I DON'T OWN W.I.T.C.H OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE STORY! PLEASE DON'T SUE ME! ALSO, THIS IS GONNA BE SLIGHTLY AU, BUT AS I SAID BEFORE: I DON'T OWN W.I.T.C.H! THIS IS AN IRMA/PHOBOS PAIRING STORY! EXPLAINS THE AU STORY, BUT I DON'T OWN W.I.T.C.H! PLEASE REVIEW!
TORN
CHAPTER 7: AMBUSH AT TORUS FILNEY:
Caleb watched as a caravan of food made its way through the woods, and he signaled to the other Rebels. "NOW!" They cut the ropes, and 2 trees fell, cutting off the caravan's route through the forest. Another cut blocked off the path behind them, so they had no escape now. Another couple of cuts, and two more soldiers were knocked off of their mounts. They ran towards the caravan, waving their arms and yelling.
Another group of caravans made their way towards Phobos's palace, where Aldarn jumped down from an overhead bridge. "Down with Phobos and with tyranny!" After he said that, he ran off, and 2 of the soldiers gave chase. The third that was guarding the caravans was dragged into an alley and bound and gagged.
Aldarn ran into a nearby alley, looking at the other Rebels around him. "You sure this is your thickest glass?"
The palace guards smashed against it as their mounts stopped, tossing them off.
Aldarn threw back the cover of the caravan, revealing a large amount of food, enough to last them at least six months.
"FOOD FOR EVERYBODY!" As Caleb tossed around the food, the Rebels cheered as he continued, then fell silent. "This was one victory. We need many more if we are to turn the tide against our oppressor!" They all cheered, and Caleb lept down to greet his friend, Aldarn. "Hey, Caleb. Do you have any more of that 'chocolate' from Earth? You know, for the little ones?"
Caleb just grinned at him. "I'll return tomorrow."
Cedric paced back and forth, clearly unhappy over this latest failure. "Double the guards on every delivery into the castle, and on every lookout!"
Phobos and Cedric strode throughout the halls, and Phobos finally spoke, his voice full of anger. "What went wrong!?"
"They knew our routes. I cannot fight on two flanks-the Guardians and the Rebels!"
"Our movements are anticipated, our supply paths interrupted! How do I find the spy among them!?" Cedric smirked at this. "Spread a rumor. Act as if something extraordinary has been found, by one who does not know it has found you. If a Rebel comes looking, not only do we trap him, but your suspicion is confirmed."
"Good...And I know just the object to lure their leader out into the open..."
Cornelia groaned as they started climbing up the stairs outside of an extremely tall building. "Look, can't we just all transform and fly up!?"
Will shook her head. "We can't risk being seen just because you decided to wear heels today!"
Taranee just whimpered as she looked down, but kept climbing.
As Caleb and Blunk jumped out of a portal on top of a building, Blunk saluted Caleb. "Captain Blunk report!"
"Don't pretend that you happen to have an allegiance to a higher goal! You just find me the portals...I pay you!" Caleb gulped, seeing the girls standing there, glaring at him. "Oh, hey, girls!"
"Caleb, when you find an open portal, you're supposed to tell us!"
"And normally, that'd be what I do, but I just need this one open a little while longer. I-I'm sure that you understand!"
"Absolutely! That's why I'm sure you'll understand me doing this!" Will took out the Heart of Kandrakar, closing the portal and Caleb watched her do so in horror. "NO! I'm taking chocolate back...to little children..."
Blunk nodded, trying to help. "It is tragic!"
Will, however, clearly wasn't listening, because she'd already closed the portal at this point.
Will glanced over at the poster on the board at lunch. "Hey, what's that notice over there?" Irma, Taranee and Cornelia just groaned. "Drama Night."
"Every year, four groups of kids-oh, sorry-losers-put on these mini-plays on a theme!"
Taranee nodded. "All the parents and grandparents come. It's a whole big dork-fest!"
"More like a lame-fest!" Hay Lin ran over, grinning at the rest of them. "Great news! I signed us up to do a play for Drama Night!"
"You did WHAT!?"
Cedric smirked, looking down at the Captain of the Guard. "I have remarkable news. The Seal of Phobos has been found!" The Captain of the Guard's eyes widened at this. "The Seal! A-After all these years..."
