What Price Loyalty

by babywhale512

Nerissa has a new plan to destroy the Guardians...and it centers around Irma. What happens when a supremely evil woman vents her frustrations, rage, and hate against the Water Guardian? Please R&R...Thanks.

22. Chapter 22

Okay, sorry about the huge delay in getting this chapter out; I know y'all have come to expect me to update every day or at least every week. Sadly, updates are going to be taking a little longer than that; it's important to me to get this stuff right, after all. Now the acknowledgements:

Thanks to: Blaze for her comments on the review board and in the Whale Pit Forum; Visigoth for his usual insights and frequency in the Pit; Goofy Monkey for leaving the shortest review (winks); Stormrider for her compliments on my twisted skills; Prince Vince for his comments on the more humorous aspects; Irma 1 for being so overwhelmed; Pita Girl for jamming the server with an enormous review (loved it girl!); Krystal of Nol for her thanks; and Nisa for her use of the word 'doozy' and the uber-bitch line. Now let's everyone give a hearty Whale Pit welcome to Zestychicken2, Nemrut, and Guardian of the Water. Welcome to da Pit my friends! I hope you all will stay with us for the duration. Thanks for posting reviews and for reading.

Donut Club: Blaze for taking a shot at interpreting the voices in Irma's head; Visigoth for his insightful PM's; Irma 1 because she needs to be revived after falling out of her chair; Pita Girl for making her fingers bleed with all that typing; and AzhureTigress for being an all-around, cold-hearted, sourpuss bitch (winks).

A final note of thanks to my dear editor (you know who you are). You have been with me every step of the way; I couldn't have done ANY of this without you my friend. If you all love the chapter, blame my editor because she's the one that knows how to squeeze every ounce of perfection out of this warped mind. Praise and gratitude to you Sister.

Now, on with the chapter! Muwahaha!!!

Chapter 22

Irma knew her only chance to help her friends lay with Will and the Heart of Candracar. As the Guardian of Water, Irma's powers were of limited use in a situation such as she now faced. But there was one thing her powers could do; help restore the Keeper. Placing a trembling hand over Will's heart, Irma closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Gradually, her hand began to glow with a soft blue light that intensified as Irma concentrated. Soon the light encompassed the Guardian's entire arm and shoulder, reaching iridescent fingers towards her heart. Irma gasped as those fingers pierced deep into her chest and wrapped themselves around her ticker. A stranger sensation she had never experienced as she felt the fingers gather a portion of her life-energy. Her instincts screamed at her to disconnect from the power, but she stubbornly disobeyed as she opened herself more fully to the raw energy. She cried out as she felt her life-energy forcibly torn from her chest. Irma nearly collapsed from the draining effects, but she fought off the wave of dizziness to maintain contact with her severely injured friend.

Turquoise mixed with pink as raw elemental power drove into Will's chest, endowing the Keeper with the strength of the Water Guardian. Irma opened her eyes and watched for any sign of movement from her friend; but there was none. With a frustrated grunt, Irma willed more of her life-energy into the redhead's heart. The color began to return to Will's skin, and her breathing became stronger. Irma held the link as long as she was able, until a wave of dizziness felled her.

With a groan, Irma sank to the ground, her head spinning, her lungs barely taking oxygen. She closed her eyes tightly until the vertigo passed, then pushed herself to her feet. She stared at Will, hoping against hope that her friend would wake. A soft groan, a minor twitch, told Irma that she had roused. The Water Mistress started to grab her friend in a hug, but stopped short; she didn't want to cause more damage by being overzealous. Instead, she contented herself with gently grasping Will's shoulder.

"Will?" Irma said softly.

Will rolled her head painfully from side-to-side, completely unaware of Irma's presence. Weakly, her fingers grasped the shaft protruding from her stomach. Irma's heart nearly rent in two as she heard the barest sounds of whimpering from her friend. She placed her own hand over Will's and looked into the ravaged face.

"Will, it's Irma; can you hear me?"

Will turned her head towards the sound of Irma's voice, scorched eyes struggling to locate the sound. What little remained of her lips moved slightly, and Irma hurried to catch what they were trying to say. Bending her ear close to Will's mouth, Irma strained to hear; but caught only a pain-filled moan.

Will coughed violently, the constriction of her abdomen forcing some blood to spill over her stomach in spite of the plug. Struggling not to cry, Irma wrapped her arms around her friend to keep her from sliding further down the deadly pike. Will's breathing started to become uneven, and Irma knew she didn't have much time.

"Will, I know you're hurting, but we need you. The others, they're hurt real bad; I think Cornelia may be dying."

"H-hurts……c-can't…ughn."

Irma flinched at the sound of her friend's voice; it was as if she had swallowed a handful of nails and broken glass. At that moment, Will stopped moving.

"Will? Will!" Irma called frantically; but the redhead had lapsed back into unconsciousness.

"Oh no you don't Wilma Vandom; I'm not letting go of you so easily," Irma growled. Once again she extended her hand and placed it over Will's heart. Once again she willed her own life-energy to mix with the Keeper's. Gritting her teeth against the strain, Irma poured sustaining energy into her friend.

With a sudden gasp, Will was slapped back to consciousness. She coughed again and felt as if her insides had exploded. She wrapped trembling hands around her stomach and felt the cold steel of the protruding shaft. She walked her fingers up the pole, a measure of comprehension dawning in her hazy mind. Her breathing became more rapid as panic took over. An ear-piercing scream tore from her lungs, her legs kicking feebly as she struggled futilely to remove the spear.

Irma squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away from the deafening shriek, her teeth clenching involuntarily. It took all her strength to maintain physical contact with Will.

"Will, stop moving," Irma said through her clenched teeth. "You'll just make it worse."

"Get it out, get it out, get it out…" Will whispered, weakly pulling on the rod.

"I can't Will, you'll bleed to death if I remove the spear; it's all that's keeping you alive right now." Irma struggled to maintain a steady voice even as she recognized the irony of what she had just said. She could feel herself getting weaker as she continued to pour her own energy into her gravely injured friend; but she had to keep Will conscious long enough to make her understand the situation.

Unable to scream anymore, Will began to moan in pain. Shivering violently, she clung to the bitter steel jutting from her midriff. Her breathing came in ragged, painful gasps.

"B-burns…c-can't…see...t-too…m-much..."

Irma wanted nothing more than to comfort the frightened girl, but she knew she couldn't last much longer; the strain was becoming nearly unbearable. As much as Irma hated to do it, it was time to talk business.

"Will, you have to get everybody out of here. Call the Heart; transport to your Chambers. Don't worry about me, I can still walk."

"T-the…H-Heart." Will echoed, her brain struggling through the fog of shock and agony. She tried desperately to comprehend.

"Place your hands over your heart and call the Heart of Candracar," Irma instructed through clenched teeth. She was starting to tremble from the strain. She cried out suddenly as she felt a tearing sensation in her chest and her hand was ripped from her friend's body against its owner's will. Irma collapsed on the grass, coughing painfully and holding her chest.

Though Will didn't understand, she placed her cold hands over her heart. By some instinct, she summoned the powerful Candracarian jewel. Pouring the last bit of energy Irma had sacrificed into her efforts, Will summoned her powers. As blackness began to close over her, the young woman commanded the Heart to teleport the four injured Guardians to their respective Chambers. With a blinding flash of pink light, the Heart obeyed its mistress.

As the beautiful light receded, Irma twisted her head around. There was no sign of her friends. A false wind gently blew red-stained blades of grass. A false sun shone on the gleaming bars of the cage. A false peace settled over the empty aviary.

Irma sighed and forced her aching bones to stand up. She winced sharply and her hand flew to her chest; she felt as if her bosom had been ripped open and her heart torn out. Irma hadn't expected anything like this from a simple energy transfer; she knew she would feel tired and drained, but physically hurt? Nevertheless, her friends had a chance at recovery now; that was all that mattered.

Breathing carefully, she stared at the now-unoccupied pike, almost hypnotized by the surreal events it represented. She reached out and touched the cold steel, it's strange glint holding her mesmerized. Her head cocked and her eyes narrowed as her fingers dabbed in the blood on the spear. She shuddered violently and pulled her hand back.

She stared at her bloodied fingers, rubbing them together against her thumb. Gradually her face morphed from entrancement to anger. Her fingers clenched into a fist of their own volition, and a low growl started to build in the back of Irma's throat. With a sudden cry of rage, she swung the rod still frozen to her hand and struck the bloodied pike. The clang of steel on steel was deafening, but Irma ignored it. The rod detached from her skin and fell to the crimson-stained earth. She scooped it up and continued to beat the rod against the pike, her rage-filled cries growing more and more frenzied.

When she became too exhausted to continue, she sank to her knees in the crimson grass, tears of frustration and fatigue rolling down her face. Raising her fists to the sky, she bellowed a primal scream; then she rolled onto her side and wrapped trembling arms around her body.

