The walls of another temple materialized around him, and the first thing that Jason heard was the zap of weapons discharging and the shouts and growls of the Azru. The inner temple was in a battle.
Oh no, not again, Jason thought, looking around. There were at least ten Azru gathered in the inner chamber. They wore deep purple robes, and many of them looked charred and wounded. Three Azru and two green Azalai were gathered around a prone figure on the floor.
"Hi'dir!" Alexei screamed, her voice filled with anguish. She ran to the group and pushed a few of the Azru aside to bend down next to the man on the floor. He had deep blue skin and looked barely conscious. Jason could see that thick, blue blood coated the front of his robes. The L'mdanan looked up uncertainly and said something to Alexei, too quietly for Jason to hear. She pulled down the hood of her cloak and unwrapped the scarf from her face. Jason watched in surprise, taking in Alexei's face for the first time. She had dark fuschia skin, marked with sporadic, spotting tattoos. Her long soft mane was braided at the top and the rest fell to her shoulders; it was lighter purple in color. Her eyes were soft blue. She was very beautiful, and Jason could only watch, speechless, as tears filled her eyes. "Hi'dir..." she whispered in a strained voice. Looking upon the man, Jason realized that the tattoos on his cheeks matched those on Alexei's. This was Alexei's temple, and the L'mdanan dying on the floor was the Son of Night. He swallowed, not wanting to intrude, but Charaustra's voice rang in his mind.
*Jason, the temple is under attack. I don't know how they knew an amulet was here, but they knew, and I don't see an amulet here, do you?* she demanded. Jason felt rising anger behind her words and immediately understood her point. The offworlders might already have the Sacred Amulet. He looked to Genhyl. His friend was staring at the grieving Alexei, his gold eyes filled with sadness.
"The amulet," Jason said aloud, and Genhyl's head snapped towards him.
"You!" Genhyl said to the nearest Azru. "We have come to take the Sacred Amulet to safety. Where is it?"
"They took it," the Azru growled. "They mortally wounded the Son of Night and took the amulet. The Azru are battling in the temple, trying to keep them from escaping with it. We were commanded to stay here and guard the inner chamber." The Azru was clearly bitter, and why shouldn't he be? His brothers and sisters were losing their lives in the fight, and he had been commanded to remain behind. Jason and Charaustra exchanged a look, each knowing what they must do.
"We must get it back," Jason said decisively. "Come on, Char." He made his way over to Alexei. She looked up, her eyes wet. The man, Hi'dir, was barely breathing now; soon he would be dead. Jason solemly took off his pack, which contained three Sacred Amulets already and handed it to Alexei. She accepted it uncertainly, her eyes searching Jason's.
"You must get back the Amulet of Tula'tag," she said, stating plainly what was on Jason's mind. He nodded.
"If I do not return..." he began, but then stopped. He did not know what would happen if he did not return. Unable to explain himself, Jason turned away without finishing. Char looked up at him, a faint aura of electricity crackling around her. Inside his robe, the Vis Astrum seemed to call out for battle. Genhyl stood beside Char. He obviously intended to go with them. Jason nodded and they moved quickly from the inner chamber, breaking into a jog and heading toward the loudest sounds of battle.
Soon, they came upon the main battle. About twenty Azru were attempting to hold a comparable group of offworlders at bay. Realizing he had no weapon, Jason picked up the staff of a fallen Azru. He looked over at Genhyl and saw that the L'mdanan had sprouted claws. His golden eyes and slitted pupils looked even more predatory as they searched the group of offworlders. The Amulet of Tula'tag was, of course, at the center of the group. Many of the offworlders had been disarmed, and their weapons lay out of reach, but a few still had laser rifles. They were not using them freely, however, and Jason suspected that the rifles might be low on energy. Most of the offworlders were engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the Azru. Jason felt a surge as Charaustra gathered a cloud of electricity around her. It crackled harmlessly around him and Genhyl, but Jason knew she could take out many of the offworlders with one wave. The problem was that once they realized she was there, they would surely open fire upon her.
Easy, Char... Jason cautioned, pointing that idea out to her. She growled very softly.
*We will have to rush them,* she said to him and Genhyl. Genhyl nodded, and Jason raised the staff. *Ready?*
They nodded.
