A/N: Thank you, Heart of the Demons, for the review. The fight between the girls and Caleb was something that made sense, given the buildup it had. One way I made that fight realistic was by portraying neither the girls nor Caleb as completely in the right. Both parties were irresponsible in their own ways, and the fight was the result of their flaws clashing with each other. In my opinion, the fight was necessary for them to move past their differences.

Thank you also Jimelization for the review. It's always a pleasure to get some feedback. If I have the time, I'll definitely check out your stories.

Chapter IX: Return of the Tracker

Will walked through the quiet streets of Heatherfield, her breath visible in the chilly air. It was almost the end of November and winter was setting in, bringing with it the bitter cold. She pulled her coat tightly around her and shoved her hands into her pockets, trying to keep warm.

As she walked, she took in the sights around her. The trees that lined the streets were bare, their branches reaching towards the sky like bony fingers. The once vibrant flowers in the gardens had withered away, leaving behind only dry stalks. The city had lost its colorful charm, replaced instead by a stark and barren landscape.

The sound of leaves rustling in the wind and the distant hum of cars were the only sounds that accompanied Will on her walk. She walked past the familiar shops and houses, but everything looked different in the cold, gray light of winter. Even the sunlight that peeked through the clouds was weak and lacked its usual warmth.

Despite the dreariness of the season, there was still a certain beauty to be found. The frost that had formed on the edges of the sidewalks glimmered like diamonds in the early morning light. The trees that had shed their leaves revealed intricate patterns etched into their bark, patterns that were usually hidden from view.

As Will continued her walk, she thought about all the adventures she and her friends had been on as Guardians. It seemed like just yesterday they had discovered their powers and the mystical world that existed beyond their own. Now, they were facing even greater challenges, and the stakes were higher than ever before.

But for now, Will was content to just walk and take in the simple beauty of her hometown. She knew that soon enough, she would be called upon to fight for the greater good once again. But for this moment, she could just enjoy the peacefulness of the winter morning.

As she walked further down the street, she passed by a park with an old fountain in the middle. The water had frozen and looked like a beautiful ice sculpture, its edges decorated with icicles that glimmered in the streetlights. Will stopped to admire the fountain, taking in its beauty and the peacefulness of the park. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, the cold air making her lungs sting.

Moving on, Will continued down the street, past the tall buildings and empty sidewalks. She turned a corner and found herself in front of the movie theater. There she saw her friends Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin. They were all bundled up in thick coats and scarves, and Will could see their breath misting in the cold air.

"Hey, Will!" Irma called out, waving her hand in the air.

"Hey, guys," Will said with a smile, happy to see her friends. "What are you all doing here?"

"Ask Cornelia," said Irma. Cornelia was standing in front of a movie poster looking at it with lustful eyes. Will took a peak over Cornelia's shoulder. It was a poster for Chronicles of the Enchanted Realms starring Vance Michael Justin as the lead. The poster itself depicted the singer dressed as an elf standing behind a mountain with a sword raised in a fighting position, a pair of evil eyes visible in the dark sky. The premiere was that night.

"So, you're all going tonight?" asked Will.

"What part of 'starring Vance Michael Justin' do you not understand?" asked Cornelia excited. "I just can't help screaming his name."

"Over and over," said Hay Lin amused. "It's a movie screen. VMJ can't hear you."

"He hates being called VMJ," Cornelia warned.

"And broccoli and girls who wear too much make-up," said the rest of the girls in unison. Cornelia shot them an annoyed look before going back to admiring VMJ.

"Then you're coming, right?" Taranee asked Will.

Will didn't know what to say. Her mother had just grounded her for a bad report card, and she couldn't shake off the frustration that had been gnawing at her all day. Truth be told, with all the W.I.T.C.H. stuff going on, Will simply didn't have the time to study. As a result, eighth grade was so far her worst academic year yet. It was all so unfair.

Many times during her mom's lectures on responsibility, Will wanted to spill out the truth, that she quite literally had the responsibility of the world on her shoulders. She thought of all the times when she had to put her own life on the line to protect the balance of the universe. The countless times she had to battle forces of evil, all the while trying to maintain her grades and keep her secret identity safe.

"Will?" Taranee's voice brought her back to reality. "Did you hear me?"

