Housepets! Always Save the Day
Chapter 9: Yin
A "Housepets! Comics" Fan Fiction
Based on the characters by Rick Griffin
By: Fenrir Black
A Message from Lisa
So many things have led me to this point. The point of no return. Call it love or desperation, but something propelled me to fling myself into a swirling vortex of black mana in a desperate attempt to rescue my best friend. How did we get here? When I look back, I often wonder what would have happened if Rowan and I never went to that convention or found the magic ring that transported us to a world that we once thought were fictional. I've made many mistakes over the last several months, and now it's my chance to fix them. I think my biggest mistake was not being honest with Rowan a long time ago or with myself. Maybe my biggest mistake was sacrificing myself to destroy Drasil which led Rowan to be corrupted by a dark power he was cursed with as a small child and the same curse that destroyed the mind of his younger brother. Or my biggest mistake could simply have been going to that convention last April. No matter what I've done, here we are in Peru of all places tracking down Revenant. Kitsune, the pets, and I have endured traps, solved riddles, and faced deadly challenges just to watch as Revenant obtains the third power pool. But I'm not giving up. I know my Rowan is still inside that monster somewhere and I will bring him home.
Lisa looked up. She did not know what to expect she would find after throwing herself into the vortex of pure magic energy, but it certainly wasn't his. It was like she was in a black and white lava lamp. Bubbles of different shapes and sizes floated around her like wandering jellyfish. The ground, if you could call it that, was nothing but a black surface like obsidian. It had a strange sheen to it as the white bubbles floated around it.
"Hello," she called. Nothing but it was good to hear the sound of her own voice. The silence was suffocating her. Her heart beat faster as memories of being trapped in the white space threatened to break through the layers of walls she had built up over the last couple of months. She needed to find Rowan. That was the only thing that mattered. She felt him in the mana just a few seconds ago, but now there was nothing. Whatever connection she felt had been severed.
That apparently was not the only thing that had been severed. She examined her clothes only to find that they had returned to normal. The paper bag was still gone but so were her powers. Whatever rules this place had was different from both the temple and the real world.
"You've done it this time," a familiar voice spoke.
Lisa felt her heart skip a beat and turned around to see who spoke. "Kitsune, what are you doing here?" she asked then got a good look at his outfit. He was wearing a long black cloak with silver chains dangling down the front. She gave him a confused expression before pointing at the cloak. "Is that the Organization XIII cloak from Kingdom Hearts. Why are you wearing that?"
"I thought it seemed appropriate considering where we are?" he said calmly.
"Where exactly are we?" Lisa asked gesturing to the floating blobs of light. "This place is freaking me out."
"This is the World that Always Was."
"Wait, don't you mean the World that Never Was?"
Kitsune shook his head. "No, this is the world that always was. Specifically, the Edge of Oblivion."
The World That Always Was, The Edge of Oblivion
Lisa placed her hand over her face and took a deep breath. "Sure, why not."
Kitsune smiled at her. "For the record, I'm not actually the Great Kitsune. He's still back in the real world. I am simply an astral projection created by your dormant magic power here to guide you through this realm as you search for Rowan."
"Okay, you're going to have to walk me through how that works," she said crossing her arms over her chest. By now she should have been used to crazy things happening to her, but even after surviving a temple that seemed to be designed by the writers of Saw, she was still unprepared for some things.
"I'm here to help you," Astral-Kitsune explained. "You still have powerful magic from when you ascended to divinity."
"Yeah, I remember that. Just last week, I created an alternate reality, and I'm still having nightmares about it."
"The magic inside you and the power of Dain's mana coupled with Rowan's magic has created this space. It's a bit complicated to understand, but you can save him from his prison if you can find him. That is why I'm here. Your subconscious created me and the power of this world brought me to life for the sole purpose of completing this task."
"You know what, I'm going just to accept everything that you are saying and let you do your thing. If you're really here to help me then I'm going to let you do it without question," Lisa told him. Her head was beginning to hurt trying to digest everything that was thrown at her. But one thing stood out. Rowan was there somewhere, and that was all that mattered.
"That's all I ask," Astral-Kitsune said.
