Chapter 2: Broken Spell: Part 2
A lot had happened within only a handful of moments. A stranger, clad in purple and black armour had appeared from nowhere and used his dark magic to knock the group to the ground. Now he stood over them, imposing and terrifying.
"On your feet," he ordered when they all tried to catch their breath. For the four humans, they'd never been hurt so badly, and the pain winded them. They were slow to get to their feet, but after a moment they stood once more with Udonna, Carvallain and Titania. "Darkness has come," the stranger said coldly.
"I got a bad feeling about this," Maddie gulped, unable to deny that she was intimidated by the stranger.
"I do not know you, warrior," Udonna admitted as she watched him carefully. "But if it's a battle you want, I am ready to fight," she declared, stepping away from the six.
"Hold on," Xander spoke up, still trying to catch his breath. "Let me try and reason with him," he tried, reluctant to fight someone so strong. However, as he tried to step forwards, a hand caught him by the back of the shirt and pulled him back.
"Not this time," Titania warned with a shake of her head. "Those creatures were one thing, but this warrior…" she trailed off as she looked over at the man. The darkness came off him in waves, and it had her fight or flight response in overdrive.
"Who are you, warrior?" instead, Carvallain called out to him. The man returned his sword to the centre of his shield.
"I am Koragg. The Knight Wolf," he answered, before throwing out a hand. When he spoke again, he instead uttered words that not even Titania and Carvallain understood, but they knew what the language had to be. The language of the Underworld. Another purple spell seal appeared under his feet, growing larger and larger. "Rise up from the depths!" Koragg commanded, his voice carrying. There was a loud whinny, and a massive horse taller than the trees emerged from the seal.
"Is that…" Carvallain stared at the black horse. Koragg then chanted another dark spell, and leap into the air. He passed through a spell seal that appeared, growing large enough to match the horse.
"Power of the Centaur!" Koragg combined with the horse to become a Centaur.
"A Centaur…a real Centaur!" Chip exclaimed as he stared at the towering foe. "I want one!" he then whined. Carvallain tore his eyes off Koragg to give him an incredulous look.
"You are now just pebbles under my hooves," Koragg declared as he now held a lance in his hand and his shield in the other.
"Get back!" Udonna warned. "You are not ready to fight his kind. None of you are," she added as she saw Carvallain prepare to argue back. She then took a breath. "I am," Udonna stepped away from the team, not taking her eyes off Koragg.
"No problem here. He's all yours!" Xander gulped.
"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" Udonna morphed once more, and with another spell, she grew to much greater heights until she matched Koragg.
"I'm ready," Koragg growled as he turned to her. Those on the ground watched as Udonna attacked, charging forwards. Koragg reared up to kick her backwards, and Udonna groaned as she managed to stop herself from falling. Titania's stomach churned as she watched, praying that Udonna would be okay.
"Have I seen you before, Wizard?" Udonna asked as their weapons clashed and they both pushed against one another for a moment. "You are too familiar," she confessed as she watched him, trying to understand what it was about Koragg that bothered her so much.
"You too, witch," Koragg admitted, finding Udonna just as familiar. "But that will not stop me from destroying you. Behold, the Eye of the Master!" Udonna looked at his shield as it opened, revealing an eerie red light. It burst out, too fast for her to defend herself against, and Udonna screamed as it exploded against her body. The force behind it threw her, and she landed on her back.
"Udonna!" those on the ground could only watch as Koragg charged, delivering a blow as he passed Udonna. Her suit rained sparks as it struggled to absorb the powerful slash, and she staggered.
"You are defeated," Koragg announced as Udonna screamed and collapsed. Her Snow Staff embedded in the ground with enough force to send a tremor through the ground, before shrinking back down to its normal size.
"Udonna!" Titania spotted the Sorceress as she staggered into view, and raced over to her as Udonna collapsed in the dirt. Exhausted and badly hurt, Udonna's Ranger suit shattered, and snow started to fall from the sky.
"He's so powerful," Carvallain breathed as they all helped Udonna back to her feet.
"Are you okay?" they asked, but she didn't answer. Instead, her eyes were on her Snow Staff as Koragg pulled it from the ground.
"My Snow Staff…" she breathed, horror filling her as she saw it in the hands of the dark wizard. He turned to them, and Carvallain quickly moved in front of them as he drew his sword. However, before he could speak, two figures stepped between him and Koragg.
"I'm going to request that you drop the Staff," Penelope requested as she raised her hands in a fighting stance.
"I would listen to her," an unfamiliar man warned. He was much taller than the woman, and despite his slight frame, there was something about him that told everyone else that he wasn't to be underestimated.
"I think not," Koragg said, still without any emotion in his voice. "I will spare all of you so that you will witness first-hand the terror and destruction that unfolds on your land," he said as dark magic started to fill the air once more. "Remember this day. You will wish it was your last," with that, he conjured another spell seal, and vanished.
"What a cheery fellow," the man commented, but Penelope didn't reply. Instead, she whirled around and rushed over to Udonna.
"How bad is it?" she asked, fussing over her. Udonna sighed, her head lowered.
"The pain will fade, but I fear the threat is much greater than my injuries," she admitted. Penelope didn't reply, and instead looked at the man who accompanied her.
"Let's get back to Rootcore, shall we?" he suggested, and Udonna nodded.
Udonna was trying to keep a brave face as Penelope tended to her injuries, which were mercifully minor. Penelope was tempted to scold her for being so reckless, but instead chose to focus on the problem at hand.
"I've never seen that warrior before," Penelope said as she dabbed a green coloured salve over the small cuts that covered Udonna's hands.
"Nor I. His power was fearsome indeed," she said. Koragg was far stronger than she was. Whoever he was, he was a true threat. She had to find the final Mystic to help the others.
"I'm surprised he left without killing us," the man standing with them admitted. Penelope shot him a droll look. "What? It's true!" he exclaimed.
"Hermes, you're just going to scare them. They only just found out about magic today," she told him. He glanced over his shoulder at the group, and flashed an apologetic smile.