*NOW!* Char cried. She rushed forward silently. Then, when she was within sight, the jig was up. The offworlders saw, and those still armed raised their rifles. Char roared, a fierce sound within the closed stone walls. She released a rolling wave of brilliant electricity. It smashed through the crowd, dropping the offworlders like flies. The Azru ducked away, but they were not harmed by the crackling wave. Jason and Genhyl rushed past the downed offworlders, toward the ones guarding the Amulet. Three of them were still standing, one with a laser rifle. He raised it, but Genhyl lunged, grabbing his arms and pulling the rifle up and away from Jason. He fought, his pale green face inches from the offworlder's brown-furred one. Both beings snarled at each other, baring sharp fangs. Genhyl's gold cat eyes bore into the offworlder's black ones as they wrestled. Jason could watch no more, however. He raised his staff and lunged for the nearest offworlder. The alien growled as Jason brought the staff down on its raised arms with a dull crack. Jason hit the creature in the legs with the end of the staff and tipped it off balance. The offworlder, however, grabbed the staff on its way down, pulling an unsuspecting Jason down as well. Jason rolled and fought to get up, but the offworlder was upon him. He felt sharp teeth sink into his arm and yelped. Char snarled from nearby and released another electric wave. It knocked Jason's attacker away, as well as dropping the offworlder she and Genhyl had been facing.
"Jason, are you all r--" Genhyl began.
"Where is the third?!" Jason cut in. The offworlder with the amulet was not on the ground with the rest. Jason looked up in time to see it push past a wounded Azru and dart into the dark hall beyound. Without a thought, he bolted after the alien. We must get the amulet!
He pounded down the hall, hearing the offworlder running ahead of him. Char and Genhyl, he knew, were close behind. He rounded a corner, and he was immediately hit in the face with a fist. Jason tumbled off the side, hitting the wall with one shoulder and whipping his head up. He saw five armed offworlders had joined the one with the amulet. He also saw they were boxed in by Azru on the other side. There's hope yet, he thought in triumph. The offworlders raised their weapons. Look out, Char! Jason cried, then realized that Genhyl couldn't hear him. "Look out, weapons!" he yelled, ducking back around the corner as the hall erupted in laser fire. Char and Genhyl pressed against the wall nearby.
*Ready?* Char asked. Genhyl and Jason nodded. Then, the three of them rushed around the corner. Char roared and a powerful wave of electricity flashed ahead of them, knocking the offworlders back. Genhyl and Char rushed forward to seize the amulet, only to be met by a breakthrough of offworld forces coming from the next chamber. The Azru there were fighting, but there were too many foes for them to hold. Char rushed into the chamber ahead of Jason and Genhyl, trying to help the Azru with her attack. The Vis Astrum burned cold against Jason's skin as he felt her release another electric wave. Jason pushed forward. Where is the amulet? he thought desperately. Suddenly, an Azru lunged out of the chamber. Jason put out an arm to steady her, thinking her wounded, but instead, he saw her clawed hand flash up. He was shoved roughly against the hallway wall. Her claws dug into his collarbone and the base of his neck, and his skin began to burn. He let out a hurt cry and felt fear creep into him as he looked into the steely cat eyes of his attacker.
"You're... a L'mdanan..." he hissed through his teeth. His neck burned and tingled. The female bared her fangs in a grin of battle lust. Jason began to feel feverish and struggled, fear slipping into his heart.
*Jason?!* Char yelled, feeling her bondmate's pain and panic. Genhyl, at the end of the hallway, heard Charaustra's cry and spun, his face registering shock, then rage, when he saw Jason in trouble. He snarled and rushed the L'mdanan holding Jason. Genhyl hit her full force. Her claws scraped Jason's skin as Genhyl slammed her to the ground. Jason, off balance and feeling weak, fell to the floor. He got up slowly, using the wall for support. Genhyl, meanwhile, snarled something that Jason couldn't understand at the female before striking her head and knocking her unconscious. Genhyl got up, his claws stained with her pinkish blood.
"Thanks..." Jason managed, still feeling out of breath. He made toward the chamber where Char was battling, but Genhyl put a hand on his chest and pushed him back. "Char..." Jason said.
"Take it easy," Genhyl said, but Jason's translation seemed delayed, so it took him a few moments to understand what Genhyl was saying. His confused and muddled hazel-green eyes found Genhyl's golden ones filled with worry, and they settled there, trying to understand what was going on.
Char... have to help Char... Jason thought. Genhyl lifted Jason's chin and examined the wounds on his neck. Jason felt sick as Genhyl reached up to feel around them. His mind clouded and his vision darkened for a few moments as he struggled to stay coherent.
*What's wrong?* Charaustra asked, running out into the hall. She knew Jason was in trouble and her eyes narrowed when she saw he was wounded.
"I think he's been poisoned," Genhyl said to her, his brow wrinkling has he examined the wounds. He leaned in close, and he picked up a vile scent, like rotted meat, coming from the wounds. "Get the amulet. It is over there." Genhyl commanded urgently. Jason, meanwhile, felt like his neck was on fire. His vision was going blurry around the edges, and he had to concentrate very hard to understand what Genhyl was saying.
*Poisoned?* Char asked in alarm. She moved over to gather up the amulet, which was still wrapped in its protective package.
"Assassins often coat their claws with poisons. That way, they need only wound their targets. Come on, we have to get him to Alexei."