She wanted to hide from the carnage that had become her life; shut herself off from a world that would never know of the Guardians' myriad sacrifices. A teenager should never have to deal with evil on this kind of scale; a teenager should never have to witness her best friends decimated and dying before her; a teenager should never have to bear the responsibility of sacrificing her life and her sanity for the sake of a world that would never know the difference.

A fresh wave of fury overtook her and something inside the girl snapped. Irma forced her exhausted body to stand up. Regarding the rod in her hand, she strode to the side of the cage. With all her adrenaline and anger-fueled strength, she beat the rod against the steel of the cage. Many of the cage bars shattered under her fury, their razor pieces flying around the aviary. The enraged Guardian continued to hammer the cage with the steel club until it bent and became unusable. Throwing it away, Irma grabbed a new steel club from the ground and continued to batter the walls.

Soon the aviary was littered with shattered steel and broken bars; still the girl did not cease her attack. For several minutes, she hammered, and pounded, and bashed, and flogged until her hands blistered and bled. Her anger still not assuaged, she flew into the air and gathered all her enormous powers. She shot destructive jets of water at the sides of the cage. The bars exploded, splintered, and fractured; the pieces were dashed violently all around.

Raising her fist to the illusory sun, the wrathful Guardian opened her hand and saturated the sky with water vapor. The resulting clouds soon became heavy and black; Irma pulled them around the ball of light. Closing her fist, she commanded the clouds to cloak the sun in darkness. She closed her eyes and gathered all her enormous powers. Fairly pulsing with magical energy, Irma screamed and directed the savage force at the shrouded sun. Catastrophic jets of water slammed into the ebony clouds, tearing them asunder and ripping the moisture from their fluffy folds. The sun exploded into thousands of golden fragments that disintegrated before they reached the ground.

Turning her explosive ire against the garden, she flooded the beautiful flowers and drowned the colorful foliage. Her indignation turned life-giving soil into destructive mud that engulfed and suffocated the plants it once nurtured. It flowed over the cool grass and the elegant shrubbery, murdering all in its path.

Irma could have caused much more destruction, but her overtaxed body finally reasserted control over her hysterical mind. She dropped to the ground, landing clumsily on one knee. Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes and tried to force her mind to be calm. Her chest was pounding, and her bones ached terribly, but she could feel her mind quieting. Forcing her eyes open, Irma gazed around at the carnage. She gasped at the level of chaos around her; it frightened her to think that she was capable of so much mayhem.

But she could deal with that later; right now she had to report what had happened to the Council. She shuddered as her eyes roved once more around the garden that had nearly become a tomb. Then, setting her jaw, she pushed herself to her feet and limped away. The aviary was left quiet at last; a façade that belied the destruction it had recently endured. And in the middle of it all, a long spear gleamed crimson with the steadily dripping blood of a Guardian.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yan Lin backed towards the doors of the Assembly Chamber, her hands raised defensively. Tracker, Miranda, and Frost continued their charge, each one desperate to rip the old woman apart.

The doors flew open as she was tackled by the three bloodthirsty beasts. A chaotic tangle of four bodies tumbled through the doorway and crashed to the floor.

The former Air Guardian struggled to rise, but she found herself hopelessly pinned by…Luba? She closed her eyes and shook her head; but the identity of her attacker did not change. She really was pinned by a member of the Council; but where had she come from? Was it not the Knights of Vengeance that had attacked her? Her mind flicked through the last few moments and finally settled upon an answer: there had to be some sort of magic involved; a glamour most likely. While this was important information, oxygen deprivation was the most pressing issue at the moment.

"Luba," the old woman croaked, "former Air Guardian not feeling so full of air right now. Wanna move yourself off of my diaphragm?"

The Caretaker blinked in confusion; had she not just attacked Nerissa? And yet here was the Honorable Yan Lin instead.

"Luba," Yan Lin gasped.

Luba shook herself and immediately set about the task of unburying the slowly suffocating woman. Althor was lying across Luba's back, tangled up in Tibor's legs. Luba used her elbow to unceremoniously dump Althor to the floor; then she rolled slowly off of Yan Lin and remained kneeling beside the old woman.

"My deepest apologies, Honorable One," Luba coughed, bowing her head respectfully despite her pain. Breathing carefully, she wrapped her arm around her injured ribs. "I was momentarily disoriented."

"And I was momentarily a pancake," Yan Lin replied, sitting up. "You are injured."

Luba wanted to protest that she was fine, but her injuries imprisoned the words before they could reach her lips. She settled for a quiet, unconvincing growl instead.

Yan Lin rose to her knees and extended her hand to inspect the Caretaker's wounds. Luba growled again, and grabbed the woman's wrist in her shaking paw. She turned her eyes towards Althor and Tibor and nodded slightly.

The dwarf-man was sitting up and rubbing his neck. He seemed alright except for a large bruise discoloring his cheek. Tibor's right hand was clutching his chest, the blood seeping through his fingers. His left hand pressed against his bleeding right shoulder. His eyebrows and mustache were singed, and there was some redness around his eyes.

Yan Lin gasped at the amount of blood that stained Tibor's robes; the bodyguard was lying on the floor and wheezing slightly. Althor had moved to assist him, and even now was pressing his own hands against the big man's chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Yan Lin looked back to Luba to assess her injuries. The cat's neck was bleeding profusely, but she was ignoring it. Instead she had wrapped one arm around her stomach and the other was still holding the old woman's wrist. Yan Lin gently pulled on the arm blocking the Caretaker's stomach from view. Normally this would have been a very dangerous maneuver, but now Luba was too hurt to resist. The fur covering the feline's stomach had been singed away, revealing red, charred skin beneath. Yan Lin gently pressed on the burned skin, eliciting a howl of pain from the Caretaker.

"I am sorry Luba; I shall be more gentle." The cat-woman coughed again, but said nothing. She pressed a paw to her bleeding neck while Yan Lin continued to press gently on Luba's torso, taking careful note of the proud warrior's reactions.

"We did this; all of this," Althor said quietly, still trying to control Tibor's bleeding. "How could we not have seen?"

"We were all deceived my friend," Tibor choked weakly. "You cannot blame yourself."

Althor only grunted and began cutting long strips of cloth from Tibor's robes. Quickly he tied the makeshift bandage around his friend's injured chest. Althor gazed at Tibor's bleeding shoulder, self-resentment growing in his mind. He twisted his gaze around to Luba, bleeding heavily from her neck. He stood and stared back into the Chamber. Raythor still lay on the floor, his chest bloody but no longer bleeding. Sandpit remained near the opposite wall, holding his left arm against his body; he appeared exhausted.

Althor slowly raised the knife he was holding to his gaze; the silver blade was stained crimson. He looked to Luba's damaged neck, then to Tibor's wounded shoulder. Looking back at the knife in his hand, a sudden wave of revulsion washed over him. He dropped the knife as if he had experienced an electric shock. Breathing heavily, his hand flew to his chest and he staggered to the wall. As his shoulder made contact with the silvery structure, Althor lost his strength and slid down the wall.

Tibor witnessed the bizarre scene with pain-filled eyes; he had never before seen Althor act like this. Concerned that his friend may be gravely injured, the big man crawled painfully to Althor's side.

"Friend Althor," he coughed, "what is wrong?"

Althor continued to stare at the floor, his breathing erratic. Yan Lin rose and moved quickly to the hyperventilating dwarf. She knelt in front of Althor and placed a wrinkled hand on the dwarf's clammy head.

"I believe Althor is experiencing mild symptoms of shock."

"But he seemed fine a moment ago, Honorable Yan Lin," Tibor protested weakly.

Yan Lin looked thoughtful. "Did you see how he dropped his knife so suddenly? And the expression of revulsion on his face? I believe it may have just hit him; that he stabbed his friends."

"But he was not to blame; none of us are." Tibor coughed.

"It does not mean," Luba responded slowly, "he does not feel remorse, old friend."

Yan Lin laid Althor gently on the floor and attempted to prop his feet on the wall. Seeing her difficulties, Luba rose painfully and moved to sit next to Althor. She took the dwarf-man's feet and rested them in her lap. Yan Lin smiled at the gesture and turned to attend to Tibor.

As she pressed her hands against his chest, her thoughts drifted to Halinor. Had she been in the Assembly Chamber when all hell had broken loose? She turned her head to look into the Chamber. She could see Raythor and Sandpit still in the room. Yan Lin deduced one of them was most likely the Oracle and the other must be…

"…Halinor…Oracle…" Tibor whispered, struggling to remain conscious.

"Shhh, my friend, do not tax yourself," Yan Lin answered softly.

"Oracle…where…is…" Tibor never finished his question as he descended into blackness. Yan Lin's eyes widened and she hastened to check for a pulse. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she found a thready beat.

The old Guardian knew she needed more hands if she had any chance of saving Tibor's life. She turned to glance at Luba; the Caretaker was sitting with her back to the wall, Althor's legs resting slightly elevated in her lap. The cat was breathing shallowly and her eyes were closed. Her neck wound appeared to be bleeding more heavily than before, and Yan Lin thought she wouldn't remain conscious for much longer. Althor, of course, was still suffering from shock and was not in any position to render assistance.

