Insight

by Tina Engel

  I led them down into the underground room under the chapel. I let them both into the opening and reassured them that I would get them out somehow.

  Chapter 21

  Who do you trust?

  Your eyes tell a different story

  Than your instinct

  At times.

  What do you believe?

  I put my shield around myself and hoped that it would stop Stephan and Mephisto from seeing me, and they would assume I was with the others. If Kimberlite was working for them, he had his eyes in that diamond and would also think that I was in the tunnel with Rose and Albee.

  I reached the water and upon entering, I knew exactly where to go. There was a rocky wall where water met land, and about 30 feet down, was an opening. I entered a large tunnel, and swam for only a minute or two before I came to the end and surfaced, finding myself in a large cavern.

  Looking around, I didn’t see any way to continue, there were no openings in the walls to get me down to Gehenna. Looking up towards the ceiling of the cave, I spotted an opening that looked just big enough for me to fit in. I spread my wings, and instantly they lifted me up to the opening.

  It was larger than it looked from down below, so I was able to land and retract my wings with ease. Looking around, I saw that I was on a landing, the top of a stone stairway that descended downward.

  The walls were glowing with an eerie red light that showed me the way. I started down, walking slowly and carefully, for the steps were slippery, covered with a dark, slimy film. The further down I went, the heavier the air became, with a rancid smell.

  I was feeling alone and lonely without my diamond, the lava pebbles were such company, and I realized what else they did for me. They had a calming effect on me. The feeling of loneliness was overwhelming and I had to fight to keep my mind focused on my task, telling myself that it was this place that was causing these feelings. I wondered though, should I have given the diamond to Rose, was it a mistake?

  I saw movement down below me, just before a bend in the staircase. It was a purple wisp, fluttering up a few steps and then back down, and I remembered what Tobias said. It was Tilly, here to help me.

  As I approached Tilly, the feelings of loneliness dissipated and I felt strong and confident again. “Tilly” I said, “I sure am happy to see you.”

  She headed down the stairway as soon as I had reached her, and I followed, still slowly because the goo that was covering the stairs and walls now, was a thicker mass and the smell was even more rancid than before. The red glow was still present, but with the goo covering the walls, the light was diminished, so I had to be cautious with every step.

  It seemed like I was descending forever and at one point, the wall on my left disappeared and gave way to a great drop off. I looked over the edge and couldn’t see the bottom, only the stairway going down and then disappearing into the darkness.

  I slipped once, and thought for sure I was going to fall over the edge into the nothingness. As I put my hand up onto the wall, I thought for sure that someone had reached out and grabbed me, pulling me back up onto the stairway. I looked up in shock but there was nothing and no one there. I remembered then, I have wings, I would have been just fine.

  I decided to spread my wings and fly down to the bottom. These stairs were treacherous and the goo was getting thicker with each step.

  I stepped off the edge and my wings held me there as I looked to the wall again, sure that someone or something had grabbed me. There was nothing there though.

  I flew down carefully, not wanting my wings to touch the wall. I didn’t know if the goo would interfere with my flying. I reached the bottom finally. It was a long way down, and there just a few feet from the bottom step, was an opening to a large tunnel, covered in a black tar substance. The red glow of the walls was gone, only the oozy goo that ran down them remained. There were ornate lanterns, however, hanging on golden hooks spaced evenly down the long corridor.

  I could hear noises and realized just how quiet it had been, descending the stairway. It was voices, mumbling, whining, moaning, grumbling and suddenly, I could see faces in the walls, terror-struck, and tortured faces. The faces were those of humans and fey, and other creatures that I hadn’t seen before.

  Tilly was still there with me and when a grey wisp came at me, she intercepted it with amazing speed and it let out an agonizing cry and disintegrated right before my eyes.

  A dark grey wisp appeared then, but didn’t dart at me like the other one did. It stayed a good distance away, wary of Tilly and her determination to keep me safe. I knew then that it was the tree fey from Pineville.

