Well, it's about time I can just sit down and write! I never really knew how much relaxing time I had during the summer until I started school. I'm even busy on the weekends! Thankfully, you will get some answers in this chap, and of course, a surprise ending. Alright now, let's get to the 12th chapter!

Chapter 12: The Ring of Secrets

Phoebe's POV

Phoebe narrowed her eyes in hope of seeing anything but darkness. She held out her arms to start feeling her way with the help of the walls. It was too quiet here. Phoebe felt very alone in the dark and cold without Taranee's helpful fire to let her see, or Hay Lin's cheerfulness and knowledge about the caves, or Cornelia's firm attitude and calm reasoning that would help them solve this mystery. Most of all, Phoebe wished her best friend, Onalia, was walking in the dark blindly with her. She probably would crack a couple of jokes and talk about how cool it was being in Heatherfield to get Phoebe's mind off what she really was thinking of.

She was thinking of a monster popping out around the corner and tearing her bits to bits. She could probably fall through a hole in the ground and never get out. Many things could happen to you in the dark, especially when you're alone.

"And if anything happened to me," Phoebe whispered to herself. "Not even the Guardians could get me out. They couldn't get past the end of the tunnel. Only I could…"

Her voice trailed away and got lost in her head. How was I the only one to get through, she thought to herself. Her left hand suddenly went sideways and she turned to her left slowly and continued taking baby-steps alongside the rocky wall. I just kept walking, I looked back, and all of them were lying down, wiped out from a blow that didn't even hurt me.

"Maybe, I stepped through before that thing was activated and bounced everyone back." She said. The thought left her when she actually remembered Hay Lin stepping before her and then Ona's hand slipping away from Phoebe as everyone but her went flying. Phoebe understood if it was Cornelia, Hay Lin, and Taranee to go through to continue the journey through the caves. They were the ones with powers after all and could help whoever needed them so badly. And if she and Onalia went through, it could be another mirror trick thing where they'd go flying through another world, hopefully going home.

'To me…'

Phoebe gasped quickly and looked in all directions, which didn't help much considering she was as blind as a bat. She shivered again and pursed her lips together.

"That voice. Maybe that's why I came through. I was the first one to keep hearing it." Her feet seemed to be moving steadily forward and her eyes widened in curiosity.

"I'm going to find out who that is. That's why I came here alone. I have to understand what the heck has happened to Will, Irma, Ona, and me." She walked along the wall and turned again.

"It's the same voice that told us to go to Carver Caves." She told herself.

Phoebe walked more confidently and bravely.

"It's the same voice that has been leading us in this place."

She closed her eyes quickly until her hand was trying to hang onto nothing in the air.

It's the voice that told me to go through the mirror.

Phoebe couldn't say that last bit out loud because she was so surprised at the sudden end of the wall. A rock leaned against the wall at a weird angle. She pushed it to the side a bit and wassurprised as dusty air forced itself out and caused her to start coughing.

"Wow. There's a room in here." Phoebe told herself. She pushed herself through the small hole and squinted in the dark.

"I wonder if there's a light. It should be around here somewehere." Phoebe walked around the edges of the walls and bumped into a stand. She felt her hands around it and found that a candle sat on it.

'Come to me.'

Phoebe stood up straight and looked around blindly. Her muscles tensed and fear ran through her body quickly. She didn't like the feeling of being all alone in the dark where she couldn't see who was talking to her.

"What? What are you wanting me for?" Phoebe's ears adjusted to the quiet stillness. Except the stillness suddenly contained small poundings on the floor. Somebody is walking towards me, Phoebe thought in panic. The feet kept getting closer and Phoebe bent down for something to help her.

"A lighter, matches..." Phoebe said frantically. Matchescame into her graspwhen she slid her hand to the left and she fumbled for one while the gentle 'plop plops' got nearer and louder. She started striking the match hurriedly with the strange feeling that something was going to grab her.

"Come on!" she urged with panic. The match finally lit the candle with flame and Phoebe spun around. The footsteps had stopped, leaving only a draft of wind blowing around the room. Phoebe directed the candle to see the whole room. Her heart felt like it had stopped and Phoebe actually thought that she should have listened to Hay Lin as she gasped with surprise and fear. At the far edge of the room, perfectly straight and undisturbed was a full human skeleton.

