air, the cave they were now standing before looked a lot like any old cave. However, now that he had his feet fully planted on the ground, he could see that it was anything BUT ordinary. The entranceway, for one thing, had a huge golden door, covered with Precursor engravings. The bush all around the cave's mouth seemed to be growing a range of different plants and fruits.

"Geeze, this place looks like some kind of holiday home." Daxter gaped. Kryzdal smiled at his shocked expression.

"Actually, Daxter, it is. This is the Royal family used to come and stay when they wanted to get away from the city. It hasn't been used for YEARS though, considering hardly anyone could leave the city while it was under that curse." She smiled. "I never really thanked you for breaking it Daxter."

He flushed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I-it wasn't really me who did it. It's Xema you've got to thank." He turned away from Kryzdal, gazing up at the large door. "So, uh, how do we get in?"

Kryzdal walked up to the large door, and placed the palm of her hand onto one of the markings. The door glowed, and then slowly evaporated into thin air. Daxter stood in shock and awe.

"You know - that'd make a great party trick!"

"It only opens to members of the royal family." She turned and smiled at Daxter. "But we are more than welcome to invite non-royals inside."

Daxter stepped forward, through the area that was once a giant door.

"Where is she?" He asked, not really Kryzdal, but almost the entire cave. The inside was nothing like a musty, dirty old cave one would expect. It was decorated and furnished, much like the palace where Xema lived. However, a lot of the furnishings seemed a lot older. Probably well before Kryzdal and Xema's time - Daxter thought.

I suspect Karma would be keeping her downstairs, I doubt she'd keep her in one of the comfortable rooms - she'll probably be in the cellar." Kryzdal pointed towards a stairwell. "Go find her Daxter. I'll stay here until the others arrive."

"Others?" Daxter echoed.

"Draco is coming, along with your two friends. They have guards with them as well."

"H-how can you tell?" Daxter shook his head, then noticed Kryzdal point to her heart. He grinned.

"I should have known."

***

"Kryzdal!"

Jewlii rushed up to the open entrance, embracing the female figure that stood in the doorway. Jak and Keira just gaped at the woman, along with Draco.

"K-Kryzdal?" He whispered, hardly believing his eyes. He joined Jewlii at the top of the stairs, warmly embracing his wife. All around Jak and Keira, the guards bowed down before their ruler and his queen.

"I, I thought she was dead!" Keira stammered. Jak raised an eyebrow.

"Her mother? Her pet? They both have the same name as Xema's mum."

Keira gaped. "But it couldn't be! That's, impossiable!"

"Really?" Jak grinned. "Then explain to me why Daxter's only two feet tall and covered in fur?" His face paled. "Oh geeze, Dax! Where is he?"

Kryzdal pulled away from Draco slightly, and smiled at the blonde.

"He's gone to find Xema. Do not worry Jak, he'll be fine." She looked at Draco. "Let's go find our other daughter. It's been a long time since I've seen her, and already I want to give her a stern telling off!"

Draco smiled.

"Lead the way my dear."

Jak and Keira had no choice but to follow them.

"I just hope Dax is okay." Jak whispered to Keira, as they were swept away in the sea of Palace guards.

***

Daxter had completely lost his way through the labyrinth of corridors. "Some CELLAR" He mumbled to himself as he rushed around. He prayed that he didn't run into Karma along the way. Or even worse! He gulped at the thought of running into Bryon. At least, when he was an ottsel, he had the advantage of using his miniscule height against him. Now that he was humanoid again, he was pretty sure it would be Bryon with the upper hand.

Suddenly, he felt his heart jolt as he ran past a particular door. Very old and worn, and it looked like it had hardly been touched for quite a while. Daxter wanted to continue on, but the tugging on his heartstrings told him he HAD to look inside. Sighing heavily, he took the twisted door handle into his palm, and pulled.

"Oh geeze!"

Xema was huddled in a impaired position on the floor. She wasn't moving, and Daxter couldn't even make out if she was breathing or not.

"Xema!" He rushed to her side, noticing the tight bonds on her wrists and ankles. "Boy, kinda makes me wish I still had my ottsel teeth!" He mumbled, as he put all his effort into untying the bonds. Speaking of his teeth, he HAD noticed that his overbite was finally gone. Maybe it was all that time he had spent as an ottsel, or maybe he had grown out of them? Either way, he didn't really care.

Finally breaking the last bit of rope, Daxter carefully examined the cuts on her wrists. They were deep, but he supposed Samos could easily heal them with his green eco. Daxter turned his attention to the girl, who lay almost lifelessly in his arms.

"Xema? PLEASE, don't die on me!"

There was a small sigh from the figure in his arms, and Xema groaned as she began to open her eyes.