So, like I promised, here is the chapter. It's my longest one yet but I just wanted to get this episode over and done with. I warn you though, it ends on a depressing note…ish. But I've already got plans for most of the other chapters, I just have to develop them and add the finer details. So…this should go quite nicely…here it is…
The little princess gazed around the room dreamily, her eyes watching the adults dance. Today was her day. It was her birthday. Her fifth birthday of her short life, but she couldn't have been happier. Here she was, surrounded by fine music and presents, and happy people who danced with the upmost grace. Her family and her people. Everything was perfect.
A small smile lit up her face as she watched Phobos dancing with a noble girl. Diana. She was charming to him, she casted a spell over the little girl's brother with her enchanting looks and raw kindness. Diana was like her sister as well as Phobos' love. Her long dark brown tresses hung down past her shoulders, shining in the light as she and the Prince waltzed, smiling at each other. Her eyes were the darkest of browns, gorgeous and ensnaring, capturing the soul of anyone to look into them. The little princess and her brother both loved Diana, and she loved them too. Diana cared for the little red-headed girl with sisterly love and she cared for Phobos with the truest of hearts. And soon, if things went according to her parents' plan, Diana and Phobos would be married. "Little Wilhelmina, why do you sit?" The little girl, Wilhelmina looked up to see her guard; Raythor, smiling at her. Raythor was like another father to her, far kinder than her own one at times. Her own father, Philip, was a vile man, who hated her brother. He often put Phobos in his oubliette without food or water for days. A hole in the dungeon floors, completely magic proof, a prison reserved especially for Phobos. It was one of the reasons Phobos needed Diana. He needed to be loved.
"Because Raythor, no boy has asked me to dance. I don't know how." Her reply brought a sour expression to her face as she watched the young children of the many noble families smiling giddily and laughing. Not one of them had come to speak to the little five year old. She was alone, even on her birthday. Raythor frowned as well. He knew that since Phobos was happy, Wilhelmina was happy, but he also knew Phobos' continual need to be with Diana made the princess sad. Even as a young girl, she understood the idea of love. But it didn't mean she wasn't upset that her brother no longer wished to spend time with her. "Just wait little one. Soon, one who will love you as Phobos loves Diana, will come. And you will truly understand why he is the way he is. That boy will look at you as if the sun, the moon and the stars were your eyes, and he was the lost. He will look at you as if the world revolves around you. He will tend to your every whim and beck and call. He will love you endlessly." Wilhelmina nodded, feeling her spirits lift a little as a light purple hue unknowingly entered her eyes. Her mother had told her that love was a magic, a magic more powerful than knowledge and she had always wanted to hear about it. It made her excited to know that someday she would experience this love. "When will he come, Raythor?" The man smiled at her gently. "Soon, my dear. So soon."
The five year old princess happily skipped around the rose garden, humming. She was infatuated with roses. Their blood red colour entranced her, lured her in. She loved looking at them, watching them move in the breeze. But she never touched them. Her mother had warned her not to. But she didn't need to know now…when the princess was alone in the gardens and no guards were there to tell her mother. Slyly, Wilhelmina brushed her fingers against the petals, feeling the velvet texture at her fingertips. They were so soft. She wished she could hold one. Have one entirely for herself. The little girl looked at the rose forlornly before turning away; ready to stalk back to the party still going on inside when she heard it. Thump! The girl quickly spun around to see the rose on the ground, separated from the bush and just lying there. Giggling she skipped over to it, plucking it from the stone ground as she brushed her fingers against the petals again. She loved roses and now she owned one. It was hers. She ran her fingers along the stalk, gently prodding at the thorns when to her amazement, her skin opened up. She knew it was a cut, but no blood came—"Ouch!" the girl's eyes widened as she stiffened. Someone else was in the garden.
Wilhelmina turned to face the perpetrator. Her father, though a jerk and a big meanie when he wanted to be, did care some for her safety, or at least more than he cared for Phobos' and had taught her self-defence in the event that a guard wasn't with her. She was ready for anything. Except maybe what lay before her. A boy, with deep and dark emerald eyes, tousled brown locks stood before her, cradling his finger in his hands as he glared hatefully at a rose that lay abandoned on the bench closest to the castle doors. How had she not seen him? The little red haired girl treaded towards him, laying her rose beside his as she looked at him curiously. He wasn't a noble that was for sure. His grubby clothes looked like they were from the peasants. "Are you alright?" She enquired as she gently gestured to his hand. He nodded shakily before she asked, "Why are you in the palace?" "Why are you?" he retorted. She laughed softly as she gestured to the building in question. "I live here silly." "I wanted a rose." Will laughed softly at his guilty expression and nodded. "It's okay. I wanted one too. You can keep it." The little boy's eyes lit up in excitement. He couldn't believe it. A royal, giving him a flower. He grinned at her as he studied her. She was a little shorter than him, with bright red hair and big brown eyes that were set alight with purple. She wore a dark and slimming party dress that showed how small she was. "You're bleeding," he muttered. It was true. There was a slit running down her finger, just like there was on his. But she appeared to not know it was there, almost like she wasn't bothered by it. "So I am. But what do I do about it?"
He gently took her hand into his, noticing she made no protest to him and lifted it to his mouth. She stared at him, quite stunned as he sucked the blood away from the cut like it was a common thing. Maybe it was but certainly not to her. A small buzz ran through her, running up her finger to her arm, and then past to her neck, to her eyes. She could feel herself reacting to the electricity and withheld her own gasp. He released her finger from his lips, wiping it on his shirt and adding enough pressure to stop it bleeding completely. He looked up to her with a smile as she waited for her new friend to turn and run at the sight of her eyes. But he didn't. He merely smiled brighter and stared at her in awe. "Your eyes…they're purple…" She nodded. "My mother says I respond to magic that way. My eyes reflect it as purple…she called it Candrakarian magic." The boy furrowed his brow in wonder before looking at her curiously. "Are you magic? You're very pretty." Ten shades of red ran through her cheeks as she blushed. The boy seemed to realize what he'd said as he too blushed but he didn't deny anything, he left the question there until the girl shook her head. "I'm not magic." She stared down at their hands, watching as he squeezed hers reassuringly. He hadn't let go of her hand, and she was sure it wasn't because he'd forgotten. "Oh, you're bleeding." She stated, lifting his free hand up to examine his wounded finger as she recalled what had given away his presence in the first place. The blood was still on his finger, still spouting out as she hesitantly brought it to her own lips, recalling what he'd done mere seconds ago. She closed her eyes, gently pressing his finger to her mouth.
