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They crept, silently into the tomb. The taller of the two men glanced at
his companion again, this time ready to voice his concerns for what
they were about to do. "This is gonna get us killed."
"I'm not whining, I've heard horrible things about this king's tomb."
Tom said, seeing the man in front of him stop.
"This king is dead, and has been for a long ass time." The man told his
companion. He continued on his way, stopping in front of a huge set
of doors. Reaching up he pulled a hammer from his pack, before
turning to the symbol. With practice movements, he hit the hammer
against the right side of the symbol, smashing the smaller picture.
"Are you going to smash the other one?" Tom asked, seeing the man
look at him.
"Yeah well, we don't have all day." Stan said reaching down to
untangle the king from his light. Once done he picked up the light, and
turning and slowly left the chamber, not touching anything else on
their way out. "Close the doors."
"Got it." Tom said quietly as he pulled the doors closed, unaware of
the stirring on the dais.
XXXXX
"I am…" Wilber trailed off, shifting to lean against Adir's shoulder.
Tossing the notes down, Adir wrapped his arms around the other boy.
"Tell me what it is?" Adir asked softly, looking up when Mercer and
Braxton entered the room. Looking over Adir noticed that Wilber was
gone. Frowning he turned back to the other two men. "Hey."
"Yes." Adir nodded his eyes on Braxton as he slowly went over the
man. He could just feel it that something was out of place on the man.
"Kitten?" Mercer asked watching the anger that crossed the boy's face.
"I have things to do." Adir said turning and leaving the room.
Watching Adir leave, Mercer turned back to Braxton.
"So you got in kind of late last night." Mercer said moving towards
the kitchen that connected to the living room.
"Yeah, I was out with a friend." Braxton said turning away.
"I don't have a clue as to what you're talking about." Braxton said
walking towards the refrigerator.
"Sure you do." Mercer said walking by him on his way out. He
stopped in the doorway of his room seeing that Adir was sitting on the
bed with Strips. Adir would sign something while speaking slowly,
and Strips would sign it back. Smiling he walked in and sat down at
the desk.
"You are doing very well, Strips." Adir said smiling. "Maybe you
should try Mercer?"
"I think that will do." Adir said almost an hour later. Strips nodded,
sniffing the air with a smile he got off the bed and headed out of the
room.
"Gun must be making dinner." Mercer said smiling back at his kitten.
"You okay?"
"I am concerned." Adir said moving into the circle of Mercer's arms.
"Something is wrong with Wilber, and I think Braxton knows what it
is."
"Do you?" Mercer asked, leaning slightly to lay back.
"No, but Wilber will." Adir said closing his eyes. A few seconds later
the ghost was standing at the end of the bed. He looked like he hadn't
slept for a month. "Come."
That's all that Adir said, and the boy was crawling across the bed.
Tears were falling again, and Mercer felt a stabbing in his stomach. As
soon as Wilber was situated in Adir's arms the boy took a deep breath,
before turning tear filled blue eyes to them.
"You want me to talk to him about it?" Mercer asked seeing them look
at him.
"I don't know." Wilber said. "Maybe I'm over reacting, maybe reading
more into this."
"I am here, if you need me." Adir said hugging the boy tighter. They
lay there, until Gunther called them for dinner seeing the kid looked at
them strange. The meal was quiet, Wilber was gone and Braxton was
quiet not looking at anyone.
XXXXX
"You wanted to see me?" Mercer asked seeing that Archer looked up
at him.
"Yeah come in and have a seat." Archer went back to the paperwork,
taking a few more minutes while Mercer came in and sat down.
"So?" Mercer asked when the man finally put the paperwork away.
"I want to know what is going on." Archer met the man's eyes.
Knowing that if he wanted to get anywhere Mercer was the fastest
route. "Come on, Merc."
"Wilber is afraid that Braxton is sleeping around on him, and Adir can
feel it." Mercer shrugged. Watching as Archer was looking at him
still. "And Braxton has been lying lately, to us all."