"Assassins...?" Jason asked. It seemed to use too much air to talk, however, and he gasped in pain as Genhyl ducked under one of his arms. Placing an arm around Jason's waist, he began helping him back along the hall. It was a long trip. Jason could barely keep his feet under him. The fever was spreading, and Jason felt like he was burning. He could barely make out blurry splotches of color around him.
*Jason?* Char asked. She could sense Jason's mind pulling away, becoming more and more confused. *Alexei!* she yelled out to the M'l'kai, hoping that she would be heard. Genhyl was basically dragging Jason now.
Finally, they managed to reach the inner chamber. "Alexei, he has been poisoned by an assassin," Genhyl called. He put Jason down against the far wall, propping him in a sitting position. Jason saw a fuschia blur appear. Alexei, he realized dimly. He felt her press his neck and cried out in pain, and fire seemed to creep up into his head. He was drenched in sweat as his body helplessly tried to cool itself from its imagined fever.
"We must fetch the antidote. It is in the vault, Genhyl. Come, and hurry! Char, remain with him. Do not let him sleep." Alexei commanded before she and Genhyl disappeared. Jason deliriously tried to focus, but everything seemed to melt together. Everything is melting in the fire... he thought. He felt a dizzy spin and suddenly found himself lying on the ground. He shivered and suddenly felt cold, despite the fever.
*Jason! Jason, please don't go.* Char pleaded.
Char... Jason managed. He dimly felt her muzzle press against his cheek and nuzzle it. He shivered violently, his teeth chattering. So cold...
Char stretched a feathered wing around her bondmate, terrified. *Jason, please don't die...* she begged, trembling.
Jason felt as though he had been thrown into a dark, cold chasm. He couldn't see anymore, and he could barely feel Char. She seemed to be going away. Char? he called, scared. Where are you going?
*I'm not going anywhere,* she projected desperately. *I'm right here!* Charaustra felt panic setting in as Jason failed to respond.
Jason slipped deeper down. He couldn't find Char. Where was she? Char? he called in confusion, feeling abandoned. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain crack through his head like a lightning bolt. He moaned as he was rolled over onto his back. His sight was jarred back by the blow, and he made out the blurry forms of Char, Genhyl, and Alexei over him. There you are... he thought to Char. He was so cold... so tired. At least Char was back now.
"He's delirious," Alexei observed. Genhyl looked at Jason. The human was drenched in sweat, his hair plastered in riglets to his face. The left side of his neck had discolored into a purple and red bruise, centering around the five puncture wounds left by the assassin's claws. Alexei opened the vat they had retrieved and dipped a hand into it. When she brought it out, her claws were dripping with a thin, bluish liquid. She flicked off the loose droplets, then turned to Genhyl. "Hold him," she commanded.
Genhyl complied, holding Jason's arms as Alexei brought her hand up to the right side of his neck and then dug her claws in. Jason gasped in panic and tried to fight. Ice seemed to shoot up his neck through his limbs. His shivering intensified. Char... he cried weakly.
Unable to do anything to help, Char brought her head down and pressed her cheek to Jason's, trying to comfort him. He continued to shiver and the room got even darker for him.
"Come on, Jason," Genhyl said. His gold eyes held a mixture of fear and desperation. Jason had stopped fighting, and Genhyl loosened his grip, instead reaching to grab Jason's hands in his. They felt cold. "Jason..." Genhyl said, trying to bring him back.
"It is working," Alexei said, observing that Jason's breathing had become less tight, more fluid. He was still shaking violently, but he had a chance. Alexei rose and crossed the room. She resealed the vat of antidote she had used and placed it safely down near Hi'dir's shrouded body. Then, she picked up a robe from the floor and moved back to where Jason lay. Charaustra was trying desperately to revive him.
*Jason! Jason!* she called, trying to find his mind. Alexei leaned down, and Genhyl and Charaustra got out of her way as she spread the extra robe over Jason.
"He needs rest now, Charaustra," she said. "Stay with him, and let him know that you are there. I must speak with the remaining Azru and help treat the wounded. Keep the amulets safe."
Alexei departed, and Charaustra couldn't help but watch her go, still unused to seeing the Daughter of the Night without her face wraps. She circled around and stretched out next to Jason, covering him with one of her wings. He still shivered in his sleep. Genhyl reached over and found one of Jason's hands. He cupped it in his own, as though hoping to transfer some warmth into it. Charaustra and Genhyl turned and looked into each other's eyes. Liquid gold met soft lavender, both sharing the same deep fear and worry, both sharing the same helplessness.
Char was the first to break the eye contact, putting her head down next to Jason's. Genhyl watched Jason shiver and struggle with delirium, and he prayed.
Background from Absolute Background Textures Archive. Storyline and characters created by and copyright © Rachel "Indyana" Gratis, 2001-2004. Dragon from Veniam Mactare.