"Where are we?"

The question hung in the darkness and was answered by no one.
Wynter struggled to her feet and gasped as pain shot through her body. Her breath rattled as she walked into the unknown. Wynter could barely see, but it was clear that she was outdoors.

And it was night.

"Eiran?" she called in a small voice.

There was no reply.

As her eyes adjusted, Wynter found she was now in Journeys End. And somehow it was her own Journeys End, the place from which she had come.
The streets here however were empty and cold. It looked as though the town had been long abandoned and forgotten by the crowds who had once occupied it.

'What is this?'

'Is this the future or the past?'

"Wynter!"

She spun to meet Eiran. He ran through the shadows towards her looking tired. Blood stained his face, his neck. The sight made Wynter's heart race.

He came to stand before her with grey eyes full of urgency.

"Where are we?" Wynter asked with a flutter of panic.

"Some sort of purgatory," Eiran murmured with a frown. "This is what Iporia will soon become if we do not hurry. The rift is incomplete but it is close to finished, that is why we appeared as souls on the bridge in Iporia. We were too close to the other-world."

Wynter remembered standing on the bridge alone in her dull and colourless form.

"Purgatory," Eiran went on, "is where neutral souls are sent for judgement. These souls have done not enough bad to be sent to Hell, and not enough good to go to Heaven, we are somewhere between the two."

"So what will happen to us?" Wynter asked fearfully.

Eiran's brow furrowed as he looked around trying to find an explanation.

"I do believe," he said slowly, "that this is almost a test. We are necromancers, necromancy is seen as an evil art by most. By even attempting dark magic that could be enough to land us in Hell. If we do not prove our goodness soon and put a stop to the rift, we may end up in the underworld." He took a deep breath before adding:

"Forever."

Wynter's heart skipped a beat.

Hell.

It was preposterous, crazy talk.

"Well," she said shakily. "We better hurry."

She wanted to scream. If Eiran hadn't tried to stop her none of this would be happening now, but there was no point in arguing.

Eiran took her hand and led the way.

"The entity went this way."

The world, - purgatory - was as cold and silent as death itself.

"We're too late," Wynter whispered suddenly coming to a halt. The situation seemed hopeless now, the entity was gone, the rift could be finished already.

They would never know if they were trapped here and sentenced to an eternity of Hell.

Eiran squeezed her hand.

"It's never too late to try," he said calmly. "Wynter, we will stop this. We've come too far to give up."

He absent-mindedly brushed strands of hair from her face.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

Wynter felt a rush of warmth as she gazed into Eiran's eyes and smiled. It was odd, she hadn't known him long at all but Eiran was the only person in the whole world whom she trusted completely .

"Why did you stop me?" she asked him. "Why didn't you let it take me?"

Pain flashed in Eiran's eyes.

"Because that wasn't the plan," he murmured. "You are not allowed to sacrifice yourself."

"And you are?"

"Wynter," Eiran sighed exasperated. "I-"

Suddenly there was a groan that came from somewhere in the distance. Eiran raised a finger to his lips warning her to stay silent. His head whipped from side to side as he searched the shadowed lands of what looked like Journeys End for the source. Then there were footsteps.

They sounded nearby.

Eiran beckoned for her to follow.

"Stay close," he mouthed.

Wynter followed behind as they crept through the street, searching for the entity within the red-eyed man.

The sky here was grey but Wynter could still make out the deceivingly graceful wings of crows high above them. They circled like vultures, waiting for the first hint of trouble. All along the street, lights slowly flickered to life and lit the way for Wynter and Eiran. They were nearing the building that had once been or would be the orphanage. Wynter smiled dryly.

So much for never coming back.

The doors stood open. Eiran looked into Wynter's eyes and gave her hand a small squeeze.

"When this is all over," he told her quietly. "This world should disappear and you will return to Iporia. You'll have to go back to where we landed, there you will find the blue symbol. Stand upon it, close your eyes and think of home. It will take you there."

Wynter only nodded.

She hated how he had not included himself when talking about the journey home.

They entered the building.

The first thing Wynter noticed was the ticking of a clock. The sound brought back memories, memories of the first time she had discovered the other-world.

