Never hate your enemies.
It was late. Almost 11:00 PM. Any normal person would be asleep by now. But not for one. It was a person, wearing a black cloak. She was sitting on a rooftop, looking over sleeping London. She looked through a window from a house across the street. There was someone sitting. Someone who needed to die.
She moved quick, like a shadow, over the rooftop and jumped. She jumped further than any normal human would or could. She jumped on the rooftop of the house where her target was. She silently made her way in through the rooftop window. She moved through the attic, making sure that she didn't make a single sound. She descended the stairs. A man came walking towards the attic. He froze when he saw her. But before he could call for alarm he felt a cold steel penetrating his chest. The last thing he saw was an electric spark.
She walked further until she stopped at a door. She heard a voice and decided to listen before killing her target.
'Who does she think she is? Threatening me like that?' a gruff man voice said annoyed.
She heard a slight Italian accent.
'But, sir. She has magical powers.' another voice said, clearly from a younger and less confident male.
'Ha! Magic?' the gruff voice replied. 'Let me tell you, Gioco. Magic isn't everything. What really matters is the wealth someone has. THAT is what gives people power. Not fairy dust.'
'But, sir Pedone!' the other voice interjected. 'They say she has power up there.'
She imagined a scrawny looking guy pointing at the ceiling.
'Up there?' the gruff voice replied. 'I don't believe in fairy tales, Gioco, and you shouldn't as well.'
She decided that it was time to end this and knocked at the door.
'Come in.' the gruff voice said.
She slowly opened the door. She saw a fat man in suit sitting behind a desk while another, scrawnier man in suit was standing next to him. Both looked confused at her.
'Who are you?' the man with the gruff voice asked. 'Whoever you are, remove your cloak.'
She looked at the man. For some strange reason he shivered. Slowly a hand went up to the hood of the cloak that the stranger was wearing. She slowly lowered her hood, while looking at the shocked faces of the two men in front of her. Her red hair shined in the light of the room.
'Y-You.' the fat man stuttered.
'Me.' the woman said coldly.
Before anyone could react the scrawnier man jumped at her. A knife was in his outstretched hand and he was planning to kill her once and for all.
She saw him coming and smirked. How foolish were they to think that they could kill her this simply. She merely sidestepped the attack and grabbed his arm. Before the man could react, he felt an energy surge going through his body and he fell on the ground, slightly shaking but clearly dead.
'Gioco!' the fat man said. 'First my wife. Than my bodyguards. And now my son!'
He grabbed a gun from his desk and pointed it at the woman.
'I will not stand for this!' the fat man said. 'I'll kill you so that your boss knows that she can't get the power in Great-Brittan!'
The woman smirked again.
'Quintessence.'
The gun flew out of the fat man's hands and was now pointed at the man. The man in question, couldn't move because of the sudden appearance of an energy cage around him.
'Mister Pedone.' she said, her voice as cold as ice. 'You really should have believed in fairytales.'
Before Pedone could do anything a shot was heard. He fell on the ground as the cage of energy disappeared. A bullet hole was visible since the bullet shot through his head. She pushed the windows open, when she heard footsteps. She nodded once before jumping out of the window. A small power surge went through the cameras and deleted any file of that night. The people who ran towards the room were surprised. They saw an open window and their boss and his son laying dead on the ground. And no trace of the killer.
Later that night.
Will sighed. She was wondering if she should continue with this. Tonight's kill was most likely her hundredth kill. She undressed herself and went for a quick shower. As she was cleaning herself she thought back on how her life changed. Again.
Flashback, a year ago.
'Will, I'm going to make you an offer you cannot refuse.' Hay-Lin said to Will.
Will broke free of Cornelia's grip and glared at her former friend.
'And what makes you think I'm not going to refuse?' she stated coldly.
'I have my reasons.' Hay-Lin replied. 'Now about my offer. I want you, to be my head of assassination. I know that you trained martial arts during your studies and with your powers you'll be perfect for it. You'll be in charge of all of my assassination squadrons. You'll have to kill the current head but I don't think that'll be a problem.'
Will looked skeptically at Hay-Lin. She then started to laugh.
'Are you serious?' Will asked. 'Have I've been gone for so long that you can't even figure out what my answer is going to be?'
