Disclaimer: Sweet lord in heaven…I actually made it! These characters don't belong to me, obviously if they did…let's not think about that…
"I want to know what happened between you and Bran."
"It's not important."
"How can you say that it's not important? He barely speaks a word to you for nearly a week and next thing we all know you're attacking each other!"
"I can say it's not important because it's not important."
"He's your best friend, isn't he?"
Will snorted and rolled over on the blanket to face Jane. She'd been bothering him all the rest of the day to find out what had caused the fight. The creases of her frown were about to become permanent as she stared at Will. "Best friend?" he repeated incredulously, resting his head on Jane's lap as she leaned against the tree. "That best bud of mine nearly broke my nose."
Jane sighed impatiently. "Will, just tell me what happened. Did something happen in the Lost Land?" She ran her fingers tenderly over the bruise Will had on his round cheek, courtesy of Bran's left hand.
I don't think you want to know, Will said to himself. I don't think you want to know that Bran predestined you to be his wife because you were the first girl to NOT be a beast to him. I don't think you want to know that he thinks I overshadow him in every possible aspect of life. "We had a disagreement, that's all. Really," Will insisted, twining his fingers in the green grass. "He was wrong, and he didn't own up to it…so I was forced to physically make him."
"Oh, please!" cried Jane, trying to hide her amused smile. "You talk like you're some sort of ultimate fighter. But seriously, you need to talk to him. How are you supposed to finish this whole thing if you can't even talk to each other?"
"See, I've figured that out, too!" Will sat up and faced Jane. "I've been working on some basic sign language." He made some crazy motions with his fingers and hands.
"I see," replied Jane, watching him. "What does that mean, what you just did?"
"Well, it means 'jumping llamas'. I've only been working on this for a short time, you know," Will grumbled. Jane tumbled over laughing. "If it's any consolation, I can say 'sheep', 'cheese', and 'where is your bathroom'!" he added fiercely.
Tears were streaming down Jane's face as she rolled around on the blanket; laughing so hard she was gasping for breath. "Llamas…sheep…. bathroom," she sputtered, before she fell into the fit of giggles. She stopped when she saw Will's pout. "I'm sorry," she snickered. "Do some more."
"No!" Will exclaimed, crossing his arms.
"Please? Come on. You're REALLY good." She poked his ticklish side.
Will smiled. "Okay." He made three quick motions with his hands and slid his arm around Jane. "That means I love you."
"Awww," Jane cooed as she hugged Will back. She didn't have the heart to tell him that he just signed to her that 'the bus is late'.
* * *
They began their journey to the tree the next morning. Merriman stalked ahead in front, flanked by Simon and Barney, with Jane and Will immediately behind. Bran walked leagues behind them all, Erias safely sheathed in his possession.
Merriman, like Jane, had grown annoyed with the constant silence between Will and Bran. The night before he had forced them to sit on the couch in the cottage for a lecture.
"I told you, Old One. I told you not to do this, but you have done it anyway. You've done a headstrong and irrational thing. You're going to break your own heart, and the heart of someone innocent. I'm not going to do anything to improve or deteriorate this situation. It is all yours now. The consequences you suffer will be yours and yours alone. But this is not why I have asked you to come here."
Merriman crossed the room and sat in the chair adjacent to the couch. "Pendragon. I don't know what your rage towards Will is or the magnitude of it. A fight between the two of you is inexcusable."
Bran stared down at his hands. "My anger isn't irrational or headstrong," he answered quietly, using the same description Merriman had used on Will's actions, just another way to separate Will and himself. "I, too, am concerned for the welfare of the Light and Jane Drew. Perhaps even more than anyone. You know that I will dedicate every fiber of my being to this cause, do any task to assist the Light. My anger at Will will not interfere with my allegiance, or my willingness. But I will not relinquish it. I will harbor my anger until it has faded on its own."
The silence in the room made Will's heart pound. Merriman cleared his throat. "I cannot dictate what emotions you have. I only ask that you control these emotions so they don't avert you from your task. This is the most I can ask from you. Old One?"
Will clenched his fists at his sides. "I will control my emotions for the good of the Light. I only ask that Jane never be informed of a quarrel or its details. It's unnecessary for her to know, and while we can control our emotions, I fear she cannot."
"So this DOES have something to do with Jane, then?" Merriman said, very irritated with this news. "Very well, the Drews will not be informed of a fight so long as you don't give them cause to inquire." Merriman stood up. "That is all. Tomorrow morning we leave for the tree. Be ready."
Will remembered the events of the night before and immediately wondered why Merriman took the extra time to lecture him personally. Perhaps he thought if he drilled Stay away from my niece enough times into Will's brain, it would happen. There's a thought…does he want me to stay away from Jane because it will avert my cause away from the Light? Or is it because she's his niece and he's playing the role of the overprotective uncle? Will couldn't really tell because Jane had MORE than enough people playing the overprotective relative.
Will's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden stop. He looked up to see that everyone's eyes were attached to a huge tree with gnarly roots that twisted and bent intricate paths into the ground where they disappeared. Jane clutched Will's hand and got closer to him. "It's huge," she whispered.