"Sorry," he apologised, and folded his arms. "But taking your Snow Staff…he knew the implications of that," Hermes thought about the stranger. He wanted to think that it was the arrival of himself and Penelope that chased off Koragg, but he knew it wasn't that simple.
"Implications?" Vida was the one to ask. It was obvious they were listening in the entire time, all with their own questions about what had happened. Udonna stood, and returned a smile to her face as she thanked Penelope for her help.
"Without my snow staff, I cannot fight anymore," she admitted to them. The four humans stared. They hadn't expected this - after seeing Udonna in action, they'd felt safe to fight too. "But I can still train you. I can teach you the ways of magic," she told them. Reassured by that, they relaxed a little.
"Thanks for stepping in," Carvallain told the two who stood with Udonna.
"Eh, old habits," Penelope waved it off. She then turned her attention to the others. "We haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm Penelope," she told the group.
"Hermes," the man with her gave a friendly smile. Their attention lingered on him, and he couldn't blame them. He had a mop of mousy brown hair, and his eyes were a startling shade of green, while his ears were pointed just like Carvallain's. He chuckled. "I'm an Eladrin," he explained, and saw Chip's expression light up while the others looked confused.
"Wow, really? That's so cool!" he exclaimed.
"You're the one who summoned lightning, aren't you?" Hermes asked. Chip nodded eagerly, and Hermes grinned. "Of course you are," he chuckled.
"Perhaps you should elaborate for those who aren't so well-versed in your kind," Penelope suggested as she saw the three confused looks.
"Oh, right, yes. Humans," Hermes nodded in understanding. "I'm an Elf. A Seasonal, if you will," he said brightly.
"Basically there are different types of Elves," they looked at Carvallain as he spoke. He was cleaning his sword nearby. "Eladrin resonate with the Seasons, and can utilise that in their magic. Hermes commands Spring magic," he explained without looking up.
"Right…" Maddie nodded as she tried to understand what he had said. It made sense, but it was still hard to process. Their attention lingered on Carvallain even after that, the question hanging in the air, and after a moment he sighed and looked up.
"I'm a High Elf," he answered the question they had wanted to ask from the moment they met him.
"And you?" Chip asked Titania, who was watching them all carefully. The moment he asked, she grinned.
"I'm no Elf," she said simply. Chip wanted to ask more, but he heard Carvallain clear his throat in warning. Titania's smile didn't fade, but she jumped off the table and walked over to Hermes and Penelope. Hermes grinned and patted her head.
"I guess Carvallain already warned them not to make deals with you, huh?" he said, and she nodded.
"Probably for the best," she allowed. "I know Fáfnir is on his way back, but where's Taliesin?" she asked curiously.
"He was checking the outskirts of the village. After the Hidiacs attacked, he wanted to make sure none of the wildlife were hurt," Penelope explained, and Titania nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, he'll be here soon to help out with some training too," she said, her attention mainly on Carvallain when she spoke.
"You're going to help train us too?" Chip's excitement seemed never ending, and it made Penelope smile.
"Of course. We have to help train our successors after all," their eyes went wide at her words. Hermes winked.
"Successors?" Xander repeated.
"The previous Mystics who once guarded our lands against evil, preventing it from spreading to your world in the great Magical War," Udonna gestured to the two, who bowed to them.
"After the Gate to the Underworld was sealed, we retired. The war took its toll, and after all these years, it's up to a new generation," Penelope said, her gaze saddening. Even Hermes' cheerful disposition seemed to fade just a little. "Though…you do seem to be one Mystic short," she glanced at Udonna, who sighed.
"Regrettably the young man I believed would suit Fire could not get past his barriers of denial," she said, and both winced. "Which reminds me…Claire?" Udonna called out, wondering if her apprentice had returned.
"Coming!" the bleat echoed down the hall, and Claire, still a sheep, came into view. Hermes couldn't stop the undignified snort, clapping a hand to his mouth, and Penelope closed her eyes as she fought to keep her face straight.
"Oh child," Udonna smiled fondly, waving her hand and chanting in the language of the Ancients. There was a flash of white magic, and Claire returned to normal.
"Why didn't you do that before?" she complained, still on her hands and knees. "Do you know how warm it was in all that wool?" Claire grumbled as the others behind Udonna started to giggle.
"If I do everything for you, then how will you ever learn?" Udonna asked her. Claire got to her feet, dusting herself off as she looked embarrassed. "Titania, if you would fetch the wands for me dear," she requested, and Titania crossed the room with light steps to lift the wands from where they had been abandoned on the Xenotome. "This time, go nowhere without them," she repeated her earlier lesson as Titania passed them out again. She looked at the one with a red top, and her eyebrows furrowed before she passed it to Udonna.
"We already learned our lesson," Xander chuckled as he looked at the wand in his hand. "But to tell you the truth…walking around town carrying a wand-" he stopped as Chip started to swing the wand more like a sword. "It may be good for Chip, but…" he trailed off as Vida laughed.
"What's wrong with wands?" Hermes wondered, and Penelope shook her head with an exasperated smile at his confusion.
"It won't help them blend in much in their world," Titania pointed out as Udonna looked thoughtful. She glanced at Claire, who nodded in encouragement.
"Very well," Udonna agreed, casting another spell as she waved her hand. The wands, including the ones that Carvallain and Titania had, changed to smaller devices that flipped open. "I hope you find these more to your generation's liking," she said, almost teasing as they admired them.
"Mine was perfectly fine," Carvallain huffed as he set his sword down at last and studied his own. Titania didn't complain, instead she looked as fascinated as the other four.
"Cellphones…very cool," Vida grinned.
"They are your Mystic Morphers," Udonna explained. "They are activated by spell codes that you will come to learn along the journey," she told them as Titania saw the keys waiting to be pressed. "Now, go back to the city. Live your normal lives and wait until you're needed," she instructed, and they glanced up as if they had forgotten that they had normal lives. "Remember, there is evil everywhere, and you would be best served speaking to no-one of what has happened," Udonna warned.
"I can show them the way out of the woods," Claire offered, eager to be of some help.
"No," Udonna denied this time with a shake of her head. "They must find their own way. Just remember, the trees are your passage," she advised mysteriously.
