Chapter 18 ~ The Evil Eye

A/N: I won't keep you long. Before I begin this, crude violence and hexes are involved in the making of this chapter. Although the magic incantations used are not real, if you don't like that sort of creepy stuff please leave now. Also, they're all in latin, with one japanese reference. You will find a small dictionary of all that is not in english at the end of this chapter. Enjoy, and leave a review. Thanks a lot for all of those received so far. =) Phantom Angel

Chapter 18 ~ The Evil Eye

It was a sunny morning, when the caravan of six riders set out on their journey to Parnassus Mountain. Folken and Kari were riding in the front, guiding everyone along the path. They had set out at the break of dawn, loading their horses with provisions and, taking all necessary precautions. Everyone was carrying a weapon. It was now almost noon, and they were at the bottom of the tall mountain. Kari looked up, eyeing the virgin forests worriedly. Parnassus Mountain was the tallest mountain in all of Gaea. No one had ever dared reach the top. Usually, puffy white clouds embroided the highest peaks. However, today, the clouds were pitch black. Kari shivered as she continued to look up.

"Something very evil lives atop that mountain." Ghanima whispered as they came to a halt.

"What makes you say that?" Merle asked her.

She and Ghanima had been formally introduced at dinner the night before, when Folken had finally returned from his journey. Merle liked the silver-eyed red head and she was happy she was accompanying them on their journey. However, Merle didn't know the slightest thing about her, except that she was a person Folken met while on his quest. (Ghanima had made Folken and Kari promise they wouldn't say she was an exiled Ispano princess) The mark with the two circles on her left arm always made Merle uneasy. Only women that caused mischief ever had those sorts of marks, though they were different. When asked, Ghanima had simply told her it was a birthmark. Merle's cat-like senses could smell the lie on her breath. So what was she hiding was what Merle had been trying to figure out.

"Umm, well, I can sense things. It's this gift I had ever since I was little." Ghanima explained.

"Lots of gifted people around here." Gaddes mumbled. As Fanelia's first general, it was his duty to protect the royal family. That included Folken and Kari. He looked oddly upon Ghanima. Almost like he found her presence there conspicuous.

"What do you sense?" Folken guided his horse beside Ghanima's and looked at her with worried eyes.

"Evil. Cold, cold evil." Ghanima said and shivered. "Just like in my dream." She thought.

"Well, I guess we're on the right track." He concluded.

"Yeah. Folken, I need to talk to you for a second. You too Kari." Ghanima told them.

The twins gathered around her, eyeing her attentively.

"Listen. We're all magic users right?" she asked them.

"Yes, more or less." Kari nodded.

"Well, I wouldn't want Lady Merle, or Gaddes, or Duncan to get hurt. I think maybe we should be the only ones going up the mountain. My magic, senses something so powerful up there, it can kill with a single thought. They're mere mortals. I don't think we should involve them in this. It wouldn't be fair. They can't protect themselves magically." Ghanima pointed out.

Folken scanned their group briefly. Whether he liked to admit it or not, Ghanima had a point. He and Kari had the pendants, and the magic being a Draconian brought. What did the others have? He couldn't risk putting them in danger.

"Yeah, you're right. We can't put them at risk. It wouldn't be fair to ask them to do something only Kari and I are responsible for." Folken agreed.

"True. That's why we won't ask you either. You stay here. It's not fair. That business with that woman is our business. We'll be back." Kari said and turned her horse around.

"Wait, I didn't mean I want to stay here. You stand little chance without me. I have great magic. I want to help." Ghanima insisted.

"Ghani, it's better that you stay here. Please. I wouldn't want you getting hurt." Folken looked at her with his shining emerald eyes.

"Folken, you yourself called me the Ikkukumono Ryuu* (Red Dragon). I'm not going to back down. I want that woman dead as much as you. She's, she's a threat for all of Gaea." Ghanima told him.

Ghanima looked at Folken with a defying look. "Sorry, but I'm not backing down on this one." She thought.

"Very, well, you can come." Folken told her. He knew from past experience that when Ghanima got that look on her face there was no compromise.

"Excuse, me, but if you're going to expect me to sit here on my butt while you guys do the hard part, you're wrong!" Duncan appeared behind the whispering group.

"Duncan! It's for your own good!" Kari intervened.

"I don't think you're one to judge what's for my own good or not. I'm coming and that's that." He said firmly.

"Duncan…" Kari began.

"Listen. We've been through a lot together. Are you expecting me just to put all that behind me? I still owe you a debt, and I'm trying to repay it. Maybe I don't have magic like you, but I sure have a brain and I plan on using it. There's no doubt about it. I'm going up that mountain." He told them.

Kari looked at Duncan angrily. "Why can't he understand? I don't want him to get hurt, and even so, none of us might come back alive. I wish he'd stop being so stubborn!" Kari screamed in her head.

"Duncan, it's really dangerous." Folken budded in.

"I don't care. Let's go." Duncan said and began to lead the way up the mountain.

"He can be so stubborn sometimes." Kari explained with an air of exasperation.

"Aunt Merle, I want you to stay here with Uncle Gaddes. We'll be back." Folken told Merle.

"But why? We need to go. The more of us, the slimmer her chances get!" Merle argued unknowingly.

"She has strong magic. You'll be in danger. Please stay here and take care of her. We'll be back with mom in no time." Folken told her.

Merle nodded. She knew that the kids always did what was best for everyone. And after her last encounter with a powerful magical creature, Merle knew she wasn't doing anyone any good if she got in the way.

"Fine. We'll stay here, and call for reinforcements. Please be careful." She told them.

The four teens acknowledged that with a nod of their heads.

"But, we should go with them." Gaddes protested.

