34)
Alex knew where they were running to; it was the obvious place that would afford them the maximum amount of cover and relative safety. Relative because it meant running into the wood that backed on to the townage, the same wood that gave Alex the creeps when he first saw it.
In the daytime it had seemed foreboding and menacing but at night it looked nightmarish and inhospitable; certainly not a place that Alex wanted to be running into blind , and definitely not with an angry mob chasing after them. Onyx assured him that no one in their right mind would chase after them, but as these people had been possessed by the Deluge what could possibly scare them off?
Ten minutes into the wood and Alex understood: it was a wood of thorns. There was barely a path through the tangle of thick rose vines and brambles, and it was only Onyx who could navigate it. It was now Anjinn who checked to see if they were being followed with Allura pushing Alex along the best she could, but he was tired beyond belief. He had been strong after leaving the inn, but as soon as he had walked into the wood he had felt his strength wane. He felt tired and irritable, Allura’s constant hassling was now getting on his nerves; she had never really forgiven him for the misunderstanding and the fact that he had saved them in the inn had compounded her feelings for him. There was no way he could continue with someone who hated him so much.
“Wait; I can’t go on…. This is crazy.” Alex snapped, pulling himself from Allura’s grip. “Why are we running still? No one’s following us, are they, Anjinn?”
“No.” Anjinn agreed, “But that is hardly the point. This is not a place to just sit and pontificate. We need to be away from this wood before…”
“Before what?” Alex interrupted.
“Now is not the time to argue.” Allura spoke, surprisingly calm despite the situation. “We must keep walking. Paige is right, we no longer need to run; but we must be on the move. It is not the villagers that I fear, rather what lurks in this wood.” Alex could only agree; there was a discernible solidity to the darkness in the wood that he could feel. It was something tangible; it seemed to creep around the branches and tendrils, almost rolling like something alive. It unnerved him, but it awoke something inside of him too, spoke to him of the power that he felt when he was inside the inn. That was his power alone. Onyx was there to control him, Allura didn’t trust him and Anjinn still resented him for showing him up earlier on the mountainside; Alex alone was the Lightbringer and he needed no one.
“I know what you’re thinking, Paige.” Allura suddenly said, whirling round to face him. “And you’d be right. You’re damn well right I don’t trust you. Ever since we first met up with you…” She stabbed her finger at him, like an accusatory knife. “Ever since you tried to kill me,” she corrected with malice, “I’ve distrusted every single move you’ve made. You could never be the Lightbringer.”
“If I wanted you dead then you would have been.” Alex said, but it wasn’t him. He knew then that something was affecting all of them. He saw Anjinn tense up. Onyx just stood to one side, observing, as if he wanted no part of any of it.
“I was right!” Allura exclaimed. “You’re just another cats-paw of the Deluge. Ever since we met you we’ve been dogged by ill fortune, all brought on by you. You are the conduit for the Deluge’s influence.” Alex felt dissociated by what was happening. The longer they argued the closer the darkness seemed to get, and the more tangible it became. He could see Onyx still standing to one side not getting involved this time.
Alex couldn’t believe it; he had looked to Onyx as a teacher ever since they had first met. Onyx had been the one to give him strength when he needed it and yet now he was setting himself apart from the group. Right when he was needed the most, Onyx was abandoning them.
35)
Alex stopped himself, this didn’t feel right. Something was happening to the group, making them distrust one another again. There had been a real understanding when they were back at the inn and yet now they were fighting again; he thought back to the corrupting influence of the Deluge: what he had seen back at the inn had been frightening, the Deluge had taken over the entire crowd. Could the same thing be happening here?
He remembered what Onyx had taught him, he needed to reach his still point more than ever and find the strength that alone could see them through. He could hear Anjinn and Allura arguing but he knew that that wasn’t important, it was only another distraction. It wasn’t them talking any way, it was the Deluge talking through them, using them as mouthpieces.
Alex concentrated on his breathing; they didn’t have the luxury of time on their hands, for each minute they spent in the wood the stronger the Deluge became. He realised that the Deluge was not a corporeal enemy; it was something that existed outside the physical world, and yet dwelt inside everyone. It was only here, in Bellkipeg where it could become tangible and he was not about to give into his own dark side. He’d felt what it was like to be under its thrall and there was no way he would allow it to happen again.
