303) The Salvation of Eden, Chapter 67 - Time Bubble, Magic, and Saying Good-bye

Her eyes forced themselves open. She blinked, trying to focus. The cabin was dead silent. She had no idea how much time had passed.

Details sharpened slowly. Everyone was sprawled on the floor, like corpses on a battlefield, except Grok, who was on her knees, still upright, eyes closed. A match floated into the air, lighting itself on a nearby stone, flaring into life, its meagre light penetrating the dark cabin. An incense stick floated up to it, and soon, smoke that smelled of cinnamon and baked bread filled the air.

Groans emanated from all around as the others slowly sat up, rubbing their heads, gazing at each other, wide-eyed, terrified, but grateful to feel air moving in and out of their lungs.

Grok remained on her knees, colour trickling back into her face before finally opening her eyes.

“Thank you, friends. That was close.”

Lenny was the first to respond. “What in the Hells was THAT??”

Grok’s gaze was pure compassion. “You’re right, Lenny. That was a creature from the Hells, an assassin forged out of pure Evil. Some would call it a Demon, although that’s a rather archaic understanding. My understanding of such entities is that they exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously, which is how it found us, because it is immune to Time. It must have been hunting you, probably since your encounter with what you call the Reaper. When we engaged the Hourglass and altered the flow of Time, I’m guessing it was attracted to the anomaly. And then, when I removed the poison of the Reaper from your minds, it pinpointed your location from the psychic disruption, which ironically was only possible because all other minds were frozen in this area. This was the targeting signal it needed.”

Blank stares all around, except Devona, who cleared her throat. “I’ve read about this kind of phenomenon. When entities are powerful enough, they can ‘read’ the Flux and pick up especially powerful signals.”

“Like seeing a lighthouse beacon?” Lenny asked.

Grok nodded. “Yes, sort of. You’re right, Devona. It’s how the entities that people call Gods, and other such powers, keep track of each other, but —”

“That was a GOD?!!” Melkorn blurted. Tears filled his eyes. This was just too much.

She shook her head. “No, most certainly not. But there are certain creatures, who can ‘read’, as Devona said, the Flux. Clearly, someone extremely powerful is after you, and sent this creature to hunt you.”

“I knew it!” Kohra shouted. “I knew Galen was hiding something!”

But Dominic interrupted, and she never got to explain herself. “We saw that…Demon Thing, once before.”

Grok turned to him sharply. “Impossible. You would never have survived.”

Lenny looked away, uncharacteristically subdued, remembering the Silver Lady.

“Yeah,” he continued. “Back in the Borderlands, we went to this blacksmith, Jorn Habaldson, and that Thing showed up moments later. It’s how, well she…uh, I don’t understand what happened, but the blacksmith lady, Jorn, she did something and there was all this light, and when I woke up, the four of us — me, Kohra, Lenny and Reilly, er, Squirrelly, we were in the back of Gorb’s wagon, hundreds of leagues away.

“The Black Thing!” Devona cried, slapping Gorb’s shoulder. “Remember how they were talking about the Black Thing?”

The old Klliik nodded. “Aye. An’ d’Silver Lady.”

“That was Jorn!” Dominic confirmed. “None of it made sense but…. Yeah, still none of it makes sense.”

“Someday, Dominic, when we have more time, you’ll have to tell me more about where you all come from, and what’s happened to you. Although I do have some suspicions. And yes, Jorn Habaldson is an associate of mine, although I know her by a different name. But this makes some sense now. I can see why you,” (turning to Gorb), “were sent to follow this Hooded Man. Someone hired you to chaperone these kids here, did they?”

He nodded, looking sheepish. “Aye. I dinna ken why I had to follow d’Hooded Man, but dat was de mission.”

“Mission?” Devona turned to Gorb. “What are you talking about? My parents said you were supposed to be protecting me!”

“Devona, there’s no time right now to answer all your questions,” Grok interjected. “Although I can appreciate that you do have many, and you deserve to get them answered. But first, we have a lot of very pressing things to do. Explanations will have to wait.”

