W.I.T.C.H.Dreams ofLusteria
By Galistar07water
Disclaimer: W.I.T.C.H. is owned and copyrighted by the Walt Disney Company Italia and is in no way affiliated with the fictional works of Galistar07water.
Artist note: If you would like to see drawings of W.I.T.C.H. Dreams of Lusteria, please visit my page and click the "W.I.T.C.H. Dreams of Lusteria" folder in the gallery section.
Chapter 01: The New Guardians pt. III
At that moment in Lusteria, Will and her friends were at a loss for words. In the past, the Elders of Kandrakar had kept a lot of secrets from the Guardians. The girls were constantly annoyed by being kept in the dark, until it was Taranee who decided that she could not take it anymore. Feeling like a pawn controlled by the Oracle, Taranee decided to go on hiatus from her role as the Fire Guardian, only to be replaced by Orube. After a while, Taranee rejoined the group and Orube continued to stay as its "sixth" member. Since then, they always assumed it was just the six of them and only them as Kandrakar's magical soldiers. They were already surprised enough when Yan Lin revealed to them the existence of the Gemini Council. However, the presence of a smaller branch of power was more understandable in comparison to the existence of another Guardian standing right in front of them.
"You're a Guardian?" Cornelia gapped.
"How is this possible?" Irma questioned. "How can there be more than five Guardians?"
"After all we've been through, Kandrakar still decided to keep something as important as this a secret from us," Taranee clenched her fists as one of them burst into a small flame.
"Kimi, how did you become a Guardian?" Will asked.
"I failed to see if this is any of your business," Kimi replied rudely. "However, based on your stricken reactions, I, too, am infuriated with Kandrakar."
"So you didn't know about the existence of five other Guardians other than yourself?" Orube asked.
"No!" Kimi seethed through her teeth as she clenched the Jewel of Life in her palm. "When I get my hands on those imbeciles, I will wring out every explanation they know."
Although she was no fan of this new girl's attitude, Irma agreed. She was about to comment her opinion on this when, suddenly, Will felt a powerful pulse through the Heart of Kandrakar. The Keeper summoned it and to their surprises; both the Heart and the Jewel ringed together in unison and began to display an image.
"Someone rang?" Irma asked.
"Hey, that's Meridian!" Cornelia said, recognizing the image being projected. "Something's wrong. What's going on there?"
"What strange world is this?" Kimi questioned.
"It's Metamoor," Orube replied. "I think something is attacking the city!"
Sure enough, the magically projected image showed the girls the citizens screaming in terror as they were running away from something. Upon a closer look, they were being attacked by a giant cloud made from bats. A figure appeared from the storm of bats. It was a tall, grotesque man wearing a hat with a glowing green chain in his hand. He wasn't alone for a large dog stood by his side. Will and her friends watched in horror as the dark figure ordered the bats to attack the people. The ones who were bitten changed dramatically. Where there was fear before, it was replaced by a sudden desire of pure hatred. Once bitten, the victims began to attack their fellow friends and family members.
"Those bats have the same red auras as the tengu," Kimi stated stoically.
"This is horrible!" Hay Lin cried. "Will, we have to do something!"
"But where's Elyon?" Will asked. "She's supposed to be protecting the city!"
As if hearing Will's question, the Heart and the Jewel showed them an image of a plume of bats heading for a figure on a castle's balcony. They saw Elyon waving a hand up as she tried to repel them with a burst of light. It worked, but Elyon staggered back as if weakened before falling into Caleb's arms. He ordered Elyon's adopted parents to take her inside while he stayed to defend the castle. Brandishing his sword, Caleb heroically jumped down into the mist of chaos with Vathek by his side. But despite their heroism, they would soon fall prey to the dark bats and their cruel master.
"Caleb!" Cornelia cried. Turning to Will, she demanded. "Will, we have to go to Meridian now!"
"You're right," Will agreed. "We can come back here later, but for now our friends need us on Metamoor."
Will asked the Heart to open a portal to Meridian. After all five of them left, Orube turned back to see Kimi still standing there. "Kimi, are you coming with us?" Orube asked, but Kimi didn't answer. Sighing, Orube shook her head in disappointment, "Very well. It seems you have more important things to take care of than to serve Kandrakar as its Guardian of Light." With that, she disappeared through the portal.
Kimi pondered what Orube had just said and frowned. Scoffing at herself, she jumped into the portal before it closed at the last second.
"No good! We have to fall back, Caleb!" Vathek cried, swinging a spiked metal ball at the flying bats.
"No, we can't let the Tracker reach the castle!" Caleb replied.
"It will do us no good if we get bitten, too," Vathek reminded him. "Tracker is pure evil, but his powers have been doubled by an unknown force we know nothing of."
"We have to protect the Queen!" Caleb insisted.
Suddenly the bats withdrew and a growl from a vicious dog replaced the screeches. The Tracker came with glowing red eyes. Caleb seethed and stood his ground.
"Not another step, Tracker!" Caleb warned. "You'll not lay a hand on the Queen!"
The Tracker laughed maniacally, his laughter filled with great insanity as if he was intoxicated. "Your…pitiful effort...is meaningless…" The Tracker whispered coldly. "All shall suffer…from my wrath…"
With a wave of his hand, the Tracker's dog jumped on Caleb, biting into his arm as the former Whisperer tried to break free.
"Caleb!" Vathek cried. He jumped in to help, but was immediately chained down by the Tracker before he could do anything. Without another word, the Tracker unleashed another wave of bats on them both.
Caleb and Vathek screamed in pain and tried their best to fight off the bats. Slowly, their frustration turned to rage. Once the biting stopped, Caleb and Vathek eyed each other vehemently.
"I told you we should have fallen back!" Vathek accused.
"Silence!" Caleb ordered. "I'm in charge around here, Vathek! You will follow my order or I'll have you imprison!"
"You and whose army?!" Vathek challenged.
The Tracker laughed with absolutely savage pleasure as he watched both men began to fight one another. "Soon…all shall feel my wrath…" the Tracker snickered. He looked up at the castle. "…I shall hunt…the biggest prey…and make her hunt her own subjects…"
"The only wrath you'll be feeling is from me once I'm through with you!" said a voice above his head.
