by Lucky Charms

Disclaimers: See Part 1.

Feedback is always welcome: luckycharms@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2004 by Lucky Charms. All Rights Reserved.

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Chapter Seventeen

Date: October 6, 3021
Time: 6:02pm
Location: Brian’s Cabin

"You forgot something." Aeryk says softly as he enters Derryk’s room, seeing the man sit on his bed and stare blankly at the floor. "It’s too nice a sword to rust in the snow, you know?"

"What do you want?" Derryk asks looking up at Aeryk with eyes red from crying.

"I want to talk to you, is that okay?" Aeryk walks over and drops the sword on the bed before leaning against the wall opposite of Derryk, crossing his arms. "What happened out there?"

"Don’t you think Brian would be pissed over the fact that you’re up here with me?" Derryk snaps. "Alone? I’ve caused enough problems as it is don’t you think?"

"You didn’t answer my question Derryk." Aeryk says coolly. "Now what happened out there?"

Derryk lets out a long sigh. "When I had the vision, I had this feeling it was some sort of sign to tell you something that I’ve been hiding for the longest time. That man, whoever he was, told me so much in so little words it was amazing. He told me to protect you no matter the cost." He looks over at the sword briefly, then down at his feet again. "All the emotions I felt I should hide came out like a tidal wave. All the love I had for you, even from the moment I first saw you, was there staring at me in the face. I felt I couldn’t hold back anymore. I felt it was time to tell you how I felt about you kid."

Aeryk notices the door open slightly and Jackie and Aaron’s faces appear through the crack. Aeryk sends them both a withering glance and the two shrink back into the darkness, the door shutting silently again. Derryk didn’t seem to notice.

"When I was a little boy," Derryk continues. "I always felt that there would be that one special someone who would appear before me like the heralding of an angel. My parents were never around much, so I was always alone to imagine that one person, always perfecting it a little bit more. When my parents died, I didn’t even cry. I just imagined that the person was there, comforting me like my parents never did, or could do I guess." He looks up at Aeryk with a crooked grin. "That’s when I met you, Aeryk. When I was walking down the street that day," he chuckles. "I can almost see it happening..."

"What the hell do you think you’re doing here kid?" A gangly looking young man with scraggly brown hair and mean brown eyes demands.

Aeryk, his eyes swollen and dirty, looks up from his place on the damp street within an alleyway. "Huh?"

"Ah look," Another young man with buzzed hair and deep blue eyes taunts. "The little fags been crying!"

"No I wasn’t," Aeryk says lifelessly as he bows his head between his legs. "Go away."

"What did you say little faggot?" The brown haired kid steps forward and lurches Aeryk to his feet and shoves him onto the wall. "I didn’t hear you?"

"Look, I’m not here for a fight." Aeryk says softly, not facing the two men before him.

"I think we should teach this little queer a lesson for sitting in our spot!" The blue eye kid sneers, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

The other kid chuckles in agreement before throwing a punch at Aeryk who ducks out of the way, his somber expression not changing, before sending a quick knee to the brown haired kid’s side.

The blue-eyed kid calls out in fury before sending his fist at Aeryk and cries out when he suddenly finds Aeryk behind him, wrenching the blue-eyed kids wrist behind him painfully. "If this spot is so important to you," Aeryk eyes the brown haired kid as he nurses his hand he sent crashing into the brick wall. "You can have it." He tosses the blue-eyed kid crashing onto his friend before walking silently away.

"You fight good kid." An older man says as he stands before Aeryk.

"What of it?" Aeryk casually walks past the man. "I’ve had plenty of practice."

Derryk rushes up to catch up to Aeryk. "I watched the whole thing,"

"And yet you did nothing." Aeryk snaps.

"I was impressed by how smoothly you moved. What form is that?" Derryk asks warmly.

"Tae Kwon Do." Aeryk responds. "And why do you care?" He suddenly stops.

"Well I see a young man fighting off two other guys who seemed more likely to be on the winning side and I can’t help but wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Aeryk asks.

Derryk shrugs. "I don’t know. I just wanted to get you to talk to me, that’s all."

Aeryk, despite himself, chuckles. "Well, I’m talking to you. Goodbye."

"Whoa!" Derryk calls as Aeryk rushes off. "Where do you think you’re going?"

"It’s getting late." Aeryk stops again and shakes his head. "I need to find somewhere to stay."

"What do you mean?" Derryk asks, suddenly worried. "Did you run away or something?"

