A/N: Thank you, DJ scales and Heart of Demons for the reviews.
Special thanks to Pirate King Ray for sharing his suggestions with me and helping me better my story. Keep them coming!
Chapter XI: The Battle of Meridian Plains
James veered towards the familiar landfill concealing the secret entrance to the Infinite City, a peculiar upside-down barrel that served as their covert gateway.
As he neared the entrance, a glint on the ground caught his attention. Stopping to investigate, he discovered a small metal object—a pen. Intricately crafted with copper and gold, it bore an inscription in Ancient Meridian letters: Keravnos. Curiosity piqued, James stowed it away in his enchanted pockets for later examination.
Approaching the entrance, James was taken aback to find a guard stationed there. Bewilderment flickered across his features, for the entry point was meant to remain hidden.
"Password?" demanded the guard, his tone stern.
Perplexed by the unexpected request, James tentatively offered the rebel salute, assuming it might be enough.
The guard's unimpressed expression deepened. "Does that look like a password to you?" he retorted sharply.
"But there weren't supposed to be guards here," he protested, his voice tinged with uncertainty. " It's, well, a secret entrance. And who are you?"
"The secret's out. Phobos knows this is one of our entrances, though he doesn't know yet where the base is in the Infinite City. We needed a better security measure," the guard explained matter-of-factly. "And I'm new. Aldarn vouched for me this morning. I'm here to ensure the safety of the entrance and alert others to any threats. Now, do you have the password?"
Caught off guard by the revelation and the guard's abrasive demeanor, James faltered. "I... I don't know it," he admitted reluctantly.
"Why? Where were you this morning?" the guard pressed, his tone accusatory.
"I was out for a walk" James said in a small voice.
"What was that, kid?" asked the man.
"I said I was out for a walk," James responded.
"And what do you expect me to do?" asked the man, in a cold voice. "I made myself very clear: no password, no entry. It's not my fault you're irresponsible."
James felt his heart sink. Suddenly, the pen in his pocket began to vibrate violently, drawing his attention. Retrieving it, he observed its erratic movements with intrigue.
The guard's tone remained stern as he observed James. "Let me guess," the man began, "a sign that you are, in fact, a rebel?"
Frustrated by the doubt cast upon him, James snapped, "I am a rebel! And I can prove it. I know the location of the rebel base within the Infinite City."
"Do you, now?" asked the man, with the same coldness. Though there was slightly off that James' ears picked up on. His tone... he sounded almost intrigued, as if he didn't actually know where it was. James hesitated. The pen vibrated even harder. "Well? Do you or do you not know where it is?" This time there is no hint of curiosity in his voice. James probably imagined it.
"Once you're in the city, head straight for 20 pillars, then turn right, walk 10 more pillars, take a left, walk 2 more, and press the pressure plate on the pillar ahead," James instructed, his confidence growing.
Annoyance flickered across the guard's face, resentful that James had indeed proven his allegiance. "Fine, go on in," he said grudgingly, allowing James passage.
As James stepped into the concealed entrance, the pen stopped vibrating. Curious, James uncapped it. The pen grew longer and heavier in his hand. In half a second, he was holding a spear with a wooden shaft, and a tip made out of gold. He still had the cap in his other hand.
With the spear gripped firmly in one hand, James couldn't resist the urge to experiment. Tentatively, he attempted to cap it, half-expecting the spear to just turn back to a pen. To his astonishment, the weapon responded to his touch, shrinking back into its original form with a smooth, fluid motion.
"This will definitely come in handy," James said to himself.
James navigated the labyrinthine pathways of the Infinite City, his footsteps echoing against the towering pillars that loomed overhead. Eventually, he reached the familiar entrance to the rebel base, where Vathek awaited his arrival, on the stairs.
"Hey, Vathek," James greeted, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and excitement.
"James, you're back," Vathek responded, his expression one of concern as he observed James's demeanor. "What happened?"
James hesitated, the memory of his encounter with the guard outside the rebel base lingering in his mind. He knew that revealing the incident might cast doubt on his reliability, so he chose to omit that part. Instead, he focused on the weird pen-spear that he found.
"So, you uncap it and it turns into a spear," James said. He took out Keravnos from his pocket and uncapped it. In half a second, the pen turned into a spear. "You put the cap on the tip of the spear and it turns back into a pen."
