This story was years in the making! As of 2021, I'm slowing going back to re-write the older chapters, updating and fixing any grammars that I could spot.
W.I.T.C.H. Dreams of Lusteria
Chapter 01 Part I: The New Guardians
Darkness was spreading, coming closer to the center of infinity: Kandrakar.
It came quietly like the dusk.
There is a certain luster on Kandrakar's towering spires. They gleamed as pure white while the beautiful hills of Leer Alnitak glistened green. Quite a stark contrast. In spite of the sounds of the babbling brook and the gentle breath of the wind, Leer Alnitak appeared to be empty. The Elders in charge of tending its fields are nowhere to be seen. The lack of children's laughter as they played their games was eerie.
What was once a magical garden of peace and beauty is now devoid of life.
Rarely had this happened in the Kandrakar's history. Something must have driven them away. Something dark and evil. Strong enough to make the children abandon their games and compel the Elders to forget their meditations.
Darkness itself.
A voice echoed collectively in the Elders' minds. A voice with a gentle heart.
Come, brothers and sisters. Into the Great Hall!
The Oracle Yan Lin has summoned them.
Without further hesitation, the Elders rushed into the sanctity of the fortress, ushering the children as they went.
The Great Hall of Kandrakar hadn't been used since the previous Oracle, Himerish, abdicated from his duty, giving way to Yan Lin as his successor. Since her ascension, she insisted that they congregate outside in Leer Alnitak from hence forth.
"Wisdom and clarity of mind can be better achieved when one's heart and spirit are connected to nature," she reasoned with a gentle smile.
But not today.
As the former Guardian of Air, Yan Lin knew congregating outside would exposed the Elders to the darkness that's encroaching into their realm. The meeting must be held inside once more.
The Great Hall began to fill with nearly every members of the Council of Kandrakar. Yan Lin waited patiently on the central pedestal as she watched the scene before her. The Elders in their humble light-green robes, muttered anxiously as they moved about.
"Come! Come now, gentlemen," urged Tibor, an old friend of Yan Lin. He gestured for them towards their seats like an impatient teacher ushering in his students. Satisfied, Tibor approached Yan Lin and whispered into her ears.
She nodded. "Tell Endarno to let them in," she said.
Another set of doors to the Great Hall opened. Everyone turned to see Elder Endaro. He was another good friend of the Oracle and her predecessor. The scar over one eye and his stoic, and gruff demeanor often intimidated others, making him unapproachable. But Yan Lin and Tibor knew that despite his cold deposition, is also considerate and kind, albeit strict. In truth, he is very grateful to Yan Lin's granddaughter and her friends for saving him from a terrible fate. But that's a tale for another time.
Behind Endarno were the many rules of the worlds under Kandrakar's protection. Their colorful attires were a stark contrast to the Elders' plain and humbled robes. Crowns and circlets with encrusted jewels donned their heads, their robes dyed in the finest royal colors of their cultures, their jewelries and rings blazed in the light. Their faces were grim and sullen, however, their eyes steely and their expressions stoic.
First came Lord Ari of Akhanta with his blue hair and fur-tripped coat, his stride proud and strong like a king. He was followed by the stone beings of Olidos, so stiff and squared they were as they lumbered forward. After them were the primitive tree-dwellers of Negol with their green skins and bluish robes blazing in the light. Many other representatives came in one after another, each guided to their seats by Endarno. Finally, the young Queen of Metamoor, Elyon, well-known as the Light of Meridian amongst her people, appeared. As she entered the hall, her presence exuded a warm glow. The queen strode in gracefully, wearing a bright pink dress with golden gossamer wings accents around her waist like a girdle. Her head was crowned with a circlet of white metal, the Crown of Light. At her side was none other than Caleb, her most faithful commander and, rumor has it, her lover.
After Queen Elyon and Caleb seated themselves, Endarno made his way towards the pedestal.
"They are all here," he reported.
"Thank you, Endarno," Yan Lin replied. "Let us begin."
"Oracle! What is the meaning of this?" Lord Ari demanded.
"The children are frightened!" said another Elder, her tone laced with worry. "They are afraid to play outside."
"Is it true, then? There is an unknown evil?" asked another.
"I'm afraid it is," Yan Lin nodded grimly. "Something is coming. I sensed it and so have many of you. It is as dark and powerful as time itself."
"But that's impossible!"
"Oracle, what did you mean by that?"
Yan Lin held up her hands to calm them down. "Everyone, please! This is a new threat to Kandrakar and all the worlds under our protection! It is so ancient that I fear its influence could even overpower us all!"
"By the stars!"
"Oh, great gods, no!"
"Impossible!"
"Honorable Yan Lin, are you suggesting that we could lose against this…this ancient threat?!"
The Oracle nodded, her eyes remained solemn. "I'm afraid so. Because this darkness is so ancient, it could seep into any worlds discreetly. It can spread its dark influence quietly into our very hearts until it takes hold completely and we are at its mercy. I am afraid to say that our light may not be strong enough to withstand it."