"I think you only confused them more, by saying that," Hermes considered as the four new Mystics left Rootcore to return home.
"They will understand soon enough," Udonna said, confident in the four. "For now, I must find out about the fifth. The Xenotome said five would come from the human realm. Yet the fifth, the first to volunteer, could not believe," she shook her head and turned to walk over to the book.
"It's been a while since we've seen Udonna like this," Penelope said to Hermes, who smiled a little.
"I hoped it wouldn't come to this again," he admitted, and Penelope's own smile faded.
"Me too. Especially for-" she stopped. Carvallain was still at the table, but was deep in thought, and Claire was following Udonna up to the Xenotome. "Oh…Titania," Penelope gave a weary sigh as Hermes grinned.
"Well, they are her team now. Best she starts making friends her own age, eh?" Hermes nudged Penelope. "Can't mother-hen her forever," he said, and she huffed.
"I hoped I could for a little while longer," she admitted.
Once they left Rootcore, Chip bounded ahead while Vida, Xander and Maddie followed at a slower pace and looked around. They had no idea where to even begin to leave. After all, they had been carried a good distance from where they had entered the Magical Realm by the broomsticks that had saved them from the Hidiacs, and none of them wanted to spend all day walking when they weren't even sure what direction to go in.
"She couldn't have given us a map or something?" Vida complained as she looked around.
"That would defeat the purpose of finding your own way," they jumped and looked around quickly at Titania, who was following with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face.
"Why are you following us?" Vida asked, still suspicious of Titania after Carvallain's warning. She seemed harmless, but something seemed devious about the short stranger.
"Curiosity. We're teammates now, remember? I haven't been back to the Human Realm for a few months, so I wanted to come too," Titania shrugged as she caught up to them with fast strides of her short legs.
"Can you tell us how to get there?" Maddie asked hopefully, and Titania looked at her. Instantly that devious smile returned.
"Even after Car's warning? Brave," she teased, and Maddie faltered.
"Hey…" Vida warned.
"I'm kidding," Titania giggled, raising her hands quickly. "Udonna said you have to figure it out yourselves. I'm not going to give you an easy out," she told them.
"Not even a hint?" Xander asked hopefully. Titania shook her head.
"Nope!" she smiled up at him. "You'll figure it out," she said, oddly confident in them. "Just remember what Udonna said, and you'll be fine," Titania encouraged as she kept walking with them.
"'Trees are your passage'," Maddie repeated what Udonna had told them.
"How could a tree be our passage?" Chip wondered, reaching out to touch one of the trees. The others gasped, and Titania grinned as part of the tree split, and Chip was sucked through with a cry. In a flash, the portal opened again and Chip reappeared, stumbling backwards. "Whoa, guys! It's so cool! Just touch the tree and bam! You're flying through roots, branches, stems, leaves and bark!" he rambled as he bounced back over. Xander walked over to the tree, wary. "Just think of the tree outside the record shop - really! It works!" he exclaimed.
"Nah, there's no way that this tree-" as soon as Xander slapped a hand to the tree, he was yanked through the portal with a yell.
"Whoa," Vida and Maddie stared as Titania giggled.
"Trees are your passage," she repeated, and watched as the other three ran over to the tree. One by one they vanished, and she hummed as she bounced over to it. I hope they thought to move," Titania hummed as she pressed her hand to the tree.
Her body was yanked forwards by an unseen force, and she was pulled through until she landed feet first by another tree. At her feet, the four lay groaning after colliding with each other. "You okay?" Titania asked, helping Maddie to her feet.
"Someone didn't move out of the way," Vida said, glaring at Xander as they all got up.
"How was I to know that you'd all come crashing out behind me?" he fired back at her. "Does that work with all trees?" Xander asked Titania, turning to her. As he did, he noticed that her attire had changed, and a rainbow shimmer was fading from around her. Instead of the strange tunic and slacks she wore, now she was dressed in a pair of black high-waist jeans and a pale orange cropped top under a black denim jacket that was large on her baggy frame. A grey beanie covered her head, obscuring her ears from view as her hair was now loose, curly from being in a plait. "When did you change?" he asked, baffled. Titania cocked her head.
"What, you expect me to wander around your world like that? I'd be asking for trouble," she scoffed.
"She's got a point," Maddie nodded, and Xander huffed.
"Yeah, but I asked when?" he stressed.
"Just now," Titania smiled as she answered simply. He groaned, giving up.
"Hey!" they glanced across the road at the shout, and saw a man with wild curly hair staring at them. "Did you guys just…" he trailed off as the five crossed the road to walk towards the shop he was standing in front of. Titania looked up at it, fascination in her gaze.
The entrance was small, almost hidden, if not for the large sign over the door that stood out against everything else around. The words 'Rock Porium' were on the sign overhead, with 'Rock' designed to look like rocks, and 'Porium' was spelt in different musical symbols. "…from the tree?" the man asked, looking baffled.
Xander glanced at the tree, and back at their boss with a confused look, putting a hand on Titania's back to guide her past the man. "Never mind," the man frowned as he looked at the young woman he didn't recognise.
"You feeling okay?" Vida asked with concern, distracting him from Titania.
"What is this place?" Titania asked as they walked inside. Instantly the four grimaced as they saw how messy it was.
"It's supposed to be where we work," Maddie said as Titania lifted one of the fallen records.
"You work here? But it's so…" Titania trailed off as she looked at it. Records and CDs had fallen from their racks, and magazines were scattered all along the floors. "Chaotic," she decided.
"It's not normally this bad," Vida grumbled as she made her way across the shop. Amongst the chaos, there was a small, raised platform where a DJ table was set up, and across from it the building seemed to extend, allowing for some seats. "That earthquake messed everything up," she complained. Titania turned to her.
"You felt the earthquake here too?" she asked, surprised.
"Wait, it happened in the Magical Realm too?" Xander asked, and she frowned.
"Of course it did, that's how the Gate was cracked. I didn't realise it was here too," Titania said quietly as she set the record on the rack beside her.
"Is that weird? I mean, the gateway is here," Chip pointed out, and Titania shook her head.