Lisa turned away from him and held out her hands. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on sensing Rowan again. She lifted her arms and slowly moved them around like she was feeling for an invisible wall. Maybe her magic powers could help her beyond just making an imaginary version of her boyfriend.
"What are you doing?" Astral-Kitsune asked walking over to her. He bent down and examined her outstretched hands.
"I'm trying to use my power to create a beam of light or something that will take me to Rowan," she said. Feeling foolish she dropped her arms and stomped the ground in disgust. 'It's not working. I still don't know how to use these powers."
"That is why I'm here," Astral-Kitsune said and snapped his fingers.
The floor lit up like a fashion show walkway. Glowing yellow arrows appeared and pointed away from them. They moved in a straight line guiding them deeper into the darkness that surrounded the space they found themselves in.
"Subtle," Lisa said as she began walking down the trail of arrows. "This will take me to Rowan."
"Not quite," Astral-Kitsune said walking up beside her. His face said "sorry about this," but his tone said the opposite. "This is a bit more complicated than just walking down a dark road of nothingness."
"Of course, it is," Lisa mumbled under her breath.
"I can tell you that Rowan is being kept in the deepest darkest part of his heart. To reach that we first must go through his mind than his soul to reach the heart."
"This path will take us to his mind?"
"Bingo," Astral-Kitsune said.
Lisa sighed. "Fine, as long as we find him and get out."
"Getting out is the easy part." He placed his paw against his chest. "That is why I'm here. I can help you get out, but beyond that, I'm mainly here to explain things to you."
"Well, that just means you are as helpful as the real Kitsune is," Lisa said.
"Shame on you. You shouldn't say such things about your boyfriend."
"I'm joking. Sort of. I mean I'm right aren't I." She waited for a response, but Astral-Kitsune pretended not here her.
They kept walking in silence. Once again, the sensation of being back in the white space crept over her, but Lisa pressed it down. At least this time she wasn't alone even if this projection of Kitsune was just herself. It was better than nothing, Lisa kept telling herself. As they moved, Lisa kept trying to feel for Rowan's presence or sense that he was there. No matter what she did, there was nothing.
Lisa was so lost in thought she didn't notice when Astral-Kitsune stopped suddenly. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back next to him.
"We're here," he said. Lisa was grateful for that. She had no idea how long they had been walking. The path seemed almost endless.
There was a moment of silence as Lisa looked at what "here" was. All around them were floating pieces of what appeared to be glass. Each one was jagged and different colors like someone broke a large stained-glass window and hung the pieces on a string to showcase their handy work. As Lisa looked closer, she noticed that it wasn't that they were actually full images.
"The Hall of Shattered Memories," Astral-Kitsune said sadly. Lisa was taken aback by his voice. The name alone was bad enough but the way he said it was like telling someone their pet had died.
The World That Always Was, Hall of Shattered Memories
"That is an odd name," Lisa said walking over to the nearest of the glass pieces.
"Each one of these is one of Rowan's memories. We're currently in his mind. These are all that's left of his memories after months of Revenant's control."
"What!?" Lisa shouted. Her voice echoed around the hall bouncing off each of the memories, causing them to shudder and vibrate.
She turned her attention back to the memory fragment in front of her. There was a long-jagged crack down the center of it.
"Why is it cracked like that?" she asked.
"These are Rowan's strongest memories, so they have lasted the longest. But that isn't such a good thing. The cracks represent a time in Rowan's life where something inside him broke. A painful event that left him a little more vulnerable and hurt. Be careful with them they are extremely fragile."
"I love you, Lisa!"
Lisa turned around. She knew that voice. It was Rowan's. It was coming from a large memory across from her. Slowly she moved towards it not knowing what to expect. Kitsune's warning stayed with her as she stepped in front of the memory. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. This memory had a spiderweb of cracks in it so that the images playing in it were barely visible.
"I have always loved you since the day we met. I waited for years to ask you out, but I never could. But I stayed by your side even after you paraded your boyfriends around. I stood by you after each break-up with a box of chocolate and tissues. I waited for you to realize how I felt but…you never did."
"Oh, god," Lisa whispered before placing her hand over her mouth. She recognized the scene before her. It was that past July, the day that Rowan confessed that he loved her. It was the day that she broke his heart.
