Chapter 15

JD and Josiah awoke at the same time. Their spaces designated by Aldar were in close proximity, so they both ended up walking to the main area together.

“Good mornin’, Josiah.”

“Good morning, JD,” replied Josiah stifling a yawn that was trying to come out. “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than the past three weeks,” answered JD as he followed the old priest towards the main area.

They had both entered the area at the same time and found Sharana busily setting up food in the middle of the circle where they had dinner the night before.

She looked up from what she was doing and said, “Blessed are the light givers, Josiah, JD. Please sit. We will break our fast soon.” She motioned for them to take their places at the circle.

Josiah and JD sat down next to each other, smiling gracefully at the young woman.

“She’s real pretty,” said JD softly to Josiah.

Josiah nodded his agreement. It seemed that Vin was a lucky man. “Yes, she is, JD.” Then a thought came to Josiah about what JD had said recently. “JD?”

“Hmmm?”

“You said you slept better than the past three weeks. What did you mean by that?”

“Oh, nothin’,” responded JD, picking up a piece of the bread that Sharana had laid out and breaking off a piece. He then put the piece in his mouth, chewing and trying to ignore Josiah’s question.

Josiah was not ignorant to the fact that JD was being elusive. There was something in that statement that JD made that was nudging Josiah instincts to say that something was wrong, but he could not put his finger on it and it seems that JD was not willing to share. He would have to find a way to the gain the young man’s trust and then maybe he just might open up about his statement.

Just then, Josiah was taken from his thoughts as Buck and Ezra walked in, bedraggled and bleary-eyed.

“What happened to you two?” asked Josiah quirking his eyebrows at them.

Buck and Ezra ambled towards two cushions on the other side of Josiah and JD and both sat down tiredly.

“Nothin’,” grumbled Buck as he closed his eyes in pain. “Just don’t gamble with this here idiot.”

“You must be referring to yourself, Mr. Wilmington. I do not recall forcing you to into the game,” responded Ezra indignantly.

“But ya didn’t try to stop me either,” said Buck raising his voice and then wincing in pain as he did.

To Josiah, it looked like Buck was trying to get over a hangover. Buck and Ezra were still awake when he, JD and Nathan decided to go to bed. What they were doing after he left, he could not tell, but now it seems that they were gambling. At what, who could say when it came to Ezra. The man would bet on anything to alleviate his boredom.

Josiah was about to ask what they were gambling on when Nathan walked into the area.

“Good mornin’ all,” he said slightly bowing at the others already seated and the taking a seat next to Josiah. “So what time did you go to bed last night?” he asked eyeing Buck and Ezra.

“None of ya damn business!” exclaimed Buck annoyed. He did not want anyone to know that he and Ezra had spent the night betting on whether or not he could get any of the single women in his bed. Unfortunately, Buck had lost and he was not about to advertise it to the men there and he would not let Ezra do it either.

Ezra on the other hand cared less about the prowess with the women Wilmington had. As far as he was concerned he had gotten what he wanted. The coins clinked heavily in his side pocket as Ezra padded them to make sure they had not moved in the past few hours while he slept.

At that moment, Vin walked in, stretching his arms above his head. He wore only his pants and Sharana eyes raked his body up and down. His strong muscles bulged as he stretched the kinks out of his body. It was like looking at a cat, languishing striding over to her, just after having a catnap.

Although she was in bed with that body just a few minutes ago, the need to be near him again was there. If it was any other time, she would have ran over there and pulled the man back to her bed, but she knew the time was not right. Things were going on with Vincenzo and his new friends and she knew it was not good.

Vin caught Sharana by the waist and twirled her around. She giggled at his touch and tried to swat him away. “Stop, Vin,” she said playfully.

Vin then grabbed her and kissed, Sharana not resisting. When it was done, he released her gently and took a seat next to Buck.

“Where’s the food, woman?’ he asked jokingly.

