Wizards Aeterna

The Battle for Everything

Chapter Five: All is Lost

All was silent in the blue, icy crystalline plane of existence within the Magical Realm. Blue energy constantly coursed and flowed within the translucent structures. From nowhere, a cool, ocean-like blast of wind filled the air, and the world trembled. Harper shot her head up and down and then to the sides, scared and uncertain in a new and fantastic place. Feeling his sister's friend's concern, Max took Harper's warm, soft hand, looking her kindly in the eyes to show her everything was okay. Smiling warmly, the young woman whispered, "Thanks, Max." The boy smiled back and nodded, not letting go. Justin, Jerry, and Theresa remained staunch, not budging or losing their composure. Ancient whispers formed within the winds, giving presence to all that surrounded the group.

Slowly, the indeterminate voices and ancient words grew louder, taking form in a language the five knew well. Thousands of pure, ghostly voices spoke in harmony. You have come weighed down by fear and great burden…Seeking the council of those greater than us. You bring in your party both wizards and mortals: those of mana as well as physical form. You stand as equals amongst one another.

"With your permission," Justin began, his voice calm but firm and reverent. "On behalf of all worlds, we need entrance to the inner realm. There is a threat mounting that could end all we know… Please."

We have no use for sentiment or emotion, child. Our knowledge is pure and absolute. The fate of earth as well as our own realm has been revealed to us long ago. You are to proceed towards the Elders as you desire. From there, all will be as designed.

"And what is this design?" Theresa inquired, her voice bold.

All you can know are the actions you will take. We cannot interfere in the matters of what are to come. We were made still long ago. For what felt like an eternity, all was silent. Go now. Do what you have been destined to do.

"There's no such thing as destiny," Max whispered, clenching his right fist. The Council heard the boy, but remained silent as a doorway into the inner realm appeared.

Go forth. It is what you are meant to do. Justin, Juliet, Theresa, Max, Harper, and Jerry walked forward into the doorway, finding themselves in an entirely new location.

Sitting alone and isolated on the floor of The Lair, her back pressed to the wall. Clenching her crossed arms with the opposite hand, the vampiress constantly rocked herself back and forth, burdened with everything: every sound, sight, smell, and taste flooding every part of her every waking second. Her body growing weak again, Juliet moved her quaking hand into her pocket, pulling out several vials of pure animal blood. Furiously consuming vial after vial, the young woman found the effects waning. "Oh, no," she gasped out, her breath trembling. "Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no," she babbled, feeling every part of her physical and spiritual being tightening and distorting. "No, no, no, no. Please," she whispered, unable to fight back the tears. Clenching her eyes shut, Juliet grabbed her pounding forehead, feeling the tremors growing stronger. Finally, she opened her eyes, revealing hollow, dark, red pupils.

Justin, Jerry, Theresa, Max, and Harper saw that the sky was one with the cosmos above, allowing all stars, gasses, and heavenly bodies to bless the endless valley below. Long and free grass covered the ground, flowing along with the breeze. Thousands of species of trees had grown tall and proud upon the land, and a clear ocean rested motionless beyond it all. The group looked around in both curiosity and astonishment. Harper took in the harmony between the land and water, Theresa found peace in the gentle breeze that comforted her in childhood, Jerry gazed onto the horizon, Max tried to observe everything at once, and Justin stared upward into the stars and lights. Finally, the band of family and friends came to the water, which appeared to go on forever.

"I don't understand," Harper declared, her voice just above a whisper. "The Elders were supposed to be here. Is this whole thing some kind of riddle?"

"Maybe," Justin answered, gently setting his hand in the water. The transparent waves washed over the young man's fingers, causing a minor ripple to distort the clear view of the ground below. Slowly, the ripple moved outward into the sea, settling at a deep point where the land was unseen.

"Whatter you doing?" Max asked, unsure of his surroundings.

"I don't know," Justin answered, not taking his eyes off the water. "I just…feel like this is right."

