The guards took Susan up the side to Aslan. She watched horrified as she saw what Aslan was lowering into the volcano. Lucy was clutching to the rope and harness for dear life. But she never cried out or told Aslan to stop. She was being so brave. Lucy was pointing at something. It took Susan a few moments, but then she saw Peter, crumpled in a heap against the ice slab. She covered her mouth with her hand in fear and shock and held her breath.

"Oh no, Peter," she whispered.

Lucy was low enough now to land effectively on the plateau. How on earth did Peter know how to get in here? She wondered. It was so hot; she staggered around, over whelmed by heat and flame. She crouched down to Peter and shook him.

"Peter, oh Peter please open your eyes!" she pleaded, on the verge of tears and collapse.

He moved slightly, groaned a little and opened his eyes. They widened when he saw Lucy faltering from the overwhelming conditions. She fell into him, clutching a small bag in her fist. Peter took the bag from her, and could feel the shards inside.

"Peter!"

He turned and saw Edmund at the entrance he had come through. He gestured to Edmund to hurry over. Edmund braced himself and ran as fast as he could, falling to his knees as soon as reached there. Peter pushed his sister into Edmund's arms.

"Take her! Go!"

"What about you?!"

"I need to finish this Ed. Go!"

Peter shoved both his siblings away. Edmund put his arm under Lucy and half dragged and half walking back to the entrance tunnel. He watched them get as far back as they could without disappearing from sight. He didn't know why. But he suddenly knew what to do. He would be the first to admit he was nervous. This was it. The moment of truth as it was. He took as deep a breath as he could. He had to hurry. He could barely hear her anymore inside his mind. Hold on Mirsan, he thought, hold on, please. He was pleading silently to her.

It took all his strength to stand up straight. He took out his sword. He held it up high.

"By the blood of the High King," he started.

Peter cut open his left palm with his blade. The crimson liquid broke through and trickled over the sides of his hand.

"With that which entombed you," he continued. He took out shards of the ice wand in his hand and crushed them in to his wound by making a fist. It hurt like no tomorrow, but he did not break.

"And a heart that beats for you," he pressed the bloody shards to his heart.

"I will release you."

Peter pressed both hands, blood, shards and all against the hilt of his sword and with both hands raised it above him and the ice tomb, blade pointing down. The mess trailed down the blade and dripped on to the ice.

"Breathe new life Living One."

He brought the blade plunging down into the ice structure. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. A light seem to come from within. It was small at first and then grew bigger. Then it was like everything caught up. The light grew bright and blinding. Peter had to shield his eyes from it and the volcano began to shake violently. Then it was almost like a loud boom. An invisible force knocked Peter backwards, smacking his head on the rocky landing from whiplash. The light filled the entire chamber; the shaking continued and got brighter and brighter.

And then nothing. The light disappeared and the shaking stopped. Peter heard a loud cracking sound. Like stone or ice splitting under pressure. He sat up as best he could, balancing himself upright with his arms. The ice structure quivered and rattled. Bits and pieces began to fall away. Then it exploded. Peter shielded his face behind his arms. He slowly lowered them to see what had happened.

Susan had held her breath the entire time. Watching the scene below. She watched the structure explode leaving a figure behind laying still clothed in red. She didn't know whether to be glad or wary.

"He did it."

Aslan nodded knowingly, a smile played on the corners of his mouth.

Lucy and Edmund held each other up. They almost ran for Peter when they saw him get knocked back. Chunks of ice had hurtled past them. And then there, finally, she was free.

Peter stood up and sheathed his sword. She was laying still. The thin red shroud covering her still form. He stepped closer and closer, taking each step slowly. He didn't know whether to be cautious or rush to her side. He saw the covering fluttering where her mouth was. She was breathing! He exhaled heavily out of relief. She lived. Peter strode up to the stone like table. He reached forward, and pulled the material away.

Every bit like his dream, there Mirsan lay. Her hair the color of flame and her skin like porcelain. Peter slid his arms gently under her, cradling her head with one hand and lifted her to him. He brushed the soft hair back from her brow. His own sleeping beauty. His heart was beating so loud and fast he thought it was going to jump in his throat. He cradled her head against him and held one arm around her back, the other he slid under her legs and hoisted her up. He turned to the party waiting at the end of the walkway. He simply nodded to them, smiling. Lucy and Edmund whooped for joy. The centaur cheered and raised his weapon high.

The volcano quaked around them. Pieces began breaking off and falling all around. Peter clutched Mirsan to him tightly and hurried across the rocky path way, which now threatened to crumble beneath him. He almost stumbled and lost her, but he held firm. He wasn't going to lose now. Lucy and Edmund ran to meet him and pulled the couple across with them. The small band moved down the tunnel before they were sealed inside. Lucy took one look back, and saw the slab and the walkway crumbled and sink beneath the churning and rising waves of molten rock.

Aslan and Susan were already waiting outside for them. The tunnel was collapsing behind them the entire way. It almost seemed to go on forever till they reached the light of outside. Susan sighed, and hesitated, like she was about to say something. She stepped forward, to look at the sleeping figure in Peter's arms. Them she took off her cloak and laid it on the grass and kneeled down. She gestured to Peter to put Mirsan down. Peter gently laid her out, using his lap as resting place for her head. He caressed her brow and held on of her hands. Her skin was so cold. Her breath was faint but regular. Susan brought out a cloth and a small skin of water. She cleaned the dirt of the tunnel away from Mirsan's face and tipped the opening of the skin to her lips and tipped a little in. some dribbled out of her mouth and down her cheek. Peter watched and waited. For some sort of sign.

He felt his hand being squeezed. She was doing it. She stirred and licked the water on her lips. He looked to her face, and saw her eyelids flutter, then open. Blue grey eyes greeted him, and then she smiled.