Evermoore: Chapter Thirteen, pt 2

         

Chapter Thirteen: Part two

As we climbed became, the branches became thinner and the leaves thicker until we were pushed into a clearing.  The winding path had come to an end, and we had reached the peak of the trunk.  Above us, the branches stretched higher into the air.  Leaves of autumn hues hung lazily from their stems blocking out most of Lady Sun’s rays.  Webs were spun throughout the branches, but as we entered the clearing, the arachnids perched there receded away into the canopy. 

         Delicately sculpted sculptures and elaborate wood carvings laid scattered about the clearing, either crumbled or scorched by fire.  Flowers which had once grown in troughs were now limp and withered.  And a tall archway resting at the far end of the clearing, which once had stood tall and proud as the seat for Saphira, was toppled and splintered into thousands of pieces. 

         Everything seemed ransacked and ruined, save for one item.  Seemingly untouched and unspoiled and resting within the middle of the clearing was a well made of stone.  It was a plain well, composed of carefully picked stones and arranged around an opening within the trunk.  The stones were not carved or crafted, but appeared as though they had been found in the wilderness. 

         I only wish I had come to this place under peaceful circumstances, for this place would undoubtedly filled me with awe and wonder.  However, fate had chosen for me to come here in these dark times, and the beauty of the ancient home of the Unicorns was lost upon me as my eyes were fixed upon a hideous being lurking within the shadows. 

         My heart became still and my breathing still as Saphira was tossed carelessly before it.  Its eight blood red gleaming eyes stared at us hungrily as its maw opened slightly and two slender fangs lowered themselves into view.  Drops of venom escaped its fangs as it rose.  Gracefully, it crept towards us, its It moved gracefully towards us upon eight long and slender legs and despite its enlarged and swollen abdomen.  It came before Saphira and grinned wickedly before lifting itself upon its hind legs showing us the white hourglass mark upon its torso. 

         It was larger and more sinister than the rest, and I knew this was the one all the other arachnids answered too, the one whom their hive mind flowed through.  The Spider Queen.

         Sensing my fear, Sirius moved beside me.  Without thinking, I wrapped my arm around his front leg. 

         “Stay quiet, my lady,” Sirius said under his breath. “No matter what else, stay quiet.”  Unable too turn away from the Spider Queen, I nodded slightly as my heart skipped a beat. 

         Unable to stand, Saphira lifted her head to meet the Spider Queen’s eyes.  She trembled greatly, yet her deep blue eyes remained strong and brave as she spoke, “I have given myself over to you.  As promised.  Now, will you now keep your end of our accord?”

         A rasping hiss which filled me with chills came from the Spider Queen.  She shook violently as she laughed, and spoke mockingly.  “Sssaphira,” she hissed.  “You placcccce too much faith in your hope.  I do not recall any accord being made.  Assss far assss I know, you have come here, willingly.”

          Corindra barred her teeth and snorted angrily, and was met with violent hissing from the arachnids.  Their legs twitched anxiously, half their eyes upon Corindra, the other upon their queen.  Looking amused, the Spider Queen’s paced before us, eyeing each of us carefully. 

         “Willingly you say,” Saphira said.  “This is true.  I gave myself over to your guard without resistance and strife.  Now I ask that you release my companions, in accordance to our agreement, and your honor.”

         Turning to Saphira, the smile gone from the Spider Queens face, she barred her fangs and inch from Saphira‘s face and hissed.  “Honor! You dare sssspeak of honor!  You and your ilk drove usssss into the dark depthsssss of Evermoore.  Were your actionsssss honorable then?”  Backing away from Saphira, the mocking smile returned to the Spider Queen’s face.  “Did you - hope- we had forgotten?” 

         A chorus of laughter erupted behind us from the arachnids.  It was cold and heartless, and they continued as the Spider Queen began to circle Saphira. 

         “Or perhapsssss you had hoped we would never return.  Or had perissssshed for good,” The laughter subsided, and a cruel glare appeared on the Spider Queen‘s face.  “No matter Sssssaphira,” she said darkly.  “Your faith in hope hassssss failed you.  And now you will loossssse what‘ssss left.”