His blood swirled on her tongue as she gently released it from his wound, cleaning it. It tasted bitter like metal but sweet…like strawberries and sugar. She didn't know if he felt it as she swallowed the substance, but a zing of pure sparking electricity ran through her again, causing her eyes to flash purple again, even under her eyelids. A gasp from the boy caused her spine to tingle as she gently released his finger, wiping it on the dark skirt of her dress and holding it there for a moment. She examined it again, checking the bleeding had stopped before pressing her lips to it in a peck, as her mother had done to her many times, and then released it completely, allowing his hand to fall to his side as she studied him. "All better?" she enquired as he nodded. Neither one knew what they had just done. That they had just performed a unique ritual. "I better go." He whispered as the slamming of a door was heard nearby. Wilhelmina nodded, handing him the rose that had pricked him before he ran out of the garden, waving goodbye. It was then that she realized. She didn't know his name.
"Wilhelmina? Wilhelmina!" A bell like voice called out and Wilhelmina immediately jumped up, grabbing her rose and ran to the palace door, ready to step into the warmth of the building when a person strode through it. "Will! There you are. I was so worried." The girl cooed as Wilhelmina ran towards her. Diana picked her up, balancing her on her hip expertly as she pecked the side of her head. "Where were you, little Will?" She enquired, using the nickname she'd invented for the little girl. Neither Diana nor Wilhelmina cared that it was a man's name. They just cared that it was a secret shared between them. "I was in the garden. There was a boy there." Diana cocked an eyebrow as she glanced at the rose in the little girl's hand. "Why don't you tell me the story? We can sit outside for a little while. The party is still going on inside, and they don't require our presence anymore." Will was about to say that Phobos required her presence but thought better of it. If Diana had come looking for her, then it meant Phobos had allowed her to leave and knew where she was. That was the only way he'd let Diana leave his side in the palace; if he knew where she was going. Will excitedly nodded as she thought of the boy and began to pour her memory of him into her story, happy that Diana wanted to know.
By the end of the tale, Diana's mouth had dropped open and Will was sitting silently on the stone bench in the garden where she'd met the boy, waiting for some sort of reaction. Diana, aged sixteen to Phobos' seventeen, was quite unsure what to say. She was of course, with the full understanding of what the exchange of blood had been. It was a ritual to signal engagement before marriage. But not even she and Phobos had done that yet and they were in their teens. The brunette girl was still reeling from the fact that her infant soon-to-be sister in-law had so innocently surrendered her hand in marriage to an injured little boy and didn't even know what she'd done. What shocked her even more was Will's more than accurate explanation of electricity running through her. Electricity was the first sign of soul mates among the people of Meridian, something that both Diana and Phobos had felt. She knew she was Phobos' soul mate. But Will had just encountered hers, become engaged to him and didn't even realize it. She didn't even know the boy's name.
"Come on, Will." She whispered, lifting her up and balancing her on her hip again as the little girl yawned. "I'll inform Queen Weira, and we'll get you to bed." She muttered, but the little girl was already falling asleep. Her big tired eyes closed shut as she wrapped her arms around Diana—The intruder alarm blared violently and panic could be heard throughout the palace. Diana's eyes widened in fear as she quickly ran towards the door, ripping it open with a newly awake Will in her arms. "Diana what's going on?" she whimpered as the older girl steeled her expression. "Do you remember what your mother told you about bad people attacking? Where she said to go?" Will nodded and immediately stated, "The throne room. Mummy says there's a magical guard there." Diana nodded and took off in a run towards the room, hearing the sound of fighting erupt all around her. She clutched Will tightly to her, afraid of her falling or getting hurt. She'd do anything to protect the little princess from the fate suffered by her sister. What no one knew was that Phobos was not the first tyrant. Philip, Queen Weira's husband was. He treated the people like dirt behind his wife's back, people respecting him out of fear. It was because of Philip that Elyon, his second daughter and Will's little sister, was taken. And everyone feared of the same fate happening to Will. Diana, Phobos and the Queen fearing the most.
Explosions could be heard throughout the castle as Diana ran and Will buried her face into the older girl's neck. She was terrified. Anyone would see that. That's why it was so easy to take the little princess, because her fear stiffened her, left her frozen and defenceless. "It's okay sweetie, just two more hallways." Will nodded slightly, feeling safe in Diana's arms as she carried her. They would make it, they would be safe. She was sure—"Hey! There she is! Stop them!" Something wrapped around Diana, pulling them to the ground. Will fell, smacking her head off the ground less than a foot away from Diana who immediately looked up at her. Her eyes saying one thing; Run. "Will, go. Go straight to the throne room. I can handle them." With fuzzing vision Will did as she was told, jumping up and sprinting away. She ran straight to the throne room where Raythor and a platoon of men stood. Raythor was instantly at her side, examining her for injuries and bruises but Will didn't care. "Raythor." She shrieked, grabbing at his hands as he stared at her. Her distressed face caught him by surprise and he immediately understood. She had been told to run. Someone had been left behind. "Who was with you?" "Diana! She's—" A blood-curdling scream caused the men to jump into action as Will tried to run back out of the throne room. She couldn't leave Diana. She couldn't let her sister get hurt. She made it ten paces before Raythor caught her, scooping her into his arms and ordering his men to go help the noble girl. Will squirmed in his arms, sobbing as the scream died down. Her head ached and she was slowly falling unconscious but it didn't mean she didn't understand. She did. She had been too late. Help hadn't been sent fast enough. Her best friend, her big sister was dead. And all on her birthday. All because of her.
Almost two days later, the little princess woke up in her room, sad. It was the first emotion that hit her. Her sadness. And then bits and pieces of her birthday flitted back to her. She had been in the gardens and then Diana came. They talked about…something…something she didn't remember and then they had been attacked and Diana—Her eyes watered, a sob choking in her throat. Diana had died. Phobos stood from the corner of the room where he'd watched her, with red rimmed eyes. He could tell she remembered now. And he wanted to blame her, to hate his sister for Diana's death. But he couldn't. It wasn't her fault. Diana had died to save her, and Wilhelmina had sent help. She had tried to protect Diana. He had heard from Raythor that when Diana screamed, his little sister had run after her, tried to get to her. And has much as he wanted to hate her, he couldn't. Because he too had failed to protect Diana. He shouldn't have left her. He should've gone with her. He should've been there. But he wasn't. It was just as much his fault that she was dead. That the love of his life was gone. But he still remembered what she'd told him as he crashed to the ground beside her. His robes had been covered in her blood and he just held her as she slowly died. She died in his arms but the last thing she'd done with him, was make a promise. "I promise to watch over you, love, as long as you protect her. I'm glad it was me. Better those who have lived, than those who have never felt love."
