I hope this answers a few questions. It should at any rate. Anyway, thanks to everyone who e-mailed me. I love reading them, and I do reply to them all. Or I have so far. Sometimes I get behind, but usually I get to them shortly after I receive them. You can reach me at Mist_dark@hotmail.com
Let's see. The thanks. LHW, Kentira, Aphrodite, Kief, Aeoros, and Mike are a few of the regular people who e-mail me. Thanks guys. You've helped a lot. There are so many good stories out there. I've recently started Brian and Me, and yes I know it's been out for a while. If you're like me and haven't started it until recently, or haven't started it at all, it's good. I'm not too far in, but it's really well written. Good characters too. I also recommend BSB and Nsync Chronicles, Millennium Love, Forever (done now, but still worth the read), Nsync and the Vamps, etc. So many good stories.
Disclaimer here. If you're too young, offended by homosexual themes or it's illegal in your area, I'd leave now. It'll be easier on us all if you do. This story isn't supposed to imply anything about the sexuality of the members of Nsync. If they're gay, it's none of my business. Parts of this story are loosely based of the RPG Rifts. All trademarks belong to Kevin Siembieda and Palladium books.
Enjoy, Rune
PART SEVEN
Karr sat up. Sweat drenching his body. He hadn't been sleeping enough in the last few weeks. And what little sleep he had been getting was plagued with nightmares. They had been growing more and more frequent. As well as far more vivid. He pulled a robe on and left his bedchamber. He padded down the hall to his study. He began pouring over a thick tome in an attempt to forget about his dream. It wasn't really working, but at least it gave him something to do.
"Couldn't sleep?" Nydia's voice came from the doorway. She was in her own robe, and had the telltale traces of a nightmare on her face.
He shook his head. "No, I keep having nightmares. I have a sinking feeling that the Acolytes are trying to involve themselves in our lives again."
"You've been dreaming about them as well?" Nydia took a seat across from her older brother.
"What else?" Karr asked her. "You know I don't dream very often. And when I do, it's almost always about what they did to us."
"Karr," Nydia said firmly. "That happened over a thousand years ago. We've moved on."
"Have we really?" Damek asked as he came into the room "Yes, it's been over a thousand years. But I know for a fact that you haven't moved on."
"And how would you know that?" Nydia snapped.
"We're twins," Damek told her. "We do have that telepathic link between us. When you start having you nightmares, you pull me into them. You've been having nightmares almost as much as Karr here has been."
"Pardon?" Karr asked.
"Oh please," Damek said. "You make noise when you're having a nightmare. I would have been sleeping fine except for you two. Neither of you have learned to control your dreams yet. It's pathetic really. You're both well over five thousand years of age, and you still can't manipulate your own dreams. You should learn. It makes life far easier."
"I see my little brother has picked up a few things," Nydia said. "Care to share any more of your enlightenment?"
"Not this early in the morning," Damek said taking a seat. "I'd rather be sleeping, but neither of you is going to let that happen. We might as well start pouring over the obvious."
Karr ignored the comment. "As I was telling Nydia when you came in. I think the Acolytes are moving around again."
"I'd imagine they are," Damek said. "After all it's been a long time since we've seen them. Not that I'm upset about it of course."
"Well there's not too much we can do about them at this point in time," Nydia said. "We might as well concentrate on finding Josh and Lance."
"You've searched the entire planet for Josh. Haven't you?" Damek asked.
Nydia nodded. "I've searched every landmass this planet has to offer. Each at least a hundred times. Nothing."
Karr stood up abruptly, his robe almost flying open as he did so. "Nydia, get one of your crystals."
"What?"
"I think I know where he might be," Karr told her. "Just go get it."
"Okay," Nydia said as she quickly left the room. She returned a moment later with one of her divination crystals. "Are you going to share you revelation with us?"
"You've been scanning the world for Josh, but never finding him." Karr told her. "And the reason you never found him is because you're looking in the wrong places."
"Excuse me?" Nydia asked.
"Josh, isn't on one of the continents. He's in the ocean." Karr held up the crystal and let his mind reach out to touch it. He formed a picture of JC in his mind and began scanning the ocean. In short order he found what he was looking for.
