The Lightning Stones Chapter 15: Lightning Stones, a dark is rising sequence fanfic

Disclaimer: All characters and plot elements from The Dark is Rising Sequence belong to Susan Cooper. The rest is mine.

A/N Well, here's the last chapter. Hope my first efforts at writing have been worthwhile. Thank you for reading and a huge thank you if you have reviewed. If you have any comments you don't want to put in a review, please email me: ariene@fsmail.net Cheers!

15. Lightning Stones

Jane and Will had slowly made their way from the seashore back into the castle. Time hadn't stopped as they'd wished it would. The dreadful, unavoidable point was fast approaching when they would have to leave Avalon, this wonderful place where dreams had come true for them and for Bran. But the dread was not in the leaving, it was in what was to come afterwards – obliteration of memories and enforced separation.

Now they stood in the vast entrance hall of the castle by the ornate wooden doors they had seen from the outside when they first arrived. Their hands were held tightly together and they didn't care who saw. The vivid colours and shimmering gold embroidery of the flags that hung from three of the walls contrasted sharply with the grey, sombre mood of the group gathered below. They had said a polite goodbye to The Lady and Merriman. The former had smiled and wished them well, and they could see from her eyes that she meant every word. Merriman had nodded in acknowledgement of them, but had not spoken. Will kept his mind firmly closed to his former master.

Standing nearby were Arthur, Guinevere and Bran. They looked solemn, yet they all seem to radiate a strange sense of hopefulness, as if they knew the sadness the two young people were facing would soon pass and things would be better.

"Thank you for bringing our son back to us," said Arthur to them both. "You can be proud of yourselves."

Will tried to pull himself together. He didn't feel very proud, he felt like someone whose hopes were about to be completely dashed and there was nothing he could do. "Thank you, Sire," he somehow struggled to say.

Bran took a step forward and said to the assembled adults. "If I may, I'd like to say goodbye to my friends privately." Will thought he could see that mischievous glint in his eyes again.

"Of course," said his mother with a gracious smile. She took her husband's arm and they went through a doorway to the left. The Lady also turned and proceeded out the same door. Merriman, however, stayed but at Bran's disdainful look, he retreated to the far side of the entrance hall.

"Come on, cheer up you two. At least Merriman's not going to 'fry' you," said Bran. Will shot him a look and didn't smile back. "OK, sorry, not the time for jokes."

"Have you got the Lightning Stones?" asked Will. "Jane will need hers to get back through the gateway."

"Oh yeah, here they are," said Bran reaching into his pocket. Lowering his voice he continued. "I'm not sure if this will work, but I've done my best." He gave the ring back to Jane and handed Will the pendant. "Put them on. When you get back, if all is well, you'll remember."

"How do they work?" asked Will putting the chain round his neck.

"Er…not sure really. You'll figure it out. You're the dewin after all." Will glared at him again, but this time the look dissolved into nearly a smile.

"Thanks for doing this Bran, without you we'd have no hope," Jane said. "But what did you mean 'if all is well'…?"

"Look, don't worry, you'll be fine," Bran said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. Jane still looked anxious. With a sideways glance at Will he said to her "Now don't you let him boss you about, Jenny-O."

She managed half a smile and nodded bravely, though a rogue tear had somehow escaped and was rolling rapidly down her cheek.

"And you look after her, Old One," he said to Will.

"Yeah, I will. Thanks Bran. Be seeing you." Will's voice was thick and he could hardly speak.

"Yeah. Thanks for all you've done for me, both of you."

"It's sunset, Will, time to go," came Merriman's booming voice from the other side of the hall. He walked across the stone floor to the great doors, reached up to the handle and pulled on the metal ring. Without a sound the door opened a little way, and they heard the distant chime of some bell-like music which faded away even before they were fully aware of it. Through the gap they could see only darkness.

Will and Jane looked at each other and joined hands once more.

