Chapter Thirteen: Away with the WICCA Boys
Elyon wept the entire time during the burial. Her niece's sepulture or the sepulture of what was left of her. Avani Escanor wasn't a good person by any means. She was driven insane by life and her mother Zorarose, in the main, but many of the choices she had made herself were dispiritingly wrong too. Perhaps they were greatly owing to all the adversities her mother had chosen for her before Avani killed her.
It didn't matter.
Avani's death was still mind-boggling and cruel and Elyon couldn't help herself.
She cried inconsolably.
First, she had lost her parents before getting to have memories with them. Then her husband Andan. Now she lost her niece too.
The only person matching the straw blonde's grief and maybe even exceeding it was Arel, Beta-Meridian's commander in chief and Avani's lover.
Arel had communicated with Elyon herself for weeks in hopes that something will be found out about his beloved's vanishing.
When the Matchmaker entered the picture and gave them some sort of hope, he had been positive that Avani will make it and will be free of the Eye's claws. Now he was watching her dead body being put to eternal rest and it hurt like hell.
"I want to take a part of her ashes with me, your Majesty."- Arel had said to Elyon through tears. "She loved Beta-Meridian despite everything. She would want to be scattered there."
"A-after the burial rituals on Meridian, I will give you the chance to scatter her ashes."- Elyon had agreed. "I-"
"You can come with me? If you desire."- Arel shrugged dismally. "I...I would want someone from her family to be there for her even now...and since it obviously will never be her father..."
"Thank you, Arel. I will come with you."
Elyon nodded to herself even now, hours later. Her face was pale and damp from tears but she felt anger above it all. Anger for her brother who refused to attend and refused to participate in any of the rituals around his own daughter's funeral service.
"We're here."- a breathless Will Vandom announced and Elyon turned around, surprised.
Will offered a small smile of reassurance and waddled in her place in the dark clothes she wore for the funeral.
"My condolences, Elyon. To you too. Arel, right? I'm sorry, I know what she meant to you. I truly am sorry for what happened to Avani, despite everything she did to me..."- the redhead sighed. "She deserved a fair trial, justice, and a chance to reform in time, not this. Nobody deserves this."
Elyon was too busy looking mildly-said shocked behind Will, where she could clearly see her brother. Phobos was here after all. He was going to pay final respect to his deceased daughter.
A small tear of relief and maybe even an ounce of joy rolled down the Queen's maiden-like cheek.
"Thank you, milady."- Arel said to Will, trying not to look back at the man who he didn't really harbor any good feelings for. "For all that it's worth, my Queen did treat you unfairly yet you display such magnanimity... I'm sure that she appreciates it, wherever she is."
"Will, I have no words to describe how grateful I am, for everything."- Elyon sobbed as the other woman gave her a hug. "You're by our side, like always, even in this delicate matter...you truly are a reincarnation of the nymph."
"Oh, yeah, I'm...something."- Will laughed it off sadly and sniffed. "Definitely not that divine of a thing. Elyon, I haven't done anything special, especially not as of late. You know I'm no longer the full-fledged keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar...But even without it, I trust the voice within and just do as I feel must be done. Avani should be paid respect no matter what wrongs she chose to do while she was alive. What the Eye of God did to her last night was atrocious."- she shook her head. "Absolutely morbid and so wrong. And I will not rest until I debunk their entire existence once and for all."
The rest of Avani's funeral rituals went on in an eye blink. There were some members of Elyon's staff around, guards, maids, and even Galgheita but they all kept their distance.
In the end, Phobos and Elyon were the only ones to remain around the mausoleum where Avani's mortal remains were going to be left for eternity. Another part of them would be spread across Beta-Meridian after their cremation. Last but not least, all that represented the deceased's mind and soul, like some of her favorite personal objects- books, diaries, jewelry, and so on, would be equally divided inside her two mausoleums - one on Meridian and one on Beta-Meridian, as she had been heir to the throne of both realms.
"I had them paint only one portrait of her last summer when she s-spent some time here with me." - Elyon sobbed, tear-filled eyes flowing into the distance. "One portrait... I've only known my niece for a year and she's already gone. She's g-gone..."
"You've introduced photography cameras to Meridian, have you not?"- Phobos mused coldly. "Surely you have a photo of her to help the painters do the portraits precisely, not to mention she has plenty of those in her own castle."
Elyon glared at him through tears.
"Why are you doing this?"- she asked grievously.
No answer. Her brother's eyes were going through the mausoleum before them, cold and empty.
"You're not hurting only me or the people of this realm as you're used to, Phobos."- Elyon spoke to him nonetheless. "This is not the same as it was over twenty years ago when you could take out your frustration and utter dissatisfaction with your own fate on everyone else, by giving them a miserable and dark existence to make their lives at least a tad closer to how devoid you felt yours was."
Phobos turned to her warningly, a glare able to kill.
