Chapter One: "The Apocalypse"

By: Sokai

Disclaimer: I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave that honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Bible or any of its related scriptures. However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series, as well as the original character, Sitara Vandom.

Note: Um. Not much to say here. PLEASE READ "REQUIEM FOR A DREAM" BEFORE READING THIS, THOSE WHO HAVEN'T YET. And would you believe it that this story's THE first W.I.T.C.H. story to be placed within the "Spiritual" genre? Sweet. LoL And sorry if I end up scaring some of you with this story (ahem, DayDreamer9 LoL). Like I said, I doubt I'll finish this story or get past chapter two, but there it is. LoL For now, (try to) enjoy chapter one . . . and don't be scared (that mainly means you, Gina LoL)!

WARNING: PLEASE READ THIS STORY AT YOUR OWN RISK, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE EXTREMELY RELIGIOUS. WHILE I AM NOT TRYING TO BE DISRESPECTFUL OR SACRILEGIOUS, I MAY STILL END UP DOING SO FOR SOME OF YOU -- HENCE, THE WARNING, UNDERSTANDING, AND APOLOGY IN ADVANCE.

This chapter was created/written in July 2006.

"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" -- Revelation 6:15-17.

. . . Flashback, January 18, 2008 . . .

The sky during its daylight hours had been as blue as it had ever been , with the sun shining with a fierce exuberance never parallel to any other day before it. Birds were singing gaily as they flocked from frosted tree to frosted tree; and the people seemed just as upbeat as their animal counterparts.

Based upon the overall behavior, it would have been surmised to have been the first day of summer vacation, versus the frigidness of early winter that it had actually been.

By the time that evening had rolled around, however, the weather had curiously begun to take a drastic turn for the worse. Furious, howling winds bellowed throughout the atmosphere as an onslaught of heavy sleet and freezing rain pelted and battered the defenseless beings and ground below.

To the world, changes in weather, especially during the Winter season, was of no consequence. To the world beyond, however, its suddenly bellicose behavior was signs of something far more grandeur . . . something that the already bruised and still recuperating planet would never recover from . . .

"The end draws near, Tibor. I must admit that I am not so confident about the final outcome; the eternal struggle between good and evil appears to be greatly wavering in the latter's favor," said the omnipotent and benevolent Oracle, floating within a levitating platform inside of the very center of the Temple of Candracar.

There had been countless times when he would do this, focusing his energy while his long time adviser and friend, Tibor, would faithfully remain erect behind him, and each time he would feel at such peace. The faint tickling of Tibor's long white beard and mustache upon the back of the Oracle's bare heels would always bring a small smile upon his boyish face during those moments of lax meditation.

However, this time it could do no such thing, as this particular moment was not of traditional serenity, but instead of great unease.

Distress suffused itself into the Oracle's kind and gentle being as he continued to focus upon the stressing affairs of the universe.

Even though he could not see his face, the Oracle was well aware that Tibor's whithered-looking yet strong demeanor was also now contorted with grand concern as he began to speak.

"Perhaps that may be so; however, you know as well as any within existence that evil cannot exist without its benevolent counterpart," said the largely fortified man in his usual bass-like growl of a voice that was in direct contrast to his master's lyrical own.

He peered down at the back of the Oracle's smooth, bald head with soft eyes as he continued.

"And so therefore, even if evil may seize the upper hand, eventually good will rise up and win out in the end."

The Oracle could not help but gently smile for the first time in such a long while as he heard this, despite his growing worry upon the situation at hand.

"Wise and admirable you truly are, my old companion, and under normal circumstances I would be most inclined to agree with you of the notion. However, we are not referring to just any kind of evil -- it is the evil that we have always feared would one day reemerge.

Now, there is to be a world of struggle and perseverance ahead for the forces of good as a result and . . . quite frankly, I do not believe that the two of them will be up to the task," remarked the Oracle with a somber quietness not ever heard within his voice before.

He could sense Tibor trying his best to maintain the faith; however, it was quickly dying out, for he understood that if the Oracle of all beings was actually feeling quite discouraged upon this matter, then the outlook was not at all looking too good.

Still, the old man pressed on with his positive reinforcement.

"Please. You must not be too hard upon yourself. What had happened had to have . . . It could not have been engineered in any other fashion," his voice rumbled as reassuringly as it could.

The Oracle let out a soft sigh as he slowly closed his eyes.

"Perhaps not, Tibor -- perhaps not. Nevertheless, with the way things have turned out -- how she has turned out, to once more call upon her to achieve something so astronomically impossible and unlike any other mission her predecessors had to take on . . . I am certain that she will not be so forgiving once she learns of the truth . . ."