"Interesting," Vathek said. "And, where did you find it?"
"In the landfill where the entrance is," James responded. As they made their way in the rebel base, James noticed that Vathek was heading towards the armory. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"To get my axe," Vathek said. "Lunch break is over. I have to get back to guarding the entrance. You should hurry. Miriam is waiting for you." Miriam was James' training partner. She was also 13, but unlike James, she wasn't as involved in rebel affairs, preferring to play it safe, until her training was complete.
James entered the training hall, a large underground arena with walls that echoed with the sounds of past skirmishes and sparring sessions. The air was thick with the musty scent of earth and stone, and the dim light from the torches cast long, flickering shadows across the room. In the center of the arena, Miriam stood with her back turned, her white trench coat contrasting sharply with her short black hair.
"Impressive," she said, mimicking Lord Cedric's raspy, disdainful voice. "I'm surprised you made it this far. Unfortunately for you, it ends right here."
James couldn't help but smile. He dropped to one knee, raising his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. "I surrender."
Miriam turned towards him, her face a mask of annoyance. "No. You're supposed to charge at me, yelling 'Down with Phobos and with tyranny!'"
James laughed and rose to his feet. "And what if I don't feel like it?"
Miriam's stern expression softened into a smile. "You're impossible."
"Well, being impossible is the best way to defeat your enemy, 'dear'," he said with a playful grin.
"Yeah," Miriam said, shaking her head. "I still can't believe Vathek thinks we're together."
"Well, we do spend a lot of time together training," James said. "One might think there's something more going on."
"Weren't you the one saying that boys and girls can be just friends?" Miriam asked. "Or is this your way of telling me that you like me?"
"I thought you were incapable of saying stupid things," James said, dodging as Miriam playfully swung her sword at him.
"Attacking an unarmed man?" James joked, sidestepping her swing. "Not very honorable."
"Oh, as if you can't pull a sword out of your pocket," Miriam said, rolling her eyes.
"I got something better," James responded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Keravnos, uncapping it, the seemingly ordinary pen transforming into a spear. "I think I could use a little more spear training."
Miriam's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow. Where did you get that?"
"I found it," James said with a shrug.
"Let me get mine." Miriam fetched her own spear. She returned to the center of the arena and took her stance, a determined glint in her eye.
"And since you wanted to have your moment," James began, "I guess I have no other choice than to say: Down with Phobos and with tyranny!"
With that, they began their sparring session. James did his best to hold his own, but it was clear that Miriam was far more skilled with a spear. She moved with a fluid grace, her strikes precise and powerful. James found himself on the defensive, struggling to keep up with her relentless attacks.
"You're leaving your left side open," Miriam said in a mockingly arrogant tone, mimicking Lord Cedric again. "Pathetic."
James gritted his teeth and adjusted his stance, trying to block her next strike. But Miriam was quick, and her spear slipped past his guard, tapping his shoulder lightly.
"See? You're no match for me," she said, her voice full of playful superiority.
James laughed despite himself. "Alright, alright. You're right. I'm not as good with a spear as you are."
They continued to spar, the clang of their spears echoing through the hall. James managed to get in a few good strikes, but Miriam always seemed to anticipate his moves, countering with ease. It wasn't long before they found themselves at a standstill, both their spears pointed at each other, breathing heavily from the exertion.
At that moment, a sudden surge of energy coursed through James' spear. A bolt of lightning shot out from the tip, striking Miriam and knocking her to the ground.
"Miriam!" James cried out, dropping his spear and rushing to her side. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know it could do that!"
Miriam groaned and slowly sat up, rubbing her shoulder where the lightning had struck. "Don't worry about it," she said, offering him a reassuring smile. "I'm still in one piece. But if not for that lightning, you would have been passling food."
James let out a relieved laugh. "Are you kidding? I had you!"
Miriam rolled her eyes and got to her feet. "Let's call it a draw," she said, brushing the dust off her coat. "I think we had enough training for today."
"Yeah," James agreed, retrieving Keravnos and capping it.
But, as he made his way to his room, he realised that something wasn't right. Vathek said he was going to get back to guard the entrance, meaning he was the one guarding it before, which made no sense, since there already was a guard at the entrance. There was probably something James was missing.