Aeryk shakes his head again, his eyes turning into an angry blue color. "I don’t have a home to run away from! I’m all that’s left of my family, okay? The earthquake killed off all of my family but me!" He recognizes the piteous look in Derryk’s eyes. "Save your pity. I’ve done alright by myself. Leave me alone."

"Why don’t you come home with me?" Derryk says suddenly. "I’ve got plenty of space and it could use with a little filling."

"Yeah right," Aeryk scoffs. "Some guy picking up a random boy just reeks of good will toward men. Thank you, but I’m sure the local police would be more interested in your proposal."

Derryk laughs. "Hey, I’m a cop myself. I work for the F.Y. police," he flashes his badge. "So you don’t need to worry about me doing something horrible to you. But if you’re so worried about going home with a stranger, why don’t I get you something to eat? You look like you could do with a decent meal."

Unable to resist the temptation of a warm meal, Aeryk agrees. "Just so long as it doesn’t involve fish. I hate fish."

Derryk laughs and motions for Aeryk to follow him to the car. Later that evening, Derryk learned everything he wanted to know about what happened to Aeryk the short years after the earthquake and how he managed to get to New D.C. from Seattle.

"I don’t know when the feelings came," Derryk says. "But I realized that I started loving you in a different way. I would wake up every morning and wish that you would be there beside me. The few times I saw you smile back then, were some of the best times of my life. I did everything I could to make your life better, just so you would smile more." He looks up at Aeryk and smiles faintly. "I didn’t mean to hurt you kid. I was stupid to allow my emotions to get out of control like that. I just wished so bad, that you would be mine. I felt, and I guess I still do, that you are that perfect person I’ve been searching for."

Aeryk allows a smile to fall on his face and sits next to Derryk. "I don’t know what to say, which is a first you know?" Derryk gives a knowing chuckle. "You are a very important person in my life. I know I can look to you whenever I need someone to run to when life gets a little rough. And to say that I don’t love you would be a lie. I do love you Derryk, but not the same way you do me."

"I know kid." Derryk says softly, daring to place a gentle hand on Aeryk’s. "Just promise me something."

"Yeah?"

"Make sure Brian treats you right, okay? I wouldn’t want to smack him around if he does otherwise."

Aeryk laughs. "He does Derryk, thank you." He silences himself when he hears a muffled sound coming from outside the door. Aeryk rises from his seat, sneaks over to the door, and abruptly opens it and scowls when Jackie and Aaron dump themselves into the room in an ungraceful heap. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Idiot." Jackie snaps as she shoves Aaron off her. "I told you to be quiet!"

"You can’t ‘elp it when you ‘ave to sneeze love." Aaron replies. "You didn’t ‘ave to ‘it me you know?" he rubs his stomach, wincing.

"What do you two want?" Aeryk asks. "I was in the middle of something."

"Joe found the location of those people’s hide out." Jackie says. "Thought we should let you know."

"Where is it?" Derryk asks, rising to his feet.

"Surprisingly," Aaron says. "Just a few miles east of ‘ere. We all talked about it, and we think it’ll be a good idea if we ‘ead out tonight and get those things back."

Aeryk looks at Derryk expectantly. "What do you think?"

"Things are out of my hands with this one Aeryk." Derryk says. "This is all up to you now."

Aeryk nods in understanding. "Okay, we head out tonight. Make sure everybody is ready within the hour. And Jackie," he calls out. "Make sure whomever has a gift is prepared to use it."

Date: October 6, 3021
Time: 7:13pm
Location: ???

"It feels like ages since we’ve ‘ad a bit of fun, eh guys?" Aaron jokes. "’ow far are we there Stretch?"

"It should be right over the ridge." Joe says from his seat in their makeshift communication station as he looks at the small group of dots on the screen.

"I see it," Jackie says when she sees a group of lights. "Well would you look at this." she whistles as she looks down at the large cabin cleverly hidden in the trees with her binoculars. "Doesn’t that rock formation look a little funny to you Shadow?"

Jeff looks intently through his binoculars and notices the rock formation shift like a bad television reception. "I would say whomever is down there has something rather big they want to hide. Impressive."

"I wonder how they got that kind of technology." Aeryk comments.

"If one of the partners from Davis and Graves is down there Monk," Brian replies. "I’m sure they have enough money to buy out God."

"We can worry about what that thing is later," Derryk says. "Lets try to find a way in there."

Brian directs a nasty look in Derryk’s direction asking Joe. "What do you have?"

Joe quickly pulls up the blueprints he found on all the cabins he found in the area. "I love it when people save things on the net," he mutters to himself. "Okay, from your position you should be facing the front entrance area of the cabin. There is another entrance at the back and it looks like there’s are some windows you might be able to use on the basement level on the east side of the place."

