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He lands on his side painfully and a silent scream rips from his throat. What on earth was--? He turns so that he's lying on his stomach. The thick smoke makes his eyes sting and he clenched his jaw as he slowly lifts himself up from the ground. He couldn't see anything in the smoke.
"Emily?!" He shouts. Peter stiffens when she doesn't answer right away. "Emily!"
"Peter?"
Oh, thank Aslan!
"Peter, where are you?" She asks.
"Over here!"
Emily stumbles through the fog towards him. He jogs to her and tackles her in a hug, nearly knocking them both over.
"You alright?" Emily cranes her neck to stare up at him. She barely reaches his shoulders.
"I'm fine," he mumbles in her hair. Peter backs out of the hug when she steps away. "You?"
"I'm alright," Emily mutters. She holds her arm out and rolls up her sleeve. He winces at the blood dripping down her arm. "Just a scrape from when I landed. You sure you're alright, Peter?"
"I'll be fine," he nods. "What was that?"
"I don't -- I don't know," Emily frowns. Her eyes dart around quickly for the culprit. She tugs on Peter's sleeve and he glances over at her, only turning when she points at something in the distance.
A man was standing on the cliffside, staring down at them with a glowing blue sword in his hands. He's covered half his face with his olive green scarf and has a green hood over his head. The only thing Peter can see are his pale blue eyes. The rest of him is covered up in a green cloak. Peter's shoulders tense as they lock eyes. Funnily enough, Peter didn't see malice in them only curiosity. Which only meant he was just as confused about them as they were about him.
"I've never seen him around before," Emily says with a puzzled frown.
"Do you think he's the one causing all the trouble?"
"He has to be...he...Peter, look out!"
Peter turns around in time to see a giant green fireball heading his way. Emily pushes him and he leaps off his feet, breathing heavily as he cranes his neck when he hears a loud roar from the fire behind him. There's a large brown spot were a patch of grass used to be.
"What do we do?" Emily shouts from the other side of the fire.
Peter doesn't reply right away. The masked man jumps down from the cliff with a bow and arrow in his hands. Peter's jaw drops when the bow transforms back into a sword. How'd he--?
"Peter?" Emily calls to him nervously.
"Run!" Damn, if only he had a sword of his own.
"What?"
The masked man's gloved hand glows blue as he aims right at them.
"Run! We have to run for now!"
Another fireball is tossed their way. Peter ducks his head in time as he sprints forward with Emily close beside him. There's something familiar about his movements that Peter can't quite figure out. He's heading right for them in quick strides, carefully dodging the tall trees surrounding them. He's dangerously closer to Emily.
"Emily!" He shouts. She glances at him in confusion, startled, and gasps when Peter jumps in front of her.
He really needed a sword now!
A glowing blue sword of his own appears in his hands as soon as he thought of it. He stares at it with wide eyes, mesmerised by the colour. He hears a soft hum and aims it diagonally towards the sky and the two swords collide with a sharp but dull "clang!" that makes Peter's hands shake. The masked man takes advantage of this distraction and slices his shoulder. Bits of his long sleeved shirt are torn apart. Peter cries out and his face twists as he clutches the injury.
"Who are you?" The man questions. Peter wasn't expecting such a smooth, deep voice from him.
Emily shouts his name before he can reply. A loud trilling caw rings in his ears as Alden swoops down at them from the sky. He stands in front of Peter and Emily protectively, spreading out his golden wings, and swipes at the man furiously with his giant claws.
"See you around, Peter," the man says. Peter tenses up and stares at the man with wide eyes as he vanishes in a dark blueish purple mist.
It's quiet for a moment as they wait for an unexpected attack. None came. Peter cries out as a sharp pain stings his shoulder from his wound earlier.
"Are you alright?" Emily gives him a concerned look. Her fingers gently brush against his shoulder. Peter cries out again and shuts his eyes, scrunching his face as he fought the pain. "I-I m sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"Not...your fault," he manages to say through gritted teeth.
She shakes her head and tackles him in a hug. He stumbles back with a soft grunt, unprepared for it.
"What were you two thinking?" Alden chides, shaking his head in disapproval. "You were both reckless."
