Destiny Relived

Crystal shivered as she walked down the dark alley. She knew she wasn't supposed to be there. But she had to come. She had to find out. Had her whole life been a lie? All of Crystal's life she thought she had been pretty much as normal as everyone else she knew. Nothing unusual or exciting ever really happened to her. But before she left her house tonight to meet her date at the cinema, something very strange happened. It had gotten cold all of a sudden, the lights went out, and there was a low, haunting whisper filling her house.
It said to her, "Crystal…… it's time you know the truth…. Go to the darkest ally in the neighborhood. There and there alone will you find your true self……"
She knew it made no sense but all her life she felt as though some thing was missing. As though something in her all too normal, boring life just wasn't there. She knew she had to find out what she was missing out on.
So here she was, wandering around in the dark scared of what she was to find out about herself. Yet, she didn't turn back because she was so intrigued be what the mysterious voice had meant. Crystal looked up and saw that she was at the dead end of the alley. She was about to turn back when she saw a glimmer of light. Bewildered, she couldn't help but stare at it in wonder. All of a sudden, it exploded. Crystal was startled, but unharmed. She opened her eyes again and saw a woman. A shimmery ghost-like figure of one anyway. She looked so familiar, but from where? Then she thought of it. She had seen her in a dream in which she was fighting a great evil.
She asked the figure,” What is going on? Who are you?”
“Ah, my child, it has been such a long time since I have seen your beautiful face. Crystal-"
“How did you know my name?”
“Crystal, this may be hard for you to believe or accept but, I am your mother, Anias.”
“What?... I don’t understand.”
“Honey, Your father was a lousy man. When he found out that I was a witch and that I was pregnant with his child, a witch as well, he started abusing me.”
“I'm so sorry…"
"Don't feel guilty my child, it was not your fault. But I felt that now was the time to tell you the truth. You are old enough to understand."
"But how can this be?"
"Witch has been our blood line for over three thousand years. Your great-great-great-great-great-grandmother was tried, convicted, and hanged in the Salem Witch Trials. It has become a tradition for the children to know when they become old enough to understand and control their powers. But only if they want them."
"What do you mean 'only if'?"
"If, for whatever reason, a witch cannot control her powers or does not want them, there is a spell to permanently remove them."
"What's the catch?"
"The catch is the powers will be destroyed for the rest of the generations to come."
"Wow. That sucks."
"Yes. Indeed it does. Also, something else you should know. All witches have different powers. For example, I had the abilities to float, make holograms, and something similar to ventriloquism."
"Yeah, was…"
"What did you say, darling?"
"It's not every day I talk to a hologram!"
"I know this is awkward."
"So what do I do now?"
"Continue your life as normal. But beware, evil will come for you eventually when you least expect it. Be cautious! Oh, and there is another-"
"Crystal? What are you doing?" A low, haunting, and mysteriously sexy voice came from behind her, making her body yearn with the deep longing that only he could bring her. Passion flowed through her as she thought about him and her body ached for him.
"Crystal?"
The daydream shattered as she felt his warm hands slid along her middle, making her gasp for breath.
"Are you alright? What are you doing down here?"
Crystal looked up at the wall where the ghostly apparition had been, but it was gone.
"I…I was just----."
"Forget it, were gonna be late. Let's go, baby." His hands gently slipped a little down the edge of the top of her pants, feeling her warm flesh against his oversized hands.
At this point, she just wanted to go home with him and skip the movie, although they probably weren’t going to watch the movie anyway.
“Are you feeling alright? You’ve been acting weird all day. And you sounded a little freaked out on the phone earlier. What’s going on?”
“Um, well, it’s kind of difficult to explain…”
“Oh, I get it, it’s one of those girly things, right?”
“Uh… Yeah… Sort of.” Maybe not telling him now was a good thing, he might think she was crazy and that would screw up their evening.
They pulled up to the cinema in his black Ford Mustang convertible, paid for their tickets, and went into theater 3 which was showing “Losing Hold Of Luna”. The whole time, Crystal had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was going to happen. But she didn’t say anything for fear that it would mess up their night.
About half way through the movie, the feeling got worse.
“Patrick, do you feel that?”
“You mean that cold breeze?”