"This is your daughter we just buried today. Your daughter!"- the Queen nearly screamed, not impressed with his body language. "No matter how much you pretend not to care and how much you shut me and everyone out, this is going to pain, sting, and kill you on the inside and as long as you keep trying to remain indifferent, you will only be making it worse!"
"Thank you for that precise analysis, however, I believe that we're done here."- Phobos hissed in response. "I cannot take your insufferable pusillanimity anymore!"
"Why do you never admit that you need someone to confide in, why do you keep trying to pull yourself down in the debris of your dark past, do you really want to end up like Avani!?"- Elyon screamed again, making him stop. "I don't want that for you! I still care about you; I've never stopped caring about my brother"- she cried. "What has to happen for you to realize that and get over yourself already! We need each other, Phobos, we need-"
"No, you need someone, you need to have a sense of family, that's why you so desperately cling to everything that connects you with our dead parents."- the man growled at her, towering over her with his body. "You are pathetic and revolting, stop smothering me with your obsessive desire to have a fami-"
Elyon slapped him, making him shut up. Despite the height difference and her frail frame, the slap took him by surprise and he almost staggered, looking back at her more astonished than anything:
"You're right."- she whispered. "You're right about that. But I am right about you too, and one day you will admit it, brother. Now I will leave you alone. You need to spend your last private moments with your daughter-"
"DO not tell me what I need and should do!"- Phobos yelled maniacally after her. As usual, she had pulled his strings all the wrong way. "To hell with you and your goddamn kingdom, I never wanted to come here in the first place!"
Elyon stopped and took a deep breath as the tears smothered her.
"I prefer every other place over Meridian because OF YOU! As for Avani, she was a rotten piece of human trash who was definitely my daughter, for she was even fouler and more disturbing than me! But her death is not unanticipated or tragic, just like mine will one day be a ball. Everyone will celebrate the day I die, so why should I now grieve for this maniac girl?"
"Because you are in pain and because it's human."- Elyon replied in a low voice. "Because you're still human, in spite of everything. Because you are capable of love. And love changes your ways for the better every time, your display of love made me regain my fate in you after I lost it once and for all at the Mage Ball almost two years ago."
Words. She was just uttering words but he was feeling bullets. Bullets of silver puncturing his heart with every next statement of Elyon's that had truth to it.
"You loved Leonida, you love Opal and Avani, just like now you love-"
"Don't EVER say it."- the man warned her. "Damn it, sister, don't be this gullible and idiotic again, for the love of all Gods..."
Elyon laughed through tears.
"Why not? Isn't that the only thing you've ever appreciated about me? But not this time, Phobos. Your growing love for Will should change things once and for all. Maybe she will be able to break your shell."
"You actually yearn for this? You encourage this?"- the man sneered and cornered her. "Then you're worse than I thought. How can you be so selfishly hoping for a passionate love between me and the Guardian to change everything and give you the family you've always dreamt of when that will hurt your so-called friends and the Earth knight like nothing before?"
Elyon blinked, puzzled at that. As if the thought hadn't ever sounded like that before.
"Soulmates don't have to be bound by romantic love."- she shook her head as she tried to justify it. "Soulmates can be platonic, you can-"
"Platonic."- Phobos repeated mockingly. "Now you've outdone yourself."
"Wait a minute. Are you attracted to Will like that?"- Elyon exclaimed, almost in disbelief.
No answer. This really agonized her.
"Phobos-"
"I need some time alone with my daughter."- he closed her mouth simply.
Elyon hesitated but slowly went on her way towards the others, who were waiting outside of the cemetery where they couldn't hear or see, what had just gone about by Avani's remains.
"Oh, and Elyon."- he turned to her again. "If you share anything from our unpleasant conversation with anyone, this time they will find a way to kill me. And you will be burying me here, by Avani's side."
"W-what?!"- the blonde gasped. "Who will-"
"Your Earth friends."- her brother replied simply. "On another note, go ahead, perhaps it would be for the best if I'm no more. I'm not afraid to die anymore. And I'm not manipulating you in any way. I'm just confiding in the spirit of all honesty."
Heatherfield
"What the hell were you thinking, for the last time: I am livid! Livid because of you! Working with Phobos behind our backs, on anything, even if using him to get to the Eye's core secrets, which you didn't. Teaming up with Phobos and my sister, bringing them close together when you know he's always after a new power source? I told you before, I'll tell you again, I will not tolerate any more of your obnoxious messes, Nerissa, enough is enough!"
Cornelia's yells echoed in the greenhouse. The greenhouse on her home lot was in the process of emptying- it was spring, after all, coming closer to summer, and almost no plants needed the properties of the large greenhouse. Well. Not that any plants had anything to worry about when under the patronage of the Earth guardian.
But Nerissa wasn't here to admire her daughter-in-law's horticulture. She was called here to get harshly reprimanded and yelled at as if she was a rebelling teenager caught in the act yet again. That had become of her in recent times, under Cornelia's leadership. A wild child. More than ever before.