"No, we shouldn't. Come on. Let's set camp, and I'll explain everything." Merle said and dragged Gaddes away. "May the Gods be with you." She told them.

Folken, Ghanima, Yukari and Duncan guided their horses on the narrow mountain trail leading to the top. They needed to get to the cave of Drakhs and confront that diabolical woman.

"Come on, the longer we take to get there, the longer we make our mother suffer." Kari told them.

~~~~

"Well, Lady Hitomi. It looks like your children are here. Right on time." Lucilla cackled from a dark corner.

"Leave my children alone!" Hitomi screamed. Today was the day she had been dreading. She knew that Lucilla had something diabolical planned, but wasn't able to find out what. All she got was something with an "evil eye" and an alignment.

"I'm sorry Lady Hitomi, but the ritual requires pure Draconian blood." Lucilla's face appeared from the darkness.

"If you as so much harm a hair on my children's heads, I swear you're not going to leave this cave alive you hex!" Hitomi cursed her helplessness.

"My lady! That's no way to talk to the person that holds your life in her palm!" Lucilla said, and muttered some incantations. Immediately, Hitomi collapsed to the floor in pain.

"Precor!" she heard the woman chant. The cave began to rumble, and change form.

"What are you doing?" Hitomi asked.

"I am changing the form of this cave! Your children will have some obstacles to pass before getting to me. That way, the alignment shall be complete!" A horrid half smile crossed Lucilla's face.

By now, the cave had stopped rumbling. Hitomi stood up, as she looked over the details of her prison. All over the walls, there were torches lighting the way, with a horrid black fire, which surprisingly gave light. She noticed that she was in a cage, hanging from the ceiling, atop a stone altar. There were also tunnels, and paths all exiting in the main room, where she and Lucilla were. Hitomi noticed that she was on something island like. There was water all around her, and wild plants hovering over the altar. Lucilla was sitting in a crevice, a few feet high in the air. She was hovering over her cauldron and book of spells, chanting incantations endlessly.

Hitomi shivered in fear, as she felt the darkness seep into the new foundation.

"She's strong, but she has a weakness. Vanity." Hitomi thought. She sat on the floor of her cage, trying to concentrate like so many days before. "Van, Van are you there?" Hitomi asked the same question she had been asking for weeks now. Her husband had not given her any signs of life other than quick flickers for a few days now. Hitomi was afraid his mind was damaged from the exposure to dark thoughts. "No, I mustn't think this way. If there's anyone who'll pull through, it's going to be Van." She thought. Quietly, Hitomi hugged her knees and sobbed like so many times before. She really hated giving in to the horrid creature, but there was nothing she could do. The stress and the constant worry were eating away at her unbearably. "Why can't we ever have any peace?" she thought angrily.

"Hitomi! Hitomi!" she heard a faint whisper in her mind.

"Van?" Hitomi asked mentally, unsure of herself.

"Yes, love, it's me. Hitomi, I'm so sorry I couldn't reach you until now. I've been helpless. However, now I managed to slip through. Be strong Hitomi. Believe in our children. They know what they're doing." Van told her.

"But Van, they're so young and so inexperienced in life. We're the ones that are supposed to shield them from all the pain. Not them. I'm sure they have some ideas, but Van, they're still young, so very young. I'm afraid for them. I can't let this wench hurt them. But she has already. Oh Van, I'm afraid she's going to kill them." Hitomi sobbed.

"Hitomi, I know that you want to be with them forever, but we can't protect them from life. I have all the confidence in them. We've taught them well along the years. Remember us? We never knew what we were doing, but as long as we kept on fighting, it was all right. We must let them make their own mistakes. Relax, everything will be fine." He told her.

"You're right Van. I can't be with them always. I've already been over protective as it was. I mean, they're adults by Gaean standards. It's just that sometimes, I can't let go of Phantom Moon customs." She smiled inwardly.

"I wouldn't have it any other way darling. Now sit tight. I think I've found a way out of this prison. After all, it is my mind. However, I must break away at a time when Lucilla's otherwise engaged. I'll come get you as soon as I'm free." He told her.

"Van, please be careful. I wouldn't stand it if anything happened to you. We'll be fine. Just sit tight." She told him.

"Not when my family's in danger. I'll break away somehow Hitomi. I promise you." Van told her.

"Ssh, she stopped her incantations, and she's out of the trance. We must stop now." Hitomi advised him.

"You're right. I love you, and be strong." Van said and left Hitomi's mind.

The tears had long dried on Hitomi's cheeks. For a while now, Van had been contacting her. They still maintained their link, after all those years. Together, they found out that when Lucilla was distracted, or in one of her incantation trances, they could communicate. For weeks they had been trying to get out of their prisons without success. However, today Van had found a way. Hitomi hoped everything was going to be all right. She sighed, and waited for the arrival of her children. At the beginning of the day, Lucilla had informed them that they were on their way.

~~~~

On the mountain, the group of teenagers were oblivious to the preparations of the witch. They were more worried about finding their way to the cave. It was late in the afternoon, as they were making their way through the luscious forest, slashing away the obstacles in their path. Since Parnassus Mountain was highly unexplored, there was no direct path up it, so whoever adventured upon the treacherous peak had to make his or her own path.

"Well, it doesn't look like that woman made it easy for us." Kari observed.

"No, apparently not. I think she wants to delay us until a specific point. There's something about tonight that's special to her. But what is it?" Ghanima asked talking more to herself than to the others.

"You're right. She did specifically want the pendants on this date, and this date alone. And when she contacted me, she said something about an "evil eye"." Kari told Ghanima.

"The evil eye… that does sound familiar. In my travels about the world, I read quite a few magic books. I might have encountered that somewhere, though it escapes my mind now." Ghanima said.