Sharana smiled widely and retorted, “Ya always hungry. What ya got? A worm or something?”

He laughed and tried to grab at her skirt as she walked by.

Sharana bent down close to his ear and whispered, “Ya awful playful t’day. Wouldn’a thought ya had that much energy left after last night.”

Vin did not look at her, but glanced at the others sitting around the circle and blushed. He knew they had heard her words.

“Sharana!” exclaimed Vin warningly.

Sharana laughed and walked away to retrieve the food.

“That’s quite a woman ya got there, Pard,” piped in Buck smiling wickedly.

“Yeah and she’s all mine, Buck, so keep ya hands off,” said Vin threateningly.

Buck held up his hands as if fending off a blow from the young bounty hunter. “Wouldn’t think of it, Pard,” replied Buck smirking.

“Awh, Buck, leave ‘im alone,” interjected JD.

“Shut up, JD,” said Buck eyeing the young man in jest.

JD knew Buck did not mean what he said and turned to Vin. “He’s just tryin’ to pull ya chain, Vin.”

Vin snorted, but choose not to answer. He grabbed a piece of bread and stuffed it quickly into his mouth chewing when suddenly he realized that something was missing.

Vin looked around the circle, taking in the faces of his companions. Not something, someone. “Where’s Chris?” he asked looking at the others in concern.

“I guess he’s still sleep,” said Josiah.

“Did anyone check?” asked Vin.

They all either shook their head in negation or shrugged their shoulders.

Vin swiftly got up and walked over to the flap that led to the other area of Aldar’s home.

When he pulled the flap aside and looked around, he found his friend was missing along with his cloak and sunglasses.

He went back to the others who sat the circle worry plastering his face.

“He ain’t there,” said Vin confused.

“Ain’t there?” repeated Nathan. “Where did he go?”

“I don’t rightly know. And none of ya seen ‘im?”

“Nope,” said JD answering Vin’s query. “Me and Josiah were the first here and we didn’t see ‘im.”

At that moment, Sharana entered with the food and her father, Aldar who was following closely behind carrying more food.

“Aldar, Chris is missin’,” said Vin hurriedly.

“Calm, Vincenzo. I am sure he is around here somewhere. He probably woke up and went back to ya ship. I could feel that he was not comfortable among us. In fact, I don’t think he is comfortable around anyone, except ya.”

Vin eyes looked at Aldar anxiously. He needed to find Larabee. After what happened last night, he was not assured by Aldar’s words.

“I’m goin’ after ‘im,” said Vin walking back to Sharana’s room to get the rest of his things.

Aldar eyes rose upward as the brown haired bounty hunter brushed past him. He sighed softly to himself. The young would never learn. He then turned to follow him.

At this, all the others except Ezra jumped up from where they were sitting determined to go after the other two men and their leader.

Sharana stood in front of them, holding her hands up, stopping them in their tracks.

“Wait! Stay. Vincenzo and my father will handle the Larabee,” she said.

Buck rolled his eyes in exasperation. “No one can handle, Chris. They’d lose if they tried.”

Nathan nodded agreeing with Buck’s assessment of the situation. “He’s right ya know. Connell…I mean Chris ain’t the type anyone can handle. Not even, Vin or your pa.”

“Please,” she pleaded. “My father knows what he does and Vin is more persuasive than ya think.”

“Gentlemen, the lady is correct. We should partake in her delicious cuisine while we can. I advise you all to sit and enjoy it. I have a feeling once we reach the deeper desert vicinity that this might be the last repast we will have in a very long time,” interrupted Ezra.

They all turned their eyes on stare at Ezra as if he had lost his mind.

“Do not look at me like that, gentlemen. I have been with Mr. Larabee for several years and I can tell you that he would not appreciate your interceding upon his behalf at this time.”

“Well, Ez, I was friends with Chris ‘fore you! What makes you think you know him better?” countered Buck.

