Emily's POV
I dived for the mounts of stew savouring every bite until the last of it was gone. My stomach sunk in appreciation, slumping back against the log, setting the empty bowl on the grass and wiping at the edges of my lips with the back of my hand. I stopped shortly once I caught Will staring with a grin on his face.
"What?" I grumbled and he shrugged.
"Oh nothing, I just never thought you acquired the fine taste of our famous stew," He prodded but still discarded his half-eaten bowl of lump on the grass.
"Fine indeed," Ben gave a curt nod, rising his bowl with his mouth half full.
"It feels like I haven't had a single meal since I got here."
Will shuffled beside me against the log, staring out at the bonfire with tired eyes.
"The dream sequence will do that to you."
Ethan and Ben's heads lifted at once, the shock on their faces clear even with their backs to the fire.
"You did WHAT!" Ben burst out so much that he ended up choking on the food in his mouth. The rest of us promptly leaned back dodging the spray.
"You were in a dream sequence?" Ethan asked curiously, his voice lowering once the boys near us turned their heads away.
"Until a few hours ago, yeah."
"So that's why the two of you weren't at training," Ethan mumbled in thought before turning to Ben who was still coughing and motioning for his help.
With a thud to the back, Ben gasped, taking in a needed breath. Will sniggered as he tumbled forward at the impact, Ethan pulling him back up again, his face red, eyes glaring at Will before kicking him with his foot. Leaning forward eagerly, Ben ignored the retorted kick from Will, his blue eyes bright with excitement the other two couldn't share.
"What was it like! Did Pan really take you through the magical gateway thingy!?"
Will and Ethan both turned with interest and I pushed my legs up to my chest.
"Yeah, he did," I mumbled coldly, my teeth clenching together as I remembered the last of our conversation. I could see Pan's face as if he were still standing before me, his cocky grin widening, his taunting words filling my head once again...I would leave you in there for all of Neverland's eternity just to see you try.
My skin tightened over my knuckles as I stared daggers into the green eyes that were no longer before me. I knew he had meant it. He wouldn't deny a chance to prove how little my outcome would change his mind. But I knew it would make all the difference if she had returned back in my place.
For once I could see through his blatant threat. I could hear it in his voice - the emptiness of his words slipping through without him noticing. The change on his face was no different, holding an expression so unfitting to Pan that had I not caught it, I would have been sure I was talking to someone else entirely. I had seen that same look before, he had shown it while standing by the water's edge in the gateway. It was only for a moment, but I was sure I had seen something unwanted flicker inside the eyes staring back at me.
I couldn't mistake it for anything else. He was relieved. I wasn't sure what for exactly, but it wasn't just because she wasn't the one to return. At that moment, I knew he had given away something he wished no one would ever see.
I gazed distractedly past Ben, letting the anger slowly release from my creased features as I caught sight of the bright orange flames. The blur unclouded from my eyes and I found calmness in the moving light. The other's voices had broken back into their conversation. I hadn't heard a single word of it. The fire spoke louder than anything else, draining my surroundings as though they had dipped into the burning heat themselves.
My face fell as I caught the flames of the bonfire coiling into the night air. The dancing points remained intact, emitting small sparks of flying embers as new logs were tossed on top of the dark debris, snapping and crackling over the quiet chatter. Never did they detach or break uncontrollably. The burn created only a comforting source of warmth for those around it. It was natural, unlike the wall of flames I had seen only hours ago. They hadn't come back since I stepped outside of my hut...I was worried they wouldn't come back at all. I needed them. I needed them to see the stone.
Just like those sharp waves of flame, something pulled at my muscles - a rigid burning sensation, driving up my legs, tempting them to move. I had to urge to get closer to the only source of light. I knew if I reached out to the fire, if I brushed it with my fingers in search for the source inside it, I would get burned. Slowly that strangeness faded once I close my eyes, the outline of light still shining through my closed lids. Now I understood the difference. There was life to it. It breathed as if it were alive. This much has taught me to know the difference between what is in my head and what is really before my eyes.
"I mean, come on, you can't blame me. This stuff never happens! Did you really make it out of there so fast?"
I snapped my attention away from the roaring fire, turning to Ben with notice of the sidelong glance Will had stuck on me. I furrowed my brows in confusion.
"Fast?"
"We're curious because we've only been told stories of the dream sequence. It's kinda rare that Pan would use his magic to do something like that when it can entrap the person inside for..." Ethan's voice quietened as he gave a hesitant glace to Will.
"Yeah! You should have seen when Will–" Ethan cut Ben off with another hard thud to his back, rubbing it soothingly after only for Ben to growl back at him, "What was that for–!"
Will let out a short breath through his nose as all eyes met him. His hands clenched around his arms which were still pulled across his legs, his eyes turning down from the two when Ethan gave Ben a pointed look to stop talking. Ben noticed his mistake and cowered down, biting on his lip.
"I didn't mean–"
"It's alright," Will cut in quick, though his words were not harsh. His lips pulled up ever so slightly giving Ben a reassuring smile.
I could see Will taking in the space around him, his eyes distant and unfocused. That short smile was gone. Ben shoved Ethan aside and the two broke back into a new argument.
"See, I didn't do anything wrong! You didn't have to hit me! He's fine but now my back hurts!"
"Good."
"Good?! Why you little shit–"
I turned away with a grimace as the two began to settle themselves in a fight, their clothes already gathering the dirt on the ground before I could unlock my crossed arms. Will's stare was fixed on the ground. My lips moved but no sound escaped them. I wasn't sure if I should ask until he eased the tension from his curled fists around his legs, resting calmly so I quietly let the question slip.
"You went through a dream sequence too?"
"It was a long time ago," Will said softly.
The words barely left his mouth but I could still hear the reluctance in them and pushed no further. I still couldn't help but wonder what it could have been...a fear, or something else to make Pan choose such means to rid it from his mind. Had I really been lucky enough to make it out so fast? Granted such a short time stuck in a world so horrible? It was horrible. There was no way out and no one to help. Every second I stayed in there facing her, I wanted to get out. I shivered at the thought, my shaken eyes staring at Will, the emptiness on his face bringing a sunken weight to my stomach. How long had he been in there for…
"I can't remember much of it now," Will spoke up quietly after a while, his gaze still set away from mine. "I'd like to think it was all just a dream I should forget, but I still remember what it felt like being stuck in there." He let out a dry scoff, shaking his head with a faded smile. "I didn't think Pan would really keep me in there. I thought he would get me out eventually, even though he warned me no one would come." The anger on his face came easily, his next words pushed through clenched teeth. "I don't know what I was thinking. I really thought he would."
