Rough Seas

28 - I Put a Spell on You

Katherine held Jordan's hand tightly as they entered the temple. Ianite had called the two of them to the temple, saying that the spell would be complete soon. They were going to find out where Rupert was. Katherine didn't know whether to cry or be happy. She was going to get to see her brother again, but what if he was hurt? What if he had been tortured? Although Katherine had made Tom promise to try and protect Rupert, but she knew that he was just a man. A man who couldn't possibly force a god to not do something that he was already planning on. Pushing down those thoughts, Katherine took a deep breath in, not missing the way Jordan squeezed her hand gently. She could do this. She was going to find her brother.

"Hey, Kathy?" Jordan asked as they stopped outside of the door to Ianite's office. She hummed and turned to face him. He took her other hand in his, drawing her closer so that the two of them were barely a centimeter apart. "I just wanted you to know that I love you." He murmured, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead. As she giggled, flushing slightly, he continued. "And that whatever happens, I'll be by your side. We're gonna save your brother." He said earnestly, watching as Katherine smiled up at him.

"I know we will." She said quietly back. "I just hope that we can get him back before he's really hurt." She bit her lip nervously. "I'm not sure if I already told you this, but I asked Tom to try and keep Rupert out of harm's way." At the raised eye brow she got from Jordan, Katherine sighed and started again. "I know, it's a difficult request but... I was mad and scared for Rupert, and Tom was the only person that I could think of that would have some say over his treatment." Jordan sighed, bringing her in for a hug. He rested his cheek on her hair, squeezing her tightly as he felt his shirt starting to get slightly damp.

"I'm not mad at you, I would've done the same. Rupert would've done the same." Jordan whispered, feeling Katherine start to shake. "Hey, it's alright. Rupert will be fine." Truly, Jordan didn't know if what he said was going to be true. Tom could try all he wanted, but Dianite seemed set in his ways. "We're going to find him today, and then we'll be able to get him back. Maybe even Tom too." At that Katherine sniffled slightly, pulling away. Jordan wiped her tear stained cheeks, pressing another kiss to her forehead. Katherine let out a slight laugh, before she responded.

"Alright. Let's go in." Hand-in-hand, the couple walked through the large doors. If anyone noticed Katherine's red eyes, or Jordan's damp shirt, they said nothing of it.

"Katherine, Jordan." Ianite said as they entered her office, most of the furniture having been moved out of the way. In the middle of the room were a few chalk squiggles that Katherine couldn't really make out. The photograph that they had found was lying in the center of the chalk markings, face up. Martha stood outside the chalk markings, a leather-bound book in her hands. She looked up and smiled as Ianite spoke, shutting the book and placing it on Ianite's desk.

"Champion, Captain." Martha nodded to both of them, running a hand through her lilac hair. "We can start the process whenever you are ready." Jordan turned to glance at Katherine, who was biting her lip nervously.

"You ready?" Jordan murmured, reaching over with his other hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear. Smiling slightly, Katherine took a deep breath in. They were going to be fine. Rupert was going to be fine.

"Yeah." She responded, nodding slightly. Facing Martha, she put on a brave face. "We're ready now." Martha nodded, and walked over to the center of the chalk markings, kneeling down to place her hand on top of the photograph. She began murmuring in a language Katherine couldn't even hope to understand, and things in the room began to change. It got warmer, than cooler, and then even hotter than before. Martha began to speak much faster, her arms making strange motions around the photograph. There was a slight ball of white light forming over the photograph, and Katherine gasped as It flickered and pulsated, growing by the minute. She stepped backwards, almost dragging Jordan along with her. The two of them watched, half fearful and half amazed, as the ball of light began to rise as Martha stood, her eyes glowing slightly. With a sweep of her arm, the ball was left, frozen in midair. It crackled, sparks flying off of it as Martha twisted her hands, murmuring quietly. The sphere flattened out, becoming almost like a painting, or a mirror of sorts. It turned glossy, and Martha's hands fell to her sides, the woman herself panting slightly.

"This is what we will be able to see your brother through." Martha said, jerking her head towards Katherine. "Look, it's just starting to show now." She pointed at the magic, and Katherine gasped as a cell came into view. It wasn't very large, about the same size as the room Tom had stayed in in their temple. There was a small cot, and nothing else if the cell. When her brother came into view, Katherine nearly sobbed, watching her brother rest peacefully. Giving him a quick once-over, she determined that her brother was injury-free. Tom had kept his promise. Or, Dianite had actually listen to him. Either way, Katherine was grateful. Her brother was alive, and unharmed. What more could she ask for?

"Can you tell where he is?" Jordan asked, looking at Martha curiously. She nodded, and closed her eyes. Everyone as silent for a moment, Katherine and Ianite watching Rupert while Jordan watched as Martha's brow furrowed slightly. When she opened her eyes once more, there was a strange look to them. Martha seemed... Angry? Sad?

"The best I can say is that he's in Inertia. Quite a way in, I'm afraid." At that, Jordan cursed, running a hand through his hair.

"Shit. That place is probably one of the most fortified cities around. We'll need more troops than we already have." As Ianite turned away from Rupert, joining in Martha and Jordan's conversation about troops and battles, Katherine continued watching. Rupert stirred slightly, and she saw a figure moving into the cell. When she saw flames licking off of the person's body, she knew exactly who he was. Judging by the way Rupert had shot out of his bed, and was currently as far away from that demon as he could get, he also knew. That man, the one who had just entered Rupert's cell, the one made of flames and fire. He had murdered her parents. And now he was after her brother.