Spirits and Sorrows
TWENTY-ONE

Hannah walked down the long, winding hallway in a curious daze. She didn’t remember how or when she got there or what this place was.

The walls and floor were made of stone, torches aligned with the walls, colorful tapestries dangled from the ceiling, and paintings of people dressed in elegant outfits from medieval times decorated the walls. It felt like something out of a movie with a castle and princesses and knights living there. How would she end up in a castle? Did the Eternal World even have castles?

One painting caught her attention and she stopped short to peer at it closer. It was a painting of a family of four, a husband and wife with their two children.

The man was older, had salt and pepper hair, pale leathery skin, was dressed in a tux, a beard covering the lower half of his face, and had a stern expression on his face, amber eyes that glared ahead and seemed to be holding her in a piercing stare that she had to look away from even though she knew it was only a painting.

The woman, his wife, had aquamarine eyes, soft fair skin, long wavy red hair, a gentle smile on her face which was a huge contrast to the glower on her husband’s face, and wore a red gown that went with her hair.

The little girl who stood by the woman appeared to be twelve and had long, flowing blonde hair, and aquamarine eyes, looked identical to the woman, wore a bright pink and gold dress, and was beaming, her smile lighting up her whole face. She was beautiful and seemed to be a sweet person to be around.

Her gaze drifted to the boy and her breath caught in her throat. The boy appeared to be thirteen or fourteen, had amber eyes like his father, short black hair, wore a black tux, and appeared completely miserable. Her eyes were glued on the boy, her mind making the connection that he looked similar to. . .

“K-Kane?” she stammered out loud.

“Back when times were simpler.”

Hannah screeched and whirled around at the soft, silky voice that was right

behind her. She came face-to-face with a gorgeous woman with aquamarine eyes and long, flowing blonde hair that looked similar to the little girl in the painting.

“Who are you? What is this place?” Hannah demanded, her voice sharp from fear and anger. She didn’t know what was going on and didn’t appreciate being snuck up like this, especially with everything else going on.

The woman chuckled softly and stepped closer. “My apologies, dear. I didn’t mean to startle you. I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Bianca Moonblood and this used to be my home.”

Hannah’s eyes widened as the woman’s last name resonated in her ears. “Moonblood? As in -”

“Yes. I was - I guess am - Kane Moonblood’s sister.”

The floor and walls started to tremble and a worried look passed over Bianca’s face.

“Sister? Kane’s sister? Why is he doing this? Why -”

Bianca held up a hand to stop her tirade. “I know you have a lot of questions but we’re running out of time.” She cast another concerned look around the place. “My time here is limited and I can give out only so much information at once. The Iron Arrow is located on the Golden Island in the middle of the Eternal World Ocean where I’ve hidden. Be careful of the island.”

The place trembled once again and Hannah felt a spike of anxiety and desperately tried to focus on Bianca’s words.

“The island casts illusions and spells and makes one question reality. Don’t give into its tricks and remember to be careful who you trust. Tell the others.”

Bianca and the place began to disappear and dread formed in Hannah.

“Don’t go!” Hannah called out. “I still have so many questions! I need your help!”

“I’ll come back when I can! I have limited time on this plane! But I will be back and guide you! Tell the others what I said!”

Hannah opened her eyes to sunlight streaming down on her face. She squinted and held her hand up in front of her face to block the light and slowly sat up.

She was lying on a blanket in the middle of a forest and saw the others were a few feet away, setting up camp. How’d they get there?

She gingerly got to her feet, her whole body sore, and jumped when someone shouted her name. She looked up as Peter pulled her into a tight embrace.

Peter exhaled and buried his face into his hair and wrapped his arms tighter around her. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

She buried her head in his chest and settled in his arms. She was so relieved to have him here, to feel his arms around her, to know he was alive and well. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was terrified you were going to die. I did everything in my power to save.”

Peter stepped away and lifted his shirt, showing where he’d been stabbed. He was completely healed except for a small scar on his abdomen. “You healed me completely. I almost died. I saw Michael for a moment before you brought me back. I was really about to go to the River of Peace.”

He gazed at her with such a deep sense of love and gratitude that it nearly took her breath away. He took her by her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. “You’ve saved my life twice. You sacrificed yourself for me. Thank you so much, Hannah Nicole Marie Carson, for being the savior of my spiritual and physical forms. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

He gave her a passionate kiss, one that they’d never shared in the four years they’d been together. She clung to him, savoring the moment as long as she could, wishing time could stop still but she kept recalling Bianca Moonblood’s words. She had to tell him and the others what happened.

Reluctantly, she pulled away and gave him a serious look. “I need to tell you and the others something else I’ve learned about the Iron Arrow. Gather everyone together.”

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