"Are your binoculars picking anything up Shadow?" Brent asks.

Switching to infrared, Jeff looks around the cabin. "I make out four hostiles on the third floor and three in the basement."

"So how are we going to handle this?" Jackie asks.

"Go in there and kick some arse!" Aaron proclaims.

"That might actually work." Aeryk says much to everyone’s surprise. "If three of us head toward the basement and the rest round up the others, we might surprise them enough and catch them off guard."

"And question them afterwards," Derryk finishes. "Not a bad idea kid."

"Getting a little reckless aren’t we?" Jackie inquires.

"Our level ‘eaded Monk," Aaron states. "Blood lusting and battle hungry like ‘is darker ‘alf."

"Hey!" Brian cries. "I had nothing to do with this!"

Jackie narrows her eyes menacingly. "I don’t know Pyro. Those two sure have been acting strangely as of late." She looks over at Aeryk who refuses to make eye contact. "Ah-hah! You both..."

She is silenced when Brian shoves his hand over her mouth. "You both shut up, we have work to do don’t we?"

"Right." Aeryk clears his throat. "Orge, Willow, and I will take the three in the basement. Shadow you, Doc, Chief, and Pyro will handle the others. Stretch?"

"Yes sir?"

Aeryk smirks. "Sit tight for a while, we’ll contact you if anything comes up. We’re out."

The group makes their way down the narrow path to the large cabin holding the thieves and take their designated positions around the place before Aeryk whispers the command to begin.

Jen, Vincent, and Richard look up when three unknown individuals crash through the windows of the basement and land before them with aimed guns. "We weren’t expecting company." Jen snarls.

"You can just keep your hands in the air where we can see them." Brian orders.

Jen and Vincent chuckle at this. "What’s so damn funny?" Jackie snaps as she aims the gun directly at Jen’s head.

As Jen, Richard, and Vincent raise their hands slowly, a faint click can be heard and suddenly Richard, free from the chains that were binding him, lunges for Jackie and slams the woman onto the wall.

Taking advantage of the Brian and Aeryk’s distraction, Jen and Vincent rush forward and kick the guns out of the officer’s hands and begin attacking them.

"You must be the Sacred Child." Jen sneers after she and Aeryk are separated from the rest of the fighting. "Can’t say I’m impressed."

"And you must be the one behind all this." Aeryk replies. "It would be fun shutting this whole thing down."

Jackie struggles with Richard as the man wrestles with her on the floor. "I had a dream about you the other night." She says through clenched teeth. "Can’t say the real thing looks any better."

"I’m going to enjoy eating your liver." Richard says darkly then sniffs her breath. "You’ve been drinking."

"Nice of you to notice," Jackie glares up at the surprisingly strong man. "Now if you would kindly get off me." Her bracelets begin glowing brightly and suddenly become intricately designed arm braces with likenesses of the Four Gods on each brace. Filled with a new strength, Jackie easily tosses Richard into the air several feet and leaps to her feet, ready to fight again.

Vincent ducks at Brian sends a swift roundhouse to his head and smirks cockily. "You must be the Guardian of the Ogre."

"Yeah," Brian remarks. "What of it?"

"The symbol glows brightly on your forehead." Vincent replies as he goes after Brian with a series of kicks and punches. "It’s all worthless, though. We’ll soon have the world in our grasp."

"You sound like some cartoon super villain." Brian snaps as he retaliates with a few well-placed attacks and smirks when Vincent falls back onto the wall. "Where’s the stuff you stole?"

"Somewhere where you’ll never find them." Vincent says darkly as he gingerly touches his jaw when he feels bloody stream down it.

Jen lets out a muffled cry when Aeryk kicks her squarely in the stomach. "Didn’t your parents teach you not to hit girls?"

Aeryk ignores the comment and stands, poised to strike again, over Jen. "Tell us where the items are."

"Would you be quiet?" Jeff hisses to Aaron. "You’re going to blow it."

"Nah," Aaron whispers. "I just want to bust open some ‘eads, that’s all. All this sneaking around it boring."

The four remaining members of the squad have been searching as quietly as possible for the ring and the necklace with no success thus far. Aaron is more than ready to cause trouble for two reasons. One, to get the information out of the thieves and two, just because fighting is fun.

"We only have two rooms left," Derryk says calmly as he looks under a bed. "And one of them has the thieves in it."

Aaron snorts at the comment. "We’re obviously not going to find it ‘ere Chief. Why can’t we just ‘ead in and get what we want the fun way?"

