Chapter 15: There's Something Gruesome in the Air Two
In a time when the world is going through a lot, I would like to send my warmest and most earnest wishes for good health, prosperity and a brighter future to all of you. Everything will be fine, we just have to be heroes and stay at home!
The blizzard made their flight through the Heatherfield sky quite difficult. The cold wind and giant snowflakes were hindering their eyesight, but Taranee managed to create a faint ellipse of fire to make way through the thick walls of rime. Cornelia, however, didn't seem to find that enough:
"This is hectic!"- she huffed, flying closer to Taranee as to hide from the snow. It was pretty much impossible- it was everywhere around them. "How are we expected to find anything in these conditions?"
"Cornelia, creating these conditions was the only way to deal with the plague!"- her friend retorted. "If it wasn't for the snow, the insects would've caused mass panic and whatnot in the city!"
"I get that, but how are we supposed to find the so-called source of this plague without Will, is beyond me!"- Cornelia didn't back down. "The Heart is what felt the danger hanging above Heatherfield in the first place. It's the only radar that can lead us to the primary cause for this travesty!"
At that, Taranee didn't reply at once. She had to give it to Cornelia, she knew how to make a point. And even when she argued, it was usually only because she was always looking for the most straight-forward, rational, and clear-cut way to proceed. But unfortunately, their tasks as guardians often lessened any such possibility. They had to take risks and chances and always make their way, even through the most unlikely situations.
"Perhaps there is another way to get to the causer. If whatever sends all these insects on enthralled swarms is in the boundaries of the city, I'll get us to it."
"How?"- Cornelia snapped, struggling to keep closer to Taranee's fire ellipse, desperate to hide from the blizzard's ice wind. The guardian suit protected her from freezing, but not from the nasty feeling that the cold brought with itself.
"Heat Senses."- the other guardian retorted shortly, but firmly. "If heat-sensing can sense the presence of living beings, it should as well be able to pinpoint the exact place from where all the swarms start their way."
Meanwhile, back at the observatory...
"For our next song, we'll need a volunteer from the audience. You there, sir? Do you mind coming here in the front?"- Matt was struggling to keep the people in the main hall of the observatory occupied by now.
Most of them had quickly grown bored of his improvised performing and their initial courtesy was speedily disappearing. The young artist hadn't expected anything different- most of the people present here we not in his target group by any means, he was just hoping that the girls would be able to handle the crisis sooner. As for the people in the main hall, they were here to enjoy and take pride in the spirit of Astrofest and the beauty of the skies... Not in that of his songs, as Zacharias made it clear:
"Enough is enough. We're not here for a pop-rock concert, young man. This is my grandson's first Astrofest and I respect his decision to make his friends a part of the program, but this has been going on for almost an entire hour now. We have to discontinue the singing, have a few last words with our guests and let them go. The observatory needs to get ready for the following day too, after all!"
Matt moved his eyes from the elderly man to Caleb, who just shook his head firmly. They couldn't let the girls down now, and the other guys knew it too, that was why Martin took the initiative by walking to the front and replying to the old astronomer:
"Mr. Lyndon, that might not be possible."- he approached Zacharias with his phone in hand. "There's a wild blizzard out in Heatherfield. It probably is a bad idea to let all the guests out in a moment like this, am I right?"
"A blizzard?"-Zacharias exclaimed in disbelief, then he adjusted his glasses and took a look at Martin's smartphone's screen.
"It's all over the news!"
"A white arras wraps around Heatherfield, woven from the threads of water and air, met to stop the greater evil. A miraculous blizzard takes the city by surprise! Stay tuned for the latest news surrounding this meteorological phenomenon."
"Reporters these days."- Zacharias's son, Charles, shook his head as he stood alongside his father. "That doesn't even sound like a properly written article. A 'white arras', who says that? Dad, maybe we should offer the rest of the observatory to our guest's disposal until the blizzard subsides? And maybe reschedule tomorrow's as a part of the program?"
But Zacharias was no longer listening. He looked lost somewhere between reading the article from Martin's phone and coming to realize it.
"Dad?"
"Yes, Charles. Of course."- the mustached man replied, although he was obviously not assimilating his son's words. "Would you all excuse me, please? I have an urgent thing to scrutinize."- Martin caught his phone in the last minute before it hit the floor, as the old man bolted right through the doors of the main hall, which Will had just unlocked to use, remaining oblivious to the fact that they have ever been locked.
"Oh, great."- Charles murmured, scratching his blond beard. "First Louise and Eric disappeared now my father has a tantrum...This Astrofest is just disaste- Everyone, just remain calm."- he quickly changed the tune once he noticed a reporter approach him. "The blizzard had us by surprise, but everything will surely finish finely. Follow me please, I'll show you to a more suitable sitting area."
"What is Mr. Lyndon talking about?"- Will demanded, as she lined up with Caleb and the other men from their circle. "Louise exited the room? How the hell is that possible, we locked this place up before rushing to fight off the bugs?"
