Darev: That's right, guys. A new chapter and a new penname. I'm back and better than ever! First, and forgive me if this becomes cliché, I apologize for the wait, but as I've said good writing takes time. The good news is that now that I'm off this summer I have nothing but time and that means quicker updates and new stories. I have written, deleted, and re-written this chapter so many times I can almost quote it verbatim. Undoubtingly my most difficult chapter to date, I rewrote the entire thing over a two-week period. You heard right! Months of waiting for something that was written in the last two weeks. You think you had it tough? I'm the one who had to do it. My fingers and eyes are killing me and I think my keyboard's about to leave me for another writer!! Kay, that last part was stupid, but the first two are honest to goodness truth. And so I present to you the third chapter of Broken Mirrors. Enjoy!
Chapter – 3 of 26.
Pairings – A possible love triangle.
Rating – Teen.
Disclaimer – I do not own W.I.T.C.H. But the character of Alexandria (Alex) is mine and mine alone.
Shoutouts - Chi Yagami, hope this chapter was worth the wait. XV Dragon, I hope you understand Alex a little bit better in this chapter. Not saying I have her character down pat yet, but it's getting there. Guardian's Light, I'm glad you liked the name. Alex really starts to come into her own but still has some issues to work out. You'll see. And as for "they" well I'll get to them eventually. IamkagomeIloveInuyasha, my apologies on making Alex a Marry Sue, but I believe I address her well enough that you start seeing her flaws come into play. I think perfect is lame also. Seriously, what do people see in perfect characters? Don't they know flaws are what make us human and believable? Let's see if I do her justice. Worker72, the Oracle is not a saint but he tries to make up it. You'll see alot of interesting things happen with him. Starwin, glad I could put you in a shoutout. Again thanks for pointing out that incest typo (LOL), boy was that embarrassing. Wonder which part of this chapter you'll like most. Vorserkeien, here's the update! Kitsune6, maybe I will cross out the "i" in her name. For now, let's just call her Alex. Koolkame, don't think you'll find many funny bits here, but there's some exchange between Caleb and Luba that I think you'll enjoy. I'm sure you'll be the first to point out any mistakes. It helps to have another set of eyes to help with that. Thanks again for your patronage.
C is for Caleb
The entire Congregation was up in arms. A thousand voices spoke as one, eliminating all attempts at communication as it became impossible to decipher one from the other. In all this chaos, the Oracle stood as a lone island of calm. His face as stoic as ever, he never once raised his voice nor did he speak at all. His mind followed every conversation as if he were speaking to each member individually. The three emotions of anger, fear and utter confusion were so prevalent that he was almost ashamed to think that these were the members of the Congregation, the guardians of the universe and keepers of the peace. As of now they were but children; terrified, inconsolable children.
Speaking of guardians and keepers, Will Vandom remained silent while the "enlightened" beings around her expressed their concerns. When Caleb told her everything that happened, she was shocked. Then she became angry. Now…she wasn't sure how she felt. Of all the guardians, Will had the most powerful emotions. This was as much a hindrance to her capabilities as a leader as it was a virtue. While she was in control of herself most of the time, these emotions would often conflict with her common sense. Will was not the type to run home to sulk. Nor would she go off on her own to hunt down the fugitive Astral Drop. Her next decision could have major consequences for them all.
To either side of her stood Caleb and Yan Lin. The later had been summoned once the news of the escape became common knowledge. Halinor filled the former guardian in on all the details with Will and Caleb adding anything she may have missed. Once they were finished, the elder Lin let out a troubled moan. This translated to her being worried, which did not bode well for the rest of them. If something could get under Yan Lin's skin then they were truly up the creek without a paddle.
While he understood the metaphor, Caleb pictured their predicament resembling more of a raging river that led into a whirlpool. It took Halinor several minutes to calm him down after Alex vanished with the altered auramere in hand. He wanted to charge off after her but upon the Oracle's counsel he decided to hear what the Congregation had to say.
Now he regretted it.
"This is pointless," he said aloud though to no one in particular.
"Hush, Caleb," Yan Lin told the youth. "The Oracle is about to speak."
"Hope it's something I want to hear."
"Hush!"
With a wave of his hand, all went silent as if he'd hit some unseen mute button. The Oracle addressed the entire Congregation as he spoke but kept his eyes firmly on the three humans before him. At his side stood Luba and Halinor. Luba had her arms crossed, staring unflinchingly at Caleb and Will—she blamed them for all of this. Their childish antics allowed this to happen in the first place. How she wished the Oracle would place their disciplinary measures in her hands.
Halinor gazed at the floor. She was close to Alex. She missed her. She could only wonder where the poor thing was now. Perhaps the Oracle would allow her to find the girl and bring her back. Somehow she knew that was not going to be the case.
"Be calm, my fellows. This situation cannot be resolved with us bickering amongst ourselves. We must remain calm else we allow our darker natures to get the better of us." His serene eyes fell on Will. "Will Vandom, Keeper of the Heart of Candracar, please step forward."
Where's the guillotine? She asked herself as she did what the Oracle told her to.
"Caleb ebon Julian (1), Grand General of Meridian, please step forward."
Caleb did so.
"Honorable Yan Lin," he need not add the "please step forward" part as such formalities were not necessary between old friends.
"Luba and Halinor, would you please join them."
Luba looked as if she was about to fall flat on her feline face. She coughed, turned, stared wide-eyed at the Oracle and said, "Me? W-What did I do?"
"Come, Luba," Halinor said as she went to join the others.
"B-But I…I…" She stopped realizing she was making a fool of herself and went to comply. Halinor took a spot by Yan Lin while Luba stood, disapprovingly, by Caleb. She "hmped" well within earshot of the Meridianite and Caleb would have found her reaction most humorous under different circumstances.
The Oracle looked at them in turn. He went down the line: Halinor, Yan Lin, Will, Caleb, Luba…"Do you understand why we are here?" he asked.
All five nodded.
"Good."
Few times in the long history of Candracar did the Oracle do anything unexpected. It wasn't that he was predictable. The Oracle had always maintained that reason and foresight were key in ruling justly and wisely. Every move he made, every decision, was planned out in accordance to the greater scheme of things.
So when he, the Oracle, went to join the five and turned to face the Congregation, no one could have ever expected him to say what he did that moment in the Hall of the Congregation. "We stand ready for your judgment."
Had this been a cartoon, every chin would have hit the floor. The silence was so deafening that Will and Co. could swear Candracar itself had held its breath.
"O-O-Oracle?" Luba asked, finally breaking the quiet.
"Did he say what I thought he said?" Caleb asked leaning over to Will.
Will in turn turned to Yan Lin who looked at Halinor who just shrugged.
"Have you nothing to say?" the Oracle asked.
Tibor, one of the Oracle's oldest friends and confidants, stood up in his seat and bellowed, "Yes. Have you lost your mind?"
"What are you doing, Oracle?!" Luba cried. "The Congregation cannot judge you?"
"And why not?" He looked over at her then at the gathered faces of shocked onlookers. "Why should I not be judged? The altermere was as much my responsibility as it was theirs. Her misguided departure has brought shame upon us all. If judgment is to be passed on these accused," He paused. "Then it should be passed on me as well."
"Oracle," Yan Lin said sadly.
"But you are the Oracle," someone insinuated.
"Who was born kicking and screaming into this world the same as you," he shot back.
"Your station is too important."
"You have greater things to worry about than looking after some rebellious clone."
"This is unprecedented."
"You are not at fault here."
"Of course not. It was their fault."
"Please, Oracle, return to your post."
The protests filled the room, many of them accusations against those behind the Oracle. Luba eyed each and every one who blamed her for the situation, remembering their faces so as to "discuss" their choice of words at a later time. She'd never wanted to be responsible for the altermere. Her only job was to look after the aurameres and thanks to that treacherous Astral Drop she had failed in doing just that. While she found the Oracle's actions rather noble, the only person who was truly to blame was the Keeper. Had she not abused her powers then none of this would have happened. It should be she and she alone standing here and no one else.
Halinor stepped forward. "Oracle, please do not do this. The girl was left under my care. I should have seen this coming. If anyone's to blame then it is me."
"I should have stopped her when I had the chance but I didn't. Her escape is my fault." Caleb bowed his head. "Oracle, allow me to reclaim my honor by bringing her back."
Luba scoffed. "What would a pup like you know of honor?"
"I am the highest ranking solider in the Queen's army. My record speaks for itself."
"How fortunate for you that the Queen happens to be your friend."
Caleb took serous offense to that. He balled his fists and turned on Luba. "You've got something to say, Hello Kitty?"
"I'd rather speak with my claws." Luba raised a hand, where three-inch sharp talons speared out of her furry fingers. "Care to strike up a conversation?"
Before Caleb could do anything stupid, and fighting Luba in hand-to-claw combat was very high up on the list, Will caught him in a bear hug, her scrawny arms looking pitiful wrapped around his broad chest. "Caleb, stop it!"
"Listen to the Keeper, young whelp. She may just save your life."
"And mine. Cornelia would kill me if I let anything happen to you."
The concern in her voice was enough to settle the warrior down a bit though he never took his angry eyes off of Luba. Even he had to admit that he didn't think he could take her in a fair fight. Luba was just too good. Centuries worth of experience placed her on a pedestal he'd yet to reach. But Caleb was used to impossible odds…and who said anything about fighting fair?
"I'm fine," he told Will though she knew he was lying. Still, she let him go and Caleb shot a promising "we'll finish this later" glare that Luba eagerly returned. Will sighed but was thankful this battle had been postponed. They had bigger things to worry about.