The meeting broke into a sea of chaos as the Elders of Kandrakar and the court of monarchs shouted in a collection of anger and despair.
"That's absurd! Absolutely preposterous, I say!"
"The darkness cannot win against the light!"
"Don't be so quick to judge, old man!" Lord Ari spat. "I should know, for in my arrogance and desperation to save my child, I tampered with the dark powers of a wicked banshee!"
"But the light of Kandrakar has always shined for eons! It has never lost its luster!" a female elder insisted. Turning to everyone, she said in a high voice, "May I need to remind you all that Kandrakar was built by the five Nymphs to defend the universe against the darkness in all of its forms? Why should this be any different?"
"She is right!" agreed an Elder behind her. "And one of them was Xin Jing, the most powerful of them all! It was thanks to her and N'ghala that we now have the Guardians to protect us! What better forces when birthed by the Nymph of the Elements and the Nymph of the Stars?"
"The Guardians!" another Elder realized. "They'll save us, just like they always had with each generation!"
"Don't you remember Nerissa?" the Elder in front of him retorted, glaring at them all as he rose to his feet. "Even a Guardian can be corrupted by the darkness!" He turned on Yan Lin and pointed an accusing finger at her. "Oracle, you yourself know this better than anyone! Nerissa was once your friend!"
"Watch your tongue, Elder Ren'do Gu!" Endarno warned.
"No, it is alright, Endarno," Yan Lin said gently. "Ren'do Gu has every right to criticize me. I am not above such judgment from our own council."
"Yan Lin, can you tell us exactly what this new threat? Specifically, what form does the darkness take this time? Surely, as the Oracle, you must know how we can defend ourselves?" Caleb spoke, trying his best to sound calm and professional, but the slight shake of his clenched fists revealed his own fear.
Yan Lin shook her head. "I'm sorry, Caleb. Like my predecessors, I do not hold all the answers. All I know is that this threat can diminish our light."
The summit broke into chaos as Elders and monarchs shouted over one another. Endarno and Tibor tried their best to calm everyone down but to little avail. Yan Lin sighed, shook her head and looked on sadly. From the chaos, Queen Elyon stood, her dignified grace silencing the room.
Elyon turned to meet Yan Lin's eyes. "Oracle Yan Lin is right. As the Light of Meridian, I have always been able to sense dark entities that posed a threat to my people. We had always been prepared to fight them. But not this time and not like before."
Turning to face the entire congregation, Elyon took a deep and held out a hand. Streams of light emitted from her palm, its intensive glow warm and brilliant like the stars. For a moment, the dazzling light put everyone at ease. Then, to their confusion, the flight flickered erratically before evaporated into broken wisps and flecks.
Shaking her head, Elyon said, "My powers are fading, and I know it has everything to do with this darkness."
Everyone was too shock to even respond. It was as if the darkness was right here in their midst, silencing them with a simple demonstration from the Light of Meridian herself. The Elders exchanged looks of fear and concerns. The monarchs and world leaders tried to manifest their own powers, only to find them weaker like Elyon's. Fear took hold and they broke into a sea of chaotic cries once more.
Frustrated, Endarno glanced at Yan Lin. "By the Light of Kandrakar! How is this happening?"
Before she could answer him, a persistent sound reverberated throughout the hall, catching everyone's attention.
Approaching footsteps? Even Yan Lin appeared confused. She turned to the source of the approaching sound. It was coming closer from the doors to the Great Hall. Then it stopped.
Everyone in the rotunda exchanged looks of confusion when suddenly, the doors opened and in strode an Elder.
Members of the Council of Kandrakar gasped, but Elyon and the other rulers were puzzled. Who could this Elder be to command such a reaction?
From a glance, he appeared to be quite young; his hair still retaining its golden color and his face shows no visible signs of age. Whenever Elyon hears of a wise Elder of Kandrakar, images of ancient beings in silvery hair and wrinkly, saggy skin popped into her mind. Granted, there had been a few exceptions, but even the ageless children here have silvery hair. They only other difference from this newcomer is that his robes are slightly more decorative; the hems of his sleeves were richly embroidered in blue and gold, the same design around his collar like a necklace. His only other accessory was a tiny, silver mirror hanging just below his collar like a brooch.
The newcomer paused in his stride and turned to scrutinize everyone in the room. Elyon held her breath, unnerved by his piercing gaze: they were deep and serious like a stormy sea. At last, his eyes fell upon Yan Lin and he slowly made his way towards the pedestal. The silence was followed by quick exchanges of hushed voices.
"Is that—?"
"It is! It's him!"
"Who?"
"The leader of the Gemini Council! Lord Araël!"
"Excuse me, but who is this Lord Araël?" Elyon interrupted the Elder sitting next to her.
The Elder gave her a patient look and leaned in to whisper in her ears. "He's the Dream Seer and the current leader of the Gemini Council. It's a separate branch of power in Kandrakar, my dear."