  “Tilly”, I said, “It’s okay, this is the spirit who helped us earlier. He is from Pineville and wants to help.”

  The dark spirit came closer and Tilly went to it and they seemed to spin slowly around each other as if checking each other out. Then they separated and both came closer to me.

  I had my shield surrounding me and it was out about two feet from my body. I wanted room to move and to stop anything that might be out to get me, now that I was deep down in this pit.

  The dark spirit then led the way as Tilly followed, and then I. The faces in the walls and the desperate sounds continued, and we came to several openings on both sides of the tunnel. I somehow knew that they were openings to different parts of Hades. Gehenna was the area though, where I needed to go.

  I passed several dozen openings and each one had different odors and sounds. The dark spirit finally stopped at an opening and I knew it was the one. My stomach felt sick, the smells down here were suffocating at times, changing from rancid, to sickly sweet to sour and bitter. I was feeling cold and clammy.

  I looked down at my hand with the ring on it. It was glowing and the green emerald color made me think of Christmas, and I smiled. I held my hand to the middle of my chest, between my two hearts and focused on healing, easing my sick stomach and after a few seconds, my body started to feel stronger, and the nauseated feeling subsided.

  The dark spirit hovered just to the right of the opening, and then disappeared into the wall. I gathered, that this was as far as he was to take us. Maybe Gehenna wasn’t where he wanted to go.

  Tilly went in first, and as I entered the opening, the heat that was in the tunnel struck the shield that surrounded me and caused a humming sound as it bounced off. I was warm but was feeling confident that I would be fine, with or without the shield.

  I started to worry about Albee and Rose, well Albee, anyway. I knew that Rose would be fine but what would the heat do to Albee? After all, he was a tree. Why did I let them come with me, I thought and worried?

  Tilly’s spirit stopped suddenly and then started to dart back and forth sporadically, as if in a panic. I could see a shadow coming towards me from a bend up ahead and knew that I was going to have to fight and win, if I was to save Brett and Shinar.

  I opened my wings out as wide as they would go, spreading the shield to let them stretch until they touched the sides and almost touched the ceiling of the tunnel and I engulfed Tilly into the shield also. I activated my weapon and stood ready, but Tilly stayed firmly in front of me.

  Kimberlite came around the corner, walking as if he belonged here. When he saw me, a look of shock and irritation covered his face.

  “Princess, what are you doing here?” He bellowed as anger replaced the irritation. “You are supposed to be with Rose and Albee!”

  I saw shadows behind him then, as someone or something was coming from the same direction that Kimberlite had come. Kimberlite suddenly had a look of panic, and touching the side of the wall, opened a passageway.

  “Hurry Princess, get inside before they see you!” Kimberlite demanded.

  I just stood there looking at him, wondering what to do. What was he doing here and why did he have Brett in captivity. He was working for Stephan and maybe even Mephisto. As I looked up ahead, I knew that whoever or whatever was coming was just about to turn the corner and would see me.


  Tilly was trying to get through my shield and to the opening, so I removed it from her and she disappeared into the tunnel behind Kimberlite.

  I reached the opening just as several creatures stepped into my view. I ducked into the opening before they had a chance to see me, I hoped, and Kimberlite sealed up the opening.

  I turned then to face him, with anger in my eyes and my wings still slightly out. I let them out fully again and flung them forward, knocking Kimberlite up against the wall of the area that we were in. He was strong but my wings, it seemed, were stronger for now.

  I held Kimberlite there, knowing that he could escape into the wall and get away, if he really wanted but he didn’t move, didn’t seem to want to. Looking around, I saw that we were in a smaller cave with bones scattering the floor; human bones, fey bones, animal bones, everywhere. Tilly was nowhere to be seen.

  I looked back at Kimberlite and he had an irritated expression on his face as he said, “You can let go of me now Princess Emilee, if you don’t mind. I did save you back there and now it seems I have to save you, Brett, Rose, Albee and that blasted dragon of yours too.”

  I was perplexed, what did he mean, by saving all of us? I wondered.

