Chapter 32

It Was… Magic?

"Holy crap," Holden shouted. "Kass!"

Holden, Shade, Marina, and Orestes circled around Kassidy and she wasn't moving and her eyes were closed. Shade got on his knees and he started to shake Kassidy. "Kass, hey! Come on, wake up! Wake up!"

Marina got on her knees and she then gasped when she saw the wound on Kassidy's shoulder. It was very deep and her shoulder was still bleeding and it was getting all over her as well and some of it was now turning dry. Teeth marks could be seen on Kassidy's shoulder and Holden was not only worried but he also wondered if bats could give other bats rabies. Did Martin even have rabies? Holden shook his head knowing that this wasn't a good time to think this.

"Guys, she's losing a lot of blood," Marina said. "We need to get her shoulder treated and fast! We need to find shelter!"

"I think I saw a tree we could use," Orestes said. "I don't even think it's occupied by anyone."

"Well we better hurry then," Holden said. "But who's going to carry Kass?"

"I'll do it, besides I'm big enough to carry her." Orestes flew off the ground and he gently grabbed Kassidy and he then flew to the tree that he saw and the others followed him.

As they were flying, Holden couldn't stop thinking about Kassidy saving his and Shade's life. It was way too risky but very brave at the same time. She didn't have to do it but yet she did. That wound was probably too much for her. The magic probably was even for the cause of her passing out.

Holden couldn't believe what Kassidy did out there. He saw her grabbing electricity with her magic and the electricity was around her and there was a lot of it. She was powered up like she actually gained a power-up. All she pretty much looked like was electricity. Holden even saw that Martin looked shocked by what she did and he could see why. Her eyes didn't look like her regular blue eyes but instead, they looked more like the electricity that was around Kassidy. She was like Storm from X-Men.

The blast of electricity from Kassidy's hands looked very powerful; powerful enough to even kill someone and he knew for sure that there was no way that Martin could've survived that. Holden saw that Kassidy's eyes were widened when she saw Martin on the ground laying stiff but Holden was much more horrified when Kassidy collapsed to the ground and passed out than when he saw Martin get electrocuted. He was much more concerned for Kassidy than the dead body of a killer. Even though looking at that body was very disturbing he knew Kassidy's injury was much more important.

As they were flying, Marina told Holden and Shade to grab some leaves and some healing poultice that they all saw and that's exactly what those two did in a fast time and they hurried to catch up with Marina and Orestes and just in time, Orestes found the tree he was talking about and without checking to see if anyone was inside or not they immediately took action and went in. Orestes placed Kassidy on the ground gingerly and then he and the others got on the ground and surrounded Kassidy.

Marina looked at Holden. "Holden spread the poultice on Kassidy's shoulder."

Holden nodded and he got on his knees near Kassidy and he was about to apply the poultice on Kassidy's shoulder but something strange started to happen and it stopped him from applying the poultice on Kassidy's shoulder.

Her wound started to close up.

Holden gasped as the wound on Kassidy started to close up and when the others saw what was happening as well they gasped as well. The bleeding stopped and no teeth marks could be seen. The blood that was dry or fresh on Kassidy started to disappear and then the wound was no more. It was gone and all the four of them could see was a shoulder that was in good condition.

Holden blinked his eyes and then he shook his head and he thought he was going crazy. He looked again but Kassidy's shoulder still looked as if nothing happened to it. He was then beginning to question a lot of things in his head that could be unexplainable but he knew that the others saw what he saw so it meant he wasn't going delusional. How could that wound of closed up so fast if Kassidy wasn't awake to do that?

They all then looked at each other. "How did…?" Shade was lost for words at that moment as he looked back at Kassidy's shoulder and the leaves that he had in his hands dropped to the ground.

"Are we actually losing our minds right now?" Holden asked as he looked back at Kassidy's shoulder.

"Well, there was no way Kass actually did… what just happened there," Marina said.

"This never happened before?" Orestes asked confused and the three bats looked at the owl.

"No, I don't even think she could do anything like this," Holden said. "She's a witch but she's not an experienced one."

Orestes looked back at Kassidy's shoulder and he observed it very carefully like he was a doctor examining a patient. "Well… what other exclamation could there be?"

"Maybe this is what people with magic can do?" Holden said as he scratched his head.

"I don't think so," Shade said. "Because remember when she got burned by the fire on her shoulder when she was stuck inside Tree Haven while it was burning? That injury didn't heal up for a while but it eventually did when we were still in the city."