"Wasn't the evil eye a ritual performed when Gaea, the Moon and Phantom Moon aligned? It called forth an ancient evil sealed by the ancient Atlanteeans. Or so I think." Duncan spoke up.

"Wait a minute, how do you know about that?" Ghanima asked surprised that he even knew about magic.

"Well, my father owns quite an extensive library on all sorts of subjects. There was a time when he was fascinated by Atlantis, thus he collected lots of ancient texts. I happened upon some of them." Duncan explained casually.

"How come you never told me this?" Kari eyed him admiringly.

"You never asked." Duncan shot her one of his famous looks.

Kari growled and continued to slash the vegetation in her way.

"So tell me Duncan, what else do you know about the ancient Atlanteeans that could be useful to us?" Folken asked.

"Well, they were a very advanced civilization. However, they became extinct, because they started to fall back on their pride. By the end of their reign on Gaea, they were scornful and prideful of everything around them. They considered themselves to be gods, thus acted like so, commanding everything around them. From what I read, and what I can recall from memory, there was some sort of revolution. Then, there were no more Atlanteeans. The Draconians, who were their descendants also started to be regarded with fear by the normal society of Gaea. In time, as they were becoming more and more like their predecessors, Kings of the Four Kingdoms. (Back there, there were only four Kingdoms) banished them, and killed most of their population. At the present, I think that aside from you, your father and Kari, there are no more Draconians." Duncan concluded.

"Well, I understand you would suspect me, after all, my sister did show you her wings, and since we're twins it would be an educated assumption, but what makes you suspect my father?" Folken asked. It didn't bother him that Duncan knew their secret. He had always been a good friend that kept his mouth shut. It was interesting how he drew his conclusions though.

"There are still tales of the first Destiny War. Something about a White Dragon, flying towards the rescue of the Phantom Moon woman, sounds awfully familiar." Duncan smiled at his friend, not at all insulted by Folken's question.

"Back on the subject. What evil could have the ancient Atlanteeans locked under the spell of the evil eye? And how do the three pendants fit into it?" Kari asked.

"That part, I've yet to figure out. What if it's not evil? What if it's some power. After all, the Atlanteeans did have very strong magic. The thing is that there's so much legend surrounding their disappearance, that it's hard to distinguish the truth." Duncan told them all.

"Guys, I think you better come see this." Ghanima called out to them. She had been listening to the conversation, while keeping ahead of the group.

"What is it?" Folken asked concerned. As soon as he came up to the spot where she was standing, his eyes widened in shock.

"What? Hello, don't leave us out of this!" Kari and Duncan joined the two.

Together, they stared in disbelief at the gorge opening up in front of them. It was a huge pit-like abyss, with no visible end. From it, dark clouds of vapours swelled up and circled the forest. Any person sensitive to anything could have felt the life freezing cold surfacing from the pit.

Ghanima started to rub her hands together, while her breath became icy. "I think we found it. I think we found the Cave of Drakhs." She whispered as she started shivering even more.

"Are you ok?" Folken asked her as he felt her trembling beside him.

"No, you have no idea how much evil lurks down there. It's so cold, and unfriendly. I can feel it wrap against me, its evil breeze trickling down my spine like icicles of evil. And then I hear its whisper; so hoarse and inhuman. The very essence of everything that is dark. The very essence of that which only lies in the fiery inferno of hell. That… that which you see down-below is a portal to the world of the damned. You can hear their immortal screams if you listen well. Milleniums worth of suffering, millenium worth of pain." She whispered through clenched teeth.

Folken saw the pain encrypted on Ghanima's face. He slowly passed his hand over her shoulders, bringing her closer to him for warmth. He closed his eyes, trying to get the smallest glimpse of what the girl was saying. His pendant began to glow, and for the first time, Folken felt fear. Not the fear one feels every day. But pure fear. Thick, and suffocating, tugging at the essence of his being. Trying to shatter apart all hope for a better world. In that fear, he saw the faces of the souls burning in the depths of hell. Laughing at him. Teasing him, and telling him that there is no hope. That heaven is nothing but a lie. Telling him that all he'll ever feel is pain. Pain and fear. The two essential building blocks of chaos.

"Which way?" he asked as he broke his concentration.

His sister closed her eyes, and her hand pointed forwards, across the gap.

"But we can't go that way. There's no way to cross." Duncan argued.

"Thank god. I was afraid that she would point downwards." Ghanima breathed.

Folken looked at her, he too thankful that they would leave that place of darkness undisturbed.

"I can feel her calling. It's that way. Past this portal to the Underworld. We must leave this behind, and forget we ever saw it." Kari told them.

"Gladly." Ghanima breathed.

"So, how do you plan on getting across?" Duncan asked them.

"This way!" Kari said, and let her wings swiftly sprout out of her back.

Duncan watched transfigured, as Kari turned from the girl he always knew, to that pure goddess like entity. His blue eyes glimmered, taking in the beauty of the sight.

"That's great. But how will we get across?" Ghanima pointed out. "I understand you two can fly, but my magic is not like that. So hence, the problem." She said.

"Don't worry, we'll carry you." Folken smiled at her, while his wings sprouted out of his back.

Ghanima smiled at her angel, and she trustfully leaped into his arms.

Together, Folken and Ghanima flew across the chasm. Once on the other side, they signaled for Duncan and Kari to fly over.

"Well, I guess it's our turn." Kari said, as she extended her hand to Duncan.

"I feel so helpless." He muttered.

"Why? It's ok. Come on!" They wove their hands under each other's waists and took off.

Through the whole duration of the flight, Duncan couldn't peal his eyes away from Kari. "She looks so divine. God, I feel like I'm being reborn every time I look at her. She's so beautiful, I can't even think straight when she's around." Duncan thought, as he continued to stare at Yukari.