Brent, Jeff, and Derryk ignore Aaron’s comment and finish up the last of their search and sneak into one of the last two rooms at the end of third floor. "Oy, there they are." Aaron points to a glass case with the ring and necklace placed below a single spot light.

"Easy enough." Brent says, looking over to Jeff. "A little too easy don’t you think?"

Jeff takes out a small pouch of chalk and tosses a small amount around the case. "No lasers," he frowns in thought. "Do you think they’d be so cocky as to not put a security system around these things?"

"One way to find out." Aaron cracks his knuckles as he struts over to the glass case. "Really, all this trouble over some a ring and a necklace."

Suddenly, thick vines erupt from the floor and bind Aaron tightly. "Where has the world gone to when cops are stealing things from thieves?" Mark chuckles as he, Beau, Luke, and Michelle enter the room. "Beau, if you would please?"

Beau smiles as he places his flute to his mouth and begins playing his mind splitting melody. The four officers cry out in agony and Jeff clenches his staff tightly and, does what he can to block out the destructive music.

That man told me I could use some sort of magical power, he falls to his knees as he struggles to remain conscious. If there were ever a time for this magic to appear now would be good!

Jeff looks down in shock when his right hand begins glowing and he instinctively directs his palm at Beau’s flute and a ball of energy shoots through the air and destroys the instrument.

"What the?" Beau gasps.

"A little ‘elp ‘ere!" Aaron snaps, shattering the shocked silence of the room. Jeff immediately obliges by sending another ball of energy at the vines. "That wasn’t very nice of you." He says darkly as he rubs his bruised wrists. "Assaulting a police officer is carries a ‘eavy penalty."

"Looks like your tricks are worthless," Michelle steps forward eyeing Aaron. "Nice to see you again."

Remembering his last encounter with Michelle, Aaron scowls deeply. "Can’t say I can return to pleasure."

"Enough talking!" Luke snaps as his weapon floats around him menacingly. "Lets just kill them and get this over with!"

Joe throws off his headset when he hears the second group fall into a fray and rushes to collect his coat and gun. "I’ve got to get down there and help them out."

"I’m afraid that won’t be possible." Danny says darkly as he walks slowly into the room with a horrible gleam in his eyes. "You’re coming with me Joe."

"You!" Joe gasps. "How did you find us?"

"I’ve been watching you for a while Joe. You all have been thorns in my side and I will not disappoint the master again."

"Master?" Joe asks his brow furrowed. "You mean the Blue Dragon?" Danny nods. "Then you...?"

"Yes, I am one of them. I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out sooner."

"I was hoping I was wrong." Joe says wretchedly. "How could you do this to me? I thought I was your friend!"

"You are nothing more than a pawn to me Joe. Now are you going to come with me quietly or will this get ugly?"

Joe swiftly pulls out his gun and aims it at Danny. "I’m not going anywhere. You’re under arrest Danny. Put your hands where I can see them."

Danny laughs raucously. "What do you plan on doing with that gun?" he inquires as he begins walking calmly towards Joe.

"Don’t move, or I’ll shoot!" Joe warns.

"You won’t shoot me Joe," Danny taunts. "You don’t have it in you."

"Stay back!" Joe cries, the gun shaking in his hands.

"Enough of this Joe, come with me now." There is a suddenly loud pang and Danny’s eyes widen in shock when a flash of pain shoots through his body. In silence, he looks down at his chest and sees his shirt darken with blood. "You...?"

Joe’s body freezes as he continues to stare in terror at Danny. "I-I told you Danny..."

Danny pulls of his shirt and runs a finger in and out of the small hole just before it begins closing. "I admit, I am shocked." He smiles widely at Joe before he races the last few feet between them, tears the gun out of Joe’s hand, grabs his throat and lifts him off the floor and onto the wall. "I liked that shirt too you know?"

"Wh-who are you?" Joe stammers just before he blacks out.

"Who indeed?" Danny replies as he expertly slings Danny over his shoulders and carries him outside and toward their cabin.

Deep within the darkness of hell, a lone demon kneels before a massive dragon with sapphire blue scales and searing blood red eyes. The demon has been chosen to rise to earth and aid the dragon’s minions.

At long last, my time has finally come. The dragon says. You will go up to earth, pose as human, and aid my followers. You must find the statues and use the Sacred Child to call forth the Power and use it to free me. If you fail me in this...

The demon looks up. "Do not worry, my master, I will not fail you as others have done before me."

See that you don’t.

Torn and bloodied from a fierce battle, the F.Y. officers finally manage to quell the thieves and have corralled them into a single room.

"The Calvary is on their way," Derryk says as he hangs up his cell phone. "Still no work from Joe?"

