Grace slumped back down onto the damp grass somewhere, God knows where, at
the edge of the maze. She sighed, ever since she had left Merriman and the
others, it was almost like she had lost all sense of where she was or what
she was doing here- well, actually, it was ever since she had had that.
conversation with The Lady. Just seeing her. was inexplicable. It was so
strange to finally speak to her after all this time- she could remember
exactly what had happened the last time they had spoken to each other, and
every time she thought about it, recalled those images, a lump rose in her
thought, and she thought she would burst into tears. She shook her head
vigorously. She had to concentrate on the task at hand. She had to focus.
Now, where exactly was she? She looked around her once more, which didn't
help her much considering she could barely see even three metres in each
direction due to the gradually darkening night. Why couldn't she feel which
way to go? She dropped her head on her knees and placed her hands on the
back of her neck. This couldn't be good, she had been wondering around
aimlessly for about and hour now, and God knows what could be happening to
Jane, and she was stuck in here feeling sorry for herself- she jerked her
head up suddenly. A noise- galloping? No-way.
She stood up and waited silently, trying to control her mounting fear. Suddenly, she felt something cold against the back of her neck, making the tiny hairs on her neck prickle.
She slowly turned around. A man- no, a boy more like, around 17 years old at most, sitting gallantly on a gleaming black horse with a single white spot on it's forehead; he was clad in a long white cloak, lustrous in the darkness, she almost had to turn her head away from the brightness.
"Grace."
She could do nothing but stare at him in shock. What was happening? Could this be some sort of dream? Why was there a person here, appearing out of no-where, dressed in white? White. She thought that this probably ruled out the option that he was one of Odin's servants. But under the current circumstances, the chance of this person, dressed in white, though traditionally he should be one of the good guys, could in fact be one of Odin's henchmen.
"We have been awaiting her arrival. We must proceed with haste- it could already be too late. It was not anticipated that you would take so long in finding your way in this maze- after all, you have faced worse."
"Who are you?" She finally managed to choke out, not really listening to the boys' orders- her mind sinking deeper into a new reverie, who could this boy be? Why was he here? Could he help her rescue Jane? Or was he here to make her suffer even more on her way to Odin's layer? Pure purgatory. She never thought her death would come so soon, she didn't even think she would have to suffer through purgatory before, let alone hell. Not that she was a being devoid of sins, but she never thought that what she had done in her life would be bad enough to be worthy of such a fate after death. She sighed, finally snapping out of her rumination and glanced up at him.
He paused for a moment, met her oddly vacant eyes for a brief second and took in a deep breath as his eyes darting abruptly to her left, avoiding her ghostly glance. "That is of now importance. We must rise to Odin's challenge before it is too late."
"Odin's challenge? What are you talking about? I'm not being challenged for heaven's sake, I'm going on. I have something I must do."
"We know what you are about to do. You're going to sacrifice your life in return for Jane Drew's. But there is no need for someone as powerful- potentially powerful as yourself to die for no reason."
"No reason?" She cried out hysterically, outraged at such a implication." I'm not dying for no reason! I'm going to save Jane."
The boy was evidently becoming frustrated. "Grace, would you rather go on a suicide mission or would you rather be tested, to prove your power, your worth on this planet and live?"
"Who are you to question my intentions? I don't even know who you are! I have no idea what you're doing here- for all I know, you could be here just to make my life a living hell, well, what's left of it, and lead me to even more peril."
He sighed and shook his head. "If you must know, my name is Zac Russell. I am here on behalf of the High Magic, they knew all along what you were about to do, and we were willing to make a deal with Odin to save your life." He paused and looked deep into her eyes. "You are more important in the coarse of the magical world even more than you could possibly ever comprehend. But for now, that is unimportant, all you must do is accept every challenge to get, and win, only that way, will he let you stay alive. And I am here to help you. I also have a rough idea of why your powers may be failing you."
She didn't reply, but was instead trying to take in everything that this strange man had just been telling her. Important? How could she be important? Merriman was more powerful than she- why could he just save the world like he was meant to? Her head was spinning and she resisted the urge to just fall limply onto the ground. She was weary of all this. sick of everything. couldn't it just all end? Why did this guy have to be the hero and save her? She shook her head. No, not thoughts like that. She didn't want to die! She didn't! Yeah, keep telling yourself that you moron. The more you live on this earth the more pain you're going to feel. But you're so stupid, you think you can actually deal with it because you think you're so damned strong.