         The air became still as the Spider Queen lowered herself to Saphira.  Her blood red eyes glared deeply into Saphira’s, who looked as though they had grown weary.

         “Do you not sssseeee?” The Spider Queen asked.  “Are you blinded by your Faith.”

         The Spider Queen waited, as did the rest of the arachnids who were listening with their hive mind too all that transpired.  Saphira, tired and weary as she appeared, did not falter.  Instead, she kept her eyes firmly fixed upon the Spider Queen, before glancing to me.  Our eyes met, and in that moment I saw Hope.  Small and faint, yet firmly within her, and she was clinging to it with all she had left.           

         “I see many things,” Saphira said, turning back to the Spider Queen.  “I see how you have willingly given yourself to Despair.  Mind, body, and soul, you serve its purpose out of anger and spite.  You seek to spread your despair so others may feel as wretched and destitute as you have.”

         “Because of you!!!” The Spider Queen shouted.  “Because of what you sentenced us too!”

         “Because of yourself!” Saphira shouted back.  “You and your brood are foul creatures who lurk silently in dark corners and shadows to prey on those standing upon the edge of Despair.  You wait for them to fall into your web of lies and deceit before filling them with your venom. That is why we banished you from Evermoore.  You have always been creatures of Despair, creatures of Darkness.”

         “Lies!”

         “It is you who lie!  And now you lie to yourself.  I see the Darkness has continued to twist and churn you.  Preying upon your own despair to fill you with angry spite and lustful desire.  Never once acknowledging your own hand in the fate we sentenced you too.”

         There was a quick movement from one of the Spider Queen’s legs, and a painful sounding crack upon Saphira’s face.  Saphira’s head was tossed to one side, and as she slowly turned back to face the Spider Queen, and I gasped as a line of blood began to seep into her mane.

         “Arrogant beasssstssss,” the Spider Queen said, her red eyes shaking with anger.  “Assss alwayssss, you and your ilk have alwassss sssseen what you wisssssh too ssssseee.  But the windssss of change are ssssweeping through Evermoore,” the Spider Queen said, her mandibles curving into a wicked grin.  “Jusssst assss it hassss before.”

         Pulling herself away from Saphira to face us, she said, “You can feel it in the rootssss, and in the sssssoil of the earth, or in the whissssspersss of the windssssss.  We have been sssssset upon a path which leavessss you behind.  It leadssss to a placccce where Hope isssss ssssilly and ussseless.  And the time of the arachnidssss hassss come.  But, you know this, you have known this for some time, haven‘t you Saphira.”

         Saphira remained still, staring blankly into the Spider Queen’s red eyes.  My mind whirled though, as I thought of all the stories I had heard and read as a child.  Stories of the sorts creatures who appeared in myths, legends, fables, and fairy tales.  There was a distance between the stories and the children I had grown up with, for the world had changed since the time of the fairy tales.  They preferred stories of a different kind; stories which reflected their own world.  But I had loved them dearly and had held them close within my heart where I felt they lived on.

         I had learned, upon coming to Evermoore, that Unicorns, Elves, talking tigers, fairies existed.  But on Earth, they were being forgotten.  Cast aside as make believe, and therefore not something to be talked about in series circles.  As the stories changed, so had the people.  Hope, courage, compassion, and love were all thought of differently now then when the myths were first created.  Whether the change had occurred because of the myths, or the myths changed because of the people, I cannot say.  I only understood then, that the Spider Queen was right; the winds of change had come.

         “Is this your justification for the murder and destruction you have wrought upon the Weirwood?”  Saphira said, weakly.  “Perhaps the winds of change have come, but they have not moved you.  You are still the beings of darkness you were long ago.”

         “But of courssssse,” the Spider Queen replied snidely.  “We are unchanging, forever, endless.  Mere pieces on the tapestry which is the cosmos.  In your pride and arroganccccce, you have alwayssss felt you were more than you are.  When Evermoore firssssst arossssse from primordial chaosssss, it was the conflict between Love and Hate, Hope and Dessssspair, Compasssssssion and Anger, and Courage and Cowardicccccce which ssssshaped the Universssssse.  By fate, you were chosssen firssst, and you ruled asssss you ssssssaw fit.  But you have always been missssssstaken.  You thought it wassssss you who gave sssssshape to the Universssssse.  It issss the Universssssse who hasssss sssssshaped you.  And now it is changing, bringing about a new order, as it has before.”

