This piece of fiction contains supernatural themes and eventually sexual interactions between consenting male adults. Please do not read this if it is illegal where you are, or you are not of age to do so.
All characters are fictional and any similarities to known actual people are coincidental, unless otherwise specified.
To read in advance, pop over to http://the-children-of-light.weebly.com – plus we also have some visual aids, and a chance to message the author.
Lachlan – l.a.nolan@live.com or thechildrenoflight@live.com
`Is there something wrong master?' The scrawny, dark haired, sallow eyed man asked of the stately older gentleman. The Archivist watched as the young, fair skinned mage strutted across the chamber with a confidence belying his appearance. His dark jeans with the odd random tear exposing the pallid flesh beneath. His slightly large black woollen jersey falling off his shoulder, exposing the very white skin of his shoulder, his collar bone protruding slightly.
`What took you so long to answer?' The stately voice asked as the phone call was answered.
The two men were walking along the top of the cliff, overlooking the ocean. Hand in hand, they strolled at a leisurely pace, enjoying their moment of peace and togetherness.
`I will never forget that day.' The Leader said with a tear of happiness in his eye. Rama reached over and took his hand in his, squeezing gently. `Dad, are you alright?' Caiden asked as he approached his father. He was sitting on a slope overlooking Deep River, his arms around his legs, his shoulders rising and falling with his sobs. Grayson stopped crying with some effort by the time Caiden had sat next to him. The blond twin rested his head on his father's shoulder and they sat quietly in the moonlight for a few minutes.
`I just called Giorgio. He's going to come stay for a few days.' Alex said to Quinn, Mikhail and Fabrizio. Mikhail watched as his boyfriend's face practically shone with light when he smiled.
Quinn watched from a window as Giorgio walked up the driveway. He had a backpack over his right shoulder, pulling his sweater down slightly from the weight. Quinn looked carefully and noticed the man was rather thin compared to the last time he saw him. His face was rather gaunt, his cheeks shadowed by the protruding cheek bones. His eyes were rimmed with dark circles, his smile lacking its normal radiance. The usually rich, black hair was looking dank and lifeless.
`I just work some really crazy hours, that's all.' Giorgio said with a laugh. Fabrizio eyed his brother suspiciously and then smiled.
***
I hope you enjoyed the beginning of Book Two. Book Two is several chapters in advance on the website, http://the-children-of-light.weebly.com and I will post them on Nifty as fast as I'm able.
See you guys there!
Lach
`Not that I can sense.' The older man said with an easy smile. He gestured for the young mage to come closer, who did precisely that, offering the old man his arm to help him walk.
`Why are we being called upon?' The younger man asked with a small chuckle.
`I honestly do not know Johan. With that senile old fool at the helm, anything is possible.' The Archivist said with a smile. The young mage giggled.
`Well I guess we'll find out soon enough.' Johan said with a wicked grin. The young man helped his master through the corridors and up two flights of stairs, where the mage knocked on a large wooden door. After a few moments the door swung inward and a young soldier beckoned them in. The Archivist, relying on his young companion less, walked into the room and stood at the end of the four poster bed. The mage stood beside his master quietly, looking curiously upon the blanketed form of Felix Benedict, Dominus, The Sovereign of the Order, his head to one side, quietly conversing with a middle aged man in his soldier's robes of white, who was nodding sadly.
`You called for us?' The Archivist said with barely hidden humour. The Sovereign and the soldier continued whispering to each other, not acknowledging the two new people. The mage laughed to himself as the sound of footsteps came into the room. Johan turned to his left and watched the young William Braddock come to attention at his side. A man almost as old as the Sovereign and Archivist shuffled to the end of the bed beside the young soldier.
`Dominus?' The third old man asked with a mildly commanding tone. The Sovereign and the middle aged soldier stopped speaking and turned to face the four men gathered at the end of the bed.