Shade was right of course. After Zephyr gave Kassidy the medicine she needed for her shoulder it eventually healed in about two to three days. Holden was just getting more and more confused by the minute. If it wasn't her magic that healed up the wound then what did?

Marina got on her knees and she put her ear near Kassidy's heart and she listened for her heartbeats. After a minute she then looked back up at the boys. "She's at least still alive and that's all that matters. When Kassidy wakes up she'll probably have an explanation for this but for now, we should let her rest."

Holden sighed but then he realized something and his eyes widened. "Guys, what about Dianna, Goth, and Throbb? What even happened to them?"

Marina and Orestes looked at each other and then they looked back at Holden and Shade. "We saw them get unstuck from the hole they were in but when they got out of it the human place all the sudden exploded and it sent them towards the trees and we saw them get knocked out," Marina explained.

"What if they wake up soon?" Shade asked. "Once they do they'll likely come looking for us so they can try to eat the colony and I can't even imagine what Dianna will do to us once she sees her husband dead…"

Holden rubbed his neck at the thought of those three coming after them. He really could see Dianna coming after them especially. Her husband was now dead and she would more than likely have her revenge on them. She really looked like a deadly killer and she was even as close to killing Marina.

"I think I got a solution," Orestes said.

The three bats looked at the owl. "You do?" Shade asked surprised.

Orestes nodded. "I can get a few owl guards to come with me to get Dianna, Goth, and Throbb and get them locked up, that way you guys won't have a problem with them anymore. I'll even have them go check out Martin's body and once my father sees that there really are giant bats he'll have to believe that it wasn't your colony that was doing the killing nor Kassidy that's been the cause of all of this."

Shade thought about this and then his eyes lit up. "And once Brutus sees them he might call off hunting down the colony."

Shade smiled at Holden and Marina and they were smiling as well. This was too good to be true and Holden realized that they might actually get out of the situation they were in and then they wouldn't have to worry about this anymore.

Holden looked back at Orestes. "Orestes, this is perfect! After Brutus sees the real truth it'll all be over."

"You think you can handle it?" Marina asked.

"Not a problem," Orestes said. "I should get going anyways. I'll do everything I can to take care of the giant bats. Will you guys be alright?"

"Well, as long as we don't get targeted by anyone else I think we should be good," Holden said. "Owls and giant bats are more than enough I can take."

"You can say that again," Shade said.

"Well, good luck, Orestes," Marina said with encouragement, "and be careful."

"Yeah and thanks, we owe you one."

Orestes smiled and nodded. "No problem, I'm happy to help. Oh, and tell Kassidy I said hi and hope she'll be okay."

"We will," Marina said.

Orestes turned away from them and he flew out of the tree into the night flying into the rain (which was now drizzling and no longer thundering). They watched as Orestes kept flying until his figure disappeared. Even though Holden had a bad start with Orestes he thought that owl was very nice and friendly and he didn't even act like Brutus. He hoped to see Orestes sometime soon again.

Holden then noticed that Marina was wincing and he saw that her leg was still bleeding. Shade noticed too and he looked concerned for her. Shade picked up one of the leaves that was on the ground and he walked over to Marina and he extended it to her. "Here, you might need this."

Marina looked at the leaf in Shade's hand surprised but she then smiled weakly. "Thanks."

Marina took the leaf from Shade's hand as she did, her fingers brushed on Shade's hand and Holden didn't know if it was him or not but he thought he saw Shade's eyes widened for a second. Marina wiped the blood that was dripping down her leg with the leaf and as she did, Shade watched with the same concern in his eyes. Holden sat down next to Kassidy and watched as Marina was cleaning the blood off her leg and he watched as Shade kept staring at her. Shade got another leaf and he gave it to Marina and Marina accepted it and she applied it on the scratch on her leg like it was a band-aid.

Holden then looked at Kassidy and her eyes were still closed. Holden sighed and he wished he didn't let Kassidy risk her life for his and Shade's. He, in fact, wished it was him that got bitten to the shoulder and not her. Even though he didn't want any more scars he no longer cared. Scars or no scars it didn't change a fact that Kassidy could've died out there. Why did she have to take so many risks?

The night would soon turn into day and even though he knew they should all get some rest soon, Holden wanted to do something he never did for a long time. Holden got on his knees and he folded his hands and he placed them near his head and he bent over to the ground and he started to pray.