"Are you even listening to me?!"- Cornelia demanded her attention.
"How could I not, you're as loud as a banshee, my darling-"
"Good."- Cornelia interrupted her pointedly. "But this time get it in your head and let it sink in. Next time you do something as crazy again there will be consequences, I promise you."
Nerissa crossed her arms on her chest but didn't say anything. She didn't intend to repeat herself by explaining that she had glamoured herself as Lillian, and Lillian had glamoured herself as her last night, before coming to the basements of the school, and that if someone was to be in harm's way it would've been her.
But it didn't matter anymore because the Eye had gone back on their word and that was something everyone seemed to blame her for.
"And I'm sorry, you didn't expect that this would happen? What did you actually hope would happen, in the best scenario? That you'd what? Get Avani back, trick them into coming close enough to kidnap one of them?"- Cornelia began again, accusingly. "What did you think when you challenged those nutjobs, huh?!"
"I hoped to make another revelation, through any felicitous opportunity and way I get."- Nerissa snapped. "After all, I did conclude what the Eye of God really want with Heatherfield, didn't I? Your sister! She's the key to dealing with them, how do you expect to defeat them otherwise-"
"NO!"- the blonde seethed. "Keep my sister out of this! She may be what they want but I will not put her in harm's way, I-"
"...I didn't endanger her either, you obstinate girl, I glamoured myself and went out there!"- Nerissa objected and frowned at her. She was starting to seriously get on her nerves.
"I don't care! I don't! It was a terrible plan that flopped, end of discussion! Your plan was horrible! And the fact you didn't' tell any of us about it is twice as horrible!"
"Oh, really, and your plan from last night was elaborate."- the brunette snapped, now seriously irked. "Elaborately idiotic, to be more exact. You really were unable of catching magicless Phobos, even with all odds against him and the energy-polarizing wand you gave Caleb. He defused Will, but you and your guardians couldn't catch up with the prince brat before he came to me and you know why?"
Cornelia's eyes widened in perplexity and then narrowed dangerously.
"Because you don't have the guts to end him once and for all."- Nerissa finished in her face, eyes flashing with haughty sparks and anger.
How dare Cornelia. How dare she criticize her ideas when her own were a failure?
"If you really wanted him go-"
"I'm doing what's necessary, I'm not the one going out of my way and behind the team's back and doing nonsense! That one would be you!"- Cornelia interrupted her. "And Will! You're both going to have to get in line and follow what the group says, understood?"
"Follow your word, you mean?"- Nerissa scoffed and estimated her with a belittling look. "You know what, Cornelia, I had bigger hopes for you. When she reassigned the Heart to you, I thought that we finally have the chance to operate one of the Universe's most powerful talismans the right way but you don't even have a proper connection with it."- Nerissa hissed.
"Shut up!"- Cornelia said through gritted teeth but the other woman went on stubbornly:
"It's been over six months and she just comes and starts pulling the other way again. Will."- the ex-guardian nailed heatedly. "That's because the Nymph and her creatures sense your hesitance and reluctance, even in their deep slumber. You talked about how you didn't want this power and kept blabbing about how you wanted nothing more than to return it to its rightful keeper, AKA Will Phobos-struck Vandom. Well, go ahead. Let her have it now when you know that nothing will make her be like she was before the sidereal bond if you're so clever and magnanimous. But you can't be both this time, can you? "- Nerissa finished in a low taunt. Their eyes met in a heated duel. "Don't criticize me before you've grabbed a hold of yourself and your leadership, missy."
"Not this time you don't."
"What are you doing?!"
Nerissa gasped indignantly as the younger woman pulled her back roughly when she tried to walk past her and leave the greenhouse. She pulled free of her strong grip and glared at her:
"What more do you possibly want to say?"- the dark-haired snapped. "I don't have any more time for your reprehensions! Fine, I will do nothing more on my own, even for the higher good, I will solemnly wait for your orders from now on, happy?"
"Yes, you will."- Cornelia assured her icily. "You will if you know what's best for you. You will be honest, open, and obedient. Not like when you lied to me last time about not having done anything wrong to get hold of those company shares."
Nerissa met her eyes silently and just blinked.
"What."- Cornelia smiled awry. "You thought I wouldn't find out? You think I don't know someone is threatening to expose your past in front of Heatherfield and that's the actual "higher good" you're working for. Why you're willing to throw just about anything under the bus to terminally deal with the Eye of God?"
Silence again. Nerissa just crossed her arms and watched her with sealed lips.
