Ethereal

~Marcie~

Tennin and Charlotte were dark ghosts ahead of us, rushing through the darkness. The only thing I could see was Charlotte's hair, glowing in the dark, and even that was lost as we hurtled around corners. At those times, Ashan would take my hand and pull me sharply one way or another. I supposed the people of Sub-Terra simply had better vision.

After almost ten minutes of this rushing madness, we turned a final corner and I saw our safe house.

Scarrow was the black tower.

It was still far enough away that I could have a whispered conversation with Ashan. He leaned in as I opened my mouth to speak.

"I wish to speak with Haiga," I said softly.

He shook his head, looking ahead of us at the dark street. "That is a foolish wish."

"It isn't," I said forcefully. "She said--"

"You are lucky that I even let her speak with you," Ashan said. "She has been shunned by the city. Her Sight is weakened and old, and she spreads blasphemy."

"What kind of blasphemy?" I wanted to know, having been accused of such an act myself. We ran past a house with a flickering light.

He shook his head again. "Why must you ask those questions which are most likely to get you killed?"

That sparked another question. "Why haven't I?"

This time Ashan looked at me, and we slowed down slightly. "Haven't what?"

"Why haven't I been killed?" I stopped completely and folded my arms, looking up at him.

His eyes glittered. "Are you taunting me?" his voice took a serious tone.

"I know you wouldn't kill me," I said calmly. "But what I wonder is, being a friend of the Koreask is really enough to keep me alive? Is it really all that is keeping me alive?"

"These are dangerous questions," Ashan hissed, pulling me forward again. His laughing demeanor was completely gone.

"They're the important ones," I said simply. "The truth is, I know why you can't kill me."

His mouth quirked. "Do you?"

"Yes. I know you can't kill me because I'm intriguing. I'm your link to another world, because I am not of your world. Your Koreask--" I gestured ahead of us. "--she was prophesied. She belongs. But you're not quite sure how I fit in at all, and so you're waiting and watching and wondering what crazy thing I'm going to do." I grinned up at him. "Stick with me, kid. I do a lot of weird things."

Ashan was smiling now too, a hesitant, breaking-the-rules kind of smile, and he stepped closer to me.

"Ashan!" Tennin's harsh whisper made me jump. Charlotte stood behind him, looking at me quizzically.

Ashan stepped away from me but took my hand, and we were off running again.

"I love how he blames you and not me," I whispered.

He squeezed my hand and we ran faster.

Scarrow loomed closer, darker even than the darkness--I wondered what it was made of.
"Obsidian," Ashan said simply, and I looked up at him.

We reached the door. Tennin stood in front of it for a moment, hunched over, and I realized he was working on the intricate set of locks. Finally, he stepped back and pulled Charlotte through first. I stepped in after her, and I caught the disapproving look he gave to Ashan.

The rest of our guards stayed outside of the tower, and Tennin swung the door shut with a resounding thud. Charlotte shivered and gave me a worried look. Then her eyes widened--I followed her gaze and glanced down at Deca, who was glowing brightly.

Before, Charlotte and I had kept our lights on at all times. More for morale than fear--we knew our guards were right outside the door, and we simply couldn't bear the sadness of the dark. Now, in true darkness, Deca climbed through my hair, pulsing light happily.

"Keep your creature under control," Tennin snarled softly as he passed me, taking Charlotte's arm and leading her up the stairs. Ashan and I followed silently as Charlotte shook him off and stomped up the stairs.

We walked for perhaps a half hour. Ashan walked behind me, and once the stairs were so steep I tripped and fell backwards. Ashan caught me and I had a sudden dizzying view of the drop. He pulled me close and swung me upright, and when Charlotte turned Tennin simply pulled her forward.

At the top of the stairs, there was a circle of doors. Tennin headed towards the first with Charlotte, and I started forward but Ashan took my arm.

"We should keep them in separate rooms," He called calmly to Tennin. I looked up at him with a frantic expresssion, and Charlotte glanced at Tennin.

He fixed Ashan with a cool gaze, and I looked back and forth between them, trying to understand their unspoken language. Finally Tennin nodded, and Ashan pulled me backwards to a room on the opposite side of the staircase.

"Marcie--" Tennin slammed the door on Charlotte's voice and Ashan pulled me into the room, closing our door as well.

I looked up at him with a pained expression. "Why--"

"We can't have you making any plans," He said simply, taking a seat on one of the beds. He looked up at me with a serious expression.

I saw the lie in his eyes and laughed.

His mouth twitched and he looked around the room, sighing.

"There are only some things I can tell you. You must never allow Tennin to know that I am telling you this."

I sat down on the other bed, facing him. I folded my hands and looked at him expectantly.

He bit back a smile. "You are very correct in your thoughts for your extended survival. If the Order had it's way, any potential threat to the Koreask would be eliminated immediately."

I laughed. "Because friends are so dangerous."

"They are dangerous when they question the order of things," he said softly. He looked at me intently. "When they challenge prophecies and place untrue things in the Koreask's mind."

I stopped laughing and leaned forward. "Ashan, what lies did Haiga tell? Why do you think her Sight is clouded?Why is she shunned?"

He gazed at me without blinking.

"She said that the Koreask would not save Sub-Terra."