"What's wrong?" she asked as her chocolate eyes met his.

"Nothing." Duncan said quickly as he looked the other way, his face getting red.

Kari looked at him weirdly, but soon returned to her thoughts of getting them across the chasm.

"What took you so long?" Folken asked impatiently as they reached the other side.

"Let's just go, we're losing time." Kari said. She gave Duncan a side way glance as she drew her wings in.

Without their horses, the teens were forced to continue on foot. That made traversing the forest harder, since the vegetation did anything it its power to stop the intruders. The convoy continued in silence, everyone thinking about their own business.

"What was it about the Pendants that I heard about? I can't believe this. It's so frustrating. Why can't I remember?" Ghanima thought angrily.

"Don't worry about it. You've helped us enough already." Kari told her smiling warmly.

"How did you know I was thinking of another way to help you?" Ghanima asked surprised.

"Everyone is. But don't worry. I have a feeling we're not supposed to find out yet." Kari told her.

"But we can't go on trusting that woman! She won't ever give your mother back. Don't you understand that she's pure darkness?" Ghanima asked.

"I understand, not to worry. And I don't plan on letting that woman escape. However, we must wait until she performs the ritual, and then stop it at the precise time. Hopefully, it will backfire, and she will die." Kari smiled at the red head.

"It depends what binding spell she uses. As one that has begun studying into magic, I must tell you, it's not easy. There's spells for everything, and all can turn into black magic. However, if you're a good person, they don't. She's evil, so you must think of the potency of her spells. I'm telling you. She can kill a mortal with one thought."

"We're not mere mortals are we?" Folken, who was listening to the conversation asked.

Yukari looked down at the grass in remorse. "Oh Duncan, I don't want you to get hurt." She thought. A soft hand slipped into her own, and gave it a tight squeeze. Kari looked up, and saw Duncan's cheery face looking down on her. A broad smile enlightened his face.

"I'll be ok. Don't worry about me." He told her.

"Ok." Kari smiled back at him.

"Guys, I think we found it." Folken announced everyone.

"Where?" his sister asked.

"Right ahead. See that vine covered opening? It's a cave. What do you sense Kari?" he asked.

Kari closed her eyes, and concentrated. Indeed, she could feel the pull of a dark trait going into the cave.

"That's the one. Brace yourselves, here it goes!" she said and proceeded towards the opening.

Carefully, Yukari entered the dark cave. Folken followed her, however, when Ghanima and Duncan tried to go in, they couldn't it was like an imaginary glass wall was preventing them to enter.

"What's this? How come you can't enter?" Folken asked looking at Ghanima concerned.

"I said come alone. In case that didn't get through your thick heads, I took some precautions." A voice came from inside the cave.

"You hex! We're not leaving until we get into this cave!" Duncan yelled angrily.

"Be quiet, you reckless boy!" A see through figure appeared in the cave. She had long black hair, down to the ground, and the longest black nails anyone could ever imagine. She was robed in a black dress, that hung about her loosely. She was a tall woman, and slender too. With black-in-black eyes, and a pear shaped bony face. She had elevated cheek bones, along with a long straight nose and slim lips, painted with black lipstick. A completely horrifying woman, by any standards of any world. A true witch practicing black magic.

"I'm not a boy, and if you hurt her, I'm gonna make you pay!" Duncan said angrily.

"Ooh, that's about the third threat of that sort I heard all day!" She said yawning casually. "How about you shut up?" she said and with a single frown she projected Duncan into the nearest tree.

"Duncan!" Kari screamed from the other side of the invisible barrier. "If you hurt him, I won't do anything for you anymore!" she turned to the witch and said.

"I just got him out of our way. The same's going to happen to you too, red head, if you don't wait patiently!" the witch told Ghanima.

"You don't scare me, Lucilla." She said mockingly.

"Well, it looks like you already know my name, so no time for introductions. Just find your way to the main part of the cave. Oh, I almost forgot! Muto vester vere formo!** she chanted.

Immediately, Kari and Folken dropped to the ground in pain. Their wings violently sprouting out of their backs.

"Folken!" Ghanima screamed as she saw him drop to the ground in pain.

"I'm ok." He told her, and put his hand on the invisible barrier. Ghanima matched the location.

"Take care, and we'll find a way inside." She whispered to him.

"You too, take care of Duncan." Folken told her.

"Now that you are in your true forms, you can find your way to me, and to your mother. The longer you take though children, the longer she suffers!" the holographic Lucilla disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Kari and Folken to stare at each other bewildered.