"Found something brother?" Damek asked as he watched a smile spread across Karr's face.
"Yes," Karr said. The crystal exploded in his hand. Karr muttered a few choice words under his breath. "The Acolytes are on the move. Get dressed. I'll go after Josh. Damek go watch Joey and Chris. Nydia, you get Justin. Let's hope they don't find Lance."
The three siblings ran from the study to their respective rooms. Each dressed quickly and then headed to their destinations.
Erastus swam over to the mouth of his cave and met JC there. The young man seemed tired after his long trip. Erastus immediately let him in and set him down on the furniture he kept for company.
"I didn't expect to see you so quickly," Erastus told JC. "Ivar and I talked about me training you so that the tension between you and Fayth would be lessened. I just didn't expect it to happen so quickly."
"I don't really know anything about why he sent me to you," JC said. He pulled out the note Fayth had given him and handed it to Erastus. "She gave me this to give to you. It's apparently from Ivar."
"This should clear up a few questions," he said as he took the note from JC. He caught JC blushing as he opened the letter. "Was there something you were embarrassed about?"
JC turned a brighter shade of red. "You're kinda naked."
"And?"
"Well, nudity sort of makes me uncomfortable." JC said, not looking directly at Erastus.
"You'll have to get used to it Josh," Erastus told him flatly. "I don't wear clothing because it makes shape shifting painful. This isn't my natural form. Clothing isn't necessary for me."
"You're not human?" JC asked.
Erastus laughed. "Josh, how many humans do you know that have absolutely no body hair and are ebony black?"
JC blushed again. "Good point. So what's your natural shape?"
"A whale," Erastus said absently as he opened the letter. He scanned the first few lines and immediately didn't like the tone.
Dearest friend,
I wish that I were writing this letter under better circumstances. But I'm not. I have recently heard of an organization that call themselves the Acolytes. There are apparently only six of them with any great deal of power. However, their reach is far, and their power great. My informants have told me that they have taken an interest in Josh. As well as his friends.
I'm sending Josh to you for protection. You are far better equipped to hold off the Acolytes then I am. I'm afraid I may have placed you in great danger by asking this favour of you. I am confident that you will be able to defend both yourself and Josh.
I would suggest that you do whatever you can to locate Josh's friends. He has spoken of them often and they will most likely be the targets of the Acolytes in the near future. I am unsure of where any of them will be located. I believe that you have the resources at your disposal to find them though. Once you find them please take him to them. They will stand a better chance if they aren't scattered to the tides.
Hopefully Fayth will have accompanied Josh. I doubt this though. She is a stubborn girl. I love her dearly, but she has much of her mother's personality in her. I will attempt to convince her to leave with Josh when I finish this letter. If she is not with Josh when he arrives then she is with me. One of the Acolytes has decided to come after him directly. It won't be one of their minions that comes. I will do what I can, but I will not survive this encounter. And if Fayth is with me, I fear she won't either.
Please protect Josh, Erastus. He is important for reasons none of us understand. He is a good boy, though he hates it when I refer to him as a child. Take care of him, he has become like a son to me.
Sincerely your friend, Ivar
Erastus folded the letter and set it aside. He closed his eyes and sighed. After a moment he opened them and slapped JC's hand away from the letter. "That isn't for you Josh."
"Did it say why Ivar sent me here?" He asked.
Erastus nodded. "Yes it did. Among other things." He turned and swam toward the back of the cave. "We'll stay here tonight. In the morning we'll leave for a place farther from here."
"Why?" JC asked swimming after him. "What's wrong with this place?"
"Nothing is wrong with this place," Erastus told him. "Except how close it is to Ivar."
"What do you mean?" JC asked. "What's happening?"
"Nothing you have control over." He stopped swimming and faced JC. "I don't know how to tell you this gently. Ivar and Fayth are dead."
"What?" JC cried. "They were fine when I left."
"They aren't now," Erastus said. "I would comfort you now, but I have too much to do. I need to mourn myself." He motioned toward a small side cave. "You can sleep here tonight."