"Sorry, Alden," Emily apologises as lets go of Peter and buries her face in Alden's warm fur. "He came out of nowhere."
"Who was that man?" Alden asks. His golden eyes soften and he speaks more gently than earlier.
"He's the one causing trouble," Peter says when the pain dulls.
"We've found the culprit," Emily nods in confirmation.
Alden doesn't say anything at first. He merely sighs and bows his head in defeat.
"I'm sorry, Alden," Peter offers after a tense silence. "I know you didn't want to fight."
Alden regards him warily and shakes his head.
"Come, climb on my back and hold tight," Alden bows his head. "I know a safer place."
Peter and Emily do as their told without hesitating and Alden takes off. He clutches onto Alden's fur tightly. It'll take some time getting used to flying again. Peter glances down at the spot where the man vanished, trying to distract himself from the pain. There's still a small trace of blue smoke from where he stood. It's the last thing he sees of the ground before it disappears within the clouds.
*
It's quiet the entire flight. Peter glances over at Emily every now and then to make sure she's okay. She's holding on to her arm and her face is pale from the blood loss. Now that the adrenaline rush is over, he can feel the painful throb in his shoulder.
"Hold on tight you two!" Alden shouts. "We're almost there!"
Peter looks up. A gold light shimmers in the clouds and the top of a tall, white tower pops through. On the grounds below were several winged horses galloping in the grass fields and gryphons napping on the boulders. Alden lands on the ground, startling a few creatures because of a thump loud enough to shake the earth beneathe their feet.
They were pointing at him and whispering. And Peter didn't blame them. He's a stranger in their world.
"Any news, Alden?" A rich, feminine voice came from one of the white winged horses. She bravely approaches him.
"They've seen him." Alden answers solemnly and there's an instant uproar.
"What did he look like?!"
"Why did he invade our land?"
"Who is he?" That last one was directed at Peter and he did not like the accusation in the silver horse's eyes nor his tone.
"Please, give them some room," Alden says calmly. "They've been injured."
"Em?"
She jumps at his voice and whirls around as if she'd forgotten he's still there standing with her. She nods and leads him to the castle, into the foyer.
The foyer had long blue drapes mounted on the stone walls. A faded blue rug covers the grandstair case. She leads him to the room on the left which had a small bookcase and a blue reading chair. Emily goes through the cabinets and reaches for a glass vial with a blue liquid inside.
"How long has this castle been here?" Peter asks. His voice bounces off the walls.
"For a while now," Emily answers. "We needed a place to stay temprorarily and it appeared one day."
"Does that always happen?"
"All the time," Emily grabs one of the chairs and faces him.
"A sword appeared in my hands when I--" he stops himself. When I tried to protect you, his cheeks warm at the thought. Emily must have noticed because she clears her throat awkwardly and averts her eyes.
"It appeared when you needed it the most," her cheeks turn pink. "Are you sure you're alright? That looks awful."
"I should be asking you that," he nods to the burn marks on her arm.
"May I?" she asks hesitantly.
He nods and she pours the liquid onto his shoulder. He hisses at the sharp sting.
"Sorry!"
"Don't worry about it," he grits his teeth.
"I'm sorry to bother you both," Alden interrupts them.
He and Emily both jump away at his voice.
"You aren't bothering us," Peter says quickly.
"Why would you be?" Emily frowns.
"I know how busy you both are," Peter blushes at Alden's sly grin. "Everyone wants to meet you, Peter."
"Alright," Peter agrees and waits for Emily to finish packing up and holds the door for her as she followschim through.
"Everyone, this is the boy we've chosen to fight with us," Alden breaks the silent tension with his deep voice.
"How do we know that the Masked Stranger isn't just another one of his kind?" a burgandy gryphon growls in his direction.
"We don't," Alden turns toward the gryphon that spoke, making himself seem bigger. "Which is why we need them to find out."
"Do we know where he is right now?"
"He usually takes a portal to the Other Realm," the female winged horse answers.
"How do I get there?"
"Why, do you plan on fighting him yourself?" Her stare intimidates him but he stands his ground, matching hers with one of his own.
"I still think fighting is a bad idea," Alden steps forward, sighing heavily.
