29 It's Time

Over the next several months Kyrie came to trust and know Null. As time passed Alic spent less time with Kyrie and Null spent more. Eventually Null got permission to take Kyrie on trips outside the LegendSlayers' Guild Hall. Most of the trips involved going to see Null's wife.

In the earlier months, and later during the terror-filled nights, Null would spend some of the night watching over Kyrie. And Alic stayed for the rest. Kyrie was usually asleep by the time Null and Alic switched places. If he woke up between five-am and nine he'd wake up alone. At first, he waited for Null. But as he adjusted, he began to play with toys in his room. Like any child would.

♢ ♢ ♢

Kyrie frowned in concentration as he tried to use his ability to make a flower out of ice. "Is this right?"

Null smiled and ruffled Kyrie's hair. "Yeah." Null grinned as Kyrie scowled and used his free hand to fix his hair. Null had tried teaching Kyrie to use magic, but Kyrie had a tendency to believe he was using magic when he was actually using his ability to mimic certain spells.

"What type of flower is that?"

Kyrie grinned, the flower he made was one he and James had made a home for when they lived in Avalon. "It's an Avalon Daisy."

"Let m-"

Bang, bang!

Kyrie jumped and dropped the ice flower. It fell to the floor, shattered into dozens of sharp cold shards. Null stood up and patted his shoulder.

Null quickly made his way to the door. He opened it and asked the blond women on the other side, "What's wrong?"

"Your wife's in labor," Charlotte said as she moved to the side of the doorway.

Null froze in the doorway. He was shocked. It was happening now. His wife was about to give birth. Two babies. Two!

Less than a year ago he'd thought he'd never have children of his own. And now he'd have three.

Null turned to Kyrie and smiled as he said, "Grab what you want to bring with us. It's-"

"He'll be staying with me."

Null's eyes widened as he watched Kyrie who was standing in the center of his room. His room that was nicer than his last. But was still a prison.

Null said, "What?" as he turned to face Charlotte.

"I said-"

"I know what you said," Null's eyes narrowed. "Why can't I take him with me?"

"You'll have enough to worry about with the twins." Charlotte gave Null a sympathetic look as she said, "Alic sent me to watch over him. It'll just be for a few days, to let you and Ayla settle with the twins." And to give her more than enough time.

Null turned from Charlotte to Kyrie. "But…"

Kyrie smiled sadly at Null. "I-I'll be okay." He wanted Null to stay, but he didn't want Null's kids to miss their father like he did. And he knew this time would come. But maybe Null'd be different?

Null moved towards Kyrie and opened his arms. "How about a hug before I go?"

Kyrie's face lit up and he threw his arms around Null. "You'll bring the twins?" Null'd come back, he just knew it.

Null chuckled a bit and said, "Yeah. I'll bring them."

Kyrie and Null separated. Then Null said, "Be good for Charlotte while I'm gone."

Kyrie nodded yes, and Null started to leave. He spun and hugged Kyrie, one last time, before he left. He'd definitely come back.

♢ ♢ ♢

After several hours and a healing session for Ayla, Null was walking to his house with a child in his arms. His wife, and love of many many years, was walking beside him with their youngest in hers. Their backs were to the center of Canguard, where the guild hall and town center resided.

Null felt a chill run down his spine. A chill he hadn't felt in very long time. A chill that meant something dangerous was coming. Something big. Null snagged his wife's hand as he said, "Ayla…"

She stopped and turned to Null. "I know. Go. Bring him home."

Null frowned at the son in his arm. "Can you-"

"Yeah." Ayla smiled at Null, then glanced at Brayden who was stirring anxiously in his father's arms. "It would be easier if you could lend me some strength."

Null smiled and changed his grip on his wife's hand. "Of course I can." Null moved closer to his wife. He leaned forward and kissed her. A soft pink light flowed from Nulls chest to his arm and up Ayla's.

Ayla quickly broke the kiss. "That's good enough." Ayla squeezed Null's hand and let go. She took Brayden and watched as her husband went to war. Whatever was coming he'd do his best to protect those he could, especially his family.

Ayla stepped back as Null started casting, "Ianuae Magicae, Kyrie."

