(sorry if the chapters from 7 to this one are really a bum. Also, DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Angie Sage. this chapter might be mostly dialogue, so please don't be bored. also, at the end, it was not a mistake when i wrote "Vera". if you dont get what i mean, read the beginning)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 12~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The banquet wasn't quite what Marcia had planned. It was what I expected, though. None of the Ordinary Wizards were talking. Five or six times I heard insults meant for me. I didn't care. Again, it was what I expected. Only Rose was talking to me. Septimus went with Marcia to try and change the attitudes of the Wizards. Others pulled Jenna and Beetle away, saying, "You don't know what she could do to you. Stay away." Anyway, Rose stayed with me, despite the Charm Wizard's protests otherwise. "Sierra, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable, but what were your parents' names?"

"Hmm. My mother's name was Cora Everleigh. I think my father's was Cassius Hallewell."

"Ah. Their names sound really nice."

"They are. Opposed to my boring name. Sierra. It's so basic."

"No it's not. Hildegarde knows everyone in the Castle and you're the only one whose name is Sierra."

"I suppose. You know, they died before they decided on my name, so my mother's sister, Adeline, I believe, named me. But she died due to unforeseen circumstances. No sickness, no murder, not even old age, she was really young. Just died."

"Again, don't want you to be uncomfortable, but how do you know this stuff? Weren't you a baby?"

I shrugged. "Marcia told me. Wasn't the most pleasant history lesson, but at least I know my history. Why'd you bring it up?"

She shrugged this time and changed the subject. "You know how Septimus used to crush on that Syrah girl?" I nodded. "Do you believe those rumors that she's dating the ghost of Julius Pike?" I looked at her quizzically. "Who started that?"

"Thomas Bellwood." I tisked, That boy was really something. "Well, I don't believe it. Why would she be dating a ghost? Besides, don't Ghosts stop caring about the Living after a certain amount of time? It's really stupid. The rumor, I mean." She shrugged. "I wish they would treat you better though."

"They can think what they think. I don't really care." The air felt heavy at that moment, but I ignored it. I didn't ignore the next part, though. A distant wailing inside the thick walls of the Wizard Tower. I shuddered but put my ear up to the wall. "Dieeee, dieeee, dieeee," it seemed to be saying. "The seventh daughter will be destroyeddddd." I backed away from the wall, and put up a SafeShield around everyone in the Banquet Hall. Thomas noticed the purple shimmer and screamed, "She's trying to kill us all!" There were mutterings from a few elderly Wizards. "I knew it. I knew she was no good. She can't be trusted." Then screams from Apprentices and everyone started using Spells to destroy the SafeShield. "No!" I screamed. "Stop it!" This only encouraged their attempts. One Apprentice made a hole but with a wave of my hand, the SafeShield repaired itself. Marcia shouted, "Silence!" but to no avail; they were all too stubborn to even listen to their ExtraOrdinary Wizard.

"Please," I pleaded. "Don't!" But they were all too stubborn to listen. Finally, Thomas escaped through a hole, and I repaired it too late. Through the SafeShield, I saw him lying dead on the floor. "Now you see?!" I screamed. "Now you see what happens when you go through?! I was trying to protect you all!" my voice hurt from screaming but I didn't care. They should've listened the first time. "But no, you have to be stubborn and arrogant and think that I'm trying to kill you because of some stupid illness! There's Darkenesse out there, and when it seeps through, we'll all be dead. All of us. So why don't you all stop being small-minded and self-centered and we can all survive this!" The elderly Wizards shook their heads. I could feel my anger boiling up. "That was exactly what Hotep-Ra was thinking," I said in a low voice. Then I raised it. "He said children are so difficult these days. But you know what?" I started screaming again. "The children aren't being difficult! It's you who's being difficult. You can't digest that sometimes children are right, sometimes children have to talk some sense into the elders, and sometimes children know what's right instead of being so self-centered!" My voice was hoarse. Did insanity really cause life to be this hard? Something interrupted my thoughts. A pain shot up from my toes up my spine. My legs gave way and I collapsed on my knees, clutching my arms tightly. Thank goodness it was silent, everyone could hear my hushed whisper. "Continue the SafeShield." I couldn't move, and that includes not blinking. So I saw Marcia and Septimus putting up layers of SafeShields as it was possible to do so until all the Wizards were packed under a small dome. Jenna and Rose ran to my aid, but I could see no longer. I might have been unconscious except I sensed everything that I made a picture in my head of what was going on. Rose put a warm, wet towel on my forehead, and I had no idea where it came from. Jenna, along with obtaining her Witch Cloak, obtained a few powers as well. She said a Witchy Awaken chant.

"Situations tense, possibilities narrow. Darke sleep in our marrow. No longer continue what Darkened thee, Awaken from thy sleep. Awaken, awaken, awaken!" I got up with a start and found Jenna and Rose grinning at each other. My eyes widened in horror. Behind them, through the SafeShields, was a man. Holding a knife. With a lapis lazuli hilt. The same voice I heard before called to me. "Dieeee, dieeee, dieeee!" I was dragged towards the voice, and in place was Ellis Crackle, solid and human, no longer a Shadow. He was gripping me tightly, his hands taking away my energy. Marcia and the other Wizards were gone, having Transported away. All who were left was Septimus, Jenna, Beetle, and Rose, all staring, their eyes filled with terror. I smiled sorrowfully at them, eyes crying blood. Run, I mouthed. They shook their heads, tears running down their faces. "We won't leave you here!" Septimus shouted. You're going to die here, I thought. I stretched out my arm and flicked my wrist, Transporting them to safety. I glanced at Ellis, fearful and sorrowful. "Don't you remember?" he cackled. "The prophecy. The ultimate seventh will be destroyed. A bargain between your mother and the Darke. You will be protected until her first glance at you. Then you die. Of course, Cora was full of deceit. You were protected longer, love was your guardian. But who loves you now?" he laughed evilly. "Cora bargained with DomDaniel, but I knew that fat, pathetic man could do nothing. I was never Apprenticed to him. I was Apprenticed to Shamandrigger Saarn himself. He is still alive. He will find you, Vera. I will bring you to him. Dead." He motioned towards the man with the knife. The knife flew to Ellis's hand and the man melted into the shadows. I finally found my voice and asked the question nagging at my mind. "Then who is Una Brakket?" I croaked. He grinned and I saw him turn into Una and then his own form. He put the knife to my throat. "Bye, bye, birdie," he murmured.