Changing Hearts

Chapter 12

Remi's eyes snapped open once she realized she had fallen asleep on the park bench. She awoke with a start, sweat beating down her forehead and her eyes were bloodshot. Her chest heaved up and down and her hair was soaked from the sun's heat. She ran a hand through her hair and felt droplets of water run down her fingers. Leaning her head back against the bench, she watched as the clouds in the sky passed by ever so slowly, blocking the sun for only a few seconds until it hurt her eyes. She could never forget the news of her mother's death, having died not from the impact of the van hitting the cliff but her slashing her throat repeatedly until her head almost fell completely off her shoulders. She remembered her ten-year-old self standing in the foyer as she watched Isadora drop to her knees and wailed out her daughter's name, inconsolable until Eulalia ran to her side.

Yet even though she found out Katyana Ramirez had died, Remi had never reacted much to when her grief-stricken grandmother had informed her. She always thought that when someone died in her family she needed to cry to show her emotions, but for a ten-year-old she was confused as to why she never cried for her mother, even at her funeral. Eulalia and Isadora saw the way she hung her head over her mother's coffin. She just stared at it with hollow eyes and her mouth was shut, but not a single trace of emotion crossed her face. At first they were concerned as to she could not express herself, but after the funeral, she casually suggested a place to eat after the coroners buried her mother's body.

Her childhood breezed right passed her after the passing of her mother. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she was finally free, free of the cruelty she suffered at the hands of Katyana when she found out her daughter was practicing magic behind her back. All the slaps she had taken, punches to the gut and face, and the kicks to her jaw were worth to where she had ended up now. She was self-determined never to fall to her mother's level of cruelty and she would never become so shallow. Once Katyana had passed away, she lived with her aunt Eulalia for about a year and a half until she was twelve before she moved back in with Isadora. She had a very close relationship with her aunt as her grandmother would frequently drive to her house and they would spend the entire day together, going out to fish or going on long nature walks.

Eulalia soon moved out of state after Remi's thirteenth birthday, but she never stopped contacting her. They would video chat from hours on end and she would do her best to visit, even though four to six months would pass before she had the time to because of her job. Balling her hand into one fist, she remembered a particular day when she was twenty-four. She was sitting in her grandmother's living room casually reading a book when Kaecilius had jumped through a portal, commanding Isadora that she handed over her granddaughter. Isadora yelled for her to run out the back door, but he blocked her path from the kitchen. Luckily the Ancient One and Daniel Drumm showed up moments later to help them escape, but Isadora pushed her granddaughter through the portal to prevent Kaecilius from following them.

"I will never let him take you," Isadora told Remi.

"Grandmother, no! He'll kill you!" Remi sobbed, but her grandmother took off her Sling Ring and the portal disappeared behind her.

Remi clutched her fist tightly as she remembered the crashing sounds coming from her house until the portal closed behind her. She never found out what had happened to her after that. Once she had the guts to return to her grandmother's home, she saw various items scattered across the floor and broken glass everywhere, but there was no sign of Isadora. She slumped to the floor in her grandmother's living room and let her emotions get the best of her. From there on out she knew she had passed away and now her angel was looking down at her.

"Abuelita, if you can hear me…I love you," Remi looked at the clouds and smiled sadly. She slunk even further back onto the bench and made no effort to get up off her rear. She stared mindlessly in front of her as she watched random people pass by her, some staring at her odd-looking white robes. She blew them off and sighed deeply.

"Why did you have to lie to me all my life, Master? You always told us that using the Dark Dimension's power was forbidden, yet you were going behind our backs the whole time and drawing magic for yourself! How could you betray me? I thought of you as the mother I've always wanted!"

Tears formed in her eyes and she covered them with the palms of her hands. "No wonder Kaecilius betrayed you. You led him to believe you could resurrect his family…but you only gave him parlor tricks. You're the real evil!" She felt sobs escape her throat.

After a few minutes of crying she was able to compose herself enough to clear her throat. She sighed and dried the last bit of wetness from her eyes as she shifted her weight to get off the bench. That is, until someone sat right next to her. Balling her hands into fist, she hesitantly made an attempt to stare at the person sitting next to her. Shifting her eyes lightly, she mentally told herself to stop acting like a baby and just see who it was. Quickly shooting her head to her left, her eyes widened when she realized who was sitting next to her. A gasp of shock and fear escaped as she stumbled backwards on the bench.

