Saskia tucked in Raina and kissed her daughter goodnight then went into her tent for the night to sleep.
Sam and Emma laughed and giggled as they went into their tent, throughout the night there were quiet moans coming from their tent.
Fay sat with Gearlt around the fire with Kolby, Lyna and Locien.
Alek came out of his tent once the little ones had fallen asleep.
"Dad... where am I from?" Alek asked innocently, "I'm not a baby... I'm not really from you and mom... so where am I from?"
Sadness crossed his face for the very first time since they'd found him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt looked at Fay with a puzzled look on his face.
----------------------------------------------------
"Uhm, Alek, honey, Mommy loves you... just as much as I love Darren. It doesn't matter that your not really ours, we love you all the same, and were very proud of the many things you have proven to do... maybe with some magic, we could unlock some basic memorys?" Fay asked Kolby hopefully.
"Uhm... it would be painful for him... and It would take more then one try... maybe three to five sessions?" He said cautiously.
"Can you do that? Please?" Alek asked quickly.
Kolby looked around the fire at Gearlt and Fay, "Well, like I said its painful... extremely painful... I'd need your parents permission..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt looked at Alek, then to Kolby, "Do it, if it's what he wishes." Gearlt said with a smile.
----------------------------------------------------
"Now." Alek said as he grabbed Kolby's hand, "Let's move away from camp..."
A few moment's later there was distant screaming in the forest, Alek was screaming out of pain...
"I don't know, I think we should go stop it..." Fay said worriedly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"But what if this makes him truely happy? What if he wants to find out his past?"
---------------------------------------------------
"What if his past is bloody and horror filled? Its better off he doesn't know..." Fay said as she fumbled with Alek's bow that he had left behind. His screams echoed throught the forest a second time, two out of five sessions finished.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If it bugs you that much, do you want me to go stop it?"
Locien cut in, "But could that hurt him even more, I'm no mage,but couldn't stopping in the middle of a powerful spell have bad side effects?" Locien said with a serious look on his face.
----------------------------------------------------
Another round of Alek's screams echoed through the camp.
"I don't care, that's my baby!!" Fay jumped up still clutching Alek's bow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Alright, lets go get him." Gearlt said nervously, he wondered if Locien was right, what if thay did more harm then good...
-------------------------------------------------
Alek's screams echoed a fouth time before they finally found him, Kolby and Alek were sitting in a clearing, both panting, Kolby from loss of strength due to the extent of the spell, Alek from the pain...
"Mom?" Alek huffed and puffed as he saw his parents enter the clearing.
"Last one..." Kolby said as he helped Alek to his feet.
"No!" Fay tryed to jump forward but Kolby let out what looked like a small green explotion, it knocked everyone off their feet.
Alek lay on the ground withering in pain.
"Alek!!" Fay shouted out as she staggered to her feet and ran up to him.
"Done..." Kolby said before he fell unconcious.
Alek was heaving and gasping for air as sweat dripped down his forehead.
"Mom.... I'm just like Darren..." Alek said with a weak smile right before he too, fell unconcious.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt called Locien over to help carry both Alex and Kolby back to camp.
"Does the boy remember anything?" Locien asked.
"I don't know, he passed out all he said was he's just like Darren, i'll ask him tomorrow."
"Hmmm" Locien mumbled to himself, "I'll talk to you tomorrow Gearlt." As Locien entered his tent.
----------------------------------------------------
After everyone had fallen alseep morning came quickly.
Alek was he first to wake up, at the crack of dawn.
He left his tent and stretched and comfotably grabbed his bow and threw it over his shoulder along with his arrows.
He woke up Raina and Darren eat something and play games.
"Okay, kids, were going to play Hungry Kyran." He said with a smile, "Darren is the Kyan and were evil Aren's!! Darren's going to try to catch us, and if he does then we die, and lay on the ground, okay?"
"Okay!!" They both said cheerfully.
Fay woke up Gearlt quickly, "Gearlt come see this!!"
What Gearlt saw was Darren running around camp trying to catch Raina while Alek watched closly and pretending to be 'dead'.
"Isn't it cute?" She said in a babu voice.
Alek jumped up easily, "Hey mom! Hey dad! Beautiful morning isn't it?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes it is a beautiful out, my curiousity gets to me Alek, do you remember anything?" Gearlt asked with a curious tone.
----------------------------------------------------
"Oh yes, everything." Alek said with a smile, "There's a lot to remember though, I've lived six lifetimes... Everytime I aged a hundred years my memory reset itself, so I seem to have missed my six hundredth birthday..."
Despite Alek's claims, he barely looked twenty...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Six hundred how can that be?" Gearlt asked.
Locien cut in, "It's because he's like your first son, half human, half elf, he has the elves ability of age, and the humans abilty of their memory, so basically everytime he hits a hundred years, he keeps his body, but his mind is re born."