She knew she should look away, but her body was frozen to the spot. She could see Rowan's face staring back at her through the glass, his eyes full of desperation and longing.
"What you feel for Kitsune is not real. But I'm real. My love is real."
"No, don't say it," Lisa whispered at the scene changed to her past self.
"I don't feel the same way."
Rowan's face appeared again, and just like that day, Lisa could see something in his eyes, a bright light, fade away. The image froze there, forever capturing the moment Rowan's and Lisa's relationship was changed. The point of no return.
Lisa reached out and placed her fingers on the glass. As soon as she touched it, she felt something slice across her skin. Yelping in pain, she pulled back and examined her hands. There was no mark or cut, but the pain still lingered.
"What was that?" Lisa said clutching her hand.
"Each crack is raw emotion," Astral-Kitsune said as he walked up beside her. "You feel what he felt in a certain way."
"That's incredibly stupid and ridiculous," Lisa said backing away from memory. She clutched her hand, waiting as the pain slowly faded.
"What did you expect from a world created by magic energy that utilizes imagination?"
"Good point," Lisa said.
""Dakota, it's me. Lisa."
"Did you hear that?" Lisa asked. She recognized her voice. She scanned the fragments for the source. Her eyes fell on an especially broken piece of glass with one crack running straight down. She moved closer, almost afraid of what she'd see.
The closer she got the fragment the clearer the image became. Her own image appeared, obscured in the moonlight of the events taking place. Even still, she could see her past self's panic expression mixed with worry. The scene changed to an image of Dakota. His face was sharp like the scythe he had in his hands. This was one of the worse nights in Lisa's life, one she had tried desperately to forget.
Lisa's past self spoke again, pleading with the boy. "Dakota, listen to me. You are not in any danger. Let them go. I can take you home. I can take you to Rowan. He's looking for you too."
Dakota lowered the scythe. Tears welled up in his eyes. Shaking his head, "I want to go home."
"I don't understand what this is," Lisa said unable to look away. "Rowan wasn't here for this part."
Astral-Kitsune walked over to her and leaned towards the fragment. "If I had to guess this must be a memory formed by both of your collective experiences. If that is the case, then we must hurry. Your memories are beginning to bleed into his. That could create disruptions that will only make it harder to find him."
Lisa turned her back to the fragment just she heard "Dakota! Stop!" Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of Rowan's taser strike Dakota followed by the sound of Rowan breaking down in her arms.
"It will only get harder the farther we go, you realize, that right?" Astral-Kitsune asked.
"Let's keep moving," she said bluntly.
The shadows around the hall seemed to creep closer to them as they moved. The fragments became fewer and farther between. It was growing more difficult to ignore them.
"Where's Dakota?" Rowan said. "You said you were going to pick him up so he could be here."
Lisa stood motionless. Almost automatically her head turned to a fragment floating next to her. She instantly recognized when this was. It was their graduation day. It was only a few months ago, but she almost didn't recognize Rowan in the memory. He wore his cap and gown as he glared at his parents.
Rowan's mother spoke calmly. "Your brother had some issues. The doctors said he had a bad episode and they were keeping him under surveillance for forty-eight hours. It's the procedure."
"I understand," Rowan whispered.
His mother opened her mouth, then closed it again. There was nothing that could be said.
"Where's Lisa?" his father asked looking around playfully. "We wanted to congratulate her too. We just saw her mother. She said that she had not seen Lisa yet either."
"I'll go find her." He shoved his diploma in his father's hand and left.
The scene changed showing Rowan wondering around the campus parking lot until he stopped. Lisa's heart beat faster as she appeared in the memory. Her and Kitsune were talking to one another just like she remembered. Only this was from Rowan's perspective.
"How long had he been standing there?" Lisa asked out loud knowing she was about to find out.
"What do you mean limited? How so?"
"I can't go into my full power here," Kitsune explained. "My vision is limited too. This world is something. Speaking of which, have you decided about Keene's offer?"
"I haven't yet. I want to, but at the same time, I'm still not comfortable being there. When I first got there that day, it was so surreal. It felt like nothing mattered because it was not real. Then after everything that happened afterward taught me that it was real. Too real."
"I don't know what to say," he told her. "It's your decision. I can't interfere in the fates of mortals, and I definitely can't interfere with yours.
