Beyond Far Away

- Chapter eight -

"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late." (W. Shakespeare)

Earth

Suzanne was looking intently at the old man, who in return was rambling on and on about how magnificent the Greeks were during the seventh century BC. It was one of the most boring lectures, therefore, no surprise that the girl had to fight against everything within herself to pay any attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted Adriana chewing her bottom lip, eyes fixed on one of her pencils. No matter how funny it was to see the red-head so intent on killing it with her stare, this was something Suzy had gotten used to. It was the beginning of April and Adriana's weird fixation on inanimate objects had been going on for a few months now.

The lecture ended and everyone started shoving their things into bags with inhuman speed while Suzanne ran off to ask the teacher about their final assignment. As the room cleared, Adriana was left alone with the still pencil. A stubborn one at that.

"This is going nowhere," The red-head was very annoyed with mostly unsuccessful attempts at magic.

"I think you need to build up endurance for it," Michael whispered, invisible and untouchable to the whole class. "You managed to liquefy the ice yesterday."

"How come I'm good only at the fire spells?" The girl began packing, not as eagerly as the rest of the students. "And shouldn't you be at your own class anyway?"

"Give it time and as for my lessons, well... We got a day off." He was careful not to attract attention, but no one cared enough to listen anyway. People were more preoccupied with rushing everywhere and anywhere.

"Ah, I wish I had such a luxury. Are you celebrating something?"

"Yes, it is called the day of Harpies. There was a war two hundred years ago and they nearly went extinct protecting people. This day is meant for people to visit their sanctuaries and express gratitude."

Ever since the apple incident, Adriana and Michael had been crossing boundaries between worlds almost each day. They had noticed that if one of them was unconscious while the other focused on the connection, the journey was possible most of the time. The girl had much more trouble travelling, but once she did, it was easier to maintain the ability to touch and speak, while Michael usually stayed just a voice. Materializing fully was an extraordinary occurrence.

They used it only to practise magic at first, however, soon enough the two became friends. Sometimes they would spend hours talking. The red-head felt confident that the young man wouldn't give away her worries and troubles, wouldn't mock her, so she confided in him. Adriana had explained how she didn't belong, how lonely and dull this world was to her, how she felt as though not living to her full potential. Michael, on the other hand, needed less support, but was just as attached, because Adriana was the girl that completely understood the dreams, the effect it had on him, the confusion, the slight emptiness within. They weren't the kind of people to sit down with bowls of ice cream and cry their eyes out, but they shared their inner turmoil with looks, unfinished sentences. It was enough. They understood each other perfectly.

"I need to go," Michael suddenly whispered, feeling the strange discomfort that came once his body was awakening. "Keep on practising."

Adriana smiled to herself, silent, as to not arouse suspicion and walked away, somehow aware that he was no longer beside her.

****

The suns rose, one after the other and it was nearly the middle of the day. Michael had asked Sebastian to watch for any attackers and was trying to sleep, but he couldn't close his eyes. Hope was electrifying, stunning and an addiction he couldn't shake off. Each sound that the animals made in the forest caused him to shoot up and gaze at his petrified partner expectantly. Alas, nothing was happening.

"We should probably...go." Sebastian finally muttered, no longer optimistic. "She's gone."

Those words were like a bucket of cold water, but both hunters were rational beings. Simultaneously they stood up and secured their weapons to free both hands. While they were going to go back, neither one had any plans of leaving the huntress alone in the forest. She was a fighter, a hero and deserved respect. Sebastian stepped over a puddle of blood and took the frozen female into his hands. They had removed the medusa's body a while ago and there was nothing but the blood left to prove their victory.

"I won't need your help," The blond Devin spoke up.

He was uncomfortable and the statue was rather heavy. However, at least one of them should have been ready for an ambush, which meant that he had to suck it up. Michael nodded and they began their journey.

