Chapter 4
Drew looked over at Aizora who had a weird but crazy look on her face as she stalked towards him." Don't look at me like that its creepy. "
" oh I can be scarier if you'd like?" He didn't know what that meant as Marie looked at the fire still going with the journal as she called for Aizora as she went to the fire as she picked it up before feeling light headed. She felt dizzy as Aizora had grabbed it out of her hands as Aizora looked at her friend. " Hey. Marie you ok?"
Aizora was worried she knew her forehead was purple but not enough to hurt her. " I got you , Just sit down. " She looked at her face as her face was still pale as Drew looked more worried than Aizora. "I'm ok." Marie said as she noticed the look on Aizora's face as she made sure to act like she was. " I got up to fast. I'm ok." It seemed to do the trick as Drew looked relieved, but not as relieved as she thought. They eventually left the tent as Aizora hadn't said anything about the next cave. No one spoke as Aizora knew Drew was worried about Marie. The voice inside her head kept saying the same thing over and over again. "Just get it done with."
She didn't like it and the voice was starting to get on her nerves. Sometimes she wanted to scream at everything and she knew she'd look psychotic. She shook her head of the voice as it kept repeating the same words as it changed. " Nothing with change you. " What did that mean?
Marie grabbed at her head as Drew walked beside her as he touched her back.
Drew wasn't just worried about Marie. He was worried about Aizora he knew she was hiding a lot and he knew she wasn't a bad person, but she hid from the things that mattered, but at the same time he knew he could be wrong. They walked for a good hour before getting to to a long stretch of trees as they seemed to hovered towards a gray dark area. Drew and Marie didn't seem to thrilled as the cave seemed to be calling for them.
Drew walked towards the cave that seemed invinsible to the eye as he moved back and forth. " Cool." Aizora watched as she just thought he seemed relunctant as he smiled at himself and walked inside as she watched him look around. " He doesn't just have a crush on you. I can tell by the way he looks at you." Aizora said as Marie and her had a short conversation as they both headed inside.
It wasn't anything like the other cave except the walls of course. Drew could tell the glint of the walls seemed off but he didn't know how. He remembered the book said something about it as Marie touched the walls probably hoping it would brake like the last one did. Aizora had walked towards the back as she seemed to know exactly what to do as she moved towards the right as something seemed to click for her. Marie walked behind as Drew followed suite. Marie was in awe of the open rock above her as Drew looked around the open space. Aizora seemed to look for something as there seemed to be nothing in the space as she furrowed her eyebrows as she suddenly had a red face. She didn't seem to be ok as she shook her head.
Drew seemed to know something about Aizora that Marie didn't and it bugged her with a passion, then again she thought she was just going nuts. Aizora seemed to find some sort of trap door in the wall. It was small but there was definatly something in there. Marie watched as Aizora got on her knees as she pulled something gold out of the wall. " Marie. "She handed the tiny Golden globe to her as she stood up and dusted herself as Drew went into a diffrent room that wasn't there before. " Drew!" Marie had ran after him into the sunlight as she looked towards the beutiful meadow. It looked the same as the one before only it felt diffrent. She heard a waterfall as she looked around her at the beautiful sight. The meadow was fastinating as the birds flew around and the rabbits jumped around as they played.
Marie and Drew watched the view and the animals as Aizora stood beside them as she fought with the voice. " You can't do anything without me. You can try but you will fail. They will perish because of you! It will be your fault and they will blame you!" Aizora couldn't see past the voice and she knew something very bad would happen, and soon. She felt it strongly. She didn't want to fell hopless or broken as she thought of herself telling Marie about the Coin. Aizora didn't know much about the coin, but she didn't want Her only friend to hate her as much as she hated Drew. They walkedfor several hours as the voice ceased. She already had a nagging headache as she knew it took over her again. Another town came into view as they walked in sync into the town bigger than theirs. " We do need some things before we get back to it." Drew took in the town as Marie and Aizora shopped for what they needed.
Marie and Aizora split up as they quickly got their things and left the shop. It took them a minute to find Drew as he was in another shop talking to someone as he had something in his hand as he paid the man. He seemed excited with his purchase as he looked at it before putting it in his pack as a knife showed from the pocket. Aizora noticed but didn't care to much as Drew walked down the two steps and towards them as the excitement showed.
