Two Weeks Later:
Howl kept the castle high in the sky until they could find a safe place to land.
Calcifer, after a few days, informed Howl that he had found a place, but because they were traveling via sky, it would take about a week to get there.
That was a week ago; they would now soon be landing.
The reason remains unknown, but Kari has been a wreck.
One night, out of the blue, Kari just started screaming in her sleep.
If she's not cleaning, she's pacing around like a zombie.
What worried Howl the most, though, was how little Kari had been sleeping and eating.
She'll eat small portions for dinner, a sandwich for lunch, and breakfast; she skips breakfast altogether.
For three nights straight, she'd go to sleep for a few hours and then would start screaming, unable to wake up by herself.
After that, she stayed up for three days straight before Howl made her sleep in his bed with him.
For seven days after those three, she'd sleep off and on; she'd sleep for three or four hours and be up for six or seven.
And now, for the last day and a half, she's been asleep—without waking up every few hours and without screaming.
A day and a half ago, Connor was practicing magic.
Calcifer was keeping the castle going while simultaneously looking for a safe place.
Howl was sitting at the table watching Kari, who was sweeping the floors.
Kari had just gotten done cleaning the upstairs and the stairs themselves when she got to the kitchen. Howl started to notice she was slowing down and was going to suggest she take a break and rest—after he used the bathroom.
As he finished, Howl heard one small thud followed shortly by a louder thud; he then heard Connor and Calcifer yelling.
When he got out of the bathroom, Howl saw Kari on the floor. The broom half under her and half in front of her.
He was immediately by her side.
Right away, Howl deduced she had a slight fever and had just finally passed out and was sleeping. He took Kari to his room, laid her in bed, covered her with a blanket, and got a cool, damp rag for her forehead.
That was then; this is now.
"How is everything?" Calcifer asked from his usual spot, looking at Howl as he sat in his chair, staring at the ceiling, listening for footsteps.
"It's going…" Howl sighed, slightly frustrated, mostly worried.
"Well, you'll be glad to know we'll soon be landing." Calcifer told Howl.
"How long?" Howl asked, looking at his longtime friend.
"Half an hour or so." Calcifer answered.
"What is this place anyway? And how much is it going to cost?" Howl asked, looking at Calcifer.
"It's a safe and peaceful place where normal humans can't reach, and only pure-hearted or good beings can get in. There are a few wizards who live around here, but they mean no harm; they live here for the peace and safety from the military and such. Last week I remembered hearing about it, long ago. As for how much it'll cost: nothing. This is a place for wizards and witches to escape from humans—or even other wizards or witches who may be hunting them. A group of powerful witches and wizards, way back in the day, sacrificed themselves to create the barrier that surrounds the area. So, what that means is that this barrier is impenetrable; it can't be destroyed by guns, bombs, missiles, cannons, or anything like that. Not even magic can penetrate it. It also means that none of your enemies will be able to get to us. Also, unless escorted by a good or pure-hearted witch or wizard, humans and demons cannot pass through the barrier. Warlocks also cannot pass." Calcifer explained, incredibly proud of himself.
"So, if nothing magic can destroy or get pass this barrier, how did we get past?" Howl asked, looking at the fire demon.
"None of us are evil. Only good or pure-hearted living beings can pass through the barrier. You and I are not exactly pure-hearted, but we are good. Connor's a good kid, and Kari is probably the purest of all of us. From what I can feel from her; she's pure innocence… And for the most part, animals such as cats—especially kittens, are innocent. So, therefore, we were able to pass through the barrier." Calcifer explained calmly.
"How is Kari anyway?" Connor asked, looking at Howl.
"*Sigh…* The same… Last I knew she was still asleep. However, her fever broke last night." Howl sighed, running his hand through his hair.
Just as Calcifer was about to say something, Pumpkin and Sparky came running down the stairs.
They certainly live up to their names.
Kari and the kittens have only been living with Howl, Calcifer, and Connor for almost an entire month.
Pumpkin has started becoming rounder and rounder; he likes his food. But he also likes to play. The joke is he's going to turn into a pumpkin.
Sparky's a spaz and a slight trouble maker. He will go hauling ass up and downstairs and around corners; he also likes feet. It always seems like he's going—except for when Kari's asleep—then he calms down and sleeps as well.
Sammy does play here and there, but for the most part, he sticks to Kari.
"She must be up." Howl stated, hopeful, watching Pumpkin and Sparky as they played and attacked each other.
Howl had been so worried about Kari these past two weeks—and this past day and a half, he's barely left her side. As of this morning, he held her hand in his for over an hour and prayed she'd be ok—that she'd wake up soon. He didn't care if she were pessimistic; he could work with her on that. He just wanted her to wake up and be ok.
After a few seconds, Kari slowly down the stairs, holding the wall for support; Sammy was sitting on her shoulders, around her neck.
"Good morning. Are you ok? Here, let me help you." Howl greeted with a smile, immediately walking over to her.
