Thorn needed to breathe. His lips parted and water filled his lungs. His struggles grew weaker, his hands pushing defeatedly against the waves. He eyes slowly shut.
My children.
His plea was weak - but they heard him. Cold hands seized his arms and pulled. The waters buffeted around him as forces struggled and then suddenly his head broke the surface.
Thorn coughed, spewing out water - his raw throat searing. His gaze locked on Murias and he ground his teeth angrily. The Warden cackled – clapping his deformed hands together in appreciation.
"My, my, what a TRANSFORMATION!"
A sudden cold wind whistled through the cave and Thorn put up an arm to shield his eyes. The flowers faded to brown and withered and died – their dust blowing into the icy lagoon. Thorn made for the water's edge - his mind in a panic. What had the water done to him?
Lightening stabbed the night sky but it didn't strike and disappear – it remained. Everything was now lit up with a greenish hue and the cave looked nightmarish. The waters frothed and shadows scuttled up the cave walls, no longer hidden by pretty flowers.
Murias hissed, turning in the direction of the Dandelion Barad - though it wasn't visible from where they were. Thorn pulled himself up out of the lagoon just as the distant tower creaked ominously on its foundations - sending tremors across the Edge. Murias cried out as the Cold Children swarmed him. Thorn didn't linger to see the struggle - he ran.
The cave walls scrapped his shins as Thorn wriggled as fast as he could through the narrow gap. In his panicked state he hastily noticed his hands – so young and fresh. His clothes didn't fit right – he'd shrunk. His shoulders were broad – too broad for comfort in the cave – but his legs and arms were lanky – lacking their usual bulk. His sweaty hand went to his face - prodding the smooth, unblemished skin. The burns were completely healed. Thorn's heart hammered in his chest.
Murias' enraged screams echoed throughout the cave. The Cold Children couldn't hold back the Warden any longer – he was coming for him. Escaping the narrow cave entrance, Thorn broke into a sprint. He needed to get back to Lauren.
Blue fire erupted in a wall – barricading the passage between two towers. Thorn skidded to a stop. The flames burnt cold. Sparks floated out but they weren't bright embers but instead flecks of snow that caught in Thorn's hair. Maverick emerged from the flames and this time he'd taken on the form of a man. Thorn gaped at the sight of a younger looking Ryder. This apparition's hair was lighter and his jaw narrower but otherwise he was a dead ringer of the warlock.
Maverick raised his hand - electricity crackling with a lethal current was coiled like a snake around his fingers and wrist. Thorn leapt to the side. The blast only narrowly missed him - cracking the stone where he'd been standing.
Without hesitation Thorn leapt over the edge and landed nimbly on the lower level. His heart hammered in his chest and he looked up to see the level above trembling. He ran, struggling in his bulky clothes. Murias appeared in front of him. The Warden had blown up in size and now he could touch the tops of the towers. Thorn craned his neck to look up at the gigantic reaper - his mouth going dry with fear.
The Warden laughed and it made the ground tremble. Thorn spread his legs, keeping his balance. The Dandelion Barad exploded and Murias bellowed -enraged - as black shards of glass shot out. The shards ripped through Murias' silver wings and Thorn leapt back out of the way as 3 foot feathers rained down upon him.
Thorn glowered up at the Warden and their eyes locked. Slowly, menacingly, the Warden prowled toward him. His colossal wing remnants scrapped against the towers – shooting sparks. Thorn's courage failed and his eyes showed a glimmer of fear. He was remembering the stone wings of angels brought to life by Michael... Thorn's heart clenched painfully. He'd hurt Ryder – taken away somebody he cared about when the warlock had already lost so much...
Murias kicked him with a foot that was the same size as Thorn. The breath was knocked violently from the necromancer's lungs as he was sent flying - falling down back into the dark fathomless night. Thorn caught onto the edge of lowest level – only a narrow bridge – and cried out as his arm protested in its socket. Souls soared passed him, rising in a swarm and rearing on the reaper. Thorn used the distraction to drag himself up onto the narrow bridge.
A cold wind blew at his hair and Thorn shielded his face from grit. He put a hand over his pounding heart. The dark depths below seemed to loom. Would you die if you fell into that or simply fall for the rest of time? He was out of breath and he winced as he put weight on his hand to help with getting up. Murias stooped and Thorn gulped - staring into eyes that filled the sky.
