A/N: Sorry this update is so late ;; Here it is though!

Chapter15: Following the Clues.

It was to be a long night for Lyude. Folon's injuries were mostly minor, but there were a few that needed extra attention. Lyude sat up with him all night. Using the healing magnus as needed and never leaving his injured captain's side. Jareth came to sit down beside him.

"Friend of yours, I take it? Strange looking fellow."

Lyude nodded silently. "Folon is the captain of Alfard's army now. I appointed him myself. He's a bit of a loose cannon, but he's a good and loyal soldier. We were at odds with one another during the fight with Malpercio, but once the man he was loyal to was defeated and requested that they aid us in the fight, we've become good friends. We didn't see eye to eye much when we were training together for a brief period before my exile, but we get along all right now.

"What is he, exactly? He doesn't look human."

"He's the result of an experiment with the End Magnus. He was once a normal young man, but he was touched with the powers of the End Magnus and became what you see before you now. Another victim of Geldoblame's thirst for power." said Lyude quietly.

"Telling him the story of my life, are we?" mumbled Folon weakly.

"Folon, I didn't realize you were awake." said Lyude checking one of the wounds he had been paying particularly close attention to.

"Yeah...I'm awake...suppose you're going to tell me to get my beauty sleep."

Lyude laughed. "You'd never wake again."

"Hey! Wounded here! Mocking the guy that tried to save your behind...heheh. A joke out of you is unusual. Am I that special?"

Lyude smiled sadly. "Just get some rest, Folon."

"Knew that was coming. All right. I'm out." he said and leaned his head back. It was only moments before they heard some light snoring.

Lyude sighed. "I always seem to cause more trouble than good." he said drawing his knees to his chest and setting his forehead wearily at his knees.

"Must be a the curse of being a Lyricello." said Jareth laughing ruefully. "Still, from what you've told me, I'd say you've done a lot of good, for all the nations. I'm...proud of you."

Lyude looked up to his father. "I know that I've done some good, but for every gain, it seems that someone close to me has to pay the price. I can't even imagine what Alyssa must be going through."

"Ah yes, your wife..." mumbled Jareth. "It must be hard on her. What's the girl like?"

Lyude leaned back against the wall, a fond smile on his face. "She's...everything I could have ever hoped for." he said softly. "I hope she's doing all right. She was angry at me when we parted. She wanted to stay with me, but I couldn't let her become a prisoner here. I'm certain that Braddock would have put it to his advantage. Just as I fear he might try with you."

"Braddock has his own reasons to keep me alive, my boy. You have no need to worry for my welfare."

"I suspected as much, really. He wants to know about that prophesy you destroyed, doesn't he?"

"Yes...he wants to know the prophesy. Just as Emperor Geldoblame did."

Seeing the danger zone returning Lyude changed the subject. The prophesy was the one discussion that seemed to disturb Jareth the most. It was when it was mentioned that he became violent, so Lyude decided it unwise to aggravate that situation.

"I'm worried about my friends being included in this search for me. They're targets for Braddock as well...It's like we're playing right into his hands."

"Sounds like that's exactly what's happening." said Jareth with a deep frown. "If only there was some way to warn your friends."

Lyude sighed. "They'd probably look for me anyway. They wouldn't leave me to this."

The door opened once more and three guards stepped in. "You. Get up." said one pointing to Lyude.

Jareth's eyes flickered in anger. Lyude swallowed. More tests. What would they do to him this time?

Alyssa was seated doing a cross stitch in hers and Lyude's room that had been prepared for their return to the fortress. She looked around a few moments. A picture of Lyude standing with Almarde and smiling was on the dresser. He was younger in the picture of course, probably about fifteen, but just as handsome as he was now. There we also a few pictures of the wedding. She saw Lyude's beaming face, he looked so handsome in his white uniform, his gentle smile had made her feel that she must have been the luckiest woman in the world that day.

Alyssa stood up and walked around the room. The soft tones of an Oak dresser complimented the scarlet draperies and the large oak bed. It was a simple arrangement compared to what one would normally see in Alfard, but Lyude wanted it that way. In his two year stay in Diadem he had fallen in love with the natural beauty of handmade work. The furniture was a gift from Anuenue.