She looked down at Reilly, and winked. “Just consider yourselves fortunate that you encountered some of the right people in your young lives.”

She paused, looking over at the hourglass, now sitting surrounded by bowls of water, faintly glowing crystals, scattered musical instruments and a huge mess of random objects. “We have about 15 hours left. And there’s still that whole problem of the army chasing you, remember?” She looked around at each of them.

“So first things first,” she decided. “We deal with this army problem, and then, hopefully there’ll be another day when we can figure out who’s after you, and why.”

“But, uh, Grok?” Kohra sounded tentative, like a child who just had a nightmare. “How did you, how did we stop it? And, are we safe now?”

She nodded. “Wind, water, and vibration, Kohra. That’s the basis of the World Song. Well, and love. It’s the most powerful magic I know. It’s been used by many cultures for a very long time, to ward off, or even trap, the spirits of Evil. It is said that with enough of those ingredients, you can vanquish any evil. Well, except the True Lords.”

“The…True Lords?” Devona asked. “I, I’ve never heard of them.”

Grok waved the question away. “For another time. Let me just say that legend has it that only one power, one Song, can defeat the True Lords, and knowledge of it has been lost since even before the Lost Age. But as the sages have foreseen, when our current Age ends, it will be through the machinations of the True Lords, and unless this Song is rediscovered, well, I don’t know. They say it will be the end. At least, the end of people.”

Stunned silence.

Then more silence.

Nobody knew how to bring any light into this conversation.

Melkorn’s stomach grumbled, audibly. “Uh, Miss Grok?” She looked up at him. “I dunno what you’re talking about, um, I’m sorry. Um…but can I have more soup?”

She laughed. Then they all did, as though thankful for the release. Except Melkorn; he didn’t see what was so funny about being hungry.

“Absolutely, Melkorn,” she grinned. He grinned back. “Help yourself; it’s on the stove. Mountain Yak Bone Soup. One of the best healing potions I know.”

Not long after, they all sat cross-legged on the floor, eating more soup, ready to talk strategy, the horrors of the Black Thing already fading to the background as the imminent horror of Graxia’s army swung into the foreground.

Lenny spoke first. “The only logical choice is to hide, or run away before they arrive.”

“And where in Eden can we go?” Devona challenged. “We can't go home! We can't go to Annuvin! We —”

“Annuvin!” Melkorn interrupted. “Melkorn is from Annuvin!  It is a good place!” He frowned.

“Yes Melkorn, Annuvin is great; I'd love to go back there,” Devona tried to reassure him. “It's just....” She faltered, then looked at the others. “Maybe we should return to Annuvin? We do have allies there.”

Grok shook her head. “It's certain death. She would either intercept you on the way or assassinate you in the town itself. And if not Graxia, then whoever gets hired to retrieve the sword. You can bet there's going to be a bounty on your heads, and every assassin, bounty hunter, and the-Gods-know-who-else, are going to be looking for you. And that person you stole from — Harbin?”

“Hargrin,” Devona corrected. 

“Right, Hargrin? She's clearly got no shortage of money. She's going to do everything in her power to get that sword back, and your heads on pikes. If the Zhaalmohhrians don’t find you first.”

Reilly started to cry. 

“Oh, I'm sorry, I’m not used to having young ones around,” Grok said awkwardly, patting Reilly on the shoulder. “There there, uh, I didn't really mean that.”

Reilly shot her a cynical look. “I'm not an idiot.” She dried her eyes, crossing her arms stubbornly. “Okay fine, we can't go to Annuvin. So where CAN we go?”

“I say we hide,” Kohra suggested. “Grok, you must know these mountains as well as anybody.  Take us to some cave or something, and we'll hide there for a while.”

Grok shook her head again. “It'll never work. Not with Zhaalmohhrians. She'll bring at least one Tracker; you can bet your life on it.”

She whistled. “Believe me, you don't want to be hiding in a cave when they find you.”

