Disclaimer: Again, I still don't own the characters. Except for Ryder, who's dead now, and Boyer.
Author's Note: Finally! I get to use one of the first plot points I came up with when I started thinking up OOTA. And… Just one more chapter! Argh… I want so badly to just refer to the various magic spells as they known in the games, but, since they've only just acquired the powers and are still learning about them, I can't. It makes things hard to understand, and I apologize. But now we all know what the Duos are!
OUT OF THE ASHES
Chapter Twenty-Six
Dragon and Phoenix
The tree limbs reached for her hair, her clothing, tangling them and slowing Aki's frantic pace. Her body felt numb, as if the pain that had racked her body was being dampened, somehow. The Phoenix; it was the only explanation. Because she knew her body should have been on the verge of collapse by now.
(It's the only way you'll be able to face Ash,) the Phoenix said. (I'm afraid your body is going to pay for it later.)
I don't expect to survive this, Aki thought. I'll die taking down Ash if I have to, as long as no one else can be hurt by him.
Her grip tightened on the Nocturne she held cradled awkwardly in her arms. The weapon was heavy, and she wasn't accustomed to using it. But all she had to do was get close enough for one shot. Hopefully, the blow to his spirit would be enough to shatter his concentration, giving her enough time to… to what? She didn't know what she was capable of! She couldn't even control what she supposedly had! The power had only come when needed.
(And you do not need it now?) the Phoenix pointed out. (It is now that your need is greatest. When the time comes, you will be able to call your power to you.)
Aki hoped the Phoenix was right. Because she could feel Ash close by, his presence like a taint to her senses. She broke through the tree line onto what looked as if it had been a highway through the mountains, a pathway that was almost clear of growth. She paused to take in the breathtaking vista laid out before her. So many trees…
A dark cloud obscured the moon, and Aki squinted. The night was clear; where had the cloud come from?
The Black Boa… It wasn't a cloud; a thick column of smoke was rising from a dark swath cut through the trees where the ship had gone down. And where there was smoke… A fire! Aki turned around, facing the road downward. She had to warn the others!
But she didn't know where they were by now. Had they stayed in place after finding that she was gone, or done the sensible thing and tried to leave? What if they'd split up to look for her?
Or maybe they'd seen the fire by now, and had already found their way to safety. Her hands trembled with her indecision. God, she wanted to help them, but what about Ash? What do I do? she screamed silently.
(Do you think you could find them if you turned back now?) the Phoenix said softly. (Could you even find where you left them? If you perish, all hope of destroying Ash could die with you.) Aki could hear the sadness in the other's voice. (At the moment, I sense your friends are all right. They can take care of themselves. If… if I sense that they're in danger, there is something I may be able to do to help them, but it would mean leaving you alone, and I can't do that yet.)
So we continue on towards Ash. Her eyes followed the road through the dark and up… up… Ash was at the top of the peak, waiting for her.
* * *
"Well, that was unexpected," Major Boyer drawled as he stepped over to General Ryder's prone form. He nudged it with one steel-toed boot, then backed away. "You nailed him pretty good," he observed, meeting Jane's eyes with amusement.
"Sir," one of the soldiers who had taken position around Jane, a wary circle of men and women ready to pull the trigger if Jane so much as twitched a finger, called to Boyer. "Do you want us to kill her?"
Boyer eyed Jane like she was only a minor nuisance, beneath his notice. "I think I can handle her. Take your men and search for Dr. Ross. She's the one I want. And take her alive; she could be of use to me."
"Sir?" the man repeated. "How many of my men do you want me to leave?"
"None," Boyer said, his tone hardening. "Take your men. Find the woman. I can handle the little ice bitch."
"She killed General Ryder – "
"Leaving me as the superior officer," Boyer snarled, rounding on the soldier, who shrank back from his gaze. Jane wondered what he saw that frightened him so. And why, she wondered, was Boyer so damned confident? She turned slightly, causing one of the frightened soldiers to press the muzzle of his gun tightly to her forehead, but at least she could now see where Ryan and Major Elliot were standing next to Neil, arms upraised. They looked as puzzled as she felt at Boyer's confidence. "I suggest you obey my orders," Boyer hissed. "Go. Now. Find Dr. Ross, and don't return until you have her."
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, but didn't further question Boyer. He watched them go, wincing at the noise when one of them stepped on a stick that broke with a resounding crack. "Their forest skills are woefully underdeveloped," he observed dryly. "They'll be lucky if they can find their way back."