He leaned back against the log, exhaling through his nose. "Kinda pathetic, huh? Thinking Pan would actually come and save me when he was the one to put me there. I wasn't sure how long it had been – a few days, maybe a week...I can't remember how but I eventually woke up. I found Pan there too, healing me of all things. Turns out your body doesn't last as long without food or water inside the dream sequence than it does running on Neverlands time. Whatever that is," Will muttered, tilting his head back to the sky. "A time without time," He scoffed.
I traced his gaze to the full moon set clear above us. I couldn't help but feel cheated the more I thought about my time inside the dream sequence. I was fighting myself and I had almost lost, all because she wanted me to. She had been expecting me, she had planned all of it, every single moment until the end, and all I had done was play into her hands. I hadn't fought my way through, I walked right into another trap.
My eyes darted back to the fire for a moment – still no light inside. I have to find it. I will find it...before it finds me.
"You know," I said as I tore my attention away from the flames, finding the round plainness of the moon soothing against my eyes. "You're stronger than anyone if you stayed in there for that long."
"Eyebrows is a real pussy if you ask me. If he was stuck in there, he wouldn't last a second."
Will and I both tilted our heads, frowning to find Ben sitting comfortably in the position we had last seen him, his legs now crossed on the ground. Ethan was half lying over him, struggling with Ben's strangling grip around the collar of his shirt, his other hand holding a mountain of bread. They were both covered in dirt, grazes marked across their skin and a newly formed bruise on Ethan's face.
"Ben, what are you doing?!" I exclaimed; prying Ethan off him.
"Where'd you get the bread?" Will muttered eyeing it suspiciously.
Ethan sat up, allowing the blood to rush back to his face. He mumbled a quick thanks to me only to groan as he felt the back of his neck, gripping the material tightly. "You ripped it, you shithead."
"Good!" Ben spat throwing a piece of his bread at him. "Next time try hitting me again and see what happens!"
Will laughed at the two but I could only stare at the three of them in an awe of stupidity. How the hell did I get stuck with these three out of all the boys on this island?
"I'm calling it! A place with no magic and he will get his ass handed to him – if it's not done by me, of course," Ben continued taking a mouthful of bread as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Kid's got a point," Will agreed with a smirk.
Ethan retreated to Will's side of the log, his glare held against Ben's but the two eventually settled – Ben with his bread and Ethan with his now torn shirt. A sudden break of voices brought our attention over to the other side of the bonfire where Pan stood, his sudden appearance allowing the boy's chatter to ease as it resonated back around the fire, gradually filling our ears.
Pan stood speaking with Felix not far off from the flames where everyone was gathered. The two kept a short distance away with the intention of not being overheard. Felix left his hood up keeping most of his face covered while Pan kept a distracted gaze on the fire, his arms drawn stiffly over his chest. They spoke briefly though both Ethan and Will still had their attention set across the other side of campus. Ethan was the first to turn, one look enough for Will to understand as he shifted on the ground.
"I know. I saw it too."
Ben perked up, abandoning his bread as he scanned the two with narrowed eyes.
"Saw what?" Ben cut in; his mouth still full.
I leaned in to hear but barely caught any of the mumbles that were shared between Ethan and Will. Ben stopped chewing as he stared impatiently at the two ignoring him.
"Saw what!"
"The first patrol went out before daybreak this morning," Ethan explained, "They found the ship still out there, anchored just beyond the wave-breaks. They haven't left since Baelfire's return or his recent escape. There's been talk about it all day but no one's worried. They have come close like this in the past. They can't leave the seas, and even if they tried–"
"Let them try," Ben leaned confidently back after finishing his last mouthful of bread.
"I saw them too, the other night," Will started, "Well, not the ship. I ran into Felix and Pan talking by the shoreline."
"You sneaky bastard," Ben grinned smugly as he leaned forward, resting his curled hand under his chin. "No wonder you keep getting your head bashed in."
"As I was saying," Will continued through thin lips, giving Ben a sidelong look that didn't change his expression, "Something seems off about Pan. I don't know what it is exactly," Will mumbled and shook his head, rubbing his hands over his eyes. "It was probably just the poison. He didn't take it lightly seeing as he almost killed as all and half the island."
"I don't think it was the poison," Ethan spoke up after gathering his thoughts. Will lifted his hands away, tilting his head up questionably. "I mean, I had only seen it for a moment, once he appeared in the training area earlier today. He just seemed unlike himself, and even then, Felix was the one waiting for him there."
"So he follows him around like a pet. What's new?" Ben tilted his head down, dusting his clothes off with disinterest.
Will's POV
Ethan had seen it too. I expected him to pick up on it at some point. I needed to know I wasn't going crazy. The poison couldn't have been the only cause. It wasn't strong enough to do any lasting damage, not to Pan. Baelfire had only used it as his means to escape, to give him enough time to leave before Pan could find out his intentions, but even he knew the effects wouldn't hold off for long. So why was he acting so weird?
The night breeze clasped itself onto my skin, drawing the heat from the fire with it. I let those thoughts slip from my mind, though I knew they would still linger somewhere inside my head, waiting with more questions. To think I have been here so long, crossed Pan's path too many times to count and still felt like he was playing a game no one could win.
No matter how hard I tried, no matter how close I got, I could never find the answers I needed most. It felt like they were there, just below the surface, waiting to be uncovered, only too far to reach. To find those kinds of answers...I was out of my depths, and I couldn't risk drowning now, not tonight.
I absentmindedly brushed my fingers over the small crystal resting safely between the layers of my clothes. It was no longer as warm or bright as it had been when Fin showed himself, but I knew he was there...that he was here with me, not whole, not always, but still here. If you're unsure then you're ready, Will.
I rested my back tenderly against the log watching the fire slowly easing into the night. My eyes fell heavily on the glowing wood as I let my last conversation with Fin ease the idea of this plan into my mind. I had been given the answers I was looking for. No matter how unexpected they were, I was ready. The others were too. I just had to find a way to make sure we were all away from prying ears. Getting caught wasn't an option.
It wasn't until a gentle hand shook my shoulder that I turned up hazily to Emily who returned a sleepish look. The smell of thick smoke drifted past us and I turned to find the bonfire burnt out leaving behind the last of the crackling red-wood. Logs were empty of the lost boys who had turned in for the night. I noticed only a few boys by the steps of their huts, the rest already inside. I hadn't caught sight of any of it.
"Were you planning on staying out here all night?" Emily teased with a grin as I stood to my feet, blinking away.