“So we can't hide; we can't go to Annuvin!” Devona yelled in frustration. “What CAN we do?”

Grok responded, more calmly than she felt. This was important. She needed them to open their minds. “As I see it, you have two options. Number one, you leave here and take your chances in the mountains. Not hiding, but staying on the move. I know a tribe whose hunting range extends into these mountains. They'll be able to take you so far into the Wild that nobody will find you. But I don't know what happens after that. You won't be able to come back to civilization for…a long time.”

“Not a chance!” Kohra exclaimed angrily. “Disappear into the Wilds for Gods-know-how-long? I want to go home! I want to see my brother! I want to find my parents! I want….” She crossed her arms, her jaw set, looking remarkably like Reilly. “No.” 

“There's a second option?” Devona asked gently. She put an arm over Kohra’s shoulder. She wanted to see her parents again too.

Grok paused, as if still deciding what to say. “Yes, there is.” She spoke slowly, measuring her words. “We attack her valley while she's out looking for you.”

Everybody started shouting in disagreement at once. It look quite a while before Grok had their attention again. “I hear you; I hear you all. This IS crazy sounding. But let me explain. I think it might be your best chance.”

“Attacking an armed encampment is our best chance?!” Dominic shouted. “It’s bloody suicide!” 

Grok held up her arms for quiet. “We've got about fourteen hours now, before Time re-starts. So listen. Let me explain. And THEN, you can reject it all you want.” A mischievous light flickered in her eyes for a moment; Lenny was the only one who noticed.

Grumbling, they quieted down, skeptical looks, frowns and stubbornly crossed arms all around.

“First, the very last thing Graxia would expect, especially right after you stole the Sword and barely escaped, is for you to attack. She'll assume you are a group of professional thieves, who got what they came for and are high-tailing it out of the mountains as fast as you can. And she'll want to stop you at all cost, so she'll bring most of her forces with her, leaving her valley most undefended. That gives you the advantage of surprise.”

“Plus, we can buy you extra time, by making the Archer Captain believe that you're heading for Annuvin. Then while Graxia and her army are heading in the wrong direction trying to catch up to you, with her stronghold mostly emptied of guards, we attack.”

 “But they'll come back!” Kohra protested. “We'll be trapped! And seriously Grok, we’re just kids! We can’t fight soldiers!”

Dominic raised an eyebrow, and Kohra caught it, snapping at him. “No way, Dom! Don’t you dare! I don’t care if we have already fought soldiers. I don’t care WHAT we have already fought. We have gotten SO LUCKY. The fact that we’re still alive is a freaking miracle! You KNOW I’m right. One arrow, Dom. One stab with a sword. One wrong move. One piece of bad luck, and one of us dies. Or all of us. So, no, no, no, no, no, you just shut the Hells up!”

Dominic looked away. He was hurt. And angry. Kohra was never this harsh. Although he had been pretty mean to her earlier, he remembered.

But he knew she was right. Now that the Reaper-madness had dissipated from his mind, he felt horrified at the risks they had taken. Even stealing the sword, as important as it was, was absurd. They never would have done it if they’d been thinking clearly. No, Kohra WAS right. They couldn’t do this.

Lenny cleared her throat. “We could make sure they can’t even get back into the stronghold. Collapse the tunnel, and trap her whole army in the mountains.”

Kohra flashed a look of fury like she was trying to stab her with her mind, but Lenny ignored her.

Devona smacked her own forehead. “My Gods, YES!” she shouted. “That’s brilliant, Lenny! They’ll be trapped out here! And, the Inheritance! Remember the Inheritance?”

Lenny’s eyes lit up while Devona explained. “We read in the library in Annuvin about the Zhaalmohhrian Inheritance, some super-secret knowledge or something that each Heir of the bloodline gets to inherit, IF they prove themselves worthy. If Graxia’s super-paranoid, as Grok told us earlier, AND she hasn’t gotten the Inheritance yet, then she probably doesn’t even have security in her own house! She’s probably hiding her incompetence from everybody until she proves her worth! That means IT IS STILL THERE!”

