Chapter IX

Cossette led us down the final hill, and towards the woods. I watched Christopher on his horse, right ahead of me, as Afni pulled back to trot beside him.

"Did you get a hold of my brother, or did you decide to act as though I can't hear you, or see you?" she asked, and pulled her horse back away from him. He turned his head, confused, but turned back when I pointed ahead of him. We were entering the woods.

It was complete and utter silence as we made our way through the trees towards Jeminna's cave. In fact, it was so quiet that I heard Afni's stomach growl. I turned my head, but she looked away, unable to even glance at me. I sighed, and turned in time to stop my horse from running into Christopher…we were there. We stared at a cave made of a light gray stone, with an opening just big enough for us to walk through. Cossette led us inside.

As soon as we walked in, we saw a cauldron, sitting the center of the "room," steam rising from it. There were shelves, going around in parallel circles on the walls. Books, and different jars sat on them, filled with various things, and in between each shelf was a light. Looking closer I noticed it was just an old fashioned street lamp, with a candle instead of a bulb. That made me feel a little better. It wasn't until I turned towards another doorway in the cave that I saw the other woman. She stood before us, in a long, flowing gray dress, her skin a nice tan color, her long black hair pulled into a sort of bun, and her green eyes shining. Cossette bowed to her.

"Jeminna."

"Stand up, Cossette, and introduce me to those you have brought with." Cossette stood.

"Would it be alright if they introduced themselves?" Jeminna gave a blank look for a moment.

"Very well." Cossette nodded at us, and stepped back.

"I'm Christopher."

"April."

"Jalil."

"David."

"Janet…you know me." Jeminna nodded, and looked at Afni.

"How about you? What is your name?" she asked.

"Afni." Jeminna nodded.

"So you are Afni. It's nice to meet you."

"And you as well."

"What is your business here?" Afni stepped forward.

"Cossette wished for us to come here, on our way back to the gateway to the real world." Jeminna nodded.

"Very well. You may rest here as long as you wish, but I wish to speak with Afni for a moment." I looked at her, and followed to the others to the wall. We all sat in a semicircle, with me closest to Afni and Jeminna. I listened to them speaking.

"Do you know what you must do when opening the gateway?"

"Close my eyes, keep the wish of it opening in my mind, and wait as it opens…but Cossette told me there was something that was not depicted on the wall." Jeminna nodded.

"There is. Who are you taking to the real world?"

"April, Jalil, David, Christopher, Janet…and myself."

"Unfortunately, one of you must sacrifice your chance to get home to keep the gateway open." Afni's eyes widened a bit.

"What?"

"Only five of you will be able to cross. The sixth person must stay back, and keep hoping, in order to keep the gateway open long enough to let them through. They give up their only chance to go home." I turned my head. Afni's face fell.

"Oh."

"Do you know who must do this task?" She nodded sadly.

"Yes, I do. I will not burden them with their only chance home. I will stay." Jeminna smiled, and nodded.

"In that case, then I shall give this to you…" Afni looked down at Jeminna's hands, and so did I. She held a necklace with a diamond in the shape of a teardrop on it.

"This is a sign of bravery, and selflessness. Those who wear it care more about their friends than themselves, and would do anything to keep them safe. We smile upon that here." Afni bowed her head, and Jeminna dropped it onto her shoulders. I looked down at the floor, and Afni walked by me.

"Oh, and Afni?" Jeminna stated. Afni turned back around, and I looked up.

"Yes?"

"Your eyes do not need to be closed." Afni smiled, nodded, and sat against the wall, away from us, as we rested.

After a few minutes, I stood up, and walked over to Afni.

"Af?"

"What?"

"You don't have to do this for us."

"Do what?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the ground. I sighed, leaned over, and put my lips beside her ear.

"Sacrifice your only chance home," I whispered. She looked up, and over at me.

"You heard us, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did…"

"Don't tell them." I shook my head.

"Of course not. Don't worry. Not unless you wanted me to." She sighed.

"David?" I looked over at her, and touched her shoulder.

"Yea?"

"Go away."

We set out again about an hour later. Afni road ahead of us with Cossette and Jalil, and April, Janet, Christopher, and I were sort of huddled behind them.

"What did you say to her?" April asked. I looked up.

"When?"

"While we were in the cave. You got up to talk to her. She seemed surprised at something you said." I saw Afni glance back at me. Instead of telling the others what I'd heard, I shrugged.

"I don't remember what I said." April nodded warily, and looked back ahead.

