The Pursuit

The Pursuit

"Xavier, wait!" I call after him, racing into the vast underbrush. I know that I have no chance of catching up with him unless he wants me to, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't even try. No one knows more than I about how large the world can be when you feel so alone and vulnerable.

"Please!" Tears form in the corners of my eyes, dripping down my cheek and lips. Within this desperate pursuit, I can't help but feel a variety of intense emotions. The most predominant of these is a strange form of affection that cannot be easily described as desire or simple amity. I want to absorb his sadness, take in every negative emotion so that his pain will fade away. And the strangest thing is, there is no personal gain involved. I will get nothing of value out of consoling him.

But I still want to. And that fact scares and enthralls me beyond measure.

"Mona." Strong hands encircle me from behind, trapping me in the place I desired most. His body heat surrounds me, his shoulders lightly shaking. His voice is pained and his grip emulates that same feeling. In confusion, I look down at the ground to see a red splotch of blood.

"It stops here." Xavier says, his tone heavy. His face lowers and rests on my shoulder, his eyelashes fluttering against my ear. "The blood stains disappear. I... don't sense him at all."

I let him embrace me, closing my eyes and immersing myself in him. As I do so, that same affection grows to consume my entire body until I can't help but accept some form of it. Turning so that I face him, I place both hands on his cheeks and lean forwards.

There is no logical reasoning. I guess you could say that it was because he saved me. Or maybe because of his ways of persuasion. But to me, there is no process. It just happens—or maybe it happened already, and I just didn't know it—without warning, without hope for recovery, and without obligation.

I love him. Maybe since day one, maybe not until this very moment. But all I know now is my own realization, and I'm never going to let it go.

My heartbeat escalates as his head leans closer to my neck. His breathing is heavy with fear and exhaustion. I can't stop myself from stroking his hair with my fingertips, and wondering if things will ever get any better.

"Xavier, I know how you feel, perhaps more so than anyone else," I sigh, rubbing his back slowly. "But you haven't been getting any sleep, and it shows. Come with me and rest."

He doesn't move, but his grip loosens. I gently twist out of his embrace and instead reach for his hand. His palm feels warm and clammy as he gingerly closes his fingers around mine. A strange expression appears on his face as he squeezes my hand.

I take a step towards our camp. Noticing that he is barely moving, if at all, I cast a glance at him inquisitively. He seems rooted in place, thinking about something intently.

"Xavier?" I ask inquisitively, casting a glance at our still interlocked hands. And then we make eye contact, his gaze scaring me with its intensity.

"I don't need rest," he insists, pulling on my arm so that I am forced to turn around. "I just need you."

My cheeks are burning red as he walks closer with purposeful strides. He picks me up, and immediately starts to run, each step taking us farther away from reality. Even though the surrounding scenery melts into a blur of colors with blinding speed, I can still consistently feel his warmth against my side.  As I look up at him, I see the determination in his features, as well as defeat, and even loneliness. My heart contracts within my chest at the pitiful nature of his expression.

He stops in some desolate region, his grip loosening on me to the point that I almost fall out of his hands. Carefully I try to lower myself onto the ground, worried about Xavier's countenance.

"Xavier," I whisper, keeping my hands on his arms while I steady myself, "it's okay. You can let it out."

His face crinkles up as he leans back against the tree, his eyes starting to tear up in a betrayal of the emotions he must be facing inwardly.

"Xavier!" I cup his cheeks with my hands, afraid of losing him. "It's not your fault, do you hear me? It's... not your fault." We are only a hairsbreadth apart, but from where I am, the distance seems much greater than that.

"I appreciate you trying to make me feel better," Xavier smiles weakly, his face tilted towards the heavens. Or whatever else is up there.

I take my thumb and wipe a single tear off his cheeks. He laughs through his anguish, a pitiful laugh that is in distortion of everything a laugh should be like, and leans forward.