"Well, I guess this is it." Folken said and got up to proceed down into the cave.

~~~~

"Now, the alignment is in its final stages. I shall begin building the pentagram!" Lucilla cackled from her alcove above.

Hitomi said nothing. She just hoped there was so way to stop the witch without anyone getting hurt. The cave once again began to rumble in horror as a round stony platform rose in the air. It slowly began to spin, and Lucilla flew from her crevice unto the stony platform. Hitomi estimated that it was about 100 meters wide in diameter. Placed right above the only source of natural light in the room –a window like stone hole- the platform made up almost 2/3 of the room. The queen of Fanelia watched in horror, as with only a few mystical signs, the witch made twelve stone staircases raise up from the ground and solidify the still spinning platform. Each of them had a different symbol marking the place where they reached the platform. (Lucilla, wanting to show off the magnitude of her power had given Hitomi a magic mirror through which she would witness the building of the altar) "She's more powerful than Motaro." Hitomi thought in disgust as she saw the stone on the platform rise up to create a pentagram.

"Of course I'm more powerful than him. You'd think that my son would actually be more powerful than me, but he was not. He was a fool!" Lucilla told her from across the room.

"Motaro was your son?" Hitomi asked in disbelief. No wonder Lucilla wanted revenge on she and Van. Hitomi wouldn't know what she would do if one of her children died.

"Don't be silly. I already told you that my son was a fool. I didn't want revenge on your family for that. It would be stupid, although I do hold a grudge against you for taking away a very useful tool." Lucilla continued.

"You can hear my thoughts?" Hitomi asked.

"No, I am not a telepath by nature. However, you are in a dimension I now control. Because of the pentagram that is. Anyhow, I willed to hear your thoughts. It's boring to wait for your children." Lucilla told her.

"You're sick." Hitomi spat out.

"Well, that was something unexpected. Oh well, it didn't surprise me though. When you've lived as long as I have, nothing phases you anymore."

"I've heard that once before. How old are you exactly?" Hitomi asked. She couldn't help but be fascinated by this woman's story.

"Well, how shall we put this. When Eunice was in swaddling clothes I was already much too old." She said.

"Wait a minute. Eunice is almost 600 years old, if you were much too old, are you like 1000 years old?" Hitomi asked in disbelief.

"I don't know. I lost count after the first 150 decades. Anyhow, my son was about 100 decades old when you killed him. That fool. He thought that if he locks me in the fires of hell, he can take over the world, and create what I never had the guts to do. It was wrong of him to mess with the High Order so early. They were able to stop him after all. That fool!" she spoke more to herself than to anyone else.

"Is that why you're so evil?" Hitomi asked, suddenly feeling sorry for Lucilla.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, after spending so many centuries in hell, it tends to rub off on you. Is that why you want to destroy Gaea?" Hitomi asked.

"What? No, you're such a fool! You haven't understood anything. I'm not trying to purposefully destroy Gaea, or the Phantom Moon. No, they just happen to be in my way that's all, and if they get destroyed in the process, well, it's only a bunch of mundane lives that get lost in the sea of terror." Lucilla laughed.

Hitomi's hard look returned to her face. "Just when I thought she was human…"

"Dear, I am not human. In case you haven't realised it, I am evil incarnate." Lucilla told her casually.

"No one is ever evil." Hitomi said.

"You're right. No one truly is. However, I am not human. As I told you. Well, I'm not human anymore. Let me tell you what I fuel on. I fuel on the chaos existing in those damned to hell for eternity." Lucilla said, bending down, in the middle of the pentagram, she drew an eye, standing up, with a dot on the top end, and a semi circle around everything. (A/N: email me if you want a pic of what Lucilla drew).

"What's that?" Hitomi asked referring to the symbol.

"That is the symbol of the Trickster (the devil), and the symbol of the evil eye. Tonight, it is his ritual which I invoke, to turn the power or the pendant to me, and thus break its true purpose, by filling it with black magic." She began to laugh maniacally, while Hitomi's heart shrank with fear.

"We won't let you!" she called out.

"But you already have. Now sit tight. Your children will be here soon." Lucilla told her.

~~~~

Indeed, Yukari and Folken were not far away. Only a few more twists and turns of the corridor taking them to Lucilla.

"For an evil witch you'd think she'd be more impatient in getting the pendants." Kari said sighing outwardly.

"It's not her. She's impatient. It's the alignment which must happen perfectly. Thus she created this maze to stall us until it's time." Folken explained.

"What does she want with these pendants?" Kari wondered aloud, as she took the aqua blue pendant off her neck, and swung it in front of her eyes.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling we're about to find out." Folken sighed. The end to the corridor was just up ahead. A tingling feeling set in his stomach, as they entered the creepy room.

"Ah, welcome!" Lucilla called out to them atop the platform.

"What on Gaea is that?" Folken asked pointing at the platform with the 12 sets of stairs holding it in place.

"Nothing interesting. Do you have the pendants?" she asked them.

"Do you have our mother?" Kari bit back.

With a wave of her hand, Lucilla made the cage where Hitomi was trapped visible to the two children.

"We want our mother now!" Folken demanded.

"I want my pendants first little boy!"

"Here they are!" Folken showed her both the jade-green pendant and the aqua-blue one hanging by their golden threads in his hand. Lucilla made a grab for them, but Folken flew upwards into the cave.

"Not before we see our mother safe and sound." He told her.

A frown crossed Lucilla's face. "Very well." The cage disappeared, and Hitomi appeared beside Kari. Folken smiled reassuringly. Lucilla frowned again, and a powerful something came out of nowhere washing Folken against the wall. The angel slowly fell down, unconscious, the pendants dropping from his hand.

"Folken!" Hitomi yelled as she went over to see what happened to her son.

"She's so strong." She heard him whisper before he went out cold.

"Now my pretty, it's your turn!" Lucilla, who now had all three pendants grabbed Kari by her long black hair, dragging the girl with an iron fist towards the platform.

"Let me go! Let me go you witch!" Kari screamed, yet no escape was possible.

"Kari!" Hitomi screamed after her daughter, but when she tried to move, she found it impossible. "Give me back my daughter!" Hitomi yelled angrily.