“Yeah, what is that? I’ve had this feeling that something was gonna happen all night.”
All of a sudden, the lights went out and everyone started running around and screaming.
“What the—“, Crystal didn’t know what was going on. Patrick latched on to her arm and held her close to make her feel as safe as possible. He rolled them underneath a seat because he knew if they tried to get out, they could be crushed.
Once everyone was out, they got out from underneath the seat.
“Let’s get out of here. We’ll go back to my place, okay?” Patrick was always really good at making Crystal feel as safe as possible.
As they made their way to the door, they made a disturbing discovery.
“Patrick, hurry up and open the door, I wanna get out of here as fast as possible.”
“Crystal, the doors are locked.”
“What? Pull harder!”
“Crystal! We’re locked in. There’s no getting out.”
“What is going on?”
“Ha ha ha! The posing question of ‘what’. Well, I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” A booming voice was projected from the movie screen as the most haunting face appeared.
“Just kidding! I’ll tell you, but I will kill you. But later, right now I need you.”
“Patrick, am I dreaming? This is the second ghostly encounter today.”
“Dreaming? Are you sure you’re not delusional?”
“Don’t tell me you can’t see that!”
“I see it, but I don’t believe it. But I was talking about the ‘second ghostly encounter’ part.”
“Yeah, I meant to talk to you about that, but I don’t think now is the best time.”
“Look you two, cut the chit-chat and save it for later, I got business. Listen up, I’m supposed to tell you my plan, let you try to stop it to test your powers, make you fail and kill you. Clear?”
“Wait, wait, wait. Did you just make that plural?” Crystal wasn’t sure if she was more scared or confused.
“You heard me.” The face said.
“Uh, Crystal? Remember when you said you meant to talk to me about your ghostly encounter? Well, I wasn’t shocked. I only said what I said because I wasn’t going to tell you yet.”
“Tell me what?”
“Uh, I got powers.”
“Oh, how gingerly you put that! When did you plan on telling me this?!”
“Me? When were YOU gonna tell me?!”
“Shall I kill you now or are you going to stop arguing? I’m on a schedule, I’ve got other people to maim, torture, and kill.” Obviously getting this figure annoyed was not a smart move.
“Why do you want us dead?” Patrick always was braver in scary situations than Crystal.
“Because you pose a threat. I don’t like having competition.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I knew about that little ghostly manifestation you encountered earlier. The one before lover boy got you distracted, get a room!!!! Just before you diverted your attention to dreamboat over here, your mother was trying to tell you something important. That you and your sentimental sweetheart have more in common then you originally thought. When were you gonna tell each other? I would have absolutely loved to see the two of you go at it like you were going to, but like I said, times wasting and I gotta go. See you losers later at your demise. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m out.” POOF! The screen exploded and the doors swung opened. The figure disappeared.
“Was that a joke?” Crystal asked, still a little freaked and bewildered.
“I don’t think so. I’ve been haunted by images and things like that my whole life. My father was evil. He had a habit with trying to control the world with his powers. Well, more like a fetish because he never came close to succeeding.”
“Yeah, I just had my first encounter today. Sorry about flipping on you.”
“It’s okay, it’s not really your fault. You’re still a little shaken up. Let’s go back to my place, it’s safe there.”
“But what about your dad?”
“Don’t worry, he’s…… not around any more.”
“Oh…”
When they got back to Patrick’s house, they popped in a movie to try to make the evening as close to the way it was supposed to be.
“Are you gonna be okay, honey?”
“I think so.” She moved closer to him. She always felt safer when she was next to her sexy boyfriend. But how could she not? He was so gorgeous! Forget six-pack, he had eight!! He was tall, dark, and the kind of guy any girl would DIE to … you know.
They sat and watched the movie almost half asleep. They watched as they switchblade went up in the air and they waited for it to come down, to sever the throat of the sleeping girl when--- the screen went blank.
“Did the power go out… or something else?” Crystal was now totally awake and began to tremble.
“No. The clock is still running. Which means---“
All of a sudden, Crystal’s mother appeared again. Crystal jumped out of Patrick’s lap some what embarrassed.
“Mom? What is it? Do you know about that guy--- I mean that thing that attacked us at the movies? Who was that?”
