Author Note: A change has come to this chapter. I want to reduce the amount of unnecessary fat in this story and decided to cut, edit, and remove some chapters to make the story more clear and clean. If anyone has a problem with this, I'm sorry.
Jim and I exit out of the portal to an underground cavern. The portal closed behind us, and some of our friends looked around in confusion while others looked amazed, including Mary and Darci.
"Wow!" She says, looking over her head. "You guys really need to see this."
We all look up to a ceiling cavern of stone with colorful gems surrounding us, shining in the darkness. I sigh, remembering the good moments traveling with the trolls and the times I've spent in Heartstone.
"I've seen this in documentaries but never imagined seeing this in my life," Darci adds, transfixed. "Claire, did you see this e every day last summer?"
I sigh and look down. "Yes," I hiss, frowning. Aside from Jim's loving arms around me, the gemstones were the only thing that gave me peace.
"Sorry, I forgot." Darci sighs, looking ashamed. "You don't like talking about it."
"This looked like what Heartstone was." Toby comments, lightening up the mood. He showed Darci videos and pictures of Heartstone on his phone. Darci was amazed and wished she could visit, but when we reminded her that Heartstone was destroyed, she felt embarrassed.
"Claire, where did you exactly send us?" Zoe asks, changing the topic completely.
"I don't know. Before opening the portal, I thought of a castle, but it doesn't seem it worked."
"That's unusual," Toby says, confused.
"How about that castle?" Steve asks, pointing to something behind us. We turned around, and my eyes widened, seeing a huge, dark but beautiful architectural castle in front of us.
"Whoa!" Aja gasps, taking a step back. "That castle is as big as me and Krel's back home."
"How is it down here?" Blinky asks, staring at the castle in curiosity.
"What could be inside?" Nari asks, curious, too.
"Then let's check it out," Douxie replies and walks towards the castle.
We follow him to the door, and he examines it briefly before trying to open it, but it doesn't work. He tries to use an unlock spell, but when his magic hits the door, it glows purple and shoots his attack back, making us duck for cover.
"What the hell was that?!" Mary shouts.
"Who or whatever is behind that door; they seem to have a good and secure security system." Douxie groans as we all get up from the ground.
I look towards the door and notice a circular shape engraved in the center of the door. It's small, but it could fit-
"Use your necklace; it is the key."
I look down at my necklace, and it glows. I get up and look back up to the keyhole. "Let me try to open it," I say.
"Go ahead, but don't try to make it hit us again." Archie hisses.
I roll my eyes and walk to the door. I take a deep breath, take off my necklace, and place it in the keyhole. Like what happened to the hidden door at the Manor, the door glows purple, and Celtic symbols spread across the entrance, outlining the doors. My necklace flies back to me, and the doors open themselves, making a warm breeze flow through my hair. I close my eyes and hear my mother's lullaby, sung softly by the siren's voice in my ear.
"How-How did you do that? How did you know how to open the door?" Douxie asks, stunned.
I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know. I just...did." I tried to reply with what I could, turning my head to him. "Come on. We have to find what's in here." I say more determined.
"Claire."
I turn around to the castle and sense someone waiting for me.
"Come to me. Come to me."
My friends and I walked into the castle and became mesmerized by the castle's interior when entering through the doors. It might be all shades of grey, dark blue, and purple, but the atmosphere looks like you're in outer space or—sight sparkles of light and mixed shades of colors. On the outside, the castle looked scary, but on the inside, it looked beautiful. This place seems like it's something not of this world but is natural and beautiful. I've been to a castle before, but this is grander than Camelot Castle, which says a lot, and it's surprisingly warm for being underground. I sense something is watching us. A loud noise and a giant whisk of wind make us all jump. I quickly turn around on my heel and find the massive door shut and locked. AAARRRGGHH! gets mad and hits the door, but it glows purple again, making him groan in pain.
"Wingman!" Toby shouts and rushes to AAARRRGGHH!'s side.
"What the hell is this place?" Mary squeaks, trembling in fear.
"Looks like someone knows we're here," Douxie whispers.
Krel pulls out a scanner device and comes up with a perimeter and grid of the castle. "According to my sources, I detect something but no life forms in the castle."
"Well, that's good," Toby replies sarcastically, but I hear the worry in his voice.
Then, the siren's voice whispers, echoing against the walls, sending a shiver up our spines.
"What was that?" Darci asks timidly, trembling.
"Claire. Come to me. It's alright."
I smile. "It's that voice!" I say, and my necklace starts glowing brighter.
"You mean the voice you claim to hear?" Steve asks, acting in his usual 'scary cat' tone.
"Wait, you hear it too?" I ask in shock, turning to my friends. So I'm not crazy.
"Claire, come to me. Come. I am here."
It comes to my left. I turn in that direction and hear the voice again. Every inch of me is trembling. I'm so desperate. I'm desperate to find the voice that's been torturing me and begging for something, but it did sing my lullaby when I needed it and gave me some advice.
"Follow the wolf as black as night. She will guide you to me."
My pendant glows brighter and I knee down to my familiar's level. "Nymeria, do you know where we need to go?" I ask nervously. She doesn't react until I whisper what I said in my dreams. "I'm kinda lost."
She nods her head and smiles. "Yes! Follow me." And walks forward.
"Are you sure we should follow a voice and a wolf?" Steve asks worryingly.
"Nymeria is my familiar, and I trust her. So if anyone wants to stay behind or come along, you can, and I won't focus on you." I reply before walking to catch up with Nymeria; everyone immediately follows me. Steve yelps, and I look backward, and he rushes to us and looks scared. I roll my eyes and continue walking.
"This place looks beautiful and scary simultaneously," Zoe notes.
"Same." The majority of my friends reply.