"The gateway, yes, but that's it. They're separate dimensions," she said. Titania moved around the chaos with ease, and hopped up onto the counter. "I have to ask Fáfnir about it," she decided, and shook her head. Instantly the worry left her gaze, and she looked around the shop again. "For now, I think you need to worry about this place," she giggled, and all of them groaned.
Reluctantly, they got to work, slowly making their way around the shop as they debated where to even start. The place had been a mess before the earthquake had hit, and now it was just ridiculous. It didn't help that they were all distracted by the events of the late morning and early afternoon.
"You want to help out?" Vida asked as they slowly started. Titania looked up from the magazine she was reading.
"Uh, V," Chip grinned as he set down the pile of records that he'd gathered. "No deals, remember?" he pointed out, and Titania pointed at Chip as if to say that he was right.
"Okay, that's it," Vida set down the records heavily on her DJ table. "What's this whole 'no deals' thing about?" she demanded, frustrated by the lack of answers.
"It's obvious, isn't it?" before Titania could answer, Chip spoke up. She instead kept quiet, watching him with a curious look. Something uncomfortable stirred in her as she wondered if he really did know the answer.
"To you maybe. Not all of us are fantasy buffs mate," Xander reminded from behind the counter, leaning on it beside Titania. "Uh…though I guess you can't really be considered fantasy, can you?" he asked, looking up at her.
"Fantasy does imply that you're imagining me, so no," Titania answered, and looked back up at Chip.
"So, tell us Chip. What's the big secret?" Maddie asked him.
"There's one group of magical creatures that are big on making deals. Fae," Chip answered, his eyes gleaming as he turned to Titania. "I'm right, aren't I? You're a Faerie" he accused as the other three looked at Titania curiously.
"Pixie, to be precise," she answered with a nod. Chip cheered, bouncing on the spot.
"I knew it!" he cheered. "Fae Folk are all about making deals with people. You ask for something, they'll deliver, but you have to give them something in return. Like your first born or something," Chip explained. Titania's nose scrunched up.
"No thank you. I'd rather not have a human child to look after," she refused so seriously that they couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't Faeries have wings and stuff?" Xander asked, and Titania looked around as he straightened up and seemed to study her intently. "I thought they were like…tiny," he said, gesturing with his thumb and finger to demonstrate the size.
"First off, I do have wings. Second, you're thinking of a different kind of Fae," Titania answered. Seeing his blank stare, she rolled her eyes with a faint smile. "I keep a glamour spell up. I look a little different to this normally," she explained.
"So there's different kinds of Faeries?" Maddie asked. "Like Elves?" she remembered what Carvallain and Hermes had said before. Titania nodded.
"Yup. The tiny ones are what humans know as Fairies; a-i, not a-e. They tend to be the ones who are viewed as kind and generous," she said.
"Are they?" Xander asked, and saw something darken in her gaze.
"Wouldn't know," Titania answered, looking down at her hands. "I've never met another Fae before," she admitted quietly. Something about the sudden weight on her deterred the four from pressing her words, despite their own curiosity.
"So what you're saying is that to get your help on something, we have to offer something in response?" Vida summed up, and Titania looked up. Surprise flitted across her face, before she nodded.
"Basically. It's just the rules of Fae Folk. I can't help it," she shrugged.
"There are other rules too, like not telling you our names," Chip added, and the others immediately looked concerned. "Because it gives you power over us," he remembered.
"What? But you know our names," Maddie instantly looked nervous at the idea. Titania blinked, looking a little startled.
"Yeah, but you didn't offer them. You addressed each other, there's a difference. Well," she glanced at Xander. "Almost all of you," she smirked, and he instantly paled.
"You did offer your name!" Vida remembered, wide eyed. There was a tense moment of silence, before Titania burst out laughing.
"Don't worry. You didn't offer me your name. You addressed Udonna," she pointed out, and watched as Xander managed to relax from the initial fear. The other three started to laugh as well, and he glowered at them, embarrassed. "Can we talk about something else? This is boring," Titania complained, her attention wavering after being focused on herself for so long.
"Hey," Xander nudged her as he recovered. "That sounded like a request. Got something to offer in exchange?" he teased, and Titania's eyes lit up as her smile returned.
"Now you're getting it," she giggled.
Udonna couldn't stop herself from sighing as she gazed into the crystal ball in the centre of the table. It had been a while since she had used it, and while her intention had been to find the fifth Mystic from the human realm, she found herself looking at Nick again as he struggled to fix his bike.
"Are you sure he wasn't the one?" Hermes asked, making her jump as his voice pulled her from her thoughts. "The Xenotome said five Mystics, and when you asked for help, you say he was the first to volunteer," Hermes leaned on the table and watched Nick working on his bike. "Just like Dusk always was," he said, and Udonna's brow furrowed.
"Yes, but unlike Dusk, even in great peril, he did not believe," she said.
"Maybe it's harder for him to believe," Claire said softly. She had been sweeping nearby, and approached curiously. In the crystal ball, she saw Nick talking to Maddie. "We don't know what he's like. Maybe…" she trailed off, unable to put it into words.
"Humans don't live with magic as we do," Hermes reminded as he didn't take his eyes off the crystal ball. Udonna was quiet for a moment, watching as Maddie walked away and left Nick to work on his bike.
"Forget him. It is not to be," she decided. Claire sighed heavily.
"I guess so," she said, trusting in Udonna's judgement. "I just don't know why the Xenotome showed five warriors, not four," Claire admitted. Her eyes lit up. "Maybe I'm the fifth warrior!" she gasped, and swung her broom like a staff. It would have hit Udonna if the woman didn't duck to dodge it. When it came at her again, she caught it, and Claire snapped back to reality.
"Probably not," she teased gently, smiling affectionately at her.
"Right. We move on!" Claire agreed.
"Sweep, please," Udonna reminded her of the chore she was supposed to be doing, and made her way back up as she looked through a smaller book to work on a potion.
"But it's a good thing you didn't move on when I started here," Claire admitted as she followed Udonna. "Any other sorceress would have tossed me to the trolls when I cracked the crystal ball…or when I dried up the lake," Claire listed.
"That was you? I was wondering why Pen was so annoyed," Hermes commented. Udonna angled her head to shoot him a stern look as Claire went red.
