Disclaimer : I don't own W.I.T.C.H

Chapter 1. Fall from grace.

"Did you summoned me?" man in white robes asked as he entered room.

"Yes, I believe that young guardian's powers have evolved to a point that suits our needs. We should execute our plan without delay. Has necessary arrangements been made?"

"Yes my lord, yet I fear that Nerissa's uprising four years ago made things more complicated"

"It can't be helped, Nerissa was thorn in our side when she was a guardian, and even in twilight of her life she unwittingly played one last card against us" He answers as his eyes glows red in anger." But we cant delay anymore, we must do it now. Summon her before me"

"At once my lord" Man in white robes answered and left.

--

Heatherfield.

--

Will was walking up steps towards Cornelia's flat. Today they were supposed to talk about Irma's upcoming birthday that was only five days away. Finally she reached door of her friends apartment and ringed. Moments pass and door is opened revealing Lillian.

"Hi Lil, is your sister home" Will started.

"No she left an hour ago. I guess she ran to Caleb again, she said she will be back soon." Lillian answered with slight distaste for her sisters actions.

"Mind if I come in while she comes home, I need to talk with her"

"Of course not" she answered with suppressed joy and invited Will into her apartments. During years after second war Will along with her friends tried to become closer with Lillian, they knew that sooner or later they will have to reveal her true identity and being close friends with one of Earths most powerful beings would definitely be beneficial to guardians cause. In turn Lillian enjoyed their company since they always were nice to her. Even Cornelia after that faithful night became much closer with her sister and often tolerated abuse that she threw at her. Now she was already ten years old and were less eager to abuse her sister, specially when Cornelia tolerated.

"So how is it going Lil" Will asked as they were going to living room.

"Pretty good"

"And how is school treating you"

"Not bad, I made some friends there, yet some of classmates make fun of me. I think there are just jealous because I have better clothes than they have"

Will was listening to Lillian's tale and unwittingly smiled and remembered herself that all her problems were same as ones that Lillian is talking about. She couldn't really imagine how she will control such power that is her birthright, yet she also knew that before she received the Heart she could not even closely imagine herself as wielder of such force.

They both entered room and sat on the couch and Will asked: "You want to play some games while we wait for your sister?"

"Yes" Lillian cheerfully answered.

"Wanna play chess?"

"I don't know how"

"If you want I can teach you how" Will answered. Lillian stood up from couch and ran off to find chessboard. Soon she returned with it and gave it to Will. She opened it, placed figures and started to explain rules. After an hour of game Will heard someone unlocking door of the flat and entering. Soon she saw Cornelia as she entered room where Will played chess with Lillian.

"Yo Cornelia" Will lifted her palm and greeted her.

"Hi Will, I see Lil is tormenting you again" Cornelia answered.

"Not at all, I will just finish this game and then we can go and discus Irmas party." Will answered, while Lillian felt some distaste for her sister intervention.

Cornelia approached Will and sat near her and whispered to her : " Its guardian business. We need to talk as fast as possible."

"Does it have to be now Will quietly answered as she watched Lillian pondering on her next move"

Cornelia nodded. " I will have to borrow Will" she said.

"Sorry Lil, we can finish this game later" Will said to Lillian that was becoming unhappy about Cornelia's intervention.

"Not fair, you always ruin fun for me" Lillian nearly shouted back.

"Don't be such a baby, big girls don't cry"

Lillian pulled her legs from floor and placed her chin on her knees and made unhappy expression on face.

Will stood up from couch and followed Cornelia's to her room. Will entered Cornelia's room and sat on one of chairs while Cornelia sat on her bed. Cornelia threw her sight towards door frame to see if her sister is eavesdropping. There was nobody there yet you can't take too many safety measures to cover your secrets.

"So what did you wanted to say" Will started.

"I ran into Caleb early this morning, he said he have found portal in the caves, We need to seal it before something comes out of it, besides portals doesn't appear out of blue just like that." Cornelia answered.

" That shouldn't be too hard, I will call rest of the girls"

"No need its just one portal, we two can take much more than that especially considering our powers has grown. Sealing it shouldn't take us more than half an hour"

"Okay lets go, we still need to talk about Irmas party" Will answered, stood up from chair and started to move towards doors.