"Louise exited the room?!"- Caleb repeated and looked around the hall that was being emptied at fast speeds. All the people were going after Eric's dad.
Martin, Peter and Nigel did the same and then looked at each other with worried expressions.
"There's another door behind that sculpture."- Julian and Cassidy announced as they came from the other end of the spacious hall. "We couldn't have known-"
"The bigger question is why would she sneak out like that."- Cassidy looked up with concern written on her face, as everyone gathered around Will.
"She probably went after Eric- "- Matt deducted and bit his lip. "But if that is so..."
"...She might run into Yan Lin and Nerissa, who are currently taking care of his body. And that's a terrible possibility."
"Oh, no! We must warn them!"- the former Water guardian decided and started attempts to contact her friends by telepathy.
"I beg your pardon?! His body?"
"Yeah, do that, Cassidy. He... Eric was stung by bees."- Will finished grimly and specified as to answer Nigel's shocked exclamation. "I sent the girls to take care of the swarms around the city, the blizzard was created by them."
"But who did this, Will?"- Cassidy once again asked the question everyone had in mind. "Phobos?"
"Everything's possible."- the redhead murmured. "Right now, we shouldn't sit around and play the guessing game. I better go out and help the others. Heatherfield has to remain oblivious to this plague of insects, but the blizzard won't go on forever. Once the weather normalizes, new swarms may return. We need to find the source of their power here in the city."
Everyone went silent for a few long seconds.
"Well, shit."- Peter said. "Good thing its December then. Because that blizzard would've been a crazy sight during summer- "
"Will? What are you all doing still here?"
"Oh no-"
Her friends cleared the way to her, as Will suppressed the desire to slap her own forehead. Her mother was coming right their way with her handbag swinging on her left wrist, and Dean's wrist over her right one.
"Well? Come on, Charles said he'd take us to a sitting area."- Susan reminded the group. "We better go there and get something warm to drink as we wait for this ghastly blizzard to die down. Hey, where are the other girls?"
Matt and Will looked at each other.
"Well, actually, Susan, we volunteered to help Eric with some things in his wing."- the dark-haired man began before his girlfriend could. "The others will join us momentarily, they're just...off to get some refreshments from the cafeteria."
Susan looked at him rather incredulously, but as everyone else nodded innocently, she couldn't insist. After all, they weren't kids anymore.
"Fine, but you at least come with us, Cassidy. You're pregnant! You need to sit down."
And as Susan obviously wasn't going to retreat without dragging someone along, Peter nodded and prompted his girlfriend to follow her. Cassidy didn't look too convicted at first. She was too worried about not being able to contact Nerissa and Yan Lin, but in the end, she reconciled. Maybe whilst sitting she'd be able to establish a better telepathic connection.
Once her mother and stepfather had walked out of the main hall, Will turned to her friends with a firm expression on her face and last words:
"Alright, guys. Trek the observatory and offer your assistance to Mrs. Lin and Nerissa. I'll meet up with the other guardians and we'll be in touch. Matt, keep your phone's sound on. Something tells me that we're far from over with today's crisis."
"Are you sure you want to do this, Yan Lin?"- Nerissa asked as she watched her friend haste around the bedroom. "I'm just asking you because I know you and I know that what you're striving to do will leave its marks on your soul. You cannot handle darkness, old friend. You never could."
"It has to be done, Nerissa. Louise is going to cause major disbalance not only in Hay Lin's relationship with Eric but also in Heatherfield... She is one of these people who have forced Earth to forget magic in the first place. She needs to forget."- Yan Lin sighed as she made her way to the bed where they had placed Louise.
Thankfully, she had had a doze of forgetting potion at her disposal back in the Silver Dragon, which she had been able to teletransport in her hands. Now remained the hardest thing to be done- the ex-guardian was about to inject the potion in Eric's mother's veins and terminate her memories from the past couple of hours... But that was easier to be said than done.
Yan Lin could feel her hands shaking with the brand-new, unopened syringe and needle in them. Her friend was right and she knew it. She was letting her emotions take the better of her and were about to expose her heart to darkness with what she was about to commit- a transgression against this woman's memories. She had only done this once and it had been to save her family and marriage. Now she was about to do it again to save the same things, but for her granddaughter.
"I'm not saying that it shouldn't be done."- Nerissa's voice attracted her glance. "All I'm saying is that I'm worried about you. This might result in badllier consequences for you rather than for me. Let me do it. Why tarnish your perfect file in front of Kandrakar when I'm here?"
Yan Lin couldn't hide her smile, despite her own nervousness. Nerissa was looking at her, with arms on her chest, and a seldom-seen sight- her piercing green eyes hid no back emotion; not even a hint of her usual playful mockery or belittling light. She was looking back at her friend with nothing but concern and sincere desire to help, and that was one of these moments that helped Yan Lin believe that serving Kandrakar had never been in vain.
"Nah, I will handle this on my own. You're done with taking all the blame for everything that happens, I already told you that post your smoking of the peace pipe with Kadma and Halinor. Take the time to revel in your second youth and family, and stay away from darkness yourself, Nerissa."- and the old lady stroke the other woman's cheek with mother-like affection.