The Tracker immediately looked up to see an angry Cornelia dropping in from the sky and landed in front of him. With great intensity in her eyes, Cornelia raised up both of her hands and the earth beneath the Tracker splits open. Immediately, giant vines with thorns sprouted from the chasm and wrapped themselves around the Tracker and his hound. They were immobilized.
"Remind me to never make fun of her ex-boyfriend when she's in a bad mood," Irma commented to Hay Lin.
"Caleb!" Cornelia cried, turning her attention back to Caleb. "Caleb, are you alright?" Caleb didn't respond. He was too preoccupied trying to take on Vathek. "Caleb, stop this! You and Vathek are friends!"
"I don't think they hear you, Corny," Irma replied.
"They must be under the same spell that affected Irma and Taranee earlier," Orube pointed out.
"Will, do something!" Cornelia cried.
"I'm on it," Will reassured her as she held out the Heart of Kandrakar. The blinding light from the Heart fell on the two fighting friends, bathing them both in its warm glow.
"Argh!" Vathek and Caleb cried as they recoiled instinctively.
"Calm down," Will said with a soothing voice. "Remember who your real friends are…remember who you're fighting against…"
"We…we were fighting…" Vathek started… "…we were fighting to protect…"
"You're…right, Vathek," Caleb agreed as they both came to their senses. "We were supposed to be fighting the Tracker to protect Elyon's castle…but...what happen?" At last, Caleb and Vathek relaxed as Cornelia threw herself into Caleb's arms.
"Caleb!" she cried.
"Cornelia? You're here…" Caleb realized. He looked up to see the other Guardians and Orube. "You're all here!"
"Guardians! It's so good to see you again!" Vathek cried, getting up to shake Irma's hands.
"Hey, it's not a party without us here, right, blue guy?" Irma joked. Turning to Cornelia and Caleb, she smirked. "Wow, I wonder what Elyon would say if she saw you two like this."
Cornelia and Caleb both blushed furiously, forgetting that Caleb had broken up with the Earth Guardian and is now with Elyon, her best friend.
"Um…you know we're just friends now, right?" Caleb asked nervously.
"Yeah, and you're happily with Elyon now," Cornelia agreed.
Before Irma could tease them again, the Tracker and his dog howled demonically, drawing all of their attentions. Not much to the Guardians' surprises, the Tracker broke free from Cornelia's vines.
"No time for jokes, girls," Will positioned herself defensively.
"Whatever you do, don't let his bats bite you," Orube warned them. She brandished her sword and knocked the Tracker's huge dog to the ground when it tried to pounce on her."You're fast, but I'm faster, mutt."
The Tracker scowled. "You'll pay for this, Guardians…yield to my wrath!"
He unleashed a wave of bats at them, but Will used her energy and summoned a shield. With the bats obscuring her view, Will didn't notice the Tracker throwing his glowing green chain around her ankles. He pulled hard and she fell. The shield Will conjured up instantly disappeared as the Tracker dragged her closer to his hungry hound.
"Let go!" Taranee cried. She flew in and grabbed the chain with both of her hands. "Don't mess with fire, Tracker…literally!" And with that, the Guardian of Fire sent a bolt of searing pain through the chains. The Tracker screamed in pain when the heat smoldered his hands with a third degree burn and dropped the chain, freeing Will.
"We need to unite our powers and fire it at him like we did with the tengu and the ushi-oni," Hay Lin said. "Will, use the Heart!"
"I'm on it!" Will responded as she summoned the Heart of Kandrakar.
"The three of us will keep him busy!" Caleb said as he, Vathek, and Orube dived in with their weapons. "You girls fire once I give the signal."
While the three warriors kept the Tracker and his hound busy, the five Guardians summoned their powers and combined it with the Heart. Once it was ready, Caleb pretended to come in for another strike at the Tracker but the jumped out of the way at the last minute.
"Now!" He shouted.
"Fire!" Will ordered and they all released the converged attack at their foe. It went into the Tracker's chest and sunk in. Just like their two previous foes, the Tracker recoiled in agony as the magical blast consumed him from within. The bats poured out from his body and were immediately disintegrated. Not even the Tracker's hound was spared. Once the remains of the Tracker and his hound were reduced to dust, the same red mist began to evaporate into thin air. Hay Lin decided to fly in and spotted another medallion.
"Girls, look!" Hay Lin cried. "Another one just like the tengu's on Lusteria!"
"Great, at this rate we should open up our own used-jewelry shop," Irma commented. She waited for Cornelia to retort on her joke. When Cornelia didn't, Irma turned around to see Caleb holding Cornelia up.
"Cornelia, what's wrong?" Caleb asked with concern when Cornelia placed a hand against her forehead. It looked as if she was getting dizzy from converging her magic with the others.
"No, I think Elyon's in trouble," Cornelia replied.
"Don't worry, the Queen is safe with her staff," Caleb reassure her.
"No, Cornelia's right," Hay Lin said, still holding the medallion in on hand. "The Tracker may be gone, but I can still sense something evil in the air." Looking up at one of the towers of the castle, Hay Lin tuned in to her element and concentrate. "I feel it…and it's coming from that tower."
"Elyon, you must rest!" said Elyon's adopted mother, Captain Miriadel. "Whatever is happening, it's draining your powers."
"But I must help Caleb," Elyon insisted, trying to get up from her seat.
"No, your mother is right, dear," said her adopted father, Commander Alborn. "Your people need you. If you want to help everyone, including Caleb, you must get your strength back first."
"Trust in Caleb, dear," Miriadel insisted, brushing a lock of Elyon's hair out of her face like a mother hen. "Please, rest for our sakes as well. Your father and I will defend the palace doors should the Tracker comes. Nagadir!" Miriadel ordered. Elyon's private maid came running.
"Yes, ma'am?" Nagadir bowed.
"Take Elyon to her chamber," said Miriadel. "And give her the master chef's potion. She'll need her full strength should Alborn and I fall. And if things turn out for worse, take her through the tunnels and into the Infinite City. Galgheita will lead the two of you to safety."
"Right away, ma'am," Nagadir curtsied and led Elyon back into her private chamber.
