"Paths Divided"

By: Starwin

Previously, on WITCH…

Phobos has escaped capture once again and, even worse, his powers have risen to new heights! But it appears that Phobos was just a decoy! The real threat has been hiding among the Guardians, posing as their friend, waiting for her chance to get to Kandrakar… and her name is Cornelia!

Now, she is on a mission through the Void, towards the lost Kingdom of Rakadin with the former Dragon Knights Alex and Owin at her side.

Chapter 4 - Darkness

Infinity stretches forever. It continues in all directions and exists in all places, without start or end. The universe is infinite. Yet, at the same time it is not. This great expanse of everything has many things that simply cannot exist in something truly infinite.

The universe has a start, or at least a beginning. Few know that the universe has a center, at which sits the fortress of Kandrakar. And fewer still know that the universe has an end. That the great Infinity does not go on for ever and ever. It ends, in the Void; the place where there is no more of anything.

Harsh and unforgiving, few have ever walked in the Void and returned. And only one mortal has ever ventured into the Void more than once. Her name is Cornelia Hale.

She was not alone the first time, her friends had been with her but she had been afraid then. She was not alone this time, her enemies were with her and she was not afraid now.

The nothingness of the Void stayed its distance as Cornelia walked with a slow pace through the place beyond the infinity. At her sides Alex and Owin followed silently.

Unlike the last time Cornelia had crossed the empty wastes, the Void did not press in upon her. The light from the Soul of Rakadin warded away the nothing in a huge area, although how large she could not tell.

"This place feels… wrong…" said Owin, breaking the silence at last. His words were dampened and his voice did not echo.

"This is the nothing," said Cornelia her eyes wandering around the nothing as if searching for a distant invisible star. "The place where the universe ends." Owin and Alex did not respond. "If I didn't have the Soul of Rakadin, the Void would unmake you." Cornelia shivered with memory of the last time she had been here. "It is not a pleasant experience—to be unmade…"

Her words trailed off and the silence pressed in on them again. However, they did not have to endure it for long. The darkness ahead of them pulled away, as if they had reached the end of a long tunnel. But it was not light at the end of the tunnel, it was Rakadin. It was dark ahead, although not as dark as the Void.

Alex and Owin hurried out first, thankful to be on solid ground again. But Cornelia lingered a moment, reluctant to step into Rakadin… or, maybe, to leave the Void, she wasn't sure. Her mind was working as if by committee. Parts of her wanted to press on while other parts wanted her to stay where she was.

At last Cornelia reluctantly stepped into Rakadin, a shiver running down her body as she did. Cornelia's eyes wandered back to the slowly swirling edge of the portal. It lingered a moment in the air before shrinking to an invisible dot and then vanishing completely.

The three of them had arrived in a large entry chamber. Behind them were huge wooden doors. Had the doors not been crisscrossed with heavy, immoveable, metal bars, it might have appeared that Cornelia and company had come through the doors, instead of a magical portal.

Great archways opened the far side of the room. Each one led to a different passage and a different section of Rakadin. Cornelia's eyes narrowed. They were not alone in Rakadin and the passages were not empty.

"Well, well, well," said a snide, obnoxious voice. "Lookie what we got here, an itty bitty witchie an 'er scrawny lackeys." A group of voices echoed dumb laughter.

A tall man with a pointed nose and slicked back, shiny black, hair was standing in front of a group of four or five shorter, rounder, people. He was dressed in a flamboyant red robe and was bedazzled in jewels of all shapes and sizes. And they were blocking the way.

Cornelia smiled pleasantly at him. "I'm looking for a girl called Serenity," asked Cornelia, in the politest of tones, completely unbefitting the situation. "She's about this tall," Cornelia held her hand at a rough approximation of Serenity's height. "Long silver hair… horrific magical powers… anyone?"

More laughter. Owin and Alex looked at each other nervously, sensing danger that Cornelia appeared oblivious too. These men, they were not going to tell her what she wanted to know. If anything they were going to rob them and rough them up a little—maybe worse.

