Elemental Witches 1 - Battle at Alaeka

Isabelle, Mason, Dexter and Christopher are just a bunch of normal teenagers. They're lives were just like everyone else's until...

Tick tock went the clock as I tried to finish the English pop quiz.  “Ms. Chandler is so cruel!”  I thought as I wrote down a synonym for sad.  Suddenly a thundering ring was heard.  Everybody quickly packed their bags and was preparing for lunch.  I quickly shoved my book into my enormous bag and started for the door.  I was always last to get out of the class.  This was usually because my seat was at the back of the room.  As usual Christopher, Dexter and Mason were standing outside the corridor waiting for me.  Mason was running his fingers through his spiky black hair as he leaned against the cold wall while Christopher was playing a finger game with Dexter.  The light from the ceiling made Christopher’s short blonde hair really shiny.  “Hey guys!” I said.  They all grinned at me.

“Finally, the turtle came,” mocked Dexter.  He flashed a dashing white smile as we laughed at his joke.  Most girls at our school adored Dexter.  When he passed them they would go screaming to their friend about their achievement.  Last year’s Valentine’s Day, Dexter received 50 cupcakes, 15 chocolate boxes, 60 bunches of roses and about 80 valentine cards.  Some girls were pretty fond of Mason and Christopher too but not as much as Dexter.  I was respected and hated at the same time by girls because Dexter, Mason, Christopher and I hung out with each other.  It’s something Dexter described as jealousy.

  We were about to go to lunch when Ms. Chandler said,

  “Dexter, Christopher, Mason, Isabelle.  Come here please.”

  Dexter’s smile faded as he shook his brown hair.  Christopher and Mason’s eyebrows started pulling together as they looked at each other.  We walked into the classroom.  Ms. Chandler greeted us and locked the door behind us.  I was getting suspicious.  Then a really weird thing happened, Ms. Chandler locked the back door.  Ms. Chandler never locked the back door.  She has been teaching at this school for over 6 years and in those 6 years she had never ever ever locked the back door before.  Mason, Dexter, Christopher and I were standing in a line in front of her table.  She sat on her chair staring at us.  Out of nowhere she asked us, “Has anything strange happened to you lately?  Something that you can’t explain?  Something that almost seems like magic?”

  We exchanged looks with each other.  This did happen to us.  Last Friday, when Mandy, captain of the cheerleading squad and also my mortal enemy, was going on and on about how her tanned skin was so much prettier than my pale white skin and also how her blue eyes are more adoring than my brown eyes.  At first I didn’t mind but as she kept saying it over and over again, I started to get annoyed.  As anger built up in me, out from the corner of my eyes I saw a flame   I looked down and saw my hands on fire!!!!  I ran to the bathroom as fast as possible but the line of girls stopped me.  Then, I noticed that the flame on my hand didn’t feel hot.  After a second or so the flame disappeared leaving no trace of soot.  It was like as though it was never there.   In the afternoon as I was walking down my neighborhood with my friends, I felt my feet getting sore but after a while it stopped and when I looked down I was floating 2 inches above the ground.  I had no idea what was going on and in a split second I dropped onto the ground.

  Something really strange happened to Dexter on that day too.  Dexter always swam laps in the pool on Friday afternoons.  He was swimming his 10th lap when the weirdest thing happened.  The water was moving to the movement of his hands.  Out of nowhere he was riding on a gigantic wave.  When he got freaked out, the wave dropped splashing liters of water everywhere.  Then, he went onto the diving board.  When he jumped off the board, he didn’t fall into the pool of clear water, instead he was floating.  He let out a shrill scream and went tumbling headfirst into the pool.  

  Dexter and I weren’t the only ones who had weird things happening to them.  Christopher and Mason were hanging out at Mason’s house.  Mason’s 11 year old neighbor, Brian, started throwing rocks at Mason and Christopher.  Aggravated, the boys let out a low threatening growl and the earth split in half.  The wind started whaling and the fire on the stoves started flaring.  Anger in their eyes, they watched the boy.  When they saw how frightened the boy was, their anger seemed to have vanished and the earth concealed itself, the wind stopped howling and the fires calmed.

  “Yes, last Friday,” we answered in harmony when we got back from our flashbacks.

  “Do you know why?” Ms. Chandler asked.  We didn’t have to answer, our eyes said it all.  “It’s magic.  You guys are elemental witches and wizards.”

  “It can’t be...” I started but Ms. Chandler broke my sentence.