“By d’Light,” Gorb breathed, getting into the spirit. “D’explosives! Dat’s what she was buyin’, rrrremember?”

Dominic slapped his knee. “Yes! She is probably buying all those explosives for something that has to do with the Inheritance. We can beat her to it!”

“This is ridiculous!” Kohra interrupted. “You are all insane. You think a super-powerful head of a major crime family is going leave her super-secret treasure unguarded? And we’re going to just walk in, fight her ARMY, and steal it right from, what, her bedroom? Her secret treasure room? Come on! What is WRONG with all of you? She’s probably already sent for reinforcements! Her stronghold has been compromised. It’s going to be FILLED with soldiers, and sorcerers, and evil priests, and who knows? NO WAY! This is suicide. I’m heading for the mountains. I don’t even care what you say.” Pouting, arms crossed in defiance, she turned and faced the wall.

Grok spoke softly. “Kohra’s right. She will likely send for reinforcements.” Kohra glanced back, thankful she finally was hearing another voice of reason. But Grok continued. “Which is why we need to attack now. We’re in the middle of nowhere way out here. It’ll take days, probably a week or more, before any new reinforcements can get here. And, I don’t think she’ll send for them right away, to be honest.” She shook her head. “It’d be too embarrassing. Her family will be furious if they find out about her failure. She’ll want to fix this problem herself.”

Devona looked ready to jump up and attack the stronghold that very second. “Yes! Her own paranoia and secrecy are now OUR advantages!” She paused. “Dom! We’ll use her DOORS against her!”

He pumped his fist in the air, cackling like a mad scientist who just discovered the Secret to Life. “Yes! Doors will be her downfall!” And that was it. Dominic was committed.

“What if she’s not even coming for us?” asked Kohra, desperate to avoid this insanity becoming The New Plan. “What if she’s just sealing up her stronghold now?”

Reilly shook her head emphatically. “No way, Kohra. She HATES me, remember? She hates all of us!” She laughed, giddy, putting on her best Graxia imitation. “You will all die for this… Remember?”

Grok nodded. “And this sale of the Sword is undoubtedly the most important, high-profile deal that has ever happened to her. If she messes this up, she’ll never gain the respect of her family. They’ll probably mutiny. No, you’re right, Reilly. She’s coming. I’d bet anything on it.”

“I’m still going into the mountains,” Kohra muttered angrily. “You can all go and die if you want. And if you seal the tunnel and Graxia can’t get in, then you can’t get out, and sooner or later the Zhaals are going to find you, and you’ll be dead, and I’ll be living out in the Wild, eating Yak soup.”

Grok cleared her throat awkwardly. “Yes, um, okay, so, you're right about being trapped in the cavern. But I still think this is the right thing to do. After all, there must be some other way in and out. How did everyone else get there? Tthe merchants?”

“The river!” Dominic cried. “Of course! They have boats! We’ll break into her house, steal the Inheritance, jump in the boats, and be gone before she ever comes back!”

Melkorn nodded, grinning. “We can go fishing!”

Nobody paid him any attention, but Kohra could feel the others convincing themselves of this ridiculous plan. “Still sounds like suicide,” she muttered.

Everyone started talking again, but Grok shouted them down. “There’s ONE MORE THING!” She smiled devilishly. “Which is, I'll help you. I have some secrets of my own, you know.”

A simple iron key floated over from somewhere back in the cabin and down to the sword-bundle laying on the floor. The bundle unrolled itself, revealing the night-black sword with the frosty vine decorating its gleaming blade. The key sunk down until it touch the pommel, and promptly turned to dust. Grok looked at them triumphantly.

“What did you do?” Dominic asked.

She gave a knowing smile. “When Time resumes, we won’t have a screaming sword anymore.”