Elyon blinked in surprise. "Kandrakar has another court?"
The Elder nodded. "It's a smaller one, as it has less Elders than the Congregation you see here. About twelve members or so, I believe. But I assure you that it's just as powerful."
"Interesting…" Caleb mused. "What is its purpose to Kandrakar and the universe?"
"Well, you already know that this Congregation and the five Guardians were created to protect the balance and peace in the universe," said the Elder. "The Gemini Council, however, was created to maintain the balance between light and darkness which exists in all things."
"Why is Lord Araël here, then?" Elyon asked. "It must have something to do with this new threat, surely!"
Elyon was afraid of the answer, but it had to be asked. Her heart sank when she saw the Elder's grim expression.
"Members of the Gemini Council tend to keep to themselves. No one in the Congregation has seen one step out of its hall for years, let alone its leader."
A female elder sitting behind Caleb overheard their conversation and leaned in to project her input. "I heard the last time Lord Araël made his appearance to the previous Oracle was centuries ago."
Caleb turned around to face her. "Why?"
"To warn him of the imbalance between the light and darkness on Your Majesty's world, of course! And Araël was right! It did shifted days after his warning," said the Elder next to Elyon. Her heart jumped and her skin shivered as she remembered a brother she once knew and pitied. The Elder notice her reaction. "I believe you know the reason behind this last threat Lord Araël spoke of, yes?"
"All too well, I'm afraid," Elyon replied.
It may have been centuries for some, but for her, the event of which they spoke of happened a little more than a decade ago on her world. Her older brother, Prince Phobos, rose to power and overwhelmed his own mother's light before plunging the entire world of Metamoor into darkness. His reign was long and cruel. It was a dark time for many until she, Elyon, the true heir and the Light of Meridian, returned to claim her right on the throne. She couldn't have done it without the help of her friends, the Guardians of Kandrakar.
Elyon turned her attention back to the mysterious newcomer. A chill went up her spine. She gasped when she realized Lord Araël has a very striking resemblance to someone she knew.
He looks like Cedric! Elyon thought with a panic. But that wasn't possible. Cedric was dead. Last she heard, he was killed by Jonathan Ludmoore, another one of her brother's previous henchmen sent to Earth to study and harvest the elements, only to be trapped within the book's world of his own creation. Still, Lord Araël's resemblance to the late Cedric was uncanny and a bit unnerving.
Lord Araël stopped before the Oracle. The entire hall fell silent, its audience watched the scene before them with bated breaths. For a few seconds, the two leaders were silent as they held each others' gaze as if daring the other to speak. At last, Lord Araël broke the silence, bowing respectfully to Yan Lin.
"Honorable Yan Lin," he greeted. His voice was smooth like music in a dream. There was an underlining of power in his tone, reverberating throughout the hall. "I did not expect to see you standing where Himerish once stood."
"Much has changed since the last time you've ventured from your hall, Lord Araël," Yan Lin replied, her face grimed as she studied him. "Unlike the rest of Kandrakar, you haven't changed a bit. From your magnificent entrance earlier, I'd say you're here to deliver an ominous prophecy?"
"Not a prophecy, but a warning. You have been made aware of this new dark threat?"
"Yes, yes. We know it is an ancient evil. The wind have already told us and Queen Elyon had already demonstrated her diminished power just now," she said, glancing in Elyon's direction. "We also know it's connected to light and darkness somehow, but we haven't figured out where it's coming from, nor the specific of its cause."
The Dream Seer's expression remained stoic.
Yan Lin's eyebrows arched. "By the light, you know something, don't you, Araël?!" she said accusingly.
He said nothing. Turning to glance at Elyon, he gave her a quick study before turning his attention on all the monarchs. "The Queen of Metamoor is not the only one whose power has faded! And neither the rest of these blueblood lots!"
While not magical himself, Lord Ari of Akhanta took offense to this and stood. He matched the Dream Seer's glare with his own. "What do you mean by that?! Speak! I demand an explanation and none of your longwinded prophetic tripe!"
Araël ignored him, his attention now back on the Oracle. "Many protectors and warriors of their respected worlds are also losing their magic," he said grimly. "The changes are minimal for now, but soon they will find themselves defenseless. Without these guardians and protectors, the darkness will have no obstacles in diminishing the light and taking over their worlds."
Yan Lin gasped. "You—you don't mean—"
The Dream Seer nodded gravely. "I do, Oracle. Even your most powerful warriors, the Guardians of Kandrakar, will soon find themselves vulnerable. They will not lose all their powers, for this darkness is insidious and slow. But with each passing day, their powers will weaken until they are rendered mundane humans. Kandrakar will be without its warriors and all the worlds under our protection will fall."
"Surely the darkness cannot affect all five Guardians' powers?"