Jeff shakes his head. "Should I head back to check on him?"

"Please do so," Derryk says and turns his attention back to his seven captives when Jeff rushes off. "What do you think?" he asks Aeryk.

"Can’t hurt to question them a bit while we’re waiting." Aeryk walks forward. "Tell us what you planned on doing with the ring and the necklace?"

"Isn’t it obvious?" Jen snaps. "Use you to summon the Four Gods and release the blue dragon."

"You would willingly send the world out into the depths of chaos?" Aeryk demands. "Why?"

"Chaos?" Jen barks out a laugh. "Look around you boy," she ignores Brian’s dark look. "The world is already consumed with chaos. Everyday people kill one another, steal, rape I can go on forever. No, the blue dragon will bring about a new, golden age of true order. And we will be there when he ascends from the depths of the earth and showers us with his glory."

"She’s off ‘er rocker." Aaron comments quietly to Jackie who giggles in response.

Jackie hears a snapping twig and looks back to see Jeff slowly emerge from the dark forest. "Oh, hey. Where’s...?" she falls silent when Danny emerges with a gun in Jeff’s back and Joe slung over his shoulder. "Bugger."

"Oy, that’s my line." Aaron hisses.

"Release them and hand over the ring and the necklace or you’ll be short two friends." Danny says threateningly.

A faint and unnerving rippling sensation brushes over Aaron and he looks around in confusion. "What in the? What was that? Jackie, love, is this some sort of joke?" he says when sees that his partner is standing perfectly still. "Oy, what’s with the statue act?"

"I’ve frozen time." A male voice says from behind Aaron. "Sorry I’m late."

Aaron turns and sees a man about his height with a mischievous gleam in his dark eyes. "And you would be?"

"Huo." The other man says simply. "I’m here to get all mystical on you but," Huo looks around. "It looks like I don’t have time to do all the fun stuff. Damn, and I was so looking forward to it too." He shrugs as he produces a metallic folding fan and hands it to Aaron. "Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s the best they could do." He snorts derisively. "All the power in the world and they give us a fan."

"Oh."

"All you have to do is say Rekka Shin’en and it should work."

"Oh." Aaron looks blankly at the warm metal fan in his hand.

"Well, have fun!"

The rippling effect brings Aaron back to his senses. "Bugger." He says to the fan.

"Focus." Jackie snaps. "Oh, a fan."

Danny narrows his eyes. "No funny business alright? Release them now!"

Derryk grimaces and nods, "One at a time kid, okay?" he says to Aeryk as he hands him the keys to the handcuffs.

"Don’t forget our belongings." Danny sneers as Aeryk releases Michelle and chuckles when Aeryk grudgingly hands them over.

"You have what you want," Brian says when the last of the thieves walk over triumphantly to Danny. "Now release them."

Danny nods and hands Joe over to Jeff and the officer rushes over to his comrades. "Oh I almost forgot," he aims his gun at Aeryk. "We need you."

Faster than he thought he was capable of, Brian plows into Aeryk just as the bullet shoots past them. Aaron clenches his fan tightly and snarls through gritted teeth, "You’re gonna pay for that!" Aaron feels a warm sensation emit from the fan as he waves it toward Danny calling out, "Rekka Shin’en!"

A large jet of flames erupt from the fan and collide with Danny’s stomach, lifting him off the ground and into a thick tree branch, impaling him. Michelle gasps in horror when Danny slowly wrenches himself off the thick branch and drops himself onto the ground in a small puddle of blood. "How many times must people try to kill me in one night?" he howls.

The sound of approaching helicopters quells any further battle and Jen orders for the group to head for the illusionary rocks. As they reach them, the image fades away to reveal two military black hawks and the eight of them leap inside just as the lights of the mountain police’s helicopters appear.

"Don’t think this is over Child!" Jen calls out above the roar of the engines as they take off.

The modern day Black Hawks have been equipped with rocket style engines that, when used, allows time for the propellers to fall in and well hidden wings to appear, giving them the necessary means for the Hawk to roar off at incredible speeds.

As Aaron and Jackie send off colorful insults after the escaping thieves, Brent and Derryk kneel over the comatose Joe. "He’s just unconscious. He’ll be fine."

"Sorry we couldn’t get here sooner sir." One of the assisting officers says.

"It’s no problem." Derryk replies. "Can you tell us what’s the closest city in that direction?"

The officer shakes his head. "Nothing but ruined cities, sir, and plenty of hiding spots."

"Damn," Derryk mutters. "Thank you anyway, we can handle ourselves from here."