"Mine. What's special about mine?"
"It's like this world. You exist in a different set of rules from say the pets back home. Your destiny is more complex and volatile so to say." Kitsune leaned closer to her. "Think of it this way. It's like comparing a board game with a video game. Same but completely different at the same time with different rules and play styles. You can play one like you the other."
"I guess that makes sense," Lisa said. "Let me ask you this. If you had the choice to stay or go, what would you do?"
"Go," he said without hesitation.
"That's it. Just go without a second thought."
He nodded. "I like the mortals over there, and I know you do too. That is why you are struggling so much. You still feel guilty about what happened. Your scared that you don't belong there."
"How do I stop feeling like that?" she asked looking down at her feet.
"That I cannot tell you because I have never felt that way. I always belong everywhere I go. I'm just lovable that way."
Lisa chuckled. "You sure are."
Kitsune coked his head to the side. "Hm. Look, I can't tell you things will be easy or go smoothly if you choose to go there. I can't see your fate. That is one of the drawbacks of you belonging to this world. But I can tell you that if you don't go, then you will regret not taking this chance."
"He was there for that long," Lisa said feeling hot and embarrassed. The fragment was not cracked, but Lisa could feel an intense heat coming from it. Rowan's anger, she assumed.
"Lisa," Astral-Kitsune grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away from the fragment. His red eyes were fierce. "You are getting distracted. We don't have time for this."
"I know that but…" she tried to say.
"No, there are no "buts" only "go," he said more firmly.
"Right. I know that." Lisa's jaw tightened. Was this Revenant's doing? Was he purposing showing her memories that would make her the most upset?
Lisa felt colder as she started walking again, this time letting Astral-Kitsune hold her hand and pull her along. She kept staring at the dark floor, focusing as hard as she could to block out the sounds of the fragments which only seemed to grow louder.
"Rowan, you promised!" Lisa heard Dakota scream. "You promised!"
Lisa didn't have to see the fragment to know what it was. That didn't stop her from glancing up as they walked by. It was a smaller fragment compared to the others, but the image was barely visible underneath the sheer number of cracks that spread through it. Her eyes hurt just by looking at it.
"Is that?" Lisa asked.
Without looking or stopping Astral-Kitsune said, "Yes, it is."
Lisa opened her mouth again but closed it, swallowing what she was about to say. Rowan told her about that day. In response, she slapped him in a fit of rage. She was more concerned about what Dakota was capable of doing while he was on the loose then how Rowan was feeling about reliving that memory.
"There it is," Astral-Kitsune said as he came to a sudden stop. He let go of Lisa's hand as they both gazed at what stood before them.
It was like an antique mirror with a disturbing sculpture of an angel with his arms spread out sitting atop the black glass. Around the edge were other carvings of animals each in poses that expressed sadness or distress. Lisa recognized them as the pets. They were all looked like they were trying to escape something. At the bottom, two large hands served as the base giving it the image that it was holding the mirror in place.
"That's Rowan," Lisa shouted as focused on the angel at the top of the mirror. His head was tilted to the side, and his eyes were closed, but it was clearing Rowan.
"Lisa, please be careful," Astral-Kitsune said. "This is a black mirror. Mirrors serve as windows to the soul. This must be the doorway to Rowan's soul."
"This place doesn't let up on the metaphors does it?" Lisa said dryly.
She stood before the glass. She could barely see her outline in the darkness. As she stared at it, her image blurred until it changed completely. It showed a dark room like a cell. Sitting in the corner was a small boy. He looked up at some unseen figure and spoke. "I won't let you take him. Can't you see he's hurt? Whatever you did to him, it hurt him. He can't go through that again."
"Rowan." Lisa had only seen pictures of Rowan as a kid. Her stomach felt sick as she moved closer to the mirror to get a better look. Rowan was not just younger but thin and dirty. The story Rowan's parents told her came rushing back to her, and she knew what she was looking at.
"I don't think you have much to say about that kid," a man said. Lisa's heart raced faster. "Now you either can let him go, or we can force you too. It's your choice. Honestly, I'm hoping you fight. I do enjoy hearing the sound of bones break in little boy's arms."