"Nothing major, just little things." Mercer shrugged and Archer's eyes
narrowed. "He came in last night, smelling like perfume, heavy
perfume. He told me he was out walking by himself."
"Alright, keep me informed if you think you need to." Archer said,
Mercer nodded as he stood but stopped.
"Yeah, just so Thorpe can get a better feel for him." Archer said. "And
it's only for as long as Strips feels comfortable being there."
"Oh." Mercer said leaving the room. Walking to his room, he stopped
in the doorway watching as Adir helped the boy pack. He could tell
his lover was slightly sad at seeing Strips leave. "Don't worry kitten,
you'll see him again soon."
"I know." Adir said grinning. As soon as Strips was done, Mercer
carried the suitcase to the truck. He and Archer were driving the boy
to the halfway point. He placed the suitcase into the truck, and then
looked to were Adir and Strips was saying goodbye.
"See you soon, kitten." Mercer said pulling the boy into a hug. Adir
smiled, taking a step back where Gunther was standing. He watched as
Archer got into the truck, and soon the three were gone.
"So what do you want to do?" Gunther asked looking at the boy.
"Then I'll have to run to the store." Gunther said wrapping and arm
around Adir's shoulders as they walked from the garage.
XXXXX
"You did well." Prochain said he smiled as he looked down at the
small light. "You did very well indeed."
"It wasn't hard to steal the light from a dead man." Stan said also
grinning.
"Yes, but had you lingered." Prochain said looking at Stan. "That dead
man would have castrated you for touching his light."
"I told you it was a bad idea." Tom said, from where he paced in front
of a huge window.
"But…" Stan said. "I gave you the light, so why would he go after
me?"
"Simple, because you touched the light. Placed your dirty evil hands
onto his precious pure innocent light." Prochain said laughter escaping
him. "He will rip apart the known world trying to get his precious light
back, that is, if he figures out a way to get himself unsealed."
XXXXX
"Just what I said." Braxton replied. "Adir and Wilber disappeared, and
then Gunther never returned from his trip to the store. And I can't find
the girls."
"And when did this start?" Archer asked closing his eyes and taking a
deep breath.
"About an hour ago, I called you guys back right away when I realized
something was wrong." Braxton replied. He looked between his two
friends.
"Merc, any luck with the bond?" Archer asked, seeing the computer
expert shake his head no.
"What the hell are we suppose to do?" Mercer asked. He paced, his
hands rubbing together in a nervous fashion. He was lost; he felt
something in his gut, something that scared him.
"Always the optimistic?" Came a low quiet voice. The four men
swung around, looking for the person who had spoken. Yet they saw
nothing.
"Such language." The voice said. "This coming from people who
should be bowed down in front of me."
"Tsk, tsk." Came the reply. "I have what you want, and I am willing to
deal."
"You have our people?" Archer asked his eyes scanning every dark
notch of the room.
"Yes, I have your people." The voice said. "You will come to me, hear
me out, and I will tell you if I am willing to returning your lovers and
woman."
"No damn it…" Mercer trailed off. In front of them was a map,
floating in the air.
"You will find my tomb here." The voice said. Seconds later the map
and voice were gone, leaving Mercer, Archer, Braxton and Casimir
standing there.
"Come on, let's get our stuff and get to this lunatics tomb." Archer
said.
XXXXX
"Where the hell are we?" Gunther hissed pacing back and forth in
front of the metal bars. He glanced back at Adir who was still
unconscious. "How is he?"
"He's okay." Jacy said, glancing at the ghost that was huddling against
the corner of the cage. He was shaking badly and there wasn't much
she could do for him.
"Wilber?" Jacy said approaching the boy, she saw him look up.
"It is very cold here." Wilber said seeing the woman smile at him.
Jacy shook her head, it wasn't all that cold, but you couldn't convince
the shaking ghost of that.
"Where the hell are we?" Gunther asked again, finally stopping. He
looked at Wilber. "Can't you just close your eyes and wish yourself
back to the center?"