As soon as the soldiers' attention was off her, Jane prepared for a second strike. Boyer's back was to her; she wouldn't have a better opportunity. She swept her hand forward, guiding the second spear towards Boyer's exposed back…
What happened next was faster than her eye could see. One moment, it seemed as if the ice spear was going to fly true and impale the major; the next, Jane was stumbling backwards as something slammed into her shoulder. Blood flowed from a deep gouge that had torn the shirt and a large expanse of skin on her shoulder, and she stared at it blankly for a moment before the pain had hit. What the hell? she thought, dumbstruck, wondering what had hit her.
Her stagger had brought her back against a tree, where her hand connected with something cold to the touch. She turned to see a spear of ice embedded into the bark… a spear that was smeared with her blood.
Shocked, she stared at Major Boyer, whose face had twisted into that grim half-smile she'd come to loathe. "Now really, Corporal. It's against the rules of engagement to strike at someone's unprotected back, isn't it?"
He's protected! Or shelled, or whatever the hell they call it. But… it bounced right back at me! How? I don't see one of those green spirit ovo-packs on him. Could he be one of us?
Didn't Neil say he'd died? Shit… So he had a power of his own, it seemed. One that rendered hers useless.
"I wouldn't move, Major… I'm afraid that little light show of yours would just be returned to you," Boyer said, turning to face Major Elliot, who'd left Ryan's side to creep around behind Boyer. "Reflection is useful that way."
While he was distracted by Elliot, Jane cast around desperately for a weapon she could use. The soldiers had disarmed them and taken the weapons with them, and the only gun she could see was the one in Boyer's holster. Maybe she could grab it; would his little trick bounce her off, too? Or was it just magic that was 'reflected?'
She had no choice. She glanced at Ryan, nodding towards the gun. He nodded to show he understood, then bent to pick up a hefty limb to use as a club. If Major Elliot wasn't enough of a distraction, she and Ryan together should be able to retrieve the gun and subdue Boyer.
But there was something about Boyer's confidence that left her feeling uneasy. He wasn't stupid. Why would he leave himself exposed like this?
She couldn't think about that now. She had to get his gun. In unison, both she and Ryan struck. They'd worked together for so long, moving in synch was second nature to them. Ryan brought down his makeshift club just as Jane's fingers closed around the grip of Boyer's gun.
And Boyer didn't do anything, even as Ryan's club smashed down on his shoulder, even as Jane twisted around him so she could aim the muzzle of his gun directly between his eyes. She'd wanted to see fear in his eyes when he saw his own death, but instead all she saw was… nothing. No emotion stirred in the depths of those pale, dead eyes.
No, she was wrong. There was something there. A flicker, barely perceptible at first but suddenly flaring until his eyes seemed to be glowing in the darkness. Shock numbed Jane's fingers, and for a moment they wouldn't close around the trigger of the gun.
And after that moment, it was too late. A cold breeze caressed her fingers, then, with shocking speed, ice crystals began to form around her hands, and began to climb up her arms, locking them into place.
The same thing was happening to her legs, she realized numbly when she tried to step back, but couldn't move. She couldn't feel her body anymore, everything was cold, so cold...
* * *
Shortly after the impact of the Phantom's meteor, before the true terror of the Phantoms had manifested, Captain James Boyer had been stationed at the base nearest the site. He'd brought his wife, Catherine, who at the time was six months pregnant. He hadn't wanted to leave her behind for the half a year he'd be away, and at the time, there'd been no hint of danger around the site beyond the usual accidents.
Or so they'd thought. During his first two months of security work at the crater, keeping away the curious scientists and reporters and tourists who wanted to see the biggest meteor ever to collide with the earth, there'd been an increasing number of deaths at the site itself, deaths that were slowly spreading. The possibility of a disease from the crater, a completely unknown, alien plague, was becoming more and more likely. James had been growing steadily more afraid for his wife and unborn son's life, but he couldn't abandon his post. He did, however, manage to convince his wife to go home, for the safety of their child.
But he was too late. It was while he was driving her to the civilian hangar, where she would catch a ride home, that disaster struck: His wife gave a startled gasp, then slumped over. James had thought she was just ill from her condition, or perhaps that she'd even gone into labor early. A quick check was all it took to shatter his world; she was dead.
He'd rushed her body to the hospital, but they could do nothing but declare her another victim of the mysterious plague. The young captain was devastated, but the doctors did offer him one bit of good news. The child within her still lived.
