As The Snow Falls

Chapter Nineteen - Whatever Happened to Nadia?

James, Kai, and Apphia returned to the safe room with a shock.

'You guys were gone a while.' Raphael said, happy at them being back, having began to worry somewhat.

'That will be due to the temporal differences between planes,' the librarian explained, who had now taken the form of a young lady, a brunette with a pixie cut, and was extremely small.

Samson moved closer to welcome them back, and patted Kai on the shoulder in comradery, jumping back, as if he'd been shocked.

'Ow...' he said, massaging his hand.

'Sorry,' Kai replied sheepishly, 'static.'

'Wait, where's Lei?'

'She had to stay behind,' James said, a note of regret audible, 'we'll explain later.'

'Better question,' Apphia interjected, 'where's Nadia?'

'She went to go check something, said there was no point in her just sitting here, waiting for you to get back; we'll go find her.' Raphael replied, 'Joan, where's Nadia.'

'I am afraid Nadia is no longer in the library.'

'What? Where is she?'

'I am afraid I do not know.'

Raphael looked worried.

'I advise that you do not worry about miss Nadia, I am sure she would not have left without good reason.'

'Let's hope you're right, Nadia had all the ideas about what we should do next.'

'I have, an idea!' Kai exclaimed triumphantly.

Everyone shared worried looks over a beaming Kai.

'I know I'm probably going to regret this,' Samson began, 'but, what, pray tell, is your idea?'

'We get the white knight lady to help us!'

'If you hadn't noticed, she's not exactly on our side, maybe you hit your head when she knocked you down; I wonder if dying in the Nether Plane has any neurological effects? Nevermind, I guess we'd never be able to tell with Kai.' James jested.

'Did you just say you died in the Nether Plane?' Raphael asked, clearly feeling he wasn't up to speed.

'Oh, yeah, we kinda had a little run in with the white knight. Long story short, she kicked all our butts.'

'That's exactly what I'm saying.' Kai said, still beaming.

'I still don't see how you're going to get her to help us?'

'Mirrors!' Kai exclaimed, clearly thinking himself a genius.

'Has he gone crazy?'

'Maybe you should take a little lie down?'

'We get mirror her to help us!'

'I'm sorry, what?'

'Ok, he's lost it.'

'We go to the mirror realm, and get her mirror version - who will be good! - to help us.' Kai seemed more pleased with himself than was thought possible.

'That's actually a pretty good idea.' Samson admitted.

'If the mirror realm is real.' Raphael said, still not conviced.

'Joan,' Kai called, not put down by Raphael's dismissal, 'what do you know about the mirror realm? Is it real?'

'I can assure you that the mirror realm is real, I myself find its existance extremely useful; I commune with my mirror manifestation as a means of extending my library.'

'Wow, that's a lot more hopeful a reply than I was expecting.' Kai said, getting more pleased with himself by the second.

'So you know a way into the mirror realm?' James asked.

'Yes, the library has one of a very limited number of portal which we allow to exist.' Joan replied, 'They can be difficult to construct, as an identical doorway must be built on both sides.'

'To the mirror realm it is then.' Samson said, but Raphael had other ideas.

'Hold your horses, I don't know about any of you guys,' he paused to allow himself to yawn, 'but I'm tired - I don't even know how long we've been up

'It has been just over two days since you first arrived,' the librarian said.

'Then I suggest we get some sleep, first thing in the morning, we go to the mirror realm, grab our white knight, and come right back, simple as that.'

'Nothing's ever that simple,' Apphia said, rolling her eyes, 'I'm getting a snack, anybody want anything?'

'Yes please, thanks.'

'Thank you.'

The library can boast of many things, but one of its greatest, is its trees. Inside the library grow countless trees that sprout right out of the floor; it has apple trees, peach trees, pear trees, you name it. Each tree is magnificently tall, with a magical turquoise glow that guides you to them. Apphia went in search of such a tree. She came across an apple, it bore a multitude of apples; almost every kind. She found one she liked the look of, and took four back with her.

The were all laid down and asleep, except for Kai.

'Anybody got a knife?'

A half awake Samson reached into his pocket and withdrew a short one from it, holding it out, not bothering to open his eyes to see where she was.

'Thanks.'

He mumbled something that sounded like no worries.

She cut a chunk of apple off, and began munching on it noisily.

'Do you think we'll all make it out of this?'

Kai's question surprised her.

She sighed deeply. It was a sigh of deep contemplation.

'Honestly? I'm not sure if we all will.'

She was too deep in thought to notice she'd cut herself with the knife, blood was casually running down her forefinger.

She'd huffed in annoyance.

'Are you ok?' Kai asked, concerned.

'Yeah, it's ok. I stab myself all the time.'

She dug in her pocket and retrieved a scrap of fabric, she tied it around her finger as a makeshift bandage.

'See you in the morning,' she said, but he was already snoring.