Death's Embrace
France
"WAKE UP!" I tried to shove Drear off me for the one hundredth time. Geesh, he had to be in such a way that I couldn't get up. He had to be such a sound sleeper that I couldn't wake him up! This was frustrating.
"Five more minutes?" Drear whispered, wrapping his arms around me with a sigh.
"Ahhh! NO! WE ARE ALREADY LATE!"
"Did they mean their 6 am or ours? Because their 6 is our 11." Drear mumbled.
"Ours, I think."
"What kinda crazies would want to meet at 1 in the morning at a lighthouse?" Drear burried his face in my hair.
"I DON'T KNOW! BUT GET UP ALREADY!" I shoved him one last time and gave up. I sighed huffily and crossed my arms.
"What is it Lea?" Drear said after a few minutes, pushing himself up to look at me with tired eyes.
"Nothing." I replied, still moody.
"If something is nothing, then nothing is something."
"You are babbling."
"Probably." Drear smiled slightly as he looked down at me. I quickly forgot why I was angry with him and smiled back as he kissed me lightly. He pulled away and got up, laughing as I whined in protest. "Hey, you were the one who was all for leaving a few minutes ago."
"Ya, what's your point?" I mock-scowled at him.
Drear was pulling a shirt over his head and was now searching for his jacket, "Just that I know how to buy a few minutes of extra time now."
"Brat."
"Lunatic." he made his way back to me and pulled me out of bed. "Come on, go get ready to go."
"Ya, ya." I sighed and made my way to the bathroom. "Guys have it so easy. Just toss on some clothes and run a hand through your hair and you'er good to go." I muttered to myself, closing the door.
_____
"Ready yet?" Drear called.
"Yep." I walked out and yawned.
"Good. Let's get moving then." Drear offered me his hand and I took it.
"Hmm, Florida. This will be interesting." I muttered. I had been there a few times to visit family, but that was it. Drear just pulled me close to him, a slightly anxious look passed over his face. We slipped into that netherworld of light and dark and before I knew it, we were standing below an old lighthouse at 1:00 am.
"I vote we teleport up to the top and skip the steps." I yawned again.
"Agreed!" Drear laughed, but it seemed sort of forced. Something was bothering him again, I could feel it.
At the top of the lighthouse, I looked around at the dark grounds below me. I could see the ocean off to the east, gleaming in the moonlight as the waves rolled and churned. A strange noise made me jump and I turned to study the balcony that wrapped around this high part of the lighthouse. No one was there. A light flickered on somewhere below. Ahh, there was the keeper's house, or so I guessed. I wondered who could be there at this hour. Wasn't this just a tourist attraction now?
"You know," I jumped as a new voice rang out in the still, night air, "They say this lighthouse is haunted." I turned to search for the voice, but saw nothing.
"Drear?" I whispered and wrapped my arm around his, trying to sense the presence of whomever was talking. Ahh, to the left. AND the right. "Co and Clydia, I presume?" Two people flickered into view with amused smiles.
"Seers." Drear murmured, slightly impressed.
I studied the two before us. They didn't look old enough to have a daughter who would be dating someone like Sam. In fact, they looked about in their early twenties. Clydia had long silver-blonde hair that reflected the moonlight, casting a silver aura around her that made her look something like one of the angels in the old masterpieces. She was very fragile looking, to such an extent actually, that I was surprised the wind didn't blow her away. I noticed a steel glint in her eyes that spoke of untold inner strength; it would be deadly to assume this woman was not dangerous.
Co, however, looked like he had been some kind of an athlete in high school or something. Tall, lean, yet muscular, he matched Drear in height. His hair was dark and straight, longer in the day's fashion. Co's eyes held the same steel glint that Clydia's had. Dangerous enemies when on their own, fatal when together. Drear and I had nothing to worry about, however. They needed our help as much as we needed theirs.
"Haunted, did you say?" I asked. Co nodded.
"I guess we like to spook around here to much." he shrugged with a sheepish grin.
