Sleep with the Lights On ✔️

22. First Trial

"We have to keep moving," Peros said, pulling Cassie by the wrist.

She followed along, dragging her feet. "Where are we supposed to go?"

"Cassie, come here." Evander's voice echoed over the barren landscape. Peros tightened his grip on Cassie's hand, pulling her closer.

"Don't" Peros whispered to Cassie, something had changed about Evander. He was no longer the powerful and collected Nymph that had sat with him at Cassie's bedside.

"I think I know how to get us out of here," Evander said, his smooth voice was sharpened with a hiss.

"I know how, my father told me we had to walk this way." Peros said, it was a lie.

"I thought you said he didn't tell you anything?" Cassie asked.

Peros began walking again, slowly. They needed to get away from Evander. "I just remembered, it was a long time ago, but it just came back to me," He eyed Evander, who was following behind with purpose, his hard eyes shone with determination.

"Fion, are you coming?" Evander called, Fion was still collapsed in the mist. She let out a small groan.

Peros kept his eyes fixed ahead, he didn't know how long he could keep them believing that he knew where he was going. Quick footsteps rang through the fog, Fion had caught up. Peros looked to the sky, it was an inky black. The dim light came from below, refracting in the mist and setting the whole desolate landscape in an eerie glow. He searched for some sign, for the first test.

They walked on in silence, Peros kept a gentle hold on Cassie's hand and although there was no warmth in her touch, it was comforting. The landscape remained the same, the mist continuously twisting and billowing around their ankles. The air was heavy, it sank in his lungs and slowed his pace.

"Let's stop for a while," Fion said, her composure re-gained. She found a rock and sat, resting her delicate chin on her fists. Peros paced a circle around the group, he had a feeling that he couldn't name. Anxiety bubbled in his stomach, he didn't know what to do but he could feel something waiting for him. Evander stood, arms crossed and looking out over the desolate landscape. Peros took another lap around the area and stood beside Cassie.

She crouched on the ground, staring into the cracked earth. Peros knelt beside her. "I know what we have to do," She whispered, her eyes were glazed over, glowing almost pale. Peros leaned closer, staring into her eyes. Cassie pinched dust from the ground and held it in the air. Her eyes twinkled as she released the dust, the specks of dust rose from her fingertips and danced through the air in languid spirals, moving to the left of the group. "We travel this way." Her eyes darkened to their natural color and she smiled again.

She rose to her feet and began to walk, she walked fast without looking back. "Don't stop walking for any reason," She called back. Peros turned to see Fion and Evander starting to follow.

"How do you know what to do?" Peros asked, as he ran to catch up.

"It's all telling us, through the earth. Don't stop moving, not for one second. Keep walking and don't slow down, we'll be okay as long as we keep walking," Her voice was growing panicked, "Don't stop for anything." She marched, her hands clenched into fists and her arms pumped at her sides, Peros fell in line behind her with Fion and Evander following close behind.

With every stomp of Cassie's frantic marching the mist rose, every slam of her foot pushed the mist higher and higher until they were surrounded by it. He walked faster but Cassie's figure was disappearing into the mist. He rushed forward but she was gone into the mist. He continued walking and glanced behind him. Fion and Evander were gone as well. He didn't slow, his feet were now moving at a steady pace, marching without thinking.

The mist churned around him, flashes of blue and green lit the dense fog in the distance. His eyes began to sting as the fog mixed with heavy smoke. His legs were growing weary but he continued walking, smoke filling his nose and eyes.

"Peros," A familiar voice echoed through the fog and smoke. "Keep walking," The voice grew closer, still echoing and raspy.

"Who are you?" Peros called out.

The shifting image of his father appeared in the smoke. "Who are you?"

Peros stared at his father's ghostly face, his feet continuing to march forward.

"Father." Peros spoke with contempt, as hard as he tried to keep calm, he couldn't hide the anger in his voice.

"I am the one who cared for you when you would have been alone," His father's voice echoed, it seemed to come from everywhere at once. "I raised you in the fashion I knew how, and it has brought you to the mortal girl whom you treasure." His father's voice echoed with something unrecognizable, "yet you still hold me in contempt."

"You have caused me more harm than good," Peros replied.

"I can bring you back, to be raised as an underworlder from the start. You would lose all that you had with the mortal. Essylt would be alive, although you would find that your relationship with Essylt would have been much different," His voice sent shivers over Peros' skin.

"Essylt and Cassie would be safe?" Peros asked.

"You would find that it would not concern you wether or not they were," the ghost of his father replied.

Peros turned his eyes down as he walked, thinking, considering the offer. He raised his head and turned to his father, the faint image of his father floating along in the smoke.

"I will do what I can for Cassie, I will do what I couldn't for Essylt." Peros' father's mouth opened and his image dissolved into the image of Essylt and then dissapeared.

"I forgive you" her reedy voice floating on the wind.

"I'm sorry," Peros called as the fog cleared. He was marching behind Cassie, with Fion and Evander behind him again.

"What happened?" Evander asked.

Cassie sniffed and Peros hurried to catch up with her. Her cheeks were wet and eyes red. "Are you alright?" He whispered.

She wiped her face on the back of her hand and smiled. "I'm fine," she whispered. "Keep moving!" She called back to the other two. "We mustn't stop."