However, there was a faint thought inside James' mind that kept growing and growing. What if the guard was one of Phobos' men in disguise? That would explain why the guard was so merciles with James. He was appealing to emotion, making it so that he didn't have to explain himself that much. The more lies told, the bigger the chance of a logical error. It was brilliant tactic on his part.
But that couldn't be what happened. Because if it was, that meant that James fell for it, and essentially gave Phobos the location of the rebel base. No. There was obviously something James was missing. And so, he entered this room, trying to convince himself that he was overthinking.
But he couldn't help himself. He just kept thinking about it more and more. To distract himself, he took out Keravnos and uncapped it. The pen immediately took on its spear form.
As James sat in his room, idly moving Keravnos from one arm to another, he try to get himself to think of something else. He let his gaze fall upon the full-length mirror that hung on the wall opposite him.
He decided he would try to distract himself by imagining how he would look in Caleb's clothes, with that brown trench coat that always seemed to exude an air of quiet confidence. In his mind's eye, he pictured himself standing tall and proud, his posture straight and his expression serious. He imagined the way the coat would drape over his shoulders, the way the fabric would rustle softly with each movement.
However, when he glanced up at the mirror, his heart nearly stopped. His reflection was no longer wearing his own familiar attire; instead, it was adorned in Caleb's signature trench coat, just as he had imagined.
Startled, James looked down at his own body, half-expecting to see the same transformation mirrored in reality. But to his surprise, his clothes remained unchanged. It was only the mirror image that had shifted, as if he just glamored himself. But that didn't make any sense. The Infinite City, just like the castle, had special charms that cancelled invisibility and glamuor spells.
James capped Keravnos. He watched as the illusion seemed to shift and shimmer, the lines blurring and reforming in a mesmerizing dance of light and shadow. In half a second, the reflection turned back to normal. It was Keravnos. A thrill of wonder surged through James as he realized the implications of what he had discovered. This was no ordinary glamour; it was something far more powerful, capable of creating illusions even in the face of the magical barrier that permeated the Infinite City.
Intrigued, James decided to take it a step further. Uncapping the pen, he closed his eyes, concentrating on the image of Caleb, summoning every detail of the rebel leader's appearance to mind. Slowly, he opened his eyes and turned his gaze back to the mirror.
What he saw took his breath away. The reflection staring back at him was no longer his own; instead, it was the image of Caleb, down to the smallest detail.
With a sense of awe, James capped Keravnos, watching as his reflection shifted back to its original form. He knew that he had stumbled upon something extraordinary, something that could prove invaluable to the rebellion in the days to come. And as he gazed at the innocuous-looking pen in his hand, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. He no longer felt powerless.
As James sat in his room, a powerful noise filled the air, the sound of falling rocks reverberating through the rebel base. Startled, he jumped to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. Without a moment's hesitation, he dashed out of his room and raced towards the source of the commotion.
As he rounded the corner, he skidded to a halt, his eyes widening in shock at the sight before him. The staircase leading to the rebel base had been completely blocked off by a massive pile of rubble, effectively sealing the entrance shut. Panic surged through James as he realized the implications of what had happened.
Drake stood at the base of the blocked staircase, surrounded by a group of rebel fighters. James could see the grim determination etched on Drake's face as he surveyed the scene before him.
Immediately, James felt the weight of the walls closing in around him, the realization sinking in that the rebel base had been discovered, and he was to blame. The rocks blocking the entrance were a last resort, a desperate attempt to buy time for the rebels to evacuate through the secret passageways, but at the cost of whoever was on the other side.
With a sinking feeling in his chest, James realized that Vathek was on the other side of that blockade, sacrificing himself for the rebellion. Guilt gnawed at James as he watched the scene unfold before him.
Drake's voice broke through the tense silence, his words echoing off the walls of the corridor. "With the rebel base discovered, we've lost the element of surprise," he said, his tone grave. "How much food do we have?"
"Enough to last a week, maybe," one of the rebels responded, his voice tinged with worry.
Drake's brow furrowed in thought as he contemplated their next course of action. "Even if we surface through the other passages, I have nowhere to hide 1000 men," he muttered to himself. "We're safe for the moment, but they'll get through.
As James listened to the conversation unfolding before him, he felt like a monster. He was the reason why the rebel base had been discovered, and now his actions had put everyone in danger. But amidst the despair, a glimmer of hope flickered to life within him. He now possessed Keravnos, a weapon that could change everything. With determination burning in his heart, he vowed to find a way to make things right, no matter the cost.