However, once he got to her, something shot the castle. Though whatever hit the castle didn't penetrate anything, it did shake the entire castle, causing things to fall over.
Kari, who was still standing on the stairs when the castle was hit, lost any balance she may have had, and fell down the last four steps. However, Howl was there to catch her, falling backward in the process.
"Kari, are you ok?" Howl asked, concerned.
"I'm ok." Kari softly replied.
"Connor?!" Howl called, carefully maneuvering Kari and himself.
"I'm alive and good!" Connor called back.
"Calcifer?!" Howl called.
"I'm just fine!" Calcifer replied.
"What's going on?!" Howl asked before helping Kari up.
"I'm not sure. I don't even know where that came from!" Calcifer yelled.
"Another one…" Kari mumbled, staring into space.
"What was that?" Howl asked, looking at Kari.
"There's another one coming." Kari answered.
After she said that, they were hit again, and Kari went down.
"How the Hell did she know that?!" Calcifer asked, trying to keep concentration on the castle.
"She's psychic. Kari, we need help; neither Calcifer nor I know where these are coming from. Can you tell if there are more coming?" Howl asked, pulling Kari into the kitchen with him.
Again, whatever hit them, didn't damage the castle aside from knocking things over.
"Left. One's coming from the left." Kari softly answered, staring into space.
"You're sure?" Howl asked, just to make sure.
"Yes." Kari replied.
"Calcifer, take the castle to the right! Now!" Howl ordered.
Calcifer did as he was ordered, and just as Kari said, something went flying by the window, just missed them.
"Left again." Kari softly spoke.
"Calcifer, keep going right!" Howl yelled.
Another bomb-like thing went flying by—further away this time.
"Ten more minutes and we'll be to safety!" Calcifer yelled.
"Coming from right." Kari softly spoke.
"Go left!" Howl yelled.
That one was close.
"Go… Ahhhh!" Kari started to say which way when she collapsed to the ground, holding her ears, screaming.
"Kari? Kari, what's wrong?" Howl asked, concerned.
"It hurrrts! Make it stop! Please, make it stop!" Kari cried, tucking her knees up, still holding her ears.
After a few seconds, her nose started to bleed.
To make matters worse, they were hit from the right—and then the left almost immediately after.
"What's going on?!" Connor asked, holding onto the kitchen table.
"They must know someone in here is psychic! I mean, look at Kari. Right after she started crying like this, we've been hit twice!" Howl replied.
"Calcifer, how much longer?!" Howl called.
"Just another minute or two!" Calcifer called.
"Can we speed it up?!" Howl asked, helplessly watching Kari; there was nothing he could do for her because he didn't know what was going on. Something was blocking his senses from telling what was being used to cause Kari so much pain.
"Uh-uh-uh…" Kari stuttered, trying to say something.
"What is it?" Howl asked, looking at her.
"Uh-uh… UP! Coming up!" Kari cried, nearly screaming, holding her ears.
"Calcifer, hurry up! Kari just said something's going to come from below!" Howl yelled, rubbing Kari's arm.
"I'm going as fast as I can go!" Calcifer yelled.
"Magic. He eats magic?" Kari asked, looking up at Howl.
"Calcifer?" Howl asked if that's who she meant; Kari just nodded her head.
"Yeah; he'll eat anything that contains magic or not." Howl replied.
Kari slowly sat up, reached behind her head, under her hair, and pulled a hairpin out.
"Give it to him; it contains a lot of magic." Kari told Howl, trying to withstand the pain.
Howl was going to ask what it was but just studied it as he walked over to Calcifer.
"Eat this. Kari says it contains a good amount of magic." Howl told Calcifer, shoving the hairpin at him.
"Where did she get one of those?" Calcifer asked in shock and awe.
"Eat it and get us out of here and then we'll ask." Howl ordered.
Hesitantly, Calcifer ate the pin, but it was too late, and a bomb or whatever it was that was shooting at them hit the bottom of the castle. More specifically, the propellers.
That one put a small hole in the floor.
"Mmmm! Ahhh!" Kari and Connor screamed, sliding down as the castle tilted to the side.
Connor hit a wall while Kari was going for the hole.
"Kari!" Howl yelled, panicked as he ran to her.
"Howl!" Kari screamed, falling through the hole.
Howl just barely made it to Kari, grabbing her hand just in time.
"Don't let go!" Kari screamed, looking down.
"Give me your other hand!" Howl yelled down at her, but because of the wind, she couldn't hear him. Not to mention, she was still in pain from whatever they were blasting.
Howl could hear a light buzzing—and it wasn't coming from the castle anywhere; it was coming from below.
After a few seconds, Kari lifted her other arm. By now, Howl had to use both hands to hold onto her one because they were becoming slick with sweat.
"What do you need?" Connor asked, making his way over.
"Grab her other hand!" Howl yelled, trying to pull Kari up.
Together, Howl and Connor pulled Kari up and into Howl's embrace.
"Brace for impact!" Calcifer yelled, speeding up just before another shot was heard...