| Phase 43 I returned to the Queen�s Room only because I had to. I stood beside Bart only because it was pure habit. I was afraid that any moment I would turn on him and strangle him to death. He did not appear worried. I felt a dark sense of foreboding and scooted closer to Bart. He looked down at me, then over at the door, where I was staring. When he saw nothing, his attention returned to me. � What�s the matter?� he asked gently. � Someone�s coming for me.� The doors then burst open and several left-over Solarian soldiers entered, training their guns on random people. The lead Solarian pointed at me. � Krista-Lyn! If you don�t want your friends to die, you will come with us!� I stepped off the platform and went to the Solarian, who promptly began to beat the life out of me. I was pummelled and kicked and pounded and felt bones crack under the assault. � That�s enough!� Lyn�s voice roared. After that, I was transported to a place that was bitingly cold. *>*<* Where had she gone?! Bart hunched over as if he were in pain. When he straightened, he turned his face upward and yelled his fear and worry to the sky. Lyn frowned. � Oh dear . . .� His head dropped and his eyes narrowed at the Solarians as the room began to shake violently. � What�s going on, Lyn?!� Fei cried, trying to keep his balance and to keep Elly from falling. � He�s . . . Oh my . . .� � Well?!� � He�s getting out of control. We need to calm him down before his kills everyone here.� Without the slightest warning, the Solarians exploded. In their places were large monsters that resembled Wels, though a more advanced version. Matik seemed to appear from nowhere. One of the Wels kicked him off the platform path, but the little dragon just flew under and around, landing on the platform itself. He ran and leapt at Bart�s back, seeming to disappear into his body. There was a ripple of space and a red seven-six dragon stood, growling, in the prince�s place. It looked like a very large version of Matik. The Wels lunged as one, but were no match for the dragon, who batted them aside as it crushed their heads. When the Wels were obviously dead, the dragon shrunk and became Bart again. He collapsed, unconscious, and a moment later a battle-weary Matik appeared to materialize on his chest, equally exhausted. Lyn sank down from the air to kneel beside Bart. � That�s amazing! I�ve never seen anything like it! Roni?� � You expect me to know?� asked a disembodied voice. � Yes.� � Well I don�t.� She snorted. � Some help you are.� A man who looked a lot like Bart appeared beside Lyn. � Then pardon my stupidity.� � . . . I suppose I can do that. You are one of the male species, after all.� Roni rolled his eyes toleratingly; the way you would to a loved one. � I will ignore the jab you just aimed at my gender.� He glanced around, frowning confusedly. � Where did Krista go?� Lyn took a brief look, then a double-take. � She�s not . . . here?� � You just noticed?!� � Her brain activity hadn�t spiked, so I thought she was nearby!� Lyn returned her attention to Bart. � No wonder he got so upset.� The prince came to slowly, shivering slightly. �C-Cold . . . like ice . . .� He sat up, carefully tucking Matik into his large jacket pocket, and turned to the woman who knelt beside him. � Lyn . . . I thought you were stuck on the ship . . .� He then noticed the new ghost and--he being nearly as protective of Lyn as he was of Kris--stiffened. � Who the hell are you?� Roni sputtered indignantly. � Of all the . . .! How dare you, boy!� � Boy?!� Bart was on his feet in an instant. � Want to see what this �boy� is going to do to your face?!� Lyn placed herself between them, a hand on each one�s chest. � Come on, you two. Don�t fight. There are more important things to worry about.� That seemed to strike true with Bart. � Kris!� He disappeared out the doors. Queen Zephyr stood and stepped down from her platform. � Roni, Lyn, please forgive me.� Roni shrugged. � You had a country to look out for. I understand that.� Lyn humphed. � I thought it was rather cowardly.� Roni elbowed her, but Zephyr nodded. � It was. And I deeply regret it, however much good apologies will do now.� Lyn shook her head. � What�s done is done and cannot be undone. But what happened that day would have happened eventually, whether you had backed out or not. There is really nothing to be sorry for.� Bart, in the meantime, had gone to the newly-outfitted Yggdrasil and burst onto the bridge. � Sig! We have to leave now!� Sigurd looked up. The prince�s tone and behavior was that of an emergency. � What happened?� � Kris disappeared! I mean, right out of the room! Just--poof!--and she was gone! We have to find her!� � What of the others?� The door opened and Fei and Elly came in. � Everyone�s aboard who�s going along; we can leave anytime,� Fei reported. � All right.� Sigurd got the Yggdrasil out of the dock, then set the trainee to piloting and went over to a blank computer. He typed in several commands, then put a code in. The screen lit up and showed a map of the world. A tiny dot flashed dimly in one corner. � There she is.� Bart looked ill. � That�s . . . that�s at the pole.� *>*<* I don�t know how long I was there before I was faintly aware of a deafening roar coming toward me. It faded away and I let myself drift off again. The next thing I knew, I was being pulled at. But my arms and legs were frozen into the ice, leaving me unable to move. I was released and then I felt warm breath on my face and a warm body over mine. � Kris . . .? Please . . .� I barely managed to get out the relieved whimper. � . . . Bart . . .� There was a sigh. � Thank you . . .