Amendments (25 page)

              Noir scrambled to his feet and held out both of his hands in caution.  “Stop!”

              The woman did not attack, so Noir continued, “We are here to free Nidhoggr!  You know the evil that is inside that door!  Why fight us?  Why not help us free the dragon?”

              The woman kept her hands raised ready to attack, but said, “I have no reason to help you.  My life is over.  I cannot go back into society like this.”

              Ruith offered, “I did.  I have the same scars.”

              “And how has your life been, scarred man?” the woman spat.  “Did they kill your family too?”

              “Yes,” Ruith replied somberly.  “They killed my uncle, my wife, and my daughter.”

              The woman shook her head but kept her hands raised ready to attack.  “They took almost everything from me.  My family, my children, my beauty.”  She sniffed and Noir saw tears forming in her eyes.  “They left me one thing... my husband.  They locked him up in the prison.”  The woman's face contorted into a grimace of rage and pain.  “They'll kill him too if I don't do what they say!”

              Spears of ice shot from the woman's hands in Ruith and Noir's direction.  They each put up light barriers to block the din attack.  Noir shouted as shards of shattered ice rained all around him, “We're going to get him out!”

              “What?” the woman said incredulously.  “Impossible.”

              “It's not,” Ruith said.  “We have a friend who is headed to the prison right now to free everyone there.”

              “He will die trying.”

              “No, he is very good at what he does.” Noir assured the woman.  “He will get your husband out.”

              “Go now,” Ruith added, “and get out of here.  We won't tell anyone.  Your husband will be free soon and you can be reunited with him once more.”

              “And go where?” the dual vigor user asked.

              “You didn't hear?  Garmak is free!  They revolted!  They will certainly take you in.  You could be a great asset to the resistance.”

              The woman looked back and forth from Noir to Ruith, then finally lowered her arms.  “If I trust you and you're lying to me, or your friend fails to release the prisoners, they will kill my husband.”  She paused for a long moment, then continued, “It is insane, but this is the only time I've had hope that something good might happen in years.”  She shook her head, then wiped away tears with her hands.  “You'd better not be lying or I'll scour the two kingdoms to find you and kill you!”

              The woman broke into a run straight toward Noir and Ruith.  Noir put up a light barrier between himself and the woman, but she ran around the barrier and up the tunnel that they had descended.

              Once the woman's footsteps disappeared into the darkness of the cave, Noir said, “Let's hope Finn is alright.”

              Ruith said, “He will be fine.  Don't worry about Finn.”  Ruith turned toward the large door and approached.  Noir followed.

              Noir asked, “Are you sure this is the correct place?”

              Ruith replied, “I will never forget this place.”

              Ruith put his hand on the large door, then turned and looked at Noir.  “Are you ready for this?”

              “I'm not sure,” Noir replied.  “I've seen the chamber through the scarred man's mind, but it was months ago and was only a fleeting image.

              “Be prepared for something horrible, Noir,” Ruith said as he pushed hard on the large door.  They both entered a massive cavern chamber.  Noir quickly realized he was not prepared in the least for what lay inside.

Chapter 24

Necessary Steps

              In the middle of a subterranean lake hung Nidhoggr.  His huge, dark body was suspended overhead in the massive cavern chamber.  Just as Noir had seen through the connection with the scarred man in Talik months earlier, the dragon was held upright with legs, wings, head, and tail each constrained in a giant metal siphon enchant.  Thick metal poles hung from the ceiling and attached to the metal harness that held the dragon.  Though the dragon did not stir, Noir could tell he would not be able to move much at all.

              Nidhoggr had a more angular and muscular body than Fafnir, though his full size might have been slightly smaller.  His polished-looking black scales reflected the pale glow sphere light.  Each scale gradually changed to a deep, dark red at the tip.  Massive, frightening horns protruded back from his face and neck in various angles.  His body and limbs were thicker than Fafnir's and far more built than Jotunar's slender frame.

              A natural stone path led out into the middle of the subterranean lake where a large, rocky island sat below the captive creature.  A bowl-shaped metal altar sat in the middle of the island.  A display stand held a shining sword in front of the altar.  The sword was a bright metal with a large, blue gem inlaid in the ornate hilt.

              Nidhoggr hung motionless except for the rise and fall of his massive chest.  Just beneath Nidhoggr's head was a ring of metal that wouldn't even allow the creature to turn its head more than a few degrees.  The sight made Noir suddenly feel like he was trapped.  He couldn't imagine being in a situation like that for years.  The dragon had to be in complete misery. 

              The dozens of partially healed gashes in the beast's abdomen were too much.  Noir suddenly found the contents of his stomach boiling up his throat.  He ran away from Ruith to a puddle and vomited.

              “It is a terrible thing being back here,” Ruith whispered with deep sadness.  “This is where my life was ruined.”

              Noir spat and wiped his mouth.  “This is the most horrible thing I've ever seen,” Noir said as he walked again to Ruith's side.  “We have to fix this.”

              “Yes,” Ruith said.