The demon stumbled nearly over every root sticking from the ground, his sight blocked by the stone body. Perspiring heavily, Sebastian cursed loudly each time, but managed to avoid planting his face to the ground as they made their way to the outskirts of the forest. It was a warm, sunny morning and the trees swayed in gentle wind.

Once the hunters had reached the shore, Michael visibly relaxed - an attack was unlikely near the sea.

"I could help you carry her now, at least until the river." Michael suggested, eyes gazing longingly at the clear waves crashing against the white sand. He could be swimming...

"No need," Sebastian grumbled, also wishing to clean up himself. They were both hungry, tired, but most importantly – soaked in blood. And it was disgusting. Bearable, but disgusting, nonetheless.

They walked by the water for a while, searching for an estuary. The atmosphere grew hotter and the stones around the shore were making the path seem longer than it actually was. Within half an hour they reached their target.

The bridge was a bit to the west, a stable one, not one of those rotten wooden ones. Nonetheless, it still swayed slightly as they began crossing the river flowing into the Coliron sea. Neither knew the name of it, but had seen it on the map. The colourful minerals at the bottom glistened in the sun like stained glass. Michael noticed a mermaid in the distance, collecting them for mysterious purposes.

It was a nice day, ignorant to Adriana's demise, the bloody, sweaty clothes sticking to the hunters' skin, their pale drawn faces.

"What are we going to do with the body?" The younger brother finally turned his eyes towards the bridge, a bit distracted by the way everything sparkled, by the way wind carried the scent of peaches - a tree grew on the other side of the river. Exhaustion made it difficult to think straight.

Make that think at all.

Sebastian pressed his lips together, not knowing how to answer.

"I th-..."

There was no reply as a small group of kelpies surrounded both hunters. They didn't appear out of thin air, but simply threw away the glamour that made them invisible to the naked eye. Michael's eyebrows drew together in confusion. How hadn't he spotted their scent? Shaking the confusion and slight disorientation that the rays reflected from the water and the heat were causing, he drew his weapon, the clang of metal against metal resonating all around them.

Kelpies were horse-like beings that could create illusions and take on any form that would help them. They were just as beautiful as wild unicorns, with a mane that fell like water, but much deadlier when on a hunt. Most were harmless, while some worked with medusas and hunted children.

The three kelpies – black as the night – swiftly turned into human forms and with clear anger demanded for the medusa.

"The master hasn't returned. Give us back our master!" Their voices deep, the kelpies stood as identical –yet inhuman - boys, blocking any escape.

Michael groaned, tired of the whole loyalty between monsters.

"The master is dead. Now go away before you end up the same." The kelpies snarled, clearly not prepared to retreat.

Sebastian gently placed Adriana down and prepared his own weapon, just as annoyed as his little brother.

Both Devins expected a fair fight. Sadly, the kelpies had different motives. The two boys in front of the brothers began morphing and growing, while the other stood imposingly behind, regaining his horse form. In a way no one could comprehend, the gorgeous creatures mimicked the looks of those people that were precious to their foes. The hunters were soon facing no one else, but Adriana and Penelope, different, yet so very real.

"This is very bad," Sebastian noted as his secretary smiled mischievously at him.

"Come on, we've trained for this!" Michael growled, eyes flashing with anger and doubt as the kelpie Adriana stepped closer, black cloth - that could be barely considered a dress - rustling. "I take Penelope and you kill Adriana." He nearly choked on the words.

You see, hunters knew about succubus, sirens, illusionists and other beings that could become the object of their infatuation, the people they cared about. Their training included preparation for such situations. Sadly, no one could predict what kind of impact the apparition would have in reality. It is easy to imagine killing a loved one's imitation, but when it stares at you, confused or smiling, how can you swing your weapon at them? How can you end the life of a person you love?

As kelpies lunged at the brothers, they realized how difficult it was going to be. Each time one of the imitations tried to claw their eyes out, they hesitated to plunge their weapons deep within the beasts' flesh. The physical torture was nothing compared to the psychological one.

