It feels strangely nostalgic to be updating a story I forgot about for about half a year...Anyways, I think things should finally begin to work out. Enjoy :)

Chapter Fifteen: Uncomfortable Realizations

It had been several hours since Shade and his companions had passed the forest that smelled of withering leaves and rotting bark. Though there was no sun in this world, Shade could feel the darkness drawing closer as his strength threatened to give in and send him tumbling, spiraling down into the ground. But then he would never wake up. He would be trapped here forever. No. Shade could not accept that. He needed to help Chinook and his parents find the Tree. He couldn't bear to see the look of grey, distant hopelessness in Chinook's eyes if they never reached their destination, when they had pushed themselves so hard, when they went through so much pain just to get here.

Shades thoughts were briefly interrupted by Chinook's seemingly cheerful chatter. He was conversing happily with his parents, talking about his adventures of how he came to this place, this dark, dreary Underworld. Shade smiled sadly. Life was just a series of adventures to Chinook, hmm? Little did he know that life usually didn't feel this way, it felt disconnected and strange, often times, it felt like pages ripped off of different books and strewn together, in a way that it just couldn't seem to be comprehended.

"And you wouldn't believe how long it took for us to get here -Shade, didn't we have to fly across an entire ocean just to get to that forest in the Upper World?"

He chuckled and shook his head.

"No, Chinook, it was just a very large lake. Your impatience just made every day feel like an eternity to you..."

Chinook sighed and felt a bit embarrassed. But he quickly toughened up and grinned proudly at his parents.

"I just couldn't wait to see you guys again. I really missed our family, the way things had been. It's still hard, you know, not knowing what may happen next..."

Isis flew closer to her son and nudged his ear affectionately.

"No matter what happens, we will always be with you. Maybe not physically, but in our hearts. Never again will the three of us ever be apart. Never again,"

Plato shook his head at his mate, playfully bumping wings with Chinook.

"Ah, Isis, you're making the boy tear up. Come on, enough with the mushy stuff. But she is right. We are a family. We will always be in this together. Don't fear what happens next, my son. You don't have to worry about that,"

Chinook smiled weakly and nodded.

"Thanks, Dad. And Mom, you too. I don't know what I'd have done if I didn't get to see you guys just one last time,"

The scenery seemed to have shifted, getting slightly lighter, warmer. There was the muted yellows of dead, matted grass, the dried, flaky reds and browns of rocks. They had entered a field, nearing a distant canyon that seemed to echo with voices, several voices of bats. Chinook pounded his wings faster, getting excited. Shade flew alongside him, telling him to slow down, to wait for his parents. He quickly decelerated and joined his parents once more, mumbling words of apology. They didn't seem to be upset, just telling him to keep pace with them.

"The canyon is a dangerous place, but we need to travel through it reach the Tree. We cannot stay there too long. Don't listen to the chatter of the bats inside. It's a trap," Shade warned them.

"What kind of trap?" Chinook asked.

"Hypnosis, mind control, hallucinations, illusions...something of the sort," Shade mumbled.

Chinook didn't understand half the words he said, but he did know mind control. And that sounded anything but fun. He needed to be careful. If Shade had once fallen prey to those things, he'd probably get sucked into it twice as fast.

The voices grew louder, sounding like a melodious choir of golden, sweet hymns. It was beautiful, but quite frightening, the notes tumbling seemingly chaoticly, but still rhythmically together to form a fortress of echoing sounds. These voices could paint forests, carve mountains, churn oceans, build cities. Never had Chinook heard such beautiful voices surrounded him, in silver and gold.

They entered the canyon and the voices were magnified a hundred times over until they seemed to smother him with sound, twisting and turning like a wind that curved over his figure over and over again. It was actually beginning to become uncomfortable and Chinook wanted all but to submit himself to someplace quiet, anywhere, anywhere but here. He noticed his parents as well, cowering in pain and suffering. It was only Shade who was unaffected, flying with resilient eyes, his wings repeating their strong, sure tempo as if nothing had happened. Here was a true leader. Chinook was envious, painfully envious. It wasn't fair.

