Chapter 69: Ch. 69 – Inside the Heart

Raven laid in bed naked, resting but not asleep. I laid next to her, propped up on a hand, and ran my fingers over the smooth skin of her toned stomach. The final rays of sunlight spilled in through the windows though both of us were trying to ignore that fact.

 

Katye and I decided to wait a week before attempting the final trial and it was the sunset of the special day. We told Madi that we were going to the bunkers to treat an illness that was spreading through one of them, and we would use our powers to get there, so they would have the rover. While I did not like having to go back to lying, I also knew that she was too young to really understand and there was no need to worry her about us.

 

"I'm a little over wishing you luck before you go off on some dangerous adventure," Raven said softly, opening her eyes.

 

I chuckled lightly as I leaned over and kissed her collarbone gently. "If stopping could mean that we would be safe, I would."

 

"I know," she sighed as she ran her fingers through my hair.

 

I rested my chin on her chest, so I could look up at her, and asked, "When we get back, would you want to go flying? We can sneak out one night after Madi is asleep. I can't get you to space yet, but the view is still amazing."

 

"Sure," she agreed with a light smile.

 

We stayed in bed for a while longer, but we still had to get up, dressed, and head down to the others. Katye was cooking dinner while Echo and Madi worked on a puzzle at the dining table. We joined them at the table and helped with the puzzle until Katye brought over the food. 

 

"How long are you going to be gone?" Madi asked while we ate.

 

"We aren't sure; it will depend on how quickly we can stop the spread of the illness and find the source. Becca's healing magic should be able to heal everyone, but it will take time to treat everyone," Katye replied.

 

Madi pouted, but I tussled her and said, "We'll hurry back as quick as we can, and we'll even take a long break from our training when we get back."

 

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

 

"Really, really," I chuckled.

 

That pacified Madi for the rest of the meal, but she was still sad when it was time for us to go. I kissed Raven goodbye then gave Madi a hug while Katye did the same, but with Echo. Afterwards, we took a few steps back as we activated our Shadow Skin and then slipped into the Shadow Realm. The other day, we had made another passage into the cave from Katye's and Echo's room that we had hidden behind a dresser, so that was where we headed to since the mountainside was difficult to pass through due to the abundant natural mana in it, but the dresser did not have that problem, so we phased through it and stepped back into the real world.

 

Katye and I walked quietly down the stairs, both of us silently preparing ourselves. The room in the chamber with the door to the labyrinth had two new sets of metal armor and a dozen weapons of different sizes and weights since we were not sure what would be effective against the guardians. We put on our armor and then I summoned Ishu.

 

"You summoned me," Ishu said when he appeared.

 

"I did. We are activating the final trial and are expecting a fight, so I want you to back us up. When you sense the rising sun, I want you to return to this location and update whichever of our partners is present; you've seen them once or twice," I replied.

 

"I understand," he replied, drawing his daggers.

 

I gave him a nod and picked up the weapons. The three of us headed down into the labyrinth and Katye grabbed the four crystal keys that we kept at the bottom of the stairs. We made our way down the long corridors with the only sound being the tapping of our boots on the stone which was slowly building the tension inside of us.

 

As we approached the vault, the two silver guardians came into view. With their hulking size and metallic form, they were intimidating to say the least. Ishu led the way but stopped us about fifteen feet from the pedestal. He made a gesture with his hands then spread them out as the same deep-blue flame-like energy circled out, ringing the pedestal in a thirty-foot circle.

 

"Stepping into this ring with the keys will begin the trial," he explained.

 

"Alright," I replied, setting down the bundle of weapons. "So, what do you want, Katye?"

 

"I don't know... I doubt anything will scratch them," Katye sighed.

 

"That's why I made this," I chuckled as I picked up the large, two-handed hammer.

 

"I'm telling you; you're going to have problems with that since you've never used it before."

 

"That's why I brought the rest, but something like this can bring out my strength which we will probably need."

 

Katye sighed, picking up a pair of batons that were similar to the twin swords she used to carry. She held them in one hand while the other held the pouch with the crystal keys, and I shouldered the large hammer. I gave her a nod and we both stepped into the circle.

 

Immediately, a silver smoke started billowing out of the pouch and Katye tossed it just before it ignited in silver flames. The leather pouch burned away within a second and the four crystal keys looked like they were on fire as they floated around the pedestal, releasing an endless amount of smoke that swirled around inside the thirty-foot circle. Katye and I started coughing almost right away and something about the smoke made my body feel heavy and tired. Within a matter of moments, the two-handed hammer tumbled out of my hands and Katye dropped her weapons as well. My head spun and I felt myself fall to my knees, but it was disconnected as my mind was pulled from my body...

 

I woke up in a cave on a pile of furs with a warm, strong body pressed up behind me. It was only lit by the dying embers of the campfire, but I still recognized where I was, Lincoln's cave. I shifted around and found Lincoln waking up due to my movement. He gave me a loving smile as he ran his fingers through my hair and leaned in to kiss me, but I stopped him.