And so young William Boyer was born. He was a strange boy, pale and quiet and somehow… unnatural. But James loved him, and was granted leave to take him home in light of his loss. James left the base, escaping it several months before it was eradicated by the new menace. He left the military soon after, content to raise his boy and lead a simple life.
His life with his son lasted only ten years, for, though it wouldn't be discovered until Dr. Sid's theories of bio-etheric energy became public knowledge, Will was the first child born with a green spirit. When Will turned ten, he began to manifest strange abilities.
A month later, his house was burned down in a raging inferno, his father dead within and Will presumed to have died with him. The firemen hadn't seen the young boy concealed in the shadows, flames dancing in his eyes, reveling in what he'd done.
He'd spent the years after that honing his abilities. No one noticed the mysterious deaths he'd left in his wake; the world had been becoming aware of the Phantom presence, and what were a few more strange deaths when they were happening by the millions?
He'd joined the military when he'd come of age, aware that they now held the power in a world under attack. It taught him how to keep his powers to himself, so he used them only when necessary. Why waste his energy when a gun worked just as well?
When he'd met General Ryder, he'd found someone who saw the potential of the green spirits, though at first, Ryder's motives had been only to save the planet with a powerful new kind of soldier. He'd been careful not to reveal just how powerful someone with a green spirit was. If he'd known the full extant of Boyer's abilities, he'd never have trusted the major. One never let the puppet know who was pulling its strings, after all.
The defeat of the Phantoms and subsequent resurrection of New York, however, had put a serious crimp in his plans. He'd wanted a few loyal soldiers to be the only ones to hold the power and become an unstoppable force. Suddenly having hundreds of people manifesting these abilities but were unwilling to serve a master was an unforeseen disaster. The only good thing to come out of it was Ash. And Dr. Ross… He had no intention of killing the woman, not when he could change her as he had Ash, with a few well-placed cuts to the brain.
Well, he'd worry about that when the problem arose. For now, he had to take care of the problem at hand.
Major Elliot was in motion, hurtling into Boyer's torso and knocking him off balance. Boyer staggered back, but caught himself as Elliot attempted to grab Boyer's arm to throw him. Boyer eluded his opponent, having taken the same self-defense courses as Elliot. Using the same move Elliot had attempted, Boyer gripped Elliot's arm, which felt thin and brittle under his hand. With a twist, he flung Elliot into Whittaker, who'd been moving forward for another blow with his club.
The two men went down, though they weren't out. While Whittaker seemed to have had his breath knocked out of him, Elliot scrambled to his feet, swaying slightly before catching his balance. In his hand he held the sergeant's club like a short staff, and he tensed his body for another spring.
"This has to stop, Major," Boyer said coolly. At his words, Elliot seemed to freeze in place, unmoving except for the slow rise and fall of his chest. He could see the fury in Elliot's eyes as the spell held him in place, but he had no way to vent it.
Two down, one to go. Boyer turned toward Whittaker, who had finally recovered his breath from the fall. "Now, you have two options. You could fight me and, inevitably, lose, or you can surrender."
He saw Whittaker's jaw tighten as he considered, then the sergeant's shoulders slumped. "What are you going to do with us?"
"I won't kill you, if that's what you're worried about." He saw the sergeant's eyes flicker towards Jane. "She'll live, though she may have a little frostbite afterwards. Nothing you can't cure. As for why I want you alive, you'll be useful when I get my hands on Dr. Ross."
"As hostages," Whittaker said hopelessly.
"I suppose you could see it that way." Boyer could see other uses for them; someone would have to take the blame for General Ryder's death, after all. And he could use that to convince the Council that the individuals with green spirits were a threat and belonged under military surveillance… But the sergeant didn't need to know that.
"Put your hands together," Boyer said quietly. His prisoner obeyed, grimacing as Boyer's touch sheathed his hands in ice. "Useful trick your corporal came up with." The sergeant threw him an angry look, enough to know there was still some fight in him, then stalked over to where Corporal Fleming lay.
It was a shame Fleming was unconscious; Boyer would have liked General Hein to see this.
* * *
Aki broke into an awkward run as the slope of the road became gentler. She didn't need to hide her presence; Ash knew she was coming. Her ears popped as she reached a greater altitude, and it was getting harder to breath. She was forced to slow after a few minutes; she didn't want to exhaust herself before she got there.
