Chapter 29 Calhan to the rescue…

Chapter 29

 

 

Calhan to the rescue…

 

 

 

Aerica lunged at them using the same speed she had displayed in her fight with Krell. She shot straight for Selene but Dahrin blocked her path. He brought up his swords causing her to hit her arms against the blades.

She growled at him in animal rage, her arms didn’t cut but scraped against his blades like they were made of metal. He shoved her away and she fell back and rolled into a fighting stance, crouched like a cat.

“What do we do?” Meria asked as Aerica lunged again, she aimed for Dahrin. Dahrin blocked her shoving her to the side, and then went after her.

“I don’t know. Where’s Calhan when you need him?” Sheik growled out from his position on the ground. He still hadn’t recovered from the paralytic toxin, he was able to manage to keep himself upright but not stand.

“Dahrin, don’t kill her!” Lucius screamed at him as Dahrin sliced Aerica across the stomach. She howled in pain and jumped away from him.

“I know.” Dahrin said calmly over his shoulder, “Besides, I don’t think I could even if I wanted to, look.”

Where Dahrin had sliced Aerica little vines had started to thread themselves around the wound stitching it closed at a rapid pace.

Dahrin maneuvered to get his fight with Aerica away from them and Gerad so Selene could tend to him; he hoped they realized this was what he was doing.

Selene did and ran to Gerad’s side and rolled him over, his eyes were glazed over but his chest still rose and fell with each ragged breath he took. Selene gathered her energy, her hands glowed bright yellow and she held them over the wound. Meria and G-Link came to stand beside her and Lucius came after them carrying Sheik on his back.

Aerica hit against Dahrin’s blades catching them in her arms, she looked to the group and snarled. The vines on her back stood up and pointed at the group. Dahrin called out for them to duck as needles shot from the ends of the vines.

Meria reacted and caused a gust of wind to blow the needles into the wall, missing the group.

“Can you do that thing you did with the wind?” Sheik asked her.

“What thing?” Meria asked.

“You know, that wall thing that you did.” Sheik replied irritated that he couldn’t get her to remember.

“Oh! That thing. I can try but I don’t make a very big safe area. And Dahrin won’t be in here with us.” Meria said remembering, she looked at Dahrin with concern as he shoved Aerica away and then immediately had to block again.

“Dahrin’s a big boy, he can handle himself. Right now we need to protect Selene while she heals Gerad.” Lucius said putting Sheik down next to G-Link.

“Ok, everyone get as close as possible around me.” Meria said moving to stand over Gerad and Selene. They crowded as close as they could and Meria started gathering her energy. She remembered something that angered her; the wind around them began to swirl, faster and faster. Meria was enveloped in the Sage glow as she held out her arms to the side rising off the ground. The wall of wind seemed to emerge from the ground around them and howled at an almost unbearable pitch.

“Now all we have to do is wait for Dahrin to get Aerica under control and Meria to hold her concentration. No problem.” Sheik tried to scream above the roar of the wind but only G-Link heard him.

“How’s Gerad coming along?” Lucius asked in Selene’s ear.

“I’ve healed the wound but for some reason he is comatose, I don’t know what’s wrong with him, he should be alright now.” Selene yelled back.

Gerad’s eyes stared lifeless up into the sky and slowly breathed in and out.

 

Dahrin blocked another of Krell’s attacks but he was losing stamina, a vine wrapped around his guard and hit him in the back. He grunted in pain and shoved Krell away once more slicing off one of his arms.

Krell screamed in pain as the blood gushed from the stump, “What is wrong with you?! Don’t you care about what happens to your friend?”

Dahrin didn’t answer as he moved in and sliced at Aerica’s leg. Krell again screamed in pain but this time didn’t retreat but attacked with the vines growing out of Aerica’s back again. He wrapped them around Dahrin who sliced at them as fast as he could but there were too many and he was caught. Krell laughed in evil glee as he slowly squeezed Dahrin.

Dahrin tried to breathe but blue and black spots started to blur his vision.

‘Let me come out to play.’ A black smoke seeped from the corners of Dahrin’s mouth and fell to the vines.

“No!” Dahrin grunted.

‘Let me save us, my dear Dahrin.’

Dahrin’s last waking thoughts were that of the sight of Aerica’s transformed face going from evil glee to panicked horror.

 

“Is it me or do you guys hear laughter?” Sheik asked pursing his lips in thought, “And I’ve heard that laughter before, but where?”

“I don’t know how you can hear anything outside of here.” Lucius answered from where he leaned against G-Link. Selene was using her powers of healing to restore his energy.

“I wish we could see. All I get are glimpses once in a while.” Selene said resting back on her heels after she finished healing Lucius.

“Well, all we can do is wait.” G-Link sighed.

 

Krell breathed heavily as he leaned back against the wall for support, both of Aerica’s arms were torn off and she was losing blood at a fast pace. He couldn’t see out of one of her eyes due to the gash she had on her face from Dahrin.

