Life is a maze in which we take the wrong turn before we have learnt to walk.

[lord_icelus]

Some time, in a place that was and is the abbey, that is in this world and in Dream

She is coming.

I can feel her, that nasty bitch, like a tooth ache or a splinter. She nearly killed me, and I still suffer for it. Partly it was my own fault, for not remembering that silly service gods like her love to throw themselves on their own swords to look

Comments

[goddessnanshe]

The abbey has been transformed; a labyrinth lies in front of us, shrouded in mist. On a hilltop I can glimpse what is my church, disguised here as a Greek temple, broken-down and solemn under a dark sky. A thick mist rises from the ground, green-grey. I look at the entrance and smile a little, faintly.

"Left or right?" Either way, I think, we are in for a challenge.

[glass_beddau]

"Right," I say, as doubt it particular matters much but see no reason to go widdershins. Consider her a moment, and find I'm not inclined to say what I might otherwise say over gods not having gift of dying. Personal memories, suppose.

Wish, rather, that Simon was here, or Death. But that does little good, so shrug and step forward, eyeing the pale roses that are creeping along the crack between wall and ground. This'll be a bloody pain, I don't doubt.

[hermia_sophia]

I cannot see my feet, even though I know that they are touching the ground. For now, at least.

"Yes, we should go right," I agree with Glass. I think of Ariadne, Perseus…which way did they go? Did it even matter for them? Or for us? But going right is always associated with the more auspicious path.

"We will get you there, Kyria, I swear," I promise Nanshe. But I must add, "If it is within our power," for I know that it may not be, and one does not make promises to a goddess that one cannot keep.

Very gently, I bend to set Chester down, giving him one last squeeze before I must finally let him go. I wish that I could keep holding onto him - that I could keep holding onto something solid in this world of mist and mazes - but I need both hands for this

[glass_beddau]

Takes a second to realize what Hermia's after, and take her hand more to steady her than for work of protection.

"Don't mind it," and oh, the look Hollow gives me when he reaches for her other hand. Never did care for each other much, and don't suppose the matter of maybe lying right now helps. "Hermia, he'll be aright--" oh, yes, definitely not improving my relations with local law enforcement-- "you're more matter to the monster than he is right now. C'n you yet do this?"

[mistresswanda]

En masse we head over to the Abbey...

and boy! Has it changed. Everyone looks less than thrilled, but resigned. We turn right and start along the path. I had my sword sheathed when we entered, but this place is making the hair on the back of my neck stand up so I unsheathe it and have it at the ready. I am rather sorry I didn't bring the crossbow as well

[valmont_vicomte]

I walk with Hermia in front of me and Alice behind; I want to keep them close. Wanda suddenly falls from the top of the wall, and I hear her shout back over about not cheating. I look down the wall, and call out -

"There's a gate on the left, your right." I walk ahead a little and try to open it. It creaks but doesn't move, and so I put my shoulder into it, and suddenly it swings open and I fall through it. I stand up and dust myself off, and I'm amidst green hedges. And there's no gate behind me.

"Merde," I mutter, and I shout Hermias name, but get no reply. Damn damn damn. I hear a rustling, and my hand goes to the pistol in my pocket, but drops when I see Wanda emerge.

"I've found you, and lost everyone else," I say ruefully.

[mistresswanda]

I hear Valmont yelling about a gate, so I jog up ahead...

just in time to possibly get shot by him. I lower my sword as his arm drops.

"I've found you, and lost everyone else,"

"Great," I sigh, raking a hand through my hair. "The two people that are actually armed get separated from everyone else." That can't just be by chance, can it? "Here," I lean down and rip a long strip of green velvet from the train of my skirt and throw him one end. "Keep a hold on one end; let's try not to get separated if we can help it."

[valmont_vicomte]

I take hold of Wanda's skirt and wrap the strip round my wrist, tie it fast.

"Lead on," I say. "I don't want to be away from Hermia too long... This place makes me uneasy."

We walk for a little, and the hedges are getting closer and taller, until we have to walk single file between them. A thick mist rises, cold and grey.

"I must say if we were going to walk into a dream, I'd rather it were of a tropical beach," I mutter, buttoning ,y jacket against the damp.

We come to a gateway, and beyond it I can see the stone maze again.

"This looks promising," I say... And then from a sentry box comes out a great creaking clockwork soldier with a sword.

[jack_hollow]

Takes me some time, headin' back along the rift 'til I come to a place where there's a stair leadin' down along the side of it, and don't think I'd've tried taking it if it hadn't looked kinda familiar, somehow. So I head down the stairs an' then come back up the other end a'them, and the passageway's all narrow and shingled with scales, and I squeeze up and out of some great egg-shaped bronze urn with snakes and frogs all 'round it, an' I can see her on the path ahead, if you c'n call this a path, and start after her. Manage ta catch up in not-too-long, though it's a bit hard ta tell, here'n'now.

"Miss-- er-- Nanshe," and dammit, wish I could get my footin' 'round her. Reach up for my hat by reflex an' I'm kinda surprised ta find it's there. "Glad you're alright?" Okay, that ain't 'xactly helpful, but it's true, and I fall inta step beside her. "Came in case I could help."

[goddessnanshe]

"Deputy," I say, surprised and pleased to see him. "I'm glad you found me." I put my hand lightly on his arm as we walk, because the path is narrow and uneven. "The first time we met," I say, "was because you sought me out... I'm glad you decided to again."

The path becomes ever-more uneven, stones beneath our feet turning to shingle, and I'm unsurprised to find us turning up on the shore of a grey-green sea.

