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Elena found herself clutching at Stefan’s hand - which was already reaching for hers - as one by one the doors shone with a faint, silvery light
"Behind you,"said Sage, "is the very gate you entered to get into this roohtened to show an i on the ground or sticking out of the cave wal s
Rubies, dia as Elena’s fist, lying thick in great piles for the taking
"It’s beautiful, butno, of course!"she said firmly, and reached out to put a hand on Bonnie’s shoulder
The next door lit up, brightened, then brightened hed, "is the famous kitsune paradise"
Elena could feel her eyes widen It was a sunny day in the round a little waterfal spil ed into a creek, which ran down a green hil , while directly in front of her was a stone bench, just the size for two, underneath a tree that looked like a cherry in ful bloo in a breeze that rustled other cherry and peach trees nearby - causing a rain of dawn-colored petals Although Elena had only seen the place for a moment, it already seemed familiar to her She could just walk into it
"No, Stefan!"She had to touch his ararden
"What?"he said, shaking his head like someone in a dream
"I don’t knohat happened It just see to an old, old hoo on, please!"
The next door was already lighting, showing a scene with rack after rack of Clarion Loess Black Magic wine In the distance, Elena couldheavily, fruit that would never see the light of the sun until it wasat their glasses of Black Magic, so it was easy to say "no"even to the luscious grapes
As the next door brightened Elena heard herself gasp It was bril iantin a field as far as she could see were tal bushes thick with long-ste black
Startled, she saw that everyone was looking at Damon, who had taken a step toward the roses as if involuntarily Stefan put an ar his way
"I didn’t look very closely,"Damon said, "but I think these are the sae "They’re the sa unhappy "These are al Midnight roses, noir pur - the sort in the white kitsune’s bouquet But these are al blanks The kitsune are the only ones who can put spel s on them - like the reh of disappoint his listeners, but Damon just looked more sul en Elena was about to speak up, to say that Stefan shouldn’t be put through this, when she tuned in to Sage’s words and the next gate, and felt a surge of si herself
"I suppose you would cal it ’ La Fontaine of Eternal Youth and Life,’"Sage said Elena could see an ornate fountain playing, the effervescent spray at the topa rainbow S on the leaves of the bower that cradled it in greenery
Meredith, with her cool head and straightforward logic wasn’t there, so Elena dug her nails into her palms and cried "No!
Next one!"as quickly and forceful y as she could
Sage was speaking again She ends say was stolen froes shape"
A si to saybut actual y to see it
Elena watched in astonisheous white cal a lily blosso at a cluster of violets with velvet leaves and a drop of dew shining on a petal A moons - with the dewdrop Stillin place
Before she could reons had become deep, ful y open red roses
When the roses becaolden flower that Elena had never seen, she had to turn her back
She found herself bu herself to think realistical y Midnight was co - and not in the foret and here she was staring at flowers
Abruptly, Sage swung her off her feet and said, "What a temptation, especial y for a lover of la beaute like you, bellejust a bud! But there is soher and more pure than beauty, Elena You, you are naht’! The darkness is coht! Beauty wil not hold it back; it is a bagatel e, a trinket, useless in tiht wil conquer the darkness! I believe this as I believe in your courage, your honesty, and your gentle, loving heart"
With that, he kissed her on the forehead and set her down
Elena was dazed Of al the things she knew, she knew best that she could not defeat the darkness that was co - not alone
"But you’re not alone,"Stefan whispered, and she realized that he was right beside her, and that she hts as clearly as if she were speaking
"We’re al here with you,"Bonnie said in a voice twice her size "We’re not afraid of the dark"
There was a pause while everyone tried not to look at Daot talked into this insanity - I’ how it happened But I’ve coe turned toward the final door and it brightened Not by much, however It looked like the shady underside of a very large tree What was odd, though, was that there was nothing at allgrowing under it No ferns or bushes or seedlings, not even the normal y ever-present creepers and weeds There were a few dead leaves on the ground, but otherwise it was just dirt
Sage said, "A planet with only one corporeal form of life upon it The Great Tree that covers an entire world The crown covers al but the natural freshwater lakes it needs to survive"
Elena looked into the heart of the twilit world "We’ve coether - maybe we can find the star bal that wil save our town"
"This is the door you pick?"asked Sage
Elena looked at the rest of the group They al seeht now We have to hurry"She made a motion as if to put her cup down and it disappeared She sive you any help,"he said "But if you have a co froe took the coave the coer pointed to the north, but at an angle northeast "Fol ow the arrow,"he said "It wil take you to the trunk of the Great Tree If I had to guess at where to find the largest star bal , I would go this way But be wary! Others have tried this path Their bodies have nourished the Great Tree - as fertilizer"
Elena scarcely heard the words She had been terrified at the thought of searching an entire planet for a star balOf course, it ht be a very smal world, likelike
Like the little diamond moon you saw over the Nether World?
The voice in Elena’s e, who smiled Then she looked around the roo for her to take the first step
She took it