yes dear Baiji, he will NOT get away with it!! 

ahem

Nice Guardian part! 

Aaah so sorry it's taken me this long to get the next part out! @Hawkstar, I agree, "dear Baiji" is right :)

~\\/\/\//~

On the border-castle's roof, a few cloaked figues were conferring. The smallest one carried a lighted torch, but his face was still deep in shadow. "Here you are, then," he said.

"Too kind of you." It was Ivkatorr's voice. "Give me that."

The torch was given to him. "I'd better go back down," the boy whispered. "For now. In fifteen minutes, then?"

"Ten," Ivkatorr snarled. "Get down, then. You're sure no one saw you leave?"

"I'm sure," the boy replied, and, after a moment more of whispering, he opened a door set into the high wall surrounding the roof and disappeared.

Part 7~Alyssa

Alyssa entered the large room in the border-castle feeling oddly self-conscious; but the scene confronting her made her forget her feelings. It was a high, stone room, with just one or two windows; torches were fixed to the walls, lending a fiery glow to the air and catching the vibrant colors on the clothes of the people filling the room. Music was already playing from somewhere, and there was an undercurrent of gaiety, of excitement, of - romance? - that sent an electric tingling through her.

It was the same day they had arrived. Eviton had given them rooms in the castle and hosted a feast in the long hall, and now that it was nighttime there was a party to celebrate the companions' arrival. Almost all of the castle's inhabitants had gathered, and a space was already being cleared for dancing.

Alyssa glanced around, nervousness overtaking her again. What's wrong with me? she wondered, drifting towards the refreshment table. She loved social gatherings. And by now she felt at ease in Eviton's palace. Something was just different about this party.

"Alyssa!" It was Daniel, coming towards her through the crowd, and suddenly Alyssa felt even more nervous. She'd spent forever in front of the mirror in the bedroom, but was she looking all right? Daniel hesitated, then tipped his head towards the refreshment table. "You were going over there?"

"Um, yes. I mean... like, I was thinking of it?" Calm down, Lys. "It's beautiful here today, isn't it?" she added, gesturing towards the crowded room.

"Yeah. It is." Was she imagining it, or was there something new shining in Daniel's eyes? Probably imagination. But she liked it.

Time passed, and gradually Alyssa relaxed. What was it about Daniel? He was so good-looking, so caring, so sweet.

Then music started; lively, unexpected, lifting music that got into Alyssa and made her want to move and to dance. A few of the young people in the castle had started dancing in the cleared space, and, slightly abruptly, Daniel turned to her. "Do you - would you like to - I mean - um, dance?" he said.

Alyssa felt a warm flush rising to her cheeks. "I'd love that," she said softly.

They whirled out onto the floor. Maybe it was the music, or the atmosphere, or, yes, maybe it was the look in Daniel's eyes, but Alyssa felt an exhilarating lightness that filled her. There was such an easy rythym to the dancing; she just followed the music, as everyone else seemed to be doing, and moved back and forth in perfect time with Daniel. A thrill moved through her whenever she met Daniel's eyes, and she felt perfectly happy.

About halfway through, she became aware of the other dancing couples. Most of them were people she didn't know, but some of them surprised her. Avi and Rowan? Sterling and Ronald? Robin and Teryar's cousin Phaidon? The music lifted unexpectedly, and she whirled around, oddly aware of Daniel's hand holding hers. The flickering light of the toches gave a strangely magical quality to everything, and the song drew her onwards irrisistibly. There was something so wonderfully amazing about dancing here, in this long stone room, to the quick, exhilarating music, with Daniel. The quick flights of notes, the song carrying them forwards, the light, the high hall, and Daniel's face close to hers and Daniel's hand on hers... it was all so perfect.

Then the song ended, and the couples broke apart, flushed and happy. Daniel was smiling at her, and she smiled back, the golden perfection of the dance spilling over into something else: love.

Yes, she loved Daniel, didn't she? The few days they'd spent together had been so wonderful. There was something about him that she'd never been able to find in anyone else.

And then - suddenly - the safe, happy, golden atmosphere of the room shattered. A young man came tearing into the room, his whole aura tense and urgent. "The castle," he said. "It's on fire."

