Sorry about the horrendously long wait, not only did I have work and school, my laptop died and I lost a lot of info for this story and my other ones. So hopefully I'll be able to work past that.
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Chapter 18
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It felt as if a fragile eggshell had been surrounding his very soul and had been viciously shattered as he'd watched the woman he loved literally choose to fall to her death instead of letting the idiot go. Pure unadulterated remorse flooded past the crumbling pieces of shell and for the first time in weeks he felt emotions other than jealousy and rage.
Nina was gone.
Eddie was gone.
His best friend and the woman he loved were either dead or going to die when they reach the bottom of the seemingly endless pit
He would have sat there staring into oblivion if the following pandemonium hadn't very nearly knocked the shocked boy into the abyss as well. Luckily the police officer quickly grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulled him to safety and the three social workers dropped to their knees holding their heads as if trying to block out a bombarding cacophony.
"The mission's compromised," the police officer growled at the three prone women, "Fight through the damn headaches and stand the hell up. We have to figure out how to salvage this mess."
"Shut up, Aegeus," the social worker known as Michelle Bridgewater groaned as she pulled herself up against the nearest wall still holding her head, "You've never had a whole new personality shoved into your head and then pulled out again."
"Ana, there are more important things to worry about. Amneris just fell who knows how many feet and is likely laying somewhere below splattered like a pancake. We were ordered to protect and retrieve her when the time was right. Not ensure she got killed," Mathers agreed.
"Perhaps if the council hadn't forced us all to go so deep cover that we forgot who we were, the mission would have been more affective!" Bakerson shot back, before turning and eyeing the confused Fabian, "He dropped the boy on purpose and used some sort of spell on me earlier this evening to get me on his side. "
"I gathered as much," Bridgewater grimaced, "But whatever it was that was controlling him seems to have lifted."
Fabian scrambled to his feet to confront them, "What the bloody hell is going on?! Who the fuck are you people?! REALLY! 'Cause you're sure as hell not social workers or a bleeding cop!"
The four shared a glance amongst themselves, as if debating the best way to continue.
With a turn of her hand, an ID seemed to materialize in "Michelle's" hand.
"My name is Agent Anastasia Abubakar. I come from a long line of people who have sworn an oath to the Crown and to the Paragon to protect Amneris' subsequent reincarnations and legacies. We had a spell placed on us to remove our memories because it came to our attention that the administrators and faculties of this school as well as many other important people belong to an organization known simply as The Society. This group seems to have access to information and magic that would allow them to easily suss out our true identities and intentions," Anastasia explained to the bewildered boy.
"The – The Crown? Why?" Fabian managed to stutter in askance.
"Yes, the Crown," Bakerson answered this time, "The last time the Paragon was fully incorporated into this world, she was known as Eleanor of Aquitaine, and became Queen of France and the later the Queen of England. She used to power to ensure balance in the land as well as a establishing an Order, whose purpose was to assist and protect the Paragon, in any form she may take, as well as assist in the balancing of the world."
"But, they're powerful enough as it is?" Fabian said trying to piece together what he was hearing. His head was still reeling from having his soul released so violently, "Why would they need help?"
"Just as they have gathered the inhabitants of this house, they gathered us in their previous lives. You see, no king or queen can take the board with pieces to assist them," Aegeus replied, "Now, there will be time for questions later, we must retrieve your house mates and find a way to either rescue the Paragon or ameliorate the situation."
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Permeating cold jarred her awake as she splashed into a river of ice water. Eddie's hand was quickly ripped from her as the current roiled around her, smashing her against the detritus riddle river floor.
Just as quickly she was thrown back to the surface where she gasped for breath and spluttered as wriggling fingers grasped at her, forcing back beneath the thick liquid. It definitely wasn't water she realized, as stretched anatomy swirled around her.
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He'd decided that holding his breath was his best bet as he was tossed up against bounders, and small sharp object. Several times he had attempted to grab hold of the debris that littered the river floor, but it came up in his hands. Keys, bones, shoes, clothing. Again and again, his attempts were unfruitful until he was slammed against a smooth flat surface and the current was no longer able to drag him along.
Feeling the parameters of the object for hand holds, he grabbed at the first edge he found and pulled himself up, finally breaching the surface.
With a sharp hacking cough, he gasped for air as he expunged the familiar liquid from his lungs. It was soul water. The river was made from the corporeal form of souls; which meant he was in the underworld as that was the only place such a river existed.
Pulling himself farther out of the water until he could roll onto his back on the smooth marble river bank, his exhausted body finally allowed him to slip into unconsciousness.
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Eleanor smiled happily at her youngest daughter. The infant was laughing gaily as she shook the small silver rattle above her head. Her eldest daughter was napping quietly upon the small chaise on the other side of the room, carefully tucked in by her lady-in-waiting.
Suddenly the doors opened an a man servant, accompanied by a knight burst through, "Your Majesty, your husband the King has returned and wishes your presence in the war chamber."
"Very well, and what his venture successful?" she asked evenly, the way the man gulped told her the answer, "Never mind, I'll hear the answer from my husband's you would escort me? Lydia, stay here and watch the children, I do not know how long I'll be detained."
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Short I know but I had to give you guys SOMETHING!
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