" Got everything?" He asked as Marie stared off down the street towards the market as Aizora answered him.
Marie could've sworn she heard whistling as she looked down the street. Aizora walked along side Marie as they talked about the good ole days as Drew listened in. When they left the town it felt like part of them stayed behind and they questioned it as they quckly made due to the next thing, but Marie and Drew didn't know what as Aizora was trying to figure out what the next move was as she thought it would be in the journal but it wasn't. She didn't know what to do as Marie knew she felt lost and confused. Drew felt like someone was watching as he suddenly perked up as he gave Marie a look. She didn't understand as Drew watched the coin turn a yellow color as he noticed the glint from the coin as a distance whistle was heard. They all looked at each other then around them for the source before something seemed out of place as Marie's breathing became heavy as the gash on her head seemed to weigh on her.
The voice in Aiozor's mind repeated itself as she fought yet again as she kept walking into the trees as she shook her head as Drew behind her grabbed Marie as he tried to help her breath. " Thats very terrifying. Where is that coming from? Is it following us or are we getting closer to something that we shouldn't be getting near? I'm very confused and very much in the dark!" Drew didn't understand what was going on as Marie tried to not lean on Drew as she stood straighter as she felt light headed yet again. Aizora pushed what ever it was trying to say down as she turned and looked at the both of them as she turned back around and kept walking. Aizora knew Marie didn't look to good but she didn't exactly want to rest earlier, besides she could make it a few more miles. What the Fuck was she saying? She cared for her friend and it was as if this coin or whatever was controlling her life and who she was and she didn't like it. She was starting to hate it.
If her dad was here she knew he would know how to get rid of it or worse try to handle it by himself. She remembered when she was younger he told her stories of his weird treasure adventures. He tried to not mention the women but he failed at one point and thats when her mother came up. she didn't know what had happened and she was very curious if she was alive and well. She remembered the look he tried to hide as he had told her that she packed up her things and left but she knew it wasn't sincere. What bothered her was she didn't know who or where and when they met. He never gave any details of her, exept that she had her beauty. She didn't understand the anger that made her as she wanted so bad to hear what she sounded like or why he never was the father he once was. She blamed herself for it as she constantly begged for anything that was good. Yes she believed but she wasn't sure if she was even going to live through this one death trap of a trip. She was only sure of herself because of this stupid coin that she assumed was speaking to her. How she didn't know or want to.
Drew knew how everything was probably going to play out as he observed and listened instead of trying to get in the way like he promised. Sometimes he was sure it was Aizora in general who was intentionally trying to hurt them both. He had watched her closely ever since he heard the voice in his head. Sounded like her but it wasn't her. " You can't fight me. You will loose your friend. You've already lost your father. You'll never understand the risk as the Host!"
He remembered staring as he felt Marie's gaze on him what was said to her he didn't know and he wasn't sure after hearing that he even wanted to know.
He didn't like the look on Aizora's face as he knew she heard something she didn't want to hear. Why did he have to hear that? He wasn't sure if going with them was a good idea but it was already to late to turn back as he so badly wanted to look back. He already had a nightmare from seeing the house coming out of the ground as he definatly didn't want to see anything like that ever again. He shuddered as he tried to get it out of his mind as he watched the scene play out infront of him.
They walked for what felt like forever as Marie and Aizora looked at the wreckage around them. looked like it was a very small tiny town as they walked through it as they all heard voices from behind them. They immediatly looked at each other as they ran further before hiding behind a bigger piece of a wall that was barley standing. "Where'd they go?" A man voice rang out as a womans voice sounded out. " Ya'll weren't exactly quiet. " As she had said something else that they couldn't understand. Aizora grabbed Marie as they both walked slowly backwards towards the noise from the waterfall. Drew looked back as the " Bad guys " seemed to have found them as Drew said shit.
Marie didn't like what was playing out in her head as the woman in the trench coat and leather seemed to friendly for her as the men around her with guns screamed Danger, run. Didn't looked to good as she knew either way it would end badly. The man to her left seemed to mean as he shifted his gun as we stood at the edge of the waterfall. The men behind her didn't look all that bad as the one on the right yelled out. " Make this easy." The woman looked over at him as she looked towards Aizora as she had a look on her face. " The Daughter." The men seemed hesitate as Drew whispered that we woukd have to jump. " Yeah hell no." Aizora stated as MArie watched her as she looked down. Marie didn't want to jump but it was better than a bullet.
