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Chapter 13

The blue light from the sword and shield cast an otherworldly glow on their surroundings.  Stone statues stood sentinel on either side of a wide staircase that led up to a landing, splitting off to the left and right into darkness.  More statues lined the hallways on either side of the stairs and off into the dark.

"Crap," AJ groaned. "Now which way?"

"How are we supposed to find Brian in this?" Nick agreed.

"How?" indeed.  Kevin began to move around the area, studying each direction and could hear someone else doing the same.  After several silent minutes, Kevin suggested, "Maybe we should split up."

AJ whirled around, just outside the circle of light. "Split up? Did I hear you right?"

"Yep."

"You can't be serious!"

"Look, I understand how dangerous this is," Kevin began," but this might just be the fastest way to find Brian."

"Suppose one of us gets in trouble and can't get to the others for help?"

Kevin sighed. "I've thought about that too.  But unless you have another idea - "

"Yeah, I do!  We need to stick together.  Strength in numbers, right?"

"Sometimes.  And other times - "

Zanell interrupted. "We could stand here debating the issue for hours and waste precious time, or we could just make a decision and find Brian."

When that silenced Kevin and AJ, Nick spoke his opinion. "To be honest, I agree with Kevin.  I mean, think about it," he continued before AJ could interrupt, "we have our own powers that can help protect us when we get in trouble.  Zanell has said it time and again: whether in a group or by ourselves, we're still a force to be reckoned with."

Kevin raised his eyebrows, impressed.  His young friend had certainly grown up in the eight years that he'd been gone.  He certainly couldn't accuse Nick of being afraid of a fight.  But then, Kevin recalled, he never had been afraid of one, not since the day he'd received that amulet.

Nick turned to Kevin. "So, which way you headed?"

Kevin grinned and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "The stairs.  You want to join me?"

"If you don't mind."

"Be delighted."

"I still say we stick together," AJ stepped in. "I..."

And Kevin finally noticed the way he was standing, almost the movie-style gunslinger pose he often took to cover up fear.  "Let's go, then.  Maybe we can split up on this level and check each room as long as we're in hearing distance of one another?"

AJ exhaled, his fear deflating.  "That works."

The friends were silent as they searched the upper level.  Looking back, nobody could ever say how much time they spent searching for Brian.  As he reached another door, Nick was beginning to think that maybe they'd wasted their time searching this level.  He turned the handle for one last room, then he'd suggest they search somewhere else. 

The door didn't open.  He stared at the door.  Tried again.  It was locked.

"Guys?" he called out. "Got a door won't open!"

They were at his side at once.  Kevin activated his amulet, gripped the doorknob and pulled.  Nothing happened.

"That's impossible.  I don't have super strength?"

"I did say we might have different abilities here," Howie remarked. "Even if it didn't apply to everyone."

"Let me try," AJ offered. "Maybe I can shoot it open."

Kevin stepped aside.  AJ took aim at the handle and fired. The wood around the handle blew apart, sending the brass handle flying away.  Everyone froze, waiting to see if the noise would attract attention. After a tense minute, Kevin released a breath and reached for the door. It pulled open silently and he stepped inside.  For a moment, he couldn't see what lay beyond the door, but as his eyes adjusted and the others moved, bringing the light with them, Kevin saw that the room was bare except for a mattress up against the far wall.  And curled upon it, black energy binding his wrists, was...

"Brian!"

Kevin knelt by his cousin's side. Looking him over, there was no sign of injury, just a great weariness to his face. Kevin gripped his arm. "Brian, wake up. We came to get you."

He didn't stir. Kevin called to him again, shaking his arm.  Still nothing. Zanell knelt beside him.

"Let me try," she offered. "He may need healing before he'll respond."

Kevin nodded, but didn't move as Zanell placed a hand on Brian's chest.  If Brian was in trouble, he wasn't leaving.  A purple glow appeared around her hand, indicating healing had begun. The air around Brian began to shimmer, as though a shield had been blocking him. Zanell winced as if the shield were painful. Nothing was said as the healing continued.  At last, the field around Brian faded. The energy around Brian's wrists dimmed but did not vanish. Zanell leaned back and closed her eyes.

"Harder than I thought," she murmured. "Still, the healing isn't nearly complete."

"At least you were able to help him somewhat," Kevin replied.

