Earth - A little while ago

Kane

And so we waited, silent for the most part. I with my arm around Carthia, while Alex sat on her other side, tightly clasping her hand.

For once it was Jain and Jalholm who paced, each muttering to themselves, and occasionally swapping comments and theories on Tomas’ poisoning.

It was my knife that was used; I saw it and would have known if somehow Luke had substituted another in its place. But never had my knives caused any kind of poisoning; they had either maimed or killed, and those maimed suffered only the wound the knife had given.

I didn’t dwell upon it; for me it was just something that Luke had orchestrated… and it was done, knowing the how of it didn’t change anything.

All that mattered now was Tomas; I prayed that he would be cured and made whole again.

As I had carried him through the hospital doors all colour had suddenly left his face, and he’d began sweating so badly that in moment he was soaked through.

It had been so sudden; Jain had said that evil was in Tomas’ blood, but until that moment he had seemed but asleep.

Dawn broke, and still we waited. I was torn between allowing the medical staff to do their work, and charging around the hospital demanding information. It was only the thought of disturbing Carthia slumped against Alex’s shoulder in a fitful sleep that stopped me.

Jain stopped his pacing, grasped Jalholm’s arm and pulled him close to whisper, and then they both hurriedly walked to where I sat.

‘You need to go, Kane,’ Jain said, quite loudly.

I gestured them to be quiet as I indicated Carthia asleep beside me.

Jalholm took over from Jain. ‘The phone,’ he said, ‘you need to visit Jamie this morning. That is when he told us David visited him, didn’t he, Alex? It was the morning after the work’s celebration that you held?’

Alex nodded her ascent and silently mouthed, ‘Yes, that’s what he said.’

I slowly removed my arm from around Carthia, and gently eased her down to lie on the couch we sat on. Then I stood and beckoned Alex and the others to follow me as I walked a little distance off so that the argument I was about to start would not disturb Carthia.

‘I’m going nowhere,’ I said bluntly.

‘But—‘

‘No, Jalholm, listen to what I have to say. As soon as Tomas was injured I decided, and I will not be swayed from this. I will not leave any of you while there is a chance that Luke might find you.’

I had only paused but Jain took his turn to interrupt. ‘You have to, Kane. He needs the phone and the warning. Alex here… and Jalholm can testify as to you giving him both this very morning,’ his voice was raised and a touch desperate.

‘Then it is time to test your theory, isn’t it, Jain?’ Looking at Jalholm and then Jain, I said, ‘You both believe that the future is set, don’t you, or do you now refute what you blathered on and on about for so long. Either way it is irrelevant because now I put your theory to the test.’

‘No, you cannot risk it!’ Alex said. ‘ You must give Jamie the phone, and it must be today. He was clear on that… Today, the morning after you stopped the fight and took him home. We will be safe. Jalholm can protect us; he can whisk us away at the slightest sign of Luke… that’s right isn’t it, Jalholm?’

Jalholm remained silent, he just alternated looks between Jain and myself.

‘Well?’ Alex demanded.

‘And what of Tomas, Alex? You would have to leave him here at the hospital, again at the mercy of Luke. Regardless, it doesn’t matter, the decision is made. As you said I gave him the phone, and it was this morning… and I have decided that I must stay with you. I will not risk any of you again.

‘Beside, the future is set… you two have seen it, Jamie has told you of the phone, and you Alex used the phone to speak to one you thought to be your sister. So the future is the past for you two, and I will hear no more on the subject.’

I turned from them, but as I walked back to where Carthia lay, Jalholm blurted, ‘Give me the phone, Kane. I will take it to Jamie. I will convince him, or at least make him remember, that it was you who gave him the phone. I… I should be able to do that.’

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‘Loosing faith in your theories of the future, Jalholm? No matter… I do not have the phones.’

‘What?’ Alex cried.’

‘I left them at your mansion, Jalholm. Somewhere where they won’t be found. Besides, I will not let you leave my side, Jalholm… none of you. So we will leave it to the future, the future you have already seen. As you both said, something will intervene to make it as you have both seen.

‘So for now, why don’t you both do something useful… as much as I know you hate using compulsion, Jalholm, I think it’s time you and Jain went in search of Tomas and ascertain what the medical staff have learned of his condition and how they intend to treat him.’

Jalholm frowned. ‘I used compulsion earlier, didn’t I? I am using it for good, not evil… but that’s the way it starts. It becomes the easiest way to achieve anything, and the—‘

‘Enough, Jalholm! Let’s find out how the boy is. You do what you must now, and I will ensure it does not become addictive for you,’ Jain said, as he walked toward the reception desk, already calling out to the nurse to take them to where Tomas was being treated.

Jalhom followed, indicating to the nurse that she should lead.