"I wonder what we're looking for again?" Aja asks.
"Something to help us defeat the Arcane Order," Douxie hissed, wanting this not to be for nothing, but I sensed something else was here, and it was for me.
We walked through hallways and corners as I looked up at the ceiling. I would fall fast asleep if this were on my bedroom ceiling. After walking awhile, Nymeria looks at a giant metal door and nudges my arm to the knob. I look at the door, which seems medieval-like, old, and slightly smaller than the door outside the castle. I turn my head to Nymeria, and she gestures to the door. I turn back to the door, my heart skipping a beat. This is it. This is what I've been waiting for a while, probably my whole life: discovering who I am. My pendant glows bright again. I touch the door, and the magic of my necklace flows like water from my chest to the wood. I take a deep breath and use all my strength to push the door open.
"Whoa!" We say, eyes widening and mouths open.
We entered the most enormous room I had ever seen. It's almost as big as the arena of Heartstone Trollmarket. The ceiling is about 50 feet high with the same starry night atmosphere. There are bookshelves, paintings, and items of different colors everywhere. I look down and the floor is a vast astronomical map, moving slightly. There are couches and a fireplace in the corner of the room. An expansive window reaches from the ground to the ceiling on one side of the room, looking out to the outside, and a glass door also leads outside.
"This place is so beautiful!" Darci comments as we walk inside.
I hear a slight jingle and turn to a little spark of blue light fly to me, becoming slightly bigger as it comes closer. It circles me, and I notice it's more than a ball of light. It's somewhat bigger than a pixie, and I see a pair of wings. It stops in front of me, and I smile with joy inside.
"What is that?" Nari asks curiously.
"It's a fairy," I mumble. I can't believe what I'm seeing. It looks like a tiny human. It is exactly like in the stories and mythologies I read when I was little but real.
"That can't be possible. They were supposed to be extinct. How is one here?" Toby says before the fairy flies away.
"Claire."
My pendant glows again. I slowly turn around, and a spark of my magic jumps out of my chest, making me gasp and almost lose my balance. The spark falls into the ground, and a ghostly apparition of a woman in a purple 12th-century-style dress and a beautiful diamond diadem on her head appears before me. I freeze, seeing an almost identical version of my mom: same height, eye and hair color, and even the same face shape.
"Hello, Claire!" She says softly and sweetly, smiling happily.
I stare at her, stunned she knows my name. I gulp and find my voice. "Hel-hello," I reply sheepishly, making her smile grow wider. "Are you, my ancestor, Veronica of Galot?" I ask, sounding stupid as it comes out of my mouth.
She nods her head. "Yes! I'm so happy to finally meet you, Claire Nuñez. I've been watching you for a long time." She replies. "You were such an adorable baby."
My eyes widened, and I felt myself spinning with butterflies in my stomach. It's her. It's really her. The woman who was credited for my family line. The woman who has been bugging me for the past month. She's here, and I'm standing in front of her. I snap out of my trance."It's you! It's really you!"
Veronica chuckles. "Yes, my dear. I see you and your companions have gone a long way just for me."
"Yeah, well, actually, you led Claire to find you, and it didn't take us less than a day," Steve says, making me turn to him with a death glare.
"Steve!" Aja hisses and hits her boyfriend in the back, making him yelp.
"I'm so sorry for my friend's rudeness." I apologize to Veronica.
"It's no need to worry, my dear. I haven't had this much company in a long time and find your friend amusing." She replies reassuringly, calming me down. To make it easier, everyone introduces themselves to her. "It's very nice to meet you all. Thank you for helping Claire come to me and follow her on this journey. If you're already tired, my fairies will lead each of you to your chambers." Veronica reassures us.
More fairies come out and fly around us. "How are there fairies here? I thought they were extinct after the war between them and the pixies." Blinky asks before a fairy lands on his head.
"I've always believed in fairies and have hoped to see one since I was a child. I found a few outside of the castle about 700 years ago who looked terrified. I was so lonely and sad for them that I let them in. Slowly, they reproduced and multiplied throughout the centuries, and I became attached to them. Soon, I could communicate with the fairies and figure out what had happened to them. They were running from the pixies, who destroyed their home. They are the only fairies left in the world as I know of." Veronica explains.
Darci giggles as a yellow fairy flies around her. "They're so beautiful and adorable."
"Yes, fairies are beautiful, but be kind and gentle with them as they're also sneaky. If you do, they will reward you." Veronica warns her.
As she said, a fairy chose one of my friends and guided them to their rooms, but Veronica led Jim and me to our rooms. Blinky and AAARRRGGHH! have their place comfortably underneath the castle's main floor. The rest of us stay at the higher parts of the castle. After walking through the halls, Veronica, Jim, and I arrive at a door.
"This is your room, Claire," Veronica says and swipes the door, opening it.
My eyes widen in amazement. This is an enormous bedroom than the others, and it looks like something out of a fairytale. "Wow! Thank you!" I reply, keeping my eyes fixed on what's in front of me.
"It's the biggest room in the castle. Bigger than mine. A room fit for a princess." Veronica says, catching my attention. "Now, Jim." She states, making him look at her. "I have another room for you."
I grab Jim's hand and squeeze it. After everything that happened in this short amount of time, I can't imagine sleeping alone. Jim gives me comfort, warmth, and security.
Jim turns to me and smiles. "If you don't mind, I want to stay with Claire." He replies to Veronica confidently, squeezing my hand back.
Instead of shock or hesitation, she smiles. "Alright then! Come downstairs when you're ready. The fairies will help guide you to where we were so you don't get lost." She says. "These walls can get a little... confusing and funny." Before walking away.