"This is foolish," Yan Lin started. "Nothing's going to get done if we go around blaming ourselves and each other for what happened to…Alex, was it?" She asked Will who nodded. "For now let's put our grievances aside. Our first priority is to find Alex and bring her back."
"Easy for you to say." Luba approached Yan Lin. "Did you miss the part where the altermere stole the auramere and turned it into a second Heart? She telatransported out of here. Right now she could be anywhere in the multiple dimensions."
"I doubt it, Luba. She's still new to this life. It's safe to assume she would go someplace familiar, someplace where she would know how to survive."
"Earth." Halinor said.
"You got it."
"You believe she's gone back to Heatherfield?" Caleb asked.
She turned to him. "Well I doubt she'd go to China."
"Still that seems too obvious," Halinor began. "I've spent more time with her than you, Yan Lin. She's a smart girl. Brilliant even. I think she'd know what we were planning and try something different."
"How so, old friend?"
"Well…she once told me that she really wanted to see the ocean."
"That's a lot of ground to cover," Caleb said.
"Then what would you suggest?" Luba asked him.
He didn't bother to look at her when he answered. "If I were a fugitive on the run I'd go some place where I'd know I'd be safe. I would find people I could trust, people I know wouldn't turn me in to the authorities. They'd hide me in a secure place until I figured out my next move. I wouldn't stay long because I know my pursuers were on my tail."
Yan Lin processed what he said. An idea came to her. "Will, Alex was a part of you. She may be aware now but she is still in many ways the same girl you are. Where would you go to feel safe and with people you trust?"
"Well my mom, obviously. I feel safest with her."
"More than the Sliver Dragon?"
"Sorry, Miss Lin. Can't beat mom."
"But she'd have to know that would be the first place we looked," Caleb said.
Will scratched her head thinking of anything they may have missed. "Wait a minute. She did have a life on Earth for a little while. I know she went to a lot of places before we finally caught up to her."
"Do you remember where she went?" Halinor asked.
"Of course I do. I have all of her memories. We can search each spot and see if there's any sign of her."
"It would probably be best if we split up. We can search a wider area and cover more ground." Yan Lin's suggestion was accepted by all who would participate.
"That's great and all, Yan Lin. But we're still on trial." Caleb gestured all around them. "And I don't think they're ready to give us a pardon."
"Leave that to me." Apparently, the Oracle had been listening to them this entire time even though he had his back to them and had been facing the Congregation who were still trying to convince him to change his mind. Raising his arms wide like a preacher about to begin his sermon, the Oracle called for peace to settle the Congregation. "My friends, give us this chance to rectify our mistake. We shall find the altermere and return her to Candracar. All we ask is for your patience."
Humility is one thing but the Oracle was demeaning himself to the eyes of the Congregation by placing his lot with these outsiders. Even Halinor was not of Candracar stock and while their minds were not clouded by prejudice they knew that humanity had yet to prove itself as a whole. There were many among them who thought the Oracle's decision to allow a human to join their ranks as premature given that the species was still generally selfish, violent, and paranoid.
Will's voice joined the Oracle's. "Please. Give us a chance to fix this. I know we can bring her back."
Caleb stepped up. "I don't see why you're all so uptight about this. Candracar has faced far worst crisis than an escaped altermere. Why does this bother you all so much?"
Worried murmuring washed over the gathering. Caleb realized his words had done more than bring up a valid point. This was further confirmed when the Oracle himself turned to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Caleb, you must find Alex quickly. There is much at stake."
"But why? What's wrong with all this?"
"Certain things are best left unsaid."
"What things?"
"Caleb." Yan Lin stepped up beside him. "Just concentrate on finding Alex. I will find out what is going on."
"I take it then, Honorable Yan Lin, that you won't be joining the youths in the search?"
"Oh no. I'm not going anywhere until I know everything you do."
To this, the Oracle smiled. "Well, not everything."
Yan Lin did not return the gesture. "No sweet talking your way out of this one, Oracle."
He nodded. "Very well. Have Halinor take you to my chambers when this meeting is adjourned. Luba, I will need to speak with you." He turned to the gathering. "What say you? Are we permitted this privilege?"
Tibor spoke up yet again. "I believe I speak for all present and accounted for when I say that we will follow your wishes, Oracle."
Caleb chuckled. "Some trial. The defendants get to decide their own punishment."
"It's good to be the Oracle," Will added.
"Get going you two. The Congregation's jittery enough as it is," Yan Lin told them.
"Too bad we can't have Hay Lin and the others help us out. (2) Heatherfield is a big place for just two people."
"We'll manage. Come on. I'll tell you every place Alex went to before we were joined."
Several voices protested as Will transported herself and Caleb out of the fortress. Luba stood shaking her head in disbelief. "If I didn't know any better I'd say this is going to go very badly."
Yan Lin glanced at her. "What are you? The new Oracle?"
"It's called common sense, 'Honorable' Yan Lin." She made a mockery of the woman's title. "Something we should have used before entrusting the Heart to a bunch of amateurs."
There was a time when the Guardians of the Veil were inseparable. Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin. W.I.T.C.H. Protectors of the universe. Enemies of all that was evil. Together, they had defeated Phobos. Together, they had defeated Nerissa. Together they had overcome obstacles so great that no one outside of their circle could imagine the feats. These shared experiences had brought the girls closer than anything ever could. Theirs was a sisterhood that could not be broken. Their ties were strongest when they were together and so long as that was then they would always be a team.
Things had changed a bit.
Cornelia remembered a time when she and her friends would get together every lunch period at the same table and talk gossip, boys, and ways to beat up bad guys. Things were so much simpler then. Life seemed droll now thanks to all this peace. Cornelia's existence had turned from thrilling and adventurous to drop-dead boring. She hadn't used her guardian powers in she didn't know how long and the only time she used her telekinesis ability was to retrieve the television remote from across the room instead of getting it herself.
It was pathetic really but it was the only exercise she got outside of gym and her ice-skating expeditions. A few nights ago, Cornelia had just come out of the shower and checked her weight on the scale. Her mother came running upon hearing her scream and she thought her eldest daughter had slipped and fell on the bathroom floor. It wasn't anything as dramatic as that; rather, Cornelia discovered that she had gained weight….okay, it was dramatic. She'd have preferred to slip on the floor and hit her head. At least she'd lose that gained weight while recovering in the hospital.
Upon future deliberation she realized that it was the only plausible result after weeks of inactivity. Days spending traveling to other dimensions and fighting monsters burned many calories. Various battles enabled her to build up muscle. Her shoulders and arms were more toned and her legs looked like they could snap a tree in half. How she loved showing off her lovely appendages in the summertime. Being a guardian made Cornelia a chiseled statue of divine antiquity, her beauty become the stuff of legends and books. It wasn't long before she was offered a photo shoot by famed photographer Serena Sanchez (3) and her gorgeous frame was on the cover of magazines all across Heatherfield and beyond.
She allowed her to admit to herself that she was still prettier than most girls, and women, out there. She just didn't enjoy what she saw in the mirror half as much anymore.
Funny thing is it wasn't so much about the looks. Before when she looked in the mirror, she would see a strong young woman; a femme fatale with a chip on her shoulder the size of Mount Thanos and the power to bring said mountain crumbling to the earth. Now she just saw Cornelia Hale, an ordinary girl from Heatherfield, Connecticut (4). Not a guardian, just a girl.
What's worse she missed her friends. They hadn't hung out much since the start of the new semester. Things got in the way – namely life. Cornelia now spent most of her free time practicing at the ice skating rink for a major regional competition due later this month. The time just ate up most of her waking hours and come the weekend she was just too exhausted to hang out. Not that there was anyone to hang out with. Will had practically gone AWOL and Cornelia rarely saw her outside of school. Taranee had gone into major study overdrive and had locked herself up in the library. Hay Lin was doing a million things at once and when she wasn't at school or taking art lessons, she was working full-time at the Silver Dragon.
Desperation set in and Cornelia contemplated the unthinkable. She called Irma to see if she wanted to do something, anything, with her. Imagine her surprise when her little brother picked up the phone and she was working. Irma? Work? It's like Taranee and video games. The two just do not appear in the same sentence.
And so Miss Hale was left to her own devices which included, to her delight, a handsome young man from another planet who had promised to take her out on a very special foray. That was like, um, two weeks ago. Since when did Caleb become hard to reach? He'd been promising to take her out on a date over and over again. With no more wars to fight, the two should have plenty of time for romance. Instead she gets "I have to get back to the palace" or "I promised to help out at the Dragon this weekend" and her personal favorite "Uh, something's come up. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
No, Caleb, it was not okay. You do not keep Cornelia Hale waiting. On her last attempt at catching him she went over to Hay Lin's place to see if he was working. Wouldn't you know it; Yan Lin was there and told her she just missed him. Caleb had to run an important errand and said he'd be back soon. She left before she could throw a temper tantrum. It wasn't Miss Lin's fault her soon to be ex-boyfriend was avoiding her like the plague. She began to go over the many things she wanted to say/scream to his face when next she saw him. Cedric and Phobos would pale in comparison to the things she could, and would, do to him. Hell hath no fury like an Earth Guardian scorned.
But she digressed. It was belittling of her to allow a guy to get under her skin so. If Caleb didn't want to be with her then so be it. Plenty of more fine-looking male specimens walking these streets. She just had to pick one out like she was shopping at a store and they'd come running to her beck and call. Afterall, she was the most beautiful girl in Heatherfield. If Caleb couldn't see that then nuts to him.