“That was what I was going to warn you about. His name is Murdock and he wants you dead because he was partners with your father, who died when your sister was protecting us against him-“
“My what?”
“There are so many things I need to tell you and barely enough time. Yes, you have a sister and she killed your father because he kept me captive for sixteen years and tried to kill her. But he never found out about you. I have just recently told your sister about you. Because of the kind of powers me and your father had, the two of you have the power of invincibility. But don’t get cocky. The more power you have, the more evil seeks you out. Murdock, I’m afraid, is your father, Patrick. He vanished, was pronounced dead, and now that he has his strength back, he is after the two of you.”
“But why does he want to kill me, I’m his son. And what threat am I to him?”
“Because your mother had a life long friendship with my sister who was killed by Murdock for the same reason he wants to kill you- power. As friends, your mother and my sister shared a special magical bond that can only be had by true friendship or commitment. Alas, as his unquenchable thirst for power grew, so did the danger for them. He thought that his trouble was over when he murdered them. But the trouble was just beginning. He did not know he had a son so his journey for more control was not over yet. Now the two of you pose the greatest threat of all to him.”
Crystal was beginning to get used to the sudden appearance of her mother so was not afraid to ask her a few more questions.
“So why did he wait til now to come after us?”
“He was not strong enough yet.”
“So are you a ghost or what?”
“No, of course not darling! Listen, all witches have different powers. But you must discover them yourself. I can appear to you because one of my powers is the creation of holograms. Patrick, have you developed all of your powers yet?”
“I’m not sure.”
“So how do I find my sister? I mean, obviously I want to meet her and if Patrick and I have to fight this guy, then I want to do it with my family too.”
“I’m sorry darling, I don’t know. She left weeks ago to fight a great evil. She did not even explain it to me, she just left. I have searched for her, but cannot find her.”
“Then I will.”
“Darling, you already have a war to fight, don’t stray your focus! Believe me, as worried as we both are, your sister is strong, like you. She will be okay, I promise. But if you do find her in your battles, please tell her that I miss her.”
“I will. So where do we start?”
“I do not know. This is not my battle. You two need to fight this. I do not mean to be harsh, but I cannot fight your battles. But I will always be here to help and give advice. But now, I have other matters to attend to. I will come when you need me. Stay strong and stay together. You are more vulnerable apart. Goodbye my children.” And with that, she disappeared like she had never been there at all.
“Well, this isn’t gonna be easy. But I’m going to look for my sister. I need her help and apparently we have some things to talk about.”
“But you heard what your mother said. You can look for her after. I’ll help you.”
“No. I need to do this now. You don’t have to help me, she’s my sister and if mom can’t even find her then I have to.”
“No. Your mother said we’re more vulnerable apart. We have to stay together. I understand that you want to find your sister. And if that’s what you want to do now, then I’m going to help you.”
“How did I get so lucky?”
“What do you mean, lucky? You just found out your whole life was a lie, your dad was an asshole, you have a long lost and now missing sister, and there is an egotistical maniac after you and that’s partially my fault.”
“No. I didn’t mean it like that. And no, it’s not your fault. I meant how did I find you?”
“Believe me, you were better off without me. I just couldn’t help myself. Now you’re in even more danger.”
“No, stop that! I wouldn’t be in any less danger if I didn’t have you. I’d probably be in even more danger without you. But how did I find someone so sweet and caring? Nobody has ever cared about me the way that you do. I just wish I knew what I did to deserve it.”
“All you had to do was look at me and you deserved it. Honestly, I have to ask myself how I got so lucky.”
“What are you talking about? Your father who was presumed dead is back with a vengeance and wants to kill us both because of something you had absolutely no control over.”
“I meant you. Before I met you girls would use me and throw me away. None of them really cared about me. I was about to give up, then I met you. You showed me that not all girls are sluts and some girls are actually pretty nice dare I say it.”
“Ha ha, we’re not all that bad. But that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. We were both ready to give up. I guess it was a good thing we found each other before it was too late. Who knows, if we hadn’t met when we did, we might not be together now. I guess maybe this was Fate.”
“Yeah, I think Fate sums it up. You know what? I think I might love you.”
“I think I love you too.”
