A Time to Be 6

The tunnel's light glowed so brightly i had to squint just to make out the pathway. A path i had not noticed before now, that had only been shone to me on the map that Alexandira had from her father. It was more eerie in person with swirling pools of grey and lavendar floating over my head. The fierce white track twisted along the void, spinging around me. I could feel the unnatural breeze blowing back my hair as strands clung to the side of my face. I had been walking for some time now, searching for any clue that would be at all helpful. Only the strange whistle of the air kept me company as i staggered through the broken marble and glass of the walk. I started to turn back, when a gold sparkling light caught my eye at the end very end of the path. A shadow approached me and his steps were as familar as his smell.
"I have found it!" he shouted excitedly. "hurry! give me your necklace, you must come quickly or you will miss it!" his deep eyes sparkled
"what are you doing here?!" i scream
"i could not let you here by yourself" his brillant smile convinces me and i take his hand as he helps me closer to the golden star, twinkling in the distance.
When we come to it, it appears more of a large, golden ant hill. The hill radiants of a light so welcoming and friendly i find myself dazzled by its presence.
"hurry, give it to me" he yells over the whipping wind, seeming to grow louder and more servere. "Cerean" he says sternly. I look in his eyes for a minute, unsure. Something is wrong.
"i do not think this is the Grave" i shout finally.
"of course it is. Dont you trust me?" he looks angrily. He reaches out his hand for the amulet, when something catches my eye under his cloth bracelet.
"Kaden" i say, my head tilted towards his. "where is your tattoo?" i say sternly, through grinding teeth.
A sicking grin comes over his face and a harsh chuckle that is not his echos through the void.
His face starts to descenegrate into the wind like sand, revealing the shadow of the man from the Wedding. Salizar.
"you are a clever one. They told me you would be, but  i had to see for myself" his eyes tried to dance into mine but i shut him out, breathing in deep aching breaths. I turned my head to the side, letting go a harsh scream in resistance to his thoughts. He is eating at me, draining me of my life. I feel my face losing its glow of life. I pull the Power inside me as a burst flows through me, building in the space between us til it hurls towards him, sending him flying backwards. He lifts his head barley, focusing on my mind with the last bit of life he has left.
"you will not overcome me!" i yell violently, mostly in reassuance to myself
"Let me in!" he growls, which turns in to a curling scream as i drown him in pain with another jult of my anger.
"cerean, darling" my father's voice dances into my ears and i open my eyes, brakeing my concentration and Salizar's pain. He is standing before me, the same croocked smile and weathered eyes stare at me. His short red hair, now turned with white tosses in the whipping wind.
"NO" i cry, releasing the pain back into him. His multilated crys escape into the air around me, coming from all directions as i pulse Power into him, throwing rays of daggerous pain.
"cerean darling, dont do this to me" he pleads.
I feel the tears forming as my father's figure twists in pain.
"my father is dead" i say with a hardened face as a single tear rolls down my face. "and so are you"
"NO!" his voice breaks as the last role of death is hurled at him, breaking him. He is lifted into the air with my thoughs and turned over so i can see his face. His eyes are still aflame, twisting and roaming behind his lids. His face is contorted in the most horrible set of grimace imaginable as pain recks his body.
My voice is strong and booming as i say the curse apon him.
"I bind you, i bind you of your power, i bind you of your wrongs and of your lies, i bind you of your evil magic and of your inner Power"
I send the final shock through him and close my eyes as his body floats to the ground and turns to ash at my feet and picked up in the wind. I turn my back to the smoldering pile, closing my eyes to the need to find the Grave. As his body desenegrates, so does the sparkling facade that was the Grave.
I stumble through the tunnel of light, shifting through the path like a ghost. I feel the amulet finally pull me under and into the long white hall, just as the spinning vortex that was the Grave, closes up.

Alexandria and Hogan await with Kaden nervously.