There is no time for me to react before his lips meet mine, his teeth tugging at my bottom lip. The kiss is gentle, but soon evolves into an animalistic passion that is impossible to control. His tongue invades my mouth, and I accept it willingly, hoping that he will share some of his burden with me. That he will let me into his heart when it matters the most.

His fingers race through my hair, pulling me even closer, almost painfully gripping at my scalp. Another hand trails down my neck and then my back, pushing my entire body so I am leaning into him. My bottom lip burns as he nips at it again, and then he tilts his head to brush his lips against my nose.

I can feel them now—the wetness dripping onto my cheeks, my chin, my neck. I wrap my arms around his back, somehow knowing without even having to ask.

There are no words that can be spoken, but maybe, in this one moment, there are no words that can't be conveyed through actions like this.  

Breathing heavily, Xavier slides to the ground with me still in his arms. I can tell that his exhaustion is getting to him, because the intensity of his kisses has gradually decreased. I gently pull away, and he lies against the grass with his eyes fluttering.

I move to where he was leaning and sit on my knees, staring at his face. He looks so... troubled. Even though I bet he doesn't realize it himself.  

"If you want to, you can lean on me," I say softly. He looks at me, and then weakly smiles. My breath catches in my throat.

"I might have to take you up on that offer." Sliding himself over, he positions his head to lie in my lap. I blush at the movement, not expecting him to lean on me exactly like he did.

He sighs, looking up at me and then the sky with the same defeated expression. Silence stretches between us, and it lasts for ages, neither one of us willing to break it.

As we rest, my mind wanders to the implications of the recent battle at the beach. The Shifters that fought against us then were so unlike the ones I have seen in this world up until then. They looked like an army, fighting in inexplicable unison that did not match the normal isolated behavior of a lone Shifter. To my knowledge, they don't usually travel in packs or strategize in their attacks. Although, now that I think about it... they did congregate together inside Headquarters after the barrier was broken. The question is, is there a leader of the Shifters who is controlling or coordinating them for these attacks? Does someone know we are here?

Well, I guess the better question to sum all of my worries up at once is: Are we not alone?  

A hand brushes against my cheek, startling me out of my daze. "I'm... sorry, Mona." Xavier stares into my eyes imploringly, not the slightest hint of a smile on his face.

"Sorry?" I shake a little, as if I had a chill, from the suddenness of his voice. "W-what for?"

"Everything." He smiles now, but this one is so weak that it would have been better if he had kept a straight face. "For bringing you along this journey with me. For assaulting you with my feelings without caring for yours. For... trying to make something happen when it was... clearly... never going to work... out." His last words are so feeble that I strain to hear them, but they are the most poignant out of all of them. My heart turns as cold as ice.

"Xavier, I-"

"I'm sorry for betraying you and the entire pack." After he says his last words, he shuts his eyes tightly, as if willing himself to go to sleep faster. I can tell that he doesn't plan on continuing the conversation, if you can even call it that.

My head starts to droop as the exhaustion gets to me as well. Something about seeing his face slowly morph from a stony expression to something more peaceful as his breathing steadies makes me feel like I should call it a day.

The rest of the pack will probably wonder where I went, but that's okay. We need this rest, I argue to myself, especially when so many of us are injured.

The only thing that worries me is that maybe the Shifters will come back for the rest of us. I really need to keep guard, in case something like that happens.

I start fighting vehemently as my eyes keep slipping downwards. The absolute stillness in the forest is not helping matters either.

Giving up, I lean my head against the back of the tree and let sleep take me.

* * *

What a cruel way to continue the story.

Sometimes I feel like I can understand it. These events and circumstances are necessary, although sometimes inexplicable. Sometimes harsh. Sometimes painful.

Why?

No, no... I take it back. Must. It isn't my place to know. I'd like to... but I can't. Can't ask, can't question, can't know.

I won't get an answer anyways.

Purpose is cruel. A beast that robs you of your natural identity and aspirations and places you on a different path that continues in a straight line, always moving never stopping running running stop take a breath no don't do it stand up keep running running running or else you'll know.