"Yes, there was a long list of things you needed to learn," Udonna turned back to Claire, phrasing it in a nicer way than Claire had. "Not to mention turning yourself into a sheep," she added, and Claire's blush darkened at her teasing. "You child, you are not someone I would ever give up on," she told the apprentice earnestly. Claire smiled bashfully.
"And I appreciate that," she said, before hesitating. "But…just for reference, so when I become a powerful sorceress I'll know," Claire swallowed her nerves to ask Udonna what was on her mind. "Why is it that we're giving up on Nick?" she asked curiously.
The silence that followed was deafening, and Hermes had to hold back his laughter as he saw the look on Udonna's face. The woman looked at her apprentice, but found she had no answer for her.
"Seems the apprentice has a thing or two to teach the master," Hermes muttered under his breath, curious about what Udonna's reply would be.
It didn't take long for Titania to see that her new team had about the same kind of attention span as she did. They'd lost interest in cleaning as their boss - Toby, she had heard them call him - had left to continue what was meant to be his day off.
Chip was bouncing around the store now that most of the floor was uncovered, and he was practising what the others claimed was his sword-fighting. Titania couldn't wait to see him go up against Carvallain.
Music had filled the shop again, as Vida went back playing music on the DJ table, and Titania had been watching with fascination as the new Wind Mystic danced and had fun with it. Xander was sprawled across one of the chairs, eyes closed as he relaxed, while Maddie had disappeared out of the shop to talk to Nick. She had returned, looking a little dejected, but had quickly put a smile on her face as she took out her video camera and filmed the group.
"For a Faerie from the Magical Realm, you seem pretty used to our world already," Chip accused as he took a break from fighting imaginary pirates. Titania had gotten distracted from Vida's music, and had been reading a book - a biography about a band she'd found on display - when Chip addressed her again.
"I like to come to this world now and again. It's always interested me," she admitted with an embarrassed smile.
"Does Carvallain come here too?" Chip asked her, and Titania shook her head with a snort.
"Car's head would explode if you suggested it. The two dimensions have been separated for a very long time, and a lot of people feel it should stay that way. Carvallain's people included," she told him. Chip nodded as if understanding everything she was saying. "Don't worry about Carvallain, you'll see what he's really like soon enough. He acts mean, but he's a good person. He wouldn't have been chosen to become a Mystic fighter if he wasn't," she said confidently.
"Let's hope so, or V might end up punching him," Chip grinned, and both looked up at the young woman still dancing.
"That would not go down well," Titania said, but smiled all the same.
The relaxed atmosphere was interrupted as a strange chiming noise filled the air, somehow audible to them over Vida's music. She stopped playing as they pulled their new Mystic Morphers from their pockets, discovering them to be the source of the sound.
"Dark forces are back," Carvallain's warning came from their Morphers as they flipped them open.
"On our way," Vida answered, before shoving her Morpher back into her pocket. "Honestly, I'm a little surprised that he called us," she admitted.
"Carvallain is stubborn, but he's no fool. He won't charge headfirst into a fight against evil without allies," Titania said confidently, and they hurried out to join their teammate as excitement and nerves filled them all.
Carvallain ran through the forest to the area that the crystal ball had warned him about, determined to stop the darkness before they did any harm to anyone else. Thoughts of the Woodland Village flashed through his head, and the damage done to the homes of innocent people.
At those thoughts, anger welled up inside of him, and he almost didn't react in time to stop as four figures burst from a tree and kept moving so they didn't collide with one another. Carvallain skidded to a stop, moving around Vida as she couldn't stop in time.
"Nice reflexes," Titania commented as she stepped out of the tree last. "And I see you've learned from the last tree," she grinned, but the four didn't pay any heed to her teasing as they realised their clothes had changed the moment they had passed through the tree.
"Check out the uniforms!" Maddie couldn't help but laugh as she looked down at her clothes. All of them had the symbols and colours of their elements on their trousers and tops, along with leather braces on their wrists and long capes that made Chip look delighted. Each had their own little differences; Maddie's waistcoat was shorter than Vida's, while Xander's jacket had shorter sleeves and a hood, while Chip's was more like a jumper under the open waistcoat.
"And cloaks!" he exclaimed, flinging it so eagerly that it hit Xander in the face. "Nice!" Chip grinned.
"Mystics have got to look the part, after all," Titania grinned as she moved to stand with Carvallain. His uniform was similar, with a silver hemmed collared jacket with a half moon on the chest and right trouser leg. Titania's was a little different, with a waistcoat that was primarily white with a black hem and a black hourglass. It was over a sleeveless shirt, and the leather braces were brown with black lines visible along them. On her leg, the symbol was outlined in white to stand out against the black trousers.
"I hate pink," Vida complained, her expression souring as she saw how much pink was on her outfit. Hearing a low rumble, Carvallain and Xander both looked up to see a spell seal not too far away from them that lit up the dim area of the forest.
"You can go to the complaints department later, Vida," Xander patted her shoulder as he directed their attention over to the seal. "Look," he warned. The rest looked over just in time to see the Hidiacs rising from the seal, and Maddie groaned.
"I hope every day isn't going to be like this," she mumbled.
"Maybe not every day," Carvallain said as he drew his sword.
"But I imagine it won't be a rare occurrence either," Titania said, bouncing on the spot. Spotting them, the Hidiacs squealed and rushed them, causing a fight to break out. Everyone fought hard, but there were far more of the monsters than last time, and even Carvallain and Titania found themselves swarmed.
"She said we'd know when to use our wands!" Chip shouted over the chaos as they were yanked back to their feet. "I think this is the time!" he yelped as he broke free of their grasp.
"Y'think?!" Vida snapped.
"I believe you might be onto something," Carvallain allowed, cutting through the Hidiacs restraining Vida.
"Let's Ranger up!" Xander shouted. Titania darted around, waving her hands as they shimmered with a rainbow hue for a moment, and the Hidiacs were repelled by an unseen force that allowed the team to regroup and toss their capes aside. They grabbed their Mystic Morphers, and found a code instinctively coming to them. As if compelled, they dialled in the code and their Morphers flashed.