“I so do believe this, Mr. Wilmington, because the Christopher Connell Larabee that you know is no longer. He is no longer the Necromonger Heir. He is Chris Larabee, a gunner, a criminal and an assassin, a hired killer. The man you knew back then is dead, Mr. Wilmington and you need to realize that,” explained Ezra confidently.

Buck stood frozen in his place. He knew Ezra was right. The man that had returned to them was no longer the best friend that he had known. He had felt it when they met in Travis’ office. He was changed, dramatically.

“Ezra don’t know what he talkin’ about, Buck,” said JD defiantly.

“No,” came Buck’s soft reply. “He’s right.” And with that, he moved back to the circle and sat dejectedly back into his seat.

JD gaped with open mouth. He could not believe that Buck would have given up so easily. But then he saw the faces of Josiah and Nathan and knew he was the only one who believed otherwise. Defeated, JD walked to where Buck was and plumped down next to him in a one of the seats.

Nathan and Josiah followed without another word and sat back into their seats.

Ezra leaned forward in his seat and said, “Eat up, gentlmen!” He held his cup of wine high and took a sip as he watched the others do the same.

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Vin and Aldar had reached the ship and found Chris giving orders to the Necromonger high guards who were putting in supplies of food store and water.

Vin knew that Chris must have been busy this morning. There were enough stores to last them for a few months.

“Chris!” called Vin and watched as his friend turned from lifting a box into the ship to see him.

Chris acknowledged Vin and Aldar with a nod, but returned to helping the guards move the supplies into the ship.

Vin approached him quickly, with Aldar fast on his heels. Both men noticed that Chris looked somewhat better than last night, but not much.

“Hey, Chris. We missed ya at breakfast.”

Chris turned faced him confused.

Although his eyes were covered with his dark sunglasses, Vin could see by the expression on his face that Chris was bewildered by Vin’s concern.

“Yeah, well, we needed supplies so I went to the market and bargained for some supplies,” said Chris grunting as he picked up another box and hefting it into the ship.

“Hey, Chris,” said Vin, grabbing him by the arm and stopping him from putting the next crate into the ship. “Ain’t ya gon’na have breakfast? We got a long ride today.”

As Vin touched him, he felt something like an electric static go through his body. Vin’s instincts were to release his hold, but something was happening and Vin found that he could not.

Vin shuddered as images came unbidden into his mind. He saw Chris beaten and bleeding, surrounded by Sandmen as they ripped and tore at his body. He watched his friend squirm and writhed in pain, as each slash from their claws attacked him. Then as suddenly as they came the visions were gone.

Vin released his hold on Chris and stared into the blonde’s slivery green eyes.

“Chris…Chris, I’m sorry. I…I didn’t know,” apologized Vin.

Chris raised eyebrows in confusion, but slowly they turned to express surprise once he realized that Vin had knew. He then placed the last box into their ship and walked quickly away into it, leaving Vin and Aldar with shock on their faces.

Vin turned to Aldar who could only shake his head in sadness.

“He has many demons, Vincenzo. I am afraid that it just might not be possible for him to be rid of all of them.”

“I saw…I saw somethin’ when I touched ‘im, Aldar. I saw ‘im bein’ attacked by Sandmen, lots of them. It looked like a whole tribe.”

“A whole tribe? And he survived?” asked Aldar in awe.

“Ya sayin’ that what I saw was real?”

“In a matter of speakin’, aye. Ya saw his past, his memories of a time afore.”

“What? How?”

“Did I not tell ya have the power of Profeta. Ya did not believe, but this is the proof,” said Aldar his hands holding out to Vin.

Vin eyed him askance. He still had his doubts. But he could not explain what he saw a minute ago.

“I think I need to talk to, Chris,” said Vin walking towards the ship.

“Be careful, Vincenzo,” called Aldar. “The snake is coiled and it might strike!”

Vin ignored Aldar’s comment and walked into the ship to find his troubled friend.