Brian stirred, a quiet sound escaping his lips. Kevin leaned forward and called to him again. "Wake up, Brian. We're here to bring you home."

He moaned quietly, and it took nearly fifteen seconds for his eyes to completely open. He seemed to have trouble focusing, as it was another few seconds before he spoke.

"Kevin? Zanell?" he whispered.

Kevin smiled. "You didn't think we'd leave you, did you?"

Confusion covered his gaze. "What?  No... no, this is just another trick!" He started to shift away, but found he wasn't strong enough to move.

Kevin reached and grasped his hand. "What trick?  Everything's fine."

"No." Brian pushed his hand away. "You're just another illusion!  Why can't she leave me be?  I want out of it."

Kevin and Howie's eyes met.  What in the world had been done to him?

"Brian, it's us," Howie said, moving closer. "Don't you remember the gifts you gave us? The sword and shield?"

Wide blue eyes looked from Kevin to the others.

Zanell reached for the sword she had handed to Howie and then held it out. "Touch it, Brian," she said. "It's no trick."

Slowly, Brian pushed up onto his elbow but couldn't go any farther.  Kevin helped him sit up, letting Brian lean against him as he reached for the sword. Great relief showed when he saw that the sword was indeed real.  He looked up at all of them and allowed a small smile to show.

"You came for me."

"Why wouldn't we?" AJ asked.

"After what I did?" Brian whispered.

"You got a little confused, that's all. Now, let's get out of here," Howie said.

"I can't." He cast his eyes at his bonds, remorse on his face. "I can't get free. I've tried, but... nothing."

"What are these, anyway?" Kevin demanded. "Why are you even in bonds?"

Brian closed his eyes, but said nothing.

Nick knelt at his feet. "What's the matter?"

He shook his head.

"Well," AJ remarked, "I didn't come all this way just to leave you here in chains. We're getting you out and back home where you belong."

"You don't belong here," Brian murmured.

"Well, neither do you," Nick replied, "and we're not leaving without you. So if you insist on staying, I'm not going back, either."

Brian's wide-eyed gaze shot up to him.

"I didn't lead the others here just so we could return empty-handed," Howie remarked before Brian could say anything.

"I came back to rescue you," Kevin said. "We're in this together. That's the way it should always be."

Zanell gave a nod and added, "The sooner we are free of this place, the better."

"Free."

They could hear the longing in Brian's voice, as though it had been a long time since he'd felt freedom.

"Come on." Kevin gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Let's get you out of here and back where you belong."

Brian closed his eyes and tried to smile.

"Your family is waiting for you."

He looked up at AJ's words and nodded.

"Let's... let's go home."

As Brian shifted to get to his feet, AJ realized that the black energy was still holding him prisoner.  "Do you have any idea how to get rid of this bond?"

Brian shook his head.  Zanell examined the black energy carefully, trying not to actually touch it.

"What about the sword?" Kevin asked, suddenly realizing something. "Remember the tree?  We had no idea how to battle it and were losing hope.  All of a sudden this sword falls out of nowhere, bringing hope back to us.  If hope battled - and won - against doubt, why shouldn't it set Brian free?"

Brian looked at his wrists.  He began to smile and Kevin could sense the hope beginning to catch hold again. "Do you think it would work?"

"You're the one who gave it to us," Kevin replied. "Do you think it would work?  It destroyed the tree - split it right in half.  Why shouldn't it free you?"

The others added their encouragement.  Finally, Brian nodded. "Give it a try."

Zanell rested the sword on Brian's extended wrists. "Do you trust me?"

Brian met her gaze.  The princess saw the apology for his earlier words on the ship. "I trust you."

Zanell tightened her grip and slashed hard, causing the air to sing with the contact.  The energy bond brightened, and for the briefest moment she thought she'd made a mistake.  But then she watched as the energy faded away into nothingness.  Brian was free.

A collective sigh of relief went through the group.  Brian opened and closed his hands a couple of times, then looked at her. "Thank you."

Kevin put a hand on his shoulder. "Now, let's get out of here."

Now that they'd found him, Kevin expected the attacks to intensify. It wasn't a victory yet.  Brian stumbled after a few steps, but Nick was there to steady him. Together, cautiously, the group began their exit.

"How long did it take to figure out this was the right room?" Brian asked as they started for the stairs.

"Long enough," AJ said with a frown. "The sooner we get out of this place the better."

