DAYBREAK
Chapter IV
Help Me
"Sakura!"
She woke up with a start. A pair of glistening amethyst eyes greeted her. "W-what happened?" She blinked as she felt the stinging slap on her cheek. She froze, clutching at her reddened face.
Tomoyo was crying, her hand shaking into a fist. She stared at her friend in anger and confusion as she struggled to control her sobs. "Why didn't you run? Goddamn it! You didn't even try to avoid it! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" She bit her lip and calmed herself, allowing her hand to fall limply to her side.
Sakura gazed at her friend, speechless, her own emerald eyes threatening to give way to tears. "I-I don't know", she whispered.
Tomoyo brought out her serene smile though her navy eyes blurred with tears. She lunged at her friend, encasing her in a tight one-armed grip, squeezing her just to be sure that she was alive. She sighed in relief. "Thank the gods! I-I thought you were going to leave me! I was so scared!"
Sakura winced. She looked at her arm and saw that it was bleeding. Tomoyo looked at her apologetically and slowly retreated back to her kneeling position. Sakura held her arm.
Tomoyo nodded happily.
Something soft brushed her cheek. Sakura looked to her side, her eyes wide in surprise. "Kero?"
A large winged lion stood proudly beside her, grinning softly. He folded his wings behind him and sat beside his mistress. He snuggled close to her, feeling her obvious fatigue and insistent shivering. He furrowed his brows in a frown, making him look regal and almost father-like. "Why didn't it change?"
Sakura looked down and opened her palm. "I-I don't know." Her vision became blurry as hot tears formed beneath her evergreen eyes. She felt remorse as she choked up her sobs. "I-I don't know."
Tomoyo bit her lip. She hated seeing her friend cry. She looked towards the winged beast for some support, anything that could make her friend feel better but found only sorrow in his golden eyes. He sadly shook his head.
Cerberus nuzzled his mistress' neck and purred ever so slightly. It was the best he could do to console her and he had missed her touch so much. He had missed her warmth, her smile, her aura and most especially her spirit. Large feathered wings stretched out behind him, enveloping the shivering girl in their magical warmth.
Sakura smiled appreciatively. "Thank you." She placed a bony hand on his neck and began to scratch at his fur. She could feel the warmth of his thick golden hairs, almost as though they were aflame, bright and alive as their color suggests. "What happened? Where did you come from, Kero?"
The lion lifted its head from his mistress' neck and looked at the soaked cloth before him. He looked at Tomoyo for permission and she nodded. He opened his mouth and Sakura felt soft warmth radiate from him. Warm fire blazed through his mouth and unto the cloth. It crackled and hissed, the flame dancing in its place besides the pouring rain. The fire grew stronger; brighter, as though oblivious to the horrid weather that had been plaguing the beings huddled next to it. It sang its own tune, a far cry from the icy symphony the wind played. It sparkled in life, and it filled the three with a momentary peace and hope, fleeting yet precious. It was warm and inviting; it was alive. He closed his mouth, happy with his handy work. "It won't last long but it'll keep you warm until help arrives."
Sakura smiled at the gesture. "Thank you…for saving me."
Her guardian merely nodded in response. It was slowly coming back to her.
"But how did you get here so fast?"
"Tomoyo passed by your house before coming here. She told your brother that you would feel better if she brought you some of your 'toys' so he happily agreed. Tomoyo took the Book, the Key and me in her bag. I was hoping to pop up sooner but that nurse arrived."
"I'm sorry if I took your things without your permission. I just wanted it to be a surprise and Kero missed you so much."
Sakura smiled. "It doesn't matter. You've just saved my life."
Kero continued and the two girls looked at him attentively. "I sensed an aura so I decided to scout the area when the three of you left. I was going to return when the storm hit. I had to wait until the place was deserted before I could change my form. After that, I sensed that you were in danger so I followed your aura. I saw you call for the staff…" He paused. He looked down, downtrodden.
Sakura smiled encouragingly. She continued for him. "It didn't work, Kero. I couldn't call forth the staff."
"And when I saw this, that you were defenseless, I attacked. I blasted the entity with all the flames that I could produce. I must've weakened it because it retreated quickly enough but not before trying to slash at your neck. It missed when I hit it but your arm wasn't so lucky." He bowed his large head. "You lost consciousness after that. I'm sorry."