"Cerean!" Kaden jumps up at the sight of my feeble state and comes to stable me. I back quickly at his touch. His hurt eyes are quickly changed as Alexandria approaches.
"what did you find?"
"it wasnt the Grave. It was a false one. salizar..." i started.
"what happened?" hogan came over to me.
"he was...disgusied" i covered, looking to Kaden. Alexandria's eyes flashed between us, understanding, but no one else, luckily, caught on. "he tried to take in my Power, but i fought him. He is dead" i whispered.
"Sailzar!" Hogan seemed surprised. "we saw nothing of him inside the realms. He must have found a way to enter without our noticing. But still, now everthing is changed!" he said jpyiously
"you can release the power now! everything is the way that it was!" Alexandria joined him.
"not until she is well" kaden grabbed my arm, against my pull. "why are you not as joyful as you should be?" he whispered into my ear, once Hogan left to tell the others. Alexandria watched Kaden closely, refusing to leave.
"something is still not right" i confided in him, though i was still afraid.
"what do you mean?"
"it isnt as it should be, i can feel the restraints in my Power. I still must unlock it. I have to find the Grave, though there is not a time limit now that Salizar is dead." i replied out loud now.
"I understand" alexandria said now. "i you wish to wait until you have found the Grave, i will try to convince the others as well. but i will warn you that this is not what was agreed, although it is best. hogan will not be pleased" she sighed, her head in her hand.
"well, lets find it" Kaden motioned.
"Cerean. What do you mean when you said that Salizar was disgusied." she looked narrowedly at Kaden
"Alexandria, dont"i closed my eyes.
"Who was he disgusied as?" Kaden now asked to me.
"my father" i said honestly, but she knew that was not who i was afraid of.
"that was all"
"yes" i lied.
"no one else?" she raised her eyebrow.
"it was me, wasnt it" kaden understood. "he was me?" he asked
I merely shook my head, opening my eyes to his hardened expression
"you can not trust him now" alexandria moved to my side so we were faceing Kaden, two againt one.
"you can trust me!" he said defeated, knowing his lie.
"once they have been taken over by Salizar, their will is no use. That means he was close enough to notice you, to mimic you. Your spirit was under his Power, Kaden. You can no longer protect her!" she said sternly, leanign towards him with an intenseity that i was not used to from her meek face.
"you do not know that will happen" he turned from us.
"yes i do" she whispered. "it happened to me." she looked away as she began her story. "Salizar thought that since i was the only other girl that he had heard of having the Power, it must have been me that was the Tempust. He was confused and desperate to find you. He took over my father's form, but i discovered it was not him in time. A week later, my father, himself tried to kill me. He was under his spell. He was taken by Salizar, his very spirit controlled. I had to kill him, and i will not force cerean to kill you!" she in a hard whisper.
"i will only watch her" he said broken.
"you must stay away from me" i felt a tear forming as he turned around. "if you know where i am, then you might find me, Kaden."
"Salizar is dead!" he finally shouted.
"but his Power isnt" i closed my eye as the tear escaped. "you are not" it hurt having to say thoes words more than i thought. I opened my eyes in time to see him slowly fading from the room, a scorn and tearful expression was on his face.
"im sorry" i called.
"no you are not" was the reply before he was gone completely.
"you did the right thing, i can not imagine how hard it must be. I see the way he looks at you. Believe me, it is best. If you had to kill him..." she stopped. "it is a pain that you forever bear" she looked away. "come, we must celebrate" she smiled hollowly.
"i do not feel in the mood for laughs right now. I will leave you to convince Hogan, i know he will not be to pleased to see me. I will return, i promise you." i looked to her kind eyes, broken my reliving her father's death.
"goodbye, cerean." she nodded and stepped back as the tunnel of light appeared, pulling me back home.
I was guided to the middle of my room as the sun came up over the balcony, time having past. I would have thought that with Salizar's death, the time seal would have been resotred, been it seems it wasnt. Almost a day had past at home. Luckily, Eliza was at her honeymoon, too busy to notice i was missing, but did leave some frantic messages for me. I called her back to reassure her i had just come down with a case of the flu. My mother, however, was not so easily dealt with.
