Night Falls

[cassandra]

"Use whatever force you have to in order to take it back from me when I am finished with the king. I know for a fact that I do not need this, nor does the Cassandra part of me want it. I do fee its addictive allure however, and I know You speak the truth. "Seeing the scowl coming across Kaden's face, Cassandra hastened to say, "It has to be You that takes it from me, if I refuse to give it, because its power won't work against You, and I'd never forgive myself if I hurt Kaden in any way." Kaden's face relaxed....somewhat....at her words, but the thought of anyone using force against Cassandra did not set well with him. Feeling his reluctunt agreement to go along with things, however, Cassandra said, "Aight then folks, let's go holla at Pops!" And began to walk towards the King's chambers.

[Kratos Cage]

Kratos weakened by the curse placed on him from Melacham, stumbled to his feet to follow. Feeling his life regaining to what it once was. With the curse now gone from him. He struggled to follow, giving every ounce of strength he could. Barely able to speak, "Cassandra, I am coming with you. Lets finish this!"

[Cassiel]

Cassiel watched Cassandra, Kane, Kratos, and the unexpected Kane leave to go to the kings quarters. She looked at the others who were left. "Well, I guess we'd better secure the rest of the castle. There still could be guards around that haven't given up."

[narym]

Fallow flew swiftly to the town and landed outside the sanatarium. He lay Narym gently down on the grass and bellowed long and loud until two healers came rushing out to see what was making the terrible noise. The dragon didn't have to worry about explanations, they instantly recognised Narym and picked her up carefully and took her inside.
Fallow could feel her pain, it was as if it was his own. It seared thru his chest, causing his heart to beat hard and fast. He lifted his head and shot a bolt of ice into the night sky. It fell down as a shower of icicles around him. He fired again and again with the same result until the ground around him was thick with ice. It helped relieve his pent up frustration at his helplessness, but did little else. He probed her mind again and again, pushing her to respond and was afraid for the first time that she might die. If she did, then his life would be as good as over as well. They were two halves of a whole, a stronger bond than parent and child, or siblings or even life partners. Life for one without the other was unthinkable.
He took off into the air and circled overhead, calling to her over and over. And then, as quick as the pain had first appeared, it left, leaving him momentarily confused. He heard her call him weakly.
'Fallow?'
'I am here Narym.'
'Are you ok?'
The blue dragon flew to the ground huffing with relief. ' I am now,' he replied and sent her a mental hug.
' I'll be out soon. I don't know what hit me, but it seems that I'm now fine.'
And indeed she sounded stronger with each passing moment.
She walked out to him a few minutes later, rubbing her chest and smiling ruefully.
'Um, did I miss much?'
'Very little time has passed, considering what happened to you,' he replied. He lowered his head and looked her in the eye. 'You wish to return,' he stated and huffed, his breath ruffling her hair.
She nodded and hugged him round the neck. Once she was safely on his back he took to the air.
'Thanks for getting me help so quickly,' she said, laying against his neck. 'I wonder what happened?'
'We will soon find out I think,' he answered and dodging a few sporadic arrows,landed down beside the hole in the wall he made earlier.
' I do not need to tell you to be careful,' he stated.
She patted his side lovingly and climbed over the debris and back into the castle. It was deathly quiet. She peered up and down the corridor. It was empty apart from the inert form of Dyra, placed carefully in a corner and covered with a cloak. Further along she saw someone laying still on the ground. As she got closer she could see that it was the headless body of a man. The head lay nearby, a look of fear fozen on his face for all eternity.
" Eew!" she grimaced and stepped over him. " Melacham, I presume!"
She moved further down the corridor. " Hey Cass!" she called. " Lily? Where's everyone gone?"

[Cassiel]

Cassiel heard Narym call, she was on patrol in the closest hallway to where Narym entered. She knew she wasn't the Cass that the other woman was looking for but she figured she'd do for the moment. Popping her head back into the room she motioned for Narym to be quiet and come towards her. Everything had been quiet since Melacham's head came off, but they weren't willing to risk a rogue guard killing someone.

[narym]

Narym saw Cassiel waving at her to shush. She used hand signals to indicate she was looking for her weapons and looked where Cass pointed. Her crosswbow and sword were lying safely by Dyras prone form as if the young woman was watching over them. She bent down and lay a hand gently on Dyras head.
" I'll be back," she promised in a whisper, and thought she felt a tiny response. But Dyra remained unmoving, curled up under a cloak.
Narym stood, strapping on her weapons, and walked lightly to where Cassiel was patiently waiting for her.
She grinned at her and whispered,
" I'm away for two minutes and look what happens. I miss all the fun!"

[Alledyra]

Floating easily through the dreamland that she had fled to, Dyra wondered what was happening to the people she cared about vaguely. It wasn't that she didn't want to know what was happening, or where everyone was...it was more that she couldn't seem to focus on what she needed to think about. Turning her gaze from the strange window, she wondered where she had been seeing...it wasn't the world that Kane had shown her...and it wasn't Nightworld...so where had it been...

As the thought slipped by, she found herself sinking into the couch that she had shared with Kane...was it only moments ago? A vague unease spread through her for a moment...but was replaced by a fuzziness that she couldn't explain, and found she didn't want to...to think on either the unease or the fuzziness was frightening...in ways she wasn't sure she understood...

Lying back on the couch, she felt...like she was fading, or fainting...she couldn't decide. As her soul slipped away, slowly...her body lie covered by a cloak where she had fled from it, each breath coming slower, fainter, as the wounds she hadn't been able to fully heal drew the life away from it. The connection between spirit and body had always been unusual...and now, as both faltered, her soul didn't understand what was happening...and her body wasn't fueled by the fire that her soul pushed it to...

