Chapter Fourteen
"Everybody okay?" asked Flora, having to raise her voice over the still loud rumble of rubble as it settled. She lifted her right hand and it glowed with a soft green light.
Mirta and Lucy followed suit, with orange and dark green light, respectively.
Kansa, Elanor, Luna and Priscilla all gave answers in the affirmative. Trasundah was sitting on a boulder, the hood of her cloak back, propping her head in one hand.
"Trace?" said Mirta, coming to her.
The Downlander Fairy looked up, and they all could see her yellow skin was even more pale than normal, and she was perspiring heavily. She shook her head, breathing heavily.
"Some- something's wrong," she said, looking farther into the cave, "I can feel the power of the crystals even stronger here, but they are... tainted somehow. I can't draw on their energy."
"I don't understand," said Flora.
"I don't either," was the answer, "There is a very strange feeling I'm getting from the crystal. Never felt anything like it before."
Lucy had stepped past her, peering intently down the dark passage.
"Dark magic," she said, and everyone looked at her. She turned to them. "There is dark magic here. I can feel it very clearly. I'm familiar with Chelzan crystal, but I'm not particularly sensitive to it. I don't know if the dark magic is coming from it or from someone. Mirta, Flora, what do you think?"
The sisters joined Lucy in concentrating from the direction of the power.
"Yes... there's... something there..." said Flora.
"It is dark magic, and I think I've felt it before..." added Mirta. "Not sure why."
"You go on," said Trasundah, "I need to rest."
Luna and Priscilla went over to her, stooping to either side.
"We can't stay here, and you need to come with us," said Luna, taking the tall fairy's arm.
Pri took the other. "Lean on us."
She stood, draping her arms over her Circle Sister's shoulders, but only using them for support. She walked on her own.
Flora and Lucy took the lead, with Pri, Trace, and Luna behind them, followed by Elanor and Kansa, with Mirta bringing up the rear. They followed along the passage for some time. It grew damp and chill, making the Downlander feel better. But she still reported the crystal power had a taint that was growing stronger. There were no side passages.
Ahead of them the passage suddenly widened out and stopped.
"The crystal is right here," said Trasundah, letting go of her friends and stepping forward.
"But it's not glowing," said Mirta, "I don't see anything."
Light flared from the Fairy, the half-witch, and the witch, illuminating the whole area.
The cave was about fifteen feet tall at the center, and some fifty feet across, made of the gray stone of the mountain. In the center was the stolen Chelzan crystal, set up in columns and rows. In the light it was clearly green, but its glow was subdued.
"I can see the taint," said Trasundah. She suddenly swayed on her feet and Pri and Luna grabbed her. They helped her sit down at the cave entrance.
"And I can feel it," said Lucy.
"That's far enough," said a familiar voice. It echoed around the room.
They looked around, and suddenly three people shimmered into sight, set at three points around the room. They were smirking at the Guardian Fairy, her sister, and the Resident Witch.
"That's impossible," said Lucy.
"You CAN'T be here," said Mirta.
"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Flora.
"Well, believe it!" said Inez.
"We're really here!" said Zee.
"And meeting you for the last time!" said Megan.
"I doubt that," said Lucy, crossing her arms.
"You're trapped in here, and this is going to be your tomb," said Zee.
"Who ARE these witches?" asked Kansa.
"I'll explain later," said Mirta.
"Better do it now; there won't be a later," smirked Inez.
"They're Inez, Zee, and Megan," said Mirta, gesturing at each in turn. "Witches who have been our enemies and..."
"...a minor annoyance..." said Lucy over Mirta.
"...for the last couple of years," Mirta finished.
The three witches glared, and Megan started to say something, but never got the chance.
"We've beaten you every time," said Lucy, "What makes you think this one will be any different?"
"You'll see," said Zee, confidently.
"But you were taken to Light Rock," said Mirta, "How can you be here?"
"You think we're the first to escape?" asked Megan with a shudder.
"That's right, the Trix were broken out by Lord Darkar," said Flora, studying them.
"Enough with the catching up. Explain what's going on here, so we'll know what to tell the police," said Lucy.
"As if," said Inez, waving her hand in dismissal, "But it's only fair you know, since we set it up for you to be here. The volcano that destroyed the maab bean crop was set off by us to get the Guardian Fairy to come see about the local crop and fall into this trap. We hoped you would come with her, but it wasn't that important."
Lucy rolled her eyes.
"You... destroyed an entire crop as a trap for me?" asked Flora, getting upset.
"The beans are obscure but very useful," said Zee, "It was a long shot, but worth it, since it worked."
"We had other plans if it didn't," added Inez.
"Such as the rock slide?" asked Lucy, jabbing a thumb behind herself.
"Ah, we were hoping it would take out some of you, but it's main purpose was to be a trap," said Megan.
"And you took the Chelzan crystal to lead me into the trap," said Mirta, suddenly making a connection.
"No, actually, that's just a coincidence," said Megan, "We had a separate fate planned for you, but since you're here, why not?"
"Trasundah wants to know what you're doing with the crystal," said Kansa, standing up from listening to the tall fairy.
The three witches grinned.
"Mirta, you caught me taking sokama berry bushes a couple of years ago," said Inez.
"And you and Lucy stopped us from getting the planet devastator on Bekisan," said Megan. "We were going to use it as blackmail to take power here."
"Finally, the three of you stopped us gathering more plants and ruined our business, The Linphea Connection," said Megan.
"So now we're getting our revenge and taking over Linphea at the same time," said Inez.
"With Chelzan crystal," said a skeptical Mirta.
"Right. Your Downlander friend will tell you it's sensitive to all kinds of vibration. Well, it can emit them as well as absorb them. The crystal here has been primed with our magic, and in a few minutes we will cast a spell that will make them send out a vibration on a frequency that will disrupt the bodies of every person on the planet. Everyone will die and leave the plants and animals intact," explained Inez.
"We've taken precautions for ourselves, of course," said Zee.
"Oh, Great Dragon..." said Flora, softly.
"After that it will be simple to stake a claim on this world," she continued, "We will be rich and powerful beyond belief."
All the fairies looked horrified, even Trasundah, who was sitting huddled into herself, weak and perspiring.
Lucy was surprised at the scope of the plan. "Not bad at all," she said with a nod, "But you know I can't let it happen. I live and work here."
The witches held out their hands and magic bolts formed a transparent shield around the fairies and witch.
"That will keep you in one place while we cast the spell," said Megan, "And you will be the first to go, since you're closest."
"Guardian, you're a native, but you have no idea of the power here. You could have transformed the entire Magical Universe in your own image," said Zee. "Instead, we will use it."
"Who... who could have come up with so horrible a plan?" asked Flora, looking at them with wide eyes.
"Oh, that would have been us," said a new voice.
"Meet the leaders of the Coven of the Thirteenth Dead Moon," said Inez, gesturing to their left. Everyone but Trasundah looked at the newcomers.
A man and woman stood there at the entrance to another cave just to the left of where the party had come in. Both were of medium height and build, wearing expensive mountaineering clothes. Both had red hair, the woman's darker than the man's.
Mirta and Lucy gasped in shock.
The half-witch took a step forward. "Mom? Dad?"