Looking back at the dying Tibor, Yan Lin made a decision. She rose quickly to her feet and walked purposefully towards the Assembly Chamber. She made her way first to Sandpit, as he appeared spent, but at least conscious.

As she neared the Sand-man, his head rose to meet the old woman's eyes.

"Slay me now witch; for you shall not receive the pleasure of my begging!"

"Halinor, are you alright? It's me, Yan Lin; I'm here to help you."

The sandpile laughed mirthlessly, "I will not adhere to your lies, old friend. I am prepared to follow dear Cassidy, if I must."

"Always the soap opera with you Hali; I'm not here to harm you dear friend."

"Hali? No one calls me Hali, except for…" The haggard woman's eyes lit up with hope. "Linny? Is it really you? It must be, for Nerissa would have killed me by now."

"Very astute of you Hali; yes, it's really me. Can you stand?"

"I think so." Yan Lin helped the sandy Halinor stand up. She let the exhausted pile of sand lean on her for support as they made their way out of the chamber.

The moment they exited the room, Sandpit vanished and in his place stood a weary Halinor. Yan Lin lowered her friend to the floor beside Tibor and began to inspect her badly bleeding arm. Halinor was already wrapping her robes around the injury.

"I'm okay Linny; please, see to the Oracle. He's still inside the Assembly Chamber."

"Hali, I'm sorry, but I need your help. Tibor is bleeding badly."

"Say no more Linny," Halinor answered, sliding closer to the bodyguard and pressing her hands to his chest. "Go, get the Oracle; I shall stay with Tibor."

Yan Lin nodded, giving her friend's shoulder a grateful squeeze. She stood then and re-entered the Chamber. Making her way to the unconscious Raythor, she tried to lift him. Finding him too heavy, and with little other choice, she placed her hands under his armpits and dragged him through the doorway.

Again, the glamour was broken, and the Oracle appeared in Raythor's stead. Yan Lin deposited him near Tibor. The Oracle seemed to be sleeping, his expression one of quiet serenity; only his crimson robes belied the façade.

Yan Lin tore open the front of the Oracle's robes, searching for an injury. She was baffled when she found no evidence of a wound, save for the red stains on his chest.

Suddenly, Tibor gasped violently. His body arched briefly, then fell back to the floor. Yan Lin rushed to his side and found he was no longer breathing. Her eyes met Halinor's and both women knew they were thinking the same thing. They couldn't help feeling they were fighting a losing battle for Tibor's life; they could almost see it slipping away in the lifeblood that seeped through Halinor's inadequate fingers.

Suddenly, Yan Lin jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. With a small shriek, she twisted around to see who it was. The Oracle stood looking down on the former Guardian.

"Honorable Yan Lin, Noble Halinor," he said with a small bow of his bald head.

"Oracle," Halinor squeaked, hardly daring to believe her eyes.

The Oracle nodded and smiled at his friend. Then, kneeling at Tibor's side, he placed his hand over the latter's wounded chest. White light enveloped the Oracle's hand and soon Tibor's injury was healed. The bodyguard awoke seconds later and blinked into the beaming face of his oldest friend.

"Oracle," he whispered, "you are well."

"Yes my friend, I am well. Rest now while I attend to our friends."

The Oracle rose and moved to Halinor. As he extended his glowing-white palm, Halinor pulled away.

"No Oracle; please see to Luba first. She is injured more seriously than I."

The Oracle glanced over his shoulder to see that the Caretaker had finally given in to the blackness of unconsciousness. He turned immediately and extended his healing hands to the feline creature. Seconds later, Luba was healed and the Oracle turned his attentions to Althor. Luba awoke as Althor was coming around, his feet still propped in her lap. The dwarf-man gazed at the suggestive position then tumbled backwards with a terrified yelp. Luba merely sniffed nonchalantly and rose to her feet. Yan Lin hid a fond smile behind her hand; seeing her two friends pretend to despise one another's company, she was reminded momentarily of Irma and Cornelia. For all their fights and disagreements, she knew how much those girls cared for each other; as she knew Luba and Althor cared for each other as well.

The Oracle finished healing Halinor and pulled her gently to her feet. Looking around at his friends, he addressed the group. "My friends, we have been deceived, as I trust you all know; we are fortunate to still draw breath. That Nerissa has done this, there can be no doubt. I fear this shall be the first of many attacks on the Council of Candracar."

"We must be better prepared in the future," Tibor said gruffly.

"Agreed, but what if the Council was not Nerissa's actual target?" Halinor said.

All eyes turned to the former Guardian. "Please explain, Noble Halinor," the Oracle requested.

"When the attack started, I saw everyone as an enemy; and yet they were attacking each other. I tried to observe; but Nerissa must have noticed because she attacked me almost immediately. But instead of finishing me, she left the Assembly Chamber. Why else would she depart on the very threshold of victory?"

"The Guardians," Yan Lin whispered, a faraway look in her almond eyes. "She needed to distract us so we would be unable to go to the Guardians' aid."

Althor and Luba exchanged dark looks. "Even at full strength, the Guardians would have a difficult time against Nerissa," the small man said.

"And with one of their number somewhat incapacitated…" Luba trailed off.

"Caretaker," the Oracle commanded, "please locate the Guardians. We must know if they are alright."

Luba nodded and had just moved around the Oracle when Irma staggered into view. Though still a great distance from the Assembly Chamber, Luba could see the Guardian was not walking normally. Alarmed, the cat rushed down the hall, arriving in time to catch the exhausted young woman.

Irma pitched forward into Luba's arms, injured and spent. She allowed the Caretaker to scoop her into her hairy arms and carry her to the Oracle. Yan Lin gasped in concern when Luba arrived back at the Assembly Chamber bearing the haggard-looking Guardian.

The Oracle extended a glowing hand and quickly revived the young girl. Irma groaned as consciousness returned to her battered body. Luba did not release her, and Irma did not protest.

"Water Guardian, you are injured; what has happened?" the Oracle asked, concern clearly evident in his voice.

Irma closed her eyes, not wanting to recall the horror of their battle; but the Oracle needed to know what had happened. Keeping her eyes squeezed tightly shut, Irma took a deep breath.

"Will, Corny, and Taranee were ambushed by Nerissa in the aviary. They…they…" Irma choked and was unable to continue.

Yan Lin placed a soothing hand on Irma's arm. "It's alright Irma; just take your time and tell us what happened."

Before she knew it, Irma had wrapped her arms around Luba's neck and buried her face into her soft, furry shoulder. The cat's eyes widened in panic and she nearly dropped the injured girl. She looked desperately at Halinor who was futilely trying to stifle a laugh. Even Althor and Tibor looked amused. The Oracle's ever-present expression of serenity had not changed, and Yan Lin was patting the young Guardian's side. Luba was stuck; she would not be able to hand-off the unstable girl to anyone else. Her expression changed from one of panic to one of quiet resignation. She sighed deeply.

Irma must have noticed something was strange, because she released Luba's neck after only a few seconds. Looking slightly flushed, but feeling somewhat stronger, the Guardian twisted her head back around to address the Council. "They're hurt; they're hurt real bad your Eminence."

"Just tell us what happened," Yan Lin repeated, a little louder than she meant to. Her burgeoning concern for her granddaughter had made her impatient.

Irma nodded and continued. "I arrived late to the party, so I didn't see much of what happened. When I got there, Will, Corny, and Taranee were already incapacitated. That witch was working on Hay Lin by that time." Irma's voice softened to barely a whisper. "I managed to drive her off, but the damage had already been done."

"The damage?" Althor prompted, when Irma's pause became too long.

Irma closed her eyes again and prepared herself to revisit the horror and trauma of the scene. "Taranee…I don't actually know what happened to Taranee. Her eyes were unfocused, kind of rolling in her head. Her skin was like ice and it looked sort of, I don't know, bleached, or something. She was probably the last of the original three to go down because she called me before…whatever happened. Cornelia's ribs have been completely pulverized; I wasn't able to feel anything. She was already unconscious when I got there; she was barely alive. Hay Lin," Irma paused at this point and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"What is wrong with my little Hay Lin?" Yan Lin breathed, her eyes wide with fear.

Irma fixed her gaze on the old woman. "Hay Lin took some lightning bolts; I'm familiar with the sound of lightning hitting skin, so I'm positive she took some bolts. I think Nerissa may also have tried to crush her heart, but I'm not positive. It just looked kind of familiar. She was awake when Nerissa took off, but she lost consciousness soon after. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner Mrs. Lin."

Yan Lin wiped the tears threatening to break their barriers with her hand and nodded firmly. "You did just fine Irma; do not apologize."

"What of the Guardian Leader?" The Oracle asked. "Is she injured?"