She observed me carefully, picking up on something that made her eyes sharpen with interest. Her mouth opened to speak, but another voice broke the silence of the open area. Felix's tall frame marched down the gravel path after those still lingering outside, a torch alight in his hand. He stopped, instinctively turning in our direction seeing effortlessly into the darkness, his glare set on the two of us. Felix didn't need to say anything as we made a move for the line of huts, his club easing in his other hand. He made his way down the gravel path, the light following dimly with him.
"Since when does he patrol at night?" Emily asked with her head still turned to the ends of the path.
"He doesn't," I muttered.
My eyes widened. I almost kicked myself for not realising it sooner. If Felix was on patrol that meant Pan wasn't here to do it himself.
Emily turned to the steps of her hut but I caught her before she could move.
"What's wrong?" She asked apprehensively as I kept my stare down to the last line of huts making sure Felix was out of sight.
"Midnight," I whispered through the darkness. "We're meeting at midnight."
She eased her footing on the gravel path. Her face was almost unreadable in the dark but I could see the assurance clear on her softening features from the light pooling down by the moon.
"Alright," She agreed, though her attention was still drawn to the path where Felix had disappeared.
"Don't worry about Felix, he won't be out for long under Pan's curfew."
I wasn't sure how I knew, but it was as clear as still water. It's as if everything was finally falling in place. That strange feeling wouldn't stop growing as I reached my hut. Neither had the loud drumming of my heart beating in my chest. I wasn't sure if I had closed my eyes at all, if I had dreamed, or if I was waiting out an eternal night. Suddenly I felt comfortably alone. The island was endless, as if all the most uncovered deepest and dangerous parts were open to walk through, their boundaries torn down, their defensive magic stripped away. Every sound had been silenced, the whole island still - listening as I let my thoughts wander freely...and I let them. I used them.
For once I had envisioned it all. I took the time to cut through every last detail of the instructions I was left behind, but I could only imagine what would come next. It seemed recklessly impossible. There was too much that could go wrong, too much that would be utterly unpredictable. But there was only one way, one option that could get us what we want, and even though such a past had brought death once, I was ready to take it. I have waited so long and I had almost given up in that time, but now we stand a chance.
The weight of this plan alone allowed what could have only been a few minutes of sleep, no more than a moment to shut my eyes. No matter how small, I let it wash everything else away. I took each step heedfully through the unruly jungle, listening as each sound heightened after the next the further I pulled through the dense undergrowth. Every brush against my skin and clothes were clear in my ears. And the trees...I watched them and they watched me, staring down from overhead, rich with stems of green, refusing to move with the winds that passed. Instead, they created shadows running alive beneath every dark surface, moving in the corners of my eyes as I passed them.
I knew these changes. I understood them to be a part of dreaming on the island. They could be terrifying. Having the appearance of being so real, it was easy to mistake yourself being awake. It was important to see the changes they gave, to read them, understand them and never let them use your mind. They would swallow it whole, fill every last thought until they were no longer your own. Though sometimes, quite rarely, they were helpful.
I reached for Fin's crystal, bringing it open in the palm of my hand. Its faint light flickered, the warmth gently spreading through my skin. I stared at the crystal's light as I continued ahead. The strange rhythmic pattern acted as a tiny beacon, glowing for a second before losing its light completely. Holding it outstretched, the flashes began to pulse. I kept my gaze steady on the small object. It has never done this before.
"What are you trying to tell me, Fin?" I muttered under my breath as the pulsing light timed faster with each step.
Before I could check my surroundings, my legs buckled. A gasp quickly slipped my lips as my weight suddenly tipped. I gathered myself before I could hit the ground, finding one leg slid against the dipped earth beneath a large group of ferns. I pushed back from the towering plants, retreating to the flat ground, my ankle now throbbing inside my shoe. Breathing heavily, I stared at the well-covered dark hole that lay within the roots, but that was not what kept my eyes straining. It was what was hidden well within those ferns.
Fin's crystal beamed in full once I had released my tightened grip around it, its weight now hot against my skin. I kept the crystal ahead as I hesitantly skidded down the slope, carrying the soil down with it until my feet hit the same unusual thud. I pulled at the ferns, my arms holding back only the first few they could gather before I stopped short. It was covered with dirt and dead leaves leaving only a few visible patches of the connecting lines, but there was no mistaking the crafted wood.
I held my breath running a shaken hand along the underside of the vessel. The blades of swords marked crossed gashes into the old yet sturdy wood. I traced them with my fingertips, dipping into each mark that had been worn down over time. I could hear the sound of the blades, of metal scraping and colliding as if the distant memory were still alive. Using Fin's light, I followed the curve of the hull with my hand, reaching as far to the middle as I could while the rest kept hidden out of sight.
I felt the lurch in my stomach - an instinctive warning to move away, but all I could do was pull my shaken hand from it. I retreated back up the slope once more, allowing the ferns to keep their protection over the undamaged wreckage.
I was sure campus was only a stretch of trees away and yet this was still here on the island, so close to all of us I couldn't believe no one had ever found it. How could it be here after all that had happened so long ago? Everything left by them was burned. Pan made sure of it. Any trace of them was destroyed...so why was it still hidden here?
I stared at the ferns and their strange guard-like growth that bent towards me as if they would pull me back into the damp undergrowth again. No one could tell it was there, not if they strayed far enough from the paths, not if they walked right on top of it. Everyone on this island knew where they had attacked. It was too far away to be discreet and too well hidden to be found at all. Someone had purposely put this here...hidden it so no one would find it.
I tore my dry eyes away, blinking slowly before I was able to focus on the light emitting from Fin's crystal. It was slowly going out, taking the warmth in my hand with it. I waited, but even the slightest flicker thrived inside the crystal. The closer I moved my hand to the tall growth, the stronger the light beamed. I knew it made no sense to wait, that I was simply dreaming and this could all be in my head, but I couldn't bring my gaze away.
Fin's crystal continued to keep its light, and I stayed until the faint distant sound of gravel crunching under worn boots became clear echoes in my ears. The jungle stretched, reacting to the unknown interruption, its distorted branches pulling me down, building a heavy weight against my body. I blinked through it until I found the ceiling of my hut staring down at me.
It took a moment to really sink in before I sat up with a start. I knew I had Fin's crystal tucked away long before I had fallen asleep...I was sure of it. I could only question whether it was true once I found it resting in my hand, unbalanced between my shaken fingers. A cold spike ran down my spine in fight with the sweat already running down my face. I ignored both, keeping hold of the crystal in a tightened fist as I moved through the darkness of my hut. I tried to ignore the throbbing in my foot too, but it only invited that unsettling feeling to turn my stomach, a hunch, making me paranoid that it was really out there, waiting to be found.