The road she was on had opened out and now went around the mountain rather than through a pass; as a result, there was a sheer drop to her left, with only a twisted guard rail to keep the traffic that had once used this road from certain death. It gave her a bird's eye view of the ship's smoldering remains. Rather than fizzle out, as Aki had hoped, the flames engulfing the ship were spreading, and the forest was the perfect fuel for what could become a raging inferno. From where she stood, she could already smell the acrid odor of the smoke when an errant breeze blew it in her direction.
(Dr. Ross! Your friends are in grave danger.) Aki jolted to a stop.
What? How do you know? I… I have to… She looked downward, towards where she thought she'd left her friends, then back up towards Ash. What do I do? I want to help them… but Ash… Her heart was heavy. When she'd left them, they'd been safe and it hadn't occurred to her that that would change. Somehow, she'd convinced herself that, by leaving them, she was saving them. But now… You should have let me go to them!
(As I said, I may be able to do something to assist them,) the Phoenix said hesitantly. (But it will seem as if I am no longer with you while I do this. I will be… projecting, I guess you could say, my consciousness outside your body. Without it, you will feel every agony that Ash has inflicted upon you.)
I don't care! Do it! Aki urged. She didn't quite believe that the voice in her head could do anything to actually help, but it perhaps it could alleviate the guilt she felt. For awhile, anyway, until it sank in that a figment of insanity couldn't really do what it had suggested.
(Don't do anything rash while I'm gone,) the Phoenix warned. (Stay here and rest. I'll hurry.)
And then, just like that, it seemed as if there was a big blank spot in Aki's mind. The feeling was so unexpected that she gasped, and she had to cling to the guardrail for support. Without the Phoenix to consciously mask the pain
She sank to the ground, gasping for breath. The air was thin at this altitude, thinner even than the depleted air she'd grown up with. She was grateful for the chance to rest; despite the urgency of the situation, she knew facing Ash when she was physically exhausted was folly. She cradled the Nocturne in her lap, and leaned back against the guardrail.
She didn't realize she'd closed her eyes. And she was completely unaware when her exhausted body slipped into a heavy, dreamless sleep.
In face, she wasn't aware of anything until hands closed tightly around her shoulders, pulling her roughly to her feet. Aki's eyes snapped open, and she gasped in horror. The Nocturne tumbled from her lap, unnoticed. "I got tired of waiting," Ash said.
* * *
Neil blinked as he pushed himself into a sitting position. He blinked again, slowly. Someone had started a fire, and he could see a short distance around him. Ryan was close by, his body shielding a large expanse from view. He could just make out Major Elliot, features barely discernible in the firelight, but he couldn't find Aki or Jane. Or Major Boyer.
"What did I miss?" Neil asked.
Ryan started, and whirled to face the tech. "Neil!" he hissed, his voice soft. "We thought you were done for! Are you all right?"
Neil considered the question carefully. Was he all right? The answer surprised him. For the first time in weeks, he felt almost clear-headed, more like himself. "I… I feel good, actually." He searched his mind for a sign of Hein; the other man was still absent from his thoughts, but something felt different. It wasn't that he was gone completely, but something within them had changed. "So what's going on?"
Ryan shifted slightly to the side, revealing the frozen Jane. "You collapsed and we thought you were dying, Aki disappeared, Jane killed General Ryder, and it seems Major Boyer has some magic of his own, which he used to stop Jane and Major Elliot," he said grimly. "We're under arrest, and there's nothing we can do to fight him."
"Oh," Neil said weakly. "Some days, it just doesn't pay to wake up. So, what now?"
Ryan held up his hands, showing his frozen wrists. "Nothing, except hope that we can talk the Council into granting us freedom. They were sided with General Ryder. Maybe, with his death, there'll be enough disarray that we can convince them to let us go." Ryan's shoulders slumped. "But I think Boyer has other ideas. He… he seems to be as powerful as Ash."
"He's not sane." Suddenly, all General Hein had told him made a horrible sense. "He's been playing with Ryder, hasn't he? He's a puppet master. And, you said he had powers? That must be how he survived when he should have died… And that's why he threatened me when I brought it up. He didn't want Ryder to have any idea how powerful he really is."
"I don't find that comforting," Ryan said.
"Neither do I." Neil's eyes fell on Jane. "Is Jane all right? How could she survive that?"
"Boyer says she's all right," Ryan said doubtfully. "Not that I believe him." Major Boyer was watching them, his eyes glittering in the darkness. Neil wondered why no one had ever seen the spark of green in their depths before.
