Trial and Tribulation Copyright 1997 Renee a. k. a. Alethea All " NiGHTS" characters and related indica copyright and TM of one or more of the following: Sega Enterprises and/or Sega of America Used without permission Etienne and related characters and indica copyright Jeanette Merrell Used without permission Dunamis, Alethea, Frost, Aldwyn, Salpinx, Nettle, Tarragon, Rhian, and related characters and indica copyright Renee. This document may be freely distributed as long as it is not modified in any way. Trial and Tribulation (Part 4) Nights looked around the cell. He was alone. It was cold, and the sun had set. Nights was in misery. He looked around for a way out. There wasn't one. He tried to sit up, and nearly passed out. His side hurt mercilessly. He lay down again and looked at the door, then closed his eyes. Nights couldn't sit up, much less fight his way out. The King would probably send someone to get him out. He tried to remember what had happened during the battle. He remembered the arrow, and he remembered falling, then things got very jumbled. He recalled lying on the ground for awhile, but he could not remember how long. He vaguely remembered someone kneeling over him, and remembered being picked up. That was however, all he remembered. *** Aldwyn's group flew through the forest. He sighed and looked around. Dunamis wanted a group to search the forest in case Nights or Salpinx were lost or had not been able to make it back but had made it to the forest. Aldwyn felt like he was wasting his time. He had a panicked feeling that he knew where they were. He heard something rustle the branches nearby, and he turned around. Etienne flew out. " You haven't seen Nights or Salpinx, have you?" " No, aren't they back at the base?" " No, they're missing." " Where was Nights last seen." " He was at the battle. I don't think he came back. Salpinx never even made it to the battle. He was on a mission with me, but he didn't come back." Eti's eyes widened. " You don't think that they have been captured or..." " Dunamis is already checking the field." " Let me come with you." " Alright." *** Dunamis flew over the field. The Nightmaren army had already left, and the Nightopian troops had spread out over the field and were looking for any sign of Nights or Salpinx. Dunamis flew over a group of boulders, then stopped. Several small glittering, gold objects were lying on the ground. Dunamis landed and picked one of them up. It was a gold star. He looked down. There were three others. Dunamis felt a surge of terror stream through him. Someone behind him called to Dunamis, and he turned around. Aldwyn flew over to him. " We've looked everywhere, and we haven't seen a trace of either one of them." " I think I just did." Aldwyn looked at the star in Dunamis's hand and stared. " Dunamis, you don't think that he could have been killed do you!" " I hope not! I REALLY..." Dunamis saw Eti coming toward them and stopped talking. Eti flew over and saw the star in Dunamis's hand. She also noticed the three on the ground. Eti whitened and looked at Dunamis. " Where's Nights?" Dunamis looked at Aldwyn. " He's not here, he can't be dead." Eti relaxed a little, but Aldwyn did not. " That's wishful thinking. I think we should check the Castle of Nightmare." Dunamis nodded. *** A few hours later, several of the Nightopian troops sneaked into Nightmare. " Here we go again." murmured Aldwyn. He looked over his shoulder at Dunamis, who was lying on the ground. " We'll be better off if we start looking tomorrow. Late in the evening, fewer Nightmaren troops are in the halls, and there are more guards." Dunamis panted. Aldwyn nodded in agreement. The rebels crawled over to a large cluster of grass and rocks. *The next morning* Salpinx felt like he was going to freeze solid. It was very early in the morning, and he had been unable to sleep at all. It was too cold. He wondered dully how many other beings were in this place, and how many nights of this they must have gone through. He wondered how many he would have to go through. The clouds seemed to threaten more winter rain, and Salpinx wondered how much of it would blow through the window and freeze. The weather in Nightmare was frustratingly unpredictable. All of the prison seemed to stay wet. He leaned against the driest wall and looked tiredly at the door. Salpinx felt numb, and tired, and every time he breathed it hurt. A slight disturbance outside of the cell caught his attention. Salpinx listened as something bumped against the door. He did not move. The clamor died down, and he could tell by the sounds outside the cell, that the guards were leaving. Salpinx walked up to the door, leaned against it and listened. Then a strange thought crossed Salpinx's mind. " No, that would be too easy!" he murmured, stifling a chuckle, then winced sharply. " They would have to be moronic!" Salpinx pushed on the door, and it opened. He was barely able to keep from laughing, and his side felt like it had a knife in it. " I can't believe they that they forgot to lock it! This is unreal!" He leaned against the wall, and waited for the pain in his chest to stop. "Reala may have had to go through the wall, but the King can provide a much easier way out. Just walk through the door. This is just like the King." Salpinx walked down the hall.