Sometimes I feel like I'm about to shatter. Hit the ground so hard that my face splinters and my fingers crumble and my chest explodes and then I realize, it's already happened. And so it can happen, again and again and again, without any relief, because why? Because I'm dead! Dead then, dead now, dead forever and always.

And there's no difference anyways because

Life is a lie. A beautiful lie. A lie that curves, diverts from the main road and detours by the rocky cliffs, crystal oceans, and pink-stained sunsets. It can move backwards and forwards, sideways and diagonally, every which way, but the truth is the lie is an illusion. Don't be fooled! There is only one direction. There is only one choice. So make a decision. There is the choice to be, and the choice to be. Take your pick.

The end.

"Mona! Mona! What's wrong?"

I feel someone violently shaking my shoulders, and my eyes immediately fly open just as my head hits the front of the tree. "Ouch!" I squeal, my hand reaching up to rub where it had been hit.

Xavier is in front of me, his face only inches away. My eyes widen at his proximity, and my first instinct is to look away, only to feel guilty for doing so a few seconds later. He's... just looking out for me.

"What... Xavier..." I murmur, still confused by what was happening.

"You were shaking just a few seconds ago, almost like you were having a seizure," Xavier says worriedly, his hand rubbing down the side of my arm. My skin burns with his touch, the heat spreading throughout my body.

"I don't know..." I reply, moving my hand to rub at my temples. My forehead throbs, each moment bringing a new wave of pain that is quickly increasing in intensity.

"Were you having a bad dream?" He asks, his eyes immediately gravitating to where my hands are located.

I wince as pain like a sharp blade pierces my head. "Maybe so... I'm not really sure," I groan, my mind growing hazy. "It was so strange... I thought I heard someone... crying, or talking, or maybe both. I'm not sure."

His grip tightens on my arm. "Well, forget about that." He shakes his head anxiously, "how are you feeling? You look absolutely terrible."

"Thanks," I grin, looking up at him briefly with a mischievous expression. "I appreciate that."

"You know that's not what I meant." Xavier sighs, making me laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I just have a headache, that's all."

"It must be pretty bad for you to be groaning like that." He leans in, and gently presses his forehead to mine.

"W-what are you doing?!" I ask him nervously, leaning back subconsciously. I can see him grin out of the corner of my eye. He's enjoying putting me on edge, which is a clear indicator that he is back to normal.

"Yes, what have you guys been doing?" A new, deep voice echoes throughout the area, and we both jump. Turning towards the source, we both see Jake, who is staring at us suggestively. His smirk makes me blush.

"How the crap..." I mutter, looking around quickly to see if any of the others came with him. If it was Yi, I'd understand, but I should have been able to notice Jake as he snuck up on us. "Sneaky devil."

Jake raises an eyebrow at me, unable to hide a broad grin as he catches my words. I realize, all too late, that my statement probably just made things worse.

"Checking her temperature," Xavier replies nonchalantly, adapting quickly to the shock of his sudden presence. I marvel at the way he can change his attitude so quickly.

"No, I don't mean now... I mean the last several hours you guys have been out here together." He winks and leans on a nearby tree, in a perfect display of reticence that only makes me more nervous.

"Nothing, Jake... drop it." Xavier says, standing up slowly and then extending his hand towards mine. I look at Jake and then take Xavier's hand, letting him pull me up. I don't even care about the impression we are probably giving off right now.

"Well, I'm glad that you guys had an entertaining evening," Jake says so flippantly that I wonder at its authenticity. "But we need to talk. As a group. It's been almost two days and we haven't decided on anything yet, which wouldn't be a problem except we left almost all of our food on the coast."