There was a moment of stunned silence. Then Eviton, his cloak swirling behind him, strode out of the crowd. "What do you mean, Verian?" he demanded. "This is a border-castle."

Verian looked back at him steadily. "I know that," he said. "But it is on fire. I think it started on the rooftops, but by now it's all over. And spreading. The east wing of the castle is already entirely in flames; no one was in it, though, thank goodness."

For a moment Eviton stood still, glancing from one face to another with an unreadable expression. Then he nodded; Alyssa noticed that his stance was proud, unsurprised, unconquered. "If it is, it is," he said. "At least we're all here togehter. There's no point in staying here; we'll go through to the gates and get out."

Robin appeared next to Alyssa; her brown eyes, in the torchlight, were anxious. "Have you seen Phaidon?" she asked.

"No. I thought he was with you. I mean..., you were dancing with him, weren't you?"

A ghost of a smile flickered around Robin's mouth, swiftly gone. "I was. But then he excused himself - he said he'd be right back - and went off. I haven't seen him since then, and if he isn't in this room..."

Alyssa sighed. Why were things always so complicated? "He's probably still here, Robin," she said gently. "I don't see why he would have left. He'll be all right."

"I hope so," Robin murmured, glancing again at the people leaving the room.

Daniel slipped an arm around Alyssa; she leaned against him, grateful for his support as the other companions started joining up again. As Rowan and Avi appeared, Alyssa looked around at the graceful room, hoping it wouldn't go up in flames along with the rest of the castle. "Let's go," she said.

Teryar hurried up to them. "Companions!" he exclaimed. "Thank elements. We'd better leave. Before this room catches fire." He had caught up one of the torches from the wall, and it lit up his face, casting his features into sharp relief. Alyssa murmured consent, and turning quickly, Teryar led them towards the arched door.

The hallway beyond was lighted too, with torches and a few gently glowing candles. At any other time it would have seemed peaceful and secure, full of its own warmth and magic. But as it was, Alyssa was uneasily aware of a sharp undercurrent of danger, piercing the glowing peace of the place.

"Teryar, have you seen Phaidon?" Robin asked, softly but urgently.

Teryar glanced at her, then swiftly scanned the crowd. "No. I saw him before, while we were dancing. But not since Verian came in. I hope -" He bit back whatever he was going to say, but his eyes were a mixture of anger and sadness.

Alyssa edged closer to Daniel. She needed him right now as she'd never needed anyone before. "You hope what?" she asked quietly. "Not that you have to tell us."

"It's -" Teryar started, but his words were drowned out by a crash; Alyssa saw a bright, hungry flash of fire in front of her, and she was aware that everyone had stopped. The wall before them had caught fire. Fear tore at her, and she pushed her way suddenly to the front of the crowd, the other companions behind her.

Part of the roof had collapsed from the fire, blocking their way; that was what the crash had been. Now the fire was hungrily licking along the walls, advancing towards them, ever towards them. Something had appeared in the flames. After an instant she saw that it was a tall man partly obscured by the enveloping flames, wearing a dark cloak that swept behind him. How come he was impervious to the flames? was the irrelevant thought that occurred to Alyssa.

"Ivkatorr," Eviton said quietly.

"All too true, I'm afraid." Ivkatorr smiled. "Your magic's failed you at last."

Alyssa noticed that the flames had almost reached them. They could always run down the hall in the opposite direction; but in the end the menacing flames would always be behind them. In the end, it was a losing battle. There was no escape left...

Some sound reached her ears - a soft, cool, rustling sound, that contrasted strangely with the crackling of the flames. It grew, steadily and strongly, until just as she realized what it was it became visible as a strong rush of clear water, splashing and foaming onto the flames. The inferno flickered and vanished, as simply as if it had been a match thrust into the sea, and Ivkatorr turned and disappeared.

Baiji had reclaimed her side powers.

~

I was inspired for the Alyssa + Daniel dancing scene by some real music, actually - if you want to hear it, it's called "O Meu Amor Foi Para o Brasil", by Ana Moura.

:) I'm glad you're liking it, Moon Wolf! Apologies for how long this next part has taken, but it's finally done.