"Looking sharp," Maria said as she and Lance went to answer the castle door. "Black and silver really look good on you."
"Thank you," Lance said. He spun in a circle causing his robe to flare out in all directions. "I designed it myself."
Maria laughed and slapped him lightly on the shoulder. The first time she had done that he had ended up face first on the floor. She was a lot stronger then she looked. "True, but I was the one who made it."
"And you do wonderful work," Lance laughed. "We'll have to make a few of these for Selvar. He could probably use the protection that these offer."
Maria nodded. "Very true. He doesn't usually get into trouble, but every now and then." She pulled the door open, being careful to avoid touching any of the runes Lance had placed on the main door of the castle. Selvar insisted that some protective agents be placed before he left. A man in a green robe stood on the other side. "May we help you?"
"Yes," the man said. "Is this the castle of the Necromancer Selvar?"
"Yes it is," Maria said. "I'm afraid the master is out at the moment. Perhaps I can help you."
"Actually," the man said. "I'm looking for a guest of his. A young man by the name of Lance." The man caught sight of Lance standing slightly behind Maria. "I believe that's him there."
"What is your business with Lance?" Maria asked. "Selvar's guests are assured their privacy. Unless it's urgent I'm afraid I won't be able to let you in."
"Oh it is urgent." The man said. He drew a silver sword and slashed very quickly at Maria. She had no time to react and the blade easily sliced through her arm. She screamed in pain as she stumbled backward. She tried to close the door but the man slid in before it closed. "It's very urgent indeed."
"Lance," Maria cried. "Get back."
Green made a clicking noise in his throat. "Tsk, tsk. You aren't going to ruin my fun that easily. I'm a very busy man, and I'm going to accomplish what I've started here." He reached into his robe and pulled out a few silver darts. With a flick of his wrist he sent them flying toward Maria, who was still recovering from the suddenly lose of her arm. Each of the darts found their mark, drawing more screams of pain from Maria.
"Lance," Maria shouted. "I said get out of here." Her body shimmered and dissolved into mist. The silver darts that had been stuck in her flesh fell to the floor. The mist floated there for an instant before reforming itself back into Maria. Her arm had reformed sometime during the transformation. "I'll deal with our guest." She bared fangs and leapt at the man. He attempted to bring his sword to bare, but she easily knocked it aside.
The blade went skittering across the floor and stopped at Lance's feet. He stopped down and picked it up. The fight before him was growing more heated. While watching he pulled out a few powders and inks from his robe. He quickly began marking a pattern on his hand.
Maria's eyes glowed red as she grabbed the man and threw him into a wall. Green wasn't even stunned. He hit the wall and rolled to his feet. Without a word he produced more darts and threw them at Maria. This time she dodged them and advanced toward him. Her speed was incredible, and even if Lance hadn't been splitting his concentration between the fight and the rune he was drawing he would have had trouble following her. The fighters threw each other around for a while longer. It ended suddenly when Green pulled a cross from somewhere. He shoved it into Maria's face. She recoiled as if she'd been struck.
"You didn't think I came unprepared for you, did you?" He asked her. "Honestly now, I'm far smarter then that." He backed away from her toward Lance who hadn't moved since the fight began. "And now I'll take my prize."
"No," Lance said as he finished drawing the pattern on his palm. "You won't." He open hand slapped Green across the face. There was a flash of light and Green stopped moving. Lance pulled the cross from the man's stunned hands and backed away. "Throw him into the door Maria."
Maria surged forward. Without straining she picked the man up and hurled him into the stone door. There were several flashes of light and explosions. When the light cleared. Green lay slumped next to the door breathing heavily.
"Perhaps I did misjudge you," Green whispered. "I'll return. But for now you'll be safe." There was a flash of light and the man vanished.
"Maria?" Lance asked. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Maria snapped. She began to cry. "I need to be alone. Lock the door. Don't let anyone in until Selvar gets here." She turned and ran down the hallway.