"Oh. My. God." Phoebe breathed. Her eyes were transfixed on the skeleton. She was speechless and didn't dare moving. Her mind seemed oddly blank but her arms and legs seemed to have broken out of the trance. She placed down the candle and the room did seem a bit brighter. Slowly and cautiously, Phoebe moved across the small room until she was in front of the skeleton. She took a deep breath and leaned down on her knees.

The skeleton looked to Phoebe like it used to be a girl. A few wisps of hair were stuck to the scalp and scraps of fabric were hanging off the body. Phoebe looked into the empty eye sockets. She could just imagine eyes looking back at her with life, but now they seemed so, empty…

Something flashed in the corner of her eye. Phoebe's eyes immediately swayed to the skeleton's bony finger of its hand that was lying with purpose on the chest. On it was a beautiful ring with a small and oval shaped glistening ruby that was sparkling in the candle light. Phoebe moved her head to the side curiously.

"I wonder what happened to her. How did she die?" asked Phoebe. "Who was she?" She moved her finger forward.

"This ring…" Her finger touched the ruby surface. She looked back at the empty eyes and gently slid the ring off and into her own hand. She started to back away to examine it until suddenly, the skeleton's other hand reached out and grabbed her arm with the hand clutching the ring.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Phoebe screamed. She jumped back and started backing away toward the hole. After coming into Heatherfield and seeing the Guardians do magic, yeah, she could deal with that. Having a skeleton that was very dead five seconds ago suddenly grab your arm and start standing up with fragile legs that shouldn't even be able to stand up? Ha! In her dreams was she going to just sit there and have tea and cookies with a zombie!

"I'm so out of here!" She yelled. She turned around quickly. Phoebe was majorly freaked!

"Wait Phoebe!"

Phoebe stopped. That voice, she thought. It sounds so desperate, and familiar. She slowly turned around to look at the thing standing before her. The skeleton was surrounded by a golden light and Phoebe stared in awe as it started to fill up in the shape of a body that once must have stood in that very spot some hundred years ago. Blue eyes came out of the light and stared at Phoebe with care. Strawberry blonde hair tumbled below her shoulders and down her back and a long white gown swished by the woman's feet. A warm smile formed on her lips until she opened them to make a sound.

"Phoebe?" The woman stepped forward and the golden light started to disappear. "Don't be afraid. It was I who called you." She explained.

Phoebe wanted to scream that there was no reason why she shouldn't be afraid, but the woman felt comforting to her and honest. Phoebe moved back a little to the middle of the room.

"Who are you?" she asked. The woman smiled as if waiting a long time to finally reveal herself.

"I'm Amelia, my dear Phoebe. Amelia Renee Whitfield."

"Hang on. Whitfield? Are you related to me or something?" Phoebe stuttered lamely. Phoebe let the disbelief of Amelia appearing calm down to mere curiosity. The grin on Amelia's face answered her question.

"Why of course! I am your great, great-grandmother. Now, I am guessing that you have a lot of questions on what has been happening to you and your friends, but we must make it quick. I can't let Luba find out what I'm doing, by talking to you."

"Luba! How do you know Luba? Wait a second. If you are related to me, how are you connected here, but you must have been, um, are you in Candracar?" Phoebe blurted out so many questions at one time; she thought it would be a wonder Amelia understood a word of it at all.

"Calm down! You always were the curious one." She beckoned Phoebe closer and Phoebe moved again. "Yes, I am in Candracar now. Yes, I do know Luba, as much as I wouldn't want to, that witch." Phoebe smiled up at her great, great-grandmother and laughed to herself. Of course someone in her own family wouldn't like Luba. Phoebe didn't like her herself in the books.

Then it all really hit her. She really did want answers, real answers to what happened to them that rainy day in the bookstore. How, why did they go through that mirror and switch places with Will and Irma? Now staring at Amelia just standing there, willingly there to give her answers seemed unbelievable.

"So, how are you in Candracar?" Phoebe questioned. Taking a deep breath, Amelia opened her mouth to speak.

"That's a long story and I can't give you many details because there are more important matters to settle. I'll just come out and say it. I was a Guardian a very long time ago, here in Heatherfield. I was the keeper of the Heart of Candracar and worked with my best friends, Kiari, Rebecca, Danielle, and Sarah to protect the universe from Prince Phobos's evil."

Phoebe's mouth dropped open. She was a Guardian! And she was the keeper of the Heart of Candracar? My gosh, Phoebe thought with a slight headache. I don't understand what's happening here. She turned her focus back on Amelia.

