Souls Entwined Through Time

Getting sucked into the infinity again was a different experience from the first time. There was no pain or white landscape, instead, it was instant darkness followed by a frigid plunge.

Into a lake.

Dixie struggled with the cold water more than Bonnie. She did not have Alexander's strong body to help her endure. Felicia had gained some weight, but it was not nearly enough to handle this. The cold water seeped into her very bones and she was instantly short of breath. The more she inhaled the tighter her windpipe squeezed. Thrashing about in panic, her vision began to blur.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!"

A large muscular arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up. "Relax girl, I'm here. Breathe and hold onto me."

Bonnie swam at a fast pace and got them to the edge of the lake. They stepped onto a rocky bank and looked around in bewilderment.

"Where are we? Why did the sword bring us here?"

"I don't know...but I think it had something to do with us almost getting caught." Bonnie noticed a slight glimmer and saw that the Holy Sword was standing tall against a boulder a short distance away.

Dixie who shivered uncontrollably as they headed towards the sword. The infinity symbol was no longer glowing, but the blade was radiating heat. The moment they knelt down and touched it, a warmth spread throughout their bodies. 

"Oh my god!" Dixie signed in relief. "This sword definitely has a mind of its own. It's actually responding to our emotions! We were in a panic so it brought us to another location and now it can sense we're cold." 

Bonnie placed the sword flat and they sat down beside it. Dixie pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin. The sword was still hot. Almost like a heater. The magic was as soothing as it was warming.

Bonnie ran her fingers along the inscriptions. "This writing, I can comprehend it. But I've never seen this language before. Neither has Alex. I think this is the Goddess's own secret language."

She pushed her wet hair away from her eyes. "I think I can only read it because she has given me the ability to do so.

Dixie tilted her head. "I can read it too."

"What does this all mean, Dixie?"

"I don't know. Another clue, maybe?" Dixie shivered. She had to get out of these wet clothes before the weak ass Felicia got sick. If she was in her own body it wouldn't be such a big deal, but now she had to be mindful of everything. Felicia was simply too fragile to function at 100%.

"Can we use the sword to go back to the manor?"

"I think so, we...."

"We have to read the inscription out loud." They stated in unison.

Bonnie tilted the sword up and spun the blade around. "Which part do we recite?"

"I don't know, pick any."

As if pulled by magnets, their eyes went to the same inscription.

"Listen to your souls, for it beats harder than your hearts. Open the gateways with both rings and enter your place of refuge."

As soon as they were done speaking, the infinity symbol came alive and wrapped them together. This time they felt zero fear and confusion. Instead, they smiled and welcomed the magic.

What a strange way of travelling.

The journey was longer this time around. Maybe because they weren't in a panic? They floated around in deep space before seeing their destination. The infinity symbol reformed out of thin air before dropping them, each through one hoop. Thankfully, they landed in the thickness of the pine trees situated next to the training grounds of the Del Montague manor. Nobody saw the light. They cautiously stepped out of the greenery after ensuring the coast was clear and walked towards the manor.

The sound of horses filled their ears as they opened the gate which led them past the armory shed before entering the large clearing where the knights who served the Del Montague family jousted. The layout of the training field was that of a golf field. To the left was the archery range and on the right was a circular running track made of asphalt and sand.

Dixie suddenly remembered: she needs to start training right away. Rather than just putting on weight, she should be building endurance at the same time. If she spent 2-3 hours every single day running laps and learning swordsmanship, that would definitely help her immune system.

Exercise was chemically proven to be good for both body and mind. She needed to release the constant anxiety she felt. Becoming combative would certainly make her confidence soar.

The sun's position revealed that a few hours had passed since they left the church. Damn! It felt like 10 minutes at most. Did the infinity slow down their flow of time? For what purpose?

Over a 100 knights were training and it was very noisy. The sound of shouts and grunts mixed in with the clashes of swords. They could even make out the faint whoosh of arrows hitting their targets.

The sisters went unnoticed for the most part, but some of the men halted mid-swing when they spotted the Young Master and Lady. Placing a hand on the chest, they bowed and greeted the siblings. Bonnie and Dixie didn't respond. They were eager to get out of their wet clothes and hop into a warm bath.

As they made their way inside, looking like two drowned rats the servants huddled around them.

"Young Master Alex! Lady Felicia! What happened to the two of you? The Duke is furious!"

Bonnie handed her sister over to two maids. "Nothing happened. We took another route home and accidentally fell into a lake. Prepare a bath for her, immediately!"