W.I.T.C.H
Chapter 2
Preparations
Meridian
After the defeat of Phobos a year ago, there were many celebrations during the following week. After Phobos was defeated the second time there were none. It's not that the people of Meridian weren't happy that the tyrant was defeated, they just wanted to get on with their lives and forget the whole thing happened. In fact, Elyon made only one public announcement, two days after the battle, and it had nothing to do with Phobos or Nerissa. She announced to the city that there was to be a royal expedition into the Infinite City, in order to find out some of the secrets that the caverns held. Those going consisted of 20 men and woman, a mixture of solders and elders. There was also one passling going. Normally, this type of project wouldn't be announced publicly but as Elyon put it, "The people of meridian need to know that we are progressing into the future." Caleb thought the whole thing was very political. He was asked to lead the team but declined, saying he had other work to do.
Heatherfield
Will and Cornelia both cursed Taranee for living in the opposite direction. It was an amazingly cold day and they both would've liked Taranee's fire. Cornelia's house was a little out of Will's way, but she followed her friend anyways so she could get a cup of hot chocolate before heading home herself. Cornelia's parents were both out and Lillian wouldn't be home for another thirty minutes, which gave the girls an opportunity to talk to the cat.
"I'd still say another 4 years at least." Said Napoleon, curled up on Will's lap.
"There must be someway to speed up the process" said Will.
"These things take time, doll." Napoleon replied, "Magic's a tricky thing. Rushing it will only make it worse."
"Why do you care so much anyways Will?" Said Cornelia between sips.
"I just thought that, you know, Lillian's powers could give us a major advantage in, uh, the fight against good and evil." Will stammered.
Cornelia didn't believe Will in the least, and one look at the cat told her Napoleon felt the same way. But they were then interrupted by a giant, floating, bald head.
Meridian
Secretly, Drake and Tynar liked construction projects. They would never say that of course, because then they might have to do more of them. Still, there was something very soothing about watching buildings being built instead of torn down. The fact that no one was trying to kill them didn't hurt either. And so it was that they were working on the third floor of an inn when all of a sudden…
"Hey, you two!"
Drake and Tynar looked down from their work to see Caleb standing below then. All six of the other workers also looked down.
"Oh. Uh.. Just Drake and Tynar. Sorry."
"What do you want Caleb?" Drake said with a laugh.
"We're having a meeting in two hours. Main council room."
"Queen's orders?" asked Tynar.
"Nope. My orders." yelled back Caleb.
"Since when do we take orders from him?" whispered Drake with a smile.
"Shhhh, you'll get us both in trouble." Tynar whispered back. "We'll be there Caleb."
Satisfied, Caleb headed back to the castle, a determined look in his eye.
Heatherfield
Will had seen a lot of things as a guardian, but seeing the Oracle's big, shiny, translucent head appear in Cornelia's living room still made her jump. It also made her spill her hot chocolate all over Napoleon.
"Hey! Do you know how hard it is to get chocolate out of fur?"
"Guardians!" said the Oracle's head, ignoring the sulking cat, "pay heed at once."
"What is it Oracle?" asked Will, standing up to face the face.
"Will!" Cornelia interrupted, "Lillian will be home any second!"
"Don't worry doll," said Napoleon, heading to the door, "I'll handle the kid."
"Will," said the Oracle, oblivious of the distraction, "you must gather up the guardians and bring to Kandrakar at once."
"Of course Oracle, we'll come immediately."
"Thank you Will." And with that, the Oracle disappeared, leaving the two girls once again alone.
"One day Will, you're going to have to stand up to that man."
"I don't know Cornelia," said Will, getting out her cellphone, "he looked stressed. Almost… old."
It was times like these that Hay Lin was very glad she had the power of air. It was a blisteringly cold day, with one of the sharpest winds anyone could remember, but an "air umbrella" protected both her and Irma.
"…and then we saw the rings of Saturn. Isn't his grandpas observatory the coolest!" Hay Lin said, ending a detailed re-telling of last nights date with Eric.
"Yeah, it sounds great." said Irma, without any emotion.
"Are you alright Irma?"
Irma snapped to attention at the sound of concern in her friends' voice.
"Huh? Of course! You know me, I'm always fine."
Hay Lin did know Irma and she could tell that everything was not fine, but before she could find out what was wrong, her cell phone rang.
"Hello? Oh, hi Will. Yeah, I'm with Irma. Uh huh… sigh, yes we'll meet you there." She hung up the phone and looked at Irma.
"We have to go to Cornelia's house." Hay Lin said, "Sounds like we're wanted in Kandrakar."
"What are the chances that they're throwing a party in our honor?" Irma said with a smile.
"Slim to none." Hay Lin replied. Irma sighed.
"Well, let's go anyways."
Twenty minutes later, all five girls were inside Cornelia's room, preparing to depart. It was not the biggest meeting they had held in the room.
"Did he say what was wrong?" asked Taranee.
"No. He didn't even say anything was wrong. It's just a feeling I got." replied Will.
"Something's always wrong with that man." Irma sighed.
"Well, he did just spend the last two months inside a magic bubble." Cornelia replied.
"Corny, we could make a baseball team with the people who have been trapped inside bubbles. You've done it twice!"
Will just ignored them.
"Come on you guys, let's see what it is this time."
And with that, Will opened a fold and the girls once again entered the center of infinity.