It was about six when Ash decided to find the other group. An hour had passed since the incident and Ash's stomach was balled up, a desperate struggle between guilt, grief and worry. How could he tell Quinn? Time was slipping away fast as Gillian and he sat on the dungeon floor. He was ashamed, as he was still worrying about Quinn, Mare and Ebony being in the same group. I suppose that’s how the world goes Ash thought to himself. No matter how much you grieve, people tend to focus on their own problems. He shivered as the coldness of his thoughts set in.
"Ash…? Ash?" Gillian prompted quietly. "We'd better get moving…the others aren't here." Ash slowly stood and stretched like a cat. Everything reminded him of Rashels sacrifice for him. He couldn't wait for when they rescued Ebony and got out of this madhouse. Never until this day had he truly encountered evil. Hunter had nothing on Darius.
"Door number nine." Ash said with compassion.
"Why's that?" Gillian questioned. Ash shrugged back and his mind wandered free as they jumped into the vortex behind the door.
****
Gillian was greeted by darkness. They were in…a…sewer? All she could tell was that it was wet and she couldn't see. Oh god, not crocodiles she nearly screamed. Since she was a child she had had nightmares of crocodiles. She clung to Ash's arm as they entered a dimly lit room. Her wet shoes slapped against the concrete floor. Another dungeon?
A grinding sound came from the passage opposite. Quinn walked through, followed by Mary-Lynnette. Ebony was on his shoulder. He put her down gently and faced Ash.
"Ash, it's Blaise man, she…oh god." Ash bowed his head as if to show he understood. Quinn continued. "You don't understand, there was fire…I was going but she said Ebony and I couldn't, we burst into flames. Then she told Mare to stand back as she was only a human. Oh god…"
"Quinn, man…"
"We got the feather, I mean…Blaise did. Hey, where's Rashel?" Ash gulped in some air. He opened his mouth to speak but was rudely interrupted by a dark figure in crimson.
"It's amazing you still carry on, don't tell me you actually think you can win?" Darius arched a regal eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're all that bigger fools? Still, you may no longer hand Ebony over…it's win or lose from now on."
"Fuck off." Quinn didn't even avert his questioning gaze from Ash.
"Now that’s no way to talk to the man who is here and willing to give you two of your quest items, is it?" Mary-Lynnette piped up.
"You're no man, you're a monster!" Darius grinned fiendishly.
"Well now, Mare. Why don't you take the first item? How about the ring of betrayal?" He brought a golden circlet out from the folds of his crimson cape. "Beautiful, isn't it?" His voice purred with anticipation. Ebony watched as the girl Mary, Ash's soulmate, reached for the ring as if in a trance.
"Mare, no!" Ash cried.
"Ash, it's only an old ring…" Mary-Lynnette was now examining the artefact.
"Now my dear," Darius was staring at Ebony hungrily, yet addressing Mary-Lynnette. "You wouldn't say that if you knew. It has quite a history behind it…." He trailed off as Ebony looked away. "And for you, Quinn…why don't you take this? It's the stone of truth…you like it don't you?" Quinn glared, before lunging at the rock. Darius made no attempt to block him and Quinn came away successful, stone in hand. When nothing happened he stared back at Darius suspiciously. Darius tilted his hat and gave an impish grin, before disappearing once more. Ebony felt her heartbeat slow.
"Woohoooo!!" Quinn yelled. "Hey, we've got three items now!"
"Four." Gillian corrected.
"Four? You got your item? That’s great!" Quinn grinned heartily. Ash took another breath. How could he say it?
"Actually man…its not…" Quinn's eyes darkened.
"Why? Hey, where is Rashel?"
"A shard of human bone, Quinn…we tried, we really did!" Quinn was silent, then burst into laughter.
"Good one man, I nearly believed you!" He was hiccuping now, his laughter maddening. He giggled hysterically for a few minutes more before he looked into Ash's eyes and saw the unwelcome truth. Then the strangest thing happened. The almighty Quinn began to cry, salty tears silently ran down his cheek and tickled his nose. Ash put a hand on Quinn's shoulder, but Quinn threw it away.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME MAN!!!!!" He shouted violently before grabbing Ash's collar. He lifted Ash high and whacked him against the wall. Ash made no attempt to avoid the beating, he took it with a saddened, guilty look in his eye, like that of Thierry's.
"Quinn…" Quinn's hand was no bleeding from gripping something too hard. Quinn looked at his bleeding hand to find the truth stone clasped in it.
"Oh I'll tell the truth all right." He turned to Mary-Lynnette. "Well, it seems lover boys been getting laid by Ebony here. I caught them at it." He turned savagely at Ebony. "I should have bloody well handed you over when I had the chance!"
Mary-Lynnette gaped open-mouthed at Ash before running down the passage she had come from. Ash followed her and Quinn stormed off in the opposite direction. Gillian followed.
And then Ebony was alone. Forgotten and lost. A voice as perfect as the stars spoke, the words flowing from a dark, sensuous mouth.
"You don't think I ever really left, do you now?"