'Oh yes, I know your answer.' Hay-Lin said with a wicked smile. 'That's why I'm now going to tell you the reason why you can't refuse me.'
Will arched an eyebrow. 'And that would be?' she asked skeptical.
'Your mother.' Hay-Lin said with dark pleasure.
Will's eyes widened. Sparks were flying around her and she could feel that both Irma and Cornelia were pointing their guns at her. Not only that but she also noticed a plant from the corner growing and entangling her feet. Will ignored all of it and glared at Hay-Lin.
'What do you want with her?' she said threatening.
'Will, Will, Will.' Hay-Lin said mockingly as she shook her head. 'I don't want her. I want you. That dear man, Jonathan Johnsen, isn't a normal man. He's there because I ordered him to. If you don't accept my offer I'll contact him telepathically and order him to kill your mother.'
Will stared at Hay-Lin with great disbelieve. It seemed that Hay-Lin had this all planned out. And worst of all she had managed to defeat Will without a fight. The sparks died out as she hung her head.
'I…It would be an honor to work for you,… Miss Lin.' Will said in defeat as she bowed for Hay-Lin.
Hay-Lin smiled wickedly. Irma and Cornelia both had a smile of their own.
'And so, even the great Guardian leader herself bows down for me.' she said wickedly as she started to laugh.
Present
Will fell a tear roll over her cheek. That was a year ago and she still regretted that decision. She should have fought. She should have died to protect the world, but she was too afraid. Too afraid to lose the only one who actually cared for her. She stomped the wall with her fist, creating a hole in it.
She sighed as she stepped out of the shower and started to get dressed to go to sleep. As she lay in bed she thought of everything that had happened to her thus far. The moment she had 'joined' Hay-Lin she got drilled. Not simple practice as in the old days when they were Guardians. More like an army drill, if you didn't succeed you would die. Hay-Lin occasionally came to the training room, teaching her a couple of tricks with magic. Cornelia and Irma were the ones who thought her shooting, killing and a couple of other tricks to quiet people. And the extra power training and learning how to concentrate her magical energy in body parts to move faster were a hell to go through as well. She also learned what exactly happened.
When Hay-Lin said that she killed everyone in Kandrakar she lied slightly. She had an accomplice. The one who is now playing as the Oracle. Her grandmother, Yan-Lin. Apparently Hay-Lin wasn't the only one to fall into a depression after the girls stopped being Guardians. It seemed that she had a special connection with her grandmother. When Hay-Lin finally made it to Kandrakar, Yan-Lin caused a distraction long enough for Hay-Lin to absorb the Aurameres. But unfortunately for Hay-Lin the Heart of Kandrakar interfered and sent all the elements, except Air, back to their original keepers. After that it disappeared. After the swift but bloody attack on Kandrakar, Yan-Lin was appointed as Oracle, since she was the only one to be alive, except for Hay-Lin. Thanks to Yan-Lin, Hay-Lin got extra powers, such as telepathy.
After the conquer of Kandrakar Hay-Lin returned to Earth. She could get Cornelia and Irma to join her side without threatening their families. Only Taranee resisted. Hay-Lin tried to dispose of Taranee by making her family into her pawns but Taranee saw through it and killed her family. After that she disappeared.
After taking control in the United States, which went surprisingly easy, Hay-Lin went for Meridian. She sent Cornelia to manipulate Elyon's way of thinking and in the end, the only thing Hay-Lin had to do was to enthrall Elyon with relative ease. Caleb and a few of the ex-rebels escaped and vanished as well.
Will sighed again. She looked through the dark at her hands. She channeled some power to her hands and made them spark.
*These hands are the hands of a killer.* she thought in disgust.
She then thought about her mother. Her mother was in constant danger because of her. One misstep on her side and her mother would die, by the hands of the one she loved and who Will even trusted and saw as a father. Officially she should return to Heatherfield first thing in the morning to report to Hay-Lin, but Hay-Lin wouldn't mind if Will would just quickly say a hello to her mother. Right?
She sighed again. She closed her eyes with the promise that she would first visit her mother before returning to Heatherfield.
In Will's dream
Will looked around. She was standing in Kandrakar. The Kandrakar she remembered. White, imposing walls and high ceilings. Will wondered why she was here as she walked through the halls. She stopped when she heard laughing. It was childish laughter but Will couldn't resist to go and check who made that laugh.