"What?"- Cornelia challenged sarcastically. "No justifications? No clever comebacks? Really? Good. I hope you can keep it that way, monster-in-law. For the higher good. Of our family, especially. My family."- she stressed and raised her chin up. "I'm done babying you, Nerissa. And you're done doing as you please. If we have to talk about this again it would mean that you've taken nothing from this talk and that will have consequences like you've never even imagined during those last two years, I let you do just about everything you wanted to, no matter what it cost us. Because you're Caleb's mother and because his love for you is so unconditional-"
"Yes, it is, as is mine. My love for my son."- Nerissa cut her off. "Don't try to mess with that."
"Oh, I won't."- Cornelia assured her calmly, pleased she had gotten under her skin though. "Hope you won't mess it up on your own too. Because that excuse card, the great love for your son one, is no longer available to you. You've overused it for years to come. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a nail appointment."- she announced before leaving the older woman alone in the greenhouse. "I expect to see you again in three hours after you've completed your personal assistance agenda when we talk to those four kids together with the others. And remember, Nerissa. I am watching you."
Nerissa barely waited for the tall blonde to leave before letting out a roar of frustration and knocking down all the empty pots on one of the tables with her magic:
"Arrogant fool!"- she cursed under her breath. "Who do you think you are?!"- she yelled to the air, now that Cornelia was gone. Not only had she belittled her but she had made her tend her job as an assistant. A personal assistant to Cornelia Hale?! How had she ever deemed that idea a good one. "To patronize me, to disrespect me after everything I've done for you?!"- Nerissa threw another lightning towards the other end of the room, scattering everything around. "You'll pay to me for your forked tongue! Obedience, huh? I'll show you obedience, you little-"
"Glamma?"
And just like that, her anger retreated back abruptly, sinking back into the depths of her soul together with all the other dark feelings. Her small grandson was at the door, looking at her. The great love in her swirled and filled every fiber of her body:
"My dear Killian."- she said softly, lifting him up in her arms and kissing his soft cheek. "It's alright. Glamma's here."
"So, start singing. What's your deal? Why did you do all this shit?"
Irma blew the hair off her face and stared at the four teenagers as sternly as she could. The truth was that it was still mind-boggling to her. Everything that had happened, the way Avani had died in front of their eyes in a matter of seconds. The fact that these thirteen-year-olds had come up with the idea and execution of an actual masked Earth personage "The Matchmaker", managing to interfere not only with the Eye of God but with Meridian as well.
Well, we were their age when we started as guardians and helped an entire planet of people of different races and kinds to fight for their freedom, Taranee reminded her. It's not that uncanny, Irma. Not when magic is involved.
I guess you're right but, girl...These kids literally seem...troubled, I'll give you that.
"We have minor abilities. We were born with them. Studied them as we grew up."- Ian, the dark-haired boy, and spokesperson for the entire group started talking again. It was evident he was terrified and rightfully so; the guardians of Kandrakar had caught him and his friends in the act and had taken them to a remote place and tied them down with magic.
"Our abilities grew stronger around two years ago."- Ian continued. "That's when we realized that...a Heart has come to Earth. A magical Heart."
"Lillian's maturing magnetized their powers."- Taranee nodded to her friends.
"How is it possible you already knew so much about the magical universe?"- Cornelia wanted to know, a skeptic brow rising up. "Did we ever like...have you in the magic bus back when we were still tutoring "special" kids in Heatherfield-"
"They couldn't have, they've been super young back then."- Irma answered instead of the four teens who just nodded.
"I have the ability to communicate with spirits. But not spirits of those who've once lived. Spirits of knowledge."- the dark-skinned kid, Adam, called in hesitantly. "They visited me day after day and night after night. Helped me gain magical knowledge and helped me ensemble our group. A group of special kids."
The guardians and Nerissa exchanged glances. It was bizarre what people out there could do and how Heatherfield just fueled so many magical auras, especially after Lillian's maturing...
"We've all had weird moments with our abilities and when we came together, we wanted to know more."- Coen said. "Adam's spirits of knowledge, my ability to read and write in any language I want...yes, I can do that."- he blushed when Irma stared at him in envy. Had she had this power, French would've never failed her so many times during her school years. But alas, the Heart of Kandrakar had always chosen what they could understand and what they couldn't when it came to foreign languages...
"We found this house last year."- Ian took the word again. "A house that belonged to an alchemist many years ago, you probably know him. Jonathan Ludmoore."- he murmured and the girls just exchanged glances again. These kids really were something. "We used his library to gain even more knowledge and... ideas."
"Because as your powers grew you felt like you were meant for something greater, didn't you? You wanted to play heroes but ended up on the villain spectrum."- Taranee assumed. "Why didn't you seek guidance if you knew we were the guardians like you obviously knew so much else. Why did you have to go overboard like you did and tamper with things you're too young to understand, even with your special talents-"
"Because William joined the group last. And he gave them even more ideas and nerve."
Everyone turned around to see Will entering the dark room, lit only by Taranee's fireballs circling the ceiling. She was still wearing her clothes from Avani's funeral. She had taken some more time to come around, much to Cornelia's distaste, but she was here now and she had novelties to add to the big picture.
