Ch. 1 - Going Under
The Legend
"Powers born of love, but doomed to suffer a devastating loss. The leader, known as the Titan, the magician of fire, was the strongest of the group. Quick to act, and not to think, he was almost the death of the Quartet multiple times. The Supreme, known for her beauty and strictness, was a sorceress of water. Whether it was the ocean or a river, her view ruled true. To the sky, was The Maiden, with an amazing temper, and an even larger heart. Able to form a tornado with the wink of her eye, or to cause a hurricane with the flick of her wrist. She was the Witch of Weather, and an ever watching guardian. And finally, The Artist. Ruler of the ground, and anything that grew from it, he could make anything beautiful. He could also destroy anything. Volcanoes, earthquakes, mudslides, nothing was beyond him.
But, there is a dark side to this tale. For every strong source of good, there is a strong source of evil, and this tale is no different. Simply known as End, he was the fear of every living thing in the world. End had no specific form, taking whatever he needed. Ruining anything that got in his way, the Quartet was the only thing he couldn't beat. The only way to beat him was with the Quartet.
The Quartets power comes from the love of those around them, but that is also their only weakness, for any heart can be darkened and tainted. End could poison anyone against another, which is why The Quartet was doomed to suffer loss. Their families, their source of power, had to be erased, simply gone forever. To the regular world, there would have been simply no memory of them, but to the Quartet, there would be the loss of loved ones, loved ones they could never see again…
The Battle for the Earth between Good and Evil will come to an end, the only question is, who will win? Will the Quartet be victorious? Or will End put an end to the war, the Earth, and all its inhabitants…"
Patch looked around. The hard stone walls of Castle Morgana looked back at him. So much had happened. His family had disappeared, his friends' families had done the same, and not only that, but they had been told that they were the only chance of saving the world. Patch Hopkins and his three best friends Jamie Baker, Amber Whitfield, and Jordan Mitchell are the Morgana Quartet.
Patch was 15, with black hair, and green eyes. Five-seven, around 145 pounds, and had strong features. His father's cheek bones and his mother's eyes. He loved his family. His older brother Arthur had helped him through so much. His father had always helped him, and his mother was his closet friend. All that changed when he found out that to save the world, his family had to die.
They had had powers all their life. Their parents knew, and they always tried to keep it a secret, but helped their children to develop their powers. By the time they had all reached 15, the kids were very, very powerful. They could do anything with their powers.
The four friends were the most powerful generation for one reason: they loved their families. The love and support of their families is what had produced their powers. Unfortunately, it was this same love and support that had sealed their fate. The quartet's powers came directly from their families. To completely gain control of their powers, the families had to die, and their love would be with the Quartet permanently.
Jamie Baker, 15, a blonde, with beautiful brown eyes, and a nice body, was someone everyone could get along with. She was a wonderful person, and helped everyone. Five-five, and 135 pounds, this girl had it going on.
Jordan, 15, had blonde hair, green eyes, and was relatively built. He was someone who you knew was in charge in the tough situations.
Amber Whitfield was Jordan's cousin. Amber, 16, with red hair, and blue eyes, had pale skin, but it suited her. She was a beautiful girl, and she loved to hang with her friends.
They found out a week after Jordan's birthday. Jamie and Patch had gone on a vacation with some friends, and took Jordan to see a movie for his birthday after they got back. On their way home, a fire had started. They had run inside, and saved the people in the building. When they had run out, Amber had healed a little girl who was badly injured, and someone had caught it on tape. It was on the news that night, and they were exposed. The media had surrounded their houses, and even tried breaking in.
As they left school a week after the incident, a man had told them to come with him, that he understood their powers. They had said no thanks, but they had no other option when the man formed a ring of fire around them. They followed him into some woods, and when they reached the center of the woods, they found a small cottage. He invited them in, and once inside explained to them why he had brought them.
"Hello, I believe you are Patch." He nodded at Patch, and Patch just blinked, still stunned that the guy knew his name. Jamie, Amber, and Jordan had the same reaction, though Jamie had the common sense to ask how he knew their names.
His answer was even more amazing. "Because," he began, "in my world, you are prodigies, The Morgana Quartet, to be exact. He told them the legend. None of them took him seriously, that was until he showed them a book, a book that contained the legend, along with pictures…their pictures
"My name is Alex McCormick. I have been sent to you by the Board of Trustees of the Castle Morgana, a school for," he paused as he searched for the right words, "the gifted." You four are the Quartet, believe it or not, and are the only way of saving the world.
They looked at him like he was crazy.
"Maybe there is an easier way to explain this," he said.
He walked over to a small pool-like area in a corner.
"Come gather around, and I will show you, rather then tell you, ok?"
They all did as instructed. They listened as he said what seemed to be an incantation.
Pool so cool, pool so clear,
Give me power, to see and hear.
Show to us, the future, present, and past,
Show us what has, is, and will come to pass.
The pool began to shimmer, and then Alex said, "A year from now."
The pool twisted and turned, and then an image started to form, become clearer with each second. It was them, but they seemed mad. They seemed angry at each other. Then Patch saw himself create a fireball. He had never done that before, and then watched as he threw it at Jamie. She was covered in fire, and you could hear her scream. Patch felt as if he would pass out, and he was about to throw up.
