Chapter Twenty
From his position in the branches of a tree on the edge of the clearing, Sage watched with a curious look. One moment she had been open and hurting both inside and out. The next moment she was as unreadable as a wall of frozen steel. He watched fearfully as she examined the footprints and the empty hole where the notebook had been and still sensed nothing. Wondering what her next move would be, Sage continued to watch as she approached the edge of the cliff. Thinking she was going to jump again, he dropped down silently out of the tree.
Just as he was about to move forward, Sage found himself stumbling back into the solid trunk of the tree as he was blasted psychically with raw, unchecked power. Taking a defensive stance and shielding his mind, he faced Hali who stood still on the very edge of the cliff. But he quickly understood both that she wasn't going to jump and what he had sensed had not been an attack. Crouching low to the ground he watched and sensed as her senses expanded as though searching for something.
Feeling bitter, stabbing pain radiating from Hali not unlike the one he had healed this land of; he at last understood the power of her emotions. This in conjunction with the understanding of the depths of her pain served to tear at Sage's heart as he watched. Bowing his head for a moment in sadness, he desperately wished to comfort this one that he now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loved. Yet, as she fell into fits of laughter that were deep and rolling out across the valley, he wondered sadly if there even was a way to comfort her. Perhaps she was beyond his comfort. Perhaps he was wrong about the pain she seemed to radiate.
What if it was all a ploy to get him where she wanted him?
Battling against doubt, Sage sat motionless against the trunk of the tree as he watched the jerking movement of her body gripped by laughter that sent chills down his spine. It was laughter filled with bitterness and hatred. One that promised death and misery to all those that had hurt her so deeply. One that promised to make him suffer for spying on her…
But as a gust of wind arose from below the cliff, Sage could see clearly and understand the bitter laughter. As the wind coaxed the frosty hair away from Hali's pale face, he could see the distinctly glistening lines of tears that streamed from her eyes. And, as the laughter ceased as unexpectedly as it had started, he watched the caressing breezes gently moving the hair back in front of her motionless face. Now she stood unmoving as she gazed out across the shimmering valley before her.
Sage was startled a moment later to find that Hali had shielded all her powers and senses beyond human. Even more surprising was the unbound joy, unequalled peace, and total freedom she now held so close to her heart. Uncertainly, he began to move out and away from the trees. Silently he approached Hali, expecting her to attack him at any moment unleashing her cold fury on him in unheard of ways.
But that was not what took his breath away now. What made him hesitate only a few feet away from Hali was the unspeakable beauty of it all. Before him lay a glistening valley covered in snow and ice that threw off myriad colors of the rainbow in reflected prisms of light cascading throughout the valley and river below. All above and around him the sky glistened with stars more brightly and beautifully for the gentle bluish tint she sky now held. Amidst all of this stood a lone figure clad in a frosty, glistening black that gave her an unearthly beauty. It was as if the world itself had painted this surrealistically beautiful scene just so she would have a place to stand where she fit in, where she could show all of her unearthly, goddess-like beauty without deception or modesty.
Sage hesitated, taking this scene in and cherishing it for all it was worth as he gazed lovingly upon the one he vowed to love and be with forever. Unwilling to selfishly shatter the moment for her or himself, he only stood silently as though basking in the radiant beauty of this creature from beyond the mortal world.
But as she ever so slowly began to turn her eyes away from the scene before her and to the sight that lay over her shoulder, Sage's perceptions of her being a goddess was shattered forever. Yes, she held all the beauty and power of a goddess, but it was the humanity within her heart and eyes that gave away the truth. Spilling from her eyes in a number of tiny rivers around her enchantingly peaceful eyes, Sage watched as she smiled ever so slightly to him.
In complete understanding of the smile, Sage accepted with a silent nod. Without a word or a thought she had welcomed and invited him to share in the splendor of the sunrise with her so long as he did not break the moment. For there would be plenty of time to talk about everything later. But, for now, she just wanted to live, to love…to hope. Taking her icy hand in his own two warm ones, he held it close to his heart. Slipping his other arm around her waist, he pulled her close to him as much for comfort as for warmth. Tenderly she accepted his embrace by resting her head upon his shoulder.
Standing alone of the entire world around them, they cherished these few, breathtaking moments they now shared. If never before, if never again, they would have these moments. There existed for them nothing beyond this moment in their lives. There existed nothing outside the cliff upon which they stood and the valley they now viewed.