The bus dropped her off near her condo. With her skates hanging loosely around her neck and her gym bag over one shoulder, she began the trek to the condo's front entrance. She'd nearly made it when Will dropped in – literally.
One moment she was minding her own business, the next a bright light had blinded her and she felt something heavy knock her to the ground. Slamming onto the pavement, Cornelia Hale cursed when she felt the sharp blade of her skate clip the upper half of her right arm. The sudden warmth she felt meant blood was coming out. Her whole body was jarred by the sudden impact and for once Cornelia sympathized with those sexy linebackers she had a tendency to eye out on the field. Her head swam with the images of those beefy young athletes before retuning to the real world and realizing that the body on top of hers was not some handsome buck's but a much smaller and delicate frame.
It was somebody Cornelia knew, or at least she thought she did. It took her eyes a few seconds to get back into focus. The short-cropped red hair and boyish clothes told her all she needed to know. "Will?" she asked still a bit dazed.
The prone form of Will did not respond. Cornelia quickly sat up and watched Will slump further to the ground. "Will?" She called again. "Oh my God! What happened?" She reached out to touch her -- only to find that her clothes were soaking wet. Will was drenched from head to toe and drops of water seeped out of her clothes to soak Cornelia. This was what made the impact so much greater.
Scared, Cornelia turned Will around so she could see her face. Brushing back locks of red hair, Cornelia could finally make out her soft features. A slight moan escaped her lips as Cornelia touched her forehead. She was alive but burning up. She had to help her. "Hang on, Will." Cornelia tried to lift up her friend as best she could before realizing she lacked the upper body strength and resorted to carrying her on her back. With Will's legs dangling around her thighs and her head and arms over her shoulders (the former she made sure to keep away from her skates) she trudged over to the main entrance and toward the elevator.
Carrying a girl who weighed almost as much as she did along with a gym bag proved quite the challenge but Cornelia persevered and managed to get up to her apartment and through the door. No one was home. Mom had taken her little sister out to eat and dad was meeting an old friend from his college days. With that knowledge in hand Cornelia rushed to her room where she gently placed Will down on the bed. Touching her head again, Cornelia knew that she wasn't doing too well. She had to get Will out of these clothes.
"What the hell happened to you," she asked as she began to remove Will's shoes and the outer layers of her clothing. "Did you fall in the pool?" Cornelia knew that Will frequented the school's swimming pool though with the falling climate Cornelia questioned the wisdom of getting oneself wet for amusement. Ice at least was frozen water, and at the end of the day Cornelia went home dry and chlorine-free.
She had just stripped the girl down to her underwear when Cornelia realized she couldn't very well have her naked and wet. Will needed to get warm and fast! Leaving temporarily, Cornelia returned with a warm blanket from her very own closet. It was thick and made of wool, perfect for those cold winter nights. She also brought with her a towel and a pillow for she knew she needed to dry Will off as well as remove the soaked sheets she was laying on.
Fighting her inhibitions, Cornelia removed the last bit of clothing on Will's person and avoided looking at her naked form directly as she discarded the wet blanket and pillow before placing the heavier wool one over her body and the pillow under Will's head. Unfurling the towel, Cornelia began to dry Will's hair. This proved to be a piece of cake as her hair was so short. She doubt Will Vandom had much trouble toweling off after a shower. Least she was easy maintenance. Now all that was left to worry about was the fever.
Leaving her room briefly, the blonde went to search for some medicine. She returned to Will with a vial that had seen her through some of her roughest days as a child. Gently lifting her head, Cornelia opened the vial and slowly began to pour the purple liquid into Will's mouth. She coughed harshly. "You have to drink it, Will," she told her semi-conscious friend. "It'll help you get better." Pouring a little more, Cornelia believed Will had heard her as she did not regurgitate the medicine. Then to her surprise, Will's eyes began to open.
Cornelia rested her head back onto the pillow before pulling the blanket back up. Resting comfortable in her bed, Cornelia left the room for a second time with a small, wet cloth she fetched from the bathroom. She placed the cloth on Will's head and then…hoped for the best. If the fever was all Will had then all that was needed was rest. Now all she had to worry about was how to explain her presence to her folks when they got back. Not every day one of your friends just falls out of the sky, unconscious, and is now stripped naked on your bed.
Now it was time to look after herself. The cut her skate had given her wasn't deep but it was beginning to bleed profusely. Nothing a band aid and some Neosporin wouldn't take care of. This time she did not leave the room as she had both items in her night table. Cuts and bruises were part of the right of passage for an up and coming skater so Cornelia was no stranger to the care such a hobby required.
Sitting down at the foot of her bed, she removed her sweater and blouse to better address the wound. She discovered that the reason for all the bleeding was not due to the cut itself; rather it was because of the added pressure of carrying Will's body up to her room that forced the blood out. As she wiped the blood off her arm, Cornelia noticed with dismay her pretty white sweater which now had a healthy stain of human blood on the shoulder. As any adolescent girl would tell you, blood was a bitch to get out. She could only hope a good scrubbing would get that out because it was one of her favorite sweaters; and, it had been one she bought with her own money.
Cornelia applied the Neosporin and the band aid. With that out of the way she retuned her attention to Will who was sleeping soundly. Some of the color had already returned to her face and her breaths were coming out in relaxed, rhythmic intervals. Guess I'm better than I thought, Cornelia was proud of her accomplishment. Anyone who ever said she was too high maintenance had no idea how capable she truly was. But her face turned to worry when she began to stare at Will.
What had happened to her? What was she doing telatransporting? Why was she all wet and why of all places did she appear where Cornelia was?
Reaching out for her friend's hand which was balled into a fist underneath the blanket, Cornelia hoped the contact would speed Will's recovery. She prayed that Will would recover soon for if not she may have to explain her situation to her mother and that was something the Hale girl did not want to do. Too many scary scenarios ran through her head about meeting Susan Vandom. What would Cornelia tell her? What could she tell her? Will and Cornelia led a secret life as guardians; breaking that oath of silence would not only put them on bad terms with their parents, but with the Oracle and the Council of Candracar as well. Worse comes to worse, they'd need to create an altermere of Will to hold down the fort until…
That's it!
Cornelia had used the Heart once before to make an Astral Drop of her own. Back then the Heart responded to her need. Maybe it will again. Afterall, she would be doing this for a noble deed because it was to protect their secret from being found out. While she did not want to disturb Will, Cornelia knew that she would have to go in and retrieve the Heart when she stopped to think…she had not seen the Heart at any time while undressing Will. Normally she kept it wrapped around her neck in a chain but it was not there last she looked.
Just to be safe she checked once again. Nope. No Heart.
But Will had to have had it. Otherwise there's no way she could have telatransported anywhere.
Then she remembered Will's closed fist. The Heart had to be there! Gently removing the covers so as to only expose the arm, Cornelia saw Will's hand clenched tightly into a ball as if to hold onto something for dear life. Try as she might, Cornelia could not pry her fingers open. "Dammit." She turned to Will who hadn't reacted in the least to her touch. "Will, honey, I need you to open your hand." She hoped her voice would carry through to whatever mental abyss Will was stuck in. In the deepest of sleeps, it was said, people were still able to hear their loved ones.
"Will," Cornelia began to rub her wrist softly. "Please open your hand." Possibly striking the nerve that controlled the reflexes of the hand, Will's fingers opened just a little bit. It was just enough to get at whatever it was she was holding if there was anything at all. Turns out there was.
"Thanks, Will." Cornelia reached in and pulled the thing that was in her hand. It wasn't the Heart. It was…the locket she gave to Caleb!
Cornelia recognized it immediately. It was the same locket that she had made for him after they went to that amusement park. The same locket that she…Oh no, the sweater! Cornelia slumped to where her bloody sweater now lay and began to rummage through it. It must have come off when she removed her garments as it was no longer hanging around her neck. Thankfully she found it in the crumbled-up attire and there was no blood on it. Cornelia removed the flap to reveal a picture of her and Caleb smiling together with the ocean in the background. She opened up Caleb's. The pictures matched.
"Why…do you have this?" Cornelia asked though she knew Will could not answer. There was suspicion in her voice that seemed to coincide with her worry. Will drops in on her soaking wet, unconscious and holding the locket she had specially made for Caleb. What was going on?
Standing up, Cornelia looked at Will. The redhead was sound asleep. Keeping the lockets close to her chest, Cornelia Hale decided it was time to talk to someone about all this.
Caleb knew this was going nowhere. He'd already checked all the places Will told him to when looking for Alex and so far he had nothing. An experienced tracker, Caleb could hunt down a fugitive easily through the thick forests and mountains of Meridian. Here in the concrete canyons of Heatherfield he was out of his element. Had they been on his homeworld she'd have left evidence for him to follow; a piece of cloth, a footprint in the mud, a broken twig, bent grass…but on Earth there was no trail for Caleb to track. All he had to go on in this search was the gathered memories stored in Will's brain when she merged with the altermere.
He just hoped she had better luck than he did.
It was the mid-afternoon when he arrived at the outdoor café Will told him to meet her in on the hour. That was twenty minutes ago. To kill time he decided to sample what passed for a warm beverage on this strange planet. A latte, he believed it was called. The air had grown chilled and the latte warmed him to the stomach, but it still lacked the kick of Meridian's weakest ale. Caleb had been drinking since he was a boy. On Earth, or at least in Heatherfield, people his age, "minors", were not allowed to drink. A foolish law if Caleb had ever heard one. He'd drowned many long and terrible hours in a mug. It helped sooth the pain of losing a friend or raising a toast in his honor. To his people, sharing a drink was a sign of respect and fellowship.
