We are defs in the home stretch, guys. I am... Still not sure how I will manage the continuation. This part of the saga is ending; but by no means is it the end. The end is still so far away, I'm not even sure what to do.
Graduation feels the same. It's in June, and its March now. Oh glob, I'm going to be old enough to drink in a handful of weeks... AM I OLD YET?
In the meantime, I'd like to thank everyone who let me vent on them about this chapter's plot twist. It took several weeks of deliberation last year, but after a few conversations about it, I finally came to an agreement with myself. Credits for this go to Skull Witch, Barn Owl Girl, and Demon Llama Nerd-you know, the usual suspects. They have been quite helpful in the shaping of this chapter. Thanks, girls!
Also, voices: Eplaion and Sigma are voiced by Christopher Lloyd and Jennifer Anniston, as before. Rosemary, from Pi's flashback, gets a speaking role, ala Kierra Knigtly. Joining the Chris-club are Chris Hemmsworth as Adar's brother, Cheshvan, and Chris Evans as Tarragon, of the fourth clan. Oh yeah-Thor and Captain America have just been added to the fold. XD
Flying monkeys? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
I DO! I GET THAT REFERENCE!
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Time To Go Home
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4 tried hard not to be peeved when 6 bolted upright in bed once again, breathing hard, staring off into space at nothing in particular. Instead, she pulled the sheet over her face and convinced herself that she would neither get involved nor worry about his latest vision. It went against every fiber of her inquisitive being-her parents, sister and uncle were out there, battling a monster. She wanted very badly to know what was going on with them.
But she resolved to leave it be for a while, and not bother 6 while he did what he did best. The less she interfered, the better. She couldn't stand it.
"...Gone?" He finally whispered, sounding very alarmed. He jumped out of bed and ran to his blank pad of paper in the corner. It's presence solidified the fact that the room belonged to him now, as much as it belonged to her.
4 could no longer help herself. Not when that was his initial reaction to whatever he had seen. She sat up, thinking to plea for an explanation, but it was too late. 6 was already scribbling away on the blank paper, shapes and symbols in his wake as always. There was no point in trying to talk to him now; he was in his own little world now, too far away to hear her.
She feigned patience while she sat and waited, watching him as he scribbled feverishly. There was always a sense of urgency when he drew his visions, like they had to be seen and deciphered soon, or else. But this time, an unusual confusion helped quicken his pace. How could he not understand his own vision? Strange...
When he began to slow down, she slowly climbed out of bed to stand beside him. They looked over the drawing together, trying to make sense of it. 4 felt like she understood some of it at once, and the meaning she gathered filled her heart with relief. 6 always wrote their names as Roman numerals, when he saw them in visions-V, VII, IX, and X were printed in large, bold strokes in the middle of the page. A new symbol that appeared to be Arabic had joined them, so that they made a circle of five. Pi's symbol stood in the center of the circle, safe from harm, flanked by the slightly smaller symbols of Gamma and Theta, her sisters.
So they were all alive, at least. Searching for the cruel letter A for Alpha, 4 spotted it up in the corner-printed small, along with those other small symbols that seemed to want to belong, but didn't. The names of the first clan's dead.
4 gasped in pleasant surprise and clasped her hands together. "They did it!" She cheered. "Oh, 6, they did it! They saved us all! We're free!"
6 didn't answer. He stood sort of paralyzed, staring dumbly at his drawing with look of... Disappointment on his face. "But... She's gone..." He whispered sadly, his gaze on the names of the dead.
"Who's gone? What do you mean?"
He reached up and pointed to another symbol that had joined the dead. A small triangle for Delta had been added to them. 4 immediately felt her heart sink. The victory hasn't been so complete, after all.
"She was like me, 4. She was like me... She's gone..."
He was so sad. If he felt it this badly, the other Prophets must have felt it too, wherever they were; and it must have hurt them just as much. Bad enough that Pi had to lose her little sister; it was like the Prophets had lost a member of a clan of their own. There were only a precious five of them to begin with; now only four remained.
The night's victory was worthy of celebration. It was unfair that it had to be prefixed by mourning. She clutched his hand and his arm, laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled him gently for comfort.
"I'm so sorry," she flickered softly, not sure what else there was to be said.
"They will return."