              Suddenly Nidhoggr jerked against his restraints.  The sound of creaking metal and clanging chains echoed through the chamber for a long time afterward, but Nidhoggr did not open his eyes or move again.

              Noir studied the enchant that held the dragon more closely.  It was a complex structure with many hanging chains and metal bars supporting the enchant in many places.

              Once it was quiet again, Noir asked, “How do we free him?  If that thing is an enchant, it's unbreakable, right?”

              “It might not be possible,” Ruith replied.  “I was afraid of that.”

              “I have to try.  There has to be a way.”  Noir finally started walking toward the massive, imprisoned creature.  Noir walked down a few roughly-hewn steps in the cave floor, then moved hesitantly out onto the walkway that led across the lake to the altar beneath the dragon.  Ruith followed closely behind Noir.

              Noir looked up at the beast as he approached and his eyes flicked up to Nidhoggr's eyes.  Noir stopped immediately in his tracks as he saw the dragon looking down at him.  His dark eyes had a ring of glowing red inside and seemed to pierce Noir's body and soul.

              A deep, ancient voice rose from the dragon's chest and out its massive jaws.  “Who are you?” his voice boomed and echoed throughout the chamber.

              Noir's mouth felt dry.  He cleared his throat and started talking.  His voice sounded tiny and frail compared to the earth-shaking rumble that was Nidhoggr's voice.  “I am Luxin Noir.  I trained with Fafnir and spent a month learning from Jotunar.”

              The dragon's teeth appeared massive and white as his lips curled up in a grimace.  “I did not ask what you've done or who you've met.  I asked who you are.  You are impossible!”

              Noir couldn't remove his gaze from the beast's black eyes high above him.  Noir tried to think of a response, but all he could think about was the immeasurable pain and anger that showed in Nidhoggr's eyes.  He said Noir was impossible.  What did that mean?

              Ruith pushed past Noir and called out, “I have returned, Nidhoggr.  He is not impossible.  I assume you remember me?”

              Nidhoggr growled, “I remember you.  You are the reason he is impossible.”  The dragon paused and jerked uncomfortably in his restraints.  Chains and metal clattered against each other again.  “So you are why things are as they are.  You ruined everything!”

              “I know I did.  That is why I am here and why I brought him.”  Ruith pointed at Noir.

              Noir stared at Ruith with disbelief.  Nothing he was saying was making sense.

              Nidhoggr's voice rose and rumbled through the cavern.  “This will not fix anything!  You are making the same mistakes as last time, you fool!”

              Ruith shook his head, then said softly and sadly, “I have to try... again.”

              Noir saw Ruith grasp lux within himself, then Noir felt his body held in place with solidified air.  Before he had time to react, Ruith spun and slapped something metal onto Noir's neck.  Above, Nidhoggr let out a deafening, earth-shattering roar.

              Noir looked at Ruith with confusion and betrayal.  He grasped his own lux and tried to create a lux barrier between himself and Ruith but found the lux he generated pulled uncontrollably to the metal device around his neck.

              “You bastard!” Noir screamed.  “What did you do?”

              Ruith looked at Noir with sadness, which surprised Noir.  He said, “It is a slave collar like they use on din slaves, though I did not attach a handler leash or bracelet.  It simply drains any attempts at using lux like a siphon.”

              Noir's mind raced.  Had this been Ruith's plan all along?  Had he joined way back in Lithe so he could do this?  What was “this,” anyway?  What was he planning.  Despite all Noir's questions, all he could get out was a pleading, “Why?”

              “Why?” Ruith repeated sadly.  “Because you have to fix everything.  You have to get yourself, your cousin, and your uncle back home.”

              Noir felt like he was suddenly plunged into ice-cold water and his mind reeled.  How did Ruith know about getting Steven and Aimee home?  He'd never talked about “home” in any way with Ruith.  Nothing was making sense.

              Ruith saw Noir's face and said, “I can tell you feel betrayed, but know that I am doing this so you
can
get back home.  This is the only way, Noir.  This is the only way you'll get back to Montana, your parents, and your normal life.”

              Noir looked at Ruith with wide, shocked eyes.  He knew about the other world.  He knew about his home.  How?

              Noir asked incredulously, “Who
are
you?!”

              Surprisingly, Ruith chuckled, then mumbled, “That's a question we both need to figure out.”  Then Ruith pulled the solidified air toward him.  Noir's body followed reluctantly.  His feet scraped against the cave floor as he was pushed toward the altar.

              “What are you doing, Ruith?!” Noir yelled.

              The massive dragon above Noir boomed with fury, “You are a fool!  This will solve nothing!”

              Ruith walked behind Noir as he pushed his body with lux and said, “I am incredibly sorry to both of you, but this is the only way.”

              Noir found himself on the metal bowl-shaped altar.  The shining sword was displayed in front of him.  Above was Nidhoggr's belly.  Several deep, dark scars showed in various stages of healing above him.

              Noir screamed, “You can't do this, Ruith!  You can't!”