Marie went wide eyed as she watched Drew not hesitate after looking down as he went feet first. " Drew!" Marie yelled as she turned her head as the men surged forward as Aizora tried to back away as Marie knew if she didn't push her she wouldn't jump at all. She didn't have to think as the men propped up the guns as Marie grabbed Aizora and jumped as the woman seemed upset as the gun shots were fired at them.
Aizora yelled as Marie watched her push her hands out as Marie thought she was trying to stop in mid air or trying to fly. She didn't know as they both hit the water. When she came up for air thats when she remembered that her friend couldn't swim as she dived back under as she tried to drag Aizora with her. Drew grabbed Aizora as she coughed up water as she pulled herself away from Marie. " Don't ever do that again." She didn't say it in a mean way but Marie knew she meant it in a rude way. " Only trying to help." Aizora looked at Marie as she glared hard as it made her feel unwelcome.
Drew looked up from where we had jumped as we followed after Aizora but not to closely as he asked what happened. " I linked my arm with hers and jumped. She's scared of heights; and I might have forgotten that she couldn't swim, but it's better than a bullet." He looked ahead of us as Aizora still wasn't happy about what happened. " Z. I'm sorry."
" Just save it. " I opened my mouth as she raised her hand. " Rude." Aizora looked around us as if she heard something as Drew and I looked at each other as we did the same. " I'm confused." Drew said as Aizora seemed sure of herself as she looked in the direction she seemed to hear from as she went into the brush as we stared and did the same. " Ok, the whistling wasn't even ok but that was some horse shit." Drew stated as we all looked at what was infront of us. A huge rock laid out in front of us as the trees seemed to be moved away from the area where the rock was. Weird. Cracks where seen all through the rock as it was split open. Marie questioned everything as Aizora put her hand with the coin onto the rock as once again Drew looked at Marie as he wasn't shocked. They all felt a vibration as Aizora mumbled something as the rock split more open as stairs lead down into the dark.
The air suddenly didn't feel right as Aizora already made her way down the stairs and into the unknown. Drew and Marie followed after as Marie noticed Aizora seemed dazed. Marie couldn't see the coin as it was firmly in the palm of her hand as she feared for the worst for her friend. She didn't want to think to much on what was happening and why as they walked down the flight of stairs and into a weird looking room with weird tools everywhere as paper laid everywhere including onto the floors as dead bodies laid against the walls.
Marie watched her friend closely as she walked around and picked up a few things as Aizora seemed to be in a trance. Marie was scared for Aizora and wasn't going to be surprised if anything bad happened; then again she was still unsure on how she was doing since she still felt weak from the blade from the warriors. Thinking about it made her feel like she was going to pass out. She focused on what was around her as Drew didn't seem to notice anything wrong with Aizora or so she thought. " Is there anything in the journal or are we supposed to just find something like in the last one. " Drew asked as he seemed unsure of what to do as he walked back two steps and looked at the wall before getting on his hands and knees as Marie looked over at the fireplace as everything seemed to slow down.
Aizora saw everything perfectly but she knew she was in the back of her mind. " This is new." The voice rang out in her head but instead of it echoing she heard every single word as she didn't understand as she seemed sure of something that wasn't even there. She watched Marie from across the room as she felt a weird sensation as She noticed Drew inspecting the wall. " He wouldn't know what hit him. Do it now!" She shut her eyes as she tried to think of good thoughts instead of trying to hear the voice ring out. "Shut up!" She thought as it was made known as the voice didn't say anything back as she had control.
Aozra noticed weird saws on the walls all around the room as Drew pushed something on the wall as Aizora heard a click sound echo. " What was that?"
They all looked around the room ready for anything as nothing happened as Marie looked up into the fireplace. All she saw was more darkness. Like that didn't creep her out. Drew again got on his hands and knees as Marie was confused as to what he was doing as he shoved his shoulder against the wall as another click rang out. Aizora watched as a door opened from beside the fireplace as Drew looked pleased with himself as Marie grabbed a shaft from the table that was close to her.