God? I don't know if you can hear me-mostly because you're probably too busy-but I hope you are. I haven't done this for some time now but now in a moment like this I am in desperate need of your help… Pathetic, I know I'm asking you for help but I really need it and so do my friends. We're in a bad situation right now and trying to survive out here has been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. You probably have better things to do than trying to help four teenagers but I hope that's not the case.

Holden could feel Shade and Marina watching him but he kept going. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that we need the strength for the journey. Also, my friend, Kassidy needs more help than any of us right now. She is badly injured-or at least she was… I think-and she mostly needs to be healed. God, I know I haven't been the best person anyone would want me to be but I am begging you to help us and heal Kassidy and if you do I promise for the life of me I will work my ass off to improve my grades in school and not get into a whole load of trouble than I usually do. Even if my friends look up to you or not, we need your help… God, please hear me… Please help us…

The rain stopped pouring but the area was a muddy wreck and it was very foggy out that you could hardly see a thing from a mile away. It had a creepy vibe to it but the crows didn't mind, however.

A little bit ago, these crows were trying to find breakfast and they found something that looked worth their while. It was a bat, but not just any bat. It was a giant one. It was too good to be true and he looked to be dead. Smoke could be seen coming off of him, his hair and fur were singed, he used to be muddy but the rain cleared the mud off of him, and his face looked disastrous with all the scratch marks on it and it was covered with dried blood.

It was a cooked bat for the crows.

One crow hopped over near the bat and took a very good look at him. What he found somewhat disturbing on the bat was that he saw snakes on his arms. They looked real but they weren't moving but they were terrifying to look at. To be sure though that the bat was actually dead, the crow pecked at the bat's arm and when he did, the bat didn't make any signs of movement.

The crow smirked but the moment didn't last long. All of the sudden the crow felt his throat tighten and he saw that a hand was around his throat and was strangling him. When he looked down he saw that it was the bat that had his hand around his throat and the crow cawed in freight and tried to escape by flapping his wings but the grip around his throat was too tight and then his neck snapped and his body went lifeless.

Martin shot open his eyes and he looked to see what he killed and he saw that it was a measly crow. He snarled in anger and as he did, he threw the crow as far as he could and the fire was slowly starting to form and it was coursing through his veins and then he yelled in anger and as he did the fire spread all over his body. The crows that were around him cawed in fear and they spiraled back to the sky and flew away as fast as they could so they wouldn't end up as their friend did.

After he yelled in anger for some time, Martin then eventually tried to calm down but he was still furious that he could let some inexperienced witch of an orphan electrocute him and get away with it. His body felt weak and it didn't even feel like his strong self like it usually did. Instead, he could feel a vibration within him and it did not feel pleasant at all as it was very painful. Not only that, he felt extremely dizzy like he got intoxicated. He then started to feel something coming up his throat and before he could comprehend what was about to happen he got on his knees and he hurled on the muddy land. He started to cough after it all came out of him and he managed not to touch the barf or get any on him.

He slowly got up and he wiped the barf from his mouth with his arm. Standing up really didn't help him as he wanted to lie back down but lying down to rest was like giving up and Martin was not going to lie down so easily and even though the pain was unbearable he still had some unfinished business.

He knew he should look for his wife and those ridiculous brothers but he was so weak that he could barely walk. He needed his strength back. He needed to consume magic.

He lifted his jolted arm and then with a flick of his hand he commanded the magic-getting everything he needed down to do the transportation spell-to his home and then the magic surrounded him and then in an instant he was standing in his house that was in the middle of nowhere and outside his house it was snowing a little bit and on the windows of his house it was fogging up with some icicles forming on the transom on the outside of them. The inside of his house was nothing great, it was dusty with some cobwebs in certain places and he thought the smell of the inside of the house was strange but weird as it never smelt like what he was smelling at this moment but he really wasn't taking any notice of it as he was only more focused on what he needed.

He stumbled to his and Dianna's bedroom and as he did he held to the side of the wall as he tried to walk. In his bedroom, there was a queen-sized bed, a lamp standing on a bedside table, a dresser, a closet, and a very beautiful and colorful painting with the setting in it taking place in China. In the painting, it had a misty mountain, a temple, and vibrant colors in the leaves on the trees, with a stone bridge that was over a water landscape. It was like you were actually in China.