"Lillian I will go out for now, I will be back soon" Cornelia shouted from her room as she Will prepared Heart of Kandrakar and invoked its powers to turn herself and Cornelia into their guardian forms. Once transformed Will concentrated energy into her fingertips and slashed them across air leaving gloving rift in the air. Once both guardians passed through it rift closed leaving them on the beach near the entrance of cave. Will concentrated and summoned several wisp like lightning balls that illuminated cave before them. Will stepped into cave and waved hand asking for Cornelia to follow. Several minutes passed as they explored cave yet they can't find portal.

Uncomfortable by silence in the cave Will started: " You sure about that portal Corny?"

"That what he said and I believe him. It should be somewhere here. This cave network is quite extensive."

"This place creeps me out"

"Not a fan of this place either, especially considering Frost and Nerrisa attacked us here"

Will took Heart of her neck to see if Heart would lead them to the portal they seek. It emitted slight purple glow yet it couldn't locate any magical force nearby.

"So you found any suitable present for Irma yet?" Will tried to change subject.

"Not yet, I don't want to give her to give something referencing to water that would be really unoriginal and you" Cornelia answered from behind.

"I bought her …" Will abruptly stopped. She felt someone channeling energy nearby. Will alarmed by it charged both her palms with a charges of quintessence.

"Cornelia, did you just charged energy? I felt something" Will asked and looked around. She received no answer.

Suddenly she felt strong wave of force hitting her. She barely managed to retain her balance and disoriented she turned towards direction wave came from. Her wisps and heart she held in her hands got blasted away leaving Will in total darkness. Will confused tried to regain her balance when she felt sharp pain in her left shoulder. Something pierced through it few inches above her heart. Instinctively Will lashed her right hand against assailant. She felt as her hand hits attacker and jolt that was charged in her hand released. Sparks illuminated face of her attacker. To her horror it revealed blond hair and guardians outfit, yet her eyes was horrifyingly disturbing.

Horrified by that Will tried to stop discharge of jolt yet stream in her hand was too strong and she couldn't stop it that easy. Body of Cornelia turns limp and she started to collapse. Will tried to keep her from falling, but pain in her left shoulder was too much to keep her hold on her friend. She staggered few feet backwards and picked up the Heart and looked at her shoulder. It revealed stone spike stabbed through her shoulder. Pain in her shoulder became more and more apparent and soon Will felt that she no longer could control charge of quintessence that she accumulated in her left hand. She tried to dissipate energy to her body, but wound in her shoulder prevented it. Moments later she couldn't contain energy in her hand and it started to discharge violently. Sparks illuminated cavern with bright light while burning her hand and left side of her face, damaging her left eye in the process. Smell of burnt flesh and pain was too much to bear and she collapsed.

After few minutes she gathered rest of her strength, stood up and tried to pull out stone lance from her shoulder. She approached broken body of her friend, knelt near her and watched her. She was barely conscious, but her chest was burnt by jolt of electricity. Will tried to shake and speak to her "Why? What happened?"

Cornelia tried to say something, but she couldn't get words over her lips. She reached hand against Will and made expression on her face that unmistakably was smile. She gathers her strength and tried to talk : " Promise me…, that you wont involve them"

"Involve who" horrified Will asks.

"The heart bearers, my sister, Elyon." Cornelia coughed and it reveals blood in her mouth and she started to lose conciseness.

"Hang in there Corny" Will shouts and picks up heart to heal her friend yet somehow Will felt some foreign energy inside Cornelia that was interfering with the flow of Hearts energy

"Hang in there" She shouted, but Cornelia's body was not responding. To her horror she seemed dead. Will gently placed fingers on her eyelids and closed them,and starts to cry. With adrenaline gone she started to feel pain with new strength. She gathered remnants of her energy,made fold and walked through it. She took out the Heart and invoked its healing energy. Lightning like streams appeared from the Heart enclosing guardian in cocoon like case. Exhausted and wounded she lost conciseness and let healing power of newly formed cocoon heal her wounded body.

TBC