"...Huh?"
"The Lost will return. Dawn will come, and the day will be new. Everything will be new, and right again. He said so."
"Who? How?"
6 shook his head. "That's not part of the answer. But they will return."
It looked like they would have to resign themselves to that, until their family came home to explain the details. Feeling an odd mix of joy and grief, 4 gave her love a bigger hug, and sighed sadly.
What happened over there? I wonder what's going on right now...?
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At the very same moment, it happened to be just past five o'clock in the morning-dawn was not far away at all. But to Pi, it felt like the past hour had been another miserable eternity. Alpha was finally dead, and it was a joy. But in destroying him, they had left a horrifying mess in their wake:
Upon the sudden death of their master, the army of zombies had collapsed in mid-step, the power that animated them no longer in effect. So now they weren't shuffling after their prey, following orders, and that was good. But now the yard was full of dead bodies. How on earth were so many bodies to be dealt with?
9 had been injured badly, and could barely sit up, still. Something about Alpha's hand-crafted blade had cut deeper than skin, and left the brave young man unconscious for a time. He was the only one of them to take a really critical blow, which was a blessing; and the straight, smooth gash in his face had been stitched back together in his sleep, leaving an impressive and rather dashing scar of black thread from the corner of his mouth to just below his ear. Most importantly, he would live. But for now, he was very weak. Whe he would be able to travel home was impossible to tell.
And then, worst of all, there was Delta. Holding her little sister close, watching helplessly as her life just slipped away had been almost to much to bear. But now having to sit back and decide what to do with the girl's small, thin, lifeless body... Pi had been paralyzed again. She couldn't even find the tears to weep; it felt like after all the previous day and all the long night, she had run out of tears to shed for anything. Not even this wretched last straw.
All she could do for a while was sit in silence, staring off into space, wondering how all these terrible things had happened. She couldn't hear or feel anything else around her, like all her senses had abandoned her. If she felt anything, she felt dizzy and cold, and numb. Very numb.
After a long time in what felt like the twilight zone, she had suddenly regained her senses and realized she had to stand up and be responsible. For the sisters she still had left, if for nothing else. They needed her more than ever, and she was finally free to be there for them, exactly as she was.
The air had grown thick with hazy smoke while she had been numb, and she turned to see that someone had broken down her cage and piled the wood on the floor, where the concrete altar had been. The pyre had been set ablaze, the source of the smoke. Within the dancing flames, she could see a metal skeletal frame beginning to char and crack in the heat.
Adar stood before it, watching grimly with his arms crossed over his chest. Taking a cautious gulp of air, Pi walked on shaky legs to stand beside him. They were silent for a moment.
"...I didn't know what else to do with him," the cowboy finally said in a low voice. "If we hadn't destroyed him completely, down to his very, wicked bones, I was half afraid he could still come back. Not even the devil deserves to lay on the ground, in pieces, without being out to rest, anyway."
"Really? Not even Alpha?"
"Perhaps, when the time comes, even you and I can learn to forgive him," Adar said quietly, hopefully.
"No one will agree. I'm not sure if I do."
Adar put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug. "Time can build up as much as it tears down. We will see what wonders it can work, in its way. Listen, go speak to your 5. He has something important for you."
"Right. I have something pretty important to tell him, too..."
Before she turned to leave, Adar ruffled her hair affectionately. "I am glad that you're alright, Pi. Seeing what had become of you... We should have listened to my mother. Perhaps we could have prevented all of this. In any case, I am glad that you are a part of us again."
Pi ventured a small smile for him. She was happy for that, as well. She trudged off to look for 5, wondering what words she should use when she found him. She spotted him not too far away, pacing nervously, with what looked like... Her clan's talisman in his hands. Suddenly a little concerned, she found the energy to quicken her pace.
When 5 saw her coming, he went to meet her. But when they met, they were amazingly silent for a moment. After everything that had happened, what was there left to be said? He fidgeted with the talisman, and finally, shyly held it out to her.
"We had found this with him," he explained quietly. "We thought you'd like it back."
Pi took the gleaming black talisman with shaking hands and just held it for a long moment, staring at it blankly, not sure what to do with it. Sighing, she decided, "Well... I guess that means I'm our Bearer, now..."