~\\/\/\//~

Part 8~Sterling Wytte

"We ought to be safe here," Eviton said, coming over to the companions. "I can't offer you as comfortable accomodations here as I could in the border-castle, but at least we're safe. You're all here?"

Sterling nodded, glancing around at the old, high, twisted trees and the stars far above them. "We're all here," she confirmed. "Where is this?"

"It's a place known as the Ancient Forest," Eviton told her. Then he turned from the companions towards everyone else, his air instantly more commanding. "And now. Are we all present? Or, what's much more likely, is someone missing?"

Teryar stepped forward, his eyes quiet but firm in the torchlight. "Father -" He hesitated. "I think most of us are here. But Robin says that Phaidon disappeared, and it's true that I haven't seen him."

"Has anyone else seen him?" Eviton addressed the crowd at large. "And no one else is missing?"

No, no one else had seen Phaidon - Sterling noticed that Robin was starting to look really anxious - and no, no one else was missing. Eviton sighed, his hands making a little defeated gesture. "I'm sorry to say this," he said heavily. "Most of you thought that the border-castle was invincible. That was true. As long as no one living within it was a traitor and let in someone with a wish to destroy it. I can scarcely believe that Phaidon was this traitor, but he must have been. He would know when the fire was going to start; he could have slipped away before it did. No one else who had been the accomplice of Ivkatorr would have stayed to face the fires with the rest of us."

Robin's anxiety seemed to have given way to rebellion. "Phaidon would never have done that," Sterling heard her whisper.

"He probably did," Sonya replied.

"But then -" Sterling frowned. "Why would he have let in Ivkatorr? What would he gain by that? I mean, he had his own life in the border-castle, and he's lost it now..."

"Ivkatorr is clever," Teryar said quietly. "And maybe Phaidon didn't know all he was doing."

"He knows now," Ronald muttered. "Much good may it do him."

They had supper - Sterling wasn't sure quite how the food was produced, but maybe it was through some magic of the people from the border-castle - and then Eviton's wife, Ereira, suggested sleep. Sterling welcomed the proposition thankfully enough; everything that had happened made her feel as if dreams might be the best companions.

A little later on, she woke up sharply. The fire had died down to glowing embers, there was a swath of stars overhead, and she could see Ronald sitting up a little way away, outlined darkly against the night.

For a moment she just wanted to lie there forever and watch his profile and the way his hair curled slightly on his forehead, feeling an odd new feeling creeping up in her. New - not entirely new, really. She frowned slightly, realizing she didn't know when it had started. Maybe when she first saw him, maybe when she felt the music rising up through the hall and realized that the only thing she wanted was to dance with Ronald and watch the sunlight in his eyes.

She rose suddenly and, crossing over to Ronald, dropped down again next to him. He glanced at her, not really looking surprised, a smile curving his lips. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," she replied. "You don't - mind my being here?" He shook his head, and she was silent for a moment, gazing out at the silver moonlight on the trees, her knees drawn up to her and her chin resting on them. Then she turned to him. "What were you thinking about?" she asked quietly.

Ronald spread his hands out involuntarily. "Everything, you know. Why we're here, how we break the spell, who the Guardians really are. And - one or two other things."

The tone of voice in which he said the last sentence made Sterling glance at him quickly, daring to hope that he meant her. How was he so handsome, anyhow?

"I know," she said. "It was so sudden to come from our world to this one, and find out that everything that's important is in danger. And, it's like -" she hesitated for a moment - "why was it us? Us ten, and not anybody else?"

The Ancient Forest was a very old, very mysterious, very unexpected place that no one knew very much about. But one thing was for certain: it was full of magic. And maybe the presence of the ten companions stirred that magic. I've heard them speculating since that it might have been me; and, well *mysterious smile*, perhaps it was. At any rate, it was at that moment that Sterling and Ronald saw a very small, gray-blue bird perch close to them on one of the gnarled old trees; it seemed to belong to that place, at that time.