As I stand up, I mull over his words. He's right in that we need to make a decision quickly. When Xavier first disappeared from the group about two hours after the attack ended, I went after him with the intention bringing him back to camp. We had set up about a mile from the ocean, afraid to go any closer and risk another ambush. I was healed by then, but Griffin and Wes were more severely injured and still needed some extra care. After they finally recovered, we were planning on voting on what our new strategy or game plan should be. If you can even call it that.

Another bout of pain causes me to unintentionally lose all strength in my legs, Xavier rushing towards me to support my body in an immediate response. Jake stares at me, wide-eyed, as I grimace at the pins and needles stabbing at my consciousness.

"What's wrong with her?" He asks worriedly, taking a step forward to place his hand on my head. Xavier brushes his hand away so quickly that it almost looks like a blur, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"I already did that," he grunted, to which Jake smiles and laughs mischievously.

"Okay, Tarzan. Don't be so on guard." I laugh in spite of myself at the comparison, and Xavier's face turns a light shade of red, which is a pretty rare expression for him. I find myself enjoying it.

"Let's not start the Disney references," he mutters, and his face eventually regains his normal coloring as we start walking. The forest is as silent as we are, which only makes it more difficult for me to start a conversation.

"Sorry about making you come look for us," I finally apologize, and Jake nods in acknowledgment.

"It's okay. To be honest, no one was really bothered about your no-show. I was just curious about what could possibly be more interesting to occupy your attention than us on a beautiful night like this."

I roll my eyes at him, and then tilt my head upwards to see the same, plain gray horizon that greeted me last time I bothered to look. "You wish," I say absent-mindedly, watching the clouds swirl together and move endlessly.

"Who knows what that means?" Jake replies, shooting me another Cheshire Cat grin. I almost mention that to him, but then remember that it's a Disney reference. Sort of.

We keep walking in silence, my hand burning as Xavier continues to lock mine within his own. At first I didn't even notice, but now I couldn't ignore it if I tried. At the same time, I don't even want to ignore it. I want to immerse myself in the feeling of his warmth in any way that I can.

Even the thought feels like a new, chewy candy. Although unfamiliar and strangely flavored, I can't stop myself from eating it.

It isn't too long before we reach the camp, but honestly, between my throbbing headache and Xavier's overt gesture of possessiveness, it felt like an eternity. Xavier's vulnerability seems to have completely dissipated, leaving his insufferable confidence that I can't bring myself to hate.

"Xavier," I whisper in his ear, "you can let go now." Standing right behind our makeshift shelter, I hurriedly attempt to shake away his arm.

"You wish." His grip tightens, leaving me more embarrassed and nervous. In any minute they are going to see us, and assume things that don't need to be assumed.

I embarrassedly look away, trying to mentally prepare myself for their reaction. Surprisingly, I feel Xavier's hand leave my own after a few seconds, and I glance up at him in confusion.

"I was kidding, Mona." He smiles widely, with a hint of sadness entering his features. This one glance reminds me of the past several hours, and catches me by surprise. "Don't be so serious." He starts walking towards Wes, the new space beside me sending a chill throughout my body.

As he leaves, the warmth leaves with him, and goosebumps erupt on my left arm.

"So you're back," Danae says, coming towards me with another one of those stupidly suggestive smiles that I have grown to hate. I've seen way too many of them in a short time period.

"Yeah I am, and ready to roll-" I grip my head suddenly as the same pain is amplified. "Well... actually, maybe not."

"What's going on?" She asks, reaching for my forehead. This time I am the one to back away, tired of people trying to get my temperature. I think I can safely say by now that doing so will lead to no good.

"I'm fine. I think it might be a migraine." I turn and sit on a broken log. "It's just the first one I've had in a while so it just caught me off guard."

"What in the world could have caused your migraine?" Danae asks, to which I just shake my head. There is no way of knowing something like that as a definite.

"I did have a strange dream earlier," I say softly, thinking deeply. When I focus, I can almost hear it in my head... the muffled cries, and the painful words that were so scattered and unrecognizable that I couldn't distinguish anything from it. Maybe it's just my gut, but something tells me that this dream was important, maybe more so than anything else I had experienced so far.

