Obligatory Chapter Heading:

Chapter 28:

I looked around, wondering when it was. I'd been so excited, I hadn't exactly thought of when I'd wanted to go. Based on the view out the window, it was daytime, just past noon. Which was about right. As long as my magic did what I wanted, and not what it wanted. Just because I'd unlocked it, didn't mean I was fully in control of it just yet.

Footsteps pausing outside the door alerted me that someone was coming in. Other than the key turning in the lock, there was silence.

As the door opened, I surrounded myself with shadows.

Cidel entered, looking around, even under the beds. Like someone would be hiding there. Eventually, he fell to his knees, hands covering his face.

It left him in a groan. "I messed up. I made a mistake. Goddess forgive me."

"Shh." I appeared. Kneeling beside him, moving to wrap my arms around him. I knew instinctively he was searching for me. "It's okay. I'm here."

He looked over at me, eyes red.

Before he could say anything, I shook my head sadly. "You haven't slept for days, have you? Oh, Cidel... Are you even eating properly?"

The tears resumed falling down, and he turned, as best he could, given his position, burying his face in my neck. Letting go.

We sat there for a long while, the light from the window slowly dimming, until it disappeared altogether.

Without warning, he grabbed my shoulders and stared into my eyes, frantic. "Your friend, Elreid, she-I mean-I'm sorry. It's my fault."

"Cidel, what happened? Does it have to do with the Spirit of Death?"

"How-How did you know? "He gaped, before gathering himself. "She came to me, asking if I knew anything about the Spirit. At the time, I thought it was just curiosity, but after she left, Lady Karacule asked what she wanted. She threatened to turn me into a toad and demanded I go find you. I searched for days, starting here, but no one was here. So, I went through every area you guys had ever gone to for Lady Karacule. I finally decided that, if I came here again and still didn't find you, I'd seek out Karahan. But you're here. And you can go after her. She's-It's awful. I'm so sorry."

"What happened, Cidel? I need to know what I'm walking into." A slight shake of his shoulders had him focusing.

"I saw her, in one of the domains, and it-It was awful. She was surrounded with darkness, like a scary barrier and it-it lashed out at me, like it knew I was there, even though I was hidden. She looked so frantic, her head whipped around, and her expression was just so scared, but still... There was so much rage in her eyes... I don't know how to help her, what to do, but Lady Karacule thinks you do."

I pulled back, chewing my thumbnail. Thinking.

Mentally, I beseeched the Well. "What do you think? What should I do for this? There's so many things that could go wrong, and that would lead to the future Aedethali showed me..."

Perhaps-

Scout out the area around her.

See what you're working with-

What you can potentially do.

You won't know-

Until you see with your own eyes.

Or-

Maybe-

That might be a viable option-

Yes.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Using your sight to see-

What is happening in the present.

That... wasn't a bad idea. Then, I wouldn't be in harm's way, and neither would she. And I'd be able to come up with a game plan.

"I'll use my visions see what's going on and see what I can do from there." I told the boy. "I don't want you anywhere near her for the time being, understood? Her power is dangerous right now, it's wild and out of her control. You could get hurt-or worse. Go tell Karacule I'm on this, though I doubt she'll be surprised, given that she told you to specifically seek me out."

He quickly left after that, assuring me he'd tell the Sorceress I'd be handling the issue, as he called it.

Sitting fully on the floor, now, I closed my eyes and let myself relax. Let my mind clear. I started to feel like I was floating, like I was in water, bobbing up and down, swaying with the push and pull of the water. The darkness behind my eyes shifted, showing me a darkened forest, a ball of inky blackness distinguishing itself from the shadows around it, reaching out to it. It really was a barrier, tendrils of the ink lashing out and slashing at the shadows, which... actually retreated. Like nature was afraid. Which, judging by how out of control the magic was, I'd wager a lot of things would be afraid.

Through a gap in the tendrils, I saw her. She was staring right at where I would be standing, were I physically there. I wondered if that was something the Spirit of Death had given her-the ability to see things spying on her. I wondered what it looked like. A mental note to ask, before I retreated back to myself.