It was an Inril-bird, the kind that always flies towards magic, but Sterling, looking at it, just knew that it was small and beautiful and had the dream-like quality of promises about it. It cocked its head towards her slightly and started singing - a quiet, tingling song soft enough to merge into the night but just loud enough that its melody could be caught. Then, in a quick blur of blue wings, it flew to the next branch. Sterling turned her head towards Ronald; he had stood up, and was looking down at her. Instinctively she rose too and drew a little closer to the Inril-bird.

On and on through the enchanted, starlit forest it led them: through dark tree-trunks laced cold silver by the moon, across short grasses sparkling magically, and it always ahead of them, its thin song forever slipping through the night and somehow binding it all together.

Finally it paused on a tree, one that was standing alone and larger than the rest, and stopped singing. Sterling, her fingers threaded through Ronald's (was that her fault or his?, she wondered), approached the tree. It was hollow, she saw, trembling a little with excitement: at least, there was a small hollow carved into the trunk, holding a thin roll of paper. She took it out and held it while Ronald untied the thin scarlet thread tying it, then unrolled it.

~><~<>~><~

I, Altern of Intaril and Eriltar, Lady of the Border-Castle and daughter of Silrin and Kiar, am the only one alive today (aside from the Guardians and Idyrn) who knows of a certain thing; so I've come to lay this knowledge within the Ancient Forest for any who should need it. Use it wisely, you, my readers in the future.

The Eastern Lands of Intaril and Eriltar and the Hills have always harbored many kinds of powerful magic. One of these was created long, long ago, and it was one of the most powerful kinds. One day, at sunset, evil asserted itself in the Eastern Lands for the first time, and the Eastern Lands were not prepared. They almost fell forever into night and evil. But no evil is forever, no night goes without a dawn. Idyrn came to Eriltar and managed to save the Eastern Lands. And, so that things would never become so bad again, she created a deep, indestructible magic: one that, when woken, would destroy evil and return right to right - at least for a time. Then Idyrn created the indestructible border-castles, to guard the Eastern Lands from harm, as only the border-castles' owners knew how to wake this Rose Magic.

Alas, the border-castles have dwindled until mine is the only one remaining. I own the border-castle between Eriltar and Intaril, and I know the way to raise the Rose Magic. However, times have changed, and I have decided that it would be best not to share my knowledge with Eviton, my son, or with Rarna, my daughter. Instead, I shall leave it here, where I know the right person will someday find it.

To reawaken the Rose Magic, one must go to the land just east of Intaril, Aren, Land of the Dawn - so called because it is as far east as you can go before, indeed, you reach the dawn. In the center of Aren, to be reached only by following the fragile Rose Path, is an underground dwelling. The door to it is guarded by a peacock; only the peacock's feathers can open the door. And once you enter through the door, you can wake the magic.

It's getting dark; I should go. Ancient Forest, guard this secret well, and let it never fall into the hands of those it wasn't meant for.

~><~<>~><~

Sterling looked up from the parchment to find that it was much lighter among the trees, the Iril-bird was gone, and other birds were starting to chirrup loudly into the stillness. She caught Ronald's gaze; her own was sparkling and excited. "This must be the way to break the enchantment," she exclaimed.

Ronald nodded. "We're finally on our way," he said. "Let's get back. The others will want to see this."

~

I did not read the part about Alyssa and Daniel until now, and I loved the romance <333 ANd Baiji got her powers!!! yessss

I love your style so much ahhhh are you Forest Nymph? 

I'm glad y'all are liking the romance! My own favorite ship names are Alaniel (Alyssa + Daniel) and Rerling (Ronald + Sterling), but feel free to make up your own :) Also, @Hawkstar, no, I'm not Forest Nymph. Keep guessing!

This part is just a short one to explain Phaidon's point of view, since no one else is likely to do it for him. Since he's barely come out, I'll just add that he's he/him, around sixteen, and the son of Rarna (Eviton's brother). The part starts when the border-castle's just been set on fire.

~\\/\/\//~

Should have known better than to cheat a friend

And waste the chance that I'd been given

So I'm never going to dance again

The way I danced with you

--Careless Whisper, by George Michael

~Phaidon~

Ivkatorr and his two "Commanders", Ryala and Tirton, were waiting for Phaidon at the side door of the border-castle. "You're late," Ryala told him critically. "The fire's already started."