"D'you think we can overpower him if we work together?" Neil asked.
"Already tried that. You can see the results." For the first time since Neil had known Ryan, the sergeant looked… defeated. "Even if we could, we'd still have to help Jane and Major Elliot, and find Aki, and don't forget that we're stranded in the middle of nowhere. There's always General Ryder's transports, but I'm not sure where they landed. And we know Ash is around here somewhere…" Ryan shook his head sadly. I hate to say this, but I think we're screwed."
* * *
(Wake up!) The imperious command cut through the dreamless void in which Hein had confined himself. Hein tried to ignore it, pulling himself deeper into the nothingness in which he'd confined himself. Here, nothing and no one would be hurt by his actions. Here, there was no pain, no cruel memories, nothing but blissful quiet. The peace that would be denied him if he'd truly died, for there was no way he'd have made it to Heaven.
(Wake up!) The voice was more insistent, shattering his peace. Go away, he thought angrily. Leave me alone!
There was silence, and Hein thought he'd gotten his way, until the darkness around him changed. There was a disorienting twist that would have made him nauseous, had he had a corporeal form, then the darkness coalesced around him, and the nothingness become… something.
He was on a vast, white plane, beneath a dome of blackness shot through with swirls of color seen only out of the corner of his eyes. His eyes? Hein looked down, astonished to see his own feet planted on the ground. His own body! He held his hands before his eyes, disbelieving the vision of black leather in front of him. But how? Is this just one of my memories?
(No, not a memory,) the voice that had drawn him from his slumber said gently. The darkness in front of him began to glow, and then to burn, and he had to shield his eyes as a huge being of flame manifested before him. He backed away, trying to take it all in.
"I know you," he said, then started at the sound of his own voice. "I saw you in New York… The Phoenix. Are you real?"
(Real enough,) she said. Hein lowered his hand to see her better, and was surprised to see her flames had dimmed, as if to make it easier on him. She was hovering in midair, though her wings were still. She was magnificent, Hein had to admit to himself. But what was she?
(A guide. A healer. And now, I serve as a messenger.) Somehow, it didn't surprise Hein that she could read his mind.
"A messenger," Hein repeated suspiciously.
(You must help them,) she said. (They're in grave danger.)
He didn't need to ask of whom she was talking about. "No." His voice was flat, and he thought he saw the Phoenix flinch.
(No?) His mind rang with the sound of her disbelief. (Why not?)
Hein crossed his arms. "Help Dr. Ross and her cadre of rejects? No. I don't want to. I want nothing to do with them."
Silence, as the Phoenix considered this. (You don't mean that,) she said, her voice sorrowful. Damn, she'd been reading his mind again…
Hein gritted his teeth. "Why do you bother asking me when you can just read my thoughts?" he snarled.
(Tell me why,) she said. (I wish to hear it from you.)
Why? Why should he bare his soul to this… this creature? Why, when she could just read his mind, anyway?
Because she was willing to listen? When was the last time he'd had someone he could talk to, someone who'd listen to his feelings, his problems, rather than expect him to take care of their own? Years, certainly. And he knew he'd never be able to confess to his reluctant host how he felt. "I can't," he said in a neutral tone. "Every time I try to help, someone gets hurt. It was my decision that destroyed New York. My decision that caused this 'grave danger' in the first place. My refusal to see what I was doing was wrong killed these people you want me to help. If I had only refrained from firing the Zeus, Captain Edwards would never have died, and he wouldn't have been transformed into that monster that… that… that ruined Dr. Ross. Can't you see? All of this is my fault! Every time I get involved, things go seriously wrong. I can't do it any more… I can't…" Hein's voice cracked, and he could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks. "Just leave me alone! I can't help them!"
Hein turned and began to walk away. He expected the scenery around him to fade away at his refusal… or for the Phoenix to strike him down. Either way, he expected it to end.
(Douglas,) the Phoenix whispered, and Hein started. He whirled, furious with the familiarity she'd just exhibited, then froze.
The Phoenix was gone. In her place was a woman, still ethereal but now achingly familiar. Green eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, a heart shaped face framed by dark auburn hair that flickered with sparks of flame… "Rhiannan?" he gasped, before he could stop himself. "No," he said, angry with himself, and with the Phoenix. "How dare you… How dare you take her form?" He was shaking with rage. "Change back!"
(No.) Green eyes sparked with anger, and she took a step nearer. (I risked too much to save you, and I will not let you destroy your chance at salvation because you're too stubborn to take it!)