  “How do you explain the events that happened last Friday?  You see, it’s magic.  I have been watching you four for quite a long while.  You might have not noticed but I have all your ‘magical’ occasions filmed.”  As she said that, she inserted a disc into her computer.  There it was all of our weird magical moments. 

  “Excuse me Ms. Chandler but what exactly is an elemental witch?” asked Mason in a soft voice.  Ms. Chandler hesitated for a while as she tried to put her explanation in the simplest form.  Finally she said,

  “An elemental witch is a human with great powers to control the elements around he or she.  Usually after the witch or wizard has been through 156 full moons, they will go through the transformation that will change their identities physically, for you that would be tomorrow.  They will have an unnatural beauty, almost like he or she is a god and also he or she from that they on would be immortal.  Once they have gone through the transformation they would be in danger.”

“D-d-d-d-d-danger?” stuttered Christopher nervously.

“Yes, danger.  Once he or she has gone through the transformation his or her blood would give out a different scent that would lure any monster near them.  These monsters are Hades minions.  He has been trying to exterminate our race since the first generation.  That is why witches have their training.  They train to keep themselves alive,” she glanced at the clock and said, “It’s getting late kids.  Your parents would be worried, oh and please tell your parents I said hello and also come to my class at this time tomorrow and we’ll go through transformation and other details you need to know.”

As Dexter, Christopher, Mason and I walked home we thought about the conversation.  “Can you believe it?  We have magic,” I said still not totally believing everything that just happened.  Dexter smiled still lost in thought while Christopher and Mason vaguely nodded as they kicked the snow from the pave walk.  We went to my house and my mom all gave us each a cup of hot chocolate.

  “Mom,” I suddenly asked, “Do you know anything about us being an elemental witch?”

  My mom let out a long sigh before she said, “Yes dear, I did.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “I guess that Ruby has already told you about it.”

  “Yes, but that doesn’t answer my question.”

  “I didn’t tell you because I cared about all of you.  If you knew about your special powers you would be in danger from those monsters and you would take advantage of them so I asked Ruby to wait until the day before you 156th full moon to tell you.”

     We were all silent as we tried to put ourselves in her place.  Finally, I nodded in agreement.

 

School went by pretty fast next morning.  In a blink of an eye we were heading to Ms. Chandler’s class for our ‘transformation’.  Mason’s tan skin went pale, I was shaking form had to toe, Dexter was jumping up and down and Christopher was utterly speechless.  when we stepped into the room, Ms. Chandler greeted us with a nod and flicked her wrist then suddenly the door behind us slammed shut and so did the back door.

  “You would have to blah blah blah.  Ah here it is,” mumbled Ms. Chandler.

  “Ms. Chandler, what are you reading?” asked Dexter.

  “The transformation manual,” replied Ms. Chandler shortly.  After a moment of reading Ms. Chandler said, “It says here that you have to stand in a circle holding hands while I chant the words.  Okay people, let’s form a circle.”

  We quickly organized ourselves into a circle, hand-in-hand.  Then, Ms. Chandler muttered some random words and little specks of light started surrounding us.  After that a blinding flash of light blocked my sight.  I felt an amazing sensation of tingles.  I heard a faint sound of bells ringing beside my ears.  Once again I found myself in the cold white room with my friends.  Dexter, Christopher and Mason had all changed.  They weren’t wearing the dull school uniform anymore.  Dexter was wearing a navy blue shirt with a pair of worn our jeans.  Christopher was dressed in a scarlet shirt with some brown khaki pants while Mason got a white shirt with cream-colored khaki pants.  Just like Ms. Chandler said, they all looked amazingly handsome.  Dexter’s tousled brown hair matched the color of his glittering eyes.  Christopher’s blond hair shone extra bright as his white skin seemed to glow and Mason’s black hair looked absolutely stunning with his dashing white smile.  I noticed that they all had a strand of highlight in their hair, which was not there before.  They all had different colored highlights.  Mason strand of highlight hair was white, Dexter’s was blue and Christopher’s was red.  As I kept looking at them I noticed that they were staring attentively at something.  I wheeled around but there was nothing there.  Then, Ms. Chandler directed me to a mirror.  There I saw a fair slender girl wearing a crimson red shirt with a pair of tight jeans.  She was breathtakingly beautiful.  Her long brown wavy hair rested casually on her shoulder and in the middle of the forest of brown was a strand of red highlight.  Her brown eyes glittered and her pale white skin glowed as if it was made from diamonds.  Then, I noticed a little black tattoo on her neck.  It was the shape of a triton of a demon’s tail.  It was pretty cool.  I also noticed that Christopher, Dexter and Mason all have it too.