"Right. Whatever." Cossette, Afni, and Jalil led us on in silence for a while. Finally, I noticed that the sun was starting to set. Afni slid off her horse, and looked around. Cossette dropped to the ground, and so did Jalil, but the rest of us looked at them.

"Cossette? Why did you stop?" April asked. Cossette waved her hand at the walls down the hill.

"A village rests beneath us. We walk the rest of the way." Christopher, Janet, and I slid off our horses, but April hesitated. Cossette noticed. "Do not worry, April. Nothing can harm us between here and there." She dropped to the ground, and followed us.

We arrived at the village, and two guards stopped us.

"What is your business here?" Cossette stepped forward.

"We are just passing through, and wish to rest the night inside, perhaps find something for dinner." The guards sighed, and nodded. We walked into the city through the wooden gates. As we walked, people watched us from the various places they were hiding. Cossette, keeping a smile on her face, led us to a hotel-type building. We walked in, and got ourselves a room, which is something I never thought I would say about a place in Everworld.

April sat by the window as the sun began to vanish beneath the horizon.

"Are you hungry, April?" Afni asked. April looked over.

"Kind of. Why?"

"Because you seem a little hungry. Hold out your hands." April opened her hands, and a sandwich appeared. A faint smile on her face, she ate it, and Afni gave her a bottle of water.

Only ten minutes later, the door burst open, and someone ran across the room, grabbing April by the shoulders.

"What's going on?" Christopher asked, standing up.

"We watched her perform magic at the window! Witches must be burned!" the person exclaimed. We looked at Afni, but her hand was out, and I could no longer find the strength to speak. Apparently, neither could the others, because they were silent.

"What do you mean, burned?" Afni asked.

"We tie her to a stake, and light the straw beneath it. She burns after the sun goes down tonight." The person tied her hands, and hauled her from the room. April didn't speak the whole time. Afni dropped her hand as the door closed, and then dropped against the window. We looked at each other, feeling ourselves able to speak.

"We have to stop them!" Janet exclaimed. Afni threw her arm up, and when Janet tried the door, she found it wouldn't open. She spun around.

"You open this door!" Afni stood.

"You shall not tell me what to do, do you understand me? I kept you from speaking because if you tell them she is not the witch, you have to tell them who is, and if I burn, you shall never go home, do you understand!" Afni exclaimed. I watched Janet advance on Afni.

"So what, you think you are the only one to know the way to the gateway? I highly doubt it. You burn, and we go back to Jeminna. She can take us," Christopher stated. I watched Afni's face as she realized what was happening.

"I agree with Christopher on this," Janet said. Afni looked at me and Cossette, and slightly, we nodded. Jalil did not respond. Afni closed her eyes.

"I thought that someone would actually understand that you need me to get you home!" Afni pushed Janet to the floor, waved her hand, and opened the door. We watched her storm from the room, down the steps, and, as we watched from the window, she strode across the dirt street. People were walking about, chanting.

We ran down, and bumped into someone.

"Excuse me! Where are they burning the witch?"

"Right behind town hall." We ran passed, and saw April tied to the stake. Afni was nowhere in sight.

"April!" I called. She lifted her head, and I saw the pain and fear in her eyes.

"April, hold on!" Janet called, and tried pushing herself through the crowd. A single bright eye pierced through the darkness, and it was only after a few seconds that I noticed it was a torch. Someone came from town hall, and stopped beneath April.

"This is your last chance to confess to your deeds of witchcraft."

"I will not confess to something I never did!" she cried. The ropes were rapped around her waist, and legs, tying her to the pole, and another rope was around her wrists, holding them behind the pole. The torch was lowered, and it touched the straw. In a matter of seconds, the flames were licking at her feet, and she was crying.

"Please! I am not a witch!" she yelled.

"Burn her! Burn her! Burn her!" the people chanted. Suddenly, a voice came through the shadows.

"LET HER GO!" I spun around, and a wind picked up so strong, it blew the fire out. A small light came through, and I saw Afni walk in, her hands up. Without even coming near the stake, she untied April, and set her on the ground. "April is not your witch. I am!" The people cowered backwards, fear showing on their faces. April dropped her ropes to the ground, and ran to us, as Afni stood surrounded by the townspeople. She was not afraid, nor was she upset. All she did was stand, and wait. A man came forward.

"Because you were brave enough to admit to works of witchcraft, and brave enough to untie your friend with this magic, we will not burn you. You have done nothing to harm us, so we shall do nothing to harm you." Afni smiled, and nodded.

"Good. We shall sleep tonight, and in the morning, we'll be gone." As we walked through the people, she turned back to the man that spared her life. "By the way. She is not my friend."