"Look ahead," Theresa instructed, pointing towards the heart of the sea. The others followed her finger to see a white light dawning, which began to take shape.

"…They had to see that our actions were worth-while," Jerry realized, watching the lights form out the shape of seven men and women, all of which were greatly aged. "To see if the ripples we made would affect the flow of the sea."

"We have been watching you for many years," one of the astral images declared, his voice old and weary but bold and loud. "You have all come very far."

Looking down at themselves, the group saw a change: Harper saw herself as a little girl once again, her pink dress and sun hat flapping in the breeze. She and Alex were young friends, having met in recent years, and enjoyed simple and happy lives without magic. Then, as years passed by, Alex revealed her secret, and blessed their lives with magic. Justin, now an optimistic little boy again, ran through the tall grass, growing older until his thirteen-year-old self felt the bond between his mind and soul and the power and grace of nature. Magic drove him to succeed, making painful sacrifices to better himself, though his relentless pursuit to grow as a holder of magic caused him great stress and countless moral decisions. Gazing down at herself, Theresa saw her childhood once more. She ran and played and laughed with her mother and sisters, never wishing to grow up. As a teenager, she was terrified of growing up and getting married, which would take her away from her beloved family. However, the day never came that her romance took her away from her loved ones. Jerry was a good, caring, and sensitive man, and Theresa grew to be a loyal, strong, and loving wife, daughter, sister, and soon, a mother. Gracing her hand gently over her stomach, the woman felt Justin's first kick. Then, he was born, followed by Alex, and then Max. The fear was replaced by compassion as she watched her infant breathe for the first time. Now, she was a mother, trying to let her children live their own lives. Magic was a blessing in disguise, and it brought new joy to her existence before and during the lives of her babies. Jerry found himself walking alongside his brother and sister, all of them using magic to bring miracles before their mother and father. However, the siblings were torn apart when the Italian boy was victorious in a competition of magical worth, which he willingly turned over to his suffering brother. Magic left the man's life as it existed with him: a blessing to give to others. Now, Jerry was a husband and a father living a new and difficult life for his sons and daughters, who proved themselves worthy of their own magic, untouched by time or greed. Finally, Max saw himself growing up with Justin and Alex, constantly trying to avoid his brother's shadow. After years, though, the boy finally came to accept his older brother as a teacher and an equal to him and Alex. Magic was something the Russo siblings would always share.

"You have all stayed loyal to your innocent nature," a female Elder continued, her mist-like body flowing with the wind. "Growing and changing without forsaking yourselves or the blessings you were given. You have all fought hard to earn your place in both the realms of magic and reality."

"And what are those places?" Justin asked to himself. Max felt himself wondering the same thing. However, they knew not to present disrespect at a time and place such as this.

"Though, one of you suffers greatly," another astral projection added, keeping the silent words he heard unrecognized. "A part of her elected to stay behind with another being of equal worth."

"Alex," Theresa and Harper whispered. "We have to…"

"The roles you have all been chosen for," the Elders spoke in harmony. "Are only clear in what you see as the present. From this moment on, your paths will become known to you. Though it will take time you have not yet come to know, you will find yourselves anew. As for the fate of your world, it lies with those left behind."

Lying on the blood-stained carpet of her room, her eyes still blinded with burning tears, Alexandria gently placed her hand atop the wound, feeling the hot blood between her fingers. Wincing in agony, the young woman snuffed back, letting out her sobs for the wind to receive. Whispering a spell of healing, Alexandria felt the large slit under her chest slowly seal itself. Breathing in and out heavily, the young woman trembled. How could I be so stupid? she asked herself. How could I leave Juliet alone? Too concerned with helping him…Couldn't see the big picture. It's all my fault. God, I'm so sorry.

"We need your help," Justin spoke out. "Can you show us what the enemy is?"

"The enemy lies with another part of your sister," the Elders answered, touching Justin at his heart and soul. "A part she has long tried to overcome. Find her in whole, and it will all become clear. Only then."