Holding her close, Sage felt the tears she now shed. Tears of mixed joy and sorrow fell from her eyes unchecked by their bearer. Like tiny crystals they caught the light and shimmered as they fell and shattered upon the two hands held close to Sage's heart. But they were tears shed in stoic, unbending silence created by a strength of will and endurance she had long held within a heart of loving warmth.
As the sun broke free of the horizon behind them, Sage slowly turned to the one he would love forever. No matter what miseries the days and weeks to come would bring for them, he vowed his love for her would never change. Taking her chin in his warm hands, he brought her enchanting eyes filled with love and fear to meet his. Smiling ever so slightly, he caressed away the frost that covered her cheek with all the warmth and tenderness he now felt for her. Watching the fear melt wholly into love alone, his heart skipped with joy.
Swept away in the tenderness and beauty of the moment, Hali melted into his embrace unresistingly. Closing her eyes as if to capture this moment forever in her heart and mind, she silently reached to the very soul of the man she now gave her heart to. With equal trust he reached to her heart and together they became one of spirit as they embraced for what seemed no more than a heartbeat in time. But they were not to be disappointed even in its short duration. With a pureness and chastity that Hali had never before known in all her endless existence, he placed his lips upon hers in a lingering kiss to seal the silent vows of love and trust they now shared.
Yet, Hali and Sage understood all to well, that nothing good could ever truly last in this world—not even the powerful love and closeness of this lingering moment. At last the two parted from within as without knowing both had been forever changed in the unseen bond they now shared. Though both longed to continue the moment for just a little longer, it was not to be.
At last the exhaustion and icy exposure caught up with Hali. With one last, lingering gaze into her beloved's eyes, she began to feel the weakness closing in upon her. She was going to die, but at least she would die with Sage's unearthly beauty and love still held so close to her heart. There was no way he could possibly get her back to the house before her weak, mortal body gave in to death. And, if he tried, he would most likely die too, for he would never leave her alone. She doubted he could save her even if he could get her back to the house, for the weakness that struck her now was unlike anything she could ever remember having felt before. But she didn't want him to die with her. He deserved so…much…
"Hali!" Sage shouted, holding her close as they sank to their knees. "Hali! I'll get you back to the house! Just hold on!" Getting no response, he felt tears of fear stinging his eyes as his ice turned to blood. "Hali! Don't leave me! You can't!" he pleaded through the tears that continued to swell unbidden in his throat.
With eyes now closed, Hali's blue lips twitched ever so slightly in a smile. "It's…okay, Sage…I'll…be fine……Just…….leave………while……wh-while…."
She had no need to finish her words. Through the bond they now shared, he felt all he needed to know and understand. But there was no way he would ever leave her. If she was going to die, then he was going to die with her. Battling the tears, the terror, and the agony in his heart, he laid her still form upon the ground. Placing one hand on her heart and another on hear forehead, he delved deep within their beings. From out of the darkness came an unseen force that kept a firm, unyielding wall between him and her very life. Feeling her heart slowing ever further, Sage threw himself wholly, violently against this invisible wall. Wiping away the tears that had followed him even into the very heart of their beings, he gazed through the wall to the peacefully resting form of Hali floating in the darkness.
For a moment Sage wanted nothing more than to watch her, leave her. She was at peace. Who was he to take that from her? Tenderly touching the invisible wall between him and the resting form of his love, he started to back away. Just then the wall was shattered as silently and swiftly as it had appeared. Through the darkness, Sage could hear Hali's heart crying out in anger as she fought to cling to life. Not knowing what to do to help her, Sage only stood where he was. In the next instant he was blinded and deafened by a violent flash of light and a scream of pure defiance and triumph that had erupted from the floating form he had been gazing upon only moments before.
In the next instant Sage was being thrown around violently. On the verge of total unconsciousness, he fearfully pulled back into his own body. Taking his hands off of her, Sage watched with mixed pride and astonishment as Hali slowly began to breathe once again. Unlike the resting vision he had seen in the darkness, this one held a face of defiance and anger as she struggled for life once more. Neither knowing nor caring what it was that had almost killed her in conjunction with her already weakened state, Sage quickly took his jacket off.
Laughing softly as yet more tears freed themselves from his eyes, Sage quickly covered her still form wishing desperately that Ryo was there to produce some warmth. Even for the light Sage could produce, its source as well at radiance had always been cold and vengeful. It would do neither one any good. Praying Rowen would hold true to his word and come after them, Sage called forth his sub-armor. Feeling the surge of energy and strength this gave him, he gathered Hali's thin, pale form into his arms and began to run back the way she had led him. Following the trail she knew the others would use to find them, he ran as fast as he possibly dared clutching Hali's unyielding form to his chest.