BEYOND THE MIRROR: Chapter 29

Lapis finds herself feeling guilty for Steven's current fate from the journey as she follows Amethyst in the warp tunnel to an unknown destination. What happens next? Read on to find out.

AN OUTBREAK OF TEARS

The warp tunnel has never felt so cold to Lapis now than it ever did before. Outside of every warp tunnel, there is a vacuum, a chilling realm that no being should ever dare enter whether it would be a Gem or a human--like Steven.

Steven. The boy that Lapis has failed to protect in her stead. She said herself to them that she is a guardian to Steven, but only a true guardian would defend one other than itself. This all happened--because she underestimated her own responsibilities.

Now, Lapis could only embrace herself and shudder with her head held down with no intention of raising it back up. "This shouldn't have happened." She grits her teeth. "None of it." She squeezes herself in her own embrace as her body convulses. "This--was all because of me. You should have let me go."

She closes her eyes, sighing--before whispering a tune. "You are now broken and now I am shaking--from this--corruption. I just want to be--free. I--just want to be--free. To escape from here. When you found me--I let you in. When you saw me--I took you in--under my wings.

"Under my wings. We breezed across oceans in search for a way home. But trauma and travesty took me into the storm. When you healed me--I broke you instead. When you fought me--I ditched you then. And I--let you back in--under my wings. Under my wings. Oh I took you--under my wings.

"When we were surrounded--we had bounced back. When all hope was lost--we found a way to win. But the cost was too much. The cost--was just--too much. Too--much. That was caused when I took you. When I--took you. Under my wings. Under my--away under my--wings."

She lifts her head back up to face the surrounding tunnel with her drooping eyes and tearstained cheeks. Lapis gasps, her eyes bulging as a teardrop slides down her left cheek. Lapis pats the tear off her cheek before bringing it up to her face.

She stares at the droplet of water on her hand, intrigued of this newfound power to produce her own element. "I--can make--water?" Lapis brings her tear-free right hand to the tear, leaving it hanging just a few feet over it. Lapis bites her lip as she flicks her right hand up.

The tear in her left hand splits to form two smaller droplets as it rises a couple inches into the air. Lapis raises an eyebrow as she makes another movement to split the two water molecules into four miniature water molecules that she could barely view in her perception.

It's amazing. The power to produce water, even in a cute little droplet, has been a discovery that no Lapis has ever realized. That has been due to the monotonous nature of a Lapis back on Homeworld.

She has never cried or shed a tear--no one has since they had no reason to. She saw Steven do it, but she didn't get it--until now. Crying is a power that can only be tapped in when one is lost and upset about something as big as Steven's endangerment.

A few minutes ago, Amethyst saw Steven's infected body--and much to her dismay--takes Steven away from her. That won't happen again. Lapis finally snaps out of her power as she brings her fists down to her sides. She hangs her head up towards the great beyond and she nods to herself.

Wherever Amethyst is taking Steven, Lapis knows that this next task will not be easy. Not even close. Amethyst, holding Steven's limp body close to her, swipes her right hand through clenched teeth, breaking away the connection with the tunnel.

Lapis grimaces as she stands on the next warp pad--with Amethyst's hair laid down as an impediment in her focus. Lapis stiffens and holds her mouth shut, nearly biting her lip as Amethyst steps off the warp pad.

After a grunt from the strain of carrying Steven's weight, Amethyst steps up towards a structure just up ahead with the sound of rushing water. Lapis whispers to herself. "It can't be." Fortunately, Amethyst is far enough out of earshot to have heard that.

Lapis carefully steps off the warp pad before she starts following her into the one place she was supposed to go, but shouldn't have entered. Lapis sweeps her right hand through a rose bush and her eyes bulge as she gapes upon the sight she had feared since the continuation of her journey--which has now been put to a devastating halt.

THE BEGINNING: THE PAST 5,000 YEARS

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NEXT: THE FOUNTAIN REUNION