She rounded a corner and saw six people. Five little girls and one bald man. What shocked her was that the girls looked terribly familiar. One looked Asian with black hair, one looked African-American with black hair and glasses, one looked as if she had Latino background with brown hair, one with stunningly blond hair and one girl with shocking red hair… her. There was also a man. He looked around his early thirties and was bald with a weird tattoo on his head which Will recognized as the Heart of Kandrakar.
Will stood there frozen as she looked at the five girls. The blond and the brown haired girls were wrestling with each other while the others were laughing.
'It hurts, doesn't it?' a calm and gentle voice said behind her.
Will jumped, surprised by the voice and then acted as she had learned. She turned around and was holding lightning in her hands, ready to attack the stranger. The scene of the five girls and the bald man disappeared as Will looked in shock, awe, confusion, suspicion and relief at the man in front of her. It was none other than Himerish, the former Oracle.
'I can see that your confused to see me.' he said in his usual calm way. 'But I can also see that your troubled. I'm here to help you and ask for help as well.'
Will couldn't help but bow her head for her former master. She always respected the man and she still did, but then she realized something that made her look at him with even more suspicion.
'How do I know that you aren't an illusion, made by Yan-Lin?' she asked skeptical. 'You're dead, you shouldn't be able to do this.'
Himerish bowed his head to Will. 'Very good. Yes, you're right. I'm dead. And yes, under normal circumstances I wouldn't have been able to appear before you as I do now.'
'Under normal circumstances?' Will asked, both confused and interested.
'As you know, the balance of the worlds is greatly in danger. Hay-Lin and her grandmother have managed to do something that many tried. Now Will, what I'm going to ask you is very important.' Himerish said with great seriousness.
Will arched an eyebrow.
'Why do you want to ask me for help? You must know that I work for Hay-Lin.' she said simply.
Himerish nodded. 'Yes, I know. But you're heart is still as pure as on the day that you became a Guardian. Just like Taranee's. Will, are you ready for my question?'
Will sighed. She had the feeling that if she didn't comply that he would bug her until the end of her days. That was his specialty after all.
'Yes.' she answered.
'Will, you are chosen to become the new Oracle of Kandrakar.' Himerish said very formal.
Well to say that Will was shocked was an understatement. After she managed to grasp what Himerish just said she widened her eyes as she looked at Himerish with a face that said: Are you kidding me?
'S-Sorry?' Will said, thinking that she hadn't heard him right.
'The signs were there since your birth. You are the new Oracle of Kandrakar.' Himerish said as calm as ever, with his serene smile.
'You've. Got. To be. Kidding. Me!' Will said even more confused, but also a little angry.
Himerish looked at the redhead before him and shook his head. Will got even angrier with him when he did that.
'So you've known all this would happen ever since my birth?' Will accused him.
Himerish sighed. 'Yes.'
'So you could have stopped this?' Will said enraged.
'No, I…' Himerish started but got interrupted by Will.
'No nothing!' she bellowed. 'You knew this would happen. You knew Yan-Lin and Hay-Lin would become corrupted. Still you gave Yan-Lin a spot in the Council and made Hay-Lin Guardian! You knew what Hay-Lin would do if I left and you didn't warn me! I could have been there for her. For them! That's what I'm supposed to do! Watching over them! But you said nothing and now Kandrakar is ruled by Yan-Lin, Hay-Lin rules Meridian and almost the whole Earth and I'm a lackey of her!'
Himerish didn't show any emotion while Will was ranting but when she finished he looked sad. But before he could say more Will continued.
'Besides, I can't be the next Oracle.' she said, her voice now soft and weak. 'I've killed hundredths of innocent people. And all for personal gain. I didn't do it to just protect my mother. I did it so that I would still have someone who cared about me. As long as I had someone who cared I couldn't care about others. I'm too selfish to be an Oracle.'
Himerish looked now at the distraught woman. But what he saw wasn't the Will she was in real life. No, she now looked again as that teenager who was afraid of being the leader. He walked to her while she did something she hadn't done for some years. Cry. He laid his hand on her shoulder and she looked at him, with eyes full tears.
