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When next I opened my weary eyes, I was near a familiar white oak. I saw the lights of the inn just ahead and I rose, taking a step forward. A force-shield shone, revealing its presence to me. I reached out, almost touching it, but withdrew my hand quickly.Is this real?
As I stood there, someone came running towards me. The familiar cloak and grey eyes made despair well up in me.
You always were a blind-hearted fool. . .
"Krol. . ." I murmured.
"Kat!" he came up running, as if he were going to embrace me and was rebuffed by the shield. He pounded his fists upon it, "No!"
I couldn't bear it, after all that I had been through, I couldn't take it anymore. My knees buckled out from underneath me and I collapsed against the shield. I covered my face with my hands, sobbing bitterly. Have I gone mad?
"Katja, please," he said. I could feel his eyes staring into me, and I could not look at him, "Please, look at me."
I couldn't. I couldn't because he would see and he would know.
He pounded on the shield in a rage, his hand crumpling from one severe blow, but he did not stop. He cried out, his voice full of anger and anguish.
"DAMN YOU, SEKHMET! TAKE ME INSTEAD!"
Thunder pealed overhead and a bolt of lightning streaked down from the heavens, striking the orb that held me captive. It broke through the orb, surging through me, burning through my veins. I screamed in agony, bitter tears coursing down my cheeks.
Krolaun was thrown back by the blast, but he was up in an instant. He got close enough that I could see his grey eyes filled with anguish, glowing by the light of the orb. Just as he neared, he vanished. Not just him, but the Inn, the white oak, all of it vanished.
Once again, I crawled through the depthless darkness, searching for the sanity that threatened to evade me.
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© 1999 E. Angeli Mansfield