Ratings PG-13

“Are you sure they are gone?” Asked Chanur. “We already thought so once and they were playing in the basement!”

“Yes, Nakur.” Answered Peachyra. “The vines indicate me they are leaving right now...”

The large hani grinned and hugged the avatar. “Do you think they heard us?” He was purring.

“I do not think so... " She answered. "Seems like they were very busy and they were so tired afterwards. Did you notice all the food they consumed the next morning? The place was such a mess the pixies needed hours to clean it.” The avatar frowned for a moment at the memory of the starved and extenuated couple.

The hani nodded while nuzzled her neck, as the purr he emitted was getting louder. The avatar giggled, tickled.

Soon she forgot about the angel and the aztec cook... err... priestess.

 * * *

Spark and Zhyan emerged from a cave, hidden by plants which compliantly moved away to let them pass.

 "You said she was a doggle… dopplegagge… my exact double. You mean it as if she was another me? Like a twin?” said Spark.

  “She was a doppleganger, and your double she was…she is. Some how she or her master contacted Darrien and he created the portal for her to enter this plane. But they needed blood, your blood to provide her of a body.” Zhyan blushed in anger. “My guess is that he thought in that moment about getting the control of her actions but his spell was flawed. She looked exactly as you do, and she knew what you knew. But she did act a bit different.” Zhyan tilted his head. “She … she was right handed.” Confused, Zhyan scratched his head and looked at her.

  “And you are left handed. Does that make any sense to you?" He asked. "I thought they were supposed to be perfect doubles.” He added.

  “Some sense, yes.” was her answer.

  “But I did not understand who her master was…” Zhyan concluded relating his part of the events. The archangel looked at her, puzzled.

  “Quetzalcoatl has a…"Spark hesitated "The best word for it should be rival. The feathered snake means progress, culture, growing; as a reflection, his rival promotes destruction, death, conquest by all and any means. Both have always struggled for the domain of each age. I believe this rival god was the master of my doubleyarder. And he should need at least one person, one adept to perform the rituals so he could be allowed to enter and stay.”

  He kept listening, but she did not want to give more information. He knew she would tell him when she was ready and asked no more.

  So, both entered the forest holding each other’s hand. Zhyan was attentively watching her reactions as they walked farther within.

  It was early in the morning and after they walked for a couple of hours, she seemed a lot more apprehensive than when they left the Fortress. She was startled at each squirrel squeak and the slightest noise made her squeeze harder his hand.

  “Here.” she said, stopping. “It was here when I fully recovered my senses”.

  Zhyan frowned. “Are you sure?” It was quite far from the Fortress.

  The aztec girl nodded. “I remember this tree. I hid behind it.” She touched a big trunk.

   “Wait here, I will take a look from above.” Zhyan looked all around them, before launching himself up.

  Spark leaned against the tree, nervously biting her lips until he returned, a moment later.

  “Yes, you are right. The clearing is near” He offered her his hand and she took it, allowing him to lead her towards that place. It was not far, but Spark was even more nervous, expecting to see small creatures jumping from behind any bush, ready to attack them. Her left hand was tightly grasping her blade while her right hand made Zhyan wince a little, so hard was the grip on his hand.

  “Here is close enough.” He told her when the clearing was at sight. Zhyan made her stop, and turned to observe her eyes “Do you feel something?”

   “What am I supposed to feel?” She asked him. His question confused her.

  “Anything. A sound, a scent, any unusual sensation.” He placed his hands on her shoulders.  “It is important”.

  The girl was not sure of what he meant. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

  ::what is he is looking for?:: she thought.

  He had listened quietly when she told him what had happened, and he was frowning when she related him about her nightmares. He explained to her that he believed Darrien had used the nightmares to weaken her force of will. In doing so, it had been very easy to induce a mild trance in her, using a pixie song to lure her outside the Fortress.

  ::a song?::

  “Spark!” Zhyan was shaking her, deep concern implied in his voice. “Answer me! Spark?”

  “Zhy?” She frowned, setting herself free of his hands. “What are you doing?”

  He hugged her tightly.

  “You were not answering me, you did not move! Are you ok? What happened?”

  “I... heard a song, a soothing tune…” She frowned, now more confused “By Quetzalcoatl’s feathers! What is going on?”

  “It is the portal... Darrien must have linked it to you and it is not completely closed; you must not get any nearer, it is dangerous and not only for you. Wait here.” Zhyan kissed her lightly and with gleaming eyes he stepped into the clearing.

  Spark answered his kiss and tried to follow his instructions. It was hard though, to remain there when she kept listening that song within her mind. She heard Zhyan’s chant and a smothering sensation suddenly overwhelmed her. She was not allowed to breathe freely. She wanted to move from there but she knew that, as soon as she started to walk, her feet would carry her to the meadow. She fell on her knees instead, using a tree to stop her from falling completely.

  She panicked and she wanted to ask for help. With her heartbeat rapidly pounding in her chest, she found herself standing up shaky, unsteady and sweaty. The whole sensation was lifted from her as suddenly and fast as it had arrived, leaving her able to breathe again.

  She remained lightheaded, so she opted to sit down and try to fix her attention in several things, breathing being the first one on her list. She counted the flowers nearby, she grabbed small pebbles to throw them against a tree and listened to the sound they made.  She was afraid of paying too much attention to these tasks when Zhyan returned. He helped her to stand up and hugged her.

  “It is done. It’s closed.” he told her “Now, nothing will come this way and nothing can enter that plane either. How do you feel?”

  She hugged him back and emitted a deep sigh, relieved when she listened this news.

  “I feel much better now.” she said

  Zhyan looked at her and bent, searching her mouth. He kissed her slowly, tenderly, pressing her body against him.

  “Much, much better...”

  The archangel smiled at this. After kissing her again both began to walk back to the fortress.

  * * * * *

THE END? A new chapter begins in Return.

Nightmares, part 5                               Return The next chapter