Wilhelmina sobbed, curling her knees into her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Diana was dead. She was gone. She knew someone was there, and she desperately hoped it was Diana. "Diana?" she whispered brokenly, hopefully. But it was a fool's hope. The little girl burst into a new round of tears at the sight of Phobos. He must hate her. "I—I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She sobbed. Her brother said nothing as he sat beside her; he merely pulled her into his lap and allowed her to cry in his embrace. He would not break his promise to Diana. He refused to. "It's alright, Wilhelmina. It wasn't your fault." Fresh tears irritated his own eyes as she sobbed. But she slowly stopped. "I wish not to be called that anymore." The Prince looked at her in confusion before she answered. "My name shall be Will. It shall be Will in remembrance of Diana."
****Rebel Fire****
Cornelia strutted towards the group exiting Sheffield Institute with a grin on her face. The blonde was ultimately pleased with herself. After spending the whole week thinking, she had finally found a way to gain the favour of the girls and Caleb whilst helping Will enjoy her birthday. It seemed she detested the day of her birth and Cornelia found herself wondering if she'd always been that way. Maybe there was a reason behind her reaction to her birthday? Cornelia had almost found herself asking a few times, but kept it under wrap and key. The desire to impress Caleb was more than the need to confront the red-haired girl. Besides she wasn't supposed to know it was Will's birthday anyway, so the blonde merely ignored it. Confronting her would only promote her flaring temper.
"Hey guys." She grinned as they slowed to a halt. Will had bolted out of the school like a convict running from the cops and Caleb had run after her, wanting to know what the hell was wrong with her. He'd taken a superior interest in Will compared to the others and it had offended them at first that they were playing second fiddle to the red, before they realized the rebel's feeling for her. Now it just bothered them when Will ran off, effectively dragging Caleb away from their discussion. "What's with the grin, Corny?" Irma enquired. The girls had even acting more and more like their elements and as predicted, Cornelia had been taken by her power, becoming as hard-headed as the rocks she moved, especially when it came to Caleb. But for all three girls, the effects disappeared around Will and reappeared once she left. It made the caramel brunette wonder…maybe Yan Lin was keeping something from her in the same way Will was. Yan Lin had appeared at ease once Irma had acted like she'd forgotten the important piece of information about Will's brother. But even though she hadn't forgotten, the Guardian had stopped hassling the woman about it. It wouldn't get her anyway. But the fact was it bothered her that she didn't know something. Oh, God! she whined, I'm starting to sound like Taranee.
A huge gulp of air was inhaled by the blonde as she explained her idea. A party. She wasted to throw Will a party. Did the blonde really not care that much that she didn't listen when Will said she didn't like parties? When she said she had a bad experience with them and refused to attend them? Did no one listen? Did no one care? Irma felt her eyes narrow as Taranee shrugged, completely void of caring if they had a party of not. Hay Lin had tuned them out, spinning in circles as she grinned. She was totally clueless meaning only Irma could set Gaea straight. World War 3, here she comes.
****Rebel Fire****
Will sat in her attic, laying face first into her pillow. She'd asked Caleb to leave her alone for a while and eventually, he'd relented, choosing to sit downstairs and finish the little homework he could understand. Surprisingly, despite the many differences in the two worlds, the English language was more or less the same, meaning Caleb was rather excellent at it. He was better at English than she was and Will had been on Earth since she was eight years old. Seven years in three weeks. She turned her head to the side, letting herself exhale heavily as a choked sound worked its way from her throat. Anyone who heard it from her, at first would be stunned, but they wouldn't have known her very well if they were. Wilhelmina only broke down today. On her birthday. It was the one day of the year that was entirely hers. It was the one day where she could do whatever she wanted, and that included allowing her emotions to run free. Thick, heavy tears evaded her capturing long lashes, quickly making the hot and salty escape down her cheeks, leaving a trail for escapees to follow. She didn't dare wipe them away, instead allowing them to fall onto her pillow, leaving the tear stains visible to all. The big and brave girl that was Wilhelmina was no longer whole, nor was she innocent, but still a child to clamber through the cracks in her mighty walls. Today was the only day she could cry properly, sob, break and mourn like she needed to. She was so sad, so broken, but today, was always her mourning day. Diana had died this day ten years ago, but she'd never forgotten, she'd never forgiven herself. But that wasn't her only reason to mourn. Two years before Diana's death, the day before Will's birthday, her little sister had been kidnapped. She wasn't even two years old. There were so many things that happened near or on her birthday that there was just no point in celebrating it anymore. It was a day of tragedy, of her many mistakes and faults. It was a day of her mourning. 364 other endless days in the year were never hers, but today, the 17th of September, today was hers.
"Will?" Raythor's voice floated up through the floor near her ladder. She'd locked herself in her room in the attic when she'd convince Caleb to leave and she hadn't left since. But that could've been any number of hours ago and she supposed they must be worried. "Yes?" Her voice still sounded the same, but there was a rawness there now that indicated she'd been crying. Will was a quiet person when it came to crying. She cried invisible tears and sobbed heavy silence. The one squeak of noise she ever made when crying was always the first sob. The one that fought against her closing oesophagus and choked her until she spat it out. It was always more violent than her other sobs. But she always thought it had to be, or the other sobs wouldn't find release from her hold at all. "Will, are you alright?" Raythor knew about her situation with her birthday. He'd been there for all of them, for Diana's death, for everything. Every mourning birthday she had, he was there, standing outside the door, listening to her even though she didn't make a peep. He was one of the few from the palace who knew that she hated her birthday and knew why. But his question made her wonder. Was she alright?