"You want Bran here by your side- he was your source of power you could say. Something or something who would help your power reach it's highest- and without him, you're emotionally weary, you can't concentrate on what you're doing, which of course affects your magic."
"Why didn't it happen when I was with The Lady?"
"It didn't happen when you were with her because at that time you could control your emotions, that's what you had been trained to do, and now that it's happening all over again, this time stronger than it was before, and now that you're just remembering your training, you can't control it- you need him. But that's why I'm here. I'm going to help you through this."
She nodded, and finally gave into the overwhelming feeling of nausea that she felt and fell to the floor, her head spinning, the world around her tilting and the trees swimming in her vision.
"Argh." She groaned.
The horse tapped its left foot near her side gently, as the boy jumped off his horse in a hurry, and almost stumbling over a branch lying on the ground where he had leapt of his horse. He leaned down beside her and gently laid his hand on her back.
"What's the matter? Are you all right?" He asked, his voice breaking slightly.
She titled her head side-ways on her knees so that she could see him. "Yeah, I'm fine, I have no idea what came over me."
"I think. I can't be sure, but I think it's because you're near Odin, and he's absorbing your power. We must hurry before you lose all your powers- then there'll be no way to save your life." He turned his face away from her. "That's assuming you want to live."
* * *
"You have got to be kidding me. I don't have a sister and never have done."
There was a short silence before Merriman spoke once more. "No, not that you know of."
"No-no way!" Bran spun around as to avoid the piercing stares of his now- wide-awake companions. "That's just no possible!" He cried, he spun around again hysterically- totally unlike himself. He spared a quick glance at Merriman, and not getting any sort of comfort from him, carried on ranting. "But I don't have any magic- not like hers! I'm nothing like her!"
"You have no idea how much alike you two are. You just don't know her very well." Whispered Merriman, his eyes cast downwards, his figure still standing defiantly above the others, the darkness casting shadows under his eyes.
Bran fell hard onto the ground.
"Bran, are you okay?" Asked Will, as he ran over to his 'confused' friend.
Bran shook his head. Silence enveloped them for what seemed like eternity- everyone excluding Merriman trying to come to terms with the fact that Grace was Bran's sister.
Will felt almost disgusted and as though he had betrayed Bran's trust by having feelings like. like he did for his sister! His sister!
"Well," Sighed Bran finally. "We can't let her go and kill herself. No-way. There's no way I can lose her after I've just discovered she's my sister." He turned around in the direction of the long exit from the middle of the maze. "I have to find her."
"And do what? Tell her you know she's your sister, and that there's nothing you can do to help her, hug her and say bye?" Cried Simon, trying to talk some sense into Bran.
"Simon, you of all people I thought would understand. You have a sister, and at the moment she's missing, do you stand by and wallow in your misery or do something about it? Help her?" He paused, trying to get his breath back. "You would help her of course, I can't just watch her go. No. I have to talk to her."
"Bran, please, think this through. Think about what you're about to do. You don't even know which way to take in the maze, your chances of finding her are almost nil. Please, calm down." Said Will, his gaze slowly travelling to Merriman's still form and back down to the floor. Pleading him to back him up, but no words of wisdom flowed from his lips. Nothing. What was wrong with him? Did he really want Bran to go?
Bran shook his head. "No, I have to go. I have to try and do something!" And with that, he ran towards the clearing in the trees to try and find Grace in the huge dark maze all by himself. Will ran after him, but was stopped before he reached the exit by Merriman's long arm stuck out like a barrier, hitting his chest sturdily. Will winced.
Merriman, how can you be so calm and watch him go like that?
I believe that. Grace may need Bran in what she's going to do.
What are you talking about?
Merriman sighed. You will see in time. For now, I can not possibly begin to explain the implications. she will survive Will. With Bran's help. We had to let him go. He would be no use to us with his mind so preoccupied.
Will nodded and spared a quick glance over at Simon who was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed across his chest and his brows knitted together in a frown.
It was going to be hard waiting. Especially with such little answers. And for once, he had no idea what on earth Merriman was talking about. It was so unlike him to keep something so important from him.
