Chapter 14

Rescue

Felix strode into the Proxian Inn without a word, unable to shake the odd prickling sensation along his back that had been plaguing him for the past three days.

She was alive. Karst was alive. Gods, he'd spent months fighting with himself over whether or not she could have lived, and she had. He hadn't even waited to get settled in the Inn before he'd searched out some one to tell him of Karst. He'd seen Agatio up and well on the same night, but he'd been to busy to ask. Felix had made a B-line for the Sanctum the moment Jenna had taken her eyes off him, she seemed determined to be his shadow.

He'd climbed up the steps to the small cave the sick were kept in, forcefully keeping his eyes from the grave-yard in case there were any new monuments. Felix doubted he'd ever be able to forget the sudden release he'd felt, when the Great Healer had told him that both of them had made a complete recovery. Karst was alive…

Damn it, he could have wept when he heard those three words. She was okay, she really was. Felix didn't know what he would have done if she had died, even thinking on it now was enough to break him. He'd almost lost her, he'd come so incredibly close to watching her die. And then he'd seen her. Just now, near the river. She'd just, been there.

He'd been speaking with one of Puelle's advisors, about how the Rift was sealing itself. Jenna standing next to him rather bored, but listening none the less. It had just been by chance that he'd looked away, out across the small river, Karst had been there, right there, and he hadn't even seen her.

She hadn't been wearing the armor he knew the others had come to associate with her. A pair of simple gloves over her small hands, folded in under the thick sleeves of the woolen sweater she wore. A plain leather belt circled her waist, helping to keep up the grey trousers tucked into her boots. She'd seen him as well, he was sure. They had both stood there for a moment; Felix had watched a slight shadow pass behind her ruby eyes, and how she tensed slightly.

He'd had to look away for a moment, as Jenna grabbed his arm and pulled it slightly, saying something about visiting another person. Felix wasn't sure what he'd said in response, all he'd been focused on was making sure that it really was Karst over there. But when he'd managed to look back, she was gone

He had almost gone after her. There weren't every many places for Karst to run off to, he could have found her eventually. But he had found he couldn't move.

Felix sat down on his bed down-stairs, running his hand back through his bangs. She'd run from him, did Karst really hate him so much, that she couldn't take the sight of him anymore? Did his presence alone cause her grief?

After she'd vanished, Felix had just left, he hadn't heeded Jenna when she'd called him, and he knew he'd be in for it when she returned to the Inn. He'd just walked back here silently; he needed at least a few minutes to think things through.

Wasn't there anything he could do? Something that wouldn't result in more pain for either of them?

--FlashBack--

Pain. There was so much of it.

My leg was the worst. I could feel the wound on the back of my left thigh right above my knee breaking open again, staining my boot and pant-legs crimson. My chest was still bound tightly, the various slashes and stabs helping to drain me more so.

But I had to keep going; I couldn't stop now just because it hurt. I had to try and find them. I had to try and help save them. I had to try and save Karst.

Because I was so tired, the deep red tile covering the Lighthouse had me running in constant circles. I was in the central chamber with the vanishing doors. Again. It was enough to drive me insane.

'Damn it!' I thought, frustration welling up, 'When have Iever gotten lost in this, or any, lighthouse!?' I'd need to stop and rest soon, this was taking too much of a toll on me. I glanced around the chamber, sending hate-full glares to the momentous dragon-bust in the wall before me.

I was desperate to use any of my powers to help relieve the pain running through me. But even though it felt like fire coming up my leg before slicing through everything else, I had to conserve my magic, no matter what it meant for me. Jenna would call me suicidal for coming here, every part of me reasoning that I should still be back in Prox with the others. None of us, including myself, had escaped the Doom Dragon unscathed. I should still be in the Sanctum being taken care of; I could swallow my pride if it meant an end to this constant paint.

What would mom and dad do if they woke up, and I'd completely vanished? I probably really was insane for coming all this way; it was the middle of the night for crying out loud! Or at least, it had been when I'd left… I stumbled up the pale white steps, thinking I might be able to find a place to rest near one of the statues.