"A vision?" Danae asks casually, and my head snaps up immediately. Her glance is inquisitive, but satisfying her curiosity is the least of my worries. What I have experienced today could be an indicator of another life in this barren world, or even what I can't dare to hope for...

"Guys." I stand up immediately on the tree trunk, calling everyone's attention. The headache retreats slowly as I make up my mind, and hopefully begin to change everyone else's. They come towards me, Griffin and Wes dragging their feet and the others yawning with boredom. "We need to talk," I say firmly, my voice stronger than I expected it to be.

"Finally," Jake says exasperatedly, "I've been waiting for this."

I ignore him, waiting for the others to get closer. Xavier and I make eye contact more than once, and he grins broadly in an awkward manner that makes it seem like he's trying to encourage a little child. 

"Do you remember when I said I was having visions... that I've seen this place before?" I begin, to which several of them nodded vigorously. Jake and Wes, on the other hand, are staring at me blankly.

"You know where we are?" Wes asks, his eyes narrowed. "I think it's time to fill us in."

"We'll have time for that later," I dismiss his question easily, still too focused on my current train of thought to be distracted. "I'm sure we will both have several stories to tell. But here is the basic gist—things are different here, as I'm sure you have figured out. We aren't exactly living in a physical world."

"What the..." Jake says in protest, "how can you say that this isn't a physical world?!"

Without responding, I concentrate on producing a single dagger. I can feel his gaze on me as it materializes and measuredly throw it into the ground beside my feet. It leaves an indent, and no further explanation is necessary.

"Either my power has changed, or the world has changed. Which seems more likely to you?" I ask him, stepping down from the broken log to touch the dagger. It is fading gradually, but still feels real and dangerous in my hand.

There is silence for the next few seconds as Jake and Wes absorb the new information. I feel a bit bad for them since they have to adjust so quickly, but there isn't too much I can do to make it any easier.

"Well, anyways, I don't remember much of my recent dream, but I still can remember a crying person that seemed to be at the center of it. I don't know who the voice belonged to, but it stands to reason given the context of my other visions that it relates to something within this world, and could have big implications. If this truly was a connection to another life within this world, I think we need to pursue it. Especially since we have nothing else to do."

"But how do you know that what you heard was a person?" Griffin asks, obviously confused by my statement, "and how do you suggest we go about doing that?"

"I don't, to be honest, although it sounded a lot like one. You're just going to have to trust me on this, especially since we don't have many options. And as for plans, I think we should do exactly the same as what we were doing beforehand."

The others stare at me, incredulous, and I almost laugh out loud. Something about their mouths hanging wide open is just so amusing and unsettling at the same time.

"I mean, like what we were originally doing, which was heading towards the castle. It feels like the source of everything that is going on is located over there, and it could be our ticket out of here."

Everyone looks up in the direction of the castle, its first spiraling tower barely peeking over the tops of the trees. In our journey to the coast, we forgot how close we were getting to the main source of our curiosity, but now it looms before us as a deathly reminder that we don't have the answers.

Wes's hand clenches tightly as he turns back to meet my gaze. "I don't want to go back there," he states firmly, "Jake and I already traveled to the gate yesterday."

I look at him in surprise, but keep quiet as Wes unsteadily continues. His eyes start to dart back and forth as his countenance crumbles at the mentioning of the castle. "I originally woke up in this world near the castle to begin with, although not close enough to be in any danger. Every time I tried to go to sleep or rest, I would continue to hear whispers that were seemingly talking to me, as if unseen creatures were trying to hold a conversation. The murmurs scared me, and eventually I had to leave to go find some food. I moved towards the coast, and bumped into Jake, who had been resting out in the open sand by those weird fruit plants. We stayed together for a while, but then decided to look for you guys. I thought maybe the whispers might have been an indicator of where you guys were, so I suggested that we go explore that area again. That... was a mistake."