Lowering his head, Justin closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Within an instant, the group found themselves at the doorway back into The Lair. "We have to hurry," Theresa declared, her heart in a state of unrest. "That's our baby, Jerry." Pushing open the door, Justin was the first to witness Juliet thrashing her body against the walls and tables of The Lair, hissing and bearing her fangs in a made frenzy.

"Oh, god," Justin exclaimed, charging towards his lover. "She's in Bloodlust!" Trying desperately to restrain the woman, the young wizard clasped her arms, only to feel her sharpened nails dig into his knuckles. Gritting her teeth, Juliet threw Justin against a wall, knocking over several framed portraits and shattering them.

"Leave me alone!" the vampiress cried out, her screams rough and hoarse. Her red eyes surrounded with dark bags, Juliet lunged forward at her lover, content on drinking his blood. Seconds away from her prey, the salivating young woman found herself restrained by a solid wall of emerald energy.

"Juliet, calm down!" Max cried out, his wand outstretched and his body straining. Shooting her head towards the youngest of the Russo siblings, the vampiress sprang towards him, hissing with all her strength.

Suddenly paralyzed, Juliet viciously jerked her head in every direction, her thirst burning her throat and causing her body to throb. His physical eyes closed, Justin felt his soul-self constricting his best friend. The Lair had to be protected at all costs, and Juliet had to be brought back.

"Mom, Dad!" Max cried out, reinforcing his brother's barrier. "Find Alex! We can't let anything happen to her. Justin and I can help Juliet. We won't let anything happen to The Lair."

Theresa put her hand on her husband's shoulder, reminding him of what had to be done. Jerry nodded at Harper as Theresa led them out of The Lair, following a trace of Alex's mana. Before the door closed, Jerry threw down a bag of vampire salts, forming a temporary seal over the gateway to the Magical Realm and the potion shelf. "Never forget who you are," Theresa called out, shutting the door behind her husband.

A small stream of blood draining from his nose, the Italian young man struggled to maintain his grip. Smelling the sweet balm grace the air, Juliet shot her head back towards her lover's physical body. "Let me go, you bastards!" she screamed, flaring every muscle in her body. "You did this to me! You owe it to me to stop the pain! You have to! I've done everything for you, and you let your sister leave me alone with that thing outside!"

"That's not you talking, Juliet," Max replied, struggling to maintain his concentration. "You'd never say those things if you weren't hurting. Justin, I need your help. I can hold her, but you're the closest to her heart. You need to snap her out of this." Placing both hands on his wand, the boy focused his mana into an endless wrap, binding the vampiress' body. "Come on!"

His soul rejoining his flesh and blood, Justin ran to his lover's side, carefully holding her cheeks in his hands and gazing into her pain-filled red eyes. "Juliet," he said, trying to remain calm as the young woman suffered massive seizures. "Juliet, listen to me. Listen to me, please. It's me: Justin. You're going to be okay. I love you…and I'm here for you. We can find a way to help you, but you have to calm yourself. Remember who you are…Remember who we are. Please." Juliet hissed sharply, her fangs fully exposed. Soon, a stream of tears flowed from both of her feral eyes. "Juliet, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put you through all this. I had no idea what that thing was doing, and I'm sorry for that. Please…come back. We need you. I've always needed you. You saved me…Now you need to let me save you."

"Stop it!" the vampiress screamed, her jaw snapping at her boyfriend's neck. "It's your fault I'm in this living hell! All your fault and I will never forgive you!" Gently stroking his right hand through his lover's coarse, grizzly, blond hair, Justin closed his eyes and listened to the sound of her heartbeat.

"Can you hear that?" the young man whispered. "That's your heart. That's the heart your parents gave you and the heart you made for yourself. Just listen to it, please. Can you hear it?" Snarling, Juliet clenched her eyes shut, and heard a familiar sound. "It's your heart, Juliet. You're the only one who can decide what you do with it…" Silence filled the room as the vampiress began to steady her body. "Remember why you chose to keep your heart all these years…Remember the person I was before you loved me. Remember everything we became when we loved each other."

