Unsteady » Stiles Stilinski

[25] Welcome to the Kingdom

After landing, they began their journey through the thick forest. Already passing many obstacles along the way, night was beginning to fall so they decided on resting for the night before getting an early start in the morning. So they made camp, Stiles and Scott carefully setting Sara down to the ground from the cot they had been carrying her in. Sara's father made sure she was wrapped up warm enough, staring the fire that they would all come to sit around.

Sara's father held Sara's hand in his own, sighing out loud while staring at the fire. "You know..this place--..it's where I met Sara's mother." Mr. Sandoval said, more to himself than Stiles or Scott.

"Really? How? I don't think Sara's ever talked about how you and her mom met." Stiles and Scott asked, wanting to hear a happy story for once rather than the sad one they're still currently living.

Sara's father took a deep breath, somehow managing to force a smile on his face due to how he was thinking back to when he met Sara's mother. "I was in college, just about to graduate and get my masters in history and mythology when I decided to come study abroad. We were here in Scotland, visiting the ruins and places alike. Sara's mother was my group's tour guide, she showed us along the way through the temples, archaeological digs.. From the moment I met her, I fell in love with her and even more so the first moment we talked. I remember the first time I saw her smile-..we were all sitting around a fire and she was telling us stories about norse mythology. About the Valkyries and how the legendary Valhalla entrance was here on earth. She told the tales of how beautiful Valhalla was described, how it sounded like a dream and was an internal paradise that fallen warriors would go to."

Sara's father then described the beauty of Valhalla, of the crystal clear blue waters, the luscious green trees and plants, how the towers stood tall and it was like everything your heart could ever want. It was an internal paradise, the one that warriors deserved after the good fight.

"So if the Valkyries don't choose you to go to Valhalla, where do you go?" Stiles and Scott asked.

"That's rather complicated..A Valkyrie who does not go to Valhalla but has fallen-..they go somewhere known to their people as 'The Other Side'. Now 'The Other Side' is sort of a personal limbo for the fallen Valkyrie, they wait in 'The Other Side' until they are chosen to be revived or until they are ready to move on to Valhalla." Sara's dad explained to Stiles and Scott. "I think Sara might be on 'The Other Side'...She's a fighter, my daughter. And I'd bet everything that she's not ready to leave just yet." Sara's dad said, staring down at his daughter's body, somehow forming a smile on his face.

He had to keep hope that his daughter would keep fighting, keep fighting long enough to be brought back.

Sara's dad sighed, looking at Stiles and Scott over the fire. "You two better get some rest, it's going to be a long journey still."

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The moon was still high in the night sky, shining down perfectly to tribute to lightening the pathway along with their torches. As the group ventured further and further into the forest, it became more difficult navigate but luckily for them, Sara's dad has visited before. He's seen the Spring of Power with his own eyes and he would be able to get them there.

In one piece? Well that's left to be seen.

"Shhh, did you hear that?" Scott asked suddenly, looking all around them but couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.

"Remember how I said the forest is going to try and talk back? You need to remember to ignore it. We need to find the doorway and get Sara there as soon as possible. Now come on." Sara's dad warned them while they continued walking.