"Isn't it a beautiful day to sit and stare at the sun?" The man turned his head and stared at her with greenish blue eyes. The only peculiar thing about his eyes was the purple and silver tint around the skin. Her breaths turning heavy and fast, Remi scrambled to get off the bench once she realized who had sat next to her. Kaecilius turned his head towards her with a glare and a frown spread across his face.

"No, get away from me! We trapped you in the New York Sanctum!" she hopped off the bench and backed away.

"You cannot trap what you cannot catch," Kaecilius told her as he got up the same time she did and he started to walk towards her. "Enough chase, Remi. It is time to come home."

Remi gulped and she tried to run in the opposite direction, but she saw two more zealots coming towards her. Delilah and Sam blocked her path as they formed two Time Shards in their hands, motioning Remi forward. Looking back and realizing what was about to happen, she looked to see free open space in front of her and made a run for it. Delilah, Sam, and Kaecilius saw her sprint away and he signaled forward, all three of chasing after Remi.

Stephen flew through the air for hours trying to locate any sign of his missing girlfriend. After spending some time in the air he landed to the ground and asked if they had seen a woman with golden amber eyes and long black hair named Remi Ramirez, but they either shook their heads or stared at him strangely because of his attire. Making note of that he thought he thought it best to do an air search and flew right across New York City, but in the millions of people crossing the streets and heavy traffic, he thought that anyone could be Remi. Once he began to think that Remi was nowhere to be found, he was about to give up until his eyes landed on Central Park. He saw the lush green trees and the green grass surrounded by the huge buildings. Smiling to himself, he flew down and landed with a start on the ground.

"Please let her be here," he thought desperately to himself. He started to ask people about the whereabouts of the young woman, but again got the same response. He searched hours on end trying to find any sign of Remi, but the more he searched, the more he ended up back to square one. Screaming in frustration, he decided to stop for a while and took a seat on one of the benches.

"Remi Ramirez…where are you?" he sadly asked himself as he looked down at the ground. However, something caught his eye. At first, he thought nothing of it but when he took a closer look, he saw a small ring in front of his face. Getting off his feet and bending forward, he saw the ring had two bands that someone could slip their fingers through. He picked it up and examined it closer. Instead of the normal gold color that the students had received this one was completely platinum, the top covered in a dragon's head the breathed fire from its nostrils.

"Wait a minute…" he remembered seeing Remi with this sling ring. "Remi!"

Realizing what had happened, he quickly hopped off the bench and made a long flight back to the New York Sanctum.

Opening the doors of the Sanctum, Remi hastily slammed them behind her as she raced back up the stairs. She had managed to evade Kaecilius and the zealots back in Central Park by taking another way out, but she knew they would still be after her. Looking around the Sanctum, she called for the Ancient One, Mordo, and Stephen but no one answered her.

"I'm such an idiot!" she told herself as she smacked her forehead. She looked to her side and saw Daniel Drumm's body was missing, presumably having been taken back to Kamar-Taj. Knowing she was not out of the limelight yet, she made a run for the stairs and went to hide in one of the rooms. Just as she reached one of the doors, she heard a man's voice calling her name.

"Remi?! Remi, are you here?!" it was not Kaecilius, but it was Stephen! Her eyes widening in relief, she ran out of the hallway and back down the steps, coming into view of a very relieved and shocked Stephen. He flew up the stairs and caught his girlfriend in his arms, spinning her around off the floor in a tight embrace. Tilting her head forward, he caught her lips in a quick kiss as they landed on the ground.

"Are you ok? I've been looking for you everywhere!" Stephen caressed her face.

"Yes I'm fine, but…but I was such a fool, Stephen. Even though I saw the Ancient One perform the rituals from the Dark Dimension, I thought she was trying to find a way to destroy the spells, but she was doing a dirty deed by drawing power from it! She lied to me, Stephen! She betrayed me!"

"Remi please stop. It's not what you think," Stephen told her.

"What do you mean?" Remi asked. Stephen was about to answer when they saw the walls and doors around them began to ripple and shake. Realizing Kaecilius had found them, they hurried up the stairs into one of the rooms, closing the door behind them as Stephen tossed Remi her Sling Ring and unhooked his own from his belt. Quick thinking he circled his fingers around and a gateway opened.

"Listen, Remi. Go back to Kamar-Taj and hide in a safe place. Mordo is waiting there for you," he informed her.