* * *
Zac's horse came to an abrupt halt as Zac suddenly stood still in the middle of a vast corridor of dark green trees and bushes. He slowly made his way to the horse where Grace's lithe form lay sleeping, and tugged slowly at her sleeve to try and wake her. He had seen that she was in no condition to walk after she collapsed earlier on in the maze, and she would need all the energy she could muster. He had noticed her face getting paler and paler and had continuously checked that she was comfortable and that she wasn't developing a fever, after all, last time he had been here, he had had a fever, it was amazing that she could get so far without being sick or showing any signs of illness.
"Grace. Grace, wake up. We're here." He whispered to an area below her right ear.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and a while passed before she actually registered where they were. "Great, you have no idea how good it feels to wake up knowing that I'm getting closer and closer to my death." She muttered sarcastically.
"Don't talk like that, you're not going to die, not if I can help it anyway." He replied, helping her off his horse, and realising that he was blushing, turned his face away from her.
"Where are we?"
"We are here, the entrance should be here somewhere, I had to wake you, because you're the only one who can find it."
A baffled expression crossed her tired and blanched features. "What do you mean?"
"Well, the entrance isn't exactly a door, it something you have to either touch or walk over to access it. It should be a wall of fire- but I can not be sure, it is what I have been told, but it was only a rumour. I can only assume."
She nodded defiantly. Well, closer and closer was her death, and there were still so many things she had wanted to do in her time on earth. She hadn't even fallen in love yet, she hadn't even turned 16 yet, and she was going to die. The most beautiful and exciting years of her life would be snatched away from her to save the life of another. She sighed. She shouldn't doubt this- she had come this far, there was no turning back. No turning back. no hope. She was going to die, and she was expected to do it gracefully. She wasn't sure she could rise up to this assumption.
* * *
About fifteen minutes after Bran's departure and Simon was still leaning against a tree, with his arms crossed, Will was still thinking about what 'implications' Merriman could possibly be talking about, and Merriman was still caught in his own thoughts unable to free himself from the growing doubt that he was feeling about this quest.
Will rose up from the floor where he had been momentarily sitting cross legged, and turned his wide eyes over to Merriman.
"Merriman, something's happening. I can feel it. Look, the crystal is faintly glowing."
Merriman slowly walked towards the crystal, as Simon finally tore himself away from the tree he had been leaning on for the past 15 minutes, and the gathered around the trunk of a tree with the crystal lying upon it.
"Do you think that if we touched it now, it would work?" Asked Simon, not letting his eyes stray from the luminous crystal.
"I don't think so. I mean, does it look like it's glowing red, or is it just me?" Replied Will, he too, too transfixed on the crystal to break his glance from it.
"No, I believe you are right. It is glowing red- but there shouldn't be anything to be afraid of- I don't think this means that something bad has happened."
"But how can you be sure? How am I ever to find Jane? How are we going to save her?" Cried Simon frantically, finally parting his gaze from the crystal to raise his angry eyes up to Merriman's.
"Perhaps we should just wait-" Will tried to interrupt, but nothing could be done to console Simon. Nothing could be done but listen to him ranting in this hysterical state. Will sighed- he too was becoming awfully unhopeful of ever finding Jane, it was a risk to come here in the first place, and they hadn't even expected to be this successful, well, up to now- and Simon behaving the way he was now, didn't help to calm Will either, he was sure his composure would crumble any second from so much stress.
"Jane, poor Jane, how are we ever going to find her?" Suddenly everything went quiet as Simon's spouting had abruptly come to an end. He turned his head in the direction of the crystal, looking at it, but not really seeing it. "No- it can't be red! I must be colour blind or something-"
"Simon calm down for heaven's sake!" Boomed Merriman's deep voice. "Your behaviour isn't helping anybody. We all are very worried about Jane, and are doing our best to help her, as is the High Magic. And I believe the reason it's glowing red is not because Graces' sacrifice hasn't worked or wasn't enough, but because she hasn't reached the gateway yet. No, I'm sure of it, there hasn't been enough time." He paused and whispered more to himself than anybody, his eyes closed, "but if she does not hurry than the servants of the Dark will be able to pass through this gateway to wreck havoc upon this world, and not even Grace or the High magic will be able to stop it. Not this time."
