I do not own W.I.T.C.H. --Check out Faris' picture on my deviant art account!(see porfile for link)—I might put more up as well.
Episode 21 (A Helping Heart)
Moonlight filtered in through the windows and fell onto the frog printed bed. The girl pulled the covers over her head, shielding the light from reaching her face. A sound as silent as the wind wove its way around the room. The alarm clock made no sound, the house was silent, nothing stirred within its calm interior. Yet to the sleeping girl the sound was unbearable. As she woke, she clicked on the light to her bedroom, chasing away the darkness. The shrill ringing pierced through her head like a dog whistle, except she could hear it clearly. She turned and glanced at her clock, 4:21 AM.
"Be quiet," mumbled a half-conscious Will to no one. She blinked her brown eyes and glared at her alarm clock.
"Don't look at me," it said, "I haven't rung yet!" Will groaned. She would never be able to get back to sleep with that racket. The sound reverberated around the room, making it difficult to even pinpoint the location where the noise was coming from. Will got out of bed, checking her cell phone to make sure it wasn't on vibrate and ringing, but it was motionless. Just as soon as it started, the ringing fell silent. Smiling, Will collapsed back onto her bed, dismissing the sound as something from outside. She closed her eyes, turned off the lights, fell back asleep.
"I wish everyone would stop asking us if we feel better," frowned Cornelia. The girls stood outside the school, enjoying the warm sunshine of the spring.
"Sorry," smiled Will, "I kinda said you guys had the chicken pox."
"Me, the chicken pox, get real," Cornelia stated.
"You'd look great with them Corny," laughed Irma, "red spots everywhere-"
"You'd look like a red Dalmatian!" interrupted Hay Lin. The two girls burst out laughing, falling to ground when they could not breathe.
"Ha-ha, very funny," Cornelia scowled.
"Come on you guys, the bell's gonna ring any second, let's go," Taranee announced. As they walked up the steps to the school, Will paused.
"Aren't you coming Will?" asked Taranee. The other three girls walked into the school and dissolved into the crowd. Will stood still, staring into space, listening. She had heard the ringing again.
"Taranee, do you hear something?" asked Will. The bell rang and Taranee replied.
"Yeah, if we don't get inside I'll hear my teacher yelling at me about how I'm late."
"No, do you hear something now?" questioned Will.
"No," Taranee responded, "hurry, let's go." Will nodded and tried to listen for it again, but as she walked into the school the noise dissipated. This is so weird, thought Will. She hurried into school and off to her math class.
The bell rang and released the school from first period. Irma met Will in the hall near her locker, and the two girls walked to their English class. They sat down at their seats and wondered if the test that was scheduled for today would be changed, since their teacher was absent. Their substitute teacher was an ancient, old lady with wrinkles as deep as the Grand Canyon. As the final bell rang and the last students filled their seats, she stood and addressed the class.
"Your teacher left your tests on his desk with a note saying you would take them," she stated, beginning to pass out the tests, "I will have you know that I will not tolerate any noise, of any kind, while you children are taking your tests."
"Children?" mouthed Irma, "how old does she think we are, six?" Will laughed and passed back the stack of tests which came to her.
"If I hear any talking, whispering, coughing, pencil tapping, sniffling, or any other noises, I will assume you are cheating and you will receive a zero," their substitute announced. Irma raised her eyebrows. One of the boys in the back of the room raised his hand and the lady called on him.
"Um, how could we be cheating if we're, you know, just tapping a pencil?" he asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" snapped the teacher, "but you kids have strange ways of cheating these days, and I don't trust any of you delinquents. Now start your tests!" A wave of silence swept over the room. Some of the students caught themselves tapping their feet or about to yawn and stopped themselves before it was too late. After twenty minutes had past, no one had yet to turn in a test.
Will paused, the room was silent, yet she heard ringing. Glancing up towards the desk where their babysitter sat with her face in a book, Will wondered if she had heard the sound as well. No one else had looked up from their tests to see where the ringing was emitting from, puzzling Will even more. She glanced sideways at Irma. The brunette was writing down a sentence on her paper, adding a comma or two as she finished.
Putting her pencil down and grabbing her test, Will walked to the front of the room and turned it in. As she sat back in her seat, the vibrating grew louder and higher pitched. Will pressed her hands to her ears, trying to muffle the sound out. Squeezing her eyes closed, Will laid her head down on her desk. She was so busy trying to concentrate on silencing the ringing, she didn't notice the substitute get up and hover over to her. Will felt a hand on her back and jumped up.
"Do you need to see the nurse?" asked the teacher, her tone sounded more annoyed then before.
