Following the pair, Cherry took in the room's opulence while keeping up with her escort. She felt out of place and yet as though she fitted. Looking up at the gilded ceiling Cherry shook her head; how would she fit into this world?

Was she going to fit into this world?

Did she have a lot to learn?

Could she do this?

Although anxious at this point, Cherry didn't think she had the option to back out now that she was inside the nest, as her father used to say. Inhaling, she lengthened her stride, squared her shoulders and moved to catch up with her twin … and her mother's sister, so technically, that meant her Aunt.

There was so much she had to learn, know and catch up on but right now, something was coming into view … frowning she narrowed her vision.

"What is that?" she whispered.

"The beginning of your reign," her Aunt said, glancing over her shoulder and smiling, "are you ready for this?"

"Guess I have to be," Cherry said as they stopped at the bottom of shallow stone stairs covered in a fine rolling mist, "do I follow you?"

"No," her twin said, "you follow the mist. Stay on the stairs, and we'll see you up there."

"Why don't you come with me?" Cherry asked.

"This part of the journey you do alone?" her Aunt said, "you still need to make choices before you get to the end but heed your sister's words. Stay on the stairs and follow the mist."

Nodding, Cherry watched them step to the side, making a path for her to move through. Watching the mist recede from the stairs, she placed her foot on the bottom one waiting for something to happen, but nothing did.

"Follow the mist and stay on the stairs," she whispered as she moved to the next one, gaining momentum, remembering the other instructions, "and don't look back."

"Do you think she can do this?" Cherry's twin whispered as they watched her sister take the stairs.

"She has to do this," their Aunt replied, "if she doesn't, we are all doomed. Life as we know it and the knowledge we guard for mankind's use will all be gone."

Nodding, she turned to her Aunt, "I would take her place in a heartbeat," she whispered, "I would do anything for her."

"I know that, but we have to step aside now," their Aunt smiled, "she needs to discover this world for herself. Something tells me she'll make the correct choices," turning her niece toward her, "believe it and give her the prompts she needs then meet her at the top for the final step."

Nodding, they turned toward a tunnel glancing at the stairs before disappearing. Everything would be revealed at the top; they simply needed to believe all would be well.

Following the mist as it revealed the stairs before her, Cherry moved up the shallow stairway chanting to herself. Unsure of what she would be facing or where she was going, she kept her eyes on the mist and climbed the stairs.

Archways appeared on the sides of the stairway as she climbed, glancing sideways in case she encountered anything. Only darkness filled the space. Cherry continued to follow the mist on the stairs rising toward the ceiling of this strange hall. A chilled breeze ran over her skin, making her shiver. In the centre of an arch on one side, a light appeared in an archway, the warm glow beckoning to Cherry, tugging her need for warmth; she faltered. Part of her wanted to disregard everything for a moment of warmth. This was what her sibling and Aunt spoke of. She needed to leave the stairs and lose everything, or she could remain cold and keep moving with the mist gaining everything and saving all those people outside. A decision was to be made this very instant; glancing at the fog, which continued to move up the stairs and back at the warm glow, Cherry sighed. It would be nice to explore and feel if the light was warm, but she had a heritage to hold onto; shaking her head, she followed the mist up the stairs moving quickly to catch up to it. The chill that had filled the air moments before, making her cold to the core, was no longer; Cherry smiled. It was a test and hopefully one she had passed. Stopping suddenly as the mist disappeared as had the stairs, she found a space between herself and … darkness.

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She closed her eyes and inhaled, smiling as she exhaled, "I smell the crispness of early morning on the air, the saltiness of ocean breezes and the ancient dusty smell of parchments."

The sound of lights fizzing and flickering in the darkness, the smell of burning oil mixing with the others, Cherry opened her eyes to see the walls gleaming with a blaze of burning torches in sconces lightening the inky darkness and showing a raised glowing structure a little way from Cherry looking around she wondered how she was to get across the expanse.

Frowning at the intense sensation that pushed through her core Cherry inhaled and allowed whatever words to spring forth, "How do I cross the darkness?"

A bridge appeared as more torches flickered to life not far from where Cherry stood. Frowning, she wondered why the mist had led her here, but the bridge appeared out of line with the fog.

"Where is the bridge the mist led me to?" she whispered.

At her feet, the darkness gave way uncovering matching stones to those under her feet; it parted in waves moving like water parting before filling in behind itself. Instinct rose, pushing Cherry to move into the space on the stones and follow it across the otherwise obscured area and whatever secrets it held. Suddenly the darkness parted in front of her, melting away magically as it revealed golden sand under her feet as she took the last step off the stone flooring. Looking at the floor around her position, she discovered she stood on a beach which sloped up to the gilded rectangle box. Cautiously she moved forward, heading toward a stone pathway she spied from where she stood.

"I wonder what I'm supposed to be doing now," she whispered as she stepped onto the stone path and moved behind the altar, "does it give me instructions?"

"Yes, it does," her Aunt said, "but before you follow those instructions, you need to link with your sister."

"Link with my sister, why?" Cherry asked, frowning.

"Correct, you have been aware of an inner prompting your entire life, even when you were ... away ... from home," her Aunt smiled as her sister appeared beside her, "now you need to connect and strengthen that link."

"How do I do that?" Cherry asked.

"Breathe the same air as I do," her sister said, "but first, you need to know my name."

"I do need that knowledge. I'm sorry I didn't ask before," Cherry shook her head, "everything has been either a surprise or a shock. Right now, I'm just going with the flow."

"You have no need to apologise," her sister smiled, "linking with me will centre you in the way you are to continue. Going with the flow … as you say, is not how to move forward. Your way forward needs to be with intention and purpose."

Nodding, Cherry sighed, "What is your name?"

"Sherry," her sister grinned at Cherry's frown, "we are one although two; therefore, we are named as one."

"My name starts with a C. Does yours?" Cherry asked.

"No, with an S as it is meant to be spelt," her sister said, stepping closer, "place your forehead against mine, and we breathe the same air; your right-hand needs to brace the back of my neck and mine will brace yours."

"Okay, how long do we stay like that?" Cherry asked, resting her right hand on her sister's neck.

"Until your path to your purpose is clearly seen by you," Sherry said.

"Does it take long?" Cherry asked, resting her forehead against her sister's and copying her sister by closing her eyes.

"The amount of time depends on the person," Sherry whispered, "now … inhale with me and exhale in unison."

"Okay, shall I count?" Cherry asked.

"No, but are you ready?" Sherry asked, waiting for the slight nod from her sister, "inhale."

The pair stood locked together, breathing as their Aunt watched, waiting and wondering if they would make it in time. The link between herself and her sister was as strong as it was from the day they did this exact part of the ceremony. The battle for their lives raged at their door while peace needed to be in here. Easing into the shadows, she silently hoped Cherry would be able to make their world whole once more.