‘What’s happening?’ Carthia asked, as she sat up. Alex, already at her side said, ‘It’s okay, they’re just going to find out how Tomas is. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.’

‘I’ll go with them,’ Carthia replied, but as she stood, I took her hand and held her back.

‘No, Carthia, you stay here with us. You cannot help them.

The three of us sat side by side and silently waited for Jain and Jalholm to return.

Only moments passed when one of my knives suddenly appeared in my hand. I stared at it dumbfounded; I hadn’t summoned it, and yet there it was, ready to do violence.

‘Why do you need that?’ Alex asked, her voice full of concern and not a little worry, while Carthia stood and scanned the whole waiting area.

Then, as I stood, I realised that on an unconscious level I had sensed what was coming and my knife had reacted accordingly. I pulled Alex to her feet, and quietly spoke to both of them. ‘No arguments, go now. Find Jalholm and tell him to use his rod and take you all from her, Tomas too. There is no time to waste. Go, but walk, do not run until you’re through the door.’

‘But—‘

‘Now, Carthia. I will follow, but you must go now,’ I said, quietly but with more than a hint of command.

I sat and watched them as they walked to to door Jain and Jalholm had left through, both looking back with anxiety and fear showing on their faces.

I scanned the room as I wondered how he would appear, would he come or would he control another’s body? However he came I had to give the others time to escape.

Various hospital staff walked through the area, each oblivious to me and the dread that built in the very air that they passed through. He could take any one of them, but even as the thought came, they all stopped and stood statue still.

‘Can’t have these humans notice me, can I?’ came his rasping voice from the mouth of the nurse behind the reception desk. Her face was white, drained of all colour, but her eyes blazed red with hatred, and her mouth twisted in a snarl.

‘Do not fear, my so very unfaithful servant. I am not here to make you mine again… though that day will come very soon. Today I take away your companions, those you love. Such a pathetic emotion… but one that has it’s uses, one that can be exploited.’

The laughter that followed was a hate filled parody of the screech that Ellaren emitted when they taunted their chosen victims.

The entry doors flew open, crashing to the side as Luke strolled through, his eyes immediately falling upon me. ‘Now you’re mine,’ he screamed, as he ran toward me.

‘Not yet, my pet!’ Dar’cen’s voice commanded, and Luke immediately came to a halt mere feet from me, his eyes ablaze with hatred.

‘Find the others. Bring them to me, but do not be gentle… enjoy yourself a little. They can not be far.’

Must delay him, I thought. Make sure the others have gotten away, and then came the realisation, He doesn’t know about the other rod - he doesn’t know Jalholm is here!

As Luke turned from me, I grabbed his arm. ‘What’s the matter, Luke? Afraid to face me after your last defeat?’

Luke ripped his arm free, and began to walk away slowly, each step seemed an effort, as if he so wanted to face me and yet had to follow his master’s command.

‘Yeah, thought so!’ I shouted, and then began to laugh, doubling myself up and pointing at him as he walked away. ‘Coward!’ I yelled. Got to slow him.

He took one more step, and then stopped. He didn’t turn, but I could picture the indecision that filled his face.

‘Come on, face me, Coward!’ I said, but this time quietly but filled with command.

‘Stop this! Find the others. Now!’ Dar’cen’s booming voice filled the room.

But Luke didn’t move. Slowly he looked back at me and snarled, ‘Another day, Betrayer, and—‘

‘Now!’ Dar’cen commanded, and Luke turned away from me and started for the door.

I leapt forward, again grasping his arm, but this time plunging my knife deep into his side with my free hand.

Luke barely felt it, he just shook off my grip, pulled the knife free, and walked on.

But I dropped to my knees in agony as wave after wave of pure pain wracked my body.

‘You should not fight among yourselves, you two… not until I wish it. Now you, you will lie where you are until your so called friends are brought before me.’

You can fight this! He is not here in person. Fight it. Fight it! were the thoughts that went round and round in my head as I slowly, ever so slowly pushed myself to my feet.

The nurse’s hand raised up and pointed toward me as the pain doubled, tripled, and slowly pushed me down to my knees.

‘You will give my rod to your brother when he returns with your companions,’ he said, sneeringly, his word filled with compulsion that so very long ago would have had me looking upon him with adoration.

‘Show it to me!’ he commanded.

Slowly, ever so slowly, my body still wracked by waves of agony, my hand went to my side and grasped the rod. My rod, Anna’s rod, never Dar’cen’s rod.

‘Show me!’ he again commanded as Luke burst through the door.

‘They have gone!’ he screamed, as he rushed toward me.

‘Where? You will tell me!’ was the last I heard as I again used my rod to flee from one who not so long ago had been an innocent young boy.