'Yet, after realizing what you've done you show remorse. Everyone makes mistakes Will. That's human. Change is what makes people stronger and that's why change is necessary. This is not the first time that Kandrakar was so violently wiped of its Council and Oracle. The past Oracles just never thought it would be a good thing to put in the history books of Kandrakar. And don't you think I haven't killed innocents? I come from a planet that lives on war. Everyone knows how to fight and has at least killed someone. Yet I managed to become the Oracle. And you've seen that I made my mistakes as well. Letting this happen instead of trying to change the cruel fate of Kandrakar was maybe my biggest mistake. I'm not perfect and I'll never will be.' Himerish said to Will while wiping her tears away.
She pushed him away from her. This was way too much to take in.
'Still, I don't think I should.' she said, showing him that her lack of self-confidence seemed to have returned.
'Very well.' Himerish said as he stepped back. 'Think about it. Tomorrow I'll return and await your final answer.'
Will looked at him and saw him slowly disappear. His smile was still on his face as Will ran to him.
'Wait!' she said. 'Why are you coming back tomorrow? Something's going to happen, right?'
Himerish looked at her, showing that he truly regretted it to give the fate of so many worlds to a woman around the age of 23.
'Good-bye, Guardian.' he said as he disappeared.
Real world
Will shot up from her bed. She was panting heavily and looked around. It took her some minutes to realize that it was a dream. She evened her breath as she thought of the dream.
'It was a dream.' she said to herself. 'It was just a dream.'
The next day Will awoke early. She dressed herself and ate some breakfast in a restaurant near her hotel. During her breakfast she heard a conversation.
'Have you heard? Old man Pedone and his son were killed last night.' a man said to another one.
'Killed?' the other questioned. 'I thought that Pedone killed himself. And that his son died from the shock.'
'Yeah, right. They also said that magic didn't exist and they say that the United States is in the hands of a magical mafia leader.' the other said sarcastically.
Will shook her head as she paid for her breakfast. She walked the rest of the way towards the house of Jonathan Johnsen. The man with whom her mother had fallen in love with and lived together with. The man who Will started to see as a father. The man who was working all this time for Hay-Lin and could kill her mother any time.
When she arrived she saw police cars standing in front of the house. She quickened her pace and walked towards the house. A policeman stopped her.
'Sorry miss, no entrance.' he said.
'What happened here?' Will asked concerned.
'A suicide and murder.' the policeman said. 'It seems that Mister Johnsen killed himself and his lover at the same time.'
'Mom…' Will said, getting pale. 'Sir, please let me through.'
'Sorry miss, I can't let anyone through. We're trying to contact his daughter at the moment.' the policeman replied.
'And who's that?' she asked.
'Wilhelmina Vandom. Legitimate daughter of the shot woman, Susan Vandom and adoptive daughter of Jonathan Johnsen.' the policeman answered. 'Currently living in the United States.'
'Stop searching.' she said, her voice growing cold. 'I'm her.'
She showed her identity pass and the policeman lead her to the crime scene. Apparently the bodies were taken away. The places where they laid were outlined by chalk. An inspector was talking to a couple of other men when Will and the policeman neared.
'Sir, Wilhelmina Vandom is here.' the policeman said.
The inspector raised an eyebrow as he looked at Will. He walked towards her and shook her hand.
'I'm inspector Garisson.' he said. 'May I ask you what you're doing here? My Intel is still trying to find you.'
'I've come to Great-Brittan for a little vacation.' Will lied with a straight face. 'I wanted to say hi to my mother before I returned to the US.'
'I see.' inspector Garisson said with a sad face. 'Then this must be an unexpected and nasty surprise for you.'
'I'll say.' Will muttered.
'Miss Vandom, may I ask you to come with me to the office? There are some things I want to ask you.' inspector Garisson asked.
Will just nodded, still trying to comprehend that her mother was dead and that her killer killed himself as well. During the ride to the police office Will remained silent. She had seen a lot of people dead and it hadn't affected her as much as this and she hadn't even seen her mother's body. Inspector Garisson lead her to his office. They sat down and the inspector started his questioning.
'How long did you know Mr. Johnsen?' he asked.
'Three and a half years.' Will answered. 'I met him when I started studying here.'
'I see. And what sort of connection did you have with him?'
'Almost a parental.' Will replied, holding her tears back. 'He acted more like a father to me than any other man ever did.'