         With a graceful swiftness, the Spider Queen moved behind the well wrought of stone in the middle of the clearing.  With a swift kick of one of her long legs, the cover was tossed away.  A green light spilled forth, dull and flickering, and hardly opposing the shadows around us. 

         All our eyes were drawn to it, and a familiar sensation swept over me.  My fears were cast away, and a warm sensation crept over me as the aches and pains in my back and legs faded.  I suddenly felt as though we could easily fight our way free of the arachnids, and escape with Saphira.  But then the light flickered, and my fear returned. 

         In a moment, I realized I had felt Hope, for the first time since I had entered the Weirwood. My eyes blinked as I tried to hold onto the feeling of Hope.  Yet I could not.  However, as I gazed into the flickering light, I felt a presence.  Behind the veil of my eyes and within my mind, I felt someone peering through my eyes as if they were his own.  It was a familiar presence, of someone who I had felt not long ago. 

         I nearly gasped as I realized who this presence belonged too.  Halion.  I reached out and clung to his calm and comforting presence which I had felt within the Lights of Evermoore.  I felt a small wave of comfort flow over me, as if he had nuzzled me gently.  I called out to him, screaming for help in my mind, though I believed there little hope.

         “Do you ssssssee, Ssssssaphira,” The Spider Queen said.  “Ssssssee how the light hasssss grown faint, and weak.” 

         Saphira lay still, her deep eyes watching the soft glow of the Light of Hope.  Corindra and Casper sat motionless as well, arachnid guards on either side of them watching them hungrily.

         “Releasssssse her,” the Spider Queen said. 

         The webs which bound Saphira were cut and she hastily pushed to her hooves.  Weak, Saphira’s head hung low as she labored to breath and struggled to stand steadily.  Slowly, she raised her head to face the Spider Queen, the pride and majesty of the Unicorns still gleaming in her eyes. 

         Within me,  Halion remained calm, though I was crying out to him.  He could see what I saw, smell what I smelled, and feel what I felt.  He could feel my heart racing and hear my cries for help.  However, Halion remained still, seemingly content to watch Saphira and the Spider Queen. 

         Then, a warm sensation flowed through me.  It steadied my heart and caused me to feel lucid and calm.  I closed my eyes, and felt as though I had become weightless.  When I opened them, the Tree of Hope, The Spider Queen, and Saphira were gone.  Instead, I was in the forest.  I was running.  Running as though my very death were upon my heals.  Ducking under vines and branches, leaping over fallen trees, and occasionally looking behind me towards the great herd of Unicorns speeding after me.  It was Shay, and he was racing to us.

         Closing my eyes once more, and I opened them to find myself back at the Tree of Hope, where the Spider Queen was speaking to Saphira once more.

         “Hope isssss no longer what they ssssseek, what they cling too,” The Spider Queen said.  “It issss why the light fadessss.  Long lost are the daysssss when hope would drive one forward through darknessssss and ruin.  Insssstead, they cling to their desiresssss, or possssssessions, or vicessss, and desssspair if anyone ssssshould be losssst.  What chanccce doessss hope have, in a world sssssuch asssss thissss?”

         Once more the Spider Queen’s words rang true, yet I would not accept it.  Instead, I held onto the glimmer of hope Halion had given me.  But as the Spider Queen loomed over Saphira, and the Light of Hope flickered forth into the sky, Saphira began to tremble. 

         It began with her eyes.  They fluttered, and the gleam reflected from the light of Lady Sun faded as dark and brooding clouds began to gather above us.  Still weak from the webs which bound her, she began to tremble, and her began to lower. 

         The wind began to blow, fiercely, as the air turned cold and began to nip at my skin.  Then, as clear as if it were another one of my senses, I sensed it.  Despair.  Small and weak, but growing, within the Light of Hope, whose green hue had begun fade into blackness.  Above, the dark clouds converged, and drowned out the remaining light of Lady Sun. 

