Chapter 9: Trapped in Mind and Body.

Lyude blinked slowly, willing his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the cavern. He felt the land rover come to a stop and a docking clamp slide into place on it's hull. That's what he assumed he was feeling anyway. With a slight jolt. The rover started to move again, being towed along on some unseen conveyor belt. It struck against something and a large set of double doors swung open, a dazzling light coming from the new room caused Lyude to turn his head and recoil from the sudden light. Gravar took it as an excuse to punch him in the stomach.

Lyude's breath was knocked from his lungs and Urden said something harshly in Gravar's direction. As Lyude's eyes adjusted he realized that this base, wherever it was, had been established quite some time ago. The walls were dull and the harsh light was coming from several very bright bulbs on the ceiling. As the tram came to a halt, Gravar pulled Lyude roughly to his feet. Apparently here, he was more confident. "Got the little snipe, commander." said Gravar throwing Lyude to the floor in front of a man Lyude had not gotten the chance to glimpse. He landed awkwardly with his face at someone's boot.

Lyude forced himself into a seated position and looked up. His eyes widened. "Braddock!" he gasped.

"Your big brother has his hands quite full Minister." said Braddock with a grin. "It's about time you got here with him." said Braddock to the trio. "How long does it take to circle around a few times to throw those fools off?"

"Apologies sir." said Urden nervously. "There was a very fervent search going for him. We were nearly discovered twice."

Lyude struggled to his feet. "I had serious misgivings about you, Braddock." said Lyude glaring at him fiercely.

Braddock grinned. "You've done a very good job of suffocating the Empire, it will be a pleasure to suffocate you."

Lyude stood as proudly as he could given his bound condition. "The empire is gone." he said. "It died with Emperor Geldoblame. The country has never been better for it, look at Alfard, Braddock! Never has there been so much hope among our people. Why would you want to crush that?"

Braddock spat at Lyude's feet. "You're an idealistic fool, Lyude." sneered Braddock, "And a mutt of an imperial no less. I would not allow one of Azhan lineage to take command of this grand country."

"So what do you intend?" Lyude asked bristling. "Do you think that getting rid of me is going to bring the Empire back? The people have realized the error of the Empire's ways and wouldn't return to it!" said Lyude.

"Oh, I'll be getting rid of you all right. Not until you have filled your purpose though. You and those misfit friends of yours."

"My friends? What do you mean? Which friends?" demanded Lyude.

"Those that hold the power within them." grinned Braddock. "Just as you do."

"The power of the End Magnus!"

"You're not as foolish as you seem." said Braddock with a smile. "And your dear brother is playing right into my hands."

"You mean our hands." came a voice that was painfully familiar to Lyude.

"Stryker." said Lyude softly. "I might have known you were involved in this."

"I've had enough of your interfering boy, it gives me no greater pleasure than to see you fall." sneered the former imperial commander. "This will be your final contribution to the Empire. You will finally do this country a service, Minister."

"Your idea of service sickens me." said Lyude with a snarl. "What makes you think I'll be party to this?"

"You're the key part." said Braddock with a grin. "The catalyst for Malpercio's return. I'll let you think about that. You won't have a choice. You never did. Place him in the cell prepared for him." said Braddock with a dismissive wave. Urden took hold of Lyude's arm and steered him roughly from the room.

Lyude walked obediently along. There was little use in struggling and his mind was distinctly elsewhere anyway. The Catalyst for Malpercio's return? What did Braddock mean? What could they possibly hope to gain by bringing Malpercio back to the world? Did they think he would be controllable?

"Tell me." said Lyude looking to Urden his crimson eyes glowing as he met the man's gaze. "Is the reward so rich that you are willing to see those men destroy your homeland?"

Urden's expression shifted slightly with shame. "I didn't know what he wanted you for." said Urden softly. "I do what I must." he said flatly.

"But at what price?" said Lyude quietly, almost to himself as he was pushed gently into a dark, dank cell and the door closed behind him. His eyes had to once again adjust to the dim light. He looked out the bars of his cell and saw Lena standing rigidly a few feet away at another cell where a guard was unlocking the door. A brown haired young man, about Lyude's age wearing a simple dirty tunic and no shoes came out and Lena threw her arms around him tears flowing freely from her eyes. "Mother" the boy said softly as he returned her embrace. Lyude's eyes fell closed with sadness. He understood now the reason Lena had played her part and the reason she showed compassion to him. He turned sharply at a noise to his right and saw a hunched form in the corner. He had a cell mate, it appeared. Awkwardly, as his hands were still tied, he lowered himself to a seated position on the floor.

The man in the cell was wreathed in shadow and made no move to address Lyude or gave any indication that he was interested in him in the least. Lyude was too tired to worry about it as he leaned against the stone wall and drifted into a deep sleep.