It wasn't a big sword as it seemed more of a dagger but a little bigger as there was an outline of something that led to the back of the handle. Drew still looked pleased as he didn't want to go into the room or whatever it was. Marie looked throught the doorway as she wasn't sure as she quickly looked back and then walked out as Drew looked back at Aizora. " You're girlfriend did you a favor." She pointed as he turned as she walked around him and into the hallway.
Aizora felt like this was a test of some sort as Drew noticed immediatly as he looked at the walls and pushed against them as no clicks were heard but a loud dang. They looked around as the door slid closed and something behind them over shadowed them. Drew yelled for them to run as he slammed himself against the other wall as something clicked into place as the darkness tried to over take them as they all ran into the light ahead of them.
Later that day they already wanted to rest in the tent, but they had to keep going as they knew other people were out there. " Aizora. Maybe slow down a liitle. " Aizora was ahead of them as Marie seemed very light headed as Drew grabbed her. " When was the last time you checked your head." She didn't answer as Aizora looked antsy as she looked around. It was already dark out as they hadn't ever went this far and not set up the tent. Aziora wanted to keep going but with the way Marie was she wasn't sure. " We need to keep going but we wouldn't be able to do that with the way she looks. " For once Aizora seemed to talk the way she used to as she was very worried. Drew held Marie as she didn't exactly lean on him as her eyes suddenly rolled into the back of her head as she slumped side ways as Drew didn't want to hurt her as he slowly lifted her more into him. " Z! Hurry!" He seemed frantic as he tried to wake her as he couldn't shake the bad feeling down. Aizora finally got the tent up as she helped bring Marie into the tent as he laid her softly on the ground as Aizora went somewhere else as he unwrapped the bandages from her head.
When Aizora came back it was as if it suddenly took over her without a warning. She felt diffrent right away as she laid her hands and the first aid on the ground as she again was stuck in the back of her mind. What took over her was very upset that it wasn't worse as Andrew frantically opened the box as his hands shook. Aizora watched as she unwrapped the bandage around her hand slowly as if 'it' didn't care, well obviously. She had that sudden bad feeling as Andrew called her Z as he was about to say something else as she yelled at him. " Don't call me Z! Call me anything else but that!" She barley had to look at him as the girl in the back of her mind didn't understand what happened next as she didn't have the coin in her hand. Marie breathed her last breathe. Andrew noticed as he cried for her as he repeated that he was sorry as he tried to get her back as the girl yet again screamed as something else shifted as she quickly grabbed the coin as it was already glowing blood red. She still didn't understand as Marie's color came back so did her breathing.
Aizora didn't know how to feel as she wanted so badly to scream at anything and everything. She didn't like what was going on as the coin was already making her wish she never came in the first place. She wanted so badly to destroy what it was as Drew looked over at her as she knew she didn't look ok. He didn't bother asking as he too wasn't ok.
Marie still wasn't sure of what was going on as she stared more at the face of what was her friend. She saw what had happened from the far side of the room as she cried along with Drew. Did Aizora or who ever it was know that she could see? She watched as Aizora looked more like her friend as she noticed her pocket glowed through the fabric. When Aizora grabbed it from her pocket Marie didn't understand if it was good or bad. She grabbed her friends shoulder as she knew something else happened as she felt more at ease as she went back to her body.
Flashback:
Jack slammed Marie against a vehicle as Warren and a few of their friends attacked Marie. She felt the pain before a foot slammed into her side and stomache as someone yelled as her body hit the ground. They didn't care, they still attacked her. Marie didn't cry but she wanted too. Jack screamed at her as Warren laughed. Warren was behind her attackers before Jack clapped him on his shoulder as he ran into the circle as he slammed his fist against her face as he grabbed her chin and squeezed roughly. " You wouldn't even be pretty enough bitch." She heard more yelling as everything went dark. When she awoke She hoped her best friend didn't know. She had remembered last week when she had told her about how they were simply douches who only cared about themselves. She wanted so badly to say something but she knew if she did they would hurt her too. Instead of waking up in the hospital like she thought she woke up on a hard bed with a blanket on top of her. Everything came back like lightning. She breathed heavily as she looked at her surroundings. Where the hell was she? She looked underneath the blanket only to see underwear and a over size top on her as she moved it up to see bruises upon bruises.