"Um, yes. Yes, I'm going," Will responded, the words coming out of her mouth without any real conviction. She hoped that she would finally get a day off where she could watch a movie with her friends, but her report card had a different plan.

Will stayed rooted to the spot, lost in thought. She felt angry at the injustice of it all. She wanted to scream, to let out all the pent-up frustration and anxiety that had been building up inside her. But instead, she just stood there, her mind filled with conflicting thoughts.

She knew that she had never gone behind her mother's back like this before, but after such a chaotic time, she felt like she deserved a break. She felt guilty for even thinking that way, but at the same time, she felt like she needed this, like she needed to just let go for a little while and forget about all the weight she had been carrying.

"It's the premier," said Irma. "Be prepared to spend six hours in line with Superfan." She gestured towards Cornelia which seemed oblivious to the comment.

"Bundle up, bring cocoa and earplugs," said Taranee. This comment on the other hand Cornelia did catch but she quickly drew her attention back to the poster.

"Our love will keep me warm," she said to the poster. She gazed at it, mesmerized by his chiseled jawline and piercing blue eyes. She had been looking forward to the premiere of his new movie for weeks, and now that it was finally here, she could hardly contain her excitement.

As she stood there, she began to babble, almost deliriously, about how perfect Vance was. "He's just so dreamy," she sighed, her eyes never leaving the poster. "You just haven't tried broccoli the way I make it, Vance Michael." She couldn't help but daydream about him sweeping her off her feet and whisking her away to some exotic location. She didn't even notice that the others had left.

As she continued to stare at the poster, lost in her thoughts, a voice suddenly broke through her reverie. "I didn't know you and the poster were dating."

Cornelia whirled around, her heart racing as she saw Caleb standing behind her half-amused. She felt a surge of anger at being caught off guard. "Caleb, sneaking up on people might be okay in Meridian, but here it's just, like, rude," she snapped.

"I don't get why girls here fall for a picture of a guy pretending to be an elf."

"He is not an elf," said Cornelia angrily.

"Um, pointed ears, beady eyes, a bow and a quiver full of arrows, that's an elf."

"He's a trundleblotten," Cornelia countered, "a tribe of incredibly good-looking pixies who bravely battle the forces of Flendar." And with that she angrily left.

Caleb started feeling a twinge of jealousy. "Hey, I'd like to see Vance Michael what's-his-teeth tangle with a giant lizard, cause, cause I do that, you know. Every day". Suddenly, he heard a commotion and looked up to see a taxi cab swerving through traffic, nearly hitting several cars.

Caleb jumped to his feet, ready to intervene if necessary. As the taxi came to a stop in front of him, he saw that the driver was none other than Blunk, the passling. Blunk was laughing and whooping, clearly having the time of his life. "Want ride?" he asked.

"Blunk," said Caleb, "you stole a taxi?"

"Not steal," Blunk said. "At hotel hear people say 'Take Taxi' so Blunk took taxi." Caleb pushed Blunk out of the way and got inside the taxi.

"Caleb take taxi back hotel," he said. Reluctantly, Blunk got on the passenger seat. Caleb turned the key in the ignition. To his surprise, the car roared to life. He shifted into gear and lurched forward, almost hitting a pedestrian crossing the street. Caleb slammed on the brakes and let out a small whimper. This was going to be a disaster.

Caleb attempted to navigate the streets of Heatherfield, veering dangerously close to parked cars and narrowly avoiding collisions with other vehicles. Cars honked angrily as Caleb weaved in and out of traffic, oblivious to the rules of the road. Sweat poured down his forehead as he tried to keep the car steady. It was a miracle that he hadn't caused an accident yet.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Caleb arrived at the hotel where Blunk had left the stolen taxi. He pulled into the parking lot, barely missing a concrete pillar, and breathed a sigh of relief. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he was pretty sure that he had just broken every traffic law in the book.

"More. More," said Blunk excited. "Blunk not throw up again, promise."

Caleb exited the taxi, his legs unsteady from the adrenaline rush. He couldn't believe that he had just driven a car, and he was pretty sure that he never wanted to do it again. As he walked away from the car, he could hear a chorus of angry drivers honking at him. He ignored them and just tried to focus on calming down. Afterwards he opened the door to Blunk's seat and the passling fell out.