`William.' The Sovereign croaked barely louder than a whisper. He held a hand out to the young man who was beside the bed in the blink of an eye, holding the skeletal hand of his master tenderly.
`It's good to have you back.' Felix croaked with emotion. `Any sign of your brother?'
`None. He might have fled the country. Are you okay master?' The young Brit asked of the old man, the words sticking slightly in his throat.
`No my son.' The old man said barely louder than a breeze. `Death sit's on my shoulder, waiting for his moment.'
`No!' William exclaimed passionately. `No, please not yet.'
`William. My son. It is my time.' The Sovereign wheezed. `I have lived a long and righteous life. I go with God gladly.' William sobbed quietly as the young mage and the Archivist watched. The third older man rolled his eyes and smacked his lips.
`Don't let us keep you Felix.' He said with disdain. The Sovereign threw him a look of pure loathing and returned his attention back to William.
`I have taught you everything I know my son. I have absolute faith in you.' The Sovereign said as tears pooled in his eyes. William sobbed with sadness.
`Please, not yet.' The young Brit begged quietly.
`Even I cannot stay off the hand of death young man.' The Archivist said with a smile.
`William Alfred Braddock, son of Alistair Braddock, member of the Order, nephew of Nathanial Braddock, one of the honoured Four.' The Sovereign began saying with as much strength as he could. The Archivist and the third older man gasped in surprise, their eye's bulging slightly. `My last act as Sovereign is to raise you to the position of Dominus, Sovereign of the Order.' The old man said, his voice failing with his last words. William's sobs stopped as his eyes flew open in shock, staring into the eyes of his mentor.
`Master?' The young Brit queried, his eyebrows raised well above his blood shot eyes.
`You are the Sovereign now my son. Do me proud.' The old man wheezed softly. William gazed into the grey eyes of his master and watched as the light within extinguished.
`No! No, please. Please Lord, no!' The young Brit sobbed in grief.
`Did I hear that right?' The young mage asked of his master.
`Fucking idiot!' The third older man declared. `Leaving the fucking Order to this dip shit.' He gestured angrily at the crying young Brit.
`I do love hearing you swear Walter.' The Archivist said with a laugh. `This can be overturned, he hasn't signed anything.' He said turning around and taking a step to the door.
`Actually sir, he did.' The middle aged soldier said standing up beside the bed. The Archivist stumbled as he heard what the man said. His eyes were opened with horror when he turned slowly back to see what he didn't want to see. The middle aged solider was holding an aged piece of parchment with delicate cursive script scrawled across and down the foot long page. The Archivist glanced quickly around the head of the bed and saw an inkwell, a ceremonial dagger and a black feather sitting on a bedside table.
`No.' The Archivist gasped in horror. The young mage threw a fireball at the piece of parchment being dangled from the soldier's hand, but the flame merely dispersed as it came into contact with the aged paper.
`Blood contract. Nothing can destroy that.' The third older man said with a laugh.
`Fuck!' The Archivist bellowed at the top of his lungs, his curse echoing strangely through the corridors.
`Well, he may have been wanker, but you have to admit, our older brother certainly was a clever bastard.'
`I was busy.' The voice responded.
`With what?' The older voice asked with curiosity.
`I was fucking my partner.' The younger voice said with amusement.
`Oh and how is that going?' The older voice enquired with a laugh.
`Fantastically.' The young voice laughed.
`Well we've had some good and bad news here.' The older voice stated in slightly hushed tones. `The good news first.'
`Hurry up.' The younger voice said impatiently.
`The Sovereign has died.' The older voice said with a cheery tone.
`And the bad news?'
`He has raised William Braddock to the position of Dominus.' The older voice said quickly. The younger voice laughed with delight.
`Oh but this is perfect.'
`He needs to be played carefully.' The older voice said with caution.
`Oh that's easy enough. I'll be there in a few days.' The younger voice said with a chuckle.
`Don't break cover.' The older voice said disconnecting the phone call.