  “Is that me?” I asked.  I covered my mouth.  My voice was different.  It sounded sweet and tender.  It reminded me of the wind chimes that hung in front of my house.  I saw Ms. Chandler nod.  Mason tried to speak but all that came out of him was, “Uhmm uhh aaa...” I giggled.

  “Now it’s time for you to know what powers you have and other things about you.  Okay, Isabelle, your powers are fire and air,” announced Ms. Chandler.

  “Cool!” I exclaimed.

  “Christopher, your powers are earth and fire.”

  “Awesome!” said Christopher with a grin.

  “Dexter your powers are water and air.” Dexter flashed a gigantic smile.  It seemed as though his jaw would break any minute now.  “Finally Mason, your powers are air and earth.”  Mason gave a thumb up.  “Now here is some information about you bodily functions.  As you can see you have all got highlights in your hair.  These highlights change colors based on your emotions but for now they represent your powers.  Your eyes change colors based on your emotions as well only if you are a full witch or wizard.  The clothes that you are wearing right now are not your uniforms.  They are just there.  Nobody ever found out why we have them but they are just there.  Okay, now moving on to your training.  You will not be living at your homes any longer because of the risks you put your neighbors in therefore, you will go to a little house near the coast and there you will get your training from Mr. Hawks,” as she said that a tall, middle-aged man walked into the room.  He was wearing a black suit and a pair of sunglasses.  I had admit he looked pretty intimidating.  He took off his sunglasses revealing a pair of beady blue eyes.

  “Hi kids!” the man said in a deep voice.

  “Hi,” we chorused.

  “I am Dean Hawks. I will be your trainer.”

  “He scares me,” I heard a voice in my head say.

  “Chris is that you?”

  “Bells?”

  “Hey guys!” came another voice.

  “Mason?”

  “Hi!” thought Mason.

  “OH MY GOD!” I exclaimed. “Ms. Chandler, is speaking through mind also one of our abilities?”

  “Yes,” she said, “but only within you four.  You cannot communicate through your mind with any other living creature unless you learn how to let down your mental barriers and that would also be taught by Mr. Hawks.”

  We totally forgot there was a muscular man in black standing at the entrance of our classroom.

  Dexter volunteered himself and said, “Nice to meet you.  I am Dexter, to my right is Mason, ’blondie’ over there is Christopher and that’s Isabelle.”

  “Nice to meet you too.”

 

Then, Ms. Chandler cleared her throat loudly and said,

  “Right, from now on the kids are your responsibility.  I wish you the best of luck.”

  “Thank you Ruby,” answered Mr. Hawks, “So kids go home pack your bags and we’ll leave for headquarters at dawn.”

  “Okay,” we said.

  As we walked home we felt different, like we were walking on air.  It felt amazing.  We were still pretty excited about what happened; still thinking that this is all a dream.  “This explains a lot things you know,” I started, “we never really were part of the crowed.  We always stood out.  Now we know why.”

  “Come to think of it, you’re probably right,” commented Mason.  Soon we reached our houses and packed our stuff.  That night my curiosity kept me awake.  I kept wondering what my life would be like but finally my eyelids dropped and I fell into a deep sleep.  Next morning I was woken up by my mom.  The sun hasn’t rose yet but it was fairly bright.  My friends were at the kitchen table waiting or me.  As I was walking down the stairs carrying my humongous suitcase, tears started rolling down my mother’s rosy cheeks.

  “Don’t cry mom.  We’ll still keep in touch,” I comforted her.

  “What if you get in trouble or what if you get sick or something?  I won’t be there to care for you,” choked my mom through her tears.

  “My friends will always be there for me.  I know it and so do you.”  Suddenly, I heard a honk of the car.

  “It’s Hawks,” said Christopher at the kitchen table.

  “Bye mom,” I said.

  “Bye Bells, promise to write to me okay?”

  “Of course.  Love you mom.”

  “Love you too Bells”

     When I got into Hawks black jeep I was still waving goodbye to my mom.  A wet tear rolled down my cheek and Mason wiped it off and said, “Don’t cry.  You know how your tears can make me all confused and besides we don’t want this car flooded with your tears.  We want to be alive once we get there not drowned in your tears,” I smiled at his joke.  Christopher and Dexter joined in. 