Maybe the well wasn't completely dry, after all. She sniffled miserably, trying to force back the sobs that swelled in her throat. She held the infernal blob of metal to her chest, wishing her family could be with her again. There were only three of the first clan left. And she missed them so much...
As if sensing her longing, rising to fill that void, 5 wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. She burried her face in his shoulder, knowing he wouldn't mind if she used his rough skin to muffle her sobbing. He stroked her frizzy hair with gentle fingers, and softly hummed a song in her ear.
He had such a good, gentle heart. She couldn't believe he would give it to someone like her. He had to know, now. He more than deserved it.
"5, I need to tell you something," she whispered.
"Anything, my Pi. I'm listening."
She took a deep breath, hoping her voice wouldn't break too badly. "...I'm pregnant."
She felt him stiffen suddenly, startled. A gasp caught in his chest, and his arms tightened around her. But it was unclear whether it was from delight or alarm. Feeling suddenly afraid and rather ashamed of herself, she cuddled deeper into his embrace.
"Delta felt the soul inside me; it was one of the last things she saw," she explained. "I'm having a baby, 5... Your baby."
"I'm sorry," he said quickly, almost interrupting her. "I'm so sorry. I never-I didn't-"
"No, it was my fault. It was my idea and-"
"Stop," he said finally, pulling away to look at her with a smile. "I just mean... This is wonderful."
"You're not angry with me?"
"You're not angry with me?" He countered with a relieved chuckle, and pulled her close once again. "This is the best thing that's happened to us so far. How could I be angry with you? All that I care about is that you're safe. Both of you..."
He stepped back again as the gravity of his words sunk in. He looked dizzy, like he might start hyperventilting. Suddenly, the night's events meant something entirely different.
"He took everything from me," he realized. "I was going to lose everything, and I didn't even know..."
She reached up to touch his face, drawing his gaze back to hers. She traced the seam of his eyepatch with her thumb, thoughtfully admiring his goofy, brilliant face. She was so proud of him, she finally found the strength to really smile.
"But you saved us. You didn't lose anything."
He placed his big, strong hand over hers and returned her smile. "I've gained the world. I love you, Pi. I have since the moment I saw you, and I always will. Nothing in the whole world can ever change that."
"It's a big, wide world. Anything can happen."
"No. You are my world."
He pulled her back to his heart, tucking her head to his shoulder as his fingers burrowed deeper into her hair. Still clutching the talisman in one arm, she wrapped her free arm around his waist and hugged him back. It was so warm and safe, here. For a brief moment, a small part of the world was the way it was supposed to be.
Without warning, the talisman began to hum softly, giving off the barest vibrating against her chest. Startled, she pulled away to inspect it, hoping it wasn't going to explode, or heaven knew what else it could do. But all it did was go on making that strange humming sound-a shimmering, chime-like sound, as if it were singing. 5 held her hands as she held the talisman, just as puzzled as she was.
"Delta said to bring them back," Pi pointed out. "Those were her last words. What did she mean?"
"Perhaps there's a way."
"We'll never know, now..."
5 gave her a knowing smile . "Let's go talk to my brother. He'll know what to do." Without waiting for an answer, he took her hand and led her off.
Fortunately, 9 had come around a while ago and was able to speak again; but movement was still difficult for him. They found him holding his sleeping daughter, singing quietly to her as she slumbered peacefully, safe in her daddy's arms once again. 7 sat beside him, silent and vigilant in his weakness; but her face was oddly blank, as if she was glad of the way things had turned out, but dissapointed by them at the same time.
However, when they saw their brother and new sister approaching hand-in-hand, they both smiled brightly. Maybe their world had been righted completely for a moment, as well.
"How's your face?" Pi asked as she sat down beside them.
"Feels kinda funny," 9 answered with a slight slur, rubbing the scar gently. "I'll get used to it, eventually."
"Quit picking at it," 7 scolded, reaching over and swating his hand from his face. "It won't heal any faster that way." Turning back to Pi with a more somber face, she asked, "How are you feeling? And your sisters?"
Pi lowered her gaze sadly to the talisman, thoughtfully brushing her fingers over the black metal. "Exhausted and sad, mainly. The girls have already cried themselves to sleep. I can't believe I haven't done the same..."