`Mum says that I have to go back to Egypt with dad.' The taller man said as his intense green eyes brimmed with tears. The small framed man squeezed his lover's hand.
`Will you come back?' He asked without breaking stride.
`I don't know.' Rama said with a sadness that Lachlan had never heard before.
`Then I'll come with you.' The young man said turning to his lover, the pale blue eyes boring into the bright green ones.
`You would do that?' The Egyptian asked in surprise.
`Of course I would.' The younger man said with a smile that blinded the older man. Squinting, the Egyptian noticed that the sun had begun rising above the horizon.
`What a beautiful sunrise.' Lachlan whispered turning and gazing effortlessly into the bright red orb rising over the horizon. He felt the warmth of the rising sun splashing his face in the cool morning air. The cliff they were sitting on was devoid of wind, considering they were overlooking the ocean.
`You look beautiful like this.' The Egyptian breathed softly into his boyfriend's ear, tucking a stray lock of hair behind the delicate, small ear. Lachlan blinked a few times and turned to his lover, noticing the loving glance in the green eyes.
`My beautiful neteru, will you marry me?' Rama asked barely louder than a whisper. He was holding his boyfriend's hands between his and was staring longingly into the almost purple eyes.
`Of course I will Rama. Yes, absolutely.' Lachlan said with a smile that made the half risen sun seem dull. The two men embraced passionately, their lips meeting in a tender kiss, the taller man wrapping his arms around his shorter and slighter boyfriend as their kiss continued to rise with their passion. After several minutes the taller man pulled back slightly and looked down into the angelic face of his now fiancé.
`I love you so much.' Rama said with a smile of sheer happiness.
`And I you.' Lachlan said closing his eyes and laying his head on the shoulder of his lover.
`Nearly there Quinn.' Lachlan whispered looking to the couple standing on the edge of the white blanket. Alex recited the first line of the chorus from the song that Lachlan knew had been the song Quinn sung when Alex first met him. The Italian lowered himself to one knee and the Leader's heart burst with happiness.
`Quinn, will you marry me?'
Everyone watched as the Canadian's face registered shock, embarrassment and eventually joy when he finally spoke.
`Yes!' The little blond said loudly. `Yes, yes, yes!' He affirmed. Alex raised his opened hand and pressed the metal band against the blond's fingertip and most people watching gasped in awe as the ring changed colour, from the dusky, matte grey/silver, to the glittering bright silver that was Quinn's colour. When the ring had finished changing colour, Alex took it from the box and slid it easily onto his boyfriend's wedding finger. Quinn glanced briefly at the ring on his finger before jumping at the Italian who was still on bended knee. Alex fell backward with the Canadian on top of him, their lips meeting in a fiery kiss of passion. Aurelia cleared her throat loudly and with a bemused smile watched as the two men realised they had an audience. Quinn stood up and blushed bright red as Alex clambered to his feet laughing. The two men faced the group of people and they were showered with applause, well wishes and cheers of joy.
`When do I get a grandchild?' Aurelia joked as Sarah cackled with humour.
`Mamma!' Alex laughed as Quinn turned redder in the face. Aurelia and Sarah both stood and walked to their son's sides.
`Congratulations piccolo.' Aurelia said hugging her son.
`My darling.' Sarah whispered as Quinn fell into her arms.
`Congratulations gentlemen.' The Leader said standing up and clapping, every person sitting on the gathering field all stood and applauded with their leader. Lachlan waved a hand and a second small black box appeared in his hand. He walked around the small group of people and handed it to Alex.
`I think perhaps you should put your engagement ring on.' He said with a smile to Alex. The Italian opened the box and took the ring out, and watched as it changed to an iridescent red, sparkling as if it were made of fire itself. He slid the ring onto his wedding finger and Quinn jumped at him again, the Italian catching him easily and holding his full weight, not that the little blond weighed much.
`I love you.' Alex whispered into the blond's ear.
