Chapter 8

Winds of Change

Heatherfield

Irma dreamed about flying. She found it was all she dreamed about. While she knew this was not an uncommon thing, she figured few did it as accurately as her. When she was walking, she was limited in where she could go. Forwards, backwards, left, right, and even those were often restricted. But flying was different. While flying, nowhere was impossible to go, and nothing was impossible to see. Up, down, there were no limits. Combine that with the power to travel between worlds, and the possibilities were infinite.

Normally, dreaming of such things didn't get Irma in trouble. She did it on the bus, or while in bed, waiting to fall asleep. Normally, she was safe to dream for as long as she wanted. This however, was not a normal time.

"Irma, watch out!"

Irma stopped her hands mere inches from the steaming water. She quickly pulled back her arms and turned to her savior.

"Crazy girl! Let the water cool before you shove your hands in it."

Josh threw a towel at her as he said this, but Irma caught it with ease. It was tough to tell through the steam of the Moxie kitchen, but Irma thought she saw real concern in her co-workers eyes.

"Come on, you've been working here a week now. You know better then that." Josh said returning to work.

"Yeah, guess my mind was just flying away." Irma said, putting thoughts of the Guardians away.

"That's your problem. You spend too much time with your head in clouds." Josh said.

"With all the steam in here, what the difference between this kitchen and the clouds?" Irma replied.

Josh looked at Irma, and chuckled.

"Maybe you're right Irma." He said with a laugh. "Look, I know we got off to a rough start, but you're not so bad sky-girl."

"Thanks. For the complement and the rescue." Irma said, putting her hands in the now safely cooled water. "Why the change of heart?"

"This job sucks." Josh said with a shrug. "But it sucks less with someone else."

Irma couldn't argue with this. The steam was blinding, the temperature was through the roof, and the breaks were few and far between. The monotony of dish after dish was enough to drive Irma insane, but at this point, it was still better then being at home. There, her life was simply math tests and lectures from parents. She shoved those thoughts and memories to the back of her mind, and returned to her work, dreaming of wings and endless skies.

Cornelia couldn't remember the last time she felt so uncomfortable, but she was pretty sure that it had also involved her father. This time, however, it was not Harold Hale who was making Cornelia feel this way, but rather the young man sitting across from her. With short blonde hair, light blue eyes and an entrancing smile that never left his face, there was no doubt that Timothy Derringer was handsome. He also wealthy, a fact that had not escaped the notice of Cornelia's father when planning this dinner. Harold would never admit to setting his daughter up, but if Cornelia and Timothy did spark a relationship, then the families would certainly be better for it.

Only a few years ago, Cornelia would have played along happily. The boy was handsome and was rich, all characteristics Cornelia found very attractive. But that was before the Guardians, and more importantly, before Caleb. Since then, she had matured and saw through Timothy's shallow exterior. Sure, he had a lot of things going for him, but he was no Caleb. The four of them were seated around the table; Cornelia and her father on one side, while Timothy and his father sat on the other.

"So, Cornelia, tell us a little about yourself." Mr. Derringer said.

Cornelia paused at this seemingly simple question. She knew that eventually she would have to tell her father about the Guardians, and the fact that she had a boyfriend from another world, but now was neither the time nor the place. The trouble was, she found, that after the Guardians, there wasn't all that much about her worthy to tell.

"Well, I attend the Sheffield Institute, my hobbies include figure skating and…"

"Ah, figure skating!" Mr. Derringer interrupted. "We ourselves take an avid interest in the sport. Right Timothy?"

"Oh yes father." Timothy replied, never taking his eyes off Cornelia. "Such beauty, such grace in the sport. Why, just last winter we skated at Tjörnin Lake in Reykjavik, Somerset house in London, and the Rideau Canal in Canada."

"The Rideau? The worlds largest ice rink?" Cornelia blurted before she could help herself. "Um, I mean, how nice."

"It was, but let's not waste time talking about me. Tell us more about yourself." Timothy said with a charming smile. "What is Sheffield like?"

"Sheffield?" Cornelia said, surprised by the question. "Sheffield's… actually quite nice. The building may be old, to say nothing of the teachers, but I've made some lifelong friends there."

"It sounds exquisite." Timothy said, maintaining his smile. "I myself have gone to a private school for the last three years. The facilities and staff are state of the art, but it lacks some of the charm that one can only find in the public systems. After all, it is not the bricks and mortars that make a building, but the people inside. Don't you agree?"

"I do indeed." Cornelia said, returning his smile.

Soon, the drinks arrived and a toast was made to friendship and prosperity. Cornelia eyed Timothy as she drank. She kept reminding herself that the boy in front of her was not a monster or a demon, or someone to be suspicious of. He was just an ordinary boy, and a charming one at that. Besides, she told herself, it's not as if she was going out with him, she was still loyal to Caleb. But there was no harm in enjoying herself on a night out with her father and his friends. She continued to tell herself that as she enjoyed the long evening.

Hay Lin was walking down Shell Beach, holding the hand of Eric Lyndon, and trying to stop her heart from beating through her chest. The normally calm and relaxed girl was now a nervous wreck. Her forehead glistened with sweat, her hands shook and her breathing was short and quick. She was trying her best to hide these signs from her boyfriend, but it was obviously in vain.

"All you alright?" Eric said, stopping to look at Hay Lin. "You're acting really strange."

"What?" Hay Lin said quickly. "I'm not acting strange. Why would I be strange? Nothing's strange! No one's acting strange. You're acting strange!"

"Uh huh." Eric said, unconvinced. "Look, I like that we're spending more time together, I really do. But this is the third day in a row you've wanted to go out, and every time we do, you get really quiet. What gives?"

"There's… there's something I need to tell you." Hay Lin said quietly.