* * *
Grace stood as still as a statue in front of a cold wall of fire which had suddenly appeared in front of her- her hands clenching and unclenching, nail marks in her palms where her fingers had pressed down so hard. She was paralysed in fear- in fear of everything, of going to the other side, of failing Jane, of the sacrifice not being enough to rescue Jane, therefore rendering all her efforts to save her pointless, and worst of all, of Bran dying on this quest. Anything could be possible, and never in her life had she felt as frightened, morose, unhopeful and disconsolate as she was feeling now. It was reaching a point of intolerability. Doubt and pointlessness clouded her mind. It was as though the white wall of fire was feeding off of all her happy memories- the more happy memories, the higher it got.
She fell to her knees in front of it and raised her hands and gripped her head tightly- taking in deep breaths to try and concentrate on clearing her mind of tall the morbid thoughts which had surfaced over the passed few seconds in which the wall- the gateway had appeared.
She felt Zac lower himself down beside her, and clasped her shoulders in support.
He didn't know what exactly had possessed him to make such an- an emotional gesture but he couldn't bear to stand by and do nothing while Grace was so evidently suffering. Her face had become even paler than it had been before, and as soon as she had fallen down on her knees, he couldn't resist the urge to go over to her and embrace her.
He had heard so many things about her, the way she had treated The Lady when she was younger (though perhaps the cause was just, she didn't really have any right to question The Lady's motives in training her, though whether he wouldn't have behaved in the same way in a situation like that, he didn't know), the way she had reacted when her parents had died, everything, he had heard everything about her, and yet, all this assessment of her character which he had heard from his friends, and from his masters was so. so different to what he had finally found in her. She wasn't what he had expected at all. She was strong, noble, kind, caring, humorous and brave, she just needed a push every now and again. She wasn't the cold and heartless person he had assumed she had been when she was younger against The Lady- not that any of this mattered at a moment like this- why did he always have to justify the way he was feeling at times like this? Not that he could. it was a strange feeling. he shook his head. Concentrate on the task at hand Zac! Stop thinking of your stupid fantasies, which you wish could happen between you and Grace-, you don't even know her!
"Grace, come on, you can do this, whatever you're thinking, it not real, nothing as bad as what you're thinking at the moment will happened! You can conquer this, it's only the gateway to Odin's realm which is doing this to you."
"No- no, I can't- there are just too many consequences that could happen, too many flaws in this plan, if I'm not with them, Bran could very well die, Jane can not be saved! This is utterly pointless!" She choked out, and took in a deep breath, tears beginning to drop slowly from her dark eyes. "Why do you want to save me? I deserve to die for the things that I've done. I shouldn't have been so terribly to The Lady- all my friends are dead, my parents are dead- no-one cares! No-one knows or cares about how I'm feelings!"
Zac shook her gently. "Grace! Snap out of it! I care Grace, God, why would anyone want anything bad to happen to you? You don't deserve to die! Think of all the innocent people who will die if you're not here to save them?"
Grace sighed, and now her tears flowed freely down her rosy hot cheeks, she took her hands off her head and put her arms around Zac, and a great sense of comfort and relief washed through her, as she felt Zac's arms hold her tighter, slowly rubbing her back in comfort. She rested her forehead on his shoulder.
"Zac, I can't do this!" Gasped Grace between her sobs. "I'm sick of fighting, I want all of this to be over, I want all this to stop, the fighting, the pain!"
"Sssshh, Grace- it's okay, I'll help you through this. Please, calm down." He gazed into her dark Brown eyes as she lifted her head off his shoulder. "Trust me." He whispered.
She pulled slightly away from him, trying not to pull away too much which would mean him having to release her from his strong grip-, which of course she didn't want, there faces were so close together she could see her reflection in his bright green eyes. She began wiping the tears from beneath her own blood shot eyes.
God she wanted to trust him so much. she so badly needed someone like him at a moment like this in her life.
"Are you coming through with me?" She asked hopefully.
"I-"
Suddenly a rustling sound came from behind them, they immediately let go of each other, not knowing what had come over them.
"What was that?" Whispered Grace from some point behind Zac. He couldn't be sure, he was attentively listening to what it could be that was so close to them.
"I have no idea, but it doesn't sound like an animal."
Grace heaved herself off the floor, just as the mystery person came into view, and she stopped dead in her tracks, as the boy inched slowly closer to her. The melancholy look on her face vanished to be replaced by a huge grin that lit up her whole face.