Relieving the creaking hinges into the night, I found two expected figures by the steps of my hut, waiting in the darkness. Their hoods were drawn over their faces, cloaks blending them well into the night. I climbed down the steps with light feet, my own cloak draping over my arm as I reached Ethan and Emily.
Emily's POV
"Sleeping in, are we?" Ethan teased with a grin as Will pulled his cloak over his shoulders.
Will let out a light huff as he covered his hood over his head but still gave Ethan a grin from the underside of the material.
"Not tonight."
His fingers fumbled hurriedly inside the pocket of his cloak as he adjusted it over his shoulders. I caught a glimpse of the blue crystal as a side of it reflected the light of the moon before it was tucked away. I wondered if he had spoken to Fin. Will didn't notice it, but he had been fiddling with the crystal at the bonfire the whole time he was left in that trance. I could tell he had a habit of holding it when he was nervous.
I didn't need to see that to know there was something on his mind. Even in the dark, his skin was pale white once he turned to me. A smile appeared on his face but his eyes distant, focused on something else instead. I managed to give one back as I watched the colour slowly flood through his face. He must have snapped whatever was on his mind away. There was a spark in his eyes, confidence settling inside them as he turned between the two of us.
"Come on, let's go get Ben."
I followed after Ethan letting the two lead ahead. They moved easily through the darkness; their footsteps silent on the grass they tracked between the huts, avoiding dried leaves and broken as though they weren't there at all. It was something I could never get used to. It's as if they were walking in broad daylight. I tried to mimic their moments as I had always done, but I was still nowhere near as quiet. They knew exactly what they were doing, their skill of silence was matched equally to those who were taught to hunt it down.
Will and Ethan eased their pace up the steps of Ben's hut. Will was the first to get through the door. Ethan held it open until I passed through then closed it behind himself without a sound. I couldn't help but smile as Ethan tutted from behind me as loud ironic snores filled Ben's hut.
"You'd think the whole island could hear him," Ethan said as he leaned his back against the door, his attention focused on any sound outside the hut.
Will made no effort to lighten his steps as he moved through the room to a wooden carved table. He unsheathed his dagger from his belt, the abrading sound of silver cutting through the silence until a spark ignited, spreading light to every inch of the room. Ben's hut was much the same as the rest of ours, except for the items of clothes spread on the floor and the dirt-covered boots kicked off across the room.
Will handed the small torch to Ethan before approaching Ben's bed. Ben hadn't awakened at the light or managed to stir from his deep sleep. I couldn't help let out a quiet laugh to see him sprawled out across his bed with one leg hanging outside of the covers, one arm resting above his head and the rest of his body twisted to his surprising comfort. His mouth was open, the snores drawn-out happily against his pillow. I almost felt bad to wake him but Will didn't seem to feel the same.
"You have got to be kidding me," Will sighed as he leaned over Ben with a blank expression.
"Ben–" Will called only for a snore to cut him off.
"Ben," Will tried again only to get the same result.
Will exhaled sharply through his nose then proceeded to kneel on top of the bed. He stared down impatiently at Ben who only smacked his lips in his sleep and nuzzled back into his pillow. Will paused before lifting each sleeve to his elbow, his expression failing to change as he waited, contemplating for a second before he smacked Ben's face. It wasn't hard but it was enough for Ben's face to fall to the opposite side of his pillow.
"Ugh!" Will exclaimed in a disgusted whisper as his hand wiped his drool-covered palm on his cloak. "He has the saliva of an animal!"
I leaned forward in anticipation as silence filled the hut. Ben's lips twitched but after a moment another snore escaped loudly into the room.
"Oh, that is it!" Will shouted in a whisper as he brought one hand back while the other grabbed the collar of Ben's shirt, lifting him slightly from the covers.
"Wait!" I whispered hastily as I caught Will's wrist. "Do you really want everyone to be woken up by him screaming?"
"They'll hear it," Ethan agreed from the door.
"By all means, you try," Will said as he gave up and let Ben fall back. "But if he doesn't wake up, I'll smack him until he does."
I moved in front of Will, sitting by the edge of the bed and reaching for his shoulders, shaking him slightly. It did absolutely nothing. How the hell can he...
"You sure you don't want me to slap him now?" Will asked from over my shoulder and I exhaled slowly as more snores filled our ears. It wasn't until I gave a painful jab to Ben's sides that he suddenly burst awake from his sleep causing both Will and I to jump.
"What're you – W-What's going on!"
His eyes were unfocused, squinting in the fire-light with a hand covering his face.
"Hi, Ben," I chimed gently to which he let out a happy giggle.
"Hi~" He smiled as he eased back into his pillow, removing his hand from his now closed eyes. "Pretty~"
"What the hell," Will muttered in disbelief.
Ben's eyes opened wide at Will's voice and he quickly propped himself up on an elbow, finally registering the two of us beside him.
"Woman! What are you doing here?!" Ben exclaimed as I stood from the bed. Will was quick to cover his mouth but Ben continued through Will's palm, his words muffled, confusion riding over his face as his eyes darted between the two of us, arms flailing wildly.
"Get up, Ben. We don't have all night!" Will whispered though he was close to raising his voice.
"For what?" Ben whined tiredly, his face scrunching as he pulled the covers back over his head.
"Don't you dare go back to sleep!"
Will lunged for Ben's exposed limbs.
"No! No! Ugly! Ugly!" Ben groaned in protest as Will began to wrestle him out of bed.
I moved aside as the two struggled to the floor, Will pulling him well away from the covers he latched onto. I glanced back at Ethan who remained unfazed and only shrugged before bringing the torch over. Will managed to get Ben on his feet but he still swayed drunkenly before he could stand still. His golden hair was a mess as he looked between the three of us as if he was trying to see through a viewfinder.
"How many people are in here?"
"Three," Will said through gritted teeth. "Now wake up!"
Will clapped his hand in Ben's face and Ben only returned a look of disgust.
"Don't you clap me!"
Another clap filled the room and Ethan sighed from my side.
"This is going to take forever."
I looked blankly between the two of them.
"Yeah well, it's a good thing we have it."
Ethan moved calmly between the fighting pair and broke them apart, shoving Will to one side and Ben to the other. He set the torch on the floor creating a soft glow to gather around. Each of us managed to sit comfortably in a space of the small room. Ben collapsed to the floor by my side, still grumpy but a least awake as he pulled his covers over our shoulders. I gave him a nudge to his arm and he relaxed, now turning to the two across the fire.
