Not once did Charlie or Angel take their eyes off that crystal as it rolled along the ground. Relying on it to lead them to where they hoped little Octavia and safety was located. Although the further they went, the less it looked like any form of protection or security was nearby. Everything just kept getting darker and more eerie, thorny vines covered almost every inch of the area, a misty fog surrounded them, and a full moon hung high up in the sky.
"That's weird." Angel said checking his watch. "It's ten in the morning, there's no way the moon should still be out."
"I don't think that's the same moon we see every evening Angel." Charlie said. "I guess it's always nighttime here. Strange that they have a moon but no sun though."
"This place just keeps freaking me out more and more. Oh why the hell did you and Vaggie have to come here in the first place?"
"It wasn't like this the first few times we visited. But I guess now that I'm on to her, she's not going to put up much of an illusion anymore."
"Part of me wishes this crazy bitch would just come out and show herself already. This constant quiet is scaring me more than anything so far. I just wanna rip the band-aid off, you know?"
"Careful what you wish for, if she catches us then it's game over for everyone. You, me, Vaggie, Octavia, and Molly."
"Hey if she does catch us, what do you think she'll do to us?"
"I think it's best that we don't think about it."
The woods stretched further on and on, and as they went further into it, the trees started to be come cruder and less tree-like. Pretty soon they seemed very approximate, like the idea of trees. Or as if the creator had not put forth effort to actually create trees and just planted the idea of them. Finally the two of them had walked into a pale nothingness, like a blank sheet of paper or an enormous white room.
"Now where are we?" Angel asked.
"I don't know." Charlie answered, looking around. "I've never been to this part of Mystique Hollow before."
"Is this even a real place?" Angel lifted his arms and started to feel around for something.
"I suppose it must be." Charlie said, doing the same. "I mean we can't just go to some place that doesn't exist."
Angel picked up the crystal.
"Hey what's the big idea? Are you leading us on some kind of wild goose chase?"
The crystal didn't respond.
"Hey! I'm talking to you! Give me some answers or I'll smash you!"
Suddenly the crystal turned red hot.
"Ow!"
He dropped the crystal, flailing his arms.
"What happened?" Charlie asked.
"Stupid thing burned me!"
The crystal then rolled over to Charlie's feet and bounced up into her hands. It wasn't hot and it was once again crystal clear.
"Maybe we should try a more polite approach." She said. "Remember what Louis said, toys and objects have feelings here."
She looked deep into the crystal.
"Excuse me but are you sure that you know where Octavia is?" She spoke gently to it. "I won't be angry if you don't, but I can't afford to waste any time. So if you truly don't know, please tell me now."
A mist appeared within the crystal and it slowly began to shape itself into an image. The image was of Octavia sitting in a living room, laughing and smiling while strange-looking individuals were entertaining her with juggling tricks and music on several instruments. Not one hair was out of place on the little girl's head, not even a scrape or bruise was on her skin, and she was so happy. Tears of relief flooded in Charlie's eyes.
"She's okay." She sobbed. "She's alright. Oh thank God."
Angel saw her tears and slowly moved to hug her.
"I know." He told her.
"She's safe."
"I know."
"Oh Angel I was so scared. If something had happened to her I would have-"
"I know, I know, I know." He patted her back gently. "It's okay. She's safe and sound and we're gonna get her back before anything happens. I'll make sure of that."
"Thank you." She told him. "Thank you so much."
She turned her attention back to the crystal.
"And thank you. I'm sorry for doubting you, lead the way please."
But before she could place the crystal back on the ground, she felt a sudden unease. A disquiet that spread and grew and filled her with terror. She quickly hid the crystal into her bag and turned around, Angel did the same, and there stood Dennis and a terrifyingly large group of nasty creatures. Charlie recognized them as the same ones who tried to send her falling to her death when she followed Louis on the line. She trembled, Angel slowly put his hand over the pistol he had brought.
"What are you doing in here?" Dennis asked. "You're not allowed to be in this place. No one is."
"Where is Vaggie?" Charlie asked, ignoring his questions. "What have you done with her?"
"Why didn't Levana tell you? She's with her father now."
"That's bull shit! And you know it!" Angel said aiming the gun at him. "Where is she? Tell us where she is or I'll blow your brains out!"
"Easy." Charlie warned him.
"You're upset." Dennis said, seemingly unfazed by the gun but Charlie could sense a flicker of fear in him. "Come with us back to Levana's palace and she'll explain everything."
"We're not going anywhere with you until we see Vaggie first!" Angel demanded. "And Molly! What did she do with Molly?! Did she kill her?!"
"Molly? Who's Molly?"
Angel felt a great anger and desperation flare up inside.
"You know damn well who she is! She's my sister! The girl you stole five years ago! Where is she?!"
"Angel calm down." Charlie said.