Opening his sullen eyes just then, the Oracle slowly raised his right hand directly in front of him and softly whispered,

". . . It has begun, Tibor. We must bring her to Candracar at once . . ."

With his outstretched hand suddenly aglow, the Oracle focused his energy and mental powers onto the girl in question. He could see her clear as day within his mind, having just fallen asleep within her tiny, dilapidated bedroom of the final temporary foster home she would be placed within, as tomorrow would be her eighteenth birthday and she would be moving straight into the small apartment she had worked her hands to the bone to save up enough money for.

The Oracle could hear her final thoughts before allowing slumber to claim her:

"From now on, my destiny will truly be within my hands. Tomorrow marks the start of my new, hopefully better life."

How true did the Oracle wish that that could be for the flaming red head. At least, in the manner that she was hoping for. It was going to be unfair to call upon the no longer active Keeper's services once more, after all that she had been through in the last two years, but there simply was no other alternative.

This was her path. This was her true destiny.

Suddenly, the Oracle effortlessly spirited away the formerly slumbering red head away from the destructive zone that would be her home planet of Earth in just a few minutes, and into the safety of his temple.

The Oracle and Tibor watched the young woman, who still lay within her sleeping position before them upon the ground, begin to collect her barrings and snap out of her sleepy haze to at last realize where she was.

Finally, as she propelled herself onto her feet another minute later as a stunned, disoriented gaze filtered itself onto her naturally tawny face, the Oracle spoke calmly to the frazzled girl.

". . . Welcome back to Candracar, Will Vandom . . . or is it still Wilhelmina that you prefer to be called instead?" he remarked gently, gazing upon the lone woman with sympathetic eyes as she whirled around to face him.

". . . You. How dare you bring me back here? And for what? To rub it in my face of how screwed up my life has become, all thanks to my supposed 'honor' of being a Guardian of the Veil?" vociferated Wilhelmina, the sleep and fatigue from a long day instantly evaporating away from her the moment her surprisingly fierce brown eyes attempted to bore a hole straight into the Oracle's skull.

The Oracle marveled at how brash and closed off the formerly timid, shy and sweet girl had become -- and at his indirect hand, no less. At that moment, he realized all the more that it would not be easy, what he was about to deliver onto her.

"I understand completely of your . . . frustration, Wilhelmina; I do. And --"

"-- You? How could you possibly? You sit here, high within your ethereal-like plane existence, monitoring the ways of the universe. And yet, for all your 'infinite wisdom,' you know nothing!" snarled Wilhelmina, pointing an accusatory finger within the celestial being's direction as she stood before him within her tattered pajamas.

"When I first met you after the final veil had been closed, you claimed to be 'all-knowing and all-seeing.' If that's true, then surely you must have been aware that my loved ones were marked for death, and that I'd be ruined and alone because of it! And you still let it happen!"

The fiery red head's words cut through the Oracle like a knife through butter, making him feel that much more desolate for what he had to do.

". . . You are correct -- about everything. I did know that this would happen, and that you would have ultimately turned out this way as a result," he replied softly, continuing to share his gaze with Wilhelmina, whose chest was heaving uncontrollably with swelling anger. "However, you must understand that it had to be done for the Greater Good."

Knowing that Wilhelmina was about to blow her top at this, the Oracle swiftly raised his hand once more, this time to cease her efforts as he continued.

"While time is of no consequence here, it is rapidly running out back on Earth, and so therefore I must ask that you please, at the very least, grant me the opportunity to explain why I have summoned you here as best that I can at the moment," he said, momentarily pausing to watch the perturbed young woman fold her arms across her chest and heave an extremely annoyed sigh.

Thankful that there would be no interruption, at least for the time being, the Oracle took a slow, deep breath before beginning his dynamic story.

". . . It is true that I am rather omnipotent, young Guardian. I had foreseen, from the start, that your loved ones would perish the way that they had, and still I allowed all of you to carry on, oblivious to the fact. By the same token, I was also aware that your mother had given up your estranged twin sister to your father eighteen years ago, and what it would mean once the two of you finally met . . .