"I'm alright, Nagadir," Elyon insisted.
"I'm sure you are, but you must not push yourself too far," said Nagadir. "You just came back from Kandrakar and suddenly used your powers to defend the city against the Tracker. You're exhausted!"
"Alright, if it'll calm you down, I'll drink the master chef's healing potion," Elyon smiled. "However, I doubt it'll help me much. Whatever this new Dark threat is, it's fueling the Tracker's evil intention and powers while diminishing mine."
"Will the Council of Kandrakar and its Guardian be able to help us, Your Majesty?" Nagadir asked. "They helped saved Meridian in the past, surely they'll help us again."
"I'm not sure, Nagadir," Elyon replied. "With the approaching Darkness, I think Cornelia and her friends will suffer from the same fate as me."
"Don't say that, Your Majesty," Nagadir insisted. "Surely your Light will be able to shine through and so will the Guardians!"
Both women waited in silence as the battle continued outside. Suddenly, when all was quiet, Nagadir, peaked out the windows. "I don't see the bats anymore," said Nagadir. "I can hear the soldiers cheering."
Elyon was about to get up to see for herself when there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Enter," Elyon said, but with caution.
A girl about the same age as Elyon came in, holding a bowl of red liquid in her hands. "Pardon me, Your Majesty, but Captain Miriadel sent me to bring you the master chef's healing potion."
"Yes, thank you…um…" Elyon began, but then realized she doesn't know the girl's name.
"Miranda, Your Majesty," the girl replied sweetly and curtsied.
"Um…yes, right…" Elyon hesitated. There was something about this girl she doesn't like but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Sorry, I don't remember you too well."
"That's okay, I'm new," Miranda smiled. Elyon ordered Nagadir to wait outside until she finished. Nagadir bowed and left. "I just started today. You should really drink up. The master chef will kill me if I come back with it half-empty."
"Right," Elyon nodded. She held her breath and took one deep gulp. "How are things out there? Is it bad?"
"Better than ever, Your Majesty," Miranda chirped. "The Tracker has been defeated."
Elyon nearly choked on her potion, clearly a bit surprised. "Caleb won?"
"You could say that," Miranda shrugged. "You must be so proud of him."
"That I am, Miranda," Elyon agreed.
"You should reward him for his bravery," Miranda suggested.
Elyon laughed weakly. Urgh, I must still be drained, Elyon thought. Apparently, this healing potion doesn't work as fast as the master chef says.
"And what type of reward do you think I should give him?" Elyon asked. Feeling a little bit dizzy, she decided to sit down on one of the couches in the room.
"If it were me, I would be very grateful for something to eat," Miranda smiled mischievously. If Elyon wasn't busy with her dizziness, she would have noticed a glint in the girl's eyes and it would tell her that something was wrong.
"Food? Are you really that hungry yourself?" Elyon asked. "Is that master chef's cooking not to your liking, Miranda?"
"You have no idea," Miranda replied in a dark tone. "Is the potion you drank not poisonous enough for you?"
Elyon gasped and got up to her feet, but instead, she fell to her knees. She tried to get up but her vision was spinning violently.
"What did you do?!" Elyon demanded.
"Aw…feeling weak, my Queen?" Miranda laughed. "That's understandable. After all, I spiked the master chef's healing potion for you with my special venom. Soon the poison will paralyze your body and your magic."
"Why are you doing this? Who are you, witch?!" Elyon demanded.
Miranda laughed maniacally with sheer pleasure. "Why? I told you, I'm hungry. You see, I came from depths of the Abyss of Shadows. Oh, I'm sure you've heard of it from the time of Prince Phobos's reign. Ever since you came to power, your magic pushed me into the abyss and I've been trying to crawl out of it ever since. You simply don't know how difficult it is to find food down there."
Miranda laughed, and suddenly, her body contorted in a grotesque fashion. Her joints made a popping and cracking sound and her deceptive Escanor face twisted into something horrible. Luckily, Elyon didn't have to see how ugly her face got as black hair began to cover it as well as Miranda's entire body. Once the transformation was completed, Miranda now stood as a giant spider with black hair and troll-liked limbs. When she spoke, her voice now sounded rough and wicked.
"I always craved for little things like farmers' livestock or better yet…passling meat," Miranda sneered. "But ever since your blasted light magic banished me into the pit, I tasted nothing but mold and cave snails for years!"
"Yeah, well I'm glad that the abyss suits your ugly dark appearance," Elyon snapped.
"Silence girl!" Miranda snapped. She spat a large, sticky web at Elyon's mouth, silencing her. She spitted out more web, but this time, to wrap Elyon up like a black widow with its prey. "Now, let me finish telling you my little story that's about to become a happily ever after…for me, that is."
Elyon glared at her and tried to use her magic to break free. The Crown of Light did nothing and Elyon remembered that the mysterious Dark threat had weakened it. At the same time, her own magic has been blocked by Miranda's poison.
"I was eating through a meager portion of disgusting snails when suddenly, there was a strange portal in front of me," Miranda continued, clearly enjoying the sound of her monologue. "A strange, green mist poured out and when I touched it, I suddenly felt more powerful and was able to escape from my everlasting prison…and my taste for fresh meat changed, of course. I no longer desire pathetic passling meat. Why should I devour something that has no power of its own?"
Elyon realized what Miranda was trying to infer, but it was too late. The poison in the drink completely incapacitated her. She could no longer move except to breathe and to blink.
Bending closer, Miranda opened her mouth and a strange green mist poured out, enveloping Elyon. While inducing Elyon with her newfound dark magic, Miranda was essentially eating up parts of the Queen's power. As she ate, she grew in size until her form practically took up the entire room.
"Once I'm finished with the appetizer, I'll have all the power I need to destroy your precious kingdom!" Miranda laughed and bent down for a huge bite of Elyon's head.
Suddenly, a glowing white arrow shot between them, causing Miranda to recoil back.
"And once I'm through with you, you'll be nothing but a squashed spider!" said a new voice.
"Who dares disturb my meal?!" Miranda demanded, clearly furious for being interrupted.
"Why don't you take a closer look?" Kimi said, and shot several more white arrows at Miranda.
