Crystal Guardian

21

'Happy birthday,' said Aldric as he plonked the box into her lap.

'Oh,' uttered K as she picked it up to examine. 'Thank you. That was very thoughtful.'

'You're not going to open it?' Aldric asked.

'I'll take a proper look at it later,' she replied, gently placing it on the table.

A loud bang resounded through the walls and an angry Raiden appeared at the doors which he had slammed into the walls. Everyone turned to face him: some annoyed that the peaceful night had been disturbed by his entrance, some worried that he was going to ruin the party with his anger and some concerned that something else had happened. The latter were correct. Raiden strode in followed by the Eldest Elder. His face was cold and stern.

'This event ends now,' he said in his deep booming voice. The music stopped.

'Sorry K,' said Raiden as he appeared by her side. He too pulled up a chair.

'Where have you been?' she asked him.

'Been out thinking,' he said.

'You are all to stay here,' said The Eldest Elder. 'Keep together and do not go wandering off. We will report back to you as soon as possible but you are not to leave here! Do I make myself clear? Stay where you are. Don't go anywhere.'

'Goes on a bit doesn't he,' said Aldric when The Eldest Elder had left the room.

'This is no time to be funny,' scowled Raiden. 'Incursio has been sighted. It had been assumed that he somehow smuggled himself back with the army.'

'You mean they're back!' said Aldric, 'Since when?'

K slumped further into her chair. Raiden put his hand on her shoulder and K attempted a smile back but they were all too preoccupied to even contemplate smiling. Except for Kyrone who had just burst through the door, back from his visit to the toilet, a little stunned by the silence that faced him.

'Let's put that music back on and party,' he trampled over to K and pulled her up aggressively by the arm. 'Dance birthday girl.'

Raiden stood up. 'There's a situation going on,' he said sternly. 'You'd best sit down and be quiet like the rest of us.'

Kyrone blanked him out. 'Leave your loser friends,' he jeered. 'Come back with me.' He pulled her even more.

'I think you should stop talking now before your mouth gets you into trouble,' said K, taking back her arm. 'I'm not in the mood for dancing right now.'

'You were earlier, you were very keen,' said Kyrone as if he had just been insulted. 'Come on, it's your birthday. Show me your stuff. Show me some more.' He reached for her arm with more force than before.

'Get off,' she said. Kyrone protested but Raiden cut the two apart.

'Keep your repulsive hands away from her,' he said.

'She likes it really,' he sniggered but before he knew it, Raiden's fist had flown into his face and knocked him flat across the floor. Everyone in the room turned to face them. K was shielding her face in embarrassment. Raiden was breathing heavily. Aldric was stunned but Aurelia was grinning with a look on her face that suggested that she was close to bursting with laughter.

'And I thought LendoZiya was a non-violent place,' Aldric muttered to himself. It didn't seem that way. First Ty, Ivor, the guards and now Raiden was throwing punches. He couldn't help feeling that their arrival to the planet had caused some sort of disruption in the natural order of things. Kyrone shot up to his feet, enraged, but instead of looking to Raiden, his eyes found Aldric's.