Nerissa smiled in response but couldn't shake off of the bad feeling as she watched her friend proceeding to inject the potion in Louise's veins. But in the same time, she considered her words to make sense. Maybe the wisdom of the east was unlimited...
The sudden noise at the door that they heard, just when Yan Lin had successfully injected the lying woman, made both her and Nerissa flinch, but the former Air guardian managed to grab a hold of the former keeper's wrist and turn them both invisible before the door of Charles and Louise's bedroom opened...
"Julian!"- his wife's sudden exclamation of relief made the newly entered man look around himself in bewilderment.
"Nerissa?"- he almost whispered. "I had the feeling that you might be here."- he focused his dark orbs on the two women who became visible again. Yan Lin looked visibly drained and out of breath from using magic and had to lean on her friend's shoulder.
"What is she-"
"It's a long story, but Louise is out of harm's way."- Nerissa answered as she felt the man's gaze shifting to the woman on the bed.
"Never mind."- Julian sighed. "We must disappear from here; Charles is headed this way and I had to get here before him just in case. I'm glad that I did, but now we must hurry."
"You did well."- Nerissa agreed as she fondled his face and had him hold Yan Lin from her other side. "Our telepathic channels are almost unavailable for some reason, I could sense Cassidy trying to make contact, but I never made her words out."
"I'll explain on the go."- her husband nodded and the three of them left the room, closing the door behind themselves.
For almost a minute, complete silence reigned over the room and then, then, Louise's hand moved. She moved and took her phone from the glass nightstand where her two shanghaiers had left it to make their story look more believable...
Meanwhile, above the city...
"Will!"- Taranee exclaimed when she made the image of her friend flying towards them. "In here Will, the source of the plague is here!"
Her heat-sensing had led them to the source of the swarms, an abandoned supermarket near the end of town. Ever since she and Cornelia had arrived, they had managed to tip off Hay Lin and Irma, and then Will. The last ten minutes after that, the four guardians had spent in attempts to shut down the source in vain. Whatever they threw at the old building, gave no results whatsoever. Countless swarms of pests and poisonous insects flew out to hinder them and return the blow, forcing them to much rather defend themselves than attack the center of the nest.
Will blinked in shock as she entered Hay Lin's circle, where the blizzard no longer prevailed. That sure was a welcome change, apparently, her friends had altered the storm into a veil of their own liking, keeping the icy winds and snows around them rather than all over them, and hiding the supposed battle they were having with the swarms from curious eyes- the blizzard's curtains made them completely undetectable from outside the water and air guardians' range.
"What the..."- the redhead couldn't continue because she was sucked inside Taranee's fire sphere-shield.
"Welcome to the heart of the blizzard, babe."- Irma greeted her sourly as she and Hay Lin, visibly tired from the mass spell of the blizzard which they had to keep up, hid behind Taranee and her protective fires. "Any suggestions regarding the termination of these hideous creatures are welcome."
"We managed to find their nest and limit the swarms to here with the help of the blizzard, but we can't hit them directly and cease them for good."- Taranee burst into explanatory mode. "We can't do much, Will! Hay Lin and Irma can't attack because their energy is focused on the blizzard which is the only thing to hide what's going on from the civilians and hinder the bugs from attacking the city again!"
"Neither can Taranee, she has to keep a shield around us, otherwise we'll get eaten by those monsters!"- Cornelia raged, keeping herself closer to Irma. "I'm the only one who can launch an attack, but I can't just bring this place down before checking inside for any abducted civilians!"
"Then we have to get inside."- Will said firmly.
"Will, it's too risky! The insects spue through that very hole you want to use!"
"We have no other choice."- the redhead shook her head relentlessly. "Cornelia, give me your hand. We need to slit the swarms and make our way to the inside of the building! Quintessence!"
Cornelia did as she was told, even if a tad unwillingly. Their friends followed them with concerned glances from above, as the two guardians flew tantivy towards the open hole in the roof of the abandoned supermarket. At first, Will's turbine electric shield did its job nicely by repelling each and every next attack of the ruthless swarms, but then, just when she and Cornelia were about to go through the hole, four giant, hairy legs emerged from it and knocked them back.
"WILL!"- Hay Lin screamed. "CORNELIA!"
The shield was no more and the two women were now on their own, struggling to protect their faces from the insects which surrounded them with cruel buzzing. In the fit of the moment, terrified and appalled, Cornelia crushed the roof down, sending the giant spider that had pushed them back, to fall down into darkness.
"Cornelia!"- Taranee scolded her from above. "What are you doing? Did you forget about the people down there? I can sense at least two body heats, different from those of the insects!"
'She just made more space for the gnats to fly out through!"- Irma barked. "We're trying to keep them in and she's sending them free! Shee- "
"You try flying with these freakish creatures!"- Cornelia snapped at them. "Besides, if there really are innocent people in that building, trapping them inside with all these insects won't do much help!"
