(See Ch. 1 for details)
Oct 31, 2012- Allegheny County, New York just outside Oil Springs Reservation.
"Pop you sure this was wise?" Krys asked from the passenger seat.
"I never miss a year Krys you know that even if you been tied up." The older man told her from the driver seat. "We made it this far, don't tell me you now getting cold feet."
"Of course not Pop…but you sure anything will be standing after the storm? Who knows if the paths will even be clear?"
"Just have faith Krys. I am sure Waya secured everything."
"Even Waya has limits I am sure. We have not fully succeeded yet, why you think this year will be different?"
"I don't…but I can't give up on my baby girl…I just can't."
The man focused on the road as many trees were down making roads impassable & detours needed to be found making the trip longer then normal.
"I just need to see she is ok there…even to just see a specter of her…to get her to cross back within the circle…anything." At a red light the man reached up wiping a tear that trailed down his tired face. "Thank you for coming this year."
"You know I try when I can…I know she lost contact with the others for what ever reason." Krys tried not to sigh as she looked out the window seeing snow clinging to the trees around them making some looking even more likely to tip over at any moment.
Her phone rang & she pulled it out. Looking at the ID she answered it. "Hey Honey…Yes I am still fine…well mom lost power…no I'm not there…Traveling with a friend to check out some property they take care of…New York actually…yes I know…not sure how, but they managed to by-pass the worse off affected zones…I'm fine…Yes I am sure…yes I have the charger & I'll plug it in…just so you know once we get there you won't be able to reach me…the area is a cellular dead zone….yes I'll call as soon as I am able to…Wade will you relax already it will be fine…yes I promise you…Love you too, now go raise some hell for me over seas…bye." Krys hung up the phone with a sigh.
"So that the husband?"
"Yeah pop, he means well just over protective at times. He means well though. After the mess with Eve…damned bitch…sorry pop."
"It's ok you're a grown woman, curses are allowed as long as it isn't too much."
"Thanks. I can't believe Christmas will be two years…" she chuckles "Sometimes I still can't believe I am married. I still remember the mess with John…how I didn't even want to think about dating someone for over a year…then Jeff…he just wouldn't clean his act up though." Krys gave a sigh looking down, her arm absent mindedly draping across her stomach.
"I still love them both for different reasons…but they were not right for me." She lifted her head looking back out the window. "Wade somehow I knew was different."
"Does he know everything?"
"If you mean about Kit…yes…I told him the night before the wedding. I knew if he was the one I was going to be with for life I could not enter that stage hiding who I really am. He took it better than I thought."
"Glad for you…ok there is the road, looks good so far." He said turning down the gravel road slowing down because of the slick surface. They reached the lot & parked the car. The trading post looked in shambles.
"If that got wrecked how you expect anything else to be standing?" Krys asked as she made sure her coat was bundled tight. She wondered what compelled her to come out this year of all years for this thing. She had missed other years, was she crazy to come out on the tail end of what was called a super storm? She had to be, oh well she was here now.
They grabbed the hiking packs from the trunk of the car & began walking into the woods. She doesn't know why she was surprised, but she was as it seemed hardly a tree was touched by the storm. Snow clung to some of the branches making it look like a lovely winter postcard. The walk took a while before they reached the center of the reservation. The long house looked like it had even more work done to it. Smoke was seen billowing from the chimney as they moved closer.
The man with Krys pushed the door open & stepped inside, Krys followed. In spite of the winter like weather outside, the inside was warm & toasty. A man even older looking was seated by the fire. Stretched to his side was a large pure white timber wolf. The man turned his head looking at the two of them. A small smile to his face. "Glad you two could make it, I was not sure of the great mother's display of power would keep you both away or not." He hair long & braided was splotched with patches of silvery grey, dressed in jeans & a plaid shirt, a buckskin vest over it. Standing up he moved over to them both giving them hugs.