Wynter shuddered.

The ticking came from an old grandfather clock that had never been in her orphanage. As they approached, Wynter couldn't help but look at the time.

It was ten minutes to twelve.

Nearly midnight.

Eiran too observed the clock face.

Floorboards above them groaned under the weight of what must have been feet.

The red-eyed man.

"We don't have much time," Eiran murmured looking up. "Quickly!"

Together they sprinted up the stairs as quietly as possible. Eiran pulled her along swiftly as he moved like a shadow. As they reached the first floor Wynter saw that it was dimly lit, only a flickering candle sat upon the dusty ground.

"He's not here," Eiran said more to himself than to Wynter. She looked at him questioningly.

"How can you be sure? We haven't checked any of the rooms."

"Trust me," he said turning. Eiran raised one of his greying hands to the light.

"I just know, I'd feel it."

They took to the stairs again and climbed. Wynter felt herself grow colder as they ascended, it was like she was back in the other-world and searching for the time-machine again. She feared one of those creatures would appear behind them at any moment. Wynter couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, followed. Eiran stopped on the top floor, his grey eyes searching.

"Here," he whispered moving forward.

Wynter was a bundle of nerves as she watched him move towards the very door she had fallen through when the shadow creature had collided with her. This time however there was no locks, no chains. The door stood ajar, daring them to enter.

'Be brave,' Wynter told herself.

Wind whistled through the gap in the door and grew louder as they approached. Eiran raised a hand and without hesitation, pushed it open. Wynter took a deep breath.

And then she gasped in shock.

The room was gone.

They were outside again.

From the door they stepped onto a platform that rose above the town of Journeys End. Wynter saw that Eiran's brow was raised, he was as puzzled as she was. They shared a look.

"I don't understand -"

Then there came clapping. Slow, mocking claps from the other side of the platform.

There stood a tall figure concealed in the shadows. He took a step forward into the dull light.

It was the red-eyed man.

The entity.

His face was bloody, his limbs twisted and broken.

And yet his eyes blazed brighter than ever.

Behind him was a veil of darkness that pulsed with energy that seemed to flow from the man himself.

It was the rift, and it was very near completion.

"Too... late..." came the raspy voice of the entity from within the possessed body.

Beside Wynter, Eiran drew a blade from his belt. It was the very blade the red-eyed man had tried to kill him with in Iporia.

"Not yet," he said through gritted teeth. Eiran's eyes were fixed upon his target as he started forward and sprang.

The entity cackled and pulled the red-eyed man into battle like a puppet. The flow of energy was slowed as Eiran attacked. The dagger flashed too quick for Wynter's eyes to follow and yet still the entity dodged every slice. Eiran was already weak, Wynter didn't know how long he would last in a fight like this. She looked around, desperately seeking a weapon of her own.

And then from the corner of her vision, she saw him again.

It was the boy, the one she had seen on the bridge. He looked up at her from the world beneath, his small body glowing like a beacon of light in the darkness. He paused to watch her on the platform above. The boy saw the terror in her eyes and without a word ran towards the orphanage doors. Wynter watched in new found panic as he ran to meet his own demise.

Surely he was not a stupid child, he could be see the danger he was putting himself into.

And still he ran forward.

Wynter turned her attention back to the fight. Eiran was holding up well, but for how much longer she did not know. Suddenly the red-eyed man got a punch in and Eiran fell. Wynter cried out.

"Eiran!"

She ran to him, knocking aside the red-eyed man as she went with as much force as she could muster. It did little to help, she was merely a slight distraction to the entity who seized the opportunity to rob Eiran of his only weapon. He swooped in and grabbed the dagger by the blade, grinning as he went. Eiran was soon on his feet once again, but there was a look of panic in his eyes as he reached out for the unsuspecting Wynter.

"No!" he shouted.

Wynter felt a hand closed around her throat as another snaked around her waist, holding her tight, too tight. She struggled against the grip but it was no use. The blade was pressed to her neck and Wynter trembled.

"Please," Eiran croaked. "Don't, take me instead."