Irma swallowed another lump and nodded. "Nerissa impaled her on some sort of spear through her stomach. She was just hanging there, unconscious. I transferred my life-energy to her and managed to keep her conscious long enough for her to teleport everyone to their Elemental Chambers." Irma closed her eyes then and shook her head. "There was blood everywhere; so much blood…"

The Oracle nodded and Luba turned to go. "You are injured Guardian," she growled. "You require rejuvenation. I will take you to your Chamber for respite."

"No, I need to go to my friends. I need to know they're alright. Please Luba; please." Irma begged.

Luba looked into Irma's pleading eyes and finally nodded. "Are you well enough to walk Guardian?"

"Yes, I think so; whatever the Oracle did helped."

Luba placed the Guardian on her feet and helped steady her. Irma swayed for a moment then righted herself. She took an experimental step, then another. Satisfied, she quickened her pace, Luba right beside her.

"Thank you Luba," Irma said suddenly.

The Caretaker looked questioningly at the Guardian.

"For coming to get me; I don't think I could have walked another step."

"Not surprising Guardian," Luba answered. "Transferring your life-energy to another is very taxing; if not done carefully it can kill you."

Irma glanced at the cat but said nothing. She yearned to talk to Mrs. Lin; she needed a friendly voice and a sympathetic ear. Yet she also knew Mrs. Lin would be concerned about more important things right now; namely her granddaughter.

"You have questions," Luba stated. "Ask them Guardian."

Irma jumped; in her silent musings, she had forgotten Luba was with her. "I just; it's," Irma sighed in frustration. "It's not supposed to be this way. The Good Guys always win, yet lately we've been kicked around so bad I'm starting to wonder."

"Life is not one of your television programs, Guardian; bad things happen to good people. Sometimes evil triumphs, and good falls."

"I know; we just seem so powerless against Nerissa. To say she wiped the floor with us is an understatement."

"Nerissa is powerful; as a former Guardian Keeper, she has retained many of the Keeper's powers. She is a formidable foe, but she can be defeated. You must find a way Guardian; you must find a way."

"Well that's the most helpful bit of advice that's ever fallen out of your face. "We must find a way?" Great; why don't you just tell me the odds in Vegas and we can go from there!"

"Although I fail to understand your reference to "Vegas," I will tell you this: the Guardians have always been strongest when they work as a cohesive unit; each member in harmony with the others. You have yet to battle Nerissa in the waking world as a complete, functioning unit. Do not abandon hope Guardian; you may yet defeat her."

Irma was about to reply, but Luba cut her off. "We have arrived at the Keeper's Elemental Chamber. She will be inside resting and hopefully regenerating."

Irma looked up, only just now noticing her surroundings. A window of clear glass ran the length of the wall, just like her own Chamber. Instead of the soft blues that dominated her window, however, vibrant hues of pink and blue met her view. An occasional crack of lightning flashed across the sky; Irma stepped back instinctively. Her back contacted fur and she felt a clawed paw on her shoulder.

"Do not fear Guardian; the Keeper's Guards will not harm you."

"Guards?"

"The lightning; it protects the Keeper while she sleeps. You are a Guardian, and thus not an enemy. The lightning will not harm you."

Irma nodded and forced herself to watch the lightning play about the Chamber. The numerous tendrils seemed to dance and chase one another; as if they were old friends enjoying one another's company. Irma would've counted herself fascinated if the living electricity didn't make her so nervous. She placed her hand against her chest; she could still feel the effects of Nerissa's latest lightning attacks.

"I will wait here to escort you to the next Chamber when you have finished." Luba's voice cut into Irma's thoughts, causing the Guardian to jump again.

"You really don't need to do that Luba," Irma answered, willing her heart to stop pounding. "If you can just tell me where they are, I'll be fine on my own."

The Caretaker clearly disliked this idea, but she doubted very much she could change this particular Guardian's mind. "The Chambers run parallel to each other, with the Keeper's Chamber in the middle. The Chambers of Fire and Earth are located down the next two corridors to your left. The Chambers of Water and Air are located similarly to your right."

"Thank you Luba…for everything," Irma whispered, her eyes staring at the floor.

Luba grunted. "You should rest soon Guardian; you need to recuperate. You wear enough blood to fill your own Chamber twice over."

"It's not mine; well not all mine anyway." Irma answered sheepishly.

Luba's only response was a low growl; then the Caretaker turned and walked away.

Irma watched her disappear around the corner before turning her attention back to the lightshow before her. She couldn't avoid it forever, and she had to know Will was okay. Setting her jaw, she turned to face the entryway to Will's Chamber. Two gigantic doors of the most radiant gold blocked Irma's passage. They gleamed brighter than the stars in a clear night-sky. At the center of each door was carved a representation of the Heart of Candracar; the rose-colored luster presented a sharp, yet beautiful, contrast to the gold. Irma placed her hand against the door and felt a rush of power travel up her arm. She gasped and closed her eyes; she couldn't believe how wonderful the sensation felt. Her entire body felt more alive than it had ever felt before, and Irma had a hard time parting with the addictive feeling. Nevertheless, she pushed against the doors, relieved as they softly retreated at her touch.

Irma stepped into the Chamber, barely noticing when the doors hushed closed behind her. Irma thought the Chamber was incredible from the outside, but nothing prepared her for the breathtaking beauty inside the doors.

Vivid hues of pinks, purples, and blues lit up the sky like the aurora borealis. The colors blended together so perfectly; as if a master painter had mixed them himself. The sky shimmered and glistened, giving Irma the sense that it was actually breathing. The young Guardian stood paralyzed by the wonder of it all; the indescribable beauty nearly bringing her to tears. Xanadu's got nothing on this place, she thought.

Lightning danced through the sky, the numerous tendrils electrifying the air. Irma was pulled from her reverie as she shuddered involuntarily; no matter what Luba had said, Irma just couldn't bring herself to be comfortable around lightning.

She began to survey the rest of the Chamber and finally spied Will at the center of the room. She was enclosed in a transparent sphere of pale fuchsia; the Heart of Candracar floated serenely above her chest. Will appeared to be sleeping peacefully, though the angry gash in her stomach belied the apparent placidity. Nevertheless, she seemed to be breathing normally, and that had to count for something.

Irma had purposely avoided looking into her friend's desecrated face; she never wanted to see something so hideous again. The young Guardian kicked herself for being so childish; Will needed her support, not her revulsion. Steeling her nerves, Irma forced her head to turn. She inhaled sharply and turned away, collapsing to her knees. Tears welled in her eyes as she fought not to vomit. Several deep breaths later, Irma felt a little better. Again she forced herself to look into the savaged visage, once so beautiful, now ruined and grotesque.

Will's face seemed as red as her hair, the angry cutaneous burns clashing vividly with the fuchsia of her protective globe. Her eyes remained closed and scalded, and Irma could not distinguish any eyebrows. Her nose appeared intact, though badly burned. Much of her upper lip had been seared away, revealing blackened tissue underneath.

Irma placed her fingers against the sphere and sadly leaned her forehead against the soft globe. It all seemed so surreal, seeing one of her closest friends fighting for her life like this. She wanted desperately for Will to wake up and tell her everything was going to be okay; that this was all just some sort of sick nightmare perpetrated by Nerissa to frighten them. But Will didn't wake, and Irma knew this was all too real.

With a growl, Irma pounded her fist against the sphere. She was powerless to help her friends and an overwhelming feeling of uselessness began to creep into her mind. She knew she had done the best thing for them by getting Will to transport them all to their Chambers. She knew it was because of her energy transfer that Will had been able to do that. Unfortunately, this knowledge did nothing to alleviate her feelings of helplessness.

Somehow Irma felt responsible for what had happened to her friends; she wasn't sure how she could be, but something in the back of her mind seemed to whisper that very thing. Even though she knew she could hardly trust her own mind anymore, Irma couldn't help feeling that maybe it was right. This thought made her angry with herself and she pounded her other fist against the sphere in frustration. This was no time for self-pity; her friends could be dying. She had to do something; but what?

Then Irma remembered hearing stories of people who talked to their loved-ones while they were in a coma; they believed that they could hear their words. Irma didn't know if that was true, she herself had never talked to an unconscious person; and while Will wasn't exactly in a coma, she certainly was in a state of deep sleep. Irma decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a try; she didn't know if it would help Will, but it might help Irma.

Taking a deep breath, Irma began to speak softly. "Will? I don't know if you can hear me, but…" Irma stopped; she had no idea what to say. It was hard enough having to hold up an entire conversation while on a date, but holding it up with an unconscious person? Irma felt a little weird talking to someone who couldn't respond, but she felt the need to try.

"I don't know if you can hear me, and maybe it doesn't even matter if you can, but I want you to know that you're not alone. You did real good, you got the others out; they're…they're gonna be okay." Irma wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Will or herself.

"Listen Will, I don't know what to say; I don't know what I could say to make everything better. All I know is I feel really inadequate right now; I'm the only one still standing and if Nerissa chooses to attack now…" Irma shuddered at the thought.