"We're so sorry for your loss. We know a thing or two about losing people we love. It's just..." 7 sighed and looked down at the ground, at a loss for words. "We're just so sorry."
"It's not your fault, 7. She did give 5 the few seconds he needed to get back on his feet. Alpha would have killed me if he hadn't been so distracted. Delta knew what she was doing, I know it. It's just sad it had to end with our parting."
A moment of silence passed between the three as they reveled bitterly in that truth.
"Was there something else?" 9 asked.
"It's this thing,"she answered, showing him the talisman. "The last thing Delta said to me was something about bringing 'them' back. I don't know what she meant, but I can't just ignore it. All I know for sure is that it has something to do with this. Can you help me?"
He nodded slowly, the gears in his head already turning. "I'll trade you, then," he said, shifting Dixie around in his arms. Pi held hers out to take the child, and passed the talisman into 9's free hands. The baby went on slumbering, just as tired as everyone else from their adventure. Pi sighed and took Dixie's small hand in her own. The fact that she had made it out of all this mess unharmed, that her mommy and daddy had actually succeeded in rescuing her-it was the one solid, unspoiled victory they could all be proud of.
While she slowly rocked Dixie back and forth, 9 turned the talisman over and over in his hands, testing its weight and feel. He held it to his ear a few times, his brow furrowing deeper each time. He even flicked his finger against its side, which Pi tried not to let the resulting ringing frighten her.
"That pitch is very high," he murmured at last. Turning back to her, he concluded. "This talisman is full of something. More full than I've ever seen one."
"Full of... Souls?" She asked nervously. "I thought Alpha had, you know, eaten them all."
"He fed on them by attaching this talisman to his own heart. While trapped inside, their energy sustained him, like a battery. But when his own soul was forced out of its body, all the other energy that never truely belonged to him returned here," He explained as simply as he could, tapping the talisman for emphasis. "I won't even bother explaining the mechanics-it's confusing, even for me, and I've spent nearly two years studying these tools."
Pi was silently grateful for that. She also kind of liked the way 9 had called it a tool. When he put it that way, the enigmatic talismans that each clan had suddenly didn't seem so enigmatic anymore. They were just common tools, that anyone could be trained to use properly. That was inspiring, and took the sting from being saddled with it for the foreseeable future.
"So, what does it mean?"
"The souls trapped inside have to be released. It's an basic, easy sequence; I've used it on occasion, myself. It's... Not an altogether an unpleasant experience. It's nothing to be feared."
"Is that what she meant about bringing them back? Just getting them out of the talisman and letting them go?"
9 opened his mouth to answer, and then closed it again. Setting the souls free certainly wasn't the same as bringing them back to the living world.
"Bringing them back... That may be something completely different."
5 shrugged. "You've done that before, too," he pointed out. "What was so different then?"
"Lots of things were different, 5. It was light out, and there were actual vessels for those souls, and-"
He stopped in the middle of the next word, turning to look back toward the entrance. The first couple of zombies that had shuffled in still lay collapsed behind the pile of gardening tools; but one of their hands had sprawled out into sight, a visual reminder of a very close call.
Up until now, they had planned to add the empty shells to the fire that had started with Alpha-it was nice and fitting. After all, what else could really be done with them? On the other side of the flaming funeral pyre, Adar had already prepared the bodies of his family. Those bodies had once been his brother and little sister. And now he was getting ready to add them to the flame. There was little else to be done.
"Pi," 9 asked slowly, "how many sacrifices were there, all together?"
That was a painfully disturbing question, and she tried not to blanch too badly at knowing the answer right away. "12."
"How many bodies were reanimated?"
"...12," she answered, beginning to see where this was going. "They're all there."
9 paused to do a quick figure in his head. In his concentration, he even drew an imaginary math table in the air as he calculated some variable. Pi wished she could see what tapestry he was weaving from his knowledge. To see what his brain looked like when he thought like this must have been something divine on its own.
Finally, he finished and looked back at her.
"Don't let Adar burn anyone else," he said with an excited, confident smile. "Delta was right, Pi: with our help, you are going to bring the Lost back to life."