Chin in hand, elbow on knee, I fell deep in thought.

Was there a way to reach her, through the darkness? It would have to be a carefully planned thing, with several backup plans and plans to escape, should it go badly.

As I got closer to the small clearing I'd seen her in, I began hearing raised voices. Familiar raised voices.

Oh, you have got to be kidding me. I thought, quickening my pace. It only took a few more moments for me to reach my friends, who were standing on the outskirts. Just inside the tree line.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, frowning.

Everyone looked back at me, eyes wide, before turning their gazes to... Merritt. Who held up her hands weakly.

"I, ah, started having visions?"

Oh. Wow. "Oh, wow." I blinked, momentarily distracted. Giving myself a shake, I shook my head. "That's-Okay. Anyway. You guys should get out of here. It's more than a little dangerous, if you hadn't noticed."

"And, what? Leave her here to suffer? To eventually die?"

"I'll be here. She won't die, I promise."

The Lancea moved to my side, murmuring quietly so no one could eavesdrop. "What about the death she could bring, if she's left like this?"

"I'm going to change that future, trust me."

"How?"

"I have a plan." I was winging it, but she-they-didn't need to know that.

She bit her lip, torn, glancing around at the others. At Elreid. Before coming back to me. Her voice normal volume. "I want to help. I've learned a lot."

"We all have." Zafyra spoke up.

Everyone gave noises of agreement, save for Illaria, who hadn't taken her eyes from the girl in the clearing.

"What happened to her?" She asked, her voice barely loud enough to be heard.

"She made a deal with Death." I murmured.

Angrily, she flailed her hands through the air. "So did I, and I didn't become... that!"

"You, what?!" Dawn snarled, reaching out and shaking her violently. "Are you stupid? It's the Spirit of Death! Why would you do that?!"

"We can have this conversation later." Merritt said in a stern tone, Illaria's eyes finally leaving Elreid, Dawn's going to her at the reprimand, too.

"Sorry." She muttered, cowed.

The Sorceress's eyes went to each of us, before going back to our lone friend. She didn't say anything else.

I finally took in the others, how they looked. Liam was standing tall, hand on the hilt of his greatsword, ready for anything. Dawn was bouncing from foot to foot anxiously, unable to keep still. Illaria just exuded power, it rolled off her in waves, as if it was barely contained. Either she wanted to let it loose, or it wanted that, I wasn't sure which, to be honest. Especially since I didn't know this new power of hers. Alina was just staring with wide eyes, her little gadget that she consulted frequently in one of her hands, her arms hanging limply at her sides. She looked so small-smaller than her already tiny stature. BlackOpal had his daggers in hand already, eyes scanning the trees, ready to alert us to anyone approaching. Zafyra was standing stock still, frozen in place, almost hypnotized now that she was staring at her cousin again. Like she was under a spell of some kind. Merritt... She was standing tall, much like Liam, but she was shaking. Subtly, but I could see it. I touched her arm, giving her a reassuring smile. She gave me a weak nod in return.

A squeak from Zafyra alerted me, and my eyes went to the mass of darkness. It had become hazy, giving a view of the girl within, and she was staggering toward us, a hand outstretched. An agonized expression on her face, her mouth moving, saying something we couldn't hear. Something we couldn't even read from her lips, the haze just thin enough for none of us to be able to make it out.

"What do we do?" She whimpered.

Taking a deep breath, I said. "You all, stay here."

Without giving them a chance to argue, I cloaked myself. I didn't want anyone getting hurt in the attempt. I could always teleport away, before I got hurt, but other than Illaria, the rest of them didn't have that luxury. And I wasn't even sure if she could do it over a long distance-it had only been a foot or two, just enough to dodge an attack. With those tendrils, I didn't want to risk them being able to reach that far. If they had a long enough range, even I could be in a spot of trouble, since I was adamant about not attacking, in case it hurt her somehow. It was her own magic, her own power, after all. Who knew how harming it would affect her?

I let the shadows fade away when I reached her, standing just a few inches from the barrier. Stopping in front of one of the gaps between the tendrils, able to get a good look at her.

