“What spider?” Skylar answered.
Rat, spider… Then I put two and two together.
“I get it. We all see our own fears,” I said.
Skylar eyed the spider/whatever nervously. Her fingers shook as she held her bow. “So what do we do?”
Yeah, what should we do? The spider inched toward us, making no threatening moves. But then it pounced, and we scrambled in different directions. The spider turned on me again. I shot a ball of fire, but as soon as it landed between the two largest eyes, the fire fizzled out.
The spider only blinked and looked agitated. It lunged at me with its fangs open, but I rolled beneath it and found myself staring up at the red hourglass mark. I concentrated and shot a bigger, more powerful blast of white-hot fire at the underbelly, but the fire bomb only hit the spider's hard exoskeleton armor and did a little firework show.
The spider scuffled forward, trying to figure out where I went. But I stayed under its abdomen where it can't bend its head to see. The spider's confusion gave me time to glance around. Everything was chaos. I ducked as an arrow whizzed by my ear. Skylar was shooting arrows that flew everywhere except at the spider. But I knew it wasn't from bad aim. Ariel made thick, gnarly brown roots spiral upwards, wrapping around something invisible and very big. Logan was dodging and throwing shards of ice at something unseen by me as well. Each of us had different fears, so we are actually fighting different enemies.
I only stood still for a second, but that was enough time for the spider to spot me. Using one of its legs, the spider swept me off my feet, and I landed on my back. With a flurry of legs, in the next blink of an eye I found myself wrapped from neck to toe in a cocoon of silver spider silk. It should've been easy to break through the cocoon because the webs were only pencil thick, but I couldn't even move no matter how hard I tried.
Then I recalled one science lesson when I learned about spiders and how their silk is stronger than steel. At the time I thought the information was useless, but life can surprise you. Who would've thought I would be wrapped like a mummy in spider webs with a giant black widow looming over me?
I tried to roll out of the way, but the spider caught me and placed one of its legs on my chest. It felt like an elephant was sitting on top of me. If the spider placed any more pressure on me, my ribs would be flattened. My heart pounded so hard that I could hear it in my ears. The spider's eight glassy black eyes stared down at me hungrily, and the two ten-inch fangs clacked together with anticipation of a tasty snack.
My mouth went dry, and the memory of that spider hiding in the toe of my boot resurfaced. Ever since, I developed a spider phobia. Just thinking about the eight-legged venomous creatures makes me shudder. And here standing in front of me was the ultimate spider nightmare.
The spider lowered its head, determined to savor my flesh, but before it could sink its fangs into my sides, Skylar leaped in front of the spider's head and poked the end of her bow into one of the largest eyes. The spider recoiled just long enough so she could roll me out of the way and cut me loose.
“Thanks, Sis,” I said. “But how did you know where the spider's eye is?”
“I guessed.” She was breathing hard and trying to steady her hand.
If the fearless Skylar Kristal was this frightened, whatever she saw must be bad. But before I could offer some encouraging words, the spider was back hunting me with renewed anger. Its eye was in perfect shape again.
I rolled under its legs, but this time the spider anticipated my move. Just as I was running out from beneath the other end, the spider's head caught me. Wait, head? Isn't that supposed to be the back end? I looked around. Now the spider had two heads—one on each end. Great. I am going to start fearing double-headed spiders. Hopefully, I won't find one of these bad boys in my shoes.
The spider lifted me up in its pincers and gradually increased the grip. I couldn't let the fangs pierce through my clothes and skin, or the black widow's venom would kill me in seconds. But prying open the jaws were impossible. It was like an ant versus a giant.
I heard my friends yell and call my name. They probably saw me floating in the air but nothing of the spider. I wished I couldn't see the spider either. Each of the eight eyes were narrowed, and the pincers dug into my sides, almost piercing through my jacket. A few more seconds and it would be game over for me.
My heart was going to burst…
I looked down and lightning illuminated my friends' faces. A realization hit me like a hard slap. Defeating Ash and losing someone in the next few minutes was going to be a lot scarier than this giant spider.
My heartbeat started to slow down, and instead of being numb with fear, I could think again.
“You know what? I think you are cute in an eight-eyed, creepy alien kind of way,” I said to the spider.
The spider momentarily stopped trying to eat me, probably stunned at my words. But then resumed as if thinking whatever.
“Besides, I am not going in a backside,” I said.
I was going to try lobbing a fireball in its mouth. But then the spider disappeared. I dropped fifteen feet to the ground, but luckily a snowbank cushioned my fall. I conquered my fear, however, my friends were still fighting theirs.
But before I could jump in and try to help, a vine grabbed my leg. For a brief second, a hedge turned to black smoke, and the vine dragged me through. Once I was on the other side, the vine shrunk back into the bushes. It happened so fast that I didn't even have time to call out before I ended up here.
I got up and went back to the hedge I had been pulled through. I tried to pry apart the branches, but the hedge was as solid as a brick wall. I turned around and tried to find a way back to my friends. I could still hear them battling, but I couldn't get through any of the hedges that separated us. I was forced to go down an even darker, narrower path that gave me chills. But I didn't know what else to do, so I took a step. Everything went silent.