"We need to take care of the third one and retreat." The demon murmured, dodging Adriana's fist.

"No," Michael was less affectionate towards his brother's crush and his friend. "Just kill them." With those words he closed his eyes and grasped the kelpie's head, casting a spell of liquefaction.

He released the dead being promptly, shaking the warm fluids off of his fingers. A howl of anger alerted the vampire that the third kelpie had decided to join the fight. He spun around, catching the beast yet stumbling towards the railing. The bridge trembled dangerously.

The kelpie was another clone of the huntress and with a quick glance Michael noted that Sebastian's had changed into Penelope. Well, there goes the plan to fight each other's friends. The faux Adriana pushed the hunter against the railing, dangerously leaning him towards the river. The fall wouldn't be lethal, but the water was kelpie's domain and Michael couldn't risk it. He kicked the beast away, receiving a bone chilling smile.

"Our master had taken something of yours as well," The deep hiss did not fit the feminine features. "And we shall take our revenge."

Michael rolled his eyes, willing himself to ignore the familiarity between the huntress and the kelpie.

'Adriana is dead already', he told himself and with a sharp inhale made a jerky motion with his sword.

The water spirit had too much confidence and didn't expect the hunter to charge at it, so when he did, the creature was unprepared. The blade stabbed kelpie through the chest, stunning it. Adriana's eyes turned black, the pain distracting the horse from maintaining the illusion. Nevertheless, Michael couldn't take his eyes away from the dying kelpie as thought it truly were his partner.

"Michael!" Sebastian rasped out a warning, snapping his brother out of shock.

The blond was wounded and so was his enemy, but Penelope had abandoned the demon. The last kelpie had a determined and ravenous look on its face, a bit of puzzlement shining through as it gazed at the stone statue for a second. Then the white haired kelpie ran towards Adriana – the petrified one – and jumped into the water with the huntress. It was so unexpected that neither Michael nor Sebastian made a move to stop it.

Both brothers stared at the spot, where the creature had disappeared, gasping for air after the fight, crouching in a defensive position.

"Why would it take the body?" The demon finally asked, slumping to the ground.

Michael did the same and for a few seconds they stayed that way. There was no way to answer the question. The boys didn't even look at the water - kelpies could merge with it - and so Adriana was gone for good now. They rested for nearly a quarter of an hour. Finally, bloody and aching the hunters walked to the other side of the bridge, each lost in their thoughts, both too tired to pay any attention to their surroundings. This had been the hardest bridge crossing in their lives. Exhausted the two allowed themselves to ignore the surroundings and just forced those tired muscle to take them away.

Neither one expected to be blocked by a walking, talking, nearly normal huntress.

Michael wiped a lock of hair that had gotten stuck to his face and gazed at the Peach. She looked even worse than the boys did - half of her skin was still grey and scaly, some of it bleeding from wounds that were the result of contracting muscles that hadn't regained their elasticity. She smiled, nonetheless, blue eyes sparkling just like before, even though her face was void of life.

"Because I was demineralising." She answered Sebastian's question, weakly leaning against the tree.

The Devin boys just stared for a moment, no longer surprised after everything they had been through.

Eventually Sebastian made a strangled noise in the back of his throat - a mixture between a laugh and a sob - and rubbed his face, swiping off some dirt. Michael, on the other hand, briskly crossed the distance between him and Adriana, enveloping her in a hug the huntress had never received before. Her stony fingers grasped the back of his shirt, the vampire's warmth seeping in through the patches of mineralized tissue. Nuzzling his nose into the girl's hair, Michael couldn't help but whisper:

"About damn time, Adriana."

****

Asheron

Caitlyn and Seigmond were seated comfortably at one of the lounges, whispering something discretely, when Michael walked in. The blonde made no move to escape her boyfriend's embrace as her red gaze fixed on the boy. It was a medium sized, green coloured room with a few coffee tables and places for about a dozen of people to sit.