As he kept walking, Martin focused only on the painting that was above the dresser and he then lifted his shaken arm and he then concentrated on moving the painting on the wall making sure that he did everything correctly in his spell and within seconds the painting was removed from the wall and it was then placed on the queen bed. Martin then lifted from the ground and he stumbled a little in midair but he managed to land on top of the dresser and then he looked to where the painting once was on the wall and on the wall there was a large looking safe mounted into it and on the safe, there was a pushpin and a handle. Easily remembering what the numbers were, he pushed the correct buttons in the pushbutton and when he did he heard a bleep, indicating that it was correct and he then grabbed the handle and he opened the safe. Inside the safe were items that were very private to not only Martin but to Dianna as well. What was in the safe was top secret. There were documents clustered in folders and journals that were very important to Martin and Dianna and if anyone found these it would be bad news for the both of them.

Not only were there documents and journals but a rectangular and carved out box was in there, along with Martin's necklace, and the orphan's necklace as well. He wasn't intending on letting the orphan get her necklace back and he would make sure of it. He would make sure that she never found it.

He also would make sure that she wouldn't find out the truth.

Martin grabbed his necklace and he slipped it around his neck and he then flew to the ground and he had to steady himself because he was still weak from being electrocuted by the orphan. However, he was still surprised by what she did and he didn't think she could do what she did. The electricity… it was so powerful. He shook that thought away, however, and he would for sure make the orphan pay for what she did. He would also make sure that Chatty Bat and the runt got what they deserved as well.

Martin held the green pendent on his necklace and said: "Change me into a human."

The pendent started to grow a very green color and it surrounded Martin and as it did, he was growing and changing from his bat form to his human form. The glow eventually faded and Martin was then back in his human form. If anyone saw him they would probably think that he looked rich because he was wearing a fancy looking black suit. He still had the fake band around his forearm and even though it was an allusion he really didn't like it but as soon as he got the girl would get rid of it. He dusted himself a little bit and then he reached into the safe and he pulled out the handcrafted box and he placed it on the dresser. He opened the box and inside of it there were separate square holes and in each of the holes there contained sealed chemistry bottles. These bottles were used for what Martin and Dianna did.

Harvesting magic from other witches and wizards.

However, there was only one bottle that had magic from one witch he harvested from but it was enough to replenish his strength. He would need more magic from other wizards and witches but that would have to wait. Right now, he needed his strength back.

He took the bottle out of its compartment and then he took the cap off of it and he placed it on the dresser and then he drank the magic. As he drank it the magic could be seen going down his throat like he was swallowing a star and then he started to glow and as he did he could feel his strength returning and he could feel the scratches and dried blood on his face disappearing and he could no longer feel them anymore. After a few more seconds the glowing on Martin faded and he felt brand new.

Satisfied that he no longer felt weak, Martin went to his kitchen/living room and he went to a cabinet and opened it to get a Heineken beer. He easily plopped the cap off with his hand and he then downed some of the liquor. It felt good to drink some alcohol after its been some while.

He was then starting to think about where his wife and the brothers were, so he closed his eyes and tried to use a spell to see through Dianna's eyes and all he saw was blackness. He tried the brothers but he saw only blackness as well. Martin was confused as to why he was only seeing blackness but he knew he had to keep trying. He, after all, knew his wife well enough to know that she can take care of herself. He really didn't care, however, if the brothers could or not.

Martin then started to think about something else and he walked back into his bedroom with his booze and he took a sip of it as he did so and he went to his dresser. He opened a drawer and he removed some shirts from it and at the bottom of the drawer laid his burner phone. Using one of the more advanced phones was too much of a risk because then the Spell Organization would've easily have tracked him and Dianna down and arrest them.

He pulled out his burner phone and he opened it and he started to call someone in particular. The phone started to ring and as it rang, Martin took the time to drink his beer. He then heard someone pick up. "Steve speaking."

"Steve, it's Martin," Martin said.

"Oh, boss, I haven't heard from you for a while. Did you get the girl?"

Martin wished he had the orphan and he clenched his hand into a fist but he remained as calm as he could. "No. The little bitch managed to slip out of my hands. I don't know where she is now but I'm going to find her. Dianna is missing but it won't be hard for me to find her like it won't be to find the orphan. Are they still locked up?"

"Yup, it's still magic proofed just how you left it."

"And the dog? Is that mutt rid of?"