Miranda screamed and tried to move, but she was too big and there was barely any room left for her to move around. While trying to scrap the white arrows off of her face, Kimi dove in and grabbed Elyon's prone form. "Looks like you need a hand, Hikari-hime," Kimi said. She used her magic and teletransported both of them out of the chamber and into the throne room where Miriadel and Alborn stood.
"By the Light of Meridian, what is this?" Alborn exclaimed.
"Elyon?!" Miriadel gasped in surprised. "Elyon, what happened to you?" Looking up at the strange girl in a black robe, she scowled. "Who are you? What did you do to my daughter?!"
"I'm the Guardian of Light," Kimi responded, ignoring the threatening glares the both of them were giving. "And if you're really going to use your swords against someone, I suggest you use it on the jorogumo who is in this girl's room. Clearly, the beast had developed an appetite for royal flesh."
"What are you talking about?" Alborn demanded. Before anything else, the wall behind the empty throne crumbled and Miranda came running out.
"WHERE IS SHE?!" Miranda screamed."WHERE IS MY FOOD?!"
"Does that answer your question?" Kimi commented sarcastically.
Miranda heard her and looked down to see her prey. "THERE'S MY QUEENLY DINNER!"
"You did this?" Miriadel cried in shock.
"NO! You'll not lay a finger on my daughter, you monster!" Alborn warned. He held up his sword and swung it at her. To his surprise, the sword barely scratched Miranda and she laughed.
"Alborn!" Miriadel cried, getting up to help her husband. "Whoever you are, save Queen Elyon!" she said, with her back turned to Kimi. "Alborn and I will handle this."
Kim highly doubted that they'll be able to last for long against a hairy creature that large. Turning her attention back to the prone queen in front of her, she used a finger and cut through the web with an enchanted laser knife. Ripping off the stick web from Elyon's mouth, Kimi manifested the Jewel of Life and brought it close to the queen's crown. Soon enough, both items shone brilliantly, illuminating the entire throne room.
"What's that?" Irma cried when she noticed a brilliant light shining through the cracks of the double doors in front of them.
"That's the throne room!" Caleb cried. "Elyon must be inside!"
"I hear screaming," Hay Lin cried in shock. "I think Elyon's in trouble!"
"Elyon, we're coming!" Cornelia stated. Running right up to the doors, Cornelia summoned her magic and knocked them down.
This was perhaps the second time the five Guardians have been in Elyon's throne room. The first time, they had come to help Elyon dethrone Phobos. Now, they have arrived to help her again…however, they didn't expecting to see Kimi right next to Elyon's side as well.
"YOU?!" Irma scowled. "What are you doing here?"
"Unbelievable!" Taranee gapped. "You've followed us to Metamoor and beat us to the palace?"
"Kimi what are you doing here?" Orube demanded. "I thought you were busy searching for your brother back on Lusteria."
"Cornelia, who is this girl?" Caleb asked. Glaring at Kimi, he said, "And what did you do with Queen Elyon?"
"Will you all just shut the hell up so I can concentrate on healing Hikari-kime?" Kimi snapped, focusing all of her light magic with the healing breath of the Jewel of Life. Mentally, she ordered the magic pendant to shower Elyon's body with light. "If you want to make yourself useful, I suggest you give those two over there a hand with the jorogumo."
"A joro-what?" Irma asked, looking at Orube for an answer. "What is she talking about and wha—HOLY CRAP!"
Everyone, saved for Kimi and Elyon, gasped when they saw the sight of Miranda batting against Miriadel and Alborn.
Taranee was the first to scream. "AAAHHH! A SPIDER! A GIANT, UGLY, HAIRY SPIDER! I HATE SPIDERS!"
"Will, I think you should call an exterminator because we have one huge infestation in this palace!" Irma said.
"Caleb! Girls! Help us!" Miriadel cried, dodging Miranda's crushing blow. "This monster is too much for us!"
"We're coming!" Caleb cried as he and Vathek charged. The others followed suit and exchange blows, both from magical attacks and regular medieval weaponry. Miranda screeched, piercing their ears with a deafening cry that shook the castle ground.
"Worthless! You're nothing but flies to me!" Miranda screamed.
"You hurt Elyon!" Cornelia snapped, blasting green earth magic at Miranda. It drove her back against the wall, but other than that, it didn't break her. "I'll kill you for that!"
"Bold words, Guardian," Miranda mocked. "But let see if you can all handle this!"
At that moment, Miriadel and Alborn chose the wrong time to charge in with their swords at the ready. Miranda smirked and breathed out a green mist from her mouth, inducing Elyon's adopted parents with her dark magic.
"No!" Will cried as Alborn and his wife fell to their knees. "Not again!"
"What are you two doing? Get up!" Hay Lin cried.
"I can't…don't have the strength…" Alborn muttered, his eyes dull and his body gave off the same green aura as his wife.
"Too…ravenous to continue…" Miriadel whispered, clearly under the same spell as her husband. "Must consume…"
"How can you two be thinking of eating at a time like this?" Irma cried with frustration.
"It's not their fault!" Elyon cried from behind them. After recovering her strength with Kimi's help, she got back on her legs. "I felt a similar sensation when Miranda induced me with that green mist earlier."
"I'll make sure that each of you will feel it again," Miranda claimed, jumping for Will first. Quickly, Will dodged her attack and used the Heart of Kandrakar to boost her electrifying energy. Aiming it at Miranda, Will was able to knock her back for the moment.
"We can use either the Heart or Kimi's Jewel to free them," Will suggested. She flew in towards Miriadel and Alborn in order to free them of the dark spell, but a spider web shot out from Miranda and pinned Will against a pillar.
"Argh, Dammit!" She swore.
"Everyone, duck!" Caleb cried as he and the others scrambled once Miranda got her footing again.
For the next five minutes, the scene either changed from the Guardians' advantage in raining their attacks down on Miranda or one of them running and dodging her sticky web and green mist attack.
"How are we supposed to beat something as huge and ugly as this?" Irma demanded, trying to wash Miranda away with a pillar of water. The only thing she managed was ticking off the spider-monster more by drenching her hair.