"It was near the outpost at Torus Filney. I want 100 riders in 3 days time to bring it safely back to the castle! What I have just told you must not become general knowledge."
"Yeah, the Seal of Phobos!"
"Apparently, an old caretaker has had it for years! He does not even know what it is!"
Vathek listened closely to the guards nearby. "Imagine the power Phobos will have once he gets it! That Seal can open anything! The Veil between worlds, the Infinite City, the Ancient Book of Secrets!" One guard looked up. "Hey, where did Vathek go?"
"Don't you think it'll be fun?!" Hay Lin asked the others as she lugged a heavy pot of soup over to the stove. Cornelia glared at her. "Uh...NO!"
Taranee put her hands on her hips. "Why'd you sign US up to do a play and then drag US into it!?"
"So I can design the cool costumes! Uh...and 'cause I need somebody to be in them."
Caleb came in at that point. "What's this!?"
Taranee rolled her eyes. "Ice cream cone. You unwrap the paper...and eat it!"
Cornelia sighed, looking over at Hay Lin as Caleb left again. "So, what's the theme?"
"Mythology!" They all groaned in despair just as Yan Lin entered the kitchen. "Oh, Grandma! We get to pick our own myth for school! Do you know any good ones?!"
"Well, as it so happens, I do. Long ago, there was a kingdom ruled by a powerful but uncaring Jade Emperor! Working for this Emperor were four magnificent dragons. The beautiful nymph, Xin Jing, the emperor's daughter, was greatly worried for the people, for a famine had been on the land for many months. The dragons took pity on the people. Two of them boiled the water from the ocean and the others helped lift it to the skies, making it rain. The terrible drought was ending. But the emperor was furious! How dare the dragons act without his permission! He ordered them locked up inside four mountains. His beloved Xin Jing told the emperor she was joining the dragons, and all that was left to remember her by was the crystal amulet."
Will's eyes widened after Yan Lin had finished. "The origins of our powers!"
Hay Lin grinned. "That's our play!"
Cornelia looked around. "So, I'm obviously the nymph, right?"
Caleb came back in. "Hmm...this isn't too bad. But it made a real mess of my shoes!"
All the girls were now watching him with smirks on their faces.
Hay Lin came into the back room of the gym, frowning. "We've only got 3 dragons! I only need one more! Taranee?"
"Uh-uh! I get stage fright!" Irma grinned. "Stage fright, height fright, imported cheese fright-" Hay Lin turned to look at Cornelia hopefully, who was looking at herself in a mirror in her nymph costume. "Cornelia?"
"No way! You cannot put this face under a dragon mask!" Taranee walked over to Will. "The 'crystal'! What d'ya think!?" Taranee pressed a button, and the 'crystal' lit up. Will laughed, clearly impressed with Taranee's special effects.
Just then, Blunk fell down onto the floor wearing wings and a blonde wig. "Blunk!?"
"Flap flap! Blunk cute birdy!"
"Get them off of him!"
Hay Lin grabbed the wings and and wig.
"Play? Blunk love plays! Blunk be prince!" Blunk scurried over to the costume trunk and grabbed a small red robe, wrapping it around himself. "People, worship Blunk!"
"There's no prince in the play!"
Taranee sighed. "But we do need another dragon. Nobody said it has to be a tall dragon. And he'll be in a costume and mask!" Hay Lin walked over, holding one of the dragon masks. "Works for me!"
"Knew real dragon once. Never the same."
Caleb strode down an alley, kicking soda cans out of his way. "'Oh, please, please, Will, can I use the portal now?' I'm a Rebel leader! I don't have time to ask for permission!"
"Caleb!"
"AAGH!"
Blunk grinned at Caleb, lifting up his dragon mask. "What? Only Blunk."
"What are you wearing!?" As Blunk lept down from the dumpster, he answered Caleb's question. "Blunk's rehearsal left him hungry. Blunk starved! Blunk have message!"
"From who?"
"Big blue thing tell cousin. Blunk tell you."
Caleb frowned, confused. "Big blue..." Blunk winked at him, and Caleb's eyes widened in shock. "Vathek!"