 

“Hey Bells!  We’re here!” said Mason.  I woke up and found my head on Mason’s shoulder.  When I looked outside the window, I saw a beautiful little wooden cabin next to a beach. It was spectacular.  We unloaded the car and walked into the cabin.  Mr. Hawks showed us to our rooms.  My room had a sandy yellow background color.  The walls had lots and lots of seashells stuck onto it.  In the middle of the room was a little red bed.  My room wasn’t grand but it was warm and welcoming.  When I finished unpacking my suitcase I joined the boys at the beach.  We played in the glittering water and built sandcastles.  When the sun started descending we cleaned ourselves and tried to relax in front of the television.

     “Have all the fun today kids because tomorrow we will begin your training,” informed Hawks.

 

“Isabelle!  Isabelle!  Wake up!”

I was trying to get my eyes to open and saw Hawks standing at my bedside shaking me like I was a maraca.  When I was all dressed I staggered out the room as if I was a zombie.

“Listen up kids.  We are now going to run some laps around the beach but first I must tell you the most important rule about being an elemental witch.  You must keep magic a secret.  If you don’t follow this rule, there will be very serious penalties.  That is why we keep our powers secret.  Are we clear?  Any questions?” said Mr. Hawks.

“Yes,” Dexter said, “Why do we have to keep our powers a secret?”

“Ahh.  A very good question Dexter.  We have to keep our magic a secret because we do not want the mortals to be involved in this.  There will be a bloodbath if they do.  They are small fragile little things.  Our battle against Hades is bloody enough.  We don’t need more sacrifices  because of this reason we have to keep our powers a secret.  Do you understand?” said Hawks.

“Yes,” we answered.

“Let’s start running.”

We filed up in a single-file line and started jogging.  On the fifth lap our legs gave away and we collapsed onto the soft sand panting, trying to catch our breath. 

“Come on you lazy bones.  Get movin’” screamed Hawks. 

I had to muster all my strength to get back up.  Christopher staggered while Mason and Dexter helped each other up.   After that he taught us how to do some archery. 

“Archery is a very useful skill when it comes to defending yourself.  Now each grab an arrow and a bow...” the instructions went on and on.

 Then, we learnt how to use a sword. “When the time comes you will find sparring a very useful skill.  So here are the wooden practice swords, you will get your own swords later on in the day but now all I want you do is spar with me so I can see how fast your reflexes are and how much you know about sparring,” said Hawks.

First up was Deter.  No matter how hard he tried he could not get pass Hawks’s defense and on the contrary hawks kept hitting him with the flat surface of the blade.  Finally, it was my turn.  When I started I noticed I could move with a lot ore grace than usual but I still received a few blows to the ribs.

When the day ended every muscle in my body ached.  There were bruises that I got from sparring.

“So what did you think about your day?” asked Hawks.

“Chris, Maz, Dex what do you think?” I asked.  We glanced at each other for a minute then groaned in harmony.  Hawks chuckled. “Hawks?”

“Yes Isabelle?”

“Do we have to go to school tomorrow?”

“Yes you do.”

“But you said that we can only stay in this place because there is a magical shield around it that stops our scent from spreading and we can’t go into public unless we want our heads departed.  How are we supposed to go to school?”

“Bells is right.  How are we going to school without getting killed?” asked Christopher.

“Ah, I totally forgot to tell you about that part.  You will each get a necklace with a certain stone on it.  It depends on your power.  That stone will stop your scent from spreading but if a monster is less than 5 meters near you then it can smell you,” explained Hawks as he raided his drawers.  “Here Isabelle, this one with the garnet.  Dexter yours is the one with the sapphire, Christopher yours is the Paraiba tourmaline and Mason yours is the silver topaz.  Keep them well guys.”  We stood up and collected our necklaces.  It was strikingly beautiful.  The gold color chain glittered brightly.  Then, my eyes traveled to the stone dangling on the chain.  It was shaped into a teardrop.  The translucent red stone seemed to be alive or filled with life.

“Ah I almost forgot,” said Hawks, “ I have to give you your swords.  Here Isabelle this on is yours, Dexter this is yours, Mason and Christopher.”

 My palm rapped around the silver hilt of the sword.  Its blade was the color of a ripe apple.  It had my named carved in calligraphy on it.  Mason’s blade was a milky white, Dexter’s was indigo blue and Christopher’s was a dark shade of brown.  They were all magnificent.