"Hurry up, would you," said Caleb. "You're gonna get us in trouble." Blunk's nose started twitching as soon as they got out of the taxi. He sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling as he took in the scents of Heatherfield. Suddenly, he perked up and dashed down the street.

"Wait, Blunk, where are you going?" Caleb called out as he chased after the mischievous creature.

Blunk didn't answer, he just ran faster, his tiny legs carrying him surprisingly quickly. Caleb struggled to keep up with him, dodging pedestrians and trying not to trip over his own feet.

After a few blocks, Blunk skidded to a stop in front of an alleyway. Caleb caught up to him, panting and out of breath.

"What's so important about this alleyway?" Caleb asked, looking around but seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Then the air shimmered and a portal opened up in front of them. Out of the portal stepped a tall figure in a long coat and hat. Caleb immediately recognized him as The Tracker, one of Phobos' minions.

"You again," Caleb growled.

The Tracker smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Ah, the little rebel. Always in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Caleb and Blunk started running as fast as they could through the narrow alleys and crowded streets, trying to escape from the relentless pursuit of The Tracker. Caleb was leading the way, trying to find a way out of the maze of buildings, while Blunk was following closely behind, his nose to the ground, picking up the scent of their pursuer.

As they turned a corner, Caleb suddenly stopped, grabbing Blunk by the scruff of his neck and pulling him back. The Tracker had appeared at the end of the alley, blocking their escape route.

"Come on, Blunk, this way!" Caleb shouted, darting down a side street. He was running faster than he ever had before, his heart pounding in his chest, his breath coming in short gasps. The Tracker was still behind them, gaining ground with every step.

Caleb was sweating, his mind racing as he tried to think of a way out. Suddenly, he spotted a small gap between two buildings. Without hesitation, he dove through it, sliding on his stomach in the dirt and gravel. Blunk followed close behind.

They emerged on the other side, but The Tracker was still closing in. Caleb looked around frantically, trying to find another escape route. He spotted a dumpster nearby and ran towards it, grabbing the edge and swinging himself up and over the top. Blunk followed suit, just as The Tracker reached the dumpster.

Caleb's heart was pounding in his chest as he tried to catch his breath. He could hear The Tracker's footsteps getting closer and closer, so he jumped down from the dumpster and ran down the alley once more.

As they ran, Caleb spotted a set of stairs leading up to a rooftop. Without hesitation, he darted up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Blunk followed close behind, his little legs struggling to keep up.

At the top of the stairs, Caleb looked around for a place to hide. He spotted a small vent on the rooftop and ran towards it, pulling it open and jumping inside. Blunk followed, squeezing in next to him.

They huddled together in the darkness, trying to catch their breath and listening for any sound of The Tracker. But there was only silence. Caleb had lost him. He breathed a sigh of relief and climbed back down the vent, with Blunk closely following.

As they continued to run through the unfamiliar city streets, Caleb's mind was still racing, trying to figure out what their next move should be. Suddenly, he spotted a street full of houses and his eyes landed on one in particular - Irma's. He saw her parents getting in a car and leaving.

Without a second thought, Caleb bolted towards the house, with Blunk panting heavily behind him. He arrived at Irma's door, panting and sweating, and knocked frantically. After what felt like an eternity, the door finally swung open and Irma appeared, looking surprised and a little confused. "Hey," said Caleb panting. "Saw your parents leave. Just need a place to hide a couple of hours."

Irma smiled, an idea forming in her head. She had planned to go to the premier but her parents had to go to the patrolmen's ball. This wouldn't be a problem if her little brother Chris could behave. If he was left unsupervised, he could trash the house, so someone had to babysit him. Unfortunately for Irma, that someone was her. Until now. "Come right in." Caleb came in. "What happened to you?" asked Irma concerned.

"Nothing much. We just have a Meridian search party after us, composed of the big scarecrow himself, The Tracker and his dog, Sniffer."

"What?" said Irma alarmed. "I'd better warn on the others!"

"No, no, no," said Caleb relaxed, "I ditched 'em."

"You're sure?" asked Irma concerned.

"Please. The Tracker? It's like outwitting a six-year-old. Ow!" Chris ran over Caleb's foot with his tricycle.

"Chris, Caleb. Caleb, Chris," said Irma.

"Your doggy stinks." Chris pointed to Blunk.