"Bye, Bran" said Jane, her voice shaking. Will led her through the doorway and they were gone.

Bran watched Merriman close the door and lean heavily against it for a moment, head bowed. He thought he heard Merriman sigh and then say something, though his voice seemed strained and Bran couldn't understand what he said. The old man turned and without even looking at Bran, he left.

* * *

The warm air held the scent of lavender as two figures stepped out of the mirror into the gathering dusk. They let go hands and stood for a few moments looking about.

"Well I hope the High Magic enjoys having its harp back," said Will. "Thank you for helping me."

"Any time," Jane smiled. "I'd better head back to the station, I told Mum I wouldn't be too late."

"Right and I'll have to go…er…home. That's strange, I couldn't think where I was meant to be."

"Come on Old One, you're not that old," laughed Jane. Something in the phrase made Will stare at her for a second, but he shook off the feeling and they walked away through the castle gardens.

Outside the castle, they said a friendly goodbye.

"Enjoy the rest of your summer," said Jane.

"And you," replied Will. "Good luck with your exams next year."

"Thanks. Well…see you sometime. Bye." Jane walked off along the High Street towards the station.

"Bye," called Will, and a strange emptiness suddenly came over him as he watched her go. He turned and went in the other direction but couldn't bring himself to return home yet. Most people had left the city centre now and he wandered aimlessly along the shopping precinct, gazing into the bright shop windows. His senses as an Old One seemed oddly dull, like he was buried under a thick blanket unable to see or hear anything. He couldn't understand why he felt this way.

Night was falling rapidly and Will pulled his jacket closer around him. He felt chilled, though the air was still warm on his skin. He looked in a department store window and caught his ghostly reflection in the glass. Something glinted on his neck and he put one hand up to touch it, his reflection copying him. It was the chain with the pendant he'd made out of that blue-green stone from the Lost Land. He took it off and was going to put it in his pocket, when he noticed a small spiky leaf caught between the gold wire and the stone. He rubbed at the stone, trying to dislodge the leaf.

Then everything changed.

Without warning, something like a tornado hit his brain sending him reeling. He fell sideways against the glass, clutching his head in his hands. Images and thoughts and feelings all rushed into his mind, like a huge wave crashing on a beach in a storm. They were completely mixed up and disjointed and he could make no sense of them. Faster and faster they came, and just when he thought his head would explode, the whirling slowed, leaving him breathless and queasy. He let his body slide down the glass to sit on the dusty ground, eyes wide with shock.

As he sat there, the memories resurfaced like bubbles in a fizzy drink – going to Avalon, the harp, Bran! How could he have forgotten Bran?! Seeing Arthur and Guinevere, Gwion…The images and feelings churned inside him, but one image, one feeling above all came clear into his mind – Jane. He loved Jane.

He tried to calm his mind and reach out to her with his thoughts. 'Jane.' Nothing. 'Jane where are you?' Still nothing. He had a horrible sinking feeling. 'Merriman's done a good job this time,' he thought.

Putting the gold chain back on, he got up from the ground and began to run in the direction of the station.

***

Jane walked down the High Street wondering if her mother would be worrying that she wasn't home yet. The next train wasn't due for twenty minutes, so she went into a newsagents and looked at the magazines, trying to decided if it was worth buying one to read on the train home. In the end, she just bought a bar of chocolate. Back out in the night, she passed the entrance to the little square and saw the bookshop, dark in the corner. Something made her stop and turn back, a very curious feeling that made no sense at all and seemed to have no reason to it. She walked slowly into the square and sat down on the bench under a tree.

There was no-one about and she knew she shouldn't stay there alone, but at the same time she was very reluctant to go. Suddenly she felt her finger tingle and looked down at her hand. There was the ring Will had given her with the blue-green stone. She touched it lightly with her finger and found that somehow the stone seemed to be buzzing, as if it had electric current running through it.