"But I love this place!" Clydia sighed. "I'm not going to leave it just because some human's want to make my old home into a museum!"
"Too right, you are." Co nodded in agreement. Silence.
"So, I hear that Shymal has taken your daughter captive." Drear said, getting straight down to bussiness.
"Yes." came two cold, deathly voices. "About twelve hours ago."
"He is going to force her to tell him where the staff is. She will resist for three days until he captures Sam, who will try another fool attempt to rescue her." Clydia said matter-of-factly.
"If the two of you do everything we say, then you will get the staff just moments before Shymal can." Co added.
"Ignore one thing we tell you, and we can guarantee nothing."
"For the future is promised to no one." Co added.
"Alright, what is it we must do?" I asked.
Co and Clydia shifted and looked at each other, exchangining some significant look that I could not interpret. I moved closer to Drear as the cool wind whistled around the lighthouse. He wrapped his arms around me to keep me warm while we waited. Clydia was the first to speak.
"You two must go to France. Make it there at exactly 6:58." she whispered, large eyes drinking us in.
"And where exactly do we go in France?" Drear asked.
"Anywhere. You decide and it will be the correct place." she replied. Drear made as if to argue, but I placed a hand on his shoulder and he stopped, allowing them to continue.
"In France, you will intercept Sam. From there you may find Bridget."
I frowned, "But where is the staff? We need to know it's location."
Clydia blinked at me, then smiled a smile I wasn't sure I liked. "Child, why would we tell you where the staff is now? I would destroy your motivation for rescuing Bridget."
"Hold on," Drear stiffened angrily, "Are you telling us you aren't going to hold up your end of the deal?" I stared as Drear trembled in rage. "Do you know what will happen if Shymal gets the staff."
Co stepped slightly in front of Clydia, "We know better than anyone." The two men stood defensively in front of the other, both looking like they wanted to tear the other's throat out. CLydia and I exchanged looks.
"Bridget is going to tell us where the staff is, isn't she?" I sighed. Clydia raised an eyebrow but looked very pleased. She whispered something to Co; Drear turned to stare at me.
"Hmmm, you certainly have the Sight, girl." Clydia nodded, glanceing at me out of the corner of her eye.
"Of course she does!" both Co and Drear snapped.
Clydia's laugh sounded like silver bells as it echoed around us. "Men. They only see what they want to see, do they not, Lea?"
I grinned back, "True, they do."
Clydia and I just grinned at each other like two foolish sisters sharing a secret while our men looked at us, terribly confused, then two each other and shrugged. "Women." they muttered in unison.
"Well, then. Guess you all should be off soon." Co sighed.
"That's it? There aren't any more directions to follow?" Drear asked with slightly narrowed eyes.
"There are, but Bridget will give them to you. You must save her first!" Co replied, getting a touch emotional over the loss of his daughter.
"For now, that is all." Clydia sighed, looking up at her husband worriedly. They turned and walked away, disappearing into te darkness, just like anyone would expect a ghost to. Or Co disappeared, Clydia lingered behind. "Oh, Lea?"
"Yes?" I looked back over from where I had been staring up into Drear's eyes.
A pained look washed over Clydia's face, "Beware of this Paul that travels with Shymal."
"Thank you." I said breathlessly, not expecting that. She nodded and turned, her long hair glinting in the moonlight as she faded into the night.
"Lea?"
"Hmmm?" I looked back at Drear as he touched my face.
"You were staring."
"No I wasn't!"
Drear smiled and rolled his eyes, "You were standing like that for a good minute."
"Noooo..."
"Yep. What's on your mind?" Drear asked.
I sighed and stared out over the ocean; the starlight shivered within the black waters. "I was thinking about Paul." I whispered.
"Lea, you know the only way to save him is to destroy him. Shymal has corrupted him."
I looked up sharply at his words, "There has to be a way to save him. There has to be at least one way to save everyone."
Drear sighed, pulling me closer, "It is not our job to save people, Lea."
"Then I'll-" but Drear cut off my protest with a kiss. "Not fair." I whispered when he broke away. "Was I saying something?" I blinked.
