Welcome Pitters to the next exciting edition of WPL. Thanks to the following individuals for their reviews: Visigoth; XV-Dragon; Guardian's Light; Knight of Faerun; Nemrut; Shocklance; Invader Spyder; Ice Silver Crystal; Daydreamer9; Zestychicken; Lilly Tiger; Lily; Krystal of Nol; Nerd4eva; Nisa Tinesque. Also a thank you and a welcome to Laserleg for posting in the Forum. And a thank you to Charlie for being a regular Forum Poster.
Donut club: XV Dragon for pointing out that the Oracle should be able to do something to heal Will; Shocklance for guessing the glamour; Invader Spyder for his ongoing conspiracy theories; Charlie for his post on the forum about the many faces of Nerissa.
A special thank you to Visigoth for once again serving as my fantastic editor. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Now without further ado, may we present:
Chapter 29
No, it can't be! Irma! Irma!
Hay Lin moaned as terrible dreams plagued her mind. She murmured as painful visions haunted her sleep.
"Irma," she moaned, "Irma..."
The dreams increased in severity as Hay Lin tossed and turned.
"No...no...no!"
She screamed, but could not awake from the awful nightmares that held her trapped. She curled into a ball, and felt the pain. She writhed, and rolled, but still merciless sleep held her bound.
"Please stop...no more," she murmured. But the pain did not stop, only increased.
"I can't...I can't...stop, please."
Hay Lin screamed again as another wave of agony wracked her body.
"Don't make me...I can't!"
Her screams faded as blessed unconscious threatened to ease her pain...if only briefly.
"H-help m-me..." she whispered as the darkness finally took her.
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Taranee, Irma, and Luba moved swiftly down the corridors. The two Guardians couldn't imagine what was wrong with Hay Lin. Irma remembered what had happened the last time she and Hay Lin had "met." Deadly lightning had landed the Water Guardian in great peril, as the Air Chamber itself turned against its allies. Halinor had also been gravely injured, and Yan Lin nearly killed. Irma did not like to think what else could possibly be wrong.
Taranee knew something must be amiss, as she could feel the turmoil in Irma's mind. Yet she did not try to read it; her friend had suffered enough of those invasions.
"We must hurry," Luba said. "The Air Guardian suffers greatly."
"What's happening, Luba?" Taranee asked.
"The Guardian suffers in her sleep. Beyond this, I do not know."
Irma knew Taranee didn't know what had happened previously, and she struggled with a decision. She knew allowing Taranee to read her mind would be the most accurate depiction of the past events, but she wasn't sure she was ready to have another person in her head. She supposed she trusted Taranee, they were friends after all. Nevertheless, Irma couldn't help remembering being wrestled to the ground by her so-called friend as she allowed Nerissa to hurt her.
To destroy her mind...
Irma shuddered visibly at the memories. Taranee noticed immediately and stopped. Irma stopped too and called out to Luba to do the same. The big cat halted and stayed a polite distance away to give the Guardians some privacy if they wished it.
"What's wrong?" Taranee asked.
"Nothing," Irma answered automatically.
Taranee folded her arms stubbornly and leaned on one leg. Irma closed her eyes and thought quickly. How could she tell Taranee that she didn't fully trust her? How could she tell one of her closest friends that their relationship may have been permanently damaged? Irma decided to lie, even though she knew Taranee would know.
"I'm just worried about Hay Lin," she answered after a few seconds. "You don't know what happened last time I saw her."
"No I don't," Taranee replied.
"It would be easiest if you just read my mind but..." Irma trailed off, unable to hide her feelings after all.
"But you don't really want another mental invasion, yes?"
Irma shook her head ashamedly. "I'm sorry, Taranee. I wish I could say you were wrong, but you're not." Irma hung her head and decided to try another lie she hoped she, herself, could learn to believe. "I know you wouldn't hurt me, but..."
"But you've had enough people in your head to last a lifetime. I understand, Irma, and I won't touch your mind unless you give me permission."
Irma blinked back tears of frustration, of pain; tears born of awful memories and terrible thoughts of betrayal. Finally she took a deep breath and made a decision.
"Do it," she said in a shaking voice.
"Irma-"
"Just do it before I change my mind."
Taranee hesitated then nodded. She entered her friend's mind.
...And winced.
So much pain and turmoil, though the young woman tried hard to hide it. Taranee touched it briefly then moved deeper. She saw the events in the Air Chamber and dropped her jaw in shock. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. The Chamber had attacked its allies...its friends. Worse it had literally tried to kill Hay Lin's beloved grandmother, and would have succeeded if not for the Oracle's intervention.