A gurgled laughter tickled Wynter's ear from behind.

"You think... I'm... a fool... boy?" the entity hissed. "You... will kill... me!"

Eiran shook his head, avoiding the startled eyes of Wynter. He was trying to buy time, or was he trying to win the trust of this emotionless evil being?

From within the building, a clock began to toll loudly.

Midnight had come.

"I'll make you a deal," Eiran said calmly with his hands raised in surrender. "Let her go, and you can have me."

"Eiran, what-"

Eiran hushed Wynter with a wave of a hand. His eyes were pleading, scared. The blade was digging into her skin and drawing blood. Wynter bit her lip against the stinging sensation, trying to show no weakness, though the speed at which her heart was racing probably showed it already. She turned her head away to the side in an attempt to create some distance between her neck and the blade.

And there stood a boy in the doorway, a long, sharp blade glistened in his hand.

Wynter stayed motionless, she didn't want to draw attention to the child with his wide and strangely familiar eyes. His pale face showed no fear, only an odd sort of curiosity.

He edged closer with eyes on the red-eyed man.

Wynter had a feeling the boy had a plan.

The entity spoke again, loud over the clock chimes.

"Okay, necromancer. Let me... take your... life, your soul..." It chuckled. "And for what? This... girl?"

Eiran swallowed.

"Yes, it's my fault she's in this situation. Let her live."

Eiran turned his wide eyes to Wynter then.

"I'm sorry Wynter, my plan failed but at least we tried."

"Eiran," she said shakily as tears threatened to fall. "Don't do this, just let me go. You can stop this. Don't let all those people die just for me, I won't be able to live with myself."

Eiran chuckled dryly, his eyes shining.

"I just can't," he said shaking his head. "I can't let you die."

Wynter thought she saw Eiran turned his eyes upon the boy behind her for a split second before facing the red-eyed man again. He seemed to nod ever so slightly, his grey eyes full of words that could not be said aloud.

"Okay," he said as his eyes flicked to Wynter. A small smile played on his lips. "Let her go."

The entity grunted and shoved her away. Wynter flew through the air, hitting the ground with a thud. She heard Eiran's angry voice as she collided with the hard earth but it was soon silenced. Wynter pushed herself up to watch as the light flowed from the red-eyed man and into Eiran.

The entity was claiming his soul.

Eiran was dying for nothing.

For her.

'He can't.'

Wynter started forward again as the angry tears fell freely down her face. The entity was travelling between bodies, sucking the life and energy away from Eiran. It was paying no attention to the rift that had grown still in its neglect.

She could still stop this.

Wynter pulled the dagger from the red-eyed man's loose grip and held her arm above her head, ready to strike. The entity continued to pour into Eiran and Wynter then wondered what she would have to do, who she would have to strike.

"No..."

Suddenly the hand of the red-eyed man shot up to grab her with more strength than she had imagined possible. Wynter struggled, she had not expected the sudden attack.

"Meddlesome... fool!" the entity shrieked from within.

Wynter thrust the blade into the red-eyed man's chest. He lurched back and cried, but still moved to consume Eiran.

But it was slower now.

'I can stop this.'

The red-eyed man had a grip on her arm, tight and painful. She felt nails pierce her skin, clawing and ripping until she fell, clutching her arm in pain. Then behind the man and through the tears, Wynter saw movement.

A pale face beneath ebony hair came swooping forward with a blade that sparkled like diamonds. The red-eyed man loomed over her with the murderous rage of the entity on his dead face. He moved towards her, he intended to kill her, but not before the long blade burst through his chest.

The bright flow of energy turned to black tar as the entity screeched and choked. The connection was lost, the rift was crumbling and above the crows screamed louder than ever. The body of the red-eyed man crumpled and the entity died away.

"No!" It howled.

Wynter watched as the man fell backwards, finally still. He was truly gone now.

And so was the entity.

His final word echoed with the sound of the clock. Then all was silent.

Wynter faced the boy.

"How... What was..." She was lost for words, her voice trembled as did her hands.

The boy smiled calmly, his silver eyes shining.