The boy stopped barely two metres away from her, a smile creeping up on his lips.
"Grace, I know. everything and I want to help you. If you'll let me."
And with that, she ran over to him and wrapped her long arms around him, tears once again flowing freely from her already sore eyes.
"You have no idea how glad I am that you're here with me."
* * *
Please tell me what you think of this chapter!!!! Because I wasn't too sure if some of the parts. er, worked so well, and I thought Will was kinda OOC at times- but I couldn't help it! I'm sorry! ::sobs:: Please review! ~_~
She stood up and waited silently, trying to control her mounting fear. Suddenly, she felt something cold against the back of her neck, making the tiny hairs on her neck prickle.
She slowly turned around. A man- no, a boy more like, around 17 years old at most, sitting gallantly on a gleaming black horse with a single white spot on it's forehead; he was clad in a long white cloak, lustrous in the darkness, she almost had to turn her head away from the brightness.
"Grace."
She could do nothing but stare at him in shock. What was happening? Could this be some sort of dream? Why was there a person here, appearing out of no-where, dressed in white? White. She thought that this probably ruled out the option that he was one of Odin's servants. But under the current circumstances, the chance of this person, dressed in white, though traditionally he should be one of the good guys, could in fact be one of Odin's henchmen.
"We have been awaiting her arrival. We must proceed with haste- it could already be too late. It was not anticipated that you would take so long in finding your way in this maze- after all, you have faced worse."
"Who are you?" She finally managed to choke out, not really listening to the boys' orders- her mind sinking deeper into a new reverie, who could this boy be? Why was he here? Could he help her rescue Jane? Or was he here to make her suffer even more on her way to Odin's layer? Pure purgatory. She never thought her death would come so soon, she didn't even think she would have to suffer through purgatory before, let alone hell. Not that she was a being devoid of sins, but she never thought that what she had done in her life would be bad enough to be worthy of such a fate after death. She sighed, finally snapping out of her rumination and glanced up at him.
He paused for a moment, met her oddly vacant eyes for a brief second and took in a deep breath as his eyes darting abruptly to her left, avoiding her ghostly glance. "That is of now importance. We must rise to Odin's challenge before it is too late."
"Odin's challenge? What are you talking about? I'm not being challenged for heaven's sake, I'm going on. I have something I must do."
"We know what you are about to do. You're going to sacrifice your life in return for Jane Drew's. But there is no need for someone as powerful- potentially powerful as yourself to die for no reason."
"No reason?" She cried out hysterically, outraged at such a implication." I'm not dying for no reason! I'm going to save Jane."
The boy was evidently becoming frustrated. "Grace, would you rather go on a suicide mission or would you rather be tested, to prove your power, your worth on this planet and live?"
"Who are you to question my intentions? I don't even know who you are! I have no idea what you're doing here- for all I know, you could be here just to make my life a living hell, well, what's left of it, and lead me to even more peril."
He sighed and shook his head. "If you must know, my name is Zac Russell. I am here on behalf of the High Magic, they knew all along what you were about to do, and we were willing to make a deal with Odin to save your life." He paused and looked deep into her eyes. "You are more important in the coarse of the magical world even more than you could possibly ever comprehend. But for now, that is unimportant, all you must do is accept every challenge to get, and win, only that way, will he let you stay alive. And I am here to help you. I also have a rough idea of why your powers may be failing you."
She didn't reply, but was instead trying to take in everything that this strange man had just been telling her. Important? How could she be important? Merriman was more powerful than she- why could he just save the world like he was meant to? Her head was spinning and she resisted the urge to just fall limply onto the ground. She was weary of all this. sick of everything. couldn't it just all end? Why did this guy have to be the hero and save her? She shook her head. No, not thoughts like that. She didn't want to die! She didn't! Yeah, keep telling yourself that you moron. The more you live on this earth the more pain you're going to feel. But you're so stupid, you think you can actually deal with it because you think you're so damned strong.
"You want Bran here by your side- he was your source of power you could say. Something or something who would help your power reach it's highest- and without him, you're emotionally weary, you can't concentrate on what you're doing, which of course affects your magic."
"Why didn't it happen when I was with The Lady?"
"It didn't happen when you were with her because at that time you could control your emotions, that's what you had been trained to do, and now that it's happening all over again, this time stronger than it was before, and now that you're just remembering your training, you can't control it- you need him. But that's why I'm here. I'm going to help you through this."
