Chapter Twenty One; The Signs of the Light.

"What?" Barney exclaimed. "What do you mean Jane's gone? Where is she?"

Will half slid, half fell down the ladder and closed his eyes for a moment, reaching out with his power. Then he felt it, just as Jane had described it, a large nothingness, but in that nothingness, there was a spark of life. It sparked for a second, flaring briefly before being dimmed by the Dark that surrounded it.

He cursed as he opened his eyes. John raised an eyebrow at his language, but said nothing.

"This was a trap!" He turned on his heel and ran towards some stairs, calling for Bran and Simon as he did so. Barney and John immediately raced after him.

The other two joined them in their race towards the cellar, Will calling a brief explanation back to them.

"They've been suggesting to Jane to come here- the One may protect her for a while but not for long…"

Both Will and Bran shuddered as they passed the threshold of the stairs, feeling the Dark like rankness on their skin. Will only paused for a second at a division of the corridor, swerving to the left almost at once, as he felt the One call him to Jane's side. It pulsed more urgently now.

They rounded a corner and he slammed into an obstacle.

"What is it?" Simon barked impatiently.

"A barrier. They know we're here and they're trying to keep us out."

"Well. Can you get us through?"

Will nodded, "Give me a moment and I should be able to."

He threw his mind at the obstruction, trying to find a weakness. There were none. So he turned his mind to finding the spells that made up the barrier, and then dissolving them. He struggled for what seemed like an eternity, before suddenly finding the burden lessening. Drawing out of the web of spells for an instant he saw, and felt Bran laying a palm on the barrier, lending his strength. Slowly, one by one the others joined the fight. Will felt the sturdy reliability of John, the fresh young energy of Barney and the strong unyielding power of Simon for second, before using their gift and throwing their combined might at the barrier keeping them from Jane. It held, before finally bending and diffusing.

"Come on." Will called as he broke into another run. "They'll know that we're coming for sure now."

As they entered a large space Will stopped once more, causing another pile up. This time the cause wasn't a barrier, but the sight that lay before them. Jane stood in the centre of the room, a white robed figure leaning against the wall in front of her, eyes locked on the girl. But strangest of all, Jane was reaching forward, as though searching for something in the thin air. Her arm fully extended, and straining, and yet there was nothing there.

"What's she doing?" Bran whispered.

Will wasn't able to answer; he was as bewildered as the rest. A dry, gloating voice was the one to speak instead and John was not able to prevent a pained expression sliding across his features as the White Rider spoke.

"She is finding the Signs for us. They were bound in the dimension of the High Magic, out of reach unless both the Light and the Dark are assembled to release them." Her tone changed from one of triumph to one of mockery. "Why, did your Master not tell you that Watchman? Where is he?"

"As if you don't know." Will's voice was cold. "You trapped him for a while. But he is coming. Merriman will be with the Light again soon."

Jane struggled against the compulsion but there were two sides warring within her. One had the voice of the White Rider, urging her to find the Signs and then hand them to the Dark. The other's voice was a mingling of the Six, Barney's piping tones mixing with John Rowland's comforting rumbling, Bran's lilting accent, Simon's impatient, sometime harsh quality, Will's soft, comforting assured voice. Her own was also in that mixture, but even as she felt the power of the Signs, the One pulsed on her wrist and three other voices joined the encouragement. Gumerry's voice, laden with power, in contrast the voice of the Lady was softer, but her dulcet accent was no less laced with power. Jane had never heard the third and final voice before, but with it came a rush of certainty and suddenly her body was her own again. The One, in a brief second, spoke to her of what she must do, with the voices of all those who had borne the powerful bracelet before her. She nodded, aware that the bracelet had a form of sentience as she felt its approval run through her.

Feeling surer of herself than she had in weeks, Jane stretched out her hand once more, and touched the circle of the Signs. Slowly, drawing it towards her, she pulled it from the land of the High Magic into the world.

The White Rider's eyes glowed with excitement, stepping closer towards Jane. The others' eyes darkened, fearing that Jane would hand the Signs over to their enemy.

"Give me the Circle!"

Jane's eyes looked from the Signs, straight into the eyes of her tormentor.

"No." She stepped back, towards the rest of the Six.

"What?" The Rider hissed, seeing that her spell over the girl was broken, but not knowing how.

"She refused, Rider." A deep voice spoke, "The Signs were not made for the Dark, they are in the hands of the Light and you have no more power over the Six. By blood was your bond to her made, and now, by my blood I break it."

Merriman Lyon, Merlion, stepped from the shadows beside Jane, accompanied by the Lady. His left hand bled, and a ceremonial dagger lay in his other hand. With an expression of disgust he threw the knife to the floor between him and the Rider and laid his right hand on Jane's shoulder.

"Begone!" He commanded and with a horrible shriek, the Rider of the dark fled.

He then turned to the Six and said in a tone of great pride.

"Well done my Children, well done indeed."

And then, Jane, in a strangely serene voice, said the only thing that could be said.

"Welcome back Gumerry."

It is always this way with this fic; it takes me ages to start off the chapter, but the second half just flows. I'm awful to keep you waiting, but I am now very happy with the chapter. So Merriman has returned, the Signs are in the hands of the Light, and we are past the half way mark of this story.

Thanks to all those people who have stuck with me even when it takes me ages to update! Please do review and let me know what you think.

HuntressDiana