Fighting back reality, Juliet began gasping sharply, trying to find a balance. The fire in her blood was slowly dwindling, and she felt weak. Gesturing to Max, Justin prepared himself to catch friend once the spell vanished. Slowly, Juliet dropped into her boyfriend's arms, her head turning to the side as her hair draped over her eyes. Her breaths calm and weary, the young woman felt peace return to her body, flowing like a warm bath all around her.

"Is she okay?" Max asked, walking towards his brother and friend.

"She still needs blood," Justin answered. "There's something missing from her…something more than just plasma. I don't know what's happening, but her body's starving."

Coughing, Juliet struggled to open her eyes, which were now weak, conscious, and a light red color. She was in control once more. "A-Alex," she choked out in a hoarse voice. "Need to find…Alex. She gave me her blood…but it wasn't her natural blood. She did something to herself…tried to stop her from leaving…"

"Where'd she go?" Justin asked, gently holding his lover's head on his leg.

Heavily exhaling, the vampiress raised her trembling finger towards the doorway. "Went to help someone…Couldn't stop herself…I couldn't stop her. I'm so sorry." Looking into his closest friend's eyes, Justin saw tears washing over Juliet's pupils: she was in a state of great pain and regret. "I'm so sorry."

"You're okay," Justin whispered, kissing his girlfriend's cold cheek. "You're okay. We'll find Alex. We'll make everything right. You're going to be okay."

"I'm coming with you," the young woman replied, attempting to force herself up. Justin gently laid his lover back down. "Justin, I have to go. She's my friend. I let her out…I owe this to her."

"You can't go out like this," Max replied. "Juliet, I know what it's like to fail someone…but you did everything you could: Alex knows that. You didn't let her down."

"I could've stopped her," Juliet realized, her words reduced to whispers. "…Please…Help me out of this. I need to feel the sun again…I need mana. But I can't get to it without your help. Please…it's the only way I can make up for what I did."

"The Bloodlust wasn't your fault," Justin replied, unsure of himself. "You didn't know what you were saying."

"Yes I did," the young woman replied, tears sliding down her cheeks once again. "Everything I did…All those horrible things I said…they're all inside of me. I tried so hard to keep them hidden…and now I have to do my penance for all that…For the monster inside me. Justin, you have to let me go. I need this. Alex needs us all."

Turning to Max, Justin realized what had to be done: the good of all had to outweigh his own fears and selfishness. Juliet knew what she was doing: she knew the risks. Max was brave enough to face the truth, as was Juliet. "…What do you need?" the eldest Russo sibling finally asked, willing to sacrifice everything.

Bursting through the door to Alex's room, Theresa, Jerry, and Harper felt arrows impale their hearts. "No," Harper gasped. The three ran to their loved one's side, praying they weren't too late.

"Wait," Alexandria begged, too weak to say anything above a faint whisper. Placing her hand once more over the wound, the young woman winced in pain as the spell healed her wound, turning her lost blood into vapor. Choking in heavy, grateful breaths free of pain or the sting of the blade, Alexandria smiled weakly, letting her head slowly turn to the side. Harper screamed as Theresa cried and held her little girl. Jerry, unable to handle himself, fell against the wall, sinking into a huddled position on the floor. Soon, all the sounds faded, and Alexandria found herself alone in a dark place. There was no light, but she could see herself perfectly. There was no feeling or hot or cold, no smell, no wind, and no sign of an end or sense of direction. Standing still, the young wizard looked around, only to find nothingness.

"Alex?" a familiar voice inquired. "Alex, is that you? I've been here for so long. I felt like you would never come back. But a part of me believed. I've missed you for so long."

Knowing the voice, Alexandria tried to find the source of that comforting voice. However, there was no direction in which the sound came from. "Mason?" the wizard asked, knowing with all her heart that it was her long-lost love.

