Part Four

Barrier Chapter One, Part Four

Chrissy looked puzzled. He glanced at Nikki, then Adelaide, and finally at the new blond. "A lead-in? What are you talking about?"

At least Nikki looked as confused as he was. It was a small comfort. But a gradual expression gave way on the other boy's face, one of shock and realization. "Oh my god..."

The girl smiled, only her eyes showing a glint of sadness. "It's been awhile."

Nikki shook his head in disbelief. "But...ten years...you can't be..."

"After everything you've seen in the past few days, you're still clinging to logic?" Teng was suddenly behind Chrissy, leaning nonchalantly against the top of the sofa.

Chrissy frowned. "I'm out of the loop on this one..."

The girl turned to him now, offering a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I'm Emefaer Blair," she paused, sneaking a glance at the other boy. "Nikki's mom."

Taken aback, he made an odd face. "His mom? You look the same age!"

"Emi's a Spirit Agent, like me," Adelaide explained. "Or at least she used to be."

"Spirit Agent...?" Nikki was still having a bit of trouble getting over his initial shock. "But you..."

"Can a Spirit Agent have children?" Chrissy asked, taking a stab at what his friend was getting at.

Emi sighed, as if gearing up for a long story. She took a seat on the old recliner, drawing her legs up to her chest. "I stopped. I gave up being a Spirit Agent so I could have a family. I became a human...sort of."

"Can you actually do that?"

"Yes and no," Teng spoke up. "It's possible. But the Agency doesn't allow it. Technically she's a fugitive."

Emi looked at the stunned boy, seeking forgiveness. "I know you probably hate me, but I had to leave. Both to keep you all safe from the Agency and to keep the humans from asking questions. Because of what I am, I don't age, so I couldn't have stayed. I tried to for as long as I could..."

Adelaide, who was standing beside her at this point, put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Teng raised an eyebrow at the redhead. "Are you gonna say anything or what?" he deadpanned.

Nikki had been staring fixedly at the floor right next to his mother for a few minutes. Finally he tore his vision away, looking at the others in turn. He shook his head in a dull panic, managing a short 'I'm sorry' before taking off out the door.

Emi sighed again, shoulders slumping. "I told you he hates me."

"Coward," Teng glared icily at the open door. "If he thinks running away will solve anything, then I think we need a new guardian."

Chrissy pushed past him. "Back off. I'll go talk to him." He followed his friend out, aware of the demon's eyes on him as he did.

He had to search for a few minutes before he found Nikki, a flash of bright red hiding behind the half-collapsed stone wall. Quietly, he caught up to him, climbing up the wall and leaning over him. "You gonna be okay?"

Nikki didn't look up. "You're kidding me, right?"

He sat down on the stone, moving around and trying to catch a glimpse of his face. "She looked really sad, you know..."

Head between his hands, he curled up. "I...I can't handle all this..."

Chrissy hopped off the wall, sitting beside him. "Hey, it's okay. We'll go back in and get everything settled--"

Nikki finally looked up at him, tears shining in his blue eyes. Chrissy felt something in his chest sink. "It's not just that! It's all of it! I can't do this kinda thing, it's way beyond me!"

The younger boy gave what he hoped was a comforting smile. "It's alright. This is some pretty weird stuff to take in, and I know you're freaked out. I am too. But we're all here for you, and we'll get through it."

Nikki looked off to the side. "I don't see how you're able to stay so calm about everything."

He shrugged a bit. "It's my nature. I never worry about things I can't change."

Nikki was silent for a moment. Finally he mumbled. "I wish I could be as strong as you."

Chrissy looked at him, surprised. "Me? I'm not strong at all, trust me. You're the amazing one."

He closed his eyes, voice almost inaudible. " 'M not anything like that...I can't even handle seeing her."

"Aw, c'mon, you're making me feel bad," the purple-haired boy laughed sheepishly "The way you've handled this all so far--Victoria, Trey--"

Frowning, Nikki sat up. "What're you talking about? I keep screwing up. What happens when someone <i>really</i> bad comes along?"

With a small smile, Chrissy leaned over and tapped the guardian's forehead with a finger. "Then I'll help you kick their ass too. Okay?"

Finally Nikki gave in. He smiled back wiping his eyes with his coat sleeve. "Promise?"

"Promise. So d'you think you're ready to go back in there" He stood, pulling the taller boy up with him.

Nikki sighed. "No...but I will anyway."

"There's the spirit! Let's go."