And just like that, all the passion that she felt for him when he found her in the alley returned full force. She knew that she was in love with him and she could tell that he really loved her too. She was still wondering to herself how she got so lucky when Patrick leaned down and kissed her passionately. It was the most amazing moment in her entire life, even more amazing then the moment she met him. This moment had more passion then she could ever imagine. His hands slowly lifted up her shirt. It was almost off and-
“Patrick, did you hear that?!”
“What are you talking about?” He moved in closer again.
“That scream. It sounded like a girl crying for help… There it is again!”
“I don’t hear anything.”
“Maybe that’s one of my powers. And maybe that’s my sister!-“ Crystal gasped as her eyes involuntarily closed. The image that was portrayed like a movie behind her eyelids showed a girl about her age strapped to a panel that was shooting electricity through her. She screamed and squirmed but she was getting weaker and weaker with every move. She was near death but still hanging onto life but what seemed to be an invisible thread. The image shifted to the torturer. It was Murdock. Then, the image went blank as Crystal’s eyes snapped open again.
Crystal let out a scream and fell back onto the couch, almost completely out of breath and gasping for air. Patrick let her calm down for a second then asked what happened.
“My eyes just got glued shut and it was like I was watching a horror movie. I saw a girl being tortured by Murdock. Patrick, I think Murdock has my sister! That’s why she’s been missing so long and mom can’t find her!”
In a frenzy, Crystal started packing.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to go find her, now. If Murdock’s got her, then I need to save her. Even if he can’t kill her, she’s weak and she needs me. I wasn’t with her when she was growing up, so I’m going to be there for her now.”
“But you don’t even know where she is. And you’re not going alone. And you’re taking my stuff.” Patrick said as he started packing as well.
“I don’t care. I’m just going to have to trust my instincts and my powers to lead me there.”
“Maybe we should call your mother or however you’re supposed to get her here.”
“How is that gonna help? She doesn’t know where she is either.”
“Well, alright. Then let’s go.”
“Wait! Maybe my mom can help us.”
“How? You just said she didn’t know where you sister is.”
“Maybe she knows where Murdock’s lair or whatever is. But she never told me how to call her. I highly doubt she has a cell phone.”
All of a sudden, they saw the ‘POOF’ and Anias reappeared.
“I told you I would be here when you needed me.”
“Mom, I discovered another one of my powers. I can see things. I saw her, Murdock is holding her captive. Mom, he’s torturing her. She’s barely alive. Do you know where his lair is?”
“Oh, no. That is why I could not find her. Yes dear, I know where he most likely is. But it is dangerous. The area surrounding his lair bears much hidden magic. Some even I may never have seen before. You will need to be trained in order to be ready. This is so new to you. You are going to need my help in order to prepare yourself for this peril. I need to bring you both here now.”
“But how?” Crystal wondered if she had the power to do that.
“It’s simple, darling. Both of you can do this, anyone with powers can. Just close your eyes and concentrate on me and learning to control your powers. Just pay attention to your mind……”
Patrick and Crystal closed their eyes and began to concentrate. After a minute, they opened their eyes and realized that it must have worked. They were not in the same place as they were before. The T.V was missing and all the living room furniture had disappeared and was replaced by a dark, gloomy room that hadn’t been cleaned in ages.
“Hello my darling, it has been such a long time since I have seen you in person. You have grown up beautifully. And Patrick, I haven’t seen you since you were a baby! How handsome you have become!”
“Hi mom.” Crystal didn’t know what else to say. She knew what she wanted to say, but the words just refused to come out. So she embraced her mother as she received a kiss on the cheek. Her cheek became wet, and when her mother pulled away, she realized that it was because her mother had begun to cry. Seeing her mother cry brought a flood of emotion and tears. They hugged again and didn’t let go for what seemed to Crystal like ages.
“Okay my children, it is time. Now, the most important thing I can teach you is to concentrate. The harder you concentrate, the more powerful your attacks will be. Crystal, you have already realized your power of vision. Have you discovered any others?”
“No, I don’t think so. How do I discover them? Do they come whenever I need them? I’m running out of time to figure this out!” The thought of seeing her sister being tortured by the one that killed her aunt and her boyfriend’s mother frightened her and infuriated her at the same time.