"Waya you know I would never miss tonight…even if I had to use a boat to get here." The man with Krys told him.
"Yes I know Unega, I am sure Golanv appreciates our efforts." The older man told them as he leads them closer to the fire to warm up & dry off.
"You think the great mother will easy up enough to not hinder our attempt tonight?" The one addressed as Pop by Krys asked.
"We can only hope…rest for now though we have a few more hours before it starts to get dark, then we can try." Waya informed them as he sat down again.
Krys removed her coat setting it over a bench near the fire to dry it out. She could not believe how much the long house had improved since she seen it last. She then moved to one of the cots to lay down closing her eyes. Her thoughts kept shifting between that of her husband & that of her friend. Would they even see her? If they did would they succeed in actually pulling her back to them there to stay?
When Krys woke up she could see she was currently alone in the long house. She got up looking around. As she turned to head for the door. It opened with Pop walking in. "Good your up, seems we have a break in the weather to try the ritual."
"So the torches should stay lit?"
"We hope." He smiled as her before heading back outside. Krys grabbed her coat throwing it on now feeling toasty as she zipped it up to step into the cold.
Four torches burned around a circle traced into the ground where the wood would normally be piled for the ceremonial fire. They were always cleared for the ritual knowing it was the central focus for the land & also the spot of focused energies. The three of them each took a spot near one of the torches. Krys could not help but wonder if the empty fourth spot may be what is a hindrance to their success. At one time she could think of one or two that could fill that spot…but both seemed to give up hope before even trying. The funny if not sad part is one of them she blamed for the mess Rose was now in. Saving the man from his own dark dealings. Something went wrong & Rose herself got pulled within the rift sealing it.
One time Rose could travel freely in & out of those rifts, something changed after that time & she had gotten trapped. Every Halloween for the last eight years. At least the two men if not Krys with them have tried to create a controlled rift to bring Rose back across to them. Some times they would get nothing, other almost a ghostly like apparition, the best was a physical looking form of her…but she could only stay as long a she stayed within the circle, or until the morning light broke the circle. When either would happen Rose was pulled back into it as if held by an invisible cord.
Krys was pulled from her thoughts as Waya began to chant. His voice carried even over the winds that threatened to blow around them flicking at the flames of the torches. Krys only prayed they would not go out. The shadows from the torches danced around the area before being drawn towards the circle. Pop joined in the chant closing his eyes as he continued. The shadows almost seemed to swirl before reaching skyward gaining substance to them. Tiny hints of something was spotted within the swirls of shadows.
Krys braced herself her purely human features shifting slightly to the more feline appearance ready to defend either man in case something else was trying to come through besides Rose. That had happened once…well it was more like it came through with her. A trouble some foul abyssal creature she was in the middle of fighting when they tried to call to her.
She watched as the shadows lowered back down to the ground. Flat again but still almost alive as they moved in an unnatural swirl like motion. In the process though something, or better yet someone was left behind. Rose was in the middle of the circle, she was lowered on one knee her arms resting on the bent knee, her dark hair whipping wild in the wind being free of its confines of a braid for who knows how long. She was dressed in a tee-shirt & stretch pants, both of which had many rips, cuts & tears to the fabric.
She felt the wind around her, the cold trying to bite her flesh, was it that time of year already? She had to wonder why they even bothered anymore. Did they not get she was trapped…their attempts was only beneficial for them to know she still lived…that was all. She whipped her head back flinging her hair out of her way. As she did fresh scratches could be seen clawed down the right side of her face & upper chest.
"Why do you two weaken yourselves?" She spoke her voice a ghostly whisper. The chants stopped & both men looked at her.
"I'll never give up hope of getting you back Rose." Her father told her.
"And what comfort will that ever give mother?"
"Just knowing you are still alive. Plus hoping one of these times we can free you from the circle."
"After how many attempts father? HOW MANY TIMES!" Her scream almost near that of a banshee without the deadly effects. "One these times something may come through that is not confined to the circle & it may very well kill you both. Stop this maddening quest."