"Cerean. You promised me"
"I had no choice. He found me, i am fine, he is gone, we are at peace" i hurried on, trying to calm her, hopelessly
I finally convinced her i was not dead, as a knock at the door made an excuse to go. I thankfully peered out the peek-hole to see Wense waiting.
"ive come to check up on you. You've had me worried" he called through the door as i told him just a second and quickly tore at the locks.
His presence was as stunning as ever. In his hand was some tea and soup in canisters.
"how thoughtful, but really, i am better now" i smiled.
"i have awful timing" he laughed.
"no, actually its rather perfect" i welcomed him in and he sat at the table, pouring us both a cup of the soothing tea that instantly calmed me.
"i was looking for you at the wedding reception, but your mother told me you hadnt been feeling well all night." thank goodness for mother.
"Yes, i really am sorry about that" i frowned. "i promised you at least one more dance" i laughed.
"well how about tomorrow night? if you are feeling better that is" he added quickly. "you still look very tired" he nodded.
It was true, i was more tired than one could imagine, having not slept in what felt like a week almost. But i still wanted to be with him. With Kaden gone, i could not imagine lossing Wense as well. It became increasingly clear, my affections for him.
"well, i am actually tired, now that you mentioned it, but i would love to go with you tomorrow." i smiled.
"here, you might still could use some soup" he laughed, handing me the canister. "its just some from the market, sorry but im not that good of a cook." he laughed. "if i had made it myself youd probably be sicker than when you started"
"no, no." i grinned. "its wonderful. Thank you, that was very thoughtful."
"so does it feel empty now that Eliza is not here" he asked.
"uh" i groaned. "dont remind me. I have to help them move her to John's once they return and then go looking for a new tennant" i sipped at my tea with a sigh.
"im sorry, i will help you find one, if youd like. And i already told John i would be helping move." he tried.
"thank you!" i said in ernest. "you dont know how helpful you are!" i smiled.
He came closer to me, his lips dancing along mine and gently parting them.
"im sick" i played.
"im immune" he laughed, kissing me again, leaning closer into me. I sighed as he pulled away.
"cerean, you must know that i am falling in love with you" he laughed. "how is it that you are so charming?" he asked, rubbing my cheek with his thumb, creating a cool sensation where his touch was.
"i could ask you the same" i kissed him once more, but he ended it too soon.
"i have to go, you need your rest. Tomorrow, 6?" he nodded and was out the door before i could respond.
I threw myself on the bed in a huff. What was i doing? How did i set myself up like this? What if Wense ever discovered what i was? Would he believe me? would he think i was crazy? or worst of all, would he be afraid? I had already caused enough pain to last a lifetime. I had been the destruction of everyone around me. My father, resultingly my mother, Alexandria's father,Kaden's father, and now, Kaden himself. I had banished him. Banished him from the Mastery and everything he knew. What was he to do now?
My dreams formed around these thoughts. I tossed and turned at the nightmare of his eyes, dark and warm, the way they looked when they were Salizar's. The feeling that something was wrong. That i was missing something. That the key to everything was right before me, screaming my name.
"cerean? Cerean?" the little redheaded girl laughed, wondering through the jasmine, beconing me to follow her.
Her smiling little face, my own. Her eyes, the drowing teal looking up at an older version of herself.
"you are to fix it, it is your destiny." she hums. "your destiny...destiny...destiny"
I shoot awake, staring into the mid-afternoon sunlight coming into the room. I find my clock on the floor beside my table. It is already 3 pm. I had slept over 24hrs from my exhaustion, but it still did not seem like enough. Time was not enough for me anymore.