"Blunk isn't a dog, Chris," Irma said. "He's a... a costumed miniature clown. Bedtime's at eight. Here's the rules," she gave Caleb a list. "Bye-bye." And with that she left the house. Irma walked down the street towards the movie theater, lost in thought. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had been nagging at her all day. She was excited to see the movie with her friends, but leaving Chris with Caleb made her nervous.

She knew Chris could be a handful when he was bored, and Caleb was an enigma. But at the same time, she didn't want to miss out on seeing the movie. She sighed and rubbed her temples, trying to calm her nerves.

As she walked, she imagined what could go wrong if she left Chris with Caleb. He could break something valuable, or hurt himself. What if Caleb wasn't paying attention and something bad happened?

But then she reminded herself that Caleb had come through for them before. He had risked his life to help them save the world, so surely he could handle babysitting her little brother for a few hours. And she had left clear instructions for him to keep an eye on Chris and make sure he didn't get into any trouble. Finally, Irma arrived at the theater and joined her friends at the long line.

"You're lucky your mom's not as strict as Hay Lin's folks," said Taranee to Will. Just then Hay Lin's phone rang.

She answered it with an annoyed look and said, "Yeah, dad, I'm even okayer then I was nine minutes ago."

Will looked at the crowd. They were all dressed up as different fantasy characters, some were elfs, others knights, trolls, jesters, princesses, whatever you can think of. "Er... we're the only ones who didn't dress up," said Will.

"Correction," said Cornelia. "You're the only ones." She took off her trench coat, revealing a blue dress underneath.

"This girl never misses a chance to be a princess," said Taranee. Then Will's jacket started glowing pink. The girls got closer to see what it was about. Will took The Heart of Kandrakar from her pocket and examined it.

The orb glowed brightly as an image slowly materialized within it. Gradually, the features of a tall and menacing figure took shape. Its skin was a sickly shade of green, dry and cracked like old parchment, while its blood-red eyes radiated an otherworldly luminescence. This being was dressed like a wizard, with a flowing red cloak that draped down to the ground and a pointed hat that further emphasized its imposing stature. Standing at its side was an enormous dog, constantly sniffing the ground as if it was searching for someone.

The girls turned their heads left and saw the same man walking down the street, his dog taking the lead. Luckily, he didn't attract too much attention seeing as there was a line full of people dressed like monsters. He seemed to pay no mind to the people as he followed his dog wherever it lead him. The girls were speechless.

"What's the Tracker and Sniffer doing here?" said Will alarmed.

"I'm guessing they're not Vance Michael Justin fans," said Taranee. Irma was about to throw up.

"They're after Caleb," she said. "He's at my house. He told me he lost them!"

"Calm down, Irma," said Will. "We are the Guardians. We've beaten them before. Time to go W.I.T.C.H. on their ugly butts!" Will started walking away from the theater, followed by Irma, Taranee and Hay Lin. Cornelia was the only one who didn't move. They turned towards her, a confused look on their faces.

"Do we all have to go?" she asked. "We'll lose our place in the line." She did have a point. One of them had to stay behind. Will just hoped fire, air and water were enough.

Will, Irma, Taranee and Hay Lin went to a back alley where they transformed. Once transformed, the girls took to the skies, flying high above the city as they searched for any sign of the Tracker and his fearsome dog. They kept their eyes peeled for any clues, scanning the streets and alleys below for any signs of destruction. It wasn't long before they spotted the first signs of the Tracker's destructive path. Hundreds of cars had been reduced to rubble, and the streets were littered with debris.

The girls followed the trail of destruction, keeping a safe distance as they tracked the Tracker's movements. They could hear the sounds of the dog barking and growling in the distance, and they knew they were getting closer. They flew higher, hoping to get a better view of the Tracker and his pet.

Suddenly, they caught a glimpse of him in the distance, searching every possible hiding spot for his bounty. He moved with purpose, his long red cloak billowing behind him as he searched.

"Caleb said he and Blunk ditched them," Irma exclaimed.

"Right, and you could follow Blunk's scent through a barnyard," said Will.

"So, basically we've gotta stop a monster bloodhound from tracking the smelliest creature in the universe?" asked Taranee.

Irma immediately saw the opportunity to take down the Tracker and his ferocious companion. Without a moment's hesitation, she called upon the power of water and summoned a massive tidal wave to crash down upon the two foes. The force of the wave was so great that it knocked them both off their feet, sending them tumbling through the air before crashing to the ground with a thud.