"I may have an idea," Orube suggested. Taking advantage of the others distracting Miranda, she gestured Kimi to follow her to Will and they both cut her loose. "Based on what Elyon told us between fighting with Miranda, I'm guessing this servant girl is similar to a jorogumo on Lusteria," Orube noted. Turning to the Guardian of Light, she asked, "Kimi, do you remember any weaknesses about them?"
"They say that fire doesn't mix well with a spider's web," Kimi noted. "While the jorogumos on my planet can weave powerful webs, they can do nothing against the flame itself."
"Do you remember that time when your uncle managed to kill one?" Orube asked.
Upon this question, Kimi smiled wickedly as she realized what Orube was suggesting.
"I don't get it," Will said with annoyance. "What plan are you talking about?"
"Don't worry, I'll let you know," Orube smiled. "Just follow these instructions."
A few minutes later, Vathek and Caleb were getting beaten to a pulp while Elyon was trying to free Hay Lin from beneath a few rubbles. Before, the Air Guardian had tried to fly in and attack Miranda with her two magical fans, but the later quickly knocked her aside as if she was a mere fly. Before Miranda could trap her with her web, Irma, Taranee, and Cornelia flew in and showered their opponent with a barrage of elemental blast, holding her down.
"We have to fall back," Elyon ordered. With the light from her crown shining bright, she bent down to free her adopted parents from Miranda's control and helped them up.
"What? But we can't let Miranda win!" Caleb objected.
"Will just whispered a plan to me. Now followed my order!"
Caleb didn't like it, but decided not to object with his heart mate. "Girls, get back!" He called to Cornelia and to others. "Run!"
"What? You've got to be kidding me!" Cornelia objected.
"Elyon says so, so move it!"
"Where do you think you're going?" Miranda hissed as she chased after them. They turned a corner down the hall and out of the throne room. "Can't you see I'm still starving here? I want some royal flesh for dinner and you're not getting away!"
"If you want your dinner, you'll have to catch it first!" Irma mocked.
Miranda ignored her and followed their scent until she reached a room. Busting the door down, she saw that it was empty save for all the wooden furniture. "Hide all you want. I can find you no matter where you are." Miranda picked up an armchair, but when she found nothing she furiously smashed the furniture into bits. "No more games! I will feast on Elyon's flesh tonight one way or another. As for the rest of your pests, you'll be the dessert."
"You're right, Miranda," said a voice behind her. Miranda turned around to see Elyon standing alone in the center of the large room. She positioned herself defensively, her fists glowing white with energy. "No more games. Let's end this now. You want me? Well, come and get me!"
"You're offering yourself upright onto the plate, my Queen? Lovely!" Miranda laughed as Elyon threw two energy spheres at her. Miranda quickly batted them away and charged. "DIE!"
Miranda made a huge dive in order to seize Elyon. Instead, she grabbed nothing but air as her hands passed through the Queen of Metamoor. "WHAT?!" Miranda cried in disbelief. Before she could get up, giant pillars constructed out of light came crashing down around her rotund form, trapping her like tiger in a cage.
"Up here, stupid," Kimi smirked from the top of a balcony. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist the bait."
"How was this possible?!" Miranda demanded. She tried to break free from her cage, but Kimi's magical light constructs continued to hold her in place. "Where is Elyon?"
"Hmph, the Elyon that you've tried to catch before was nothing more than a holographic specter created from Kimi's light magic," Orube simpered. "The real Elyon, on the other hand, is safe here with me."
"You're through, Miranda!" the real Elyon cried. "This is the end. Do it, girls."
"Cornelia, now!" Will ordered as the Earth Guardian used her magic to levitate all of the wooden furniture and dropped them on Miranda.
"Your turn, Irma!" Cornelia glanced at Irma as she poured several gallons of foul smelling black tar downward into the cage, covering Miranda and the furniture with its thick substance.
"What is this?" Miranda demanded.
"It is called tar, spider-girl," Taranee grinned. She held up a flaming fist and aimed it at the monster beneath her. "You want dinner, right? How about roasted spider? Chef Taranee's specialty!" She fired several bolts of flame and the next thing they knew the room was filled with the horrifying scream of Miranda as the inferno incinerated her.
Once the fire devoured Miranda entirely, the agonizing screams stopped as she was reduced to ash. Like the three previous monsters, a mysterious mist, but green, evaporated and the fire died. The only thing left of her remain was a charred medallion.
"It's over," Elyon said with a sigh.
"No, it has only begun and you should know it," said Lord Araël once the Guardians and Orube returned to the Gemini Council. Despite being nearly eaten alive by a monstrous spider, Elyon ignored Caleb's protest and insisted on accompanying them. After the excitement had died down and her head felt cleared enough, Elyon was just as shocked as W.I.T.C.H. to see that Kimi is a Guardian. Wanting to find out the cause of these monsters' attacks with dark powers as well as satisfying her curiosity about the Guardian of Light, Elyon set off for Kandrakar.
Upon their return, they met with two more Gemini Council members who were talking to their leader. Lady Verlona introduced them as Lord Mathis, the Aquatic Sorcerer and Lady Freyja, the Nordic Angel. Mathis was an older middle-age looking man with twinkling blue eyes while Freyja was a beautiful angel with a pair of snow-white wings and long, brown hair. Immediately after their introduction, Verlona suggested something and Freyja instantaneously manifested a scepter, magically healing the Guardians and the others from any wounds obtained from their recent battles.
"Wow, thanks a lot, lady," Irma commented.
"My pleasure, Guardians," Freyja smiled.
"It seems we have two guests here in our halls today," Lord Araël said, noticing Elyon and Caleb. "Welcome to the Halls of the Gemini Council, Queen of Metamoor."
"Your Light is always welcome here," Lady Verlona greeted. "It has been a long time since the last Queen of Metamoor had set foot in our halls."
"With the way you've ruled over your subjects, you truly are Weira's daughter," Lady Freyja complimented.
"My mother was here before?" Elyon gasped.
"Indeed," Lord Mathis nodded. "She first came here when she recently became the new ruler of your world."
