Wingless [Complete]

Chapter 31: For Your Life

The minute I spoke the fire went out. The sudden absence of light was stark in comparison to the bright fire dome that had been there a minute ago. In fact, this darkness seemed a little too strong. I can't see the statues around us, the stars had disappeared, and Lucas, who is right by my side, is difficult to make out.

"Rowena," Corrin says slowly. "I am sorry if I upset you, but for now please put the dome back up. It's not safe like this."

I couldn't answer him if I wanted. I stare at the ground beneath my hands and knees in mute shock. What in the name . . .

Lucas reaches for me "Princess . . ."

"I can't." I get out. "I can't, I can't, I can't. Why not? What is . . ."

"Neither can I." Kaylie's voice shakes.

"Well I have no idea what is happening, but I suggest we take Rowena's suggestion now and fly off as fast as we can." Isabella's disembodied voice declares.

"Can't do that either." I whisper under my breath.

Right as I said that, Lina groans. "Think that's off the table."

"Well then I suggest we run," Ryan says.

And run we did. Sure, per Lucas's request, we all stayed close and spoke to make sure everyone was still here and we were going in the same direction. In this place and with this darkness, no one wanted to lose another to whatever was out there. We may have already lost Isabella; no idea how to explain that to her parents.

My legs started to burn, but I could hardly feel that over the stings of my bruises and cuts. Dodging statues in this light was hard. I fell down often and had to pick myself up. By the third or fourth fall my knees were scraped raw and bloody from the sharp parts of the statues and the gravel on the ground. My arms are stinging from scraping against them while running and my chest bruised from crashing into them. Old wounds opened up again alongside the new.

I head to where it got a little lighter. Ran in directions where the dark was not so suffocating in hopes of escaping it. It seems never-ending. The dry air scraped against my throat making my eyes sting with tears at the pain. I can hear the laboured breathing of the others too, and don't know if I should take comfort in those sounds or be more scared for us all.

I nearly weep tears of joy when the glass spire of the castle comes into view, clear as day; it was shining like a beacon of light in the night as it rose above the creeping darkness. Feeling renewed with a fresh bout of energy I make a straight dash for it, not caring if the others are following, but glad that they are. No one's checking to see if everyone is still here, only caring for themselves in this moment.

Finally, the flat expanse of land, devoid of statues, which forms a ring around the base of the castle. We're on it and I can make everyone out in the light of the night when we stop in front of the castle's entrance. Tired, drawn faces and battered bodies all around. I'm not even sure my clothes are wearable anymore, and I know everyone else's sure doesn't seem to be.

"I don't know about everyone else here but I say we head into the castle." Isabella gasps out. "Odds say that we have a better chance of survival in here." She nods at me. "Odds being Rowena's dreams."

"Yes."

"I'll risk that over out here."

"Agreed."

"Let's just get in."

Murmurs of agreement all around. Quickly everyone pushes against the great big stone doors, which have to be three times as big as anyone here. Everyone strains really hard, pushing their cut up sides against rough, grey stone, and pushing as if their lives depended on it, which it just might. I stand, frozen in fear and an undesirable emotion. I would hate for the door to be the one thing stopping us from staying alive after that run just to get here.