"And it's at Torus Filney? This could be the news that turns the whole rebellion around!"
Blunk frowned, now confused. "What is Seal?"
"The Seal of Phobos! It's a small, metal talisman with a royal crest about this big. It has the power to open anything closed, to reveal anything that's hidden! It can split holes in the Veil!"
"Uh-oh. Blunk outta business." Caleb looked over at Blunk stonily. "Trust you to see the big picture! It was stolen from Phobos 12 years ago, by a mysterious woman who captured the true heir to the throne. In order to protect the child, she used the Seal to cross to Earth. Phobos has been searching for the heir and the Seal ever since. With it, his powers would be fearsome. But if I had it...I could cross the Veil anytime I wanted! He's assembling a squadron to fetch it. We have to get there first. The next portal that opens, tell me before you tell the Guardians!" Caleb told Blunk, and Blunk gave him a thumbs-up.
Taranee glanced out at the various members of the audience filing into their seats, then looked back over her shoulder at Cornelia, who was rehearsing her lines. "Then I say, 'Thank you, o four dragons!' Ugh! There's only three! Where's you-know-what!?" Blunk came running over at that moment. "Sorry late! Had to show Caleb...something!"
Caleb followed an old woman up the mountainside. "You are the second to express interest in this metal six years ago I found it...is it valuable?"
"You'll be well rewarded." Caleb looked down, and gasped as he saw the sand around his legs grabbing him, pulling him under. "I'm sinking! Help me!"
Cedric tossed back his cloak's hood, revealing his human face. "So. Phobos's suspicions are correct. Now, as the sands of Torus Filney conceal you, I must go find the traitor who passed you this news." Caleb glared daggers at Cedric as the sands pulled him under.
Yan Lin walked over, her eyes wide. "Girls! Girls! Caleb's in danger! He went to Meridian and left me this note. If the Ancient Seal had been found, Phobos wouldn't wait to retrieve it! It is a trap!" Will sighed. "How did Caleb find a portal?"
Blunk began whistling and walking away, but she stood on his tail. "Was it a portal that you showed him?"
"No Blunk here! Only dragon!" Will turned to look at the others. "We have to go."
Hay Lin groaned, "We can't walk out on our own play! We'll get expelled!" Yan Lin shook her head. "No. No, you won't. Will, hold the Heart and repeat these words: 'Spord lafada'."
"Spord lafada? What does that do?" Just then, the Heart began glowing, and doubles of the girls stood before them. These are your Astral Drop doubles. When you repeat their names again, but forwards, they'll disappear. They are identical to you."
Cornelia frowned, looking over her Astral Drop double. "Not 100 percent. I haven't got any split ends!"
"So..they save Caleb, and we do the play?" Taranee shook her head at Cornelia. "Um...I think it's the other way around."
"Weird, but they are identical. Let's go!" The five original girls ran off. Yan Lin sighed. "Except...they don't know the play."
They jumped through the portal, finding themselves back in Meridian. "It's up there. Guardians, Unite!" After transforming, they flew over the village, searching for Caleb. Hay Lin looked over at the other Guardians, shaking her head. "I don't see anything!" Will stopped in midair, and the quicksand grabbed her, pulling her down fast. "AAGH! QUICKSAND!"
"Will!" Irma and Taranee flew back, each of them taking one of Will's arms, attempting to pull her up. Eventually, the quicksand let go of Will. A voice spoke up behind them. "A boy fell in the sands." Irma gasped, looking around. "What was that!?" They turned around to see a little boy and girl standing behind them. Cornelia scowled at them. "So why don't you have it roped off or something!?"
"Because it moves." Taranee groaned at this. "Oh, just wonderful! A wandering, man-eating sandpit!"
"Uh...how long ago did the boy fall in?"
"Our brother Michael fell in too. That was a long time ago."
The curtains were drawn, and Yan Lin handed Astral Drop Taranee a piece of paper. "Read this."
"Taranee reads dramatically. Long ago, four dragons chased through the sky above an ancient sea." Blunk and the rest of the Astral Drops came onstage as the audience clapped. "And they danced a dragon dance." The three Astral Drops and Blunk began dancing around onstage. "Oh, Blunk ad-lib too! Dragon dance!"