She nodded, and finally gave into the overwhelming feeling of nausea that she felt and fell to the floor, her head spinning, the world around her tilting and the trees swimming in her vision.
"Argh." She groaned.
The horse tapped its left foot near her side gently, as the boy jumped off his horse in a hurry, and almost stumbling over a branch lying on the ground where he had leapt of his horse. He leaned down beside her and gently laid his hand on her back.
"What's the matter? Are you all right?" He asked, his voice breaking slightly.
She titled her head side-ways on her knees so that she could see him. "Yeah, I'm fine, I have no idea what came over me."
"I think. I can't be sure, but I think it's because you're near Odin, and he's absorbing your power. We must hurry before you lose all your powers- then there'll be no way to save your life." He turned his face away from her. "That's assuming you want to live."
* * *
"You have got to be kidding me. I don't have a sister and never have done."
There was a short silence before Merriman spoke once more. "No, not that you know of."
"No-no way!" Bran spun around as to avoid the piercing stares of his now- wide-awake companions. "That's just no possible!" He cried, he spun around again hysterically- totally unlike himself. He spared a quick glance at Merriman, and not getting any sort of comfort from him, carried on ranting. "But I don't have any magic- not like hers! I'm nothing like her!"
"You have no idea how much alike you two are. You just don't know her very well." Whispered Merriman, his eyes cast downwards, his figure still standing defiantly above the others, the darkness casting shadows under his eyes.
Bran fell hard onto the ground.
"Bran, are you okay?" Asked Will, as he ran over to his 'confused' friend.
Bran shook his head. Silence enveloped them for what seemed like eternity- everyone excluding Merriman trying to come to terms with the fact that Grace was Bran's sister.
Will felt almost disgusted and as though he had betrayed Bran's trust by having feelings like. like he did for his sister! His sister!
"Well," Sighed Bran finally. "We can't let her go and kill herself. No-way. There's no way I can lose her after I've just discovered she's my sister." He turned around in the direction of the long exit from the middle of the maze. "I have to find her."
"And do what? Tell her you know she's your sister, and that there's nothing you can do to help her, hug her and say bye?" Cried Simon, trying to talk some sense into Bran.
"Simon, you of all people I thought would understand. You have a sister, and at the moment she's missing, do you stand by and wallow in your misery or do something about it? Help her?" He paused, trying to get his breath back. "You would help her of course, I can't just watch her go. No. I have to talk to her."
"Bran, please, think this through. Think about what you're about to do. You don't even know which way to take in the maze, your chances of finding her are almost nil. Please, calm down." Said Will, his gaze slowly travelling to Merriman's still form and back down to the floor. Pleading him to back him up, but no words of wisdom flowed from his lips. Nothing. What was wrong with him? Did he really want Bran to go?
Bran shook his head. "No, I have to go. I have to try and do something!" And with that, he ran towards the clearing in the trees to try and find Grace in the huge dark maze all by himself. Will ran after him, but was stopped before he reached the exit by Merriman's long arm stuck out like a barrier, hitting his chest sturdily. Will winced.
Merriman, how can you be so calm and watch him go like that?
I believe that. Grace may need Bran in what she's going to do.
What are you talking about?
Merriman sighed. You will see in time. For now, I can not possibly begin to explain the implications. she will survive Will. With Bran's help. We had to let him go. He would be no use to us with his mind so preoccupied.
Will nodded and spared a quick glance over at Simon who was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed across his chest and his brows knitted together in a frown.
It was going to be hard waiting. Especially with such little answers. And for once, he had no idea what on earth Merriman was talking about. It was so unlike him to keep something so important from him.
* * *
Zac's horse came to an abrupt halt as Zac suddenly stood still in the middle of a vast corridor of dark green trees and bushes. He slowly made his way to the horse where Grace's lithe form lay sleeping, and tugged slowly at her sleeve to try and wake her. He had seen that she was in no condition to walk after she collapsed earlier on in the maze, and she would need all the energy she could muster. He had noticed her face getting paler and paler and had continuously checked that she was comfortable and that she wasn't developing a fever, after all, last time he had been here, he had had a fever, it was amazing that she could get so far without being sick or showing any signs of illness.