Yes, I wanted to go back. Go back to Prox and get better, then go back home. Really go home, back to Vale. Go back to Vale with all of my new friends, and see if I could start living right. The thought was more than slightly comforting; it had been almost four years now, not counting the few days I had hidden behind my mask.

But then I'd remember why I was here in the middle of the night. Why I'd left to come back here, back to this nightmarish place where I'd almost lost my parents, my sister, and even my own life and world.

My friends were safe, yes. But not all of them. As dear to me as Isaac and the others were, they weren't the ones I worried about first when it came to the trials of Mars Lighthouse. The seven of them weren't the only important friends I had, and there was absolutely no way I could go on, knowing I'd left Karst and Agatio for dead. Never.

My frustration just kept on growing as I tried to think clearly, everything becoming difficult as I felt my fatigue gaining on me. And I tripped over my own feet near the lapis in between the statues. My world spun, and my vision blacked out for a moment as I tried to reach out, and grab the small arm of one of the grey Dragon Statues.

'No, not now, I can't give up now!' I thought in a panic, the floor seemed to jump out from under my feet. 'No, Karst I... I can't give up now… No!' Amidst the spinning stone I could have sworn I saw a small flare from the Dragon Head.

"Felix!" I slammed down hard on the tile, and I might have blacked out for a moment. The only thing I could focus on was how everything suddenly began to ache painfully; it became hard to breathe as my head pounded viciously. I didn't hear the person coming, or realize that there was anyoneto come, until I felt a cold hand come down on my shoulder.

"Felix? Felix, are you alright? By Luna, what are you doing out here?" I couldn't recognize the voice, and I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes tightly as the room wouldn't stop spinning. I bit back a small yelp as it felt as if I had been dunked in cold water. Rivulets of ice running over and through me, making me shiver from head to toe. My teeth began to chatter at the shock, but I was relieved to feel the pain instantly reduced to a dull throb.

"Felix." It took a moment for my vision to clear. But when it did I was able to look up into Piers' golden eyes. My companion and friend was crouched down next to me, his weary face framed by his aquamarine hair, no longer held back by his absent headdress. He kept one hand on my shoulder as he looked down at me, his expression worried as I tried to gather my strength again.

"Stay down." He ordered as I tried to sit up. Needless to say, I couldn't argue much, my head spun again at even the small attempt to get up.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice sounding a bit hoarse, Piers gave me a flat look.

"A question I would like to ask you." He replied, I only just then noticed the cast around his left arm. I hadn't seen it before, and for a moment didn't know why he would need it.

'Oh… Wait,' I thought, 'His arm was crushed by the dragon, I remember now.'

"I followed you." He stated simply, I glanced back up at him.

"How?" I asked, "I checked in on everyone before I left, you were asleep." He shook his head at me.

"That is my answer, and I am sticking to it." Piers said, removing his hand from my shoulder to regard me. "Now why are you here Felix?" He demanded.

I shifted slightly on the floor, sucking in a sharp breath as my leg throbbed painfully at the small disturbance. Both of my hands flew to the deep gash, and I was only just able to keep myself from summoningmy powers to heal it.

Piers didn't miss a beat, his good hand shone blue for a moment, before the air was filled with a flurry of small blue sparks. Amidst the tiny whirlwind, I could almost see a small fairy dancing back and forth. The image faded to fast to see it clearly though, but I had seen the small sprite to many times by now to really care.

I let out a small sigh as the iciness returned again, bringing with it more energy, as well as pushing the pain away a bit more. I felt the talon-slice across the back of my upper-leg scabbing over again, not quite healing, but far better than nothing. I looked over at Piers who seemed even more drained now; he looked a bit put out that he couldn't heal it all the way. Then again, his Psynergy had been drained again and again since we'd reached the Lighthouse. It was only to be expected that he hadn't had nearly enough time to recover yet. Piers was still glaring daggers at me though as I messaged the wounded area gently.

"And why haven't you tried to heal yourself, Felix?" He demanded a slight edge in his voice. "Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" I bit my lip and looked away,

"I'm not trying to get myself hurt." I replied. A moment later I raised my eyes again, only to find two golden ones continuing to glare at me, making me feel slightly uncomfortable. I took a deep breath to steel my resolve.