Joey sat cross-legged in the middle of the room. He was the only one there. It was one of his lessons. He was trying to contact a spirit in the area. Evelyn had told him that it didn't matter which spirit. Just as long as he made contact with one. It hadn't been going very well. The last hour had been spent in meditation and staring at the candle in front of him.
Sighing he began staring at the flame. He opened himself to the world around him and sent his mind scanning the area. Chris was setting several candles alight at once. Evelyn was sewing a shirt that he had accidentally ripped earlier. He pushed his mind farther. Several birds chirped in the trees outside. A squirrel was awake and digging through the snow trying to find the food it had buried in the fall. A rabbit sat under a bush watching the hawk in the sky. Ignoring all of these he pushed farther.
He was concentrating so heavily he almost missed it. A small flicker. Mentally backtracking he found the flicker again. He paused a moment before zeroing in on it. His mind entered a small cave. Probably the spirit's home. He pushed to the back of the cave and found the spirit.
Even though he wasn't there physically Joey could see the cave. And in a sense see the spirit. The spirit took the form of a youth. He couldn't have been more then sixteen and he bore a resemblance to Chris. The cave was completely natural. The cold hadn't penetrated this far in so the earth was still soft. A hand-carved tombstone was the only unnatural thing in the entire cave. The spirit hovered off to one side of the stone.
"You've come," it said.
"Yes," Joey responded. "Did you call me?"
"I've been calling you for a while now," it said. "You just never noticed. You did now though. That's all that matters."
"Who are you?" Joey asked.
"Does that really matter? Do I even have the right to claim an existence?"
"Yes you have a right." Joey told the spirit. "You're here now aren't you?"
"True," the spirit said. "But that's not the reason I called you here." The spirit almost seemed to sigh. "I have a favour to ask you. A favour and a warning."
"What's you're name?" Joey asked. "It will make talking to you easier."
The spirit gestured to the stone. Etched clearly on its surface was the name Daryl. "Does that satisfy your curiosity?"
"Yes."
"There are forces moving in the world. Not all of them have your best interests at heart." Daryl said. "You are growing in your power, but you can't defend yourself alone. What is coming against you is far more powerful then anything you've ever met."
"What are you talking about?"
"Danger," Daryl said. "Great danger. Not only to you, but to your friends as well. They're alive. They're fine for now. They'll be able to fend off the danger for a time. As will you. But not for long. The danger will move against you full force soon. And if you aren't together you will be crushed. All of you will face a fate worse then death."
"What can I do?" Joey asked. He didn't like where this conversation was going, but he had to know everything the spirit would tell him. He would confirm everything with Evelyn. For the time being he would have to believe whatever the spirit told him.
"For now all you can do is train. Strengthen your gifts. You have power, so do all of your friends. But none of you are strong enough yet. Train yourself and you will have a chance." The spirit sighed again and moved toward the stone. "Time grows short. You will receive a message in the near future. Believe it. Take it to be true, because it is. Follow its instructions."
Joey nodded. "What can I do for you, to repay you for this knowledge?"
"Take care of my mother," Daryl responded simply. "She is a good woman, but she is tired. She will do anything for you and you friend. Do not betray her trust. Stay by her and she will stay by you."
"Deal," Joey said. "I would have done that without you asking Daryl."
"I'm sure you would have," the spirit said. "Go back now. Tell her what you've learned."
Joey felt himself being pushed out of the cave. There was a sickening rushing sensation and his mind snapped back into his body. He rolled backward from the impact. Rubbing his forehead he stood and left the small room.
Justin lay looking up at the night sky. There was no cloud cover so the stars were easily visible. Also the full moon had pass a couple of days ago so it wasn't obscuring everything with its light. He had always enjoyed doing this. Just laying out and staring at the sky. He'd been able to do it for hours. It was sort of a security blanket for him. The guys had ribbed him about it when they were on tour. Whenever he got a chance he would slip up to the roof of the hotel and stare at the sky. It would always relax him
Pyre lay with his head near Justin's. Justin had been able to convince him that just staring at the sky was a good thing. It took him a while, but Pyre eventually gave in and gave it a shot. He'd been hooked after that. It had become a nightly ritual for the two of them. Before bed they would stare at the sky if they were out in the country. And if they were in a town of some sort they would still go out and stare at the sky. They'd gotten some odd looks from villagers, but they didn't care.