Lord Araël considered the possibilities of the outcome he'd seen in his countless dreams. No matter which one he chooses to follow, he knew they all led to the same conclusion. Another moment of silence passed before he turned and gestured for Yan Lin to follow him.
"Come with me, Oracle," he said simply. "There is something you must see with your own eyes."
Yan Lin turned to Endarno and Tibor. "Take care of the rest from here. I trust you'll be able to handle it."
The entire room watched Yan Lin and Araël disappeared out of the Great Hall. As soon as the double doors closed behind them, they all burst into a sea of chaotic shouting once more.
It had been many years since Yan Lin had set foot in the halls of the Gemini Council. The last time she was here, she was still a young woman on a mission as the Guardian of Air with her friends. Like the rest of Kandrakar, the Gemini Council's halls were pure white, its walls and ceilings decorated with hieroglyphs and intricate relief sculptures.
Without looking over his shoulder, Lord Araël said, "Do you recall the last time you strolled down these hallowed halls of ours, Oracle?"
Lord Araël couldn't help but smile to herself at the memory. "Of course, how could I forget the day when Cassidy mistook you for Cedric? Do you still have that scar she gave you?"
"Lady Freyja took care of it not long after your departure," Araël replied stoically. "The Nordic Angel is our most valued healer."
They stopped in front of a pair of doubled doors. Yan Lin had expected to meet the other Gemini Council members sitting on their tall thrones, but when Araël opened the doors, she realized it was a hall she had never visited before. It was spacious and mostly empty. The only thing that stood in the center of the rotunda was a large, magnificent scale. Yan Lin paused to marvel at its' incredible size. Behind it was another door, barely visible to the eyes. Where it led to, she doesn't know, but her eyes were mostly fixated on the scale. The air around her bristled as she came closer. Something was wrong.
"You've sensed it, too," Araël noted. He strolled across the hall and stopped before the large structure, looking at it sadly. "Tell me, Oracle," he paused without looking at her. "What do you see before you?"
Yan Lin looked up and gasped. She had been so overtaken by the scale's magnificence that she failed to see what it was trying to convey to her from the moment she entered the room. "The balance of the scale has been severely tipped!" Yan Lin turned to Araël. "How did it get so out of control? It had never tipped in favor of the darkness this much before!"
Lord Araël shook his head. "This new dark threat cannot grow spontaneously on its own. It must feed on something, festering at such an incredible rate that the light failed to stop it."
"What can the Guardians do?" Yan Lin demanded.
Lord Araël waved his hand and a magical holographic screen appeared, showing them the planet Earth. It zoomed into a specific city, one that's familiar to Yan Lin.
"Heatherfield," she whispered.
The screen zoomed in past the clouds and flew around as if searching for something, or someone. Yan Lin could see people going on about with their lives, cars honking and zipping through intersections, a perfectly normal day. At last, the screen zoomed in closer to a park where a group of children and their parents were gathered around a large pink bus. Upon a closer inspection, Yan Lin could see her granddaughter and her friends putting on a speech before breaking into applause. The children and their parents cheered before moving on to partake in the food and festivity. The Guardians' magical students are graduating.
"The Guardians will find themselves with weaker magic," said Araël. He paused, noticing something in the corner of the interface. He waved his hand and another tab opened to show a closer view of the object. It was a swirling vortex of air and darkness. At the moment, it remained undetected to the Guardians and their guests, but it couldn't escape Araël's powerful scan. "It appears the Guardians will soon realize their dilemma much sooner than I thought," he said.
Lord Araël spread his arms open, and the interface followed his command by opening several more communication tabs. Yan Lin counted eleven more faces and knew they were the other members of the Gemini Council.
"Do you have any news from the Twin Guardians, Lady Verlona?" Araël asked, speaking to an elf-like woman with short brown hair and green eyes.
"No, Dream Seer," Verlona replied. "They are not replying to our calls."
"It appears that we are having trouble with our communication system at the moment, Lord Araël," said the Elder whose screen was positioned under Verlona's. "Either that or Kimi and Kyochi are purposely ignoring our summons."
"We'll need to send them a more physical message," said a female Elder with dark hair to his left.
Yan Lin realized what she must do: summon the Guardians here and now, but not without sending them help when she knew trouble was coming their way. Holding out a hand, the Oracle manifested a familiar object. The talisman illuminated brilliantly, bathing the entire chamber with its glow. Lo and behold: the Heart of Kandrakar.
It has been a while since it was last summoned. Ever since the five Guardians received their new powers, there was no need for its aid.
Until now.
Lord Araël turned to face her. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Helping my granddaughter and her friends," Yan Lin replied. "If the darkness is truly weakening their powers, then I must do what I can to assist them."
Lord Araël said nothing but nodded. Suddenly, a beep on one of his holographic screens stole his attention. The interface opened, revealing a map of a world unfamiliar to Yan Lin. It didn't look like Metamoor or any numbers of worlds she'd visited in her youth. Could it be a world beyond her jurisdiction?