"Look who's awake," She smirked, noticing the tousled hair and wrinkled clothes.

"I've been up for a few hours now," Michael grumbled with a smile. "What are you two up to? Whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears?"

"Actually we've been talking about you," Seigmond grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "How's Adriana doing?"

Michael had explained to his friends that somehow he had made a new friend across galaxies. At first, they were quite sure he had lost some of his screws, but Cat was very open-minded to such things, so she began exploring the possibility. Apparently, there had been legends of people disappearing from Asheron and mortal beings materializing out of thin air, claiming to be humans from Earth. No one was sure whether it was a simple myth or not, but these stories did exist. About a month ago they learned to accept the fact that some girl from another world would visit Michael both in his dreams and while he was awake. Sadly, they still hadn't met her.

"She's still having trouble performing the simplest of spells. I'm just not sure why." Michael sighed and reached out for chips. Yes, even in Asheron people loved chips.

"You said she's a selene. Maybe the moon circling her world is less efficient?" The girl noted, sounding as brilliant as ever.

"Or perhaps it's simply that the world is different?" Seigmond added, looking thoughtful.

"Maybe, I don't know." Michael looked out of the window, noticing that there was only one sun left up in the sky. "Her classes should have ended about now..."

The witch watched him suddenly grow silent and serious with a smile. Ever since Michael had met Adriana she noticed him grow more and more fond of the girl. She was slightly scared as well, knowing what it might lead to and how much pain it could cause. Nevertheless, Michael was a big boy and him letting anyone in was an achievement, no matter what was going to become of the relationship. So she couldn't wait to speak to the woman that had tamed such a wild young man in no more than a few weeks.

"When are we going to meet her?" Seigmond suddenly voiced Caitlyn's thoughts for a thousandth time, sounding just as curious as she felt.

"I don't know. It is very hard to predict when she will come and usually I need to be alone to strengthen the connection." The black-haired man shrugged.

"Can't you try to do it now?"

"It is not that easy, she needs to be asleep and I have to really focus on the bond, so..."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, just try it." Cat's eyes gleamed with expectation and her friend could do nothing about it. He leaned his head back against the white couch.

"Fine," He sighed and closed his eyes, expecting nothing.

A few minutes went by and suddenly the air rippled, struck by the connection. Michael opened his eyes, surprised when something seemed to crackle and chip. As the bond pulled Adriana through whatever distance that separated them, he could feel her presence approaching. Seigmond and the girl in his arms looked around, anticipating something to burst into flames or someone appear with a poof. Nothing happened as the strange air disturbance stopped, letting the two of them down. Michael was in no way disappointed, though.

"This is the first time I managed to pull you in while surrounded by people." He noted, searching for any sign of the red-head.

"I guess," There was a smile in her voice. "Are these your friends?"

Michael turned to Seigmond and Cat, smirking at their astonished pale faces. Their eyes darted around, searching for the woman.

"Yes, but I think they are freaking out," Adriana chuckled in response. "Could you indicate as to where you are somehow?"

Not answering the red-head sat down on one of the empty love-seats and lifted a decorated pillow, twisting it in the air.

"Hello, my name is Adriana." There was a carefree grin on her face. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm currently invisible, so just talk to the pillow."

Michael could barely hide his amusement, so instead he glanced around for any witnesses. There were none.

"I... I'm Caitlyn, it's a pleasure." The witch was the first to recover, her heart shaped face regaining its colour and shine. "This is Seigmond."

"It's very nice to meet you." Adriana smiled politely, even though no one could see it.

"And here I was, thinking that you were Mike's imaginary girlfriend..." From the look on Seigmond's face it was obvious that he was serious.

"Can't blame you," The red-head grinned, the pillow now on her knees. "Although I doubt he has that much imagination."

"Very funny..." The vampire muttered with mock annoyance.

And thus, a new friendship was born.