Sakura ran her hand through his soft golden fur. "For what? If it weren't for you, I'd be dead and gone." Her eyes glimmered slightly as she gazed at the burning cloth in front of her. The light reflected upon her emerald eyes, giving them life when in fact she could hardly keep conscious. She sighed softly, almost to herself yet both her companions felt the fatigue and helplessness within it. She smiled wistfully and her voice softened to a whisper. "Maybe I'd be with him."
"But I failed to protect you from harm and it almost cost you your life. I'm not very good as a guardian."
She looked up at her steadfast guardian with a mustered gaiety. She took his large neck into her arm and hugged him and he in turn placed a comforting paw on her back. "You've been the best. It's me who's to be blamed. I've neglected you and the cards. Maybe this is why the key isn't responding to me."
Kero shook his mighty head, his face twisted in an expression of doubt bewilderment. There was a tone of irritation within his voice as though he were trying to dismiss an unthinkable thought. "That's not it!" he growled. The key must respond to you as its master, that is the way Clow had made it. It is a part of you. Something must be interfering with your magic. Not using the cards must have made it easier to get to your power and disturb it. And once it thought you were weakened, it tried to destroy you."
Tomoyo gasped. "Then Sakura's in more danger than we thought. If she can't use the key or the cards then how will she defend herself? And I don't think whatever that thing was, is going to give up that easily. We have to do something!"
Kero nodded. "Yue might know something about this. Master Clow shared most of his secrets with him."
"But what if he doesn't know?" Sakura had let go and was now leaning on her guardian. Her breathing came as shallow pants and Cerberus could feel the fever rising up. Yet she kept a smile on her face as she stared lifelessly at the flickering flames. It would soon die out.
"Then we'll ask the man himself!" Tomoyo quickly answered.
The mighty beast looked at her dumbfounded, not understanding the meaning of her statement. Then his lips drew into a soft grin as its sentiments dawned upon him.
She smiled knowingly. "We'll ask Eriol. He should know what he's past self had been up to. After all, he did make the key in some way and he might know how to fix it. Or he might at least have some idea of what we're up against."
"Tomoyo, quick-witted as always," Sakura murmured as her eyes slowly closed on their own accord. The flames had died down, taking with it the warmth that had supported her.
"Of course." Tomoyo smiled lovingly at her friend.
Cerberus sighed as he looked down on his mistress. Her auburn hair was tousled and it clung to her wet pale cheeks. She was shivering in her thin hospital gown and her lips seemed to take on a tint of blue. He breathed down on her, hoping to give her some warmth from his magic. He brought his white wings closer and shifted so that she was nearer to his thick fur. A soft sigh of thanks escaped her lips and he smiled proudly at her in return.
Once he was satisfied with his mistress comfort, he turned a worried gaze to the drenched dark-haired teen sitting silently before him. She was watching her friend with the utmost care, ignoring her own shivering body and oddly situated arm. She held the Sakura book, as she so endearingly calls it, in the other. He broke the silence with his booming voice, softened a bit so as not to disturb the slumbering child by his side. "It happened again, didn't it?"
Tomoyo looked up at him, dazed, and then realization gleamed in her dark eyes. She nodded meekly though her face showed no sign of worry or fear. She kept a peaceful smile on her lips. "Yes, when the thing started to choke me. It felt as though something inside me wanted to get out. It was painful, like a heart attack, only worse. I can't explain. I've told you this before."
Kero nodded in understanding. His golden eyes suddenly became serious. "I felt something different a while back, when you felt the attack. Your aura changed, as though you were a different entity all together. I don't like it. Even that thing didn't like it. It was probably the only reason why you've survived."
Tomoyo looked at him without a single reaction of worry written on her face. She remained smiling. "It doesn't matter for now. It comes and goes. What matters is that we get Sakura back to the hospital as soon as possible. She won't make it through the night if we stay in this storm.
Cerberus bent his great head as he gazed down lovingly at his charge. He nodded slightly in agreement.
The wind grew stronger once more, regaining its earlier strength. Nothing could be seen overhead but the dark starless sky. Tomoyo scanned the area with her eyes. It felt desolate and dead. The mist was still thick around them, hiding them from their only possible hope for help, and it gave no sign of dissipating soon enough. She shifted uncomfortably in her place, careful not the move her broken arm. She could hear the chattering of her own teeth as she struggled to keep warm in her thin sweater. It seemed a futile effort but she had to give it a shot. It was all she could do to keep her mind from the blistering pain in her arm and the horrid feeling tugging at the back of her mind.
