Hello to you all! You know, I'm getting tired of writing these long intros when all you want to do is skip over them and read the story. Just me blabbering really so just read on ahead to the chapter you have waited for! The three Guardians, Phoebe, and Ona arrive at Carver Caves to see if this place holds a key to the mysteries revolving around these girls and the mirror….
Chapter 10: Carver CavesHay Lin's POV
Wind, blissfully swimming in the air with pure lightness and bringing sweet delight to the air Guardian. Usually…Hay Lin felt the breeze whip around her face and lifting up her skirt but then shivered. The wind was hollow and cold, maybe as a warning for them not to go near the caves. She shrugged and let out a deep breath. It doesn't matter anyway, she thought with determination. We have to go through, even if nobody in the last century has done it before. Besides, she was a Guardian, and had her best friends to help her. Well, she thought with a small pang of sadness at looking at the girls behind her. Almost…
"Thanks for the lift Peter." Cornelia said shyly with a wave of her hand. Hay Lin snapped her head to her right when she heard something from the girls and Cornelia did so too with an angry glare. Onalia started whistling and Phoebe was massaging her throat.
"Sorry. Bad cough." Phoebe said lightly. Cornelia gave a sniff and started walking near the rocks covering the mouth of the cave. Hay Lin glanced back at Taranee saying goodbye to her brother.
"Yeah, tell Mom that we have a history project about these caves and thought that it would be a perfect opportunity to really capturethe feelingif we were here." Taranee told Peter. He smiled at her slyly.
"You sure you aren't just here to try to sneak into the caves?" he asked with a grin.
"Honestly. We've come to find the secret of these caves." Taranee said innocently.
"Okay, Sis. I won't tell Mom anything." Peter said as he motioned zipping his lips and throwing away the key. Peter backed his car up and rode away. The distant sound of the tires scratching against the rocky dirt was held in Hay Lin's ears until the only thing she could hear was the wind whistling in her ear. And silence amongst the girls looking up at the cave entrance set above a few piles of rock and dirt.
"There's a bit of a climb here. Not a lot, but you want to make sure you don't slip on any rocks. That happened to Irma once and boy, did we almost get in trouble!" Hay Lin yelled while she started stepping up on the rocky trail. Everyone else nodded and stated to climb as well.
"Too bad this secret isn't about finding out how all these rocks and boulders blocked this cave." Ona called out and she started lifting herself toward it.
"Wait. Maybe it is." Phoebe said. Ona stopped and the other girls climbed over a huge boulder and then walked forward to join her.
"Maybe if we can get inside, we can find out how this got blocked and whatever else there is in there." She continued.
"Whoa!" Hay Lin exclaimed clutching her head as she neared the caves.
'Welcome, Guardians! Enter!'
"Did you guys hear that?" Hay Lin asked. Taranee and Cornelia nodded but Ona and Phoebe shook their heads. Hay Lin shrugged and kept walking.
"It was that voice again. Wait. There's a bit of sharp rock on the sides there so watch it while you're climbing." Hay Lin added helpfully. She hopped over a rock and grabbed the edges of another one to lift herself up onto level ground. She turned back around and held out her hand to boost Onalia above the rocks. She slipped on a smaller one with a gasp until a hand popped out of nowhere and grabbed Ona's other arm.
"We've got you." Taranee told her encouragingly. Ona stumbled into the dirt and wiped some sweat off of her face. Convinced that everyone climbed the rock piles alright, Hay Lin turned around and could now truly see all the giant boulders blocking their entrance. They were piled high, stacked and fitted so closely together, it was no wonder that no machine could lift them. Well, the machines always got broken or something when upon the cave, so Hay Lin wasn't really sure anyone had ever tried.
"It's been 100 years since anyone has been through this cave." Hay Lin reminded everyone again as they all nodded and looked around at the rocks.
"There's even a rumor that a dead body in there!" she said excitedly with a spooky chill.
"For goodness sakes, Hay Lin!" Cornelia yelled grumpily. "We need to be focusing on how to get inside, not about the mysterious history of this place or any rumors that may have reached your ears!"
Hay Lin sniffed and rolled her eyes. Then she just grinned with a thoughtful expression.
"Hmm…how to get in. How to get in…"
"It seems like things get all wacky and cuckoo around here if you don't have magic." Ona stated.
"Of course!" Taranee exclaimed. "Somebody is expecting us, knowing that we are the Guardians and have the magic to get inside."
"But, without the Heart of Candracar, how would Cornelia be able to move all of those rocks alone?" Hay Lin questioned. "Those things are too big for our powers right now."
"Well, maybe you and Cornelia could work together." Phoebe suggested. "I mean, Cornelia move the rocks while you help her lift them with air."
Hay Lin looked at Cornelia who nodded and stepped forward with her hands placed at the base of the pile. Well, it was worth a shot.