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That was the end of that discussion. Pi had tried to argue that it couldn't have been her-not after all the trouble she had caused these people. This was surely a job for one of the real heroes, one of the Bearers, but not for her. After all, she had done so little to help in this fight; she had been kidnapped, locked in a cage, and nearly killed when she had tripped over her own feet. She couldn't see how she could be so useful, when she was truly so useless.
At that point, 5 had swooped to the rescue yet again, and made her lie down with her sisters to rest. She needed her strength for the task at hand. He supposed he would be frightened as well, if this had been asked of him. She fell quickly to sleep, exhausted from nerves and the long, terrible night. He paused briefly to watch her sleep, and wondered if he should tell his brother and sister the big news.
How would it look, when we aren't even married yet? Of course I planned to ask her, in any case, and nothing was going to make me feel any differently, but... No, I can't do that to her. Not after everything that's already happened. Maybe nobody needs to know. Ever. This will be just between us, and Delta-rest her kind soul.
With that decided in his mind, he went to help his companions prepare for the ritual. It visibly peeved 9 that he was still too weak to stand up and help them; but he gave them easy directions to follow. The bodies were to be arranged in order, from oldest to youngest by clan, so the souls in the talisman could find their ways back easily. Apparently, they would know where to go on their own.
Adar took charge of cataloging them and determining where in the order where they would go. He did so with a heavy but hopeful heart. He knew every one of these people by name, and many of them had been good friends of his. The task was grizzly, but he was thrilled by the possibility of seeing them alive again.
He would get his brother and sister back. His nephew and niece would have their father back.
Between the four of them-9 giving instructions, and Adar, 5 and 7 doing the heavy lifting-the job was finished in less than an hour. The result was a row of 12 lifeless bodies on the lawn, beginning with Epsilon, the very first of their race to be created, and a giant named Basil, the eighth of the fourth clan.
Because, of course, Alpha had utterly failed to take anyone from the resilient fifth clan.
Light was finally gathering on the horizon. The beautiful dawn had nearly arrived. As the four of them sat in the summer grass, surveying their work, 9 sighed wearily. But happily.
"It has to be done either at sunrise, or sunset," he said vaguely. "It's symbolic of the circle of life. I used to think that such things were just ceremonial and didn't matter, in the end. But, in the end, they do make all the difference. Your Yahweh has provided, indeed."
"Mother said He would," Adar agreed with a tired smile. "And He always does, if we let Him. He's really wonderful, like that. We should wake them soon, shouldn't we?"
"Yes, now. If we wait much longer, we might miss it."
With a decisive nod, 5 got up and went back to the garage to collect Pi and her sisters. The three that remained sat in silence, waiting for him to return. While they waited, 7 plucked a blade of grass from the ground and began fiddling with it idly.
"What do you think they'll have to say when they come back?" She wondered. "Do you think they can ever forgive her for what's been done?"
"Only time will tell, I suppose," Adar answered thoughtfully. "It is in some of them to hold terrible grudges, even if it wasn't Pi who harvested them. As for her mother and father... Well, sir, I believe they understand already."
A few moments later, 5 returned with Pi and the twins-he had even brought Dixie, who had been left to sleep in the garage. The baby slept as if she was dead, and probably wouldn't wake, even for the commotion of the ritual. He led Pi by the hand, and she carried the talisman in her free one, still looking tired and numb. Gamma and Theta trudged listlessly behind them, their focus on the ground. Even if their parents would be brought back, there was no retrieving their sisters. There was no retrieving Delta. Even if there was, they wouldn't dream of hauling her back to the lovely place she had gone to.
Observing the row of bodies, waiting to be filled again, Pi sighed heavily and quickened her pace a bit to stand before them alone. She looked back down at the talisman with what might have been wonder, if she hadn't been so afraid of it. It's power daunted her beyond anything. And she felt that it had to be done all on her own, with no help from her friends, or her love.
As if to prove her wrong, 5 handed Dixie back to her mother, came behind Pi and gripped her arms.
"You're not alone, Pi. You don't have to do this by yourself. We're all here, with you. I'm with you."
Reassured, she took a deep breath. "What do I do with it?"
"Place it on the ground. I'll show you the sequence."
"I've never done this before... I never dreamed I'd have to. What if I make a mistake?"
With a knowing smile, he answered, "It's easy. You'll be amazing. Trust me."