`I love you.' Quinn said with tears of happiness in his eyes.
`Sorry son.' Grayson said with a sniffle. `Seeing those two so happy reminded me of your mother.' Caiden sat up and looked to his father, seeing only the side of the older man's face.
`I'm sorry dad.' The blond twin said with a sniffle.
`No, you don't need to apologise.' Grayson said reaching out and pulling his son into his side, squeezing him firmly.
`I meant I'm sorry I couldn't save her.' Caiden said, tears falling from his eyes.
`Oh Caiden.' Grayson said pulling his son onto his lap and cuddling him. `You have nothing to be sorry for.' The older man said with a laugh. `You and your brother were lucky to get out of there alive.'
`We're stronger together. We could have tried.' The blond twin said sniffling.
`I'm just glad you're both still alive.' Grayson said kissing the top of his son's head. `You remind me a lot of her.'
`I do?' Caiden asked, his tears easing slightly.
`Yes. You have her soft nature.' The older man said running a hand through his son's soft hair. `Your brother is more like me. Rip, shit and bust.' He laughed. Caiden laughed with his father, sighing quietly.
`A war is coming.' The blond twin said with a hollow voice.
`I know son. I know.' Grayson replied. Caiden exhaled slowly, hiding the last few moments of his prediction from his father's mental probe. `We'll win son.'
The blond twin simply nodded, hoping his father was right.
`What's going on here then?' Jaden asked as he sat down next to his father and brother. Grayson reached out and pulled the red head into his side and hugged him.
`I was just telling Caiden about your mother.' The older man said with a smile.
`I see glimpses of her in my dreams.' Jaden admitted.
`Me too.' Caiden said, shuffling down and laying his head on his father's thigh, Grayson still running his hand through the soft blond hair.
`She would be so proud of you two.' Grayson said with a smile to the moon.
`There zaykŕ, feel better?' The Russian said cuddling his boyfriend.
`Yes.' The youngest Italian said with a laugh. He jumped at his Russian lover and the giant picked him up with ease, pulling him into a hug.
`We're going to head off in a half hour.' Alex said holding his hand out to Quinn, his red wedding band glimmering in the sunlight. The blond took his lover's hand in his and they wandered slowly back toward the gathering of buildings.
`Lachlan wanted to have a chat with us before we left.' Alex said heading toward the Leader's private cabin.
`Anything important?' The blond asked curiously.
`No. Just about the wedding.' Alex replied with a smile. Quinn's face flushed with colour at the thought.
`I can't believe we're going to get married.' The Canadian said with radiant smile. The Italian looked into his face and his own star quality smile stole over his face.
`I can't believe I'm marrying the most beautiful man in all creation.' Alex confessed with a wink.
`Stop it!' Quinn said playfully slapping his fiancé's arm as they walked up the steps to the front door of the cabin. Alex raised his hand to knock and the door opened.
`Come in.' Lachlan called from somewhere in the middle of the building. Alex led his lover through the entrance, down the hallway and into the living area where Lachlan and Rama were playfully wrestling on the floor.
`Sorry guys!' Rama said as he pinned Lachlan to the floor, his hands secured in his right hand. Rama grinned at his husband, as a pair of legs wrapped around the man's neck from behind, and pulled him backward. The Leader was lying on his back smiling at the Italian and Canadian as his husband struggled fruitlessly to get out of the leg lock.
`Never underestimate the strength of a smaller opponent.' Lachlan cited with a grin. Alex smiled and Quinn laughed heartily. Rama's body relaxed as he stopped struggling and the Leader released him. The Egyptian sat up and pulled his husband into his lap for a cuddle.
`Let's go outside, I need a cigarette after beating you.' The Leader said disappearing from his husband's embrace, reappearing at the kitchen counter and collecting his cigarettes. He walked at human speed outside onto the sun bathed deck. Alex, Quinn and eventually Rama joined the small framed man.