****Rebel Fire****
Irma tore through the Silver Dragon, ignoring the customers who stared at her as she angrily threw open the basement door. Hay Lin had started crying on the way home, saying the wind was wailing and crying too. But it wasn't just her. It was all of them that felt it and all of their elements that were affected. Fire burned dimly, weakly, the strong Earth trembled like the quivering lip of a child as they were falling apart, and the water fell as salty, bitter rain, drenching them all. But no one knew why! It irritated the water Guardian and she couldn't bare it. She needed to understand. "Yo Yan Lin, what the hell is going on!" She bellowed. She was faster than the others and knew they wouldn't be here for a while. She could have all her questions answered if she hurried. "What is it you want, Little River?" "I want answers and a freaking bucket load of 'em. Why is everyone acting so like their element? What the hell's up with the weather? Why did Will text me that clue? Who is her brother? What's the text about? Why is Halinor really taking care of Will? How are we going to stop Phobos? How do we find portals? Are you—" "Irma! Breathe!" She inhaled deeply, holding it for four beats as Yan Lin led her to sit, draping a blanket over her shoulders to stop her shivering in the cold from her wet clothes. "I will answer your questions as best I can, but Will's brother…I will not answer any questions about him. "The Guardian nodded her head. At least she would receive some answers. "The message Will sent you, refers to a viewing pool of sand used to see enemies of Phobos, or people of interest to him. Halinor takes care of Will because the position of caretaker to her goddaughter was offered by Phobos. He wants to protect Will from castle-raiders, because he failed to protect someone dear to him from them before." She paused, allowing the girl to absorb this information. She knew all about Diana. But she wouldn't tell that story to Irma. It would raise far more questions. She wanted to continue now, get rid of all the questions, but she knew Irma needed a moment. Knowing they needed to fight and defeat an evil prince was one thing. But knowing that the evil prince could see them anywhere and hurt them or the people they loved, was frightening.
"So Phobos stalks us?" And here she thought that was Martin Tubbs' job. Martin Tubbs was a nerd child with thick, round Harry Potter glasses and bright orange hair. He had apparently 'fallen in love' with Irma and swore she'd love him back. He used it as an excuse to stalk and annoy her. Yan Lin stifled a chuckle. Irma certainly had an interesting way of dealing with things. "Portals are torn by themselves and very difficult to find. However there is a map used to locate them. You must use the Heart to activate it. Only the Heart can reveal them. I believe it is in Halinor's care." Irma nodded before gesturing to the small window with a scowl. "And the weather? What's up with that?" Yan Lin frowned. It wasn't supposed to happen, and it was a highly unusual occurrence. But, she supposed, this were highly unusual Guardians with highly unusual conditions and standards. "The Keeper is distraught. She channels the elements with her abilities and they react to her emotions."
The silence deafened her as she took in everything. Water crashed to the ground as heavy rain; tears. The Earth trembled and quivered; the quivering lip of a sad girl. Fire burned as dim light, overrun by darkness; she was lost. The wind wailed and cried; silent sobs. Irma shook her head. No girl should cry on her birthday. Irma felt her own lip quiver. Tears pricked at her eyes as she thought of Will. What kind of friend wouldn't notice her best friend's tears? She felt awful. Like she was going to be physically ill. "Do not cry, Guardian. Will's emotions are her own on this day. No one controls them. She does not need your tears just her own." The door slammed open and three dripping wet Guardians stormed in. A soaked blonde glared at her angrily as she snapped, "How long has this been going on?"
After explaining to Cornelia and the others that Irma had been making enquiries to Yan Lin about her observations, the ex-Guardian and the caramel brunette then caught them up to date, leaving out the fact that Will was the Keeper. Neither the grandmother nor the detective, knew how the others hadn't heard them talking about Will, but they were grateful. Both got the feeling that the Keeper's identity was not to be shared with the others yet. Cornelia frowned, pulling the Heart out of her coat pocket. She didn't like wearing it ever since it burned her, but it also appeared to dislike being worn. She presented it to Yan Lin who shook her head. "Just because the Keeper is found, does not mean that she is ready to accept you." Cornelia's frown deepened as Hay Lin's brown eyes lit with confusion. Taranee cocked an eyebrow. "What does that mean, Grandma?" The Asian girl asked as her friends nodded. "Well," Irma began. Yan Lin was giving her a look, one that clearly said; 'don't screw up' as she explained on Yan Lin's behalf. Irma knowing more than the others would allow her the power to lead the group. If Yan Lin told them, they would merely ignore the Guardian and look to her for answers when they should be working together in harmony. "It means that there are some…things…preventing her from fully acknowledging what we know to be evil and fighting it." "How do you know the Keeper is a girl?" Yan Lin chuckled at the Fire Guardian's temper. It seemed Irma was right about the elements affecting them. "Well girls, there has never been a male Guardian, let alone a male Keeper. The Oracle of Candrakar, who encourages the Heart to pick Guardians, makes sure of that."
Irma glared at the woman, motioning to her friends with an angry look. 'Just tell me already!' it screamed as Hay Lin blew over to hug Yan Lin. Just from observing the Guardians, one could tell that Irma was the only normal one, but even water and its clarity could be obscured by angry currents. "It is called Zenith, Irma. The ultimate fusion of a mortal and the elements is when the mortal becomes the element, both physically and mentally. The Zenith stage has never been reached by any Guardian because of the Keeper. In the presence of the Keeper, any set of incomplete Guardians return to their normal state. Without the Keeper, the Guardians act like their element, it mentally controls them as it can't physically take over." Irma mentally grinned. That sealed it then. Will was their Keeper. Pleased, she made her leave; allowing the others to get dried off and absorb everything. Whistling as she went, Irma allowed herself to smile. She liked that she had answers and her mind was somewhat at rest. Today was pretty good so far. She'd more or less won an argument against Cornelia and talked her out of throwing Will a party, she'd avoided Martin Tubbs, pranked Knickerbocker; their principal, and gotten answers to her questions. But as she walked off, she remembered. Yan Lin had never answered her about Phobos.
****Rebel Fire****
Caleb smiled softly as he saw Raythor and Halinor dancing around the kitchen. In a week, such a short amount of time, the elderly pair had grown quite close. They were like an old married couple, completely devoted to Will and allowing that devotion to bring them together. Caleb had grown closer with Will because of her new found devotion to Meridian's rebellion, but he couldn't see it bringing them as close as needed; as he needed; as he wanted. "What'cha doin'?" He refrained the urge to jump as she approached from the staircase. He was sitting on the couch, watching the couple but he could still sense her moving towards him. He didn't need magic to be able to do that. "Why are you down here? I thought you wanted to be alone." He could see the frown on her face as she shook her head, coming up to his perch, ready to sit beside him. "I've been alone for a long time. I thought I should come talk with someone for a while." Her words held a double meaning that got him wondering if Phobos ever looked after her or did he just leave her by herself. He was beginning to think she was always alone. He looked at her and almost jumped again. Her eyes were ringed by red and heavy tear streaks contrasted her pale skin. But the most startling thing about her was her eyes. They were purple.
Cinnamon. He gently touched her face, studying her eyes with the upmost care but they were still cinnamon. He frowned in thought, thinking he was delirious when she looked at him again.