A point well taken, Taranee sighed and was just going to send a fire tentacle to save her two friends from the open and the swarms' wraith when the blonde took things in her hands.
She had always been keen on being most powerful and now she was about to prove it yet again- while Will was struggling to repel the enemy with her bolts, Cornelia created a strong telekinetic forcefield which she forced on the place of the destroyed roof, stopping the swarms from emerging. Once the constant flood of wings and stings was taken care of, Will blasted at the remaining free insects, taking them down.
"There! Is that what you wanted? They can't fly out anymore."- Cornelia said crossly, once the air around them finally cleared out from the horrific wheezing. "Now think of how to get these two 'different body heats' out of that hellhole!"
The girls all grew quiet for a few seconds, each thinking of a proper way to suggest, but whether because of the tiredness or the despair, none of them seemed to be able to come up with a good idea.
"Wait a minute, I'm picking on something."- Taranee suddenly said. " It's so strong- "
"What, an enlightening from the skies?"- but Irma didn't have time to finish her remark because in the next moment they were all able to hear the voice in their minds:
- Girls! Girls, oh finally I managed to reach you! Thank God, I thought I was going totally useless by now-
- Cassidy?
- Yes, it's me! Listen, I have Halinor here, she helped us restore our telepathic channels.
- Good day, girls. - Halinor's voice tuned in.- Sometimes the lack of harmony affects even our telepathy. One of us is going through inner turmoil right now, larger than what's usually endured, large enough to disrupt the harmony. But worry not, I'm here and it's all under good control.
- Alright, but why are you calling in the first place? - Irma's voice sounded a bit snappily. We're kind of in the middle of a dire bug attack, so unless you have the number of a very good exterminator...
- We do. - Nerissa interfered. - Listen, guardians. What you're dealing with might just be Song Ho, who I believe you remember. She takes much more zeal and creativity to be stopped, so forget about your standard attacks and listen to me.
- Huh? - Will didn't understand. - I thought I heard you and Mrs. Lin talk about this and the Lake of the Willow... Wait a minute. - she realized.
- The Cruel Empress! - Hay Lin nearly said it out loud. Song Ho had been her enemy during her very own leader's mission, following her grandmother's steps. How could she forget it...
- It makes sense, this plague looks just like what her powers are capable of! - Taranee's thought came out as a loud exclamation.
- But how did Bug Queen escape Kandrakar?!- Cornelia wanted to know. - We left her with the Oracle, how is this possible?!
- Isn't it obvious? He's all talk and no action, I thought you all knew what Orcly is like already. After all these years, I sure don't put my money on his 'imprisonment' skills. - Irma rolled her eyes.
- Yes, yes, all these are worthy questions, which we don't have the time for right now. - Nerissa cut them off in annoyance.
- You need to open your senses for us to be able to study your situation. - Halinor advised them. - Open your senses and inner eye, you've all done that numerous times by now. Focus girls!
The guardians followed the instructions and after a minute, just when Cornelia was starting to show signs of tiredness from holding the rough swarms under her telekinetic forcefield, Nerissa's voice echoed in their minds again:
- You can't consider this a stalemate. She's down there, what are you-
- There might be someone trapped in there with her. We can't take the building down. - Will said before the other woman could rebuke them for being feebleminded.
- Then take the blizzard in.- Nerissa's voice demanded with newfound ardor. - Guide the snow through the roof and congeal the heart of the bug's nest. You can't get through the emerging swarms on your own, but the blizzard can! Take the entire blizzard in that supermarket at once!"
The five friends looked at each other. Hay Lin was just about to say something when they realized that the connection had died. They really needed to sort out this sudden new 'harmony' issue with CHYKN, but first, they had to take the Cruel Empress out of the picture.
"This might just work."- Taranee trailed. "Intensive cold is the only thing which humans can survive, but bugs won't. We should give it a try."
"If it's gonna finally take all that burden off our shoulders, I and Hay are willing to try with both hands."- Irma announced and got ready to wield the blizzard around them one last time.
"I have faith in the girls. They will defeat Song Ho. But unfortunately, that was all we could do to help them as for now."- Halinor said back in the observatory, where had teletransported upon being contacted by Cassidy and her request to stabilize the telepathic channels in their team, and respectively with the present guardians' team.
Alas, even though the former Fire guardian had done all she could, being hooked to the Heart of Zamballa herself, she hadn't succeeded in her task completely. The disbalance in the harmony was still there and as long as it remained, the malfunction in their telepathic connection would keep repeating itself.
"They will, I don't doubt that, but I am worried. I think that the disharmony comes from Yanny. She...she doesn't feel good."- Cassidy noted with arms crossed on her chest.
"She doesn't."- Nerissa agreed as they all moved their eyes to their eldest friend who sat in an armchair nearby, half asleep and half awake." The guilt for wiping that stick-up the ass scientist's memories is gnawing her. But it was inevitable, she heard too much for her own good. I said this would happen, hence I suggested to do this instead of Yan Lin, but alas. You all know how inconvincible she can be."