In the dimly lit basement of the Silver Dragon, Caleb and the W.I.T.C.H. girls gathered around a table spread with maps of Meridian.
"The people can't last without water," Caleb remarked, his voice filled with concern. "Their bravery's being tested every day they remain silent about the Infinite City."
"What about this lake?" Irma suggested, pointing to a spot on the map.
Caleb's brow furrowed as he studied the marked location. "That was the water source, but something got into the lake," he explained. "Something they call the 'Kaithim.'"
"What's that?" Will inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"The Kaithim is a lethal predator," Caleb replied.
"So we take it on and get rid of it," Irma proposed confidently. "How big is this thing?"
"It's basically the size of the lake," he admitted. "You could say it is the lake."
"So it's like an energy field using the water?" Taranee speculated.
"You let any water from the lake into the village, it could be the Kaithim, or part of it," Caleb confirmed. "And it's not pleasant to deal with. I need to time the shifts of the guards, for the major assault on the Castle, which means getting up close. Blunk can't smell anything with this cold, not even himself."
"Lucky him," Irma quipped.
Caleb turned to Will, his expression serious. "While the others are tackling the Kaithim, you come with the Heart, in case I need to make a portal," he instructed.
"I'm there," Will responded, determination shining in her eyes. "Guardians Unite!"
With a shimmering glow, their forms shifted, each Guardian embracing their guardian forms. Will opened a portal.
Together, the Guardians stepped towards the swirling vortex of energy that hovered before them, the portal to Meridian.
As they emerged on the other side, the air of Meridian greeted them with a sense of urgency.
"Good luck with the Kaithim, the villagers are counting on you," Caleb said, his voice filled with solemn determination. "Take these to the Infinite City."
Taranee eagerly opened the bag, revealing a collection of walkie talkies nestled inside. "Hey, walkie-talkies!" Hay Lin exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with delight. "I love these things!"
Caleb nodded, his gaze flickering over the group. "Yeah, they'll be a huge help during the assault on the castle," he agreed. "I got eight pairs."
"No, you've got seven pairs, and this one," Taranee pointed out, handing one of the devices to Caleb.
Caleb raised the walkie talkie to his lips, his voice crackling through the device. "Hello, hello?"
A voice responded from the other end. "Blunk here, ten-four."
"Blunk!" Caleb exclaimed. "Where are you?"
"Home with Mama," the Passling replied.
"He has a mother?" Will asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
"Why did you take the walkie-talkie?" Caleb questioned, his frustration palpable.
"Blunk think could sell as back-scratcher," came the casual response.
Caleb sighed, shaking his head. "If you see him, could you get it back?" he asked, turning to the Guardians.
"Sure thing," Cornelia replied.
The W.I.T.C.H. girls stood at the edge of the lake, their eyes fixed on the seemingly tranquil waters before them. Without Will by their side, they knew that facing the Kaithim would be no easy task, but they were determined to do whatever it took to protect Meridian from the deadly creature lurking beneath the surface.
"Well, here we are, ready to fight a lake," Irma said, her voice tinged with a hint of sarcasm as she glanced at her fellow Guardians.
"It looks pretty normal," Cornelia observed, peering into the crystal-clear water. "Throw a stone in."
"You throw a stone in," Taranee shot back, crossing her arms over her chest.
Hay Lin flew above the lake and touched it with her foot, testing its consistency. "It looks like ordinary water," she remarked with a shrug. "Hey! Anyone bring a towel?"
Before anyone could respond, a sudden movement in the water caught their attention. A tentacle began rising from the depths, nearly striking Hay Lin as it reached towards the sky. Then, another tentacle emerged, and another, until a grotesque form began to take shape before their eyes. It was all made of water, except for a strange deformation that protruded from where the creature's head should be.
Taranee summoned flames to ward off the advancing appendages, while Cornelia created barriers of earth to shield her friends from harm.
Irma tried to analyze the creature's movements, searching for a weakness to exploit. But with each attack, the Kaithim seemed to grow stronger, its watery form undulating with an eerie sense of purpose. Despite their best efforts, the Guardians found themselves struggling to keep up with the relentless onslaught.
"We're not making a dent in it!" Irma shouted over the din of battle, her voice filled with frustration as she dodged another tentacle.
"It's like trying to fight a tidal wave!" Taranee yelled back, her flames flickering against the onslaught of water.