Tomoyo bit her lip, giving it some feeling. She longed to be back in her own home with her thick blankets and soft mattresses. She closed her eyes, feeling the silk between her fingers, soft and smooth. She could almost smell the warm aroma from the hot chocolate Tai makes. She felt dry and comfortable in her own clothes, filled with the sweet perfume of lemon scented detergent, and safe in her mother's embrace. She opened her eyes. Heavy drops of rain fell from the yielding sky, blinding her sight for a moment. She could have sworn those sensations were real but then, so was this unfortunate situation. She saw Sakura's frail body, shivering in her guardian's careful embrace. She could feel the muddy ground beneath her, slowly swallowing her own thin frame. She felt the excruciating pain and unsettling numbness fighting for dominance in her battered arm. The cherry tree seemed dead to the touch, leafless, bare, and filled with scratches and cuts from the previous attack. Nothing seemed to be alive. Tomoyo gripped the book even harder, hoping it would give her strength to survive, hoping it would give them all the strength to survive until the storm passes and help arrives. She fought back the urge to close her eyes. She had to remain conscious in any case.
"You might find that my fur is more of a comfort to you than that book."
Tomoyo looked at the majestic beast in front of her. He seemed to be smiling a lopsided grin, though she could hardly discern from the hazy mist that obscured her vision. She felt her lips twitch to a smile. It seemed hard to believe that this very creature was the small toy-like lion she had hidden in her bag just a while back.
"I think you might be right," she said as she wrapped the soaked sweater around her. She felt her hair stand on ends as the wind blew persistently on her back. She couldn't hold back a sneeze. "But I wouldn't want to impose. Sakura needs you more than I do. I'll be fine, don't worry."
This time, his grin was wider and definitely apparent. He stifled a sneeze as he shook his head to dry off his matted mane. "Sakura would be mad if I didn't take care of you as well. And believe me, she's not a good person to be with when she's mad." He choked himself jokingly and Tomoyo couldn't help but laugh. "Besides, you're also an important friend to me. And I owe you big time for taking care of her. Believe me, you wouldn't be imposing."
Tomoyo smiled appreciatively. "Thank you." She scrambled slowly to her knees, never letting go of the book all the while. She crawled cautiously towards the lion's open wing, making sure she wouldn't slip on the unstable ground. She snuggled close to him as he enveloped her with his wing. He felt warm and soft, though he too was wet from the rain. His pelt was damp and it stuck close to his skin yet his body itself radiated with the warmth of a blazing fire. He was truly the guardian of the sun. His very breath melted the icy chill in her body and subdued the aching pain in her arm. She pressed her face below his chin and she felt his feathery wing come down upon her, protecting her from the unforgiving wind and rain.
"We'll leave soon," he whispered softly as he felt the young girl drift into sleep. "I'll wake you up as soon as the mist clears up. We'll fly away from here. We'll go home."
*********
The young woman could hardly stand; her feet buried leg-deep in mud and rain. She tore her black hair away from her flushed cheeks. She wanted to scream. Everything she felt seemed the epiphany of helplessness and despair. She felt death loom over as though ready to take her at any moment. She spun her head around, her auburn eyes at the brink of tears. It was all around her, that horrid feeling that something was watching her, stalking her, playing with her. She felt hunted and alone, fearful for her life.
Yet above all fear for her own survival crept the fear of loosing the two girls to the merciless hands of the storm. She shivered as she recalled the piercing scream she had heard but a few moments before. It seemed filled with the fear of impending death, like the cry of a calf as a hyena moves in for the final blow. She placed an ashen hand above her trembling, pasty lips. She could almost taste the nausea in her tongue at the thought of such a sight. She swallowed in, fighting the desire to just retch it all out. She bent down, clutching at her stomach. It felt hollow and empty, yet her throat said otherwise. She wanted to let everything go, all the pain, all the fear, all the loneliness she had kept inside. It seemed the perfect time to release them, before they took over her and her will to survive yet she knew she could not. It was never that easy. Nothing was ever that easy and now she would exactly what that meant. She would lose these two children as well, just as she had lost her own precious child. "Shinta. Help me," she whispered into the wind as she lurched forward to release only the feeling of a phantom lunch and drips of stale saliva. She hated the bitter taste.