"I have to find them Piers." I said solemnly, he blinked.

"Find who?" He questioned, "Everyone's back in Prox; remember?" I shook my head, glancing away again. I was always being accused of as being a traitor. When I'd let Saturos and Menardi learn of my old friendship with Isaac, they had instantly stopped trusting me, how did I tell Piers about Karsy and Agatio without the same result?

Piers sat back on his heels for a moment, thinking, his good arm unconsciously cradling the injured one.

"Felix, the only one's left in the Lighthouse are Agatio and K—" He cut himself off "Oh" He said quietly. I bit my lip and kept my eyes down, not wanting to see my friend's expression. I wasn't aware that I had my pant leg in a fist, until the coarse cloth brushed up against my wound roughly. I couldn't help but jump slightly at the pain, but I waved Piers' hand away as he offered to help again. We were both silent for a few minutes, and again I began to feel anxious, it was as if I could feel their lives slipping away. Even if I was too late already, I had to at least try.

"But, Felix." Piers said, interrupting my train of thought. I glanced over at my friend; he was looking the other way, his eyes half closed, and a solemn expression on his face, as he seemed to be mulling over something. "Why?" he asked, I blinked at the question,

"What?" I asked, not sure what he meant exactly, Piers glanced back at me, a puzzled look in his burnished eyes.

"Why would you come here, in the middle of the night, in your condition, after everything that's happened in the past few hours," He paused and shook his head, "To try and save the pair that tried to kill us, when we didn't do anything?" I bit my lip and looked away again. It was times like these that I wished I'd been a bit more open with the others, including Jenna, about the three years I had spent in Prox.

"Why did you follow me, in the middle of the night, in your condition, after everything that's happened?" I asked him. Piers blinked a few times, his brow furrowing as he answered,

"Because you're my friend." He replied, and I nodded.

"That's why I'm here too." I glanced back down at the crimson tiles, a few of them a slightly darker shade now. "I have to try and help them Piers." I heard my friend let out a small sigh,

"Felix." He said sympathetically, "They promised to fight until they saw the beacon, and it has been hours since it was fired." I wanted to stop listening, Piers was telling me the same things that I had been arguing with myself about since I had first forced myself out of the Sanctum. "There's a good chance they didn't even live to see the beacon fired." He said softly, I gritted my teeth and shook my head, eyes tightly shut for some reason.

"It doesn't matter" I said flatly, "I have to try; I won't give up on them!" With that thought in my head, I managed to force myself to my feet. Piers was up in an instant as well, his good hand out to make sure I didn't fall again.

"Hang on a moment—Felix you are not strong enough—Hey, wait!" Piers shouted; I didn't heed him as I started walking. I knew I was being hard-headed again, perhaps clinging to false hope. But at the moment, how I was acting wasn't all that important to me.

Unfortunately, I didn't get very far until my strength gave out again. Piers grabbed my arm, helping me to stay standing straight. I hadn't noticed how hard it had become to breathe, but I wasn't willing to stop and rest again. I'd been in conditions similar to this before. But then again, running through the corridors in search of Sentinel had never been life-or-death.

Piers didn't let go of my arm. I tried to shake him off, but he just hung on tighter.

"Damn it, Felix." He said harshly, "I know that you can be stubborn, and I've traveled with you to long not to know that when you get an idea in your head you will not stop. But, why in Hydros' name is this so important to you?" I tensed and gritted my teeth at the constant questions, my patience wearing thin, and my earlier frustration building into anger.

"You don't know what it was like here." I said darkly as I rounded on him. I tried to keep the anger I felt from my voice and eyes, but judging by his face, I failed miserably.

"Where?" Piers asked warily, treading lightly now.

"Here!" I shouted furiously, throwing my arms up and gesturing to the Lighthouse. I felt worthless, completely and utterly useless. Damn it, I was the one who led us through the Lighthouses, why couldn't I get through one when it really mattered!? It just didn't seem fair, a part of my feeling guilty as I took my frustration out on Piers.