� Then the ice crackled warningly at us. It caved, sending both of us down. Because the ice weighed so little compared to the water, I was held mostly aloft. The water broke the ice, freeing me. I reached out and caught Bart to keep from losing him as the current moved swiftly under thick and thin ice. We eventually stopped moving and got to the surface. Bart held me against him and kept both of us up where we could breathe. I clung to his jacket and gasped in as much air as I could at once; it was freezing cold and stung my throat, but I really didn�t care much. But in the end, he began to stiffen up as I already had. He hugged me tighter and dropped his head. � I�m so sorry . . .� he whispered into my ear. � I can�t . . .� We slipped under the surface and separated. I held my breath until I could do so no longer, then my lungs forced my mouth open and I sucked in a lungful of seawater. The world faded and almost went out. I felt something grab me and pull me from the water, then I felt freezing air rush past me. There was a space of time where that was all I felt, then I was set on something semi-warm and left alone for a short while. *>*<* � How are they?!� [I can�t say they�re in too good a shape,] was the Gear�s reply. [They look like drowned rats.] Sigurd turned and ran to the elevator. He went to the Gear bay just as Axyl landed and set her catch on the floor. He rushed over and began to pump Bart�s chest, trying to make the prince cough up the seawater in him. It worked and he was soon taking deep, ragged breaths, his eyes closed in weary relief. There was more coughing and Sigurd looked over to Kris, who had been set upon by Fei almost as soon as she�d been set down. She coughed out what looked like two gallons of seawater and then laid on the floor, eyes closed, trembling weakly, waiting to regain her strength. � Elly!� Fei cried. � Get some blankets!� A few minutes later, Elly returned with four blankets. She handed out the top two, which were placed over the shivering people and tucked around them. Bart was the first to respond to the new warmth. He turned his head and looked over at Kris, whose condition didn�t appear to have changed. � Kris . . .� She responded to his voice right away. Her eyes opened slowly and seemed to focus on him, though just barely. � Princeling . . .� *>*<* My chest was pumped fiercely and I began to choke on the water sloshing in my body. I rolled onto my side and coughed and hacked uncontrollably, even though it hurt. When I quit I laid there on my stomach in near-silence, my breath rasping in my already abused throat. � Elly!� my brother�s voice shouted. � Get some blankets!� It wasn�t much longer after that I felt something soft and warm settle over me and get tucked around my body. But that wasn�t enough. I really had no use for life anymore. I was tired. I decided right then to just stop breathing and die. � Kris . . .� Damn it. There go my plans. I let my head roll and opened my eyes, my bleary sight focusing on the one who I knew by voice, touch, and smell even if I couldn�t see. � Princeling . . .� There was a relieved sigh and then a dull rustle. � Oh no you don�t!� Sig�s voice snapped. � You stay right there!� � But---!� I blinked rapidly and my vision improved. I stretched out and forcibly drug myself over to Bart, where I promptly dropped my head onto his shoulder. He let out a soft noise and immediately stopped arguing with Sig. I let my eyes close and listened to him breathe, feeling his chest rise and fall with every drawn breath. Then we were separated. The first thing I did was panic and try to get away. Fei had to struggle to hold me. � Kris, calm down!� But I wouldn�t be calmed. I wriggled and fought until a soft voice said, � It�s all right, Kris. I�m right here.� We were taken to the doctor, who shook his head. � There�s really nothing I can do for them. Put them in bed and keep them under thick blankets.� So Fei took me to my room and held a fresh, dry blanket up in front of himself to give me some privacy while I changed. I got out of the clothes and into my sleeping clothes. Elly took my wet clothes and hung them around the bathroom. She returned with a towel and squeezed the excess water from my hair so it would dry quickly. When I gave the okay, Fei wrapped the blanket around me and directed me to my bed. � Now stay there and get warm,� he ordered. I nodded tiredly and drifted to sleep. When I woke a few hours later, the whole room was empty of life except for me. I got up, clutching the blanket tightly around me, and left my room, going up the hall to the next room, which I entered. As usual, Devon and Matik were lying together on the chair, their heads and bodies side-by-side and his wing over her back to keep her near. In the bed was the one I was looking for. I went over and touched his cheek; it was still cold. He made a quiet noise and rolled to see me. � Kris?� � Hi,� I croaked hoarsely. � What are you doing up?� � Just woke up a little bit ago. Decided to check on you.� He scooted toward the wall. � Come on. Lie down.� So I crawled into bed with him and snuggled against his back, spreading my blanket over the ones already on his bed. He made a pleased noise. � I was still cold until you showed up.� I put my arms around him and nuzzled against his spine, right between his shoulders. � What if we get caught?� � . . . Nobody�ll do anything if they know what�s good for them.� � Don�t hurt them.� � Tch. You think I could hurt anybody in my shape?� � . . . Point taken.� We soon fell asleep together, secure in each other�s presence. <--Phase 42 Phase 44--> |