Taranee had seen enough and began to withdraw from her friend's mind. As she was doing so, she felt something strange. Another presence perhaps? She couldn't quite pin down what she felt, so she focused on it. She tried desperately to pinpoint what was so alien in Irma's mind, but she couldn't quite wrap herself around it. Then something mentally pushed the Fire Guardian away, the force causing the young woman to stumble backwards.
Taranee gasped, quickly regaining her balance. She stared at Irma expecting...she didn't really know, but what she saw wasn't it. Irma was holding her head in her hands and trembling slightly. Luba had crossed the distance at some point and was attempting to comfort the stricken Guardian.
"Irma, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Taranee asked breathlessly.
Irma shook her head slightly, but Taranee couldn't tell if it was a negative answer or the effects of whatever had struck her. Irma was gritting her teeth and squeezing her head. Taranee reached out to comfort her friend. Irma pulled away.
"Just stay back," she said through her gritted teeth. "Just don't touch me, either of you."
Luba reluctantly pulled away then. The Caretaker looked at Taranee and blinked her blue eyes in confusion. Taranee looked pained, but she didn't try to reach to her friend again.
"Irma please...don't shut me out. Tell me what's wrong." The Fire Guardian pleaded.
"Not now," Irma answered as she let go of her head. Her eyes still held the pain of the last few moments. "We need to get to Hay Lin now."
"Irma-"
"Taranee, I can't do this right now," Irma said, her voice shaking slightly. "I know you mean well, but I just...I can't do this now. Please try to understand."
Taranee looked at her friend with a pained expression but agreed not to push her. She nodded and tried to smile. "Okay, I'll leave it alone. Thank you for allowing me to read your mind; I understand what happened with the Air Chamber."
"Then you know we have to reach Hay Lin as soon as possible."
Taranee knew Irma was trying to deflect the attention from herself, and she knew it was going to be impossible to get the young Guardian to talk about her inner turmoil...at least for now. So she simply nodded again.
"Yeah, we better get a move-on."
Irma breathed a small sigh of relief and resumed her trek through the corridors. Luba and Taranee exchanged a glance then followed.
What happened, Guardian?
Taranee was surprised to hear Luba's voice in her head. Could the cat have telepathic powers she hadn't mentioned?
Luba how are you doing that?
I am not, Guardian. You are listening to my thoughts. Any being may project their thoughts, and as long as you are listening, you will hear them.
Oh yeah...sorry my mind must have been elsewhere.
Understandable given the circumstances. Now please tell me what happened.
I'm not really sure. I thought I felt something, like a presence, in Irma's mind. I didn't get much time to study it, though; something pushed me away.
A presence?
Yes I think so.
Luba growled softly. Could it be residual damage from what Nerissa did?
That could be, I suppose. But I wonder what exactly Nerissa did?
I do not believe we shall ever truly know.
I agree, though I wish that could be different. I feel like Irma doesn't trust us anymore.
She may have difficulty considering what happened in the past. But I believe she will come around. You are her closest friends.
I hope so...
Luba said nothing more as they trekked towards the Air Chamber.
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Hay Lin's dreams became more vivid, as her pain increased tenfold. Every inch of her body screamed as if on fire, but still she could not awaken.
"Please stop," she pleaded as agony continued to wrack her slender body.
She screamed as the pain increased, her worst nightmares coming to life.
"I c-can't...I c-can't. P-please n-no."
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The trio reached the Air Chamber and threw the doors open. Even from the entrance they could hear the Air Guardian's screams.
"Hay Lin!" Irma shouted and took off running. She leaped into the air and flew quickly to her friend's side, followed closely by Taranee. Luba was forced to follow by cloud ferry.
Irma reached Hay Lin a second or two before Taranee. She took her slender friend by the shoulders and shook the young woman. The Air Guardian did not awaken, only cried out. Alarmed, Irma let go.
"Hay Lin, Hay Lin!" She shouted.
Still the smallest Guardian did not wake. She moaned and writhed, but remained in deep slumber.
"Irma," she murmured. "Irma...no, no."
Taranee landed and immediately placed a gentle hand on Hay Lin's cheek. Closing her eyes, she opened her mind and delved deep. She saw what held her friend captive and swallowed hard. She tried to communicate with Hay Lin but was unable to pass the crescendo of the nightmares. She pulled back and looked at Irma.