"Here, in this forsaken wasteland for three damn years! Do you have any idea what that's like?" Piers flinched slightly as I couldn't seem to stop myself. "No body talks to you, almost everyone looks at you like some kind of freak. You're parents are a mess, and you friends father is an inch from insanity." I finally remembered who it was I was speaking to, and managed to stop talking. I turned away from him and clamped my teeth down on my tongue, hard enough to draw blood. There were a few tense moments of silence,

"I'm sorry." I muttered "I have no right to talk" There was another period of silence between us. My anger melting away as I tried to fight that crushing sense of guilt, welling up inside.

"Yes, you do." Piers said quietly after a moment, his cool hand resting on my shoulder again. "No one has had it easy leading up to this quest Felix. No one. But you and Jenna have defiantly had it the harshest." I bent my head and still didn't turn to face him.

"Maybe it was all a joke." I murmured, "Maybe they were just pretending to be kind to me, trying to build trust or something so that I would train for the Lighthouses" Piers' grip on my arm slackened, before it simply fell away.

"Do you really believe that?" He asked solemnly. I stood there for a moment, thinking. I wasn't sure what to say, so many things could be seen as just acts, but

I remembered when I'd been attacked by those two men. I remembered how angry Agatio had been, and how much time he'd spent helping me get my strength back. I remembered how much time the both of them must have put into that mask. How much care they had used when getting it ready, before finally giving it to me. And I remembered how… the day I had left, Karst had been crying, and she never wept, never… But she had for me, and then

"No," I said quietly, shaking my head at the same time. "No, I don't believe that." I turned to face Piers; I couldn't help but notice the trace amounts of sadness in his golden eyes.

"I don't know why they attacked us, Piers," I said letting my eyes fall again, "And if they're gone, I might never know why. But I can't just walk away. If their dead now, it doesn't matter, I have to see them with my own eyes." I didn't look back to see him nod, or notice him smiling slightly,

"Then we'd better get going." He said, walking past me. I stood there a moment, slightly confused as I turned to face him. Piers merely gave me a questioning glance. "Are you coming?" He asked,

"'We'?" I repeated dumbly, my friend gave me an expecting look.

"Yes, 'we'. Now, are you coming, or do you expect me to try and find them myself?" He was smiling, like a trickster, he was smiling…

"But… Why?" I asked, Piers only shrugged,

"If they were that important to you, and if you still believe in them after everything that's happened, then I intend to help you." He explained, "Something important must have happened between the three of you. And I think I can trust you to share what that might have been when you're comfortable with the idea."

I didn't know what to say. At first I was just shocked that he wasn't trying to convince me to leave them, then that he wasn't attempting to drag me back to Prox. But it sunk in after a moment.

"Thank you, Piers."

"This looks familiar." Piers commented; glancing around the corridor we were in. The two of us had been wandering around for a while, growing more and more anxious as each passage had led the wrong way. But this time it we were defiantly heading in the right direction.

We strode side-by-side into the next room, both of us looking around to make sure there were no demons waiting for us. We'd been lucky so far, most of the behemoths had been scared off by the beacon, but there was nothing keeping them from coming back now.

Yes, we were defiantly on the right path. We entered a long chamber, rivers of magma churning on either side of a slender, unadorned pathway. The molten stone giving off an eerie light that filled the space, and spilled into the next room.

"There." Piers breathed as we were able to get a clear view into the next chamber. In the room before us was a pedestal, a small flame flickering slightly, as if waiting patiently to be blasted into a full inferno once more. Two groves ran along the floor, away from the pedestal, leading to the wall on either side, where the energy would then run into both of the momentous Dragon-Heads, protruding from the crimson stone.

On the far wall there was yet another Bust, jaws half open where I had placed the Mars Star. The dragon's crimson fangs glittering like red gold in the low light. Two intense eyes seemed to seethe as they stared out at the world, daring anyone to come closer. I almost thought they looked intrigued, as the ruby-like stone shimmered and glowed ethereally, almost focusing on myself.

But the splendor of the Lighthouse's inner chamber couldn't hold my attention. My eyes quickly moving to pick out two forms, each lying broken on the dark stone.

"Karst" I whispered. I left Piers standing there as I rushed over to where she lay unmoving on the tile floor. I cringed inwardly as my boots met a puddle of her blood. I tried to ignore the frightening amount, wanting to focus on her instead.