  “Princess, please.” Kimberlite implored. “Let me explain. There isn’t much time. If you are here and Rose and Albee are there alone, well, this isn’t good.”

  I let him go and my wings went back into my back, but before I could ask anything, Kimberlite said quickly, “Come, and hurry. I must get you to a safe place and then go get that blasted pixie and tree. You were supposed to be together. Your shield would have protected all three of you, until I got there to get you out.”

  Kimberlite headed to the side of the cave and an opening appeared. Kimberlite disappeared into it and I stood wondering if I should follow. Well of course, I had no choice but I felt irritated and confused. Did I trust Kimberlite? Of course not, but I had to follow, and trust for now.

  I entered the opening and as I did, it closed up. Looking ahead, I saw Kimberlite dashing down a narrow passage way and he stopped just long enough to wave for me to follow, as a purple wisp darted past him. I did so and it seemed that we took twists and turns for several minutes.

  Kimberlite stopped then, and said, “Okay Princess, I know you have a lot of questions, but for now just let me share enough to get you off my back and you can give me hell later. Well, we are already in hell…” And he laughed.

  I gave Kimberlite a very sour look, and he stopped laughing, looked a bit sheepish and continued, “I know it looks like I am working for Stephan, and well, I am, kind of, but not really.”

  I looked at him with confusion, thinking that maybe he was crazy, the way he was talking.

  He continued, “Princess, let me take you to Brett and then I will go get Rose and Albee, then get you all out of here. I will explain everything else later. Please.”

  “Brett, you know where he is?” I asked.

  “Well, yes, I am the one who removed him from his prison and pissed off Stephan.” Kimberlite said, pride across his face.

  I was so confused then but said, “Please take me to Brett and explain as much as you can, as we go.”

  Kimberlite made another opening and held his hand out for me to enter. As I did, there in a cavern lay Shinar, with Brett leaning against her.

  I turned around to face Kimberlite and he said quickly, “Sorry Princess, I can’t explain anymore right now.” And he disappeared into the opening and closed it up.

  I went to Brett, and bending down, I placed a hand on his cheek. He lifted his head and opened his eyes slowly and looked at me.

  “What took you so long?” Brett managed to whisper and a smile crossed his lips.

  My eyes blurred just a bit as they filled with tears and as a tear ran down my cheek, Brett reached up with some difficulty, and brushed his finger across my cheek to wipe it away.

  When his finger touched my cheek, I felt it, that wonderful zing, tingling sensation, when he touched me. I joined him in his mind, he was with me, I felt the love that he had for me and the worry, knowing that I was going to come for him.

  I bent down and placed a kiss on his lips as he held my face softly in his hands. When I moved my head away slightly, I said, “You do go to the most undesirable places, for me to have to chase you down. It will take days to get this stench from my clothes.”

  Brett chuckled at this and then winced with pain. Humor wasn’t necessarily a good thing at the moment, but then if he hadn’t followed me to Pineville, thinking I needed saving, he wouldn’t have gotten himself kidnaped by a crazy lunatic, and I wouldn’t have had to go to hell and back to save him. Yes, a little humor and pain is required.

  I placed my hand on Brett’s head and let the ring do its job. He had many cuts and bruises, several broken ribs and one of his hearts had a small puncture wound. This worried me and I searched his mind to see how this happened. It was Stephan, using the sword, pushing it into Brett’s flesh, slowly until it just slightly punctured his heart. He then told Brett that he looked forward to pushing it in all the way, and then doing the same to the other heart.

  The anger I felt was overwhelming, and I felt ugly, feeling this way. I wanted to take all of my powers and destroy him, but not just destroy him, I wanted to make him suffer first. These feelings where not good, not healthy, no matter what Stephan had done, these thoughts where not healthy for me. This place was getting to me, causing me to lose my focus. I was here to stop Mephisto, and in doing so would be the downfall of Stephan.

  Brett slept when I was done healing him. Oh he didn’t want to, I could feel, but he needed to so I put the thought into his head and he fell asleep.

