Diamonds and Crystals (A Kane Chronicles story)

Bloody Tears

My breath hitched. "Why did you try to kill him?"

He looked into my eyes pleadingly. "Please don't ask."

"Why?" I said with a little more force. He shook his head. "Answer the damn question! Why?"

"Because he tried to have his way with you!" His eyes turned red. No like actually, red. I was startled.

"What?" I asked, feeling hollow. I stood up.

He came and placed his hands on my cheeks, tears streaming down his face he said, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. How could you ever forgive me?"

"I already have." I hugged him. That's when he screamed like he was on fire. I quickly let go of him, and he crumpled to the floor. "Leave!" He bellowed. "I can't stop it this time!"

I stood frozen in shock. "Dia please! Go! I don't wanna hurt you!"

I sat down next to him, "You would never hurt me on purpose."

He shoved the crystal into my hands, "Go...please" he started crying. "Please, please,please, don't make me do this please." I swear I could almost feel his pain. His veins we're turning black like licorice.

"Oh my gods," I said. "Is there anything I can do to help?" His sobs died down and he opened his eyes. He faced me. "Are you alright?"

"So," he said in a voice not quite his own, "Sadie has finally learned the truth. That one of her brothers is still alive. Well done!" He clapped slowly. He grunted, and his nose started bleeding. "He's resisting me." He looked at me accusingly. "This is all your fault! Things we're going just fine until you come along!" He lunged at me.

I may or may not have screamed. He tackled me once more to the ground. "Curse you!" He and I grappled on the dirt, getting the occasional scratch from the sharp stones that we're on the ground.

I somehow managed to wriggle my way out from underneath him and bolted for the exit. "Come back here and face me like a man!" He screamed, chasing after me. "So sorry, but I can't do what you see. Because I'm a woman, don't be sexist!" I hollered over my shoulder. I turned right. And was cornered by a bloody dead end.

I quickly turned around and a body slammed into me throwing me onto the ground. He raised his hand and it fell on me. His nails had turned to claws as they raked their way across my stomach. Then he abruptly stopped.

I pushed him away with my hands and he stumbled back. He shook his head then looked at me, and he looked scared and guilty. "Dia?" I was panting, my side was aching. I pressed my hand against the wound and inhaled sharply. The cut hurt so much.

I stumbled towards the opposite side of the room trying to run away from my brother. But the pain was almost intolerable. I fell to my knees half-way there. "Augh!" I screamed. I slung my magicians bag off my shoulder and looked for an emergency healing potion. No such luck. I tried to summon some bandages to stem the blood flow, but nothing happened.

"You can't do magic here. It's a safety precaution."

"Shut up. I'm thinking." I snapped. (Fine Carter, I'll admit it.) I was really just trying to keep myself from crying. I was trying to contact Carter through my mind but nothing happened. I was debating whether or not I should use my Shen amulet to contact Walt. But I quickly dismissed that idea. I didn't want whatever godly thing he was doing to be halted because I had at least a 4 inches long and 2 inches deep gash across my stomach. (What do you mean I could have called you? No, Walt, no-augh bother!)

My mind was starting to go fuzzy, and my vision was blurry. "I could help you get to the mouth of the cave." I looked at him shrewdly. "I could, I have full control over my body now." I sighed, and nodded my head. "Okay," I said. "Get me out." He scooped me into his arms and marched toward what was presumably the exit.

After what felt like hours, we finally got to the end of the cave. My brother set me down gently onto the ground, and quickly backpedaled back into the cave. "Thanks." I mumbled. "You have to go." He glanced uneasily at the sky. "Demons will be able to smell your blood from the other side of the Duat." He looked me in the eyes once more before I lost him in the darkness of the cave.

I placed the crystal in my hand and did as I did before. A rainbow appeared, but the crystal was still black. The rainbow lead me away from the cave and towards a pair of dunes.

My side ached and burned. I was starting to feel woozy, and it wasn't from blood loss. Chaos sickness. How could I forget? And I highly doubt that these cuts didn't have some sort of poison in them either. What a lovely mix I had going on, I thought bitterly.

I had just made it over the dunes when a screech sounded behind me. I quickly turned and something picked me up in its talons. It was a giant hawk. I struggled in its claws trying to break free. The stupid bird only held me tighter, I squeaked when his sharp talons drove deep into my cut.

I'm not quite sure what happened, but one minute I was soaring through the air then another minute I was falling. I knew it was either now or never. I shoved the crystal into my mouth and chewed. The crystal then turned to a liquid and I swallowed. My body felt heavier and heavier, my eyes were itching from tiredness. I closed my eyes and fell asleep as I fell to the ground.