A Circuit of Time: Book Two of Spark (A MPHFPC Fanfiction)

Chapter Twelve

"I will, I promise," Ethan said and smiled, "I won't leave you to be the last living member of our team."

They exchanged a hug but quickly broke apart. They couldn't waste more time.

Emma shook hands with Blanche, and then gave John an embrace.

"Thank you," She told him. "For bringing me back to this world."

"I should thank you," John replied, "I wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for you."

Emma didn't reply, she just took off her watch, "This is a temporal expulsatator. If you get lost, pull out the crown and turn the hour hand to midnight twice. It will get you out of this loop in about five to ten minutes."

John shook his head, "You should keep it. In case you need to get the Suul out."

"We will manage somehow," Emma said, "With the power of Mother of Birds, it shouldn't be too hard."

John nodded gratefully and took it. Perhaps they did need it more than him, but John knew Emma felt like she needed to do something.

Miss Bittern cleared her throat. "It's time to go."

"Alright then, bird bless all of us." Olive said.

*

Valeria stopped the soldiers.

As the basins around them glowed up to reveal their location, Ethan hurled a grenade at the enemies. It flew across the air toward Valeria and her soldiers. The ymbryne reached out a hand and shouted something in Old Peculiar.

The grenade stopped midair, and then, like a recording being rewound, it flew back to Ethan.

Ethan, John and Blanche pulled up their peculiar wool coat immediately. The explosion sent them flying backward a few meters, the basins lighting up as they passed.

Valeria's soldiers fired. Ethan pulled John and Blanche into a branched tunnel before they could even react. They ran as bullets bounced off their coat. The Peculiar Liberation Army troops chased after them.

They stopped behind a tight turning that didn't have any light source and started returning fire. Both sides pinning each other down at their position.

"You two come with me." Ethan could hear a woman say.

Where are they going?

"The rest of you finish them." The woman ordered.

Did she figure out we were just a distraction?

Ethan risked a look at the other side of the tunnel. Before bullets could take out his head, he caught a glimpse of the woman who stopped his grenade earlier heading a different direction with two other soldiers.

She's going for the Mother of Birds, the terrible realization finally set in.

Their distraction had not worked.

And now, with them being pinned down at the opposite side, no one could warn Olive about what's coming.

*

After countless twists and turns, Miss Bittern led them to an entrance blocked by a wall of green energy.

On the wall beside them were spidery words written in Old Peculiar.

Worthy Ones, Reach Out And You Shall Pass.

"This looks like the Quilt ymbrynes made during the battle of Devil's Acre." Emma said.

"It's likely the same kind of energy." Miss Bittern said. "The writings on the wall said to reach out. I guess we need to touch it."

"What happens when you touch a Quilt?" Olive asked.