Grok stood up. “Now, we've got about thirteen hours left, maybe a little more if we’re lucky. Use it well. But don't go far from the cabin. It stretches the Time Bubble, and it can, well, I don't know what will happen. Let's not find out though, okay? I’ve got some things to prepare.” She turned to go, and then paused. “And everyone? Get some sleep. You’re going to need all your energy for what’s to come.” With that, she disappeared into the topsy-turvy mess of her cabin.

Lenny, Melkorn and Reilly didn’t need any encouragement, stretching out right there on piles of furs.

Dominic said he needed some time to think and went back to the dining table, taking the Sword with him. Once he was alone, he ran his fingers over the shiny black blade. It was breathtaking, a true work of art. He wondered why it had been decorated with such a delicate pattern of vines, and how in the worlds it was possible that such a beautiful thing could be the key to untold death and destruction.

Maybe there’s a lesson here. Every time I encounter the idea of “wisdom,” it’s always about balance: the balance between life and death, light and darkness, good and evil, law and chaos. Doors and freedom!

Too much of anything is “bad.” It’s out of balance.

When I stop and really think about things, I feel like I understand nothing. Maybe that’s another balance: knowledge and ignorance.

Maybe that’s why this sword is so beautiful, because it was forged for such an ugly purpose as killing. Or, maybe the killing itself is the balancing force.

He lay his head on the table, on the same level as the sword, gazing at the edge of the blade with one eye.

I thought I was a preserver of Life, of the Wild. But I did also train in hunting. Death is part of Life.

Maybe this sword is the balancing force in my life. I have a feeling it’s going to be with me for a long time. It’s going to make me learn to confront danger in a different way. I can’t just snipe from a distance, if I’m going to wield this sword. I am going to have to stand up to danger and meet it head-on. Like Melkorn.

He smiled to himself. Well, maybe not quite like Melkorn.

He fell asleep slumped over the table, one hand still resting on the black blade.

* * * * *

Kohra and Devona decided this was their opportunity to take a leap forward in Shaping. They understood the basic lessons of Grok’s book of Old Magic, or believed they did at least. Now it was time to practice.

Besides, when the Time Bubble burst and normal life restarted, they were going to be in a fight for their lives. It was now or never.

Devona decided to jump to Lesson Four and focus on what she still insisted was Surrendering. She believed it was the Ultimate Lesson, the one that transcended all the others. Kohra decided to practice Magnifying. She reasoned that maybe, if she learned to coordinate the Flux more precisely she could, well, she didn’t really know, but that’s what she decided. After all, it WAS the second lesson. There was probably a reason they were in that order.

As they sat side-by-side, poring over the symbols of their sections, Kohra felt a little like a failure. Maybe Dev was right in going straight to Surrendering. Kohra had wanted to study it with her, to truly practice together, but the truth was, she just didn’t understand it. The symbols didn’t make sense to her. It was like reading a complicated recipe and kinda-sorta understanding all the words but having no clue how to follow the instructions. Dev seemed so confident though. As usual, Kohra felt like she was in her shadow.

But, there were four lessons, after all. Not just one. So maybe it made sense to work on separate parts. Maybe they would best complement each other that way. After all, wasn’t Dominic always going on about how “wisdom is balance” or something like that? Maybe they were to balance each other, like those acrobats she remembered from the traveling circus, using their bodies to counter-weight each other so that together they could accomplish feats that would be impossible for either to manage alone.

She realized she wasn’t paying any attention to the book, just sitting there thinking about things, as she always did. Dev seemed to notice, looking up and smiling at her. Kohra swore she felt her heart beat a little faster. She looked into her friend’s honey-brown eyes, smiling back.

“Well, we ended up with quite the interesting set of people, didn't we?” Dev cocked an eyebrow; Kohra continued. “I mean, think back to Ms. B’s classes. That’s where we got the wacky idea of studying ‘Old Magic’ in the first place. Remember? And now here we are, sitting in a Time Bubble, studying Old Magic.”