Jim and I enter the room. We place our stuff down, and Jim jumps onto the bed, which is king-size. The room doesn't look like mine or his but does take some elements that relax us. The ceiling is exactly like the outside. The area looks like an actual royal bedroom in a castle in a medieval fashion. The colors are blue, purple, and white and are lighter than the castle's other rooms. A fireplace, bookshelves, a desk, a couch, and a giant window give a view outside. I walk to look at the view and notice a door knob on the glass. I turn it, and it opens to an outside balcony, letting me see the full view of the caverns. Beautiful rocks, crystals, and giant gems are around. "I could get used to a view like this." I sigh.
"Me too," Jim replies.
I turn around to Jim sits up on the edge of the bed, looking at me. I walk back inside and notice a smirk on his face, giving me an elevator look and making me suspicious. "What?" I ask, smirking back and crossing my arms.
"Nothing."
I don't take that and jump on him, tackling him to the bed. We start a tickle fight, laughing while rolling around, playfully wrestling each other, but Jim is slightly stronger and gets the upper hand by getting on top of me, tickling my waist and stomach, knowing it's one of my most sensitive areas from his touch. His fingers are like spider legs. Even the slightest touch makes me shiver when I don't expect it. "Jim... Stop... I give in... stop... I surrender..." I laugh between breaths, squirming. I laugh so hard that water comes to my eyes, and I turn my head away. My body grows warm as Jim's fingers explore my waist. Soon enough, he stops, letting me sigh in relief and catch my breath. Jim gets off and lays down but captures me in his arms, pulling me closer. "Why did you do that?" I ask curiously, laughing as I take a breath.
Jim smirks. "I just wanted to have some fun after what happened yesterday." He replies.
"And tickling me would be the best way to have fun," I say, smirking and raising an eyebrow.
Jim leans in and presses his body against mine, making me blush. "You tackled me! You deserve that." He says confidently, almost to the point of sounding cocky. "And admit it, you know you loved it."
I bite my lip and glance down for a moment. He's right. "Yeah," I admit. I looked at him, and we kissed. Jim leans in, pressing his lips against mine as he gets on top of me. Jim gently sucks my lower lip, and I open my mouth, letting our tongues touch, passionately kissing. I shiver as his hand gently traces up my thigh.
"Jim, we need to go to our friends, who are downstairs." I laugh, breaking our kiss.
"Do we have to?" He whines. This draws me back. Did Jim just complain he doesn't want to stop?
"I know, but we shouldn't worry our friends and go to them," I reply.
"Alright!" He groans and pulls away. "But I want to spend some quality time with my girlfriend."
"Is there something you want to talk about?" I wonder, teasing him.
Jim glances down, blushing. "Yeah. It's about furthering our relationship again, and I know I shouldn't bring it up with the situation we're in right now." He admits.
"No. Of course, we can talk about this despite the situation." I reassure him.
"And better, we have a bedroom together," Jim says softly but confidently, making me blush.
I get off the bed, and as I open the door, I'm greeted by an orange fairy. "Why, hello!" I softly say, smiling.
"That must be the fairy Veronica was talking about," Jim says behind me.
The fairy gestures for us to follow, and we walk, holding each other's hands. Veronica was right. The castle walls confuse me everywhere I look and where we turn, but I notice something familiar in one of the hallways we walk into. It's like I've walked in it before. I hear the distant crying of a baby and stop, looking around.
"Are you ok?" Jim asks with concern.
The crying stops. "I thought I heard something. These walls feel funny but familiar." I reply, still looking around, waiting for the sound again.
"Yeah. This castle feels both haunting and beautiful." Jim seems to agree, but he doesn't know what I mean.
I shrugged it off, and we continued following the fairy to the room we were in before, where all our friends were waiting and hanging out with each other.
"Aww, there are the two love birds!" Steve calls out, pointing at us, embarrassing Jim and me. "It was about time you two showed up!"
"We got lost in the castle." Jim lies.
"Don't be rude to my granddaughter and her boyfriend," Veronica says sternly, walking toward us.
"Wait? Granddaughter?" Krel asks in confusion. "Then that means you and Claire are about..."
"900 years apart." She answers.
"Yes! That's about..." Krel thinks, twiddling his fingers and looking into space. "39 generations apart."
"Good math. I'm assuming you're the smart one in this group." She jokes, making Krel blush.
"Your 39th great-grandmother is a kind and amusing woman." He says, looking at me, and this time, making Veronica become flustered.
I laugh and turn my head to notice Douxie, who appears agitated, next to Zoe, who looks worried.
"Douxie, what's wrong?" Veronica asks, making him fix his posture.
"Veronica, we are on a mission to defeat a threat called The Arcane Order. They are chasing us, and I hope you can help us or have something to defeat them." He says clearly to her.
She sighs and shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't have what you are looking for. I can provide shelter from them and a place to prepare for the battle. Follow me." She says calmly.
We follow Veronica through the castle halls with some fairies following us. Veronica leads us to a door, which opens by itself and reveals a giant arena, half as big as Arcadia Heartstone Trollmarket's arena.
"Whoa!" Toby says in amazement. "How big is this castle?"
"As big as I want it to be. It was this way when I woke up here."
"But the perimeter doesn't fit the size of this arena," Krel states, showing the castle grid on his hand-held device.
"I thought that too, but this castle changes before I can't even figure out how big it is. So what's on your device would be the same one day and different the next." Veronica replies.
"How is that possible?" Aja asks, confused.
Veronica shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not sure how to answer that properly."
"Whether or not this is a good place for us to train," Jim says, changing the subject.
"I also have a trick to show you," Veronica says, drawing our attention to her. She takes a deep breath, and a purple glow appears in her palm. Suddenly, the walls and ground glow purple within the trimming, showing Celtic symbols and designs around us. Above our heads, stars appear, and the air is like we're in outer space. After only being in this castle for less than a full day, Veronica has a passion for astronomy, as everything around us associates with that concept.