The inspector saw that she was on the verge of crying and handed her a napkin. He assumed that the death of her mother and 'adopted' father was a great shock for her. He was a little off on this. Will was of course shocked by this, but the tears were out of anger. Anger that she couldn't repay her mother's death. Anger that she couldn't save her. She declined the napkin and the inspector continued.
'Did you know that he had any suicidal intentions?' he asked.
Will shook her head. 'No, he always seemed so happy.'
The inspector looked critically at Will, trying to find a lie, but he couldn't find one.
'Can you tell me where you were between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM?' he asked her at last. 'Just to make sure that you have an alibi.'
Will was glad that she left her room by window so no one would have known that she left her apartment.
'I was in my room at The Berkeley.' she answered. 'The porter, janitor and maids can confirm this.'
'Very well.' inspector Garisson said.
He seemed to fidget with something and Will knew there was more.
'Was this all?' she asked, knowing that there would come more.
'No, actually not.' Inspector Garisson said. 'Before Mister Johnsen's death he wrote two letters. One was laying open on the table and one was closed. The closed one was meant for you.' he said as he took two letters and gave them to Will.
One was still in an envelope while the other was not. She noticed that her full name was written on the envelope and silently growled at Jonathan's preference for her full name. She decided to read the open letter first.
'To the police or the one who finds our bodies,
I want to tell you that I, Jonathan Johnsen, was the one who killed us. I couldn't live like this any longer and I didn't want to go without the love of my life. I want to say sorry to the one who I've seen as my own daughter. Wilhelmina, I'm sorry for this, but please forgive me.
Also I want to ask the reader of this letter NOT to open the other letter, but to give it to Wilhelmina Vandom.
Goodbye, cruel world.
Jonathan Johnsen.'
Will's hand clenched the letter after she finished. This wasn't making her feel any better. She kept calm as she gave the first letter back to the inspector. She then opened the second one, the one for her.
'Dear Wilhelmina,
I'm so sorry that I have to inform you about the situation in this way, but I'm afraid there is no other way.
Yes, I killed your mother. You have no idea how difficult it is for me to do that. Over the last years you two were the spots of light in my dark life. I really saw you as my daughter, and now that I'm dead, I'll watch over you in heaven. I hope the Father will show me mercy and if you've forgiven me then I can rest peaceful.
The reason I killed your mother was…Hay-Lin. I received a mail a couple of days ago. She asked me… no, ordered me to kill your mother. But I had to make it look like an accident so that you would still listen to her and obey her. First I wanted to disobey. After falling in love with your mother it would have been suicide to kill her. But then I thought of what could happen if I did. Hay-Lin would sent someone after me and your mother. She would have insured that I would die painfully and that your mother would have died in a gruesome way and I couldn't let that happen.
I also want to let you know that I've rewritten my testimony. You will inherit everything I own. I've made a special account for you. In five days all of my money will be standing on that account. Don't worry about Hay-Lin getting it, it's on the Swiss bank and impossible to breach. The account number is 687 and the number you'll need to access is: 011235813
Will, I know you can save this and all the other worlds from a disaster. Save the worlds from Hay-Lin. And know that your mother and I are proud of you.
Love,
Jonathan.
PS. Make sure you get rid of this message. No one may know that I've told you this.'
Will fell a tear roll. The tear fell on the paper. So it was all Hay-Lin's doing. It was her fault this happened. No. It was will's own fault it happened. If she'd never left for Great-Brittan, Hay-Lin wouldn't have ended up in the dark. But now, there was no explanation for Hay-Lin's actions. She was responsible for her own actions and she will pay.
'Everything alright, Miss Vandom?' inspector Garisson asked.
Will wiped her tears away and nodded.
'It's just the realization that they're both gone, you know?' she lied as she used her magic to duplicate the letter and alter the duplication.
'What did your letter say?' he asked intrigued.
'The same as the other.' Will lied. 'Just in case you didn't respect his wishes.'
She handed the fake to the inspector. His eyes blurred for a moment as he scanned the letter. He sighed.
'Very well.' he said. 'I presume you want to see the bodies?'
'No.' Will said as she got up. 'I want to bury them, today.'
'That's highly unusual, miss.' the inspector said.
'I know, but I'll leave this country tonight and I want to bury them before I leave. I know that Mr. Johnsen has no family left and I'm the only family from my mother's side.' Will said, using her magic to persuade the inspector.