"She's stuck in some kind of nightmare. I can't reach her."
"What kind of nightmare?"
Taranee shook her head. "That's not my place to say. All I can say is it's bad and it has her trapped good, and I don't know how to wake her."
"Well I have an idea," Irma said with conviction.
The Water Guardian pulled her open palm back and slapped her slumbering friend as hard as she could. Hay Lin shuddered but remained asleep.
"Irma!" Taranee exclaimed in shock.
Undeterred, Irma slapped Hay Lin again...and again. Finally the fourth hard slap caused the Air Guardian's eyes to open. The brown-black pools focused for a second on Irma's blue ones then closed again. Irma pulled her hand back but was caught by Luba's large paw.
"No, Guardian. Let the Fire Guardian attempt to reach her now."
Taranee wasted no time and dove into Hay Lin's mind.
Hay Lin, can you hear me?
T-Taranee?
Yes, it's me. You're having a nightmare; it's just a dream. Please wake up.
I-I can't. So much pain...
You can fight through it, Hay Lin. Try to follow my voice.
Help me Taranee; oh gosh, please help me.
Wake up!
At Taranee's mental shout, Hay Lin shook awake and stared, confused, as three faces swam into view. Immediately she dove at Irma and tackled her to the cloud.
"Oof," Irma breathed as Hay Lin took her down.
"Irma, oh Irma. You're alive!"
"Um...yeah, in a manner of speaking," Irma joked.
Hay Lin hugged her friend tighter, momentarily cutting off Irma's breathing.
"H-hay-Hay," Irma gasped.
But Hay Lin did not let go. Only when Irma began to gasp loudly did Taranee intervene. She pried Hay Lin off of her sister. Irma took a deep breath and coughed.
"Oh, sorry," Hay Lin said. "Are you okay?"
Irma nodded through a coughing fit. Taranee giggled in spite of the situation. Luba almost smiled.
"What was that all about?" Irma asked finally, getting to her feet.
"I've had the worst nightmare about you. I thought you were dead."
"Well it was only a dream. As you can see...I live."
Taranee frowned but said nothing.
"But it was vivid. I could feel so much pain. So much torment. I-" Hay Lin cut off then and looked sheepishly at the Luba and Taranee.
"Could...could we have some time, please?" She asked hesitantly.
Taranee nodded immediately. "Sure, Hay Lin. I'll go check in on Cornelia."
"And I shall check on Yan Lin and Halinor," Luba answered.
"Thank you," Hay replied gratefully.
Irma, prepare yourself. It's a bad nightmare, and it centers around you.
Terrific.
I'm serious, Irma. It's really bad...and I'm not certain it's just a dream.
What do you mean?
I mean I think Hay Lin's had a vision.
A vision...
Yes, of something to happen in the future. Remember when she had that vision of Elyon on the throne of Phobos?
Yeah I remember, but what makes you think this is the same type of thing?
Because it's so vivid. I just don't think it's a dream.
Okay; thanks for the heads-up. I'll be careful.
Taranee nodded and broke the link. She picked up Luba and flew towards the entrance. When they had both gone, Irma turned to Hay Lin.
"Alright, what is it?"
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Cornelia's Chamber was tranquil and smelled of spring. The gem-encrusted rainbow seemed especially bright. The grotto where the Earth Guardian rested was hidden by large fronds, and the pond around it was as tranquil as ever.
Taranee paused to breathe deeply as she entered the Chamber. She approached Cornelia's grotto hesitantly. She knew the Guardian was not yet awake, but she needed to visit anyway. She just had to see her friend.
As she reached the peaceful grotto, she moved a frond aside and gazed on the sleeping Guardian. She looked peaceful, as if she were simply resting from a long day, and not recovering from a near-death experience. Of all the Guardians, Cornelia had been the most severely injured during the battle with Nerissa in the aviary. Even Will's impalement seemed to pale in comparison with Cornelia's pulverized ribcage. Taranee knew her friend was luck to still be breathing, under the circumstances.
She placed a cool hand on Cornelia's forehead, and brushed her beautiful, blond hair away from her eyes.
"Oh Cornelia, I'm so worried. What's happened to us, and what will become of us? Will's face is ruined, Hay Lin's had a vision of something terrible, and Irma doesn't trust us anymore. And you...you're lying here with damage so severe I wonder if you'll ever fully recover."