For, you see, it was I who had taken slight measures to craft and influence your sister's life in that manner: to cause her to be sick at the time of her birth, knowing that, in all honesty, it would have been your father who would have been able to financially care for her the most, and would eventually petition to seize sole custody of her out of selfish, self-righteous arrogance," the Oracle revealed slowly, he and Tibor looking upon Wilhelmina's visibly tense demeanor upon at last hearing the truth. Her brown eyes grew wide with surprise and her soft, pink tinted lips pursed themselves together in unbelievable disgust as the Oracle allowed himself to become privy to her current thoughts:

True, I may not know this man inside-out, but there is no way that he would be that sinister to allow those awful things to have happened to her, all for the sole purpose of benefiting the so-called "Greater Good . . ."

The Oracle sighed. He wasn't sure that the young Keeper would ever understand his bottom line intentions for the Grand Scheme of things. Unfortunately, having her do so right now would have to wait.

"The rest of the truth will all be revealed in due time, when you are meant to know, Wilhelmina. However, now is when you must learn of why you are here, and what you must do -- not simply for you own sake, but for the sake of the entire planet."

Raising a hand to rub feverishly at her temple, the Oracle could tell that Wilhelmina was rapidly trying to process what had just been verbally delivered to her, in addition to whether or not she should do anything he said.

". . . So, let me get this straight. You honestly expect me to resume my Guardian duties, despite knowing how much I basically despise you and everything you claim to stand for?" she queried tightly, taking another step toward the benevolent creature and his loyal advisor. "To be your Keeper again, look after the world and protect it from evil? Newsflash! I refuse to be your stupid lapdog anymore! My friends all died 'in the line of duty' for being ones, themselves! I'll bet I can't even see them now, can I? You know, since this is where every Guardian of the Veil is promised to end up after passing on. I'm not budging from this spot until you let me see them!"

The Oracle had expected the young woman to eventually make this request at some point during their meeting, and knew that she would not at all like his answer. However, he had to remind himself that this, like everything else, was all for a reason, and eventually Wilhelmina would realize that, herself.

"I am sorry, young one, but that cannot be. You must concentrate upon the matter at hand, and that is the Earth as you have always known it is but mere minutes from being completely devastated by an immeasurable evil long since sealed away . . ." said the Oracle in the most serious tone he had taken since the start of the confrontation between the sole Guardian and himself, as he at last addressed the crucial content he'd honestly should have at the moment of her arrival.

"What are you talking about? The Earth's been in environmental disarray since . . . A-anyway, what 'immeasurable evil' could be that grand that it could eradicate an entire planet? And what do you possibly think that I alone could do about it even if I'd wanted to? I've washed my hands of the Earth and do-gooder scene," Wilhelmina scoffed, briefly sounding like the deceased Earth Guardian in that nature, the Oracle silently took note of, the way she immediately dismissed the topic with such negativity.

He'd also noticed, and sadly so, of how the crimson haired beauty continued to meticulously avoid reflecting upon the night when her sibling had died, let alone referring to her by her name.

Whether she wanted to or not, there would come a time when Wilhelmina would be forced to completely do so, of that the Oracle was absolutely certain . . .

". . . This evil, Wilhelmina, is the evil, referred to as 'The Destroyer.' Appropriately named, because that is exactly what it does and will do to your planet, now that the seal has been broken," he tried to explain as quickly as he could, feeling said malevolent creature's overwhelming dark energy already beginning to envelop the Earth and begin its reconstruction of the planet into its own design.

Suddenly, Wilhelmina toppled over onto her knees as a cold sweat immediately broke out all over her body. Apparently, despite her detest of her magical inheritance, it had not at all abandoned her as she did it in an emotional capacity.

She, much like the Oracle, was now also feeling the crushing intensity of the Destroyer's unmatched power. Except that, for her, feeling such power weighing heavily down upon her would, without question, inevitably kill her.

"This is precisely why I whisked you away from Earth just in time, Wilhelmina. Even here on Candracar, the extent of its power is too great. To allow you, the Keeper of the Heart of Candracar, the one who will ultimately combat against this evil, to remain where you were would have instantaneously obliterated you," explained the Oracle, both he and the ever silent Tibor looking upon Wilhelmina with sympathetic eyes as she struggled to stand and regain her steady breathing.

". . . T-then . . . How . . . How do you expect . . . expect me to win, when this . . . Destroyer is already kicking my ass all the way from here?" she asked with bitter weariness, managing to wobbly rise back onto her feet while still clutching firmly to her chest.

For the second time in so long, the Oracle had managed to crack yet another smile at this, at last able to bestow upon the despairing woman a bit of positive news.

"True, you are not at all prepared or strong enough to face this great feat alone, young Keeper. And despite what you may think, I am truly sorry that you must take this on at all. However, the two of you must band together to do so, as you were the ones to unwittingly open the Destroyer's seal during your final battle . . ." he trailed off mysteriously, watching Wilhelmina's brown eyes widen once more with great curiosity as to what he meant -- especially by "two."