"I have tried, I'm stuck in this cage like you are." Wilber said reaching
out. "Hell I'm as close to solid as I've been since dyeing."
"Oww." Came a small voice, and they turned to see Adir was sitting
up. His eyes scanned the area, before they turned to the group. "This is
bad, very bad."
"Oh great." Gunther said. Knowing that when Adir made that
comment, they were fucked.
"My Gunny, please come sit. Wilber you come here too." Adir said.
The two came to him, sitting down next to the boy. "Jade, Jacy you
too."
"Shen?" Gunther asked. Adir just smiled, pulling them roughly into a
small huddled circle.
"Gunny, wrap you arm around Wilber." Adir said, Gunther was quiet
as he wrapped his arm around the shaking ghost, slightly freaked that
the boy was solid, and his skin was very cold.
"Holy shit, you're like an ice cube." Gunther said moving closer,
offering more of his body heat to the ghost.
"Where are we?" Gunther asked Adir, seeing the boy shake his head.
"I do not know." Adir said. "But it is old, and dark, and something is
missing."
"Very perceptive, little psychic." Came a voice. The group looked up,
seeing in the darkness, beyond their cell a dark silhouette.
"Who are you? And what do you want?" Gunther asked he glared at
the man.
"We understand that, but what is your reason for bringing us here?"
Adir asked. He tried to reach out, but found that his scan didn't go past
the bars.
"I seek your companions help." He said. "And since I have no other
means to persuade them, I took what they value most."
"They will kill you, when they find out where we are." Adir said.
"Ah yes, your computer hacker. Quite the temper on him." He said
grinning, showing off perfect white teeth. "And they know where you
are, my dear. As for killing me, it's hard to kill someone who can not
be killed."
"But." Adir said standing he walked over to the bar. His eyes scanning
the area before settling back onto the dark outline. "If you wanted
help, then you should have asked. We would have helped you."
"My dear beautiful aduro, I could not take the chance that they would
have said no." The man replied he walked down the steps towards the
cage, stopping just inside of the light. Adir looked at him, seeing the
man wasn't overly tall. Maybe about, as tall as Gunther. His hair was
pitch black, and to the middle of his back. It was his eyes that had
Adir pausing; they were black, like Archer's except they didn't glow in
the dark. He was wearing something that stuck Adir as familiar. "Ah,
and it looks like your lovers are here."
"Wait." Adir said, but the man turned and walked away. He headed
towards a throne that sat atop the step, where he had a perfect view of
the door. Looking back at the cage, he smiled, and waving his hand
watched as the group surrendered to the darkness.
"Are you sure this is it?" Casimir asked he looked over at Braxton.
"Both of you stop it now." Archer hissed stepping into the room.
Letting his gaze scan the room, he looked over at Mercer who was
also looking out around the room.
"Welcome." The man said, seeing the four turn to him. "I am king
Acerbus."
"Why you…" Mercer hissed; only stopping when Archer grabbed his
arm.
"Now, now." Acerbus said. "Please, all I wish to do is ask you to do
me a simple favor, and you may have your lovers back, and anything
else in this room."
"I want to see our people first." Archer said, he saw the man wave his
hand, and turning to look behind him, saw the group in the cage. A
low hiss escaped him.
"Oh you can be assured Archer, they are fine. And they will remain
fine, as long as you do as I ask." Acerbus said softly. "I have but a
simple request."
"It is simple," The man said walking down the steps. "You may have
your other halves back, when I get my light returned."
"I don't think so." Archer hissed. He bared his fangs, seeing that the
tall slender man was not impressed. In fact he would swear the man
smiled.
"Yes I do think so, you see, my light is my existence. And without it, I
shall unleash a darkness on this world that you have never seen. I will
destroy myself along with the rest of the population. But not before I
kill your lovers," The man said still smiling. "Except for Wilber, him I
will tear his soul apart."
"I am sealed here, and there is not a living soul who knows how to
free me." Acerbus said. "And since I can not leave, I seek outside
help."
