Ember of Hope
Chapter 26

After enduring a whole week worth of sight-seeing with Sarah, they finally set on their final journey. It was just a two-hour hike on the gravel path but the journey seemed to be endless. They were nowhere near the portal even after dark. It was as if they were walking in circles and reaching nowhere.

“Raegan, I told you there was no such thing. These things are just imaginary. Now you’ve seen it with your own eyes. We should head back home now, which is real”. Sarah said sympathetically while her heart fell some more into despair.

The scene morphed.

They were standing in front of the portal. Raegan hugged Sarah goodbye and as decided entered alone through the portal with the talisman in her hand. When she emerged on the other side of the portal, she froze. She wasn’t in Evreux. A cold voice whispered near her ear “welcome to Velar” making the hair on the back of her neck stand in alarm. She dropped the talisman she was holding and ran back towards the portal and through it… and realized belatedly that she had lost the only thing that could take her back to Valiance. Her heart constricted.

The image changed again.

She was standing in the meadow of Pericles she used to go to with valiance – only, valiance wasn’t with her anymore. He was standing just a few feet away in front of her – in his human form from her dreams – kissing some girl in his arms. Sensing her presence he lifted his head in her direction and an evil smirk appeared on his handsome face.

“Why did you come back human? You’re not one of us. Go back to your world”. He said and turned his back. She couldn’t breathe.

Raegan woke up with a gasp – covered in sweat – her heart beating out of her chest – her breath came in gasps – tears streaked her face. She was scared - Scared of that last scene more than anything. Scared that she might not be welcomed there anymore. Scared that Valiance might have forgotten all about her. She rubbed her face; feeling desperate. She knew she was being foolish but she couldn’t help it.

Finally it was “the day”. She was nervous but Sarah was constantly trying to make her feel better. How her best friend was coping with this she had no idea.

“Because we have a pact that only one of us can freak out at a time and clearly it’s your moment so I have no choice but to keep my shit together. Don’t worry I’ll have my moment to freak out later. I’m sure of it”. Sarah had said with a wink and a laugh.

They had already packed their bags and were ready to head out. So she steeled her nerves and nodded. “I’m okay”.

“So let’s go get this show on the road then” ……………………………………………………………………………………..

The hike up wasn’t that difficult because of the gravel path made for the tourists for this purpose. It was rough but manageable. They stopped to rest their legs after an hour or so. They hadn’t taken a guide with them to avoid the nuisance they’d face afterwards trying to get rid of him before entering the portal.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this” Sarah said with a mixture of amusement and wonder.

“If it’s any consolation, I feel the same. But don’t worry you won’t regret this, I promise”. Sarah looked at her funny.

“So now you’ve started talking, huh?”

“Oh trust me you’re going to love it there. And who knows you might even replace your soul mate there”. Raegan winked.

“Yeah right. As if I’m going to let any of those things in a ten-foot radius of me. I’ll make do with my pretty plain earth humans, thank you very much”. Her tone held amusement.

“Pity. I replace them rather attractive. You know, the ones that have their human forms. Our ‘pretty plain’ earth humans come nowhere near them – let me give you an example so that you can understand”.

“Yeah go ahead. Dazzle me”. Sarah was enjoying too much.

“Imagine a place where you can replace a Chris Hemsworth copy at every corner”. Raegan said with a dreamy voice.

Sarah laughed hard. She shared her best friend’s love for Thor. “Yeah wouldn’t that be just heaven”.

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After another hour and a half of walking tirelessly, they reached a jagged patch of trail where Raegan finally pointed out; “we leave the trail here”.

“I feel like Frodo Baggins”, Sarah whispered, not knowing why she felt like whispering.

“Chill. We’re not going anywhere like Mordor. Far from it. So you shouldn’t feel like Frodo at all. Try feeling like Bilbo when the company visited Rivendell. Pericles is just like that, you’ll love it there”.

That made Sarah laugh despite the tension they could both feel in each other.

“It should be here somewhere”. Raegan muttered.

“Don’t forget about me when you replace your ‘friend’ valiance”. Sarah air-quoted the word but Raegan didn’t get a chance to roll her eyes at her friend as her eyes fell on a faint shimmer. She gasped. It was like a gossamer curtain fluttering lightly in the breeze. It was breathtaking. And it would lead her home… to her friends… to Valiance.

“There” she pointed towards it.

“Where?” Sarah squinted her eyes; trying to see anything magical in the otherwise normal landscape.

Raegan took the talisman from around her neck and held it out to her, “here, wear it and see”.

“Whoa, it really is there”. Sarah said sounding awestruck.

“Told ya” Raegan winked and took the talisman back securing it once again around her neck.

“Take care and hold tight” she kissed Sarah’s cheek and headed towards the portal with a hammering heart.

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