Hein was taken aback. He'd expected the Phoenix to either apologize and return to her true form, or to continue her charade as his wife in an attempt to convince him. But this… this anger… It was too much like Rhiannan when she was upset with him, down to the little furrow between her eyes. "And you thought that disguising yourself as my wife would make me suddenly want to help?" he snarled. Without thinking, he stepped forward, hand lashing out to strike his wife's doppelganger. His blow didn't connect, passing through her body as though she were a ghost. Green eyes narrowed.
(You have changed,) the Phoenix said grimly. (Perhaps I was wrong, and there is nothing left in you worth saving. But you are their only hope, and I won't give up on you yet.)
Hein could only stare. "What are you?" he managed finally. "Who are you?"
(As I said, I am a guide. I volunteered to return to help the gifted to understand their powers. I am also a healer; I have bonded with Dr. Ross as you are with Corporal Fleming so I can heal her wounds and teach her how to use her gifts.)
"Why are you using Rhiannan's form?" Hein demanded.
She continued in that tone that burned as her true form hadn't . (Your spirit has returned from the dead; is it a stretch to believe that you aren't the only one? Many of those resurrected had bodies to return to. Yours was destroyed, and mine has long been buried. This was the only way I could return.)
This was too much. Hein refused to believe it. Because, if it was true, then this creature before him, this fabulous, celestial being, was his wife. "No…"
She came closer, and brushed an insubstantial hand down his cheek. He could almost feel her touch as a brush of heat on his jaw… He tried to push her away, but his hand again passed through her. Sensing his frustration, she murmured, (I'm sorry, but with my body joined with Aki's, I can't physically manifest.)
"Why should I believe it's you? How do I know you didn't just pull this from my memories of her? Don't play with me like this!" Desperation colored his voice, and he suddenly realized just how badly he wanted it to be her. Because if she was here, he wasn't alone anymore.
(I can see your memories…But, perhaps it would persuade you if you could see mine?) Before Hein could respond, she'd placed her fingers on his temples. He barely had the chance to realize, almost absently, that now he could feel her touch, when he was suddenly plunged into yet another set of memories.
It seemed like an eternity had passed but must have only been a few moments before Hein came back to himself. My God… "Rhiannan?" he whispered, meeting her gaze. He was surprised to see tears on her face that matched his own. "It… it really is you!"
(Yes,) she said, smiling that crooked little smile he'd loved so much.
"But… but why? Why would you come back?"
(For you. Douglas, do you know what happens when you die?) Hein suppressed a groan; he didn't need a theological discussion right now, not now that he'd found his wife again! (Your spirit returns to Gaia.)
Now Hein did groan. "Dr. Sid's crazy theory… Don't tell me you believe that!"
Rhiannan glared. (It's true. You saw Gaia yourself, before you died. Your spirit returns to Gaia, to join with it and strengthen it. But did you ever wonder where the idea of Hell comes from? Do you think Gaia wants memories of acts as horrible as some people have committed? No. Such spirits are destroyed. All those memories, gone, as if that person had never existed.)
(Imagine my horror,) she continued after a moment, (when I learned of what you've done. Millions of innocents dead because of you. Worse, you did it for me! Me! Why did you think I'd want you to kill so many just to avenge my death? The ends don't justify the means. I hated you, at first.)
Hein wilted. This was his worst nightmare come true. This… this was why he wanted to hide himself away. "I'm sorry," he whispered, knowing that words just weren't enough.
(But I love you too much. Douglas, I couldn't let you be destroyed. That's why I asked that you be placed here. This is your only chance to save yourself.)
"I can't," he said helplessly.
(You must! You're tearing Fleming apart by hiding yourself away like this! You've left him alone with your memories. He's going mad! Only by fully cooperating with him will you complete the symbiosis. Without you, he'll die.)
"You think I haven't tried to help these people? I've made things worse! Did you ever think that maybe it would be better off if I was gone?" A horrible thought struck him. "Sherra… Does she know? Does she…hate me?" The thought of his young daughter, staring at him with accusing blue eyes, was like a knife to his gut.
(She knows,) Rhiannan confirmed. (But she doesn't understand. She just wants to see her daddy again.)
"How? How am I supposed to help them? I don't know how you thought I could be of any use; I can't do anything stuck in this body except confuse the situation and drive my host insane. I'm worthless." Hein slumped to the ground, face in his hands.