That must have meant something to them, because the smile she gave him was confident, if not a bit rueful. She knelt to place the talisman on the ground, and he knelt beside her to point out the sequence.
The rest of them stood respectfully, and watched in silent wonder at the two of them. They were so properly suited for each other, it was a bit suspect. Leaning on Adar for support, 9 looked down as shy Theta wriggled under his other arm and snuggled into his side.
"Father said once that they were in love-our creators," she mentioned quietly. "Maybe that's why... Do you... Do you really think he'll come back?"
He patted the child on the head with a smile. "I know he will. They'll all come back. I promise."
As the sequence was entered at the talisman began to hm louder and louder, 5 pulled Pi to her feet and quickly dragged her back several paces. The thing began to shake violently, and burst open as it always did. None of the fifth clan was too surprised by this; 9 found that he didn't jump at all at it, anymore. But the rest of them were frightened, and Theta shifted behind him for shelter.
The first soul emerged slowly, glowing hazy bright green. It was a face that 9 couldn't place to its body, as it looked over the crowd in hesitant confusion. But it finally realized that it was out of the talisman and gave them a relieved, overjoyed smile. It turned to look over its shoulder at the row of bodies, and walked along it to find its former shell.
This continued several times, many of the souls barely stopping to acknowledge anything else before turning to seek out their bodies. They each stopped to wait at the feet of their bodies, until they were all together. But as they waited, they watched with rapt attention to see which of their cell mates would come forth next.
And before long, Pi got what she had been waiting for. The glowing soul of Epsilon, her father, finally emerged from the talisman. Her whole self illuminated, and it looked like she might spring into his arms, if he had let her. But hardly a second later, a delicate hand emerged after him. He bent to help its owner into the world, and pulled the soul of Sigma, his wife to his side.
They paused for a long moment to regard their daughter with a pair of proud, forgiving smiles. With an appreciative nod in 5's direction, Epsilon turned to escort his wife back to her body, where he took his own place beside her.
The last two to appear were the only two belonging to the third clan-Cheshvan and Sivan. The strong, sturdy warrior, 9 recognized right away; but he had to look again at the very young girl who followed him. Sivan had been taken many years ago, and he had never seen her before. But she looked very much like Av, her sister; not enough to be twins like so many of them had turned out to be, but alike, all the same. Seeing them, Adar gave an overwhelmingly relieved sigh. He had waited with waning patience to see them. All his old, sturdy hope had suddenly returned.
Sivan was clearly the youngest of the gathered souls; hers practically skipped back to her body, one of the last to be claimed. She seemed thrilled to return to it, even though it was in disrepair. Cheshvan took the only body that remained, just to the right of his sister. At last, everyone was in their place. And just in time-the sun was rising.
In unison, the 12 souls closed their eyes and let themselves fall backwards into their shells. They drifted like gossamer silk in the air, and their glowing forms faded back into their skins. As they faded away, the first gleaming ray of sunlight broke in the world with a light that was more blinding than ever before, accompanied by an amazing flash of green.
As the world was illuminated by the dawn, all 12 bodies gave a great gasp of air, a first breath with a sound like a wave breaking on the shore. Several of them sat straight up and looked themselves over with joy and disbelief to be in control of their bodies again.
They were all alive. Every single one of them had made it back.
The heroes stood still and watched with gaping mouths, paralyzed by a million different emotions. Epsilon, the only elder to have been taken, quickly took charge and climbed to his feet with surprising enthusiasm for having just been brought back to life. He gave his eldest daughter that same benevolent smile, and held out his arms.
"Do I not get a hug, my darling girls?"
It was more than enough for Pi. With a squeal of joy she finally sprang forward into her father's waiting arms. As their mother also stood, the twins ran forward to her as well; Theta nearly knocked 9 over in her excitement. Through all the long night, he hadn't seen the shy little girl so animated. He smiled after her, remembering his excitement when his own family had returned. He didn't blame her in the slightest.
Though Adar remained rooted loyally in place, supporting his weakened friend, it was plain to see that he also longed to run to his brother and sister. 7 obviously saw it, as well. Cradling Dixie in one arm, she put her free hand on his shoulder.
"Go to them," she said in her gentle, motherly voice. "I'll take it from here."