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Chapter 16

Vin walked slowly into the ship. Most of the guardsmen were outside loading up the supplies.

He found Chris sitting in the pilot chair, his back turned from him, looking out through the view screen at the bustling village.

He sat down dejectedly into the co-pilot’s seat next to him, keeping silent, waiting for Chris to announce that he noticed him.

“What do ya want from me, Tanner?” came Chris’ soft question.

“Chris, I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t know about the Sandmen.”

“Hmmm.”

“What happened, Chris?”

“It’s in the past, Vin. Speak of it no more.”

“But Chris, it’s eaten ya up inside. I can feel it,” said Vin turning the man’s chair so that he faced him.

Chris sunglasses were gone and Vin found himself staring into silver eyes of green fire.

“It ain’t up for conversation, Vin!” exclaimed Chris standing up from his chair.

Vin grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back down into, preventing the blonde from making his escape.

“Ya can’t keep runnin’ forever. Sooner or late it’ll all catch up with ya.”

Chris shook off Vin’s hold and stood up. “I can try.” He then started to walk away again, when he felt Vin’s grasp again on his arm.

Something at that moment snapped inside of Chris. The hands that were pulling on him were no longer a friend’s. The touch was no longer a wanted one. It was as if he was living the nightmare once again.

Vin still keeping a hold of Chris stood up and as he did, he felt a tremble in the man’s arm. He was shaking and it was becoming worse, but it was not the type of shaking that one associated with fear. It was something different and Vin did not like where it might be leading.

Suddenly, without any warning, Vin was forced to release his hold on Chris and then was flung to the far side of the ship, crashing into the crates of supply that were already loaded. Luckily for him, he tucked and rolled, as his head just missed the edge of the crate.

Vin sat up from his prone position and glared at the blonde man that stood over him breathing hard.

“Don’t ever touch me again,” threatened Chris in a tone Vin had never heard him use. The man was shaking all over and Vin could see something that looked like firelights in the middle of his eyes. But how was that possible?

Chris glared one last time at Vin and then walked quickly out of the ship.

Vin sat on the floor, confused and somewhat pissed. He could not understand what just happened. One minute he was talking to the man who he considered a friend and the next minute he was on the floor on his backside. Damn! He should have known that Chris felt vulnerable having someone else know exactly what happened to him in the desert.

Vin got up from the floor and decided that Chris’ self-imposed prison needed to end and it needed to end before it was too late to escape.

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The other five men with Aldar and Sharana sat laughing and talking.

They were interrupted by the abrupt entrance of the whirlwind of the man in black as he came bursting into the tent.

“We’re leavin’ now!” commanded Chris, none too gently and then turned to leave as quickly as he had come.

The others eyed each other in confusion, but as a group, stood up and went to follow the rampaging man back outside.

Sharana glared at her father, knowing that he knew why the man was so angry at this moment. She too, then stood up and ran outside to find Vin and the others.

When the others reached outside, they watched as the man in black walked in rage back towards the ship. At the same time, they saw Vin coming from the opposite direction, a look of determination on his face and they blanched at what happened next.

Chris continued his walk, unaware that Vin was approaching him from the other direction. He kept his head down, like a bull, ready to do battle. But that was the wrong thing for him to do.

Within the next instance, Chris had taken only one more step when he finally noticed Vin coming at him at full speed. The next minute, he found himself thrown to the ground by the lithe body of the young bounty hunter, tackled onto his back with a hard thump.

It took a minute before Chris realized what had happened. With that, he swung a punch at Vin, but Vin being as quick as he was, the blow never hit its target.

Vin, lying on top of Chris, quickly started to grab hold of the man’s arms as he tried continuously to lay a blow upon the bounty hunter’s body. But Vin’s speed was faster than any normal human and Chris’ blows were too slow to make contact.

“Get off me!” yelled Chris, trying to knee the brown-haired man in the stomach. But Vin again swiftly moved out of its trajectory, while still holding onto the angry blond man.