"Yeah," muttered Will. The substitute frowned and wrote Will a pass.
"You won't pass out will you?" she asked.
"I'll help her," offered Irma as she handed her test.
"Ok, just get out of the room, you're disturbing the rest of your classmates," snapped the sub. Irma and Will hurried from the room and closed the door behind them.
"Will, what's wrong?" asked Irma. Will leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.
"It's nothing, I just keep hearing this really strange ringing, and no one else can," replied Will.
"Really?" asked Irma, "do you know where it's coming from?"
"No, but wherever I go it seems to follow me," explained Will, she closed her eyes, "there it is again." Irma looked around; she found nothing that would be making a ringing noise in the hallway. She closed her teal eyes for a second to think and suddenly heard the sound Will was complaining about.
"Will, I hear it," whispered Irma, "what is it?" Will shrugged and paused, her hand reached up and found the silver chain she had attached to the heart. Gently, she pulled the crystal into the light, her eyes widening with surprise.
"It's the heart," mumbled Will.
"What does it mean?" asked Irma. The two girls watched the heart glow and pulse with the rhythm of the ringing. Will opened her mouth but was interrupted by the bell and other students flooding out of classrooms. Irma and Will moved aside from the flood of students and watched them all pass. Will caught Taranee as she walked by and pulled her into the less crowded hall with them. Hay Lin and Cornelia rounded the curve a second later and stopped with the others. As the crowds died down, the clock told them they still had five minutes before they had to be in class.
"You guys," Will began, "the heart is acting kinda strange."
"What do you mean?" asked Hay Lin.
"It's like an alarm clock of death, it never stops ringing," joked Irma.
"No really, what's wrong?" asked Cornelia, ignoring Irma's dry humor.
"The heart just keeps buzzing," Will said, "only guardians must be able to hear it. No one else in my class heard anything, but it was giving me a headache!"
"Why would it act like that?" asked Taranee.
"Maybe my grandma would know," suggested Hay Lin.
"It's the best answer we have," sighed Will.
The five girls walked into the Silver Dragon, searching for the ex guardian of air. The bell on the door chimed and alerted the restaurant and its occupants to their presence. The restaurant was filled with late lunch eaters and early dinner customers, all attempting to eat with chopsticks and dropping food onto their laps.
"Grandma," called Hay Lin once they walked into the backroom, shouldering her bag. Smiling, Yan Lin emerged from the door.
"Hello girls," she smiled.
"Grandma, the Heart-"
"Hush, not here," instructed Yan Lin, her eyes darted to the cooks and Hay Lin's parents who were still in the room.
"Sorry," mumbled Hay Lin, covering her mouth with her hands. The girls and Yan Lin left the kitchen and walked into the Lin house. Cornelia and Taranee sat on the stairs while Hay Lin leaped onto the banister. Irma leaned against the wall while Will stood in the center of the rug at the base of stairs. Yan Lin shut the door to the kitchen and turned to the girls.
"So," she stated.
"The heart, it's acting strange," Will told her. She removed the necklace from around her neck and held it in the air. It began vibrating and ringing again.
"Oh, can't you stop it?" asked Cornelia, covering her ears.
"That won't help girls; you're hearing it inside your heads," explained Yan Lin, she watched the girls remove their hands from their ears, frowning.
"Why is it acting like this?" asked Taranee.
"I don't know," sighed Yan Lin, "I only know of one instance when the Heart of Candracar was in this state of unease."
"When?" asked Irma.
"The day you girls were told of your powers," Yan Lin replied.
"So," Hay Lin said.
"Does it mean there are new guardians now?" asked Irma.
"I doubt it, but it would be best to take it up with the Oracle," Yan Lin stated. Will nodded and opened a fold to Candracar in the hallway. The girls transformed and flew through the fold; they landed in the fortress and walked into the main room. Yan Lin followed them through the fold; it closed after she stepped through. The girls soon found the Oracle and the others. Hay Lin noticed she had brought her bag and set it down near one of the pillars.
"Welcome girls, and Yan Lin," greeted the Oracle. The other members nodded in greeting as well, "you have come for a reason, no doubt?"
"Yes Oracle," replied Will, she held out the Heart of Candracar for him to see, "the heart is acting strange, I wanted to know why."
"You haven't replaced us have you?" asked Irma. The Oracle chuckled.
"No girls," he said, "the heart is simply responding to it's keeper."
"What do you mean?" asked Will, "it can't be just that."
"Will, the Heart of Candracar has come to know you better then it knew any of its previous keepers, it shares in the success and defeats with you." Will released a sigh of relief, smiling at the heart contently.