"You're a witch?" I ask in surprise.
"Yes, and this castle holds many secrets I don't know of, but from what you did, it will help you and Nari fight off the threats coming your way, but a curse seals this magic. The only way you can use it is to break the curse."
"What is this curse?" Nari asks curiously.
"I'm not sure. All I know is that it's restricted my, and by extension, Claire's magic."
"Wait, there's more to Claire's magic?" Douxie asks, confused and shocked.
"Why so surprised, Douxie?" Zoe says teasingly. "We all know Claire is more than what she is, and that's why the Arcane Order is after her."
"Zoe!" Jim hisses.
"Oh!" Veronica gasps. "Is that the reason why you're here?" She asks with worry.
"Yes, but we also need to defeat the Arcane Order before they take Nari and use her to open the Genesis Seals and destroy and 'recreate' the world and maybe even the universe." I correct before Nari grabs my arm tightly, feeling her tremble.
"Actually, the Arcane Order wants Claire and me to break the Genesis Seals." Nari mumbles but is loud enough to catch everyone's ear.
"What?!" They all shout, looking at her.
"You knew why they were chasing Claire down and didn't share it with us?" Douxie asks, stunned.
Nari sheepishly nods her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to create a panic."
"Well, that did the job quite well!" Jim hisses sarcastically, making Nari shake like a leaf.
"I didn't understand why my siblings wanted Claire as she's just a young witch, not the scale of a demi-god like them or me, but after what's been going on, I suspect there's something Claire has that they want." She adds, making him stare more angrily at her.
A shiver runs down my spine, and I get down to her level. "Jim, shhh! Don't blame Nari. She's just as scared as I am about the Arcane Order." I scolded him.
"I'm sorry, Claire," Nari says softly, sounding like she's about to cry.
"It's ok, Nari. I'm annoyed but not mad at or blame anything on you." I reassure her.
Nari smiles and wraps her arms around me. "You are way too pure for the Arcane Order to take away."
"Don't worry, we won't let that happen," Douxie says as I hug Nari.
I look up, and he smiles reassuringly at me. I do the same, nodding my head. To change the subject, Toby asks how we should spend the rest of our time as the day hasn't ended based on his watch. Jim proposes training, making Mary, Steve, and Darci roll their eyes. "I have a better idea," I speak up. "I don't know when, but the Arcane Order will soon come. Instead of training individually, we prepare by working together. We've seen what destruction the Arcane Order can cause, and Douxie has fought them before. Veronica, do you have any weapons for Mary and Darci to use?"
"Just say which one, and I will provide." She replies, looking at my two friends.
"Bow and arrow," Darci states.
"Rope dart," Mary says.
"As you wish," Veronica replies, waving her hand to create a podium with two weapons. Mary and Darci walk forward and smile in excitement.
"Wow!" Darci gasps and picks up one of the weapons. It's a long tan recurve bow with Celtic carvings along the limbs, giving it a unique style. The arrows are in a leather back-like arrow quiver.
Mary picks up the other weapon, and it looks like something that can do some damage if used correctly. It's a thin yet sturdy-looking rope attracted to the end of a sharp stainless steel blade. "Awesome!"
"Do you know how to use those weapons?" Jim asks.
"Yes," Darci replies, making Jim, me, and Toby look at each other and her with surprise. "I went to a summer camp from 5th-8th grade, and archery was my favorite activity."
"What about you, Mare?" I ask, knowing it's uncommon for people to practice using a rope dart.
"No." She replies, ashamed.
"How hard can it be?" Steve scoffs. "If you can lasso a cow, you can use a rope dart." He adds, making me glare at him with evil eyes.
How dare he speak that way towards my best friend. Steve does that to Jim and Toby, up to the point where I threaten to kick his ass if he does that again. He laughed it off, and I did what I warned him I would do, making him think twice about what he said to us. Steve is treading on thin ice, but Mary does what he says, wrapping the dart around one of his legs and tugging on the rope, making Steve fall to the ground, surprising me.
"Think it's hard for me now?" Mary asks, making us laugh, witnessing Steve eat his own words once again.
Steve growls and aggressively rips out of the rope off his leg to get up, staring at her angrily. "Why you-"
"Enough!" I shout, getting between them. "Steve, for the love of God, don't underestimate every person you meet!" I hiss, glaring at them. "And Mary, don't do that again!"
"Claire's right," Douxie says seriously. "We don't have time to get into these worthless fights."
"Fine!" Steve hisses, crosses his arms, and glares at Mary and me.
I roll my eyes and continue. "Jim, Toby, Blinky, can you help Mary and Darci?" I ask, looking at my boyfriend. They look stunned, turn to each other, and agree, but I hear the nervousness in their voices. "Nari, you know your siblings more than any of us, so can you provide information on their strengths, weaknesses, and blindspots for us to know?"
"I'll do my best." She replies nervously.
"Krel, I want you to make some defensive weapons for each of us in case the Arcane Order attacks one of us individually, so I need you to work with Douxie and Zoe on that," I say seriously, looking at him. He nods his head and agrees to the challenge. "Veronica, do you have any space for them to do that?"
"Anything you all need, I can provide." She replies, nodding her head.
"Good, Archie, I need you to go with Douxie. Aja, Steve, I need you to stay with Toby, Jim, Blinky, AARRGGHH!, Mary and Darci. Aja, you can help the girls with their fighting skills, while Steve, you need to work on them." I instructed the couple.
"No, I don't!" He says defensively.
"Oh really?" Toby steps in, hinting at another fight. "While Jim, Claire, and I have been fighting magical creatures for almost a year, you barely have for less than a few months."