All at once she had an even stranger feeling that something was pushing at her mind, trying to get in. She didn't know what to do; she stood up and shook her head, but the feeling was still there. She decided she should just go to the station and took a few steps forward. Beyond the square, in the distance but getting nearer, she could hear footsteps, someone running, coming closer and closer. The something kept pressing in on her mind. She winced, trying to push it back. The running footsteps were very near now, then she saw someone dash past the entrance to the square. Without knowing why, she yelled "WILL!"

Will stopped dead in his tracks and scanned around trying to find who had called him. He couldn't see anyone and his senses still picked up nothing. He back-tracked and saw the way in to the square. In the distance, in the shadows, was a figure, a girl – Jane! He broke into a run again and was a few metres away from her when she shouted:

"No, don't come near me!"

***

Jane felt that chaos had come. Nothing made sense any more. Inside her head was a rumble like thunder and the sound of voices babbling in one awful cacophony. She put her hands over her ears, but the noise just got louder. The sky seemed so dark and was pressing down, down on her until she felt she would be crushed like an ant. Maybe the Dark was taking her over she thought. Then a boy was standing in front of her and she tried to get away. He was shouting at her but she couldn't hear. He grabbed her wrist and she screamed, unable to pull free. There was a blinding flash -- then blackness.

Will shouted, "Jane, it's Will! Jane! Jane!" She was staring at him wildly and trying to back away. What was wrong with her? Suddenly a cold fear swept Will's being and a sick feeling came into his mouth as he realised what was happening. Bran's remembrance charm of the High Magic was trying to counteract the memory block used by Merriman, and Will imagined the Old One had used the strongest form of spell he possibly could. Spells of two different but equally powerful forces were clashing inside the mortal mind of Jane. The conflict put her mind in great danger - irreparable damage could be done and he was not even sure she could survive it. He had to do something – quickly.

Will's reaction was pure instinct. He grabbed Jane's wrist and she screamed at him, but grasping the pendant in his other hand, he forced the two Lightning Stones together. As they touched, there was a blinding flash. He was thrown backwards and he saw Jane collapse to the ground.

Her body lay completely still and for a second Will could do nothing but stare, horrified, wondering what he had done. He crawled over to her, his breath coming in gasps, and with hands trembling he lifted her head. She didn't move. He couldn't even tell if she was breathing. Fear seemed to paralyse his brain and he sat there just holding her.

***

Jane opened her eyes. Will was kneeling next to her on the ground.

"Jane, thank God, I thought you were dead." Will's face was creased with anxiety.

She groaned. Her head ached and her body felt so racked with pain she thought she must have been struck by lightning. She put a hand over her eyes to shield them from the glare of the street lights. "Will," she said weakly, reaching out her other hand to him.

"It's OK, I'm here," he said softly. "Can you sit up?"

Gingerly she lifted her head. Pain shot across her forehead, but stubbornly she kept moving. Once sitting, she put her head in her hands, resting against her knees. The world was spinning and her stomach turned over with the dizziness. She took deep breaths, determined not to be sick. Gradually the nausea passed and the throbbing in her head eased.

Will smoothed back her hair, his face still anxious. "Are you alright?" he asked. Even in the darkness she looked very pale.

"I'm not sure," she said shakily. "What happened?"

"The spells, Merriman's and Bran's, they were too--" He stopped, seeing a look of incomprehension on her face.

"Sorry, what do you mean? Who are you talking about?" said Jane, wincing as she moved her head.

Then it dawned on him. She didn't remember. He couldn't believe it. No…this couldn't be happening - but it was. She didn't remember. He shivered, suddenly feeling deeply cold again. His hopes were slipping away like water through his fingers. They'd come through all this for nothing. Only it was worse now – he knew he loved her, but she didn't remember a thing.

" Jane, do you…I mean…" For some reason, the words in his brain weren't reaching his mouth.

She looked up at him. "What is it, Will?" she asked, rubbing her forehead.