"I'll tell you where she is," said the tall man, a crooked smile stretching his unnaturally thin lips as he advanced slowly towards Cornelia. "If you give me that shiny jewel." He pointed a long, bony finger at the gem that hung around Cornelia's neck.

"I have a better offer," Cornelia said with a mischievous smile. "You tell me what I want to know and I'll let you keep that arm." The man withdrew his arm, a sneer of disgust crossing his lips.

There was no laughter this time, just dead silence as the threat lingered in the air, longer than any words spoken so far. Then the tall man laughed again, but it sounded more uncertain this time.

"You're in no position ta be making threats, 'ittle witchie," the tall man laughed back. His gang laughed too, although they also glanced nervously at each other. "I'm the great and powerful; the mighty; the feared; the Sorcerer: Dolvem of Vasar! Children cower at ma name! Grown men cry! An armies die… what chance—little girl—da you think yer weak magic 'ill have on me?"

"You know, I'm not really sure. We'll just have to find out, wont we?" said Cornelia darkly. There was an insane gleam in her reflectionless eyes. Owin and Alex looked back at Cornelia. They were about to protest, when Cornelia lightly touched the cold metal frame of the gem around her neck.

A surge of power rushed out from the Soul in great blue spirals that made the air crackle with deadly energy. A violent wind spun outwards from Cornelia, tossing her hair out behind her and causing the group of men to shield themselves from its force. Swirls of energy danced this way and that as they flowed through the room until, at last, they connected with Owin and Alex. Blue fire erupted around them, enveloping the two boys whole.

Screams of pain echoed around the chamber, bouncing off the walls and striking like daggers in the ears of everyone. The fire of the Soul burned brighter, searing away the clothing fashioned by Kandrakar but leaving their skin untouched. Long tendrils of silver ribbon formed out of the swirling energy and wrapped around the boys. The ribbons of silver lasted only moments before condensing into armor and latching onto skin.

The pain, that both boys seemed to be experiencing, was sealed away with silver Dragon masks that closed over their faces. However, the transformation did not stop. The screaming did not stop. The silver armor continued to spread as though it were liquid, seeping into their flesh, fusing with their forms, until armor and boy were indistinguishable.

The gauntlets, that covered their hands elongated, each finger becoming sharp and claw like. At their feet, long bladed talons stretched out, the tip of each toe slicing into the marble floor. The dragon masks came alive, their pupils burning with blue flames in black eye sockets, their jaws grinding with razor sharp silver teeth.

Both boys grew larger, the size of lions. They no longer stood on two legs but moved on all four. Giant leather wings, wrapped in metal erupted out of their backs. They were no longer human shaped, they had truly become dragons.

"Try not to kill all of them," said Cornelia in an icy tone, her glare finding the terrified men on the other side of the room. Both dragons leapt forward, claws, talons and teeth, cutting and slashing as the gang fled in terror. The tall man tried to run, but was knocked to the ground by one of his own.

He scrambled across the floor on all fours, trying to scurry away between the panic that trampled around him. But he did not get far before a pair of long legs blocked his path. Slowly, afraid of what he would see, his eyes moved upwards and he found Cornelia towering over him, her reflectionless gaze locked on him.

The man tried to back away, but a low growling froze him in place. Chancing a glance behind him, he found that he was flanked by the silver metal dragon monsters, and behind them were the forms of his gang of followers, rolling and moaning on the ground as they cradled injuries.

Quickly the man looked away, his eyes finding the ground, too fearful to look at anything else.

"Now," said Cornelia calmly. "Where is Serenity?"

"She's that way!" the cowering man cried, pointing a shaking hand down one of the halls. "On the north side, in the Throne Room! No one ever goes that way!"

"See, that wasn't hard," said Cornelia. She knelt down so that the man, cowering on all fours, could not look away from her face. Cornelia looked him in the eyes. Roughly she grabbed his other arm, the one he hadn't used to point them towards Serenity. "And you get to keep at least one of your arms."