Placing her back against the sphere, Irma sat down. "The thing is, Will…I'm scared, really, really scared. Nerissa just kicked our asses, my best friends are hurt real bad, and I think I'm losing my mind. I don't know what to do; I've never been in this kind of a situation before. You always make it look so easy; you just give the orders and we follow them. I could really use some of that Leader Mojo right now."

Irma laughed bitterly. "Who am I kidding? I'm no leader; I can barely hold myself together." Her voice turned soft. "I don't know how you do it Red, but I think we're all pretty lucky the Heart chose you."

She turned her face to look at her friend; Will showed no signs of having heard anything Irma had said. The young woman sighed and stood up. "I have to go check on the others now Will; you really did do a great job."

She patted the sphere in which her friend slumbered, and addressed the Heart. "Take care of her will ya? We need her."

The Heart emitted great rays of rosy light that encircled the melancholy Guardian briefly, caressing her cheek in a comforting fashion. Irma grinned slightly and made her way back towards the golden doors. As she pushed them gently open, she turned and looked back once more at her dormant friend. The Heart had enveloped Will in that comforting light, like a protective blanket. Irma nodded once and exited the Keeper's Chamber.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irma walked slowly towards Cornelia's Chamber of Earth, afraid of what she may find inside. She was no doctor, but she knew enough to know that her blonde friend had been the most severely injured. Even though Will had been impaled through the stomach, Irma had been able to talk with her a little; nevermind that the redhead hadn't exactly kept up her end of the conversation. Somehow, hearing her friend's voice, pained and hysterical though it had been, had given the frightened Guardian a modicum of comfort; she believed Will was going to be okay.

Cornelia, on the other hand, was a different story. Irma tried to reconcile the disturbing images in her mind with what would be most logical. She knew that Cornelia's ribs couldn't simply be gone; they had to have just shattered so completely that Irma hadn't been able to feel them when she had touched her friend. Also, she hadn't checked Corny's entire torso, so who was to say it wasn't just that one spot that had been affected? The Water girl sighed, knowing in her heart that that wasn't the case. Cornelia was almost as ornery as Irma herself; it would have taken a lot more than a few broken ribs to put her down for the count. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine what could possibly have pulverized her friend's bones so completely.

Her mind's eye seemed to drift back of its own accord, revealing the grotesque scene of carnage. Irma cringed as she saw unforgiving steel wrap around Cornelia's body and squeeze her ribs until they shattered. She clenched her teeth as she heard her friend's terrified scream of anguish. As she watched blood seep from her friend's mouth, Irma cried out and forced her eyes open. Breathing hard, she felt suddenly faint and pressed her hand to the wall to steady herself. What had just happened? Had she just witnessed Nerissa's assault against Cornelia? And since when could she do that?

Irma shuddered at the distressing imagery and fought to suppress the disturbing episode. Taking some deep gulps of air, she forced her limbs to stop trembling. She looked around to get her bearings and noticed she was standing in the Earth Corridor.

Like the other Chambers, an entire wall was a mirror of transparent glass. Irma pressed her face to the crystalline barrier and strained to catch a glimpse of Cornelia. Instead her view was impeded by the most vivid rainbow she had ever seen; the colors impossibly lustrous. It sparkled so brightly that the girl had to shield her eyes before they adjusted to the intense luminescence. Irma's mouth dropped open in awe; she had never seen anything so beautiful. Hypnotized by the glorious hues before her, Irma nearly forgot why she had come here in the first place. Shaking her head, the enamored Guardian forced her feet to carry her to the doors of the Chamber.

The entranceway was made up of two perfect agates of blending hues of blues and greens. They felt uncannily smooth underneath Irma's fingers as she pushed them open. The flawless stones retreated at her softest touch, and Irma entered…Paradise.

The softest blanket of viridian grass cradled Irma's feet as she entered the Earth Chamber. Roses of all varieties grew wild in a meadow of lavender. The scent of flora was overwhelming, yet pleasant. Trees of all sizes surrounded the Chamber, keeping watch over their mistress. Huge oaks, powerful cedars, gigantic redwoods, gossamer willows, and countless others stood watch around the Chamber.

Irma looked up, seeking the rainbow that had first drawn her attention outside the Chamber's window. The beautiful conglomerate of colors flashed across the sky, finally dipping into a small grove of honeysuckle at the far end of the Chamber. As Irma looked closer at the rainbow, she realized it was composed of actual gemstones: rubies, topazes, tourmalines, emeralds, amethysts, citrines, sapphires.

The sound of running water drew her attention to the far end of the Chamber. A waterfall, surrounded by a small mountain of grey stones, descended from a beautiful spring. The singing water plunged serenely into a large pond of crystal-blue water. As Irma approached the pond, she saw it protected a natural grotto of rough-hewn stone. In the center of the recess, on a bed of flocculent moss and surrounded by marigolds and Echinacea, lay an unconscious Cornelia.

Irma waded into the pond and knelt beside her friend. Much of her skin was pale as new snow, and felt just as cold to Irma's hesitant touch. She could feel the faint beat of a pulse, though it seemed erratic and feeble. Cornelia's breathing was so shallow Irma had to watch her friend's chest for several seconds before she could detect the telltale rise and fall. The injured Guardian's exposed midriff had turned an alarming midnight blue-black, and Irma had to fight a wave of nausea.

Almost against her will, Irma reached out a trembling hand and laid it against Cornelia's side. Just as before, she felt nothing substantial beneath her hand. Resisting the urge to pull away, Irma ran her hand all along Cornelia's sides, pressing gently every now and then. She almost cried with relief when her fingers touched bone; cracked, broken, shattered bone, but bone nonetheless. She knew there was no way Corny's ribs could have been gone, but that hadn't stopped the Water Guardian from worrying that she might have been wrong.

Irma ceased her examination of her friend's ribs and looked back into her pale face. The normally calm, no-nonsense expression had been replaced with a grimace of pain. Her strong jaw was clenched tightly, her teeth smashed painfully together. Irma reached up and tried to relax that jaw; it took some doing but she finally managed to separate her friend's lower teeth from her upper teeth. Reaching up, Irma pushed the hair out of Cornelia's eyes. She smiled at her friend sadly.

"Somehow, I don't think you signed up for this Corny; come to think of it, I don't think any of us signed up for this."

She wasn't really expecting a response, but Irma couldn't help waiting for one anyway. When none was forthcoming, Irma sighed again and stood up. She leaned her back against the rough stones and folded her arms. Closing her eyes, she let the sound of the waterfall soothe her steadily fraying nerves. She was struggling to hold it together, but she couldn't help feeling so very alone. Again she decided that talking aloud might help her feel less uncertain.

"Cornelia, I'm really sorry this happened; I can't help feeling that I'm at least partially responsible for all of this. Maybe if I'd gotten there sooner you wouldn't be fighting for your life now. I know we've had our differences, but never would I have wished something like this on you, Corny. I don't say it enough, but you are one of my best friends; and even when I'm insulting your attitude or goading you into an argument, I still wish you nothing but the best."

Irma pushed herself off the wall and knelt once more beside her friend. She pushed more hair out of Cornelia's face as she whispered, "You don't deserve what happened to you, and if I could take it on myself right now……I-I would do it. I'm used to having someone or something bust up my ribs." Irma laughed mirthlessly.

"Truth is," she continued, "I've been in so much pain for so long, I can't even remember what it felt like to not be hurting somewhere. In a twisted kind of way, it's sort of…comforting; familiarity, you know?"

At that moment, Irma felt a stabbing pain knife through her head. She twisted her head as though she had been punched and closed her eyes. A grunt escaped from between her tightly clenched teeth. Another slice of pain sent her reeling away from the unconscious Earth Guardian and onto her hands and knees. She cried out as yet another stab sent her sprawling face-first into the shallow pond. She pulled her knees up to her chest and grabbed her head with both hands. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she struggled not to black out.

Why do you kowtow to them? Why do you tell them your innermost secrets when you know they will just use them against you?

Irma clenched her teeth harder and fought to block out the sound of the voice in her head.

You know this to be true; they have already betrayed you many times. They left you with that evil hag; left you to her mercies.

"No," Irma whispered, "they couldn't find me."

They didn't want to find you child. Do you really believe it would have taken them so long to find you if they had really used all of their powers?

Irma shook her head slowly, but said nothing.

They let her beat you; cut you; burn you; and much more.

Irma curled herself tighter as vivid, ugly memories began flooding her mind.

They let you despair all alone in the clutches of the most twisted evil ever to roam the universe. They knew what would happen to you if they left you with that demented, evil witch. They knew, and yet they did nothing.

"Shutup," Irma moaned, squeezing her head tighter.

They let her destroy your body; they let her steal your hope; they let her crush your spirit. Now they have helped her shatter your mind.

"T-they didn't know," Irma trembled, "t-the Mage, Nerissa; s-she tricked them."