Drear smiled and kissed me again, "Nope. Come on. I guess we're off to France."
"Five more minutes?" Drear whispered, wrapping his arms around me with a sigh.
"Ahhh! NO! WE ARE ALREADY LATE!"
"Did they mean their 6 am or ours? Because their 6 is our 11." Drear mumbled.
"Ours, I think."
"What kinda crazies would want to meet at 1 in the morning at a lighthouse?" Drear burried his face in my hair.
"I DON'T KNOW! BUT GET UP ALREADY!" I shoved him one last time and gave up. I sighed huffily and crossed my arms.
"What is it Lea?" Drear said after a few minutes, pushing himself up to look at me with tired eyes.
"Nothing." I replied, still moody.
"If something is nothing, then nothing is something."
"You are babbling."
"Probably." Drear smiled slightly as he looked down at me. I quickly forgot why I was angry with him and smiled back as he kissed me lightly. He pulled away and got up, laughing as I whined in protest. "Hey, you were the one who was all for leaving a few minutes ago."
"Ya, what's your point?" I mock-scowled at him.
Drear was pulling a shirt over his head and was now searching for his jacket, "Just that I know how to buy a few minutes of extra time now."
"Brat."
"Lunatic." he made his way back to me and pulled me out of bed. "Come on, go get ready to go."
"Ya, ya." I sighed and made my way to the bathroom. "Guys have it so easy. Just toss on some clothes and run a hand through your hair and you'er good to go." I muttered to myself, closing the door.
_____
"Ready yet?" Drear called.
"Yep." I walked out and yawned.
"Good. Let's get moving then." Drear offered me his hand and I took it.
"Hmm, Florida. This will be interesting." I muttered. I had been there a few times to visit family, but that was it. Drear just pulled me close to him, a slightly anxious look passed over his face. We slipped into that netherworld of light and dark and before I knew it, we were standing below an old lighthouse at 1:00 am.
"I vote we teleport up to the top and skip the steps." I yawned again.
"Agreed!" Drear laughed, but it seemed sort of forced. Something was bothering him again, I could feel it.
At the top of the lighthouse, I looked around at the dark grounds below me. I could see the ocean off to the east, gleaming in the moonlight as the waves rolled and churned. A strange noise made me jump and I turned to study the balcony that wrapped around this high part of the lighthouse. No one was there. A light flickered on somewhere below. Ahh, there was the keeper's house, or so I guessed. I wondered who could be there at this hour. Wasn't this just a tourist attraction now?
"You know," I jumped as a new voice rang out in the still, night air, "They say this lighthouse is haunted." I turned to search for the voice, but saw nothing.
"Drear?" I whispered and wrapped my arm around his, trying to sense the presence of whomever was talking. Ahh, to the left. AND the right. "Co and Clydia, I presume?" Two people flickered into view with amused smiles.
"Seers." Drear murmured, slightly impressed.
I studied the two before us. They didn't look old enough to have a daughter who would be dating someone like Sam. In fact, they looked about in their early twenties. Clydia had long silver-blonde hair that reflected the moonlight, casting a silver aura around her that made her look something like one of the angels in the old masterpieces. She was very fragile looking, to such an extent actually, that I was surprised the wind didn't blow her away. I noticed a steel glint in her eyes that spoke of untold inner strength; it would be deadly to assume this woman was not dangerous.
Co, however, looked like he had been some kind of an athlete in high school or something. Tall, lean, yet muscular, he matched Drear in height. His hair was dark and straight, longer in the day's fashion. Co's eyes held the same steel glint that Clydia's had. Dangerous enemies when on their own, fatal when together. Drear and I had nothing to worry about, however. They needed our help as much as we needed theirs.
"Haunted, did you say?" I asked. Co nodded.
"I guess we like to spook around here to much." he shrugged with a sheepish grin.
"But I love this place!" Clydia sighed. "I'm not going to leave it just because some human's want to make my old home into a museum!"
"Too right, you are." Co nodded in agreement. Silence.