The screaming and cursing was distant now, nothing more than a faint echo that was steadily drown out by the metal clack of claw on stone that reverberated off the dark walls. The halls of Rakadin were empty. Or at least they seemed empty.

In the shadows that lingered along the passageway Cornelia could sense many sets of eyes watching her. She continued deeper into the dark kingdom, flanked by the metal dragons with burning blue eyes. Every now and then they would growl and a shadow would move slightly as if to run.

There were so many people here—so many prisoners of Kandrakar. When the Heart and Soul had been divided again they had been transported away. And among them was Serenity. Phobos had spilled what he knew about Rakadin when Cornelia had pulled him through the rift in Heatherfield.

Monsters, demons and cruel people of all types had ended up in Rakadin. The first week had been a massive war as each force of evil, which had ever been imprisoned in Kandrakar, battled for dominance over Rakadin. Many were killed outright. Those who were too weak, like Phobos, rallied around the stronger monsters. But when the dust had settled only three great powers were left standing and each claimed a different wing of Rakadin as their own.

The only person who had not taken part in the war, much to Cornelia's interest, was Serenity. Phobos admitted that he did not know much about her, just that she had claimed a section of Rakadin as her own, and that even the great three monsters who ruled over Rakadin, did not venture into her domain. Cornelia had just learned why.

This section of Rakadin lay in ruin, as if a terrible storm had ripped it apart. Walls had caved in. Huge wholes lay open in the floor, exposing the drop to the levels below. And in every direction were bodies, or parts of bodies…

Dried blood splattered the walls, the floor, even the ceiling high above. None had dared venture into this section to claim the fallen. Not that Cornelia really expected any of them to. This place was full of cowards.

The carnage around her was a very clear warning—to any who came this way—that they would find only death. Cornelia did not pause, she did not even slow down. She could feel magical power ahead of her, although, it wasn't exactly what she expected.

At last Cornelia came to a stop at two large, smooth, black, doors with great silver handles. The dragon beasts she had made from Alex and Owin growled softly at the doors. Absently, Cornelia ran a hand across the polished wood, a distant warning drifting through the thoughts that she ignored. Placing her palm against the wood she pushed it open with little effort. It was not locked and the large door swung away easily.

The room beyond was large and circular. Instead of windows, the very walls were open to the outside, where heavy relentless, rain fell. It reminded Cornelia very much of the counsel chambers back in Kandrakar except that it didn't rain in Kandrakar.

And also unlike Kandrakar, Rakadin had a throne. At the very center of the room, on a raised platform was a single black wooden throne. And atop it was… no one. The room was empty.

Cautiously, Cornelia stepped inside the room. The metal dragons followed at Cornelia's heals, their glowing blue eyes swept back and forth, watching the shadows and keeping them still.

Not speaking Cornelia moved towards the throne, her thoughts blank and empty. Like she had with the door Cornelia ran a hand along the polished wood of the black throne, hoping the contact would give her insight on what to do next. It was cold to the touch and it was empty like her thoughts. She was not sure what to do now.

As Cornelia lingered at the throne a whimper reached her ears. Moving slowly, Cornelia leaned sideways slightly to look around the throne. Sitting behind it, in badly frayed clothing, with her legs hugged to her chest and her face hidden in her knees was Serenity, sobbing quietly.

"What are you doing back there?" asked Cornelia, her tone expressionless. Serenity froze mid sob, her pained eyes flicking to Cornelia. Her black pupils were filled with horror.

"Please," whimpered Serenity, on the verge of tears again, "please don't kill me." She looked a mess, her eyes were puffy pink and her normally well groomed silver hair was in tangles.

Cornelia raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't come here for revenge," said Cornelia. "If that's what you think." Serenity looked confused and then her eyes found the gem around Cornelia's neck. Serenity's eyes filled with fright as the Soul's blue energy was reflected in them.

