Chapter 9

They Let You Go

Lunpa, Hydros and Leon walked side-by side down the dank passage to the docks; the three men still wore the brightly colored masks from inside the city. The ribbons pinned to their sleeves fluttered as the men walked, none willing to let the mirth of the celebrations slip away in light of the tasks before them.

"I still say I could beat either of you at the ring-toss." Lunpa boasted proudly, flicking away a bright red feather that fell across the eye-whole in his bird mask.

"Yes," Leon said slyly, "But Piers could give us all a run for our money at anything else inside the walls." The three men smiled and Lunpa danced a few steps, surprisingly light on his feet for his age.

"Oh, I don't know," he said cheerfully, "I have a feeling I could outlast your nephew in a good jig tonight, maybe if he's feeling up to it I'll challenge him. No one said this night had to be completely serious, it's one of the best festivals you Lemurians have after all."

The two Lemurians passed their companion laughing as Lunpa's hip gave an audible pop, the Angarian placing a hand over the joint and hobbled after them.

"Well, maybe not tonight." He admitted. Smiling, Leon turned his attention to Hydros,

"I have to say, Majesty, these masks are one of your best ideas," the Lemurian said, fingering the paper mask he wore in the shape of a leaping fish. "With no one able to recognize each other, every one's getting along much better when going through the booths."

Hydros smiled, chuckling a bit, behind his Water-Dragon mask, holding up the small sack he held the King said,

"Hopefully Piers and his friends will like the ones we picked out for them. I still think that was thoughtful, and rather taxing, of you to make seventy-two small ribbons for the Djinn. I'm sure the gesture won't go un-appreciated." The three men continued down the passage for sometime, exchanging comments about what was happening, both the important and other-wise.

"Hey, do you two see that?" Lunpa asked as the end of the tunnel came in site, Hydros and Leon looked where Lunpa was pointing and stopped talking.

The guards where inside enjoying themselves at the festival, if they hadn't then they would have had some explaining to do. There was a large, odd lump in front of the city's entrance. Hydros quickened his pace and the other two followed in suite.

"Is that?" Leon said anxiously, "It looks like-" all three broke into a run the last few yards.

"Mia!"

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"Mia? Mia, please, wake-up huh? Come on, time to get up." Mia's brow furrowed as she heard her name called, everything still echoing in her skull, so it took her a few moments to put a name to the voice,

'Isaac..?' She thought wearily, she tried to say it as well, but she found herself still unable to speak.

"She was near the entrance?" Some one asked, it sounded like Felix, but Mia wasn't sure, and whomever he was speaking to answered silently because she didn't hear the answer. There was a sound of shuffling, loud to her ears,

"What happened to her?" the voice was painfully loud to her, and Mia cringed as Garet's voice echoed over and over. Mia didn't try to hear the rest of the conversation, but some words made sense. 'Walk,', 'Disappear', 'Hours', and 'Poison,' were spoken frequently.

The room was bright, as Mia tried to open her eyes the glare made her head pound viciously. She whimpered slightly at the discomfort, and raised a hand to cover her eyes. That she could do that one simple thing brought relief in waves, and she relaxed back into the plush covers on the bed.

Mia's eyes snapped open at the sensation. Everything clicking in her mind; bed, warmth, her friends, she was back on the ship. But how had she gotten back; and where was Piers?

Mist, Sleet, Hail, Gel, and Fizz were all sitting on the edge of her bed. Gel looked over for a moment and saw that she was awake. Turning back to the conversation, the Djinni did a double-take and spun around, knocking Fizz and Sleet with her tail.

"She's awake!" Gel jumped up squealing, the high pitch sending needles of pain through Mia's skull. Mist and Hail jumped up and smothered Gel to keep her quiet.

The others all turned around as the three tussled on the covers; they all opened their mouths as if to start bombarding her with questions, but Felix cleared his throat and shook his head as they all glanced at him. Mia felt a rush of gratitude towards her friend as King Hydros stepped forward,

"You were poisoned," He said gently, kneeling down beside the bed. "It is an old recipe from inside the city; it leaves a person with no one sense intact." His eyes ran over her swiftly, "But by the looks of it, you were given the antidote before any permanent damage was done. You ought to make a full recovery." Mia relaxed as he nodded slightly; there was no doubt in his eyes.

The light feeling diminished though, as she remembered what had happened when the antidote had been given to her. 'Oh gods, Piers… What on Weyard is happening?' Tears prickled her eyes at the thought as she remembered what Piers had told her to pass on. She noticed Leon standing nervously in the corner and looked away suddenly. The others seemed to take this as a grim sign.

"You can't talk, can you, Mia?" Ivan asked softly, stepping forward. Mia just shook her head in reply. Ivan and Sheba glanced at each other then back at her,

"Are you okay with us speaking for you?" Sheba asked; her voice lowered as well as Hydros stood and made room for the two Jupiter-Adepts. Again, Mia could only nod in response. Taking the King's place, Sheba clasped her friend's hand and closed her eyes, "What happened to you two?" The younger girl asked; Mia watched as blue rings surrounded Sheba.

'We were taking a rest in the caverns after the three of you had left,' She thought, trying to ignore the odd sensation as the Jupiter-Adept listened to her thoughts. 'We were sitting down some where deep when Spring and Mist shouted out, the last thing I can remember was the entire space filling with some kind of burning gas that blinded. It didn't last long, but I could hardly move, people came, I don't know who. They forced something that burned, I guess that poison, down my throat and then I passed out.' Sheba opened her eyes and began repeating everything Mia'd told her, the other's listening quietly until Sheba stopped.

"Is that all? Then you woke up here?" Garet asked, looking frustrated. For all that she technically wasn't speaking, Mia bit her tongue sharply as she shook her head no. Sheba looked back at her and closed her eyes again, the Psynergy flowing around her once more.