"William?"- Hay Lin gasped. "He..."
"He's the fifth one. My brother."- Will nodded grimly. "The W to WICCA. William, Ian, Coen, Casey, and Adam."
Everyone looked at her dismayed.
"Their plan was to take over as the new guardians one day. One day sooner or later. They wanted to do it sooner, obviously. That's why they created rifts between us, exaggerated my relationship with Phobos, and would have been more than happy to help me and him disappear. I was a problem because I am still attached to the Heart but by betraying you for Phobos maybe it would've opened itself more to Cornelia. Maybe. That's what the kids believe anyway. I had to be gone, you see. So, they could then divide you and trick Cornelia into passing the Heart because it would be easier that way. I'm sorry, Cornelia, I'm actually quoting my brother on that."
"He told you all that?!"- Cornelia exclaimed, taken aback. "But why did he betray us?! Betrayed you, you're his sister, you love him more than-"
"Way to empathize like a cordial soul, Cordelia."- Irma interrupted her snidely and rushed by Will's side, giving her a big bear hug. "Babe, I'm so sorry-"
"No, it's alright."- Will assured them, holding the Latina tight. "I realize how it is. I had my suspicions when Matt told me last night William just bailed on everyone during the power outage and the Eye horror, going home. At least he said he did to our parents; Matt followed him going to, well, guess-guess- Ludmoore's house. I caught Billy trying to find a spell or magical way to help his friends escape. I cornered him and he spilled it all. I just...knew something was up with him. I just wish it wasn't like that."
"Bill did have seconds thoughts most out of all of us."- Casey, the trans boy, dared to say. "If that's of any comfort to you...he didn't want to physically hurt anyone."
"Thank you, Casey, but it really isn't."- the redhead sighed, tired brown eyes flowing into the distance.
"I can't believe you wanted to steal our powers, you little gremlins! Our magic! Your generation is wicked!"- Irma raised her finger at the teens, making Coen roll his eyes:
"As if we're the first one to attempt it."- he pointed out. "Girl. At least we didn't try to kill you!"
Irma raised her eyebrows at him, putting her hand on her waist:
"OK, Mr. Sassy, I-"
"This is not even remotely funny."- Cornelia cut them both off, scalding the slightly uplifted, even if for just a moment, mood with her grounded realism. "What you five did is still a crime. You're going to get punished for your actions. You're despicable and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!"- she yelled at Ian and the others, making them lower their heads, not so much because they were truly ashamed but because she scared them...
"I'm sorry, girls."- the redhead murmured, looking down in her turn. "I disappointed you. My brother did too."
"No, Will, you're wrong."- Taranee said seriously. "You helped get to the real things fast. And you will help William reform, we'll support you in that, it's still not too late for him or his friends."
"Will, don't say that, please."- Hay Lin cried. "Tara is right. And you? You're a gem, you helped us so much again. You and Matt did...otherwise even with my power they could've hidden their truth if we didn't ask all the right questions-"
"Which we still haven't."- Nerissa interfered, standing up.
"Why did you create the Matchmaker to throw us off and what did you little miscreants do to get the Eye after you."- she demanded imposingly, facing the four teens with intimidating authority.
"I'd like to know how you got those magic beans as well."- Cornelia folded her arms on her chest, glaring at the four.
"Umm."- Will raised her hand almost awkwardly as if to answer a teacher's question. "William stole some from Beta-Meridian, actually. Avani had a few and he used the opportunity when the Eye hijacked her... Phobos helped me realize it and William confessed after that..."
Cornelia narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything. She was still too frustrated with Will to be friendly again, even if deep down she just wanted to hug her real tight.
"The Eye had caught wind of who the Heart of Earth was before us."- Adam admitted. "It didn't take them long to notice us too, even though we were careful...We got threats at first. Then they tried to get to us through physical attacks. When we blocked them with our powers they resorted to blackmail. Somehow, they found out everything about us down to the last detail... they wanted us to willingly join them or they'd expose us in front of the city and they'd have proof for it."
"That's why we created the Matchmaker. Casey and I both wore the costume! We wanted to string you guys because we were growing desperate."- Coen exclaimed. "It wasn't our smartest move but we just wanted to fling back at those monsters and get them in trouble for a change!"
"We're sorry."- Ian said, looking at his friends.
"We just wanted to be special."- Casey muttered. "Magical and worthy..."
"What is going to happen to us now?"
Will and her friends looked at each other. That was a very good question no one yet had a proper answer to.
"Do you feel bad? I feel sad. I feel sad for them. I don't know..."- Irma kept blabbing, a few hours later, drowning down her third glass of white wine. "They were pretty messed up but they're kids...we were kids. I'm just sad, you know. Hey, do you think it's possible for the next guardian generation to be just boys? Shit, just thinking about a next generation makes me sad..."