With each deep breath he envisaged a bright light growing from deep inside of him, he felt the power flowing through him as if he were growing roots deep within the earth to the very soul of Bellkipeg. And with each breath the light grew within him until he could no longer confine it to his own body and it started to illuminate the wood around him. Alex remembered watching Onyx do exactly the same when the Deluge had attacked them and swallowed the boy. A bright light had shone from him then, and the same was happening to Alex now.
As the wood brightened Alex noticed not only the dark retreat into the shadows far away, but also Anjinn and Allura’s countenances change and mellow, becoming more serene. They were no longer under the influence of the Deluge and Onyx, who had never succumbed to his own darkness, simply smiled and said nothing.
“What happened?” Anjinn asked, bemused by the sudden change of events.
“That was you, Paige.” Allura acknowledged. “The power came from within you, as in the Inn. You are finally becoming the Lightbringer, so you shall bring the light to all of Bellkipeg through the Mirror of Sfel.” Allura was starting to believe in the prophecy again, and Anjinn smiled in agreement.
Onyx nodded and walked over to them, “Be careful with your enthusiasm, Allura.” He cautioned. “It is true that the darkness has been kept at bay for the time being, but we need to be out of these woods before we can feel safe again.” He paused and looked at Alex. “Alex has yet to learn how to sustain his energies properly and I fear we haven’t long before his strength will run out. We need to away from this place.”
The journey was made easier by the light but the wood became so dense in places that Anjinn had to use his sword, despite his injuries. Progress was slow and at times Alex felt ready to give up; it seemed impossible for him to sustain the energies. The light was draining too much from him and started to dim. After an hour he could go no further and leant against a tree. “I need to rest.” He said, his voice weary. “I feel drained….”
“Think on this, Creator..” Onyx said, aware that the darkness was starting to encroach on them again. Anjinn and Allura were both aware of the lengthening of the shadows too. “How can the light be draining your own energies when Light is energy in itself. How is such a thing possible?” Onyx paused and watched as Alex understood this new concept. It was important for Alex to realise that the energy came, not from within himself, but from Bellkipeg. Onyx saw the light brighten again as Alex’s awareness grew.
“The light surrounds me at all times.” Alex acknowledged. “All I have to do is tap into it; it can’t possibly drain me… the only thing that can really act as a drain on my energies is me!”
“Almost true, but as we are nearing the edge of the wood we must be on our guard more than ever – I feel The Deluge will try everything it can to stop us from escaping.
36)
Despite the light illuminating the surroundings, Alex could feel the Deluge try and encroach on his thoughts and feelings. Stabs of guilt and anger would surface, under its influence, but whenever that happened he focused on the light.
All the time the light was shining he knew that the blackness could not hurt them and with each step his confidence grew. He was now leading the way with Onyx giving him directions when he needed to. Allura followed behind with Anjinn still guarding the back.
It was still possible one of the Skincrawlers had followed them from the Townage. Onyx thought it unlikely, but Anjinn wanted to be sure; however both Anjinn and Allura had put their trust into Alex now and that alone fed his confidence immensely, and even he was starting to believe in the prophecies. Could he really be the Lightbringer that had been foretold?
“Stop, Creator.” Onyx cautioned, placing a hand on Alex’s shoulder.
“What’s wrong, Old One?” Allura asked. “Why have we stopped? I see nothing to halt our journey. We are nearly out of this godforsaken wood.”
“Aye, we see nothing.” Onyx agreed. “But do you not think that strange? Creator, direct your light further in front of us. Just expand the field of light a little further out. Will it to happen, and it will be so.” As he pushed the light out further in front he noticed that it made no difference to the surroundings, up ahead the wood was still pitch black. He tried harder, focusing his will out in a more concentrated beam, like a torch, but to no avail.
“Nothing seems to be happening, it’s still black as tar out there.”
“Black like the Deluge.” Anjinn remarked. Onyx nodded.
“Aye; we have been outsmarted. Whilst the Skincrawlers and the wood have kept us focused on our immediate surroundings it seems the Deluge has cut off our only escape.”
“What do we do, Old One?” Anjinn asked.