Steve looks as he did after Mary took him down and pulls out his weapon. "Oh, I'll show you-"
"ENOUGH!" I hiss, snapping my fingers, disarming Steve, and forcing his weapon to land beside my feet.
"Owww!" He whines, massaging his hand I snapped.
"Do I have to say it one more time?" I hiss, grab Steve's hammer, and walk towards him. "No more worthless fighting!" I growl and shove the hammer in his hands.
"He started it!"
"I don't care! This is serious, and I don't want to create unnecessary tension between us. Do you understand?"
Steve rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Fine!"
"Jim, I want you to watch him," I order, knowing Steve's girlfriend won't take it as seriously as my boyfriend. "Does everybody understand what their role is?"
They all agree, but Nari steps up. "What are you going to do?"
"She's coming with me," Veronica speaks, making me turn to her. "Because your mentor is busy and you are still rusty with your magic, I would like to offer you help."
"You know Shadowancy?" I ask in surprise; Veronica's powers are similar to mine.
"Indeed, and I see you are blessed with the gift too." She replies clearly.
I turn to Douxie, wanting his opinion and reassurance. He smiles and nods, telling me it's a good idea. "Yes! Yes! Of course! I would love to learn!" I say in excitement.
"Then we're all in an agreement," Douxie announces.
I smile, nod my head, and turn around. "When do we start!" I ask Veronica.
"Right now."
"Ok! Let me get my spell book!" I reply before almost sprinting off.
"Hold on, Claire," Veronica says, making me freeze and turn to her.
I suddenly remembered her advice about the halls in the castle. "Right, I need a guide."
Veronica chuckles and shakes her head. "My fairy will lead you to your room and take you to the library, where I will await you." She replies, and the orange fairy appears in front of me.
I thank her and the orange fairy, and I get to me and Jim's room. I grab my spell book and almost leave before noticing a glow in my bag. I open my bag and find Morgana's journal, the glow from within the pages. I opened and read it, and the pages flipped themselves.
Winterfylleþ nigon twentig,
My pain hasn't softened since I lost the dearest ones in my life. It has been almost a wice, and I hope she's ok with Elaine. I still cry over her as well for my beloved Pericvale. I try to hide my sorrow and cover up what happened over the past eight moons, Gwen, Brother, Merlin, and the court of Camelot. But I sense there is something wrong or someone is watching me. Since coming back, I see Merlin is trying to hide something from me, which he sometimes does, but this is different. I tried to get into the lab to get my spellbook, but Merlin snapped at me when he came in. I don't understand why he's acting so callous and cold to me as a monster recently attacked me, and a loyal Knight of the court was killed. Sometimes I wish I would run away and find her and Elaine again, but I have to stay to keep her safe, but I dreamt of her since I gave her up, crying for me. I wanted to reach out and hold her, but I couldn't touch her and keep her safe, but I knew I would soon find her again, one day, but when will it come?
That's odd; what is Morgana talking about? Suddenly, A shiver goes up my spine as a distant baby's cry hits my ear, making me look around the room. Since entering, the castle's walls have been familiar and strange. I shrug it off as the sound is gone. Veronica is waiting for me, and I have already wasted enough time, so I set down Morgana's book and leave the room with my spell book, shadow staff, and the orange fairy; however, I can't shake off the distant cry as it echoes through my mind. What is it? Is there a baby within these walls? The orange fairy stops and looks at a door. I opened it and was amazed at the beautiful hall in front of me. I walk in and see the walls covered with shelves of books. The room contains astronomical items, sofas, and beautiful spiral staircases.
"You're here," Veronica says behind me, making me jump again.
I turned around and saw her smiling sweetly with Nymeria beside her.
"What took you so long?"
"Sorry, I was... distracted for a bit," I say with embarrassment. Like everyone else, I don't want to tell Veronica about Morgana's book.
"It's alright, Claire; I often wander off myself." She giggles. Veronica is so kind yet odd, just like Abuela. "So, do we want to start?" She asks.
"Yes!" I reply, nodding my head.
"Then sit, and we will begin." She says softly and shows me something of a desk with a luxurious-looking armchair. I eagerly sit down to hear Veronica speak. "In Shadowmancy, there are three types of powers: Algiakinesis, Evocation, and Necromancy. In Algiakinesis, it is the ability to manipulate or transfer pain to someone else. You can either transfer the pain to a different part of the body, consolidate pain into one aspect of the body, or even turn emotional pain into physical pain or vice versa." Veronica explains.
"That sounds like what I did to Steve today," I comment.
"Evocation is the ability to call spirits' presence into the mortal world at will or communicate with them. With this ability, you must be careful, as spirits will possess your body while others only speak to you. Evocation is tricky to master because spirits are their person and can do as they please if not controlled. If not, some spirits may fight or hurt you. I have that ability and it is how I was able to communicate with you. With the last one, Necromancy is one of the most dangerous and darkest magic abilities. It is the ability to reanimate corpses and manipulate the dead. Depending on the corpse's age and the sorcerer's ability, some can speak for themselves and pass as living people. Necromancy is a severe and powerful ability, but I don't suggest anyone do it."
"What abilities do you have?" I ask curiously.
"Some are gifted, and some try to master it. Aside from Evocation, I do not have the ability of Algiakinesis or Necromancy." Veronica replies.
"How come?"
"Since I woke up here, I have been trying to master Algiakinesis, but I'm unable to. It's a struggle and a headache for me after centuries of being alone with only fairies as companions, and I refuse to give them pain after what they endured. With Necromancy, I refuse to master it as the concept scares me, and I have no use for it, but it seems you have all three gifts."