              Ruith would not meet Noir's eyes, but said, “I am sorry.  You need to know--”

              “You bastard!” Noir screamed over top of the man.

              “You must know,” he continued, “that the collar blocks all uses of lux except for healing.  I know you are adept in healing because I am as well.  You must heal yourself as the acidic blood rains on you.  The longer you can--”

              “You can't do this to me!” Noir screamed and realized tears streamed down his face.  “Why are you doing this?!”

              Ruith shook his head again, but still wouldn't meet Noir's eyes.  “It's the only way.  You must heal your wounds as your flesh burns, Noir.  The more you can withstand, the stronger your din will be and the better your chance is to get home.”

              Ruith grabbed the shining sword from the altar and looked up at the dragon above him.  Noir could barely hear Ruith's voice over the immense booming roars that came from the dragon above.  “This is the only way you and your family will get home.  You must heal, Noir.”  Ruith slashed upwards with the blade.  Metal cut impossibly easily through the dragon's thick, scaly hide and dark red blood began to pour out of the wound toward Noir's face.  Noir screamed and Ruith yelled, “Now, heal yourself!”

~~~

              The first splash of Nidhoggr's blood hit Noir's face and instantly started to burn.  The skin where it hit felt like searing heat and intense cold at the same time.  Noir screamed as more and more blood rained down on his head, face, and shoulders.  Everything inside Noir wanted to run from this pain.  His body tried to move on its own, but the solidified air held him in place.  Noir was vaguely aware of the acidic blood burning through his armor and clothes, but the pain blocked out any and all thoughts.  There was nothing Noir could do as the most intense pain he had ever felt and could ever imagine began to envelope his entire body.

              “Heal, Noir!” Noir vaguely heard a voice yell.  The voice of a traitor.  Ruith's voice.  “Heal!

              “No!” Noir heard his own voice say, though the pain made him only vaguely aware that he'd said anything.

              “You must!” Ruith yelled.  “I
will
let you die here if you do not heal!  There's no point otherwise.”

              “Why are you doing this?!”

              “I already told you that it's the only way for you to get home.  Now you must heal yourself or die!”

              Noir's entire body felt like it was on fire.  Every inch of him burned with an icy pain that pushed out all other thoughts from his mind.  He felt like the room was spinning and realized he was close to passing out from the pain.  Despite his body's weakness, Noir grasped lux and prodded his own flesh with healing tendrils.  The siphon did not greedily absorb the lux like last time.  Noir felt the tissue of his face with lux and rapidly repaired the damaged flesh.  A moment of relief came as the flesh mended and became whole once more.  The blood seemed to be soaking into his flesh despite the healing.

              A new splash of Nidhoggr's blood rained down on the healed flesh and it began to burn once again.  Noir screamed in pain.  Healing his flesh seemed to be the only respite available to him and his burning flesh ached for relief.  In desperation, Noir pulled on an immense amount of lux and began to heal his entire body at once.  His flesh mended and regrew where the acid blood had disintegrated it.  As he healed, he felt more and more blood rain down on his body.  He could tell all of his armor, clothes, and possessions had been destroyed and his bare flesh felt every drop of blood that fell.  Noir felt his chakra wearing thin.  He screamed in pain, fear, anger, and determination as he continually healed his melting skin.

~~~

              Ruith watched the young man with amazement.  He had never been that strong with lux, but he'd never studied with Fafnir.  He watched Noir's flesh burn and disintegrate repeatedly only to see a flow of immense yellow light emanate from the young man's core and mend the flesh once more.

              Ruith could tell Noir was finally tiring.  The healing was becoming less aggressive, thorough, and frequent.  Ruith looked up at the wound in Nidhoggr's abdomen but dared not look up to the creature's eyes.  He already knew he'd have nightmares about this for the rest of his life.  The last thing he wanted to see were the normally kind eyes of Nidhoggr filled with rage and pain looking at him once more.

              Finally, Ruith felt Noir's body go limp on the solidified air restraints.  The young man had finally used all of his chakra to heal his wounds.  Now acidic blood rained down on him brutally with no healing to help.  Noir had spent nearly two minutes in the deluge of blood and pain.  No one had ever been able to last more than half a minute before diving into the lake in desperation.  He had only lasted seconds himself and had pitiful use of din because of it.  Ruith hoped it would be enough for the young man to return home and finally fix everything.

              Ruith pulled on the solidified air so Noir was no longer under the deluge of acidic blood.  Ruith immediately pushed Noir's limp body toward the edge of the underground lake and released the lux flowing into the air.  Noir's body fell limply into the shallow water.  Dark red blood, his own and Nidhoggr's, spread from his body into the water around him.  Ruith stepped into the shallow water and held Noir's head up.  The young man was horribly scarred despite all of the healing he'd done.  Ruith could heal as well, but he couldn't re-arrange features like some Luxins could.  Ruith put a hand to Noir's scarred forehead and started to heal the last of the damage the acid blood had done to his body.  Ruith felt a tremendous drain on his chakra healing the young man's entire body and again marveled at Noir's strength with lux and with healing.