"You're right," Pyre said. "I'm glad that you forced me to do this."
"I told you so," Justin responded quietly. His thoughts started to drift as they lapsed into silence again. Over the last while Justin had started to develop feelings of Pyre. He hadn't noticed them at first, or rather he brushed them off. He was comfortable with who he was sexually. At the time he had ignored the growing feelings because he had so much to do and learn. When Pyre had given him the ring he had even more to get used to. His strength was very useful while fighting vampires, but it had taken him a while to get used to opening doors again. They had spent a small fortune fixing the various pieces of furniture that he'd broken. Learning to control his flight had been easier, but not by a whole lot. Though the only damage it had caused was when his head slammed into the ceiling.
He had dealt with this. Now his feelings were coming back. He couldn't ignore them like he had been. At first he had thought they were just gratitude for what Pyre was doing for him. Similar to what some people will do when a loved one dies. They'll do things like make love to friends because they need to fill that void. Justin had thought that he was falling for Pyre because the man had rescued him, and had helped him when he needed it most. Now of course he realized that there was more to it then that. He was falling in love with Pyre. More so every day. Just hearing the man's voice was enough to cause shivers to run up and down his spine. He couldn't help himself. Thankfully Pyre hadn't seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary. Or if he did, he didn't say anything.
Justin knew that he wouldn't be able to keep silent for much longer. It would have to come out at some point. Every time there was some sort of physical contact Justin wanted to sink into Pyre's arms and just stay there. He didn't dare though. He wasn't sure how Pyre would react. He was pretty sure that his friend would take it well. Or at least in stride and that nothing would truly change in their relationship, but he didn't want to risk it just yet. Though he made sure that there was as much physical contact as possible. Nothing too noticeable. Justin would `accidentally' brush up against Pyre as they were leaving a room. Or would initiate a wrestling match. They were evenly matched in strength so neither had a clear advantage. But for some reason Justin always ended up pinned in those matches. He would struggle for a while, but would ultimately end up with Pyre's body pinning him to the ground. He'd struggle a bit more before giving in.
A wicked smile crossed Justin's face as an idea popped into his head. He gathered his courage and flipped his feet toward his head. His hands touched Pyre's shoulders and he used them to stabilize his flight. He landed straddling Pyre's hips. He pushed the man's shoulders into the ground and grinned.
"I knew if I waited long enough I'd get you pinned." Justin crowed.
Pyre took a second to clue into what was happening. He laughed under Justin's weight. "You call that a pin? Boy, you are have been sorely misinformed." He pushed upward and sent Justin sprawling backward. He quickly maneuvered himself into an upright position and tackled Justin before the blonde could get away.
They rolled around on the ground for a while. Each just enjoying the other's company in this absurd display of friendship. It ended when Pyre rolled Justin onto his back and pinned him. "That my friend, is a pin."
"It's alright," Justin grinned. "I've seen better."
"Really? I'd like to see that."
"If you insist." Justin leaned up and kissed Pyre. The man looked back surprised. Justin took advantage of the situation and pushed Pyre onto his back. The tables were suddenly turned an Pyre was pinned firmly to the ground. "How's that?"
"I'd have to say that was dirty." Pyre said. "That's cheating. You don't distract a guy like that."
"I didn't say anything about fair." Justin smirked. "I just said I've seen better pins. I think this qualifies. Now I think you've something to say." He was glad Pyre hadn't freaked when he kissed him. Of course Justin was playing it off as part of a distraction technique.
"I'd have to say it's about time," Pyre said.
"Huh?" He was about to voice another question when he was cut off by Pyre's lips touching his own. He threw his questions to the wind and just let things happen.
TBC
Okay, what do you think? Let me know. Comments are always welcome. I love getting them. Don't worry about sending me negative feedback either. I want to know what you guys think. So send me the good, the bad, the whatever. Mist_dark@hotmail.com
Until next time, Rune