She wiped her lips with the back of her hand hastily as she struggled to place one foot before the other. The wind howled behind her ears, threatening to sway her balance on her unsteady path. She slipped, falling face first into the dirty mud. For a while, she had forgotten to move. Her whole body ached and she felt too heavy to stand. The rain pelted at her back, pounding bruises unto her bared legs and arms. Her neck, most of all, felt the worst pain and cold. She wished she had grown her hair longer to ease the feeling of nakedness on her neck.
The lone being stood up in the mists. Her hands shook fiercely as she struggled to lift herself to her feet. Once, twice, three times she slipped and fell, yet undeterred determination flamed in her eyes and she struggled once more to stand. She pushed the ground with her arms then steadied her footing beneath her as she slowly stood up. Her pale white uniform was brown and muddy. It seemed more a beggar's rag than a nurse's garb though she did not seem to care. She tilted her sullied face upwards, towards the sky, as she let the rain fall upon her face to wash away the mud and grime. She let it trickle down her nose, her cheeks, her eyes and unto her neck. She lifted up her arms, welcoming the cleansing rain. The winter chill came once more, howling and roaring through her lithe form and she shivered at its touch. She brushed her matted hair away from her face with her hand as she continued her trek, completely blinded to her surrounding by the heavy mist.
Suddenly, she felt an inexplicable familiarity with her surroundings. Though the mist covered the scenery, it could not hide the slope and feel of it. It seemed as though she had been there before. A small flicker of hope surged through her, just enough to give her the strength to move on.
She found herself in a small clearing, devoid of the tall grass that covered the lower parts of the park. There was a certain feeling of unexplainable warmth, which surrounded the place. It felt strange, surreal and unnatural yet inviting and comforting as well. It felt the only place that could be alive inside this horrid storm. She trudged on further towards it, letting her instinct guide her through the darkness and into its warm embrace. Perhaps she would find them after all.
*********
His cat-like ears perked up at the slightest sound. Indeed, he had heard her before he could even distinguish her figure from the haze surrounding them. His keen eyes were fixated upon this being as she came closer and closer to him and his charges. He felt a sudden surge of anticipation for this new arrival and yet he also felt the tug of apprehension in his stomach. He weighed the two in his mind, his brows knitting in a grim frown.
On one hand, the girls had a better chance to get to a hospital with the woman. She would probably be able to apply some medical methods to keep Sakura alive until help arrives. But if he left them, they would lose the only source of heat and warmth that they had at the moment. He knew both Sakura and Tomoyo would not last long if left out in the cold. And what if the woman could do nothing to help? Footsteps grew louder as the leaves and grass crackled at the woman's feet. He could almost hear her gasping breath and feel her weary heartbeat. His own began to quicken as he stared at the shadowy figure approaching, growing even more impatient as it gradually became more vivid to his golden eyes. He had to decide. He couldn't be seen with these two girls. In fact, he shouldn't be seen by anyone else at all. Too many people have come to know of his existence and more would only mean trouble for him and his mistress. He gritted his teeth. The woman's features were almost visible, her black hair and firm arms slowly stood out from the whiteness of the mist. She was almost upon them, could almost see him for what he was. He growled silently waking Tomoyo with the slight movement of his jaw. His brows knitted even deeper, gaining a look of worry from the weary girl.
"What's wrong Kero? Do you feel anything?" she said silently, fearful of the beast's expression.
Kero pointed at the figure with his muzzle.
Tomoyo followed his direction and squinted. She could see nothing at first, sleep still heavy in her eyes and the mist, thick beyond her sight. She stared even harder, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. Bit by bit, she saw a woman's outline emerge through the thick veil. She sighed in relief, immediately recognizing who it was.
"The woman's coming. I don't know if she'd be of much help but I can't be seen in this form. I have to change. There's no other way."
Tomoyo nodded slightly. A part of her felt sorry to have to lose Kero's warmth and protection yet another felt relief at the woman's arrival. She cast a quick glance at her friend, making sure she was still breathing. She had hoped they would be able to fly to help as soon as the mist and wind dissipated but this seemed to be better than nothing. Nami was a nurse after all. She had to know something. Tomoyo bit her lip. She hoped Nami knew something.