         “You see!” The Spider Queen bellowed as a crack of thunder ripped through the sky.  “Despair is taking its hold as the last remnants of Hope are lost.” 

         I heard Corindra, and turned to see her try to break free, only to be leapt upon by the arachnid guards.  Knocking her aside with an abdomen, she was tossed into a group of benches.  Casper neighed, and was met with a strike of his own.  A moment later, an arachnid was upon each, pinning them to the ground, their fangs barred and dripping. 

         “Cccceassssse!” the Spider Queen said, calmly.  The arachnids obeyed, but held their fangs mere inches from each.  “They must watch.  For as she falls, so too will they, and at long last our revenge will be complete.”

         Halion, I cried out in my mind.  Please help us!  I pleaded as I became filled with fear.  But Halion continued to watch, as calm and stoic as ever.  I pleaded more and more, fear continuing to flood my mind.  But then it was quickly met with a renewed wave of Hope.  My eyes closed once more, and when they opened I was taken back to the Weirwood.

         Once again I saw through Shay‘s eyes as he ran through the Weirwood.  I flooded his consciousness with my fear, my pleas for help.  And he must have sensed them, for I felt reassurance emanate from him, though behind it I could sense his own despair which grew with each step he took.           There was another crack of thunder, and I was jolted back to the Tree of Hope.  Lifting herself onto her hind legs, the Spider Queen looked towards the sky as it began to rain. 

         “Dessspair is growing,” she said. “And with it, Hope issssss fading.”  The Spider Queen lowered herself to Saphira once more, her red eyes glaring mockingly into hers.  “And as Hope fadesssss, a new avatar musssst take itsssss place.”

         Saphira looked solemnly at the Spider Queen.  All the strength, pride, and majesty had been drained from her, as even her ivory horn which had glimmered within the Cave of Mysteries now seemed dull and brittle.

         “No,” Saphira with a strained whisper.  “You spoke to me… of how little…I understood.  But it is clear….there is still much… you do not….understand.  Hope …can never be…truly defeated.  For in darkness….hope is born…. And when despair… has fully gripped… its prey….hope is at … its strongest.  For what power …does despair have…if one does not know hope….first?”

         Just as the Spider Queen’s words had darkened my heart, Queen Saphira’s brightened mine.  It was a moment of clarity and understanding, guided and encouraged by another wave of Hope from Halion, who seemed pleased at what I had come to understand.

         Compassion and Anger, Courage and Fear, Hope and Despair, Love and Hate.  Neither could exist without the other, for they were two sides of a coin, the night following the day, the pendulum swinging from one side to the other.  One could not know Hope without knowing Despair, and one could not know Despair without knowing Hope. 

         Evermoore was changing yes, as the Spider Queen said, but it was because the people of the universe were forgetting hope.  Despair had seized upon them, and as long as they despaired, Hope would be subdued.  But it could never be extinguished.  Hope would remain, even if just a small flicker in some distance place within the galaxy.  Yet one day, Despair would be fought, as Hope would flourish once more. 

         Could this be true for Love?  Had the Light of Love not been extinguished, but merely lost?  If the universe were shown love again, would they cast aside their hate, and free themselves from the darkness which was taking hold.  For the first time since I had arrived on Evermoore, I understood.

         I felt hints of happiness and approval, and perhaps even a small smile as Halion watched from behind my eyes.  It was the most I had felt from him since he entered my mind.  But the smile was dashed away with an angry hiss from the Spider Queen.  Above, the sky rumbled furiously and the darkness began to spread all across the Weirwood.

         The ground shook, the wind blew fiercely, and lightening ripped through the sky as smoke began to rise form the canopy in the distance.  Cliffs tumbled, tree’s fell, and the critters of the wood frantically searched for safe havens.  Sirius shook nervously, and Corindra and Casper laid deathly still under the arachnids which held them.  Even the arachnids steadied themselves as the Great Tree shook, for they had never seen a storm such as this.

         But I had.

         In my dreams where the White City was sundered into rubble.  The sky had been dark, the ground had shook, and the humans had been running through the streets and flying through the air in search of safety as their city was turned to dust.  And when the winds of change swept through Evermoore then, it broke the silver gates had crumbled, toppled the Ivory Towers, and the Avatar of Love had perished.