Aeryk shakes his head when he watches Brian try to use Aaron’s fan outside. "As bad as a child with a new toy." Derryk chuckles. "So what are we going to do now?"

"Should we try to find them again?" Jeff asks, taking a sip off his coffee.

Derryk shakes his head. "Waste of time, there are plenty of hiding spaces in the direction they left."

"Then it’s a race." Aeryk mutters as he leans back into the couch. "The Temple of Genbu is in the center of the North Pole."

"But how...?" Jackie begins. "Never mind, stranger things have happened." She chuckles.

"The storm that has surrounded the area will be gone when we arrive there." Aeryk continues. "But how we’re going to get there is another question."

"Don’t worry about it." Derryk states. "I have it already taken care of."

There is a sudden flash of intense red light and everybody looks out and sees the singed remnants of the balcony rail. Brian and Aaron turn nervous smiles inside and quickly hide the fan.

Aeryk sighs. "Idiots."

Date: October 13, 3021
Time: 3:00pm
Location: New D.C. Airport

"Pretty!" Jackie and Aaron call out in unison when they find themselves staring at Derryk’s private jet. "Just ‘ow much money do you ‘ave there Chief?"

Derryk chuckles. "Enough." He turns back to a man with long black hair, kept in a tail, and critical black eyes. "I really appreciate this."

The man waves off the comment. "You can thank me later. Here’s the clearance papers you’ll need when you get there. Be careful out there will you? I’ve done some research on these people and they’re pretty tough customers."

"Yeah, we’ve had a few run-ins with them. If you happen to locate them..."

"You’ll be the first to know." The man chuckles. "Well, I better make myself scarce. I’ll see you later Derryk."

"Who was that?" Aeryk asks walking up beside Derryk.

"Just a friend," Derryk looks down and smiles at Aeryk. "Is everybody ready?"

Aeryk nods. "Jeff and Joe are busy setting up their work station, Jackie and Aaron are looking for the bar, Brent is probably sitting in a dark corner," Derryk chuckles. "And Brian is doing who knows what."

"Great, let’s get going then." Derryk puts a companionable arm around Aeryk’s shoulder and escorts him onto the plane.

When everybody is situated, Derryk tells the pilot to take off before walking into the workstation Jeff and Joe created to set-up their next plan. Brian sits gently behind Aeryk and watches with him as the plane takes off into the clear blue sky.

"I can’t remember the last time I’ve been on a plane." Aeryk mutters. "You can’t help but feel a sense of freedom."

"I’ve been on so many plane rides in my lifetime I think I’ve forgotten what it feels like." Brian responds, pulling Aeryk into his arms. "You’ve been quiet the past week you know. Are you nervous about something?"

Aeryk allows himself to melt into Brian’s arms and smiles contently. "I can’t believe this is actually happening. We’re on a mission to save the world, and for all the truth of the matter, is seems like a dream."

"I try not to think about it like that." Brian kisses the back of Aeryk’s head. "But, as long as I’m with you I feel like I can do anything." He and Aeryk remain in silence for a while and watch the white clouds whisk by them, occasionally hearing Aaron and Jackie laugh about something, hearing the heavy footfalls of Brent, or Derryk asking various technical questions to Jeff and Joe. "I called my mom and dad before we left today."

"Oh?" Aeryk asks. Brian has avoided any contact with his parents since they found out about him and Aeryk. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is perfect. Mom took it a little harder than my dad, but they’re over it." He chuckles. "They’re just happy that I chose somebody with a level head. They really do like you a lot bud, don’t they?"

Aeryk smiles softly. "I’m happy for you Bri. How are you feeling about it?"

"It’ll take some getting used to, that’s for sure. But I’m sure it will all be fine in the end because I have you don’t I, forever and ever."

Aeryk’s smile fades into a grimace. "Yeah, hun." He slides out of Brian’s embrace and rises to his feet. "I’ll be right back."

Before Brian can say anything, Aeryk rushes into the furthest room in the back of the plane, shuts and locks the door before allowing the tears of despair to fall. I can’t... I just can’t tell them! Somebody please give me the strength to go on.

"You know, I went through the same thing you are now when I found out." A gentle voice whispers to Aeryk. "The loneliness, the pain of the knowledge that you will not live to see the tomorrow your heart desires." The young man with soft black hair and gentle brown eyes smiles at Aeryk. "It’s hard, isn’t it?"

Aeryk wipes away the tears and nods. "You, are the Sacred Child I’ve seen in the visions right?" the young man nods. "Wh-why are you here?"

"You asked for strength, didn’t you? I’m here for you now."