He stops, and for such a long period of time that I feel compelled to try and probe him to continue. However, Jake steps in after noticing my impatience and realizing that Wes isn't going to speak. "At first I thought he was crazy when he told me about the whispers but when we later went to the castle I could definitely hear them as well. It felt like they were swirling around me, choking me with its intensity. Surrounding the castle was a large gate, and there was also a grand entryway that was unlocked and devoid of any guards. I thought that the lack of protection was a sure indication of abandonment, and we went closer to the gate. However, when we almost reached the arch, the whispers intensified into screams and I could barely hear myself think or talk. Several trees surrounding the area began to glow a deep, pulsating red. It was probably the scariest thing I have ever experienced."

"Were they... Shifters?" Yi asks him slowly, his face drained of color. "The same ones that we saw earlier?"

"Yes, pretty much." Jake nods solemnly. "It almost seemed like they were expecting us, with the way they immediately began to chase after us. Originally they were surrounding us completely, but we managed to tear through them and run into the forest. But they were hot on our trail, and by the time we were close to the coast several of them were gaining on us. One of them grabbed Wes and ripped at his back before he could react, and for some reason the wound weakened him, almost like there was  poison in the Shifter's attack. I sent him ahead of me while I finished up, or so I thought, the Shifters, and he eventually landed at the beach, where you guys were. And then tons more appeared and I had to run too."

"Wow..." Xavier says, his hand gently brushing against Wes's shoulder once to get him out of his moment of shock. Wes literally shakes at the sudden touch, and then snaps his head towards Xavier while glaring at him.

"Well, the moral of the story is, don't go to the castle. Bad things will happen," Jake says, and the casually starts walking towards the small, dying fire. Most of the others leave as well, probably sensing that the discussion must be over. I can hear them talking about the castle, with most of the conversation being negative in tone. Everyone seems to agree with Jake in being cautious, and I can't help myself from feeling alone after that realization.

I sit down on the broken log again, and try to think about the next step that we should take from here.

I feel a presence beside me, and Xavier's deep voice slips in like honey through my concentration. "I know what you're thinking," he whispers. His hand slips around to my waist and rubs my lower back in circular motions, an action that I am very familiar with for some reason. I feel memories emerging from the chasm, at the very edge of remembrance.

"What am I thinking?" I ask him, turning to face him. His bright green eyes are glowing as he looks back at me, his face full of confidence.

"You're thinking that we should go anyways."

My eyes open wide as Xavier smugly stares into my face. He's right. To me, the Shifters' presence is only a further indication that there is something. If there's a guard, there's something being guarded.

"I do think we should go," I confess to him, bringing my hands to my cheeks in frustration. "But I don't know how to convince the others. Wes especially seems shaken up about the possibility."

"You know, Mona, you're a pretty persuasive person. It shouldn't be that hard, especially for you." He smirks, and I resist the urge to slap that silly grin off of his face. He has to be kidding me. I'm the least persuasive person alive, and he knows it.

"Well, I'll leave it to you then, mister leader," I say mockingly, standing up and taking a low bow. I make sure to keep eye contact with him, letting him know that I'm willing to play the same games.

"What are you going to give me if I take care of it?" He winks, and the smile instantly drops from my face. While inwardly melting into a puddle on the ground, I sit back down on the log.

"I mean, this is in your own best interests as well," I reply gruffly. I know that he was probably kidding, but I can't help but try to hide the embarrassment I feel.

"I didn't know leading our entire group into a Shifter's den was in my best interest," Xavier laughs, and gently punches me in the shoulder. Now I know for sure that he's playing with me, but this time I don't really have any comeback. In just about every way you look at it, going to the castle doesn't make logical sense. It could easily lead to our deaths. Wes and Jake already established that the castle is heavily guarded, and that the castle was probably abandoned of any real people. But I really feel like this is the right thing for us to do at this point. Wasting away in this world does not really seem like an attractive option after the amount of time I have squandered by deliberating endlessly over what to do and what not to do.