Irritated, Kimi stormed up to the Oracle and the four Gemini Councilmen. "Enough! I have no time for your useless conversation with Hikari-hime! You have some explaining to do!" Glaring at Will and her friends, she pointed a finger at them. "Why didn't you inform me of these five lily-livers?! I demand a straight answer from you!"
Ignoring Kimi's insulting nickname for them, Irma decided to jump in. "You know, she's not the only one who's curious about this," Irma agreed. She placed both hands on her hip. "How could there be more than five Guardians? I thought all the elements were taken. No one told us that Light is considered an element!"
"It is complicated, Irma," Yan Lin said. "One that would take too long to explain."
"Grandma!" Hay Lin gasped. "You knew this all along? Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you trusted us," Taranee accused. "After all we've been through for this place, don't we deserve to know?"
"And how could there be another Heart of Kandrakar?" Will demanded. "Okay, fine. It's not the Heart of Kandrakar, but it's still a look-a-like!"
"Girls, please!" Yan Lin held up her two hands to calm them down. "Settle down. Yes, I knew that there existed more than five Guardians, but there was no reason for you to know about each other as there was no reason for you to know about the Gemini Council. Our destinies are too different since the beginning and rarely both teams would cross each others' paths."
"Wait, what team?" Will asked. "Are you trying to say there are other Guardians out there besides Kimi?"
"Are there any other secrets you would like to tell us?" Taranee commented with irritation.
Yan Lin sighed and glanced at the other members of the Gemini Council. "Due to this impending Darkness that threatens to overbalance our Light, I will tell you everything that I can for now in hopes of bringing peace to your hearts." Looking at the Aquatic Sorcerer, the Oracle said, "Lord Mathis, would you kindly do the honor?"
Marthis nodded and held up a hand. Instantly, computerized interface screens appeared and began to play a few familiar images. Upon a closer inspection, Will and her friends recognized some of them from the time when they were put to the test in Kandrakar with switched elements.
"As you know," Yan Lin began, "The Universe was watched over by the Five Nymphs; Xin Jing, the Nymph of the Elements who freed the Four Dragons; Oneide, the Nymph of Life, Téa, the Nymph of the Sun, Ebla, the Nymph of the Moon, and N'ghala, the Nymph of the Stars." Like a class presentation, the girls watched the scenes unfold on the screens as images of the Five Nymphs changed to the creation of Kandrakar.
"But soon, beings and creatures learned evil," Yan Lin continued, "and a negative energy brought hatred and violence by trying to break the harmony of the universe. The Five Nymphs combated this problem by creating Kandrakar and there, they gathered the greatest minds of their own worlds and established the Congregation of Kandrakar. The Nymph N'ghala became the first Oracle and she created the first two Guardians. It wasn't until several generations later that N'ghala understood that having five Guardians was the perfect number.
"However, while the Congregation of Kandrakar and its five Guardians were only created to protect the Balance and Peace of the universe," Yan Lin reminded them. "The other three Nymphs realized that there must be a branch to maintain the Balance between Light and Darkness which exists in all things of the universe."
"Wait, say that again because I think you just lost me," Irma said. "Aren't those two pretty much the same thing?"
Yan Lin and the other Elders shook their heads.
"No, the Oracle's council and Guardians ensure that there are peace and balance in the universe," said Lord Mathis. "Our job is to ensure that the power between Light and Darkness does not outweigh each other to the point of destruction."
"So it's like the Chinese philosophical concept of yin and yang," Will suggested. "Things like hot and cold or light and dark! Am I right?"
Yan Lin nodded. "Yes, and as you know, one must not overbalance the other or there would be serious consequences," The Oracle glanced at Mathis so that he may continued with the images and data on the interfaces. "It was Oneide, whom treasured all living things, brought this up and created the Gemini Council with the help of the Nymphs Téa and Ebla. Oneide would become its first leader and she established two more Guardians. She looked to Lusteria, a world filled with both magic and spirituality, and chose two twin brothers who became the first Guardians of Light…and Darkness."
"There's a Guardian of Darkness?!" Will interrupted.
"There are guys who were Guardians?!" Irma blurted out. Without meaning to, she laughed and earned a glare from Kimi. "I'm sorry, but I can't imagine guys with wings and wearing green and purple!"
Suddenly, images of two identical twins appeared on the interface. But rather than the usual green and purple Guardians' outfits with round diaphanous wings the girls wear, these young men wore green and blue with diamond shaped wings to encapsulate their masculinity as Guardians.
"Girls, you must understand that where there is Light, there is also Darkness," Yan Lin reminded them. "The events in which you've faced Nerissa as well as Phobos's return to Kandrakar were proof enough of this." Ignoring Irma's joke, Yan Lin continued, "Oneide created the Jewel of Life from her breath and bestowed it on these two brothers. Téa contributed by bestowing a sword, Heaven's Revolution, to the Guardian of Light and Ebla gave her mirror, Moonlight Justice, to the Guardian of Darkness. Over times, these two brothers would use these talismans and fought to ensure a stable balance between Light and Darkness which exists in all things. Eventually, the brothers would go their separate ways. The youngest brother, Kazuhiro, and the first Guardian of Light, would become the founder of the Kinomoto clan. His twin, Kazuhiko, would become the founder of its rival family, the Watsuki clan."
"The Kinomoto family is one of the most powerful and influential clans of Nihon as well as the rest of the planet," Orube added. "They are mostly renowned for being able to produce the most sets of twins in a single generation."
"Yes, and like our Honorable Oracle Yan Lin, Kazuhiro's successors would be none other than his own descendants. There has never been a pair of Twin Guardians designated outside of this clan." Holding out a hand towards Kimi, Lord Araël gestured, "Kimi and her twin are both descendants of Kazuhiro and Kazuhiko." The interface then showed hundreds of twins standing side by side (save for Kimi and her mysterious twin brother). Hay Lin noticed that most of them were sets of identical twins and the overall majorities are males. Whether or not they were male or female and identical or fraternal, they all shared the same elemental symbols on their chests. It wasn't until then that Will and her friends realized the symbol on Kimi's Guardian outfit was in the shape of the white curved tear-shaped drop of the yin and yang symbol…an everlasting emblem that matched Kimi's ancestors.