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Chapter 33
I couldn't hear the noise of battle anymore or see anything at all. I felt like I was back in the Cave of Trust. Except this time I don't have Logan to guide me.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to keep walking. No monsters barreled into me, and no red eyes appeared in the dark. The tension in my shoulders started to ease as I was beginning to think that this wasn't so bad.
Aaaggghhh!
Skylar's blood-curdling scream ripped through the quiet dark. My body went rigid again.
“Skylar!” I called, but my voice only echoed back to me.
Skylar let out another yell, and I ran blindly toward the sound.
Help me!
The desperate tone in Ariel's voice made me run faster determined to reach her and Skylar, but my breath left me as I crashed into a hedge as hard as rock. I turned around and sprinted in the other direction.
Please, Rose.
Logan's voice was strangled and brimming with pain. He was there for me during this whole mission. But now when he needed me the most, I wasn't there for him.
My scraped arms stung as I slammed into another rough wall. I tried again and again, but each time I hit another hedge. All while my friends' voices pleaded for help.
We need you. Save us!
“I am trying!” I cried, but I realized I was penned in on all directions by thick rock-hard hedges that I couldn't break or fly over.
Listening to my friends' tortured shrieks and doing nothing was much worse than facing the spider. My friends need me, and I am stuck here unable to help. Why is Ash so cruel? First she tempted me with desires. Now she is bogging me down in fears. I can imagine her saying So you don't want sweet dreams. Then what about nightmares?
I fell to my knees and tightly covered my ears with my hands to block out the screaming. There was nothing worse than sitting idly when my friends needed me.
The screaming stopped. I uncovered my ears, and all was quiet. Could Logan, Ariel, and Skylar stop screaming at exac
tly the same moment, or was Ash playing a trick on me the whole time? Please let it be a trick, I prayed.
In the hedges an archway of faint silver light appeared. I had a feeling Ash wasn't done having her fun yet. I walked toward the silver light and steeled myself for another nightmare. But nothing could've prepared me for what I saw next.

I stepped through the glowing stone archway and emerged on the other side. The hedges rounded, forming a large circular courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard was a round piece of white stone about four feet in diameter. Leading from the stone in the pattern of spokes on a wheel were six more paths made of the same rock. Each path ended at the hedge with a six feet tall stone archway.
As soon as I placed a foot on the stone path in front of me, the hole in the hedge shimmered and disappeared. I walked to the round rock. Immediately, I was assaulted with vivid flashes of the future. In each stone archway, full-color images flickered.
The doorway directly in front of me caught my attention first. In it, I saw myself crouching and crying over Logan, who wasn't moving or breathing.
Exhaling just got a lot harder. This image showed the biggest fear I had carried around for the whole quest. If this is actually real… I forced myself to concentrate on the other archways, but none of them were any better. The others showed my dead parents, Ariel buried in rocks, Skylar trapped in a prison, the kingdom in ruins and all of Astella crumbling away except Ash's vast Fifth Petal. In the last one, I saw myself bowing at Ash's feet.
All the roads lead to these, Ash's raspy voice echoed from nowhere. You will fail, Rose. Give up now.
“No,” I said, but my voice was shaky.
Everywhere I turned I saw devastating images of my friends dying, Astella crumbling, Ash winning.
You are looking at your fate—your only fate. Wouldn't it be easier to give up? Ash's voice hissed.
The archways started to revolve around me so I can see every one of the horrible images.
You can't avoid it, Ash seemed to whisper in my ears. You can't stop it.
The images swirled faster and faster becoming a blur of colors and making me dizzy.
So stop fighting. Life will be much easier for you and your friends if you surrender. All your hardships, suffering, and heartache will end. You just have to say these three little words: I give up.
I felt like I was in a blender. Everything was swirling so fast. It was not just the archways and videos but my thoughts as well. It was like I had a whirlwind in my head.
The images shattered my confidence—not that I was ever hundred percent confident I could defeat Ash. The best I could do was try. But now even that tiny bit of hope was gone. If these images were true and I failed, I would lose everything anyway. If I give up now, I don't have to see my friends die on my account. But if I don't try, there will be zero chance of saving my friends and Astella.
My friends—the most important reason why I kept going and didn't quit this quest a long time ago.
“I—”
Yes, Ash urged. Say it!
“I won't give up!” I shouted so loud that the rest of Astella probably could hear me. “I won't let my friends die. If anyone has to perish, it will be me defeating you one way or the other.”
My powers seemed to react on its own. Six large fireballs flew from my hands and toward the archways. The fireballs passed through the images, making them flicker out. Daggers of ice raised itself from the snowy ground and floated around me. I flicked my fingers, and the circle of ice exploded outwards, knocking down some of the stone archways. Green and brown roots grew from underneath the walkways and cracked the stone. The roots spiraled around the pillars toppling over any archway left.
In a few seconds, the courtyard was a pile of rubble.
Ash's voice changed into a deep growl. If you want to play it that way, come get your doom, and I will crush you just like you wish. Then her voice faded.