"You guys, look!" she exclaimed. The girls turned to Will and saw the heart sparkling and changing colors. It transitioned from pink to purple and rested at a deep blue.
"What's it doing?" asked Irma.
"The heart is trying to help," the Oracle explained.
"By matching her outfit?" asked Cornelia, "sure, that's handy."
"No, it's alerting you to a threat on another world," the Oracle replied.
"How does it know?" asked Taranee.
"Candracar is at the center of infinity," Yan Lin said, "therefore the Heart of Candracar is the power center connecting the other worlds together."
"Correct," nodded the Oracle.
"So, when you say worlds," Irma asked.
"How many do you mean?" finished Hay Lin.
"There are twenty different worlds with living beings linked directly to, and spaced around Candracar. You girls know of four already; Earth, Meridian, Zamballa, and Rokador," the Oracle stated.
"But why did the heart turn blue?" asked Will.
"It is telling you what world is in danger," the Oracle explained.
"But why didn't the heart tell us this before?" asked Taranee, "it would have been easier to know when Meridian was in danger."
"The closer the keeper and heart become, the more power exists between them," the Oracle answered.
"How do we know which world the heart is referring to?" asked Cornelia.
"I will tell you what all the colors correspond to after you return. Now, you are headed to the world of oceans, Korayol," the Oracle replied, "good luck guardians."
"But we've never been there," Hay Lin stated, "how can Will fold us there?"
"The heart will guide you," replied the Oracle. The girls watched him walk away, returning to the others. Turning to Will, the four girls watched as she held out the heart. It bathed Will's face in blue light, making her hair appear purple.
"Um," Will mumbled, she wondered how to fold to this new world, but did not have to think too hard. The second the world's name entered her mind, the heart leaped into the air and opened one of its customary blue folds in the air. Looping the heart back over her neck, Will led the girls through it.
The guardians appeared on the other side of the fold, but instead of landing on ground they splashed into a large body of water. Sputtering and splashing, the five guardians surfaced and looked around. Emerging from the water, they saw that the ocean extended past the horizon in each direction.
"Where are we?" asked Hay Lin, rising into the air. She blew the water out of her skirt and looked around.
"This must be Korayol," Will answered.
"So, where's the danger?" asked Irma.
"Yeah, there's nothing here," said Taranee. Cornelia flew off a few hundred feet, making a circle around the girls.
"Hey!" called Cornelia, "I see something!" The others flew towards her, searching for what she could see over the horizon.
"Where?" asked Hay Lin, "I can't see anything."
"Look out there!" pointed Cornelia. She pointed at the horizon where the water met the sky. The sun sparkled against the sea, but the water was dark where the girls' attention was directed. They flew towards the dark shapes, growing in size every second.
"They're ships!" called Hay Lin. Sounds of fighting filled the air, swords clashing, arrows flying.
"Who's fighting?" asked Irma. Swooping down, the guardians surveyed the battle below. The two ships floated in the ocean, side by side. One was constructed of bright red wood, while the other seemed to be made of a material similar to coral.
"There's Faris!" pointed Taranee. The guardians hovered over the scene, wondering what was going on. The red ship was swarming with Rokadorian soldiers, they carried with them swords and shields, just as Yan Lin had explained to them, knights without horses.
The people they were fighting against seemed as though they were part fish. They had scaled patches on their skin and were all different colors. As the girls got closer, they saw that the ship the fish people were atop was not a ship at all, but a large floating chunk of orange coral.
"We have to help them!" exclaimed Hay Lin. The others nodded and flew down into the battle. The ocean dwelling people drew back at the sight of the girls, but calmed when they watched them fight against the Rokadorians. Watching the soldiers below them, the girls attacked. Irma sent wave after wave breaking against the prince's ship, carrying many of the winged soldiers into the ocean. Once in the water, the people of Korayol dove in and attacked. They fought with more primitive weapons then the Rokadorian army, using shells and rocks to batter the troops.
Taranee blasted the ship with fireballs, lighting the canvas sails ablaze. Cornelia, being at a loss of her element, telekinetically commanded the coils of rope from the sails to twist around the soldiers still on deck. Once they were tangled, they were swept into the water and pummeled with clam shells. Irma found their plight amusing and laughed when she saw what the fish people were doing to them.
