Author's note: Hello, and welcome to W.I.T.C.H Season 5: Homeland. For those of you unfamiliar with my stories, thanks for checking this one out. I've also written a season 3 and season 4, continuing from where the cartoon left off. If you have not read those stories, then this one is not going to make any sense. Sorry, but I hope you'll give the other ones a try. If you do know my stories, then thanks for all the continued support. I'd like to apologize for taking so long to get this one out. I've been writing some other stuff, both W.I.T.C.H and non-W.I.T.C.H related, and I thank you for your patience. Now, if you're not already bored stiff by this super long intro, I present to you:
Chapter 1
Previous Engagements
Heatherfield
The cold night air blew onto Shell Beach, tussling Will's short, red hair, and sending a chill through her body. Adjusting a disobedient strand of hair from her face, she tightened her grasp on Matt, who was making a valiant, if not vain attempt to block the wind. With the two of them walking side by side under the stars, Will felt more at peace then she had for months. Still, underneath the tranquility she could sense an unspoken tension.
"And so by killing himself, he was no longer alive and we could hear about the prophecy. He may have been a villain, but in the end, he sacrificed himself for the good of the universe." Will said, finishing her story.
She had spent the last twenty minutes telling Matt the details of their most recent adventure. She had told him everything from the murder of Mr. Jantique on Meridian, to Elyon's removal from the throne, the defeat and death of Endarno, and finally, the prophecy declaring that the Guardians would destroy the universe.
"He must have been very dedicated." Matt said with little enthusiasm.
"Is everything all right?" Will asked, looking up at her boyfriend. "Ever since I started talking about Endarno you've been distant."
Matt's face was cold and emotionless, as was his disposition, and it was starting to worry Will. There was none of the usual kindness and compassion Will had come to expect behind his blue eyes.
"I just don't understand why you're telling me all of this." Matt said.
"What do you mean? I thought you wanted to be part of my Guardian life?" Will said, furrowing her brow.
"I do. Which is why I don't understand why you're telling me these stories, when I could have seen them in person."
Will turned her gaze to the sand beneath her feet. She had feared that their conversation would end like this.
"I have powers, Will." Matt began. "I can fly, I can shoot lasers out of my face and all sorts of other useful things. I can…"
"Don't." Will interrupted. "You don't need to explain yourself, because I already know your arguments, and I agree with all of them. You're strong and powerful, and I'm being silly, childish and paranoid. I already know this."
"So why won't you let me come with you and the girls? Why am I always left on the sidelines?"
"Honestly?" Will asked.
"I think we can always be honest with each other." Matt replied.
"It's because I'm scared." Will said, not looking away from the sand. "How am I going to feel if you come with us and get hurt, or worse. How would I be able to live with myself if something happened to you during a mission?"
"And how do you think I would feel if something happened to you, and I could have saved you, but I wasn't there?" Matt countered.
Will sighed, but said nothing. Like always, Matt was right, and she had no response to him.
"Look at all the things you've faced, just in the last month." Matt continued. "White Knights, fake Guardians and Endarno himself. And who knows what you'll face this month? I feel useless on Earth. You're out there, saving the universe, and what do I do? Sit and worry about you. I just want to help."
"Fine." Will said, facing the inevitable. She never had been able to say no to Matt.
"But we do it slowly. There's a festival tomorrow, and it's pretty important. It's to celebrate the opening of the Meridian/Balsilide portal. Elyon and the Honor Guard will be there, as will the president of Balsilide and the R.E.G. We've been asked to attend as security, and I'd be happy if you came with us."
"Security?" Matt said, raising and eyebrow, "With two elite teams of soldiers there? Is that necessary?"
"I think we're protecting them from each other." Will said with a smile. "Even with the portal, it's pretty clear that the two worlds don't like each other."
"So we're protecting them from themselves?"
"We're probably not doing anything." Will said with a shrug. "It's a fancy dinner. A chance to sample Balsilide cuisine and show off the wings. Nice and simple. The only real danger is being bored to death."
"Uh huh." Matt said, unconvinced.
In the back of their minds, both Will and Matt knew that nothing in their lives was 'nice and simple'. It seemed as if danger was lurking around every corner, and it was just a matter of time before their lives were once more turned upside down. Still, now was not the time to think about monsters and danger. Tonight was for smiling and laughing under the stars, and for enjoying the peace they shared, for however long it lasted.
Meridian
Elyon glared down the length of the long, wooden table. The seven men in front of her had faced monsters and tyrants without fear, yet they all fell silent under the icy gaze of their queen.
"This is not, repeat not, a military operation," Elyon said, looking each man in the eye for effect. "You are not attending the dinner as the Honor Guard. You are attending as the best and the brightest that Meridian has to offer. There will be no battles. There will be no fights. You're not even going to argue about who's first in line to the buffet! This is not a war, this is a nice, relaxing dinner."
The Honor Guard looked away sheepishly, like children who had been caught by their mother. Only Vathek dared speak.
"There's a buffet?"
Try as she might, Elyon could not manage to keep her stoic expression, and let slip a smile and a laugh, much to the relief of those at the table.
"Yes, Vathek, there is a buffet. But you're not allowed to go to it unless you promise to behave." Elyon said to her friend.
"I promise."
"Maybe I'm missing something," Tynar interrupted, "this is just an ordinary dinner, right? Are you expecting us to get in trouble?"
"Ah, but you have forgotten something," Drake replied. "An ordinary dinner, which is on Balsilide. Not to mention the R.E.G attending. You know, the guys who tried to kill us, and seem rather anxious to try again?"