Hay Lin lifted her arms above her head and grinned when a cloud of air twirled around her playfully. Cornelia's eyes were squinted and as she focused her power, the rocks began to shift. She clenched her teeth with pain and Hay Lin directed the air to help Cornelia lift the rocks easier. It's working, Hay Lin cheered to herself after placing a couple of rocks off to the side. Now all we have to do is-
A deep crumbling and shifting in the rock interrupted Hay Lin's cheerful thoughts and Cornelia started backing up slowly until she reached Hay Lin.
"Um, I think we shouldn't have started at the bottom." Cornelia stuttered with wide eyes.
The rocks started to crack and then they all fell to the ground, hitting other rocks and tumbling over the dirt. It was an avalanche!
"We're going to die!" Onalia screamed as they all started running back to where they had just climbed. They stopped at the edge and turned around to see rocks moving past them and falling down, gathering more and more, which started to tumble into the road that Peter had just driven on.
"Oh no!" Taranee cried. Onalia screamed as a huge boulder rolled from the mouth of the cave, threateningly moving toward the girls with a dangerous speed. Hay Lin gasped and almost screamed. They couldn't run out of the way with all these other rocks tumbling to their side. They were so sunk!
"Don't you have powers?" Phoebe yelled with fear at the tumbling boulder. That was when Hay Lin composed herself. I'm the air Guardian, she exclaimed to herself. Even without Will or Irma here, we can still work some magic! So why is that stupid rock still coming for us?
Cornelia and Taranee seemed to think Phoebe was right too as they walked in front of Phoebe and Onalia, beside Hay Lin, and held out their shimmering magical arms in front of them.
"Oh, we're still going to die!" Onalia cried and Phoebe just sighed and looked up at Hay Lin with a smile.
"Oh, come on. Just trust them." She said. Hay Lin felt grateful that Phoebe trusted in the girls' magic, but there was no time for thank yous' when the boulder was about to run off of the short cliff, and take them along with it!
Hay Lin listened to the cold wind and gently made it into her own magic. Grinning excitedly, Hay Lin felt her heart well up and then she could feel and even stronger wind whirling around her body. Her arms in front of her, Hay Lin opened her eyes to see Cornelia and Taranee to have done the same thing. They had transformed. Tall and beautiful women were standing where school teenagers had been just seconds before. But without the Heart of Candracar…well, they might be able to tackle a stupid boulder with their magic, but what would happen if they encountered something horrible in the caves and they weren't strong enough to prevail?
"Ah!" Ona yelled in horror. Hay Lin, Cornelia, and Taranee thrust their magic forward before the boulder could wipe them off their feet. It stopped for a second and then toppled over near Taranee.
"Whew! Lucky we didn't panic." Ona said as an impersonation of Ron Weasley. Phoebe rolled her eyes and grinned until her eyes wandered over to the cave. Hay Lin followed her view and realized that it was open. Dust from the rocks and dirt floated in the air come out of the cave. Hay Lin looked again and noticed that Cornelia was striding up to the entrance with pure confidence. Phoebe and Ona were close behind and Taranee grabbed Hay Lin's arm and they all walked cautiously inside.
"Hello?" Hay Lin yelled, her voice echoing off of the walls with a hum. "Um, who's here? Who called for us?" Hay Lin listened to her own voice bouncing around in the cave with rhythm, but still, no answer.
"Maybe she is somewhere inside or something." Taranee offered. "Let's go in but watch our step for any sign of danger."
"Okay then." Phoebe said as they all slowly made their way through the murky cave. Hay Lin could definitely tell that this cave had been closed up for 100 years. It was all dusty and murky with a humid touch in the air. Hay Lin coughed a little. It was hard to breathe where the air wasn't very fresh, so speaking that she was all about the air.
"It's getting too dark in here." Cornelia told them. "I can't even see my feet in front of me."
"Let me take care of that." Taranee said proudly. Her hands suddenly lit up with dancing flames that she let go for light to their path. That is much better, Hay Lin admitted to herself, finally able to look ahead of where she was walking.
"Hey! There's a tunnel!" Hay Lin exclaimed while pointing excitedly at a few yards in front of them. Hay Lin ran up to it and examined it from the outside.
"Odd. Why is there steel stuff along this?" Cornelia asked.
"I don't know, but I think people would do work in here you know." Hay Lin told her looking at the wide hole. "At least before 1905. That's when the cave mysteriously caved in."
"It seems like a mystery that is just waiting to be solved then." Phoebe said brightly with a sly smile. Her green eyes were sparkling with mysterious wonder and she started to walk through the tunnel.
"I know! That's one reason why it's so cool to be here!" Hay Lin exclaimed. "I know there is somebody waiting here for us, but we're making history! Nobody has been able to experience this and be like us!"
"Yeah, just like no one else has the job to go around and fight monsters to save the world. Now move it Hay Lin! The hole isn't that big." Cornelia said annoyingly. Hay Lin stuck out her tongue and clambered into the long tunnel. They started walking for what seemed like a very long time. Did it ever end? It seemed eerily quiet and still. Hay Lin didn't really feel comfortable even breathing in this place. It was so uncomfortable and…it just made her feel weird. And woozy, and so very cold…
"Uh oh!" Hay Lin cried, realizing what was about to happen before she could see it heading right toward them! A sharp wind suddenly passed through the tunnel, it blew everybody back a couple steps and sent them all staggering and closing their eyes with pain.
