Chapter 3: The Four Corners
"Aren't you coming?" Charles asked Sabrina as he stood up and she stayed seated. She shook her head.
"No," she said. "It's none of my business what she tells you, nor is it anything I need or don't already know." He noticed that both Jordan and David had stayed seated as well. He nervously followed Millie down a hallway and through a doorway. There was a narrow path that led to a large book on a podium. A row of candles on both sides of the path lit up the room. Beyond the candles and against the side walls of the room, were shelves of books and other stuff.
"What is this?" Charles asked.
"This is our Altar Room," Millie said. "It's where we keep everything that's magic-related, such as potion ingredients, vials, exedra. But most importantly, it's where we keep our Book of Shadows." She motioned to the book at the end of the path.
"What's the Book of Shadows?" Charles asked.
"It's a book passed down families to aid future witches against evils that they have once met or triumphed. It also lists spells and remedies. This was passed down to me from my mother." The Book's pages were yellow with age and the cover was made of brown leather and had two golden squares overlapping each other. One was upright, and the other one was tipped to a diamond.
"What does all of this have to do with me though?" Charles asked, restlessly.
"It's got everything to do with you," Millie said. "You and the twins, for they too, are part of the Four Corners."
"The Four Corners?"
"It's what you four are called in the prophecy's writings," Millie explained.
"Four? There are only three of us."
"Yes, the fourth one is still a mystery to us all. We have no idea where she is, but hopefully with you three together, you're combined power will be able to sense her."
"This is insane," Charles said. "I'm not a witch. I don't believe in magic. I'm a Christian."
"Many magic possessors are Christians. And you are a witch, with a very particular power, which I hear you've experienced a number of times, in your dreams."
"Those are just coincidences," Charles reasoned.
"You saw the demon!" Millie said, loudly, but not exactly meanly. "You foresaw his attack. Unfortunately, you didn't have the power, nor the knowledge, to ward him off. He is very strong, and not even a powerful witch, like your mother, could fend him off by herself." Millie paused to take a breath. "You were gifted with the power to foresee things, to see visions of the future or past. You will be able to use your power more actively once you are reunited with the last Corner."
"First I'm a witch, now I'm a Corner too?"
"Yes, each of you represent a certain one's power and characteristics. You happen to be the South. Jordan is the East and David is the West. And as I said before, we are yet to find the North. She must have been born to Cowans, which are non-witch people."
"How do you know it's a she?" Charles asked.
"By the writings of the prophecies," Millie answered. "The prophecies tell a lot of the four of you. It tells of each of your powers, which is foresight for you, cloning for David, mind control for Jordan, and illusion casting for the fourth Corner." Charles let out a small groan because of how weak his ability seemed. As if reading his mind, Millie said, "Don't worry, your powers will grow and you will gain new ones as time goes by."
"So the four of us do what exactly?"
"Fight demons, warlocks, and other evil beings of course."
"But technically, aren't I a demon? My father was a demon." The mere thought of having an evil father tore him inside.
"You are only half demon," Millie said. "You were raised by good magic. Plus, you are half good witch."
"What is so special about us? You seem a lot stronger, so does Sabrina."
"You are correct," Millie said. "I am strong, but it took me years to get this way. Though I haven't seen the extent of Sabrina's powers yet, she must be strong to be chosen to lead you to safety. Putting all that aside though, you will grow into your powers, and become stronger and stronger as your bond with each other grows."
"But I don't know them," Charles said.
"It's never too late to make new friends. Now, why don't you three meet up for now. I think your cousin and I need to chat." She led him back out to the living room and asked Sabrina if she could speak with her. Sabrina left as Charles sat in his original spot.
"So…" Charles said uncertainly, trying to start conversation. "How are you?" Jordan
stared at him for a while with her deep brown eyes.
"Ah, don't mind her," David said. "She's always prissy." She turned her cold gaze onto her brother. The two had never gotten along. All through their childhood, they had been so different. Jordan was the strong, independent one, while David was the sarcastic, friendly one.
"Prissy, am I?" she asked. David put up a weak smile. She then turned to Charles, looking slightly nicer. "Excuse me. I'm going to go…away from here." She got up and started going up the stairs. David got up to follow her, so Charles decided he should too. "Any reason you two are following me?"
"To annoy you," David admitted.
"Because I have nothing better to do," Charles added.
"Well, come with me," she said to Charles. "Let me show you around." Once they reached the top of the staircase, the hall split in two. Either way you looked, the hall seemed longer than the house had seemed outside.
"Why do you need this much room for just the three of you?" Charles asked.
"There are more than just the three of us," David said.
"We are almost like a magical hotel," Jordan added. "People, like witches or other good, magical beings, stay here. Our mom even trains young witches down in our gym."
"I'd love to go practice," Charles said, excitedly.
"Maybe later," David said. "You don't even have an active power yet."
"What do you mean by active power?"
"Well, none of us have one yet," Jordan said. "In fact, David and I don't have any of our powers yet. We won't be able to get them until we're united will all four of the Corners."
"You're lucky to be able to experience yours' early," David said jealously.
"But anyways, an active power would be one that causes actual damage. None of ours do that yet, but hopefully, we'll be able to get one soon."
"Can I at least visit this gym?" Charles asked. "At least I might be able to see a witch in action or something."
"Sure, why not," David said, leading him back down the stairs. Jordan lagged behind. They went through the living room and then the dining room and to a door that Charles had not noticed earlier. David opened and revealed a stairwell leading down to a basement.
"Doesn't look like anyone's down here," Jordan said. "The light's not on."
"We can still go down," David insisted. He turned on a light revealing a man in the center of the gym. The man was large with a mean look on his face. He held a sword in his hand.
"Argh!" he yelled in response to the light. "Why'd you turn that thing on?"
"What were you doing down here with it off?" Jordan asked, suspiciously.
"Practicing," he said. "What's it to you?"
"In the dark?" David asked.
"I happen to have great sight in the dark," he said. After that, he stormed out of the basement through some alternate exit.
"What's with that guy?" Charles asked.
"He arrived shortly after you did," David said. "He's been an ass since he got here." After all of that was over with, Charles finally got the chance to look around in the gym. It was amazing. It was humongous. There were weapons along each wall and all sorts of exercise equipment in an adjoining room. He grabbed a sword off the wall and spun it around.
"Careful there, swifty," Jordan said, grabbing the sword from him and putting it back. "We better go back upstairs. Mom will probably want to talk to us." Together, they went back upstairs and into the living room. Millie and Sabrina were there waiting for them.
"Good," Millie said. "You three are back. We have much to do and not a lot of time to do it."
"What is it?" David asked, noticing that his mother looked worried and that's not something she is very often.
"Well, after talking to Sabrina here, I found that it's only a matter of time until Axict tracks us down. We need to move swiftly."
"What can we do?" Charles asked, getting worried as well. He didn't want the same thing to happen to his new friends as what had happened to his mom and aunts.
"We won't be able to stop him until we find the last Corner."