"Go where?" another voice asked. Fully expecting another demon attack, the pair was relieved to see Kit walking up the pathway, carrying a few grocery bags.

His brother shook his head. "Uh, nowhere...back inside..."

Chrissy grabbed one of the bags. "I'll help you," he motioned with his head at Nikki. "You should make sure the door's open."

Nikki nodded, sprinting ahead. Back inside, Teng was reclining on the couch. "Well, look who decided to come back."

Ignoring the demon, he turned instead to Emi and Adelaide, who were conversing by the chair. "Kit's coming. You guys gotta split."

Teng folded his arms behind his head. "Just chill. Humans can't see us."

"He's my other son," Emi replied, a half-smirk on her face.

"Well, why didn't you say that before?" He disappeared in a small flash, like a camera's light.

Adelaide turned into her small form, perching on Emi's head, who got up and headed for the stairs. At the top, she looked down at him.

He smiled at her. "We'll talk later, okay?"

She returned the smile with a nod, wandering into the upstairs hallway and out of sight. Chrissy and Kit came in, taking the bags into the kitchen. Kit looked over at him in the doorway, and he half-expected some very unneeded questioning.

"It's your turn to cook tonight."

He grinned, relieved. "Fair enough."

***

Nikki growled softly in frustration, turning over in the bed and wrapping the blankets closer around him. He couldn't sleep. He didn't want to have that dream again; it really scared him.

On the other side of the bed, a small space away, Chrissy lay still, resting peacefully. Nikki watched him, the even rise and fall of his breathing. He wondered why the younger boy put up with all this, after they'd only just met. He could easily just get up and leave, but he stayed.

'I never worry about things I can't change.' It was a good rule to live by. So even if he didn't choose to be anyone's guardian or whatever, he had to do all he could now. That was all he was expected to do.

Feeling a little better, he settled back down and relaxed. At least if he had the nightmare, Chrissy would be there to wake him up.

He didn't dream that night. Chrissy did, however, and although it had nothing to do with darkness, awoke quickly from it. He didn't like being helpless in dreams. Especially where others were concerned. He turned awkwardly to face Nikki. His hair was in his face, which made him laugh a little. 

He drifted off to sleep again, feeling a bit of a loss for some reason.

***

Nikki stifled a yawn. Staying up most of the night worrying had rewarded him with Adelaide bursting into their room early the next morning.

"C'mon, we've got things to do," she yanked the blanket off the bed, uncovering them. She started a bit, finding Chrissy sharing the bed. Thinking it better not to ask, she wordlessly raised an eyebrow. Nikki curled into a ball.

Adelaide managed to get them up, dressed and downstairs, like a mother preparing her children for school. Draping himself over the sofa, the redhead closed his eyes, immediately feeling that cloudy feeling in his head as he drifted back to sleep.

Emi nodded in his direction, getting Adelaide's attention. The Spirit Agent sighed, pulling at the boy's collar. He jerked up in surprise.

"What's with the early wake-up call?" Chrissy, not quite as tired as his friend, reclined on the chair next to Emi, who sat cross-legged in the air, typing away at her laptop. He watched her for a moment, then shrugged. Nothing was considered odd anymore.

Adelaide poked at Nikki again, determined to keep him awake. "I told you, The Agency runs like an office. They have a strict nine-to-five schedule. And your appointment is early."

"Sounds like a drag. I hate stuffy office personnel," Nikki mumbled, running a hand through his hair in attempt to keep himself awake. He was fighting a losing battle.

"Didn't you sleep last night?" Emi watched him with concern.

Not wanting to mention the dreams, he just shook his head. "Not really."

Adelaide couldn't hide the smirk on her face. "Maybe you two should stay in separate rooms."

They both stared at her in shock. Nikki, his face turning nearly the same colour as his hair, buried his face in his arms. Chrissy shot the girl a half-glare, and she looked surprised. It was only a joke...

She shook it off. "At any rate, we need to go. I already took the liberty of assuming that you're both going, so let's get this over with."

"Sounds like a plan," Chrissy stood up. "How do we get there? If it's like anything else lately, it's definitely not gonna be on a bus route."

"Now you're getting the idea," Emi grinned at him. He found himself smiling back at her.

Adelaide looked like she needed a rest herself. "Just get over here."

The two boys moved to her side. Nikki looked at Emi, who was watching them with mixed amusement. "I guess it wouldn't be a good idea for you to just waltz in there, huh?"

She smiled. "Don't worry, you'll be done soon. It's not too bad."