"So, I'm guessing there's a reason the three of you decided to sneak out in the middle of the night?"
"Yes," I said turning questionably to Will.
"Will's got a plan," Ethan announced calmly as he rested his elbows on his knees.
"I have a plan," Will confirmed.
Ben looked frantically between the three of us.
"What, you all knew?! Why am I the last to find out!"
"Exactly that. Keep your voice down," Will said and Ben leaned back against the side of his bed with his arms crossed. His attention was still kept on Will, listening and waiting for him to continue.
"Before Baelfire escaped, he gave me a task to finish," Will started as he shifted against the bamboo-lined wall, unbuckling the hook on his cloak and letting it fall to the floor in a heap. "I was wrong about him, Ben. There was a lot I didn't know, a lot he had been hiding."
The covers dipped down from Ben's shoulders as he uncrossed his arms. He leaned forward with interest, the frown creasing his features slowly easing, prompting Will to continue.
"I tried to avoid it at first but I had to know the truth. I had to know why he chose to come back after all this time."
"You went after him, didn't you?" There was no hint of a needed answer in Ben's voice and when Will didn't respond, Ben let out a rather jealous gasp, pulling the covers off my shoulders in the process. "And he told you!? Do you know how hard I tried to get on his good side? Half the boys wouldn't go near him because they thought he was going to be killed off by Pan, but I didn't." Ben tutted and his arms were once again crossed over his chest. "I even invited him in our hunting group."
"I don't know why he chose me," Will mumbled to himself before his eyes widened. "Fin."
"Fin?" Ethan questioned, lifting away from the flaming torch.
Will's mouth opened then closed reluctantly. With Ethan's stare on him, he averted back to the fire.
"Ever since the end of Pan's test, Fin has been speaking to me," Will explained, though his voice lowered once he looked between Ben and Ethan who both stared back with unconvincing expressions. "Look, I don't know how it works but he told me Baelfire was coming to the island the morning we found the ship. He knew he was important."
A strange tightness suddenly pulled at my chest. I don't know if I had ever mentioned being able to see Fin. It seemed like he had always found me. I shivered at the thought – my memory retracing back to my encounters with a child I was told had died cruelly at the hands of Pan. That same boy whose appearance looked far from death, and still not quite alive; a living memory, bringing life to a crystal that allowed him to roam the island freely. When he had revealed himself, I wasn't sure what to believe. All I know is, he hadn't found me since I entered the dream sequence.
My eyes widened and suddenly the torches flames grew, dancing into the darkness surrounding them. Fin had guided me to Baelfire before he escaped…find the receiver before it's too late. Could he have known about Baelfire's plan? Has he really been watching us this whole time?
"So…are you saying he's some kind of ghost?"
Ben's voice sounded like thunder striking the hut once it reached my ears, pulling me abruptly out of my thoughts. The soft whips of flames seemed all but silent now that I turned my gaze away. The quiet voices of the others filled the room and I settled back against the side of Ben's bed, relieved to have the three of them here.
"What? No!" Will defended but his mouth parted in a loss for words, a frown pulling his brows in a knot. "I don't know exactly. He just – he appears when I need him most."
The draft cut between the walls and floor brushing the humid night air up against the fire, moving our shadows across the walls. The light flickered on our faces as we watched the flames ease, it was only Ethan who kept an observed glaze on Will, distracted by his own thoughts until they filled the hut.
"Your memories of Fin returned at the time of Pan's test…" Ethan paused before sternly pushing through his hesitance. "They could be overwhelming your mind. That could explain why you're seeing him now."
Will stared at the glowing floor-boards with hardened expression then reached for the folds of his cloak. He pulled back Fin's crystal, revealing it in the palm of his hand, letting its blue edges reflect the firelight.
"This is Fin's way of communicating with me. When it glows brightest, he appears."
An eerie silence filled the hut. The faint howling winds sounded once again, brushing the trees outside against the walls of the hut which did not help. Ethan inspected the small crystal with interest while Ben cowered to my side. I stared at the tiny crystal hoping the uneasiness would leave. It seemed to fill up every last rational thought I had. I couldn't assume the worst, though that seemed to be a learnt instinct after staying here so long. I had only grazed the surface of magic that runs through this island. I knew little about it but I've come close enough to Pan's magic, I've seen how it can be used and controlled in an object far too similar to the one in Will's hand. But this was different. This was Fin. He wouldn't hurt Will.
"This crystal is my only connection to Fin. I don't understand exactly how it works but he uses it to guide me, to speak with me. He told me I could trust Baelfire. That's why I decided to go after him."
Ethan leaned back in comfort, a smile appearing on his face. He had trust in his friend and seemed happy to see Will looking down at the object fondly. He knew how much Fin meant to him. After seeing what Will went through, Ethan and Ben must be pleased he has finally found a way to mend the part of his past that had brought him so much pain. Ben must have too but his timing wasn't perfect.
"Fin…" Ben whispered in an exaugurated raspy voice, "Can you hear us?"
I slapped his arm.
The spooky undertone thankfully went unnoticed by the other two.
"I had no idea what to expect from Baelfire, not after the last time he escaped. I thought I had chased him down but he was the one waiting for me to show up."
"What do you mean waiting?" Ben asked with a scrunched face, finally unlatching himself from my arm which I bent back numbly to my side.
"He found me. He knew I would go looking for him, looking for answers. He had planned for it all, he knew every moment up until his escape…the test, Pan being poisoned, the dream sequence, all of it."
"How could he possibly know that?" Ethan asked.
"Because he came back here to make sure it all happened. He knew the risk and how unpredictable Pan could be and he took it anyway. He risked his life to give us a chance…he came back to make sure we could get out."
The three of us stared at Will. We had all heard him. There was no mistaking the words that had come out of his mouth but believing them to be true was proving to be a whole lot harder.
"Will...what exactly is this task he left you?" Ethan asked, his eyes fixed in a way I had never seen before.
"A plan. To escape the island."
Ethan's POV
No…it can't be.
The night air squeezed between the floorboards, wrapping lightly over my hands, winding up my arms as though it had been controlled to do so. The fine hairs prickled at the cold that remained there, shooting in all directions along my skin. I shuddered as the strange invisible weight kept itself latched onto my wrists, pulling as though a pair of hands had carved their hold. They were ready to drag me down.
The voices of the others lasted long into the night, the breeze continued to circle and the flames of the torch were almost burnt out. I could only sit still and watch. Pulling my hands away from the floorboards, I let them run beneath my cloak, resting them protectively across my chest.