 

It was break time.  I was walking towards the table that we usually sat when Mandy walked up to me and said, “Hey freak, I don’t know what you’re playing at but I am and will always be the most popular girl in school and your elfish features and freaky highlights won’t change a thing.”  Then, she stormed away into the flood of students.

“Hey Bells!” greeted Mason.  I replied with a faint grunt and seated myself next to Dexter.

“Why the frown?” asked Dexter.

“Mandy just criticize me again and also she thinks I’m trying to out climb her on the ladder of popularity.  She thinks my highlights are weird.  Honestly, I haven’t been feeling so normal myself.  Everywhere I go Mandy’s ‘minions’ would try to drive me up the wall,” I complained.

“Don’t let her get to you.  She’s just jealous that you get to hang out with us and she doesn’t,” comforted Mason.  With a grin, I set my worries aside.

 

Lunchtime came fast.  My friends and I were trying to find a table when Mandy walked past me.  As she did so she put her skinny tanned leg in front of my path.  I tripped and fell.  The food platter flew up in the air and landed on my chest.  Mandy looked down at me, her face wearing a crooked smile.  I was outraged.  My highlights turned red but not just any red.  Dark crimson red but my eyes didn’t.  I stood up and with a growl I released a stream of fire towards Mandy.  The flame flew at Mandy’s short black hair then, it started to burn.  In a split of a second, she was bald. The smell of burnt hair filled the canteen, “AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!”  Mandy screamed.  She quickly ran into the girls’ room.  I stood there frozen and didn’t know what to do.  Christopher escorted me to a table to sit.

“I didn’t mean to do it but… but… it just...” I kept saying.

In the afternoon we took our bikes back to ‘headquarters’ (as Hawks calls it).  Our school was quite far but Hawks said we would gain good energy from it so he forced us to.  Everybody was tired when we got there.  I couldn’t even fell my legs.  I ran into the little house.  “Hawks! Hawks! Hawks!” I shouted.

“Did you burn the sofa?” Hawks asked emerging from the kitchen.

“No but I have to tell you something.”

“Fire away.”

“Today Mandy, the cheerleading captain.  I hate her and she hates me.  We’re mortal enemies.  Today she tripped me over making me spill my lunch all over my clothes.  Then, I got outraged.  I couldn’t control myself.  Suddenly, I shot two rays of fire towards her and in a blink of an eye she was bald.  Everybody saw it Hawks.  They saw the magic!! What do we do now?”

Hawks didn’t seem to be surprised and he walked into his room and came out with a silver ballpoint pen.

“This pen will fix the problem.”  When Hawks saw the confusion in our eyes he continued talking.  “This is not a normal pen.  If you turn the cap of the pen it will erase people’s memory.  You can control how much the person remembers by turning the cap of the pen.  I’m only giving you this pen for this occasion.  Next time, you would have to deal with it on your own.”

I sighed in relief.  My friends and I gathered our stuff and went to our rooms to get clean.  We met each other out on the beach where the tables and benches were.  There we did our homework quickly.  After that we did a little bit more magic training with Hawks.  Everybody was improving.  I could bend the fire slightly at my will and not sending it flaring everywhere and burning things.  The first time I did it I burnt 2 of Hawks’s suit and a beach tree.  Hawks wasn’t satisfied.

 

 

Our lives were the same for months and moths.  One day, Hawks announced, “we are going to the annual Witch Counsel.  This is when all nature benders (another name people call us) gather have fun, get to know each other and report to each other about the circumstances in our area.

We were on our horses, riding towards the Witch Counsel.  Hawks said he preferred the ‘traditional’ way of travelling.  The wind was blowing gently.  This year the annual Witch Counsel is held at Alaeka.  It was nighttime when we finally arrived.  The red dancing fire was crackling.  Oddly beautiful people were talking and enjoying themselves.  “Hey Hawks!” shouted a husky voice.  A tall black man waved a bulky hand at us.

“Hello Silverden!  Long time no see!  Here are my apprentices.  This is Christopher, Dexter, Isabelle and Mason.”

“Hi!” we chorused.

“Hello!  My apprentices.  Ashley, Tyler, Emmett and Scarlet.”