"I thought I'd broken you." Ryder's voice came to mind. Thorn took a deep breath and straightened his spine. If Ryder, the greatest man to ever walk the earth, couldn't break him – no one could.
Thorn broke into a sprint. Murias reached out with a mighty paw, sending the little necromancer flying but Thorn's feet only briefly lost contact with the floor. The dead had nudged him back onto the path. In his mind Thorn corralled the deceased.
Murias howled and clutched his ears as the souls wailed in their towers. For a thousand years the dead had been vacant - reduced to orbs awaiting sorting - but with the entrance of Hades' son they were remembering. Remembering all that the dead could be. Kings and Queens of the Isles of the Blessed, tormented slaves in Tartarus, distinguished in Elysium, hungry in the Asphodel Meadows. They could be more. In death there could be more. Anything - even suffering- was better than being reduced to number in a nifty barad filing cabinet.
Maverick appeared on the narrow bridge ahead of Thorn. The spirit of blue fire leapt into the air. His aura was aflame and blue fire licked at the tips of hair. Thorn dodged out of the way but was still close enough that the blast of power knocked him off his feet. Murias was cradling his head in agony but was laughing, his crooked back trembling with mirth.
"I was right! Et erat rectum!" Shadows engulfed the Warden, writhing around his neck, wrists and torso until they swallowed him up. He materialised behind Thorn, returned to normal size. "VIVERE RURSUS EX MORTUIS!" He bellowed triumphantly.
Maverick pulled back his hand. The blue fire shot from his palm like a whip and he struck at Thorn with accuracy of the viper. Thorn rose his arm to shield the blow and his shadow jolted forward. Moving independently Thorn's shadow seized the whip and pulled – dragging it from the spirits clutches. The whip dematerialised the moment it lost contact with its creator. Maverick hissed in frustration, revealing the blue fire that kindled in his mouth in the place of tongue.
Maverick created a two handed sword. Determinedly he lunged for the necromancer. Thorn dodged the blow, cartwheeling through the air to avoid its deadly strike. "ENOUGH!" The Warden commanded. The spirit froze immediately. Thorn turned to face the reaper, panting for breath. The warden applauded him. "I could use you."
Thorn hunched his shoulders defensively.
"In your plan to bring back the gods?" He spat angrily.
Murias seemed pleased by his retort.
"Exactly."
"I'm here to free Lauren."
"Take her – she barely matters. You're much more useful to me."
Thorn stared at the Warden in disbelief.
"Me...for her?"
The Warden nodded, his headdress creaking.
Thorn looked back at Maverick. The spirit remained motionless but his body was entirely engulfed in flame. Slowly, Thorn nodded.
"Lauren goes free."
Murias laughed gleefully.
"Agreed." With a wave of his gnarled hand Lauren suddenly materialised at Thorn's side. She stared about her, disorientated. Thorn reached out for her but Lauren held back, frowning.
"Thorn?" She questioned. He reached up and touched his face – he guessed he looked very different now. He nodded, holding her gaze.
Lauren stared at eyes of honey she knew so well. She gaped at him. He'd become a teenager! "How?" She took his hands, needing to hold onto him - to confirm that he was real. "Thorn." Tears filled her eyes. "Are you ok?"
He nodded but his expression was tense.
"You're free to go." Murias told her. Lauren's back stiffened and she stared suspiciously at the Warden.
"Why?"
"It's ok." Thorn reassured her. Her gaze flickered across to him.
"You're coming with me?" She asked, with urgency in her eyes. He didn't say anything. "Tell me you're coming with me." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Thorn?!"
"I will give you safe passage to the underworld, from there-"
Maverick moved suddenly, quicker than either Thorn or Murias could counteract. Lauren's eyes widened in fear and surprise as she was flung over the edge.
"NO!" Thorn screamed, reaching desperately for her. She stared up at him as she fell through the darkness, pale fingers reaching urgently at him. "LAUREN!" He roared, staring in horror as the darkness devoured her completely. "LAUREN!" She was gone. Murias seized the necromancer, holding him back from the edge. "Lauren," Thorn's voice became a broken whisper, "no..."
Maverick's fire extinguished and he returned to the form a small child. He stared up at Murias, their eyes meeting over Thorn's bowed head. Maverick's steady gaze was frozen and unrepentant.