"Grace. Grace, wake up. We're here." He whispered to an area below her right ear.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and a while passed before she actually registered where they were. "Great, you have no idea how good it feels to wake up knowing that I'm getting closer and closer to my death." She muttered sarcastically.
"Don't talk like that, you're not going to die, not if I can help it anyway." He replied, helping her off his horse, and realising that he was blushing, turned his face away from her.
"Where are we?"
"We are here, the entrance should be here somewhere, I had to wake you, because you're the only one who can find it."
A baffled expression crossed her tired and blanched features. "What do you mean?"
"Well, the entrance isn't exactly a door, it something you have to either touch or walk over to access it. It should be a wall of fire- but I can not be sure, it is what I have been told, but it was only a rumour. I can only assume."
She nodded defiantly. Well, closer and closer was her death, and there were still so many things she had wanted to do in her time on earth. She hadn't even fallen in love yet, she hadn't even turned 16 yet, and she was going to die. The most beautiful and exciting years of her life would be snatched away from her to save the life of another. She sighed. She shouldn't doubt this- she had come this far, there was no turning back. No turning back. no hope. She was going to die, and she was expected to do it gracefully. She wasn't sure she could rise up to this assumption.
* * *
About fifteen minutes after Bran's departure and Simon was still leaning against a tree, with his arms crossed, Will was still thinking about what 'implications' Merriman could possibly be talking about, and Merriman was still caught in his own thoughts unable to free himself from the growing doubt that he was feeling about this quest.
Will rose up from the floor where he had been momentarily sitting cross legged, and turned his wide eyes over to Merriman.
"Merriman, something's happening. I can feel it. Look, the crystal is faintly glowing."
Merriman slowly walked towards the crystal, as Simon finally tore himself away from the tree he had been leaning on for the past 15 minutes, and the gathered around the trunk of a tree with the crystal lying upon it.
"Do you think that if we touched it now, it would work?" Asked Simon, not letting his eyes stray from the luminous crystal.
"I don't think so. I mean, does it look like it's glowing red, or is it just me?" Replied Will, he too, too transfixed on the crystal to break his glance from it.
"No, I believe you are right. It is glowing red- but there shouldn't be anything to be afraid of- I don't think this means that something bad has happened."
"But how can you be sure? How am I ever to find Jane? How are we going to save her?" Cried Simon frantically, finally parting his gaze from the crystal to raise his angry eyes up to Merriman's.
"Perhaps we should just wait-" Will tried to interrupt, but nothing could be done to console Simon. Nothing could be done but listen to him ranting in this hysterical state. Will sighed- he too was becoming awfully unhopeful of ever finding Jane, it was a risk to come here in the first place, and they hadn't even expected to be this successful, well, up to now- and Simon behaving the way he was now, didn't help to calm Will either, he was sure his composure would crumble any second from so much stress.
"Jane, poor Jane, how are we ever going to find her?" Suddenly everything went quiet as Simon's spouting had abruptly come to an end. He turned his head in the direction of the crystal, looking at it, but not really seeing it. "No- it can't be red! I must be colour blind or something-"
"Simon calm down for heaven's sake!" Boomed Merriman's deep voice. "Your behaviour isn't helping anybody. We all are very worried about Jane, and are doing our best to help her, as is the High Magic. And I believe the reason it's glowing red is not because Graces' sacrifice hasn't worked or wasn't enough, but because she hasn't reached the gateway yet. No, I'm sure of it, there hasn't been enough time." He paused and whispered more to himself than anybody, his eyes closed, "but if she does not hurry than the servants of the Dark will be able to pass through this gateway to wreck havoc upon this world, and not even Grace or the High magic will be able to stop it. Not this time."
* * *
Grace stood as still as a statue in front of a cold wall of fire which had suddenly appeared in front of her- her hands clenching and unclenching, nail marks in her palms where her fingers had pressed down so hard. She was paralysed in fear- in fear of everything, of going to the other side, of failing Jane, of the sacrifice not being enough to rescue Jane, therefore rendering all her efforts to save her pointless, and worst of all, of Bran dying on this quest. Anything could be possible, and never in her life had she felt as frightened, morose, unhopeful and disconsolate as she was feeling now. It was reaching a point of intolerability. Doubt and pointlessness clouded her mind. It was as though the white wall of fire was feeding off of all her happy memories- the more happy memories, the higher it got.