“Ya gon’na listen to me, Chris and right now!” screamed Vin back at him.

The others looked on in shock, not understanding what just happened. All they knew was there was definitely a problem between the two men.

Chris finally stopped trying to hit Vin. He knew it was useless considering the man’s ability for speed. He closed his eyes and felt the pull of energy that was building within him. He did not want to hurt Vin, but he had no control over what was happening to him. He just wanted Vin to leave him alone, to stay away from him. He wanted everyone to stay far away from him because they did not know how really dangerous he was.

“Vin…get…away…from…me…now!” insisted Chris.

Vin took in the increasing light he saw growing in the man’s silver green eyes, which he knew was impossible, but knew that he should be concerned by it. “Chris, what’s goin’ on?”

“Tanner…please…now!” gritted out Chris.

Vin finally relented and jumped up from his position on top of Chris and moved back.

Chris slowly rose from the ground, breathing hard. His fists were clenched and his eyes were closed tight.

Vin stared at the disheveled man, wondering what was he going to do next. The others also looked on, still in the dark about what was going between the two men.

“Chris?” called Buck tentatively.

He had only seen the man in the current state he was two times in his life. Those times were once when he was told of his family’s death and a month after the incident with the Sandmen.

It was when Chris was still healing from his physically and psychological wounds of that attack. When they had first brought him back, barely alive, they did not pressure Chris into telling them what had happened with the Sandmen.

But a month later, Buck saw the change in Chris and decided they needed to find out what happened then that created the cold, unemotional wall that was between them.

Chris, of course, had refused several times during that month to talk to him.

But one day, while they were sitting in the garden of his deceased wife, Chris started to recall how everything led up to where he was now.

Unfortunately, it had included his capture of the Sandmen and when Chris reached that part for the telling, Buck had watched a great change in his voice, demeanor and body. It was as if something else had taken control of his friend and Buck was frightened by what he saw.

Buck was seeing that metamorphosis now and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising in affect. He knew it was not something good.

“Chris, are ya alright?” asked Vin still watching the man cautiously for any signs that he heard.

Chris’ breathing steadily started to slow down and once he could feel the energy he felt building starting to power down, he gradually opened his eyes to look at the bounty hunter.

“Vin…I…I.” Chris shook his head to clear the mist that clouded his mind. “I gotta go,” said Chris finally and walked off back towards the ship.

Vin stared at him, not knowing what just happened.

As he brushed past Vin, his arm briefly touched the young curly-haired man and Vin saw an image flash into his mind. It was of Chris, running in the desert, fear permeated his face and then it was gone.

“Vin?” queried Sharana. “What’s wrong?”

Vin walked over to Sharana and grabbed her by the waist. He said, “I don’t rightly understand it right now. I got an inklin’, but I think I should talk to ya father first.”

Sharana nodded that she understood. It would be something her father would be able to help her lover understand.

Vin and Sharana walked back towards tent and her father. As they passed the others, Buck grabbed a hold of Vin’s arm.

“Just what the hell happened just now?” asked Buck angered.

“Ya need to ask Chris that, Bucklin,” said Vin tersely as he threw off Buck’s hold and continued his walk towards the tent.

Buck turned to Josiah, JD, Nathan and Ezra in bewilderment. He thought maybe they had an answer to that question. They all looked at him and he could see that they had no answer to his question and just as they did not for their own.

“I think we better heed Mr. Larabee’s command,” said Ezra, eyeing them unfazed by all that had happened.

“Yeah. I don’t want ‘im mad at me,” said JD walking off towards the ship.

Nathan and Josiah followed JD’s example and Ezra was not far behind.

Buck stood there, watching them disappear into the ship. Ezra turned back towards him before entering and said, “Are you coming?”

Buck looked back at the tent and then looked back at Ezra. He blew out the breath he had been holding and his shoulders slumped in defeat as he followed the others in the ship, hoping for an opportunity to have a chance to talk to his friend privately.