"We may not have a choice, my friend," the horse turns to Alden who hums softly in reply.
"I'll fight for you if you'd let me," Peter tells them, bowing slightly as a sign of respect.
"You'd trust this boy, Emily?" she asks, her blue eyes sharp with attention as she turns towards the quiet girl beside him.
"Of course I would," the finality in her voice makes Peter glace over at her with surprise.
"Then lead the way, Peter," the winged horse bows back to him. And the others are following in suit.
Peter's chest tightens to the point where it's getting harder to breathe. He's no longer in the forest. Instead, he's in a golden hall with the Beavers, and Mr. Tumnus, and the rest of their old friends bowing to him and his siblings.
"-eter! Peter!" Emily clutches his non injured shoulder with worry in her tone. "Are you alright? You look like you're going to be sick."
The golden hall and four thrones have vanished.
"I'm fine," he manages to tell her, his voice cracking as if he were about to cry. He ignores the worried whispers instead focuses on the girl in front of him. "I'm fine."
"If you're sure..." she hesitates as she steps back.
"You worry too much, you know," Peter teases. She turns a bit red and averts her eyes.
"Alden, is there anyway to get to the dark realm?" Peter asks once he composes himself.
"There is," Alden says, narrowing his golden eyes. "Why would you want to go there?"
"I need to try and reason with him," Peter says.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Alden hums in disapproval.
"What other choice do we have?" Peter asks softly.
"Keep her safe?" Alden nudges his side with his beak.
"I will," Peter smiles and pets the gryphon's fur.
Alden nods and takes off to the sky once more, making the leaves swirl in the air around them.
"You don't have to do that every time, you know," she sounds irritated but her blue eyes soften at him.
"I know, but it makes us feel better," Peter grins, nudging her playfully. She shakes her head at him.
"You're not really going to go to the Other Realm, are you?" Emily asks.
"You don't want me to?"
"I'd normally advise against this, yes," she agrees. "It's dangerous."
"Ready to go?"
Emily offers a hand to Peter who holds onto it without any question. She opens the door and the magical land disappears. The English countryside is in its place. Crickets are chirping in a rhythmatic song around them.
"I agree with Alden, you know," Emily says softly. "I really don't want to fight."
"Which is why I need to try and talk with him," Peter tells her. "to see if he can be reasoned with."
"Promise you won't go?"
"Alright." He sighs softly.
"Brandon's home," Emily steers the conversation away, glancing over at the bakery in surprise. He follows her gaze
Brandon's standing near the countertop, wiping it clean absentmindedly with a thoughtful look on his face.
"Hullo, Brandon," she greets her brother.
"You mind if I talk to him for a bit, Em?" Brandon asks instead of greeting her back.
"Well, I guess...I'll just be off to bed," Emily says uncertainly, like she wants to stay. Peter silently pleads with her not to go but she doesn't understand his expression and quietly walks through the curtain.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, Pevensie," Brandon apologises. "I was...I was having a bad day."
"It's alright," Peter shrugs.
"On the house."
He tosses a chocolate biscut at Peter who catches it with ease.
Peter stares at the dessert warily, "It's not poisoned, is it?"
"Now, why would I poison you?" Brandon asks innocently. "You seem like a decent bloke."
"I have no idea," Peter answers dryly.
"Don't worry, it's not poisoned," Brandon reassures him.
Peter shrugs and takes a bite out of it and drinks some of the water that the older boy had offered.
"But the water might be."
Peter chokes and spits out the water, coughing violently as some of the biscuit goes down the wrong pipe. Brandon bursts out laughing and Peter frowns at him.
"I'm just joking, mate," Brandon snickers, clapping a hand on his back, making Peter wince. "I couldn't resist. Sorry."
Oh, this family will be the death of him.
"How is Emily, by the way?" Brandon asks suddenly. "She's not bothering you, is she?"
"Why would she be bothering me?"
"It's just...she's different...and sometimes people don't like that."
"She isn't a freak if that's what you're implying," Peter glares at the tall man.
"Just promise me you'll look after Emily?"
Odd. He's getting some Dejavu from the question, recalling the Masked Man from the cliff.
"I will," and it's a promise he's intending to keep.
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