She fell to her knees in front of it and raised her hands and gripped her head tightly- taking in deep breaths to try and concentrate on clearing her mind of tall the morbid thoughts which had surfaced over the passed few seconds in which the wall- the gateway had appeared.
She felt Zac lower himself down beside her, and clasped her shoulders in support.
He didn't know what exactly had possessed him to make such an- an emotional gesture but he couldn't bear to stand by and do nothing while Grace was so evidently suffering. Her face had become even paler than it had been before, and as soon as she had fallen down on her knees, he couldn't resist the urge to go over to her and embrace her.
He had heard so many things about her, the way she had treated The Lady when she was younger (though perhaps the cause was just, she didn't really have any right to question The Lady's motives in training her, though whether he wouldn't have behaved in the same way in a situation like that, he didn't know), the way she had reacted when her parents had died, everything, he had heard everything about her, and yet, all this assessment of her character which he had heard from his friends, and from his masters was so. so different to what he had finally found in her. She wasn't what he had expected at all. She was strong, noble, kind, caring, humorous and brave, she just needed a push every now and again. She wasn't the cold and heartless person he had assumed she had been when she was younger against The Lady- not that any of this mattered at a moment like this- why did he always have to justify the way he was feeling at times like this? Not that he could. it was a strange feeling. he shook his head. Concentrate on the task at hand Zac! Stop thinking of your stupid fantasies, which you wish could happen between you and Grace-, you don't even know her!
"Grace, come on, you can do this, whatever you're thinking, it not real, nothing as bad as what you're thinking at the moment will happened! You can conquer this, it's only the gateway to Odin's realm which is doing this to you."
"No- no, I can't- there are just too many consequences that could happen, too many flaws in this plan, if I'm not with them, Bran could very well die, Jane can not be saved! This is utterly pointless!" She choked out, and took in a deep breath, tears beginning to drop slowly from her dark eyes. "Why do you want to save me? I deserve to die for the things that I've done. I shouldn't have been so terribly to The Lady- all my friends are dead, my parents are dead- no-one cares! No-one knows or cares about how I'm feelings!"
Zac shook her gently. "Grace! Snap out of it! I care Grace, God, why would anyone want anything bad to happen to you? You don't deserve to die! Think of all the innocent people who will die if you're not here to save them?"
Grace sighed, and now her tears flowed freely down her rosy hot cheeks, she took her hands off her head and put her arms around Zac, and a great sense of comfort and relief washed through her, as she felt Zac's arms hold her tighter, slowly rubbing her back in comfort. She rested her forehead on his shoulder.
"Zac, I can't do this!" Gasped Grace between her sobs. "I'm sick of fighting, I want all of this to be over, I want all this to stop, the fighting, the pain!"
"Sssshh, Grace- it's okay, I'll help you through this. Please, calm down." He gazed into her dark Brown eyes as she lifted her head off his shoulder. "Trust me." He whispered.
She pulled slightly away from him, trying not to pull away too much which would mean him having to release her from his strong grip-, which of course she didn't want, there faces were so close together she could see her reflection in his bright green eyes. She began wiping the tears from beneath her own blood shot eyes.
God she wanted to trust him so much. she so badly needed someone like him at a moment like this in her life.
"Are you coming through with me?" She asked hopefully.
"I-"
Suddenly a rustling sound came from behind them, they immediately let go of each other, not knowing what had come over them.
"What was that?" Whispered Grace from some point behind Zac. He couldn't be sure, he was attentively listening to what it could be that was so close to them.
"I have no idea, but it doesn't sound like an animal."
Grace heaved herself off the floor, just as the mystery person came into view, and she stopped dead in her tracks, as the boy inched slowly closer to her. The melancholy look on her face vanished to be replaced by a huge grin that lit up her whole face.
The boy stopped barely two metres away from her, a smile creeping up on his lips.
"Grace, I know. everything and I want to help you. If you'll let me."
And with that, she ran over to him and wrapped her long arms around him, tears once again flowing freely from her already sore eyes.
"You have no idea how glad I am that you're here with me."
* * *
Please tell me what you think of this chapter!!!! Because I wasn't too sure if some of the parts. er, worked so well, and I thought Will was kinda OOC at times- but I couldn't help it! I'm sorry! ::sobs:: Please review! ~_~