Disclaimer: I do not own WITCH
A/N: New story time. Set after issue 98. Why can I not finish one thing at a time. Got this, LIAHC3, and multiply story rewrites all going at once. Stupid chaotic mind.
Runes of the Second
Issue 1 – Captain
The sky over Heatherfield was dark, storm clouds sent cooling rain down upon the city. It was dreary and cold and it didn't seem like summer at all. It had only been a few days since the summer holidays had started, and the W.I.T.C.H school bus had been pretty much unused since then. Even though the holidays would have given tonnes of time for the guardians to teach none of them wanted to give up all of the holiday they had. Their family also had plans for them, and a couple weeks out of the two month holidays wouldn't leave them to behind in teaching.
This is what Matt continued to try and tell himself. He didn't think they took the chore seriously enough, and while they had dealt with the queen of the fast world and reunited a family, it didn't mean their work was over. In truth Matt was just upset that Will and her family were away for a week. Things were starting to get better between the two of them again, and he wanted to see her more now school was over.
Matt let the rain wash over him as he walked with purpose, stopping in Heatherfield square. The large pink bus ahead brighten up the day, it really looked out of place on such a dull day. Stepping in front of the door Matt knocked. "Kandor are you in there?" Matt asked continuing to knock. "I'm coming, I'm coming would you quit knocking?" Kandor called back opening the door. "Captain? I was not expecting you." Kandor said with a respectful nod. "Please don't call me that. Can I come in?" Matt asked. "Of course." The large man replied stepping back to let Matt on board.
"How may I help you?" Kandor asked after the doors had closed behind Matt. "I needed to talk to you. Will mentioned something about you and the girl finding out your secret? It wasn't about you know what?" Matt asked sitting down in one of the magically comfortable seat of the bus. "No sir, it was not. It was personally, and to be truthful they did not actually find out the truth of my secret anyway." Kandor explained, knowing going into how the girls had almost discovered his new knitting hobby.
"I would gather from you asking, that you have still not told the keeper about your time in Kandrakar." Kandor stated knowingly. "No, she hasn't even asked either. That what worries me, I use to always demand she tell me her guardian life, and she hasn't even asked me once, well except when you first saw me." Matt explained leaning his face into his hands. "Why do you not tell her. Surely you know that even if she doesn't ask she would want to know, do you really want to let trust die between you, because what follows that I do not think you want to consider." Kandor suggested, sitting in the driver's seat of the bus.
"How could I tell her." Matt said rhetorically not wanting an answer but getting one either way. "Starting at the beginning usually helps, and it would be worse if she was to find out from another. It is my personal advice that you should tell her, and soon captain." Kandor gave his advice before starting the bus. "I told you to stop with the title." Matt almost shouted standing up suddenly. "I will once you tell Will. Keeping the secret of Kandrakar is all well and good, but keeping yours when it will only do harm I refuse to do anymore Captain." Kandor said. "Now if you do not wish to listen to my advice, please leave I do have work to do even if the guardians are away." Kandor added, checking a last few things on the dashboard as if he was getting ready to leave.
Matt stormed off the bus. 'He can be infuriating sometime, they all are.' Matt thought to himself. "I heard that." Kandor shouted through the doors as the closed, and the bus pulled away at invisible speeds and took off into the sky. 'Can I really tell her? Will she forgive me?' questions passed through his mind many of them, as the rain soaked him. Heading home Matt felt that this week without Will was going to go by really slowly.
-
For the guardians the week passed way too quickly, excluding Irma. Hay Lin's holiday hadn't even started yet, with the beginning of summer, business at the Silver Dragon was booming, and as such she had been roped into helping once again, it was busy work, but it was still better than being at school in some ways. Being busy helped the days passed by fast, while the evening were spent either meeting up with Irma or chatting with Eric on her laptop.
Irma however was bored and lonely for the most part. Stephen had gone away, to the summer camp where they had first met. Irma had tried to convince her mum and dad to let her go, but the camp lasted a month and they had plans during that time which they wanted Irma to be around for. If it wasn't for Hay Lin still being in Heatherfield in order to visit, Irma didn't know how she would have coped with the week. She didn't know how Will's parents managed to get Will to come away for the week with them.
Cornelia didn't know wherever to count herself lucky or unlucky. Taranee and her parents had gone away like Will, but Peter had not gone with them, this was a huge bonus for this week. However Cornelia parents had gone away also and that meant Lillian and Grandma for an entire week. A nightmare of a pair, and it wasn't like she could stay with Peter the entire time, but what time the managed to share was good. It was fleeting, but kisses or at least the memories of them last forever.
