At first the pain had hurt, but as she fell further into the black marsh water, the pain slowly began to leave. It was more like falling though, going down deeper into what April thought was the marsh water. Which, it would have seemed natural, that when ground supported her feet (although it felt like she was falling headfirst) April was more than a little surprised.
"What...?" April said, rather groggily as if she had just woken from being asleep.
"Hello April Ryan." a soft, almost melodic voice said. April looked around and saw a lady that was completely white; even her skin. April also noticed that the lady didn't have a face. Well, she did, but she didn't have eyes or lips of a general formation; it was literally blank... in sorter terms of the overall picture for it.
"God, tell me I'm dead." April said, slowly shaking her head. The white lady giggled a little. April just now realized that the white lady was younger than April herself.
"April Ryan, don't you realize it?" the white lady asked. Although she didn't have a mouth; the white lady's voice still came from the body. "Zoe Castillo has saved you."
This made April very confused.
"Zoe... saved me?" April asked. "How? I..."
"Denied her? Yes, you have. But that does not mean that she never laid an impression on you, April Ryan."
April gave the white lady a rather confused look, which the white lady took the opportunity to laugh at.
"Silly child, Zoe is a Dreamer. She can dream things into reality, and she has Dreamed of you. Zoe has saved you April Ryan."
"How?!" April demanded, starting to grow as angry as she was furious. "Dreams can not become reality! If they did then... then my life would have been much, much different than what it would have been!"
"We need our trials and triumphs April Ryan, there are what makes us who we are today."
"Yes... well..." April started to say, slightly taken aback by the statement. The white lady walked closer to April and softly cupped April's face in her hands. Although the white lady was touching April, she could have sworn she could feel nothing like normal human hands; just a constant rushing of wind of sorts.
"Zoe Castillo has given you a new chance to live April." the white lady told her, in a softer and more gentle tone than before, "Before, your journey had ended. But you have been reborn in Zoe Castillo's visioning (she can see the world in a beautiful light, given time) and a new journey has begun for you now."
"No." April declared, backing away from the white lady. "My 'journey' is over. I don't need to help or save or defend any one now. The universe has had its way with me, and now I'm done."
"The universe is never done with us April Ryan. We begin our walk in the Balance, and we continue to walk in it; even in the afterlife. It is our longest journey, and we effect those who pass by us and vice versa."
"But you just said my journey had ended." April pointed out.
"Some journeys do end, but only for a moment. A small break if you will, a chance to rest and look back on how far we have come. But we must begin again eventually; it can not be stalled or stopped, our journeys, and we can become different beings on the way."
After this declaration, the two became silent; giving April a moment to sink in what had been spoken.
"So, I'm not dead?" April finally asked. The white lady shook her head.
"No darling, not this time. You have a long and prosperous life ahead of you when Arcadia and Stark are together and the Balance is restored."
"Am I being..." April paused to find the right word, "Reborn?"
If the white lady possessed a mouth on her face, April would have sworn she had smiled right then.
"What do you believe April Ryan?" the white lady asked. April closed her eyes in deep thought.
"I believe..." April started to say. But as she finished her thought, blinding white light enveloped the area, taking April to where she was needed the most. Faith was able to lead you to where you are needed the most if you believe, right?
