Chapter 1: The Awakening

Faded red hair bounced in the humidity as Will Olsen walked up the stairs to her granddaughter's bedroom. Years had passed since her time as a guardian and she had reconciled with herself for living a normal life along time ago. Now with little contact to the old life she still knew the universe was safe. In giving up their powers the Guardians of the Veil had brought peace. She smiled. At times like these she was happy to have given up the double life. She and Matt had a handsome son and a lovely granddaughter even if their son had the same problems Will's mother had.

"Stacey, Stacey, time to get up!" Will whispered through the cracked door.

Stacey. Stacey.

Who are you?

It's tie to awake, young guardian.

Guardian?

Awaken!

Stacey bolted up right. The California sunlight glared through her window. That had been a weird dream, no doubt a product of the cookies she'd eaten right before bed last night. She looked up. Grandma Will was standing in her doorway with a slightly worried smile painted on her face. She stepped into the room and noticed the crummy plate on Stacey's nightstand. The redheaded girl laughed nervously. Her grandmother shook her head.

"Good morning sleepy head. Rough night?"

"Weird dream. Some weird voice calling me 'guardian' or something like that." Stacey said rubbing her head.

Will's face dropped. "Come on down stairs, breakfast is ready. You wouldn't want to miss the first day of a new school year, now would we?"

Stacey rushed to pull herself out of bed. She showered and dressed as fast as she could. As she did she couldn't help but think of that weird dream. Who was that supposed to be? And what did they mean by guardian? Whatever it had been about something had struck a chord with her grandmother. She wondered if the older woman knew anything about what was going on. Sighing she pulled her shoe on and headed downstairs to grab breakfast.

"Hey Grandpa." She said.

"Hey sweetheart, ready for a new school year?" Matt asked as she made herself a plate. She turned around and made a face. He laughed. "I remember that feeling."

They ate in a comfortable silence. The now retired rocker smiled lightly at how much their granddaughter took after her grandmother. He wondered just how much she would take after her grandmother besides her looks. A car horn outside broke their silence. She smiled and grabbed her bag. Just before she left she gave him a peck on the cheek and a wave. So much like her grandmother. Thinking of. The man stood and went upstairs. Will was sitting on their bed holding the journal and the box the Heart had been sealed in.

"Will? What's wrong?" Matt said sitting down with her.

"Nothing, just getting caught up in the old days. All the worlds we saved, Elyon, all of it."

"Do you miss it?" he asked taking her hand.

"Some days, other days I'm glad we gave it up." She smiled and kissed him. "Now don't you need to be going somewhere?"

"Don't worry, I'm going, I'm going. Just wanted to make sure you were alright." He stood and kissed her forehead. Afterwards he walked out the door to the pet shop where he'd worked as a teen, the one he now owned.

Will stood at the window and watched him go. She was glad that he was still happy. But her mind was still on Stacey's dream. She knew that the Heart had a tendency to be passed from grandmother to granddaughter but she had hoped Stacey would be spared the need to sacrifice her normalcy like the members of W.I.T.C.H. had. Taking the heart in her hand she took a deep breath. Just as she was about to reach out to the one person she knew could help the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Will, listen. We need to talk, all of us."

"Taranee? What's wrong?" Will asked putting the heart aside.

"It's a case Eric is working on. I already called the others but it looks like something bad is happening. They all agreed to meet up tonight at the Dragon." Taranee said. "Look I got to go, I'm still at work."

"Ok, I'll see you tonight."

A bad feeling twisted in her gut. First Stacey's dream and now Taranee's call. She moved into the center of the bed and crossed her legs. This time she pushed out all possible distractions, she needed answers, now, before bad things started happening. The Heart pulsated warm light and hovered before her. She closed her eyes.

"Hello, Will." Yan Lin greeted.

Will opened her eyes. She had expected to see Candracar. Instead she stood in the Silver Dragon where she had spent so much of her time in Heatherfield. The little woman was dressed in a lighter version of what she had worn in her life on Earth. She took a kettle from the stove and walked easily to a table that had already been set with a spread like it had the night she had learned about their destinies.

"Sit, sit. You must be hungry. You missed breakfast." Yan Lin said sitting gracefully on a wood chair.

"Why are we here?" Will asked sitting as well.

"I thought you would be more comfortable." The older woman poured them tea.

"You're the Oracle, since when?"

"There was some trouble. I as chosen to fill the position. But there are more pressing matters aren't there?"

"Stacey, it's her turn now, isn't it? I was hoping she was just dreaming but Taranee…what's happening?"

"I'm sorry, Will. There is a great darkness coming. It will fall to a new generation to stop it." With that Will was pushed from the vision. Alone the Oracle looked out at the fields of Candracar. "I'm so sorry, my dear, but you will not be able to help her."

Later Will walked out to the Silver Dragon. She had told Matt that she would be meeting up with the old team. At the time he had insisted he come with her but had yielded when she reminded him Stacey would need him. The afternoon air was far too chilly for late summer; still she brushed it off as paranoia. Taking an old short cut through an alley she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. The dark figure pressed her in to the wall. She had no time to scream as her world turned black and her body hit the pavement.