"Summon the Guardians here," Lord Araël said, lowering his head. "There is something they must see."
Yan Lin nodded and whispered gentle words to the ancient talisman in her hands. "Go now," she said. "Protect my little Hay Lin and her friends. Bring them back here for they are needed. The light needs them."
The Heart of Kandrakar shined brightly in response and disappeared.
It was just an ordinary weekend in the city of Heatherfield.
The children were excited and giddy as they chatted with their families and friends. Some eagerly demonstrated their powers, taking the chance to show off what they've been learning these past few months. Their parents smiled, beaming with pride while others tried to hide their concerns, no doubt still harboring a sense of overprotectiveness that always come with their child is handling something dangerous like fire, or in this case, magic itself.
The students varied in ages, the youngest being a year old while the oldest is an elderly woman in her late fifties, but most of the attending students were young children to early teens. They had just graduated after nearly a year of attending private magic lessons inside an equally magic tour bus with five special girls. After all they've been through, their teachers, the five Guardians of Kandrakar, could hardly believe they were here.
It was, Will Vandom decided, an incredible and unforgettable day in Heatherfield.
"I can't believe it's been almost a year!" said Cornelia Hale, the Guardian of Earth. Will grinned at her blond friend.
"Believe it, Corny," said Irma Lair, the Guardian of Water. "It had been chaotic but also kinda fun teaching these little monsters, but it was bound to end sooner or later."
Will nodded, feeling a sense of melancholy. "Yeah, and now graduation is about to end. Who knows what awaits us on our next adventure?" She gazed at a group of kids showing off their powers. It looked like they were playing a floating version of musical chair…but with chocolates.
That's going to get messy really quick, Will thought amusingly. I'm glad I don't have to clean up after their playtime anymore.
"We've taught them enough to know and handle their powers. Their parents won't have to worry about their kids going out of control—at least not anytime soon!"
"Right. The rest is up to them. They have to experience and learn on their own from hence forth just like we did," Cornelia added. She folded her arms and leaned against the bus.
Irma smiled and shrugged. "You know what? I think I am really going to miss teaching these kids—" A kid zapped his friend with a bit of his electrical magic, causing the girl's hair to frizz and stand up on ends. "—oooooookaaaaaay, I'm going to miss teaching most of them," Irma corrected herself. The others laughed. "C'mon, ladies. Let's go get Hay Lin and Taranee before the buffet is all gone."
When they reached the Guardians of Air and Fire, they knew something was immediately wrong.
"I'm telling you that I'm not imagining it, Taranee! There's something going on and I don't like it!" Hay Lin insisted.
"Okay, just calm down and take a deep breath, Hay Lin," said Taranee. "I'm sure it will pass. After all, saying good-bye to your students can't be easy."
"No! That's not it at all!"
"What's going on, you two?" Will asked.
"Girls!" Hay Lin cried. "Will, there's something wrong in the air! Can't you feel it, too?"
"What do you mean?" Cornelia asked.
"Something terrible is going to happen!" Hay Lin asserted. "I'm not exactly sure what, but whatever it is, it's been in the air for a while! It's my element! I can feel it!"
The others exchanged glances. Humoring Hay Lin, they closed their eyes and tried to concentrate, honing their elemental wavelengths to feel anything. They expected to feel nothing, but to their surprised, they could feel it! It was a troubling vibration in the magical plane. It was faint at first, but it grew stronger with every second.
Will stopped and looked at Hay Lin with concern. "You're right. I feel a bit strange…it's like a weird energy vibe…an irregular wavelength reverberating through the air, the water the earth—everything!" Hay Lin nodded encouragingly. "But I can't tell what it is or why it's happening. Any ideas, girls?"
"Do you think it has something to do with our attachments to the students?" Irma asked, looking over her shoulders to see the children playing.
"No, this is something else entirely! I'm certain of it!" Hay Lin replied firmly. She wrapped her arms around each other as if trying to keep herself warm. "Trust me, it's something darker and more sinister. It's almost—" she paused, her voice lowering to a whisper. "—evil."
At that moment, a boy ran up to Will and tugged on her skirt.
"Miss Will?"
Will bent down to give him her attention. "Yes, what is it, Kevin?"
Kevin pointed towards the sky. "What's that swirly thing up there?"
This got the girls' attentions. They turned and looked up to where he was pointing and saw something that resembled an aurora borealis. But something was off. Rather than the usual curtain and wavy shape that meander through the sky, this aurora borealis was swirling and spinning like a vortex. It was almost like a portal!
"That doesn't look good," Irma noted.
"How is this possible?" Taranee whispered.
"We have to go!" Hay Lin cried. It was clear her instinct had been right.
"Now wait a minute!" Irma stopped her. "Just because there's a portal in the sky, it doesn't mean we have to automatically assume that evil is here." Hay Lin gave her an exasperated look. "Look, this is just a minor setback," Irma explained. "Think about it! So far, it's a portal hanging up in the sky and from the looks of things, only magical people like us can see it."