Taranee sat down in the sand and leaned against her friend's legs. "I'm scared, Cornelia; I'm scared for all of us. What if we can't handle Nerissa? She's so powerful, and I feel so weak now. I used to think we could handle anything as long as we stuck together. But now the team's been shattered and I don't know if we'll ever be the same again. What's gonna happen to us?"
A moan behind her brought Taranee out of her desperate reverie. She turned immediately.
"Cornelia?" She breathed hopefully.
The blonde Guardian moaned again as her eyes fluttered open. The beautiful blue orbs, filled with panic, stared around the Chamber. She grabbed Taranee's wrist and twisted it painfully. The Fire Guardian cried out.
"Cornelia! It's me, Taranee!"
With a gasp, Cornelia released her friend.
"Taranee?"
"Yeah it's me," Taranee replied, massaging her aching wrist.
"Taranee!" Cornelia reached to hug her friend. She winced as she embraced Taranee and grunted, her hand flying immediately to her left side.
"Cornelia!" Taranee exclaimed, worry creasing her chocolate brow.
"I'm okay," Cornelia answered through gritted teeth. "Just a little tender is all."
"Here, let me see it," Taranee requested.
Cornelia leaned back slightly as Taranee's hands probed her ribs. She winced every now and then, and gasped occasionally.
"Well I think the breaks are all healed. I don't feel anything out of the ordinary. But you're still so sore..."
"Yeah, a little," Cornelia replied, trying a brave smile. "It'll pass, I'm sure."
"It's good to see you awake. I've been worried about you."
"How long have you been up and around?" Cornelia asked.
"Just a little while; Irma, Will, and Hay Lin are awake too."
"How are they?"
"Well, Irma seems alright, but Will and Hay Lin not so much. Hay Lin's had a whopper of a nightmare that I'm not sure was just a nightmare. I think it was a vision of something that's going to happen in the near future. It was bad, Cornelia; really bad. It centered around Irma, but they're Hay Lin's private thoughts; it's not my place to describe them."
Cornelia nodded. "It's okay, Taranee; I understand. Is Hay Lin okay aside from terrible visions?"
Taranee related what had happened in the Air Chamber to Irma, Halinor, and Yan Lin. Cornelia's jaw dropped in horror as Taranee explained.
"She tried to kill her own grandmother?"
"She didn't mean to," Taranee said. "If she was having those nightmares, or visions, or whatever they were, I can see where her Chamber would freak out like that. Hay Lin was pretty messed up."
"So the Chambers react to our thoughts now, too?"
Taranee shrugged. "I'd have to ask Luba or someone, but I think they always have."
Cornelia mused on that possibility. She couldn't imagine what kind of torment her own Chamber might have felt during her recovery.
"And Will?" She asked.
Taranee recounted what had happened to Will in the aviary and her subsequent disfigurement. She also explained how the Heart was teaching her how to perform a glamour to hide that disfigurement.
"A glamour..."
"Kind of like a mask to hide the damage. As long as she possesses the Heart, the glamour will remain in place." Taranee explained.
"What if she loses the Heart? Will she get all Quasimodo again?"
"Cornelia!"
"I'm just saying..."
"Yes, I imagine the scars will return. Luba said the Joining could fix it, but Will doesn't want to go through that."
"Why not?"
"I think what's happened to Irma has her frightened of the Joining. I guess she would rather take her chances with the glamour."
"Interesting..." Cornelia trailed off. "Why can't the Oracle do something?"
"I think it has to do with our nature as Guardians. Luba told me once that it's a safety device. The Oracle's magic doesn't work on Guardians and theirs doesn't work on him, either."
"Then why did it work on Nerissa?"
"Because she no longer controls an Auramere...at least that's what Luba said."
"Again...interesting," Cornelia replied.
The doors of the Chamber opened and Luba entered. She moved towards the grotto and peered down at Cornelia.
"You are awake. That is good, Guardian. How do you feel?"
"Pretty sore, actually," Cornelia replied.
"That is to be expected," Luba nodded.
"What happens now? Will still needs time to learn the glamour. What should we do in the meantime?" Taranee asked.
"The Earth Guardian must begin her therapy immediately."
"Therapy?" Cornelia asked.
"Yes, Guardian. Your physical abilities must be rehabilitated."
Cornelia gulped.
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The next three days were spent putting Cornelia through the joys of Luba's obstacle course. Though she complained mightily, Cornelia did fairly well, in spite of her injuries. Her ribs were still tender, and Luba felt the Guardian would always have a weakness there. Nonetheless, Cornelia did what she was told, and accomplished much in those three days.