'As you wish, I have another case to attend anyway.' inspector Garisson said vaguely.
Will smiled as she walked away. The rest of the day she prepared the funeral for her mother and 'father'. Around 8 PM the funeral ended. Will laid a bouquet of flowers by their grave and then went to start her revenge.
At 5 PM at Hay-Lin's HQ
'Has Will already reported?' Hay-Lin asked Irma, who was bowing in front of her.
'Not yet, ma'am.' Irma answered.
'That's strange.' Hay-Lin said. 'Normally she would have been back by now.'
A knocking sound was heard.
'Enter.' Hay-Lin said as she looked at the door.
Cornelia came in. She wasn't looking happy and even looked a little scared when she entered.
'Cornelia, report.' Hay-Lin said.
Cornelia swallowed.
'There is news from Great-Brittan.' she said slowly. 'Jonathan Johnsen died and he took Susan Vandom with him. And Will has killed Gioco and Pedone.'
Hay-Lin smiled. Even though it wasn't exactly what she wanted, it still made her happy. Hay-Lin thought that Will now wouldn't have a reason to live except for working for her. Next for the fact that Will killed her greatest rival in Great-Brittan.
'Come Cornelia, no need to be so scared. This is great news.' Hay-Lin said with a smile.
Cornelia gave a small smile when another knock was heard.
'Enter.' Hay-Lin said again.
A very scared looking Courtney entered. She bowed down and waited.
'Courtney, what brings you here?' Hay-Lin asked a little coldly.
Courtney swallowed and refused to look Hay-Lin in the eyes.
'There is more news from Great-Brittan.' she said.
Hay-Lin arched an eyebrow.
'More news? Tell me.'
Courtney again swallowed.
'Will's…ch-chip.' she stammered. 'It-It's de-destroyed.'
'Destroyed?' Hay-Lin yelled surprised.
Irma, Cornelia and Courtney shrank while Hay-Lin focused on Courtney.
'What do you mean destroyed?'
'The si-signal.' Courtney stammered. 'It's go-gone.'
Before Hay-Lin could actually react to this another knock was heard.
'Enter.' Hay-Lin said gruffly.
A very scared and timid Bess entered. She didn't look at Hay-Lin as she bowed.
'What is it now?' Hay-Lin asked. She felt her temper rise.
'Mo-More ne-news from Great-Br-Brittan.' Bess stammered. 'T-the Lon-London ass-assassination squ-squad was ki-killed.'
Hay-Lin looked at Bess with her eyes widened in shock. She felt an anger rise and she had the faint feeling to know who did that.
'What happened?' Hay-Lin said coldly.
Everyone in the room present shivered. Bess looked up.
'W-We are-aren't su-sure.' she replied. 'Bu-But we think th-that W-Will killed th-them all.'
'WHAT?' Hay-Lin bellowed.
A wind blew through the room and blew Irma, Cornelia, Courtney and Bess to the ground.
'Irma! Go immediately to the assassination squad HQ in London.' Hay-Lin ordered.
Irma got quickly up, bowed and then teletransported away. Ten minutes later she returned. She saw that Courtney and Bess had left the room and a seething Hay-Lin was walking around in her room.
'And?' Hay-Lin said when she noticed that Irma had returned.
Irma swallowed and then looked at Hay-Lin without emotion.
'When I arrived I saw a lot of bodies. I checked every single one of them and they were clearly killed with magic. But some also seemed to be killed with bullets or knife hits. I noticed that not everyone of the London assassination squadron was killed, I suspect that some have allied themselves with Will.' Irma said without any emotion.
Hay-Lin's eyes showed rage.
'How are you so sure that it was Will who killed them?' she asked coldly.
'Because when I arrived someone had written on the wall with blood.' Irma said. 'It were our initials W.I.T.C.H. with a cross through the W. I think it was rather obvious.'
Hay-Lin started to pace through her room.
'Both of you, leave. I need to think.' she ordered.
Irma and Cornelia bowed and walked away.
In Great-Brittan, around 11:30 PM (timelines huh)
Will locked the door. She turned around and saw some men and women standing behind her, all looking a little scared. She smiled at them, even though it was a fake smile.
'Don't worry.' she said. 'Hay-Lin doesn't know that we're here. We can sleep peacefully tonight.'