Devona laughed happily. “Yes, there's something almost preordained about our friendship. Don’t you think? Like, what are the odds that we would find each other in this lifetime? Two people from such different places, such different ancestries. You, a half-Elf, half-Human, me a descendant of the Tendairn Riders, both of us separated from our homelands. Both brought together by Ms. B. It’s like….” She smiled again, meeting Kohra's eyes. “Okay, this is corny, I know, but it’s like this was meant to be.” She laughed. “I keep wondering if you’re going to ask me if I have the other half of a secret amulet.”

Kohra laughed with her. This felt good. Real. “One thing that's come out of all this…. I don't know how to say it. But we’re a team. No, even more than a team. We’re like, family.”

Devona nodded. Kohra wanted to reach out and touch the curls that spilled over her friend’s shoulder, but resisted, feeling her face getting hot. “And you, Dev. Learning with you, practicing with you and Lenny. It’s.…” She looked away, knowing she was blushing furiously. “Just, thanks for being here with me.”

There was a long silence. They both stared blankly at their pages of symbols. 

“Are we really more than a team?” Devona asked quietly.

“Uh, what?” Kohra knew what she meant. She just had no idea how to respond.

No, she did know; she just couldn’t say it.

“Like, you and I,” Devona started, then stopped. She looked up at Kohra, but Kohra didn’t, couldn’t, meet her eyes. “Are you and I any...different...than like, um, you know?”

Kohra finally reached out and put one hand on Devona’s, intending it to be just for a moment. She felt a current of warmth pass into her, like a purring cat sitting on her chest. She didn't want to say any more. It would make this moment either worse or better, either a terrible let-down that she didn't know how she would handle, or a possibility that she couldn’t, just couldn’t, let herself think was real.

You can't say yes, Kohra. You can't say no. She's looking at you. Say something! Say what's in your heart. Even if she doesn't feel the same, say it, get it out….

“Um, can we, I guess, maybe we have a lot to talk about...?” She smiled. Devona broke into a full smile in response. Kohra laughed. “This is ridiculous.”

“Yep. Totally nuts,” Devona replied matter-of-fact.

“I’m, I just want you to know how I feel, um, hahaha, I sound so stupid!”

“Yep.” Devona replied in exactly the same tone of voice as before. Kohra laughed again.

She felt a trickle of sweat run down her back. Devona took her hand, and held it.

“Um,” Kohra finally stammered, looking back at her page. “This page, Dev, uh, can I ask you? I, um, I think I understand this part over here.” She pointed to a section of symbols. “Isn’t this the same as the symbols for the intro-lesson? Remember, lighting the candle?”

Devona’s gaze lingered on her face for a few more seconds, then turned back to the book, to the symbols Kohra had pointed out. She still held Kohra’s hand, her heart pounding out a rhythm worthy of a dance hall. She wanted so much to say more, about...them.

But, this was perfect, the perfect first step. Although she knew in her heart, the true “first step” had been years ago, when they were just kids, sitting in Ms. B’s class as she led them through a guided meditation exercise, laying side by side with the rest of the class on the warm hardwood floor. She smiled inwardly as she studied the symbols, nodding. Kohra was with her. She knew it.

* * * * *

The next few hours flew by. Devona was pretty sure she had figured out what Surrendering was all about. It was her core practice after all, and so much more powerful than mere Shaping. She hoped Kohra would understand one day, would see things her way, because otherwise, inevitably, Kohra would fall behind her. And how could they be Arch-Mages together, if Kohra stayed stuck in a more rudimentary approach?

She opened to the Flux, practicing her new understanding, feeling the mortality behind her breath, and putting it aside, opening, allowing more power in, feeling herself expanding. It was…ecstasy.

“Dev? You okay?” Kohra was looking at her with concern. “You suddenly started breathing all weird.”

Devona smiled. “I’m fine; don’t worry. Just practicing what I learned.” Her eyes glittered. “There’s so much POWER in this lesson! I can’t wait to use it! To see what I can do!”

Kohra smiled back. She was’t sure what to say. When Dev talked like that, it was like she was a different person. Kohra couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Dev probably knows what she’s doing. She does understand the Flux a lot better than me.