"So if Kimi's your Guardian of Light," Orube began, "then that means her missing brother is the Guardian of Darkness and your liaison as well."
"Correct, Warrior of Basilíade," Verlona nodded. "The older twins are always Darkness and their young siblings are always Light. It has been that way since the first Twin Guardians."
"Speaking of which, there is still the matter of your insubordination," Lord Araël interrupted. He stepped forward and looked down at Kimi with a serious demeanor, but she didn't back down. "Our council summoned in you and your brother in this time of crisis, yet you've ignored our calls, Guardian of Light."
"Your presence here at this moment does not change anything," Lady Verlona agreed, clearly a bit furious with Kimi's disobedience. "Tell us why you didn't answer our calls."
"Pardon my rudeness, Lord Araël, but it was not Kimi's fault," Orube came to Kimi's defense. "Kimi didn't answer your convene as her twin is missing. She was trying to look for him when we ran into her in the Dark Forest Continent."
"Yeah, and if it wasn't for her help, we probably wouldn't have defeated that tengu," Hay Lin added.
What was anger and irritation now replaced by shock and disbelief on the Elders' faces. "The Guardian of Darkness is missing and his sister doesn't know where he is? This is not like him."
"Are you absolutely sure that you cannot sense his presence, Kimi," Lady Freyja asked. "You have a bond with your twin, surely you can—"
"If I could sense my brother's dark aura, none of you would be reprimanding me about now," Kimi pointed out their flaws with irritation. With her power over air, Hay Lin could tell that Kimi was just as much upset by her twin's disappearance.
"This is serious, it would explain why the Darkness is growing and threatening our powers over Light," Lord Araël said. Looking at Hay Lin, he asked, "Did you just say a tengu, Guardian of Air?"
Hay Lin nodded and stepped forward, holding out the three medallions from their battles. "It wasn't just the tengu, but we fought against the Tracker and Miranda on Metamoor, too. We've found these after they were disintegrated."
Yan Lin, Araël, and Verlona each grabbed a medallion and scrutinized them with great intensity and concerns.
"Please, don't punish the Guardian of Light," Elyon added. "If it wasn't for her, I would have been killed."
"There will be no punishment, Your Majesty," Lord Araël assured her. "After the Guardians have just discovered the cause of our problems, I see no reasons to."
Holding up her medallion, Yan Lin asked, "Did you girls felt any strong, negative emotions when you fought against these monsters?"
Will nodded. "Not only that, but each of them seems to be accompanied by some sort of strange, colored mists. Kimi sensed their auras with her magic. When that ox-demon in the park attacked me, I suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of drowsiness and exhaustion. It was as if I couldn't have the will to fight."
"When we got attacked by Karaten, Irma and I suddenly felt rage towards each other and the same must have happened to Caleb and Vathek when they faced the Tracker."
"And the Browns suddenly felt hungry after that spider-girl induced them with a green mist," Irma remembered. Glancing at Elyon, she asked, "You said you've felt the same when Miranda attacked you, right?" Elyon nodded.
It was then that Kimi spoke up. "The sources of their increased powers came from sloth, wrath, and gluttony. I can still sense a lingering aura from each of those monsters you've all faced mixed with your own."
"It appears we've found the answer," Oracle Yan Lin replied gravely. Looking down at the charred medallion in her hand, she said, "The Seven Deadly Sins."
"The what?" Irma asked.
"What are these Deadly Sins, Grandma?" Ha Lin asked. She was almost as curious as the others.
It was then that Taranee decided to remind her friends about what they've learned from their recent history lesson. "The Seven Deadly Sins is a classification of abhorrent vices that were taught during the early few centuries in order to educate and instruct humans concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin. Mr. Collins just told us all about this in class two weeks ago."
"Impressive, Guardian of Fire," Lady Verlona complimented. "But the four monsters you've faced were not the main sources of the Sins of Sloth, Wrath, and Gluttony. One answer leads to more questions."
"Thanks to you girls, we now know what is cause the Darkness to grow. But we don't know who induced these monsters in the first place," Yan Lin explained. "And with only three sins so far, I fear that you will face the other four in the near future."
"I thought your job was to make sure that none of this would happen in the first place!" Irma retorted, pointing an accusing finger at the Gemini Councilmen.
"There was supposed to be one person who could have prevented this madness," Mathis explained. "The Prince of Darkness is the only one powerful enough to stand against any growing dark threats, but he is an elusive being and a complete enigma. Not even the Oracle or the Dream Seer knows of his identity."
"Except Kyochi-nii-san," Kimi whispered.
Hearing her, Araël nodded gravely. "Yes, only the Warrior of Darkness knows of the true identity and the whereabouts of the Prince of Darkness. However, with Kyochi missing, the Sins are taking an opportunity to strike."
"So what do we do?" Will asked. "How can we stop this new threat without Kyochi's help? We barely survived through four monsters today and that was exhausting!"
"You can't," Yan Lin replied simply. "For this mission, you will need the help of all seven Guardians. Since Kyochi is missing, Orube will be filling in his place. You must find him as well as the main source of these Deadly Sins. With our weakened powers, Lord Araël and I do not have the abilities to find whoever is behind all of this. It has been ages since all seven Guardians worked together on the same mission. But in order to succeed, you must all learn to work together as a team."
"Working with this crazy chick?" Irma pointed. "Yeah, right! Over my dead body."
"This is an insult!" Kimi objected. "I don't need any helf from these lily-livers. They were useless and weak against the tengu and the jorogumo!"
"Hey, who was the one who roasted that spider to a crisp?!" Taranee pointed out.
"Only because you had Orube and me to help," Kimi retorted. "You were completely on a stalemate before that."
"You are so pretentious!" Cornelia added. "Who in their right mind chose you as a Guardian is beyond me!"
"ENOUGH!" Lord Araël's voice boomed throughout the hall, silencing their bickering without a heartbeat. "There is a dangerous and dark threat on our doorsteps and six of you must return to Lusteria constantly for your mission. It can only succeed if the five of you learn to work together with the Guardian of Light. To ensure this, I will have Kimi relocated temporarily to Heatherfield disguised as a transfer student from Japan."
"WHAT?!" cried all six Guardians in shock.