[narym]

Narym shivered. Someone walking over her grave, she thought carelessly. She started off behind Cassiel, intending to patrol the corridors, hoping to bump into Lily. And shivered again. She stopped and looked around. Cass was the only other person nearby. The sorceror was dead. What was it making her feel spooky?
Concentrating, she felt a slight pull on her mind. If she had been fully engaged in something she might not have noticed.
'Did you feel that?' she asked Fallow.
'Yes,' the dragon replied. 'The feeling was somehow familiar.....'
'Dyra!' she finished for him.
She ran softly to Cassiel, indicated she was going back the way she had come, and returned to Dyras small body on the floor.
She knelt and touched her. Gods, Dyra was so cold. Her breathing was faltering slightly. Narym opened her pouch and pulled out a potion. Uncorking the bottle, she gently prised the young womans lips open and poured a few drops into her mouth.
She closed her eyes and called on Fallows help.
'Dyra,' she whispered into the sleeping mind. ' Dyra, come back.'
She moved her hands over Dyras wounds and spoke ancient, healing words.
'Dyra!' she called more urgently. 'Come back!'

[Eli]

Eli walked down the halls of the castle, sealing off all points of exit and pushing the attack inward and upon itself. At this point, the motley crew that made up the attack was outperforming the guards of the castle, and looked to be in total control. Eli knew that there was to be only one ending - Cassandra finishing the king.

[narym]

Narym caught a glimpse of Eli walking across the bottom of the corridor, went to call out to catch his attention and then decided against it. Who knew what was lurking around the corner. She didn't need any unwanted attention at the moment, Dyra was too vulnerable lying as she was, cold and unmoving on the ground. Gods, I wish Cass was here, she thought, she helped me she could probably help Dyra.
She concentrated for a few moments but was unable still to locate anyone. Whatever the sorceror had done or used to block her senses was still working. It was probably woven into the fabric of the castle itself.
She returned her attention to the woman lying before her. Still nothing, no sign of her waking, no sign of anything. 'I must have been mistaken,' she sent to Fallow. 'But for a moment there....' She sighed and stood, reluctantly letting go her link with Dyra.
'I can't help her here,' she said to the dragon. ' I think I'd best find Cass and the others. Help finish there and then come back.'
After one last look at Dyra, she walked down the corridor in Eli's wake.

[Alledyra]

A fleeting warmth spread over Dyra's body, giving slight direction to the faint tugging her soul felt, and a smile twitched it's way over her still face. She started to let her soul follow the warmth back to where it was supposed to be, when a thought struck her and she paused. Kane...she was supposed to wait for Kane. But she was already so far away...the connection faint already, she wasn't sure how much longer she could wait...

Then, a sound...a voice. Distorted by distance and perception, but still recognizable. Narym? Pausing a moment more to debate with herself, she decided that Kane would understand...he would know, so she wouldn't have to worry. Smiling, innocent, Dyra released her connection with Kane, stepped through another doorway...and felt her faint connection to her body fade away as the Kane's energy slipped away.

[narym]

'Narym!'
'Yes, I felt it too.'
Narym turned round and ran back down the corridor to Dyras prone form. She knelt down on the floor beside her and once again laid a hand gently on her forehead.
'Dyra?' she called into the young womans mind. 'Dyra? Come back. Please.'
She felt a slight stirring and then a faint response.
'This way Dyra. Come back. Your friends need you.'

[Alledyra]

She felt like she was falling, but towards her body or away from it was entirely debatable....until she heard that slightly familiar sound...Turning towards it, Dyra followed not the sound, but the essence of the message. Help was needed...and she needed help. Maybe together, the two would find solutions.

Drawing a deep breath, her spirit re-entered her mind, feeling first Narym's warm hand on her forehead, and then the cold floor on her back. She opened her eyes, crystal blue, and smiled up at Narym, still remembering the shelter of Kane's mind. "He was here, wasn't he?" Her voice was thready, soft, and filled with love. "Narym? I heard you...how is that possible?"

Dyra could feel the pressure of her soul trying to force itself together again, but ignored it for the moment, instead waiting on Narym's response...

[lilyrose]

Lily had just finished off a lone guard that had been stupid enough to poke his head into the area she was patrolling, when she felt a nudge in her mind. As she had experienced a link with Naryms dragon, she recognised his presence, but she was unable yet to communicate with him fully. She thought for a moment, wondering what he could be trying to say to her and then realised that if he was outside the castle, Narym might possibly be back inside.
She raced down the corridor and down a flight of marble stairs, heading back to where Fallow had breached the castle wall. She saw Narym kneeling down where Fiona and herself had lain Dyra and ran to her side.
" Narym!" she gasped. " You're back! I'm so glad to see you. Are you alright?"
Just then Dyras eyes opened and she spoke.

[narym]

Narym looked up at Lily and grinned as she babbled.
"I'm fine, Lily," she said softly," chest hurts a bit, but I'm fine."
She felt a slight movement under her hand and returned her attention to Dyra.
Piercing blue eyes regarded her unblinking and she was speaking softly.
" Who was here Dyra?" she asked, puzzled. As the young woman tried to move, she held her still.
" Hush now, take it easy."
She felt her pulse. It was thready, but Dyras gaze was unwavering.
" You heard me because we now share a link." Narym took a small leather flask from her almost empty pouch. She unstopped it and held it to Dyras lips.
" No, it's not a potion," she smiled gently, " brandy!"