“Darling, relax! I can help you discover your powers right now! Crystal? Darling are you paying attention?”
Crystal barely heard her mother. She was envisioning the horror that her sister was going through. The more she saw, the angrier she became. She could feel her whole body heating up.
“Oh my god, CRYSTAL!!!!!” Patrick screamed.
Crystal opened her eyes and realized her entire body was engulfed in flames. But, strangely, she wasn’t hurt.
“Um, I guess I found another one.”
“Remind me never to piss you off.” The look in Patrick’s face showed that he was genuinely shocked.
“See? What do you need my help for? You’re doing exceedingly well all on your own!” Anias was so thrilled to see her daughter discovering her powers on her own.
“Thanks mom, but I highly doubt burning and closing my eyes will help me defeat Murdock.”
“Not to worry, darling. There is a simple spell to determine your powers and their strength. Now, close your eyes.”
“Am I going to see anything this time?”
“No. This time you will not see anything because of my spell.”
Crystal closed her eyes as her mother began to concentrate and mutter her discovery spell. It took a long time and Crystal wasn’t really sure if it was working but she trusted her. After all, her mother had sacrificed so much to keep her identity safe from Murdock. It wasn’t her fault he found her. But Anias was so willing to help her and Patrick and keep them safe any way she could, she just trusted her.
“Okay, I think I am finished. And if I am correct, then I have some more news that is good and bad.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Crystal was starting to get worried, she wasn’t sure if she liked the sound of that.
“Well, I’ve seen your powers and potential and it is nearly unfathomable. But with that comes the news. There is a prophesy that states when the flames of unfathomable powers combines with the strength of kin and true love, it will dawn a new era and the Ensarian will perish. Murdock is the Ensarian. You are the flame of unfathomable power and your sister and I are obviously your kin.”
“So wait. You’re saying that when Murdock kidnapped my sister it wasn’t just a power binge? There was actually a greater purpose to his intentions?”
“I am afraid so. This will be more dangerous then I thought.”
“Wait wait wait. You said true love didn’t you?” Patrick’s heart began to race as Anias’s last statement made him realize what he had been feeling all along for Crystal.
“Yes, darling, I did.” The look on Anias’s face was warm and welcoming. She didn’t know her daughter’s boyfriend very well but it seemed as though she accepted him like she had known him his entire life. This new acceptance into what could possibly be permanently into Crystal’s life made him feel as though he was really ready to marry her. But he couldn’t focus on how he was planning on proposing just yet. He, his true love, her sister, and his future mother-in-law had a war to fight. The most important thing was that he kept Crystal safe.
“You’re going to have to close your eyes one more time so I can show you your powers.” Anias gently put her hands over Crystal’s eyes and began to hum. The expressions on Crystal’s face showed that she was truly surprised at herself.
“Crystal, there is one more part of the prophesy. The key to destroying Murdock is the union of powers.”
“I thought you said that already. The power of kin or whatever.”
“No, not whatever. And what I mean is we have to join hands, do a spell together, and use our individual greatest powers all at the same time.”
“Jesus, this isn’t gonna be easy. Why the Hell can’t I just have a normal life?”
“You don’t get a normal life if you are born special. With your gift comes great sacrifice. It is just something you have to live with.”
“Crystal? Are you okay?” Patrick started to get nervous as Crystal grew pale and started to keel over.
“I think so. It’s probably just the pain my sister’s feeling. Mom, do you think it’s a sister thing?”
“Most likely, unless you are getting sick. If you think you can, we should start testing your powers now. I want the two of you to battle each other. It is the only way we can do this in this short amount of time.”
“What? That’s crazy! We could kill each other!” Crystal’s outburst surprised Anias.
“Did you not tell her Patrick?”
“Uh, no not yet. It’s okay Crystal, I have the power of healing. We’ll be fine.” He said with a smile, making her feel better. “But how did you know that?” He questioned Anias, surprised.
“I knew your mother as well. That was the first power you discovered. You were just a baby then. Your mother was attacked by an evil sorcerer when she was afraid that Murdock was looking for her. You immediately awoke when your mother vanquished him, but she was badly hurt. As if by instinct, you healed her wound and went back to sleep.”