Taranee spent her time visiting with Will and supporting Cornelia. Will was getting the hang of the glamour much quicker than anyone had expected. This filled Taranee with hope she had not experienced in some time. Though Will was still depressed about the scarring to her face, she no longer hid from her best friend.
Yan Lin and Halinor made a full recovery, and the little grandmother returned to Earth.
Irma spent most of her time with Hay Lin. Ever since she had learned of Hay Lin's nightmare, Irma had tried to shrug it off in order to comfort her friend. Honestly, she tried not to think about it. It was too horrible to imagine, much less expect it to come to fruition.
On the third day, Irma and Hay Lin were swimming in the Water Chamber, when the smallest Guardian stopped and stared intently at her best friend.
"What is it?" Irma asked.
"I'm sorry. I just can't bear to think of you like that. I don't want to think it could be true, but what if it is?"
Irma sighed. "Hay Lin it was just a dream. It's not going to happen."
"But what if Taranee is right and it is a vision? I keep playing it over and over in my head and..." Hay Lin trailed off and tears welled in her eyes.
Irma stroked quickly to her sister's side. "Hey, come on, don't be like that," she said gently. "I'm here now and I'm just fine."
Hay Lin buried her face in Irma's shoulder and cried openly. Irma patted her back and muttered soothing words in the girl's ear.
"Shh, now; it's okay, Hay-Hay. It'll be okay. Nothing is going to happen to me...not as long as you're around to watch my back."
"Irma," Hay Lin sobbed, "I c-can't bear to s-see it over and over. You were p-p-pleading,b-begging for it to stop. So much agony, so much torment. I could f-feel it Irma, I c-could feel it."
Irma closed her eyes and tried not to think about what Hay Lin had told her days ago. How she had seen the Water Guardian lying broken, bleeding in the snow, begging for relief; Nerissa standing over her like an overlord, tormenting and speaking unheard words. How the pain had been real and vivid, excruciating and indescribable. Irma's sobs of agony filled Hay Lin's ears at every turn, and she could not be comforted.
"Listen to me Hay-Hay; if that's something in the future, how do we know it's going to really happen? I mean, the future isn't written yet, right? How do we know we can't change it?"
Hay Lin tried very hard to regain a sense of composure. She wiped her eyes and pulled away from Irma's shoulder. "We couldn't change what happened to Elyon; she was nearly destroyed by Phobos. What if we hadn't made it in time to stop him?"
"But don't you see? That's the whole point. Because of your vision, we moved a day earlier and saved Elyon. Without that information, we would have been too late. But because of what you saw, we changed the outcome; we foiled Phobos. Now we have another vision and we won't walk into anything blindly."
"But what if-"
"No, no more buts, no more what ifs," Irma said with authority. "We live in the here and now and we don't worry about what may happen in the future. All we can do is prepare as well as we can and hope for the best. As long as we all stick together, we'll be fine."
Hay Lin opened her mouth to reply when the doors to the Chamber opened. Three Guardians and a Caretaker strode into the Chamber. The Guardians leaped into the pool...Luba stayed at the edge. Hay Lin noticed Will's face immediately and clapped her hands for joy.
"Will," she squealed, "your face looks great!"
"Uh...thanks, I guess."
"She's learned the glamour," Taranee supplied unnecessarily. "You can't even tell a difference now."
"She looks normal now," Cornelia nodded. "Even if she isn't quite normal."
Will splashed Cornelia and laughed. The five Guardians spent an enjoyable hour playing and laughing in the Chamber's pool. Luba watched protectively, but said nothing.
Finally Will called a halt to the splashing. "You guys, I don't know about you, but I'm starting to miss Earth a little bit."
"Yeah, I miss the Silver Dragon's food," Hay Lin piped up. "No offense, but no one here can cook for squat."
Luba made a noise that could have been mistaken for laughter...if one didn't know better.
Irma giggled her first real giggle in a very long time. "Very nice Hay Lin, very nice."
"What?" Hay Lin shrugged.
The Guardians laughed.
"I think it's time we all got back to our parents before our Astral Drops mess things up completely," Will said.
"Yes," Cornelia agreed. "Whoknows what she's doing to my hair."
"I do miss my parents," Taranee agreed, smiling. "And Peter too."
It's settled then," Will nodded. "Guardians...let's go home."
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And there we have Chapter 29. I hope y'all enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think.