"We won't give up on you." He told her.
She turned her head toward him her jet like eyes reflecting the light of the fire. The flames casting a ghostly glow to her now almost translucent flesh that many years ago was almost a rich tan. "I was trained since I was a child to work to keep the balance. That is what I am doing…what does it matter if it is here or there?" She slowly stood up testing her balance.
"It matters because we love you."
"But I fight them there…I stop them from crossing to here…it protects you all. Maybe it was fate's plan for that explosion to happen, who is to say I was not meant to be sent over there?"
"You can fight there without needing to stay a prisoner of that land. Fight to come back home to us."
She gave almost a cold laugh. "What home do I really have to return to? How long has it been? Who besides you three believe I am somehow alive somewhere? My heart shattered that day father…to find the one I opened my heart to…the one I betrayed my body to…to find them still within the abyssal clutches of one they said they broke ties with! Before you ask his eyes were clear…he knew what he was doing."
"You still have your family…all of us…please try…try to cross back to us."
"If it fails…this is the last…"
"Never."
"Father please…I see the strain it is on both of your energies…I could not stand thinking your futile attempts bringing about either of your passing."
"Then fight & it won't be needed."
She slowly nodded as she moved towards the 'unguarded' portion of the circle. As she walked tiny tendrils of shadows tried to wrap around her feet blocking her movement.
She stopped closing her eyes as she stretched her arms outward her hands almost against an invisible wall of energy. As she did longer tendrils sprung from the ground to wrap around her arms. "ENOUGH!" She yelled… "Your control of me is over!" As she spoke the tendrils that tried to wrap her arms shattered almost like glass drifting like dark glitter back to the ground. Sounds passed her lips of an unknown dialect, the shadows moving about her feet pulled back condensing more on the center before vanishing except for the naturally occurring shadows cast off by the torch-light. As the last of the magically controlled shadows vanished Rose fall to her hands & knees. Her chest heaving for breath in the cold night air.
"She's crossed." Waya exclaimed seeing the upper half of Rose's body had crossed the circle. Krys with faster reflexes got to her faster helping her to stand. Rose turned her head feeling someone lifting her to stand. A faint smile crossed her lips.
"Hey Kit…" She voice almost sounded normal be fore she went limp in her arms, Krys still holding her.
"Get her inside…she may freeze out here now that she is no longer in between the realms." Waya instructed her. Krys scooped Rose in her arms carrying her inside the long house moving her to the cot closest to the fire-place. Krys could now see where Rose's clothing was little more than shredded scraps of fabric some only held in place by dried blood.
She heard the others enter & make their way over. Rose's father was there first taking his daughter's hand, but she did not stir. Waya made his way over with a first aid kit to begin tending to some of the scratches.
"Unega carefully bring me the pan of water heating by the fire."
Rose's father nodded letting go of her hand & did as instructed brining the pan over resting it by Waya. He took a cloth dipping it in the steaming water wringing most of it out. He then draped it over Rose's chest & face. A blackness was seen being drawn from the scratches. As it was the first reaction from Rose was seen since she passed out a few moments ago.
She cringed with a wince passing her lips. "It is alright Golanv…allow the salve to work & dark the taint from your body." Waya instructed to her softly as he pulled the cloth away to rinse it out & reapply it. They spent most of the night taking turns with the treatment of her body starting from her head working down to her feet. Front & back of her body was treated until no more blackness was drawn into the cloth. Her body then entered a peaceful state. Her breathing slow & shallow.
"Is that all?" Krys asked.
"Yes the rest will be up to her to see if she fully wakes up. After eight years of the strain on her body I am surprised there was not more to remove from her. Go rest now & we shall see how things look by morning light." Waya instructed her.
Krys nodded moving to a cot closer to Rose & laid down closing her eyes. She just prayed Rose would still be there by morning light.