Then Amber screamed something, and lightning struck Patch, and he hit the ground. Then Jordan and Amber looked at each other, and then Jordan threw a ball of what looked like sand at her. It engulfed her, and she couldn't breathe. Before her last breath, and made was seemed to be a whip, and slashed it at Jordan, and the whip struck him in the heart. Both fell to the ground, dead.
"This is the unfortunate outcome of the Morgana Quartet, if you do not take up my offer. I can teach you the ways of the Order of Morgana. You can stop this from happening, but there is one thing you must know. To prevent your own deaths, you must end all your personal connection except for with each other, including your families."
They all looked at each other. Is this guy freaking nuts? What does he want us to do, kill our families? Then Patch walked over to him, got on his knees, so that he was next to the pool, and said, "Mr. McCormick, this isn't funny. We are leaving, and you need to get help."
With that, Patch, followed by Jamie, Amber, and Jordan, walked to the door.
"I'm sorry, Patch, but this is no joke. He snapped his fingers. The door snapped shut, the windows closed, and the locks all locked. "Patch, I am very serious. Now sit!" With those words, the four of them were thrown at the couch, and couldn't move.
"With that, I am going to continue. The sorcerers of Morgana have protected this planet for over 1,000 years. Things, dark things, have tried to destroy out planet for many, many years, and you need to listen. A creature is coming, the Ultimate Evil, and it might already be here, and it is what caused that scene in the pool to come to pass. "
He stopped to make sure they understood.
"Do you know where you powers come from? They come from the love and support of your family, but you can only have the full extent of your powers if that love and support is taken away. By not seeing, and feeling it everyday, you actually grow from it. Your families must be cut out of the picture, otherwise the world dies. I am giving you a choice. Come with me, and leave this place, and we can save this planet, or, you can serve the fate that you just saw. I will give you a week. Meet me here then, and come with your answers. Do not force someone to come. Even if one of you doesn't want to serve in the Quartet, we can still win, but it would not be guaranteed. Now leave." With a wave of his hand, then were thrown off the couch, and landed with a thud on the ground, and the cabin disappeared.
"This is stupid," said Patch.
"I don't know," said Jamie.
"I think we should do it," Amber stated. She always loved helping others.
"Are you guys crazy, we have to loose our families!" Patch was ashamed of them, "What is wrong with you guys?"
Jordan looked at him and told him what Patch would remember his entire life.
"Patch, look at us. We aren't normal. We were given these powers for a reason. We can save people. Our families will be with us forever. There is no changing it. This is the way it was meant to be."
Patch thought about what he said. After almost 10 minutes, he replied.
"I don't know if I can do it guys."
"We will all have to. We will spend the rest of the week with our families. Meet back here, a week from now, and be here at 7 a.m." Jordan looked at them, and they nodded.
That week was the saddest week of Patch's life. He treated his family like gold, never arguing, and making sure they all knew he loved them. The night before they were to meant to meet at the cottage, he sat and talked to his family. He told them that he loved them, and that he would be with them forever. He went to bed, and that was the last time he spoke to them again.
The next morning he got up, kissed them all goodbye, and left for the cottage. He met the others there, and they went inside. Alex was inside, and stood when they entered.
"I see you all decided to acknowledge your fates. I need you all to come with me."
He took his coat and walked out the door. He led them into the woods, and they reached a cave.
"You guys must help me confirm your powers. Chant with me, and I will tell you when we are done."
Powers given with an unfortunate end,
Take them around the final bend,
Elementals circle near, confirm their powers,
The rest of their days, the rest of their hours.
They chanted for at least a few minutes, and then wind picked up. It got faster and faster.
"I know what is going to happen. If you would like to watch your families' last moments, then watch the walls of the cave."
It was like a four way mirror. On each side of them was one of their houses. They could still feel the wind. It had picked up, and then Amber saw it.
"It's…it's…a tornado!"
Sure enough, a tornado was racing at their houses. They couldn't move. They watched as the tornado took their families away. There was no wreckage, no nothing. They just stood and watched, until the girls broke down crying. The guys held the girls as they cried, and stayed strong for them. Though no one could see, the boys were crying, too.
After the tornado was over, they returned to the cabin. Alex started in about the Order of Morgana, but when he realized that nothing would get through to them, at least on that day, he asked if they would like to go to Castle Morgana. They all replied yes, and they were instantly transported to a huge castle. They were lead to their rooms, and after realizing that their things were all here, that they would start the destinies tomorrow, and that they were heartbroken, they hopped into their beds, even though it was noon, and all cried themselves to sleep.
As he lay there crying, Patch thought about what had happened to him. Then he heard a voice.
"Don't cry, Patch."
"Who is there?"
"I am a…friend. A friend named Dantalion, but you can call me Dani."
The Voice stopped talking. Patch wondered if he had made it all up, until the Voice made sure he knew he wasn't making it up. Patch was nervous at first, but talked to the Voice for a while.
"I am a part of your powers, but I can only stay here if you tell no one of me, at least not until you develop your powers. Then you can tell people. You can tell no one of my existence."
"I won't," said Patch.
"Good, we can be very close friends. Don't cry young master. I will help you deal with the loss of you parents. I will help you. Now rest."
After Patch was asleep, the voice, Dani as it called itself, thought to itself.
"You will be mine young one. My ultimate weapon. I will make you my own little demon…"
It laughed evilly. No one knew, but the ultimate evil that Alex had spoken off had already arrived, and Patch was the unfortunate host to one of the most dangerous, evil creatures alive…