"Maybe we'll do a tour of the place," Adelaide added, her frustration fading.

Nikki looked down, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I guess so..."

Chrissy looped an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Aw, c'mon. You gonna start being a mama's boy all of a sudden?"

Nikki cracked a smile. Chrissy caught Emi's eyes for a moment, silently thanking him. He nodded. "Okay, Angel-Girl, let's head out!"

Good-naturedly, Adelaide grabbed either boy's arm. A bright light made them close their eyes. Nikki felt his stomach drop, like the downward fall of a roller coaster. Slightly unpleasant, but not injuring.

The effect was worse on Chrissy, being fully human. As soon as the light faded, he fell to his knees. He felt grass under his hands. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"That's the problem with Transporting humans," Adelaide sighed. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine once everything stops spinning," he mumbled. Nikki helped him to his feet, looking around.

They were no longer in the castle's poorly-renovated living room--they weren't even inside anymore. The three stood in a well-manicured front lawn. There were shrubs dotting the landscape, and a huge building towered in front of them at least thirty or forty stories high. Nikki and Chrissy stared up at it, mouths agape. "And here I thought all this corporate stuff was just a joke!" Chrissy shrugged.

Adelaide, unimpressed with the building she'd seen for dozens of years, walked past them. "Let's just get this over with."

The boys followed obediently. Past the doors was an expansive lobby, with a fountain in the center. It looked like a modern uptown office. The only difference was in the people. The secretary at the desk, people in suits getting on and off the elevators--they all had wings just like Adelaide's.

Nikki inched closer to the girl, feeling out of place. Looking over, he found Chrissy didn't seem as nervous. The purple-haired boy was admiring the fountain.

Adelaide led them to the elevator at the end of the lobby. Inside, she pushed the button for the top floor.

Chrissy made a face. "Is that Muzak?"

Blinking, Nikki tilted his head. Sure enough, the almost-annoying sound of elevator music filtered through the speakers. Apparently some things never changed. He laughed.

The bell rang and the door slid open. Entirely too short a ride for forty floors. A long hall stretched out in front of them, darkly-lit and undecorated. A start contrast to the rest of the building. Adelaide grabbed the cuff of his jacket sleeve, pulling him out of the safety of the elevator. Chrissy followed behind. Even he was starting to look apprehensive.

The hall led directly to one door The girl knocked on the door and waited. A few seconds later, it opened.

"Go on in," she ushered.

Nikki looked at her in fear. "I have to go by myself?"

She nodded. "It's okay, we'll be right out here."

Chrissy gave him a reassuring smile. Nikki bit his bottom lip and slipped inside the office. Aside from a very large desk and plush chair, currently turned away from him, the room was empty. A large window took up the entire far wall; it was the only light in the room.

Wide-eyed, the redhead slowly made his way to the desk. It was some kind of dark wood, polished until it shone, reflecting the small light from the window.

"H-Hello?"

The voice that responded was light, like a child, but the tone demanded to be taken seriously. "You're the new keeper of the Barrier, correct?"

"That's right."

"Nicholas Blair, second son of ex-Agent Emefaer Blair. Do you know anything about your mother, boy?"

Nikki didn't particularly care for being addressed as 'boy', and he certainly wasn't going to give away any information on his fugitive mother. "I know she left when I was a kid. Addie told me she was a Spirit Agent."

"Hmm. Your mother was a traitor. She's managed to escape us for awhile, but don't think that means you'll be so lucky, should you decide to betray us as well."

He glared at the chair, but said nothing.

"You shouldn't get offended. It's the truth. Because of your family history, we're watching you closely. The Barrier is monumentally important, and it will be protected at all costs. Am I understood?"

"Yeah, I get it," he replied dryly. Any fear he'd held was now turned to anger. How dare they ask him to do this and the turn around and insult him and his mother...

"I'm leaving you in Agent Adelaide's care. You're dismissed."

Nikki stormed out of the office, past Adelaide and Chrissy, not stopping until he reached the elevator. The two ran to catch up with him as he jabbed the button down angrily.

"Yo, what's wrong?" Chrissy leaned forward to see his expression under his hair.

"I need to get out of here," he answered, clenching his teeth tightly.

Adelaide nudged his shoulder, smiling conspiratorially. "Wanna go see Teng's office first?"

He raised an eyebrow, still not over his indignancy. "I don't know..."

Chrissy grinned, pulling on the taller boy's arm as the elevator door opened. "Let's just do it. It's bound to put you in a better mood than whatever went on in there. What happened, anyway?"