Hay Lin flew frantically through the air, her eyes scanning the lake's surface for any sign of weakness. But the Kaithim seemed to anticipate her every move, its tentacles closing in with terrifying speed and precision. With each passing moment, the Guardians grew more desperate, their strength waning against the unstoppable force of the creature before them.
"We're fighting it wrong!" Irma exclaimed, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. "Caleb said the Kaithim isn't the water, it's the energy inside it."
"So how do you fight energy?" Hay Lin asked.
"You conduct it somewhere else!" Taranee interjected, her mind racing as she searched for a solution. "But how can we create a massive static charge?"
"Comb our hair a lot?" Cornelia suggested half-heartedly.
"Lightning!" Taranee exclaimed suddenly, her eyes lighting up with realization.
"Too bad Will isn't here," Hay Lin sighed.
"But lightning is a part of nature," Cornelia pointed out. "And we control the forces of nature. Isn't there a way we can make our own lightning? How does lightning form?"
"Well, lightning forms when electrical charges build up in clouds due to the movement of ice particles within the cloud," Taranee explained. "This creates an imbalance between positive and negative charges. When this imbalance becomes strong enough, lightning forms."
"So water and air," Irma mused, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Hay Lin, help me!"
With a nod of understanding, Hay Lin sprang into action, conjuring gusts of wind to whip up the water droplets from the lake's surface. Meanwhile, Irma focused her powers, summoning torrents of water droplets into the air with precise control. With each droplet suspended in mid-air, Hay Lin encased them in a thin layer of ice, setting them into motion with a flick of her wrist.
As the water droplets swirled and danced through the air, a palpable energy filled the atmosphere, crackling with raw power. With a sudden surge of electricity, lightning arced across the sky, striking the creature in multiple positions with deadly accuracy. But it was only when the lightning struck the strange deformation on the creature's head that the Kaithim finally met its end, the lightning completely destroying it in a spectacular display of power and energy.
The Meridian Plains stretched out beneath the dark sky, the imposing silhouette of the royal castle looming ominously in the distance. Will and Caleb crouched behind a rocky outcrop, carefully observing the shifting patterns of Phobos' guards. The castle's defenses seemed impenetrable, but their mission was vital: timing the guards' shifts to find a weakness in the enemy's defenses.
"There! That guy's new," Caleb whispered, peering through his binoculars.
"Okay," Will began, "it looks like they change every two hours, with a 5 minute overlap. Now, if we—"
Before she could finish, the ground trembled with the unmistakable sound of marching boots and the rumble of siege engines. Will's eyes widened as she saw the horizon fill with the advancing forces of the Rebellion. It was utter chaos. Catapults launched flaming projectiles, and arrows filled the sky like a dark cloud.
"What are they doing? We're not ready!" Caleb said. "Something's gone wrong... Can you communicate with the others?" he asked, looking at the Heart of Kandrakar.
"No," Will said. "This is a mystic jewel, not a walkie-talkie!"
Just then, the unmistakable sound of Blunk's voice could be heard. "Sturgy root, Sturgy root..."
Will breathed a sign of relief. "Blunk! Do you still have the... the 'back-scratcher'?" Blunk gave Caleb the walkie-talkie.
"Cornelia! Taranee, Hay Lin, Irma! Come in," he called out.
"It's too far, they're out of range," Will said. "Blunk, we need the other Guardians. You have to run that way with this, while calling them. As soon as they reply, tell them there's an emergency!" Blunk did as he was told.
Caleb and Will sprinted toward the battlefield, weaving through the chaos.
"What happened?" Caleb asked Aldarn, while disarming a guard.
"Phobos found the Infinite City," Aldarn replied. "We had to attack."
Rebels clashed with Phobos' guards and lurdens, swords ringing and cries of battle echoing across the plains. Will unleashed a burst of electricity that scattered a group of guards advancing on a cluster of rebels.
"Caleb! On your left!" Will shouted, pointing to a squad of guards charging at Caleb.
With a swift motion, Caleb unsheathed his sword, parrying the first attack and cutting down two guards with a fluid sweep. The battlefield was a maelstrom of violence, with catapults firing and arrows raining down from above. The rebels fought bravely, but the sheer number of Phobos' forces seemed overwhelming.