Adar hastily traded places with her and rushed to his family. He fell to his knees beside them and threw his arms around them both, causing Sivan to cry out in pain. Her arm was still dangling uselessly at her side; and now that 9 considered it, her wiring probably want in the best shape, either. But Adar didn't care, and neither did his brother or sister, really. Their reunion was joyous and tearful, heartwarming to behold.
After a moment in triumphant embrace, Epsilon turned Pi over to her mother. His hands free, he marched right up to 5 with a very serious face.
"You..."
5 looked nervous as the old man trailed off, wondering what he would have to say. A half-second's hesitation later, the elder flung his arms around the boys neck, a gesture of gratitude that couldn't be escaped.
"You saved my child," he said, his voice breaking. "Thank you. Thank you, so much!"
5's own hesitation passed, nervousness reached by relief. He hugged Epslion back.
"It was my pleasure."
9 and 7 sighed deeply together. At last, everything really was right with the world.
Until-
"We'll, what are we waiting for?" Demanded an angry voice from the row of the fourth clan. It was a woman with skin of purple and green, pointing a furious finger at Pi. "There's the witch! Kill her!"
The whole crowd erupted at once, shouting their various conflicting opinions at one another.
"Rosemary's right! The girl's done more damage than her theiving sister ever did!"
"But she brought us back!"
"She's a witch! Burn her, I say!"
"She's a child! Leave her alone!"
"She'll take us all again! She hasn't changed."
"I'm not losing her again! I'll die myself before you touch her!"
"Everyone, SILENCE!"
With a majestic wave of his hand and a well-placed roar, Epsilon had the crowd quiet at once. He was the only elder present, and his rule was to be neither disrespected or ignored. Even if he was sure to be the most biased of all.
"Now all of you, listen to me with clarity," he commanded when he had everyone's full attention. "You have all seen as clearly as I have, the things that have happened this night. And you all know just as well, this was not her doing."
"That isn't fair," Rosemary cried indignantly, jumping up to confront him. "This was all her fault!"
"Yet if I recall correctly, it was Mu-not Pi-you allowed to lead you to your death, girl. If anyone is to blame for what happened with you, it was you, yourself, for being so easily led."
"That's beside the point. Where is Mu, anyway?" Rosemary grandly asked the crowd. Of course, the sinister woman was not there.
"Oh yes, she's dead, isn't she?" She sneered in Eplison's face. "Someone has to pay for this. Someone will pay for what happened to me, and if Mu isn't here, I say take it out of Pi! Put her to death! See how she likes it!"
The dark green man who had lain beside her ran to restrain her, grabbing her by the shoulders and trying to pull her back.
"Rosey, please. It's over. Let it go," he pleaded. But she shrugged him off and turned on him instead.
"Oh, so you want her coming after us again? This is no time to pick sides, Tarragon! Are you with me, or the witch? Use your brain for this!"
"Enough!" Epsilon bellowed after her, enough to make her cower away from him. "That's quite enough out of you. Take your place with your clan and be silent!"
Finally intimidated, Rosemary grudgingly let her dark friend haul her away. She didn't speak again, though she stood in silent fury.
"Now that that is settled," Epsilon continued, turning again to the crowd, "there is still plenty left to do without us bickering amongst ourselves. The curse is lifted. Alpha is gone. With the help of our friends, we are alive once again. I am certain, the next course of action is clear to us?"
Everyone was silent, looking amongst themselves for an answer. Finding none, most of them looked back to the elder for guidance.
"We must each return to our own clans, of course. Explain what has happened. And we must convene once again. It has been entirely too long that the clans have gathered; if there was ever a moment for it, that moment has come.
"Tell your elders, we are to meet at our gathering place in a week's time. Pull yourselves together quickly, and be on your ways to your families as quickly as you can."
The command given, those who had remained still climbed to their feet and made themselves ready to walk. Some, like Sivan, found themselves needing to be carried. While everyone stopped to say their varied goodbyes, the few third clan came to see their friends.
"So," 7 said thoughtfully, "this is Cheshvan."
"Marchesvan, actually," he corrected with a patient smile. "But that's a syllable too many, for a name that is already difficult to say, I think. And you must be the illustrious 7. I would offer you my hand, except they are both full."
Indeed they were. His arms were full of Sivan, who smiled and waved weakly at them. "Hi," she said quietly, as if speaking was a little painful.