 

"What is wrong?" he asked.

 

"This isn't right. You died... in my arms," I said confused since my memories were hazy.

 

"It was just a bad dream, ai hodnes (my love). Everything is fine."

 

There was a certain charm to his words that were begging me to believe them, but it had the opposite effect. Something inside of me sensed the foreign energy that was trying to manipulate my mind. My Soul stirred on its own and my memories cleared. Suddenly, the world around me changed, and I was inside Mount Weather with Lincoln in my arms, the bleeding hole in his chest. Bellamy was at my side, Kane and Raven were behind computer stations, and there were a dozen Grounder and Skaikru warriors through the room, but all of them seemed frozen in time.

 

"This is the place where you let me die," Lincoln said.

 

"It is," I agreed. "If it happened now, I would have been able to save you."

 

"From the moment that I found you at the bottom of that ravine to this one, you used me to survive," he accused.

 

"I did, and for that, I'm sorry. I loved you, even if it was not the same way that you loved me, and I wanted to protect you, but I couldn't."

 

Lincoln's eyes flashed with a blue light and his expression softened as he said, "You still carry the guilt, but you are no longer shackled by it. Let it all go, ai hodnes; I have no hatred towards you and there is nothing that I would change."

 

"I'll never forget you or the kindness of your heart," I promised.

 

"I know," he said, placing a hand on my cheek. "Ge smak duan (Get knocked down)…"

 

"Gyon op nodotaim (Get back up)," I replied, echoing the words that he, and Indra, had said to me numerous times in the beginning of my training.

 

His body dissolved into motes of dark blue lights and then the world around me faded into darkness. Again, something tried to cloud my mind, but my Soul defended me from the attempts on its own.

 

The darkness gave away to dark forest lit by torches. Although there was no one present, that I could see, this location was burned into my memory. I was drawn to Nia's throne-like chair under the oak tree and could not help but take my position at the left side. The ring of torches burned, lighting up the surroundings, and I could see a lone figure standing on the edge of the firelight.

 

"Have you also come to haunt me, Finn?" I asked since he was the only person that would be related to this location.

 

There was a subtle flash of blue that was likely from his eyes, and he stepped into the light. His throat was still cut, but he gave me the same crooked smile that he always did when he had been up to some kind of mischief.

 

"No... you accepted my death long ago even if you hated yourself for it. Take care of Clarke and Raven for me, alright?" he requested.

 

"Of course," I promised.

 

He gave me a nod as his body dissolved in a similar manner as Lincoln's had. I was not surprised when the world faded to blackness yet again and something tried to reach into my mind, but it was fought off again with no real struggle from me. What was surprising was where I found myself for the third time.

 

I was in my apartment, the tiny, suite apartment that Rebecca Cox had lived in for ten years. Every detail of my old home was recreated perfectly, from the stack of games leaning against my PlayStation to my sleeping cat in a basket of dirty clothes by the front door, ready to take down to the laundry.

 

"Not what I would have expected for one of his 'little sisters'," a voice said from the side.

 

I looked towards the sound and found 'myself', standing in the hallway. The woman looked exactly as I had in my past life. Dark brown hair shaved into a fauxhawk, pale skin, green eyes, and a lanky frame which emphasized my awkward and reclusive nature. She walked over to me and sat down in one of the folding chairs.

 

"Are you here because of my self-hatred?" I asked.

 

"I would have been, but you've already advanced beyond what I can manipulate with Master's restriction. Eight months to create a Dusa form through emotional reactions alone... Impressive."

 

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"Are you like Asad? A goddess that works for my brother?"

 

"You must have really done something to coax that old furball into showing himself, but then again, he was probably interested in the embryonic form. What I can tell from your memories, it was fueled through hatred, so he likely hoped that you would be like him," she chuckled. "You may refer to me as Mimic; I'll be the one overseeing all of your Soul trials like this one, but don't expect the next to be so easy. Master will adjust the level of restrictions for the next world."

 

"How many of those like you and Asad are a part of this?" I asked.

 

"Enough," she replied with a smirk.

 

"Do you know why he chose me, and not just because I am his 'little sister'?"

 

"I do," she said, still with the amused smile on her face.

 

"And you're not going to tell me what that reason is," I sighed.

 

"Correct."

 

"Then why are you talking with me at all?"

 

"You ruined my fun by already awakening your Dusa form completely, so I decided to come bother you while your companion entertains me."

 

"You better not hurt her," I growled.

 

"Or what? You'll hurt me? You are barely an ant in my eyes with only the strength to make me itch. Katye is going through her own Soul Trial, facing her inner demons, just as you did, but unlike you, she doesn't have a Dusa form, so she must defeat them on her own," Mimic chuckled.

 

"Why? What is the meaning behind this trial?"

 

Mimic only gave me a taunting smile and I could feel my frustration rising quickly.

 

"If you can't test me or tell me anything, then let me go," I said.

