by Jade Frances
Girls, can you hear me? I reached through the bond. I felt a slight tingle enter my mind, but it wasn’t them. Silence greeted me. I let out a deep sigh and pulled my hand away. Dragging my feet, I followed Quinn and Miles. I only glanced back once. Pearce was still ramming himself into the barrier incessantly. A tear slid down my cheek at his anguish.
I’ll be back soon, tell Pearce I’ll be back, I sent to an empty bond.
I trudged feet behind, I had no reason to think I was in any danger; but I was aware that Miles was stronger than me, a lot stronger. He had proved that with whatever magic he had used. A magic that none of us had sensed. Quinn had been right about one thing; he was dangerous and different.
“We will stop at the base of the mountain and speak there,” Quinn had slowed down for me to catch up.
“Why only me?”
“My Uncle doesn’t like visitors. One is enough, the most important one was who he requested.” Quinn motioned with his head for me to hurry.
Most important one, I sure wished people would stop thinking of me in that way. We walked a little further, I was surprised that the bottom of the mountains was so close to town. It didn’t look that way on our arrival. Quinn and Miles slipped through a small opening in its base. I peeked in after them into complete darkness.
“Erm, hello, I can’t see,” I shouted through, not expecting an echo to repeat my words. Feet shuffled toward me and an arm reached out, grabbed my shirt and yanked me in. I let out a small yelp. It was damp and dark. I closed my eyes and told myself to breathe. I hadn’t suffered from claustrophobia before, no reason to panic now. A few moments later and my eyes fluttered open to see lights lining a small cavern wall. There were pillows on the floor around a bowl in the centre. But that was all. Unlike the passageway in, there was a warm feeling in here. It was... comfortable.
Quinn let go of my shirt and pointed to a pillow. Miles was already seated on the other side. I was hesitant, but curious, much like I had been when I came across Quinn. I sat down and crossed my legs. Miles was throwing stuff into the bowl, things I had never seen before and what looked like herbs. When he was finished, his intense gaze bore into me.
“You want the scythe, I know where it is, but first you must pass a test...” he stated. I looked at Quinn wide eyed.
“A test?”
“Drink what is in the bowl, you will come to no harm, I believe. I’m sorry I cannot tell you any more than that.” He wasn’t the most convincing. Nevertheless, I wanted this over with. I lifted the bowl with both of my hands and drank heartily. It tasted sweet and the liquid warmed my throat on its way down. I had just placed the bowl back down when my vision went black, and I felt my body slump and fall to the side. Then nothing.
Chapter 12
My eyes snapped open. My head was pounding. This must be what a hangover feels like. I lifted a hand to my head and looked around the cavern. Empty. Quinn and Miles were nowhere to be seen. Was this my test? Make it out through the dark passageway alone. God, why did I drink whatever was in the bloody bowl without asking more first. Always just jumping into situations. I stood slowly and massaged my temples.
“Quinn... Miles...” I repeatedly shouted. When no one appeared, I made my way over to where we had entered. Deep breaths. I placed a palm on either side of the walls and took one step into the dark passageway. When we entered, we had walked in a straight line. It should be easy enough. I took it one step at a time. Within a minute, I was engulfed in the darkness. Still, I kept moving. After a few minutes I began to wonder whether there were other passages and I had taken the wrong one. A small light bobbed in front of me, it was faint at first but grew bigger the closer it got to me. I squinted my eyes. It stopped in front of me, a ball of light that looked ready to burst. I raised an arm to shield my eyes.
Evangeline, Evangeline, can you hear me?
I froze. Rooted to the spot.
Answer me, please...
Waves of ice ran up and down my spine. Surely not.
I need you to listen and answer. Can you do that for me?
“Y.. yes Taylor,” I stammered. Part of me felt ridiculous replying, it had to be all in my head. But the light bobbing in front of me told me otherwise.
What is greater than God, more evil than the devil.
The poor have it, the wealthy need it.