Eric turned and gripped her gently by the shoulders, staring into her dark eyes.

"Hay Lin, you can tell me anything. You know that." Eric said softly.

Hay Lin melted and froze at the same time. She could feel the moisture disappearing from her mouth. She had spent the last week and a half thinking about only this moment. Eric was the most important person in her life. She was never happier then when she was with him, and yet it could be for naught, depending on how the next few minutes went. She knew she had no choice, yet here she was second-guessing herself for the third day in a row. But she would not wait any longer. She was going to say it now, nothing would stop her. Just say it nice and quick, she told herself, like a Band-Aid.

"I'mamemberofasecretmagicalteamofgirlsthattravelst odifferentworldstofightevilandIcontrolairandIcanfl y."

Eric stared quizzically at Hay Lin for a few moments, trying to take in what she had said. He gave up after a few moments.

"Okay. I got none of that. Why don't you slow down and try it again." Eric said slowly.

Hay Lin took a deep breath and started again.

"You know how I'm always running off randomly? And how I'm never around at night and I always tell you I'm with friends? That's not true." Hay Lin said.

"Oh?" Eric replied, getting slightly concerned. "And what have you been doing?"

"Well, actually, I have been with friends." Hay Lin said quickly. "But not really. I mean we are friends, but we're not doing normal friend things. So even though I'm out, and I'm with friends, I'm not really out with friends, and…"

"Hay Lin! Slow. Down." Eric said, staring down his girlfriend.

"Right. Right. Sorry. Just a little nervous." Hay Lin said. "Eric, I'm part of a… team called the Guardians. We use the power of the elements to travel to different worlds and fight evil. It's me, Will, Irma, Taranee and Cornelia. I like to call us W.I.T.C.H, 'cause that's what our initials spell. See, Will is the W, and Irma is the…"

"Hay Lin…"

"Right, sorry, focusing. Anyways, that's why I'm always busy. That's why I can't see you as much as I want to, because I have to keep going to other worlds, stopping monsters, and tyrants, and things like that. But now that I've told you about that, you understand, right?"

"Oh I understand." Eric said calmly. "Hay Lin, you've been under a lot of stress lately. Exams are coming up, you're tired, and I get it. And I know you have an amazing imagination. That's why you're such a good artist."

"Eric, I'm not…"

"It's okay, it happens to the best of us. Let's get you home, and you can get some rest."

Hay Lin sighed. She had anticipated this, and pulled out her cell phone from her pocket.

"Will. Start the light show." She said into the phone.

"Will?" Eric asked. "What does Will…"

A blinding pink light interrupted Eric. It lit up the empty beach, causing Eric to cover his eyes. When he opened them again, Hay Lin was still standing in front of him, but she was different. She was a foot taller, looked older, was wearing different clothes, and Eric thought he saw something odd on her back.

"Well… that's… something." Eric stammered. "I don't know what, but it's definitely something."

"Now do you believe me?" Hay Lin asked.

"Are those wings?"

"Yep. See, watch."

Hay Lin grabbed Eric and took off from the beach. She kept the flight low and short, as to not attract attention and to keep Eric from freaking out any more then he already was.

"You… you can fly?" Eric said once they had landed. "You can fly. You can fly! You can fly?"

"Eric, you keep saying that." Hay Lin said with a smile.

"I know, but, you can fly. I flew!"

"So, what do you think?" Hay Lin said nervously. "I would have told you earlier, but we have a secret identity thing going on. My parents don't even know! But, I want to tell you, because you're important to me, and you deserve to know. You're not mad, are you?"

"Mad?" Eric said with a smile. "I'm a lot of things right now, but I'm definitely not mad! This… this is amazing! You're amazing! You're beautiful, and smart, and you can fly, and…"

With out warning, Eric ran up and kissed Hay Lin on the lips. Hay Lin was taken aback, but quickly returned the kiss lovingly. They stood there for what seemed like eternity, wrapped up in each other's arms, feeling the cold night breeze run over them.

"Sorry." Eric said once they had disengaged. "I just, I don't know, it felt right."

"I'll say." Hay Lin said with a laugh. "Eric I…"

Just then, Hay Lin was interrupted by her ringing phone. The caller I.D. said Will, so Hay Lin answered it.

"Sorry Eric, just a second." She said, bringing the phone to her ear. "Hello? Orube? What are you… oh no. Yeah, I'm on my way. No, wait until we get there."

Hay Lin put away the phone and turned to Eric.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to go. I wish I could stay…"

"It's alright." Eric said with a smile. "Duty calls, right? Go save the world."

Hay Lin kissed him on the check, and flew off into the night, leaving Eric with his thoughts, and the promise of a sleepless night ahead.

Balsilide

Selna, Kabina, and their mother sat for dinner like they always had. It wasn't much food, it never was, but it satisfied the sisters in a way only the cooking of their mother could. As her mother cleared the table, Selna eyed the jewel that her little sister had found and given to her.

As beautiful as it was, it almost seemed like it was getting heavier by the day. As she looked at it now, it got darker before her eyes. Selna eyed it closely before realizing it wasn't the jewel that was getting darker. It was a shadow.

Slena turned behind her, to see a shadow rising from the ground, with bright red eyes staring back at her.

"Hello girl." The shadow said. "You have something of mine."

"Selna! Run!"

Selna peered around the shadow to see her mother standing behind it, frying pan raised like a weapon. Without turning around, the shadow hit Selna's mother with a sharp backhand, sending the woman flying.

"Mother!" Kabina cried out, running to her fallen parent.

The shadow stood over Kabina and her mother, arm poised to strike.

"No!" Shouted Selna, causing the shadow to pause.

"You want their lives to be spared, then give me what I want." The shadow said. "Give me the Heart of Balsilide!"