 

"No can do. The trial will continue until both of you have completed it, and those aren't my rules so no changing them."

 

I gave an annoyed sigh and closed my eyes. I tried to sense my mana or Soul Power, but there was nothing, almost making me feel empty inside. The sound of chuckling entered my ears, and I opened an eye to glare at the woman wearing my old body.

 

"Your mind is within my Domain, not your physical body. Your Soul may be able to block my weakened attempts at influencing you, but I can still stop you from manifesting any of your powers."

 

"Why? Why are you toying with me?"

 

"It is my nature," she replied with a smirk.

 

I gave another annoyed huff and shut my eye. I may not have been able to access my powers, but I could still attempt to meditate, or so I had hoped. Mimic seemed determined to distract me as she would whistle or bang the coffee table every couple of minutes randomly to throw off my concentration. I knew that she was just trying to get a rise out of me, so I did my best to ignore her, but my anger was slowly mounting, and her snickering only made it worse. Despite my efforts to stay calm, after twenty or thirty minutes my patience was at its limits.

 

"Will you stop?!?" I shouted, stomping my foot against the coffee table.

 

The table flew off and crashed into my television stand, destroying both. I was shocked by the amount of strength that I had shown since I did not think I had hit it that hard. Mimic gave an impressed whistle and grinned.

 

"I guess that's why people say don't anger a dragon," she chuckled. "Our time is up, I'm afraid. I am looking forward to our next meeting when I can use a fraction of my true power. I hope you continue to surprise me."

 

Like Lincoln's and Finn's bodies, Mimic dissolved into motes of light as the world around me faded to darkness. My eyes blinked open, and I found myself laying on the cool, blue-gray stone ground. Katye's eyes opened at the same, but while I calmly sat up, Katye pushed herself and practically scrambled away.

 

"Are you okay, Katye?" I asked with concern.

 

Katye looked around, taking a few deep breaths, then nodded her head and asked, "What happened?"

 

"Well, if Mimic is to be believed, the trial was not a physical fight, but an internal one. Did you face something that you regretted or feared, maybe even a version of your old self?"

 

"Yeah, something like that," she said softly.

 

Before I could ask anything else, the sound of metal scraping against stone could be heard and both of us looked up at the vault doors. When the golden doors were fully opened, the two silver guardians moved their spears so that they were no longer blocking the way. A strong, yet flickering green light spilled into the corridor, but the flood of energy felt like a tidal wave.

 

"Ishu," I said, looking away from the vault. "How long were we out?"

 

"Four hours," he replied.

 

"That long?!?" I asked, shocked.

 

"That short?!?" Katye exclaimed at the same.

 

"It was a Heart's Demon trial. Time is subjective while you experience it," he explained.

 

"That bitch was just fucking with me," I growled. Katye gave me a confused look and I sighed, shaking my head. "I met another being like Asad since my Dusa form shielded me from being truly affected by the trial. She used my past life's appearance to manifest herself then taunted me until I broke something. Now I have another reason to punch Tori in the face, not that I needed any more."

 

Katye scoffed, shaking her head, "We're nowhere near the level to do that."

 

"Mark my words, I will do it one day," I promised.

 

She rolled her eyes and stood up, having recovered from the trial. I stood up as well and glanced at Ishu, who seemed to be absorbed in his own thoughts, which was unusual for him.

 

"Well then, are you ready to collect our prize?" I asked.

 

"Yeah... let's see what was worth all of this," Katye agreed.

 

Katye and I walked towards the vault, leaving Ishu behind who seemed to almost be frozen if not for the occasional muttering. Still, I left him as he was and walked along with Katye towards the vault. What we found inside was certainly not what I had been expecting.

 

Inside, was a natural looking cavern except that there were cave paintings on the wall. In the middle of the cavern, there was a brick-like, circular pattern that was ringed by a massive emerald flame, mostly underground," that was the source of the light. Katye walked over to the nearest wall and touched the cave painting which just looked like a jumble of runes to me.

 

"These are the symbols that are on the Anomaly Stone," Katye said.

 

"Hmmm... Did the show ever go into detail about where Cadogan found it originally?" I asked.

 

"Not that I can remember, but I didn't watch the prequel that aired after the show finished."

 

"If this was where it was hidden originally, that could be the reason why Shallow Valley survived when the rest of the world burned, outside of Tori's meddling."

 

"You know what else this means, right?" she asked with a sober tone. "There is no escaping the Final War. This story will end with it."

 

"We already knew this," I replied, walking towards the emerald fire which was the source of the strong energy that was overwhelming my senses. "The only question is how and when Cadogan will come for us, and what surprises Tori has left in store for us."

 

"Careful, Becca, we don't know..."

 

Katye did not even finish her sentence before a bolt of emerald-green energy shot out at me, striking me in the chest. Electricity coursed through my veins, and I could feel my body swelling with energy. A second bolt shot out, just a moment behind the one that caught me, and struck Katye in the head...

 

 

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