And if you eat it, you die.
Answer wisely Evangeline, you only get one answer.
What the hell? A riddle. Well, it was a better test than wandering aimlessly through a dark passage, I supposed. I was good at riddles in the children’s home, even though that felt like a lifetime ago now. Ok, I just need to think. I repeated it over and over and again. Hoping for inspiration to hit. The surrounding darkness was beginning to feel suffocating. It was clouding my thoughts. Greater than God... the poor have it... Goddammit, I can’t think of anything.
I pounded my fists against the wall. The orb of light was beginning to fade.
You’re running out of time, Eve, think...
I whimpered at the shortened version of my name that Taylor had always used. Soon, he would fade to nothing and I would be alone, again. All of a sudden it clicked.
“Nothing, the answering is nothing,” I shouted.
Very good.
The fading orb started to float away from me and back down the passage.
“Tay, wait,” I called out after it, not wanting his voice to leave. I rushed forward to follow and stumbled. Deeper into the dark I went until the light from the orb faded completely. No, no, don’t leave me. I don’t want to be stuck in here.
Time for mine.
A new voice vibrated through the walls around me. This one ignited hatred and loathing. This one, I didn’t want to hear.
Don’t be bitter child, you will not escape this realm if you do not answer.
Sweat trickled down the back of my neck. I took in large gulps of air. The walls felt like they were closing in. Why him?
Are you ready?
“Get on with it, Father,” I replied through gritted teeth. He sniggered in response.
As you wish... answer this...
I am not alive, but I grow.
I don’t have lungs, but I need air.
I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me.
What am I?
I leaned against the wall, and like the first, repeated it over and over.
Got it yet?
“Go away,” I grumbled.
What about now?
“Are you a child? Go away.” I raised my hands and placed them over my ears. My feeble attempt at blocking out his voice didn’t work.
Time’s ticking.
“How am I supposed to think,” I yelled as I slid down the wall to sit on the ground.
Well, you aren’t the smartest.
“Argh.” I ignited my hands with fire and threw flames into the wall opposite.
And there you have your answer.
“What?” I shouted, but was only greeted with silence. Even though I was thankful his grating voice was gone, it didn’t make any sense.
I stayed on the ground for ages, staring into the darkness. Half of me was anxiously waiting for another voice, the other half hoped that one would come, so I didn’t feel so alone. But there was nothing, nothing but cold emptiness.
“Well… I can’t stay here forever,” I mumbled to myself. I rose slowly from the ground and ignited my fire to use as light. As I ambled down the passage, I wondered if I would ever find my way out. Darkness greeted me in every direction. My hands started to tremble, and I struggled to maintain the fire in my palms. Again, it felt like the walls were closing in on me. Tingles ran down my spine, it felt like something was watching me from the darkness. My throat tightened each time I took a gulp of air.
“Quinn, get me out of here… Quinn,” I shouted desperately.
Evangeline, follow my voice, follow the light, Evangeline.
“Pearce,” I looked around frantically, “Pearce, where are you?”
This better not be another apparition. It made more sense that Pearce would follow me into this hell though.
“Pearce,” I screamed again. A faint light caught my eye at the end of the passage, it was weak and barely there, but I was certain I had seen it. I darted in that direction. The closer I got, the more I could hear muffled voices. Whether they were from the light or inside the walls, only God would know.
What have you given her? Pearce was asking.
It is herbal, non-fatal, at least not to her body.
Why isn’t she waking up? Pearce was sounding more anxious.
“Waking up… I’m right here,” I mumbled and rolled my eyes. I was only a few feet away from where the faint glowing was now. It was clear it wasn’t a way out. Instead, when I reached it, I saw an opaque wall of sorts. I peered through, then reared back in shock. Pearce was there, on the other side, he was sitting on the floor with my body sprawled across him. My hand flew to my mouth as I heard him begging for me to come back to him, whilst cradling my head. I had never seen him in such a vulnerable state.