"Elreid, can you hear me?" I asked.

Her eyes were trained on me, drilling a hole in my skull. A slow, weak nod. Like she could barely move. The few steps she'd taken must've been so draining for her...

"I need you to do something for me, okay?"

Her eyes tightened, her expression shifting to worry slowly. She hadn't dismissed me-just worried about what I was going to say next.

"I need you to close your eyes." I waited until she did as I asked, my voice a soft murmur when I spoke again. "Now, I want you to take a breath. Doesn't have to be deep, just inhale."

As she did, I reached out and brushed my fingertips against the barrier. My vision faded, and I felt myself collapse, but I was still standing. Surrounded by darkness, but I was still on my feet.

A quick glance around, and I saw her standing, arms wrapped around her middle, screaming at nothing to shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!

"Elreid." I called out, walking up to her cautiously. Weary of whoever or whatever she was speaking to.

Her head whipped around, her eyes wide. "No! What are you-How did you get here?"

"Honestly, I was just in a similar space with myself. That's why I'm here. I know how to help you." She jerked back a couple steps when I got to her. Afraid of hurting me? "I need you to listen to me, okay?"

She licked her lips, her eyes darting behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw her. Eyes, the same strange golden-color as the other me's eyes, open and staring at us, restrained with black tendrils.

"Oh, ho ho. Look who's here. The person who always has to fix things." She sneered at me. "What, you think you can fix this, too?" Her expression shifted from mere derision to a dark anger. She spat "She's MINE! Do you hear me? Mine!"

"She's her own person, you ass. Now, shut up, so I can help her." Turning back to the Lancea, I put my hands on her shoulders, making her eyes come back to me. "Look at me. Keep your eyes on me, unless I say otherwise, okay?"

A weak nod, and I could see the struggle of doing what I said. She wanted so badly to keep her gaze on that clone of herself, keep it within her sight.

"I need you to think of something happy. Anything. I need you to relax yourself. When you've done that, let me know."

Several minutes passed. A few more. Even more. Her eyes fluttered shut after a long while, a smile curving her lips. She straightened, her arms going to her sides. When she opened her eyes again, I could see how content she was.

A strong nod, her smile widening.

"Good, good. Now, I want you to keep this feeling in mind, okay?" I paused, making sure she was listening. "Now, I want you to walk up to her with me. We're going to get pretty close, so be careful of what she says."

Taking a breath to steel herself, she took the first step. I moved to her side, and together, we approached.

"Oh, what's this? You think just because you've deescalated her, that it'll be okay?"

I whispered quietly in her ear. "She's a part of you, she is you, just a different side. A new side, sure, but still a part of you. You need to learn her, care for her. Every side of someone needs love and care, new and old alike."

A glint of determination entered her eyes, her hands lifting, settling over the doppelganger's heart. Smile fond.

"What are you doing?" The other Elreid sounded panicky, starting to struggle against her bindings.

"You must be so scared, and I can't blame you-I know I was, when you first manifested. I was terrified, because I suddenly had this new power, this magic that I didn't understand, that I still don't really understand. But I know I can find a teacher-Illaria, we heard her say she made a deal, too, and she seems together. Maybe she can help us. What do you say? Do you want to stay with me, as equals, and learn together?"

The struggle slowly died down as she spoke, her words calming the girl. A slow nod, hesitating still.

Moving her hands to grasp the other girl's, Elreid stepped closer, and the tendrils shifted, wrapping around her, too. This was... unexpected and not at all what I'd thought would happen. Honestly, I was beginning to feel a little worried myself. I, of course, didn't know what would happen if someone became their other self instead of accepting them into themselves and absorbing them. Although I was curious, I didn't want to experiment with my friend's life.

I opened my mouth but found I couldn't speak. Which only fanned the flames of panic.

They embraced, the other her's eyes closing. A soft glow surrounded them, and then there was only one Elreid. She turned toward me and opened her eyes ever so slowly. They flashed between gold and grey several times, before settling on grey. Our Elreid.

With that, I was back in my body-which was lying on the ground, anxious faces peering down at me. Gazes shifting between our prone bodies.