"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they chorused, causing a rumble and a pulse of powerful magic.
"Strong as a tree! Green Mystic Ranger!"
"Ever-changing as the wind! Pink Mystic Ranger!"
"Fluid as the sea! Blue Mystic Ranger!"
"Fast as lightning! Yellow Mystic Ranger!"
"Fleeting as time! Black Mystic Ranger!"
"Ethereal as the moon! Silver Mystic Ranger!"
The moment the six Morphed, every one of them felt the magic surge inside of them. Their strength increased, and all of them couldn't help but feel invincible as they stood in their coloured suits, with capes flowing in the wind behind them.
The battle resumed, only this time it was completely reversed as the Hidiacs couldn't even attempt to land their attacks. They were thrown and kicked around, turning to dust as they were destroyed.
"Magi Staff!" Xander tried out the staff by his side, channelling his magic with ease to manipulate the flora around them. Vines wrapped around the Hidiacs, restraining them so they were held in place. "Magi Staff, Axe Mode!" he then transformed it and slammed it against the ground, sending a quake straight towards them that exploded up and destroyed them.
Out of the corner of his eye, Carvallain saw Maddie use her Water magic to launch the Hidiacs high into the air. He hummed, before turning his attention to the monsters that were rushing him again.
"Seems you don't learn. Magi Staff!" he drew his staff, and held it up. His Moon magic rose to the surface, easier than he'd ever found it, and it made him smile faintly. He was starting to understand just what the previous Mystics had meant by the power their wands had given them. His Magi Staff flashed, and he swung it, sending a curved pulse of Silver energy straight at the Hidiacs charging him. It exploded as it hit the closest ones, catching some of the others with the aftershock.
"Whoa," Vida breathed as she saw the power he controlled. She then grinned, knowing what she could do too. "Pink is not my favourite colour, but trust me, it's not going to be yours either!" she grabbed her Magi Staff and summoned a burst of Wind magic so strong that it lifted the Hidiacs off their feet and cast them back.
"Are you guys getting tired?" Titania addressed the Hidiacs that were chasing her around. Having been darting around, Titania was running circles around the monsters. "How about a little pause?" she asked as she lifted her Magi Staff. It flashed, and instantly a silence fell as everything stopped. The Hidiacs leaping at her were frozen in mid-air, leaving them open for Titania to run by. She struck them as she moved, hitting all the enemies she could before stopping a short distance away.
Titania's Magi Staff flashed again, and the chaos of the battle resumed as the Hidiacs shrieked and crashed to the ground from the delayed injuries. To everyone else around Titania, she had been in one spot, and then suddenly another as the monsters collapsed around her.
Seeing them all demonstrate their own power, Chip eagerly lifted his own Staff to do the same.
"Let's give them a little Magi Staff jolt and enlighten them!" he shouted as he raised his Magi Staff to the sky. Lightning shot down from the clouds at his command, hitting his Magi Staff. It flashed, and transformed into a crossbow. "Crossbow Mode," Chip took aim at the Hidiacs that had gathered to focus on him. He fired several shots of lightning with startling aim, destroying them. "Yeah!" he pumped a fist into the air as the others ran to his side.
"Not bad for your first fight," Carvallain said as they cheered.
"Wow, you must have been good if you're getting praise from Car," Titania giggled, and he pushed her with a roll of his eyes. The others laughed, enjoying the rush of adrenaline still flowing through them.
Thunder cracked overhead, and Carvallain jumped as they whirled around. As it suddenly grew darker, they looked up to see the sky grow dark, and lightning flashed through the sky.
"There!" Carvallain spotted the purple spell seal, and they whirled around to see Koragg appear with a low chuckle.
"I'm back," he announced as he straightened, turning to the team.
"It's Koragg," Xander recognised the warrior who had easily defeated Udonna.
"We can take him!" Vida said, confident in their abilities after fighting the Hidiacs. As he slowly approached, Koragg gave a laugh that didn't suit him at all.
"You can try, but you are no match," he warned as a pulse of dark magic came from his hand. They felt it from their small distance away - a cold, sickly feeling that made them all shudder. "I call on my sword from the darkness!" at Koragg's shout, his shield appeared in a burst of dark magic, and he drew his sword from inside it. "This is your end," he warned as he pointed the sword at them.
"Okay…now what?" Xander gulped.
"Now you will feel the power of dark magic!" a new spell seal appeared behind Koragg, and the shield opened. Like it had against Udonna, a burst of red light shot out, and it struck all of them. The blow made them cry out, and they were forced off their feet as pain coursed through their bodies.
"I will not be merciful this time," Koragg warned as they struggled on the ground, trying to catch their breath. The power behind his attack was intense, and they could understand how he'd easily defeated Udonna. Everything hurt.
Carvallain cursed under his breath as he tried to push himself up, but his arms were shaky and he fell back in the dirt with a grunt. He clamped his eyes shut, desperately willing himself to get back up. They had only just become Mystics. He had only started, and he was already down.
'I can't give up now…I won't give up now. Come on!' he willed himself to get up. Finally he was able to muster enough strength to get back to his feet, but Carvallain could feel the majority of his strength was being put into just staying upright. His body desperately needed a respite; they all needed it, but Koragg wasn't about to let them recover.
"Stay back, Koragg," Carvallain warned with such authority that for a moment, Koragg stilled, and the other Rangers looked up in surprise. Then the warrior laughed.
"You speak with power you have yet to achieve, boy," Koragg told him, and Carvallain flushed under his helmet. "You are defeated. Accept that," the wizard continued his advance towards them, raising his sword.
"There's no honour in accepting defeat when victory can yet be achieved," Carvallain grabbed his Magi Staff and fired another bolt of Moon magic at Koragg. However, the wizard deflected it with his shield, and the light hit a nearby tree, carving a chunk out of the bark.
"And there is no honour in desperately clinging like you do now," Koragg replied, lifting his sword over his head, prepared to strike the Silver Ranger down. "Any last words?" he asked. Carvallain's eyes narrowed, but before he could say anything, he heard a dull rumble that was coming towards them. Whatever it was, it was moving fast. His head turned, right before a familiar voice shouted out.