Oh you think so? No child, they knew all along what The Mage was; all of them have known all along. How could someone like Nerissa possibly get into the fortress without the Oracle's knowledge? What's more, as a former Keeper of the Heart of Candracar, the jewel would know its former mistress. Surely the Heart would have warned Will that something was amiss. And yet, your so-called friends and allies allowed that evil hag to work her dark magics against you; they helped her further-damage your already fragile mind.

"Y-you're lying," Irma said without much conviction, "you're not even real; you're just…you're just a-a manifestation of something that popped loose in my brain."

Oh but I am real child; your friends created me, and I will be with you for the rest of your life. I am a product of the Joining that Will forced you to endure. She knew your mind would be destroyed and that your sanity would be utterly wasted; but still she put you through it. They will all tell you the Joining was the only way to save your life, but that is a lie.

Irma's eyes snapped open. The pain in her head had dulled to a throbbing ache; still painful but not quite as consuming. She knew she shouldn't be listening to whatever was causing her to think this way, but she couldn't help it. Her friends would never do anything to hurt her, and she knew it…or did she? It had taken them an unusually long time to find her, and she might still be with Nerissa had she, herself, not supplied them with clues to her location. Not one of them had come to be with her during the trauma of the Joining, and it had taken them an entire week to come visit after she had recovered. Then there was that incident with the Mage; how had Nerissa managed to fool everyone in Candracar with her disguise? Had the Heart really informed Will that something about the Mage wasn't right? If it had, why would she order the other Guardians, Irma's supposed friends, to help Nerissa?

The conflict in her mind was adding to Irma's headache. She stood up shakily, steadying herself against the rocks. Dripping wet, her skull aching terribly, Irma figured it would be best to check on Taranee and Hay Lin real quick, then retire to her own Chamber for some rest. She had just started to move towards the doors, when she was crippled by an even more intense pain in her head. She fell to her knees, her hands automatically flying to the sides of her skull. She screamed in agony as hot knives assaulted her brain.

They will do it again child; they won't stop until you're dead, one way or another. This was all their idea; they let Nerissa capture you in the first place. You were supposed to be dead when they finally arrived to "rescue" you; imagine their disappointment that you still drew breath. But it wasn't enough for them to simply let you die; no, they wanted to put you through even greater hell! After all, watching someone completely lose their mind is so very amusing, don't you think?

"They…wouldn't…do…that," Irma screamed through her clenched teeth.

Oh really? How many times has Cornelia told you the team would be better off without you? How many times has she referred to you as the weakest link in the chain? How many times has she called you worthless, or good-for-nothing?

The pain in Irma's head was getting worse; she could barely breathe through the white-hot agony. "She's…k-kidd…ing," she gasped.

Oh but she's not kidding, child; she is dead serious. And she's not alone; they all want you gone. Since they couldn't convince you to quit on your own, they had to find a way to get rid of you permanently. They struck a deal with your greatest enemy and they, they tried to have you killed.

Irma fell onto her side and began to whimper softly. She couldn't think anymore, so intense was her agony; all she could do was listen to the voice in her head. She was starting to feel nauseous, and silently she pleaded for the pain to end.

You must not let them win; you must fight them. If you don't, they will kill you. They are not your friends; you must protect yourself.

"Protect myself," Irma muttered.

You must stay alive.

"Stay alive."

You must kill the Guardians; kill them now, while they are vulnerable.

"Kill…"

Kill them now…

"Kill them…"

Kill them…

"…NOW!" Irma screamed, leaping to her feet. Wild-eyed and enraged, she turned and stomped back to Cornelia's unconscious form. Dropping to her knees she wrapped her hands around the Guardian's slender neck and started to squeeze. She began to laugh, knowing she would soon be rid of the pompous Queen of Heatherfield. Her maniacal peals of laughter suddenly turned to sobs of desperation.

"No, this isn't right," she cried, struggling to release Cornelia's throat; but some unseen force prevented her fingers from unlocking their grip. "Stop, stop."

But she didn't stop; she kept right on strangling her friend. "Help, someone," she screamed; but no one heeded her cries. Someone stop me…please!

Just then, one of the hulking Oak trees protecting the Chamber unleashed its fury against its Guardian's attacker. A massive branch struck Irma on her right side, throwing her across the Chamber. She landed hard on her back near the doors, all her breath escaping her lungs. Stunned and struggling to breathe, Irma just lay there on the ground. After a few seconds, she tried to sit up only to cry out in pain. Her hand flew to her ribs and pressed gently.

"Terrific," she growled quietly, "more busted ribs."

It was then that a large Redwood tree raised a colossal branch and prepared to smash it down on the injured Guardian. Irma watched the branch rise and knew where it would fall. She didn't even try to evade; not that she could've moved right then anyway.

As the tree held the murderous appendage over the dangerous girl, Irma watched without fear; on the contrary she found herself feeling somewhat relieved. Finally, it was all about to be over. The tree hesitated, seemingly unsure of what it should do.

"Well go on then," Irma shouted as best she could under the circumstances. She coughed and winced as a fresh wave if pain broke over her shattered bones. "Drop the hammer already."

The tree, sensing that the danger had passed, lowered the branch without crushing its Guardian's teammate. Instead of being grateful, Irma was incensed. "What the hell are you doing? Don't you understand what I just did? I'm a threat you nimrod; kill me!"

For all Irma's ranting, the Redwood just stood its ground. It reached out a slender, brown appendage and wrapped it gently around Irma's chest. Being as careful as it could, the tree pulled the Guardian to her feet and then released her. It stood silently, watching her.

Irma wrapped her arm around her side to support her injured ribs and started for the door. She didn't get far before she gasped in pain and nearly fell. A Willow tree caught her with its spindly branches and allowed her to rest for a time. It brushed her cheek comfortingly with its feathery leaves.

Irma shook her head; she didn't want to be comforted right now. She glanced back at Cornelia; she was still resting, and looked quite peaceful from this distance.

Some minutes later, Irma felt stronger; her head still ached, but the pain was manageable compared to her ribs. She resumed her trek back to the doors. They opened by themselves as she approached. Glancing back once more at her blonde friend, Irma whispered, "I'm sorry." Then she walked slowly through the doors, leaving Cornelia Hale alone in the Chamber.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her ribs screaming, Irma knew the best thing to do was to get some rest; but she had to know the others were alright. She made her way slowly and painfully to the Elemental Chamber of Fire.

As she walked, she thought of Taranee. The Fire Guardian had been conscious but unfocused the last time Irma had seen her. She had no idea what had made her brilliant friend's skin so pale or so cold; but at least she had been awake. Irma felt her heart ache at the thought of her friend's wild eyes and panic-stricken face. It was an expression that went beyond fear, beyond pain, beyond miscomprehension; it was an expression she had seen once before, and had hoped never to see again.

She shivered as she recalled that day many years ago at the police station. Her father had volunteered to work a double-shift to cover for an ill colleague; Anna Lair had made some supper for her husband. Delivery-girl Irma had been skipping through the station when a young man barreled right into her. Tripped up, he turned terror-stricken eyes onto the young girl and begged her to help him, to save him. The horrified child had blanched and screamed as her father and two patrolmen had bustled in. Quickly, the patrolmen cuffed the terrified man and hustled him away as Sergeant Lair encircled his strong arms about his sobbing daughter. That night her parents had taken the opportunity to explain all the dangers of drugs to her and her little brother. Though Irma doubted very much that Chris had understood a word, she never forgot the lesson. Now she shuddered as she recalled Taranee's eyes; the same eyes as that terrified young addict she had seen years ago.

Irma barely noticed the haunting beauty of the flames in the Fire Chamber, being so lost in her own thoughts. The huge double doors were so dark-red they were nearly black, and they stood stubbornly closed, like sentinels guarding a forbidden castle. It took some effort for Irma to open them, and she grunted with the strain. When the doors finally granted her access, Irma shrank back from the orange and red flames. Putting her back against the wall, she twisted her head to the side and closed her eyes. Painful recollections of fire searing her skin assaulted her mind, as Irma struggled to quash them. She knew she couldn't go on being terrified of every little flame; somehow she had to face her fear and conquer it. She opened her eyes and forced herself to look at the conflagration inside Taranee's Chamber. That was no little flame in there. Irma wanted to run away from there and never return. Then she kicked herself for being such a coward; after all, Taranee was her friend.

Steeling herself, Irma strode into the Chamber. When nothing tried to barbecue her, she began to relax a little. It didn't take her long to locate Taranee, resting in a giant sphere in the center of the Chamber. Irma approached the transparent globe and reached out to touch it. An enormous column of fire shot up in front of her, causing Irma to yelp in surprise and draw her hand back quickly. The column of fire continued to rage in front of the sphere.

"Okay," Irma said, "bad idea. I won't try to touch it again."

The column of flame seemed satisfied with her declaration and immediately dissipated. Irma let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and swallowed a lump in her throat. She was sure if it hadn't been for her injured ribs, she would have run out the Chamber screaming like a banshee.

