OBLIVION [SEQUEL TO SATELLITE HEART: BARLEY LIGHTFOOT x READER]

chapter four

It took a total of twenty-seven full attempts until Ian managed to cast the spell that opened up the portal. At nine o'clock in the morning, there was a gaping hole in the wall. The edges of it were a soft blue and there was nothing but a slight iridescent color to the center of it. Ian stuck his hand through the color first.

"It's cold," he said, pulling his hand back out. "But I guess it is a cavern through there, so..."

"So let's go," Barley said. "A cavern of treasure awaits us!"

You held on tightly to your wizard staff. Your other hand held Barley's. You looked up at Ian, who took in a deep breath and gathered his courage before grabbing hold of your sleeve. The three of you held on tightly; none of you wanting to lose each other in the transition from this world to whatever lies beyond the color and magic.

"Ready when you guys are," you said.

"I'm ready," Ian said.

"I was born ready!" Barley exclaimed.

Ian only had to gather his courage one more time before he took the first step through the portal. With a rush of icy air and a burst of wind, the three of you were suddenly in the middle of a whole different world. You stepped out and you weren't on the hard floor of Ian's room anymore. You were on a slick, wet stone, hearing the sound of a gurgling spring somewhere far below you, and taking in the sights of piles and piles of gold and jewels and objects.

"Whoa!" Barley gushed.

You gasped as you took it all in. You were currently standing on the very top of a very steep, very tall mountain of stone. All piled up at the bottom of the pile was the treasure. Hundreds of objects; all made of gold or silver or bronze or rubies or emerald or diamonds and a thousand other shades of rainbow that you couldn't place with gems that you knew of. They sat in the pool of water that surrounded the pile of rock. Water continuously streamed in through the cracks of the cave walls. The water was a sharp crystal blue, illuminated by the strange plants that lived below the surface.

You couldn't believe this was real.

"Holy tooth of Zadar, it's like a freakin' pirate movie."

"This is... awesome," Ian said. He turned and looked at you, beaming. He echoed your thoughts by saying, "I can't believe this is real."

"Babe," Barley said, shaking his head in awe. "I'm totally gonna find a tiara or something for you."

"Okay, but let's not just start grabbing this stuff. What if there's a curse or something?"

"You're right," Barley said. "We need to take it slow. Does anyone see a curse written down somewhere? On a wall or something?"

"No, but I'm not sure there's always a warning to a curse," Ian said.

"That's a good point." Barley nodded thoughtfully. "Oh! I know, we can just---"

At the same moment of him speaking, Barley took a step to the right and felt the edge of the slick stones crumble. With a loud gasp, he dropped your hand so he wouldn't drag you with him as he slipped down to the bottom of the hill. You yelled, "Barley!"

"Barley, no!" Ian shouted, and he pointed his staff at him. "Eloft Elevar!"

Barley froze in midair before he reached the bottom of the pile, but he didn't go uninjured. His arm smacked against the sides of the stone. You heard his sharp gasp and intake of breath and saw the large gaping wound in the side of his arm, from right under his tattoo to right to his elbow.

"Oh my gosh, Barley." You were on your knees now, peering down at him closely. "Are you okay?!"

"I-I don't know about okay, but I didn't fall to my death," he said. "Don't lean too far, honey. Back up a little bit."

You did, glancing nervously at Ian. The youngest Lightfoot brother looked a little weak in the knees at the sight of the blood dribbling out of Barley's arm. Ian released the spell and he was now clinging to the stones that he had just cut himself on. "S-Something isn't right."

"What is it?" Ian asked.

Barley stared at the stones that were slick with water. As he struggled to climb up, he realized why the wound in his arm was burning so bad and why he was feeling like he was losing feeling in it so quickly. "No one touch the stones that are wet! This isn't water!"

"What?"

"It's poison," he said.

"Are you kidding me?" Ian clenched his hands into fists and brought them up to his hair. "Please tell me you're just insane."

"I-I wish I was, but it's --- it's burning my arm where I got cut and I can't feel it anymore." Barley sounded afraid, and you noticed that he was struggling to use his right arm now. With a grunt of frustration and exhaustion, it fell limp at his side. He was hanging on by one arm. "I-I can't!"

"Barley," you said, reaching far down with your hand.

He shook his head. "Babe, get off the rocks. You're gonna---"

"I don't care," you snapped. "Take my hand and let me pull you up."

"___---"

"Barley." You shot him a look and reached down, far down. He shook his head but he was slipping. His fingers were barely hanging on to the edge. He closed his eyes tightly and let out a scream. "Barley---"

You flopped down completely on the rock. Both of your hands clasped his single hand tightly. You felt your knees slip over the edge, but somehow Ian's arms wrapped tightly around your middle and that was enough to keep the three of you from toppling over.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh," Ian panted. "Come on, pull him up!"

"Babe, hang on tight," you said to Barley. You used all of your strength until your arms were quivering and you kept pulling and pulling and finally he was up on the rocks and he was falling over on top of you and you put your arms around him and moved him--- "Barley!?"

He was on his back. "Okay, something's wrong. Something's really wrong."