♢ ♢ ♢

Null shivered when he materialized in Kyrie's crystalizing room. The next thing he noticed, beyond the extreme cold, in the dim flickering light was Charlotte looming over Kyrie's small form. A form that had chains attached to its legs.

"What did you do?"

Charlotte was trembling as she spun to face Null. "H-he's a monster. H-he–"

Null grabbed Charlotte and shoved her away from Kyrie. "He's a child. And…" Null felt his body warm with rage his eyes landed on Kyrie's neck. His purple, blue, and black neck. The neck of a small child imprinted with the shape of a hand.

Null cast a barrier, one that was quickly weakened as it fought Kyrie's automatic attempt to protect himself. A barrier that trapped the most likely suspect for having placed those bruises on that small neck, in the same room as Null.

"Did you do this?" Null asked in a chilled and calm tone as he reached for Kyrie's tender neck. Null was searching for a pulse.

"I-I, he lost control…" Charlotte straightened her stance and stopped trembling. What she did was right. What she did had to be done. "I had to stop him. I had to do it before he killed us all."

For a moment, the only sounds were that of frost forming, ice cracking, and Alic trying to get through Null's barrier. Null was still searching for a pulse. And then he found one. Null turned halfway towards Charlotte and said, "Was that panic attack before or after you chained him?"

"After but–"

Null enhanced his strength with a Valkine spell and cast drain on Charlotte. Before she knew what was happening her meager aura was gone. Then her ability silenced by another spell cast by Null. A spell only one person had ever used, had ever developed. A spell that only a true master magician could cast. And then her feet were dangling above the ground. Her eyes wide with terror, Null's hand wrapped around her warm throat. A warmth that contrasted fiercely with the icy wrath of Null's heart.

It wasn't long before Alic broke Null's falling barrier. "Let her go."

Null glanced from his victim to Alic. "She'd have killed him. Why shouldn't I do the same?"

"His ability is uncontrollable. Even your barrier didn't stop him from affecting those outside it. Neither of us wanted it to end this way but one of us has to kill him. She made the right call." Alic glanced at Charlotte. He'd sent her here. And needed to get her out of here, Alive.

Null glared at Alic. He tracked Alic's gaze to Charlotte. If they were now on opposite sides, then the welp in his clutches would be nothing beneficial if dead. But alive… well there were options.

Null chucked the welp at Alic.

Alic stumbled back from the force of Null's throw as he caught the gasping girl.

"It's her fault he ended up in this state. If you're going to punish him for her actions, then you'll have to go through me."

Alic glanced at Charlotte, she'd done this? "What – No. We have to keep Kyrie from killing everyone here." Alic turned to Null who was watching him with an eerie calm. "Do you know another option?" If Null was so set on saving Kyrie, he must have another method to control him. He had to have another option. What was the point of saving a child from abuse only for them to kill him?

Null felt his stance soften a touch. "If I take him to an unpopulated area then we can let this run its course." Null watched Alic for a moment before he continued, "I won't bring him back." Null took a step back, towards Kyrie's side. "So, are you going to fight me or save that welp?" Null said as he gestured to Charlotte, and took another step. "Either way Kyrie and I are leaving."

Alic nodded and stepped to the side of the doorway. "Go."

Null spun around and headed for Kyrie's side. He started breaking the chains binding Kyrie's unconscious form. "She chained him before he had a panic attack, probably while he slept." The last of the bindings broke free and Null pulled Kyrie to his chest. He turned and looked at Alic. "Then she tried to kill him, and this happened." Null walked towards the doorway where Alic watched in silence. "Why did you pick someone like her?"

Alic grimaced and looked at Charlotte, the weakened young woman in his arms. He had questioned letting her do this. Taru's anti-theft feature had killed Charlotte's brother after he'd convinced Kyrie to give Taru to him. None of them knew it had that feature. He tightened his grip on Charlotte. She'd convinced him to give her the chance to help the child her brother had volunteered to care for and save. "I thought I could trust her."

Null nodded. "That's the sad thing about trust, sometimes it gets misplaced."

But trust must be given to others, even if it hurts you later.

Null left the room and went to the guild's main teleportation circle. A teleportation circle was the only way to teleport outside of a city's barrier. Null had one in the basement of his house, but the guild's was closer and the buildings were taking the brunt of Kyrie's absorption.

Null'd take them someplace safe and then he'd take them home.