She gazed on her bespectacled friend, sleeping in that beautiful globe. Irma wasn't certain it was safe for her to be around the other Guardians, in light of what she'd just tried to do to Cornelia. But she had to know her friends would be okay; and that drove her to check on Taranee. Now as she watched the slumbering Fire Guardian, she thought back on the good times she had had with her friends over the years. There was no way they could be enjoying any of this; no way they could be responsible for perpetuating it. Everything the voice in her head had told her had to be a lie, it just had to be.

Irma hadn't really taken much time to wonder about the voices in her head; she didn't want to think about the constant reminders that she really was crazy. She knew normal people didn't hear voices in their heads, and that crazy people got locked up in some hospital where they electrocuted the patients and kept them in straitjackets all day. No way was she going to end up in one of those places; the very thought made her shudder. She knew she could never tell her friends about the voices; not even Hay Lin. Sure, she above them all would want to help, but even the best intentions sometimes backfired.

A rustle of movement brought Irma out of her musings. Taranee was stirring in her sleep, and soon sat up. Irma blinked and stared at her friend for a moment. Taranee brought her hand to her head and groaned. Shortly after she began shivering, mildly at first but growing in intensity by the minute. It wasn't long before she was shivering violently and breathing in short gasps. Still Irma said nothing.

Taranee began to look around in a panic, as she rubbed her arms. Seeing her friend's confusion, Irma finally broke her silence.

"Taranee," Irma called, her voice a little hoarse.

Taranee's head whipped around and she gazed at her visitor. Irma saw immediately that the same wild-looking eyes stared at her. Without warning, Taranee launched herself at Irma, only to be stopped by the sphere. Nevertheless, Irma fell backwards with a yelp, landing on her backside. The impact jarred her ribs all the more, and Irma grunted in pain. She looked up at her friend in confusion.

"Taranee?"

"What have you done?" Taranee growled, her voice desperate. "I know it was you; I saw you. Where is it? Where is it?"

"Where is what? What are you talking about?"

"My power, where is my power? I know you took it; give it back, give it back now!"

"Taranee," Irma said gently, picking herself painfully off the floor, "I haven't done anything with your powers."

Taranee screamed then and began pounding on the sides of the sphere. So shrill was the shriek that Irma actually had to cover her ears. Taranee's shrieks soon dissolved into hopeless sobs.

"Please; why do you have to be so cruel?" she wailed. "Just a little bit…come on, just a little bit."

Irma's heart nearly broke at hearing the plaintive edge to her friend's voice. She moved closer to the sphere and looked on the poor girl with gentle eyes. "Taranee, you're going to get through this; you just need a little time. Maybe you should just rest now; just go to sleep for a while and when you wake up…"

"NO," Taranee screamed, anger distorting her features. "You stole it; you had no right, no right…" She trailed off as she looked past Irma. Her face suddenly softened and her eyes lit up.

"Oh, there it is; it's right there. You can see it; look, it's right there."

Irma turned and looked all around. She saw nothing but dancing pillars of flames. She turned back to her friend. "Wh-what's right there?"

"It's right there," Taranee said impatiently. "The little blue spark behind you. It's my power; it's come back. Please, would you get it for me?"

Again Irma turned, but saw no little blue spark. Shaking her head, she looked back up at her friend. "Taranee, there is nothing there; I still think you should…"

"You don't believe me?" Taranee asked, her lower lip quivering as if she was about to cry. "No one ever believes me." She sat down and began to pout.

"Aw come on T, it's not like that, it's just…"

"Just what?" Taranee cried, suddenly jumping to her haunches. "Just some crazy girl in a bubble, is that what it is?" She was screaming maniacally and jumping around the sphere now.

"Taranee…"

"Get out; get out and never come back!"

"Taranee, listen…"

"I said GET OUT!" Taranee yelled as she turned her back to Irma and collapsed in the sphere. She wrapped her arms around herself and rolled onto her side. She began to rock back and forth mumbling, "Get out, get out, get out, get out…"

Irma sighed sadly; she knew there was nothing she could do for her friend. As she turned to leave, she wondered if the young addict that had bowled her over years ago went through anything like this.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irma felt more helpless than ever as she made her way to the Air Chamber. Will was burned almost beyond recognition, and who knew what kind of internal damage that spear had done; Cornelia's ribs were crushed so badly she may as well have been the star attraction at the demolition derby; Taranee seemed to have lost her powers and had become like an addict all strung-out and suffering from withdrawal. Irma could hardly wait to see what was up with Hay Lin.

She briefly considered not going to her best friend; but that consideration lasted only a second. She felt that the rage that had possessed her to try and kill Cornelia had passed, as she had had no such desire while visiting with Taranee. No, it wasn't that she was afraid of what she might do; it was that she was afraid of what she might find. Will, Cornelia, and Taranee were all in such bad shape; and Irma didn't think her sanity could handle it if Hay Lin were just as bad; or, heaven forbid, worse.

Irma laughed to herself at the thought of her sanity being destroyed by the sight of a broken and battered Hay Lin. Too late Irma girl, she thought, you're already as crazy as you can get.

To avoid thinking about her growing level of mental imbalance, Irma turned her thoughts to the three symbols branded into Hay Lin's stomach; Nerissa had put them there and Irma doubted it had been an accident. That being the case, Irma surmised the symbols had to mean something to the ancient sorceress, but what? It also stood to reason that since the witch had taken the time to make them so prominent, then the etchings had to be significant to someone else as well. Hay Lin didn't have enough history with the old crone, so they were unlikely to mean anything to her. Irma had never seen them before, and the other three Guardians had been knocked unconscious before getting the chance to see them. Being as Nerissa had just tried to kill them all, Irma couldn't bring herself to believe the strange brand had been meant to mean anything to the Guardians; which meant they were intended for another's eyes.

Irma stopped dead in her tracks; of course, she thought, Mrs. Lin. Nerissa had carved up Hay Lin in order to send a message to her grandmother; that had to be it. Irma felt a chill run up her spine and she suddenly became very afraid for Mrs. Lin.

She broke into a run, the corridor seeming to elongate right before her eyes. She had run only a few steps when she cried out in pain and stumbled against the wall. Grabbing her injured ribs, she strung together a quiet, yet impressive, chain of cuss words. She pushed herself away from the wall and resumed her journey, albeit much more slowly, towards the Air Chamber. After a few more steps, she found it difficult to even walk; the pain in her ribs was not only distracting, it was also insistent. She leaned against the wall for support and kept moving. It wasn't long, however, before even the extra support from the wall failed to provide enough relief, and she was forced to stop in the middle of the hall to rest.

Gritting her teeth, she pounded her fist against the wall. She was sick and tired of feeling like Nerissa controlled every aspect of her being. First she had beaten her down physically and emotionally. Then she had attacked her mind and caused something to snap in her brain. Now Irma was prone to do things she would never do under normal circumstances; and those things were causing her, as well as others, a great deal more pain. That's when the damaged Guardian decided she was through bowing under that wench's oppression; she was finished letting that diabolical harpy manipulate her. She was a Guardian of the Veil, dammit; that had to mean something.

Clenching her fists, Irma straightened her spine, stubbornly ignoring the protest from her ribs. She walked with determination towards the Air Chamber, refusing to allow her own personal discomforts to interfere with her journey.

The young woman was pale and lightheaded by the time she reached the luminescent double doors that guarded her dearest friend. Pale blue and ethereal-looking, the doors seemed to shimmer intermittently. Irma raised her hand to open the doors, but they swung away before her skin made contact.

A beautiful blue sky replete with fluffy white Cumulus clouds met Irma's view. Though she could see no sun, the Chamber was as bright as a noon day. A pleasant breeze flitted through the air, gently playing with Irma's auburn locks. The clouds chased each other playfully through the perfectly-blue sky, seemingly enjoying a game of tag. In spite of everything, Irma couldn't help smiling; there was just something about this place that made her feel as if everything would be alright.

Still grinning, Irma stepped into the Chamber to search for Hay Lin…and immediately began falling. She was so caught off-guard, she completely forgot she had wings on her back. She had no idea how deep the Air Chamber was, but she had the sickening feeling she was about to find out. The clouds, however, had a different idea. Two of them disengaged from their game of tag and moved to intercept the falling Guardian. They swooped beneath her and caught her on a bed of spongy buoyancy.

Irma let out a small, "oof," when she landed, but she was surprised at how comfortable and soft the cloud was. She pressed her hand into the cloud and felt as if she pushed against the softest cotton imaginable. It was then that Irma discovered a new appreciation for clouds; after all they were the perfect amalgamation of water and air…just like her and Hay Lin. She nodded and raised her eyebrows in approval.

"Nice catch," she muttered. "Thanks."

The cloud, escorted by its equally-fluffy friend, flew its passenger towards the center of the Chamber, where Hay Lin lay sleeping on her own bed of fluffy cotton. Right next to her, sitting on a cloud of her own, was Yan Lin. The old woman's back was to Irma, and she seemed to be watching over her granddaughter. Even from behind, Irma thought Mrs. Lin seemed tired.