Taranee was in heaven, a beach retreat with her parent but without her friends would not have sounded like the greatest holiday. It however was a great one; the location of the beach her parents had chosen was amidst some huge celebration. A celebration of kindness, generosity and most important to Taranee dancing. She had wasted no time getting in to the swing of the celebration on the beach, dancing the nights away and making a few friends along the way.
Will felt conflicted about her holiday in a way similar to Cornelia. Visiting Midgale museums with Dean and having to spend the week without seeing Matt wasn't her idea of a holiday. However, getting to go shopping with her mum was, and being together for their first real holiday since William was born made the four feel like a family. Still she couldn't wait to get home and see Matt and her friends.
-
And it did. The week went by so slowly that Matt had ran out of things to occupy his mind with. He had practised with the others from Cobalt Blue, been surfing with Peter. Heck he had even studied in order to distract himself from thinking about telling Will. It hadn't work. Resting in bed, Matt mind was fill with nothing but thoughts of Will, and how she would react if he told her, or how she would react if someone else did. He knew Kandor was right, and the memories he held to himself had the right not to be denied any longer. Resolving to tell Will when she got home tomorrow, Matt finally was able to get to sleep.
-
Moring came and went. Matt had got up early, and got himself ready to meet Will, she hadn't been due back for a few hours, but that didn't stop from heading over to Will's anyway. He wasn't going to back out, he couldn't he had already been sitting here an hour how stupid would he look if had back out now. Another hour or so passed, and the Collin-Vandom car pulled up and parked. Matt quickly walked over anxiousness filling him.
"Matt this is a surprise." Susan greeted getting out the car, and moving to the back to get William. "MATT!" Will exclaimed happily running around the car and jumping at him and hanging around his neck. Matt hugged back with everything he could. "I've missed you too." Matt said kissing the side of Will's forehead. "I suppose you going to try and drag Will away already right son." Dean said with a grin, as he opened the boot. "That was the plan Mr Collins." Matt replied. "This isn't school, please call me Dean." Dean said pulling a couple of the cases out the back of the car.
"Mum can I go?" Will asked turning to her mother, breaking the hug even though she didn't want to. "Once everything inside, and by that I mean help out." Susan replied cradling William in her arms before heading toward the door of the apartment building. Will and Matt both helped out unpacking the car and taking it up to the family's home. Once they were done, Susan and Dean gave Will permission to go out with Matt.
"I so glad you waited for me." Will said pleased as the two walked hand in hand, Matt planning to direct them to the park. "So am I, because I don't think I'd be brave enough to tell you what I'm going to tell you if I didn't." Matt replied squeezing Will's hand tightly. "Tell me what?" Will asked, Matt's response wasn't as light hearted as she had expected. "About my time while I was 'away'" Matt said and Will caught the emphasis to mean that it was magic related. "So we need to find somewhere private to sit, and talk." Matt added.
The two walked a bit further and eventually found a secluded spot in the park. Matt was seriously nervous, he didn't know if this was the right thing to do. Matt leaned in and kissed Will. "What was that for? I thought we needed to talk." Will said not upset at the kiss though. "To show you I love you. You're right though. It all started after the book of elements." Matt started.
-
"It was night a few days after we had defeat Ludmoore and I was free again. I had been getting ready to go to sleep for the night when the oracle spoke to me. He asked if I was willing to come to Kandrakar to speak with him personally, and that if I did no time would pass until I returned. I had almost said no, but he seemed quite serious and in the end I agreed. I was then transported to him.
He told me that he had been impressed with the art I played in defeating Ludmoore and that there was a role I still had left to play in you and the other destiny. He also told me though it was something that I was not ready for, something I would have to train for, and that eventually I would be tested. Only then would I be ready. I wanted to help; I wanted to be able to be a part of your life as Guardian. I wanted to be able to protect you, like you had protected me.
He taught me more about your power, their origins and behaviours. He also taught me how to fight. I never would have expected that he was such a master when it came to martial art. I learned all I could, all the time wanting to come back to see you but he told me that if I wanted you to be safe in the future I had to be ready to play my part.
After what felt like months, and no time as well. He told me that I was ready to return home, but the test was yet to come. He also told me I absolutely couldn't tell you or the other what had happened, as it was not time. That was why I left to join Karmilla, not because it was my dream but because I couldn't stand lying to you anymore. I knew that if I had stayed I would have told you, I didn't want to risk that something bad happened like the oracle said it would if I did.
The first half of the tour with Karmilla went by as if nothing happened, I almost started to wonder if it had all been a dream. If I had left you behind for no reason at all. I was about to leave, and come back home when the oracle called me back to Kandrakar. The time for the test was here, and he asked how much I was willing to give up because of my love for you. Everything I replied without thinking.