'When I woke up I couldn't move, sounds hurt, and I couldn't see anything more than, at least three feet in front of me. I saw two men; one was Piers and the other one I couldn't see. They were standing at a table right next to me arguing about something.' Mia stopped as Sheba passed on this information as well, she took the time to organize her thoughts before Sheba turned back, and the odd sensation returned,

'They argued for a short time, then one, I think Piers they both sounded the same to me, agreed to something and then the other man left, a few other people who I hadn't known were there left as well. That was when Piers gave me the antidote. Soon after, I passed out and woke up here.' Mia looked away as Sheba relayed this latest part to the others. Leon went deathly pale, and swayed on his feet. Isaac saw this and immediately helped Pier's Uncle to a chair, the man collapsed down and held his head in his hands, looking for all the world like it was about to end. Then again, for him, it probably was.

The others all stood, varying degree's of anger and helplessness passing over their features. Jenna looked about ready to sear anything that moved, Garet looking just as frustrated, but apparently more willing to pound whatever it was he could find. Ivan looked lost as he just stood against the wall near the door, the normally calm Felix fingering his Sol Blade as if ready to whip it out and start slashing furniture. Isaac stood near Lunpa, rubbing his temples as he tried vainly to think up some sort of plan.

"What do we do now?" Sheba asked; her voice only slightly above a whisper. The others looked at her, not even Hydros had anything to add.

As Sheba stood up though, Mia's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Mia stared straight into her friend's bright eyes, 'There's more.' Though Sheba couldn't read her mind at the moment, the younger girl seemed to understand her. Settling back down, Mia readied herself for what ought to be the last Mind-read of the night.

'Before I fell asleep after he gave me the antidote,' she thought, taking an unsteady breath, 'He told something to pass on to all of you.' Mia glanced at Felix who was glaring at nothing, he noticed her gaze and looked back, Sheba followed her friend's gaze as Mia continued,

'When the boat is repaired, he wants Felix to take the trident and throw it into the waters in Ancient Lemuria. Then…' She stopped as Sheba looked worried, waiting for Mia's nod before passing on the message to Felix, the Venus-Adept quirked a questioning eye-brow, but remained silent. Sheba looked back at Mia,

"Then what, Mia?" She asked, the Mercury-adept looked away, tears threatening to over-flow as her vision blurred, she felt a sinking sense of betrayal as she met Sheba's eyes again.

'And then he wants…'

"And then he wants," Sheba repeated for the others to here,

'For us all to get aboard the ship…And leave… And forget about him…'

"For us all to get aboard the ship and- and what?!" Sheba cried, eyes wide with shock as she stared straight into Mia's eyes, the Mind-Link cutting off with her surprise. "We can't do that!" She shouted. "That's insane!" Mia cringed, partially from the pain Sheba's voice was causing, but also from the pain of possibly leaving one of their members behind. Ivan stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder,

"We can't do what, Sheba?" He asked, Sheba looked at him wide-eyed,

"She said Piers wants us too up and leave!" she shouted, Mia could imagine the looks of shock on her companion's faces as Sheba continued to shout about what Piers had said. She lowered her eyes as tears clung to her eyelashes; she summed up all of her will-power to keep the rest at bay.

'They had the Bond all along, that's what Piers told me, then he said he wanted us all out of Lemuria. He's right, I don't understand what's going on, but why did he choose this path for us too take?' Mia shook slightly as she tried hard not to cry, her friends were still exclaiming over the message, none of them understanding it anymore than she.

"That explains it then…" Leon said hoarsely. The others stopped talking; even Mia looked up through her bangs at the now very pale Lemurian. He just sat there, licking his lips slightly, "It explains it all…" He said, almost to himself, Mia noticed that, in fact, he wasn't talking to anyone in particular, mainly just to himself, grief pouring through his aura, strong enough for her to feel even where she still lay on the bed.

"It explains what?" Hydros asked softly, Leon looked up; his eyes wide, like a child's almost.

"Why, the pain of course." He said, as if it were obvious, his voice was soft and fleeting. "Just a few hours ago, just before the Festival was underway, it felt like someone had taken a large swing at my head with a mallet. It felt like it would kill me and I almost passed out. But it was just Piers, that's all. Just him…" The others murmured slightly to themselves worried; Piers' uncle was shaking, smiling and looking like he was laughing at some sick joke.

"Just like his father." Leon stuttered, tears of pain welling up in the Ancient man's eyes, as he began chuckling "Hailey felt the same thing too, right when it happened, thought she was going to die, she was his closest kin that's why. His wife, b-but Piers didn't feel anything, his own son, h-he was sick afterwards, but tha-that was all. Didn't know what was happening really, not even you, Majesty." The worry in Hydros' eyes increased as Lunpa bit his lip; both seemed to have realized something the Adepts didn't know. Mia felt her own eyes widen slightly as well as she recognized how Leon was acting.

'He's nearly insane with grief,' She thought as the knowledge sunk in. 'But how would he know if Piers was dead though?'

"No one knew right up until he signed it. We were all in the dark even after he died too…" The mood tensed immensely at his words, tears streaming down his face as he laughed and wept at the same time. Mia didn't hear what the others were saying as realization slapped her in the face.

'I need the name of the person I trust most on the Bond.' Piers' word echoed in her mind as she pulled her knees up to her face, shaking her head, denying any possibility that he'd sealed his own fate to see them all safe.

'They have to be strong enough to keep me alive during this, 'Sleep of Pain' or whatever it is.' He'd done this to save them all, that's why he mentioned them, and bartered for their safety.

'They had the Bond this whole time, waiting; there's no way I could have gotten one of you to sign it.' Oh gods, Piers…