  I looked at Shinar then, my dragon. She was laying quietly, eyes closed but I knew she was alive, for as she exhaled every once in a while, a small puff of smoke would escape from her nose. She was beautiful, the size of a large Clydesdale horse, with emerald green scales that shimmered in the light from the torches that hung on the walls.

  Shinar turned her head towards me and opened her eyes slightly, I saw that they were a sky blue that glistened as she looked at me. I got up and walked over to her head, and taking out the small flask that Trevor had given me, I started to put it to her lips.

  “Princess, don’t do that!” Rose yelled.

  I turned abruptly and fell on my butt as I did so, shocked to see Rose, Albee and Kimberlite come into the cave from yet another direction, than where I had come in.

  Albee didn’t look like the Albee that had left with Rose. This Albee looked like the tree fey that I had seen in my house the night that he, or I should say, Stephan tried to kidnap me the first time.

  His skin was greyish, with cracks, like tree bark, his hair was long, the color of leaves in the autumn, a burnt red, hanging down his back, with some strands covering his face slightly.

  I stood, as Rose came over to me and Shinar, and we embraced as if we hadn’t seen each other in years. As I held Rose, looking over her shoulder, I saw Albee stumble a bit before he crumbed to the ground and sat there with an expression of emptiness in his eyes.

  “Princess, you can’t give that to Shinar until she and I have bonded. Albee needs you. He protected your gifts by wrapping himself around me and your gifts, as Stephan and his goons tried desperately to take them.

  “The grey spirits have a physical body somehow, and they were trying to burn him as a tree would burn. Go help him while I do what needs to be done with Shinar so that you can heal her properly.” Rose said in a rush.

  I was perplexed by what she said, her having to bond with Shinar before I did, but Rose pushed me towards Albee and she approached Shinar. I walked backwards in Albee’s direction as I watched Rose reach out both of her hands and place them on Shinar’s side. Shinar suddenly had a look of relief, almost a smile, if a dragon could smile, and Rose turned the color of Shinar and seemed to dissolve right into her. Oh, I could see Rose’s outline on Shinar’s side, but they were one with each other.
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  It was Kimberlite that broke my attention from Rose and Shinar as he said, “Princess Emilee, come quick, I don’t think Albee has much life left. Let Rose be.”

  I turned then to see Albee, laying now and the leaves that were once hair, were dead and laying around him. I knelt down and placing my hands on him, could feel the pain he was feeling. His insides were scorched and over half of his body was burned so badly, that I didn’t think I could repair him.

  I felt Kimberlite behind me and realized that he was putting something around my neck. It was my diamond necklace, and as soon as it fell softly to my chest, I could feel the lava pebbles inside, we were joined again. He laid my cameo pendant down on Albee’s chest and then backed away.

  As I looked down at the cameo, it seemed to sink into Albee’s bark and suddenly, the greyish bark started turning into skin again. The cracks dissolved and clothing, though tattered and torn, appeared around the cameo. The dead leaves that were lying on the ground, crumbled and a gust of wind suddenly blew what was left of the leaves away.

  Albee’s hair became hair, long and grey, still knotted and slightly matted, but his color was coming back to normal, as normal as a tree fey’s color could be. I removed the cameo and placed it on my shirt, as I removed my hands from Albee and he sat up.

  Albee’s smile was weak as he said, “Thank you Princess, although I was ready to leave this body for you, but not before giving you this.”

  Albee held out his hand to me and as he placed something in mine, I saw that it was a seed. I looked at him with curiosity.

  “I was going to have you plant it, wherever you ended up, so that I would be with you once more. Anyway a small part of me would. Keep it safe and know that if anything happens to me, plant it, and I will be with you.” Albee said, and then smiling, leaned up against a rock and shut his eyes to rest.

  I stood, placed the seed into a pocket of my jeans and walked over to Shinar, as Rose seemed to reappear from her side.

  “Shinar needs that fluid now, Princess.” Rose said, looking drained as she sat down next to Shinar’s side and placed a hand on her.