"Oh, god," Lisa whispered. "How could they do this?"
The man continued, "What will it be?"
Rowan looked at his brother before laying Dakota down on the hard floor. He stood up and faced the men. He looked at the big one directly in the eye and said, "Take me instead."
"No, Rowan, don't do it!" Lisa screamed. She pressed herself against the glass and passed right through it like it was made of water. Ripples spread through the surface washing away the memory. She backed up in surprise by what just happened. Without wasting another second, she charged towards the mirror and passed through the surface.
The World That Always Was, Chamber of Corrupted Sight
Lisa found herself in a large room filled with rows of seats, like church pews. Flickering candles hung against the walls casting the only light in the windowless space. There was one large steel chandelier hanging from the ceiling, lined with haft melted candles. The floor was bare and dirty like no one had swept it ever.
"What is this place?" Lisa asked as Astral-Kitsune appeared through the mirror hanging on the wall behind them.
"Chamber of Corrupted Sight," he said. "More specifically, Rowan's soul. Or at least an embodiment of it.
Lisa walked forward, running her fingers over the wooden pews. It was like being in a horror movie. She expected a monster to appear behind her at any moment. She eyes fell on the front of the room. Three figures in black robes stood in front of a long stone table. It was hard to see in the candlelight, but Lisa could see red marks covering the edges as well as metal shackles attached to the stone. More candles surrounded the table, each burning brighter than the others along the walls. Painted on the wall behind the table was a crudely drawn symbol. Lisa half expected it to be a pentagram or something one would see in "The Exorcist." Instead, it was something else entirely. It looked like an upside-down V with curved edges that resembled horns. In the center was a single dot. Despite not knowing what it was, Lisa could not help but feel a sense of dread spreading through her body as she stared at it.
Behind her, two large doors opened. The three figures turned around and for a second Lisa thought they were in trouble. Astral-Kitsune leaned in and whispered, "They can see us. This is like the memories from before. We aren't' really here."
Lisa tried to relax but found it to be impossible. She turned around and watched as more figures in black cloaks walked into the room. They all had their hoods up, but she could see that they were all men in their late twenties or early thirties. None of them looked particularly healthy, Lisa thought. They were like the walking dead, with pale skin and their bones clearly visible under their skin.
They walked by Lisa and Astral-Kitsune without a word. She fought the urge to reach out and touch one of them. Slowly they filled the first few pews. When they were done, two more figures appeared only they were not alone.
"Rowan!" Lisa screamed.
The two figures walked forward with their hands tightly gripped around a young Rowan's arms. He did not try to resist or fight back against them. He looked defeated. They walked past her and stepped up to the stone table.
Rowan made no effort to move on his own, so the cloaked figures picked him up and roughly placed him flat on the table. There they shackled him and stepped back to admire their handy work.
"Is this going to work?" one of the figures asked. "He's older than the rest. The ritual calls for a young child."
"If he dies then so be it," another said. Lisa recognized the voice as the man who threatened Rowan in the memory from before. Her chest burned with anger and the desire to tackle the men to the ground.
"We should not waste more time," another figure said. This one was clearly in charge. His robe was different, more extravagant than the others. It was covered in red stripes and had a long scarf draped over his shoulders and down his front. The scarf had the same symbol as on the wall sowed into it.
The leader held his arms over Rowan and began chanting. Soon the others were joining in. Lisa could not understand what they were saying, but she knew it was evil. Every instinct in her body told her to run away, but instead, she took a timid step forward. Astral-Kitsune made no attempt to stop her this time.
As the chanting continued, the cult members voices changed becoming more animalistic until they stopped speaking words and instead sounded like the growling of a monstrous beast. The temperature in the room dropped, and the candles dimmed.
Rowan was entirely still during all of this. He stared blankly at the ceiling like he had excepted his fate.
The chanting grew louder, and the room began shaking. Behind Lisa, the mirror to the previous room broke apart raining glass on the floor. At that moment, a black vortex opened above where Rowan was laying. No one stopped what they were doing. It was like they were all in a trance. The vortex grew larger like an eye opening above him, and Rowan could no longer stay calm. He screamed and struggled against the chains keeping him bound to the table.