"I hate to say it, but Drake's right." Elyon said with a sigh. "This is supposed to be an event celebrating the opening of the trans-planetary portal, but I don't have to tell you that relations between Meridian and Balsilide are far from good."
"In our defense, it would help a lot if they weren't a bunch of…" Raythor began.
"I don't want to hear it, Raythor. We're trying to make friends, not more enemies. We've got enough of those." Elyon interrupted, but her face told everyone that she did not necessarily disagree with whatever adjective Raythor was going to use.
"So this means we won't be taking weapons?" Walli asked.
"Correct."
"No weapons?" Vathek said, standing up. "But my mace…"
"You don't need your mace to eat," Elyon replied, folding her arms. Vathek mumbled something, but it was too quiet for Elyon to hear. "Now, if there's nothing more, you may all return to your regular duties. Except for you, Caleb. Please remain behind."
Caleb, who had been silent up to know, looked surprised, but remained seated as the others filled out.
"So, am I in trouble?" Caleb said once he and Elyon were alone.
"That's up to you," Elyon replied, pulling a booklet from under her chair. "This is the report you wrote about what went on in Kandrakar."
"Uh oh."
"It's very detailed," Elyon said, flipping through the pages. "Lots on Endarno, the pseudo-guardians, and even the chambers you had to pass through in order to get to the Engine of Kandrakar. You record everything in great detail, except the fifth room."
Elyon briefly looked up to see if this was having any effect on Caleb, but he stared back with unflinching eyes.
"This is all you have to say about that room," Elyon continued, "and I quote 'once we entered the fifth room, we were incapacitated, with the exception of Walli and Raythor, who made it on to the Engine.' Seems a little sparse, don't you agree?"
Caleb said nothing.
"So here's my question," Elyon said, putting the papers down. "What happened in that final room?"
Caleb bit his lip and looked away. He tried to focus on anything other then Elyon's eyes. At this point, he would have welcomed an attack if it got him out of this room.
"Why don't you just ask the others?" he asked.
"I don't want to hear it from them, I want to hear it from you."
Caleb opened his mouth, but hesitated once more. Elyon smiled and put her hand on Caleb's.
"As much as I'd like to, I can't order you to tell me what happened," she said. "So I'm not asking you as your Queen, I'm asking you as a friend. If something is bothering you, and I can help…"
"Sorry Elyon." Caleb said, standing up. "I appreciate the thought, but there are something's you just can't help with."
Caleb gave Elyon one last smile, but it was an empty one. As he turned to leave, Elyon wanted nothing more then to stop him. She badly wanted to find out what was wrong with her friend, and to make it right once more, but she knew she couldn't. It was a harsh lesson, but one she had learned well long ago at the hands of Nerissa. Sometimes, there really was nothing she could do. But even though she knew she had to watch him leave, it didn't make it any easier.
Balsilide
A shadow awoke on Balsilide. Shapeless, the pitch-black entity moved through the streets, disguising itself behind buildings, shops and people. It had been a long time since the shadow had travelled these streets, but its memory, and its mind were still clear.
Throughout the day, the shadow watched and observed, taking in its surroundings with growing interest. As evening fell it made its way to the front of Weldrick Palace, the home and workplace of all of Balsilide's highest officials. After taking time to plan its entrance, it waited for nightfall, and then slipped past the guards and in through an open side door.
Upon entering the palace, the shadow scanned the long, dark hallways but found no signs of activity. The few people who glanced in the direction of the shadowy being simply dismissed the dark blur as a trick of the light, or a sign that they had been working too hard. With ease, the shadow made its way to the royal chambers, where the King of Balsilide slept, seemingly safe. With surprising strength, the shadow lifted up an empty, nearby water jug, and lifted it above the King's head.
It hesitated, jug lifted high. How easy it would be, it thought. How simple, and no one would ever know the culprit. And yet, it was too easy, too clean. They would not understand this message. It placed the jug back where it belonged, slid its shadowy form underneath the royal bed, and waited for morning.
Awoken by the sound of feet and the first rays of sunlight, the shadow watched from under the bed as the King awoke and began his daily routine. Within minutes, a royal aide entered with the items necessary to keep the King looking his royal self.
"Good morning, your majesty," the aide said, putting down his many items. "Did you sleep well? You have an important night to look forward to!"
"I fear that tonight is nothing to look forward to, merely something else to dread." The King replied gruffly.
"Because of the Meridianites?"
"Exactly! Tonight is simply one more night I have to deal with those people. They're so… so…"
"Uncivilized?" the aide offered.
"Yes! Uncivilized! There is no style, no class on Meridian. On Balsilide, Elyon and her ilk would be no more then outlaws and thieves, but on the peasant planet of Meridian, they are royalty."
"But surely after tonight you need have no more dealings with them, correct?"
"On the contrary, we must keep talks going with the Meridian people for as long as possible!" the King said, beginning to wash his face.
"Sir?" the aide asked, puzzled.
"They have something of mine," the King said in hushed tones. "And I want it back. But I can't without the support of the people."
"The ballot is mightier then the sword?" the aide replied.
"Exactly. One of the downsides of having elected governments." the King said, drying himself off.
"Well, I'm sure tonight will prove to interesting, at the very least."
The King and the aide continued to speak as they left the room, but the shadow did not follow. He had heard enough to begin creating a makeshift plan in his head. Had he not lacked the features necessary to smile, he would have done so now. The King's aide was right, he thought, tonight would be very interesting.