Kevin agreed.  He couldn't explain it, but now that they were leaving there was a remarkably strong urgency to get out as soon as possible.  As they walked along, the feeling began to edge towards panic.  He pushed it down as best he could, hoping none of the others had noticed. Luckily, the attention seemed to be focused on the exit, and on Brian. They had reached the landing when a strange prickle crept up Kevin's spine. He stopped, not expecting such a sensation.

A hand on his arm. "Kevin?"

He glanced at Brian. "Something's wrong. You feel it?"

Brian stilled, concentrating. "Yes," he finally said. "We have to hurry."

"Are you able to?"

He nodded. "I'll make it."

"What's going on?" AJ asked.

"Something's about to happ-"

Flame erupted in a searing curtain just a few feet in front of them, blocking the way completely.  They couldn't even turn around.  Howie, closest to the fire, jumped back in shock. Over the roar of the flames, they heard AJ speak.

"What the heck is this?"

"Rage," Brian said after a moment, his face set. "Anger."

No one questioned his words.  They could feel it too.

"Something doesn't want us to leave," Zanell said, stepping back as the heat increased.

"No kidding," Nick said.  Suddenly -- "Hey, guys? I think it's growing!"

Brian grabbed his arm as his friend started backing up. "Stand your ground."

"What?! Brian, can you not see that we're about to get barbecued?"

"If we turn and run, it'll only grow larger," he said with certainty.

"What do you suggest we do, spit on it?" AJ shouted, gesturing.

"If we can't outrun it, and can't go around it," Howie said, "then the only thing we can do is..."

"Go through it," Zanell finished.

"No thanks, I like my skin and hair just fine," AJ said as he shook his head.

"We have to Aje," Nick said. "There's no other way."

"It's the only way we'll get home," Brian replied. "Unless you'd rather stay here for eternity."

AJ muttered something they couldn't hear, but Kevin could see he wasn't going to argue the point.

"Through it," he affirmed, sensing Brian was right while at the same time wondering how on earth they were going to accomplish the feat.  He felt a sweep of dizziness just for a moment, and something began tickling at the back of his brain.

"Kev?" he heard Brian ask.

A surge of energy replaced the dizziness.  Without really realizing what he was doing, he put his hands out; it had to go somewhere. The energy sprang out and surrounded them in a field of silver-tinged dark blue. Howie reached out a hand and touched it.

"It's a force field. Incredible."

"It looks familiar," Nick said.

Kevin concentrated on expanding the field, hoping to snuff out the flames. The heat was increasing despite his efforts, and he barely heard Brian's reply.

"It looks like mine," he said.

Kevin almost broke concentration as he glanced to see Brian watching him. A blast of heat reminded him of what they were battling.

He turned back and took a deep breath. "Let's go.   I hope this works," he muttered to himself.

Although he put all his strength into suppressing the fire, little progress seemed to be made.  Kevin began to falter; how could he fight such intense heat? Then a hand was on his shoulder. Brian's. That support boosted his confidence; he could do this, he had to do this. Smothering the fire wasn't working, so Kevin changed tactics. He mentally shaped the force field into a sphere, one that expanded rapidly. Soon it was big enough to hold everyone. If they couldn't stop the fire, they'd have to go through it.

"Well done," Brian said.

"Hurry," Kevin said, feeling the strain of effort.

As they moved through the flames and down the stairs, the fire intensified, and it was all Kevin could do to fight back. Brian kept his hand on Kevin's arm through the journey. The strain began to ease, and the possibility briefly crossed Kevin's mind that Brian was channeling strength to him while taking on his struggle. Then, incredibly, they were past the wall. Kevin turned, fully expecting the fire to follow, but it simply... disappeared.  Kevin dropped the field.

The comments began at once.

"Kevin, that was amazing!"

"How'd you do that?"

"We just blazed right on through like it was nothing."

"Are you all right?" Zanell asked.

He nodded with care. His head pounded. "Wasn't prepared for that... took a lot out of me."

"Hate to say it, but we're not free yet," Howie said quietly.

It was true. Kevin gave Brian a grateful look; with a small smile, he nodded. Moving forward, they made their way to the door.  They were almost out when a deep rumbling struck beneath their feet.

"What-?" Nick gasped.

The floor shook violently as great cracking sounds exploded around them.

"Earthquake!" Zanell exclaimed, eyes wide. "We have to get out of here!"