#nr.21

Reiken twisted before driving the dagger into the demon's head.  Out of breath, he stepped back, eyes flickering around as he made sure that all of the demons were dead.  

His chest hurt where on of the demons hit him.  

Slowly he walked back, before lifting his hand.  He could feel the slight burn running up his wrist from the bracelet.  Fire leapt up from the demon corpses and a stench filled the air.  

Reiken stepped back even more before he sat down on the grass, watching the flames.  It took a while before the fires started dying down.  

After a few more minutes, he got to his feet, glancing up at the skies.  The sun was already setting again, becoming dark.  Shaking his head, he turned towards the village and started walking.  

He just needed to make sure that they were alright, before he could go back home.  It was just like Sigurd said, a new nest that just started.  

New nests were either easy to take care of, or extremely hard.  

Slowly he walked down to the village.  His body hurt and throbbed painfully from being thrown around by the demons.  

The moment he stepped into the village he could feel that something was wrong.  His eyes flickered around, searching for what was making him feel so uncomfortable.  

That's when he noticed it.  

A group of people was gathering around a guy.  It looked like they were teaming up on him.

Reiken hesitated, not wanting to get involved in more trouble, until he saw the the plants moving slightly, growing.

"...please... I didn't do anything" the young man said, stepping back, lifting his hands in surrender.  

"You're the reason all of this happened..." one of the men snapped, waving a pitch fork at the young man "Why those things attacked the village.  It's all because of you!"

Reiken gasped softly before limping towards the people.  He couldn't let this happen.  That young man was a Navoscia.

As he reached the group, one of the tried to stab the young man with a pitch fork.  Immediately Reiken caught the weapon, stopping it from touching the young man.  

"Please... stop...." he said softly.

"What are you doing?" the man snapped "He's the reason that this place was attacked"

Reiken shook his head slightly.  "No..." he whispered "He is not..."

"Like hell he's not" the man snapped "We're throwing him into prison"

"No" Reiken said softly "Please don't..."

"What do you want us to do then?" the man snapped, "Those demons will come back if we don't get rid of him"

"Leave him..." Reiken said gently "I...  Take me....  Take me instead..."

"No..." the young man behind him said.  

"Please..." Reiken said "Take me....  Don't hurt him....  He's not...  he's not a danger..."

The man slammed the shaft of the pitch fork into Reiken's middle.  He gasped and doubled over.  Something slammed into the side of his head.  His eyes rolled back and he crumbled to the ground.

Reiken could hear someone calling out.

He didn't know the voice.  Strange voice in a place he did not know.  Pain echoing through his body.  The fight against the demons had drained him, he didn't have anything left.

Slowly the darkness started to pull him down into blissful darkness.  

***

Reiken slowly opened his eyes.  It took him a moment before he realized that he was in cell.  Every part of his body throbbed painfully.  

Taking deep breath, he slowly started sitting up.  

The room turned and he almost fell back down again.  It took him a moment before he cell stopped turning.  

As that happened, he started sitting up again.  For a second he felt dizzy again, so he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.  Slowly Reiken breathed out and pulled knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them.  

He stayed like that, until footsteps came to the door and opening it.  

One of the villagers stepped into the cell.  "Who the hell are you?" he man snapped at Reiken "And what are you doing here?"

Reiken looked up at the man.  "I...  I'm... I was... sent here to.. take care of the demons.." he said softly, as he looked away.  

The man took two steps over to Reiken before backhanding him through the face.  

"YOU...." he snapped "You're the reason that we were attacked...."

Reiken coughed, curling up on his side just before the man started kicking him.  He felt something in his chest snap.  The taste of blood filled his mouth.

Someone came rushing into the cell, pulling the man away from Reiken.  

He couldn't hear what was being said, before the door closed and silence fell over the cell. Breathing hurt.  His body hurt even more.  

Reiken started coughing.  He just taste more blood, the coppery taste filling his mouth.  Then he started trembling, just curling up where he lay.  Blood dripped down the corner of him mouth.  

A shiver ran through him and he closed his eyes.  

Time started ticking away and he had no idea how long he'd been in there.  Until a soft knocking came from the door, before it opened.  A gentle hand touched Reiken's shoulder.  

".... why did you defend me...?" an unfamiliar voice asked as something warm wrapped around his shoulders "...that was reckless.... you don't even know me..."

Reiken managed to open his eyes slightly.  A blurred figure stood over him.  

"...navoscia..." he mumbled, before he started coughing again.

