MetaHunter - ON HOLD

MH 31: Gang of Metas

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.'

_Williams Shakespeare__

*******

"The evening is cool and peaceful, and here all was right with our world. The sun, the moon, the stars aligned in perfect harmony. Yet deep beneath the surface to where the heart of the earth beats, the air sang slowly of things to come and the fire raged against it. The waters stood still in acknowledgement of what was to come. And all living creatures accepted it. Even in this night where the still wind blows and the lone girl quotes, the undead arise and spirits of earth stir." Xander closed off the book at the last page, not quite remembering what had prompted her to read 'Quotes from a Still Night'.

Maybe it had to do with her restlessness. Her parents had gone to sleep over an hour ago. Maddie too had retired to her quaters. It was a few minutes shy of midnight so she guessed Cam would also be asleep. Her brother hadn't gotten home from his date yet and that left her to her own devices. Devices which she wasn't so proud of at the moment.

Ghosts and spirits of nighttime roamed the earth. To her current form, they were floating balls of blue light, wandering about with mostly no destination. She was so used to them, it was never a wonder she hadn't run insane from the many voices begging to be led to the Other World. The After-life. A hard lesson had taught her that not everyone could be saved and it was not her destiny to put every roaming ghost to peace.

She let out a long sigh and rose to close the window seeing as it was getting chilly not that she minded the cold, her nature came with a heart of ice.

Xander felt rather than saw the spirit charging towards her like a red bull. She moved out of the way in time for the lightening shot of light to burst through the slightly open window. Instantly, she became and recognised the spirit for the ghost of who it was.

"Meg? Megan?"

The ghost with an open gut barely sneered before coming at her again. This time, Xander waited, arms open and let the ghost claim all of her.

*****
It had been eight hours since he'd seen his sister, pale unconscious and cold, hardly breathing and laying so still on her bed. Austin squeezed her icy hands tighter till his own became almost as pale as hers.
"Xand......" It was a plea and the only word he'd managed to utter for four hours straight.

His mother, Angeline McCourt had lit up candles to ward of evil spirits after informing him that his sister had merely taken a spirit journey. She'd let a ghost take her to its past, a journey she couldn't make with her body even in Meta form. He'd relaxed somewhat since then but it was eight hours, thirty-six minutes and fourteen seconds since he'd felt her presence leave him and she hadn't so much as change rhythm of breathing since then.

His mother, looking less worried than he was, had finally found a gown to put under her robe and was stroking Xander's white hair. He was so engrossed in the movement, he almost missed the slight twitch of Xander's hand beneath his.

"Mom, I think she's--" The link snapped back into him and connected, leaving him gasping for breath even as Xander opened her eyes and jerked up.

"Alex! Austin!" Urgency was evident in Angeline's voice as she watched her two children, in full Meta form, gasp for breath.

"D-did y-you have t-to c-c-rash back?" Austin managed in between gasps.

"Yes. It is urgent." The look of terror on Xander's face wiped the relief off Austin's.

"Alex? What is it? What happened?" Angeline asked.

"Terra. I need to see Terra."

"The Metahunter girl?"