"Just as you wanted, we got rid of it."

Martin grinned. "Good."

"Boss, when are you and Dianna going to be back? We still need to figure out we need to do for your Plan."

Martin rolled his eyes as his grin dropped. "We'll be back when we get the orphan and then we will go over the Plan. As for now, your job is to still keep an eye on them and make sure they don't escape and if they do I will have you fired, and not the way a normal human being would have someone fired. Do I make myself clear?"

There was silence on the other end of the line but after the silence for a few seconds, Steve then said: "Yes, sir…"

"Do not disappoint me, Steve." Martin then hung up.

He then finished his beer and then threw it in a trash can. He then started to put everything back in its place but before he did he commanded his pendant on his necklace to transform him back into a Vampyryum bat and then he put his necklace back in the safe. After he put everything back in its rightful place, Martin immediately transported himself back to where he and the others last were and while he did he didn't know that a colony of bats of different types were flying back from their hunting back to his house to roost again.

And all these bats had one thing in common: they all had silver bands on their forearms.

They were now in the city. After they left the house they informed the council on what they saw and some important information as far as they knew and the council advised them to keep on doing what they were doing. It was very hard for Raymond to keep using his past spell to try and see where Kassidy was with her friends as he was now a great gray owl standing on a building with Stella-which she was now a barn owl-and Sylvester. They were near a cathedral and Raymond was doing some fast-forwarding. They were seeing a lot of shocking things happening as Kassidy and her friends were traveling. One thing they liked when Raymond was doing his past spell was that Kassidy and her friends allowed another bat to accompany them and now she was a friend to them.

As Raymond was fast-forwarding seeing past people and animals doing their things, he saw Kassidy and her friends with an old and blind looking bat. They were talking to him and they had some interest in their eyes as they were talking to the old bat but then it slowly and gradually turned from an interest to worrisome on their faces as the old bat was telling them something. They then saw the friends thank the old bat and then they went to departure from the cathedral.

Raymond looked at Sylvester. "Take all the time you need to catch up with us."

Sylvester nodded and Raymond and Stella then flew off the building they were on and followed Kassidy and her friends and even though they weren't actually following them they were trying to keep up with them. As they were following them, Raymond and Stella saw two owls flying after two of Kassidy's friends and those two friends didn't look as though those owls were worrying them but luckily Kassidy used her magic to try and prevent the owls from trying to grab them and then the four of them flew as fast as they could and as they did, the owls chased them.

Raymond and his partners have been overhearing animals but mostly the owls that the Silverwings have been causing troubles and they were now wanted for a crime. Raymond was for certain that it had nothing to do with the Silverwings because he knew that it had to be the culprits.

They kept trying to keep up with the four friends and the owls and it led them into the woods. As they kept following them they saw the four friends fly into a knothole of a tree to try and escape from the owls and the owls were still trying to get them. But then out of nowhere, two giant bats grabbed the owls and then two other giant bats then killed the owls. Raymond and Stella were watching the scene horrified as they saw the four giant bats eating the owls. Raymond recognized two of them to be the culprits.

Oh, no… Raymond thought.

Raymond and Stella flew towards the scene and they landed near it and as they did, Sylvester appeared out of nowhere to join them and he was watching the scene horrified as well. Raymond used his hand to fast forward a little bit and he then stopped after Martin used his magic to make the dead owls disappear.

"Are we… too late?" Stella asked worriedly.

"I hope not," Raymond said. "For once, we might be able to save someone from those two but if we are… then the Spell Organization failed to save someone with magic once again. But if not then there's a chance we can save them."

Raymond looked at the two giant bats that were with the culprits and the three of them knew that whatever trick Martin had up his sleeve once again those two were bound to be in danger. Martin always found a loophole when it came to deals and that's what made him a snake.

"Should we inform the council?" Sylvester asked. "It might be wise to do so since we have more information about what's happening so far."

Raymond stared at the paused scene for a few more seconds and then he nodded. "Alright, let's call them."

A/N- Another chapter down, wow! It's hard to believe I actually wrote 32 chapters for this story. Not sure how much I'll end up with but I'm guessing a lot. Hope that won't be a bother to any of you. Also, please do not correct me on the title chapters being one with the ellipses and one without it because I already know. For some reason, the one on the pop-down menu won't allow me to use the ellipses on there so please don't correct me on that mistake but anyways next chapter will be up soon and have a nice day. Later.