After a while, the burning sensation faded away. Instead the remnants were simply fear, anxiety and depression.
"I thought that was it." Muttered Jess tiredly. "I thought we were dying-"
"We were dying." Said Lexi. "She's near. It just makes sense."
"We should go sleep." Distracted Kai. He yawned.
"On the floor?" Asked Lexi sarcastically, as she grazed the cold ground with her hand.
"Oh I'm sorry. Do we have a chateau?" Bitched I, sarcastically back.
"Ugh. Fine." Snapped Lexi, as she laid on her back. You'd think it would be hard considering the condition yet they all went to sleep relatively quickly. We were weak. I personally felt dizzy so I couldn't sleep yet the others slept instantaneously. They did wake up in the middle of the night a few times though.
Kai started leaking. Not that type- no not that type either you dirty, minded pig.
It was like sweat but pure water started oozing out of him. Another effect of the weird power dynamic.
Lexi's body on the other hand started producing static. Therefore she had to sleep away from others. The fizzing noise was loud so they kept waking up, during the night.
The purple shadow that came from the outside helped them sleep though- it felt warm and homely.
I started glowing. Like a glow stick, my body shined orange. I was exhausted so I couldn't do anything but I noticed the ray of light coming from me.
If Methaya was coming-we all are done for. She wouldn't have to battle us for long. She managed to wipe out our entire army, back at home. Her and her magical beings.
Yet there was something bothering me.
Maybe it was the fact that, at least we knew that Methaya was one of my mother's maids. However the marker's identity was unknown. We didn't know who.
I think what was burning inside me the most, had to be the need for vengeance.
Methaya killed my mother and now her and her little prodigy was coming after me. Coming after us.
I got up on my butt. As I looked around, I could obviously tell that they were stifling around in their sleep, meaning that they were like halfway asleep. Like when you're dreaming but you can also hear your surroundings.
"Guys?" I called. Kai turned around first and rubbed his eyes. He shoved Stiles who was cuddling him, which woke him up. Jess also got up- she was a light sleeper. Lexi, on the other hand, she was a deep sleeper. Jess had to kick her to wake her up.
Lexi didn't say anything back to our surprise. She was quite docile. "Hey. You stopped glowing!" She said laughingly.
"Yeah." I said. "That happened around an hour ago."
"You haven't slept at all?" Asked Stiles surprisingly, in a yawn.
"What's up?" Questioned Kai compassionately.
"Im sick of feeling helpless." I answered.
What are we going to do, when Methaya comes? Sleep? No! We can't just sit here, waiting for the clock to strike death."
"Well what do you propose we do?" Snapped Lexi, staring me up and down. I knew this whole peaceful bullshit wouldn't last.
"Personally this all started because of the marker. If we find out who the marker is. They can lead us to Methaya." I denounced.
"Well how are we going to find them?" Asked Jess.
"I have an idea but you're going to say no." I predicted.
"Yeah? Well what is it?" Asked Kai.
"Dream controlling." Answered Jess for me. "I already know you want to do it because I want to do it. I've been thinking about it yet it's too dangerous."
I moved my hands, pointing them towards me. "Well no. This time I'm going to be the one who does it."
"But it's dangerous. Did you not remember what happened to Stiles?" Reprimanded Kai.
"Yes I know, but what Lexi said was right. This started with me and should end with me. It has to be me." I said adamantly.
Lexi sat her butt. "You know-I didn't mean that." She guiltily stated.
"Yes but that's not the point. It was right though. No matter what you guys say. I'm doing it." I laid down. "Now come on!"
"But we don't have a watch." Said Stiles in a sleepy voice.
"We don't need one." Spoke Jess. "That was just to focus your mind. As long as you focus on one thing and one thing only. You will be able to tap into that dormant power and it should be very easy for you- considering we've done this before with you. Remember- the rift!"
I nodded. "Yeah I remember. Let's do this."
They all got up and circled me.
"Are you ready?" Asked Jess. I couldn't see her facial expression as from below, all I saw was some blurs and an intricate ceiling.
"Yes" I replied.
Jess, then used her trance-like voice to place me to sleep. She repeated what Carol said and instead I focused on one thing. My family. They were an anchor that helped me focus.
As I drifted away, I awoke to the woods where I first got marked.
"Ember do you hear me?" Asked Jess. Her voice just appeared in my head.
"Yes." I answered- also in my head.
I was in the same woods yet they were charcoaled and burnt. The aura was fiery and the sky was burnt with orange streaks. It was like I time travelled to when I had my subconscious dream.
"Follow the same thing that you did in your initial dream." Commanded Jess, after I told her about the location.
I was walking somewhere. I felt attracted to it- like a magnet.
"Ember what do you see?" Asked Kai.
I didn't see anything until he said that. Yet it's like those words summoned it. Standing in front of me was-
"I-I see- someone." I told him.
"Who?" He quizzed.
"It's me, right before I got marked." I answered back.
"Wait you can see yourself?" Asked Lexi. I wasn't sure either. The marker was there, slowly reaching towards my doppelgänger.
"It's going to mark him-me." I yelled in my head. It was going exactly how I dreamt before. Except it was like my first initial dream clashed with that fiery dream that I had(about my father).
"Neither one of them seem to be able to see me." I added
"It's because this is subliminal." Replied Jess.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It means-you have to break the barrier between reality and the memory." She followed
"How?" I queried.
"Put yourself in your past doppelgängers shoes. Experience the same feelings, emotions." Commanded Jess
"That should be easy, considering it was you." Snarked Lexi.
"SHUT UP LEXI!" Shouted Me and Jess at the same time.
I tried listening to Jess. I started to think about the emotions I was feeling. Looking at the face of my other self made it easier. The marker had burnt the other Ember and was walking away.
"I feel-tingly." I mentioned.
Within seconds. I floated towards my doppelgänger and encompassed him- becoming him. I could see through his eyes- as the marker started to walk away from me, towards the opposite direction.
"You need to chase the marker Ember!" Screamed Jess.
I tried. It was like, the air was pushing me back as my bones pulled me away. I pushed and pushed slicing through the thin wind. Closer and closer I got.
"I'm so close." Trailing behind the marker. I reached my trembling hand towards the cloak.
"I'm going to pull it off." I grunted, as my bones ached.
"IM GOING TO PULL IT OFF!" I bellowed-and I did.
"I've pulled it off." I stated "I know who the marker is-"
"WHO IS IT?" Screamed Kai.
"Who is it Ember?" Asked Jess.
"Ember! Answer us!" Asserted Lexi.
"Ember?" Called out Stiles.
I answered-
"It's me. I'm the marker..."