"So that's why I couldn't do anything to you in Kandrakar," said Serenity, her eyes locked on the gem. "The Soul had already picked a new owner, even while I still carried it…"

Cornelia glanced down at the gem around her neck, she had hardly thought about it. The gem was there and yet… it felt like there was nothing there. Cornelia shook the feeling away, her thoughts refocusing.

"I guess," said Cornelia. "Look, I don't like what you did, but I came to ask for your help." Cornelia offered out a hand to Serenity but she did not move to take it. "Will is unfit to be the leader of the Guardians," continued Cornelia. "I have to make her see that."

"And what do you need me for," asked Serenity her hold on her legs tightening protectively as if her hands might betray her if she let go. "Why would she listen to me?"

"You have a way of making people do what you want them too," said Cornelia, a smile crossing her face. It was meant to be a warm, reassuring smile, but to Serenity, it felt cold and frightening.

"The Soul gave me that power," said Serenity shaking her head. "As I'm sure you've discovered."

"Yes," said Cornelia, at last dropping her hand. "I have." A low growl announced the arrival of Owin and Alex. Their changed forms moved around the throne from both sides, encircling Serenity.

The silver haired girl's eyes widened as she saw what Cornelia had done.

"I like them better this way," commented Cornelia absently as if she really didn't care one way or the other. "Quiet and obedient." Serenity shook her head in silent protest.

"I don't need you to come with me of your own free will." Cornelia added quietly when Serenity said nothing.

"I'll go," said Serenity at last. Slowly she got to her feet, both metal dragons watching her movements closely. "But how exactly are we going anywhere? We're in the Void. There is no portal or gateway or anything out of Rakadin."

Cornelia smiled and Serenity shivered.

"You just don't know where to look," said Cornelia, with a wink. She turned and walked towards the open air archways that looked out across the barren flats that surrounded Rakadin. The rain continued to fall just as heavy as ever.

Stopping right at the edge Cornelia looked down the dizzying drop at her feet before lifting the Soul of Rakadin towards the sky. Serenity was about to open her mouth, to tell Cornelia that wasn't going to work, but before she could, something impossible happened.

As the gem began to glow, the rain stopped. The clouds swirled in the sky, becoming a vortex. And from the vortex a funnel bent out of the sky, stretching towards Rakadin, towards Cornelia, towards the Soul.

The opening in the spiral of air whirled before them. Sparks of magic danced in its mouth and a portal shimmered into existence. Cornelia turned back to look at Serenity, a cold smile crossing her lips as the silver haired girl's face turn pale. Slowly Cornelia walked back towards Serenity.

"See, nothing to it," said Cornelia as she stopped in front of Serenity. Her eyes swept down Serenity's body, examining her tattered clothing. "But you can't go visiting old friends like that." Continued Cornelia in mock disdain at the rags Serenity wore. "How about something, in silver?"

Not-Hay-Lin, that was how she thought of herself. That was what she heard when people talked to her. That was what she dreamt at night, sleeping on the floor, next to herself, who wasn't her.

She had been for less then a month now. Pulled from the body of the girl who she was a copy of. Forced to play her role in the act of life.

Not-Hay-Lin went to school. She did homework. She helped in the restaurant. And she took out the trash. But she did not have any friends.

Not-Hay-Lin liked school, although not so much the homework part. She liked helping in the restaurant, although not so much the taking out the garbage part. And she wished she had friends but she was sure there would be something about having friends she wouldn't like, so not having any was ok.

But, above all else, more than school or the restaurant, Not-Hay-Lin just liked being, something most people took for granted. After all, she had not been for so long that being was an intoxicating treat. An experience that nothing else could possibly match! And all except for the part where she had to pretend to go to 'her' room—because after all it wasn't hers—at night and sleep on the floor next to the girl who wouldn't even talk to her, it was a pretty good existence.

It was the middle of a Saturday afternoon when Not-Hay-Lin was doing one of the things she did not enjoy as much—taking out the garbage, that smelled of dead fish—when she bumped, quiet literally, into some she did not expect to see. She hugged the black plastic trash bag that was cradled in her arms, tightly. She had dropped it once before and she intended never to let it happen again. It was not something she would have to worry about much longer.