But it also had a practical application. Ale kept Caleb warm during those cold Meridian nights. Many times he'd slept in a cave or underneath the stars. He may very well have frozen to death had it not been for the fire in his belly. Of course he never drank too much. Being a solider in a war meant you had to keep your wits about you. Get too drunk and the enemy sneaks up on you…well, that's pretty much it. Right here, sipping a latte in an outdoor café while the pleasant afternoon sun hung overhead was a big contrast to that former life. A small part of him missed the rush. This was one thing about him the girls would never understand. Those days fighting Phobos were hard, but they were some of the proudest and most cherished memories of his life.
They helped make him the man he is today.
"Caleb." Will came running up to him. She sported a blue pair of jeans with white sneakers and an orange sweater.
"You're late," he said once she stopped at his table to catch her breath. "Something happened?"
"Yes," She said after one final gasp. "My mom happened."
"Was there trouble?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle. Is that a latte?" She asked and took a seat opposite his own. "How is it?"
"S'kay. You want one?"
"You paying?"
"Do I look like I carry Earth money?"
"Why not? You have Earth pockets in those Earth pants you took from your Earth closet." Will motioned to the navy-blue slacks he wore which had a set of pockets on the top and at the bottom. Dressed casually, Caleb also wore a long-sleeved teal-colored shirt. He had on black timberlands which he liked because they provided good traction for running though nothing, he argued, could compare to a pair of good old-fashioned Meridian hiking boots. "And, last I checked, you worked at the Silver Dragon. Miss Lin's gotta be paying you something."
"I don't get paid until next week."
"What happened to all the money you made last time?"
"I spent it." He took a sip of his latte.
"On what?"
A smile crept on his face. "On these Earth pants."
"Oh you're funny." Will blew at him. She called for a waiter and placed her order for a latte. Once that was done she turned to Caleb, her face becoming serious. "Any luck?"
"If I did, Alex would be sitting here with me right now and we'd be on our way back to Candracar."
Will smirked. "How do you know I'm not Alex?"
"She wouldn't have been late."
"I could have been scoping you out. Making sure the coast was clear before coming over here."
"Alex wouldn't be that reckless."
"How do you know?"
"Because you wouldn't be that reckless."
She smiled at him. "You give me a lot of credit."
"When it's deserved." He just finished his latte before placing it on the teacup. Then he leaned in closer to table. "Will, I'm worried and that doesn't happen often. Alex she…created another Heart. How could she do that? The auramere is the source of your power. If she controls that, who knows what she can do?"
"I've been thinking that too." Will reached into her collar and pulled out the Heart. The item still shimmered a faint pink glow that they took to mean it still had power. "I'm surprised it's still working. You'd think that without the auramere's power output this thing would be out of juice. Yet I was still able to transport you to the restaurant and me back home."
"Well if the auramere's your source of power then maybe it doesn't matter where it is so long as it's in one piece. All Luba did was guard them inside that chamber. The auramere may not rely on it for energy."
"Maybe. But it still bothers me." She looked up when the waiter arrived with her latte. She thanked him and took a moment to sample it. Caleb waited for her to finish. It wasn't as if they had a lot of leads so she took her time. "And the way she turned the auramere into a new Heart. I never knew she had that kind of power. I don't." Will lowered her head. "How did she get so strong?"
"She could have learned how. You know she spent a lot of time in the library. Who knows what she could have picked up reading all those books?"
"Good point. But knowledge is power and I'm worried she has too much of it. Alex is smart but she's still new to the world. Her lack of experience could cost her when messing with all those abilities."
"She did leave in a hurry," Caleb admitted. "And I don't think she planned everything out from the moment she decided to escape. Alex was under a lot of stress and she wasn't thinking clearly."
Will chuckled. "Clearly enough to fool you." She suddenly saw the look of pain in Caleb's eyes. "Oh I'm so stupid! Caleb I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."
"The truth hurts, Will. Believe me I don't disagree with you. She did fool me." He clenched his hands on his knees. "Big time."
"It's all my fault," Will said. "I'm the one who coaxed her into playing that stupid trick on you. If we hadn't switched clothes and she didn't go running off then we wouldn't be in this mess. I should have known better. I'm a guardian dammit! I'm too old to be playing games!"
"Lower your voice."
"Sorry." She noticed a few patrons were looking at their table. "It just makes me so angry."
"I know. But don't take all the credit for this screw up. If what Alex told me was true then the Oracle has a lot to answer for."
"You think he really meant to keep Alex in Candracar forever?"
"Will, this is the guy who thought banishing my mother on a secluded mountain would do her good. Look how that turned out." Caleb's eyes turned steely. "I wouldn't put it past him."
Crossing her legs and arms, Will fell into deep thought. "There are a lot of things going on that we don't know about. What do you think the Oracle's hiding?"
"Something I'm sure Yan Lin will get to the bottom of. If anyone can get him talking, she can."
"I hope you're right because I hate being kept in the dark."
They sat in silence; Will finishing her latte, Caleb staring out into space. After a few moments Caleb turned to her and asked, "So any ideas?"
"None," she said in a defeated tone. "I told you every other place she had been too when she was separated from me and I checked all the others spots I may have missed. When it comes to disappearing she's as good as they get."
His eyes fell on the Heart. "Have you thought about using the Heart to find her?"
"Already have," she told him. "Just after I left you at the Dragon, I tried to use the Heart to locate Alex by myself." She saw his face turn grim. "I know it was risky looking for her on my own but I figured that she'd be more inclined to talk if it there was just one of us. I am her sister afterall."
His features softened. "And?"
"No dice. At first I thought I was getting something but the image the Heart showed me was all blurry. Like looking into those giant tanks in the aquarium when you're trying to see the whales." She put the Heart back in. "Looks like even the Heart's not going to help us on this one."
Caleb shook his head. "It won't be long before we have to return to Candracar and give them our report. I'll be damned before we return defeated without looking into all our options."
The Keeper smiled at his determination. "That's what I like about you Caleb: your never say die attitude."
"I'm sure we'll find her, Will. We just can't give up."
"I'm with you, but where do we go from here?"
"Well if she's not in the usual places then maybe we should try the unusual places."
"A lot of those in Heatherfield, Caleb. It'll take us all week."
"Then let's break it down. Now think. Alex had to have had a destination in mind when she escaped."
"Right. Except that she wouldn't have gone to any of the places I would have because it would be too obvious." She sighed. "Which means all we've done so far is waste our time."
"Okay," Caleb admitted begrudgingly. "She was a part of you but now she's not. We know where you would have gone, but where would Alex go to if she wanted to get away from it all?"
"Hm….the library?"
"She did love the read. I also heard she loved eating treats - so a bakery?"
"Both are too public. She'd want someplace where she could remain incognito; someplace easy to get lost."
"Someplace where nobody would think to find her." Except us, Caleb hoped.
Will reached out for her cup and quietly took a sip. Caleb closed his eyes to think; maybe there was something they had missed. Something so obvious that once they figured it out it would lead them straight to Alex.
Will was thinking too. Slowly their eyes began to focus on each other until both pairs widened. In unison, they had the same epiphany.
"The ocean!" They exclaimed at once.
"I can't believe we didn't think of it sooner," Will said.
"Halinor mentioned it to us." Caleb thought a moment. "But where? Heatherfield has so many beaches."
Will raised her head with confidence. "True. But there is one place that has a lot of caves that are right by the sea. She could hide there and catch the waves at the same time." She grabbed the Heart which was underneath her shirt. "Let's go, Caleb. We're heading to Shell Beach."
The phone at the Silver Dragon ran three times before somebody picked up. "Ni hao! You reached the Silver Dragon. May I take your order?"
"Hi, Hay Lin. It's Cornelia."
"Cornelia?" Hay Lin repeated as if the name was unfamiliar. "Boy I haven't spoken to you in a while."
"I know. Things have been busy. Listen, do you have time to talk?"
"Sure I do. Dad, I'm taking a break." There was a pause. "Well get Chang to do it, he's a big boy….I know that, daddy, but Cornelia's on the phone….she's the blonde one….no, that's Taranee, and she's more cocoa….(exasperated sigh), fine I'll get on it. But just give me a minute, okay?" Cornelia could hear the ruckus of the restaurant die down as Hay Lin moved into the back room. The sound of plates and utensils conjoined with running water and if her layout of the restaurant was any accurate she'd guess Hay Lin was now in the washing room. "Sorry, Cornelia, but I can't talk long. It's the dinner rush and my dad's on my case. Can you make this quick?"
"Sure. It's just something's happened and I need to tell somebody."
"Shoot."
"It's Will." Standing by her bedroom window, Cornelia looked over at Will who was sleeping peacefully, her light snores coinciding with the rise and fall of her belly. "She's here with me."
"Oh that's great. Tell her I said hi."
"She can't hear you. She's out cold."
"What?" Worry crept into her voice. "How?"
"Not sure. One minute I'm walking home; the next, Will comes falling out of the sky and right on top of me."
"How'd that happen?"
"She was transporting, apparently. Though why I have no clue. On top of that, her clothes were soaked and she was running a fever. I had to get her upstairs and take them off before she got pneumonia. Now she's sleeping in my bed and I think I've stopped the fever but get this…she doesn't have the Heart."