It could have been anything. Why did it have to be that of all things?
I had maintained it for so long. I let myself believe it would never come to this…because that was what I had been told. That was what I had been warned would bring my end. A cost I would forever pay. My only way to live, trapped in the hands of the one person I despised most.
Pan's test reminded me of the past I had escaped from. I was forced to return to the world I hated, to live through that moment all over again. That one moment that granted my freedom and still kept me from it. Even though she was gone, a part of me remains trapped with her, a part I have no control over. It was stolen from me and now it was being used against me.
There had been a reason why I felt the presence of her grip latching over my heart. I knew it was safely sealed away by her magic, resting in silence between the walls of her vaults where no other could find it. I will always remember what it felt like to have it torn out, to have it severed from my body and squeezed until it was crushing me from the inside. That pain could never be forgotten. But it wasn't her holding it. I could feel the difference. She hadn't touched it since she locked it away. It was the curse she left on my heart that did her work for her.
Dark magic kept her power strong, a kind which corrupted and fed off those who wielded it, and those who were victim to it. That was what she used to seal my fate. The curse is alive, living as one with my heart as though it has a mind of its own. It sees as I see, feels what I feel and senses my thoughts to be its own. I couldn't begin to understand it. The pain it inflicted was more than it had ever done before. It was taking over my body, becoming a disease bred to kill.
I thought that night had been the last, that the pain would be enough to end it all...but he had found me before it could.
I had woken from a restless sleep, seeing her face in a series of nightmares, hearing her voice whispering in my ears. My throat closed as I shouted for her to stop, pleading with myself to see that none of it was real, but the rhythmic red glow that filled my hut cut off my reasoned thoughts.
I dragged my body out of my hut, stumbling down the steps, gasping into the night as my chest tore itself apart. The strange maze of veins spread across my skin, burning and marking my flesh as a fresh wound over and over. I clawed at it, pulling at my sweat-drenched shirt to pry the pain away. It did nothing to stop it. It stemmed from deep inside. It felt my resistance and acted on its taught nature to make it worse.
I bit hard on my lip, unsure if I had drawn blood or not. I couldn't feel anything besides the crushing of my heart. I breathed to prevent my voice breaking the silence of the night, my vision blurring as I squinted to see the line of huts in a panic.
I wanted to make it to Ben's hut, even if I crawled there…but I couldn't. How could I let him see me like this? How I could I stumble in there if it really was my last breath? I couldn't see his face change the way it had before. I won't.
I clutched my hand hard over my chest, fisting my shirt and ripping it down in rage as another jolt brought my body to the ground. I couldn't help the cry that escaped my clenched teeth as I pushed myself to stand, leaning against the wall of my hut and guiding myself blindly into the jungle.
The shadows before me were marked in red, lighting the way through the towering trees. I had only made it so far before I collapsed to my knees, falling onto my back with a groan. The next jolt snapped through my body bringing a wave of pain that forced my voice into the night, a broken scream I couldn't hold back.
I panted, twisting on the ground until I was held by a pair of hands. Their grip tightened attempting to still my shaking. I turned up alarmingly to see a figure standing over me, my vision blurring making their face unclear. I strained back only for my body to turn abruptly in protest, lurching forward until I fell to my side. I choked on my own struggling breaths when I felt my weight lifted from the ground, my legs dragging limply along the jungle floor until I was sitting upright. Their voice seemed a distance away, distorted until I forced myself to hear past the pain.
"Hurry, Ethan! Drink this, now!"
My throat tightened as another cry passed into the night. My lungs strained for air between each breath, my arms gripping around the hand that quickly clasped over my mouth cutting my shouts short. I kicked at the ground until my head was forcefully tilted back, my eyes widening to see Baelfire standing over me, his lips moving quickly as he spoke. His face creased anxiously; his movements frantic as he brought something cold to my lips.
"Come on, Ethan," He pleaded desperately.
My eyes fell shut, my face scrunching letting the thick layer of sweat run down my neck. I pursed my lips, rolling my head back against the tree as the built-up pain began to eventually ease, bringing with it the throbbing in my head. The fiery burn still fought strong as I panted, drawing in one long breath after the other.
"Looks like I just made it in time," Baelfire said breathlessly as he sat back on the ground, wiping his forehead with the back of his sleeve.
I ran my hand hesitantly over the lines marking my chest, watching the red glow slowly disappearing, sinking beneath the skin. I swallowed thickly, finding my voice rough as it left my dry mouth.
"What did you do?"
Baelfire turned to me, his glance lifting from the fading scars.
"I saved your life."
I found the small empty vial in his hand.
"It should stop the flare-ups, but I…" Baelfire paused looking disbelievingly at the scars still visible. "I've never seen anything like that before."
I leant my head back against the trunk of the tree hoping the ground would stop swaying. I didn't take my eyes off that vial.
"That tonic I gave you has powerful healing properties made with magic to mend the tear of those whose hearts have been taken from them. But something else is binding to yours, preventing it from healing completely…"
Baelfire turned to me, his frown lifting.
"It's not with you, is it."
I stared at Baelfire, pushing up against the roots of the tree feeling the blood rushing down my body as if someone had doused cold water over my head.
"You don't have your heart, do you?"
"H-How do you know that?"
"You have kept the secret of your past hidden well here on the island. It's very rare to get a boy who still has all of his memories from the life he left behind." Baelfire tore his gaze away from the jungle, turning to me with a sympathetic look. "It might have even been worth it if the memories were good."
"How do you know so much about me?" I asked hearing the agitation in my own voice.
"I don't know much about you, but I do know of your mother."
I lifted my head slowly from the trunk of the tree, ignoring the temporary fading of my sight.
"She was young when she sought the help of my father – troubled enough to go to such a person. He became her teacher and used her anger and need for revenge to guide her magic, to teach her to steal the hearts of those who would betray her as queen."
"The Dark One," I whispered hoarsely.
He titled his chin.
"So you have heard of my father's title," He said bitterly without a hint of pride in his voice.
"Your father's The Dark One," I mumbled in disbelief.
I heard the rumours spread through the castle, spoken in whispers among the guards of The Dark One, a creature who played with the lives he got his hands on, who tortured and killed for joy. I had only ever caught a glimpse of the man walking by my mother's side in the castle walls. He passed during the night by the doors of my chambers, his skin golden and scaled, hair matted and eyes striking an unforgettable amber as they met with mine through the sparing gap I left behind. We met for no more than a second but there was no mistaking he was more beast than man. The permanent grin that greeted me could never be washed from my mind.