And indeed it was. The branches seemed to reach out for miles into the sky, and the round buds on the end of each branch suggested that it would be blossoming soon. They went closer to inspect the tree, even Merriman looking impressed as he felt the trunk and ran his hands over the bark. "Extraordinary," he said softly. "Simply extraordinary."
"Look!" cried Simon, pointing to the bark on the bottom of the tree, in the back. "It's the verse again!" They all went to see, and sure enough, carved into the bark was the verse that they all had heard more times than they cared to remember.
When the Dark comes rising, Six shall turn it back,
Three from the circle, three from the track,
Wood, bronze, iron, water, fire, stone…
"I can't read the last line," said Barney staunchly. "It's all carved up."
"You know the last line," snapped Simon. "We've all heard it a million times. It's 'Five will return, and One go alone.' But I wonder why it's all scratched up. Any thoughts, Gumerry?"
The five were staring at the tree trunk and when Merriman didn't reply, they turned and saw that he was staring, wide-eyed at the trunk. His face had paled.
"Are you alright?" Jane shot up, alarmed. "Gumerry, you're pale. Do you need to sit?"
"No, no," he insisted. "I'm fine, Jane." He clapped his hands together. "Now, let's get started. Bran, the tree looks about ready, so be prepared to unsheathe Erias. Simon, Jane, Barney, Will, come get the signs—"
Merriman didn't even get the last part of his sentence out.
Then the Dark rose.
Will immediately fell to the ground and grabbed one of the massive roots of the tree for support. A horrible sucking sound, like the world was being enveloped into a black hole, was so tremendously loud that it hurt Will's ears. The sky began to spiral into a heinous black shade, blotting out the sun and the clouds.
A horse whinnied loudly, and Will saw the Rider standing up beside the tree. "Will Stanton," he hissed. "I knew we'd meet again eventually."
The immense wind stopped and Will got up quickly and turned to check on everyone else. The Drews were shakily standing and clinging to each other, and Bran was covered in dirt and stood beside Merriman, stabilizing himself, and giving the Rider a determined look that let him know that Bran Davies couldn't be beaten.
"Looks like it's about to bloom," remarked the Rider, taking out his sword and tapping the tree. He noticed the verse. "And I see the prophecy has been all carved up…how unfortunate for you, Merlion." He chuckled.
Will began to mutter a spell to place protection over the Drews at least. And Bran. He and Merriman could perhaps escape from this unscathed, but the mortals barely stood a chance. He glanced over at Merriman for assistance, but he was busy helping Bran.
This is what it came down to now. A race. Whoever was the quickest could cut the blossom off. Powers barely mattered now. This is down to sheer human skill. The Rider versus Bran. Will swallowed, fear overtaking his mind.
Suddenly, a bright stream of light peeked out from a blossom. It was beginning to open.
For a time that reactions were everything and quickness was the key, Will noticed that everyone seemed to be moving in slow motion. Bran struggled with Erias, trying to move forward to the tree. The Drews clutched each other tightly as they watched with widened eyes. Merriman stood back and watched carefully, but Will could see the panic in his eyes.
The Rider stepped forward, and Will reacted quickly, shoving him with all his might. It was a silly thing to do, a smaller person pushing a bigger one, but it worked. The Rider wasn't expecting it and stumbled back, giving Bran time to get to the blossom first.
The Rider snarled at Will. "I told you that I would blast you out of time, Will Stanton, and allow me to make good on my promise!" His eyes glowed as he raised his hand high up, and Will knew that magic. That evil magic that was reserved for only times when the user was overcome with rage. Emotion is an irrational thing, but the most powerful thing of all. Will inhaled and awaited his fate. This magic wouldn't kill him, of course not, but slow him down enough to let the Rider pass.
"No!" Jane screamed and ran up to Will. She had broken free of her brother's grasp and was in front of Will. "NO!" she screamed even louder.
The Rider released the magic the same time the blossom opened. Blinding light erupted in the air, and Will's hands clasped around Bran's, helping him lift Erias. The blossom fell off the branch and into Merriman's waiting hands.
* * *
The three of them stared at the blossom for a minute after that. It was strangely beautiful, despite it's withering. Six eyes glanced up at each other. "It is done," Bran said quietly, and looked over at Will. Will smiled back. It was clear that Bran had partly forgiven Will.
The reverie was interrupted by a wail from Simon. "GUMERRY!" he screamed. "GUMERRY COME QUICK!"
Merriman, Bran and Will glanced at each other once more, and hurried over to where Simon was screaming. The sight that met their eyes burned into their memories, never to be forgotten.
Simon held Jane delicately in his arms. She lay silently, her eyes staring intently into the now blue sky. Her mouth was open slightly, and her arms lay lifelessly by her sides.
"She…she hit her head," croaked Barney, scooping one of her hands into his own. "She went flying backwards…and she hit her head…" He pointed to the other side of Jane's face, which was coated with dark blood, which had been gushing from a wound. The magic from the Rider had hit her hard, with enough force to send her flying back into one of the rocks surrounding the tree.
Will felt like someone was stabbing him one hundred times all over his body. His hands shook and the unwelcome feeling of dread filled his heart. "Is she…she's not…"
But the look on Merriman's face, the tears in his otherwise serious eyes, the shake in his steady hands, told them what they all dreaded hearing.
Jane Drew was dead.