Almost instantly, Cerberus rose from the ground, surrounded by a feint luminescent glow. His large wings emerged from his back to completely cover his figure as the transformation took place. And as quickly as it had begun it was soon over. His wings became smaller as his toy-like form materialized from the light. He slowly floated down, just above his mistress' sleeping form. With one last worried glance at Tomoyo, he hid himself under Sakura's arm, posing as a mere stuffed toy to comfort the girl.
*********
She felt light as a feather, as though she herself were made of mere air as she drifted with the silent breeze. Everything around seemed swallowed by the heavy darkness, empty and silent. She could hear nothing but her own breathing and the slightly faster beat of her heart. She knew it for the dream that it was.
She let her head fall back as though she were lying on an invisible bed of clouds. It almost felt peaceful there, like floating through eternity with no pain and no joy, just peace and undying serenity she thought she would never feel once more. She wanted to stay that way forever yet she knew it was an ephemeral moment, just as every moment was in this place of dreams. She could already feel the winds shifting around her, small sounds barely audible buzzing in her ear, footsteps and chatters, life and death, all swirling around her. She opened herself up to this world, opened every part of her being to all that is around her. She had learned to control her senses but a few nights ago, to pluck out one sensation at a time and discern it from all the rest. She felt somewhat alive that way; as though she had been given at least this one link to reality that reminded her she did not belong in this place.
She smiled warily as she picked up but one thread of aura that made up the entire tapestry of pulsing power. She felt its warmth radiate at the slightest touch of her own aura. She tugged at it lightly, feeling the small breeze it brought about. She wished she could pull them all, take every one of them and wrap herself within them, feeling the infinite throb of power that held together her Hades. It felt so inviting and almost impossible to let go, as though it was a part of her she had found at last. Yet a strange tickling sensation reminded her it wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to be here, doesn't belong here. It felt unbearable to let go yet the change had already begun.
She found herself in an empty corridor, save perhaps for all the ornaments that littered each side of the wall, staring lifelessly at her. She began to shiver. She walked the length of the hallway, never once looking at her silent watchers, fearful that they may come to life all too soon. She could hear nothing but the grave silence that seemed to ring in her ears and she wondered if she had gone deaf. There was no sign of any visible life within this antique and forsaken place, which she walked in, except perhaps that it may have been furnished by someone living so long ago. She sighed in weariness as she continued along the hall, drops of cold sweat trickling down the base of her neck, anticipation heavy on her brows.
The walls were of an old reddish wood, oak or perhaps even teak and they were varnished into an even deeper red than was naturally possible. They glowed as she passed by, though only a dull reflection of their former self. "It must have been beautiful before", she said to herself as she moved on, never letting her eyes stray too far for her own good. On the floor beneath her was a lush red carpet, which muffled the creeks of the otherwise noisy floorboards below. They were probably old and rickety, just like everything else within the hall, yet she thought that they might have been of the same beautiful red wood that had been used on the walls. She somehow wished she could see this place in its former grandeur than in its sorry forgotten state now. It would have been a more pleasant dream.
Further on, the walls became more ornate and elaborate, as though she had reached an important part of the room. Delicate carvings of ivy vines and cherry petals falling and drifting in the fictional breeze decorated the hard red walls, giving them an old romantic charm. Birds of different sizes, swallows drifting in the air, nightingales singing in their perches, kingfishers wallowing by the flowing stream, depicted a life of much happier times, when everything was alive and young children ran through these very same halls, sighting the birds as they passed by. Yet none could be seen now though she could almost hear feint laughter if she strained her ears. They were of no condolence now, merely a reminder of what she had missed and what she is about to see. Once more, she could feel the change flowing through the halls, through the very wood on which she stepped and through the ivy that swirled in each and every direction. She felt a chill run down her spine, as though someone had touched her neck, yet she knew there was no one there. She was alone once more, dreaming, and she couldn't wake up.
She moved forward, tracing the small birds with her fingers as she walked by. She could feel the fibers of aura that held every delicate etch and notch of the bird's feathers. She could name them if she wanted; wood, as though it were still alive, fire, blazing almost carefully to give warmth, and wind, singing softly to those who would care to listen. She knew then that everything here had been carefully made, crafted with the utmost care and attention. Everything screamed of love and affection and yet of sorrow and despair as well. She could feel the burden, which hung from the stale air she breathed and it saddened her even more. She felt the same way, the same longing and loneliness that seemed to take the life off of everything and everyone.
