Dream Beyond Life's Edge

Jane's Disappearance

"Shit! Did we mess up?" Talia hissed the instant she arrived. The yellow light that moved the two lit the neighbourhood much more than they expected. They might have just alerted everyone in the neighbourhood.

"I don't know! Just hide for now!" Alexia jumped into a large bush in between some large trees.

Talia swiftly followed. "What do we do now? Wait until the future me arrives?"

"I guess, yeah. We can't really do anything other than that," Alexia said. She peeked between the bushes, trying to eye the house and its surroundings.

Talia could remember the fond memories she had of this place, of this village—throwing snowballs with her ice magic, playing tello before that became Alexia's game, Alexia and Noah showing off their new magic and magic circles, Florres and Noah dating. Those moments that she would never regain.

Even Florres and Noah beginning to date felt minute compared to the monster. At least they were still alive.

The door to Talia's home opened and out came Jane. "Talia, where are you?!" Jane cautiously eyed her surroundings. "Come out!"

"Ae-ras," Alexia whispered. A wind barrier formed around them, blocking out the sounds from leaving. "Should we go inside—? Watch out!" Alexia pushed Talia's head down, making an ice spike miss, gracing only her hair.

"COME OUT! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE!" Jane said. Dozens of ice spikes were shot randomly, flying into the bushes and striking the trees.

"I'll go check on Joseph while you hold her back!" Talia ordered. While Alexia went to capture Jane, she ran inside the bushes, closing onto the front door of her home. A large ice hurled towards Talia, barely missing because of her last-moment ducking.

Although Jane spotted Talia, Jane ran not towards her but onto her home. Alexia flew to capture her but missed. That mistake let Jane escape inside.

Talia tried to open the door, but it was locked.

Gaia-ris: Brigirete Junor.

Banging the door open, Talia ran up the stairs while Alexia flew onto the second floor, managing to tackle Jane on the ground, right outside of Joseph's room.

Twisting her arm, Jane aimed her palm at Joseph. "Glasi-ras!" she shouted, launching a gigantic ice chunk that threatened to kill Joseph if not for Talia time travelling it as it formed, costing her a large chunk of mana.

But, with that massive burst of yellow, they would, without question, have alerted everybody of their presence.

"Get us into the forest!" Talia ordered Alexia.

"Aqua-ras." Alexia chanted. A rush of water emerged from her arm and enveloped Jane's body, stopping her from moving or casting magic.

Jane tried to break free—stomping the water, stabbing it with ice, freezing it—but everything failed.

Alexia opened the window and swung her left hand up, the water ball containing Jane following her movement, flying out and high into the air. She waved her free hand. "Get on."

Talia jumped onto Alexia's back and tightly wrapped her legs and arm around her body. "Hold my right hand, please... I'm pretty sure that I'll fall, if you don't."

Using her right hand, Alexia grasped Talia's stumped arm while her left held up the massive water ball containing Jane in the air. Right as Talia tightened her hold on Alexia's neck and shoulders, Alexia chanted, "Ae-ras."

The surroundings blurred and changed. Talia's left hand barely managed to latch onto Alexia, even with her going considerably slower to conserve her mana. A couple minutes passed until their speed gradually slowed down, halting after a few more seconds.