Chapter 13

A New Face

"If they don't get here soon…I don't know what we will do." Sara confessed to Willow a day after they had escaped the city.

"Where do you think they are?"

"Who knows? They should have been here already if everything happened as planned; but judging by their absence, I can only assume it did not. Maybe they were not able to leave the way they came in and had to leave through another exit…like the kings hunting grounds maybe…I am sure they are still alive though. They have to be, I know it."

"Should we go back in and try to find them?"

"No lass, that would only jeopardize everything they have worked for. Plus, we have no idea where they are. They could be two minutes from here or two days from here. It is best if we just stay where we are and wait for them to come to us."

…

Emmett's whole body was emitting a golden aura about him and he began to quiver violently. Throwing his hands in the air he screamed, then he threw himself back onto Ayden, still shaking. The glow around him shifted to cover both the bodies on the ground. Screaming again, Emmett hunched over as a shell like object protruded out of his back, enveloping him within itself.

Daniel stood watching in silent amazement. Then, out of nowhere, a deep thumping sound, similar to that of a drum, filled the air. Listening hard, Daniel tried to distinguish what the sound was. Slowly he began to realize that the golden glow around Emmett pulsed to the beat. Suddenly, the glow that encompassed Ayden's body began to pulse to the beat of a different set of drums; then it dawned on him…he was hearing their heartbeats. Whatever was happening to Emmett was somehow bringing Ayden back to life. Dumbfounded, Daniel fell to his knees, unable to move, only capable of watching the scene that fell open before him.

This went on for several minutes when slowly, Emmett emerged from the cocoon that had come from what seemed his back, but upon close inspection, what Daniel had previously thought to be some sort of shell turned out to be wings. Wings! As he rose, Emmett brought Ayden up with him in his arms. But, this man was not Emmett. What used to be short, black hair was now long, flowing, pale blonde hair, his brown eyes had changed to a piercing gold, and he now also had a flaming golden symbol on his right cheek. With large, golden wings spread out behind him, the man standing before Daniel looked terrifying and yet somehow protective as he held Ayden in his arms.

"Emmett?" Daniel asked hesitantly.

The creature did not even look at Daniel, but continued to stare down at the unconscious girl in his arms.

"Live!" He yelled. The golden aura around him brightened until Daniel had to squint just to look at him, then suddenly, the glow disappeared and Emmett dropped down to his knees. Carefully, he placed Ayden on the ground.

"Emmett? Are…are you ok?" Daniel stood and walked slowly over to him and placed a trembling hand on his shoulder.

"Dan…Daniel…save her…" was all Emmett could say before he passed out and fell face down onto the ground with a thud.

…

The only thing that filled the black room was a red glow and a beastly growl echoed through the empty space.

"It has begun."

…

A faint golden glow was left around the two unconscious people laying on the ground as Daniel slowly made his way over to them.

"Ayden? Emmett?" he asked. Daniel sat on his knees, dumbfounded and not sure of what he just saw. Closing his eyes, he tried to play back everything that just happened, but a small sound interrupted his train of thought. Opening his eyes, Daniel saw Ayden begin to move. Astounded, he called out her name.

"Daniel? What happened?" she answered. Only her mouth moved though. She had yet to open her eyes.

"Yes lass, I am here…"

"What happened?" she asked again. When Daniel didn't answer, her eyes slowly fluttered open. Sitting up, she looked around. Staring at her, Daniel noticed that every wound she had was gone.

What happened with Emmett? What did he do? He wondered. Following her gaze, he noticed she was looking at the man that lay unconscious next to her.

"Who is…where is Emmett?" she questioned.

"That is Emmett." Ayden turned to stare at Daniel and he noticed that the glow was fading from her body but her eyes remained slightly golden.

"No, he is not Emmett…Emmett had short black hair…and he definitely did not have wings. Who is this man?"

"Come here lass. Let me tell you everything that happened. Do you remember what I was telling you in the dungeon?"

Nodding, Ayden scooted over to Daniel and away from the strange man whom he claimed to be Emmett.

"I remember you telling me Emmett felt bad that I tried to get up to find him…but nothing after that."

"Ok, well let's see…" Daniel began to tell Ayden of the escape plan and how everything seemed to get a little complicated. Then he told her how she died on them and how Emmett had fallen apart. When he reached the part of how he began to change into the glowing golden figure before them, Ayden started to crawl over to Emmett. She could not believe her eyes. What had happened to him? Gently, she rolled him over, being careful that she didn't hurt his wings, and placed his head in her lap. She stroked his now long golden hair and peered curiously at his pointed ears and his flaming symbol.

"Emmett? Can you here me?" she softly patted his shoulder. "Come on, wake up…" Even though she told him to wake up, she wasn't sure she wanted him to. What if a new person came with his new looks? What if the Emmett she knew was no longer there?

"Daniel, what should we do? We can't stay here long, and he won't wake up…"

"Well, Emmett was on his way to find some food and water when your situations

were reverse…we all need it. Why don't you try to find some and I will try to wake him

up?"

Nodding, Ayden stood and left their thicket of trees taking a knife with her.

I need to find water before I do anything…it has been a long time since I have had

some.

She stood quietly for a moment, trying to listen for the sound of a brook or

stream. There were animals in the forest so they had to get their water from somewhere. She heard the faint sound of babbling water and quickly took off towards the noise, but keeping her footsteps quiet. She did not want to alert whatever else there was lurking in the forest to her presence. Finally she found the brook but she looked all around the clearing before she stepped out of the trees, hoping that there would be no guards waiting to trap her. Satisfied that she was alone, Ayden swiftly went over to the waters edge, dropped to her knees, and plunged her face into the icy water, gulping it in until her belly was full. Coming up for a breath, she looked at her surroundings and spotted a large fox in the distance.

To birds with one stone! Ayden thought. Supper is just down the stream. Her stomach grumbled with anticipation as she slowly backed into the coverings of the trees and silently made her way down to the fox. She jumped out and grabbed the fox by his tail. Startled, he yelped and turned to look at Ayden just in time to see the knife coming down to end his life. Suddenly, Ayden felt a hot fire in her hand that held the foxes tail and instinctively she let go with a shriek and fell backwards; then a cloud of smoke arose from where the fox stood snarling at her and an instant later she found a beautiful man with fox ears on top of her holding her at knife point with her own weapon.