Sharp creaks destroyed the utter silence. For a moment, she had forgotten to breath, anticipating the change she had felt before. Yet nothing came and the eerie silence was undisturbed once more. She eased up, letting her shoulders slouch slightly as she breathed a sigh of thanks. For some reason, she wasn't ready to leave this place, not just yet. It felt right, just to be there, and welcomed. Even the ghastly antiques seemed inviting at a second glance, and for a minute she thought they were all smiling at her. The carvings, the statues, the pictures and portraits that hang randomly at each side of the hall, all gazing down at her with a gleam of life in their painted eyes. She smiled back, nodding her head slightly in thanks.
She walked at a slower pace, carefully examining every detail that caught her attention. She saw lush gardens at the farther end of the walls, with animals of all kinds living peacefully in their carved utopia. She watched as a deer bounded merrily through the thick of the forest, through the evergreens and the wild firs that seemed almost out of a jungle. Large trees lined up the edges, their roots flowing even through the borders that cut the walls in half. She could see flowers of all kinds, those she knew and others that seemed too extraordinary to be real. Large blooms the size of her head and even larger ones fell from the ceiling as though they were truly falling from their branches. She followed the blossoms up to the ceiling and her eyes widened with both surprise and amazement. The ceiling itself was carved entirely into thick branches and rope-like vines, one on top of the other as though it were dangling. It was marvelous in its complexity, never once leaving an empty space for the eye to creep into. Everything was filled to the brim that it seemed hard to determine the actual thickness of the ceiling. More flowers and buds that have not yet bloomed scattered randomly through the branches and thorns, as though they were alive in a garden that was real. She wondered if she could pluck one out if she cold reach and she smiled inwardly at the idea. It was as though she had thought of it before, though perhaps in another lifetime when everything here was lively and filled with happiness.
Another creak rung through the halls, announcing the arrival of the change she had feared. She crinkled her nose as she felt a sudden tickling sensation. She realized that a few bits of dust and soot had trickled down from the ceiling and right on top of her nose. She stifled a sneeze as she slowly looked up, her eyes widening in sheer terror at the sight that greeted her. The walls muffled her screams.
Branch after pointed branch slowly began to stretch down towards her, gleaming in the same red varnish the walls had, though now it seemed menacing and frightful. She was afraid to move, yet she inched her way backwards, her feet shuffling silently on the thick carpet. One by one the blooms fell from their branches unto the floor. She stared in horror as the petals slowly began to take on a yellowish tone, strikingly different from the rich red it once had. It seemed thin as it slowly curled up, brown eating at the sides. She smelled the reek of decay as more flowers fell. It was all she could do to keep from bursting into tears as she watched the once delicate flowers rot into a ball and then turn into dust. She looked back and saw that everything was gone, and nothing of the hall's former beauty remained. A lone tear trickled down her cheek as she watched a small breeze carry the remnants of paintings and vases into the gloom of the darkness, nothing but dust traveling in the wind.
She winced as a she felt a slight sting on her cheek. She touched her face and felt the sticky liquid that seeped through the wound. Once again, the branches and thorns had come into focus and everything else seemed distant and unreal. A large limb rushed towards her, brushing her hair and cheek with its rough bark. She felt more scratches begin to bleed yet she could do nothing to move. She looked up and more twigs and thorns met her gaze, poised like snakes ready to strike with their knife-life fangs. She could see the sharpness of each branch, all pointed towards her. The vines had fallen down, some dangling from the ceiling as though they were real, some already at her feet, creeping unto her legs and arms. She shrieked as she stepped back, further from the horrible slithering vines that sought to hold her in place for the final assault. More came down, thorns of all sizes, equally sharp and deadly, all pointed towards her. She began to feel her legs once more, though they were shaky and unstable; she knew she could move them. She looked past the suspended branches and twigs and saw a small slit of light pour through on the other side. It was a door! She looked longingly at it, wishing she had gone when she first felt the change instead of taking her time. She was afraid to run; the blade-like branches walling her from her only means of escape, but she had to try. "I would rather be skewered while running than while standing stupidly like a target", she said to herself as she readied to bolt.