"Will you return with us, for rest?" Adar asked right away. "We are always happy to have you, of course; and I'd say we've earned a long sleep."
"I think we shall," 9 agreed right away, realizing for the first time how truely exhausted he was."I don't know if I could make it all the way home if I tried."
The two brothers smiled and nodded their pleasure, and turned to lead the way out of the yard.
"And you, get some sleep, yourself," Cheshvan said to Sivan. "You're not in the best shape, either."
The girl yawned, even as she protested, "I didn't even do anything..." Nonetheless, she rested her head in her big hrither's shoulder and closed her eyes.
7 halted them briefly, as they passed 5 and he gave them no notice. He was in deep but quiet discussion with Epsilon, who was listening patiently as he thoughtfully stroked his scraggly beard.
"Aren't you coming?" She asked, finally getting her hrither's attention. 5 looked over his shoulder at them, thought for a second, and shook his head with a vague smile.
"Actually... I'm going to hang around here for a bit," he answered. "I'll catch up with you later."
Having a mutually good idea what he was up to, they nodded their consent.
"We'll be back with the third clan, sleeping."
"I'll follow my map, then."
Leaving 5 behind, they returned to their friends, feeling rather pleased with the way things were headed. When they returned without him, Adar looked puzzled.
"He's not coming with us?"
"He has some stuff to take care of," 9 assured him. "He'll be around."
"...Will he ask to marry her, then?"
"He was going to, anyway," 7 pointed out. "There was never any doubt about that. Pi and her sisters had no family left-they were going to become a part of ours. But now that they have their family back... He isn't going to just rip them apart again."
Cheshvan chuckled warmly. "He sounds like a good man, your brother. And quite the hero. It seems to run in the family, doesn't it?"
She smiled back, with a chuckle of her own. "Thank goodness for that."
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An hour or two passed in relative silence. Pi spent that time watching over her sisters as they slept once more. She wished that she, too, could find the calm to sleep again, but it was no use. So much was happening, how could she bear to close her eyes and miss even a second of it?
However, she did spend that time alone. 5 paid her little attention, and neither did her parents. Instead, the three of of them sat together in secretive conversation. She wondered what they could be talking about, but didn't try to interfere with it. The conversation was clearly none of her business.
Finally, about nine o'clock, 5 returned to her with news she didn't care for.
"Pi... I have to get going," he said sadly, taking her hands and helpings her to her feet. As her body lifted up, her heart sank.
"Now? Must you really go?"
"I have to. They need me."
"But I need you," she countered. Lowering her voice, she added, "...We need you."
He pulled her close and held her tight. "Don't worry. We'll see each other again in a week. And we'll never have to do this again."
"What do you mean?" She asked. He leaned in to nuzzle her cheek and took a deep breath.
"Pi..." He whispered in her ear. "Will yo marry me?"
She pulled away to look him in the eye, dumbfounded for the hundredth time. She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice failed her.
"Marry me," he repeated, his whole self shaking from excitement. "Marry me, next week, in front of everyone. We'll show them what love can really do. We'll never be apart again."
Before he had even finished, she threw her arms around him and found her voice again, in overjoyed laughter.
"Yes! A million times, yes! Of course I'll marry you!" She cheered, feeling another wave of tears threatening in her throat. But it suddenly dawned in her...
"But, my family-"
"I already talked to your mother and father," he assured her. "We're making plans. Everything is going to be fine. It really will, this time. I promise."
She was still for a moment, soaking it all in. "...Oh my gosh, 5, we're getting married... We're going to have children, and a family of our own! I... I never thought... I never thought this would happen for me..."
He kissed her forehead and caressed her face, drawing her gaze back up to meet his. "But for now, our clans need us. My brother and sister need me. And your sisters need you. Spend some time with your family. Mourn for Delta. Be with them, as your real self, before you have to leave them again."
"Oh... You're right," she agreed with a sigh. But she couldn't keep from smiling for long. "This week is going to fly by in an instant, isn't it?"
The kiss he answered with was long overdue. It was sweet but passionate, and could have last for minutes of it lasted for a second. And to think-the next time they would share a kiss this beautiful, it wouldn't be in parting.
In fact, it would be a bright, glorious beginning.