Irma did have a point. The students' parents could not understand or see what their children were referring to as they pointed to the sky.
"All we have to do is close it like we did during our first mission to Metamoor," Irma smiled. "Then, we'll be good as new. Right?"
Before the others could agree, the children cried as something shot out of the portal. Everyone with the sight watched in astonishment as it came crashing down on a van across the street. The crowd closest to the car screamed as the impact left a small crater and the van crushed.
"What was that?" Cornelia gasped.
When the smoke cleared, a large and bulky creature climbed out of the crater, roaring to the heavens. Its deafening cry was bone-chilling and stepped in feral rage. Wincing from its piercing cry, the Guardians opened their eyes and noticed that non-magical people were not affected. Just as it was with the portal in the sky, the humans could neither hear nor see the creature that crashed in their midst. Instead, they starred dumbfounded at the crater before them, pondering how it could have gotten there. Some chalked it up to gas leak and government conspiracy while others started screaming localized terrorism.
The monster turned to face its unwitting audience. The Guardians gasped as the creature opened its mouth and breathed out a sickening dark, blue mist. The people standing the closest breathed in the mysterious vapor and nodded off drowsily. One by one, they slumped to the ground as sleep overtook them.
Smiling savagely, the creature chuckled and made to grab one of its sleeping victims.
"NO! LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Hay Lin screamed.
Hearing her, the creature turned and decided to make its way toward her and the others. As it approached, the Guardians could see how hideous it was: it had a humanoid body with demonic features, its hide covered in a coat of black hair, its head resembling an ox or a bull with glistening horns, its eyes red and mad with fury.
Opening its mouth, the bull-liked monster shot a blast of dark energy at them. Fortunately, it missed and hit a tree, vaporizing it into cinders. The children and their parents screamed and scrambled about in fright.
"Um, yeah. I'm fairly sure you got its attention, Hay Lin," Irma frowned.
"Kandor, get the kids and their parents to a safe place!" Will ordered. "We'll handle the monster!"
Kandor, the Elder from Kandrakar who was assigned as their caretaker, nodded and gestured for everyone to come to him. "Right," he replied seriously. "Everyone, into the bus, quickly!"
No one needed to be told twice. Parents and older students grabbed the younger children and dashed for the enchanted vehicle. Once the Teach 2b W.I.T.C.H. bus was safely out of sight, the five Guardians positioned themselves into a series of defensive stances.
"C'mon, girls! It's time to teach this bully a lesson!" Will said, cracking her knuckles.
"Yeah, a lesson in magic! W.I.T.C.H. style!" Irma agreed. "Oh, and by the way, Will? Leave the puns to me, okay?"
Five flashes of light illuminated before the bull monster's eyes as waves of elemental energy enveloped the girls. Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin could feel their ordinary street clothes disappearing, their bare bodies transforming into mature women. Their old clothes were then replaced by outfits consisted of green and purple tops and bottoms, complimented with striped leggings and purple boots. Each of their designs was different, catered to their personality and preferred style. They all sprouted identical gossamer wings; they were large and transparent in soft, shimmering shades of green and blue like rain upon a mountaintop.
Irma opened her eyes, feeling the transformation completing itself as the watery globe evaporated into mist around her. "Water!" she declared proudly to the world.
"Fire!" Taranee said, the sphere of flame extinguishing itself.
A cage of branches and leaves shriveled back to reveal Cornelia. "Earth!" she stated.
A ball of swirling wind subsided as Hay Lin emerged. "Air!" she shouted.
"Energy!" Will declared, stepping out of her cocoon of sizzling pink electricity.
"And now, you have some explaining to do, you beast!" Irma boasted. She and her friends took to the air, floating around the monster's head. Infuriated, it roared at them, spitting and covering Irma in its saliva. "Urgh! Ew!" Irma grimaced in disgust. "Hasn't anyone ever told you to cover your mouth?! Say it, don't spray it!"
"I don't think it's the talkative type, Irma!" Will said. Flying in behind the monster, she shot a beam of pink energy at it. To her surprise, the blast was smaller than she had intended. It bounced off the creature harmlessly like rubber.
"Let me try!" Hay Lin said, conjuring a blast of swirling air at the creature. Like Will's attack, her magic wasn't affecting the monster by much. If anything, it only tickled it. "But…how?!" Hay Lin gasped in disbelief.
"Hay Lin, don't give it a free blow-dry!" Cornelia snapped. Whipping out what appeared to be a pink stick with a long strand of ribbon on one end, the Guardian of Earth flicked her wrist. The ribbon pulled up several boulders at her feet and fired them at the monster with another flick. "What the—?" She gapped when she realized how small the stones were. Cornelia had intended them to be larger than herself! Instead, the rocks were half her size. To add insult to injury, the monster chortled with every punch of her incoming stones, shattering them to dust.
"Wow, that was impressive, Corny," Irma rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.