Nikki shook his head in near-disgust. "I don't even wanna talk about it right now. Maybe later."

Adelaide pushed the button for the thirty-sixth floor. "I'm sure I know. But let's go see Teng first. Then we can go home, okay?"

In truth, Nikki didn't want to. The whole building had taken on an offensive air after the meeting, and he didn't want to linger in it. And the blue-skinned demon was never a welcome presence, to him at least. But the other two were dead-set on going, so he may as well get it over with. Finally he relented. "Whatever..."

By then they'd already reached the thirty-sixth floor. Unlike the top floor, this one retained its corporate design. A grid of small cubicles took up the majourity of the floor, with Spirit Agents and a number of different, unknown demons working at computers.

"What're they doing?" Chrissy asked Adelaide, looking around curiously.

"Montinoring demons. The ones that were trapped here when the gates were sealed."

Nikki frowned again. "I find it hard to believe that you can keep track of <i>every</i> demon."

She shrugged a bit. "The ones we know about, at least."

Leading them through a maze of cubicles, she stopped at one near the far corner. It was unoccupied, and filled with the typical office furniture one would expect. A desk and chair, two file cabinets, two bulletin boards and a shelf. Chrissy took a seat in the chair, spinning around to face the computer.

"Let's see how much porn he has on here."

"A one-track mind, I see," Teng spoke up. He stepped into the mock-office, carrying a stack of folders and a mug of coffee, complete with a little frowny face stamped on it.

Chrissy smirked. "Gotta go with your strengths, y'know."

"Get out of my chair."

The human relented the furniture, standing beside Nikki once more. "Aren't you happy we came to visit?"

"I'm ecstatic," he deadpanned. "How'd the meeting go?" he turned to Adelaide.

"Not so well, I'm afraid," she replied, glancing at her charge. "I'm sure it'll be okay though."

Nikki shrugged, feigning uncaring. "I just don't like it here."

Teng laughed. "Welcome to the real world. Just don't piss them off and they'll stay out of your way, for the most part."

Adelaide ruffled the demon's hair, much to his dismay as he batted her hand away. "At any rate, I'd better get these two home. I beleive Chrissy has to help at home today."

Teng waved them off. "Good riddance...I have work to you, you know."

Nikki thought, as they turned to leave, that he saw a tiny smile on the demon's lips. It struck him, a passing thought, that maybe he wasn't really as bad as he wanted them to think he was...

"Hey, kid," he called after him, getting Nikki's attention. "Don't go getting gang-banged by demons again, okay?"

Then again, maybe he was just an ass.

---

Nikki leaned on his arms, gazing out of the window in his room. Chrissy was at his own house, as he'd been the past two days. He found himself missing the boy quite a bit. At the very least, he found it a bit difficult to sleep without the now-familiar presence. With these dreams, he wondered if he'd ever be able to have a room to himself again.

He pushed himself off the stone ledge, wandering down the corridor, hands shoved uselessly in his pockets. Kit spent most of his time in town lately, whether he'd found some work or was just hanging out, he didn't know. The girls hadn't been around all day, and he was even willing to settle for Teng's company. But the demon seemed to be quite the workaholic when he wasn't teasing the guardian, so Nikki'd been left to his own devices for the better part of three days now. He was at a loss for activities.

Finally, he just decided to roam the grounds of the old castle. He hadn't been out there very much, being otherwise occupied, and it seemed to be good weather for an outside excursion.

Although he made a mental note not to talk to any demons he may meet along the way. Don't hang out around the wolves, Little Red...

Grabbing his favourite green jacket and his sketchbook, Nikki left a note of the living room table in case someone came looking for him. Then he took off, walking along the half-demolished stone wall, following it as far as it went.

The wall ended in a vast meadow, with grass left uncut to grow almost waist-high. He spun around, looking up at the daytime sky. Watching the clouds, he fell back, resting on a bed of grass and cattails.

"So what do you think?"

Nikki looked around. He was alone in the meadow, but the voice had been unmistakably heard. "What?"

"I said, what do you think?"

He frowned. "About what?"

"About holding the Barrier, you stupid child."

"I'm really getting sick of you people patronizing me, okay?" He glared, feeling stupid himself, for talking to a voice that wasn't there.

The voice that wasn't there now sounded vaguely amused, as if enjoying getting an ire out of him. "Then you should stop deserving it."

Nikki said nothing.

"Are you trying to ignore me now? You're not proving your maturity, you know. All I asked was a simple question."

