Path of Shadow

Chapter 11: Struggle towards Solstice

The energy drains more quickly than I expected.

It's nearly time to head to the Cavern of Foresight, and I passed out again. Glaseron has been working extra hard to help me through that time. This is horrible... It's- It's all gonna... I think, panicking again. My vision starts to blur again, and I cry out.

"Tankra!" Glaseron says as he runs toward me. "Are you alright?!" He persists, holding my weak body in his arms.

"Glaseron... Please... Something... Something horrible is going to happen... The signs are all clear..." I breathe weakly.

"It'll all be fine, Tankra..." He says comfortingly. "It won't be the end of the world."

"No, you don't understand!" I snap, tears starting to flow from my eyes.

"Oh God, Tankra, you don't mean that!" Glaseron says, and he looks like he's about to cry himself.

"You'd better believe I speak the truth! IT'S ALL GOING TO END!" I scream, and fall into the grass, crying my eyes out. I look up at Glaseron, and he's so still I could call him a statue.

I scream again, and my vision fades.

***

When I awaken once again, my body is in the river. My eyes slowly open, and then I realise I might be late for the Solstice. My eyes snap wide, and I scramble to my feet, fall, then get back up.

"Glaseron!" I call out, "We have to go! Come on, hurry!" I pause to set my mind straight, then add, "Meet me at the Crystal Pool!"

I take off running into the woods. The trees rush past me and my veil-like shadowy hair flows behind me as I sprint as fast as I can with my limited energy. I trip and stumble for several seconds before regaining my footing and a few moments later, I trip again and in an instant I'm sprawling on the ground. I get tangled in my hair attempting to get up and fall again. Stop being a waste of time! I scold myself, getting my limbs untangled from the grasp of my ebony hair. I finally get up and continue running. At last I make it to the Crystal Pool, and I stop. Putting my hands on my knees, I slowly catch my breath while I wait for Glaseron. He appears just as I recover.

"Come on, we have to get in there," I say, and pull Glaseron down next to me, and draw the pattern of Yin and Yang in the water.

We appear in the Cavern of Foresight, and I am frozen by the sight in front of me.