He stole my memory. I look back at it and it the only thing I didn't agree with. He didn't explain he just took my memory without even asking. He then sent me on a mission, telling me that if I returned then my memory would do also.
The world he sent me to was like the one you've told me Elyon lives in, medieval and magical. My mission to stop a local lord from starting a war. I couldn't even get close to the lord though, and was forced to join the army he was making in order to start his war. The fighting skills I had learned from the oracle sent me souring through the ranks, and eventually I was able to get close to the lord, it was then I met her, his daughter."
-
"You fell in love with another women, that why? That why you didn't tell me this. You lied to me, you told me you hadn't." Will shouted and went to slap Matt. He could have stopped it but didn't letting it hit him in the face. Will tried to get up, to storm away but Matt grabbed her and pulled her into his lap. "I'm sorry, god Will I'm so sorry. I love you, I love you with all my heart, but I didn't remember you. I felt so ashamed when I remember I felt so anger at the oracle for taking my memories away." Matt tried calm Will down but she struggled in her arms. "Please Will, let me finish the story, feel free to hate me then." Matt said physically stopping her from leaving, he knew that if she really wanted to leave she could over power him, but she could see the tears forming in his eyes, just as he could see the tears forming in hers.
-
"Without my memories, my original plan had been to kill the lord and then return, but after meeting her I couldn't do it. We spent much time together, and yes in time I started to fall in love with her, it was unrequited but it stopped me from killing her father and finishing the mission I had been given. I didn't think I had memories so important it could be worth doing it, to be worth killing her father.
In time an assassin arrived on a mission similar to mine. To kill the lord and prevent him from waging war. The assassination failed but his daughter got caught by the arrow meant for him, and passed away. Her father went into a rage, and demanded his army march forth and enact his revenge, and I almost lead them myself. In the end however I remembered, not everything but I remembered you, the love I had lost without realising it. I refused to lead his armies and managed to convince him that it had been his war mongering that had got his daughter killed, and to honour her memory he should stop.
I thought he was going to have me killed, and start his war either way. Instead he broke down, cursing his action and seeing the error of his ways, he took his own life in order to be with his daughter. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if things had been different, if I hadn't remembered would II have died in some far away battle never for you to know. With my mission fulfilled, I was summoned back to Kandrakar the rest of my memories returned to me. You saved me Will, I told the oracle I had remembered, and he said I shouldn't have been able to.
It was then I was appointed 'Captain of the Root'. Given the task of leading you and teaching the root of your powers if the need ever arrived. That was why Kandor acted so honoured to see me again, it is a hugely respected role to have earned, and why I didn't agree with how the oracle push to it I still respected him for all he had taught me before then. I was so distant when I came back because I couldn't deal with the shame, I couldn't deal with the shame of having forgotten you and being able to fall in another women. I'm sorry I lied for so long."
-
"That is my story." Matt finished, his eyes were wet, and so was Will's. He wiped the tears from her eyes. She had stopped struggling. "Will?" Matt said concerned, he was scared that she was going to start struggling again break free and run away never to talk to him again. Instead she wrapped her arms around him and continued to cry in to his chest, until the tears came no more. Matt held her never wanting to let go. Evetaully though when sadness had passed at least for now anger kicked back in again, and Will teleported away.
-
It was the next day, in Will's bedroom, and the guardians had just listened to Will retell Matt's story. "Are you okay?" Irma asked putting an arm around Will. "No but I will be. I just need some time." Will replied, her face was red, she had been crying again during retelling the story. "What are you going to do?" Hay Lin asked she knew Will loved Matt but could she still after this. "Don't dump him Will. It's the old oracles fault not his." Taranee said putting an arm over Will from the other idea. "Yeah Taranee right, the oracle did the same thing to us once remember." Cornelia hoped Will would remember how she had been made to forget Caleb a couple of years ago.
"Thanks for being here guys, but I wanna be along for a while." Will said, she didn't respond directly to the comments her friends had made, they did however sink in. She just still didn't know what to do. "Only after a hug." Hay Lin cheered pulling Cornelia into hug with the three other who had been sitting on the bed. "Everything will turn out okay in the end Will." Irma said. "Call us anytime." Taranee added, the group enjoyed the hug as best they could before the other left Will along to think.
She couldn't find it within herself to blame Matt. She knew that having your memories taken away could make you act in ways you wouldn't otherwise. She actually felt sorry for Matt, angry that he had kept it to himself so long, but sorry that he had been forced to go through what he had. It upset her to think she could be forgotten, but it made her happy to know that he had remembered in the end before doing something stupid.
If only Himerish was still the oracle, Will would have teleported straight over to Kandrakar to give him the biggest piece of her mind that she had ever been able to do. The man had been right to step down, Will could never see Yan Lin putting Matt or anyone through what Matt had been through.