"Oh, I can understand her completely."- Halinor shook her head with compassion. "I know better than anyone what fear can make us do and how even someone like Yan-Yan can surrender in front of it, under certain conditions. And while I completely understand her, I can also understand why the grip of guilt is clinging onto her. She'll need some time."
"Fear is a powerful thing."- Nerissa agreed. "But so is the need to help your own blood and flesh. Yan Lin did this for her granddaughter's sake! This equalizes her deed, doesn't it? She shouldn't feel guilt."
"Yes, Rissy, that's true, but you know that our Yan Lin has never gone off the right way. It's normal for her to take such a thing at heart."- Cassidy retorted. "You can justify nearly anything with that argument, but she's more...genteel. No offense..."
"No, none taken, I agree."- Nerissa looked around the busy sitting room. She prayed that the guardians would finish off with the blizzard sooner so that they could finally get away from the annoying crowd. "That's exactly why I suggested that I do it. I could've erased Louise's memory and be fine with it, but Yan Lin didn't want me to...take it all in, you see. I kind of assumed she is right, but maybe if I had insisted, she could have been better now."
"I don't think so, Nerissa."- Halinor said. "Just knowing that something like this has been done would've triggered Yan Lin's conscience, if you ask me. She'd have felt like an accomplice! But I find it sweet that you think of how to help her. You're being a great friend and I can't tell you how proud I am of you. I am so proud."
Nerissa could only smile stiffly as the blonde woman rubbed her shoulder amicably. Had everyone just teamed up on her today, trying to get her to reconsider her latest decision regarding Phobos and Elyon? The Universe had to be testing her. The tall brunette growled mentally and just folded her arms on her chest. Keeping up with people's expectations was harder than she had already known it to be, but she couldn't bear to disappoint the very few who meant something to her, and that was that.
Well Elyon, she thought. It appears that I have to resort to a different approach when it comes to your little role in the big game that I plan to check-mate your dead-beat brother in.
"Way to go, Blunk."- Caleb murmured mockingly, one hour post the guardians' return. "This time you almost got Heathefield eradicated. For real."
"It not Blunk's fault!"- the passling cried from the back seat. "Blunk bamboozled by con-business man! Must be one of Jeek's customers!"
"No, it must be Phobos."- Will said as she looked at her friends. She was in Cornelia's car together with the blonde herself, Caleb, Matt, Blunk and Julian.
Long story short, she and her friends had used the ex-guardians' advice to access the abandoned supermarket where they had battled Song Ho and the last of her swarms. It had turned out that Blunk had been her captive, waiting to be eaten by the enthralled insects. The battle with her Heavenly Majesty hadn't been too long or hard, because, to the girls' advantage, the ancient demoness hadn't had enough time to work her soldiers and truly bring the entire city down. When they had found her nest and the outbreak of the plague, it had been game over for her.
In the midst of her angry screams and cries over the fallen "new empire," the Empress had been stripped of her power yet again. This time, the girls had locked her up with the help of a The Heart, with a spell she could never again break. At least they hoped so. That being done, the situation in the city had been restored to normal and everyone had been set free to leave the observatory post the odd weather phenomenon, the only part of the truth the civilians were familiar with.
For the guardians and their allies, however, the bigger question remained even after the calamity had been taken care of:
"If Phobos needed our attention occupied, then he must have had a good reason."- Matt pondered. "He is up to something and he didn't want the guardians breathing in his neck, hence he threatened Heatherfield through this dirty trick. Trading Blunk a box with an ancient evil inside, that's in his style!"
"I'll check on the situation in Meridian the minute we get home."- Julian nodded with knitted brows. "Though I sincerely hope that he hasn't had the chance to go through the veil- "
"The veil is not enough to keep that jackass away."- Cornelia snorted from next to Will. "It's just a slight inconvenience for him and that moron Leonida."
"Unfortunately, I think so too."- the redhead admitted.
"On the bright side, Phobos didn't entirely win this round by managing to get his work done without our interference."- Caleb pointed out. "By tossing that trap in Blunk's hands, he betrayed himself. That proves that he is in fact, on Meridian, right?"
Will thought on his words, way too impressed that Caleb was able to find the bright sides of a topic which usually made him lose his temper, before deducting:
"Yeah...He might have someone working for him on Meridian, but I agree that the veil isn't secure enough. We drove Phobos and Leonida away from Coronia, and they lost their most convenient hiding spot. Them taking cover in Meridian next won't surprise me. After all, he does know the planet like the back of his palm."
"Then we shall organize groups to search for him and his companions."- Julian suggested. "We'll trek around the entire realm if we have to, in order to uncover Phobos's new hideout."
Everyone agreed on that. The blizzard was over and so was Song Ho. Blunk had finally calmed down and they were all set to leave the observatory's parking zone for good. Of course, Hay Lin had to come out of the observatory to join Peter, Cassidy, Halinor and Yan Lin before they could actually leave. Apparently, she was taking quite some time to tend to Eric's needs. Will smiled as she felt Matt take her hand in his and wink at her. She was just leaning to steal a kiss when Cornelia's voice drew her attention:
"What the heck is going on out there?"