“How about you?” Devona asked. “What did you learn?”
Kohra hesitated. She wasn’t sure what she’d learned exactly. It was so complex. It was like a whole new language. She’d gotten glimpses of what it meant to Magnify but…. “I don’t think I can explain very well. Uh, okay, here, place your hand above mine, palm down.”

Devona grabbed her hand, squeezing it. Kohra blushed, and they both burst out laughing.

“No, seriously, just, maybe two finger-spans above? Yeah, just like that. Hold it there. Now, feel this.”

Devona nodded, then after a moment, exclaimed, “I feel your ForceBall!” She smiled encouragingly. I don’t get it, Kohra. This is exactly what you could do before.

Then it moved, like Kohra was rolling it around on her hand.

“Ohhhkay.” Devona tried to sound positive. “That’s cool! Uh, what else can you do with it?”

Kohra looked down, frowning, the ball dissipating. “I’m…not sure. It’s complicated. Magnifying takes a lot of concentration and just kind of, like, sharpens the feeling of the Flux? It’s like, instead of it just being a ball, it’s more like, like clay or something. Maybe more like watery-clay. I don’t know. But it feels different somehow, like I can feel it moving around in a different way.”

She felt her eyes getting wet and stared fixedly at the ground. She was sure Dev was looking at her with disappointment, especially after her own leap forward into Surrendering.

Sometimes I wonder why I even try. I obviously suck at this.

Lenny’s voice interrupted the moment, calling out from somewhere in front of the cabin. They rushed over, expecting the worst.But as soon as they opened the door, Kohra gasped. Beside her, Devona’s mouth literally dropped open in wonder. Never had they seen anything so beautiful.

Snow.

It had been snowing when they turned the hour-glass and now, the flakes hung motionless in the dark sky, suspended, like worshippers deep in silent prayer, a million tiny pinpoints of sparkling stillness.

Lenny stood a few paces out in the snow, arms spread wide, gazing straight up into the sky. “This is amazing!”

Holding hands, Kohra and Devona stepped into the snow, giggling and gasping as the flakes floofed into the air, then freezing into motionlessness again immediately, leaving snow splashes hanging in tiny curtains as they walked, each step creating an amphitheatre of crystalline beauty.

“Watch this!” Lenny cried. She concentrated, thrusting her fingers together into a spout, and a funnel of cold air burst from her hands, spraying a huge curtain of snow into the air, which then stopped, suspended again like a ghostly veil. She laughed, blasting snow in all directions, creating walls of suspended snowflakes, and then running through them, leaving perfect outlines of her body.

Reilly came to the door and shrieked with glee, dashing outside and jumping into the snow, laughing and hooting. Kohra packed a snowball and threw it at Reilly, but it stopped a mere inch from her hand, floating motionless. Soon, everyone was outside, hollering, jumping, falling, diving, throwing handfuls of snow that went nowhere, exploding snowballs by smashing them against a tree and then watching them freeze, like a firework captured in mid-explosion.

At the end, they all lay in the snow, looking up at the scintillating sky. Kohra smiled to herself, pure gratitude warming her from within.

Today was a good day. A magical day. Whatever happens tomorrow, we really Lived today.

* * * * *

Shortly before the Time Bubble ended, Grok went out to Sea and Sky's room alone, petting them one last time, even though she knew they couldn’t feel it. But there’d be no time to do it later.

Then she went over to the Hooded Man’s stallion, and tied a cord around his neck, fastening a small leather pouch to it. A note for Coraanyan was tucked inside. She knew the stallion would know the way, and hopefully it had the sense to escape while it had the chance.

Walking over to the main barn, she opened the latches and gates to all the pens, propping the outer doors open. She didn’t know what would happen to her animals, but at least they’d be free.

Then she returned to Sea and Sky one last time. Kneeling down in front of their fireplace, she bent her face close to the floor, smelling the straw, then broke down crying. She was sure she would never see this home again.

“Goodbye, old friends.”