"Thank you." Acerbus said. "That is all I ask, you may have every
treasure in this room, I just want my light back."
"Hey calm down." Archer said, seeing the man look up. "Well find
this light, and will bring it back."
They watched as the man turned, and walked back up the stairs.
Turning he sat down onto his throne, he took a few minutes before
looking back at the four men.
"You're welcomed." Archer said, they watched him for a few more
seconds, before turning and leaving the chamber. As they got back
outside and to the trucks, Archer looked over at Mercer. "How are we
gonna find this light?"
"Shouldn't be hard," Mercer said pulling out his laptop. "He said his
name was King Acerbus."
"Yeah, so?" Braxton asked, as he and Casimir got into the back seat.
"Acerbus is Latin for dark." Mercer said, his eyes scanning the screen.
"Ah here, Thousands of years ago, King Acerbus was sealed away in a
tomb, along with his riches and his light. After an epic battle for the
peace of the lands he ruled, his beloved…"
"It doesn't say, other then beloved." Mercer said. He scanned through
a few more pages of what he was looking at. "This man was a good
ruler, although most think of him as a myth."
"Then that is where we go." Archer said, as the rest of them nodded.
XXXXX
Adir looked up, seeing that the man was once again sitting. Feeling
slightly woozy, he stood gently and walked towards the bar.
"I will not let you out, beautiful aduro." The man said not even
glancing towards Adir.
"I do not feel well, and my friend is very cold." Adir said. He saw the
man look at him, and slowly stand. He made his way back towards the
cage. Stopping next to the bars, he was quiet as he reached through to
cup Adir's cheek. At first the boy wanted to jerk back, but found that
the man's touch didn't have any effect on him.
"Very well," Acerbus said. Waving his hand the bars disappeared, and
instantly the five warmed. "Come and I will tell you how I become to
possess my light."
"I for one am very interested in that." Jade said, seeing the man grin at
her.
"Yes Jade, I'm sure you are. Tell me what you know of King
Acerbus?" He asked, grinning as the woman's eyes light up.
"That he was a great king, that ruled almost a million years ago." Jade
said. "That he had a marriage to someone, he didn't think he could
love, but found that he loved her beyond reason."
"This is stupid." Gunther said making a move towards the man, only
to freeze on the spot.
"Now Gunther, did you really think I would let you out if I thought
you could hurt me?" Acerbus asked grinning at the glare on the kid's
face. "Please sit, and please Jade tell me why this was confusing to
read about my light?"
"Oh um." Jade said as they sat, even Gunther who was still mumbling.
"Well in all the books I've read, no one exactly knew what this light of
yours was. It was hinted at being an angel, another hinted at it being a
ball of pure good energy. Some even hinted that it was the purest form
of living thing on this earth."
"I see." He said grinning. "And what if I said it was all of the above,
and so much more."
XXXXX
"Calm down, how hard could finding this light be?" Mercer asked
looking at his boss. "We already know they're gonna try and sell it."
"Well, yeah I guess you're right." Archer replied glancing over at the
others. "We'll find this light, and have our people back in no time."
"Let me see if I can get in, since I still have the credentials for this."
Mercer said with a huge grin. They nodded, as Mercer got out of the
truck and headed towards the hotel. He stopped in front of a man.
"Sorry, but he isn't taking any new customers." The man said grinning.
"I'm Mercer Teford, I heard your boss has a very valuable very rare
light, I wish to get in on the buying also." Mercer said, seeing the man
raise an eyebrow.
"I've heard of you." The man said his grin fading slightly. "Hang on."
"Sure." Mercer said standing silently next to the door. After a few
minutes the man nodded, and turned back to him.
"You can go in, follow the hall to the end, where you'll come to a huge
room." The man said as Mercer nodded and moved through the door.
Following the hallway Mercer came to a room filled with several more
men, he looked around not seeing anyone he really knew.
XXXXX
Mercer paced, after two hours several of the men were getting restless,
he himself was almost to his wits end. He really needed to find out
where they were keeping the light, so he could sneak in and grab it.