"Oh my god! Rowan!" Lisa screamed and ran to where he was. Before she could get close to him, the cult members stood up and faced her. Suddenly it seemed like they could see her. They formed a wall between her and Rowan but never stopped chanting. Their eyes glowed purple as they stared at her.
"Get out of my way," Lisa shouted and tried to break through them. They didn't attack her but didn't move out of the way no matter how many times she pushed against them.
Rowan's screaming grew louder. Each of the flames around the room changed from orange to purple. A cloud of black and purple smoke poured down from the vortex slamming directly into Rowan's body. He screamed like he was dying, and Lisa joined him. She pushed harder but nothing she did work.
Helplessly she watched as the smoke pierced through Rowan's body. He was lifted up off the table and hovered in the air before falling back down again. This continued over and over as the smoke relentlessly stuck him.
"Stop it!" Lisa screamed. She reached out towards Rowan, but he was too far. "Rowan. Stop it. You're killing him!"
Rowan's eyes glowed purple as he continued to scream. Cracks appeared in his skin like an infection spreading through his body. Purple lines spread through his face cutting off his voice. He screamed silently as the last of the smoke entered his body.
For a moment nothing happened, then Rowan erupted in an ear-splitting howl that was no longer human. He turned his head toward her and Lisa could see tears streaming from his glowing eyes. He was begging her to make it stop. The cult members pushed her farther from him like a moving wall.
"Stop it!" Lisa shouted again. Her body burned with rage and fear. She struggled more desperately against the force of the cult members. "Stop it! I said stop!"
A surge of energy erupted inside her igniting every part of her body like she was being filled with lightning. Golden light sparked off her fingers, filling the room with illimitation and warmth. The cult member back away but it was too late. Lisa's eyes glowed with a bright yellow light before throwing her arms towards the floor. A wave of energy discharged from her evaporating each of the cult members, turning them into dust and shadows.
With a cry of anguish, Lisa held out her hands towards the members left on the stage and sent another surge of energy towards them. The room was filled with light, and there was no one left but her, Astral-Kitsune, and Rowan still laying on the table.
As the light surrounding Lisa's body faded, she felt instantly exhausted, but she didn't let that stop her from rushing over to Rowan. She tried to open the shackles, but they would not budge. Tears poured from her face as she stood there struggling in vain.
"I didn't know," she whispered. She knew deep down that everything she witnessed was another memory. This was the ritual they performed to give Rowan his demonic powers. They almost killed him and, in a way, took a part of him that nothing could ever be returned. "I didn't know what they did to you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Rowan's eyes opened slightly. They were dark and cold, but Lisa could still see a bit of the Rowan she knew inside. He opened his mouth, but no words came. Instead, he mouthed the word, "Lisa."
She watched as Rowan faded away leaving nothing but empty shackles clanging against the table. Lisa stood there frozen unsure of what happened.
"Where is he," she asked turning to Astral-Kitsune who was moving towards her. His arms were behind his back, and he carried a calm expression on his face. "Where is he?!" Lisa screamed at the fox.
"That wasn't the real Rowan," Kitsune said. "That was only part of his soul."
"I don't understand," she said.
The room around creaked and cracked, but Lisa ignored it. She kept her eyes on Astral-Kitsune.
"You were able to free the part of him that had been imprisoned by what these men did to him all those years ago. That was the first step to finding him. Now we can find the real Rowan and rescue him from this forsaken place.
"Where is the real Rowan?" Lisa asked. The creaking grew louder. "No more riddles or metaphors. I want to know where he is."
Astral-Kitsune pointed toward the door where the cult members dragged Rowan out of. "He's there. Know that I can't join you there. His heart is a sacred place that only a few can enter. Menagerie's Passage."
"That's fine," Lisa said and brushed by him. "I can do this myself."
Behind her, the table broke apart as the shaking grew worse. The walls broke apart revealing the black nether from the outside. Each of the candles blew out leaving Lisa in almost complete darkness as she walked through the door.
The World That Always Was, Menagerie's Passage
Lisa did not know what to expect Rowan's heart to look like. What she saw when she crossed the threshold was like something out of "Inside Out." There was one path lined with the oddest collection of junk Lisa had ever seen. Toys, games, characters from different shows and comics. The air was clean but smelled like the ocean. Lisa vaguely remembered Rowan once telling her that he loved the scent of the water.