"It's not my fault!" Cornelia yelled, ducking a swinging blow from the monster. "It's like there's something wrong with my magic!" She tried to fire a volley of granite shards at it to make her point. Sure enough, the shards didn't so much as graze the monster. "You see what I mean?"
"Once again, you need my help and expertise," Irma smirked, more to herself as Will and Taranee flew in to pull Cornelia out of the monster's war path. Turning to Hay Lin, she said, "C'mon, Hay Hey. Let's show the others how to take this overgrown cow down!"
The Guardian of Air nodded reluctantly. Converging her wind magic with Irma's water magic, they created a blizzard sphere. In unison, they pushed it with all their might at the charging bull. A sudden explosion followed as the two made a collision, pushing the Guardians back with a resulting shockwave.
"Did you two really have to show off?" Cornelia coughed as the cloud of diamond dust, dirt, and fog covered the area.
Irma shrugged. "Hey, at least that thing is gone, whatever it was."
"Yeah, and practically half of this side of the park," Cornelia huffed.
"Where did that thing came from?" Hay Lin asked.
"I don't know," said Taranee. "But for now, I think we should—"
"CORNELIA, BEHIND YOU!" Will cried, cutting Taranee off.
Cornelia turned and saw a dark, looming shadow in the smoke. Before she could call forth the trees' roots to her defense, a large and hair arm grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the ground and cutting off her air supply.
"CORNELIA!" Hay Lin gasped. She blew back the smoke screen with a puff of wind, revealing the bull monster holding Cornelia in its tight clutch. Cornelia gasped, clawing and kicking her assailant fiercely.
"LET HER GO!" Taranee screamed. She threw a fireball, knocking the monster down, but barely. Thankfully, it was enough to make it release its hold on Cornelia who then made her escape.
"Cornelia, are you alright?" Irma asked. Her friend coughed in response. "I'll take that as a maybe." Cornelia glared at her.
"Girls, we have to combine our attacks!" Will ordered.
Unfortunately, nothing seemed to be working for them. Whether it's individual attacks or throwing a mixed combo, the creature continued to stand on its legs. It was fast as it was powerful. They soon found that out as it appeared in front of Hay Lin in half of a breath. Grabbing her by the waist, it threw and slammed her hard into Taranee and Irma, knocking them down as if they were rag dolls. Cornelia tried to push it back, but it blocked her attack with one raised arm and viciously backhanded her with the other. She was sent spiraling back, crashing into a tree.
Will tried to sneak up behind the monster and grabbed it by the horns. It didn't like it one bit. The monster roared with great annoyance and made a grab for Will's legs. Yelping in surprise, she immediately released the beast, allowing it to throw her to the ground. She gasped and looked up in time to see it about to crush her ribs with a cloven hoof. Quickly, she rolled out of its way in time and looked up to see a crushed pavement where she was moments before.
Without thinking, Hay Lin flew in and pulled her out in time before the beast decided to go after Will again. The bull monster managed to grab ahold of Hay Lin's wings and yanked her back hard. Hay Lin yelped in surprised pain, forcing herself to drop will before she was thrown into the water fountain. The other three came to Hay Lin's aid as the beast charged at them.
What is going on here? Will thought. We can't continue to fight like this! It's like we're working on weak batteries!
"Will, what are we going to do?" Hay Lin asked desperately.
Before Will could answer, the bull monster loomed over her and breathed out a plume of dark, blue mist. Fortunately, Will didn't lose conscious immediately like the pedestrians on the streets. But the magic within her wasn't enough to render her immune to its power. Will's mind began to slosh like liquid. Her thoughts were light, her body heavy and lethargic.
What's going on? Will thought. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and go to sleep. I cant…stay…awake…
"N-no…" Will gasped. Fighting to keep her eyes open, she saw the beast grinning at her with a savage delight. It knew it was inevitable that she would succumb to its spell as her body slumped to the ground. Paralyzed and helpless, Will desperately fought to stay awake as she could feel the beast raising its fist to end her.
"WILL!" the others cried.
Before the monster's fist could make contact, a sudden burst of light emitted between them, blasting the beast thirty yards away.
"What was that?" Irma asked, completely taken aback.
Whatever it was, it was still giving off a brilliant glow. A sense of relief washed over the Keeper as it banished the sleep from within her. Will didn't know how, but this light felt familiar. Like an old friend. Its presence was like a warm beating heart, an essence that was once a part of who she was. A part of her soul. Her heart. The little shining object floated towards her outstretched hands and Will couldn't help but smile.
The monster stirred. Will glanced up. This time, she knew what to do.
"Girls, come closer," she ordered. "We have to unite our powers again."
The others exchanged looks of skepticism, but they didn't object. After all, the strange glowing object had just saved their lives.
Irma raised her arms to start them off. "Water!" she shouted. To Irma's surprise, a large and powerful column of water flew into the glowing object in Will's hands.