Locien said plainly.
"How did you figure that out?" Gearlt asked in shock.
"Simple really, you said that he said he was just like Darren, that was the key clue."
----------------------------------------------------
"I still consider you and mom my parents... if that's okay? My true parents died when i was very young... around the same age as Darren..." Alek said sadly, "I've gone by many names, the last one I went by was James... but I prefer Alek... Thank you mum." Alek then went back to playing 'Hungry Kyran' with Darren and Raina.
"It's best that We met him... now Darren will never be alone..." Fay said with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt smiled, "Maybe they will both have a new sibling soon." He whispered to Fay. Then Stryder appeared out of the tent, and Locien started clapping, "Good show!" He said with a laugh.
"You ass hole" Stryder said with a laugh.
Locien started a fire, "Anyone hungry?"
"I am" Gearlt said.
"Me too" Stryder said with a smile, he looked at Locien, "You can be our morning wench" He said with a laugh.
"Go plough yourself." Locien said with a laugh.
-------------------------------------------------
Emma and Sam emerged from their tent, Sam looked awake but relaxed.
"What's up guys?" Sam said with a smile, "Oh, is Locien cooking? Isn't that a woman's job?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Locien got up from cooking breafast, "You need to treat women with respect if your going to get anywhere." He grumbled at Sam, as he looked into Sam's eyes with his cold and unforgiving eyes.
---------------------------------------------
"Sam... Don't cause another fight, please..?" Emma said pleadingly.
Sam grumbled something under his breath, which was probably racist towards elves.
"Please...?" Emma said again.
"Shut up..." He snapped at her then went back into his tent.
Emma whimpered sadly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stryder walked up to Emma, "You want me to go talk to him?"
----------------------------------------------------
"No! I mean... I'd like to talk to him..." Emma said sadly as she walked back to her tent to talk to him.
"What's been happening with Sam? He seems... different..." Fay said as she sat down on a log.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I don't know, ever since Tanner died he's been acting different, you don't think the demon went into him do you?" Gearlt asked.
"It could be possible seeing how we didn't kill Tanner's, okay breakfast is ready." Locien said in a cold tone.
---------------------------------------------
Emma ran from her tent crying and ran into the forest.
"Emma!" Fay shouted, "Can someone go talk to that boy?"
Fay ran after Emma.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt, Stryder and Locien all entered the tent.
"What the hell did you say you little shit?!" Stryder shouted at Sam.
----------------------------------------------------
"Fuck off! She deserved what she got..." Sam snapped angerly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt was getting uneasy.
Stryder drew one of his daggers, "I'll ask one more time what did you say!"
----------------------------------------------------
Sam slapped the dagger out of Stryder's hand, "I said fuck off."
Fay came back into the tent, "You ass hole! You had no right to hit Emma!!!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Enough!" Locien shouted and put Sam into a keylock and through him to the ground and ordered Stryder to get on his back.
"Why did you do it!?" Stryder yelled.
----------------------------------------------------
"She's my girl, I can do what I want to her! Especially when she tells me what to do. So fuck off!!" Sam shouted as he struggled to get free.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Enough!" Locien took a vial out of his breast pocket and made Sam smell it, almost a second later Sam was passed out in his tent. "Leave him here Locien said as he exited the tent, Stryder followed. Gearlt sighed at Sam then left, Locien went over to Emma, I sedated him, he will be out for a few hours, how badly did he hurt you?" Locien said in his cold tone.
----------------------------------------------------
"It... Its not a big deal... It doesn't hurt that bad..." Emma mumbled as she held back tears.
Her arm was obviously brused badly, as was her leg, and she had a few bruses around her right cheek.
"I love him..." Emma said as she forced a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Locien crouched down, "I don't believe he loves you, look at the other couples here Fay and Gearlt Kolby and Lyna, Stryder and Lorelle, and Saskia and I, does it look like we hurt each other? No, and he doesn't own you," he put his hand on her shoulder, "Would you like to tent with Saskia and I just for tonight?"
----------------------------------------------------
Emma shook her head, "I want to be with Sam..." She mumbled softly, "But you need to talk to him... he's different. Its not Sam..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Can you keep secrets? Emma?" Locien asked as in a whisper.
----------------------------------------------------
Emma looked over, "Uh huh."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well, it's more of a rumor really, but I was talking to Gearlt and Stryder, adn we all came to conclusion that we think Tanner's demon is now in Sam."
Locien said almost as if he didn't care.
---------------------------------------------------
Tears rolled down Emma's cheeks, "W..will... he die... like Tanner?" She sobbed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This is just a rumor mind you, and hopefully no, I've given Kolby an acient book of spells, hopefully, there's something in there, that will get rid of that pestering abmination." He hoped she wasn't looking into his cold eyes for comfort...