"So, this is everything Rowan's loves," Lisa said looking behind her. There was nothing there. The door she entered was gone and in its place was nothing but an empty blue sky. Rowan's favorite color.
Something pulled at her heart. It was faint by clearly noticeable. Lisa wasted no time before breaking into a run down the trail. Her world seemed to fade away as she ran. Images of different things Rowan's loved flew past in her a messy blur. The farther she ran, the stronger the pull on her heart was. Rowan was calling her.
She slowed to a stop once she passed a pyramid made of french fries. Before her was a giant mountain. Unlike everything else there, this was an actual mountain that towered farther than she could even see. At the base of the mountain was a large opening to a dark tunnel. Carved around the tunnel was the image of Rowan's parents embracing each other with one arm and with the other surrounding the opening like they were beckoning Lisa to enter. "This is where you need to go," they seemed to say.
Lisa wasted no time hurrying into the cave. She expected an ordinary dark cavern but instead was greeted with a hallway like something out of a fancy hotel. Glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the floor was lined with silky velvet. The walls were covered in red wallpaper with images of hearts from floor to ceiling. It was a little much for Lisa's taste but a welcome relief from the horror show she had been through up to this point.
She began walking pass different portraits hung on the wall when she stopped to look at them. Each one was of one of the pets. Peanut, Grape, King, Fox, Sabrina, and Tarot. There was even one of Kitsune. Seeing his smile made Lisa feel guilty. He told her that he loved her and she was literally in someone else's heart. She kept walking toward the end of the hall. She didn't know what to expect as she neared the end, but she had a good idea.
She was correct. At the end of the hallway, were two large portraits. On the left was an image of Dakota. He looked healthy and happy smiling at her with the image of a warm forest behind him.
On the other side was her portrait. Lisa stood in front of it, stricken by its sheer beauty. It was different from Dakota's. Instead of facing outward, she was turned to the side. Her long hair flowed behind her as if being blown some unseen breeze. Her face was graced with a small smile like she was truly at peace. Lisa wanted to know what she was looking at to appear so natural. In the painting's hand, was a sprig of white heather.
Between the two portraits was a small white column with a small framed picture. Curiosity overcame her as to why something like that was sitting there. She picked it and recognized it instantly as the picture she and Rowan took their freshman year with Jackson and Ashley. But the image was different. Instead of looking at the camera, Rowan was clearly looking at her. The way he smiled at her was the same way her portrait was smiling.
"Oh, Rowan," Lisa said.
Behind her there was searing, cracking noise. The wall behind her broke apart revealing a long dark tunnel. Unlike the hallway she just came down, this one looked like it was cobbled together using scrap and building materials from a home improvement store. The corridor shook and rattled. Several portraits fell off the wall and clattered on the floor.
Lisa was running out of time. Putting the frame back where she found it, she stepped into the newly revealed hallway. The atmosphere changed immediately from warm and inviting to cold and unforgiving. Another tug on her heart told Lisa that this was the way to go.
Dark purple light exploded from farther down the hall causing Lisa to sprint towards it. She ran past several rooms that resembled the one she saw in the memory fragment. She could almost imagine screaming children being locked away unsure if they were ever going to see their homes or families again. Her stomach churned with hatred and disgust.
The purple light faded as she neared one of the cells. It had a metal door like the rest with a large padlock hanging on the front. She peered through the small opening and saw him. Rowan was chained to the wall, but it was him. He was wearing the same outfit as he wore when he came to her in her dream.
"Rowan!" Lisa screamed and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. "I'm here. I'm here to get you."
She banged her fist on the door in frustration. She looked back at him hoping for some sign that he could hear her, but there was no change. His eyes were closed as he slumped against the back of the cell.
The hallway shook and roared again. Lisa looked back the way she came and saw that the corridor was breaking away piece by piece like it was being devoured by a giant beast. She gripped the handle again and pulled but still no change.
"I'm here. Rowan, I'm here." Lisa cried and felt another snap of electricity spread through her body. Her emotions were running high as was her desperation. She stepped back from the door and held up her glowing hands. Focusing her anger, hurt, and devotion she let loose a massive blast of energy at the door.