"What do you mean she doesn't have the Heart?"
"I mean it's not with her. I checked. It's gone."
"You checked?" Hay Lin asked. "Cornelia, is Will naked under those sheets?"
"Of course she is, she…" Cornelia's eyes bulged. "Hay Lin! What kind of girl do you take me for?"
"Well if she'd butt naked there's not many places you can look to begin with. Other than, you know."
The gagging reflex kicked in and Cornelia hunched over. "Ewwwww!"
"I'm just saying,"
"Well don't. And if you ever tell Irma about this I swear I will make you join your honorable ancestors."
"My lips are sealed," the Air Guardian responded cheerfully. "So let me get this straight: Will appeared out of thin air, wet, you took her upstairs and now you find she doesn't have the Heart? Weird."
And it gets weirder, Cornelia thought, holding up the lockets for her to see. She was really bothered by the fact that Will had them. Caleb would never just take it off and give it to someone. Not that Will wasn't somebody they couldn't trust, but why would she have the locket and not the Heart? Come to think of it, if she had Caleb's locket, that must mean he and she were together recently so what's the deal with that? Why would Caleb and Will be together?
A strange feeling overcame her and she found her fingers tighten slightly around the lockets.
"Hello?"
"Sorry, Hay Lin."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah just…thinking."
"Do you need me to come over?"
"Don't you have work?"
"I'm worried about Will. Now that you've told me how can I go back to work?"
Cornelia felt guilty. She didn't want to worry anyone. Now that she told Hay Lin, what's to stop her from running all the way over here? Come to think of it, would that be so bad? It would be nice to have the company. It was unnerving staying in her room with an unconscious Will all by herself with her family due home at anytime. Maybe Hay Lin could think of a better cover story than she did. At least she'll have some backup and together they might be able to make all the pieces fit…until Will woke up that is.
But how to explain the locket?
"Hay Lin…is Caleb there?"
"Caleb? What's he got to do with all this?"
"I'd like to speak to him."
"He's not here."
"Where is he?"
"I don't know. He was supposed to help out at the Dragon tonight but I guess he's too busy being playing General to worry about my family's poor little business." Her tone turned sour. "You know he's been skipping out a lot on us lately. Seems whenever I see the guy he has to be somewhere else. What could he possibly be doing that's so important back on Meridian that he can't spend a couple hours helping out at the restaurant?"
"Well,"
"And another thing," Hay Lin ranted. "Speaking of Will, I haven't seen neither head nor tail of that girl outside of school. Where has she been all the hours of the day? You'd think it'd kill her to drop by and say hi once in a while? She used to visit all the time but now it's like I don't exist. I mean I know Irma's my best friend but that doesn't mean I don't love her too. The last time we had a conversation was when she ordered food from the Dragon a couple weeks back and I was about to go but then my mother wanted me to clean my room so I sent Caleb instead and," (5)
"Caleb went over there?"
"Hm? Oh yeah. He's a delivery boy now. Anyway, that no good boyfriend of yours has been promising to help me write my story and so far I'm shooting blanks. Ever since that night it's like they've both gone off the radar. What in the world are they doing?"
I'd like to know that myself. A painful sensation in her hand alerted her to the fact that she was holding the lockets too hard. Releasing them, she watched one of them fall to the floor, Caleb's.
"Oh crap!" Hay Lin exclaimed. "My father's looking for me. Listen, Cornelia, I promise I'll head over there as soon as my shift's over. In the meantime keep Will warm and I'll see you soon."
"Right." Cornelia reached down for the locket and picked it up. The only reason she could tell it was his was because it had his scent. Cornelia's was bathed in perfumes and ointments, but Caleb's had that rugged, earthy, man-odor that only a lover could find attractive. Holding it up to hers, her mind played back all sorts of unpleasant venues for Will winding up in possession of her boyfriend's locket. She shouldn't be feeling this way. Will was her friend. She and Caleb would never do anything remotely what that little green monster was hinting at in the back of her mind. No, she told herself. There has to be an explanation.
"Cornelia?"
"I'm fine, Hay Lin. I'll see you soon."
"Are you gonna tell the other girls?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
"But,"
"Bye." Cornelia hung up. Sitting down on her windowsill, Cornelia hung her head and sighed. "This doesn't make any sense. Caleb you are in so much trouble."
There was a rustle in the bed. Looking up, Cornelia found that her patient had opened her eyes yet again, only this time they stayed open, blinked, and opened again. Will Vandom arose very slowly, removing the wet towel from her head and looking at it. After blinking away the fever, she took in her surroundings. Only when her eyes rested on Cornelia did the blonde sit up straight.
Will seemed to be studying her as if trying to pinpoint her face. Sure it's been a while, but Will wouldn't forget Cornelia just like that. Then again, she did have a fever. "You're…Cornelia," she said slowly.
"Yes." Cornelia's response was equally measured.
"Cornelia. Cornelia….Hale?" Her eyes brightened and she smiled. "Yes it is you! The Guardian of Earth."
"Did you hit your head or something, Will?"
"Will?" The girl suddenly gasped. "Oh…you mean me."
"What happened to you?"
"I'm not sure exactly…." Will trailed off when she noticed the blanket which was covering the upper half of her body had slipped off. Cornelia quickly averted her gaze and Will suddenly found out why. "Um, why am I naked?
It was all so vague to Alex. She recalled escaping the fortress at the heart of infinity; she remembered Caleb and Will and Luba and Halinor and the Oracle—especially the Oracle—being there when she transformed the auramere into a new Heart; she even remembered the sensation of having her body's molecules scattered as they traveled through the rift between dimensions. Never had she felt so free as when she did then. The sensation was like breaking all the mortal chains that bound people to this world and soaring through the realm of the spirit. It was exhilarating and frightening all at once, for while Alex was now free of Candracar, she had now become a fugitive.
Everything after that seemed hazy. She did recall one thing though; water, and lots of it. After that she'd lost consciousness and woke up in Cornelia's bedroom. Trying to put the pieces together of her amazing journey preoccupied her time. Cornelia had picked out clothes from her closet (last season of course) to give to Alex and gave her privacy while she put them on. Realizing Will must be hungry, for she thought it was Will and not an altermere, Cornelia went to get some food. Several minutes later, the Hale girl returned to the room with a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup, some corn muffins, and a can of soda on a tray.
Alex, realizing how hungry she was, dug in. Cornelia allowed her to eat in peace. Deep down she was very happy to see whom she believed to be her friend up and about, but her curiosity was getting the better of her--that and something else.
For now she would leave it alone. One could only imagine what the girl had gone through and Cornelia did not want to upset her. She only wanted to understand.
With the meal in her belly and the fever broken, Alex was almost feeling a hundred percent, but like Cornelia she dreaded what she knew was coming. While thankful for all Cornelia had done, Alex was now faced with the task of explaining everything. The problem was she wasn't so sure of it herself. Images were all a blur and what she did recall with crystal clarity she could never reveal. Cornelia thought she was Will Vandom, her friend. Were she to learn otherwise it could lead to her returning to Candracar to face punishment for her actions.
Alex ate slowly because she knew each second that passed enabled her to come up with a plausible alibi until her memory returned. She may be out of Candracar, but this was Heatherfield, Will's stomping grounds. No doubt her sister was hot on her heels. Alex knew she could not stay long.
When she was finished, Alex drained the bowl by slurping down the soup. Not very ladylike behavior but she was hungry. Alex gently placed the bowl down on the tray. Licking her lips - she had to admit Cornelia made a mean chicken noodle soup - she closed her eyes to prepare.
"I fell," she said.
Sitting on a chair by her desk, Cornelia was momentarily lost in thought when she heard Alex/Will speak. Turning to her, she found the redhead gently rubbing one arm. It was plain to see how uncomfortable she was talking about what happened so Cornelia did not push it.
"I remember falling and hitting the water. I don't remember much after that except I think I used the Heart to transport myself somewhere safe. It was so sudden that I focused on the first person that came to mind. That person was you." In all irony, it was true. Alex had just told Cornelia exactly what she believed to have happened. No lies, no false leads. Until her memory came back, and Alex wasn't sure she wanted to remember, this was the best she could do. At the very least she knew she was being honest. When she spoke, her voice betrayed no ulterior motives and her eyes went unblinking.
"Was it at the pool?" Cornelia asked.
"It was a body of water," and that was the truth, "I'm not sure. My head's all fuzzy."
"Must have hit it pretty hard," Cornelia said. "Were you someplace you shouldn't have been?"
"I…yes." Again the truth. "It was foolish, I know but,"
"Foolish?"
Alex inwardly sighed. Will wouldn't use that type of language even though she was a smart girl. Her vocabulary used slang and terminology that was upfront and to the point. But she would not take back what she'd said. Cornelia could chalk it up to have a traumatic experience which made people blather out things they don't normally say. So she continued. "You're right. It was stupid."
Cornelia's face brightened. "Nice to know our flawless leader can admit to when she's made a mistake."
Alex smiled. "Too bad I had to learn the hard way."
"Think back, Will. Do you remember where you were? What you were doing? I know you don't have amnesia otherwise you wouldn't have remembered me."
"You're right and the thing is…it's hard, Cornelia. There are things I don't want to think about."
"You sure? Something bothering you? Maybe I can help."
I wish you could. "No. I mean I would but…"
"Will…talk to me."
Sighing, Alex decided it was time to give in. "It's Matt."