"We worked well for years until we finally got a break from our Guardian duties. We each went our own separate ways, never to be the team we were ever again. And then, something terrible happened. My best friend, Kiari, fell ill."

Amelia glanced at Phoebe quickly. She gave a sympathetic nod for her to continue the story.

"Before she passed away, she made me promise that I'd find a better place. A place where I could live a happy life and get away from all of my hurt and sorrow and start again with a new hope. Aworld with no evil jumping through portals to harm everyone. Do you know what that place was Phoebe?"

Phoebe looked down for a second and responded.

"It was our world, wasn't it? It's Earth, almost exactly like here." Amelia nodded.

"I was so amazed at all the similarities. And yet, all the differences. I was in a new world where I could love and have children with many friends and neighbors. Even if Phobos has heard of this new world, he has never been able to reach it. I have made sure of that."

"But how-"

"Have you been wondering what brought you here? About how that mirror that transferred you and Onalia to Heatherfield and Will and Irma to our world?" Amelia asked with her eyebrows raised.

Phoebe stopped right there. That was exactly what had been bothering her this entire time! She hadn't truly been able to enjoy herself here with that little mystery nagging her in the back of her head. She was very eager to hear the explanation.

"Yes! Why us and them? Why that day? Why is all of this strange stuff happening to each of us? And what, is that mirror?"

"Well that mirror, it was I who made it. Made it a magical doorway between worlds anyway. I used the Heart of Candracar and I actually made a split in the universe. I passed through it and fell into the grass of a whoole new world. That's when things became troubling."

"How?" Phoebe asked.

"I couldn't close the mirror! The Heart of Candracar turned all scarlet and started banging into the mirror as if to go back through it. I realize now that that Heart wasn't meant to be in that world since you can'tjourney to Candracar from there. While I was there, the Oracle actually couldn't watch me and keep track of me since I was in a part of the universe completely beyond his reach. His only faith was that I would return to Heatherfield sometime before dying to reunite with the Council."

"Wait. What do you mean that Heart." Phoebe blurted out. Amelia either didn't hear her or was ignoring her since she went on with her story.

"Since I couldn't close the mirror with the Heart, I went back and used the Heart of Candracar to enchant something else dear to me to become the key to the doorway to which you can travel through universes of worlds at just the picture of what you're looking for in your mind."

"And?" Phoebe urged. She felt that they were taking too long to get to the information she really needed. And besides, she was wondering what the other girls were doing. Did they somehow get through the end of the tunnel, or were they just sitting there worryingly wondering if she was doing alright on her adventure alone. Amelia seemed to think that she needed to hurry it along also to which Phoebe was grateful.

"I got back into our world and was just about to close it when I saw Cedric standing on the other side. I got it closed before he could get through, but he and Phobos from then on knew my secret. There was another Earth out there just waiting for him to takeover. I couldn't let that happen so I vowed never to leave until I died. I did live the happy life that Kiari wanted me to have. I met a man I loved dearly and started a family." Amelia looked at Phoebe sweetly.

"Oh, I have waited a long time to see you Phoebe." She said with a smile. "I wish this could be about family reunions or even just straight out answers. But I promise that you will understand everything soon."

"You mean you can't tell me why we went through that mirror?" Phoebe asked with some disappointment clearly expressed in her voice. Phoebe felt a firm and warm hand on her shoulder.

"I can't tell you everything, because I am not even sure of what will happen. Not even the Oracle can tell, for our choices in life can choose which path our destiny takes, you just have to know when to take the right one. Are you listening?"

"Yes."

"That ring that you hold in your hand, well that is the key to entering all the worlds in existence. It is the Ring of Secrets. Everything is real when you can see it clearly in your mind. See this place? Heatherfield, only what you used to think was only an imaginary city that was home to five powerful girls in a wonderful book. Now wouldn't you say that this is just as real as you have always wanted it to be?" asked Amelia with her eyes sparkling.

Phoebe nodded and looked around.

"I have always wanted it to be, somewhere inside of me, even if the real side of me kept saying to grow up because it would never happen outside of my dreams." Phoebe whispered. Amelia nodded.

"Yes, yes. Now Phoebe. That ring in your hand. The one with the power to open up the entire universe. It is in your hands now. Take good care of it and don't let anybody take it away from you. The entire universe is open to you now."

Phoebe stopped smiling and her eyes opened wide with disbelief as if someone had thrown a hammer into her fantasy world. This was a little more of a serious matter than it seemed a few minutes ago.