------------------------------------------------
Emma burst into tears and went back to her tent. She had tucked in Sam's unconcious body comfortably and slept beside him.
"She's blinded by love... were going to have to camp another day, Sam is out cold and won't be up again for awhile..."Fay said awkwardly, "Gearlt, can you please try talking to him? He'll listen to you. He looks up to you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt looked at Fay, "I'll try" Gearlt said with a small smile , "I'll talk to him when he wakes up, he looked over at Locien, "If he wakes up."
"He should be getting up just about now." Locien said.
"Alright, i'll go over now," he picked up his sword, "Just in case..." Gearlt headed towards Sam's tent, "Sam? You up? It's me Gearlt."
----------------------------------------------------
"Come in." Sam said as he put on his shirt, Emma was sleeping next to where he used to be, naked.
"Don't mind her." Sam said with a smile, "What's up?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt sat down, "The others don't know you like I do, please Sam, can you tell me what's going on? I promise i wont jump on you or anything, I just want to know because I care, your like a son to me Sam." Gearlt said with concern in his eyes.
----------------------------------------------------
Sam's smile dissapeared... He bagan to panic, "I wouldn't be able to fight against it in the fade... I'm too weak... I... I don't want to die, Gearlt. It promised me I wouldn't die if I let it take over once and awhile... I don't know what to do, I feel sick to my stomache for what this... this thing has done to Emma... Please Gearlt... I don't want to die... Don't kill me... I don't want to die..." Sam was pleading and almost in tears, "Don't tell anyone... they'll kill me, Stryder and Locien they btoh would kill me without even caring. Please... please, don't kill me..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sam...I have an idea, but it envolves me telling one person, he's in this camp, and he wont tell anyone, he might be able to send me into the fade, so I can kill it, we need to go see Kolby, okay? And I can vouche for Locien, He was the leader of the Scoia'tael, you don't get there by being nice, and to tell you the truth he does care, if he didn't knock you out the demon would have taken full control, now come on please, we need to go see Kolby.
----------------------------------------------------
"No, Gearlt, I can't do that... I'll never survive the fade..." Sam said, "I can stay in control, this demon isn't that bad, he won't kill anyone... I'll be more careful when it comes to Emma okay? I've learnt my lesson, just please don't kill me, I'll die in the fade and I'll die if you tell anyone, please just, let it be, I just want to live... Seriously, I'm only almost fourteen, I'm no kid, but I'm not ready to die..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I understand i'll keep your secret, but if you bring harm to anyone or anything..." Gearlt showed him the beginning of his blade.
----------------------------------------------------
Sam shuddered, "I'll... do my best..."
"Samuel?" Emma said as she rubbed her eyes, "Why is Gearlt in here?"
"Don't worry baby, don't sit up too fast, you'll hurt yourself." Sam laughed as he sat next to her, "How are you feeling?"
Emma, obviously forgetting all about Gearlt mumbled, "The baby finally stopped kicking, so I got some sleep..."
Sam smiled warmly as he set a hand in her stomache.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt dropped his hilt, mouth opened wide in shock, "Achem.... please repeat what you just said Emma."
----------------------------------------------------
Emma looked up at Gearlt, "Oh! Uhm... nothing..."
Sam smiled down at Emma but then sadness and regret crossed his face as he spotted one of her many bruses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Y...you said.... you're pregnant?" Gearlt stared directly at Emma.
---------------------------------------------------
"A little bit..." Emma mumbled shyly.
"Only a month to go... your belly is really small though..." Sam said with a little smile.
"That's normal, since I'm really small..." Emma said with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I see... I wont tell anyone." He sent Sam the thousand yard stare, before he stepped out of the tent, and went back to the others, Gearlt stepped back into his tent were Fay, and the others were waiting.
----------------------------------------------------
"Well?" Fay prompted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gearlt began to sweat, but didn't say anything.
Locien went over to Gearlt "He's sweating he knows something. come on Gearlt tell us."
Gearlt looked at Fay, then Locien, then Stryder, "He's possed by a fade demon..." Gearlt said softly.
"I knew it!" Locien said.
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone, I'm not letting him die!" Gearlt pleaded.
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"Well we've got to do something!!" Fay shouted, "Can't we send him to the fade?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The fade would swallow him, he is not strong enough." Locien go check in on Kolby the book you gave him might have something in it."
"I'm on it" And Locien exited Gearlt's tent and headed to see Kolby.
"Kolby I need to speak to you it's urgent."
----------------------------------------------------
Kolby exited his tent, his jet black hair was a mess, "Yeah?"
He seemed only half awake, he had the book of spells in his hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Come with me into my tent." When they got there Locien asked, "Have you found anything in that book to get rid of demons, you know like an exersism?"
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