"Shade! I can't think, we need to go somewhere quiet-

"-We're almost there! Keep going, keep up with me, "

Chinook breathed heavily and nodded, flapping harder, shouting for his parents to go faster.

They were at their bare limits when suddenly the voices disappeared. All was silent. Chinook thought he'd gone deaf until he heard the familiar flapping of wings around him. His mother and father were with him. Shade flew in front. They were flying in peace again. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are we almost out of here?"

Shade nodded.

"Yes, I believe so. But still, don't lose your focus. There may still be dangerous lurking ahead,"

They flew in silence for several moments until a soft voice emerged from the dark corners of the canyon. The voice echoed and bounced off the walls, entering Chinook's ears. He tried to shake it off, but there was something about that voice that was so beautiful and startlingly familiar. Before he knew it, he veered off the path and entered the darkness. Shade called after him, but his voice soon died down and faded away. Chinook's parents also cried out for him but it was in vain. Shade sighed in frustration and pounded after him.

Chinook. Where are you? Chinook...

He flew in circles nervously, trying to find the bearer of the voice. She had to be here somewhere, he was sure of it. She was hiding from him. He just needed to find her...!

"Marina...? Marina! I'm here. I'm right here! Can't you see me...?!" He cried anxiously.

Chinook. You're here. I'm so happy. You finally came.

"Where are you? I need to see you...!"

Come closer. Yes, this way. I'm over here. Oh, Chinook. How I've missed you so...

"I missed you too, Marina...! Where are you? "

Suddenly there she was, the love of his life, more beautiful than she had ever been before. Her eyes glistened with tears, tears of love and pain, of miserable longing. He wanted to erase those tears, he didn't want to see her cry a moment longer.

He rushed into her wings. They held each other in a tight, lovely embrace. Everything about Marina was beautiful, from her joyful voice to her soft, warm scent, to her graceful shell shaped ears. He missed her so much and no matter how hard he tried to hide it, he still had feelings for her, he still loved her with a love that hurt so much. He just wished, no, he needed for her to feel the same.

"Marina, I know you love Shade, but I still love you..." He whispered helplessly.

Mmm...I know, Chinook. You have always loved me. I have known this from the beginning.

"I just, I-I just want you to know that, I, I wish we could, you know, maybe-

She chuckled, smiling softly at him. Her eyes shone with emotion.

You want to be my mate? Is that that what you're trying to tell me, Chinook?

"Well, I, um-

It's alright. I know how you feel. After all these years, I realized that I feel it too...

"R-Really? Are you serious, Marina? Do you really love me too...? " Chinook sputtered excitedly.

Oh, Chinook. Would I lie to you?

He chuckled, tears in his eyes.

"Marina, I-

Suddenly Shade burst into the room.

"Chinook...! What are you doing?!" He exclaimed angrily.

"Shade! Why are you here...?" Chinook asked, bewildered.

"You have to get out of here- we don't have much time-

"-No, Shade. I need to stay here. With Marina,"

Shade looked at him, confused.

"...What are you talking about? "

"She's right here...! Can't you see her?!"

Shade looked around. Marina was nowhere in sight. He froze. The hallucinations must have begun.

"Chinook, you have to leave her-

"-I love her, Shade... You can't just expect me to leave her after all of that!"

"...All of what? "

Chinook looked at him desperately, impatiently.

"L-Look, you would never get it. Just leave, alright? Leave me and Marina alone,"

"Marina is not actually here- it's a trick, Chinook...! The voices are lying to you-

"Get out, Shade! I never want to here you talk about Marina like that ever again...! "

"Chinook-

"Get out...!"

Shade sighed and turned around, flying away from him.

"What about your parents, Chinook? " He called over his shoulder.