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Vin and Sharana entered the tent and found Aldar sitting waiting patiently for them.

Vin knew the old man knew what was going on and had some idea as to why Chris was acting the way he was.

Sharana glanced at her father and caught a signal from his eyes that told her that he wanted time alone with Vin. She kissed Vin gently on the lips and walked away to her room to await Vin’s goodbye.

Vin sat down cross-legged next to Aldar, the silence almost deafening in the large tent.

“Ya want to tell me what that was all about?” asked Vin.

Aldar sighed softly. The time had come to explain some things to his future son-in-law, but he did not know if he would understand it all, or if he would even return from their mission.

Aldar had seen things, but when it came to these men, it was clouded with paths that led in several different directions. It depended upon their choices and defining what was the true path was hard, even for Aldar who was considered one of the best Profeta of his time.

“Aldar?” called Vin softly, awakening the elderly man from his reverie.

“Vincenzo, ya know that there are paths in life that we take which determines the result. It has been hard for me to see pass the obstacles that are there for ya and ya friends. But what I tell ya now, ya must keep close to ya heart until the right time.”

“How will I know? When the right time is?”

“Ya will know. Ya are a Profeta. All Profetas know when the right time is. All we have to do is wait and open our eyes. Listen, Vin, ya don’t have much time and Chris is right about one thing. Ya need to leave now. There is a storm comin’ and I think it follows ya.”

“A storm? What kind of storm?” asked Vin worried now.

“One that will destroy ya if it finds ya,” said Aldar evasively.

Vin narrowed his eyes at the man. “Ya not gon’na tell me, huh?”

“Nay. I cannot. I cannot change the future and I cannot tell ya things that would change ya decisions. I can only warn ya. Do not be fooled by what ya eyes see. Do not let fear control ya mind. And above all, keep Chris close to ya.”

“But Aldar…”

“No! Remember what I tell ya. I can say no more. Ya are the only one that understands what motivates the man. He is the one, Vin. The only one who can do the impossible,” said Aldar urgently. “Now, go say ya goodbyes to my daughter. She loves ya too much I think.” A small smile came to the old man’s face once his words were done. “She will be waitin’ for when ya return.”

Vin grabbed the man’s hand in friendship.

“Take care, Vincenzo and remember what I said. Go,” said Aldar motioning to where Sharana awaited him.

Vin smiled and went to join his lover for their goodbye.

Once he was gone, he did not see the ominous look that came over Aldar’s face, nor of the words he whispered silently to himself. “May the light giver watch over ya and if ya return, I hope that it will be well.”

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Vin quickly entered the area he shared with Sharana. He found her sitting on the floor near their pallet, crying.

“Sharana?” said Vin kneeling down besides her. Sharana moved into his arms, hugging him hard and burying her face into his chest.

“Vin,” came her soft voice. “Please…don’t go. Please,” she pleaded.

Vin sighed sadly. He did not want to leave her behind, but he knew he must. She was safer here among her people than she would be with him.

“I have to, KiKi,” he said using the nickname he had for her. “They need me.”

“Then take me with ya,” said Sharana raising her head and looking into his blue eyes. “I do not want to be separated from ya.”

“Aw, KiKi,” said Vin gently, kissing her on the forehead. “Ya are safer here. It will be dangerous where I go. I cannot put ya into somethin’ like that.”

“I don’t care!” exclaimed Sharana pouting. “At least we will be together. If we die, then we die together.”

“No one’s gon’na die, Sharana,” replied Vin trying to placate her.

“Ya cannot know that.”

“Am I not the Profeta?”

“Ya said ya did not believe.”

“Am I not the Profeta?” he asked again.

“Aye. Ya are.”

“Then believe me when I say no one will be dyin’. Not ya, not me.”

Sharana held those calm blue eyes and saw that he believed it true. She nodded in assent to his reasoning, although her heart was not as compliant to his words.