"After I'm done with her!" Lucilla told her, while laughing raucously.

~~~~

Back outside of the cave, night had settled in, when Duncan came about.

"It's all right. I think I've found a way in. Come on now." Ghanima told him getting up.

"What happened?" Duncan asked rubbing his throbbing head. He had a headache the size of Gaea. All his thoughts were wishy-washy and nothing made sense.

"She knocked you out, leaving me here with you. Here, take my hand. I'll cure your headache for the time being." Ghanima told him.

"How are you going to do that?" Duncan asked looking attentively at the red-head.

"Just shut up. The final battle's already begun in there, and we're sitting here. Come on." She said taking his hand, and giving it a squeeze.

Suddenly, Duncan's headache disappeared. He looked at Ghanima amazed.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"Magic. My rings have healing powers. I just gave you some. Come on." She said and went to the invisible barrier.

"What are you doing?" Duncan asked as he saw her put both hands on the entrance.

"You ask too many questions. I must concentrate. Her magic is strong. Very strong. But I believe I can get through if she is otherwise engaged." Ghanima said. "Come on Ghani. You can do it. You have the untapped magic of the rings, and you can't help your friends when they're in trouble? Come on damn you! Shatter!" Ghanima cursed the invisible barrier.

Suddenly, the image in front of Duncan's eyes wavered. In a moment, Ghanima called him from inside the cave.

"Come on, what are you waiting for?" she asked him.

"I never knew you had magic that was this potent." He said as he followed her in the dark entrance.

"Neither did I. This is first time for me." She confessed.

"I don't get it. Why the rings, and who are you really?" Duncan asked. He guessed that Ghanima must have an interesting past, since he had observed her manners back in Asturia, and they were most dignified.

"Well, ok, since I owe you some explanation for what I did, I'll tell you. But you must promise not to tell anyone. My life depends on it. I am the keeper of these rings, and something known in the past as a Hermit. I'm supposed to go around Gaea and collect magic, while also helping others. Thus, I have a lot of untapped magic, which, combined with the magic of the rings makes a very pure form of white magic, from which anyone can benefit." She told him.

"That's interesting. I think I read about the Hermits in one of my father's books. They lived in secret, and only showed themselves to those who really needed their help. At one time they were hunted for their magic. Over time, they became extinct. How come you're a Hermit?" he asked her.

"Well, I'm a Hermit, because I was the 10th descendant of the last of the Hermits. There's a legend that says that in every 10th descendant the magic will be strong. I found out I had magic through an unpleasant incident. Anyhow, it explained a lot of things. Like many coincidences from my past. My magic protects me amongst any other things."

"I see, so I guess you're the good witch, and she's the bad witch. Do you think she's sensed us by now?" Duncan asked.

"I don't think so. She must be really busy with the ritual. We must hurry. I suspect something horrid is going to happen to either Folken or Yukari." Ghanima told him.

"If she so much as harms a hair on Kari's body…" Duncan couldn't continue. They had finished crossing the tunnel, and now looked in on the gruesome sight.

Up on the platform, you could see Yukari in chains, tied to the ceiling, while the witch was sitting in the middle of the giant pentagram, with the pendants on some sort of small altar, chanting things out of a tome.

"It appears that I was right." Ghanima observed.

"Kari!" Duncan exclaimed and bolted out of his place to go help his sweetheart. (Of course he didn't admit that to himself)

However, Ghanima held him back with a strong grip.

"Ok, listen, we stand no fighting chance. First we must go help Folken and Lady Hitomi. Then we must confront the witch. Come on. We'll use the dark alcoves so she doesn't see us." Ghanima told him.

"I am personally going to kill her." Duncan swore through clenched teeth.

He took one more glance at Kari hanging from the chains, and felt how his anger boiled inside him even more. No one should treat his sweet Yukari like that. She was a princess and deserved all the royal treatment one could have.

"Stand in line. Come on, let's go help Folken and Lady Hitomi."

Together, Duncan and Ghanima crept about in the shadows, and reached the spot where Hitomi and Folken were glued to.

"Lady Hitomi, is Folken awake?" Ghanima asked quietly.

"Who is this?" Hitomi asked as she saw two shady figures contour out of the shadows.

"It's Ghanima, and Duncan. We couldn't get in until now. Is she performing the ritual of the evil eye?" Ghanima asked.

"Yes. She said something about the alignment of the Moon the Phantom Moon and Gaea to fuel the arising of a new power which she wishes to install into the pendant. Whatever does she mean by that." Hitomi wondered.

"Can you move at all?" Duncan asked.

"No, I've been stuck like this ever since she took my daughter." Hitomi told them.

"Ok, first I'm going to help Folken, and then I'm going to help you. Just stay quiet." Ghanima told her.

She put her small hand on Folken's chest, and willed him healed. "Come on Folken, get up, we need you." Ghanima pleaded. "I need you." She added silently.

The young boy's jade eyes fluttered open, as a picture of the red haired girl began to form.

"Now to help you." Ghanima said turning to Hitomi. She took Hitomi's lifeless hands in her own, and squeezed. However, the spell was more binding. She had to summon all her power and will to break Hitomi free. And that's when it happened. A beam of white light shot up from the sky, and Ghanima began to glow a bright and pure white. The room suddenly filled with a mist the white light was swallowing up.

"Who dares disturb the sacred ritual of the evil eye?" Lucilla roared as she felt the surge of good energy flow through the room. Ghanima dimmed, and returned to her formal state.

"What just happened?" Folken asked.

"I'm not sure. It's a good thing. Come on! We must attack now, while she's weak from the power she's expended on the ritual." Ghanima told them. She unsheathed her sword and picked a stair case, climbing up to the sacrificial platform.

"You! Who are you?" Lucilla got up, a black cloud of smoke and looked straight at Ghanima.

"Who I am doesn't matter, what I'm here to do does." She said and continued to climb the stairs. "Newfound strength don't fail me now. I need all the power to keep the darkness out." Ghanima thought, and with every step she took, she began to tremble even more.