Phaidon looked back. Even from here, a faint reddish glare was visible against the sky, and he could easily imagine the flames starting to leap ravenously upward, consuming the castle roof far too quickly. Something tore at him unexpectedly, and he bit his lip. What had he done, anyway?

"I couldn't get away sooner," he muttered. "And you mean the fire's been started."

Ryala frowned. "No impertinence," she snapped.

"Time for arguing later," Ivkatorr said impatiently. "For now, out of here. You three, go join the others by the Three Rocks. I'll be with you soon."

Again, Phaidon felt a chill of misgiving, but he said nothing and turned to follow the Commanders. The night was cool, and he pulled his cloak closer about him, but part of him was still lost in the warmth and welcome of the lighted room - in the warmth and welcome of Robin's eyes. Something sharp, something definite, seized him. What have I done?

And why, why, by elements, did he trust Ivkatorr?

It was a shock to find that he and the Commanders had come through the groves of trees surrounding the border-castle and back to the hidden little valley, called the Three Rocks because of the large, strangely colored stones in its center, where the rest of Ivkatorr's following was camped. Phaidon sank down on one of the rocks, his cloak fallen back to reveal the rich designs on his shirt and the small dagger he always carried, staring straight into the glaring heart of the campfire.

It had seemed to natural to accept Ivkatorr, all those months ago when the man first made his acquaintance. Phaidon had never been very happy since his father died of disease and his mother, Rarna, mysteriously vanished. Eviton had been kind, but Phaidon had never felt understood, and the border-castle wasn't home. He had been alone, bored, eventually even resentful; he missed his old life with a fierce longing and slowly grew to dislike the border-castle more than anything else, though he hadn't shown it.

Then Ivkatorr had shown up. He had never pretended to be particularly friendly, but, in return for what he called "a little help", he promised that he could and would find and bring back Rarna. And, for that matter, most of Phaidon's old life. The boy had accepted, scarcely even giving it a second thought. Now, when Ivkatorr had revealed his plan to burn the border-castle, Phaidon had hesitated; but even though Ivkatorr had only said things like "Don't worry, my dear Phaidon" to all his questions, he had been so eager to trust this new leader of his. So eager, really, to reclaim all he had lost.

Now, sitting here with the memory of Robin's trust of him, and Ivkatorr's last sinsiter words, striking deeper and deeper into his heart, he had to ask at last whether Ivkatorr would keep his promise. And whether the inhabitants of the border-castle would escape. The answer to both, he was starting to realize, was probably no... and, he thought with bitterness, that one word meant he'd ruined everything. In giving his trust to someone he no longer trusted, he'd shut himself out from the only people he wanted to be with. He'd ended the old life that had just been starting to blossom with new possibilities. No more dancing in the nights, no more seeing Robin (!!!), no more hope... And aside from that, he'd been the cause of the murder of all those people who'd never done anything to harm him.

He came back to earth with a start. Ivkatorr was stalking into the glow of the firelight; his clothes were drenched with water, and he looked furious.

Tirton hurried up to him. "Ivkatorr, what on earth - what happened?" he asked.

Ivkatorr gave an angry gesture. "That Guardian of Water, she'll pay for this! The border-castle's in ruins, but Eviton, Ereira, the companions, everyone - gone, escaped."

Phaidon rose quickly to his feet, his eyes flashing. "So you did mean to - trap them in there," he said, quietly but dangerously. "So you did lie to me about everything, after all. I thought as much."

Ivkatorr whirled on him. "Phaidon, I never promised that they'd escape," he raged.

Phaidon advanced on him a step. "Of course. You'd end their lives and ruin mine. Why would you do anything else? You've never known what it is to care for someone. You've had nothing in your life but misery and power and ruining people. You've never even had a life - not one worth having, anyway. I should have known." He turned. "But as for me, I'll never share in a life like that. I don't want to live on broken promises and broken hearts and broken lives. You've broken your trust in yourself, Ivkatorr. You've broken your heart and ruined your own life in ruining everyone else's. So be it. Enjoy it." And on that last scornful note, he left the firelight and headed out of the valley.

Ivkatorr, staring after him, was too stunned to do anything.

~