"What? You're not coming?!" Remi started to panic.

"I have to make sure they don't follow you. Whatever happens…do not come back for me," he tilted her chin.

"Do not come back for me." it was the same words her grandmother had spoken to her as she stayed behind to fight Kaecilius. More tears formed in her eyes as she shook her head. Not wanting to lose more people she loved, Remi reminded him they fight together and she ran out of the room before Stephen could protest. Stephen called for her to come back but she was already out of sight. Sighing in frustration, he flew out of the room after her.

Down the stairs in the foyer, Kaecilius commanded Delilah and Sam to look for them. Just as they got ready to search the Sanctum, they were surprised to see the frame of a young woman jump into the air. She formed two large Eldritch Whips in her hands and tumbled across the floor, swiftly hopping to her feet as she glared at Kaecilius and his two fighters with all her might.

"Still pretending to deny your true self, I see." Kaecilius shook his head. Ignoring him, Remi made a run for them as she swung the two whips above her head. Ordering Delilah and Sam forward, his two apprentices began to clash with the young woman. Delilah tried to strike her down by swinging a Time Shard against her abdomen, but Remi dodged it and wrapped one of the whips around her throat, sending her flying against the wall. Sam saw this happen and ran towards her with weapons ready, but Remi used her last free whip and blocked the punches and kicks he threw at her. As he was about to go in for another blow, Sam saw Remi wrap her last whip around his ankle and tugged it hard, causing him to fly through the air and slam against the door. Breathing deeply, Remi turned to Kaecilius and got ready to fight him.

"Now it's your time to die!" her voice suddenly grew dark and dangerous. Kaecilius watched in awe as Remi circled her fists in front of her and waved them out. The markings started to appear around her eyes and forearms. Smiling with satisfaction, Remi folded her hands together and out once more, a huge dark blue blade forming in her hands. However, Kaecilius did not walk towards her but held one hand out in front of him and balled it into a fist.

Just as she was about to lunge after him, Remi stopped dead in her tracks. A throbbing hot pain shot up her legs and arms, sending her doubling over as she screamed. The weapon in her hand disappeared and she hugged her stomach. The markings suddenly started to pulsate from dark blue to a bright yellow. Her eyes zapped from a bright blue to her normal color to red. Remi wailed uncontrollably and held dug her nails into her head as the pain was too unbearable for her. After what seemed like an eternity of torture Kaecilius finally lowered his hand. The pain immediately subsided for Remi and the markings dissolved into thin arm. Her eyes returned to their normal color and she laid in a fetal position with her knees against her chest. Deep breaths shaking her body, Remi weakly tried to get back on her feet, but Kaecilius grabbed her by the throat and hoisted her into the air.

"Such potential wasted on pathetic magic! No matter how much you deny it, you're meant for so much greatness! Allow me to show you!"

"N-No. S-S-Stephen…" Remi shuttered as her body began to shake. Kaecilius turned his head and saw the angry doctor come flying out of the hall. With a loud yell, Stephen rose his hands above the air and the structure around them began to change. Kaecilius looked around him and saw the walls and stairs were encased in a glass-like structure that rippled around them.

"The Mirror Dimension. You can't affect the real world in here!" Stephen smiled triumphantly.

"No…but I still have the woman you love," Kaecilius shoved her in front of his face. Remi struggled to breathe and she clasped her hands around his throat. At first, Stephen grew hesitant, but then a smirk spread across his lips. He unfolded one hand behind his back and showed them Remi's relic that had disappeared in their earlier fight. Flying down the stairs, he gave it a good crack and electricity was sent flying off the walls. Sam and Delilah jumped back to avoid being him. Kaecilius shot his head around and a zap of electricity circled around him, sending him flying and dropping Remi.

Stephen quickly grabbed his girlfriend's hand and made his way for the door. Remi followed behind and locked the doors behind them.

Kaecilius got to his feet and saw the two had disappeared. Screaming in frustration, he saw Sam and Delilah come running towards him. "Do not let him escape! Bring her back!"

Stephen and Remi quickly ran down the steps of the New York Sanctum and made their way into the middle of the road. Remi saw that he had not only completely engulfed the Sanctum in the Mirror Dimension but with all of New York City as well. Looking around, they saw a black van coming towards them and made to move out of the way, but it passed through them as if they were ghosts.