Karst lay, seemingly dead, on her side, in much the same position as how I had left her. One hand reaching out towards the doorway, the other curled up against her chest. I knelt down facing her, feeling ill as the blood quickly soaked through my pant-legs. My own wound beginning to wake up again. Not that that mattered though, this was the reason I had come all this way without using any of my Psynergy.

Gently, I placed my hands on both her shoulders, closing my eyes and trying to focus on her. I couldn't ignore the gash cutting into her stomach, or the slash across her cheek. I knew both wounds had come from my blade.

'I didn't know it was you, Karst.' I thought to myself as I tried to get wipe away of some of the dried blood on her face. 'I didn't know I swear it. If I had, please, please know I would never have done it. I'm sorry it took me so long to come back'

"Revive." I whispered, reaching deep inside of me to take hold of that condensed ball of warmth within me. It had grown so much stronger from when I'd healed her the first time, everything coming so much easier as I cast the spell over her. But she didn't respond.

"Karst," I said hoarsely, trying again, still nothing. "Karst come on"

I gave a small start as I heard a strangled groan behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Piers glowing brightly from where he was crouched over Agatio. The warrior shifting slightly as Piers brought him back.

"D-Damn" He stuttered, "It's… s-so cold" Agatio gave something close to a whimper as Piers' powers faltered. I could tell that the Lemurian was still horribly drained, and the fact that Mars Lighthouse was probably beating down on him wasn't helping at all. I heard Agatio say something directed at Piers, the Mariner gave him a short answer, it sounded like; 'Please don't call me Alex.' I smiled at that. It was only a little forced.

But then I looked back down at Karst, and even that slight, warm feeling died. Washed away as guilt welled up inside of me again.

I hadn't noticed her shoulders were both bleeding until I removed one of my hands, and found the palm of my glove coated in crimson. I didn't know why she was bleeding there; I couldn't remember anyone attacking the shoulders, not that I'd want to recall if it had happened.

It didn't matter though, how blood-soaked she was made no difference. It was still my fault; I was still the one who had attacked her.

'Damn it, I didn't know it was you, Karst,' I thought to myself, 'I saw a pair of dragons, I didn't see the both of you, I'm so sorry' Gently, I wiped away the blood trickling down from her temple, where Ivan's blade had-

'That's no excuse.' My thoughts darkened as I reprimanded myself. 'After all, out of everyone, aren't I the one most familiar with that, particular, Proxian talent?' I tried to shut out the voice, tried to ignore that ring of truth.

I should have known.

I should have recognized what was happening.

But I hadn't, and now they were the ones paying the price.

"Karst…" I breathed. I don't know how; or why exactly I did it. I suppose I just felt so helpless, as I repeatedly failed to bring her back. Gently, oh so carefully, I managed to work my arms in under her. I kept her head up with one hand as I lifted her unmoving form up against me. I propped her head up on my shoulder, positioned in a way so that I could still see her face, and wrapped my arms around her carefully. Never giving up trying to bring her back, even as it only drained what little energy I still retained.

But bring her back from where? Again, I knew I was grasping at false hope. I could feel it, or rather, I couldn't. She was cold, so incredibly cold, like she was nothing but ice. I moved the arm I had around her shoulders, trying not to acknowledge that there was no heart-beat. I felt tears welling up but bit them back. Some friend I was, leaving her like that to die here, it didn't matter that she'd been the one to push me on.

I looked down into her face, gods she'd lost enough blood to have died right after the battle. Those tears still blurred my vision and I could just barely keep them from falling again. She looked like she was asleep. If not for how cold she remained in my arms, I probably could have convinced myself of that. Karst looked so calm now, so peaceful. Her ruby eyes closed; rosy brow smooth of any worry or pain.

"Felix?" I didn't look over as I heard Piers calling my name, "Felix?" He repeated. I kept my eyes on her face as my friend made his way over to me, and crouched down by my side.

