Chapter 10

Stuck

"A mistake is to commit a misunderstanding."
-Bob Dylan

James had agreed with me but reassured me he was a nice vampire. But the red eyes still made me stay as close to William as possible. We still had to walk, about a mile. Nobody but the protectors and the royalty themselves were allowed to transport into the castle grounds without permission. Seeing as how William and I were not really Protectors and shouldn't be there at all (Annabelle told us about how protectors weren't suppose to be born until the others retired, which meant until they got too old to fight and run around all day and were ready to train a protector once they are born. Protectors were apparently always come from the same family. Which meant Audra was probably my great, great, great, don't know how many greats, aunt).

When we got close to the castle Annabelle explained that she couldn't stay here, she had to go home (lucky her, I wish I could just turn around go home) and explained she would go talk to one of the guards she knew were a transporter.

This castle wasn't as grand as the one in Valdamor but it was pretty. It didn't look old, it looked magical. It wasn't big like you would expect, it was like a large house with fancy silver walls and dark black roof. Flowers grew up the walls and there was a large garden that seemed to stretch completely around the house. There was a slight breeze that tossed my hair playfully. I smiled and let the smell of the garden calm me as if welcoming me. But that feeling immediately disappeared as an angry looking man with dark tan skin and red hair came out. He reminded me of William but he was stronger and taller with darker skin and his eyes were a bright yellow.

He stopped when he saw us and by stop I mean he completely froze. "Audra!" he screamed, his angry look now gone with a look of pure surprise. A lady came out, she looked like me, and same pale skin, light blond hair, light blue eyes, although she was taller, older. I guessed she was Audra.

I stepped forward, "we need your help."

Audra's first reaction was to call Herman, which was apparently the man's name, back and they had an argument between themselves before he called over a women that had black hair and pale skin, like Joseph. She came and talked calmly to them. Finally they seemed to come to an agreement. Audra came over to us as the other two went to join a man that looked a bit like Kelly in guy form.

"Come this way," she said gesturing for us to fallow her. When William tried to fallow, Audra stopped him. "Nope, only her for now." William opened his mouth as if to argue but I shook my head, no use we needed her help and if this is how we would get it then that was fine with me.

William, to my surprise stayed. I felt his gaze on me as I walked away with Audra. She turned into the surrounding garden and led me to two benches. She sat on one and gestured to sit on the one across from her. Immediately the obvious questions came.

"Who are you, what are you doing here, and why are you here. The Protectors are alive and well, no more should be here," Audra said.

"I am Claire, I am an air mage but don't know what my powers are. I come from the future and at my time there haven't been any Protectors for a very long time. I just need to get a portal back to where I came from," I replied.

That was enough to keep Audra quiet for a few moments. Then finally she started again, "so, I am guessing you are here to stop me from closing the Gate of Avalon." She got up gesturing for me to fallow.

"How far in the future are you in your time?" She didn't look at me as she asked so I was unable to understand what she meant by this question.

"I am from the year 2010. I don't exactly how far into the future that is…" I said

"This is the year 1210," she said still not looking at me.

"So, about 800 years?"

"Yes, and how is the world. Is everything about the same?"

"There is no magic on Earth. I went to a place called Valdamor and it looked kind of the same as here. There is magic there."

"And there have been no Protectors? Hmm, makes sense if there is no Avalon to protect. But there should be magic on Earth. Where did it go? Why isn't it there anymore? What happened to me?" She stopped talking and shook her head sadly. I felt bad; I wished I wasn't the one that had to tell her that what she was doing was going to destroy her home.

"I really need to get back there was a prophecy…"

"A PROPHECY?" She said as I noticed a moment to late I shouldn't have said that. "What did it say? Did it bring you here? Did it say anything about the Gates of Avalon?"

"Calm down, Audra you are going to give the child a heart attack," said the guy I had seen earlier, the one who looked a bit like Kelly. Slightly tan, green eyes, dark brown hair. He was about the same size as Audra. He gestured for me to go ahead.

"The Prophecy said; Gates of Avalon, closed tightly for so long, brings unknown dangers. Four have been chosen, the war of magic begins now, may air light your path. The element changes according to the element of the person receiving the prophecy. The other three protectors got their prophecies first and theirs said the war starts soon. I got mine last and I am sure it said the war was now, not soon."

Audra and the man didn't move, they barely breathed.

"What?" I said.

"This is something I was sent just recently," Audra hissed. "The gates of Avalon shall be closed! Now leave!" She shouted. Power filled her voice making me back up. She turned away from me facing the man and I turned and fled back the way I came.

I headed towards where I thought William was but he wasn't there, "William!" I looked around, twisting to get a view from all sides. He wasn't there. Oh great, now I was alone, angry , and had super powered mages thinking I was some kind of liar here to keep the gates of Avalon open, perfect, just perfect.

"William!" I shouted again. Why wouldn't he come out?

"Where is Audra," growled a voice. I turned to see the angry man, Herman, now angry again with the woman fallowing close behind him.

"Where is William," I growled back. But when he got closer I couldn't keep my frustrated look on. I pointed towards where I had come from and Herman and the woman went that way.

The woman stopped, "Sorry, it has been a hard week. Your friend was taken into the castle."

"Thank you," I said wincing at the word taken. Could this get much worse?

She nodded, "I am Rhodenthe by the way. I wish you the best of luck." Then she turned hurrying after Herman.

I turned toward the castle heading to the guard by the entrance. "Hi, I am looking for a friend of mine. He is tan, reddish brown hair," I said.

"I am sorry, but you can't see your friend right now," said a voice behind me. Before I could even turn around something hit me in the head and the last thing I saw was the ground as I fell. As I fell I heard a laugh. I shiver internally at that. This couldn't be good.