"Clever Icelus," I say. "He wants to get your straw wet, weigh you down." I look out over the water. "I shall have to find us a boat," I say, crouching by the water's edge and putting my hands into the cold waves. In a place between the waking world and Dream, and in a human body, creating something from nothing is hard for me, and so I am feeling for other dreams, looking for a sailing vessel. At last I find a thread, and I tug on a strand of seaweed, drawing it away from someone else's dream and into our own.

Out of the water rises a boat I recognise from a painting. The brushmarks are clear on it, and when I say "come,

[jack_hollow]

Steppin' on board feels like petting Kit if she's bin out in the rain; touches of smooth light fur and then a quick fading dampness an' I'm just paint all over. Try not ta look at it too hard.

"'m honoured, ma'am," I say, dippin' my head an' taking the brooch. "I would--" Dammit. "Can't say's I like the idea of you bein' gone," is what I settle on, awkward.

The sky's getting dark, though I guess the wind'll have us to the other shore before we get too wet. But the air smells funny, sharp and thin like pine needles, and when the first drop of rain comes it stings, an' I see a tiny runnel in my hand like something you might get if you dripped hot oil on flour, beading up and sinking down and...

"Miss Nanshe!" which ain't exactly a useful thing ta call but I can't quite bring myself ta tell her ta get down and then I'm outta my coat and unfolding taller than a man and holding it up like a shield best I can. Manage so's I can block most of it, while my coat lasts.

Mind, the turpentine's still workin' away on the boat, so we

[goddessnanshe]

"Can't say's I like the idea of you bein' gone.""I don't like it either," I say, and smile at him. "But it's best to be prepared. Too many of my brothers and sisters disappeared throughout time, not having thought ahead

[glass_beddau]

" Stormcrow," I say, against the snarl of thunder. Not seen one in years; wishing, for the moment, I'd not seen one at all and that I could take myself back from thinking them sharp and cruel. Likely unfair, and it's only my poor memories as tie them to such. As see them as a sulk, to hurt aught that stands in their way or doesn't do as they wish--

Hear it scream, and it's coming down. Not near as small as a common crow, nor a raven, all sharp points and black feathers and blue lines of fire. Find I'm stepping forward, one hand still on the wire and the other arm up for good it'll do, but this is mine, after all. Don't bother wondering if it'll hurt.

Shock and a thin angry embarrassment. Really? To have this dragged out, of all bloody things?

[chester_excolo]

One bit a good luck is I'm facin' the right direction to catch a glimpse of the stormcorw just before it dives at us. Gives me just enough time to raise one paw to help me direct the wind so's to blow it off course.

I didn't ask for it to smash into the wall but I'd be lyin' if I wasn't happy to pounce on it after it hits the ground. Sure the lightnin' stings my paws n' mouth, but it's real satisfyin' to sink teeth n' claws inta it. The taste a its power is much better than mere feathers or blood.

Even though it's got more fight left in it than is probably good for me. C'n feel my shape get a bit less solid as we both tear at each other trying to be the one to do enough damage to actually consume the other. It looks bigger than me at first glance but thanks to the pact with Hermia I've got more actual power than it does. Means I'm slowly winning.

[glass_beddau]

It's screaming; pain tangled up with the anger, and blood shining red on Chester's fur, the crow's and his own as it digs back at him with beak and claw. Catch myself wanting to cry Don't, let him go, my stormcrow, you were bad but you were never only this, I'd not see you hurt--

And, darker at the heart of it, mine.

Curse under my breath and let go the wire, wade through the crawl and crackle of lightning to reach the two of them. It's getting smaller, body barely twice the size of Chester now. Make it gone, then, and take the glittering hunk of stone and metal from 'round my neck and shove it down the thing's throat. Pull my hand back and I'm torn raw from barbs on its tongue, cut on the slicing edges of its beak, and a thread of blue light crawls over the wounds before its eyes go dull.

I am damn well not going to start weeping.

"Aright," and scarce sounding shaking, look to Chester. "Cats and crows, I-- work done well. We ought be moving, now."

[hermia_sophia]

I stumble back from the power of the spell, feeling astonished even though I was one of the people who shared in making it. My hand closes around the wire, shaking and cold, but I can feel the giddy smile still in me.

No time to rejoice, though, no time to take pride in what we did - although a small part of me wants to shout, and say "look! look what I did!"

"Stormcrow", Glass hisses. A name? A title? It means something to Glass, certainly, if not to me. All I see is a huge black bird, crackling with blue lightning, that dives down towards us. When it hits the wall of the labyrinth, Chester pounces - it is a bird, after all, and he is a cat, and even if it is bigger than he is, he can still take it down. But Glass moves in before Chester can finish, and she is the one who leans in to finish it.

And, oh, the look on her face when she stands up…

I start to thread my way back towards her, but the instant that I take my hand off of the wire -

- no. No! The others are gone! I am alone, alone in the woods, trees closing around me,

[damien_dw]

Hermia is the one who decides be the first to step off the cliff, followed by Lucien and Glass. I feel a bit bad for the cat, still in Glass' arms, but he's obviously more than just an animal and with three other people to look out for him besides he'll probably be okay.

I'd just about decided to try to be the last one to go in case I need to try to make something easier for someone but then I feel it. Like the air becoming thick and heavy, the rock more solid. And sharp. There is once more the same feeling I got in the empty land by the sea. Something has arrived and it wants to eat us. I close my eyes and realize it's down there. With Hermia. and the others.

I'm moving before I'm even finished the thought, towards the cliff edge. Jumping into thin air, barely using my talent to make it into a perfect dive. If this is the nightmare guy that Nanshe was so worried about then I'm needed down there. I'm scared, but I can't let that stop me. What is he doing to them down there?