The figure cussed, quickly holding something against Reiken's mouth that he could cough into.

"...You've got a fever..." the voice said ".... and you're coughing up blood...  I need to get you some medicine..."

Reiken just stared at the figure before his vision started to fade again.  

He had no idea how long he was out this time, but as he started waking up, there was someone else with him, urging him to drink something.  Reiken tried to do as the voice said.

If they wanted to poison him, he just didn't care at the moment.  

The warm mix, felt good down his sore throat.

Soft cussing sounded from the one with him.  "I have to go..." the voice said before disappearing, leaving Reiken alone again.  

Reiken started fading again.

When he came to again, there was a familiar voice talking to him.  It took him a while before he realized that it was Hein and Gruen.  

"Rei?" Hein's voice asked "Hey can you hear me?"

Reiken's eyes flickered open, before focusing on Hein and Gruen.  The two guys glanced at each other.

"It's alright, Rei" Gruen said, looking at Reiken's pale face "We're here....  You're save now"

Reiken let out a whimper, before nodded.  His body exhausted as he just slumped against Hein.  

"...sorry..." he whispered as he closed his eyes.

Tyler  crashed through the ice and plunged into the ice-cold water.  It felt good.  

For a moment he just enjoyed the relieve from constant burning that went through his body.  After a few second he shot up, again breaking through the ice and landed on the ground.  

He coughed, sinking to his knees.  

“NightAngel are you alright?” Danielle asked walking up to him.  

“Bloody peachy” he growled his voice sounded hoarse as he started coughing again “Are we finished here?”

Danielle watched him for a moment longer before she shook her head.  “We’re done” she said “Chris took them out to where they belong”

“Then I’m leaving” Tyler said, slowly getting to his feet.  Before he could stand up something slammed into his shoulders, throwing him onto the ice.  The ice beneath his feet cracked and a hand shot up, grabbed his ankle, dragging him down into the freezing water.  

Seconds before his head were pulled under the water, he took one last gulp of air.  

Sharp nails raked over his back.  More pain ripped through him and air escaped from his mouth.  He swallowed a mouth full of water and kicked out towards what ever held on to his leg.  

His leg twisted and he felt a snap, causing him to scream.  

Fury ripped through him and threw his hands out towards the sides.  The lines started forming on his exposed skin as he activated the vectors around him.  Water exploded around him and he were thrown up into the air, gasping.  He threw his hand down.  For a moment nothing happened and then the water turned red as the creature that dragged him under water were ripped to pieces. 

A new wave of pain ripped through his body and for a moment everything went dark around him as he plummeted to the ground. 

He crashed into a piece of ice, causing it to crack.  

Tyler groaned, closing his eyes.  “Ouch....” he hissed “I wanna go home”

Slowly he turned on his side, before pushing himself up to his knees.  For a moment all he could do was stare at the blood on the ice.  He just blinked at the blood.  Swearing he got to his feet, swaying slightly as he moved from the ice.  

“NightAngel” Danielle called out “Are you alright?”

Tyler coughed again before he threw up.  Heaving onto the ground.  All that came out was water, since he haven’t eaten anything since breakfast the previous day.  

After a moment he just slumped onto the ground, gasping for breath.  His head felt like it was going to explode.  And then there was the sore throat.  

“I’m fine” Tyler said when a shadow fell over him.  Slowly he sat up, glaring at Danielle and the others.  “You can leave now.  Because I’m done.  I’m going home now and going to sleep”

Chris just watched him with a raise eyebrow.  “You are just getting friendlier by the day, are you Night”

Tyler flipped a rude sign at Chris before he started coughing again.  

“Yeah, he’s fine” Jack said from behind Chris “We should just leave him here”

“Listen to him...” Tyler grumbled before coughing into his hand again “...and bug of”

Slowly the others left, until only Tyler and Danielle remained.  

“Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Tyler pulled face a her.  “Why don’t you just go away, Danielle?” he asked “Because I really don’t like you”

Danielle watched him for a moment longer before she nodded and left.

Tyler slowly got to his feet.  For a moment the world around him turned and he stumbled slightly.  A sharp pain shot through his shoulder.  He flinched at it, but pushed it to the back of his mind along with the constant pain that throbbed through his body.  

Taking a deep breath he shot up into the air, making his way toward the mansion.  

When he landed, he stumbled slightly, coughing again and pressed his hand against his head.  The bloody headache just did not want to go away, pounding at the inside of his scull.  