A shrill whiney erupted from the deck of the ship. A black figure leaped into the sky, knocking Hay Lin into the ocean below. Splashing into the water, the air guardian emerged and faced what had toppled her. Faris rode atop his black winged horse, hovering in the air. The horse rose higher, flapping its massive black wings evenly. Hay Lin waved a small twister towards it, but horse and rider swerved out of its way and charged her. The horse ran through the air, galloping closer to Hay Lin with each wing beat. The guardian of air dove down towards the water and the horse followed just as she had hoped.
"Irma!" called Hay Lin, a smile appearing on her face. Irma heard her call, whipped around to face them, and called up a jet of water from the ocean; knocking the flying horse and rider into the foaming water.
"Got ya!" laughed Irma. Faris and his horse burst free of the water, flying into the air. Streams of water cascaded from both the horse's and Faris' wings, tumbling back into the ocean. The prince surveyed the scene, watching the five guardians advance on him in the air. He frowned and leaped from his horse's back, hanging in the air near the water. The girls watched as he crossed his wing tips in front of him, then suddenly jerked them back. A red fold appeared in front of him; half submerged in the ocean, half above it.
"They're escaping!" Hay Lin called.
"Let them," sighed Cornelia. Will nodded in agreement and watched the fold close after the battered ship sped through it. The waterlogged soldiers had disappeared through the fold as well. Cheering and singing, the people of Korayol celebrated.
The girls flew down, landed on the large chunk of coral, and watched them dance. Up close the guardians saw these people had arms and legs like they did, but they were fully coated in scales. They had two long fins on each arm and leg, most likely to improve their swimming in the water. The creatures finally approached the girls and gave them their thanks in defeating the enemy. The girls heard a chorus of singsong voices echoing in the air, the sounds were beautiful. As the people of the water finished, they dove into the ocean without a second glance.
When the island was empty, Cornelia pointed to the center. A sparkling mirror of water was at the very middle of the coral. The girls looked over it, seeing their reflections.
"Weird," Taranee said.
"Yeah, what do you think it is?" asked Irma.
"Water?" smiled Hay Lin.
"No, really?" Irma frowned. The girls each peered deeper into the pool, pondering it's use.
"Why would the Rokadorian army come here?" asked Will, looking around, "there's nothing to see or do." Irma and Hay Lin turned away from the pool and watched the sun over the water. Will paced back and forth, stopping and looking into the mirror of liquid once more. Taranee joined Hay Lin and Irma on the coral.
"Look!" pointed Cornelia. The three other girls scurried to the water's edge, peering inside.
"Wow," Irma mumbled, "it's like seeing into the future."
"Cool," smiled Hay Lin. The girls watched themselves in the water. They had aged beyond their twenties, yet they were flying, still guardians. The images dropped into the pool and dissolved.
"Did Faris see his future?" asked Taranee, "maybe that's why he came to this world."
"But why would those fish people attack him if he just wanted to use their magic water?" asked Cornelia. None of the girls could come up with a sensible solution, so they dropped the topic. Will opened a fold and they journeyed back to Candracar. There they were greeted by the Oracle, Yan Lin, and Helinor.
"You were successful, I presume?" smiled the Oracle.
"The people of Korayol are safe," Irma replied, speaking with mock seriousness.
"Good, now we can continue," the Oracle stated.
"Continue what?" asked Cornelia.
"I was telling you about the different worlds. Each world has a different color, or set of colors, that the heart will change to alert you of it being in danger," the Oracle spoke.
"Hang on just a second," Hay Lin commented. She scurried over to her bag and pulled out her sketchbook and a pencil. "Please continue."
"For Earth, the heart will turn blue and green, the colors of your world. If Meridian is in danger, the heart will change to white, for Zamballa it will be purple. If Rokador is ever in danger of attack the heart will glow red, and if Candracar itself is in danger, the heart will change to a deeper pink then it already is," the Oracle explained. Hay Lin finished recording his words and looked to the others to see if they understood him as she had.
"But, you had said there were twenty worlds, what about the other fifteen?" asked Taranee.
"Yes, there are other worlds," the Oracle smiled, "The planet of oceans, Korayol, will change the heart to deep blue. The world of night and darkness, Nocti, will be black." He continued naming the worlds and their color combinations until he had finished; Hay Lin scribbled down the last world and its color.
"There, I think I have them all," she smiled. The girls gathered around the list and checked it over.
"Thank you," nodded Will. The council returned her nod and retreated back into the fortress.
"Time to go home," smiled Will. She opened a fold back to Heatherfield, leading the guardians and Yan Lin back home.
Episode 21 done! Up next is Episode 22 (Crying Wolf) So, more worlds. They are the guardians of the infinite dimensions, so there has to be other worlds to protect. The girls will visit some in the next episode…