"Don't touch that!" snapped Ayme as Mizuti reached to tap a red button on the control panel.

"The Great Mizuti not be appreciating Ayme's tone." said Mizuti as she glared at Ayme through her mask.

"Just...stay away from the controls." said Ayme. "You don't know how they work."

"The Great Mizuti will honor Ayme's request. Though she be rude, incorrigible and have nasty temper."

Ayme fumed. Mizuti was about to see a nasty temper. Ayme was convinced that this was a punishment of some kind. She inwardly cursed Skeed. A shadow fell over them and they looked up to see the white Dragon carrying Kalas and Xelha toward the capital.

"The Great Mizuti be thinking Ayme should turn ship around." said Mizuti.

"They'll be dispatched with someone else." said Ayme regretfully. "She would have liked nothing more than the opportunity to free herself of the brat, but she was on a mission and wasn't about to turn around without due cause.

They discovered the wreckage of Lyude and Alyssa's ship shortly afterward and Ayme called for the second unit of the search party. It was not long before they were joined by Ricco, Vallye, Matthias and Folon. Vallye swept indignantly from the rover Folon snickering and his eyes brimming with mirth. "Obnoxious fool" muttered Vallye under her breath. She and the rest began examining the wreckage. Dried blood was discovered near the control panel that seemed to have exploded. One of them must have been injured on impact. She assumed it had been Lyude since they had discovered no injuries to Alyssa aside of the odd scratch or two.

Matthias jumped out of the hovercraft next and examined the wreckage. "What a mess..." said Matthias. "They survived this?"

"According to Alyssa, Lyude managed to level out the vessel and they skidded. She had to pull him from the wreckage because he was wounded and unconscious. An exposed fuel line caused the ship to explode shortly afterward." said Ricco. "They walked together to the nearest oasis and rested. The next morning they were found and Lyude was taken."

"Well, let's find this oasis then." said Matthias. Perhaps we can find some clue."

"Exactly what the Great Mizuti been thinking. Who be you?"

"Matthias. I'm a friend of Lyude's from a while back. I came to help."

"The Great Mizuti acknowledges you, Matthias. The Great Mizuti be great friends with Lyude, chums, companions, like family."

Ayme rolled her eyes and met Vallye's gaze with exasperation. "We get the picture. Let's go." said Ayme and they all sped off in the direction that Alyssa had informed them they had taken.

Lyude's dreams were fevered as he lay on the hard stone floor. Visions of fire, and cries of pain...they surrounded him. He saw his friends calling to him from afar, but he could not reach them through the flames, with every attempt the flames shot higher and he shielded his face against the searing heat. "Kalas! Xelha!" he cried. He called to each of his friends, but none could hear his replies. They seemed to see him, but not hear his responses. As if he were locked away in the fiery prison. "What...what's going on!" he cried out and fell to his knees. He felt a sharp pain in his ribs and his eyes shot open.

"If you're going to sleep be quiet about it, boy." said a gruff voice. Lyude let out a breath and looked up. It was the cell mate. He struggled into a seated position wincing at where he assumed he had been kicked. "I apologize." said Lyude. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Disturb me? Disturb? It's a bit late for that, my fine young fellow!" bellowed the man, his voice sounding quite deranged. He began to laugh insanely. His blood red beard stretched down to his knees, he wore a tattered uniform and looked at Lyude through green eyes that seemed to bore into him, but also seemed quite mad.

"Quite a decorated young lad." commented the prisoner. "Anger the Emperor did you? That's what I did! Welcome to hell, boy!" he laughed again. A cold, bitter sort of laugh. There was little telling how long he had been here. It was clear, however, that he had lost his mind.

"Would you like loose?" said the prisoner a moment later, sounding a little less crazed than before.

"Pardon?" said Lyude, bewildered for a moment at the inquiry after the prisoner's previous unbalanced behavior.

"I could untie you."

"Oh! Yes. Please do." said Lyude. "It would be most appreciated."

"Right lad, hold still." said the prisoner and cut the ropes binding Lyude with a small dagger.

"They allowed you a weapon?" asked Lyude rubbing the circulation back into his wrists.

The man laughed. "I've been rotting here so long it hardly matters anymore. Nothing matters anymore..."

The man started muttering unintelligibly again and strode off.

Lyude watched after him with a confused expression. He was clearly mad...a prisoner of his own mind. Lyude couldn't quite place it, but he felt there was something else to this man... there was definitely something that leapt out at him. Wearily, Lyude lay back down, and settled back into troubled dreams.

Crazygirl: Thanks again for reviewing! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Yes. Matthias is back!

TFRiD QUEEN: Yay! Return customer! I've been missing my reviewers. o.o Glad to see you back!