Casters

Chapter 20

"It was that easy?" Matilda commented.

Annalise stood up and rushed to Raven. She held him in her arms and caressed his hair, holding back a scream. She bit her lip as she sobbed, wanting to physically feel the excruciating pain she felt emotionally. She looked at him again - the lifeless body of Raven, with an expressionless look whilst his eyes still open. She closed his eyes and cried. She raised her head and looked at the girls, who were anxious about Blake's survival. She noticed Raven's hand was locked to a fist, holding onto something. She opened his hands and saw that he was holding onto his necklace - a picture of him and Annalise. She broke down and hugged him as tightly as she could, knowing it was her last time to touch him.

Grace arrived at the scene and was shaking, "no, Raven. No. Wake up, please. Please."

Grace held Raven's hand and sobbed. "Sister..." Annalise cried. Grace hugged her and caressed her hair. "I'm truly sorry for your... Our loss."

Charlotte ran back to the house, locking herself inside. She broke down and cried, seeing the lifeless bodies of her relatives, Blake and Raven included. Blake was struggling to survive, but the ladies were hoping to guide him through the process.

She cried and cried until she felt arms hugging her. Slowly, the barriers disappeared. Steven was hugging her in comfort. Fred sat across her, patting her on her shoulders.

"Why am I weak?" she asked.

"Maybe because you're still not in your fullest capabilities," Steven replied, "Maybe because you just learned about your identity days ago. Perhaps, there is a lot of things you need to do or learn before being your strongest form."

Charlotte sobbed, "What if Blake dies?" Steven hugged her tightly. "I'm never going to see them again."

"I don't understand. My father should have been dead if I killed them, right?" Charlotte said, wiping her tears. "He should have been dead.

"I knew about Tory because the voices told me. I knew she was my Aunt. I -"

"Hush," Steven whispered, "Enough talk. I know you want to ask a lot of questions, but you need to rest."

"I couldn't rest when I know this Elemental Posse is capable of such crime," Charlotte explained, shaking her head. "They will kill more casters who get in their way. You and Fred might get hurt, too."

"We know, Charlotte," Fred explained. "But that is why we're here. We never leave Sheena in her lowest times. We are also your friends, now. We're in this together."

"No," Charlotte replied sternly. "We are absolutely not in this together.

"What makes you so sure both of you will be safe? Do you have powers? Do you have shields to protect yourself? Have you any healing spells or whatnots?"

"Charlotte, relax -" Steven said but was interrupted by Charlotte's expression. "Enough!"

She buried her face in her arms. "I can't lose you guys, too."

The boys looked at each other and sighed. Fred stood up and fixed himself. "I need to check on Sheena. Is it safe out there?"

Charlotte nodded and waved her hand at him. A force field surrounded him and she said, "just in case..."

Fred nodded and left the house. She turned to look at Steven and sighed, "How can I possibly defeat them all? I'm weak. What if Gideon appears or -"

Steven pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "Please think about it later. Take some time to rest."

Charlotte held unto him and sobbed. She thought about her Uncle Raven. Ever since the incident, she could never remember the other memories she had with him, but she knew her uncle wanted to pour out his familial love more than she deserved. The only memory she could ever remember was the bracelet she always wore, and the purple gown he gave her.

She sobbed, even more, when she remembered how Blake used to be so protective of her ever since she was little. How happy she felt on the day they reunited. She remembered how Blake accompanied her on the time she visited IBS, and when they met Steven. She remembered how Blake protected her when they were ambushed on the field by Tory and her shadowwalkers.

Steven hugged her gently, caressing her hair as she cried and cried.

---

Meanwhile, Bridget was still holding Blake's hand. Matilda bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. She never had many memories with Blake and wanted to create more with him. After all, she was just a toddler when Blake left them. Sheena was exhausted, but she knew she had to push through her spell. Blake's life depended on it.

"You can do it, love," Fred whispered. "I'll be here." Sheena nodded and sighed. She knew she won't feel good after this.

Matilda sat down, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The stance led her to a different dimension.

Blake? She whispered. A figure was in front of her. It turned around and looked at her in confusion. It was Blake.

Her spirit ran towards him and hugged him tightly. "Where are we?" she asked.

We're in the spirit realm, he replied, but what are you doing here? Matilda looked around and saw a staircase going up towards the bright light. "What is that?" she asked.

He turned to where she pointed, oh, that? That is where we'll leave soon.

"we?" Matilda looked at him, anxious

Blake nodded, Your uncle and I, of course.

Matilda bit her lip, holding back her tears. "You can't!" She exclaimed. He looked at her in confusion and shook his head. He genuflected and held her hands. M, it's our time, he said, we have to go.

"No, please!" She jumped and hugged him tightly. "We can't let you go. We're waiting for you at home. Charlotte is scared. She doesn't know what to do, Blake. She needs you. We need you."

He sighed, I can't, M. My body is -

"We'll take care of it. Just please, come home," she begged.

Matilda was suddenly disconnected from the realm when she heard Bridget's scream. She opened her eyes and saw Bridget was hugging Blake in her arms, sobbing. Matilda covered her mouth, "no. I... Failed?" she whispered. She didn't know how to react. She turned to Sheena, who was lying in Fred's arms, unconscious. She was exhausted and she couldn't take it any longer.

"I'll do it," Matilda whispered. Bridget sniffed and turned to look at her, "what did you say?"

"Let me do what Sheena was doing," she said.