I quickly went to the shower, feeling the warm water on my skin. It had felt like an eternity since i was to myself, alone in my own time. I couldnt remember the last time i had eaten as i walked into the kitchen, still in my bathrobe. I ravenishly ate at what little food there was in the apartment, not wanting to seem like pig to Wense on our date this evening. I felt nervous for some reason. Something inside me wanted to tell him. Tell him what i was. Show him, even. But not tonight. I knew that being honest with him now, although good in theory, would be absurd. I would wait until i was sure i loved him. Sure i could trust him with something so big, so important. But that was just the thing. I was sure.
I shook my head clear of all thoughts and went to sit down on the couch and rummage through some magazines, tring to distract myself. Photos of a simplier egistance without worry, leaped from the page. I closed it and began to get ready, way to early, for my date.
By the time i was finnished, i still had an hour left till he was to come. My hair was in the most reasonable position i could manage and was almost pretty, swept around my face. I had to wipe the makeup off my face twice, mostly from the indecision of colors, but also to the thoughts that it looked to ridiclous. My eyes were left alone with only the long lashes swept up. My lips were a light pink to match the dress i finally chose. I ended up in a summer dress, delicately tied about my back in a modern fashion with white lace and decorate pattern i felt a bit stupid in, but then again, i felt stupid in any dress i wore. My shoes hurt my feet horribly, but were the most acceptable with this dress and i decided to tolerate it for Wense, even though we were to go dancing.
I waited impatienctly for his knock upon the door, deciding finally to make some tea, for it seemed to work yesterday at calming me. By the time i was done with my first cup, the knock came, starling me.
I opened it up to see him leaning at ease against the frame, making me embarassingly gawk. His brown suit fit him to a tee and i was sure he could not have been more handsome.
"why, hello" he laughs, "you look exceedingly beautiful" he takes my hand with an elegant kiss.
"thank you, you dont look half bad yourself" i laugh and walk out the door.
The evening couldnt have been more lovely. We ate dinner at a perfectly secluded table atop a balcony overlooking some of the city's more namely bulidings. The dark clouds rolled overhead, threating rain, but not supplying, making a slight wind pick up, filling the night with a wonderful breeze of a storm.
"how is your dinner?" he asks polietly.
I look down at my empty plate bashfully. Even though i had pilaged my apartement for food hours before, i still scarfed down my exceletantly prepared chicken and pasta.
"really good" i laugh, embarassed. he joined me with a slight chuckle, still eating his own, at a reasonable pace compared to mine.
I sipped at my wine, which eaisly relaxed my tension with each drop.
"so, im glad that you could come out with me" he grins.
"i am too" i blush slightly.
"dance with me?" he asks, motioning towards the empty dancefloor behind us on the private balcony where gentle beats of the music drifts out from the inside.
"i did promise" i laugh as he takes me up in his arms with a swing as the black marble tiles dance below my feet with a rythmic motion.


His perfectly gentlemanly behavior has now vanished as he swings an arm over my shoulder. It feel slightly relaxed and heavy as he guides me to my apartment door. I regret having that last glass of wine as my head spins in violent circles.
"ill have you know that i am a horribly cheap drunk" he smiles, seeming completely sober. The only thing that seemed intoxicating was his light eyes that danced into mine. I tried to look away as he kissed my cheek, but i couldnt. His smile welcomed me even further into him.
I had to do something before i regretted this. Deep inside me was a warning that the stupor i was in seemed to intensify. That something that wasnt right seemed to eat at me now. I had to figure it out before i revealed myself to Wense, for i knew that i could not keep pretending. He was going to find out tonight, but first i had to resolve these feelings of warning.
I went to open my door, but quickly grabbed my amulet and time shifted with a luring draw that sent me through the light burst and into the darkness of an Indian night.
I rushed to find the cloths, hoping that it would lead me to him. The shifts soon came into view as i struggled through the linens. The wine's calm started to ebb and i was now marching along the path to the ruins. The bandits were no longer by the diminished fire and smoke rolled from behind the curtain i knew to hide Kaden's ruin.