"Their connection to the Dark Dimension makes them even more powerful in the Mirror Dimension," Remi breathlessly informed him as she took a moment and put her hands on her knees. Stephen saw Kaecilius, Sam, and Delilah come running towards them. Grabbing Remi's hand, they both made a run for it down the street. He made a circular movement with two fingers and a gateway from his Sling Ring opened in front of them. Behind them, Kaecilius flicked his hand underneath and the buildings around them began to tilt.

Remi screamed as she and Stephen slid into incoming traffic until they hit a huge skyscraper. Quickly getting to their feet, they jumped for the safety up the tall building. Just like the Vaulting Boots of Valtorr, Remi used this opportunity to channel energy into her feet through her sandals. Orange light pulsated out of the souls of her feet and allowed her to fly through the air behind Stephen. He quickly made to form another gateway, but Kaecilius and his two apprentices raced up the same building. Kaecilius kicked himself into the air and slammed his hand down against the large tower, Remi and Stephen hobbled and the orange gateway quickly dissipated in front of them. The building quickly became unsteady with the chaotic movement and Kaecilius clapped his hands together in a downward position, causing the tower to bend forward.

Stephen and Remi found themselves slipping off the skyscraper down to the one below. Remi blocked the stinging air with her hands as she used the magic in her feet to control the fall. The Cloak of Levitation grabbed ahold of the wind and allowed Stephen to fall at a slower pace. They landed safely on the building below and Stephen saw the mess he had unintentionally created. Remi saw him as he grasped what he had just done. Before he could fully take it in the building suddenly lunged forward and they were sent into the chaos below. They quickly locked their hands together and combined their magic to control the fall. Just as it seemed they were going to make it, a large gust of wind suddenly pushed them forward, causing their hands to separate. Remi fell at a much faster pace and slipped through the grading of two apartment building stairs.

"STEPHEN!" she reached her hand out for him but he was unable to grab it as the hole closed above her. He saw Kaecilius in front of him and, unable to rescue her, quickly fled the scene. Remi got to her feet as she saw Stephen take off. Looking behind her she saw the three zealots and made a run for it in the same direction. Kaecilius signaled Delilah and Sam forward and they went for her while he took care of Stephen. They jumped over the railing and Kaecilius sprinted along a huge form of concrete.

Remi panted as she jumped over various flying object and looked to see Stephen above her. She realized he was unable to rescue her as she fled for her life from Delilah and Sam. Stephen attempted to jump down from the railing he was running across to her aide, but Kaecilius caught him in his sight forcing him to flee once more. Remi sprinted even faster but she stopped in her tracks when she saw a large metallic shield form around the railing she was running across. Turning around, she saw Sam and Delilah blocking her path. Sam had his hands in a diamond formation and he clapped them together, causing the barrier to form around them. Remi glared at them as they continued their way forward. Seeing she had no choice, she folded her hands outward and a huge Time Shard swung itself over her head and she caught it one hand, making the two stop in their tracks.

Sprinting towards them, Remi clashed with the two. Delilah blocked her Time Shard above her head with her own as she swung it at her abdomen. Remi flipped through the air and kicked her in the stomach with both feet, sending Delilah skidding across the platform. Sam landed in front of her and swung his own shard to her throat, but she backflipped away and avoided his moves. Remi happened to turn to her left and saw a small opening in the barrier around them. Taking this as an opportunity, she kicked Sam to the side and hopped through it just as it closed. Unfortunately, Sam and Delilah hopped out a few seconds later and continue after her.

Stephen hurried as he glanced below, watching Remi as she fled from the two zealots relentlessly pursuing her. He jumped over the railing he was running across directly above them. Just as he made to jump downward to her aide, he was caught by Kaecilius, wrapping his arms around him and shoving him to the ground. Grabbing his throat, Kaecilius unhooked the Sling Ring from Stephen's belt and pocketed it before forming a Time Shard in his hands. Stephen screamed as he went in for the killer move, but to his surprise, he skidded across the metal platform just as he was about to stab him in the chest.

Remi found herself rising in the air just as she kept running. Growing confused, the floor suddenly came to a hard halt as the Mirror Dimension began to turn into some sort of battlefield. She saw Stephen lying on his back and raced to his aide, kneeling beside them as they watched the field turn into a huge circular mosaic design. Groaning, Stephen got to his feet and stood beside Remi, looking around in confusion. Kaecilius spotted the two and ran towards them but stopped when he saw the Ancient One and Mordo suddenly jump out of an orange gateway in front of them! Remi's mouth hung open as she saw them suddenly appear out of nowhere.