There was a knock on the door and Xelha came into the room. "Hello Alyssa." she said with a kind smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Cramped and sick." said Alyssa truthfully her eyes downcast. "Xelha...do you think he's even alive?"

"I'm sure of it, and I think you are too."

"In a way. Sometimes I feel his presence close to me. I know that he's with me in spirit but...I want him here with me. I miss him so much, Xelha." she whispered. Xelha sat down beside her and wrapped her arms around her, allowing Alyssa to cry.

"He'll be all right, Alyssa, I'm sure of it."

"He's been gone for so long, though. Before long, those twisted council members are going to find a weakness in Lyude's policies and bring the Empire back, Skeed can't keep them back forever. I can't stand to see things go back to the way they were. All of Lyude's work, everything's he's done is in danger of being destroyed."

"I don't think the citizens will hear of that." said Xelha.

"The policies Lyude set in place are still in their early and weak stages and those council members have been chipping away at it since he was abducted. I sometimes wonder if it's not just one council member that's arranged this. If only we could prove that Drell was behind this, he could be confronted and forced to tell us where he's taken Lyude."

"Can't be that simple though, can it?" said Kalas coming into the room.

"Kalas, please." said Xelha.

"Hey, I'm worried about him too." said Kalas. "We all are, but we can't just stand around sulking all day. Xelha, we've got another clue."

"Really?"

"Yeah, except it comes with bad news too though. Folon disappeared when he went to check out that rock formation in the far southern part of the Nihal desert."

"Folon's missing too?" said Xelha biting her lower lip.

"I'm afraid so. His com device was found smashed on one of the rocks and a few marks in the sand signify a struggle."

Alyssa bowed her head. "I hope he's alright."

"That's one way to find out where Lyude is. Get yourself captured." chuckled Kalas bitterly.

"Kalas!"

"I know, I know! Sheesh." said Kalas. "I was only pointing out the irony of it."

"Does Ayme know?" asked Alyssa suddenly.

"Yeah...she's the one that found out."

"Poor Ayme..." said Xelha. "She must be really upset. She and Folon are really close...even if they do fight."

"Well, I guess the thing to do now is to go check out where he disappeared for ourselves. Maybe we'll find something else there."

"Take a unit of soldiers with you."

Kalas turned to face the speaker. "Vallye..."

"We've already lost my brother and Commander Folon, we don't want any more casualties in this search. We can't afford them. I want you to go protected."

"Kalas, it wouldn't hurt." said Xelha, "We can't even be sure if this is going to take us anywhere."

"Yeah...I guess." said Kalas kicking his foot. "Geez...since when did we get body guards? We're the ones that saved the world from Malpercio."

"It doesn't make us invincible, Kalas. In the desert without help, like Lyude was, we'd be no more difficult ."

"Let's go then. We need to find out what's going on here before we ARE too late."

Kalas and Xelha walked out as Alyssa seated herself again. Busying herself with her cross stitch and saying a silent prayer for their safety, as well as Lyude's.

Lyude once again found himself being dragged through the corridor to the lab. Once again, he saw the young man that had been released at his capture on the way to the room, averting his eyes as usual.

Once he was strapped to the table he waited nervously for what was to follow. The pristine white room suddenly went dark and a flourescent blue light washed over him, small red lasers scanned him from head to toe.

Lyude released a slight gasp as some sort of radiation surrounded him and he felt something responding to it deep inside him. "No..." he moaned softly, only half coherent. "Stop it..." suddenly, it did stop. The room went suddenly dark and emergency lights came to life. Lyude felt the clamps and straps loosen around him and felt someone lifting him off the table with difficulty.

He heard a curse from one corner of the room and someone shouting, but the effects of the radiation had clouded his senses and he couldn't quite grasp what was going on. Who held him?

"Hang on, Minister."

Lyude groaned and he feebly turned his head, but his sight faded and he knew nothing more.

Thanks to all of my reviewers. You guys keep me writing!