"Go to hell," he stood up, walking off. Whatever this voice was, he wasn't going to play into its game.

Something black shot out from the tall grass, wrapping itself around his ankle and pulling taut. He tripped, falling back into the grass. More of the dark strings were waiting, snaking unseen through the grass to bind him to the ground.

"Let go!" he yelled, squirming uselessly against the bonds.

"Don't blame me. I tried to do things the easy way. Now answer some questions for me. Why were you chosen to hold the Barrier?"

Nikki frowned petulantly. "I don't know."

The cords pulled against him, squeezing the breath from his chest momentarily. Just like his dream, except this time it was real, without a doubt. He screamed again.

"Don't lie to me, boy."

"I don't know, I swear!"

"You must have some kind of power to have the Agency entrust their most important artifact to a mere boy. It keeps their very way of life safe..."

It was hard to breath, let alone speak. The cords tightened a bit more as whatever was controlling them grew angrier. He managed to choke out another reply of "I don't know what you mean!"

The voice growled darkly. "You're of less use to me than I originally thought. Just give me the Barrier."

"No!"

"You're hardly in a position to deny me anything, boy. I'm giving you a chance to save your life, now give me the necklace or I'll take it!"

He started his struggles anew, as purposeless as before. "NO!"

The black tendrils squeezed hard, another pained yell errupting from him. A new string wove through the air, making to yank the pendant from his neck.

As soon as it touched the small metal charm, it shot back as if in pain. The coil's controller howled, and a bright light filled the small clearing, making Nikki shut his eyes tight. He felt his restraints dissolve and by the time he could see again, he was alone in the meadow once more.

He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain that lingered from the back ties. He didn't stop running until he reached the safety of the castle.

---

Emi had just set up in the living room, content to work with her laptop files when her son burst in. She stared at him in shock, taking in his pained expression and ragged appearance. "What happened?"

He didn't say anything, tears building in his eyes. Then instinctively, he ran to her, wrapping his arms around her as he'd done as a child, when hurt. He was breathing heavily, trying to choke back a few scared sobs. She didn't say anything else, just held him tightly, rubbing his back softly until he calmed down.

"I'm sorry..." he said finally, voice strained. His chest still hurt, although significantly less than ten minutes ago.

She shook her head with a calming smile. "We're still family, remember? Despite everything..."

He looked down. "I...I didn't mean to run out the other day...I just panicked, and...there's so much going on right now, and I--"

The blond cut him off. "Forget it. Don't worry, I understand. Let's just try our best now, okay?" Her smile grew warmer, as he nodded his agreement. "So where's your friend? I haven't seen him lately."

"He's taking care of his siblings. His mom's too busy." He rubbed at the center of his chest absently, wondering if he would bruise from his encounter.

Emi chuckled. "I have an idea. Let's go over there and visit."

His eyes lit up a bit. "Yeah? I never even thought of that. You wanna?"

Standing up, she stretched. "Sure. Addie and Teng are still at work, so we've got some time to kill."

Nikki changed his shirt, torn from the unknown demon's attack, and the pair left. Down the path opposite the stone was was the caretaker's house, which looked entirely too small to hold the six people Chrissy said lived there.

Emi knocked on the door, and Chrissy answered a few moments later. He was a little shocked to see Emi outside of the castle at first, but he was happy to see them nonetheless, and let them in. He motioned them to sit on the couch, as Nikki looked around the place curiously.

"We decided to visit since we missed you at the house," Emi grinned. "Where's all those kids I heard you were watching?"

Chrissy sighed, seeming to melt into his chair. "I finally got them occupied upstairs. Now I've got some time to clean up and start dinner before Mom gets home."

Nikki smiled, trying to hide his relief. "So are you gonna be back tonight?"

The purple-haired boy shrugged tiredly. "With any luck...it all depends on her mood."

"Do you want some help cleaning?" Emi offered. "The more we can do to brighten her mood, the better your chances."

"Nah, I can't make you guys clean my house when you come to visit..."

One of the kids, a boy about four or five, came thumping down the stairs, crying. He ran straight to his older brother. "They won't let me play with them!"

Chrissy sighed, scooping the boy up in his arms, carrying him to the base of the stairs. He yelled up to the others. "Let your brother play too!"

"He's messing it up!" a girl complained from the top stair.

"I don't care. Get along or I'll find new places to hide the bodies!" He dropped his brother gently on the top stair, watching him scurry up them quickly. With a groan, Chrissy flopped back into his chair.

"I'm never having kids."