Alex recalled the incident Will had with Matt prior to their separation. It was so clear in her mind that she may as well have been the girl in that memory. "We had a fight."
Suddenly Cornelia's visage turned to that of sisterly understanding. Abandoning her chair she made way for the bed and sat down next to Alex, placing a comforting hand on her knee. "Tell me."
Searching through Will's memories, Alex played back the events of that day for Cornelia.
"It was a Friday," she began. "Matt called saying he wanted to speak to me. We met by his grandfather's petshop that afternoon. From the moment I got there I knew something was wrong. Matt seemed…sad. It looked like he had something to say to me but didn't have the heart to do it. When he saw me coming I almost thought he was going to up and run, but he didn't." Alex folded her legs beneath her as if steadying herself for the emotional trek. "I was so happy to see him, but when I saw the look on his face I knew that whatever had happened could not be good. I asked him what was wrong. He looked at me, distant at first as if he did not know who I was. There was something in his eyes. Pain, I realized. I feared the worse."
"I tried to approach him but he stopped me. He couldn't even look at me when he told me that…he was leaving." Something tugged at her heart and Alex knew it was heartbreak. Even though Matt had been talking to Will and not to her, being a part of her sister meant Alex felt everything she did. "Before I could say anything he told me that he had to go away for a while and that he didn't know when or if he'd return. Matt wanted to let me know personally because he didn't want me to think he was abandoning me but because he loved me." No, he loved Will. "I couldn't just let him go so I tried to get him to tell me why, but each step I took toward him made him take two back."
Cornelia listened intently. "What did you do?"
Alex looked at her and said. "I did what any normal person in love would do, I got angry." The rage replaced the anguish in her heart. Suddenly her fingers were clenching her pants. "I started to argue with him. I wanted Matt to speak to me and not run away like some coward." Her face turned away. "He said it was best that I didn't know. That I should just…just…" Will's emotions were overtaking her. "Just mind my own business!"
Beside her, Cornelia gasped. Matt had never been one to turn her away like that. In fact, he would never turn her away period.
"He actually yelled at me, Cornelia. He-yelled-at-me. Then his attitude changed. It's as if he regretted saying that to me and wanted to apologize. He looked into my eyes; I was almost ready to cry. How could he say that? I never cared for anyone in my life as much as I did for Matt. He pleaded to me but I turned away, too distraught. I hated him. I never wanted to see him again. Matt tried to make me listen. He told me he was doing this for my own protection. My own protection? He was being selfish! He was being a guy! Just how stupid does he think I am? Like I need Matt to protect me. I'm a guardian! He's always needed me to protect him."
"He said he was sorry but I was already crying. I confronted him. He stood his ground. Matt said no more about the issue other than he had to leave. Even through my watery eyes I could tell he was beginning to tear up. He tried to remain strong, for his sake or my own I could not tell, but he averted his gaze before our eyes could come to an understanding. Matt turned his back on me. 'I have to go,' he said and just as he was about to I ran to him. He…he pulled away from me; like I was diseased. The look on his face….I'll remember always. He said, 'don't touch me.'"
"So I didn't," Alex went on. "That is, not with my hands."
"Will, what did you do?"
"I shot him."
"You what! Jesus Christ, Will! I know he was being an ass but you didn't have to,"
"With lightning, Cornelia."
That seemed to calm the exasperated girl. "Oh…well that's okay. So what then?"
"As angry as I was I didn't kill him, though a part of me wanted to maim him for life. The blast was enough that he fell to the ground clutching his shoulder in pain. For a moment, I was happy. Glad that I hurt the man who had hurt me. But then I saw his face and there was no anger in it. Rather Matt seemed to have accepted it; like he wanted me to do it. Slowly he got back up. My body was lit up so that I must have looked terrifying but he was not afraid. He smiled briefly. 'I love you Will,' he said, 'But I have to do this alone.' And with that, he disappeared. That's the last I saw of him." (6)
Processing all she'd just heard from Alex/Will, Cornelia suddenly forgot about everything she wanted to ask her when she woke. This would explain a lot over the past few days. Will's constant disappearances and inaccessibility was all because of boy trouble. But why hadn't she come to the girls for help? Why didn't she come to Cornelia? Next to Taranee she was Will's closest friend and confidant. She always told Will about her problems – well not always, but Will usually picked up on Cornelia's troubled vibes and after constant hounding would draw it out of her.
This is Will, she had to tell herself. The girl was more loner than any of them. She was used to dealing with problems by herself.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was confused. I didn't know what to make of Matt's behavior so kept it to myself. I thought that maybe I might be able to figure it out for myself. I tried to reach Matt but it was as if he'd disappeared from the face of the earth."
"Have you talked to his grandfather?"
"No. Cornelia, the shop is closed."
"What?"
She remembered Will telling her that during one of her prior visits to her in Candracar. The altermere knew the pain Matt's departure had had on Will, but she understood that Will was one who liked to sort things out on her own so out of respect for her sister's pride, Alex did not press for information. She believed deep down that Will knew what was going on through her head, but she never brought it up, though from time to time she did steer the conversation in the direction of her boyfriend. No sooner did that happen did Will ask an unrelated question that shut the door on that topic altogether.
Hubris can be so pathetic at times.
"I went there the next day to see his grandfather and found it closed. I don't know where he is."
"What about his home?"
"A neighbor is looking after their house. I don't know where they are, Cornelia. I don't…" Small sobs escaped her trembling lips. Will's feelings were so strong that Alex could contain them no longer. The sobs turned to crying which in turn turned to wailing. Her body rocked with the pain of not knowing; her body convulsing with misery. Cornelia tried to soothe her friend. She held Alex close to her, rocking her back and forth on her bed. Allowing Alex to let it all out, Cornelia rubbed her hair and told her it was all right, that she need not be strong all the time.
But something happened to Alex. The wails kept getting stronger and stronger, her body rocked more and more and soon Cornelia was taken aback by how distraught she was. The blonde tried to calm her down but Alex just couldn't stop crying. A strange light appeared around her body. Cornelia shot up, frightened, and Alex cried out as the Heart, the Heart which had once been the auramere, crept out of her body and appeared before her. It filled the room with the glow and the energy encompassed the entire building. The resulting shockwave shorted out every electronic device within a half mile radius of the condo and vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Shell Beach was a bust. Will and Caleb explored the entire length of the shoreline but found no sign of the elusive Astral Drop.
Where the hell is she? Will looked left and right as if she would suddenly catch her trying to make her escape. Behind her, Caleb had just come out of the cave, the fourth one they explored since arriving. He wiped his pants from the dust that had accumulated—that's what happens when you hang around dirt and sand—knowing full well Hay Lin was going to give him hell for getting his clothes dirty. Like he asks her to do his laundry!
"Well it was a good guess, Will, but I think she high-tailed it out of here a long time ago."
"What makes you think she was here in the first place?" Frustration was apparent in her voice, nor did she look at him when he stepped up next to her.
Caleb gazed out at the horizon. The sun was setting and the sky turned a shade of red and purple. Quite a stunning view really, and with the perfect girl beside you this entire setup would be a place of romance. But it was Will with him and not Cornelia and he doubt she'd enjoy this spelunking expedition. He knew Hay Lin wouldn't. "You're right. Maybe it was just a while goat chase."
Will would have laughed if she'd been in the right mood, but Caleb's failure to properly recite Earth anecdotes did little to change her setting.
"Let's go."
"Go where?"
"Anywhere but here. I'm tired of this place."
"But we still haven't checked the other caves."
"Caleb!" she turned around. "She's not here!"
A little surprised at her tone, the youth looked her over. "It's eating you up isn't it?" He asked and continued before she could answer. "Not knowing where she is or if she's alright. Believe me I know the feeling. You don't know how many times Aldarn or Drake would disappear for days after a battle and I'm thinking they're dead or worse. I know it's tough, Will, but ask yourself deep down inside if you think she's alive. Go ahead."
"Caleb,"
"Please."
In no frame of mind to humor him but knowing they'd never leave until she did, Will closed her eyes. Okay, looking deep inside, nothing but veins and blood vessels. There goes my heart, let me ask it if it knows if Alex is okay. What do you say, heart? THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-THUMP. Oh really? Well you're a big help! "My deep down is as clueless as my up high."
"There has to be some sort of connection between the two of you. Look what do we have to lose? In case you've forgotten we're due back in Candracar pretty soon. Whatever happened to exploring all our options?"
"Looks like we've run out of options," She sighed. "I've got nothing."
He mimicked her expression. "Let's head to the next cave. At least we can say we tried everything we could to find,"
"Alex."
"Exactly."
"No, Caleb, it's Alex."
His eyes darted every which way. "What? Where?"
"I-I think I can see her!" Will's eyes were still closed. "She's…..AHHHHHH!!" Will exploded with power as the Heart burst from her shirt. Nearly blinded, Caleb collapsed to the beach. Will was paralyzed by the burst of magic that was her Quintessence and fell to the ground out cold. Caleb waited for his eyes to adjust before crawling to her. "Will! WILL!" Caleb tried to wake her when something caught his eye. The Heart was dangling in the air from the string around her neck.
"What are you doing to her?" He asked the inanimate object. He tried to pull the string off but the Heart zapped him. Angry, he did the moronic: he grabbed the Heart and tried to forcefully detach it from her neck. The item responded by blasting him. Caleb flew ten feet from Will and landed hard! Falling into darkness, a single image clarified in his mind. In that brief contact with the Heart, Caleb had seen what Will had seen. He knew where Alex was. He saw who she was with.