The other three Guardians blinked. Without further encouragement, they held out their hands and summoned their magic forth.
"Fire!" cried Taranee. Swirling streams of fire flew out as she intended.
"Earth!" Cornelia shouted.
"Air!" Hay Lin declared.
"And the power to unite them!" Will cried as she, too, sent out her own power of electrical energy into the glowing object. It melded harmoniously with the others' powers. Once she felt the converging magic reaching its peak, she let it out and it shot straight at the bull monster.
The beast tried to whack the magical blast away, but it was too fast. The combined spell hit it squarely in the chest, right at its heart. The monster writhed and wretched in pain as the light dug itself deeper into its core, consuming it from within, banishing the tainted soul. The Guardians recoiled back as a plume of blue mist poured out of the monster's mouth and nostrils. The bull creature tried to hold itself together, but it was all for naught. After what felt like an eternity, the monster crumbled away into dust. The blue mist evaporated into thin air.
Nothing was left. Yet, its dark presence lingered.
The Guardians turned to look at Will and each other. Will carefully clasped her hands tightly over the object, trapping its light within her grasp as if afraid it would leave her. Taranee went over to her side.
"How are you doing? Are you alright?" she asked.
"Relieved, actually," Will admitted, smiling at Taranee.
"How did you know that was going to work? Especially when it didn't before?" Irma asked.
Will turned and smiled at her. "Because I felt safe. When all seems lost, I felt a glimmer a hope and it was a great comfort to me. I knew it was protecting me—protective us!"
Her friends stared at her closed hands with curiosity.
"So, what saved us?" Cornelia asked.
"You mean you haven't figured it out?" Will laughed. She opened her hands to reveal what's inside. "I told you, it's an old friend." A pink crystal sphere with curved metal frame sang its presence with an ever blazing light. It bathed the Guardians in its warm and gentle glow.
"The Heart of Kandrakar is back!" said Will. "C'mon, let's use it to close that portal."
At first, the others were silent, but they took off for the sky all the same. They concentrated their magic and the swirling portal evaporated like the mysterious blue mist from the bull monster.
Touching down back to the ground, the shock wore off and Taranee was the first to react. "How can there be a portal here?" she asked. "I thought they all vanished when Himerish lifted the Veil all those years ago!"
"You don't suppose Elyon's in danger again, do you?" Cornelia asked, a trace of concern in her voice.
"I don't think it was a portal to Metamoor," Hay Lin answered. The others gave her a look.
"What do you mean, Hay Lin?" Irma asked, massaging the bruise on her shoulders.
"All creatures from Metamoor are reptilian-liked, and their lifestyle are reminiscent to our version of medieval Europe, remember?" Hay Lin explained. "But that bull or ox creature ro whatever it was wasn't anything like that! Instead, it reminded me of one of those demons from Asian folklore."
"Now that you've mentioned it, the portal didn't look like any of the twelve portals we've sealed up in the past," Taranee said. "Instead, it looked as if it was made from the aurora borealis."
"You mean like the Northern or Southern Lights?" Irma raised an eyebrow. Taranee nodded.
"So what you're saying is this portal leads to an entirely different world," Will stated. "The question is where?"
"That's not the only question," Taranee said, turning to her. "What's wrong with our powers? They're weaker and we don't know why."
"You're right. The only reason we won against that beast was because the Heart of Kandrakar came to our rescue."
As if it had heard her, the magic crystal illuminated. It was quickly apparent that the Guardians were being summoned.
"I don't know about you girls, but I want some answers and Kandrakar better have them or else," Will frowned. She clenched her free hands. The others nodded in unison.
"You said it, Will!" Irma said. "After what we've been through today, those bigwigs don't know what's coming from us!"
"Take us to Kandrakar," Will asked, curling her fingers around the crystal pendent. In a flash of brilliant light, the Heart of Kandrakar teleported them through dimensional space, leaving the park empty and half torn up.
To be continued…
Author's note: I came up with this story back in 2007, but wasn't able to finish plotting it out until 2010. Additionally, the writing of this chapter started over a year ago and I wasn't able to finish it until now due to intensive studies at my university.
This story takes place sometimes after the Guardians defeated the White Queen from the Teach 2b W.I.T.C.H. story arc. In the comics, Will no longer has the Heart of Kandrakar because it returned to Yan Lin when she became the new Oracle at the end of the New Power story arc. The Guardians didn't need the Heart to transform or get out of a sticky situation anymore at that point, but it's such an iconic MacGuffin item that I had to bring it back.
I was getting sick of the Guardians' magical school bus. If anything, that hunk of machine IS the MacGuffin object, not the Heart of Kandrakar. Seriously, the bus did NOTHING important in the comics. It didn't even play any role in the defeat against the newer villains before the comic series ended. So say goodbye to the magical students and to Kandor!
Cultural reference: the monster is an ox demon, a type of yokai called an Ushi-oni, and it appears in Japanese folklore and mythology.