Vow of the Earth

Note: I do not own Kira Ford or Dustin Brooks. I do own the idea for this story.

Timeline: Right after 'Scroll of Sages' (A/U)

Rating: PG13 (Language)

Dustin landed hard, and had no memory of where he was for a few moments. Immediately he began to look for Kira, finding her lying on the ground, not moving.

"Kira!" he shouted and ran to her, placing his hands on her shoulders he shook her briefly and her eyes snapped open.

"Dustin! Knock it off! I'm up, I'm up! Now let me go so we can get a move on, there is too much at stake to be goofing off," she snapped and began to head towards the temple, which was in front of them. Dustin quickly joined at her side and asked the question that had been on his mind.

"What is between you and Dr. Oliver, I saw something there," Dustin observed, Kira frowned as she quickly glanced over at him.

"I have no idea, I like...no...I love him. Simple as that really, with him, I have no idea what he feels, he likes me...hell...he could even love me, I don't know," Kira confessed, Dustin tried to give her a reassuring smile.

"He does, I know he does. I could see it in his face when we left," Dustin said, Kira shrugged as they went into the dark and earthy temple. The sense of evil immediately washed over them, he walked closer to her, body ready to attack at any moment.

"Dustin, you can drop that surfer crap, it doesn't go well with me, I know you're better than that. Besides I know you have an accent, I can hear it in your voice," Dustin smiled and nodded, dropping his Californian surfer accent to embrace his natural accent which was a mix of Australian and Brazilian.

"How did you know?" he asked, Kira just laughed and shook her head.

"I know you're not that stupid, there is a lot more going on behind those eyes than you let on," Kira said, he paused and pulled her to him and hugged her. Kira was shocked for a moment then hugged him back.

"Thank you, I think that is the kindest thing anyone's ever said to me," he whispered, she laughed and released him.

"No problem, now lets get a move on, chop chop!" He joined in on her laughter and saluted her.

"Yes ma'am," he said and then they continued on through the temple.

As they entered into a large room, the next thing he realized that the floor beneath them was giving way. He heard a crack and looked over to Kira as he fell, her blood rained down with their bodies and he screamed in terror as his fear took hold of him. When he crashed down on a lower level he lay winded for a few moments.

"Kira!" he called and scrambled over to her still form. Her head was broken open and blood was gushing from the immense wound. He began to panic, unsure of what to do. A few minutes later her eyes fluttered up and Kira caught his tear filled eyes.

"Dustin, calm yourself that's not helping," she snapped and ripped the bottom of her shirt and made a makeshift bandage and wrapped it around her head. After a few moments she attempted to stand and he held on fast. She silently thanked him and they continued through the temple.

As they walked, he continued to hold her up, fearing that if he let go she'd fall and silently she feared that too. When they reached another room, the Earth beneath them began to move on its own.

"What's happening?" Kira asked, Dustin's eyes fluttered close and he began to comb the Earth below his feet.

"Its pure evil, its not a monster, but the earth itself…Look out!" he yelled as the ground reached out, forming a cord and wrapped around Kira's throat. With a scream it pulled her under and dragged her away. "KIRA!" he yelled and an inhuman laugh rang through air.

"She has two hours, if you journey beneath the surface, it will destroy you first. Happy hunting," it laughed at him, and Dustin fell to his knees, tears burned and escaped his eyes. She's going to die, and its all my fault. This place is too big, and I can't go beneath the surface. She's going to die and this is my entire fault, I'm sorry Kira. Then he closed his eyes and placed his palms on the top of the Earth, with all his might he combed over the surface. Miles away, he felt her fear and heard her heartbeat thunder through his head. "I'm coming for you Kira," he whispered and began to run, praying to reach her in time.

He ran as fast as his body and power would let him, he could still hear heartbeat slowing, her breathing becoming labored. He knelt above where she lay and plunged his arms into the ground. He felt her shoulders and pull her up and as he did he felt the entire Earth beneath them open up and then once again he was falling.

To Be Continued:

VI-Reign of Fire

The Fire Temple is found and the consequences are dire