"Stephen!" Mordo ran towards Stephen and helped him to his feet. He turned to his left and saw two Mandala Fans in the Ancient One's hands. She flicked her hands outward until the scenery stopped shifting in front of them. An orange mark burned in the middle of her forehead, indicating she was tapping into the Dark Dimension for magic. Mordo's eyes widened when he realized Remi had spoken the truth.

"Master, no!" Remi screamed as she tried to run towards her. She found herself being stopped by Stephen.

The ancient One glanced at them before turning back to the zealot in front of her. "Kaecilius." She shook her head with disappointment.

Kaecilius and her began to circle as he scoffed at her. "I came to you once, broken, lost and bleeding. I trusted you to be my teacher and you fed me lies."

"I tried to protect you,"

"From the truth?"

"From yourself,"

"I have a new teacher now, and he will be here soon, thanks to a very special gift." He turned to Remi who watched the two circle each other.

"Dormammu deceives you. His eternal life is not paradise, but torment!" The Ancient One tried to reason with him.

"Lies." Kaecilius stopped in the middle of Delilah and Sam and came at the Ancient One with a Time Shard. Before anyone knew it all four began to clash. The Ancient One easily dodged all three of their movements, blocking their attacks with her fans and spinning her heels, creating a large gust of wind that sent them flying. Kaecilius punched the ground and the debris began to spin, but she stopped time for a brief second and repeated the same notion. Kaecilius groaned as he skidded across the ground near the ledge. Getting to his feet, he saw she was so busy fighting Sam and Delilah that an idea formed in his head. He slipped two fingers between Stephen's Sling Ring and started to walk towards them.

Just as she went in for a killing blow to Sam, Kaecilius blocked her moves and stuck a Time Shard right through Sam, puncturing a critical artery. The Ancient One's moves suddenly halted and she looked down, seeing the shard had managed to go right through him and straight into her abdomen. Gasping and struggling to breathe, the Ancient One felt red liquid begin to pull its way from her mouth and down onto her robes. Gurgling, she felt her arms lower and her body become numb. Smirking, Kaecilius shoved Sam's body aside and kicked the Ancient One straight into a gateway he managed to form with his Sling Ring.

Remi saw her master fly into the portal and her eyes widened. She slowly got to her feet as she saw Kaecilius smiling victoriously. "NOOOOO!" Remi screamed as she dropped to her knees.

"Remi, we have to go!" Stephen pulled her to her knees and they ran towards the portal, Mordo hopped in first and Stephen went to jump in, but he noticed Remi was not budging. "Remi, please! C'mon!"

Remi turned her head to Kaecilius and to him before she balled her hand into a fist. Looking at Stephen through tear filled yes, she put her hands on his back and shoved him through the portal. Stephen tried to reach for her but the gateway closed before he could grab ahold of her. Remi watched until they were completely out of sight. Tears dripping to the concrete underneath her feet, her emotions got the best of her as she slunk to her knees, sobbing her master's name as she pounded the ground with a fist. Before she could ponder what to do next, Remi felt something hard hit the base of her neck.

Gasping as her body grew numb, Remi's vision began to blur. Slow gasps escaping her mouth, her body fell forward towards the ground, that is until she felt a strong hand catch her. She weakly tilted her head up and saw a smirk spread across Kaecilius's eyes. Her muscles would not allow her to fight and she fell into a world of unconsciousness. Her body went still in Kaecilius's hands as he lifted her off the ground. Delilah saw the portal disappeared and went to form another one to go after Stephen and Mordo, but Kaecilius caught her arm and shook his head.

"Forget them. We have what we came for." He carried Remi bridal style as Delilah formed a gateway which lead back to their hideout in the abandon cathedral. Kaecilius gave Sam's dead body a glance and spat on it before he stepped through the portal with Delilah following behind. Once they reached their destination, the gateway closed behind them as Kaecilius turned around to stare at the religious images painted across the windows and the ceilings.

"Finally, you belong to me!" Kaecilius looked down at the unconscious girl he had in his arms.

To Be Continued

Here is another chapter out of the way! I'm starting to like posting two chapters in one full day, it makes me feel more accomplished. Well I don't know what else to say other than enjoy!

Don't forget to leave your reviews! Flames and all are welcomed.

See ya next chapter! :)