They were purple. His own eyes widened before he shook his head again. He stood up, turning away from her slightly and cracking his back. He heard her confused sigh as she slipped into his seat, throwing a blanket over her that allowed her fuzzy socks to peek out. "Sorry Will, I just…" He turned around again and her eyes were cinnamon. Caleb rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked at her again, blinking.
Purple.
Blink.
Cinnamon.
Blink.
Purple.
Blink.
Cinnamon.
Blink…the rebel sighed in relief as her eyes remained cinnamon before realizing she was looking at him and he was staring. "Sorry—I just," he repeated, "I've been a little worried." She nodded, almost like she believed him but he could tell she saw straight through his lie. Suddenly the soothing music the elderly couple waltzed to in the kitchen was turned off as Halinor held out the phone. "Pest control."
****Rebel Fire****
Will gracefully stumbled through the park, careful to keep her newly acquired map safe from the wind. It had long since, stopped raining, but the footpath still glistened in the street light. She didn't know what the map was for, all she was told was that she needed to give it to the Guardians. She saw them huddled around a park bench, whispering and she gleefully called out, "Pest control has arrived! Where's Cedric?" Some of the girls laughed while Cornelia stared at her harshly, probably annoyed that Caleb was there. She frowned and then gestured to the map with her hand. The red-head complied, handing it over and watching as it was ripped open aggressively before being spread out on the bench. "Well, the Heart should reveal portals…Corny." Cornelia pulled the Heart of Candrakar from her pocket and dangled it over the paper.
Nothing happened.
The crystal seemed even more lifeless than before, like it was empty or dying. The Guardians frowned before Hay Lin grabbed it, holding it over the map of Heatherfield. Still nothing happened. Taranee tried, then Irma before she dropped the crystal on to the bench in frustration. "It's dead!" She announced as Wilhelmina shook her head. Phobos had made her study the magic of other planets, especially Candrakar. It was of mass importance to him at the time. She knew the Heart was alive, like a spirit and had feelings. It didn't just die. Without a thought, she scooped the Heart up, absent-mindedly caressing the pink crystal as it began to glow. "Let me try. Magical Hearts react to peacefulness." A moment passed and then another and right when Cornelia was about to snatch the crystal away from the girl, a bright light erupted from it. A glowing blue 'x' lit up the map followed by a dull red one as the girls and Caleb gasped. It worked.
Irma stared at Will grinning. The Heart responded to her. It actually responded. Caleb was staring at her, the Guardian noted with a smirk. Rebel Fire was going to happen—Her thoughts were interrupted by the group. "The red 'x' is obviously the closed portal, so you need to find the blue 'x' which is the open portal." Caleb explained, standing defensively behind Will as Cornelia glared. "Unlike you, macho man, we know what we're doing!" The blonde snatched the Heart of Candrakar from Will before storming off with the map, heading for what they assumed was the portal. Hay Lin muttered an apology as did Taranee before they ran after her, not wanting to be without the source of their powers. "So what about you, Guardian? Are you going to apologize for Cornelia's behaviour as well?" the rebel asked. His arm was draped around Will's waist, tugging her closer as she stared into space. The Heart made her hand tingle and warm, not the way Caleb's touch did, differently. It made her feel at home, like she'd been lost for so long and it, like a mother, had searched for her until it found her. It made her feel complete. Irma shook her head, looking in the direction her friends had taken off in before looking at him. "She screwed up, not me, therefore I'm not apologizing." Caleb nodded to her, nudging Will as she tuned in. "Where was the portal anyways?" "Near town hall. There's nothing much in there, just building plans, town records, birth certs and records, death certificates—" She continued on but Will ignored her. One thing caught her attention…Birth certificates…but that meant—She gasped and the pair looked at her, seeing her eyes flash again. "What was—" Caleb shushed her as Will stared at them. "The portal was opened there on purpose." They still didn't get it. "Why—" "Birth records and certificates, Irma! Phobos can find out how old you are and where you were born…He's looking for her." "Who?" "My sister."
****Rebel Fire****
The trio sprinted after Cornelia's trail. Cedric was no doubt searching upstairs and Cornelia and the others wouldn't be able to fight him without Irma. Everyone knew the Guardians were weaker when separated. They slipped inside the huge wooden doors, their eyes already searching once they entered. "Cornelia?" Caleb whispered. The tiled floors reflected the bright of the moon peering in the windows, but the light it offered proved they were the only ones there. "Cornelia?" Will whispered, but louder. She needed to find Cedric, to stop him getting what he came for. It was her job as the older daughter to protect her sister. "Screw this." An evil glint in her eyes, Irma glanced around the open room and whispered, "Corny." Immediately a voice echoed in a smaller area hidden by stairs, "Don't you dare call me that." Irma grinned, partially because she'd found them and partially out of relief. Irma had been using the dreaded nickname on the blonde for a while and she'd stopped complaining about it like she used to. For a moment, Irma doubted it would work, but she was grateful that it had. Their footsteps padded against the floor as they ran and for a second, the Guardian wondered why they hadn't tele-transported here. But looking at Will, really looking, she saw the red rimmed eyes. The girl couldn't concentrate enough to get them here, not without one of them landing in a wall. They skidded to a stop as Hay Lin manipulated the winds, silencing the room until she could hear it. Rummaging. He was already in the records' room.
****Rebel Fire****
Cornelia frowned in concentration, a nice change from her usual frown of anger, sadness or disappointment, as she moved the plants near the elevators, extending their branches and using them to pull open the elevator doors. They pulled it open quickly and Will kicked a bench in between them to prevent them from closing. "Fly up, I'll be up there before you." She explained as Taranee furrowed her brow. "Why don't we just use the elevator?" Will snorted as she replied, "Sure, use the thing that dings like a microwave telling him you're inside and ready to eat!" Her voice dripped with sarcasm and Taranee immediately berated herself for saying something so stupid. Hay Lin smiled fondly at them before gesturing to Caleb. "What about him?"
Cornelia was about to answer when she realized, the question wasn't aimed for her, the self-proclaimed leader, but instead for the tag along. "Well, I'm going to be upstairs with you guys and Caleb," she turned to look at him with a firm glare, "will be staying down here." The rebel began to protest but Will shook her head, blinking as she tried to clear it. Royal purple looked at the boy and he was immediately entranced, hypnotised. It was so familiar to him, like he'd seen those colour eyes before. But he couldn't remember. So many injuries and years of war had affected his memory too much. She stared at him and her hard glare melted, revealing all he needed to know, to understand. "I'll stay here." He agreed, wrapping his arms around her as he leaned down to her ear. "But if I hear fighting, I'm coming up to protect you." Will nodded, pleased at his words. He wanted to protect her. Not help her, not fight with her, but protect her. Protect her because she was fragile, because he cared, because she was his. "Okay, see you up there." She whispered to the Guardians before allowing the green light to encompass her. With a worried smile, Caleb turned to the Guardians, finding them all giggling merrily at his actions. But one laugh caught his attention; Cornelia's. It was sharp and bitter, much like the Prince's. But there was another characteristic that changed it. Her laugh was forced.