"We're more alike than you think. My father wasn't always bad, neither was your mother, but we watched them helplessly as their power became who they are. We were left behind, forced to see the suffering of others at their hand." Anger filled Baelfire's eyes which was clear even under the dim light of the moon. His jaw tightened under his long brown hair. "I tried to fix it but despite my father's power, he was still a coward and abandoned me for it."
Baelfire once again glanced at my chest, tucking away the vial beneath his clothes.
"I just don't understand why the queen would take her own son's heart, if not to store it away then to do what?"
I looked down to the ferns between us.
"She may have been a powerful queen but she was a terrible mother," I said as I removed my hand from my chest, the beating of my heart still a distant, faded memory. "She made a deal with Pan. He would take me to Neverland leaving me trapped in a world I can never escape from and she would get her wish of never seeing me again. To her, I will still be the son she remembers, before I stopped believing in her. But that wasn't enough. She wanted to punish me. She took my heart and cursed it to make sure I wouldn't ever think of leaving…I just don't understand," I muttered quietly, looking down at the remaining scars, tracing them faintly with my fingertips.
I only looked up in confusion when a sharp sigh came from Baelfire, his eyes shutting momentarily.
"That may be partly my fault."
"What? How?"
"I have seen magic like that before. It's a cruel kind my father often used to lock away those he believed weren't deserving of a normal prison. He kept the walls sealed in a curse of magic, strong enough that anyone or anything that tried to help break them free would give the prisoner nothing but misery."
"But nothing has – no one can…" My face fell once Baelfire's expression hardened. "You're going to escape again."
It hit me faster than I expected. I slumped back against the tree trunk. How did I not piece it together? The pain started once Baelfire arrived, it had only grown worse until he gave me the tonic, but it was close, too close.
"I will be," Baelfire said honestly then shook his head and began to pace. "I knew there was something wrong when we were fighting off the Screechers. I knew it was your heart. No other injury causes that kind of pain. I saw it with my own eyes, that's why I had to help you." Baelfire's ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I never could have guessed your heart was cursed."
"It shouldn't matter. If you're leaving, then the pain will go away just as it has before– "I paused as Baelfire did, his mouth opening and closing, his hesitance and grim struck features catching me off guard.
"What is it?" I pushed as he remained quiet.
"That tonic…it should last you a long time. I just – I don't know how long it will work once you're involved."
"Involved in what?" I asked quickly, my voice firm in need of an answer.
"I knew I would need help getting out of here a second time. They won't know it yet, not until later, but when that time comes, I will have already made a promise to return the favour, to give you guys a chance-"
"No…" I muttered, curling my hands around the ends of my shirt.
"By involving them they will eventually involve you too," Baelfire spoke the truth, his voice quiet and saddened, but I didn't care for his sympathy. I didn't want to hear it.
"Ethan, I'm doing this to help all of you…but your curse…you're safe as long as you stay on the island, but I don't know what will happen-"
"I'll die," I mumbled, keeping my eyes on the jungle floor.
It scared me that I could say it so calmly. I ignored the thought and struggled to my feet, my vision patching in black streaks as I gripped at the tree. The quick bristling of ferns reached my ears and I looked up to see Baelfire already at my side, his hand under my arm holding my weight steadily.
"You won't," Baelfire said sharply, his hand squeezing lightly around my arm as if to say he meant it. "It just won't be easy."
"Ethan? Are you in?"
I snapped my head to the three staring back at me, my throat suddenly closing before I could find an answer. I knew this would come eventually. I should have known this would be part of Will's plan if Baelfire was involved. If he really was telling the truth then maybe this could actually work, maybe we did have the chance he was talking about.
Still, that ghost-like grip wasn't entirely gone. I had the tonic. Baelfire was gone and so was the pain. There was nothing else I could do. All I could do was try. If not for me then for them…and for them, I will.
"I'm in."
Will relaxed a little, his sidelong look reassuring me to not worry. I found comfort in it even though I didn't have it myself. That's what Will was good at. It's one of the reasons why I have always chosen to follow him. In the end, he always kept us together. He would be the one to move us forward even if he was the one falling behind. I trust him to do it because he has since the beginning.
"This is not something I can do on my own," Will admitted, "I will need all of your help."
"There's no way you'd be able to pull off something this stupid on your own," Ben smirked from under his cocooned blanket. "Not without my help that is."
"Right, because you would know all about stupid ideas."
Ben's mouth shut with the clack of his teeth and he barged out of his mess of blankets, almost setting them on the torches flames before Emily pulled him back. I reached for the torch before anyone could get set alight, giving Will a stern look which he hadn't noticed.
"Oh yeah! Here's a good one to share. What about that time you got yourself stuck in a hunting trap and had to get Felix to cut you down," Will chuckled. "I mean, scarface for help…that's kinda sad, don't you think?"
"GAH!" Ben shouted as he lunged for Will.
Emily and I both winced at the noise. Even Will barely managed to catch Ben's tackle, forgetting far too late that he could be easily provoked. Ben struggled in a series of curses until Will latched a hand over his mouth.
Before I could intervene their recklessness, the sound of footsteps immediately broke my attention to the door of Ben's hut. I raised my hand back and both Will and Ben froze silent at my warning as I listened carefully for the noise outside the hut. Emily instinctively reached for the torch in my hand, carefully putting out the flame.
Darkness filled the room. None of us dared to move as the footsteps outside passed slowly, a firelight of their own bringing a faint yellow glow through the small window. I watched the light on the window flicker for a moment before fading back to night, the sound of boots disappearing just as quickly.
I was the first to make a move towards the door checking to hear any trail of sound. I rubbed my sleeve over the heat latched onto the small window, peering through the clear glass down the path as far as the small frame would let me see. There was no sign of the light that passed. I turned my head away but caught something in the corner of my sight. Across the other side of campus, a taller figure walking with a small torch heading north into the jungle.
"It's Felix," I said as I watched him disappear into the line of jungle.
The others crept to the door. Will moved it slowly, letting the door open soundlessly into the night, the four of us standing in the doorway. The warming breeze drifting past us into the hut allowing us to breathe once again. The moon was at it's fullest leaving a coating of pale light over of the island in a dream-like way. The line of huts became lifeless statues between us and the stars shone a thousand pieces of shattered glass over our heads. It was peaceful, as peaceful of a night on Neverland that anyone could hope for. But there was a strange feeling I knew the others sensed too, one that interrupted the night, that made everything seem far too quiet and still.
"It looks like we're not the only ones breaking curfew," Will said as he pulled his cloak over his shoulders, lifting his hood over his head.