Rhiannan's light laughter drew his attention. (That's the first time I've ever heard you underestimate yourself. While you could never defeat Ash alone, you are the ace in the hole that could save them.) She knelt down next to him, her hands overlaying his. (Will you help them?)
"Giving Fleming mental problems doesn't seem like a very handy talent. Am I supposed to confuse Ash with his wit and my sarcasm?"
Flames flared around Rhiannan, licking at his skin. Hein fell back, though the inferno was as insubstantial as the woman herself. Arms spread into wings, and Rhiannan's beautiful face sharpened into a beak, her hair sweeping back into an elegant crest. Hein reached for her, not wanting her to become this shining being that was and wasn't his wife. "Don't leave me!" he cried.
(Aki needs me now!) the Phoenix said. Her gaze burned into Hein. (And she needs you. Tell Corporal Fleming to call you to his aid. That's all it takes. Get them, Douglas. They didn't just kill me… they killed our unborn son as well.) There was great sadness in her voice, but when she spoke again, it was with a teasing note as her body began to dissolve, (I picked your form out for you. I think you'll like it.) And then she was gone from his life again.
* * *
Aki thrashed in Ash's grasp, her only thought to get away, away, away! This was the thing that had hurt her, and here he was again, touching her! A small part of her mind struggled to keep calm, but fear overrode that last fragment of sanity and she could only scream.
Ash grinned at the effect he was having on her. "You escaped from me before; this time, you don't have your friends to help you."
Aki couldn't focus on his words. She kicked, screamed, and scratched at his face ineffectually. In her mind, she relived every torment Ash had put her through, feeling bones break, wounds bleed… And all the while, she could hear Ash's insane laughter ringing in her ears.
(Aki!) The voice cut through the unending loop of torture. (Aki! You have the strength to stand up to him! You aren't his prisoner anymore!)
The Phoenix's words were slow to sink in. Ash, unaware of anything but his victim's helplessness, sneered, "You're all alone, Dr. Ross. There's no escape." She felt the ground fall away from her feet as Ash lifted her into the air. "It's just us. You're all mine."
(He's wrong, Aki. You're not alone. You're not helpless. You have the power to stop him.)
Aki stopped screaming as the Phoenix clamped down on her memories. No longer locked within her tortured thoughts, Aki's mind cleared, and she began to listen to the Phoenix. (I'm here, now. He can't hurt you unless you let him get to you.)
"No more screams?" Ash sounded disappointed. His grip tightened, digging into her bandaged shoulders. Aki almost screamed again, but she bit her lip until it bled. She wouldn't scream… She couldn't give him that satisfaction. The Phoenix was right; she couldn't let her fear overcome her.
Ash flung her to the ground, and Aki tried to roll to her feet, but her knees gave out and she fell in an ungainly sprawl. Before she could scramble to her feet, Ash had straddled her and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her head back. "Scream," he snarled into her ear.
Aki drew in a wheezing breath, but didn't respond. "Scream!" Ash shrieked, yanking harder until it seemed her spine would break.
"No," Aki said.
Ash slammed her head downward, intending to smash it into the pavement. But something within Aki responded to the danger, and her nose stopped less than an inch from the pavement. Vaguely, she recognized it as what she'd used to save Neil from the Phantom during the assault on Houston, and during the rescue of Dr. Sid. The Protect spell strikes again…
Pinning her with one knee, Ash hissed, "So you've finally figured out one of the shielding spells. I knew you were powerful." He ran his fingers along the exposed back of her neck, a tender caress that was a startling contrast to his brutal conduct moments before. Aki couldn't suppress a shudder, but it was the only sign of her discomfort she allowed herself to show. She'd caught sight of the Nocturne, almost within reaching distance, and if she could just lull Ash into thinking she was subdued… "Have you figured out the Shell spell, I wonder?" Suddenly his fingers against her skin grew warm.
Before it could become a full-fledged flame, Aki felt a crawling sensation just under her skin that suddenly seemed to swell outward. She caught a glimpse of a faint shimmer in the air before her eyes before it vanished; the only indication of what she'd cast. Ash quickly pulled his fingers from her neck, as if stung.
Thank you, Aki's thought was heartfelt. The Phoenix had tamed her wild talent, helping to coax the powers to her will.
"You see now why you can't hurt me?" Ash said from his position atop her. "You see what kind of power I wield?" He leaned down, until she could feel his breath hot on the back of her neck. His lips were near her ear as he whispered, "You're powerful; but your abilities are still immature, only a fraction of what I wield. Give up, and I won't hurt you any more than I have to."