Some men nodded and walked through the house while the women grouped around her.
'Miss Vandom, may I ask you something?' a girl asked.
Will looked at her. She estimated the age of the girl to be around 15. She sighed.
'Of course you may. And please, call me Will. You don't have to be formal with me.'
The girls bowed her head slightly and then looked at Will. Will saw that the girl looked at her with admiration and a little fear.
'My name is Natasha and I was wondering where we are and why you did this?' she said softly.
Will smiled. Natasha remembered her a little of herself when she was younger. She placed a hand on Natasha's shoulder.
'We're in a house of my late father.' Will answered. 'And why I did this… It's a personal reason, but I have a better question. Why did you?'
Natasha looked at Will with shock. Ever since she joined the squad no one seemed to care for her. Yet here, the head of all squads, asked her why.
'My parents were killed.' Natasha said, her eyes started to water. 'I wanted to find the culprit and make him feel sorry for what he did. Miss Hay-Lin found me and said she would help me.'
'But you've never found the murderer, correct? You were trained to kill and nothing more. You feel as if no one cares about you, right?' Will finished, making Natasha look at her with big eyes.
'H-how?' she stammered.
'Call it intuition.' Will said. 'That explains why you were part of the squad, but why are you here?'
Natasha was taken a little aback. Why did she follow Will?
'I thought that you were different.' she admitted.
'Different?' Will asked confused.
'Yeah, different. While everyone knows that your strong and quick, no one is afraid of you. You always seem so gentle and nice. Whenever I heard Miss Lin's voice I shivered but your voice makes me feel, I don't know, at peace?' Natasha admitted with a slight blush.
Will smiled at Natasha.
'Thanks.' she said. 'Go to a bed and I promise you that I'll make sure that you won't get hurt again.'
Natasha looked at Will with big eyes. She then did something Will hadn't anticipated. She hugged her.
'Thank you.' Natasha said before letting go and she ran towards the staircase.
Will shook her head and then decided to go to sleep as well. She had to figure a way to get everyone away from Great-Brittan, but she decided that she could better wait for tomorrow. She quickly went to her bed and fell asleep.
Will's dream
She was again standing in Kandrakar. But now she was standing in the Hall of the Aurameres and she was wearing the typical Kandrakarian white robe. She heard footsteps and turned around. She saw Himerish walking towards her, but now he was accompanied with another person. Will's heart stopped when she recognized the person. It was her mother.
Himerish and her mother approached and Will lost control of herself. She ran to her mother and hugged her. Her mother hugged her back and for some time, there was silence. Will then broke apart from her mother.
'Mom.' she said. 'I'm so sorry.'
'Don't be Will.' Susan replied. 'I know what has happened and let me tell you that I'm proud of you.'
Will looked at her mother with a sad smile before turning to Himerish.
'This was your doing, wasn't it?' she accused him.
'My doing? No.' Himerish answered. 'I only saw it coming.'
'And you're here to ask me about your offer of last night, right?' Will asked.
'That is correct.' Himerish said.
'Are you sure you weren't wrong?' Will asked. 'I mean, I just went on a killing spree to satisfy my own anger!'
'Something everyone in your position would have done.' Himerish said. 'That or bluntly walking to Hay-Lin and dying before even pointing a finger at her.'
'I'm still not convinced.' Will said stubbornly.
Susan sighed. No matter how old her daughter became, she would always be stubborn.
'But Will, you've already shown your powers.' Himerish said, making both Will and Susan confused.
'What do you mean?' Will asked.
'When you were studying in Great-Brittan, Hay-Lin had planned a lot of bombings at places where you would go. Yet, every time one exploded you weren't there, while you would have been there normally.' Himerish explained. 'You subconsciously knew what was going to happen and avoided your death. Why do you think that you suddenly wanted to visit your mother?'
'Yeah, well.' Will said a little annoyed. 'Still I'm nowhere to what powers you had.'
'That's correct, but that is because Yan-Lin is holding the position as Oracle and therefore limiting your powers.' Himerish explained.
'I don't know.' Will said. 'Becoming Oracle at 23 is a bit early. I don't think I'll manage.'
'You'll find a way.' Himerish said reassuringly.
'And you won't be alone, Will.' Susan said.
'What do you mean?' Will asked confused.