"Sorry," said Not-Hay-Lin as she peered around the trash bag in her arms. Blocking her path was the bright, cheery face of Cornelia. She was smiling, although it made Not-Hay-Lin feel uncomfortable. "Oh, hi, Cornelia! Sorry I didn't…"

"You're not Hay Lin," said Cornelia, cutting the girl off, her smile vanishing. Not-Hay-Lin found it somewhat funny and sadly ironic that the only person who had ever gotten her name right was also the only one who would ever speak it.

The gem around Cornelia's neck flashed with white-blue light. When it receded, the astral drop was gone. The trash bag hung in the air for a moment, as if she had just become invisible, but then it dropped and burst open, spurting slimy fish guts across the floor, just missing Cornelia.

Without pause Cornelia stepped over the fallen rubbish bag and moved to the stairs that would take her to the apartment above the restaurant, where the real Hay Lin's room was.

It was a short walk down the hall to her door, which was closed. Slowly, as if afraid the door might bite her Cornelia placed her hands against it. She rested there a moment before her hand delicately moved to the knob, she did not try to open the door, she knew it would be locked.

Magic flowed down her hand and a flash of blue light emanated between the joints of the brass knob. Cornelia turned the knob and the door opened with a soft click. She was not fully prepared for what she found with in.

The window blinds had been pulled shut, but it was more than that. They had been taped shut. The dim light of the hallway forced its way into the room in a spear of light that didn't quiet make it to Hay Lin's bed.

The darkness around the hallway light was so absolute that Cornelia thought the void itself was pressing in on Hay Lin's room. Cornelia did not close the door behind her as she stepped hesitantly into the dark room. Even Rakadin had not made Cornelia feel this uncomfortable.

Cornelia's eyes found the young Asian girl sitting on her bed, her back to the door. She did not speak nor did she look at Cornelia. Cornelia felt a twinge of sorrow as her eyes wandered around the room.

The walls had been painted black. Not just the walls, but everything, including pictures—that Hay Lin had drawn herself—that hung on them. The job had been sloppy and rushed and Cornelia found herself imagining Hay Lin crying while she ran a paint roller filled with rage all over her room.

Some of the furniture had been splattered with paint. Hay Lin's dresser had streaks of paint across it. Although, Cornelia could see the original white wall behind it, untouched as the dresser had not been moved. And next to the dresser a mirror, partially covered in paint, with small gleaming silver spots still showing through here and there.

Cornelia took a deep breath, the room smelled of sweat and of something she thought might be sorrow. She moved towards Hay Lin, who still did not look at her.

Right now Cornelia wished she were facing someone else, anyone else. Phobos at the edge of Meridian, he had been nothing more than a casual thought. The Knights in Kandrakar, they had been easy. Even Serenity, a once great and terrible enemy, had bent to her will with a whimper and tears.

But Hay Lin… she wasn't like any of those people. She wasn't a former adversary to be manipulated or controlled. She was a friend... was…

"Hay Lin," was what Cornelia had meant to say, but it came out choked. It was hard to tell in the darkness, but Cornelia thought that Hay Lin became stiffer. However, she did not respond or turn around.

"Hay Lin," said Cornelia again, this time, words came out of her mouth. She took a step toward her friend.

"So…" said Hay Lin, her voice soft and empty. "Will told you…"

"Yes," replied Cornelia. Slowly putting Hay Lin's meaning together after she had already answered. Will had told her about Hay Lin's astral drop. There was silence for a moment, Cornelia waiting to see what Hay Lin would say next, so she could respond without offending her young friend.

"Why are you here Cornelia?" asked Hay Lin, giving nothing away, and still not turning to look at Cornelia. Again, Cornelia waited, trying to get Hay Lin to say more, to give her something to respond to. But when the moment lingered longer than was comfortable, Cornelia knew that Hay Lin was doing the same thing, waiting for the first move.