"My parents are dead, Shade. There is nothing I can do about it,"

With a swift jerk, Shade turned around and pounded towards Chinook until he smashed him into a canyon wall. Then right before Chinook slipped from consciousness, Shade flipped him over and carried him on his back. The illusions were really quite irritating, Shade thought. He hated this stupid canyon.

As Shade flapped furiously, the weight of Chinook quite unbearable on his back, he thought of when they would really reach the Tree. Chinook, you idiot, what am I going to do with you...? Shade wondered as he caught sight of Plato and Isis again. They were relieved he had saved Chinook from the voices. Shade mumbled it was nothing.

With an anxious swiftness, they left the canyon behind.

When Chinook regained consciousness, he thanked Shade profusely for potentially saving his life. Shade shook his head and mumbled it was alright. Plato was a little disappointed in Chinook, while Isis was just grateful everyone was safe and happy. Shade reminded her, they still had a length of the journey that wasn't finished. She nodded, looking bravely into the distance.

They had taken refuge on one of the trees, they'd flown by, for they were all getting quite tired from everything that had happened. When Plato and Isis had fallen asleep, Chinook nudged Shade gently with his wing tip.

"Hey. I have to tell you something,"

Shade yawned and looked at him with partly closed eyes.

"Hmm...? What is it?"

"You know, I really do owe you my life, so I was thinking-

Shade spun around and looked at him with serious eyes.

"-No, Chinook. You know I would never let you do that-

"Who are you kidding; Marina misses you like crazy. She doesn't really love me, Shade, she loves you. I'm going to be honest with you, she has never been the same since you left. Please, Shade, it's the least I can do-

"I won't let you sacrifice your own life for me, you can't convince me-

"I will convince you, Shade. I can do that much. Let me tell you something. I'm not completely sure, but I heard about something that you may be interested in knowing. But I won't tell you until you agree to take my life force as your own,"

Shade glared at him painfully.

"What would your parents think...?!"

"I will let them enter the Tree before I do so they won't know,"

Shade would not say anything for several moments. Chinook waited patiently.

Finally, he sighed heavily and looked past the the sky, into the bright points of light that looked like stars.

"If I agree, promise me you won't regret your decision. I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering whether you are upset with what you decided,"

Chinook nodded.

"Fair enough. This is about Marina. I heard that she left Griffin to find you-

"No, Chinook-

"-That's not all. I also heard she found something that could go back in time and she is using it so she can go with you into the Underworld to rescue Griffin,"

Shade froze, taking this information in. There was no way he could let this pass.

"What should I do, Chinook...?" He sighed.

"You need to get back to the world of the living, destroy this machine and return everything back to normal. I don't think it will be that simple, but find the machine first. Then before tinkering with it, find out what the different things on the machine do. You don't want to do something that will make matters worse than they are now,"

Shade paused, looking at him strangely.

"How do you know all of this...?"

Chinook sighed, talking even quieter than he had before.

"Ever since you disappeared, I have been having really unusual dreams. Dreams about things that haven't yet happened, I think. I cannot be sure they are true but something is telling me they aren't wrong. I need your help in this, Shade. You have to stop this,"

Shade was unable to come to terms with what was going on. Everything was happening too fast, too soon. He couldn't make sense of it all. Chinook's answers only left him with more questions.

"Tell me anything else you remember," Shade replied.

"Goth is also after this object, as is a girl, a wolf and an owl. But your main concern is Goth and saving Marina,"

Shade took a deep breath and closed his eyes trying to calm himself down.

"Oh, and one more thing. Forget about saving Griffin. That is no longer possible,"

Shade snapped his eyes open from shock.

"What happened to him...?!"

"There was a problem with the machine. Griffin went too far back in time and he was reborn,"

Shade looked him confusedly, unable to grasp what he was saying. Chinook took a deep breath and sighed, not knowing how else to word it.

"He became Human,"