When Heaven meets Hell

Chapter Fifty Three

A face full of snow was what Joan opened her eyes to. For a minute she was confused by the never ending expanse of white that lay before her, flat or slopping in places before reaching up to touch the sky. She had never seen this much snow in all her life.

Mountains dotted and obscured the horizon, reaching impossible heights. Clouds drifted low, so low that Joan felt she could reach out and touch them. She stood on the rough, granite surface of the mountain side, a sheer drop careering off to her left. The snow capped peaks spread in all direction, forming deep valleys that would normally be bursting with green, contrasting sharply with the permanent blanket of snow. Now however the valleys lay dark and frigid, winter holding a firm and icy grip upon this strange, fantastical realm.

However, only a few seconds after Joan had arrived and taken in her bearings, a sudden wave of nausea swept over her. Her head spun and her vision dimmed. She gasped and doubled over, sucking at the air desperately for oxygen.

"What's wrong with her?" She heard Avander's voice from far off and tried to focus on it. She fell to her knees and was aware of him holding her as she collapsed. The pain in Joan's head rendered her helpless, unable to understand what was happening.

Then she felt warm hands clasp her own, a flash of blonde strands invading her line of sight. At once, Joan felt the turmoil within her ebb, her headache receding considerably and her breathing became normal once more. Avander held her in his arms for a few minutes until he was she was well.

'What happened?" Joan questioned as she leaned against him, the world still spinning slightly.

"Altitude sickness." Heidi explained. "The air here is thinner than in plain areas, so it makes breathing difficult. You're body is not used to such little amount of air, so I made sure it adjusted accordingly. I also took it upon myself to arm you against the cold. Wouldn't want you to succumb to frost bite."

"Thank you." Joan murmured gratefully. Indeed, despite the many layers of clothing she wore, the cold was far more severe than the chilliest of London winters.

"It seems in my haste, I did not take time to ponder upon this location." Joan murmured, gazing once more at the ethereal mountain peaks covered with perpetual snow. "Where are we exactly I wonder? I am aware this is the Sanctuary's location, but where exactly is here...?"

"We are far from England, one could say we are on the other side of the world." Heidi remarked thoughtfully, gazing into the distance. She raised a finger and pointed.
"That's the highest point in the world." She said, directing their attention towards a mountain that towered above all others. "It will claim the lives of many who choose to climb it."

There came the fluttering of feather and crunch of snow, causing the three to turn and find Gabriel striding up to them, his great wings and clothing blending seamlessly with the surroundings. As always, Belefees and Meligard were behind him. He greeted them solemnly

"The angels have assembled and are waiting for you to lead on." He informed Joan.
At this, Joan was aware of many figures rising out of the white scenery like ghosts. A great army with thousands upon thousands of angels perched on the mountainside. Seeing that many eyes were trained on her, she closed her eyes and listened to the mummer of her Guide instincts.

The Sanctuary was near, Joan could sense it. Unfortunately as Heidi informed her, it could only be approached on foot. To complicate matters, the Sanctuary would only remain accessible for a few hours before it disappeared for an unknown amount of time,  reappearing again some years after. If however Joan sealed Heidi away in it, the Sanctuary would permanently disappear into a space between Heaven, Hell and Earth. The moment Joan had discovered the location of the Sanctuary; a metaphorical timer had been set off. Last Joan checked, three of the twelve hour deadline had passed already. This was not a pleasing fact, but the past three hours had been spent taking care of necessary matters.