"Yes," the English teenager answered, his tone innocent and kind. "I've been trying to find you every day…or whatever all this is. For so long, I thought you were gone. I kept walking, though. I knew you loved me, and that we'd never leave each other alone…So, I kept going forward." At last, the Lycanthrope came into sight, slowly walking towards his truest friend. No sign of the wolf that became him, Mason was pure. Like a child, his face, having suffered many tears, was relieved, glad, and kind.

"I've missed you," Alexandria replied, stepping towards the young man. "I'm so sorry…about everything."

"There's nothing to forgive, Alex," Mason warmly replied, a gentle smile forming on his face.

"Mason…that's not my name anymore," the young wizard replied, regret lacing her voice. "I'm Alexandria."

"What do you mean?" the young man asked, growing uneasy. "You're the same person I loved, aren't you?"

"I'm the only part of me anyone ever loved," Alexandria answered. "I made alot of mistakes, Mason. I did what I had to just to make up for it."

"What does that mean?" Mason inquired, shaking his head in confusion.

"I gave up a part of myself," the Latina answered, stroking a lock of hair away from her face. "I separated my being into my good and evil sides, and I tried to get rid of the loveless side of me. I'm a better person now."

"Evil side?" the young man repeated. "Alex…what part of you is evil?"

"Alex is evil," the girl answered. "I gave up everything that made me Alex. I'm a new person. I'm finally what I was always supposed to be. My name's Alexandria."

"Why'd you do that?" Mason asked, calming down.

"It had to be done," Alexandria answered. "It was the only way I could live with myself."

"But you did nothing wrong," the Lycanthrope replied, feeling his heart start to ache. "No one's perfect, but you always treated the world like a better place. You had faith in everyone…Even someone like me who didn't deserve it."

"You do deserve it, Mason," the young woman argued. "But so many others didn't…Neither did I. I always thought I was the victim, until I figured out it was all my fault."

"None of this is your fault," the young man insisted. "Those people were cruel. You tried to help them. The only crime you committed was believing that everyone is good." Walking closer to his friend, Mason gazed into her eyes. "They hurt you so bad…and I'm so sorry I couldn't help you." Biting his lip, the boy began to sob once again.

"It's not your fault, Mason," Alexandria replied. "And no matter how many bad things people did to me…it doesn't excuse what I've done. This had to be done. I'm sorry for the parts of me you loved. I was wrong…You just believed in me."

"Alex…" Mason choked out.

"I'm Alexandria, Mason," the young woman sobbed, covering her mouth with her fist while trying to force down a massive lump in her throat.

"How do you see yourself?" the boy asked. "Can you paint it for me?"

"I don't paint anymore, Mason," Alexandria replied, slowly shaking her head. Her pain was growing.

"What?" the young man replied, his heart throbbing. "But you said painting and writing were your soul."

"Not anymore," the young woman whispered, her voice cracking and trembling as she tried to turn away from her old friend. "They can't be anymore."

"No, no, please," Mason begged, holding out his hands to embrace his love. However, he couldn't get close, though she was still. "I don't know you anymore…I loved Alex. I don't know this girl. Alex Russo would never abandon herself and run away, especially because of other people."

"I'm sorry, Mason," Alexandria answered. "I'm so sorry. This is the only way for me to be a good person." Unable to touch his lover, Mason hung his head down, his image shattering into shards of glass, which soon disappeared into the void. Her eyes blinded by a flood of sorrowful tears, Alexandria began gasping and choking, hating herself for all she had done and all she had lost. You didn't abandon me, Mason, she thought to herself. I abandoned everything.

Opening her eyes, Alexandria saw her family and friends standing around her. "Juliet," the young woman whispered. "Are you…"

"I'm going to be okay, Alex," the vampiress happily declared. "Thanks to all of you." Feeling a link of mana connecting her to Justin and Max, Juliet felt her body returning to strength. "But Alex…you have to tell them what you did."

Turning to Harper, Alexandria saw a hurt expression on her innocent face. "…Okay," the Latina agreed, no longer able to punish herself so brutally. "I'll tell you everything. But we have to move. Now. That thing is going to come back here, and everything is riding on us."