“Ya know I love ya, don’t cha?” said Vin.

“I guess ya must if ya keep comin’ back,” said Sharana teasingly.

“And that is why I will come back,” said Vin kissing her gently on the lips.

When they had broke apart from their kiss, she said, “Ya better Vincenzo Arturo Tanner or I’ll come lookin’ for ya and drag ya back.” She then kissed him again fully on the lips, dragging him down onto their pallet. Vin was surprised, but pleased. One for the road could not hurt.

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Chapter 17

It was an hour later and Vin had said his goodbyes to Sharana and Aldar. He walked quickly over to the ship that was about to leave and as soon as he boarded, the ramp retracted and the doors closed. The engines started up as soon as he got himself seated in the co-pilot’s chair, next to Chris who sat in the pilot chair. The vehicle took off towards the deep desert, leaving the bustling village behind.

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They had been riding in the vehicle for over five hours now, the sun setting slower . The deep desert had no vegetation to speak of. It was basically a dry and rocky terrain with Strangle weeds popped up in the middle of it, ever so often.

Strangle weeds were the only type of plants that grew in the deep desert. They were edible if you knew how to eat them. Very few people did since most people did not grow up in the deep desert.

But Vin did and so did anyone who grew up near the deep desert and needed to survive. He just hoped it would never come to that for them now.

The silence was thick in the room.

Josiah and Nathan sat in the back in one of the chairs, talking quietly to each other. What, Vin did not know.

JD was sitting behind them, looking out the window as the vehicle skimmed the desert, more into his own world.

Ezra sat next to JD busily reading a book that Vin could not see the title. It seemed to be written in a language that Vin had not seen before.

Buck sat in the back with the guardsmen, playing a game of Bracquet. It was a game in which opponents would bet on the roll of Rise stone. The Rise stone was an octagon with runes written on each side. The winner would predict the correct rune to come up and win the pot. Based on Buck’s exclamations, Vin knew he was winning.

Then there was Chris. The blond man was sitting in the pilot’s seat, his silver green eyes focused only on what was in front of him. Vin wondered what was going on in the man’s mind. He knew ever since they left the village that the man had not uttered a word to any of them. His eyes kept forward, not acknowledging any of them.

Vin was worried about Chris. He had put up walls to keep them out, but Vin knew that if they were to win this fight against the Vicar, the walls had to come down.

“Chris?”

No response.

“Chris!”

There still was no response from the blond.

Vin placed his hand on to the silent man’s arm and waited for a reaction. He did not care what kind of reaction, just anything other than the silence he was getting.

“Don’t, Vin,” came Chris’ low growl as he pulled his arm away from the bounty hunter.

“Chris, ya can’t keep this up. If we’re to survive, we got to work together,” pleaded Vin.

Chris finally turned towards Vin. Vin could see that his face had softened and there was something that looked like pain that graced his eyes.

“Vin…I…I don’t know how long…I can keep control,” said Chris finally.

“Control? Control of what?” asked Vin has he touched Chris’ arm gently, trying to get him to continue with what he was going to say.

As he did, a flash of image came unbidden into Vin’s mind.

It was of Chris, standing on a high desert dune, his arms outstretched towards the sky and energy of light flowed from his fingertips out over the desert floor.

His eyes glowed brightly, the silver green, now more crystallized looking than before, almost like mirrors that reflected back the light of the energy that came from his hands.

As the image grew within his mind’s eyes, he then saw where the energy was moving across the desert floor. In the distance he saw a city, its white spiral towers, immense on the flat desert valley. His inner mind watched the energy encompass the city and the city’s spiral towers start to sink into the desert. It was gone in a matter of minutes and nothing on the desert marked its existence.

“Vin?” Vin heard a call that sounded like Chris’ voice. He shook his head and found himself gazing into the eyes of his new friend. “You alright?”

“I saw a city,” said Vin still confused by his vision.