Trina was surrounded by a silver light and a feeling of absolute evil. Lost and alone, she spun round, trying to see through the blinding light. But there was just her, and the light, and the voice.
It was one voice whispering that Trina should just give in. No one could help her now. Her friends and family were a long way away. The woman's voice whispered right inside her mind, drawing on her fears, speaking straight to Trina's soul. She was drowning in the sensation of helplessness. Scared beyond anything she'd ever felt, trapped somewhere far from her parents or Uncle Jase or anyone who might rescue her, Trina called on the only power available to her.
A small knife appeared in her hand. The sword in its disguised form.
She could almost feel the pleasure in the evil around her, but the light also grew slightly dimmer, the silver retreating from the sword. So she held tightly to the hilt and moved through this strange place. She wasn't sure what she was looking for. Perhaps a way out? Perhaps something else entirely.
She saw a shadow, just a dim form surrounded by the brilliant silver.
"Will!" she yelled, not sure how she recognised him.
Jason had said he was still alive. He'd said Will was still there, trapped inside his own mind.
Trina ran towards the shadow but even when she got close, there was something unreal about him. It was Will, she was certain now, but he huddled in on himself, his hands pressed over his ears to shut out the woman's voice. His eyes were squeezed shut against the light. He looked so scared.
Trina reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, to comfort him, to let him know he wasn't alone any more.
Her hand passed right through.
He must have felt something because he looked up and met her gaze with eyes that were full of tears. Trina tried to touch him again and this time her hand rested against the faint resistance provided by his shoulder. She could her fingers through him.
"Will?" she asked, her voice shaking with fear.
"I couldn't get out. I couldn't stop her." As though cued by his admission of failure, his form grew fainter. Trina couldn't feel his arm anymore.
"It's not your fault, Will," Trina said. "I'm here now. You're not alone any more."
"She won't be quiet. She just keeps whispering. She's in my thoughts."
Trina had to help him. Somehow. He was her brother. Desperate and more afraid than she'd thought it possible to be, some instinct drew more on the power of the sword. It took on its true form becoming a weapon of such might that it was nearly too heavy for Trina to hold. But the strength came with it, flowing into her, giving her courage.
Could it help Will?
She offered the hilt to her brother. His fingers passed through it the first time, but then he held it, his hand appearing more solid as he did so.
Trina didn't know what would happen. She didn't know if this could save him. She didn't know if anything could. She just knew that she had to try.
She wrapped her own hands around the hilt too, cover Will's. She reached inside herself to call on the power of the sword. She felt it flowing through her and she felt it flowing into Will. A golden light formed on the blade, dancing along the metal and floating around both children.
Will looked up at Trina, becoming more solid with every instant, and he smiled at her.
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A pair of feet raced down the corridors of the temple. The owner of the feet had sensed that something was wrong but wasn't certain what. So the figure ran, ending up in the room that housed the Gem of Orasella.
A pair of frantic eyes watched as the Gem began to glow. The expression grew more frightened as the golden light grew dimmer and, for a brief moment, the Gem went dead.
Then all worry vanished from the figure's features and the eyes shone momentarily silver.