Evocation allowed me to talk to Morgana and see Veronica come to me. Algiakinesis for causing pain to Steve. And Necromancy when I was able to bring Jim back to life. Suddenly, something comes to my mind. "Veronica, can I ask you a question?" I ask, interrupting our lesson.
"Of course!" She says politely.
"It's about why the Arcane Order is after me and of a prophecy."
"A prophecy?" She asks. "Do you know it? May I hear it?"
I nod my head and recite the words. "A birth of a child in the middle of the 10th month of the year, another wizard born 900 years later on the same day. Skin the color of golden sand, hair as dark as night, and the eyes the color of coco beans. With the power between light and dark, the child, born out of the blood and magic from one of the two elders sorcerers of mankind's history, holds a staff of shadows and emotions; they will either be the world's savior or doom. The choice is theirs to make."
"Interesting." Veronica reacts calmly.
"I dreamed of the Arcane Order saying that. I believe this prophecy is about me, and I'm trying to dissect it. I figured out the first part, 'A birth of a child in the middle of the 10th month of the year, another wizard born 900 years later on the same day.' being the dates between you and me. You were born 900 years before me on the same day, October 18th, and the 18th is about the middle of the month. The second part, it's the sight description of me, 'Skin the color of golden sand, hair as dark as night, and the eyes the color of cocoa beans.' I'm of Latino descent, I have dark hair, and I have brown eyes. But with the next part, I'm confused. I have the gift of Shadowancy, dark magic, but Douxie knows I have light glowing inside me. My staff, the shadow staff, conjures shadows and is controlled by emotions, but the other parts, 'the child, born out of the blood and magic from one of the two elders sorcerers of mankind's history' and 'they will either be the world's savior or doom. The choice is theirs to make.' I can't figure it out."
"That last part caught my attention, 'They will either be the world's savior or doom. The choice is theirs to make.' it sounds like a choice, but the problem with prophecies is they can't be avoided, according to the poems and stories about them." Veronica replies.
"What do you suggest?" I ask.
"If this prophecy is about you, the last part is most important. Some people say prophecies can be influenced, causing them to try desperately to avoid or change them, but it's different for this prophecy. It says, 'The choice is theirs to make.' meaning the person can decide whether to become evil or good. If the prophecy says they are destined to become evil, you won't be able to change it, no matter what you do to try and prevent it."
I find this surprising. "You seem to know so much about prophecies; do you believe in them?"
"No," Veronica replies, shaking her head. "I think they make the person who hears it become mad, and Aunt Elaine disgusted them, thinking their lies to hurt the ones who listen to them,"
"You remind me so much of my grandmother," I say softly. "Kindhearted, sweet, wise, forgiving, and mysterious. But you also remind me of my mother. Intelligent, clever, and have her beauty."
"Thank you for your compliment, Claire, and according to some of your friends, we look the same too." She giggles.
"Veronica, do we own something so powerful that the Arcane Order wants me to open the Genesis Seals?" I ask with concern, making her smile turn to worry.
"I'm not sure. Even though I've been here for 850 years, I don't fully understand my magic and heritage. I didn't understand why I was born a witch because Aunt Elaine didn't have magical abilities and didn't tell me much about my mother, no matter how many times I asked."
"Douixe says witches and wizards can't pass down their magical abilities to their children, which confused him, Archie, and Zoe when they found out my mom and Abuela are witches. The only thing is my mom has three siblings, and I have a brother who all don't have any magical abilities."
"Same with my daughter and first child. She showed her magical abilities a few days after her birth, but none of my other children after her had magic. I had thought my magic was hereditary from the firstborns, but I died before my first grandchild was born to my first child."
"In our family, we treat the firstborns of our families as the most important person in the world. That was the case for Abuela, Mom, and me whenever I was around my family. With our magic, no one expects our parents or spouse to know about it. However, when I showed my magical abilities the day I was born, Mom felt guilty, saying she 'didn't want me to live a life she did' up to the point where Mom modified my memories when I was eight, making me forget my magical abilities until I rediscovered them a few months ago."
"Oh my goodness," Veronica says in shock. "Claire, I'm so sorry."
"It's ok. I have my powers again; however, the memories Mom modified are permanent, making her guilt worse, but I understand why she did that. She wanted to protect me." I reassured her. Veronica lowers her eyes and looks sad. "What's wrong?"
"That's what Aunt Elaine said to explain why my mother gave me up; she wanted to protect me, which I believe she did, no matter how painful it was for me to admit I never got the chance to see her." She replies calmly. "Now, come on, Claire, let's meet up with your friends. We will discuss this later." She adds, changing the subject quickly.
I want to ask her more questions, questions running through my head, but I follow her and the orange fairy without complaint or protest. Before we leave, Veronica collects some books for Mary and Darci and hands them to me as she's a ghost and can't hold them. While walking through the halls, the orange fairy floats near my ear and flies over my head, making me laugh.
"She likes you," Veronica says, giggling.
"What's her name?" I ask.
"Amber. None of the fairies have names, so I name them."
"Amber," I repeat, making her spin around, making me laugh. "I like it, but how can they know how to travel around the castle even though you've been here for 850 years?"
"Fairies are sneaky and clever creatures. You can throw them in an ever-changing maze, and they can still find where they need to go or locate each other; that's why they led me around the castle." Veronica explains.
"Why does this castle change like a maze?"
"I don't exactly know why. It seems like something in this castle doesn't want me to find it; however, when I really need something, the castle and the fairies help me."
Soon, we got to the giant arena and saw all my friends training. I spot Darci and Mary practicing with their new weapons, and they seem to be fast learners, Darci shooting a bullseye and Mary cutting targets with the dart.
"Hey, Claire!" Aja calls out, drawing everyone's attention to Veronica and me.
"How was your first lesson with your great-grandmother?" NotEnrique asks, walking up to me.