'Taranee and Caleb will accept you.' Susan said with a gentle smile. 'They will and those people you spared tonight because they joined you. They believe in you. They'll help you.'
'Mom, I…I don't know….' Will said, feeling terribly lost.
'That young girl, Natasha. She believes in you.' Susan said softly to her daughter. 'She isn't scared of you and as she said it herself, you give her a feeling of peace.'
Will looked her mother in the eyes. She saw genuine intentions in them. She then looked at Himerish. He gave her an encouraging nod. Will thought about it all and then decided that there was only one option.
Himerish sensed her decision and motioned her to follow him. The two Vandoms silently followed him to the Council room. There were all the dead Council members waiting for them. Himerish motioned Will to go and sit in the middle of the room. She sat down and closed her eyes, knowing what would happen. Himerish stepped forward and started to chant in an ancient language. A light appeared and shot towards Will's head. It hit her on the right part of her forehead. A sign appeared that looked like the Heart of Kandrakar. She felt a feeling of wellbeing settle in her. And a power, that felt as if it had been inside of her, started to flow through her veins.
'Oracle, may your light and wisdom make Kandrakar shine again.' Himerish said as he and the Council started to disappear.
Will looked at all of them. They all bowed to her before disappearing. She then turned to her mother. Susan smiled at her proudly.
'Will, let me give you a word of advice before going.' she said. 'You may try to find a meaning in my death, but all there is, is pain and unbearable hatred. Accept it. Hay-Lin has become something that couldn't been stopped. You couldn't stop it, but you can still help her. Don't use your hatred.'
Will looked at her mother. She thought about her words. Somewhere she still felt her newfound hatred for Hay-Lin crawling and telling her that she shouldn't listen to her mother. But her own conscious told her that she should listen. She bowed her head before hugging her mother.
'I'll consider your words.' she said.
Susan smiled sadly at her daughter.
'I have something for you.' she said softly.
She then hang a necklace around Will's head. Will looked surprised at the necklace. She then looked back at her mother. Her mother smiled at Will as she slowly disappeared.
'I'm proud of you.' she said and disappeared.
Reality
Will woke up. She knew what to do.
'EVERYONE GET UP! WE'RE MOVING!' she shouted, awakening the people in the house.
Those who awakened looked at their new leader and noticed a change.
In Heatherfield, Hay-Lin's HQ
'That's it.' Hay-Lin said after pacing for nearly an hour.
*Irma! Cornelia!* she said telepathically.
Irma and Cornelia immediately appeared.
'I know how to stop Will.' Hay-Lin said with evil pleasure.
'How?' Irma asked confused.
'Dispatch the Japanese assassination squad.' Hay-Lin said.
Irma and Cornelia looked at each other with a concerned look. They then bowed and walked away.
'Beware Will.' Hay-Lin said to no one in particular. 'You will die.'
At the rebel HQ, also posted in Heatherfield
'Taranee! A group of strangers have found us!' Nigel said as he rushed to his girlfriend. 'They say that their leader wants to talk to you and Caleb! They're waiting in the main hall.'
Taranee, who was reading a book, looked up.
'Have you notified Caleb?' she said.
'Yeah.' Nigel said. 'He's waiting for you.'
Taranee got up and walked to the main hall of their HQ. Caleb joined her as the two of them walked up to the group.
'We're the leaders of the rebellion against Hay-Lin.' Caleb said. 'Who are you?'
The group split up in two, making way for a person. The person was cloaked and a hood covered his head. The person walked towards them.
'Nice to see you too.' the person said with a hint of a laugh in her voice.
Taranee and Caleb looked shocked at the person. Taranee then coated her hands with fire as Caleb grabbed his sword.
'Will!' Caleb growled. 'I know you work for Hay-Lin! Show yourself!'
Will laughed as she started to lower her head. Taranee and Caleb gasped when they saw two things. A tattoo that looked like the Heart of Kandrakar was on the right part of Will's forehead and the real Heart hang around her neck.
'Will?' Taranee said in shock. 'What happened?'
That was it! What about it? A big one-shot, I know. Note that Pedone and Gioco are Italian names. Pedone=pawn and Gioco=game. Also I want to tell you that I was inspired by Nagato and Naruto. The warning Susan gave Will was more or less the same what Nagato said to Naruto. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the Sequel, A new begin.
TTigerz signing out.