"Like it or not, you will learn to fight together," Lady Verlona affirmed with an intimidating tone. "The six of you must establish a harmonious connection and the only way to do that is to interact socially everyday on Earth."
"Why must I be the one to leave my world and live on a planet filled with weaklings?" Kimi objected.
"Because Will and her friends have families who are not aware of their extracurricular activities as Guardians," Freyja explained. "Everyone in your clan and on Lusteria is aware of magic and the existences of Guardians. You can afford to live off-world for a mission as you've done before."
Kimi wanted to argue, but said nothing as she knew in her mind the plan was logical.
"You will not be alone," Yan Lin assured her. "Orube will join you and return to pose as a university undergraduate, Rebecca Rudolph. Since you two were so close, she'll also pose as your distant cousin. Orube is familiar with living on Earth before and can help you and the others."
"I will do as you wished, Oracle," Orube bowed respectfully.
"Well, at least we have someone familiar and more welcoming back into our group," Irma whispered to Cornelia.
What about our magical W.I.T.C.H. bus and Kandor?" Hay Lin suggested.
For this mission, you'll no longer need the bus and Kandor will return to his role as one of my councilmen."
"I'm gonna miss that guy and his red beard," Taranee commented.
Hay Lin giggled. "Ironically, you were the one who dreaded having him as our main caretaker in the first place, remember?"
"Personally, I think We is going to miss him the most," Cornelia suggested. "I hate to be the one to break the news to the little guy."
"Hey, at least he'll be happy to see Orube again," Irma teased.
"My allergies are looking forward to it," Orube commented sarcastically.
Lord Verlona shook her head. "For this mission, you will require a different caretaker, one who can be your mentor and can keep the six of you Guardians from killing each other with our backs turned."
"I don't need a babysitter!" Kimi insisted stubbornly. "Orube is more than enough."
"True, but Earth is nothing like Lusteria. In the eyes of this planet's authorities, you still have the physical appearance of a minor and according to their laws, you'll need a legal guardian."
I hope that our new caretaker will be better looking than Kandor, Taranee mused.
Looking up at one of the tall thrones, Araël nodded. "Ngọc Long, if you'll please?"
The Guardians, Orube, and Elyon looked up to see a figure dissolving into a cloud of shimmering, green scales. Suddenly, it formed into a handsome, green Asian dragon. The girls gasped instinctively and the dragon playfully blew a small puff of emerald fire at them. It purred and uncoiled itself from its throne, landing behind the Oracle and the Dream Seer. Once its claws touched the ground, its dragon scales dissolved away to reveal a tall woman with long, dark hair and amber-colored eyes.
"This is Lady Ngọc Long, the Jade Dragon," Lord Araël stated as she bowed. "Ngọc Long is also from Lusteria, the Southern Fire Kingdom of Annam to be precise. What she had witnessed there throughout the courses of thousands of years as well as her understanding of the fragility of mankind will prove most helpful to your missions."
"Orube will help you in combat training and the Jade Dragon will deploy you on missions via communication with the Gemini Council," Lady Verlona added.
"I look forward into helping you on your quest, young Guardians," Ngọc Long smiled.
Yan Lin smiled. "I see no one more fitting to fill in Kandor's position."
Will, on the other hand, was a bit hesitant. "I…I don't know, Oracle. After everything that has happened today…it's so overwhelming! I mean, all of this," Will gestured with her arms to indicate the Gemini Council, Kimi, and their new Lusterian mentor, "is happening so fast! I'm not sure if we'll be able to get used to it."
"I understand your concern, Will," Yan Lin nodded. "But this new threat is nothing like we've ever faced before. I believe in order for you to succeed, you must be willing to embrace changes and new ideals. The first step is to have you work together with a new ally," she indicated to Kimi.
Will sighed and looked at her four friends. Most of them would rather fight without any new additions to their group. She glanced at Elyon and Orube and immediately remembered that these two were both rejected by her and her fellow Guardians. They didn't trust Elyon when she betrayed them and could barely stand Orube when she came to Earth. But despite the temporary disharmony, Elyon and Orube proved to be powerful and reliable allies with a strong heart and became their best friends.
Perhaps Kimi could be the third ally that we need, Will thought. I guess we have to start somewhere.
Will nodded and the Elders smiled.
"It is time for you to welcome a new Guardian into your fold," Yan Lin began. "Earth will now have a sixth Guardian who can shine her Light in this time of Darkness…"
"…And Lusteria will have five new Guardians to give aid to the Light and find the Darkness…" Lord Araël finished.
"All hail the new Guardians," Elyon praised.
To be continued in Chapter Two…
Cultural references:
The Tracker and Miranda were only one of the many villains created for the animated series of W.I.T.C.H. and they don't exist in the original comic series. I liked them both so much that I wanted to incorporate them into this chapter at the last minute.
A Jorogumo is a demon-liked creature in Japanese folklore where a spider monster entices men as beautiful women before devouring them. Miranda isn't really one but in Kimi's eyes, she is similar to the ones on her home planet.
"Hikari-hime" is just Kimi's nickname for Elyon. It means "Light Princess" in Japanese because Elyon is the Light of Metamoor.
Kimi's power over Light more resembles what the Green Lanterns and many other light controlling superheroes in the DC Comic universe can do.
I wanted to incorporate the history of Kandrakar, the Five Nymphs, and the creation of the Guardians into this story somehow. I felt it was a little bit unfair to see three Nymphs disappearing into the background while Xin Jing and N'ghala get more credit in the story. So I've decided to have the remaining three be the creators of the Gemini Council and the Twin Guardians.
Oneide's Jewel of Life, Téa's Heaven's Revolution, and Ebla's Moonlight Justice are my interpretation of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan (The Imperial Regalia of Japan); the Jewel, the Sword, and the Mirror. They will play a significant role later on in the story.
The Seven Deadly Sins are more rooted in early Christian times. I saw a lot of great potential should the Guardians ever come face to face with the Seven Deadly Sins themselves.
Nii-san means "older brother" in Japanese. Kyochi Watsuki is Kimi's older twin brother.
"Ngọc Long" means Jade Dragon in Vietnamese. It's usually a male's name rather than female.