"She's dead." I said softly, my voice sounding dead in my own ears. "I guess I just wasn't fast enough." I could feel Piers' burnished eyes on me, filling with sympathy. I didn't deserve my friend's concern, not now. It was my fault that this had happened, had I just handled things better at Jupiter Lighthouse… Perhaps if I'd kept Piers from coming, I might have been able to speak more freely with Karst and Agatio. Maybe we could have formed an alliance, like what was later forged between Isaac and I.

Piers reached forward without my notice, one hand coming to rest on Karst's neck, feeling around for her pulse. That sympathy became more prominent as he remained like that for a few moments, before he withdrew his hand with a small, defeated, sigh.

"I'm sorry, Felix." He said quietly after a moment, honoring her I suppose, before he gently set his good hand down on my shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. "She died peacefully friend. And we can still save Agatio. Take heart in that." I nodded as he stood again, returning to Agatio. I felt something deep inside of my breaking. I clenched my teeth at a sudden well of emotion.

She was gone. The thought left me feeling so hollow inside. How had we gone from such good friends, to, this? To enemies? She, my attacker, and I, her killer?

I tightened my hold on her slightly, bringing her head up under my chin. I reached up to stroke the back of her head, perhaps comb out some of the dry and crusted blood from her hair. But then I caught one look at my palm, still wet from where she had bled, I couldn't touch her with that. It was awkward, but I managed to remove the enchanted leather with little fuss. And I just stayed there, and allowed myself to hold her, for what I knew would be the last time.

I tensed, and something inside, that part of me that loathed everything I had done since I had begun this quest. That part of me that had never wanted the kind of power I had needed, to travel around the world for the benefit of others. That part that wanted to look out for nothing but myself, that selfish part deep inside of me, it rebelled against what was happening. What had made me so damn important, that I had to end up losing her like this? Why was it that, I couldn't have at least partly made her happy?

She'd never been truly happy. Never. All I had ever wanted was to see her life filled with something that could pass for joy. Why was this the only way for her to gain that? Why did she have to die to be happy?

'Why do you have to leave me to be at peace?'

It wasn't closure. Not this, the wound wasn't closing, it wasn't healing; it was still being dealt. Tears are persistent things, I hadn't known to what extent though. Just like I hadn't known to what extent I cared about Karst, until she had turned on me atop Jupiter Lighthouse.

It didn't matter, I was being stupid, but really, I didn't give a damn about what had happened on that stupid tower! I just didn't care! I wanted answers, of course I did. Just because I'd helped Isaac she'd tried to kill me, how was that really treason?

I held her even closer as I pressed my face against her head. The tears had finally broken through as I placed a small kiss in her hair. It didn't matter how angry or hurt I was because of Jupiter; it didn't mean I wanted to loose her!

'Karst, I can go forever without those answers, as long as, just for a moment, I can have you back…'

There was a short pause, tears still running down my face as I closed my eyes and just kept her close. I felt a tingle down my spine, and I opened my eyes as a voice spoke into the back of my mind. Like the soothing voice of the statues inside Venus and Mercury Lighthouses. The strong, compelling voice of Mars's Dragons echoed in my mind.

'Very well then.'

I can't explain what happened after that. All of the light in the room suddenly cut out, leaving everything in darkness. I heard Piers say something quickly, but couldn't pick it up exactly. On impulse, I looked up at where the main dragon head was mounted on the wall, my eyes instantly drawn to a pair of immense crimson eyes, glowing menacingly in the inky shadows.

"Felix, what--?" Piers was cut off as the Dragon's eyes burst into gouts of flame. A harsh light built in the back of its throat, instantly blinding me in the darkness as a single color filled my vision; Gold.

Alchemy.

The condensed ray fired out past the Dragon's fangs, moving with the speed and force of a cannon, ten times over. The blast causing the entire structure to tremble as a deafening roar echoed throughout the cavernous spaces inside.

I couldn't register the pain until it rendered me breathless, giving me no time to scream, as it felt as if my flesh were being seared from my bones. It was as if I were being crushed, drowned, suffocated, and charred, all at once. The blinding light of Alchemy still ricocheting off the walls like Cruel Ruin, separating once more into the different parts, so as every other section slammed into Karst or I.

And all at once it was gone.