The cell door was blown off its hinges and fell on the floor of the cell. Before the light around her hands faded, she ran to Rowan's side. Kneeling down, she undid his shackles with more smaller blasts of power. Rowan slumped to the side, but she caught him before he could hit the floor. Wrapping her arms around his body, she pulled him towards her as tightly as she could
"Rowan, I'm here," Lisa said. Tears ran down her face again. "Please say something."
She could hear his breathing, but it was faint and slow. She went on, "I'm sorry, Rowan. I really am. I wasn't there for you, but I'm here now."
Above their heads, the ceiling was torn away revealing the swirling ether. Purple and black light danced around one another in a massive whirlwind. More of the cell broke apart into dust and was carried away as they sat there.
"Rowan, I was wrong. I was wrong to tell you I didn't feel the same way when you told me you loved me." She paused and looked down at Rowan's limp body. "I do love you."
Rowan's eyes opened slightly feeling Lisa with a welcome sense of relief. The wind picked up even more threatening to carry them away into the vortex above them.
Lisa spoke again, but her voice was barely a whisper. "Let's go home, Rowan. We don't belong here anymore."
"Lisa!" someone shouted.
She looked up to see a hole in the either. A long arm covered in blonde fur reached for her. "Lisa, take my hand!" the voice shouted again.
Slowly, Lisa reached up and wrapped her fingers around Kitsune's paw. She closed her eyes and let everything fade away from her except for Rowan's and Kitsune's touch.
Valley of the River, Temple of Flame
"Lisa. Lisa, can you hear me?"
"Is she breathing? Maybe you should try using some magic to heal her."
Lisa felt like the entire world was spinning under her. She opened her eyes to the blurry outline of Kitsune and Nick standing over her.
"You're alright," Kitsune said and wrapped his arms around her. She returned the hug, relieved to feel his familiar fur beneath her fingers. "I'm so glad your back. I was so scared that I lost you."
"I'm here," she said, but her voice was hoarse.
They separated, and Lisa remembered everything that just happened. "Rowan, where is he?"
"He's over here," Nick said. He knelt down over Rowan's unconscious body. He was wearing the same outfit as before. The black mark over his eye was gone, but he looked weak.
"Rowan, can you hear me?" Lisa asked trying to move towards him, but Kitsune wouldn't let her go.
"Well, that worked out better than I could have hoped," said a chilling voice behind them.
They turned toward the mana pool which was still filled with black liquid. Ripples appeared on the surface, and slowly something rose to the surface.
"No, that's not possible," Lisa said staring in disbelief.
Revenant smiled at her. He looked the same as before but different at the same time. The black scar had spread over both eyes forming the appearance of a mask. Both eyes now were glowing with a swirling pale golden light. He wore the same cloak as before which Lisa recognized as the same ones the cultists were wearing. He stood on the surface on the pool, and like a sponge, the black sludge was sucked into his cloak until there was not a single drop left.
Kitsune snarled at him which was something she had only seen him to Drasil. She had never seen him so angry or afraid.
"How are you here?" Kitsune demanded.
"The Great Kitsune without all the answers," Revenant said slowly, letting each word hang in the air. "Hard not knowing what is going on. Your omnipotence is your greatest strength, but you rely on it too much."
He stepped out of the empty pool and strolled past them all without a second glance. On the other side of the bridge, the pets looked nervous like they didn't know how to react to what was happening. Revenant stood on the middle of the bridge, and spoke again, "Think about it for a second. Why do you think I allowed you to make it to the mana pool before me?"
Lisa had thought it was strange that they were able to beat him despite the significant advantage he had over them. Suddenly it dawned on her, and she looked at Rowan still laying on the floor beside them. "You needed us."
"That's right. Give the girl a prize." He turned his head all the way around, so he was facing them with a horrific grin on his face. His face was illuminated by the flames which had returned to their red and orange color. "I needed you to separate us. The Yin from the Yang. You should appreciate that Kitsune. I couldn't ascend to divinity as long as the demonic powers still lingered inside me. Now I have the power of three of the four stags. True divine power. Once I get the last one, I will take my place as a true god."
A golden fire erupted around him, and when it faded away, Revenant was gone.