"Good," I admit as I walk over to Mary and Darci. "Veronica and I brought some books for you to read," I say and show them. One is for Darci, The History of the Arrow, for her learning how to shoot better, and two for Mary, The History of Martial Arts and How to Master Chinese Weapons. The books aren't too big, but Mary and Darci groan, seeing they're the size of textbooks from school.
"I'm so tired I don't want to do homework," Mary whines.
"Suck it up, Mare," I reply. "I have to read a spell book this large every day."
She mutters under her breath, and the girls take the books.
Toby looks at his watch and mentions it's almost 6 pm. Jim is satisfied with our work and allows us to rewind. The fairies led us to where we met Veronica and sat near each other. Veronica can't feed us, so we eat from our rations, not touching them since we left. Steve sits in a different part of the room, glaring at Jim, and Aja follows him.
"Did you upset him?" I ask, sitting next to my boyfriend.
"Probably." He sighs. "Steve doesn't like my style of training and refuses to work with Blinky either."
"Well, he needs to learn to work with you and Toby."
"I think he's mad at you because you put him in his place."
"I just don't want us to fight or argue with each other while the Arcane Order is after us. We can't afford that." I correct him, making Jim chuckle. "What?"
"You're becoming a leader. I'm impressed." He whispers, pulling me closer.
I roll my eyes and shake my head. "You and Douxie are the leader, not me."
"I'm serious. You led us to Veronica's castle and instructed us on what to do today. From what I saw today and what Diego told me, you definitely are one."
"You talked to Diego? When?"
"On your birthday. He thinks you're amazing and would one day become a great leader."
"Diego only thinks that because I'm his favorite cousin."
"He was serious. Standing up to your family a few weeks ago, your speech yesterday and today shows him and me you have the making of a leader. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here. Don't think little about yourself."
I sigh and lean my head on Jim's shoulder. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have a role model," I reply, making him chuckle and pull me closer to him. We finish what little food we have, and my eyelids grow heavy, but I have something else to do before closing them. I look around and spot Douxie and Nari sitting next to each other. I turn to Veronica and plan on an excuse to talk to them. "Excuse me, Jim, I need to talk to Veronica for a moment."
"Alright." He agrees and kisses me on the temple before letting me go, allowing me to walk to my great-grandmother.
"Veronica," I say, making her turn around.
"Yes, Claire, do you need something?" She replies sweetly, smiling.
"Yes, I need your help," I whisper, making her interested. "I need to tell Douxie, Archie, and Nari something, and I can't let anyone see. Before we go to sleep, tell Douxie to meet me at the library to talk to him."
"Why not now?" She whispers back.
"This is between me, Douxie, Archie, and Nari. Jim will get suspicious unless I convince him I'm talking to you after everyone goes to bed. Can you please do that?"
"Of course. Amber will be at your door to lead you to the library, and I'll be there with whom you need." She agrees.
"Thanks!" I reply, smiling.
When done with some sort of dinner, the fairies come out to guide us back to our rooms. Amber flies to me, and Jim places his arm on my shoulder, following Amber to our room. Before we went to our room, Veronica said there were pajamas ready for us all. She and the fairies seemed to be prepared for company like us. It's weird, but Veronica has been alone for centuries and is excited to have this, especially finally meeting a family member. I could understand if I was in her shoes. Jim and I find our pajamas on our bed, one for each of us. Jim immediately changes to go to sleep, but I quickly stuff the blue-purple circular gemstone in my pocket, something I need before meeting Douxie.
"Why aren't you getting ready for bed?" Jim asks as I turn to him. He wears white shorts, a thin blue shirt, and a white cardigan.
"Sorry, Jim, but I have to meet up with Veronica. I want to talk to her more after all these lessons and training, but I promise I will come back and sleep next to you." I lie.
Jim smiles and walks over to me. "Take all the time you need with her. You deserve this after what happened to Abuela." He says kindly.
"No, that's not why, Jim!" I snap.
"Claire, I'm just worried about you. I want you to grieve over her so you can heal, and I don't want you to bottle up all of this."
"Jim, this isn't the time. The Arcane Order is chasing us, and I must prepare for what's coming. I just want to talk to Veronica, not about Abuela." I remind him.
Jim sighs, looking disappointed, but nods his head. "Ok." He replies and kisses me on the forehead. "Just promise to tell me if you need help. I want to help you."
"I promise," I reply, thankful for my boyfriend's support, but I want to drop this subject. I can't grieve; I can't, and I want vengeance. I open the door as Jim gets on the bed.
"Claire." He calls out before I walk out, making me turn to him. "I love you."
"I love you too," I reply before closing the door where Amber waits for me. "Hi," I whisper, and Amber leads me down the halls and gestures to the door of the library. I opened it and saw Veronica, Douxie, Nari, and Archie waiting for me. "Hey, guys!"
"Hey, Claire," Douxie replies, sounding exhausted. "What's going on? Veronica told me you wanted to meet us here."
I take out the gem and keep it close to my heart. "Douxie, if I tell and show you this, you must promise not to tell anyone. Not even Jim or Blinky." I say seriously. He looks at me with concern but nods his head. I take a deep breath and show Douxie the gem. His eyes widen, but he raises his eyebrow.
"Where did you find this?" He asks, sounding like he's seen it before.
"Abuela gave it to me on my birthday and told me to use it well," I reply, looking down at the gem. "I think I know what to do with it, but I'm not sure it will be possible or if it will work."
"What do you mean?" Douxie asks with more concern. I look up and let him hold the gem, and he examines it curiously.
"I believe there's a way we can re-create the Amulet of Daylight." I finally say. "Jim wants to help protect me, and I don't believe the age of the Trollhunter is over, and he needs this."
Douxie looks up from the gem. "Claire, this is a noble thing, but..."