And then I decide to use the trump card. Feeling guilty for my new strategy but not having an alternative, I stand up and call out to the others.

"What does Ray mean to you?!" Anger flares up within me as I say these words, not for the others' response but for Ray himself. I picture his face, bent in laughter, and the fierce emotions multiply.

As for Xavier, his expression completely changes from one of mirth to a wholly hostile expression. His icy demeanor does not seem to be directed at me, but the overall frustration frightens me more than anything else.

I try to ignore him as I continue. "Ray may be... d-dead right now. He could be taking one of his last breaths. But the fact that the Shifters took his body should strike within us  the desire to fight! Not only for our own guilt and revenge, but for him, and the very idea of what he means to us. Not only did these enemies wound us, but they took one of our own. Our pride has been shattered and our confidence has been destroyed. But one thing we must remember throughout this time of grief is that we do have the power to defeat our enemies! We shouldn't run away from situations that seem improbable when our purpose is higher than that! And even if Ray is looking down from us from above right now, I am sure he would say the same. We owe it to Ray... we owe it to him to find our way home so that we can make true meaning of our lives. Or else... he died for nothing."

Tears start to drip down my face, and I condemn myself for bringing up the harshness of the true reality when it might just be the last thing we needed. I turn my face and Xavier is there, his face devoid of emotion as he looks back at me. He probably feels like I just ripped off the band-aid, and I can't feel any guiltier for it.

"What a load of BS," Jake finally mutters, stepping forward so that he's in front of me. "We'll be walking straight into our deaths, and then Ray truly would be dead for nothing."

We stare at each other evenly, as if judging each other for weaknesses and flaws. "Is there really a difference?" I ask softly.

The silence seems to last for an eternity. And then... I finally remember to breath.

Jake looks at me, and then slowly he nods. He reaches out his hand and I cautiously take it. "Might as well," he whispers, as if to himself, and then looks at Wes with a guarded expression.

Although bitter in his expression, Wes moves to be beside Jake. "Guess this is the manly thing to do," he says, and then quickly looks up at me with a slight smile, "or womanly." He places his hand on top of ours, amazing me with his strength and dedication.

Something warm touches my palm, and I look to the right to see Xavier at my side. "I call touching Mona's hand," he says firmly, his joking manner contrasting with his fierce expression. A hint of a smile appears on my face as Xavier's support fills me with hope.

Because I truly believe my words. We must find our peace, or die trying. The pursuit is what makes life worth living.

Griffin, Yi, and Danae come forward and place their hands on top. We all look at each other, unified by our goals, friendship, and resolution. I count to three, and then we throw our hands in the air, the pointless act having more hidden implications than we could ever possibly realize. I try to send a telepathic message to the Shifters, feeling the effects of my bravado.

We may or may not be ready. But we're coming regardless. So now... it's your turn.

* * *

It's been a long day, but we are finally here.

The brick walls tower over us, marred by several discolorations, cracks, and various ivy plants that have enveloped entire sections of the exterior. Tall, stone fences encircle the area, and it is cracked and even destroyed in several places. Even the architecture of the castle doesn't seem to be that impressive, with its simple roofing and lack of aestheticism. It doesn't look very intimidating in general, besides the factor of its enormity.

But as we come closer, I can feel the buzz. It starts in my head almost like a ringing in my ears, but then intensifies into identifiable whispers. "Come," it seems to say, over and over again. There are several different variations, but that single word is easily the predominant element.

Come to me, and accept your fate.

Xavier falls into step with me, and he leans close to my ear. "Can you make anything out?" he asks slowly. I nod my head, and he frowns.

"I can't hear anything besides a weird buzzing noise. Griffin said he heard the same."

"That's strange," I reply, "mine is pretty... disturbing." Xavier looks back at me in concern, and I smile weakly. "It's okay. Really."

"Don't you dare try to shoulder anything on your own, or I swear..."