The parking zone had suddenly turned into a place for deep and harsh words. Hay Lin looked as pale as a ghost when Eric practically dragged her to the center of the parking lot and set her hand free.
"Just answer me, Hay Lin."- the young man demanded, his voice colder than Will had ever heard it be. "Is it true?"
Just like their car door opened, so did that of Nigel's and Martin's car. Will looked around and met Taranee's glance which made her stomach turn around. Yes, something was about to take an ugly turn and they were all slowly coming to realize it.
"Hay Lin- "- Yan Lin attempted to rush to the younger Asian's side in distress, but Halinor stopped her in the last minute. The blonde shook her head albeit with pity, and Yan Lin knew that she was right. Her granddaughter had to go through this on her own.
"Y-yes, Eric. It's true."- Hay Lin said in that minute. Her voice was shaking, but her expression was firm as she met her boyfriend's almost shocked eyes.
Eric knitted his eyebrows and walked his eyes around everyone that had their eyes on them.
"It's OK."- Hay Lin said flatly. "You can talk. They know."
"All of them know?"- Eric repeated incredulously, stopping his eyes on Nigel and Martin who immediately looked down. They weren't sure, but a part of them knew what their long-time friend was talking about. Eric shook his head, aggravated. He wasn't even about to go for Caleb or Matt. Although they were good friends of his, he could never see them going against their girlfriends' word. So many things were clearing up to him now, yet so many were still in the fog. His burning anger was what prevailed:
"Yes."- Hay Lin said with a deep sigh. "But things are not exactly like your mom has perceived them- "
"Really?"- Eric interrupted her angrily. "You mean that your grandmother and her friend didn't knock her out and you didn't hide the fact that you have some sort of special powers from me, for years? All of you!"
- Okay what the hell?!- Irma's telepathic voice screamed. - I thought that Hay Lin was going to reveal her secret to Eric and only Eric, how the hell did Mrs. Lyndon get to know? When did all this happen?!
- We don't know, Irma. - Cornelia snapped and threw her a rebuking glare from her car. - Shut up and listen.
- Maybe Louise accidentally overheard while all the madness with the swarms was taking place. - Will suddenly realized and slapped her forehead. She was just glad that her mother and Dean had left before this scene they were all witnessing now.
- Exactly. -Taranee said from the other side where she stood next to her ashamed boyfriend. The situation was hard on everyone and that was for sure. Of all of them, Hay Lin had been the one who deserved her secret to be revealed like that the least, but by the law of Murphy, she was now to suffer. And they couldn't even do anything to help her at that moment. - Hay Lin gave me a disclosure while Eric was confronting her inside. He confronted her with a video his mother recorded right before the forgetting potion Mrs. Lin and Nerissa gave her, kicked in. You see, she witnessed the entire battle scene with the swarms upstairs. But we underestimated her.
"Eric, please! I wanted to tell you earlier, but I couldn't gather the courage"- Hay Lin begged. "In fact, that was what I was going to tell you before you blacked out because of the insect attack and the bees that stung you. I swear, I've never wanted to cause you or your mom any pain, you know me-"
"I thought I know you."- Eric cut her off. "But today I was shown that's not true. You've done nothing but deceive over the last ten years. Why, Hay Lin? Why did you do this to me?!"
"Eric!"- the woman gasped on the verge of tears. "I would never- "
"Enough, Hay Lin."- he stopped her and turned his back on her. "I can't do this if there's no trust and honesty between us. Don't talk to me, OK? I'm not up from another lie."
"You can't seriously think of me like that, in spite of everything!"- The Air guardian almost screamed after him, feeling all eyes on herself. "You can't believe that I or my friends have ever had ill intentions!"
"I thought that we were different from the others, Hay Lin."- Eric threw her a look over his shoulder. A look she'd never forget. "I thought that our relationship was special. But finding out that you haven't had enough trust in me to confide me to your secrets, breaks my heart. You broke my heart! Of what importance are your intentions if you needed so much time to decide to make them known? Huh? And in the end, you still couldn't. I can't go on like that."
Her darn ability to sense lies had never been a gift she liked and it often didn't work properly, but this time, Hay Lin felt it clearly.
"Eric...what are you saying?"- she asked in a tiny voice.
"I'm not saying anything. You didn't, did you? I need time."
He left the scene and Hay Lin felt her heart crumble. She couldn't hold the tears in any longer. Her biggest fear had come true, exceeding all her worst expectations. Her knees hit the snow-covered ground and she gave will to her sadness. Her relationship was hanging on strings which any stronger gust of the wind could tear apart.
"It's going to be alright, Hay Lin. Everything is going to be fine! He loves you."- Cornelia and Will were the first to kneel to her level and try to comfort her.
"Forget about being in a blue funk, babe! He's just angry, he said it- he needs the time, but that shouldn't discourage you!"- Irma and Taranee were next.