Cornelia… he blacked out.
Collapsing on the bed, Alex's mind raced with more images. Her (literal) emotional outburst had busted down the doors which prevented access to her locked memories and she remembered. It all came flooding back…
She'd just she'd just escaped from Candracar, the universe spiraled about her in a thousand different colors so majestic it made it difficult to concentrate. With her body being pulled a thousand directions, she couldn't tell what up and down meant anymore. Instead she floated endlessly through the unfathomable rifts of space and time
Alex had lost track of time. What seemed like a few seconds were probably a few hours in the real world or vice versa. After what seemed like forever, and coming to the conclusion that time meant nothing here, Alex tried to focus her mind.
In a flash her body materialized into another space. She was free! She had escaped! She had just come out of the rainbow void to appear on Earth, or rather, several hundred feet above it. Screaming, Alex became a slave of gravity as the planet's pull saw her plummeting at several feet per second towards a grim end. Beneath her she saw nothing but a mass of blue. The ocean! She'd always wanted to see the ocean—From up here she had a perfect view and it looked as if it may be her last.
With the altered auramere in one hand and Caleb's locket in the other, Alex did her best to concentrate while violent winds smacked her across the face. I'm going to die, she told the Heart, don't let me die! Keep me safe!! The Heart reacted and Alex transported again. This time she was much closer to the surface but twenty feet above the water. She smacked down hard, nearly blacking out in the process. No! Struggling to stay awake, Alex forced her legs and arms to kick. Will knew how to swim, so should she. But as Alex clawed her way to the surface of the water, a very terrifying realization hit her. Just because she has the memories of her sister, that did not mean she has her experience. Her head barely topped the surface before her lungs gave out.
Alex bobbed up and down as the waves kicked her about. This was no good! She could drown! Try as she might she could not keep her head afloat for very long. She tried to look around and see if there was someplace where…there! Land was not far off. There was a beach nearby, a place where she could live if only she could make it. Using all her willpower, Alex began to swim…and swim…and swim…and she was drowning. The beach was just too far. She knew that beach for what it was, Shell Beach, right next to Heatherfield! She dreamed of watching the ocean waves from there with her toes in the sand and the sun setting in the sky.
Well here's the ocean, hope you've enjoyed it. The sudden realization of her body giving out forced Alex's muscles to cramp up. Gasping for breath, she went under. Several feet beneath the surface, water creeping into her lungs, mouth and ears, she knew she was done for. How could she have been so foolish to think that she, an altermere, could attempt such a feat as transportation all by herself? All her acquired knowledge meant nothing if she did not know how to properly use it. Now her ignorance would cost her her life.
Barely conscious, she held on to the Heart for dear life. The object began to glow and suddenly Alex could see clearly if only for the last time. Amazingly enough, the Heart began to absorb itself into her body! Not understanding what this meant, Alex could feel the auramere's power within her, flowing through her, giving her strength…and one mean fever.
Before she could black out, Alex caught sight of the locket in her other hand. It had opened sometime during the impact and she could make out the smiling faces of Caleb and Cornelia. Caleb; he tried to help her and she abandoned him. How could she ever face him again? Cornelia…she loved him. He loved her. But perhaps she could—if only…Cornelia.
Upon hearing it's master's desire, the Heart activated the transportation ability again. Not a moment too soon, Alex's weak, soaking and tired body appeared just above Cornelia's head. She could remember hitting the ground and nothing else.
"Will!" Cornelia screamed and shook her again. The redhead stirred and woke up. She was still in Cornelia's bed and though it took her a moment to realize it, was feeling even stronger now than ever before. All this time, the Heart did save her, had become a part of her, and had infused her with energies unlike anything she could have imagined. Her outburst earlier must have been a result of the Heart reacting to her emotions. She must learn to control that from now on less she blow up half the city. Mental note: don't get mad.
She knew deep down that she and the Heart were now one; a single entity. The fever that struck her ill was an aftereffect of the absorption process. Now that it was done a newer, more powerful altermere had been created. But what did that mean exactly?
"Will!" Cornelia cried. "What was that? What happened?"
Alex looked at her and for the first time that day she smiled. "Something wonderful."
"Wonderful? The Heart shorted out everything in the building," she said as she watched Alex get out of bed and walk around. "Nothing works, Will. It's all dead."
"Dead you say?" Alex raised her hand and electricity danced on her fingers. With invisible force she made all the lights go back on and everything was working again. "There."
Confused and a little scared, Cornelia walked up to her. "What did you do?"
"I put the lights back on."
"I mean with the Heart? Dammit, Will, didn't that scare you?"
"No, Cornelia." She walked to the window. "In fact I don't think I'm scared of anything anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I've changed. I've grown into something better and now I feel…complete."
"Okay either you start making some sense right now or so help me—" she went over to her phone and held it up. "I'm calling the Oracle."
"No!" The altermere exclaimed. Not that Cornelia could get in contact with the Oracle via the telephone, but the mere mention of that man unsettled her more than she'd have like to admit. "There is no need."
The blonde shook her head. "Why are you acting so strange? This isn't like you."
"Things change."
"How?"
"I've changed."
"Into what?"
"Into something more complete."
Exasperated, "Okay you're not making any sense."
"What would you like me to say, Cornelia? A lot of things have happened to me over the past few days that I cannot explain to you…"
Her glare stopped Alex short. "Explain? How about you explain this." She raised her hand. "I found it on you when I was treating you. Care to explain, Will?"
Alex's eyes narrowed. It was Caleb's locket. She'd almost forgotten about the thing.
"It's Caleb's locket. I have one just like it." She pulled back her collar to reveal her own. "What I want to know is how did you get your hands on it? Did Caleb give it to you?"
"No," she answered truthfully.
"Then how?"
"I took it."
"When? Why?"
"As a practical joke. As to when I'd say not too long ago."
Cornelia put down the phone and approached Alex. "What kind of practical joke?"
"The kind that involves asking some uncomfortable questions. Tell me, how do you feel about Caleb?"
"What kind of question,"
"Tell me. Please."
"You know how I feel."
"I want to hear it from you."
Gritting her teeth, Cornelia said. "I love him. Does that suit you Miss Keeper?"
"Why?"
"What?"
"Why do you love him?"
"I don't have time for your stupid jokes, Will. Now tell me what happened."
As a reflex, Alex backed away. In terms of power she was leagues above Cornelia. Plus the blonde could not transform without the aid of Will's Heart. But she was still a good deal stronger than her in the brute force category, and she was taller, and angry, and had a look in her eyes that made Alex want to put as much distance between them as possible. "I'm trying to understand. What happened with Matt has gotten me to thinking that love is more complicated than I imagined. Her…my feelings for Matt are strong, but yet I also hate him as well. Caleb is a lot like Matt. They have similar flaws, yet we love them. Maybe you can help me understand these feelings better. What is it you love about Caleb that makes him so special to you?"
It seemed to stem the raging tide that was Cornelia enough for Alex to power down the energy bolt she'd been charging behind her back. Whether to humor her or otherwise, Cornelia began to talk. "If you know anything about me you'd understand the feelings I have for him. Caleb is kind. He's strong, noble, selfless and sacrificing. I love him because he makes me feel like no other boy ever could. I love everything about him." She began to go down the list. "His eyes, his hair, his smile. The way his brow curls every time he's confused or how he pouts when he's made fun of. He's naïve when it comes to our world and that just makes him cuter. He always tries to fit in and even when he fails he doesn't give up." Cornelia pictured his face in her mind. She felt happy doing it. Her past musings about breaking up with him for not seeing her seemed so long ago, and irrelevant. Using the L word so much made her realize just how much he meant to her and she knew he felt the same. Looking at Alex, Cornelia went on.
"I don't know what more you want from me. All I know is that I love Caleb. He's mine forever and no one can take that away from me. Does that satisfy you?"
"A bit. But let me ask you something. Do you ever feel jealous of Caleb?" She continued before Cornelia could protest her remark. "He's is very handsome. How do you feel about him being around other females? Does it bother you? Do you ever stop to think he may be unfaithful?"
"Never."
"And why? Because he's so in love with you. Any boy would be infatuated with Cornelia Hale. He'd be a fool to pass you out for someone else because you are the ultimate catch. You and no other could satisfy his needs."
"Careful, Will." Menace bled from Cornelia's mouth.
"I want to understand my feelings so as to better control them."
"Why?"
"Did it ever bother you seeing Caleb with the rest of us? We're all attractive in our own rights? Each of us compliments Caleb in some way. Hay Lin is like the little sister who gives him shelter and a place to call home. Taranee is smart and passionate just like he is; it's no secret they have a lot in common. Irma, as boy crazy as she is, I'm surprised she hasn't made a move on him. And as for he and I, we are both leaders who understand the burden it places on us." (7). She took one step closer. "So tell me, what makes you two so special?"
Everything she had said made Cornelia angry. What made her angrier is that this was Will who was saying these things. She thought they were friends. Where was all this coming from? Know what? It didn't matter. It was about to stop. "After all I've done for you, this is how you say thanks? By questioning my love for the only man in my life? How dare you? How dare you?!"
"I need to understand."
"Understand this! If you are not out of here in the next sixty seconds I am calling the cops."
"Cornelia,"
"Now!"