"What are you going to do?" I ask slyly, interested to hear his answer.

"I'm going to punish you, obviously." He says this to incite me, but I'm not falling for it this time.

"Well, I'm looking forward to that," I smile, and his eyes widen. I unexpectedly like doing the unexpected, especially during a serious time like this.

My face turns solemn as I return my attention to the matter at hand. I look around the premises, and am surprised to see not a single Shifter. It should have been easy for me to see any of them, but it simply seems like there is no one guarding the castle.

Perfect timing. Come on in.

"Guys, I see nothing," I say softly, turning to both look at the others and scan the area behind us. Similarly, I see no one but ourselves.

"This is pretty strange." Jake walks closely behind us, his nervousness showing through his voice. "Last time I heard definitive whispers. This time I can only hear a loud ringing in my head."

"Who knows..." I murmur, now only a few feet from the stone rods. We travel along the fence until we reach the arch, which is massive in size and has several strange designs etched into the stone material.

"Should I go in?" I ask quietly, pondering to myself. Xavier grabs my hand as I stand inches from the entryway, encouraging me to move forwards. However, a moment of doubt enters my mind and I turn frantically to face him.

"Doesn't it seem like they are ready for us?" I ask, to which Xavier's expression morphs into something more serious and cynical. "It's like they just gave us an invitation, to be honest."

"I agree," he whispers back, "but that doesn't mean that we should turn back. Let's be brave... together."

So sweet of you to accept my invitation.

I squeeze his hand, the warmth spilling over, and start to walk on the brick pathway. This castle doesn't exactly have a moat, but a plethora of trees, lining the pathway to the point where its boundaries are almost impenetrable. Darkness and shadows fill the area, and I find it hard to see. Clinging to Xavier's arm, I try to watch for sudden tremors or movements.

I can feel the other's nervous attitudes emanating as we reach a few steps that lead to some kind of door. It is near impossible for us to even make out the doorknob because of the scarcity of light. When we finally find the knob, however, the door swings open very easily.

I've been waiting.

"What the..." Wes murmurs as a huge, elaborate room greets our eye. Although lit only by the natural light flooding through the windows and a few candles, we can tell that the inside is more opulent than the outside. There are nice bookcases, furry rugs, elegant chairs and a grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. However, there also seems to be a mix of old and new fashioned items, which is very strange. For example, in one side of the room is a corded telephone, and on the other side there is a wide screen TV. I balk at the contrasts displayed within the room.

We all enter and stare at the many items placed throughout the room. There are also several doors lining the walls, each hopefully leading to a different room. Although before the whispers were bearable, it is at this point that the voices are almost to the screams that Jake spoke of. It pounds at my head, the impeding headache overwhelming my thoughts. For some reason, I feel compelled to keep walking to the North end of the room, and then farther East. Xavier's hand slips from mine, which immediately throws me off of my concentration.

"Xavier?" I ask shakily, my voice wobbling as I notice that several candles had been blown out. Either there is no response, or I simply cannot hear it due to the clamoring of voices. "Danae? Jake?" I call, to be left only with an echo.

The inside seems to get darker as I get increasingly nervous. "Anyone? Yi? Wes? Griffin?"

The silence that accompanies the strange voices makes me feel inwardly cold and wary. I feel a fear unlike most that I have ever experienced in my life. It is the fear of impending doom, looming over me like a tidal wave, threatening to wash away everything in my life that I hold dear.

Walking over to the faint outline of a door where the voices seem to be the strongest, I place my hand on the doorknob. Although scared out of my mind, I can't seem to stop myself from turning it and finding out what could possibly be at the source. I feel like this is it. I'm... getting closer.

The door opens just as easily as the first, but I barely have time to look inside before I am startled by... a mirage. An illusion. A fantasy. A fairy tale.

No one is coming for you.

A foreign voice reaches my ears, high-pitched and extremely shrill, and it takes a second for me to realize that the scream is my own.

And then everything turns black.