The boys kept their distance, she didn't expect them to burst into tears because of her relationship struggles, but her grandmother also stood aside and Hay Lin knew why. As her four best friends were comforting her, the young woman looked up and for a second their eyes met, but Yan Lin was quick to look away. She could feel in the air, just like her granddaughter. For the first time in her life, Hay Lin felt resentment towards her grandmother, and she didn't like it one bit.
Evening time on Meridian...
"I'd like to have a word with the Queen. In private."
"Again?"- Miriadel cocked an eyebrow and looked at her husband who just shrugged as if he was saying 'she is Mage, isn't she'.
You may have accepted her as an ally, Alborn, but after getting fooled by this woman so many times, I'm never going to trust her completely.
The redhead frowned in an unshowy way and then just moved aside.
"She's in the dining room."
"Alone?"- Nerissa managed to smirk, even though her mood had gone south long ago during that particular day.
"If we're here and Galgheita is...well, on Kandrakar, and her friends aren't here, who could Elyon possibly be with."- Miriadel said, crossing her arms on her chest. "The castle staff and guards? They all flee when they see you, anyway. Raythor is the only one who doesn't appear to be intimidated by your presence."
The black-haired woman's smirk intensified a tad at the mentioning of that.
"Oh, I don't think I'm that intimidating."- she declared.
"No?"- Miriadel tilted her head and looked at her from under the pocking grimace of her eyebrows.
"It's just...my entire bearing awakens the respect in others."
Nerissa's justifications of her own attitude and deeds were always riveting and even comical at times, but not for Miriadel. She knew she had a thing to keep in mind when it came to dealing with their former enemy, who by the likes of it, was never going to be a friend either. Not to her, at least. Even if she couldn't brag about being able to see through Nerissa's act, the army captain knew better than to fall for her charming deliverances and remarks.
"Call it whatever you want."- she and her husband proceeded to walk away.
"We just had dinner, but I'm sure that if it is so urgent, Elyon will hear you out before heading to her chambers."- Alborn added. "You don't have to ask us."
"Yes. Because we do not need you false courtesy."- Miriadel pepped his sentence up.
Nerissa frowned as she watched them leave. She wasn't going to let them have the last word like that.
"Oh, I was simply asking because now that her fiancé visits her in her chambers at night, he might be here for dinner first."
"What?!"
Nerissa only smiled but decided not to gloat. She had a hard-enough task as it was.
"What did you say?"- Miriadel stood in her way in a demanding fashion." Prince Andan and Elyon have been...canoodling? But when..."
"My time here is limited and I certainly don't plan to waste it on something as trivial, which you can easily talk about with your daughter on your own."- the sorceress said coldly. "But as far as I'm concerned, the fact that she and her little fiancé are already lovers is a happy occasion. You go open yourselves a fine bottle from the winery and leave me and her Highness in private."
Miriadel and Alborn exchanged last bedazzled glances before finally leaving the hallway for good. Nerissa waited to see them disappear behind the last turn and then tossed her long hair to the back, bracing herself for one of the hardest things she had yet to do. Negotiations with the Queen, in specie.
When she walked into the well-known dining room, she saw the young straw-blonde sitting at the end of the table, munching on some sort of dessert.
"Good evening, Queenlet. How have you been?"
"Oh, I thought it was you."- Elyon replied, once she lifted her eyes up. "None of my friends have come with you, by any chance, have they? Never mind...get down to business, you don't have to pretend you take great interest in my well-being."
Her voice sounded glummer than usual. Nerissa studied her minutely before going on:
"Well, normally I'd say that your friends don't care to come and see you, but this time they couldn't even if they wanted. Even I have limited time here. You see, there was an unpleasant situation on Earth today. Cheerful little Hay Lin was at the biggest disadvantage and so was Yanny, thus I must make sure she's fine."
"A situation?"- Elyon straightened her back in alert. "What kind of situation? Are Hay Lin and Yan Lin alright?"
Nerissa didn't retort immediately, she sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
"Frankly, I don't know. Not in detail, at least. But we have high reasons to think that your brother caused this crisis, which did quite some damage to Hay Lin's relationship, even if the guardians could defuse the actual threat, almost on time... It'll take too much time to explain, but yes, the damage done did work to Phobos's advantage. He has needed to be unbothered as he proceeds to deal with some unknown business if you ask me and your friends. He starts to slip away again, Elyon, and I don't like that one bit. Whatever your brother does now, he will not find peace before he has received what all that he wants, and in the humblest case, that will be your kingdom. And all who reside in it."
Elyon frowned and looked down. An almost defeated look.
"And there's that Leonida too."- she murmured. "God knows what that psycho actually wants; it can't be Phobos's love."
"Yes, I think so too."- Nerissa crossed her arms on her chest. "But before she has got the chance to show her true colors and motives, your brother must trip. If he fails to achieve his goals, the little bitch won't get the needed easel to paint her perceptions and desires."
"I'd give anything to see him trip."- Elyon declared, hitting the surface of the long table with her fists. "Phobos has done nothing but defame our family and hurt me and all our people. He killed our parents... Now he's on a new conquest to bring annihilation...I never should've been so mild with him."