Dahrin just stood there and smiled as black mist swirled around him.

‘Oh, do you not want to play anymore? How boring.’ Dahrin said, his voice echoed at a higher pitch, like someone was talking at the same time as he but a split second behind.

“Who, what, are you?” Krell gasped out, “Never mind, I don’t care, just stop hurting me!”

‘Now where is the fun in that?’ Dahrin cackled and lunged for Krell once again.

Krell screamed as Dahrin’s blades got closer and closer to him. There was a flash of bluish grey and Dahrin was stopped. Dahrin glared to his left at Calhan who had caught his blades with his own. Calhan’s right side was pressed against Dahrin’s left.

“Back off, Eshen.” Calhan growled.

Calhan was hard pressed to hold Dahrin’s blades away from Aerica, but somehow he managed.

“Well, if it isn’t the bookworm, how’ve you be-“ Dahrin stopped mid cackle as Calhan kicked him in the side away from Aerica.

“I said, back off. Disappear.” Calhan said menacingly as he drew symbols in the air in front of him. Dahrin’s eyes widened as Calhan finished the spell and shot it at him.

Dahrin’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed. Calhan sighed then turned to Krell who cowered against the wall.

“Don’t hurt me!” Krell cried.

“I won’t, she will later though.” Calhan said calmly as he drew more symbols in the air in front of Aerica’s face. He finished then touched Aerica’s forehead.

Krell screamed in agony as a bright light enveloped Aerica’s body. Calhan stepped back as the light faded and Aerica fell to the ground at his feet, her body restored to normal.

A green mist hovered above Aerica’s body for a moment then flew to the temple and disappeared from sight.

Calhan stared at the place it had disappeared to till he heard Dahrin groan.

“Ow, my head.” Dahrin said softly as he slowly sat up, “What happened?”

“What do you remember?” Calhan asked him as he kneeled down to examine a rather large bump that was developing on the back of Dahrin’s head.

“Not being able to breathe, then evil laughter….and then possibly you kicking me in the rib-GAH” Dahrin cried in pain as Calhan poked him in the side where he had hit him.

“Yeah, sorry about that, I think I cracked one of your ribs.” Calhan said patting him on the shoulder as he stood up to check Aerica.

“No kidding. How is she?” Dahrin asked.

“She’ll be alright. Physically anyways.” Calhan sighed as he stood up and started walking to Meria’s wall of wind.

He drew more symbols in the air and the wall of wind began to die down. The group inside the wall smiled when they saw him.

“I was starting to worry.” Meria said as she sat down out of breath.

“How’s Gerad?” Calhan asked brushing past everyone and kneeling down beside Selene.

“He won’t wake up.” Selene answered then glanced to Aerica and Dahrin.

“Go tend to them; I’ll take care of Gerad.” Calhan ordered as he scooped Gerad into his arms.

“Wha-“ Lucius started to ask but was interrupted as Calhan disappeared in a flash of bluish light along with Gerad.

“Ok, was that really even Calhan?” Sheik asked interrupting the stunned silence.

“I don’t really know.” Lucius said hesitantly.

“It smelled like him, and acted like him in the way of answering questions.” Dahrin sighed then grunted from the pain of his rib.

“Here let me see.” Selene said as she pulled up Dahrin’s shirt. His left side was black and blue from the broken ribs.

“How did that happen?” Selene asked gently probing, her fingertips glowed white and wherever she touched the skin returned to its original healthy olive tone.

“I think Calhan kicked me. But I blacked out so I’m not too sure.” Dahrin replied pulling his shirt back down into place once Selene was done.

Selene stood up and walked to Aerica. As she knelt down Aerica’s eyes fluttered open.

“How’re you feeling?” Selene asked softly. Aerica stared at her; her eyes teared and she began to sob.

 

“Gerad! Wake up.” Gerad heard his name being shouted at him again. He opened his eyes then groaned. He was in the Chamber of Sages once again and his gut was burning in pain.

“What happened this time?” Gerad asked as he sat up slowly. Glancing around, he saw Calhan standing on the Lore symbol once again, but no sign of the goddesses.

“Oh, the usual; Aerica stabbed you, you almost died, Dahrin went into crazy psychopathic killer mode, I saved the day, you know, the usual.” Calhan said in a nonchalant sarcastic voice.

“Ok, then why are we here?” Gerad asked slowly standing to his feet.

“Because you almost died, Selene managed to heal your body but…” Calhan hesitated.

“But, what?” Gerad asked not too sure he liked where this was going.

Calhan took a deep breath but didn’t continue he stood there debating with himself.

“Oh spit it out!” Gerad cried, the anticipation killing him.

“You were already ‘dead’ so to speak. Your soul had left your body and was being devoured by Aerica’s body. I had to bring you here so I could re-attach your soul to your body.” Calhan explained pointing to the floor behind Gerad.

Gerad turned to see what he was pointing at and saw his body, “Ok, that’s freaky.”