Knights and Eros Bound
Chapter 27
Anakin felt as if an invisible hand had shoved him to the floor and was stunned as a wave of energy passed over him. It was like being caught in a storm emanating from…
"Kam?"
Anakin turned his head to see that even Schurke had pulled away in shock. Kampher was radiating power from her small frame, and it was directed at Gris.
"Enough!" Kampher said softly. "Gris, let me help you."
Gris screamed and threw her hands over her eyes as she backed away, but Kampher was unfazed.
"You're ill, Gris," Kampher continued, undaunted. "Let me help you."
Both Anakin and Schurke were rooted to the spot. Anakin reached through the Force to assist Kam. He felt Schurke do the same as they both strove to infuse her spirit with their own, lending her their strength. Kampher took it gratefully, adding it to her own.
[P1] Gris screamed and thrashed about and Anakin cringed, feeling her pain but he would not, could not let go. Anakin refocused his concentration, sending Kam a new wave of support.
"Get out of my head!" Gris screamed. "Leave me alone, all of you!"
"We want to help you, Gris," Kampher said soothingly. "Please let us."
Suddenly Gris fell to the floor, wrapped her arms around her knees and addressed the trio. Her eyes were wide and fearful, and yet lucid.
"You can't help me! He's always there! Just go!" Gris, the real Gris, cried. "I don't want to hurt you! Please!"
Kampher slowly stood up, steadying herself on Schurke's arm. "Gris, we won't leave you. Come home with us…"
"Who won't leave you?" Anakin asked shakily, even though a small voice whispered in his ear that he knew who it was…
"Kam…" Gris began and at once her head rolled bonelessly in her neck and her body writhed like a basket of snakes. Her three closest friends stared at her in horrified silence as Gris dealt with her own inner turmoil. When she raised her head again, all traces of their friend were gone and only the madwoman who had taken her place remained. She started to laugh, a dry, hollow sound.
"Gris?" Kam asked warily. She shivered involuntarily as Gris laughed again.
Anakin slowly regained his feet and made his way over to Schurke and Kam, not noticing that Gris had slowly reached behind her back.
"I warned you…" Gris told them softly.
Schurke's eyes widened in horror and Anakin whipped around just as a blaster shot rang out. In an instant he was covered in a spray of blood and the hum of a light saber being ignited was lost in a sea of screams.
[P1]