"You don't even have the strength to walk up these steps girl. You're no match for me!" Lucilla screamed and she conjured a bolt like streak of black lightning to come shooting at Ghanima.

"No! Black magic always failed in front of white. Rumpo***!" Ghanima yelled. The dark lightning dissipated around her, like it was nothing but mist.

Lucilla screamed in agony, as the sharp blade of Folken's sword came upon her.

"You pest! I thought I got rid of you!" she said and with a single thought projected Folken in the air.

"You won't get hurt!" Ghanima screamed out, and the air around Folken thickened. When he landed back on the floor, he did a dive-roll, and came back on his feel.

With a raging battle cry, Duncan charged the witch, piercing her body deeply with the blade of his sword.

Lucilla just laughed at him, and threw him in the air. Again thanks to Ghanima he did not get hurt. Together, Folken and Duncan staged an unsuccessful attack on the witch. They fell back at the bottom of the twelve stairs. It was Ghanima's turn. She unsheathed her sword and charged the witch.

"Abeo!" she cried, reinforcing her attack with the blessing of a curse. To her surprise, even her magical attack left no scar on the witch. That's when an arrow shot into the witch's arm. She cried in pain, blood finally surfacing.

Ghanima followed the arrow's path. It led straight to Lady Hitomi, who defiantly stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring the witch straight in her face.

"That's it!" Ghanima exclaimed. "Folken use your wings! The platform in enchanted! As long as we stand on it, we can't hurt her! Use your wings!" she cried out to him.

"I'm so glad you figured it out girlie. Too bad it's the last thing you're ever going to figure out!" Lucilla screamed demonically. Immediately after that, the pentagram caught fire, trapping the witch and Kari inside it. The fires raised all the way to the ceiling.

"You won't win that easily!" Ghanima told her. "Duncan! Folken! Come here. We have to go inside the flames!" she called out to them.

They immediately came over, and linked hands. "As long as you're with me, the flames won't hurt you!" Ghanima and together they stepped into the menacing wall of fire.

Inside, the ritual was still in progress. Yukari came about only to hear the beginning of it. Lucilla was endlessly chanting the words, while hold the three pendants together.

"Come together, Power, Knowledge, and Conscience!" she called to the pendants.

A blinding flash of white light filled the pentagram. Kari had to close her eyes as it passed. When she finally opened them, she saw spinning in front of her eyes, a single clear pendant, inside it a spinning triangular pyramid, with the sides blue, green and pink, and the bottom pure white.

"At last, now I can call upon the undivided power and fill it with the darkness I require!" Lucilla laughed. She began chanting once again.

Esto excito malum oculus oriundus flamma barathrum. Surgo! Cum hae lautuminae te peragito mei creatura!!***

"Now, for the pure Draconian blood!" she said and turned to Kari while holding a long thin knife in her hand and laughing. Her black eyes sparkling with the idea as she approached closer. Yukari began to struggle, but it was in vain. The chains she was tied to were to strong. She tried to scream but found it impossible.

"Not so fast you witch!" Ghanima called as they passed through the firewall.

"What? How did you do that? Well, I don't care! I'm sick of you pests!" Lucilla turned around. "It's time to get rid of you for good!" She conjured up a huge ball of black mist.

"Go, I can hold this off! Do as I discussed!" she called to Duncan and Folken.

They nodded, and Folken took off, taking care not to touch the flames. Ducan ran to Yukari and freed her from her chains.

"Are you ok?" he asked her.

Kari just nodded, and unsheathed her sword, trying to charge at Lucilla.

"No, we have something else to do. We must complete the ritual in the name of good. One of us must become the keeper of that pendant. Come on, let's go find the book." Duncan told her.

"You're right. I think I have it figured it out. The pendant can store unlimited good power. Or some sort of good thing. Anyhow, Lucilla wants to turn it into a pool of darkness. We mustn't let that happen for the sake of Gaea. I think I know what I have to do." Kari said. They headed to the middle of the pentagram.

Meanwhile, Lucilla kept on conjuring balls of darkness, and throwing them at Folken and Ghanima.

"This is pointless. We have to distract her somehow!" Ghanima called out to Folken.

"What other curses do you know?" He asked her.

"I don't know anything really potent. I usually don't use magic to get rid of people. I'm not sure what will work against this." She called out to him.

"Invent something. We must give Kari time to figure out the ritual." He told her.

"I'll try! Ok, here goes. Blast you! May you not have proper aim!" Ghanima called out.

Indeed, the next few balls of black mist Lucilla threw did not aim to their proper destinations. However, they soon returned to normal.

"Try something else. Something more potent!" Folken called out.

"May you be blinded by your own mist!" Ghanima cursed. Nothing happened.

"Oh gosh, that was a fluke! And any curse invoked only works once in a day since I'm not a black magic user! This is bad! She's pissed! Let's run!" Ghanima told him, and they rotated behind Lucilla. She spun around, her mist clinging to her worse now, and eyed them menacingly.

"It's time to end this!" she cried out.

"Yeah! Folken, attack her! I'll protect you from her magic. Just make sure that you're not touching the platform when you attack!" Ghanima told him.

Folken nodded. He began to run across the pentagram, diving the flying balls of darkness…

Meanwhile, back at the center of the pentagram, Kari and Duncan was struggling to figure out the ritual.

"We need a drop of Draconian blood, and the person needs to say, in the name of good, become of me!" he told her.

"Are you sure?" Kari asked.

"No, it says what you have to do when you want to turn it bad. I just inverted it!" Duncan confessed.

"Well, here goes. I know nothing about magic, and if I die because of this, I'll come back to haunt you. It's our best chance, so let's go. What do I say? In the name of good become of me?" she asked.

"Yeah." Duncan said.

For a mere heartbeat, there were no words spoken inside the pentagram. Only the burning of the fire echoed in the distance. Kari cut her finger on the blade of her sword, and with the trickling blood fresh on her hand, she touched the see through pendant. "In the name of all that is good, become of me." She said clearly.