Will appeared in the same place just outside the elevator. She didn't move just listened. There was no sound, no destruction. Nothing was out of place. She was starting to believe she'd maybe transported to the wrong floor, when she heard it. The rummaging. She slowly approached the door, just a few feet away with caution as she heard the Meridian swears being uttered. It meant that Cedric hadn't found them yet, and that he was angry.
Flashback!
The little princess, aged seven, ran through the castle with a smile. Her fire red hair was ruffled and her pale white dress was creased but she didn't care. She was young and ignorant and completely too oblivious to some things in the world, and she was allowed to have fun. But the days of her being oblivious soon came to an end. The fearsome lord Cedric walked down the hall, a malicious grin on his face as he strolled through his thoughts as though they were a garden. He clutched a cane in his hand and tenderly added pressure to it, implying that he was injured. The grin soon faded when the princess approached, dancing down the hallway giggling, and acting like there was nothing wrong in the world. Even though she'd seen so much. But her for, right not, there wasn't. The cinnamon eyed girl grinned at him, tugging on his robes playfully. She spoke to him, looking up from under locks of red hair. He nodded to what she was saying, assuming it was an invitation to play with her and politely declined. "My apologies, but I cannot play with you now, Wil—Miranda?" The little red haired girl had been replaced with the lord's deceased sister. Short red locks were replaced by short black strands, pin straight, and bright cinnamon eyes were replaced by dead blue ones. "Why won't you play with me, Cedric? Mummy says you have to play with me." The girl squeaked. It was impossible for her to be here, the Prince had had her killed, but this was his chance. His chance to apologize and he wasn't going to miss it. "Miran—Miranda, I'm so sorry—" The girl in front of him was no longer his sister, it was the princess.
Pure rage and sadness swelled in his chest as she tugged on his robes again, "Are you okay, Ric?" The same words his sister had once said rolled off her tongue and suddenly the princess was against the wall, lying on the floor as her hand clutched her cheek. The Lord stared at her teary face and then his hand, which he had struck her with, before walking forward, feeling his shocked expression turn into one of pure malice. He felt his fist tighten as he glared at her. "Little girl. You shall pay for the doings of your family." He spoke, a line she would hear much of in the future, as he brought his fist down against her.
Will was jarred from her memories at the sound of the door closing. Looking over, she dared to step towards it when the elevator doors opened. "Thank God," she murmured, grateful not to face Cedric on her own, before gesturing them over towards the door. Silence. Too much silence. Will dashed forward, kicking the door open with her super strength and charging in.
It was empty. Boxes of white paper and inky black ants that marched across them to form words, were flipped over, spilled across the floor. "Why would he want birth records?" Hay Lin enquired. She phrased the question like an innocent child wondering why their dog went away and decided not to come back. Irma shared a glance with a Will who silently shook her head. She didn't want to lie to the Guardians any more than she had to and them asking why Phobos was hunting down her sister would only lead to lies. "Don't know." Irma answered shortly. Will gratefully looked at her as she nodded her acceptance. It was Will's business to tell. The girls looked around for several minutes before finding four clean, undamaged boxes stacked on top of each other, concealed behind the door. No doubt why Will heard the door shut close. Taranee stepped forward, taking off one of the lids and finding it empty. She checked the label and gaped.
'Girls' birth records aged 12-14'
With shaking hands, she moved the box and proceeded in looking through the other three, only to find the same result. All empty. "Taranee?" "Tara?" "Yo, T, you okay?" "Hey, hey, Ranee?" Will walked forward, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. Taranee stared at her and shook her head causing Will's heart to stop. All the files, they were all gone. "But…no…he'll, he'll," she stammered. Her breathing was erratic and her hands shook like Taranee's. Irma watched her, the only one to really understand the panic and she paused. What could she do? Phobos now knew how to find Will's sister. He could do anything he wanted and Will would be helpless. The guilt of the thought alone, consumed her and the Water Guardian wanted to drown. To just die in her element, to dive down into an ocean and not come up for air. She couldn't bear to think of her friend being so—helpless…Helpless…Helpless! He wanted Will to feel helpless. Phobos wanted his red-headed companion to come home! And the best way to do that…would be making her helpless—desperate. Will's reaction to Phobos gaining the means of finding her sister was enough to confirm how she already felt. Will would leave them; she'd do anything for her sister. Anything.
"I can't—" A roar echoed from downstairs and Will's spine straightened as she listened to it. Cedric was still here—she knew what that at meant. Cracking her knuckles, she grinned viciously. "Pest control time."
****Rebel Fire****
The Oracle looked down at the oblivious red head in his viewing pool. She had no idea what was to happen to her, what extremes she'd go to, to ensure the protection of her younger sister. The Oracle almost regretted his decision to allow Will to be the Heart's Keeper, but it was the only way; the only way for the girl to see the truth and be led out of the darkness. Just the bond between the Heart and its unofficial Keeper told him it was good, it was right but the bald man frowned at her future. The Heart chose her the minute she was born, despite what was to come, and the Oracle was forced to worn the Queen of Meridian of her daughter's tragic future. It had seemed like a good choice at the time and even years later. But now, when he knew Phobos had overheard and would risk all for Wilhelmina to be at his side again, the Oracle regretted it. Phobos wasn't evil by his own doings, it was the actions of the people around him, the hardship he face and so many people would die, so many hearts would be broken and so many tears would be shed as a result. But it wasn't just the people around Phobos that caused his treachery. It was the death of Diana, the cruelty of his father, the success in the kidnapping of his sister and the interference of the Oracle. His mother should've never been warned about Phobos' future doings. They were easily changed. But he had sealed the darkness within the Prince. His mother reacted differently, treated him differently, as did everyone else in accordance with the Queen and the loss of his mother's love, the one thing she swore he'd never lose no matter what happened, had corrupted him completely. It was part of the reason Will was the Keeper. To help him fix his mistake.
But it was a sad fate for her to be confined to, so she could fix the Oracle's mistake. The Guardians would crumble and struggle to accept a harsh truth, even the Earth Guardian who unknowingly hated her Keeper. He wished he could save the girl's innocence, protect them all as children of Candrakar, but he couldn't. The Keeper's fate was sealed by her own family. And there was nothing he could do to change it. "My dear girl," he murmured as he watched the red head rush down the length of the lobby room to the rebel, "I can only hope love is as much for you as it was for Diana and that it is enough for you in this life."