The Tracker struggled to his feet, coughing up water and gasping for air, while his dog shook off the excess liquid and growled menacingly. Irma, taking advantage of the momentary weakness, continued her assault by conjuring up a whirlpool around the pair. The vortex of water spun faster and faster, pulling the Tracker and his dog towards its center.

As the whirlpool dissipated and the water drained away, the girls watched as the Tracker and his dog lay sprawled out on the ground, drenched and defeated. But their victory was short-lived, as Sniffer suddenly perked up his nose and began to sniff the air. The scent was there, and they were off again, chasing after their elusive prey.

"They've picked up the scent again?" said Irma alarmed.

"I guess this job calls for princess Potpourri," said Will.

Caleb was tasked with looking after Chris, Irma's younger brother, for the evening. He thought it would be a breeze, but he soon found himself mistaken. Chris was quite the handful. He was running around the house, touching everything he could get his hands on, and generally being a nuisance.

Caleb tried to reason with him, but Chris seemed determined to make his life difficult. He threw things, jumped on furniture, and knocked over vases. Caleb was at a loss for what to do.

Then, suddenly, Chris sat down and began playing with his toys. Caleb sat on the couch, and turned on the TV. He kept however an eye on Chris. He seemed to be having fun, but Caleb knew better. The little troublemaker was bound to cause some chaos sooner or later.

Suddenly, Chris jumped up, knocking over his toys and ran to the kitchen, giggling loudly. Caleb let out a sigh, knowing that he was in for a long day.

"Chris, what are you doing?" Caleb called out, following the little boy.

Chris didn't answer, he was too busy rummaging through the drawers. Caleb tried to take a peek, but Chris was quick to slam the drawers shut every time.

"What are you looking for?" Caleb asked, trying to sound patient.

"Something fun!" Chris replied, grinning mischievously.

Caleb frowned, he had a bad feeling about this. Just then, Blunk appeared from nowhere, popping out of thin air. Chris was delighted to see his little "clown friend".

Caleb watched in disbelief as Blunk and Chris started to team up and make mischief. They knocked over vases, scattered toys all over the floor and even managed to spill juice on the carpet.

"C'mon Chris, you have to behave," Caleb said, trying to sound stern.

Chris simply shrugged and continued to play, unfazed by Caleb's words.

Caleb tried every trick he knew to keep Chris entertained and out of trouble, but nothing seemed to work. He even tried to get him to watch TV with him, but Chris wasn't interested.

A few minutes later, Chris had found a hockey stick and a goldfish bowl and was using them to play a game of makeshift hockey across the living room floor.

But just as Caleb was about to intervene, Chris lost his balance and the bowl went flying through the air. Caleb moved with lightning-fast reflexes, catching it before it hit the ground and shattered into a million pieces.

"Phew, that was a close one," Caleb muttered to himself as he set the bowl back on its stand, grateful that disaster had been averted once again.

But it seemed that Chris wasn't done causing trouble yet. As soon as Caleb turned his back, he had picked up a vase and was waving it around, pretending to be a superhero on a mission to save the world. Caleb spun around just in time to catch the vase before it hit the ground, his heart pounding in his chest.

As the hours passed, Caleb grew more and more tired. He was about to give up when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. "Guys, cool it," Caleb warned. "That could be the Tracker." Caleb knew that if it would have really been the Tracker, he wouldn't waste his time knocking. But he hoped that if Chris thought it was the Tracker, he would behave.

Chris, however, got excited. "Yey! The Tracker's here! The Tracker's here! The Tracker's here!" He opened the door, revealing an incredibly harmlessly Yan Lin with a smile on her face. "Are you a Tracker?" asked Chris.

"Worse," she said. "A grandma."

"Ah, Yan Lin," Caleb said, relief evident in his voice. "Thank goodness you're here. Chris and Blunk have been making a mess and I can't get them to clean it up."

Yan Lin smiled at him. "Don't worry, Caleb. I'll take care of it." She walked over to where Chris and Blunk were sitting, their faces covered in chocolate from the cookies they had already eaten.

"Chris, Blunk," she said, her voice stern but gentle. "You two have made quite a mess. It's time to clean it up."

