Chapter Eleven: Escape

There she sat, kneeling before a man that regarded Kie with disgust. Her head was bowed and she didn't move when he yelled her name.

"Nami!" he called again. This time the man touched her with his hand and she stood to stand by his side. Her face was blank, her eyes, listless.

"You are the one they call Kie, am I right?" Amadeus said letting a smile crawl onto his lips. He had dark, wild hair and brooding eyes. Kie could tell that by the lines in his face he was old.

"What do you want with Nami?" Kie demanded.

Amadeus laughed. "Is that any of your business? Why have you come? In hopes of reclaiming her? She is mine boy. She doesn't even recognize you."

Kie looked again to his old friend who looked back with mild curiosity. She looked like a totally different person then the one he had known. She was dressed in a black and amber gown that fell elegantly to her feet. She was adorned with jewels and gold giving her the air of maturity. Her gently, playful nature was gone. There was a large ruby placed at the V of her neck and it glinted menacingly in the torchlight. It gave Kie an uneasy feeling.

"Nami," Kie said again almost pleadingly.

Again Amadeus laughed. "You see? She won't respond. She's mine now. Nami," he said addressing her. She turned her eyes to him slowly. "Please escort this boy out of the building." Nami nodded and slowly began to descend the steps that separated her from Kie. Her every move seemed deliberate and planned; like a puppet.

"You see Kie," Amadeus said as Kie gritted his teeth, "Nami has a power that will be useful to me. Our situation has nothing to do with you, therefore I will take you out of the mix."

Nami drew closer and Kie stepped back. Something about the look in her eye made him believe that she would have no trouble in 'taking him out of the mix'. He couldn't fight back, she was his friend, under control or not.

"Nami, please. It's me Kie. Remember me," he begged to no effect. She continued to walk to him, her steps echoing in the large room.

The pendant, a voice inside Kie's head said suddenly. Smash it.

"But how?" Kie said aloud, glancing at the shining ruby around Nami's neck.

With the dagger.

Kie touched his belt where a dagger hung limply. It was something he carried with him everywhere.

"But what if I miss?"

If you don't risk it, you'll both be dead. Do it now!

Kie took a breath before stepping toward his friend, holding the dagger aloft. From somewhere far off Kie heard Amadeus scream No, but he didn't pay attention. He threw all his weight and strength into his attack. The point of the dagger hit dead center, sending a web of cracks through the stone.

Nami stood as straight as a sword with her eyes starring into nothing. For a second Kie was afraid she wasn't breathing, until finally she sucked in one deep breath. Her body shuddered and before she could fall to the ground, Kie had her in his arms. Her face was down and he couldn't tell if she was conscious or not.

"Nami are you okay?"

"Fool! You could ruin everything!" Amadeus said from his throne. Nami's head shot up at his voice and she quickly regained her balance.

"I can get us out of here," she said to Kie and before he could ask questions she moved her hands in a complicated pattern. For a split second Nami was surrounded by white, shinning wings and that was the last thing Kie saw. Amadeus's voice was disappearing in the back round and Kie was blinding by white light so bright he had to close his eyes. He had no idea where Nami was, or where he was for that matter.

You did well, but your part is nowhere near the end, the same voice that had told him to strike the pendant said in his minds ear. He couldn't be sure, but Kie thought is sounded oddly like the voice of the girl he had met on the shore and again on the Forgotten Continent.