“It’s freaky how you know more about us then we do.” Patrick wasn’t sure he liked that.
“Oh, I know. But I do know many things about you, Patrick. Mainly from what your mother told me. But I understand how you would feel as you say ‘freaked out’. Now, stand opposite each other. Crystal, you’ve seen your powers, all you have to do to use them is to feel them. It sounds strange but the moment you use them, you will understand.”
Crystal and Patrick battled each other for what seemed like hours. Then, abruptly, Anias stopped them.
“Stop!”
“Mom, what is it? Did we do something wrong?”
“No, you two demonstrated your powers beautifully. But we have run out of time. We must go and search for Murdock.”
“What do you mean search? I thought you said you knew were his lair is.”
“I did. But he has sensed your powers when you were battling and fled. Unfortunately for us, he took your sister, Crystal.”
“Oh, great. Now what do we do?”
“We just have to look anyway. It’s the only thing we can do. She needs us and I’m not about to give up. I know you aren’t either. It’ll be okay, honey. I promise everything will work out for us.” Patrick held her close to comfort her. The more he felt her close to him, the more strength he had to protect her. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. At least if he could help it.
Crystal gasped as her eyes involuntarily snapped shut again. This time she saw Murdock torturing her sister still. But this time she heard her sister. When she heard her scream, she screamed herself. This scream wasn’t in pain, though. The scream was someone’s name.
“NOOOOOOO!”
“Honey what is it?” Patrick held her closer, feeling her whole body trembling.
“……Murdock……killed……my best friend……”
“You mean…Arianna? What would Murdock want with her? And how does your sister know her?”
“Ari was always hiding something. Whenever the topic of magic came up, she got all weird. She was absent from school a lot too. Now I think I know why. But how come she never told me? She knows-…knew she could trust me with anything no matter how crazy it was. Now I’m really gonna kill him. He just crossed a line where there is no going back. First he kidnapped and tortured my sister, now he killed my best friend. If he hurts one more person I care about I swear to god I’m gonna torture him so god damn slowly, he’ll think it’s a fuckin career!” At this point, Crystal was glowing red again as her flames reached so high, the almost reached the ceiling.
“Darling! You are becoming a fire hazard!” Anias shouted, worried. “Ari worked with your sister. I knew her very well, she was a sweet young woman with a kind and gentle heart. It hurts me as well to know that she’s gone. But we cannot let Murdock get away with his vengeful murders. We must seek revenge in a way that he will not expect. I know such a way. I know his one weakness.”
“That’s great, mom! So we have an advantage over him. That’ll show the bastard!”
“Wait.” Patrick seemed a little leery about this. “What’s the catch? I mean, a weakness to defeat him? It can’t just be that easy. There’s gotta be some kind of a trick or something.”
“Patrick, why can’t it be that easy?” By this time Crystal’s fire had burned down to a smolder. “Why can’t something ever just be easy? This whole thing is so unbelievable, why can’t there just be something about it that isn’t as complicated as everything else?” Her smoldering ashes flared up a little bit, but this time they turned blue.
“I’m sorry darling, but Patrick is right. And I guess your flame changes colors with your mood. Now, this will not be easy but, the only way I can think of to defeat him is to destroy the source of his power. Do not be fooled, this does not seem as difficult as it really is.”
“That’s funny, mom. Cause it doesn’t seem easy.” After the words escaped her, she felt a little guilty about being sarcastic to her. But Anias brushed it aside.
“We need to find the highly coveted Stone of Keridia. It is located in Meriday, of the coast of Madagascar. It is not easy to find. And for the lucky one who can find it, it is protected so deeply by dark magick, everyone who has come close to finding it has died trying to fight the dark magick. But because of your infinitely strong powers and three out of the four needed to fulfill the prophesy, we may have a chance.”
“Three out of the four?” Patrick said with a seductive grin as he looked toward Crystal, who returned the satisfied expression.
“Yes.” Anias noticed the looks Patrick and her daughter were exchanging and smiled. “I think we can do this. I believe we have enough power to accomplish the task at hand.”
“Alright, let’s go. What are we waiting for?” The hopeful thought of success motivated her to leave immediately.