As Will and Caleb fought side by side, a sudden roar announced the arrival of monstrous reinforcements. Gargoyles, towering four-story-tall creatures with grey, stony bodies and a single menacing eye, lumbered onto the battlefield. Each one had a massive rock atop its head, adding to their terrifying presence.
Will's heart sank. "We need backup!"
Just then, the rest of the Guardians appeared on the battlefield, their elemental powers flaring to life.
But, before the Guardians could do anything, a massive shockwave of electricity surged through the ground, striking the gargoyles and sending them crashing to the ground. The battlefield fell silent for a moment, the rebels and Guardians staring in astonishment as the gargoyles lay incapacitated.
At the center of the devastation stood a young boy, holding a spear that crackled with electricity.
"You're the kid," Irma said, blinking in surprise. "John, right?"
"James," he replied calmly. Just then, a guard attacked him from behind. But as the blade of the guard's axe hit him, he vaporized, revealing himself to be an illusion. A second later, the guard was struck by a lightning attack from behind. He fell to the ground, revealing James standing behind him, holding his spear. "Next time, watch your back," James said. "And don't believe everything you see. I might be in front of you, but I could also be behind you."
The Guardians exchanged impressed glances, then refocused on the battle. With the combined might of the Guardians and the rebels, they began to push Phobos' forces back toward the castle. The tide was turning in their favor.
Eventually, the rebels and Guardians managed to break through the main gate of the castle. Cheers of triumph echoed across the battlefield as they surged forward, only to come face to face with a lone figure standing in the courtyard.
"Who are you?!" Aldarn demanded, stepping forward with his sword drawn.
The man removed the hood of his cloak, revealing the unmistakable face of Prince Phobos. A cold smile spread across his lips.
"I suppose you could say, I am the alpha," he raised his hand, "of your omega." A powerful shockwave radiated outwards, blowing the entire Rebellion backward fifty feet. He stepped forward, his eyes glinting with malevolent power. "I am the beginning," he continued, slamming his fist into the ground, "of your end." Thousands of vines sprouted from the earth, wrapping around the rebels and immobilizing them.
Beams of light formed in Phobos' hands, shooting upwards and turning the sky white. "For 13 years, you have been a thorn in my side, constantly thwarting my plans. For 13 years, I have waited for this moment, to finally crush your rebellion. For 13 years, I have been patient. No longer! It ends NOW!"
Lightning bolts began striking left and right, teleporting everyone they touched. Panic erupted among the rebels as they tried to free themselves from the vines.
"Caleb!" Aldarn yelled. "He'll take everybody down if we don't retreat!"
Caleb's face was set in grim determination. "Give the order."
Hay Lin was walking around in a room seemingly made of stars. In front of her was a beautiful golden throne, shining brightly like the sun. Flowers adorned it's legs, making it the most beautiful thing Hay Lin has ever seen.
However, Hay Lin knew it was an illusion. She could see the black thorny rose vines behind it, slithering on the ground like serpents. But she knew she had no reason to be afraid. She knew exactly what she had to do. She knew that if everything goes according to her plan, all of this will be over.
Suddenly, the vines lunged directly at her, threatening to rip her apart. Calmly, Hay Lin raised her hand with the intention of summoning a powerful gust of wind. However, as soon as it formed, it felt like the air was sucked right out of her lungs. Hay Lin fell to the ground, desperately gasping for air. The vines closed in around her, wrapping themselves around her hands and legs. Then a bone chilling voice rang through her ears: "Everything that has a beginning has an end, my dear."
Then darkness. Hay Lin opened her eyes and saw the grass in front of her. It took her a few seconds to realize that it was just a dream. She was standing with the other W.I.T.C.H. girls, Caleb and James in the Heatherfield park.
"Hey, at least the villagers have water," Will said, trying to break the uneasy silence. "You guys did a great job."
Caleb's face remained grim. "Aldarn and my father were among those taken," he said. "There's a hundred men in the dungeons."
James attempted to sound reassuring. "But, hey, now that we have Keravnos, it's only a matter of time before we break them out."
Caleb turned, his expression full of confusion. "Keravnos?" He looked at the pen in James' hand. "Where did you get it?"
"I found it close to the entrance to the Infinite City," James replied. "Why? What is it?"
"It belongs to my mother," Caleb said. "The Mage. I remember when I was young, she showed it to me—two pieces of metal that once disconnected, transformed into a powerful weapon. Who knew it was really a pen? We have to take it back to her."