“Hi!” they chorused.  The four were beautiful.  Ashley had her long blonde hair in a fuzzy ponytail.  Her eyes sea blue.  Tyler was massive.  He was very muscular and tall.  He had short black hair and tanned skin.  Emmett and Scarlet looked very similar to each other.  They both had fiery red hair, lots of freckles on their chalky white skin.

“Hi! I’m Isabelle these are my friends Dexter, Christopher and Mason.”

“Nice to meet you guys.”

“Is anyone hungry because I sure am.  How about we to the barbecue station and grab us some shish-kabobs,” suggested Tyler.

“Now you’re talking,” answered Christopher with a smile.  Suddenly from behind us came a senior witch shouting,

“Ready your weapons!  Brace yourselves!   They’re attacking!”

Everybody froze.  The night seemed a bit more silent.  Everybody’s eyes were tense.  My hand shifted to my sword hilt as Dexter inserted an arrow into his bow.  Then, it came.  A swarm of monsters cam rushing in at every direction.  Everything jumped into action.  Everybody was thrashing trying to kill the beasts.  Out of nowhere a giant part-lion-part-snake creature lunged at me.  I was so terrified I couldn’t react.  In an instant an arrow came shooting at a terrifying speed towards the creature barely missing me.  The shot was perfect.  It soared through the creature’s dark heart, through the creatures back and dug its tip into a majestic tree.  Out came a river of black blood.  I wheeled around to see who fired the arrow.  There I found Dexter grinning at me.  “Thanks Dex,” I said.

“No probs, Bells.”

Hope lost gradually.  We were getting weaker and tired.  Whenever a monster was killed, another would replace its spot.  It seemed like the flow of monsters would never stop.  Then suddenly, the chief of all witches dropped his weapon and poised himself ready for a magic combat.  After that the war chief did it, then the war strategist, then Hawks.  Before I knew it everybody was ready for a magic combat.  In a flash it started.  Magic.  Fire, air, earth and water went everywhere.  Everywhere I looked monsters would either be burnt by the scorching fires, blew away by the powerful winds, drowned in the pool of water or being consumed by the cracking earth.  In an instant there were only five monsters left.  They shook vigorously and ran away as the sun kissed the horizon.  When they left everybody cheered.  Dexter was so happy he lifted me off the ground and twirled me in a full circle.  We were all rejoiced.  That night we had a gigantic feast.  Even though we were tired, sweaty and covered in blood we were happy.  Men started to sing in a false tune.  People got up and started dancing.  Booming laughter filled the yellow-lit halls.

 

Soon, we were off our horses and have arrived at our home.  When I opened the door, my mom was sitting on the sofa waiting for me.  I was so surprised.  I lunged at her with my full speed and surprisingly it took me half a second to get there.  Here is something you have to understand.  When I said half a second I really meant, like literally half a second but the sight of my mom was so overwhelming that I seriously couldn’t care less about the face.  I hugged her so tight I swore I heard her hyperventilating.

“I miss you so much!” I said.

“Me too, darling.”

“What are you doing here?  Did you hear about the battle?”

“Yes I heard.  I’m glad you made it out of there alive.”  We gave each other another hug then suddenly Mason asked,

“Hawks, why does Hades want to destroy us?”

“You see kids,” Hawks hesitated, “Hades was and is a cunning man.  He always wanted to conquer, to rule.  His kingdom under the ground was not enough for him.  He wanted more.  He wanted way more. He wanted the surface and from there take over Olympus.  HIs plans to take over the world would’ve worked if not for us.  We are the only thing standing in his way.  We protect the world from him.  We stop him from conquering it.  We guard it.  That is why, for many years, Hades has been trying to get rid of us with his minions but I don’t think he will be anymore.  He had sent every last minion into that battle and I have been told that his brothers have intervened and is now trying to keep him at bay.  He would be no trouble to us for now on.”

“Hawks, what do we do now?” asked Christopher.  Hawks raised an eyebrow in question.

“I mean, what do we do now that we’ve defeated Hade’s army?”

“Well, we still stay alert and keep our guards up just in case Hade’s has rises to power again or has another trick up his sleeve.”

 

Suddenly, I changed the subject.

“Hey mom,” I said, “You haven’t answered my question.  Why are you here?”  Then, I turned towards the mirror and smiled at my reflection.  There I saw my canines extra sharp.  They were like fangs except they didn’t expose when you closed your mouth. “Mom!!!! What’s happening to me???!!!!”

“There is something I have to tell you, Bells,” she started. “You are not a normal witch.  You’re part vampire.”