She backed up to the wall, keeping as much distance from the pointy branches that desired to kill her. Inch be inch, flattened against the wall, she crept towards the left where there were less thorns and vines. Her mind screamed run but she kept herself at a steady pace, hoping not to arouse attention to herself. Yet the branches turned slowly, each bending this way and that so that their pointed ends always faced her. She stared at them, horrified, one branch just inches from her breast. She took another step sideways, keeping her eyes on the knife-like ends. "One more step", she told herself. "It always takes just one more step," yet she feared she had too many steps to take before she ever reached the door. She squared her shoulders as she inched her way towards the slit of light, her eyes never leaving the thorns that followed her. One more step. It came, as a whisper but she knew it was not from her. One more step! Don't be afraid! It was urgent yet filled with encouragement. She felt a sudden wave of hope rush through her as she heard the gentle familiar voice ring through her ears. I'm here! Just one more step and I'll find you! Just past the door! She closed her eyes, smiling softly to herself. When she opened them, they were filled with determination and strength, emeralds blazing as though they were rubies instead. She had made up her mind. She would not be a victim any longer. She would take that step even if it killed her!
She braced herself, staring squarely at the pointed end. "One", she whispered to herself. She placed her left foot slightly in front. A branch came rushing towards her head yet she moved it to the side just in time. The scratches began to sting. "Two." Another one came and she dodged it with the dexterity of a gymnast. It made a ghastly wound on her shoulder yet she paid it no heed. "Three" Now! She bended forwards, using her arms and leg to push her from the wall and propel her towards the branches. The knife-like ends stiffened at attention and rushed towards her. In a split of a second, she flattened herself unto the ground, the thorns barely missing their mark. They brushed through her back, making scratches too horrid to look at yet she knew she was alive. Looking back, she saw that she had but a minute to stand and run before the branches resume their assault. Some had pierced through the wall at the very same place she had been just a moment back, and she swallowed hard at the though of being there at that moment. Yet she caught herself and realized that most were still rushing towards her. In a blink of an eye, she had stood up. She ran as she had never run before, her form merely a blur as she raced towards the door. She could feel the branches and their deadly ends barely inches from her back, one passed just above her shoulder, leaving another ugly would. She felt one ready to strike at her feet and jumped quickly to avoid it. Then another at her side and another, ready to strike at her head. She threw herself forward and flipped, just in time to see the branches strike the red carpet, completely missing their target. She smiled to herself as she landed gracefully unto her feet, never breaking the run. More branches came yet she evaded each as efficiently as she had the others though some left a scratch or two. But she was almost at her destination and she would not allow herself to be stopped. She stretched her hand before her, ready to push through the door at any moment but her eyes grew wide as she saw more branches dangle just in front of the light. They twisted and turned, merging into one solid branch then suddenly became firm, making a large blade the size of her head and pointed straight at her heart. She could feel the air leave her.
Everything seemed to stop at that moment as she faced the blade ready to decapitate her or impale her. She couldn't think which was the worse way to die yet she knew either would be as inevitable as the other. She was going to die! It didn't seem to make sense, to die in a dream. She had done it before, placed a blade at throat and at that moment she had thought she would die. Yet she woke up with nothing but the fear of the feeling. It didn't make sense why she shouldn't just let things happen. She didn't want to feel the pain anymore. She wanted nothing but to wake up.
Just one more step!
She bended her neck in a heartbeat, just out of instinct as the blade flew towards her head. She allowed herself to fall to the side then quickly realized she was still alive. She felt the pang of pain as she touched her neck. Thick sticky liquid leached out from the side and she knew that there was a deep gash. But the pain reminded her she wanted to live, reminded her what life was, both painful and joyous, and she wanted it all. She rolled out of the way as the branches behind her hailed down to finish the job. She quickly stood up, not minding the pain or the weariness in her legs; she knew she had to make it. She could see from the corner of her eye that the large blade was again flying towards her. With one last effort, she jumped forward, pushing through the door and eluding the deadly end by a mere strand of hair.
She could feel the warmth of the change on her face as the light swallowed her entirely into its grasps. She could hear the energy pulsing through it as it had with the tapestry of her Hades. She could feel the auras merging into one to form a picture, to form the change, the threads weaving the patterns into the tapestry of auras. It felt unbelievable, beckoning and alive, as though she were in a dream.