         “Sssso be it,  Sssssaphira,” the Spider Queen said, indifferently.  “If you do not sssseee the truth, even in the faccce of your desmisssse, then ssssooo be it.  It matterssss little.” 

         The Spider Queen stepped upon the well and took Saphira into her long and hairy legs.  Saphira made no move to resist, even as Corindra began to shout and struggle.  The arachnids pressed down harder upon her, bringing their fangs closer to her neck.  Sirius stepped forward, but was quickly blocked by an arachnid who hissed at him sinisterly.  Casper remained still, staring in fear and disbelief as the Spider Queen held Saphira’ limp body over the opening of the well.  A wicked grin formed on the Spider Queen’s mandibles, and Halion remained still within me.

         Halion! I shouted, but he was far away, safe within the confines of the Tower of the Avatars, and could do little to help.  A sense of calm fell over me, but my own fear  pushed against it.  My cries for help turned to angry rants and curses.

         But the sense of calm over took me, and I closed my eyes once again to open them and find myself with Shay once more.  He was passing by thick branches, heavy leaves, and large protruding roots which I recognized.  He had made it the Great Tree, and was now following the carved path around the trunk.  His swords lit, the herd of Unicorns were running behind him, fighting off any arachnid which moved to stopped them. 

         With each thrust and strike, I could feel anger swelling within him.  I pushed a sense of urgency towards him, and recalled the images of Saphira being held by the Spider Queen.  He must have sensed them, for he broke away from the herd, and hurried up the trunk with a potent sense of anger, and fear.

         With luck, he would reach us soon, and I could help him be prepared for what he would face.  I called out to him, not knowing if he could hear me.  Use my eyes, I said.  I turned to Corindra and Casper, trapped helplessly beneath their arachnid captors.  Then, I turned to the entrance of the clearing and the path he would emerge from.  Then, I moved my eyes towards the two Arachnids sitting in the branches above on either side.  I poured these into the consciousness we now shared, hoping he would see them clearly.

         Uneasiness swelled within me, but it was quickly followed by gratefulness. 

         “Desssspite your doubtsssss, which have been within you for sssssome time, you continue to placccce your faith in hope,” The Spider Queen said, bringing me back to the clearing.           



         “Doubt is with us… always,” Saphira said, her voice barely above a whisper.  “It is how we face it…that truly…matters.”

         “Then face it now, Saphira,” the Spider Queen challenged, bring her red gleaming eyes closer.  “For assss you cling to the lasssst remnantssss of your hope, ssssso will it die with you,”

         Saphira’s horn faded completely, and appeared as nothing more than brittle stone.  The last of the glinting light within her eyes left as the Spider Queen held her over the well.  The flickering green light splashed about her white mane as their eyes met, and the last remains of the Hope in Saphira’s eyes faded.  Venom dripped from the mandibles of the Spider Queen as her maw twisted into an evil smile.  Then, in a swift motion quicker than the eye could see, the Spider Queen’s fangs struck Saphira, leaving two red wounds in her neck. 

         As the venom filled her veins, Saphira remained still.  As I watched the life fade from her, my senses became blank, and I could not hear, feel, or see anything else.  The Spider Queen laughed manically, echoing over the thunder and wind across the Weirwood, as a drop of her blood fell from Saphira’s neck into well.  And as Saphira’s body became still, and her eyes closed slowly, the Green Light of Hope extinguished, and was replaced with Darkness. 

         I gasped as my senses became overwhelmed with grief, horror, fear, and rage.  The world began to spin as I lost control of my senses.  Their anger and fear burrowed upon me as they watched Saphira die.  I could sense Shay’s anger as well, as he must have seen her death through my eyes.  Corindra’s cries were the loudest, as tears rolled from her eyes and the sky above began to stir violently. 

         Following the anger and fear, was grief.  It was Halion, and I could feel his grief clearly as the connection within our minds, empowered by the Lights of Evermoore, began to slip away. 