"I don’t know if I can go on like this." Aeryk leans against the door with his head bowed. "Everybody is just so happy right now and Brian... Why does it have to be like this?"

"The power of the Sacred Child acts like a beacon to the Chaos God. The longer the light shines, the more powerful he becomes. The only way to prevent the Lan Long from entering this world, the Child must be sacrificed." The young man says sadly.

"But why am I given the chance to make three wishes if my only reason to exist is to die?"

"The Child must use those wishes to bring about peace to the world, forever."

"So I just ask that the Lan Long be banished forever and never use the last three..."

The young man shakes his head. "That won’t work. The light will still shine so long as the Four Gods are on the earthly plane and that light..."

"Gives the Chaos God the power to return from his imprisonment." Aeryk sighs. "I know. I was just hoping that there was another way."

"You have to stand up and face your destiny, as difficult as it is." The man says soothingly.

Aeryk turns angry blue eyes to the other man and says, "Have you ever loved anybody?" he doesn’t give the young man a chance to respond. "How can you ask me to give up everything, even the man I love? I didn’t ask to be who I am! All I want to be is a normal guy and lead a normal life. I want to be able to walk out of this with my friends by my side and laugh about this in the future. I," he falls silent and lowers his head again. "I just wish none of this ever happened. I don’t want to die."

Brian’s heart stops when he hears Aeryk’s last words and falls back from the door. So that’s what he was hiding from me. He’s going to die.

"Brian?" Joe asks cautiously. "Is everything okay?"

The young man bows his head. "I am sorry, but there is no other way." He slowly fades from view.

Aeryk remains leaning against the door for a short while. There has to be another way. I won’t accept this! He eventually turns and opens the door to see Brian’s stricken face. "Brian!" he gasps.

"Is it true?" Brian asks with a shaken voice. "Is it true?!"

"You heard?"

"I came back to check on you when I heard..." he banishes the words from his mind. "Just tell me, is it true?"

Joe looks over to Aeryk questioningly. "What’s going on?"

"Brian," Aeryk begins. "We have to focus on the mission and,"

"Just tell me!" Brian roars, his eyes glistening with tears.

The breath in Aeryk’s body seems to escape him. "Yes." He sobs.

Brian looks over to Aeryk as tears stream down his face. "Why?"

"I don’t know." Aeryk mutters.

"How long until...?"

"When we finish this mission." Aeryk tries to keep an even voice.

Brian knees give out as he approaches Aeryk and collapses before him and weeps uncontrollably, clutching fiercely at Aeryk’s body.

Joe wisely bows out of the space, leaving the two alone.

"There’s no way out of it, is there?" Brian asks mournfully as he looks up from his place on Aeryk’s lap. The rest of the group has left the den of the airplane to allow Aeryk and Brian some time alone.

"I don’t know hun." Aeryk replies, running his hand gently through Brian’s hair. "I’ve been trying to think of a way around it."

Brian looks up into Aeryk’s eyes. "I won’t let it happen. I can’t imagine my life without you no matter what! No God will take you away from me."

Aeryk smiles faintly. "I’m not going down without a fight either Brian."

"Maybe Joe can think of a way," Brian says hopefully. "He’s supposed to have some vast cosmic knowledge, right, in that scroll thing." He sits up and makes his way toward the workstation where everyone else is patiently waiting and points to Joe. "You, bring that scroll and find a way to,"

"Brian." Aeryk says softly. "This can wait."

"What can wait?" Aaron asks. "I’m all for little love secrets guys, but I don’t think this is one of them."

"We’re a team, right?" Jackie adds.

Brian gives Aeryk a desperate look before turning to his friends and tells him what he knows and is responded with stunned silence.

"And there’s nothing that can be done?" Derryk asks.

"I don’t think so." Aeryk replies. "Whoever spoke to me earlier seemed pretty adamant about saying as much."

"So what do we do now? We obviously can’t go on with the mission if it means that Aeryk will die!" Joe cries.

Brian shakes his head. "We have to Joe. Aeryk has set his mind to completing this mission and I know better than anyone that once he sets his mind on something it’s impossible to stop him."

"Aeryk?" Joe asks pleadingly.

"This is for the better of the world, Joe." Aeryk replies calmly.

"Brian?" Joe turns to the other man. "You can’t honestly allow this to happen!"

"Believe me Joe, I don’t want this to happen more than you know." Brian says miserably. "I’m sure we’ll think of a way around this. I have faith that we’ll find a way."

"Where’s Aeryk?" Aaron asks, later that night, as he takes a seat next to Brian at the bar.