Seeing how angry she was, Alex knew that the blonde was on the verge of doing something she'd regret later on. The altermere would defend herself but did not want to hurt her either. Her attempts at speaking with her only served to make her even less reasonable. That had not been her intent. Will's emotions had become her emotions and unless she learned to control them it could bring about serious consequences in the future. Her sister's love for Matt was so strong that it nearly consumed her with rage and sadness. Alex prided herself on her reason though if her actions at Candracar were any indication there was a serious chink in her armor (8).
"You're angry, aren't you?"
"Yes!"
"You're angry at me?"
"Yes!"
"Yourself?"
"What?!"
"Are you angry because of what I said or because I've made you realize something you thought you knew."
"Will,"
"Tell me, what did you feel the moment you found the locket on me? Did you find it strange? Did it bother you that I of all people had it when it belongs to Caleb? Why did I have it? How could I've obtained it?" Slowly Alex began to approach. "I was just waking up when you were on the phone with Cornelia. I heard the conversation you had. I want to know what you felt when you found the locket? Was is confusion? Suspicion? Jealousy?"
Cornelia unwittingly began to go backward. "Stop it, Will."
"You haven't seen me or Caleb in a long time. Did anything go through your mind?"
"Stop it."
"What did you feel?"
"I don't,"
"Yes you do. Tell me."
Cornelia's back was against the wall and Alex pressed in within inches of her face. "Tell me, Cornelia, what did you feel?"
Her presence, her scent, her power, Cornelia could not help but feel overwhelmed.
"Tell me."
Her face clenched first in frustration and then anger.
"Tell me."
"I…"
"I want to understand. I need to know. Tell me what you felt."
"I…felt…ANGRY!!" She screamed in the redhead's face. "The thought of the two of you together…behind my back…betraying me...what was I supposed to think?"
"And you hated feeling that way?'
"Yes…no…I don't know." Tears welled up in her eyes and she asked. "Did you and he…ever…"
"No. But then again I can only speak for myself. When next you see Caleb, and I've a feeling it will be sooner than you think, I want you to ask him this question." Leaning in, Alex whispered softly into Cornelia's ear which made her eyes widen. Backing up, Alex looked at Cornelia with love and friendship, but Cornelia's were anything but.
"Get out!" She growled.
Alex stepped back. "Of course. But not before I help you." Alex's hand shot up and made contact with Cornelia. The room was filled with a bright light, as well as the scream of one very frightened girl.
Finally coming to, Will gazed up at a darkened sky. It was late and who knew how long she'd been on the beach. Grabbing the Heart which now rested quietly against her chest, Will raised it up to see if she could figure out what happened. It was nothing like having the altermere inside of her trying to break free. That last spectacle had Will feeling different, like some very vital part of her had been taken away – or changed.
Regardless of what she felt, Will knew what she saw and she had to act. Cornelia could be in danger. Sitting up, she spotted Caleb lying nearby. "What happened to you?" She asked though he couldn't respond. Walking over, Will shoved him. "Caleb, time to get up now. I know where Alex is."
He groaned a little bit. Caleb opened his eyes and saw Will leaning over him. Too over. Did she realize the Heart ripped up a part of her shirt. Oh how his eyes bulged. "Uh, Will."
"What?" she looked down. "Eep!" She covered herself up quick and slide away from him on her butt. "Dammit."
A pleasant sight for any man but Caleb's mind quickly changed to other matters. "I saw Alex. She's with Cornelia."
"You saw them? How?" She asked while doing her best to cover herself up.
"I touched the Heart when you were knocked out and,"
"You touched the Heart? Are you insane?! No one but a guardian can touch the Heart, Caleb. What if it killed you?"
"Does that really matter now? We need to help Cornelia."
"You're right. There's not telling how long it's been. Get close to me," She ordered and when he did she added. "And eyes forward, mister."
Before Caleb could counter that comment, Will grabbed him and they were on their way. The transport was almost instantaneous. Gone was Shell Beach to be replaced by the splendid little furnishings of an upper middle-class home. The room was silent and empty. No Cornelia in sight. "Where is she?" Caleb asked.
"I don't think she would have hurt her."
"I'm talking about Cornelia. Where is she?" Caleb looked around. "Cornelia!"
Alex, what have you done? Will searched the room but save for the two of them it was devoid of human habitation. "Maybe she's not in here."
"Could she have taken her?"
"What for?"
"I don't know…anything. You know her. What would she do?"
"She's her own person now, Caleb. I don't know what she'd do."
"But she's your sister!"
"Who has her own mind. Just because we were together once doesn't mean we're the same."
"Well if you don't know her then who does?"
"I don't know. Caleb, calm down."
"Cornelia!"
She blew out air and followed him out the room. They searched the first floor of the condo but found no sign of her. "Upstairs!" Caleb ran and left Will behind. The Keeper caught up with him by the time he said, "Listen." Will did listen and she heard it too. Someone was crying. It came from the balcony. They followed the sobs outside to the terrace and found Cornelia huddled in a corner, crying her eyes out.
"Cornelia!" They said at once. She appeared alright but her face was covered by her hands. Caleb was the first to reach her. "Cornelia, it's me. Are you alri…"
"Stay away from me!!" She shouted, smacking his hand away.
Shocked, Caleb stepped back. Will came up beside him and saw that Cornelia was unharmed. Seeing Will and Caleb together made her face turn more primal. "Go away!"
"Look Cornelia, she may have looked like me but she wasn't me," Will spoke fast.
"I know.
"You do?" Will asked. Glancing at Caleb she turned back and said, "Then what happened?"
Ignoring Will, Cornelia turned her gaze on Caleb. "Where do your loyalties lie?"
"I don't understand."
"Where…do your loyalties lie, Caleb?" She asked again, her face streaked with tears.
"My loyalties? With you, Will, the team. Why are you asking this?"
"Liar!" She spat. "You have no loyalty. You just follow orders given to you by whoever's in charge. I wonder does Elyon know about all this?"
"She doesn't."
"Then tell me, Caleb. How can I trust this relationship when you have a habit of keeping secrets from your queen?"
Will stepped forward. "It's not his fault."
"Then who's fault is it, oh great leader? Do you two have any idea how I felt when I found out? Do you? No! I cared for her thinking she was you, Will. And then I find this," She revealed the locket, "And can you imagine what went through my head?"
"Whatever she told you it wasn't the truth. Caleb and I,"
"Were keeping secrets from me," she cut Will off. "You talk about the truth? She's been more honest with me than you have been in days. We're friends. We're supposed to help each other. And you," she glared at Caleb. "I guess lying to your girlfriend is more important than being with her."
For once, Caleb had no answer. He had not been truthful with Cornelia whenever she asked where he was going or what he was doing. He had made a promise to the Oracle but by doing so had been deceiving to the woman he loved. Then Alex comes along and all this happens. What would Cornelia think? What would he think? Could he blame her?
Will hung her head in shame. "Cornelia…….we're sorry."
But Cornelia went back to crying. She allowed the locket to fall to the ground and she kicked it away. It skidded to a stop at Caleb's feet. He went down pick it up but the moment he did he realized it felt just like a piece of metal and not an affection of love. It had lost all meaning. He'd lost all meaning. He tried to look at Cornelia but couldn't. He didn't deserve to look at her.
Will hugged her shoulders and fought back the tears. She had never wanted to hurt Cornelia or any of her friends but by keeping secrets she had done just that. Cornelia and Will had fought before in the past, but it was never a question of trust that came between them. In this one night, that had changed. Everything had changed.
On a high rise overlooking downtown Heatherfield, Alex stood with another person by her side. "I know it's scary at first," she told the stranger. "But trust me when I say you're about to experience the most previous gift any person can have. Life." She stroked her long, blonde hair.
The figure was silent save for a gentle intake of breath; her first breaths as a living, thinking, aware being.
"Enjoy it my sister for there will be plenty more to come. The one who helped create you was full of jealousy. I took that away from her. You are the best she has to offer in every way. While that does not mean you are superior, it does mean that you are wiser and hence more deserving of better things. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
The girl nodded. "Good. Now come. As the saying goes, we need a place to crash and I think I know just the spot." Using the power of the Heart which was inside of her, Alex summoned forth the powerful magics. The girl who resembled Cornelia Hale held her hand and together they left Heatherfield.
1 – Ebon is a word I made up which derives from ibn which in Arabic means "son of." And so the Oracle said, "Caleb son of Julian." This is a result of me trying to give Caleb a last name. The name Caleb is Middle Eastern in Origin so I decided to go this route instead.
2 – In this chapter, as well as my forums, I wanted to discuss the falling out the guardians have had of late. Recall the promise Will and Caleb made to keep Alex's existence a secret in chapter two. I can't simply have Will dodging the other girls the whole time she's known about Alex, so I've placed bits and pieces here and there to explain how she was able to keep this secret from the girls and at the same time why they haven't been together as of late.
3 – Her name is actually spelled Sarina, but I just couldn't get over it so I changed it to Serena instead. Yeah, she's the same Serena who's engaged to Will's dad. She's a bigshot photographer now who I might allow a cameo appearance.
4 – I felt Connecticut would be the perfect setting for Heatherfield. The city itself reminds me of my travels up and down the east coast. Heatherfield is a modern, twenty-first century metropolis that still has that hometown feel of a smaller community with hot and cold seasons. Also, the trees remind me of those I've seen up in New England so it just fits.
5 – For those of you who remember, this led to the scene where Caleb sees Will and Susan in towels back in chapter one. Riot!!
6 – Okay, the whole Matt thing. There's a reason for it, I promise. Now that you all know what happened that day I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
7 – These examples I took from the forum.
8 – A homage to my other Witch fic, "The Chink in Your Armor."