****Rebel Fire****
Will quickly fell to her knees beside Caleb, helping him up as her eyes remained trained on her friends. Cornelia crouched to the ground, her hand turning on the tile' cracking it before she swung her arm forward and launched the rubble at the lizard. He hadn't seen Will yet, but she knew once he did, she would no longer be able to return home. She wouldn't be Phobos' sister anymore, she would be his enemy. Cedric readied to lash out at the Guardians when Will jumped in. "Hey Ricky, still being a slimy suck up to my Prince?" she called out. Immediately his large tail slammed into her, sending her crashing to the ground. "Will!" Hay Lin screeched as she blew a carpet into the lizard's face, sending him stumbling backwards under the chandelier dangling from the ceiling. Will groaned as she looked up at the dark chandelier. Upon further inspection from her position on the ground, Will noticed a Guardian uniformed Taranee. A burning fist was thrust against the chain as she observed Cedric. "A little over here!" She hollered out as the others nodded. Irma bowed on to one knee, pointing her hands like a gun at the lizard. Somewhere beside her, water bubbled as Caleb finally scuttled over to Will. The bubbles became louder before the pipe Cornelia had exposed burst open, the water launching Cedric directly under the chandelier. Caleb gripped her hand lightly as he helped her up, looking at her concernedly as she growled like an animal on a feral rampage. Taranee snapped through the chandelier's chain, sending the heavy, circular metal ornament crashing down on to the snake. The two clattered to the ground angrily, the chandelier crushing the serpent. He groaned loudly, his tongue flickering out between his teeth. The Guardians all grin, Cornelia flicking her hair over her shoulder dramatically as Hay Lin pumps her fists in the air. They did it…or not. The chandelier collides with the floor as the reptile gets up, teeth bared as he hisses. "It's time the Guardians learned a lesson in humility."
His tail swished out again, knocking the Asian girl into the wall. She clung to the curtain desperately as her element was knocked from her lungs. Will watched the events with careful, calculating eyes, waiting for her moment as Taranee flew to Hay Lin. The serpent was attacking Cornelia, swinging his tail into a wall of protective earth that shielded her. This is what they get for not planning, she thought bitterly before gesturing to Caleb. "The bench," she whispered. Cedric remained deadly focused on the Earth Guardian as if one falter would be his end. Though being the only trusted member of Phobos' army it was unlikely, but still highly possible. The Prince executed people for lesser crimes than failing him and Cedric wished to only face punishment for fighting Phobos' sister. He needed to kill one of them, or severely injure one of them at least. That way they'd flock around the Guardian and he could escape. But no such luck. Pounding footsteps split his attention as a wooden bench was hurled at him. But the Lord turned just in time to smash it, turning it to splinters before lashing out with his tail. They seemed to forget he had a tail, but each time he swung it he hit one of them so the Lord was unsure how. The rebel leader went flying across the room and Cedric saw his chance. He could kill him now. He'd be praised by Phobos for once and everything—Crack! Pain erupted from his head as he fell backwards, hands clutching his jaw. He reeled from the shock of being punched before looking around for the papers that appeared to have slipped from his hands. Standing before him, with a devilish smirk on her face was Wilhelmina, a pile of papers in her hand. "Lose something?"
"Give those back you little—" "Wench? Is that what you were going to call me?" The cold and detached voice of Will's offended alter-ego sneered. After the incidents with the key, Irma had explained her own view of 'Scary Will' and in an effort to tell her she changed when angry and offended by a Meridianite, Irma had stated she had an alter-ego which she'd so kindly named 'Icy' while normal Will was 'Inferno'. Will still didn't understand the point but decided to roll with it. Cedric gulped a little as she smirked, cracking her knuckles again before brushing the imaginary dust off of her hands. She glanced around the room, quickly taking note of everyone's position. Taranee was now armed with several fire balls behind Caleb, Hay Lin was still by the curtain with Irma not too far away and Cornelia was hovering nearest to Will, waiting for something bad to happen. But Will sensed something else…another being of power.
'Knowledge is power, Will.'
Her mother's voice echoed as she glared at Cedric who seemed to have collected himself and appeared visibly calm. He was the source of this other power. He knew something. "Tell me what he told you and I'll let you leave with your head on your shoulders. Fail to tell me and I'll be trying out my strike for the soccer team." The serpent glowered at her, his slitted eyes holding the essence of fear as his tongue flitted out to wet his lips. "The Prince confided nothing in me." He received a sharp kick to his side as the lies left his mouth but he contained the howl that pleaded to follow them. The Princess' sensing powers were still good then, too good to make her easily fooled. "A riddle, if you please, madam." The Guardians shared a confused glance as Irma groaned. Was it just them or did all the people of Meridian like being cryptic? Will agreed and the man quickly lowered his voice so that not even Hay Lin could hear. He wanted to end her, but that was nothing compare to his desire to kill Phobos, the being responsible for his little sister's murder. So, Cedric decided, he must contribute to the red's betrayal in some form.
'Red and emeralds share common touch
Tattooed men watch with wonder
As purple flashes in cinnamon eyes
And the red girl takes a tumble
A tragic fate awaits her
At the end of every road
A fate to save a sister
This is the path the Oracle foretold.'
Will's brow furrowed as she frowned, confused. Either she had gotten worse at riddles or Cedric had gotten better. Either way, her confusion was enough for her to drop her guard and soon, she too was in front of Taranee, lying on the floor with Caleb as she groaned. Note to self, she grumbled, don't get confused. "Fire!" Taranee called, sending her ball of light soaring towards the risen Cedric, expecting it to hit him. What she didn't expect was him just swatting it away. Cedric ploughed towards them and the trio had barely moved in time. The serpent quickly stopped himself mid-slither and turned towards a large brown wooden desk. Hay Lin and Irma dropped to the ground beside Taranee, fear evident in their eyes as the reptile lifted the desk with an almighty roar, hurling it at them at the same second Irma squeaked out, "Cornelia!"