`So your wedding.' The Leader asked with a smile.
`I'm assuming you have an idea?' Alex asked with a grin.
`A suggestion more than anything.' Lachlan responded with a giggle. `Did you want a traditional wedding, or a more non-traditional wedding?'
`Wait, when you say traditional you mean church, priest, guests, all that jazz?' Quinn asked, trying to clarify the difference.
`Yes. And by non-traditional, I mean a ceremony of a more, supernatural origin.' Lachlan clarified.
`What's involved in the non-traditional?' Alex questioned with curiosity.
`A high priest of the Druid's will officiate. It will be mostly Gaelic in nature, and held in Scotland.' The Leader explained without too much detail.
`Can friends and family come?' Quinn asked.
`Any and all who have come to the Sanctuary are welcome to come. I daresay anyone who doesn't know of us is probably best not invited, for obvious reasons.' Lachlan said with a small smile.
`Understandably.' Alex laughed. `Can we think on it?'
`Of course!' The Leader said with a smile. `We can always discuss it more at a later date.'
`Thank you.' Alex and Quinn chimed simultaneously. Rama and Lachlan both smiled at the duality of their thanks.
`You guys heading home soon?' Rama asked watching the Russian giant and his boyfriend walking over slowly.
`Yeah. My cousin will be over in half an hour.' Alex clarified for the Egyptian.
`I'll come see you guys off.' The Leader said as he disposed of his cigarette. Alex disappeared and reappeared holding his and Quinn's backpacks.
`Ready my love?' He asked as he helped his fiancé down off the back deck.
`Yeah.' Quinn said as Mikhail and Fabrizio came within hearing distance.
`We're ready.' Mikhail said with a smile. The Leader and his husband walked with the four men to the veil.
`Come visit us soon.' Quinn said releasing Lachlan from his embrace and kissing Rama on the cheek.
`Of course.' The Leader said hugging Alex, Mikhail and Fabrizio in that order. The four men stood in the middle of the gravel driveway, Quinn with his arm tucked into Alex's, Mikhail standing behind the Italian with a hand on his shoulder, and Fabrizio grasping his cousin's left arm firmly. With a surge of electricity, the four men vanished from the shaded area, leaving Lachlan and Rama to themselves.
`You certainly don't look like Alex anymore.' The blond whispered to himself as the older Italian walked up to the front door with a heavy step. Quinn walked to the front door and opened it after Giorgio knocked twice.
`Hello Georgie.' Quinn said opening the door and holding his arms out to Alex's older cousin.
`Hi cutie!' Giorgio said with a smile that finally made it to his eyes. `You look beautiful as ever.' The older man said drawing the blond into a warm hug. Quinn could feel the man's bones through what should have been a solid layer of muscle.
`It's good to see you.' Quinn said releasing the man and gesturing for him to come in. `Give me your bag and go into the kitchen.' The blond said taking Giorgio's backpack from him. The older cousin walked through the lounge and was assaulted by his younger brother immediately.
`Giorgio!' The younger brother said as he launched himself at his older brother. The two men fell over each other as the exuberant Fabrizio hugged his brother fiercly. `Oh I've missed you.'
`I've missed you too Fabz.' The older brother said holding his younger brother to himself, as both men lay on the floor. Quinn laughed as he walked past the two men, placing Giorgio's backpack at the foot of the stairs.
`Welcome back cousin.' Alex said as he came in the back door, by which time Fabrizio had climbed off of his brother and helped him to his feet. Alex saw immediately that his older cousin, who had been his doppelganger, now looked horribly underweight.
`Are you alright cousin?' Alex asked holding the man's shoulder in his hand. He could feel the joint just beneath the surface of his skin.
`Just over worked and tired Alessandro. Nothing to worry about.' Giorgio said with a warm smile. Fabrizio handed his brother a steaming cup of coffee.
`Come sit with me.' The younger brother said with a smile, pulling his older brother toward the kitchen island. `I have lots to tell you.'