“Creator.” Onyx turned to face Alex and placed his hands on his shoulders. “What do you feel we should do? You are in control here; it is you and you alone keeping the Deluge at bay. But at this stage you are not powerful enough in yourself to defeat it.”
“You’re right; by myself I’m not powerful enough to hold it at bay long enough for us to escape. But with all your energies behind me I think we stand a damn good chance of getting out of here.”
“How do you mean, Paige?” Anjinn asked. “What must we do?”
“I noticed that all the time you believed in me my light felt more powerful, I could feel your strength flowing into me; but you were unaware of what you were doing, you just believed. Imagine how powerful the light will be if you all consciously focused your energies through me.” Onyx smiled.
“You are correct, Creator. That is exactly what we need to do.” He turned to face Anjinn and Allura again. “You must focus on Alex now. Connect to your still point and let you light flow through into him, let your belief sustain him. Together we will get through this.”
37)
Allura and Anjinn did as they were told and by focusing on Alex’s light through adding their own energies to it they were able to make it far more powerful. At first there was no visible difference to the Deluge, it still seethed and surged at the periphery of the light; but it soon started to become transparent as it lost its cohesion. The more light that shined on it the fainter it became until all that was left was a mist.
“I don’t think we can wait any longer, we must start walking through.” Onyx advised. “Still focus your energies on Alex, but keep hold of one another. If any of you are separated then you will fall prey to the Deluge and we might not be able to save you.” Alex felt nervous; the Deluge was one of the most frightening things he had ever encountered; they were putting their lives in his hands; he started to buckle under the weight of the responsibility and he felt his light dim.
“I know what you’re thinking, Creator.” Onyx interrupted his thoughts. “But you can do this. You have already done the hardest part by dispersing the Deluge. In its current state it can not hurt us; not so long as you keep the light shining from within.” Alex strengthened his resolve and shined his light brighter still.
“Everyone stay together,” He commanded “do not let go otherwise I will lose you to the dark.”
Alex led them into the mist; Allura followed on behind him, her hand firmly on his shoulder with Onyx behind her and Anjinn last in line. Even though the mist could not encroach beyond the light field Alex could still see it shift and coalesce in front of him, forming eddies and tendrils that tried to snare and distract him.
“As long as you shine, the mist can not get in.” Onyx shouted. “But it will try and trip you up, make you lose your focus and confuse you. Remember that it can not harm you, can not touch you as long as you shine bright.” Alex strengthened his resolve and pushed on further, his confidence increasing with every step forward. Onyx was right: the Deluge couldn’t attack him all the time his light was shining forth. As his confidence increased so too did his pace quicken. Allura tightened the grip on his arm.
“Not so fast, Paige.” She urged. “Do not let your confidence get the better of you, lest we lose the others.” Alex nodded, he was falling into another one of the mind traps that Onyx had told him about. Overconfidence and foolhardiness were just as dangerous as having no confidence; too much meant you were blind to everything else except your own power.
The fog was unrelenting, smothering them with every step, trying to force them apart. He knew that the attack would not be physical in nature but he could feel it at the furthest edges of his mind; it was cold and lingering, sending tendrils of despair and distrust into the centre of his being. He drew on the light that coursed through his body, concentrated on his breathing and his imminent surroundings and banished all thoughts of helplessness and hopelessness aside.
All around he could see the fog coalesce in to shapes to try and distract him as they walked on. Ghostly figures beckoned and mourned, trying desperately to waylay him, but he ignored them.
Suddenly he heard Onyx say: “Allura, what’s wrong?” before he felt it himself and had to shout “Stop digging your nails into my hand, Allura. What is it?” He didn’t understand what was going on, wanted to turn back to see what was happening, but a shout from Onyx stopped him.
“You must carry on, Creator! We must not falter! Keep walking.” Alex could now feel Allura try to wrench her hand from his and it took a mammoth effort on his part to keep hold of her. “What the hell are you doing, Allura?” He hissed. “Are you mad?” He could feel her try to pull away from him and from Onyx’s protestations it was happening to him too.
Up ahead he could see that the fog was actually beginning to lift and finally there was the edge of the woods; they were safe! He was just about to shout out when he felt himself propelled forward as if a weight had suddenly been released. For a sickening moment he feared that Allura had let go, but the truth was far worse as she fell into him, knocking him to the ground.
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