"Me? Out of all people, you are giving it to me!" Phoebe squeaked.

"It was part of my pact. Use it wisely and not just to go any old place unless it is an emergency or if something is calling for you. There are still many dangers in the universe, especially if things that are supposed to stay in a world get out. Oh, Phoebe." Amelia said sweetly. "I have waited so long just to talk to you. You are the first girl to have my blood run through the veins." Her hand moved softly onto Phoebe's cheek.

"You are so beautiful. You have my hair with Henry's color. Your eyes must come from your mother's side. And your smile… I know that smile anywhere. You have a willingness to believe and achieve anything placed before you while your curiosity and courage can get you in quite some trouble." Amelia said with the last part adding a wink. Phoebe giggled.

"I promise that you will understand everything. I sent a message a long time ago on that mirror. It is to you. You need to read it and let the future events take place. The day you stepped through the mirror, exactly 100 years before was the day I died and went back up to Candracar to make a pact between the Oracle, Luba, and myself. You will come to know what happened, but now isn't the time." Amelia said quickly.

"But couldn't you-"

"Phoebe, you have the ring now. You can go home."

Phoebe brightened.

"Really? I can!" Her thoughts went back to her mother and brother sitting at home. Wei, Eva, Rachel, and Erika laughing together came clearly into her mind too.

"Use the ring, look in the mirror, it takes you where you see." Amelia confirmed.

"But-" Phoebe looked up when Amelia started looking around the room with alert. It was as if she had heard someone.

"Luba! She's coming! She sounds urgent…and angry. I have to go dear Phoebe." Amelia surprised Phoebe and swept her up into a hug.

"Be careful. Put on the ring, you'll know how to use it. Read the message on the mirror. Tell the Guardians everything before they go charging into Candracar wondering what on earthis going on. And be safe. You'll be wonderful, Phoebe. I know you will."

"But I'll be wonderful-" Phoebe reached out her hand but Amelia stated slinking away out of the light. Everything sunk back into a skeleton that fell gently into its earlier position as if it were never disturbed. Phoebe's hand was in front of her, still grasping the air.

"At what?"

I can't believe all that just happened, Phoebe thought to herself as she felt her way quickly along the wall. It didn't seem as dark as before and she could move a lot quicker now that she didn't think the ground was going to open to a trap door and swallow her whole.

Not many kids can go and say they talked to their great, great-grandmother. Well, not many kids at all would talk about anything we just talked about! Phoebe opened her hand where she could just see a ring shape lying in her palm. She picked it up and gently slid it on her right forefinger.

A great feeling of warmth coursed through her body. She flexed her fingers, loving the comfort of the ring. I wonder what it would be like to go to different worlds! I wonder how it will feel to go back home!

Phoebe felt a sigh of relief. She could see the end of the tunnel and she started running toward it. Phoebe could just imagine going back. She would miss Heatherfield and the Guardians though. They had been so much fun when they weren't going through some disaster. Phoebe just wished that she could somehow meet Will and Irma too. She stepped through the end of the tunnel into the wide cave floor triumphly.

"I'm back you guys!" she shouted. "I'm sorry it took so long, but you won't believe who I just-" Phoebe gasped when the first thing Phoebe saw was Cornelia lying on the floor at the far side of the cave not moving and Hay Lin a couple of yards away with her hand to her head and Taranee leaning over to help her. But where was Ona?

Taranee looked up and seemed nearly terrified that Phoebe was back.

"Phoebe! No! It's a trap!" she screamed while running toward her and waving her arms. "It's Cedric!"

Something huge and green moved by Phoebe and whipped Taranee off her feet and sent her flying until she tumbled back onto the floor.

"Taranee!" Phoebe yelled, starting to make her way across the ground. More green flashed in her peripheral vision and Phoebe spun around.

"Huh?" she said while looking around. She turned around again and saw the most gruesome thing she had ever seen. Phoebe took one look at the red mask covering its face and knew that Taranee was right. Cedric was here. She looked over to what he was clutching in his left hand and was shocked to see Onalia hanging limply and blacked out.

"But what-"

Another flash of green was the last thing she saw before something slammed into the back of her head and knocked her unconscious.

Oh? Does anyone want more? Proud to give it to you! When I can of course. Yep! We're back with Phobos, who is definitely trying to get some answers out of Onalia and Phoebe about how they knew about the Guardians, him, etc. in the 13th chapter! Only 6 more chaps to go until there's more of P.o.w.e.r.! Yay!