Yet so far he'd heard nothing but speculations on what it was, and
what it could do.
"It's a weapon, at least the dead king used it as a weapon." One man
said who was standing just in front of Mercer. He heard the man's
companion laugh.
"I heard that one look at it, and desire would shoot through you, and
you'd want to fuck the first person you came to." The companion
laughed. Mercer just shook his head; he had heard both rumors about
this light. He had also heard that it tempered the darkness; keep the
darkness from covering the earth and destroying everything.
"What about you?" The man that had first spoken said to him. Mercer
blinked taking a second to realize they were talking to him.
"Oh um, well I heard that it's a lot of things." He said shrugging. They
all turned when a man dressed in a pale purple outfit walked out onto
a small stage at the front of the room.
"We want to see it." One man shouted hearing the crowd affirm this.
"The only person who will lay eyes on the light, will be the one with
the most money." The man said. He grinned, his pale blue eyes cold.
Mercer felt a slight shutter, hating this man already. Shaking his head
he heard the first of several bids call out.
Gritting his teeth, he knew that this was going to take a long time. And
it would be easy to slip out and have a look around the building. He
figured that someone would be guarding the light, and if he could find
out where, he could be out of there. Making his way slowly towards
the back, he watched the man on the stage for a brief minute before
slipping through the doorway.
Mercer slowly made his way down one hallway, looking in open
doorways, and listening at closed ones. After searching the first floor
he had come up empty, so he took the stairs to the next and only other
level. Glancing down the hallways, he was surprised when he didn't
find any with guards. Maybe the light wasn't here, but then again it
had to be, or else the buyers would rip Prochain apart.
Seeing a faint light coming from one of the door, he made his way
towards the door. Not seeing anyone around he slowly tried the knob;
it turned under his light pressure. The door swung open soundlessly,
and trying not to grin, Mercer walked into the room; closing the door
he let his gaze scan the room.
"Holy shit." Mercer said when his eyes came to rest on the light. It
was pale, and walking over to where it rested against the bed, he
looked down. Again utter surprise came from him, yet he knew he was
looking at the light. Pale light shown all around it and it was cold.
Finding a blanket he wrapped the light in it, making sure to have it
secured before turning and leaving the room.
Getting in he kept the bundle on his lap, seeing the other three giving
him looks. "What? Want to wait for them to come looking?"
"No," Archer said putting the truck and gear and turning it back
towards the way they had come. "Well have to find a hotel, we just
heard that they're not letting anyone out of the city tonight. At least
not until the sale of the light can be confirmed, and the man who buys
it is safely out.
"Fine." Mercer said holding the light slightly closer. Turning he
looked out the window, not saying much of anything as they drove
towards the far end of the city. He knew why the man had done what
he had done, and at that moment couldn't blame him. He would have
done the same thing if he were in his shoes.
"Merc, come on." Archer said, seeing the computer hacker look at
him. Noticing they were stopped Mercer got out of the truck,
following after Archer into a small hotel room. Walking in he scanned
the room, seeing Braxton and Casimir were watching him funny.
"Shut the shades and drapes, and turn up the heat." Mercer said,
walking over to set his bundle onto the bed. He pulled the cheep motel
blanket over part of it.
"What the hell Merc, you're acting strange." Casimir said, he watched
as the man turned to him. Mercer just nodded, keeping the light
covered until the room warmed somewhat.
"Merc?" Archer said walking over to stand beside his friend. Mercer
looked up at him, a small sad smile playing on his lips. Without a
word, he moved, pulling the blanket down to expose the light. Seeing
the room softly illuminate from the pale light.
"Holy shit." Casimir said taking a step back. He was shaking his head,
not believing what he was seeing. It could be right, that couldn't be the
light.
"Mercer?" Archer asked, his eyes going to his friend, then back to the
light.
"I know that Mercer, but why are you acting so strange?" Archer
asked seeing Mercer look at him, the man shrugged again.
"Shit." Braxton suddenly said. "I hear sirens, they're looking for us no
doubt."
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