"We're going after him, aren't we?" Ben asked tiredly as Will handed him his own cloak.
"I don't suppose you'd like to stay behind?"
Ben fixed his cloak on without another word.
Pan's POV
I moved the blade of my dagger up the length of my hand, the double-sided silver dancing light over my outstretched skin. Cold as it was, the freshly sharpened edge left a trail of red in its place. I watched the stain bury and cave its way into the printed lines, running in strands down my forearm. The simple cut brought no sense of feeling, not the slightest graze or the faintest touch, as it should. Still, my eyes narrowed on the open wound, its delay to recover draining my patience.
My grip flexed around the leather woven handle; my breath hot as it brushed my lips. I bit on them again, keeping my gaze on the thick liquid retreating and retracing its path back until the wound sealed itself off once again, no faster than the last times it had opened.
I kept my arm raised, inspecting the infuriating untouched skin. There was time; enough of it spared during the previous dream sequence before her own – the only other I permitted to happen. That cost was unlike this one. It was easy, a satisfying challenge to win back my strength, feel it grow stronger as if it had never left me in the first place…now I craved that feeling more than ever.
It made me furious that couldn't find the reason why the two were so different. The risks were the same each time, only now I could feel it disappearing as if I had lost a sense of myself. I tried to get it back but it was too late. The magic in the dream sequence fed off the power I gave, using my bridge for its beginning and its end, but those connecting strands were as old as both our magic combined. They fought apart when all they could do was remain sewn together, a bond I held until she could get out. Her time was short, but the dream sequence took as much as it could. A lifeless body of magic strong enough to easily tear me apart stole strands of my own magic and stripped me from them, severing my connection.
My eyes shot open to see my dagger shaking in my hand. That was the reason. It was the risk she posed, a threat not only to me but the whole island. She has no idea what she's done, what had been taken away from me all to erase those fears from her mind. She was the reason for this…and she still had the audacity to look me in the eyes and say it to my face. You're afraid.
I clenched down on my teeth, taking in a sharp breath before hurdling my dagger through the darkness of the jungle. My eyes caught the blade in its distance and I appeared before it could strike its aim, my hand snatching the airborne weapon and plugging it deep within the trunk of the old growth. I panted, twisting the handle inwards hearing the breaking of layers inside, of wood cracking and tearing as it was forcefully pried open. With a shout of anger, I used my magic – the kind that was of pure strength – to blast the tree apart, sending shards of broken wood pieces flying outwards, stabbing into everything surrounding the once standing tree.
If only she knew how wrong she was.
I inhaled slowly, opening my eyes to the treetops circling the opening. Dark patches of leaves rustled over each other against the night sky as the wind passed through them, twisting the air down to the ground. I breathed in the familiar scent without taking my eyes off the sky. As I expected, the shadow drifted down into the cut in the jungle, its hollowed, light-filled eyes staring down at me from where it floated.
"You're late," I said dismissively as I placed my dagger into my belt loop.
The shadow's head tilted down, its fluid movement turning towards the scattered pieces of wood remaining.
"I see you have kept yourself busy in my absence."
"I do hope you've done the same," I said lowly, my warning observed by the shadow who moved closer, its eyes brightening.
"The ship is not a concern. I have watched over it each night since their arrival as you requested. They're close to wave-break as they have attempted in the past. Your barriers remain unchanged making their actions mindless."
"And what of the dear old captain?" I asked through a mocking grin at the thought of the pirate wasting through his days now that he knows the truth of his beloved brother.
"He has kept most of his nights awake on deck, pacing unless the light is on in his study. He has become more reckless, killing off two of his own when disturbed."
I chuckled darkly at the thought. "I doubt his sanity will be kept any longer. So long as he continues to suffer, he can gladly stay on the shores of the island however long he likes."
The shadow remained impassive, its eyes flickering in the night. It didn't need to show a face for me to read the creature's incentives. The shadow's only purpose is to serve me. It sees in black and white. If it deems anything or anyone a threat, it will expect it to be killed.
"Your warning was not needed. The dream sequence worked. Her vision is dead."
The shadows figure shifted forward, its eyes narrowing.
"At what cost?" The shadow's voice rasped lowly. "Despite your success, your efforts have caused an imbalance in your magic and your body. I warned you from the beginning, all magic comes with a price even to those willing to pay its highest."
I glared up at the shadow, my fingertips burning with the urge to cast the shadow in flames.
"The imbalance will change as it has before, it needs time to heal."
The shadow moved back with the wind, its voice clear over the howling passing between the trees.
"That is time you no longer have."
My face fell, my fingers running cold to the bone, extinguishing the anger I kept built inside. I turned up to the shadow which remained waiting for my orders, my eyes absently flickering down to my palm where my nails ran along the skin. It was right. This could no longer wait.
"Go to the skull caves. I will meet you once I have spoken to Felix about the changes that must be made."
The shadow took off into the skies at my command, merging into the night. I immediately made a start through the jungle. I could feel the pulsing of my magic running through my body, instinctively latching onto every fibre I could give it. It could sense the change; it felt the imbalance the shadow had warned about and began to mend itself to restore what has been lost. This could work for a simple cut, but it was impossible for it to bring back what was already gone. It was not enough when its other half was missing.
Its other remained just off the island, contained in a place where no one could reach it. It sealed itself off by its own magic, using it as though it was aware of the power it held. This was one of the purest kinds created, raw and unhinged from controlling hands, dangerous enough to kill on its own accord. While Neverland held its own deadly creations, this was one I could not allow to touch the island. It would take no effort in destroying everything it touched. This world was its source to stay, restrained and guarded by the protection of the shadow.
It kept a part of my power safe within it, a part no human could hold. Only through the shadow could it be absorbed and transferred to another. It had warned from the beginning that the magic I held inside me was borrowed. Half was taken and half was left behind. By possessing both, I formed a connection between the two ensuring its loyalty is kept with me and no one else. It could detect if the other half was needed, using its connection to draw me to it. Its process will not be easy but it unavoidable. It will not stop until it finds a balance to restore what has been lost.
Hey everyone!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
I know it's been an insanely long time since I've updated. Things have been going on in my life but an update is finally here! I wasn't sure how I was going to write this chapter. I had added tones of ideas that weren't in my original plan and had to make many changes so it took way longer than necessary to get through. I'm sorry you guys had to wait so long. I really hope it was worth the read!
What did you think of this chapter? Are you looking forward to the next?
I appreciate every one of you for sticking with this story!
I'd love to know your thoughts and theories so please send through some reviews! Messages are welcomed as well!
I'll see you next chapter!
- zimbardo