She still didn't understand where she was as she moved but she barley could because of the pain. She forced herself out of the bed as her legs gave out before she crumbled to the floor. Someone walked into the room as she heard the familair voice instantly as pain erupted everywhere through out her body. She hoped and prayed he didn't use her like he had said he wanted too. She regretted walking outside of the school by herself. She felt his arms around her as he picked her up from the ground as he set her on the bed. He looked worried for her as he rubbed her fingers as he sat beside her on the bed. What the hell was his issue? " What happened? " Drew asked as she looked at him as if he were joking. " Seriously?" She wasn't in the mood to see or talk to him as she asked where she was. She didn't care if it was rude or not. She was simply getting tired of the crap in between them and his friends. " You're at my place. No need to be rude I'd just like to know who the hell does this to you?" He looked very upset as she wasn't sure if he was still joking or not, but she defininatly didn't want to piss him of to a point where he would do the same to her. " Ask your fucking goonies."
It all changed suddenly as Jack and Warren yelled at each other as she heard them yelling before they spotted her. She knew instantly what was going to happen before she ran. The pain was still there and she was more than scared of what was to come as she tried to run faster only she stumbled upon the stairs as she felt her skin tear. She screamed as they grabbed her as one of them threw her to the ground as Warren kicked her in her face as Jack sat on her stomache where the bruises were. She didn't want to feel anything yet she felt everything. No one came for her as they beat her till she couldn't walk. She stayed there over night as she didn't want to move as every bone screamed as she starved for food, but she knew she wouldn't eat. She barley moved as she barley squeaked. She hoped someone would save her as she noticed light streamed through her eyes.
Marie wasn't in pain like she thought she'd be. She didn't even remember that they were on the quest as she stared out across her room as Drew immediatly saw she was awake as she felt fear rise in her as she moved away. He came closer as he sat on the bed. " Marie I'm not going to hurt you. " He knew she was scared of him because of what his " friends" had done. " What's wrong?" He moved closer as tears streamed down her face. " I remembered everything. I almost died because of jack and War-." She didn't need to say more as Drew laid beside her as he pulled her onto him as she cried. He didn't know what to say other than everything was ok.
Aizora had went to her room after Drew had taken Marie to her room. She screamed through her pillow and screamed in her head at the crap around her. She threw the coin at the wall when she had walked into her room 5 minutes before. She grabbed the book and wanted so badly to rip through them as she flipped through angrily. She saw ancient scrools in 2 of the caves they had went through. Several coins were painted on the paper as she flipped through Prakrit. Kharoshthi script. Greek. Legends in Greek inscribed as Kharoshthi script. What? Brahmi. Nagari script.
Phi. Rho. Alpha. Beta. Kappa. Mu.
She was even more than confused as she finally found something written in Latin. Potestas, Imperium, mors, vectura. Puteum habet potestatem desruendi.
She didn't understand as she looked at the papers she found from one of the caves. She still didn't understand as she tried to read the words properly. Maybe Drew could read this. She didn't want to bother him as she knew he was making sure Marie was ok. Vox ista perniciosa est, et laedere conabitur circumstantibus te.
It went on and on but she couldn't read whatever this was. Propter nummum laeseris circumstantibus te, etiam si non vis experiri.
She was confused as to why she was even trying when she couldn't even read it. She put the book on the bed beside her as she just feel backwards as she thought of her only friend and how she was doing. She hadn't eaten at all that day as she thought of the fact that Marie hadn't either. She could tell that Marie had tried to talk to her like they used to. They always hung out and she remembered back to when she was literally dragged outside even though Marie only dragged her to the backyard. Marie had blankets on the ground with her favorite snack and some drinks as well as fruit in two seprate bowls as she wanted to only look up at the stars. Those were the days. They could constantly joke around and talk about boys until it got serious and she knew something was going to change as well as that week she had left her behind because of family. When she returned she knew she had changed. She never hung out with anyone except Mrs. Burkes. She knew she had changed and even Mrs. Burkes could sense it as she always seemed to sit more away from her. She didn't know how to send a note but she really wanted to let her know she was ok.
Mrs. Burkes was the only one who really raised her and Marie was her only family. She sighed heavily as she regretted the way she spoke to her friend. She went to the kitchen and make her favorite. Mac&cheese and chicken. It was Marie's favorite food. She knew it was almost midnight but she knew she was starving and she knew her friend would be starving too. She grabbed the tea from the fridge and poured some in the cup for her as she took it to Marie's room.