"Go to bed, Irma."- Cornelia advised her and pulled the blinds.
"I've been meaning to."- Irma puffed, stretching out on the sofa lazily, wine glass still in her hand. "Most nights I just spend here. When I'm alone, of course..."
"Good job, waste the precious space of a three-bedroom apartment like that."- Cornelia rolled her eyes. "I'm kidding, I told you, you can stay here as long as you want and do whatever. Even forever. My grandmother bought this apartment as a gift for me first. Then, when I gave it to Lillian to convince my parents to help me and Caleb out with the big house, I just forgot about it. Forgot I even still had a key but obviously, Lillian forgot as well. She's soo spoiled."- Cornelia pushed her long hair behind her ears before picking up the rest of the dirty dishes. Irma was too wasted to help her out.
The two of them and the rest of the girls had an indoor night with dinner and wine, something they hadn't done in a while together with Will if she didn't count her Birthday weekend that had been defiled. Tonight had actually been nice. A welcome change of atmosphere and mood. She had been reluctant at first but was now glad they had done it. Three sweet hours of girl time and no dealing with pure evil or life drama.
"Thanks, babe, but I will be getting my own place."- Irma groaned, struggling to get herself up and to the bedroom. "Eventually...just need some... sleep first. And maybe some VMJ cock."
Cornelia rolled her eyes again and helped her friend to the bed.
She woke up to the doorbell; it was already morning. Cornelia groaned as she rose from the bed.
Irma had just refused to stop talking last night- about Will and Phobos, about the WICCA boys and their fate, about Vance Michael and so on, and so on, and at the end, they had both just fallen asleep. Irma was still sleeping, oblivious to the ringing on the entrance door.
Cornelia fixed the cleavage of her satin top and put on her jeans from the previous night before going to see who was insisting so much, pushing the doorbell. She glanced at her phone on the way to the door. It was almost 10 AM and she had messages from Caleb.
She was just letting him know that she was awake, as she had warned him she might spend the night here a couple of hours ago, before opening with a swing:
"Excuse me, Irma? Is Irma Lair around? I was told she lives here now?"
"Yes, she does, she's just not available right now. Whom should I take a message from?"- Cornelia threw a look behind herself, flipping her long hair to the back before finally looking at the woman on the threshold.
The woman that faced her was most probably between 45 and 50 agewise, about 5'2, slim as a stick, short ash blonde hair put up in a small casual ponytail. She wore ordinary clothes- brown pants and a dark green cardigan, and had thick glasses:
"Cornelia, it's you, isn't it?"- the woman suddenly recognized her. "Cornelia Hale?"
"Yes..."- Cornelia trailed, still confused. Or maybe her brain was still addled from the sleep. Either way, she had to know. "I'm sorry but I don't recall you, are you-"
"Of course, you don't, you haven't seen me in years. I'm Mara."- the woman finally introduced herself nervously playing with the pearls around her neck. "Mara Tubbs."
Cornelia's smile dropped. Now everything was coming into its place:
"Well, in that case, you must be Martin's mom."- she noted, folding her arms on her chest, immediately growing more reserved.
"Yes, I-"
"I'm sorry, Mara, my solidarity doesn't allow me to let you talk to Irma about anything, and my offer to take a message for her stands no more. Your son and my friend broke up and she doesn't want to have anything to do with him or you."
"No, wait, please!"- Mara cried, desperately trying to keep the door open. "I understand that, I really do, I don't wish to be obnoxious or even discuss their failed relationship, I just wanted to ask Irma when was the last time she heard from Martin. I'm asking because my son is missing, Cornelia."- the woman whispered.
Cornelia immediately felt her stomach turn. Martin was missing? Could this be a deed of the Eye? After what they had done with Avani it was only logical.
I should've offered him protection from them, the blonde thought. Ugh, but I was so angry he shat over us like that! As guardian leader I had to be more objective...but Hay Lin wanted to talk to him and he couldn't be reached, right? That's right, just before my Birthday; she did mention it. So, this can't be our fault...
"Please. You went to school together. You know he's not a b-bad guy despite whatever has happened between him and Irma. I just want to find him, that's all."- Mara tore her away from her inner turmoil.
Cornelia could only look down at her almost guiltily. Confused and agitated by the news, and the Heart, hidden in her cleavage wasn't helping. It started going berserk again, thankfully sparing them the usual lights show.
"We haven't heard from your son in weeks. None of us have, Irma included."- Cornelia said, trying to suppress the daunting feeling inside her. "He might've skipped town, I don't know. I'm sorry, but my best advice is to file a missing person's report- "
"But I already did! I talked to Irma's dad and he suggested I come talk to her too."- Mara exclaimed to Cornelia's dismay. "They were intimate after all, my Martin and she."- the woman said with a sad smile as if the subject still meant a lot to her. Her son's first real girlfriend. It had to be something, especially for a kid like Martin who had often been weaker, bullied, and unappreciated by many.