Shivers started running through his body.  When he tried to open the door, his hands did not want to work, they fumbled and trembled.  

Tyler blew on his hands, feeling the iciness of the lake burning through his limbs.  Sudden exhaustion hit him like a ton of brick and he almost collapsed right there.  

After his third try he finally managed to open the door and stumbled into the mansion.  

“Hey Ty, you home?” a voice called. 

River.  

“River...” he muttered just as the boy entered the kitchen.

“Crap man, you look terrible” the little boy said “Did you go for a swim or something?  You’re bloody soaking”

Tyler nodded, rubbing his arms.  “Where’s the old man?” he asked, winching at the slight slur in his speech.  

Well that cannot be good.  The old man was going to furious at him.  

“He’s busy up stairs” River said “You want me to call him?”

Tyler started coughing.  “I don’t feel so well...” he groaned as his legs gave in under him.  

River’s eyes widened.  “Shit, you’re bleeding” he said quickly walking over to Tyler “Come on.  I’m taking you to your room”

The corner of Tyler mouth pulled into a slight smile and he allowed the boy to pull him up and help him walk to his room.  They stumbled and River glance at Tyler.  

For a moment it looked like the older boy was about fall asleep or pass out or something.  He coughed and his eyes flickered closed.  

“ARTHUR!” River yelled, causing Tyler to flinch “There’s something wrong with TYLER”

Within second he could hear Arthur moving towards them.

***

Tyler curled up on his side, shivering violently.  He couldn’t seem to remember what happened.  It was all in a jumble, so confusing.  He could hear Arthur’s voice somewhere in the darkness.  

Arthur sighed as he watched Tyler withering on the bed.  

“Bring me another blanket, Master River” he said, nodding towards the boy.  

River hesitated for a moment before he turned and left the room.  Tyler was already covered in blankets and warm water bottles, but he was still shaking and shivering.  

“What have you done Tyler?” he asked, frowning when he placed a hand on Tyler forehead.  

He was burning up, coughing and shivering.

“Is he going to be alright, Arthur?” River asked, standing in the door.  

Arthur looked at River for a moment before turning his attention back to Tyler.  “It seems like he’s fighting hypothermia and some kind of infection” he said “Now come help me.  I need to take a look at his shoulder”

The little boy hesitated for a moment before he walked over to Arthur.  Arthur frowned as he started taking of the bandage that covered the wound on Tyler’s shoulder.  The wound on Tyler’s shoulder was swollen and red.  

“It is going to be trouble” the old man whispered before turning his attention to River again “The first aid, boy”

River jumped and ran out of the room.  

When he returned, Arthur cleaned the  wound again.  Tyler squirmed and coughed and shivered. 

For hours Arthur and River stayed by Tyler’s side.  Tyler struggled to breath, coughing and shivering.  

“Take it easy, Master Tyler” Arthur said as Tyler’s eyes flickered open for the first time.  

“...Arthur...?”

“I’m here, Master Tyler” the old man said.

“I’m cold....”

“You had hypothermia, Master Tyler and an infection” 

Tyler muttered something, his eyes struggling to focus on Arthur.  “I’m sorry....” he whispered.  

“Master River” Arthur said “Take care of Master Tyler.  I’ll bring him some food to eat”

River nodded and quickly climbed onto the bed.  

“Hey Tyler” the boy said, grinning at the confused looked in Tyler’s eyes “Arthur’s going to get you something to eat.  So don’t go to sleep again, you hear me”

Tyler coughed again, but it sounded better than before.  “River...” he muttered.

When Arthur returned, he helped Tyler to sit up.

The young man was still barely able to move.  He struggled keep his eyes open.  

“Come eat something, Master Tyler” the old man said.  

Tyler just shook his head slightly.  “Not hungry...” he muttered “Arthur...  It hurts...”

The old man sighed.  “Eat” he said “And then I will bring you the medicine”

Slowly he picked up the spoon and started eating.  After every bit, he had to stop and rest.  It went slowly but he finished the food and looked at Arthur.  

“Please...” he whispered “I can’t take it any more...  It hurts....”

Arthur sighed and nodded.  

Tyler groaned as he lay back.  It took him a while before he realised that Arthur disappeared.  The pain throbbed through him, burned through his body like a fire.  

“Hey Tyler....” a boyish voice asked “Are you going to be alright?”

“River” Tyler murmured, turning his head so he could look at the boy “I’ll be fine...  Don’t worry...”