“My old friend, Caliapee, went on a vacation to Madagascar to see the wildlife. She brought me home a map of the island and she told me that I had to take a trip sometime. Unfortunately, I never got to take that trip. But, luckily, I still have the map. If you say the proper spell it will work like a camera, showing us exactly what is there. It will also show us what spells are guarding what.”
“Okay, just let us go home and pack a few essentials before we leave.” Patrick was already making a lost in his head of things he needed.
The three of them closed their eyes and in an instant, they were all at Patrick’s house. When they opened their eyes, horror and panic stuck them. The entire house was in shambles. The coffee table in the living room was overturned, and the T.V. was smashed. The couch was on its side and there were several stab and rip marks where a knife had been. There was a note on the refrigerator. Patrick pulled it down and read it.
“Patrick, I found out that Anias told you about the prophesy and obviously I wasn’t going to let it happed. But then I discovered that the Stone of Keridia was missing. To make a long story short, I know you have it (I just haven’t figured out how yet.) and no matter what you try to do, I am going to find out where you put it and after I find it you can be sure that I will come after you and kill you. After I regain the stone and gather you all together under the Caripath, I will destroy all of you! As for your lover girl’s precious sister, she’s dead. I found a way to kill her. Hide it all you want but I’m still gonna find it. Signed, Murdock. The real leader of the world!”
They all stared at each other for a few minutes, completely dumbstruck. The same thought ran through each of their heads, ‘who really stole the Stone of Keridia?’.
Crystal was the first to speak. “What do we do now?”
“I thought she was dead, but obviously I was gravely mistaken. There is only one person who could have been able to do this undetected. I made the mistake of thinking she was no more. Lanai is back from the dead.” The look on Anias’s face was grave and dead serious, a look that she had never expressed.
“Mom, who is Lanai? How could she have done this? Why would she frame Patrick?”
“Lanai was a good friend of mine many years ago. But she became romantically involved with Murdock and was corrupted. After many serious arguments, they parted, but she still vowed to love him even when he told her he wanted nothing to do with her. She was blinded by her empty feelings for him. One day, the void in her heart created by Murdock grew so strong that when I tried to calm her down and tell her that he was not worthy of her heart, she lashed out an tried to kill me for damning him. But her sorrow weakened her powers and she retreated. But she came back to finish me. I knew the only way to stop her was to-“ Anias stopped short as the words stuck in her throat and the vision of horror burned once again into her memory. Tears swelled in her eyes as Patrick and Crystal stared at her in bewilderment.
“Mom, how did she die?” The question sounded more like a statement than an inquiry. She knew the answer, but she didn’t want to believe it until she heard it. Even then she wasn’t sure she could believe it.
“Darling I can’t even---. I killed Lanai.” She began to sob, ashamed of what she had done.
“Mom, don’t cry. She was crazy! She was going to kill you! I would have done the same.” Crystal moved close to her mother and held her close to comfort her.
“I still cannot believe I did it. She knew about the prophesy. She swore she would never let it come true as long as she was alive. Darling, I did not kill her because she came after me. I killed her because she was going to kill you, Patrick, and your sister. She didn’t care if I was still alive or not, as ling as she killed you, I wouldn’t be a threat. Murdock had poisoned her mind.” Suddenly her voice became stern. “But when he finds out that she is still alive, he will brainwash her all over again and act like he cares about her. He will team up with her and we will all be doomed.”
“But how did she come back to life? This all seems so crazy. Or was—is she a witch too?”
“Yes, Patrick, she is. And I am not sure how she returned. There are many things I do not know. The only thing I know for sure, it that if we don’t get the stone back, we are all going to die.” She turned towards her daughter. “Including your sister.”
“I’m gonna find the stupid bitch, kill her, and get the stone back so we can kill that bastard!” Crystal had once again become a fire hazard, glowing a bright, brilliant reddish orange. “How do we find her?”
“I’ll check the map. Maybe she is still in Meriday. If she is, maybe we can get to her before she gives the stone to Murdock.” Patrick opened the map and tried to figure out how to use it.
“Even if you do find her, she will not give the stone to him. She will keep it for herself, make him beg for it. If she has the stone, then she is in control and he will have the power. For once she will be controlling him.”