"You're not a master witch." Archie interrupts him. He transforms into his dragon form and flies to me and Douxie's level. "Claire, what you're saying is impossible and risky." He says sternly.
"I know, Archie, but we have to try. There's a chance we can. Besides, we have Nari, who's a freakin' Demigod, for crying out loud." I protest, trying to come up with other arguments to add.
"Archie does have a point, Claire." Douxie sighs. "Even if there is a chance, it might not work."
I won't take that answer. "Douxie, you and Jim were the ones who taught me there is always a way. Don't say that!"
"Claire, there is no way to re-create the Amulet of Daylight." He replies seriously.
"We have to try! It doesn't matter if I'm a master of magic or not. We have to try!" I shout, glaring at my mentor. "We can't just throw in the towel before trying. You're not like Merlin! He always shuts down others' opinions and doesn't even bother trying, but you never give up and always try whatever you can to find a way to save your friends, fix something, or stop the Arcane Order."
Douxie stares at me without words to say. I feel bad for mentioning his dead mentor and father figure, but I had to get my point across to get to him. Douxie turns to Archie and down at the blue gemstone glowing in his hands. He sighs and looks up at me. "Ok! We can try, but we don't have the materials and metal for creating the Amulet, but we will find a way."
I smile. "Thank you!" I sigh and turn to Veronica. "Veronica, we need to create a magical artifact and hope you can supply us with help and materials."
"Of course," Veronica agrees in slight confusion. "What is the artifact, and what materials do you need?"
"It's called the Amulet of Daylight, a magical amulet created by Merlin, which acted as both the source of power and a symbol for the Trollhunter, capable of summoning the Trollhunter Armor and the Sword of Daylight. However, my boyfriend, a human, was chosen to become the Trollhunter, making him the first human Trollhunter. Unfortunately, the Arcane Order destroyed the Amulet, and Jim is no longer the Trollhunter. But I want to restore it. I have a circular gemstone similar to the original, and we need more materials to restore it." I explain, getting out and showing Veronica the gemstone.
"We think she's crazy, but we're willing to try," Archie commented, making Douxie glare at him.
"Well, I can certainly help and give you all I can. This castle can supply anything I need, and it will do the same for Claire because she's my granddaughter." Veronica replies. "But why ask me this in private?"
"We haven't told anyone else this as we want it to be this way. We don't know if this will work, and I want to protect Claire." Douxie justifies.
"Alright. I will help you in any way I can." Veronica agrees, making Douxie and me smile. "But why won't you think it will work?"
"Because to unlock the Amulet, two master wizards must be able to do it," Archie replies, making me roll my eyes. "Even though we have three wizards, only one is a master wizard."
"Even though Claire doesn't have the status of a 'master' wizard, it doesn't mean she can be as powerful as one," Veronica says. "You can't judge a person based on their status but their skill."
"You're a very knowledgeable and wise woman, Veronica." Douxie complaints. "Wiser than my master."
"I have lived a long time, Douxie, and read a lot."
We agreed to the plan and went to our rooms. Amber led me to my room, and when I opened the door, Jim was still awake, sitting on the bed. Before he turns his head, I stuff the gem in my pocket. "Were you awake and waiting for me this whole time?" I ask him, crossing my arms.
"Maybe." He says, shrugging his shoulders.
I chuckle and roll my eyes. I walk to my stuff and hide the gem in my bag. I grab my pajamas and order Jim to look away. When his back is turned to me, I undress and put on my pajamas, a long, elegant white nightgown. The skirt drapes down to my ankles, but the top shows some cleavage. I put my clothes near my stuff. I notice something in Jim's bag. I shouldn't snoop, but I'm curious. I look inside and find a box of...condoms.
"You pervert!" I shout playfully, quickly grabbing the box and throwing it at Jim.
Jim grabs it and smirks. "You shouldn't go through someone's stuff, Claire." He says calmly.
I slowly walk towards him, my hands on my hips. "You want to have sex, don't you?" I ask suspiciously.
Jim bites his lip and rubs the back of his neck. "Yes, but I don't want to rush you if you're not ready." He admits. "I brought them just in case."
I smile and sit down next to him on my side of the bed. "I'm glad you brought them and thinking ahead since I'm not on birth control yet," I reply calmly, looking at Jim. "I want to have sex, but I still feel a bit hesitant," I admit, biting my lip and squeezing my hands.
"Then we won't rush." He replies, putting the box down.
"But that doesn't mean we can't have some fun alone," I say teasingly, pushing Jim onto the mattress.
"Oh, is that the way you want to play?" He replies playfully, raising his eyebrow. He pulls me onto the mattress and gets on top of me, and Jim leans in, pressing his lips against mine. We passionately kiss, letting our tongues dance. I shiver as his hand gently traces my leg under my nightgown, but I don't try to stop him. It feels so good. I moan as we break for air. Jim goes down to my neck, and I moan louder, feeling him suck and kiss my skin.
"Jim..." I gasped as he lightly bites my neck. He stops and comes back to my eyes.
"You have a nice body." He says seductively, making me blush. Jim grabs my hand, places it over my head, and returns his lips to mine. Our hands intertwine as we passionately make out again. I moan as Jim grinds against me, but it takes so much energy to try to reciprocate our kisses. They make me sleepy, and Jim seems to notice.
"Let's go to bed." He says softly, drawing back and getting off me.
We get comfortable under soft comforters and cuddle close to each other. The mattress and pillows feel like a marshmallow, and the comforters traps in Jim's warmth. I tug on the comforters to stay close to me before Jim wraps it around us. I look at the beautiful starry night ceiling before drifting off to sleep.
Author Note: I hope you like this updated version of this chapter and part of the story. Please review what you think.