Yan Lin moaned, and slammed her hand over her eyes.
The five Guardians flew up into the sky above the sandpit. "We've gotta go in!"
"We've gotta WHAT!?" Taranee stared at Will in disbelief as Will continued, "But we need something to pull ourselves back out with!" Cornelia flew back down to where the two kids where, and summoned up some vines. "Well...here goes nothing!" Irma grabbed one of the vines, and lept down into the sandpit, followed by the other Guardians. The vines strained and broke as the kids watched, eyes wide.
Astral Drop Taranee continued with her little narration, "The dragons took pity on the starving peasants."
Astral Drop Will pointed at Principal Knickerbocker. "Look at the poor peasants and their horrible, ugly clothes!" The students in the audience began to burst into gales of laughter at this.
The Guardians slid down their vines, about to land on the ground of the pit when sand slid up Cornelia's foot. "AAH!"
They flew back into the air just as Caleb's voice spoke. "Don't touch the ground or the walls!" Taranee made a fireball in her hands, flying around. "Oh, wow! Look at this!" She sent the ball of flame flying around the chamber, revealing skeletons and Caleb bound to the wall by sand. "I was trapped! I'm sorry, okay! Just get me out!"
Will tugged Caleb out, and began to fly out of the chamber. Will shrieked as some quicksand grabbed Hay Lin. "Look out!" Hay Lin blew hard, freeing herself from the sand. Cornelia was also grabbed by the quicksand, and Hay Lin and Irma attempted to free her, but were seized as well. The quicksand then grabbed Will and Caleb. Taranee freed them all by sending fireballs at the quicksand, blasting it to bits. She panted heavily, looking around at the others. "We've got to save the others, too!"
Meanwhile, back in Sheffield, Astral Drop Taranee was still narrating the play. "So the four dragons brought rain to the people." Blunk and the Astral Drops Cornelia, Will, and Hay Lin lugged a waterhose onstage. Yan Lin gasped. "No! The fake confetti rain!" They sprayed the audience with the water, soaking them.
Irma and Taranee pulled the last villager out of the sandpit, landing on the hillside. Will landed beside them with the children's brother. "Michael! You are okay!" The little girl hugged him, then looked up at him. "Did you get our ball?"
Blunk held up a red rag to Principal Knickerbocker. "Towel for money?" Yan Lin frowned, puzzled by this. "Where'd he get towels?"
Taranee and Irma flew up into the air over the quicksand. "Okay, stand back!" They sent down some water and fire, turning the quicksand to glass and the villagers cheered. Taranee smirked. "Silicon plus heat equals glass. Let's see its wandering, sandy butt move now!" Cornelia crossed her arms, thinking hard. "I wonder how our Astral Drops did?" Hay Lin grinned. "Well, it's really not fair. I mean, they did all the work and we're going to get all the glory!"
Hay Lin smiled when they arrived back in Sheffield Institute. "Caleb's fine! How'd the play go? Grandma?" Will held up the Heart of Kandrakar, returning the Astral Drops to the Heart. They heard yelling coming from the gym. Hay Lin gasped. "Listen to that! It was all your writing, Taranee!"
"No, it was your costumes, Hay Lin!" Cornelia grinned. "Curtain call!" The 5 girls made their onstage and saw an angry crowd leaving the gym. Yan Lin was scrubbing off Principal Knickerbocker's husband. "Sorry about this." She looked up at the girls. "Curtain!"
Principal Knickerbocker tossed one of the rags at the girls, clearly upset. "I hope you enjoyed yourselves. You won't be doing a play next year, girls, because you'll still be in detention from this year!" She stalked out of the gym as the curtain closed, showing precisely where Blunk had got his "towels": he'd ripped cloth out of the curtains. "But the costumes were okay, right?"
Caleb sighed, looking up at Yan Lin. "Sorry. But the good news is: at least Phobos doesn't have the Seal."
Cedric frowned, crossing his arms. "The traitor will be unmasked! I want a list of all who left the castle yesterday!" The Seal of Phobos gleamed in a sewer near Cedric's tail as a soldier saluted him and walked off.