“You need to finish the riddles before you can join him.”
I turned and used all of my willpower to keep my anger from rising.
“Ava,” I growled at her. Unlike Taylor or Aresollo, Ava’s voice was accompanied by a ghostly full form of her. She cocked her head and grinned.
“As I said, you need to finish the riddles. Or you will be stuck here with me, and whoever else your subconscious conjures up.”
Like hell I will. I turned my back to her and drummed my fingers on my arms. Nothing had been the answer to the first one… but the second…
Had to be fire! Aresollo has said, “And there’s your answer,” when I had lit it in my hands.
“Nothing and fire,” I said hurriedly and faced Ava again. She rolled her eyes.
“You need to piece them both together,” her whiny, young voice held a hint of mockery.
“This is bloody ridiculous. Just let me go back,” I screamed. I turned and slammed my fists against the opaque wall. It shimmered and bent on contact but wouldn’t allow me through.
“What is this sick game… Pearce,” I screamed and pounded my fists again. After a few more futile attempts, I slid down to the floor. Tears dropped from my eyes as I rested my cheek on the wall. He’s right there…
“It’s really not that hard…” Ava spoke again, “put them together and what do you get?”
“I don’t know,” I whimpered back.
“Just think Evvy, put the words together.”
My skin crawled every time she spoke, I couldn’t concentrate.
“Just put them together,” her voice shook the walls around us. I saw my body begin to twitch in Pearce’s arms.
What’s happening? I heard him cry.
She has to answer, or she will be stuck in the other realm, Quinn moved to Pearce’s side and patted his shoulder.
Come on Evvy answer, you’ve got this… Taylor’s voice entered my mind. There are too many voices. Concentrate, nothing and fire.
I lit fire in my palms once more and stared into it. In the flickering flames I saw my reflection, scared and tired. Without my fire, I was defenseless. Without my fire, I was nothing. The wall I had been leaning against sucked me into it. Literally. Shock coursed through me, as the jelly like substance it was made of clung to every inch of me. The last thing that I saw was the apparition of Ava smirking at me, then everything went black.
I jolted up and gasped for air. Pearce barely gave me a moment to come around before he pulled me into a tight hug.
“Can’t… breathe…” I gasped into his shoulder.
“Sorry, sorry, are you ok?” He pushed me back at arm’s length and looked me up and down. “You look fine, now let’s get out of here,” He attempted to drag me to my feet, but I resisted.
“Wait,” I said quietly. I looked at Miles and folded my hands under my arms. I didn’t want him to see them trembling. Or sense the pounding headache I had. “What was that? Trapping me in the darkest part of my mind, are you crazy?”
He shuffled and turned his gaze from Quinn to me. It was intense.
“Some may say so. That was not your mind, it was another realm. Many don’t make it through the test of self-reflection.”
“They are stuck there, aren’t they… in the walls,” I mumbled. He merely nodded in response.
“Why would you leave them there?” A single tear ran silently down my cheek. The thought of being stuck in that never ending darkness was terrifying.
“It is a risk most are willing to take to complete a journey,” he responded, his voice void of any emotion.
“I wasn’t willing to do that! You never told me the risks…” I finally found my voice and courage. I jabbed an accusing finger toward him. Pearce pulled me back into his arms.
“You wish to acquire the scythe, without knowing if you were able to pass, I couldn’t allow it,” he held his arms up and grinned. The action didn’t look right, there was a madness to his smile that I didn’t trust. In my silence, Pearce spoke.
“To pass… be self-reflective… what does that even mean?” he leaned forward and pushed me behind him.
“What was your last thought before the doorway pulled you back through to here?” Miles averted his eyes from Pearce and laid them back on me.
“I am nothing without my fire,” I told him and looked to the ground.
“Ha-ha,” Miles clapped his hands together, “you see, fire is not gifted often. It is raw, dangerous and the most powerful gift, but it can also purge and purify if you wish it to.”