"Asleep." Brian replies before taking a healthy drink off his beer. "It took him forever, but he eventually settled down enough to fall asleep."

"God," Aaron mutters, shaking his head. "To think, once you feel like nothing can get any worse..."

"I know." Brian says staring forward.

"’Ow are you ‘andling it?" Aaron reaches over and grabs a beer from the ice filled sink. "Can’t imagine it being any easier on you." He expertly opens the top and takes a swig.

"How do you think I’m doing?" Brian snaps.

"Sorry, stupid question."

Jackie walks in and silently takes out several expensive looking bottles of alcohol and mixes them together into a clear looking drink. Without saying a word, Jackie drinks the entirety of the twelve-ounce cup and lets out a satisfied breath. "Now, lets talk."

Brian smirks briefly before the darkness settles on his mind again. "What’s there to talk about? I have to accept my fate like everybody else right?"

"That’s bull-shit and you know it." Jackie says dangerously. "Do you want me to loose any respect I might have for you Brian?"

"Oy, Jackie take it easy will you?" Aaron asks.

"The hell I will! How can you just sit there feeling sorry for yourself when the only person who has ever loved you for who you really are is closer to death than we can ever imagine?"

"What can I do?" Brian demands, slamming his fist on the bar. "Joe looked all over that scroll of his and he found nothing in there that would give us the slightest hint of how to save Aeryk from dying!"

"And you’re just going to give up like that?" Jackie snorts. "How pathetic."

"Jackie!" Aaron cries in shock. "What’s gotten into you?"

"Look, I’m not thrilled with the idea of Aeryk dying just so that we can wake up tomorrow knowing we’ve done our job and the world is safe. To me, it’s not worth it. I don’t believe anybody should be sacrificed especially Aeryk." She lets out a long sigh. "Brian, I know this is hard and I know how easy it is to give up. I did the exact same thing with my brother when we learned he had cancer. Everything just didn’t seem worth shit anymore, but I learned that if we have hope only good can come out of the efforts we make."

Brian looks down at his drink for a while before saying, "You know the first time I saw Aeryk, when he arrived at the academy I thought he was just some snobbish brat. I knew he lived with Derryk for a few years. He was so quiet and basically ignored everybody except the instructor," he snickers. "He was so damn smart it made me sick. I used to pick on him, you know? Well, it wasn’t for very long. I don’t know how it happened, but we became friends and he helped me through school. We’ve been inseparable ever since." The memories of the past shine in Brian’s mind like the warm rays of the sun and a faint smile falls on his lips. "There was this time, some kid from the academy was picking on Aeryk and was threatening to beat him up because he made him look stupid in class. I came up to them when the kid went after Aeryk and I kicked his ass to next Tuesday," Aaron chuckles. "I don’t know why I did it. I knew Aeryk could take care of himself, but the thought of seeing Aeryk hurt just killed me."

"Maybe it had something to do with you being a Guardian?" Jackie offers.

Brian shakes his head. "I think, part of me knew then that I was in love with him. He never laughed or smiled with anybody else like he did when he was with me. When he went home with Derryk, I could tell he closed in a bit on himself. But I would just call out and tell him I’ll see him tomorrow and he smiled so widely," he pauses a moment to compose himself and choke back the tears forming in his eyes. "I didn’t know I brought him so much happiness to his life. I don’t want to stop making him laugh. I don’t want him to die."

"You don’t have to Brian." Jackie says warmly. "We’ll think of something, I promise."

"You’re right, I can’t give up. I have to be strong, for Aeryk." Brian says. "I’m not going to let him go that easily."

"That’s the spirit!" Jackie smacks Brian on the back, fully knocking the breath out of him. "Oops, sorry." She chuckles nervously.

Date: October 15, 3021
Time: 5:42pm
Location: North Pole

"Well," Derryk says. "Everything is ready for us."

"’Ow far are we from the center?" Aaron asks, turning his gaze outside to the flurry of snow.

"Only an hour or so by dogs." Derryk says happily.

"Dogs?" Jackie cries. "We’re taking dogs out there?"

"The area surrounding the temple is a dead zone." Joe says. "No machinery will work there."

"Oh this is just lovely." Jackie moans. "Aaron, where’s that fan of yours?" she storms over to her friend.

Aeryk looks up when he feels a strong hand on his shoulders. "Hey." He says smiling.

Brian returns a smile. "I’m not letting anything happen to you out there, okay? We’re going to get through this together, all of us."

"I know we will love." Aeryk says, his smile widening. "We will beat this, one way or another." He gives Brian a quick kiss before turning to the rest of the team. "Everybody, lets head out."

Continued in Part 18

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