I stared at the mess I made. At least the images were gone, but I was still trapped. I knew it was hopeless, but I walked over to the hedge and put my hand to it, expecting it to feel hard. But instead my hand passed straight through. I tried the other hand, and the same thing happened. Ha! The maze doesn't have the power to trap me in fear anymore.
I walked through the hedge and ended up in a small, enclosed square yard.
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Chapter 34
There was nothing inside the yard, but I noticed the walls were closing in rather quickly. I was about to turn back when I heard Logan's voice.
“I will never do anything to hurt her,” he said.
It sounded really nearby—almost like he was beside me. I scanned the yard again and saw him. He covered his ears, and his back was turned toward me so he didn't see me emerge from the hedge.
“Logan!” I called, but he didn't seem to hear me either.
I walked over to him and gently shook his shoulder. “Logan?”
That seemed to snap him out of his trance. He stood up and started to back away, but then he realized it was me.
“Are you ok?” I asked. “What's going on?”
“I'm fine,” he replied, but he was obviously lying. “How did you get in here?”
“I overcame my fears, so the maze doesn't control me anymore. You have to do the same.”
Logan was about to speak, but then his eyes caught on something behind me. I turned around and saw glowing red letters paint themselves onto the hedge. First a drippy red m appeared then u until it spelled out murderer.
Logan yelped and hunched over, covering his ears again. Then I noticed scribbled on all the walls were similar accusations: traitor, thief, liar, and many more all in red, gory paint. At that moment, I realized the air smelled like stale blood.
“Logan, what is going on?” I asked.
Logan stood up shakily and covered the word thief with his hand. “It's guilt—my biggest fear. I can't overcome it because it's always there.”
I tried to think of how Logan could possibly be a thief, but even though I only knew him for a few days, I couldn't imagine it.
“What are you guilty for?” I asked.
“Everything,” he replied. “Betraying you, robbing my parents of their life.”
“Ash is messing with your head. You didn't betray me. You helped me a lot, and whatever happened with your parents, I'm sure it's not your fault.”
He shook his head and turned away. “It is my fault. Even if it was an accident, Mom and Dad are gone because of me. And I led you into a trap. You could've died.”
“But I didn't.”
The walls were really coming close now. The courtyard was rapidly shrinking. A few more minutes, Logan will be crushed.
“Logan, you have to get out of here,” I said.
But Logan was covering his ears again, probably trying to block out sounds only he can hear.
I looked around for a way out. I could pass through the hedges, but Logan can't, so the only way he could escape was up. But the storm clouds were as dark, thick, and full of lightning as ever… Clouds! Clouds are made of water. Why didn't I think of this sooner? I cleared a hole in the thick overcast, allowing a spot of cloudless sky to appear.
“Logan, up there.” I pointed to the gap I made, but he was distracted.
I pulled him to his feet. His forehead was beaded with cold sweat, and he shut his eyes.
I cupped a hand to his jaw. “Logan, look at me.”
He opened his eyes. For the first time, I saw he was afraid.
“None of these describe you,” I said as I gestured to the crude words on the walls. “You are helpful, kind, and generous. But if you die, I will be the one guilty for the rest of my life. So please save yourself.”
I wanted to see a sign from him showing that he heard me, but then the space got really tight, and I was forced to step out. I watched as the hedges got closer and closer together. Logan had about ten seconds to fly out. I kept a patch of sky c
lear from storm clouds, but I didn't see any figure up there.
“Come on,” I prayed.
4…3…2. At the last second, he emerged from the maze, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
He flew down to me.
“Cutting it really close.” I threw my arms around him in a hug.
“Thanks,” he whispered in my ear. “You are a hero, Rose.”
We held onto each other for a few more seconds, but then it's back to saving the world. Logan carried us into the air while I cleared the clouds. After we found Ariel and Skylar, we flew to the other side of the maze and landed behind a large evergreen, actually everblack, hedge.
Ash's castle was very welcoming. Her castle really looked like a castle from the medieval times. It had a moat twenty feet wide and was filled with black water that I knew I didn't want to touch. Built around the perimeter was a hundred feet high wall with watchtowers at the four corners. Each had a guard manning a crossbow. To add to the eeriness, everything was black from the wall to the water. Even black grass poked out from the gray snow.
“Ash really needs a more inviting color palette for her castle,” Skylar muttered.
A shout rang from above. A guard had spotted us. Though that's to be expected. In a few moments, we would be surrounded.
“We need a plan,” I said. “How about you three save yourselves and—”
“Rose, forget it. We are not leaving you,” Logan replied.
“We are sticking together until the end,” Ariel added.
Getting ready to fight, Skylar slid the bow off her back. “Yeah, I didn't come all this way to chicken out.”
I sighed. This was my last chance to try to thwart the prophecy, but what did I expect? They aren't just going to skedaddle and leave me to face Ash by myself. Especially not after all we been through.
There was a flash of light, and something poked my chest. I looked down and saw a spear ready to pierce my heart.
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Chapter 35
Fated Loss Page 15