The monarch lifted her red eyes up at the silent sorceress. Red from weeping, they were, as Elyon couldn't control her emotions anymore. As usual, it was all too much of a burden for her shoulders. She desperately needed someone to share this with her.
"Come on, you can say it."- the young woman said in a lorn voice. "You can say that I sentenced Phobos too mildly, that I should've at least put him in the Tower of Mists if not kill him, as you so repeatedly suggested. Gloat that you were right when you came to me on the night before your Mage ball and that I got it all wrong again. Say that I'm to be blamed for Phobos's escape."- she wiped her eyes, but she was already shaking. "Because you wouldn't be wrong."- she whispered. "It is all my fault."
Nerissa debated on what to say yet again. Ever since Galgheita's fate had gotten the best of her, Elyon had become even weaker and even more miserable than she had been before. She was so pathetic now; she didn't even annoy her. Nerissa sighed silently as she observed the young Queen's display of true misery.
She didn't know what it was, but for the first time in a long time, she couldn't find a reason to hate the whelp, who usually eluded them reasons without any difficulty...
The ex-guardian could bring a little comfort to this girl with just a few words, but she had to put her to one last test first. In the name of Meridan and my word to Caleb, Nerissa thought. Sacrifices must be done. Besides, after a good outcome, all this might just help the Whelp to grow as a person and a ruler. Who knows...Maybe one day, she'll thank me for putting her life at stake in the name of something greater.
"Even I have a heart, Elyon."- Nerissa said, after what felt like an eternity of awkward silence. "You may not believe that, but I don't feel like gloating when you're obviously about to fall apart due to your silly despair. Where's the fun in that? Man up! You're too young to act like a widowed gammer on her death bed."
"And you're supposed to be too old to be flashing your tits like that, but there you are, pulling off that corset better than I'll ever be able to!"- Elyon snapped as she rubbed the tears off her cheeks. She hated crying, but she couldn't help it. Even Nerissa looked down at her with pity now. Great. How worse could she get!
Nerissa smirked and threw her one of her playful, little lash-flickering glances.
"There, that's more like it. Now if you really are willing to do anything to solve Meridian's problems, which I highly doubt that you are, I might just have a...suggestion."
"A suggestion how to put an end to my brother's evil?"- Elyon pepped up. "Why wouldn't I be up for it? Tell me everything! I said I'll do anything it takes to see Phobos trip for good, and I meant it!"
The ex-guardian eyed her distrustfully, though this newfound ardor did give the Queen a new glow. She didn't look as despondent anymore, she looked decisive! Which gave Nerissa the slightest hope that her plan would work out...
"I don't think that you'll agree with my plan, because it is dangerous. Dangerous for you, that is. You may end up much worse than you imagine, after it all happens, Queenlet, and I don't want your eventual demise to be put on my file...Not anymore, at least."
"It won't because you'll have my consent. It'll be my personal choice."- Elyon declared standing up from her seat. "But I want to know everything, Nerissa. I want to know that my brother's days of evil will be over, even if mine is over before that. Tell me everything."
Nerissa blinked almost surprised as the other woman approached her.
"You do realize that no one should know about this if you actually decide on it, don't you- "
"I absolutely do, and I already have decided. So just tell me how do we defeat Phobos."
"You actually trust me enough to put your own life at stake?"
"I trust you enough to know that your plans seldom fail. And my life sounds like a guarantee big enough that whatever we do against my brother will do the job. So just tell me already! Tell me everything!"
This was better than she had imagined it. The ex-guardian felt her heart tremble inside. She even got the Queen's consent, she wouldn't have to even be remorseful if something went wrong for Elyon in the end...But then, why did she feel the need to keep dissuading the straw-blonde?
"I shall tell you, but think wisely before you accept the offer. You're still too young, your life is in front of you. Think of everything you'll miss if something happens to you in the course of your brother's terminal dethroning... Wouldn't it be too sad for that sick tyrant to take the Light of Meridian to the grave with himself?"
"Do I look like someone who enjoys the life they have?"- Elyon asked seriously, locking eyes with the sorceress. The lights in the dining room were suddenly dimmer. For the first time in a long time, the Queen's decisiveness was unshakable. "Yes, I'm young. Yes, I have a lot of things to do, but before everything, I'm the Queen of Meridian. I've already failed my people enough times...If the light must be extinguished for the darkness to be dispelled, then so be it. I'm ready."
Yes, for the first time in actuality, the daughter of Weira actually reminded the ex-keeper of Weira herself. Entirely. She couldn't stop her smile from spreading, despite the unfound and, completely new for her, concern regarding the Queen.
Congratulations, little Elyon, Nerissa thought, bearing no grudge towards the young woman for the first time in her life. You just took your corrective moral test with honors.
A/N: Tell me how you liked the second part of "There's Something Gruesome in the Air" :)
Stay safe and healthy, and I'll see u all very soon
xoxo, jimelization