"Yeah, just one!" Nick shouted as his bike hit a mound of dirt and launched into the air, straight at Koragg. "Hyah!" leaping from his bike midair, Nick flew towards Koragg and moved his leg in a kick that the warrior barely managed to block in time. While he didn't do any real damage to Koragg, Nick was carried by the force of his speeding bike and managed to shove Koragg back. The wizard barely managed to stay on his feet as he staggered backwards.
"Nick!" the Rangers shouted as Nick landed between them and Koragg.
"Now there are seven…" Koragg mused as he recovered and faced Nick, who pulled his helmet off.
"I guess there are," Nick glared at him as he tossed it aside. "This is as good a time as ever to start believing in magic…" he muttered as Koragg ran at him, sword raised. When he brought it down, Nick gave a yell and raised his hands instinctively.
The sound of metal hitting metal echoed around the forest at the same time that a bright red light formed between Nick's hands, blocking Koragg's strike from hitting him. "I do believe in magic!" Nick's yell carried just as far, and the light grew, repelling Koragg and throwing him several feet away.
"Not bad at all," Hermes murmured, impressed by the power they saw in the crystal ball.
"Yes," Udonna smiled widely as Claire laughed with delight. "He finally believes," she said, glad that she hadn't given up on the young man after all.
"Seven new Mystics…they're finally together," Hermes said, his green eyes bright. "Let's see just how strong they'll become."
Nick's chest was heaving as he felt the burning power of his magic under the surface of his skin. He could barely even begin to believe what he was doing. The flash he'd seen of the team struggling against Koragg had drawn him back to the Magical Realm to help before he could start to question it, as Udonna's words echoed in his mind.
In that moment, he'd drawn on belief he'd had when he was younger, remembering a time when he, like most kids, truly believed that magic was real. And it had worked. He had no idea how, but he had drawn on magic so strong it had repelled Koragg. He couldn't help but laugh quietly.
Magic was real.
With that thought, Nick felt that same fiery magic rise to the surface again, and for a moment he thought he was about to burst into flames. He looked down at his hands, seeing the red light of his magic start to surround him.
In a flash, his biker outfit was gone and he couldn't help but smirk as his outfit changed to his Mystic uniform. He tossed his cape aside, and the wand that appeared in his hand changed to a Mystic Morpher like the rest. Flipping it open, Nick dialled in the code that came naturally to him, letting his instincts take over as he finally accepted his role.
"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" there was a flash of red light, and he Morphed into the Red suit.
"Red Ranger!"
"Way to go, Nick!"
"He believes!"
"Amazing…"
"Way to go!" the Rangers still trying to recover watched in awe as Nick flicked his new cape behind him.
"Fearsome as fire! Red Mystic Ranger!" Nick yelled. Koragg, having watched Nick accept his magic, gave a low growl and approached him.
"Prove to me your worthiness! Battle my forces!" he shouted, wanting to test Nick's capabilities. "Hidiacs, arise!" Koragg summoned another small fleet of monsters. They squealed and snarled as they emerged and targeted Nick. The Red Ranger moved to draw them away from the other Rangers, letting the monsters surround him.
"You fight with words? So be it!" Nick called, unimpressed with Koragg's test. He drew his Magi Staff and channelled magic that came to him naturally to transform one of the Hidiacs into a ball. He repeatedly kicked it at the others with so much strength that it knocked them down, and as it bounced back, he leapt up and kicked it back down. Hitting the ground with force, it caused a small shockwave that sent the Hidiacs scattered.
"He's so powerful," Titania breathed as they watched Nick transform his Magi Staff into a sword.
"His control over magic is incredible for someone who only just started to believe," Carvallain spoke up, unable to hide how impressed he was.
"Seems more like he just refused to accept that he believed," Titania considered, now sitting up with her legs crossed as Nick used both impressive sword skills and fire magic to cut through the monsters. The more he watched, the more Carvallain had to agree with her.
"I summon the power of the Phoenix!" Nick shouted, sending a burst of flames through to destroy the last of the Hidiacs. He laughed to himself, before turning as he heard the others hurrying over. While they were still worn out, the rest they'd managed to get had helped a lot.
"Nick, that was awesome!" Chip cheered.
"Mystic Force?"
"Mystic Force," all of them chimed in response to Nick, holding their hands in a circle. Footsteps nearby made them stop their cheers, and they moved apart quickly as Koragg stood a short distance away.
"Do not celebrate, Rangers," he called out a warning. "This was just one battle. Next time, the outcome will be different," Koragg promised them, and vanished into another dark spell seal.
"I doubt that," Titania muttered, as despite the wizard's warning, their team felt unbeatable.
Carvallain couldn't stop his stomach from churning with nerves, but no matter what he did or said, Titania refused to stop dragging him along. She had a vice-like grip on his wrist, dragging him towards a tree.
"Come on, Car. You can't hide away from them forever. We're a team now, and you know that you can't just join us when there's a fight to be had," Titania told him as they reached the tree. Carvallain glared at her, before finally yanking his wrist free. He straightened up, unable to do so as she held onto him, and fixed his jacket.
"If it will stop your incessant chattering towards me, then I will agree," he finally allowed, irritated. Titania smiled, and pressed a hand to the tree. The moment she did, she vanished, and Carvallain gave a weary sigh. "Oh great Goddesses, please never let my uncle hear of this," he pleaded, and reached out to touch the tree.
Instantly Carvallain felt himself yanked forwards before his feet landed suddenly on new ground. Staying balanced, he straightened once more and adjusted the new jacket he now wore, and turned to Titania as she stood at his side. He saw the remnants of her Fae magic fading from around her clothes that allowed her to blend in.
"This way," Titania refrained from grabbing him again, and instead led Carvallain down the street towards one of the buildings. As he followed her, Carvallain cast a look around, taking in the unfamiliar sights of the human realm. It was vastly different to anything he'd seen before, and he quickly focused on Titania to follow her through a door. They passed Toby, who was staring at the tree across the road and didn't even notice them.
"At least one of you blends in here," Xander said as he saw the two walk in.