Laughter rolled along with the clouds of smoke and i thought one of them sounded like a girls. As i pulled back the curtain, my stomach curled up in harsh knots that twisted and streched me into nausea. Kaden was resting back on a silk cushion, a dangerous smile on his face as a small indian girl with hardly any cover, fed him some dates. Beside him sat a hooka, the pipe resting in another woman's delicate hands as she put it to his mouth. He took in a long puff then kissed her disgustingly, letting the fumes into her mouth. I felt as if i was to be sick, from either the display or the toxic air, i was not certain.
"Kaden" i coughed, fanning the air.
He didnt look up as he growled harshly. "go away" he moaned, taking another huff.
"Kaden, its me, Cerean"i tried
This time he sat up, knocking the girl feeding him the dates off his lap. His face was hardened to a stone reply.
"what do you want?" he said monotoned, not letting any emotion show.
"Kaden, i know that i am not supposed to trust you, but" i started.
"then why are you here?"he leaned back, still in his monotone. He looked back at the cieling as the woman with the dates started at me evily, moving back onto his lap.
"because Kaden, you are the only one who knows, who i can trust"i admitted.
he just sat there, taking in my words.
"I need you to help me, and if that means that i am making myself more vunerable then so be it" i sighed
He sat up now, a fire in his eyes.
"you pathedic liar." he shouted now and stood up, the woman falling again from his lap, this time more violently. He approached me with a vicious look in his eyes.
"you know why you came back to me. You rely on me, you need me, but not to help you find the Grave, but because you felt it too" he snaped. "you felt that something wasnt right, that something is still there that is making your magic weaken. But i can not help you if you refuse to admit that i could never hurt you!" he said sadly. He now lowered his tone to a sigh. "you know that you are the one person i could never hurt, yet you turned your back on me for the Mastery! the very people that turned away from your father, from mine!" he said in angusish. "i dont understand you. If you want me to help you, you are a bit too late." he turned his back to me. "get your Wense to protect you!" he mocked.
"i do not want him!" i shouted, spinning him around.
"then what do you want, Cerean?" he said quietly. "what do you want?"
"i thought i knew" i narrowed my eyes. "but it seems i was wrong" i turned to go but he caught my arm and spun me around with a violent kiss. his mouth thrashed about mine, making me give into him as he pulled away
"just to show you what youll miss" his eyes blazed with spite. I felt tears running down my face at this.
"no." i said proudly, "you can tell yourself that ill miss you, but when you feel my emtions, i can promise you, you will never find it! what you will feel is every kiss he gives me, every look, every touch and know that at one time, i thought it was you that i wanted to give me those, but now, its him" i thundered, making his smug grin fade into hurt and dispair.
He turned around and sat slowly back down on the cushion. I felt the wave of light flow over me as his face frozen in its state of depression. I was julted through the tunnel and was suddenly looking up at the cieling of my apartment.
"oh thank heavens! cerean! dont scare me like that again!" Wense half-laughed half-sighed.
"what happened?" i asked, brushing back my hair and decreatly wiping the tears that were still in my eyes.
"you passed out! scared the bloody hell out of me!" he fully laughed now that he knew i was fine. "here, we should get you to bed" he picked me up gently and layed me on the bed, leaning over me.
"dont go" i sighed as he went to leave.
The anger i felt from Kaden still raged in me. He was going to know how i felt now.
Wense looked at me with his shining eyes, a mixture of restraint and longing in them. I quickly reached up to kiss his lips as surprise washed over him.