`Alright little brother.' Giorgio said being pushed onto one of the bar stools as his younger brother perched atop another, right beside the man.
`Alex, come help me with a tree out the back.' Quinn requested of his fiancé. The two men walked quietly out the back door, passing Mikhail who was resting in a sun lounger on the deck. When Alex and Quinn had reached the line of trees that lead into the woods behind their house, Quinn finally spoke.
`There's something wrong with Giorgio.' The blond said immediately without preamble.
`He certainly doesn't look very well.' Alex said glancing back to the house.
`No. He's lost a lot of weight.' The blond said following his lover's glance. `But there's more to it.'
`How so?' Alex asked looking back to his lover, whose hazel eyes once again looked green.
`Usually, when I look at someone for long enough, I start seeing their spirit, that bright yellow light I told you about. It comes seeping out of them, like sunlight through a lace curtain.' Quinn tried to explain.
`Yeah, I remember.' Alex said not quite following.
`When I look at Giorgio, I don't see it. I see nothing from him. No colour. Just him.' Quinn whispered quietly, fearing the impact of his words.
`What?' Alex asked barely managing to hide his scepticism. Quinn raised an eyebrow at his fiancé and continued.
`I don't see anything from him. No trace of his spirit, no trace of an aura. Nothing. It's as if he isn't alive.' The blond said with a pleading tone, silently begging his lover to understand. Alex's pale blue eyes flickered with understanding as he realised what Quinn was saying.
`Is he dying?' Alex asked looking back to the house.
`I don't know.' Quinn said hopelessly. The two men stood silently in the shadow of the trees looking up to the house.
`Let's go back in. Let's just make him feel comfortable and maybe he might tell us something.' Alex said with hope. The two men walked back up the lawn and up the steps, Mikhail stirring slightly in his sleep as they walked past.
`Are you hungry Georgie?' Alex asked as they walked into the kitchen. Quinn moved to the stove, flicked the gas hob on and put a pan atop the flame.
`I'm starved!' The older cousin said with enthusiasm.
`I'll have some lunch ready in no time.' Quinn said taking sausages out of the fridge.
`Where is Drew?' Quinn asked trying to change the subject.
`He had to go out of town for work.' The older Italian said, glad for the change of subject.
`What does he do?' Alex asked finishing his sausage. Fabrizio excused himself to use the bathroom.
`He's a trainer for a call centre.' Giorgio said with a smile. `He trains the new intakes.'
`Sounds exciting.' Quinn said taking the dirty dishes to the sink and rinsing them.
`Yeah, but we barely see each other lately. What with me working nights and all.' The older Italian admitted. `I do my best to stay awake when I get home.'
`Like taking drugs?' Fabrizio asked coming around the corner, a glass pipe and a plastic bag in his hands.
`Where did you find those?' Alex asked moving to his younger cousin's side in the blink of an eye, taking the pipe and bag from him.
`Did you go through my bag?' Giorgio asked with a sad look on his face.
`You're barely skin and bones Georgie. Why are you doing drugs?' Fabrizio asked with tears in his eyes. Mikhail was beside his lover and holding him instantly.
`Calm down zŕyka.' The Russian said trying to calm his lover.
`I need it to stay awake, so I can spend time with him.' Giorgio confessed sadly.
`If you need drugs to stay awake just to see him, then it's not really worth it.' Fabrizio yelled with tears streaming down his face. He wrenched himself free of the Russian's grasp and ran upstairs.
`Georgie.' Alex pleaded sadly. `What are you doing?'
`That is killing you.' Quinn said pointing to the glass pipe and bag in Alex's hand. The older Italian man put his head in his hands and cried.
`We barely see each other. When I come home, he's getting ready for work. When he gets home, I'm sleeping.' The older Italian said. `Someone at work offered me some, and I was wide awake for a few days. It was perfect. I could smoke some, and then I'd be awake when Drew got home.'