But he wouldn't listen. He couldn't listen. After five years of mourning and searching, he had finally found a lead to what could have happened to his sister and he wasn't about to let it get away.
"You have three seconds to tell me where she and Vaggie are right now! Or I'll shoot you all dead!"
"Angel don't!" Charlie pleaded.
"One."
"Angel stop this!"
"Two."
"Not yet!"
"Three!"
"No!"
A shot rang out and the bullet was headed for Dennis but one of Levana's goons jumped in the way and that shot had no effect on him. He didn't bleed or fell or cry out in pain. He didn't even have a trace of fear like Dennis.
"Was that your best shot?" Dennis asked mockingly. "Now let me show you mine."
He snapped his fingers and in an instant the nasty creatures morphed and it was like the head of a devil had popped out from each of them. Smoke wiped out behind them and ghastly groans. The heads swiveled and looked down upon them menacingly. They lunged for them like a pack predatory beasts after prey. Angel fired more shots but those bullets did none of them any harm. He and Charlie tried to run but they were overpowered and tackled over.
"Stop! Ah!" Charlie struggled, kicked and screamed as they held her down and clawed at her. Pulling her hair, scratching her skin, and tearing her clothes.
"Get the hell off of me!" Angel shouted, fighting just as much as she was but also suffering a dreadful beat down.
"They're gonna tear us apart!" Charlie realized.
She was so scared. Her heart was pounding, her breathing out of control, her body finding it harder and harder to keep fighting, and her mind overflowing with fearful thoughts. What they were going to do to her? Kill her? Rape her? Mutilate her?
"Oh I'm going to enjoy this!" She heard one of them said. "Can't wait to hear you scream in that pretty voice of yours when we tear away your flesh and break your bones!"
Charlie thought she was going to throw up. She needed to get out of this. There had to be something she could do.
"Too bad Alastor isn't around to save you this time!"
That's when she remembered something Alastor had said to her once.
"Fire hurts us here in a particular way. We're not made of flesh like you. Those who were tinkered or copied by Levana either have cloth and stitches for skin like me, or wax."
"She has a very special kind of fabric and wax that gives off a very convincing illusion of flesh. But it doesn't feel and if we catch fire it's either a melt fest or a huge flammable disaster."
With all her strength and will, she dug her hand deep into her bag, her fingers reaching for a match in desperation. They had just torn off her shirt when she finally grabbed one and struck it hard against the ground. A spark came and she threw the lit match on to one of the wax-made heathens.
"Uuuuurrrggghhhhhh!"
It screeched in agony as that one spark quickly spread into a huge fire that set it ablaze, causing it to melt rapidly. She quickly lit another match and threw it. Then another and another and another. These sick, twisted toys went into a huge panic, running around and screeching, unintentionally spreading the flames to each other and destroying one another.
"Are you alright?" Charlie asked, helping Angel up to his feet.
"Yeah but what did you do?"
"I'll explain later! Just run!"
"You idiots! Don't let them escape!" Dennis ordered.
Most of them just continued to panic and burn away, but those had not been exposed to the fire chased after them. All the while, Charlie and Angel ran and stumbled lost. Crying out for help, for they knew of nothing else to do at a time like this.
That's when a voice, Louis voice spoke to Charlie.
"Imagine something." He said.
"What?"
She looked around, she couldn't see him but she knew he was here.
"Imagine something to throw them off. Hurry! It's your only chance!"
"Imagine? Imagine what?"
"I can't tell you! Use your brain and your creativity!"
Hard to do that when you're running for your life. But with no other ideas on how to escape she quickly constructed a mental image in her head. She pictured a tree, no a hedge. One tall enough to reach the sky yet wide enough to serve as a sort of wall or barrier. She put her entire heart and mind into it, and in that moment, the ground shook and opened up like an earthquake. A labyrinth of hedges started growing and growing, separating her and Angel from their pursuers and making it impossible for them to be followed. But also separating the duo.
"Angel!" She called. "Angel where are you?"
No answer.
"Don't worry, I'll try to find you!"
"No!" Louis's voice told her. "You must continue to Alastor's bureau! Quickly while you can!"
"What about Angel?"
"I'll protect him and lead him to you! Just keep going!"
Charlie was unsure of this and for a moment felt like she was abandoning a friend in need. But she trusted Louis, so she once again took out the crystal from her bag, dropped it on the ground, and allowed it to lead her to Octavia. Frightened, she ran, stumbled, and fled down the trail the crystal led her until she reached a most peculiar yet astounding estate.
On top of a hill there stood a gothic and intricately crafted house with a Victorian style and painted in muted colors. Dark greys and blacks, so many shadows peeping through instead of light. It reminded her of those old spooky castles and haunted houses she had seen in horror movies. Yet for some reason she was not afraid.
Focusing only on the house, she ran non-stop until she made it to the door. With the last of her strength, she banged on the door until she at last dropped into a dead sleep.