Leaning over her as he was doing, Ash was unbalanced. The pressure on her back had lessened as Ash put his weight on his other knee, and Aki took advantage of his precarious position. She managed to shift her body forward, and her arm shot out towards the Nocturne, her fingers brushing the grip…
* * *
The soft warbling of Boyer's communicator drew Neil's attention from the numbness of his hands, which had been frozen like Ryan's. Boyer's words were too soft to be audible, but Neil could see by the change in Boyer's posture that whatever the person on the other end had to say, it was bad news. Neil felt hope stir within him; had Aki escaped? Was Ash dead? Had the Council declared Boyer a rogue and sent a squad to arrest him?
Then Boyer did something odd: He got to his feet and seemed to… sniff the air. What on earth…? Neil copied the major, wondering what was wrong. Ryan stared at him blankly, as if he was out of his mind. Neil was about to agree, when he caught the scent: smoke.
"What's going on?" Neil asked, momentarily forgetting that the man he spoke to was their captor and potential killer. Boyer's gaze flicked towards him for a moment, then returned to searching the shadows before him.
"It seems your ship came down in flames. The forest is on fire." Boyer turned towards Jane and Elliot's still forms, then back to Neil and Ryan. "We need to get out of here." He pulled his gun, gesturing towards them. "Start walking; Lieutenant Kain said the transports are that way."
His orders had been spoken in the tone all commanding officers used that meant they expected troops to instantly obey, and Ryan and Neil had automatically taken several steps into the woods before halting. "But… but what about Jane?" Neil demanded.
"Neither spell is going to wear off any time soon. Two hostages are enough to serve my purposes. Dragging their bodies that far would slow us down."
Out of the corner of his eye, Neil saw Ryan brace himself. When he was like that, nothing on this earth could move him. "I'm not leaving without them." Ryan's voice was cold. All signs of his earlier despondence were gone.
"Oh?" Boyer said quietly. "No, you wouldn't leave your friends while they still live." He seemed to consider for a moment. Then his lips twisted in that rictus grin that never reached his eyes. "Very well. If it's any comfort, I won't let them burn to death." He began to raise the gun.
Ryan realized what Boyer was up to a split second before Neil did. The sergeant sprinted forward, Neil right behind. It felt like he was going in slow motion; he could see Boyer level the gun with Jane's head, saw as he drew back the hammer… It seemed as if the inevitable could be stopped, if they weren't running slower still…
He'd never make it in time… "Jane!" he screamed.
He never expected an answer. A voice cried in his head, (I can help you!)
What? Neil staggered at Hein's unexpected appearance, falling to his hands and knees. His prolonged absence had made Neil wonder if perhaps he was free. How?
(Call me to your aid! Summon me!)
Ahead, Boyer's finger tightened around the trigger… Ryan was still too far to stop him… There was nothing Neil could do… (Summon me!) Hein demanded again. "I summon you!" he screamed, not really expecting anything to come of it.
Neil didn't expect the wave of pain that swept through his body, and he doubled over with a cry. Boyer turned, startled. "What the f-" he dimly heard Ryan yell, but Neil was no longer aware of anything. His body went into convulsions, and blood filled his mouth when he bit his tongue.
He didn't see the rush of green energy flow out of his body in a steady stream, gathering in a luminescent cloud above him that was visible to the naked eye. Boyer and Ryan could only watch as the cloud swelled larger, and larger, with green tendrils stretching outward. The cloud began to take on a definite shape; a fanged maw and spiraling horns had become visible, along with two glittering eyes, swept back wings…
The phantasmal shape began to solidify, and glossy black scales flecked with sliver flowed over its body. It opened its mouth and emitted a roar that seemed to resonate in their bones. Between its clawed front feet, Neil ceased this thrashing. Slowly, he became aware of his surroundings. Shit, General, what did you do to me? he demanded. The pain was gone completely, though Hein's presence in his head felt different than it had before, somehow.
He tasted the blood in his mouth and spat to clear it. Then he slowly lifted his head, his brow furrowing when he saw both Boyer and Ryan staring at him. Or rather, he amended, following their gazes, at something above him.
Neil rolled his head back, and his own eyes widened. "My God…" he whispered. What loomed above him couldn't possibly be real… But the Phoenix was real enough… It was a dragon. He'd summoned a dragon!
To Be Continued…