Chris looked up at her, his eyes wide. "But we were just playing."

"I know you were, but playing doesn't mean you get to make a mess and leave it for others to clean up," Yan Lin replied. "Now, let's get to work."

Caleb watched in amazement as Yan Lin worked her magic. He had no idea what she was doing, but somehow, Chris and Blunk were suddenly eager to clean up the mess. They worked quickly and efficiently, and in no time at all, the living room was clean again.

"Did you cast some kind of Guardian spell on them?" asked Caleb amazed.

"Nah, ancient grandma trick," said Yan Lin. "Cookie bribe."

"There's cookies?" asked Caleb excited.

"Not for you, Mr-I-Can-Elude-A-Tracker Without-Help-From-Guardians." Caleb was surprised.

"How'd you know about the Tracker?" he asked.

"I have powers that sense the presence of evil. Plus a granddaughter with a cell phone."

"I took every evasive manoeuvre," said Caleb "There's no way we were followed." Just then the sound of a powerful growl filled the air. Chris and Blunk immediately hid behind the couch.

Caleb looked outside the window and saw The Tracker with his dog staring directly at him. Then The Guardians appeared. Caleb saw Cornelia slam the ground and immediately thousands of trees started growing in front of the house, creating a barrier. Caleb however knew that the Tracker had wood-eating bats living inside his clothes, so he wasn't surprised when the trees fell about 2 minutes after.

"It's me they want," said Caleb. "I've gotta lead them away." He took a skateboard that was laying around. He hoped that skateboarding would be similar to mumboarding.

"Good plan," said Blunk. "Blunk stay, guard cookies."

"New plan. Blunk go find a portal," said Caleb.

"Bad plan. Bad plan." Caleb grabbed Blunk.

"Hold on to my shoulders," he said. And with that, Caleb opened the door and faced the Tracker.

"Hey, fellas! Bet you can't catch us!" Caleb taunted. He got on his board and started going. It really was similar to mumboarding.

Caleb skated as fast as he could, feeling the wind rush past him as he and Blunk tried to escape the Tracker. He could hear the sound of the mace hitting the lamp posts, propelling the Tracker towards them.

Blunk was holding on for dear life on Caleb's shoulders, his arms wrapped tightly around Caleb's neck. "Left, Caleb, left!" he shouted, pointing towards an alleyway.

Caleb followed Blunk's instructions, narrowly avoiding a car that was parked in the way. The Tracker was gaining on them quickly, but Caleb could see the theater up ahead. If they could just make it to the portal, they would be safe.

Suddenly, the Tracker swung his mace towards them, trying to crush them. Caleb ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding the attack. The Guardians were following close behind, trying to stop the Tracker but to no avail.

Cornelia flew faster and caught up to Caleb. "You're heading back toward the theatre," she said.

"There's a portal in the alley behind. Blunk smelled it. Pull them in, seal it up and the world is saved."

"How very Vance Michael Justin of you," said Cornelia.

"Tracker! Behind you! Duck!" Will warned. Caleb narrowly avoided getting crushed but it almost knocked him off balance. Blunk was holding on to Caleb's head, his green hands covering Caleb's vision.

"Can't see!" Caleb complained.

"Caleb lucky," said Blunk.

"He needs a shortcut, fast," said Cornelia.

"Somebody likes somebody," said Hay Lin giggling.

"He's got two blocks to go, and that thing's getting closer," said Will.

"Fine, I'll save Caleb from the Tracker," said Cornelia. "But that doesn't mean I like him." She flew ahead of Caleb, landing on the ground. She quickly used her powers to create a ramp.

In just half a minute, Caleb arrived and managed to pry Blunk's hands off his eyes. Without wasting any time, he skated towards the ramp, which launched him high into the sky. As he glided from rooftop to rooftop, he felt the wind rush past him, exhilarating and intense. Eventually, he landed back on the ground and turned right towards the alley behind the theater, where he came to a stop, scanning the area for the portal. But no matter how hard he looked, it was nowhere to be found.

Caleb's alarm was palpable. "Where is it?" he asked urgently. "I thought passlings could smell portals."

"Sawdust. Doozer headache," replied Blunk. Just then, the backdoor of the theater opened, revealing Irma.

"There's a portal inside," she said. "Where are the others?"