         Halion, I cried, reaching for him as he had done to me.  But I could feel Despair begin to over take him.  I tried to fight through it, tried to bring him back to Hope.  Yet little by little, he drifted farther from me, and I sensed him grow weaker as the Light of Hope faded away. 

         As I tried to reach for him, my concentration was broken by a sudden commotion.  It was Shay, who had burst into the clearing with a furious cry.  Swiftly, he turned and fired two arrows into the trees behind him.  His aim was true, and the arachnids who had sat hidden within them fell to the ground with his arrows protruding from their eyes. 

         Having distracting the others with his sudden arrival, Corindra unleashed a mighty kick to the arachnid which trapped her.  Knocking it back, she leapt to her feet and charged the Arachnid standing over Casper.  Her horn glowed brightly as it ran through its flesh, causing it to cry in anguish before it disintegrated with a flash of bright light. 

         Many arachnids spilled into the clearing. They had been following Shay,  but were met by Sirius who pounced upon them with his claws slashing through them.  Withdrawing his swords and igniting them with flame, Shay joined Sirius and together they fought each arachnid as they came.  Corindra and Casper charged into the fray a moment later. 

         The arachnids tried to fall back, but were met from the rear by the herd Shay had led.  The arachnids began to fall, one by one, met with either a claw, horn, or flaming sword.  Many others skittered away into the canopy.  As they fought, I felt their anger and rage.  Growing with each arachnid slain, it was like an unquenchable thirst.  Yet their anger and rage was merely fighting against the growing Despair threatening to take hold of them, for there was no longer a place within them for Hope.  And as I watched, I could feel my own Hope begin to fade as well, even as I desperately tried to cling to Halion. 

         Behind me, the Spider Queen laughed as she dropped Saphira’s lifeless body beside the former well of Hope.  As the sky raged above us, her laughter grew, even as her people were slaughtered.  Hearing her, Corindra and Shay raced back onto the clearing, Sirius beside them a moment later.

         “Laugh now demon,” Shay said through clenched teeth, holding his flaming swords before him.  “But now you will your end.”

         “Foolissssssh elfling,” the Spider Queen said, looming above them.  “There isssss nothing you can do, the windsssss of change cannot be ssssstopped.” 

         Though I was nearly overwhelmed by Despair, I forced myself to look upon them.  In every fiber of my being, every dark corner of my consciousness, I could feel Despair threaten to take hold of me.  Meanwhile, the dark light which had once been green began to grow, and reach out into the sky. 

         Desperately, I reached for Halion; reaching across time and space through the Lights of Evermoore which connected us.  And just as he had entered my mind, I entered his.  Through his eyes, I saw he was laying on the stone floor within the tower of the Avatars.  Beside him were his dear friends, and fellow Avatars, Corazon and Valar.  I looked to them for comfort, hoping it would renew Halion’s strength.  Yet in their eyes I saw Hope was lost to them as well.

         So I turned to Halion myself.  I tried to fill him with Love as he had filled me with Hope.  I tried to take his Despair upon myself, hoping to cast it out as I had cast out wounds and injuries.  But I could not.  And as the Green Light of Hope became fully stained by blackness, I felt Halion take his final breath before he faded from the Lights of Evermoore.

         The Spider Queen cackled victoriously, and I was thrust out back into the present as my connection to the Lights of Evermoore was abruptly shattered.  The battle was ragging on, with Shay charging the Spider Queen with his flaming swords, and Corindra and Casper close behind with their horns gleaming brightly, and Sirius leaping forward with his claws outstretched. 

         Above, the sky became black, and the clouds began to swirl around the former well.  And as thunder and lightening ripped through the sky, and the winds began to howl, I screamed.

         Pain and anguish coursed through me as Halion’s death played over and over in my mind.  I felt as though I had been ripped in two, and I fought desperately to regain control as Despair attempted to fill the void.  My mind was spinning wildly, and above, I could hear the thunder, and see the lightening, and I remembered my dream.   

         I felt something leap to my side.  “My Lady…” began a familiar voice.

         “Sirius!” I shouted, wrapping my arms around his neck.  “We have to… go… NOW!”