The Cotton Express approached its mistress and deposited its load onto another waiting cloud. Then the two clouds zoomed off to rejoin the game of tag. Irma watched them go, then turned to Yan Lin.

"Mrs. Lin?" she said tentatively.

The old woman jumped and twisted her head to face the girl. "Irma! I didn't hear you come in."

Irma sat down gingerly on her cloud. "Yeah, I gathered that. How's she doing?"

The elder Lin glanced back at her sleeping granddaughter. "She has not awakened, if that's what you mean."

Irma turned her head to watch her best friend. She looked so small and vulnerable; Irma closed her eyes and suppressed a shudder at the memory of her sister's screams.

"What is it?"

Irma silently slapped herself; apparently she hadn't suppressed that shudder enough. Mrs. Lin so did not need to hear the gory details of what had happened to her granddaughter. Irma hated to lie to the old woman, but she thought it would be easier on her under the circumstances. She turned toward the tiny grandmother and grinned slightly.

"Nothing Mrs. Lin; just a little tired is all."

Yan Lin's eyes narrowed and she surveyed the young woman sitting next to her. "I appreciate what you're trying to do Irma, but lying to me is not necessary. Come on, tell Grandma Lin the truth; what is bothering you?"

Irma closed her eyes and mentally slapped herself again. She sighed and looked away, unable to put into words what was bothering her. How could she tell Mrs. Lin that she had just tried to kill Cornelia at the behest of an imaginary voice in her head? How could she tell Mrs. Lin how helpless she felt right now? How could she tell Mrs. Lin she feared the Guardians could never overpower Nerissa? And worst of all, how could she tell Mrs. Lin that she feared what she, herself, was capable of doing to her friends? Even though she had promised herself she would no longer be Nerissa's plaything, she still harbored a small amount of self-doubt. After all, hadn't Nerissa been able to do pretty much anything she wanted to Irma thus far? The witch had nearly killed her for Pete's sake; and now she was suffering from flashbacks, hallucinations, and all kinds of other Post-Traumatic Stress-related maladies due to the traumas of her ordeal. As if all that wasn't enough, she was also hearing voices in her head; and at least one of them had the personalities of Chucky and the Puppet Master.

"I'm just worried about everyone; about Hay Lin." Irma finally answered.

"That much is obvious," Yan Lin replied in a patient tone. "How about the rest of it?"

"I just never really thought I would ever have to see my friends like…this. I suppose I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that it could always come to this; but truthfully I never paid it that much attention. I really felt like we could do anything; overcome anything; as long as we had each other. Now…I just don't know."

Yan Lin reached out and placed her hand on Irma's shoulder. "You have always managed to overcome anything that was thrown in your path; this time will be no exception. You must believe in yourself; believe in your friends. Trust each other."

"It's just not that simple anymore," Irma answered quietly. "Everything seems a lot more complicated now."

"Nothing has changed Irma, in spite of what you think. Your friends still love and need you; now more than ever. I wish you could understand that."

"But that's just it Mrs. Lin," Irma sighed, "everything has changed…for me anyway. I feel like the others are trying to wrap me up in bubble wrap and write "Fragile" across my forehead. If I'm really a part of this team, then I need to be allowed to…I don't know; do my job I guess."

Yan Lin smiled gently. "They are just afraid Irma; they nearly lost you a few weeks ago. They all feel responsible for what happened; they all feel like they played a part in your initial capture. You will have to forgive them if they seem to go to extremes to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Irma shook her head. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. We ought to be putting the blame where it lies; and that's with Nerissa, plain and simple. She singled me out and she got what she wanted. Something tells me that if she hadn't caught me then, she would've tried again and again until she had me."

As she spoke, Irma clenched her fists tighter and tighter until her fingernails dug into her palms. She didn't notice the blood dripping from her fists as her voice grew harder. "Someday I'm gonna find her; and when I do, she's gonna regret ever learning my name. I'm gonna teach her an all-new definition of suffering; I'll show her the meaning of hell if it takes me the rest of my life."

"Irma, stop!" Yan Lin cried, pulling the angry young woman's arm towards her. The movement caused Irma to uncurl her fingers and also jarred her aching ribs. She winced and hissed sharply, unable to cover the sudden jolt of pain. Her jaw dropped when she saw the blood in her hand. She looked immediately at her other hand and saw more blood. She closed her eyes and lowered her head, ashamed.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Yan Lin was already trying to clean the blood from Irma's hand with her robes. "You didn't scare me, child; you worried me because you were hurting yourself."

Irma's head snapped up at Yan Lin's use of the word "child." She slid her eyes slowly towards the old woman and held her breath.

"It is natural for someone in your position to want revenge, Irma; but that kind of thinking has no place in the heart of a true Guardian. You must learn to master your emotions; otherwise you may find yourself a slave to the insatiable appetites of vengeance."

Irma barely heard what the old woman said; she was too focused on where she had heard someone else refer to her as "child." She suddenly became wary of the tiny woman next to her. She was starting to feel faint, and she suddenly realized it was from oxygen deprivation. She let out the breath she had been holding a little too fast. She grunted in pain and twitched a little.

Yan Lin stopped her ministrations to Irma's hand and looked critically at the angry girl. She silently cursed herself for not seeing it before; but now that she really paid attention, she could see that Irma was favoring her right side. Thinking back, she recalled that she had kept her right arm tucked close to her side; almost as if she was holding or supporting her ribs.

"How did you injure your ribs?"

Irma tried to offer one of her trademark, goofy grins. "My ribs? Oh, that's nothing Mrs. Lin; my ribs are fine, perfectly fine."

With more speed than Irma thought possible, Yan Lin pushed roughly on Irma's side. Irma cried out and grabbed her side with both hands. She gritted her teeth and glared angrily at Yan Lin. The old woman, however, beat her to the punch.

"Hmmm; doesn't look so much like nothing to me. Of course, I'm an old woman and my eyes aren't what they used to be."

Irma sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry I lied to you; I just didn't want you fussing over me. You have more important things to attend to right now."

Yan Lin reached out and cupped Irma's cheek. Though surprised, and somewhat startled, the young woman did not pull away. "Oh child, how can I make you understand? You are as important to me as my own little Hay Lin. I care about all of you girls; I could no sooner leave any of you to suffer than I could leave Hay Lin to suffer."

Irma just shook her head; she had no idea how to respond to that under the circumstances.

"You should go to your Chamber and get some rest, child. Those ribs will heal, but they will do so much quicker if you're not abusing them by running around the fortress."

"No," Irma cried. "I mean..." Irma sighed. "Look, Mrs. Lin, I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I'm the only Guardian currently still upright; I should be keeping an eye on things."

Yan Lin looked unconvinced, so Irma decided to resort to pleading. "Please, Mrs. Lin, I have to do this. I need to do this. I need to do something; and this is all I can do. Please, don't take that away from me; not now."

The former Guardian looked into the desperate young woman's eyes. She saw how much it meant to her to be doing something, anything, to help. She sighed and nodded. Irma smiled and nodded her silent thanks.

Yan Lin rose to her feet and turned towards the doors. Irma was confused. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"To get something to wrap your ribs. That way at least they will have some support. I won't be long." With that, she stepped onto a waiting cloud and allowed herself to be ferried back towards the entrance to the Chamber.

Irma watched her go, still unsure of the old woman's true identity. She wracked her brain, trying to recall if Mrs. Lin had ever called her "child." Unfortunately, her brain was too foggy to think clearly; a state that was all too common lately.

It was possible the former Guardian was just who she claimed to be: Hay Lin's kindly, ultra-cool grandmother. It was also just as possible Nerissa had returned to Candracar and chosen a different disguise. Still, Irma hadn't felt anything when Yan Lin had touched her cheek just then; not that that was a surefire bitch detector by any means. Irma was starting to feel way too paranoid; why couldn't she just trust her friends? She knew Mrs. Lin cared about her; the feeling was mutual. Maybe she had called her "child" in the past; in which case, Irma had no business freaking out.

Irma sighed and gazed at Hay Lin; she wished so desperately that they could go back in time before all of this happened. She wanted things to be the way they were before Nerissa had ruined everything…maybe permanently. As Irma watched her sister sleeping, she couldn't help but notice the symbols burned into Hay Lin's stomach; they still looked angry and painful.

Irma crossed over to Hay Lin's cloud and knelt next to her best friend. She pushed some hair out of Hay Lin's eyes and rested her hand against the pale girl's cheek. She blinked away tears of frustration and anger, then lay down next to her sister. Ignoring the protests from her ribs, she rested her head on Hay Lin's shoulder.

"I'll always be here for you Hay-Hay," she whispered, "I promise I'll never leave you."

Irma smiled briefly and gently hugged her sister. And in her heart, she hoped Hay Lin would never abandon her either.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, what a ridiculously long chapter…but boy was it ever fun to write. Knock yourselves out reviewing; I look forward to hearing your opinions, for good or ill.