"They're on their way," Caleb responded quickly. "Stay here and keep an eye out for the Tracker," he instructed Blunk.

"Look out! Tracker!" Blunk yelled as the menacing figure approached. The trio quickly dashed into the theater building, pursued by the relentless Tracker. Caleb shut the metal door behind them, which gave them a few more precious seconds to flee.

They got inside the main room, where the movies where shown. The portal was right in the center of the screen. Caleb continued to run towards it, while Irma took a seat. As Caleb reached the portal, The Tracker was slowly approaching the screen, eventually getting on stage. Caleb took a fighting stance and challenged him, "Come on, let's see what you got."

Caleb stood in front of the portal with a determined look on his face. The Tracker was slowly approaching, swinging his mace menacingly. Caleb knew that he had to act fast if he was going to get out of there alive.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Caleb dodged the first swing of the mace. He could feel the air whooshing past his face as the weapon narrowly missed him. Caleb knew that he couldn't let his guard down for even a moment if he was going to survive this encounter.

As The Tracker came in for another attack, Caleb sprang into action. He delivered a swift sidekick to The Tracker's midsection, knocking him off his feet. The Tracker stumbled backward, trying to regain his balance as Caleb quickly moved in for another attack.

But before he could make his move, Sniffer, The Tracker's vicious dog, leapt at him with a growl. Caleb managed to grab the dog by the scruff of its neck and toss it away, but The Tracker was already back on his feet, swinging his mace with renewed fury.

Caleb knew that he had to think fast if he was going to win this fight. He watched as The Tracker swung his mace once again, but this time, it got stuck in the ground. Taking advantage of the situation, Caleb jumped through the portal. After half a minute he came back through the same portal.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Caleb watched as Will, who was standing behind the audience, raised The Heart of Kandrakar. Immediately, the portal closed, cutting off any chance that The Tracker had of following him. Caleb felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him as he realized that he had successfully outwitted The Tracker and completed his mission.

Exhausted, the girls of W.I.T.C.H. detransformed away from prying eyes and made their way to the main room of the theater. They collapsed onto the seats of the theater, grateful for the chance to rest.

Cornelia rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the sleepiness that was creeping over her. "What are we doing here again?" she mumbled.

"We're supposed to be watching a movie," Will reminded her.

"Oh, right," Cornelia said, "Vance Michael Justin."

The girls tried their best to stay awake, but the exhaustion of the battle was too much. One by one, they drifted off to sleep.

Several hours later, they woke up to find the movie was over. Will's mom, Susan, was standing in front of them, arms crossed.

"Will, I can't believe you. You were supposed to be grounded and here you are out with your friends," she scolded.

"I'm sorry, Mom. We were just watching a movie," Will said, rubbing her eyes.

Irma's parents, Tom and Anna Lair, were equally angry. "Irma, we trusted you to take care of Chris," said Tom. "We tried calling you several times but you didn't answer. So we come home to find that you had left Mrs. Lin in charge while you went to watch a movie. And to top it off, we received a call from Mrs. Vandom asking if we had seen Will."

Susan couldn't contain her anger either as she scolded her daughter. "I hope you enjoyed the movie, Will, because it's the last one you'll ever see," she said sternly.

"Mooom! That's not fair!" Will protested, feeling frustrated.

"You're right. It's not fair," Susan admitted. "So, how about no phone privileges for a week? I think that's a fair punishment." Will knew there was no point in arguing further with her mother. She had to accept her defeat and keep her secret identity safe. With a heavy heart, she agreed to her punishment.

We're getting closer to the end of this book. Just 3 more chapters to go. That won't, however, mean the end of my series, just the end of this book, or volume, or story, or whatever you want to call it. The series will continue, but it will be split up in multiple stories which act as volumes within a series of books.

Here's how I see it:

W.I.T.C.H. Rewritten I: The Guardians of the Veil (Season 1 Episode 1 - Season 1 Episode 12)

W.I.T.C.H. Rewritten II: The Rightful Heir (Season 1 Episode 13 - Season 1 Episode 26)

W.I.T.C.H. Rewritten III: The Knights of Vengeance (Season 2 Episode 1 - Season 2 Episode 11)

W.I.T.C.H. Rewritten IV: Nerissa's Conquest (Season 2 Episode 12 - Season 2 Episode 26)

Next is Chapter X: Framed