"It's a holy blade," he said matter-of-factly. "It can destroy any evil. I wasn't supposed to take it but I figured you needed help, miss."

Wynter was astonished. He was so calm even in the face of such evil.

He didn't even know what he had just done, all he had saved.

"Who are you?" she asked.

The boy smiled and held out a gloved hand to her. She took it and shook.

"Who are you?" he questioned.

"Wynter. Wynter Rhodes."

The boy smiled again.

"Pretty name, I'll remember that," he remarked. "I'm Eiran."

Wynter saw it then. The grey eyes, she knew them so well already. Her lip trembled as she raised a hand to wipe her eyes. She had no words left for the child, he was so innocent, so unaware.

When she looked back up the boy was gone.

Then she turned to her Eiran.

He lay bloody and bruised. The black liquid trailed from his lips too as the entity died away from within. He coughed weakly as his looked at her.

"Well," he whispered. "I see you met little me."

Wynter nodded. "You've known me all along," she said smiling.

Eiran grinned in response.

"I never forgot you from when we met on the bridge, I was just a little boy." He laughed before adding; "A very nosey, curious little boy."

His laughter was interrupted by a spurt of blood. Wynter jumped in alarm and scrambled to kneel beside him.

"Let me help you up," she said, but Eiran shook his head as she moved in to assist him.

"I can't," he whispered. "It's okay, I'm fine."

Around them the world was changing. The platform seemed to merge with the earth beneath once again and slowly the sun rose to show Iporia in all its former beauty.

"How did we get back here?" Wynter wondered aloud.

"We passed the trials of purgatory," Eiran breathed. "Wynter, we saved Iporia. The Midnight Guard is no more."

It hit her then, they had won.

Wynter laughed and put an arm across Eiran who lay upon the earth. She smiled as her cheek rested against his, the sun beat down upon them. Slowly the scenery of Iporia fully returned and they were left lying in an empty street away from the crowds.

Eiran coughed again.

"Eiran," Wynter started concerned.

She sat up and froze at the sight of him.

His hands and arms were free from the ink-like stain now, as were hers, but he was pale.

He was too pale.

"The entity was inside me too," he muttered. "I shared in the red-eyed man's pain. We were all linked and so..."

Eiran moved his crossed arms to reveal a severe gash across his chest, the same as the red-eyed mans. It was not bleeding, but the damage was bad.

"You have to go," Eiran said in a whisper.

Wynter shook her head violently.

"No, no I will not leave you here alone." Terror fluttered through her stomach unlike anything she had ever felt before.

"You're okay, we just have to get to the portal and then we can fix you up."

All the while she was talking Eiran shook his head.

"No Wynter," he coughed. "I belong here, in this time. I can't go back to Journeys End, even if I wanted to I wouldn't make it."

"But..." Wynter's words were lost to tears that shook her body. It was so unfair, they had make it to the end.

Almost to the end.

"Shhh," Eiran beckoned her to come closer. "You have been so brave, so brilliant." Wynter held his hands in her own.

"I want you to go back to Journeys End, and I promise you things will be different now." He winked. "All because of us."

Wynter nodded and smiled weakly through the torturous pain. She bent forward and softly pressed her lips to Eiran's forehead. Then she sat up and closed her eyes, still holding his hands.

"Thank you for being my friend," she whispered.

"Thank you for being mine," he replied softly. "I've enjoyed our time together, Wynter Rhodes."

Eiran smiled before closing his grey eyes and exhaling. Wynter felt his hold on her slacken as he faded. He seemed peaceful as the white light enclosed around him.

When Wynter opened her eyes, Eiran was gone.

Forever.

Her hands fell to rest on her lap, Wynter inhaled shakily. The day was golden, just like the city. Voices were beginning to float through the air, singing, laughter. It was beautiful.

"All because of us."

*

Wynter wandered the streets of Iporia alone drinking in the detail, the atmosphere. None of this would have been here without Eiran, and yet she was the only one who knew anything about him or The Midnight Guard now.

Well, her and little Eiran.

She had searched for the boy for some time but it was hopeless in these crowds. People eyed her, some curiously, others concerned.