"You are not a water elemen -"

"but I am a medium. Most importantly, his sister," Matilda whispered. "I can do this."

Bridget looked at her for a second, thinking she might change her mind. Knowing that Matilda was sure of her plan, Bridget put Blake down. Matilda crawled beside Blake and lay down beside him.

"Wait!" a voice said.

Matilda looked down and saw Charlotte running towards them. "Either take me with you or go back in time."

"What?" Bridget asked.

"You're the first caster to control time, right?" she said, "let's rewind all of this."

Matilda and Bridget looked at each other. "Charlotte, we don't know the consequences of this. What if we do something wrong or -"

"We could at least try," Charlotte exclaimed, pointing to where Raven was.

Suddenly, Charlotte shifted. Her eyes lit up and she started to levitate.

Turning back the time will cause serious consequences, the voice within her said, it might cost us a life.

I am Minerva, the highest oracle of the realm, She looked down and faced them. We meet again.

"What do you mean 'turn back time'!" a voice exclaimed. Grace was rushing towards the ladies. "Why are you telling Matilda to turn back time!" she said to Bridget and Charlotte. "We don't know the consequences of this. We might even cause another curse or war!"

Remember, the gods of time first chosen caster is Matilda, the oracle said, I would not meddle with your decisions, but I am reminding you to decide wisely.

Matilda turned to Aunt Grace. "I'll try. Please?"

"But we can't risk another life, Matilda," Annalise said, approaching the group. "I do not believe that this could occur without a sacrifice." Grace nodded in agreement.

Charlotte slowly descended to the ground and turned to her old self. She opened her eyes and she was surrounded by darkness. "I will handle this."

She turned to Matilda and said, "Once you turn back time, make sure I am aware of what is happening. Let the others forget."

"Are you su -"

"Did I stutter?" Charlotte said, interrupting Grace. She looked at Fred and he held up his hands. "I know, I know. I'm going inside the house." He turned and left, carrying Sheena with him.

"No," Grace said. Charlotte looked at her, "we need to try!"

"We couldn't risk you and Matilda, Charlotte!" Grace exclaimed.

"They lost their lives because of me!" She shouted,  "because I am weak!"

"They lost their lives FOR you!" Grace said, "Make things right! If you feel that you are weak right now, what makes you think it makes any difference if you battle them all over again?"

Charlotte glared at her aunt but noticed Blake's hand twitching. "Blake -"

They turned to  Blake, who was still struggling to survive. "Could you please let us reconnect with Blake?" Matilda pleaded to Grace.

She sighed and turned to Charlotte, "as long as Charlotte goes with you."

Matilda nodded and sat beside Blake. Charlotte followed her and held her hands. They looked at each other and took a deep breath. "Ready?" Matilda nodded. Both girls held unto Blake and Matilda finally shifted with Charlotte.

"Where is this?" Charlotte asked as she looked over the place. "This is the spirit realm," Matilda whispered. "There are a lot of spirits here."

"Is that him?" Charlotte pointed. Matilda looked over and nodded. They rushed to Blake and held him.

Charlotte? What are you doing here? he said. Matilda? You came back.

"You can't leave," Charlotte whispered.

I have to. It was destined for me, he said.

"You have a choice, Blake," Charlotte said, starting to feel angry.

I don't. The Celestials would be furious if we interfere with this, he said, frowning.

"Well, let them!" Charlotte shouted, furious. "Let them be angry with me. Let them curse me! From all I knew, they chose me to save the magic realm, and I can't do this without you!

I lost relatives today. That includes Uncle Raven who died to protect you! I can't lose you, too, because I need all of you! How do you expect me to grow stronger when my strength is all of you?" Charlotte screamed.

"Are you expecting me to face Gideon who has our father as his accomplice? Do you expect me to handle all of this!"

Blake looked at her. I...

Charlotte held his hands. "Matilda and I need you down there. Not because we need to defeat this endless war once and for all, but because every moment we spent was not enough to accept that you're gone."

Blake teared up and his spirit slowly started to fade. "What is happening?" Matilda asked.

I'll see you on the other side, Blake smiled.

"Which other side?" Charlotte said, "hello?"

The whole world turned white.

---

Charlotte opened her eyes and gasped for air. "What happened?"

"Hurry! Let's carry Blake inside!" Grace said. Annalise and Bridget cast their spells to carry their loved ones inside. Charlotte was dumbfounded. She saw Steven carry Matilda, who fainted, inside. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Something happened to Matilda. She was shaking and I tried to connect with you, two, to see what could have happened but I can't," Grace said. "My empath senses are growing weaker each day. I'm sorry."

Charlotte hugged her aunt, "We are all trying to do our part, aunt. Thank you for being there even if I am rushing to my impulse decisions." Aunt Grace cried in joy and hugged her back. "Blake woke up during the process but he lost his consciousness again. We need to hurry, they need us!" They all rushed inside and stayed in the living room.

Annalise wrapped Raven in their favorite sheet, pushing herself to accept the reality. She wanted to push Matilda to turn back the time, but she knew she couldn't risk her nieces' lives. As much as she wanted to turn it all around, she knew she couldn't. If only she knew it would be her last moments with him, she could have pushed Raven to quit his job and spend every chance of time she could get with him.

"Get some rest," Grace said to Charlotte.

"But -"

"We'll handle this. Get some sleep," Annalise interrupted. Charlotte looked at her and turned to her uncle. Charlotte nodded and went to sit by the couch and finally closed her eyes.