Cornelia didn't want to think about that because she was getting light-headed. She had never been Martin's biggest fan herself during their school years, especially, but she still felt terrible for everything. She was a little ashamed to admit she had always looked down on him as a creep and a loser, something which he had unfortunately manifested for real, years later. Especially the creep part...
"Maybe she knows something more than she has initially shared- "
"Corny? What's happening?"
It was Irma. She showed up in the hallway in her old black and blue Karmilla shirt that barely covered her panties.
"Oh, Irma, our sweet passion patty!"- the older woman exclaimed emotionally when she saw her.
"Mara?"- the water guardian exclaimed in response once she made note of who Cornelia had been talking to.
"Will, I don't understand, why did you insist so much?"- Susan exclaimed again, throwing an unsure glance down the street where the bus waited. "Your brother just got back to a more normal state of mind, this trip you signed him up for is-"
"It's extremely important for him, mom. Trust me. He and his friends need to take that trip, don't take it from me, the PTA advised it. Right, Matt?"
Will turned to her boyfriend in hope and he delivered as always, nodding with an encouraging smile. Will smiled weakly in response.
The truth was it was nothing like that. The trip she had "signed" William up for was actually a reforming program by Kandrakar that the other four WICCA members were going to be taking as well.
The Council had decided that given their young age and magical abilities, the WICCA boys deserved a new chance to set things right and hence they were personally taking care of it.
The bus was the same magical school bus the girls had worked with in their teens, only now glamoured as an ordinary one. It was going to take William and the other four to the Fortress of Infinity.
Halinor just hadn't wanted to use Kandrakar's magic on Susan and Dean out of her personal cordiality and sympathy for them. Something which Will appreciated and didn't at the same time because, at the end of the day, it only made it harder for her, trying to convince her parents on her own. Still and all, she had managed. William was being sent away.
"The PTA advised it."- Susan murmured again, shoulders going up in tension. "This means they think he has a problem. They still do."- she sighed; her voice soaked in shame. "God, Will, don't sugar-coat for me, I know how it is. And the other kids in the bus, did they misbehave as well?"
"You can say that."- Will nodded almost sarcastically. "But don't worry, this is just a formality. After all, Matt wants the best for William and so do I, that's why we insisted on this, mom."
"That's right, Susan, don't worry."- Matt interfered, throwing reassuring arms around both mother and daughter's shoulders. "All of this will be done and forgotten by the time Billy gets back, and all his behavior issues will be a thing of the past. He'll have a normal life just like all of us did."
Will smirked at that as Matt winked at her. What a line. Really, how normal had any of them lived? It was like an inside joke. It didn't mean they had a bad time; it was just that normal wasn't a thing when connected to Kandrakar and William was...
"I know, Matt. I trust you."- Susan said in the end. "If you think this is the best decision, then so do I."
Will felt a strange mixture of emotions again and looked down. Just how much Matt meant to her family and how much Susan loved him. He was always there for them. Always had been, supporting them with everything he could, every step of the way. He deserved nothing but the best, and what was she doing to him? She was making him feel miserable day by day, ever since she disappeared last fall.
Their eyes met again and he gave her another encouraging look. They were going to work out everything between them, he had promised. They were going to go through the hardships like they always did but would they still be together to celebrate the first day after it was all over? Will didn't know that and it honestly made her feel disgusted with herself.
The bus took another turn, heading for a more secluded road area, most surely to be able to go through a portal unseen.
"I knew it. It was all a trick. She won't come for us, will she?"- Ian growled silently looking at his friends. "She threw us under the bus and is now free to move on. She just wanted to throw them off!"
William made them a sign to keep it down, throwing a look over his shoulder to make sure the driver couldn't hear them.
"There was nothing we could do about it, hot stuff."- Coen snapped. He was especially irritated with how light-handedly the all-powerful conveyors of Kandrakar's will had dealt with them. Like they were a rodent infestation. Even that would've taken up more time.
"We could've told them everything."- Casey pointed out. "What do we have to lose now? It's not too late. We can talk to the people up there in... K-kandrakar-"
"Shut up already, Casey."- Coen cut him off.
"Why, we're clearly not getting out of this either way! I'd rather not see someone else profit at our expense!"
"Don't worry, once they wipe out our memories, even if you see it with your own two eyes, you won't realize it's happening."- Adam pointed out. "Reforming program. I know what they mean by that."
"Let them, I don't care anymore."- Coen threw his legs up on the neighbor seat. "We're never going to get out hands on the Heart of Kandrakar anyway. We're just some dumb kids who can't fight with a horde of magical bitches."
"Don't forget the Eye of God."- Casey added and shook his head. Maybe Coen was right. Maybe they weren't made for this.
"Look at yourselves, you're just giving up?"- Ian exclaimed angrily. "You're cowards!"