He held her gaze for a moment, then shook his head. "It doesn't matter." He knew Merriman had won and he was back where he'd started, a lone watchman in the world of men, though now he truly was alone. "D'you think you can stand? We'd better get you home." He swung himself onto his feet.

"Just give me a minute."

He watched her, feeling a helpless, pointless rage. But there was no-one to rage against, and he let his anger ebb away into dull resignation.

Jane put her head back on her knees and clasped her hands together in front. Dreadful images were still swirling around in her mind, as if she'd woken from a terrible nightmare. Her fingers moved over the engraved metal of the ring and then felt the smooth but irregular shape of the stone. She lifted her head. "Will – something happened earlier…the ring was buzzing and…I don't know, were we near the sea?"

His head shot up and he stared at her intently, his heart pounding in his throat. "What? B-but that means…" Suddenly he seemed very nervous. "Jane…can I look into your mind?"

She looked puzzled. "OK," she said slowly.

He knelt down and shut his eyes. He reached into her mind and saw the jumble of images, like tiny pieces of a massive jigsaw. But as he concentrated, he could make out flashes, minute glimpses of the things they'd experienced during their time in Avalon. There was Telyn's dress, Bran's white hair, a taste of apple juice, a blue cornflower, a snatch of harp music. He knew then for certain that the memories were not lost, it was all there. He opened his eyes, nearly bursting with joy, but holding back because there was one more thing to be done.

"Jane, do you trust me?" he said.

"Yes, of course, Will. Why are you being so mysterious?"

"There is a block on your memory, preventing you knowing where we have just been and what happened there. I can release it, but it means touching these two Lightning Stones together again, which is what I did before you blacked out. I don't know what reaction it will cause for you, but it's the only way to let you remember. Do you want me to do it?"

Her already fragile emotions were sent spinning again by what he said. She looked at him, then looked away, her eyes trying to penetrate the dark corners of the square, as if anything there would advise her what to do. She didn't want to go through the last ten minutes again, but she definitely wanted her memories back. With more than a little trepidation she said, "Alright, if it's the only way, you can do it."

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Right. I think we'd better stand up." He looked as tense as she felt. He helped her to her feet, though she still felt a little woozy. He lifted her hand and she held her fingers straight. She felt the ring begin to buzz as the stone drew closer to its twin in the pendant. Will noticed her hand tremble slightly and paused, but she nodded firmly and he pressed the stones together.

There was another flash of blinding light as the High Magic spell rushed through them like a gale. There was no sound, but Jane felt again a great pressure passing through her mind as if her brain was a balloon being squeezed. Involuntarily she cried out, but instantly the feeling was gone and she was standing with Will, clear pictures of a silver castle, bright flags and a shining sword swirling through her mind.

"Oh! Will, we were at Avalon!" she said in astonishment.

He reached out and gently smoothed the hair back from her face. "Yes," he said smiling. "Do you remember anything else?" He was almost scared to hear the answer.

She looked into his glittering eyes and saw there such love and longing and hope, and suddenly all her feelings came flooding back.

A smile spread across her face. "I remember," she said. "I love you Will."

The relief Will felt was indescribable. "I really thought I'd lost you," he said letting out the breath he'd been holding. "Nothing's ever going to keep us apart again."

They kissed, a long passionate kiss of new-found love. He held her close and she felt his strong, safe arms around her.

"But what about Merriman?" she asked, remembering suddenly that it had been him who had tried to make them to forget.

"He can't do anything now we're back here. I know I'll have to face him sometime, but I'm not going to think about that yet. Right now, I just want to be with you."

She turned her face up to his again. "I knew Bran could do it," she said.

Will looked up into the night sky, where the first stars were shining above the dark silhouettes of the buildings. "Thanks Bran," he said softly.

They kissed again in the darkness of the square. And somewhere in another part of time and space a Prince with tawny eyes said goodnight to his mother and father for the first time.

*** THE END ***

Completed 27th November 2002