Beyond the Border | ✔

38 | rule 119

RULE 119: SUPERNATURALS ARE LIKE THE DEVIL — THEY LIKE TO PLAY GAMES WITH YOU. DO NOT FALL INTO THEIR TRAP.

✷ C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - E I G H T ✷

"How are you feeling?" Theo lingered back from Mina and Heath who were a couple steps ahead of me, matching my pace.

    We had yet to embark on the entrance of the path, the severity of our choice still hanging heavily around us. Theo was the only one brave enough to break the silence. Meanwhile, I was holding my breath with each step.

The left path was visible from where we were, the transition of gravel to dirt signifying the beginning of the final leg of our journey. Snow covered the top of the mountain, but it was not cold enough – even though my body felt otherwise – for the snow to trickle down to the base. For that, I was thankful. Even though I had trained with Heath for a couple days, I knew my body was no match for what lay ahead.

"Cold," was all I could mutter out, my hands pressed firmly into my coat pockets.

"Sage," he said lightly, his steps becoming smaller than mine.

"Yeah?" I looked down as I walked.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," he stopped completely, but I paid him no attention as I trekked on. He lightened his voice, "Sage."

"I want to do this," I uttered, and I was telling the truth. We were so close to finding out what happened to Ma. I was also so close to being in the presence of a witch; I would have to accept this as my fate. It was the only chance I had left, and, as a result, I had no choice but to continue forwards. The weight of the Borderlands was on my shoulder. The weight of Pa's future was on me.

Heath turned around, walking backward with ease. "You are not about to convince her to head back now. We're too far along for that."

Mina smacked Heath on his arm as we came up to the start of the path. We all stopped right before the path began, and then, wordless, we took the first step over the threshold of the path together.

"There's no going back now," Heath whispered out, just barely loud enough for me to hear.

As we started following the dirt pathway, Theo still walked by my side. For a while, we all walked in silence, not knowing what to say to one another. The path, so far, had been an easy feat. The elevation was still low and un-treacherous, but the path started to twist and turn further up the mountain, the air becoming hard to breathe in. Trees started to pop up and thicken as we marched on, my small statue preventing me from having to duck when a dangling branch hung in the way. 

"Have you heard anything from Flynn?" I asked Theo, trying my best to keep the form Heath taught me during our training, lengthening my strides. My limbs still ached from all the training Heath subjected me to, but it was manageable. At least, it was manageable for now.

Stay positive, I told myself, knowing my pessimism peaks out when I am anxious, a static fuzz bubbling in my chest.

"I haven't been able to mind link since we arrived at Mystaria," Theo reported. I gulped, knowing that would mean all their senses were dulled. Theo, Mina, and Heath were not able to sniff out the right path earlier, and Theo could not mind link. It was not a comforting sign. What was comforting, however, was the fact their stamina did not seem to be affected.

"This is going to be a long hike," Heath moaned out, looking up at the sky. "I can't shift."

"Shit," Mina grumbled, her body tensing up as if she was trying to shift herself.