The pendant began to rise in the air, glowing a soft a piercing white. Duncan watched fascinated as the pendant absorbed the fresh blood, and glowed so bright, it sent a thunder-like shock of lightning through the pentagram. Then, it came down and rested into Kari's hand.

(Back to Folken and Lucilla)

"Noo!" Lucilla screamed as she felt the shock wave pass through her. She felt how her darkness slowly began to dissipate in the way of such powerful good magic. Finally, she saw Folken coming towards her fast. He did a dive roll again, and jumped high in the air, his blade stopping precisely in the witch's heart. Lucilla screamed and agonising scream of terror, as she looked at the blood pouring from her. She conjured up all her powers, and the bleeding stopped down to a trickle.

"You can't kill me that easily!" she smiled at Folken who was standing there not believing his eyes.

"Yes we can. Power of Evil, be gone!" Ghanima yelled, as a ball of pure white magic formed in her hands. She threw it at Lucilla knocking her down to the floor, and finally dissipating any leftover protective mist.

"You may think you've won! But I'm going down, and one of you is coming with me." She cursed, and with her last bit of magic threw an icy black ball at Folken.

"You're coming with me, boy." Lucilla said before the last breath left her body.

The ball made it's way towards Folken quickly, sizzling with the destructive power within it. There was no time to react, it was coming so fast, even the blast of the impact would kill him. Folken looked at Ghanima with the most soft glance his jade eyes ever gave anyone. He was whispering something, as the ball was getting closer. And it was, closer, and closer, and closer.

(A/n: How many of you thought it was gonna end there? Haha, I hope I've terrified you once again!!!!!! ne how, on with the story.)

Ghanima watched in horror as Lucilla threw her last bit of devastating evil at Folken. She screamed in fear, as she saw the ball make its way to the one boy she truly cared about.

"I won't let you die. It can't end like this. Blast you Lucilla, blast you. Well you haven't won! He won't go down with you." She began running towards Folken, hoping to get him out of danger. It was no use, she was too far away, and the ball too close by. "What good is this blasted magic if I can't help the one person who needs my help. I know I should be able if not to stop or slow time to transport me to a location. I beg of you my rings. I beg of you, please help me save the one person I love." Ghanima was caught in a slow motion warp. A place where her thoughts raced faster than time. "Yes, I've finally admitted it. I love Folken. I love him so dearly I'd give my life for him. Not like I'll do much good anyhow. I mean as a Queen, I could have changed how things were in Ispano, but now, now I'm just a lone Hermit. Well, everyone's got to die someday, and if I die today, saving the one person I care about, then I'd have fulfilled my purpose in life. I love him. I love him for all the sweet things he said during our journey. For the care and trust he showed me. But most of all for the fact that he didn't give up on me when I had. He helped me, and accepted me for who I was even before I knew what I was capable of. How could I not love him? Of all the things he did for me, the least I can do is save his life. So help me you blasted rings. I never really believed in magic. I never really believed I had it. So prove yourselves. Get me there before that thing kills him, and I'll be your protector forever." Ghanima finally came out of her slow motion warp. And then, it happened. The rings on her hand, and the mark on her hand began to glow in unison. For a moment, Folken saw Ghanima not as she was now, but as the protector of the rings she was. With the stigma of the rings on her forehead, and her long hair touching the ground, he saw the goddess she was a descendant of. But then, the goddess disappeared, in a flash of light, and Ghanima appeared in front of him pushing him out of the way, just as the last of Lucilla's power came to the end of it's destructive journey.

The ball of power hit Ghanima, and short circuited through her, enveloping her in a cloud of smoke.

"Ghani! Ghani!" Folken screamed as soon as he saw what happened. She had pushed him out of the way. She had saved him, and was left there facing the consequences. For something that was destined for him.

As the cloud of smoke cleared up, Ghanima slowly fell to the ground. Folken ran to her, and cradled her body in his arms. He placed soft kisses all over her face, while saying her name over and over again.

"No Ghani, why did you have to go ahead and do that? Why did you have to push me out of the way. It was all right. Ghanima, no, it's not fair. You of all people deserve to live. I won't lose you to that witch damn it. I won't! I won't because I don't think I can go on without you! Do you hear me? I can't go on without you, so you better not leave me Ghani! You better not!" Folken hugged her lifeless body, as hot tears streamed down his face. It was the first time in his life when he was crying, and as he tasted the ashy taste of the tears, it angered his heart even more. "Why did she have to die. Why did she have to die. Oh Ghani…" He couldn't continue, as he looked at the pale body in his arms. He just continued to hug her tight, as he prayed to all the gods in the world that she would be all right.

*Author's Note*

I think I'll leave it at that. Hehhe, keep you hanging for the next chapter. Damn this is long! Soooo long. Lol, 22 pages if you don't count the gap. Well, I hope you've enjoyed this. I think it stinks! I seriously think that. The fight scene was sort of corny. Oh well, I still can't do it as good as Marilyn. But hey, I try! Hehe, oh well, ne how, hope you liked it. I'll leave u hanging about what happens to Ghani. I do hope it all made sense. Would you have guessed who lucilla was? Ne how, I do hope I made sense. Email me if u want a pic of the evil eye. I have it. ne how, please tell me what made sense and what didn't I hope u liked this chap. There's still a few more surprises around the corner. I'm not quite done with you. This is a wild ride! Please review and tell me what you thought. Ne how, comments, suggestions ne thing. Oh yeah, dictionary of all I said back there.

* Ikkukumono Ryuu= That's the red dragon, as in hot tempered. The dictionary I used was stupid at that's all I found.

** Muto vester vere formo= Change to your true forms
*** Rumpo= Shatter
**** Esto excito malum oculus oriundus flamma barathrum. Surgo! Cum hae lautuminae te peragito mei creatura!= I call forth the evil eye arising from the fires of hell. Arise! With this pendant I shall be your mistress. (That's all folks, or at least for tonite)