James' expression changed. "But if it's a powerful weapon, it will be crucial to our victory. Shouldn't we keep it?"
"James, it doesn't belong to us," Caleb insisted. "It belongs to the Mage. She needs it."
"But we need it too," James said desperately.
"If the Mage hasn't given it to us, it means that she needs it. Give me the pen, James," Caleb demanded, stepping forward. James backed up, uncapping the pen, which quickly transformed into a spear.
"James," Will warned, "stand down."
"Please don't take it," James pleaded. "It's all I have."
"James, what's going on?" Caleb asked. "What happened?"
Tears began forming in James' eyes. "I... I'm the reason why the Rebellion was captured." He sobbed. "There was a guard outside the entrance when I came. He asked me for a password. I'm so sorry, I believed him. I told him where our base is, to prove that I was a rebel. I'm sorry."
"What?" Caleb asked, the fury evident in his calm tone. "We don't use passwords. You know that."
"What was I supposed to do?!" James asked.
"You could have waited," Caleb said. "At one point, Vathek would have noticed you missing. He would have come out and he would have seen the spy."
Hay Lin, watching from a distance, felt James' sense of guilt and self-reproach. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did.
"I know I made a mistake, but I can fix it," James said. "I have Keravnos, you saw what it can do. Please don't take it away, I'm nothing without it."
"If you're nothing without it, then you shouldn't have it," Caleb said. "Instead of fighting gargoyles, you could have used it to spy on Phobos. You could have known every secret passageway of the castle."
"I tried my best to be a good rebel," James protested.
"A good rebel?" Caleb asked, his voice filled with disappointment. "This is why you fight? If that's the case than you should stop wasting your time, 'cause you don't even know what it means to be one."
Hay Lin could feel James' anger rising.
"Fine!" James said, throwing Keravnos to the ground. He turned and began walking away.
"Where are you going?" Caleb asked.
"Since I'm not a rebel anymore, I don't think it's any of your concern," James responded.
After a moment, Hay Lin decided to go look for James. Somehow, she knew where he went. She found him sitting on a bench, clearly lost in thought, the weight of his guilt evident in his posture. Out of nowhere, Hay Lin found herself saying, "How do you expect others to forgive you if you can't forgive yourself? You can't grow if you don't accept your mistakes," Hay Lin said gently.
"When I joined the rebellion, everybody knew me as the kid who wouldn't shut up about how unfair his life was. I didn't even realize how much of a mess I was. Now, I'm the idiot who messed everything up."
"That's it?" Hay Lin asked. "You're just gonna quit?"
"What else can I do? I'm not a rebel."
"What about Phobos?" Hay Lin asked. "He killed your parents. He imprisoned Vathek, Miriam, Aldarn, and so many more. He's gonna hurt Elyon. Are you just going to let him get away with it?"
Suddenly, Hay Lin snapped out of whatever trance she was in. She looked at James as he stared at her, dumbfounded, having no idea how she just said what she did. She left, and returned to the group. After a minute, James returned as well.
"I know I made a grave mistake," he began. "But, I promise you, I'm going to do whatever I can to fix it. I'm going to give Keravnos back to the Mage. It is hers and I'm sure she needs it more than we do. Caleb, I know you said that I'm not a rebel. I'm sorry, but I can't just turn my back on the people of Meridian."
"After everything that's happened, do you expect me to trust you?" Caleb asked.
"I expect you to understand that you all are going to need all the help you can get. If you accept it or not, that's your decision, but I'm not going to let Phobos hurt the people I love."
Caleb smiled, which took everyone by surprise. "Alright, James. I accept your offer." He held out his hand. James shook it.
"Let's take down Phobos once and for all," James said.
After almost 6 months I am back. I had been struggling with a lack of motivation but now I feel like I'm ready to get back into it.
This was the episode where Hay Lin had the dream about Elyon. Yan Lin explain it as the Air Guardian's ability to anticipate others feelings. Here, I wanted to tap in more to the "anticipate others feelings" part, which is how she managed to give James a pep talk despite knowing nothing about him.
And, speaking of James, this is the 4th chapter he is in and the conclusion of his character arc, which was to let go of trying to prove himself. Once he did that he was able to see the world with an unclouded mind.
Next is: Chapter XII: The Rebel Rescue