"So, I hear that Shymal has taken your daughter captive." Drear said, getting straight down to bussiness.
"Yes." came two cold, deathly voices. "About twelve hours ago."
"He is going to force her to tell him where the staff is. She will resist for three days until he captures Sam, who will try another fool attempt to rescue her." Clydia said matter-of-factly.
"If the two of you do everything we say, then you will get the staff just moments before Shymal can." Co added.
"Ignore one thing we tell you, and we can guarantee nothing."
"For the future is promised to no one." Co added.
"Alright, what is it we must do?" I asked.
Co and Clydia shifted and looked at each other, exchangining some significant look that I could not interpret. I moved closer to Drear as the cool wind whistled around the lighthouse. He wrapped his arms around me to keep me warm while we waited. Clydia was the first to speak.
"You two must go to France. Make it there at exactly 6:58." she whispered, large eyes drinking us in.
"And where exactly do we go in France?" Drear asked.
"Anywhere. You decide and it will be the correct place." she replied. Drear made as if to argue, but I placed a hand on his shoulder and he stopped, allowing them to continue.
"In France, you will intercept Sam. From there you may find Bridget."
I frowned, "But where is the staff? We need to know it's location."
Clydia blinked at me, then smiled a smile I wasn't sure I liked. "Child, why would we tell you where the staff is now? I would destroy your motivation for rescuing Bridget."
"Hold on," Drear stiffened angrily, "Are you telling us you aren't going to hold up your end of the deal?" I stared as Drear trembled in rage. "Do you know what will happen if Shymal gets the staff."
Co stepped slightly in front of Clydia, "We know better than anyone." The two men stood defensively in front of the other, both looking like they wanted to tear the other's throat out. CLydia and I exchanged looks.
"Bridget is going to tell us where the staff is, isn't she?" I sighed. Clydia raised an eyebrow but looked very pleased. She whispered something to Co; Drear turned to stare at me.
"Hmmm, you certainly have the Sight, girl." Clydia nodded, glanceing at me out of the corner of her eye.
"Of course she does!" both Co and Drear snapped.
Clydia's laugh sounded like silver bells as it echoed around us. "Men. They only see what they want to see, do they not, Lea?"
I grinned back, "True, they do."
Clydia and I just grinned at each other like two foolish sisters sharing a secret while our men looked at us, terribly confused, then two each other and shrugged. "Women." they muttered in unison.
"Well, then. Guess you all should be off soon." Co sighed.
"That's it? There aren't any more directions to follow?" Drear asked with slightly narrowed eyes.
"There are, but Bridget will give them to you. You must save her first!" Co replied, getting a touch emotional over the loss of his daughter.
"For now, that is all." Clydia sighed, looking up at her husband worriedly. They turned and walked away, disappearing into te darkness, just like anyone would expect a ghost to. Or Co disappeared, Clydia lingered behind. "Oh, Lea?"
"Yes?" I looked back over from where I had been staring up into Drear's eyes.
A pained look washed over Clydia's face, "Beware of this Paul that travels with Shymal."
"Thank you." I said breathlessly, not expecting that. She nodded and turned, her long hair glinting in the moonlight as she faded into the night.
"Lea?"
"Hmmm?" I looked back at Drear as he touched my face.
"You were staring."
"No I wasn't!"
Drear smiled and rolled his eyes, "You were standing like that for a good minute."
"Noooo..."
"Yep. What's on your mind?" Drear asked.
I sighed and stared out over the ocean; the starlight shivered within the black waters. "I was thinking about Paul." I whispered.
"Lea, you know the only way to save him is to destroy him. Shymal has corrupted him."
I looked up sharply at his words, "There has to be a way to save him. There has to be at least one way to save everyone."
Drear sighed, pulling me closer, "It is not our job to save people, Lea."
"Then I'll-" but Drear cut off my protest with a kiss. "Not fair." I whispered when he broke away. "Was I saying something?" I blinked.
Drear smiled and kissed me again, "Nope. Come on. I guess we're off to France."