My God, he is a rambling lunatic.
I gave Pearce an amused look, only to see that he wasn’t smiling back. He was staring intently at Miles. Studying him curiously.
“Are you saying she can purify herself?” He asked.
“There is a chance the scythe will do that for her… yet again, there is a chance that it won’t.” Miles clasped his hands together and turned to leave.
“Hey, Wait. What does that mean?” I left the safety of Pearce and darted after him. When he turned to face me, I was shocked to see tears pooling in his eyes. What the hell? I took a step back. He really was Mad Miles.
“So young… too much power… surely will die…” he was muttering as he turned and disappeared into thin air. I watched the space that he had been in, with my mouth wide open. Surely will die…
“What did he say? I couldn’t hear.” Pearce joined my side. I snapped my mouth shut and shrugged without looking at him.
“God only knows, let’s get back to the others,” I strolled past him and gestured for Quinn to show us which passage was the way out. I couldn’t tell Pearce what I had heard, he would only worry.
Chapter 13
“Thank the God’s you’re ok,” Rose cried as she ran up and pulled me into a warm embrace. I hugged her tightly back and noticed the tremble in my hands had gone. I felt her stiffen beneath me. I was just about to ask what was wrong, when I felt her energy hum around us. Before I could stop her, she had formed a leash of air, wrapped it around Quinn and was pulling him toward us. “You,” she cried, “you went behind our back and endangered her.”
Quinn’s eyes were pleading with me to do something, but I knew Rose wouldn’t hurt him. Maybe. Plus, he did deserve it.
“I cou... couldn’t take you all to him,” the restraint Rose had on his arms was tightening. I watched as he tried to struggle against it. Only when his face started turning a deep shade of red, did I intercept Rose.
“He’s no use to us dead Rose, plus I’m back unharmed,” with a gentle tap on her shoulder, I strolled past her.
“Who said he is of any use to us anymore...”
I knew she would release him; she couldn’t hold on to anger as long as the rest of us. To my surprise though, she held him there until I had reached the others.
“So, did you get it? The scythe...” Barak kept his eyes on Rose while talking to me.
&nbs
p; “No, he didn’t have it, but we can pass through the mountains now,” I told him. “I say we pack up and get a move on, we aren’t the only ones after it.”
Egan was throwing me a quizzical look, as if he could see right through my charade. Sandra hadn’t left Dakota’s side, which hurt me a bit, as well as confused me.
“What happened then?” Rose asked once she had jogged over.
“Nothing,” I snapped a little too harshly. I looked at her shocked expression and felt guilty. “It was nothing, just a weird test.” I calmed myself and assured her with a slight smile.
“Mm, ok. So, what’s the plan?”
“Honestly... I have no idea. Find the scythe, I guess...” I replied, with little confidence. Which could kill me in the process.
“Am I the only one wondering what the hell we do once we find the scythe?” Sandra shouted out.
“If we find it,” Dakota added.
Everyone paused and stared at me as if I held all the answers. I looked around at all of them.
“To hell if I know,” I shrugged. A few open mouths met my stares. “What? I don’t know any more than you guys do,” I told them.
Quinn coughed, and at first, I thought it was one of his fits, before I realised he was doing it to gain everyone’s attention.
“If I may,” he held up his hand, “I believe, once you have the scythe in your possession, you are to banish Ares with it. Then all will be right in the world.” He held up his arms and grinned, much like Miles had. I grimaced at him and shook my head.
“Nope, that’s someone else’s problem. I’ll give it to whoever wants to go up against a God.”
“Erm, well there’s a slight problem with that... no one else but you can,” he replied. I stormed up to him with my fists clenched.
“What does that mean? And no riddles like your Uncle,” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“You are the only one with the power to wield the weapon and to banish Ares.”
My head began to spin, and black dots splayed across my vision. Surely he was joking. Oh no. It’s been a while since this had happened. My mind went black.