The Earth Guardian landed in front of them, holding her hands out as a green light surrounded her and her hair fanned out around her. Caleb was on the ground behind Gaea, staring at her in awe. But not in awe of her, no, he was in awe of her powers. Of the powers of the Earth. But his awe struck gaze on Cornelia was enough as Will, not understanding the real purpose of his wonderstruck expression, tried to quell the waves of raw emotions hitting her. Irma placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, promising she'd kill Caleb later as Hay Lin glared at him. How dare he sabotage Rebel Fire! The thought was momentarily paused as the Guardians shrieked as the desk broke apart under Cornelia's command and Hay Lin collapsed to her knees. She was exhausted. Slamming into walls hurt like shit and took way too much out of her. But her exhaustion was quickly replaced with sympathy as she saw the devastation in Will's eyes, the joy in Cornelia's and the awe still in Caleb's. Will really did like him. A hell of a lot more than Cornelia did. Cornelia just liked that someone could withstand her charm. She liked the challenge of luring Caleb away from Will so she could crush her. And it sickened the air Guardian to her core. Police sirens wailed in the distance as the reptilian man rose up, moving towards a pile of papers left discarded and abandoned on the ground. Will squinted at them for a moment as he picked them up but then quickly jumped up, only to slip back down again. "I have what I have come for." He spared a toothy smirk of pleasure at Will who was stumbling to her feet, ignoring the pain in his jaw before he addressed the others. "We shall meet again, Guardians." And with that, he slithered off at speed into the shadows, leaving a despaired and struggling Will to stare after him miserably as tears entered her eyes and she let out a broken whimper, "No."
****Rebel Fire****
The minute Will stood up she limped her way to the door, ignoring the Guardians and Caleb. Irma walked with her for a few minutes, watching the tears trickle down her face before she couldn't take it anymore and dragged the girl into a hug. She expected Will to pull away, to shove her off and go home. But she didn't. Instead, Will returned it, sobbing as she embraced her best friend. "Hey, it's okay, Will, everything will be okay." Irma didn't care if her own tears worked down her face, or if she didn't know that everything would be okay, she just wanted to help her friend feel better. She could feel the Guardians exiting the building, Cornelia's air being the cockiest and most proud of them all while Hay Lin was both fuming and sympathetic and Taranee was upset. Caleb stood on the outskirts of their little group, deeply confused as to why Will was crying. "Hey Irma, we've gotta go find the portal!" Cornelia beamed. And right then, in that second, Irma wanted to punch her. She wanted to knock her freaking teeth out and just—She couldn't believe that person was her blonde friend, because she sure as hell wasn't acting like it. "You can go without me. Your ego can more than make up for my lack of presence." She hissed as she pulled Will closer, trying to muffle her cries. But the girl shook her head, pulling away from Irma and hastily rubbing at her eyes. "No. You go on. I'm not about to take you from your duties. I'll see you tomorrow."
And with that Will tele-transported away to her house, most likely ending up a block or so away from it from her lack of concentration. Caleb sighed and began to walk back to Halinor's place as Irma marched over to the Guardians, seething. Cornelia was still smiling cockily until Irma snapped at her, "What in hell is wrong with you! Is it your intent to make her miserable?" She didn't know when it happened, but she could suddenly read people's auras or sense them at least. Maybe because they were a mystical flow like water that extended from a person, but she didn't care. She cared about Will's aura. The aura of tragedy had encased her when Irma hugged her and she suddenly knew someone or somebodies had died on her friend's birthday. And here Cornelia was, rubbing in the fact that she could make Caleb like her. Irma glared at her and the blonde looked taken aback. "I didn't do any—" "Anything, yeah, I know. You just stole the love of her life! You hate her Corny, and you're not hiding it very well and I'll tell you something, just because I want to see what you'll do. She's fucking upset! A friend of hers died on her birthday and Phobos now has the means of tracking down her little sister. She saved your ass and the boy she likes, no loves, now apparently likes you. And I know you don't need me to close the frickin' portal, and so does she. But because she didn't want to get in the way of the Guardians, because she values us more than she values herself, she decided that she could suffer with no one to comfort her while I pointlessly go with you people! I should be there for her; we all should, because she's our friend! But we can't be there for her because of you!" Irma angrily swiped at her tears, watching as the girls all reverted to normal. Cornelia jumped feeling a sting in her pocket as the Heart tore itself away from her grip, drifting over to Irma who snatched it. Hay Lin and Taranee stared at the girls, never seeing Cornelia stunned into guilty silence or Irma cry. Given they had never really fought like that before Will came. "I'll close the portal, just give me the damn map and you can all go home." Cornelia placed the map in Irma's grasp with shaky hands as tears swelled in her eyes. She didn't mean to upset Will….well, shehad meant to. But she never meant to make her cry. She was just sick of her. She didn't like her at all; there was just something that made her increasingly annoying to Cornelia. Maybe the fact that she was a better person. Will was kind without thinking, she was sweet, innocent, clever, witty, pretty, but she was selfless. A quality that no matter how hard she tried, Cornelia would never possess. Seeing that no matter how many times she apologized to Irma now, it would be pointless, the girl stalked off, ready to just go home. "Irma, she said sorry—" "It's not me she should be apologizing too, Hay Lin, it's Will. But that won't happen will it?" Hay Lin nodded her head before gesturing for Taranee to walk home with her. Irma just needed time to cool off, and then everything would go back to normal. She hoped.
****Rebel Fire****
Right back where she started, Will curled around her pillow, tears of despair slipping down her face. She had failed. Phobos got what he wanted; he would find her and Will would have finally lost all sanity, all reasons to live. "Great birthday this is," she muttered, sniffling as she clutched the pillow tighter. Sure, all of her birthdays consisted of crying into a pillow in her room, completely miserable. But this was worse. Not only was she still completely brokenly, despairingly miserable, but she'd gotten injured, outwitted by a snake, lost one of the few chances to find her sister and…possibly lost Caleb. The minute she realizes she has feelings for him and really accepts them and he goes and he just…The way he looked at Cornelia still irked her. It was how he looked at her the first time they really met. Not only that, but he no longer called her 'Angel' like he used to. Did he just not like her? Or had he liked her and just moved on to Cornelia now? Well…she was prettier than Will, and she was a Guardian of the Veil fighting for the rebellion, like she'd been doing from the start. She wasn't a powerless, family-less, broken little girl who changed sides because she finally realized what she'd been too stupid to realize all along; that she was being deceived. All in all, Cornelia was perfect and Will was just…Will.
****Rebel Fire****
The Oracle smiled softly seeing her turmoil. It brought him no pleasure, but he hoped soon, she would rid herself of such insecurities. He waved a hand over the image, causing it to glow for a moment before the red haired girl in it slowly fell asleep like he willed her to. Sleep brought many things, but one, the most essential one for the daughter of Candrakar, was peace. "Oh child, being Will is more than enough. It always will be more than they deserve."