'Come! Come to me!'
The wind stopped and the girls all fell forward toward the ground in surprise and weariness. Hay Lin shook her drowsy head. Man, that was some blow, Hay Lin thought to herself as she tried to stand back up.
"Whoa! Everyone okay?" Taranee asked. Hay Lin nodded her head but she wasn't so sure.
"Still in one piece, if that's what you mean." Onalia replied while blowing a strand of loose hair out of her face. "What was that strange wind about?"
"I don't know, but it was that voice, that woman's." Phoebe answered. She looked into the dark end of the tunnel curiously while Cornelia squinted her eyes in confusion.
"Something's wrong." Cornelia admitted. She looked up at Hay Lin with puzzlement. "I don't feel right."
"Neither do I." Taranee responded.
"Well…can you turn your fireball hands back on Taranee? It's even darker through this tunnel." Hay Lin told her. Hay Lin could barely see her friend nod her head and hold her hands cupped in front of her. Hay Lin held her breath and waited her the warmth and bright flaming light Taranee was about to give out. But…nothing?
"Uh, problem." Taranee stated in bewilderment. "Nothing's happening!"
"What!" Cornelia exclaimed. She went up to the wall and squinted her eyes in concentration.
"Did you hear me Earth? I command you to move!" Cornelia declared. Nothing shifted though, not even a handful of dirt fell to the ground. She stepped back with her mouth wide open in anger and frustration. Ona and Phoebe looked at each other with worry and Hay Lin felt her mouth get drier. If her fellow Guardians' powers weren't working…she could only expect the same thing for her.
"Air!" Hay Lin shouted with her arms above her head, eyes shut tightly. She didn't feel the joyous rush of the wind twirling around her like she normally did. She opened one eye cautiously and then let out a big defeated sigh. Their magic was gone! Poof! Disappeared!
"Our powers aren't working!" Cornelia yelled angrily. "What's happening?" Ona started looking thoughtful for a moment.
"Well, even cell phones don't work in tunnels. Maybe you'll get your connection back when we get to the other side." She joked. Hay Lin looked back toward the dark beyond ahead of her. That was, if they made it to the end. They had been walking for nearly half an hour, and yet, there had been no sign of when they were going to finally climb out of this place! And who knew what kind of monster or trap could be waiting for us up there, Hay Lin thought worryingly. And without our powers here…who knew what would happen…
"Well, we have to keep going." Phoebe said. "We have to figure out if there's a way to get us all back to our proper worlds. You won't get all of your true power back anyway if Will and Irma aren't back here with you." Hay Lin nodded. She had a fair point. Hay Lin managed to put on a brief smile and lock her hands together with Phoebe and Taranee beside her.
"Let's go then! Hold hands so that we can stay together and the two on the outside can feel the walls. We'll be out of here in no time!"
"It's already been thirty minutes…" Cornelia retorted, but she faltered and took a hold of Ona's hand who was clasping Phoebe's.
"Okay! Here we go! Step one!"
Hay Lin took a step and felt once again that she was being pushed back by something. It was either something invisible blocking their way, or something very visible, but not to someone who was looking around in the dark. She hit the ground hard anyway and heard the other girls groan in pain. She started to look around and stare into the darkness without moving until her eyes adjusted without light.
Hay Lin rubbed her head and moved her now sore legs. What happened, she wondered as she glanced back to the entryway that for some reason, they weren't able to enter. Ona got back up and touched it curiously before getting bounced back and nearly hitting the wall.
"Ouch! Well, I guess it doesn't like us then." she exclaimed while rubbing her backside.
"I don't understand. How come we can't get through?" Cornelia questioned. Hay Lin thought for a moment.
"It seems like something invisible is keeping us back, like it doesn't want us to get through. And we can't use our powers-"
"Where's Phoebe?" Taranee suddenly called out. Hay Lin glanced around. Where was Phoebe? It didn't take her long to finally see her and when she did, she let out an amazed gasp.
"Phoebe! How did you get through it?" Hay Lin yelled. Phoebe shrugged like she was amazed of it herself.
"I don't know. I think I have to keep going though."
"Are you sure? You don't even have any powers." Hay Lin said reasonably. Phoebe nodded and looked behind her into the pitch black beyond.
"I'm the only one who can go. I've got to see what that secret is." And with that, she turned around and Hay Lin could protest no further before Phoebe walked out into the empty darkness.
Ooooh. Mystery for you guys to wonder about. We'll get back to the girls in the 12th chapter, and that's where it gets interesting, if it hasn't been already. Check my bio page for an update and preview of the next chap! In the next chapter, you get to learn all about the magic mirror and a mysterious Ring of Secrets. Where it all started, around a hundred years ago, with a former Guardian of the Veil. A woman named Amelia…