He let go a light chuckle as he kissed me back, his lips moving against mine. His weight shifted over me so he was now strattling me very cautiously. I pulled him down with a forcefull grab that made him a bit unsure, but continued to kiss me, increasing his pace. I undid his shirt as he moved his hand down my waist and stopped at my thigh, rolling my dress up in his hands. I felt a break in my certainty as he undid his pants, kissing down my neck. I couldnt tell if this was what i had wanted after all, i went to sit up, but his hand at my back stopped me, pulling me closer to him. His cool breath danced around my ear as his icy, hard chest came to mine. I tried to breath more slowly, but he bombared my senses as he pulled me into him. I felt his hands about my wrists, putting them around his neck and then tracing down my body to my hips as he moved over me. He pushed at my back, bringing me up to him. His lips moved around my neck and down to my chest where he stayed, breathing ice onto my skin. I grabbed his back for support as my own arched under him, his motion bringing about a new set of spasms down my spine. I closed my eyes as he continued to kiss along my body, still pulling me closer and closer.


i rolled over, under his arm, closer to his slow breathing chest. His eyes dreamed under his lids as he slid me closer to him in his sleep. As i layed there, pressed against his stone chest and under his heavy arm i couldnt help but wonder what i had just done. His beautiful face started at me in slumber and i felt a new wave of guilt. Not only had i hurt Kaden from this, which was my ulitimate goal, but i had also hurt Wense. He thought that i returned his feelings now, wanted him as he wanted me, but the truth was that i didnt know. I had known that i wanted Kaden, but he rejected me, and certainly would never forgive me for the deed i had just done. No doubt he felt every pleasurable wave that ran through me and felt horribly disgusted. But Wense would love me, would want me. He was perfect for me. He was clever and charming and obsurdly handsome, what was there for me to not to fawn over? But yet, he wasnt Kaden, as stupid as that sounds. I did not love him. I thought i had, but i was wrong, i loved Kaden, my protector, my guide, my hope. He was gone.
I rolled back over, unable to bear watching him. His lips came to my hair as he gently sighed. I tried to sleep off my disgust with myself, but i knew it would not change anything.

I awoke to his gently kiss at my cheek.
"good morning" he sighed happily from behind me.
"good morning to you too" i smiled, rolling to face him.
His eyes were still bright from last night's joy and on his face was the most luring look imaginable. I pressed my head against his collarbone as he moved his hands up and down my waist.
"sleep well?" he laughed.
"not really" i said honestly, but with a hollow smile against his skin.
he rolled me on top of him with an easy manuever. He kissed my lips gently as he held my face.
"want breakfast?" i said quickly, hoping to distract him. His face scrunched for a second but soon came to a smile.
"what would you like?" he asked, rubbing my back, defeated.
"ill find something" i kissed under his jaw as he groaned, but he let me go as i went to my closet for my robe.

"its ready" i called from the kitchen after a few minutes. "wense?" i asked once he didnt reply
"it smells delicious" he came from around the cornor suddenly.
"i cant really cook that well, but cinnamon bread is always an easy one. honey?" i handed him the bottle.
He sat me in his lap once he was done, and kissed my neck. I suddenly noticed something.
"wait, what happened to my necklace?" i felt for my Star, but it was gone. I got up quickly to look for it.
"that Star you always wear?" he asked
"yes, i have to find it!" i said nervously. What could have happened to my amulet!
"ill help you look for it" he sighed and walked into the bedroom as i threw pillows left and right.
"gezz. it must be important" he laughed.
I calmed down slightly.
"it's the only thing i have left of my fathers" i left as if i was going to cry.
His face changed and he went to look under the bed.
"here it is" he said as i turned to see him dangling it in front of me.
"oh thank god!" i sighed, my hand outreached. He looked at me for a moment, then back to the necklace. "wense?" i said confused as to why he was taking so long to hand it over.
"just admiring it" he smiled and quickly handed it to me. I threw the thin silver chain over my neck and tucked it back under my robe.
"i have to go, now. but i will call you tonight" Wense came over and kissed my lips as he headed for the door. He stopped as he was about to leave as i leaned against the frame. "you really are something special, you know that" he smiled, and brushed my cheek with his hand, leaving a cool trail where his fingers had been. I closed my eyes and held my hand to the icy path.
"bye" i said after he had already gone.