`Giorgio that is killing you. I can see it destroying you.' Quinn said staring at the gaunt face.
`Quinn is able to see spirits now, and he says that he can't see yours anymore.' Alex said with a sad look to his older cousin.
`What?' Giorgio asked with a laugh. `You see spirits now?' He laughed at the blond man.
`Yes. And yours is missing.' Quinn declared.
`Don't Georgie or I will hit you.' Alex said quietly. `I can hear your thoughts remember.'
`I just needed something to help me stay awake. I love him.' The older Italian said returning to sobs.
`Destroy that.' Quinn said pointing to Alex's hand. `Check his bag for more.' Quinn ordered as he rushed to Giorgio's side and helped him into the lounge. The skinny man lay down on the sofa on his side and continued crying as Quinn held him down gently with a hand. `Alex, can you get mum and Lachlan please?'
`On my way.' The Italian said as he disappeared out the back.
`How long have you been smoking Georgie?' The blond asked of the older cousin.
`About two months.' Giorgio confessed through the sobs. Quinn didn't quite understand.
`How much do you smoke each time?' He asked, trying to clarify how this could happen.
`Not much. Enough to stay awake for a few hours.' The older Italian managed to say.
`That doesn't make sense.' Quinn said looking into the man's clouded eyes.
`Please, I don't want to lose him.' Giorgio begged as he grabbed Quinn's wrist.
`It's alright Georgie. You'll be fine.' Quinn comforted the man watching his mother and the Leader march in through the kitchen.
`What's wrong?' Lachlan asked appearing beside Quinn.
`Giorgio has been smoking crystal meth.' The blond said sadly. `I was about to try and pull it out.'
`Why?' Lachlan asked looking into the blond's face, which registered shock at the question.
`Look at him. He's skin and bones. I can't even see his spirit. It's killing him.' Quinn spat out, flabbergasted at the Leader's question. Lachlan patted the blond on the shoulder.
`Let me.' The Leader said gesturing for Quinn to move aside. He knelt beside the older Italian's sobbing body and held his hands over him. Closing his eyes, Lachlan concentrated for a few seconds.
`There's no major trace of it in him. It's mostly been absorbed and processed already. His brain is still affected by it. I can modify that a bit and help him in that regard. But there's no trace of the drug to pull out.' Lachlan said with his hand's hovering over the man's head. After a few minutes he lowered his hands and opened his eyes as Giorgio's sobs began to ease.
`Is he alright?' Mikhail asked coming into the lounge.
`Mikhail, take him upstairs and get him into bed.' The Leader said to the Russian. `Quinn, can you make sure Fabrizio is alright. Sarah, Rama will be here shortly to take you home. I've got this under control.' Lachlan said standing up as Mikhail lifted the frail Giorgio up into his arms. As Quinn followed the Russian upstairs to find Fabrizio, Lachlan, Alex and Sarah walked out onto the back lawn. Rama appeared as they reached the middle of the lawn and smiled as he took Sarah safely into his embrace and they both disappeared.
`It wasn't the drugs that did that to him.' The Leader said looking up to the spare room where Giorgio was being placed on the bed.
`What?' Alex asked disbelievingly.
`Quinn asked him how long he'd been using. I probed his mind and found the answer myself. Barely two months. And not a lot of it either. Not enough to lay waste to his body like that.' Lachlan said still looking up to the bedroom window.
`So, what is...' Alex began but was interrupted.
`What's killing his spirit?' Quinn asked as he reached the bottom of the steps. He walked quickly to join the two men in the middle of the back lawn.
`His spirit isn't being killed. And it's not really his spirit in question. What you see in people is their life essence. What I guess you could call their spirit.' The Leader began clarifying.
`Well, what's killing it?' Quinn queried.
`It's not being killed.' Lachlan said finally tearing his eyes away from the bedroom and looking into the unusually green eyes. `It's being stolen.'