"And I see this place is still a disaster," Titania replied as she looked around at the disaster that was Rock Porium. Carvallain looked around, trying and failing to hide his disdain at the mess.
"Well, it would have been in better shape if someone had helped earlier," Xander told her as he lifted the box filled with CDs and balanced in his arms.
"I was perfectly happy to help you. You were the one reluctant to find out my price," Titania smiled innocently back at him. Xander pulled a face and walked away as Carvallain adjusted the headphones that rested over his ears to hide their unusual shape.
"I think you're a little overdressed for this place," Nick told the Elf as he saw them approach. Carvallain looked down at his suit as Nick grinned. It was neat and formal, standing out against the rest of their clothing.
"My apologies…I was unsure of what to wear and my magic simply went with what was appropriate," Carvallain said, and Nick was surprised by how flustered he seemed. It was a far cry to how he was in the Magical Realm.
"Appropriate for Carvallain, at least," Titania said, and Carvallain shot her a warning look. Nick's eyebrow rose at the expression on the Elf's face, but chose not to question it. He didn't want Carvallain getting mad at him again, like he'd done for using his sword.
"Well now that we're a team, do any of you feel like helping?" Xander asked the three expectantly. "Titania excluded, of course," he added, and she grinned.
"I have to respectfully decline," Carvallain said, adjusting the headphones again.
"And Nick?" Xander turned to their leader.
"I fight soulless mutants. I don't clean," Nick answered honestly. Xander rolled his eyes and walked away from them to put away the box as Titania giggled. Nick turned, and reached out his fist to bump against hers.
"Then out of the way, bucko," Vida bumped Nick out of the way with her hip as she passed, smirking at him as he closed the book he'd been reading as they cleaned.
"Okay…" Nick couldn't help but laugh. "But as a wise old woman once asked…do you believe in magic?" his question made them all pause.
"Finally someone caught on," Titania giggled, moving to take a seat nearby.
"You think…?" Vida wondered aloud, not having even considered the idea of using magic.
"This ought to be good," Carvallain murmured. He shook his head and moved over to the wall, ready to watch the chaos unfold.
"Well…I believe…" Maddie was the first to draw her Mystic Morpher and flip it open. Focusing her magic through it, she pointed it at the comic books still scattered on the floor. The feeling of magic filled the air, making them all shiver at the sensation, and the records began to lift off the floor to arrange themselves neatly on the display.
"Sweep like lightning!" Chip tried next, commanding the broom in the corner to begin sweeping up the dirt. Nearby, Xander had the bags of rubbish floating out the backdoor, far from where he had to smell them.
'Their control is impressive, but only because of their wands,' Carvallain considered as he watched them cleaning the shop at a much faster pace. 'I wonder just how much power they have outside of that…for humans they certainly are…interesting,' he allowed himself to think, even if he wouldn't say it out loud. He could feel Titania watching him, trying to figure out what he was thinking just from his expression, so he kept his expression as blank as he could.
"Whoa!"
"Sorry Chip!" Xander apologised as he nearly took him out with a radio.
"Hurry it up," Carvallain spoke up. "Someone's coming," he warned. Though muffled by the noise-cancelling headphones he wore, he could hear footsteps clunking back towards the shop.
"Okay!" Toby shouted as he stalked into the shop, right as the last of the record boxes was moved back into place and everyone tried to act casual. He was ready to bust his employees for not cleaning the shop as he'd asked them that morning. "I knew you wouldn't…" he trailed off, losing his fire. Briefly stunned into silence, Toby looked around his spotless shop. "You would…it's clean," Toby frowned. "Very clean…it's the cleanest it's ever been," he said, suddenly looking worried. "Maybe it's too clean…maybe it's lost its edge," Toby started to fret as he looked at his employees. They laughed, well used to their eccentric boss by now. "Have I become a megashop?" Toby started to panic.
"I like this guy," Titania murmured to herself as she watched him.
"Hello?" a voice called out expectantly, and Toby jumped. They looked over to the doorway where a pretty young woman with long blonde hair stood. "I'm new in town, can somebody help me?" she asked, looking around. For a moment, she met Carvallain's gaze, and a shiver ran down his spine. He frowned, before she was blocked from his view by Xander and Chip fighting to greet her first.
"You okay?" Titania asked as Carvallain moved away from her.
"Yeah, just…" he trailed off, unsure of why he had reacted in such a way. After the initial shudder, he felt fine. Titania gave him a reassuring smile.
"You'll get used to humans. Just give them time," she said, quiet enough that the others missed it, but he could still hear her.
"I want…him," the blonde shoved the two away and walked over to Nick, who only looked up from what he was reading as she stood in front of him. He gave an awkward laugh.
"Sorry, I don't work here," he denied, and her smile fell.
"You know, Toby, you've really got to hire this guy," Maddie turned to Toby with a grin. Nick gestured for her to stop, but she ignored him. "He was instrumental in cleaning the store," she smirked as Nick glared at her.
"I wasn't looking for a job," Nick said through clenched teeth.
"Who's the greatest guitarist ever?" Toby challenged Nick suddenly. Caught off guard, he answered honestly.
"It's gotta be Jimi, but-"
"You're hired," Toby cut him off and shook his hand. "Now help the customer," he said, walking over to the counter before Nick could even try to protest.
"Thanks for only throwing me under the bus. Not like there's two others here," he hissed at Maddie, glancing pointedly at Carvallain and Titania.
"Can you imagine Mr. Snobby working here?" Vida snorted, and Carvallain glared at her as Titania giggled.
"And her?" Nick asked. Instantly the others exchanged looks.
"Uh…we'll tell you later. You've got a customer to help," Vida smirked, seeming to enjoy Nick's discomfort. He turned his attention fully on the expectant blonde, who wrapped both her arms around one of his to pull him away.
"My name's LeeLee Pimvare, and yours?" she asked, fluttering her lashes up at him. He pulled away, and glared at the others as they giggled.
"I'm in trouble," Nick muttered as he wondered if he'd made the right decision after all.
I'm so happy to be writing Mystic Force again. I've missed it. And adding in so much more detail to the Magical Realm is making me even happier.
I hope you liked it!
Please review!