         Without a word, he scooped me upon his back and cried to the others.  Casper looked to the sky, and headed my warning, shouting for his herd to fall back.  But Shay and Corindra continued their fight with the Spider Queen.  The Spider Queen was swift and agile, dodging Shay’s swords and evading Corindra’s horn. 

         “Shay!” I shouted, as I rode on Sirius‘s back.  He didn’t answer as he and Corindra continued to press the Spider Queen.  “Shay!” I shouted again, this time catching his glance.  Tears blurred my vision, but I could still clearly see the rage which drove him.  Never had I thought he would have been capable of housing such rage, even when his mind was lost too the madness inflicted upon him when he traveled through The Crossroads.  The same rage had filled Corindra as well; and unleashed her rage against the Spider Queen with all her swiftness and power. 

         But as Shay and Corindra continued to press their attacks, the Spider Queen merely mocked them.  “Your hope isssssss gone, you are now a sssservant of desssspair,” she hissed.  “Your dessssspair fuelsssss your anger, your hatred.  It hassssss taken you, blinded you, and now controlssssss you.  You believe you can fight back?  Resssssstore your hope by sssssslaying me?  Foolsssss, you only ssssssserve its cause.”

         From every tree, rock, and root, the Spider Queen’s laughter filled the Weirwood.  Even as Shay and Corindra leapt forward for one final strike; Shay aiming for her eyes, and Corindra her abdomen.  The Spider Queen remained still, even as Shay’s sword pierced her eyes, and Corindra’s horn ran her through, laughing manically. 

         There was a gasp, followed by a slight twitch, and the Spider Queen’s legs gave out.  She crumbled onto the clearing, blood flowing from her wounds.  Yet she continued to laugh.  It had slowed, little by little, until she ceased to breath and the stillness of death crept over her.  Shay and Corindra stood over her, a dark look in their eyes as Shay held his swords and Corindra held her horn at the ready.  But the Spider Queen remained still as death took her.  Yet above us, the sky stirred even more.  The wind and the rain fell harder, and the sky rumbled to life, and I felt a new presence around us.  It was cold and dark, and I made me tremble as I felt as though I would never feel hope again.  It was Despair, and it was filling the void left by Hope. 

         Of what happened next I can faintly recall.  The world began to shake, and there was only the howling of the wind between the cracks of thunder, and blackness between the lightening.  I cried out to Shay and Corindra, but the world began to spin before me.  As Sirius took us down the winding path, I heard shouts of panic and dismay.  Casper was leading his heard ahead of us, with Shay and Corindra behind.  Their hive mind severed with the death of their Queen, the arachnids were scattering aimlessly with paying any head to us. 

         I held to Sirius as we reached the bottom and ran into the Weirwood.  An dark current flowed wildly around us.  I could feel its cold grip reaching for my heart as my mind was flooded with images of my greatest fears.  I heard cries of anger, fear, and sadness as the others were being assaulted by Despair as well.  We ran aimlessly into the wood as the storms stretched out across all of the Weirwood. 

         With a thundering boom, the Great Tree splintered and shattered as a great bolt of lightening struck it.  The force caused Sirius to stumble, and I was thrown from his back.  I landed hard on the wet earth, and stared in bewilderment as the remains of the Great Tree.  Roots were torn from the ground, limbs ripped away from the trunk, and fire was beginning to consume the Weirwood once more.  They burned hot and began to sweep through the forest with a feverish hunger.  Then, the earth sundered, and the remains of the Great Tree fell into gaping chasm leading far beneath the surface of Evermoore. 

         I heard, or perhaps felt, the cries of the creatures who fell with the forest.  They all felt the same, terror.  Unable to move, I watched as they feel into the darkness. 

         Fighting the current of Despair which tried to consume me, Sirius lifted me onto his back once more.  Yet I could not take my eyes away from the Great Tree as the last of its mighty limbs sank beneath the surface and plunged into the darkness.  When at last it was faded from view, I gasped, as I felt the last lingering connection to the Lights of Evermoore within me cease to be. 

         Then, darkness crept from the corner of my eyes, and I felt myself slip away, for as the Great Tree disappeared from Evermoore, so too did the last lingering flicker of Hope from the Lights of Evermoore.