"Will has failed us," said Cornelia at last. Hay Lin's head turned slightly. "She doesn't know what's best for us any more and she doesn't care." Cornelia paused, this time to let her words sink in. "We were always meant to be Guardians, our powers don't come from Kandrakar or Will. She would have us give up everything we've worked for… everything we care about because of a grudge with an old man."

Hay Lin's face was half turned now, an eye finding Cornelia and her ear listening intently.

"I know how you feel," said Cornelia. But almost instantly Cornelia knew this had been the wrong thing to say. Hay Lin spun on her bed, her eyes filled with rage and tears.

"You have no idea how I feel!" screamed Hay Lin. A blast of wind exploded into existence. It raced around the small room, causing papers to swirl in the air. Had it been possible, Cornelia was sure there would have been thunder and lighting too. "You don't have any fucking idea how I feel! That bitch ripped my heart out and stepped on it right in front of me!" Cornelia took a step back, frightened for the first time in a long time.

Paintings ripped off the wall, leaving white squares of the original wall behind. The wind caught the door and slammed it closed behind Cornelia, cutting off any retreat and all of the light. The room was plunged back into darkness, broken only by small flashes of light as the window shades twisted in the wind.

"Will betrayed us all…" Cornelia shouted over the roar of the magical tornado. She held back her long blond hair that had scatter across her face. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the wind vanished. The objects it had been pushing around the room tumbled to the floor. With one final twist the window shades broke free of their hangings and crashed to the ground. A bright square of light poured in from outside, momentarily blinding Cornelia but leaving Hay Lin in Darkness.

Slowly, her eyes turning away first, Hay Lin resumed her sitting position facing the wall, her back to Cornelia once more.

"I'm not talking about Will," whispered Hay Lin, broken sadness in her voice. Cornelia roughly pushed her hair back and some place, deep down, was her voice telling her that her hair must look horrible right now.

"But you are," said Cornelia, ignoreing her own inner whining and putting together Hay Lin's meaning. Irma, Hay Lin was blaming Irma. "You're just blaming the wrong person." Hay Lin's head tilted down, as if she were contemplating Cornelia's words, like they were some kind of truth she was overlooking, and the blue gem around Cornelia's neck glowed.

"It's Will's fault," said Cornelia, walking slowly towards Hay Lin, the blue, eerie glow shading Hay Lin in hypnotic light. "She stole away your friendship. She betrayed your trust." Cornelia was standing right behind Hay Lin now. She bent forward to whisper in the girl's ear.

"She took from you the person you love more than anyone can understand," said Cornelia. "More than even she can understand." Hay Lin's breathing was uneven as she listened. "Help me Hay Lin. Help me stop Will Vandom."

Author's notes:

Thank you everyone who left me such great reviews last chapter: Darev, XV-Dragon, lost prince, DayDreamer9, Steamrollers Solve All and Bluemarsman.

Sadly I've had some e-mail problems mixed with PM woes and I'm pretty sure I lost some messages last month. I apologize if you wrote me and I did not respond, feel free to send it to me again if you can.

This is a dark chapter, but what where you honestly expecting from something titled Darkness? The final chapter won't be filled with sunshine and rainbows either. As some of you might have guessed if you know the name of the last chapter… (it's posted in my forum btw)

This chapter has been floating around in my head for a long time. Not really sure exactly how long, but way back during UtW. I always liked the image of Hay Lin running a black paint roller over her walls, pictures and all. I know that sounds messed up. I can't say why, but it's just an image that has stuck with me. It kind of defines the mood of the story as a whole.

Now I'm going to share a little nerdisum with you, feel free to skip it. Cornelia's team now consists of (in order) Cornelia, Hay Lin, Alex, Owin and Serenity… that's C.H.A.O.S for any who are wondering. Yes, the whole reason I killed off Dante in the last story was so that I could spell Chaos here, no joke. Just when you think you know everything about the crazy world I have spun (or more likely, are completely lost) there is more too it!

Anyhow…

We are closing in on the end of this little side trip. So, uh, see you all next month then? Same bat-time, same bat-site?

Starwin out.