"Felix!" I was on my back, I couldn't figure out what had happened. I wasn't in the right place either; I was on the other side of the room near where Piers and Agatio were. I looked up dazed and exhausted, and saw Piers looking between me and the Dragon statue. The same question on both our minds; but it was Agatio who actually said it.

"What… was that?"

I was gasping for breath, the pain fading slowly, and leaving me numb, inside and out. My vision refused to focus properly, and I everything began spinning rapidly again. I shut my eyes, trying to fight nausea, and to sit up, but Karst wouldn't let go of my shirt, and the dizziness kept hindering-

My mouth went dry and my eyes snapped open instantly. I looked over and Karst, she lay on her stomach beside me, one of her arms across my chest, her hand landing on my far shoulder. Where she had a weak grip on the cloth.

Piers had noticed this as well, his eyes were wide as he made his way onto her other side, placing one hand on her back and closing his eyes. After a moment, he glanced back up at me, an amazed look on his face.

"It's so weak" He said, a disbelieving smile working its way up. "But-" I ignored all the discomfort and pain I had been feeling, not caring that Piers was right there as I sat up, and scoped her right into my arms again.

"Karst." I called; my voice thick with pent-up emotion as I placed one hand over hers. I swallowed hard as she began to shiver; I could tell she was still terribly drained. And cold, she was still so cold; Karst didn't open her eyes as I called her name. I wrapped my arms around her tightly as Piers handed me something, it was a five pointed crystal, yellow in colour, a psycrystal. Where he had gotten it I couldn't say, but as the palm-sized stone shattered and melded into my arm, it gave me the energy I needed to cast my spell one last time.

Karst jumped slightly as I wove the energy over her, giving a small cry as it jarred her wounds, and calming as I cast threaded softer, cuing energies through the delicate mesh over and over again. Karst buried her face against me, seeking warmth. Her grip on my shirt growing stronger as I began to feel my fatigue taking over again, unable to push it away as I concentrated on her, Piers was the one to help me as he reached over and his own web of sparkling light. After I had exhausted myself, I could see that she was only semi-conscious; and still shivering slightly. I kept my arms around her securely, my mind blank for a moment. I could feel it; it was so faint it was as if it would stop at any moment. It was her heart.

The whole world seemed to slow for a moment, and I heard Piers speaking with Agatio, though only two words reached me.

"She's alive."

--End FlashBack--

Felix bowed his head, remembering everything that had happened after that. Piers had taken over helping Agatio return to the town, since Karst had needed to be carried, and with his broken arm he couldn't do much. Unlike last time, Felix's exposure to Alchemy had drained the very last of his powers, and he had collapsed the minute he'd entered the Sanctum.

He'd woken up to hear Jenna's relieved, and a little later enraged, voice. His apologies about the night before had ended up with her getting REALLY mad at him, and curtly informing him that it had been THREE days since he'd stumbled back into Prox with Piers, Agatio, and Karst in tow. Later that same day, Felix was run-down by Agatio's emotional sisters, mother and Grandmother, plus a few aunts and cousins; the entire family showing their appreciation.

Oddly, Piers had taken much longer than him to recover, but it wasn't something that the group had chosen to worry about.

Regardless of all the excitement over the "Rescue", in the week that followed, before they were to set off for Vale, Karst never awoke once. The Healer's assistants were able to give her fluids, water and broth, but they were all worried she may not pull through even after all they'd done. When Felix wasn't with Jenna or Isaac, watching over their parents, he was at her side, reminding himself that she was still there

Felix tugged off his scarf, boots and sweater; at least he'd never chosen to wear his armor when staying in a village, the stuff was to damn uncomfortable. He reached down and placed them next to his pack, which was considerably more worn since the Djinn had been let out.

He felt drained for some reason, not at all concerned with dinner, which would be soon. He wanted to at least lie down for a while; he wouldn't get much peace once Jenna caught up with him. He wondered where she was anyways, knowing her she would have just stormed into the Inn after him, but so far the Apocalypse hadn't arrived. Maybe she was with the Elder

Felix had just closed his eyes when he heard a loud bang up-stairs. Meaning he had approximately three seconds before-

"We need to talk."