"Guys, give her more time to come round."- William stopped his friends and made them a warning sign. They would ruin everything if they started fighting now. "She's not an idiot. She realizes that we can tell Kandrakar the truth before they've wiped our memories if she just leaves us for dead. She'll come for us. I know she will."
And as if to prove his words, the bus was suddenly overtaken by a strong green flame-like energy. The kids screamed as everything turned around and the driver, although a Kandrakar elder, had little to no time to gasp before he was knocked out cold. Whoever had just shot their magic at them had been waiting in ambush, and William Collins already knew.
When he blinked again and the bus was on four wheels again, opening its door to let her in, he was the only one to greet her on his feet:
"Well, what do you know, William. You are all grown up."
The real Matchmaker almost mocked as she entered the vehicle in her signature attire. The others, even Ian, hid behind William in fear but he remained unbudging.
"Still, not grown enough to know what's best for you. Of course, you little dimwits counted on me to rescue you but you're right. I wouldn't be doing it if there wasn't the possibility, that you'd out me because you are and always will be just an outlandish obstacle that somehow got in my way- "
"Aren't you tired of that ugly weird costume?"- William interrupted her much to her distaste. "It makes you look dumb, is dumb and very plain too."
"And since when are you so smart."- the Matchmaker mocked.
"You broke our pact. You ratted me out to my sister and the others."- William said in a sinister tone that shocked even his friends.
"I didn't rat you out, you ratted yourself-"
"Because of you."- he cut her off again. "Because of your false promises. And now you have to audacity to come here and do what? Oh, I know. You plan to erase our memories yourself, right? So, that we can't say anything in front of the people in Kandrakar, even if we wanted to."
"You go, brave guy."- Ian whispered encouragingly.
"Read her to filth!"- Coen said a little too loudly making the already annoyed Matchmaker spitefully snap at them:
"Enough! I do not have time for this! I do not have time for you! You're just a bunch of stupid magical kids, I own you all! You should be grateful I'm just going to make you forget the whole thing, sparing you. I could do much worse if I wanted to, so watch your tone when you address me!"
"Like you killed Avani off?"- William challenged again, relentless. His friends stared at him in awe. "Because she was part of the pact as well, even before me. And she could out you as well. Your Majesty."
"I did NOT!"- the masked woman spat. "The Eye killed her, I had nothing to do with her death or her kidnapping!"
The teen shook his shabby head slowly.
"I'm not so sure anymore."
The Matchmaker was livid. With one wave of her hand, she bound the screaming teens to each other, with energy ropes that prevented their every move.
"Don't you talk to me about the pact, you glib skunk! It only had to come to existence because you two kept getting in my way. I had hopes for Avani but she failed me. You, I never wanted to have anything to do with you, but I let you in on the plan because you were supposed to be useful. Because you promised me but turned against me real quick, am I wrong, dummy? I made the rules, I hold the reins!"- the woman yelled. "You shouldn't expect to be treated as an equal when you're just a little backstabber who turned on his sister!"
William laughed at that. He laughed again and again to her dismay:
"I turned on my sister? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."
"B-billy?"- Casey began, confused but also suddenly realizing. "Do you know who's under that mask...you talk like you do."
"A lot."- Coen agreed.
William just smiled darkly.
That was it, the Matchmaker knew, and immediately made the other four fall asleep with a tremble of her finger.
"Listen to me very carefully."- she breathed hard.
It would've been a great horror scene if it were a movie. The derailed bus, the sun almost completely down for the day, the faceless neoprene figure threatening five teenagers with her mystic powers...and still, William Collins's dismaying unconcern managed to horrify the said figure more and more, with every passing minute they spent near.
"...Just because you're her brother, because you're stronger than your friends, doesn't mean that you're strong enough to fight me."- the Matchmaker growled, faceless mask in the teen's face. Her glove-covered hand clutched his jaw roughly. "So, don't try me! I warn you for the last time, you little psycho!"
"Then don't try to cross me out so cheaply."- William replied, pulling free from her grip. "Because even with all your great power, you can't. I am part of the pact. I want to be treated as such. Or you'll never have what you want to get your hands on. I'll make sure of it."
"Let's see you try when you don't remember anything about the goddamn pact!"- the woman snapped. "God, I should've burnt the memory from your mind long ago instead of putting up with your shit!"
"Yes, you should've, because now even if you do, it will be pointless."
The Matchmaker turned around again, glaring at the boy and his sly face:
"What do you mean by that?"- she said through gritted teeth.
"Help me and my friends like you promised and maybe."- the young Collins smile awry. "Maybe then nobody will find out what I've known all along. But if you mess with my memories the memory stone, I left back home will automatically reveal itself to my sister and her friends. Yes, I have Prince Phobos to thank for the lesson on that."- William threatened to the stunned Matchmaker's face. "It's your call, oh powerful one."
care to leave a comment? thanks, guys, hope you liked this chapter. see u in the next one :))