". . . How did I open the Destroyer's seal? Where? I can only remember fighting, heavy rain and wind, and --" Wilhelmina cut herself off as a new thought had then occurred to her.

"Yes, Guardian -- the earthquake. The great tremors, chaos and demolition constructed throughout the world -- and not just within Fadden Hills Cemetery where your father had been buried and the battle had taken place -- had done incalculable damage to it . . . and reawakened the Destroyer in the process. Had your sister had been given more time to be reborn and resume her true duties, then perhaps --"

"-- Wait, what? Reborn? What are you saying? You mean . . . you mean she . . . isn't dead?" stammered Wilhelmina, the first glimmer of true hope she hadn't felt in so long sounding within her voice and beginning to shimmer within her molasses colored gems.

The Oracle shook his head slowly.

"Again, everything will be revealed in due course -- please be patient. But no, she did die. However, as part of her own separate destiny, she is to be reborn -- upon your shared birthday, in fact. And, as soon as you awaken from your slumber, you will set forth to find her to begin your shared mission," he delivered in a matter-of-fact capacity, his body beginning to glow a pure white at the same time that Wilhelmina's began to do the same unknowingly, her aura bright fuchsia in contrast.

"Wait, wait, wait! 'Slumber?' I can't go back to sleep now! Not after learning that my sister isn't gone! Please tell me more! You owe me at least that!" demanded Wilhelmina, grasping onto her chest a bit tighter as the waves of debilitating negativity crashed down upon both her and the Oracle once more.

Raising both of his hands into the air this time, the Oracle began to expel some of his power out towards Wilhelmina and watched it intermingle with her own, as Tibor closed his eyes and granted his master some of his own power to help keep him focused.

"Please have faith and trust me, Keeper. I bestow upon you now some of my own magical strength, so that once you return to the newly reconstructed Earth, you will be able to better withstand its as well as the Destroyer's refutable power," instructed the Oracle, he and Wilhelmina watching their white and fuchsia colored energies taking on a more soft pink hue as they came together and suffused into the young woman's body.

Wilhelmina struggled to remain conscious then, as she suddenly felt her former fatigue from earlier returning, her body slowly beginning to hover effortlessly from off of the ground.

"From this point on, you will no longer merely be known as the 'Keeper of the Heart of Candracar,' but as the 'Ultimate Savior,' fighting alongside the 'Protector of the Earth.' After you awaken from your dormancy, you will embark upon your search for your sister, and then the two of you will find 'the others.' Do not fear, for the Heart and the Core will guide you in your quest. Good luck, my young Guardian . . ." said the Oracle somberly as he finished transferring some of his infinite power into the red head's floating body that remained glowing its faint pink, watching her at last lose the fight to maintain consciousness.

At the same moment that her eyes slowly closed and she began the three and a half year slumber needed to be prepared for the battle ahead, the Oracle felt the great decimation of the woman's home planet as the Destroyer at last emerged and began to inflict its chaos worldwide upon the inhabitants that were left defenseless.

He knew that millions would die and crumble with its might, and thousands more would suffer and wish for death that perhaps would never come before it was all over. However, he simply had to remain as confident as he could that it would not all be in vain . . .

". . . Happy birthday, Wilhelmina and Sitara . . ." whispered the Oracle solemnly as he felt the new day arrive -- the day of the end and beginning, before closing his eyes and resuming his meditation in order to block out the screams and cries of suffering and death occurring upon the once otherwise peaceful Earth.

-- End of Chapter One

(A.N. Lemme alone, Gina. That WASN'T scary! LoL Massively depressing, true, and on both Will's and my older sister's birthday, no less! Note to self: don't let my sister read this story, or else she'll resent the fact that I made 'the end of the world' to occur upon her birthday. LoL

Anyhow! I'm pretty pleased with how this chapter panned out. I said all I wanted to, and didn't reveal everything I'm not yet ready to. All in all? I'M good. LoL If YOU'RE not, sorry! Especially since it will be a little while before I might update. In the meanwhile, let me hear your thoughts. And NO flames about how I conveyed the reject Oracle – sorry, I don't really care much for him LoL – because I haven't personally read so far in the books. So I took what I do know and worked with that. Besides, this is a FANFIC, so I could have made him a WOMAN for all I cared, and you couldn't do a thing about it. So ha. LoL No, you know I'm just messin' with you, boo. I love you guys. LoL Later!)