Casters

Chapter 21

A few days passed after the incident. It was a gloomy day, the day when Raven's and Christen's funerals will be held.

Charlotte was preparing for the funeral when she spotted the bracelet her uncle gave her. She grabbed her bracelet and looked at it. I will always be thankful, uncle, even if our time was short, she thought, you protected me even on the days when I never knew who I was.

She wore her bracelet and went downstairs. She stopped walking in her tracks and peeked behind the wall. She saw her aunts who were still trying to gather their selves for the funeral. Annalise was holding onto Raven's image, wiping her tears. She was still trying her best to accept his fate. Grace sat beside her and whispered, "Ma and Raven will always be watching over us." Annalise turned to look at the other photo. It was a picture of Raven smiling, embracing Christen in his arms. "They will never be forgotten," Annalise said, nodding her head.

Charlotte bit her lip to stop herself from showing her vulnerability. Sheena and Bridget stood up as soon as they saw Charlotte. She looked around and couldn't find Matilda. "Where is she?" she asked.

"Matilda is still upstairs, talking to Blake as always," Bridget whispered, "she always made time to see him every day, trying to talk to him." Sheena sighed and commented, "She's really trying to wake him up, even if  he couldn't hear her."

Charlotte nodded, "let us leave her be. Could you both help me practice my powers later? I need to train."

"After the funeral?"

"Sure," Charlotte nodded, "I need to start training. I haven't had any formal shifts with the oracle yet since I still couldn't handle my powers, but I had been having visions that the Elemental Posse would be summoning Gideon soon."

Bridget and Sheena looked at each other, "We should let Aunt Grace and Annalise know about this?" Charlotte hushed them, "let us wait until this day ends, okay? They both need rest after all of this."

Fred knocked on the door, interrupting the ladies, "are we ready? We need to go."

Grace and Annalise stood up, taking their things with them. "We'll be right there," Charlotte said to them. She turned Bridget and whispered, "could you go get Matilda? We need to leave." Bridget nodded and left.

"I'm glad the boys are here to guide Aunt Grace and Annalise," Sheena whispered. "they really encouraged them to conduct a proper funeral instead of our own. It's sad how our kind just buries their loved ones on the place they last stood. I wish we have a cemetery just like the humans, so we could visit them properly, too."

Charlotte sighed,  "well, everyone believes in different things. The boys just felt like they deserve a more proper funeral." Sheena nodded in agreement.

"Are we ready to go?" Bridget asked upon arriving outside with Matilda. Charlotte held Matilda's hand. Her sister looked up and smiled, "I feel nervous," she said. Charlotte sighed and mouthed, "it's okay."

The ladies finally left for the cemetery.

---

The funeral started as soon as they arrived. They decided not to invite anyone in case something dreadful could unexpectedly happen again. Annalise broke down during the funeral. Grace tried to calm her down as they noticed the breeze blew harder.

Matilda walked forward and held Annalise's hand. Suddenly, the breeze started to slow down and the weather slowly changed. Charlotte turned to Matilda, who was mouthing something.

Is she draining Annalise's emotion? she thought. Matilda looked at her and nodded. Charlotte raised her a brow and sadly smiled.

After the funeral, everyone exited the cemetery except Annalise and Grace.

"Should we wait for them here?" Steven asked. Charlotte walked towards them, "could you and Fred accompany our aunts for a while?" She said.

"Oh, sure. Why?" Fred replied. "The ladies and I have to leave first. I need to rush a few things," Charlotte answered.

"I'll stay with them," Matilda said. "Our aunts may need my help." Charlotte looked at her for a moment then nodded. Before leaving, Bridget approached the boys and pointed at them.

"They may be your girlfriends, but I am still the eldest around here," she started to talk, "if something happens to Matilda, both of you will be facing me. Are we clear?"

Steven and Fred gulped and nodded in fear.

Bridget nodded while she squinted her eyes at the boys, slowly turning to leave as she pulls the ladies away from them.

"You didn't have to scare them like that," Charlotte said, clearing her throat. "I know. I could see how genuine those boys are. I just wouldn't want anything to happen to Matilda."

"You're more of a sister than I am," Charlotte frowned. Bridget waved at her to shush. "You are trying your best to save the world and still be a loving sister."

Charlotte knew this wasn't true; although she is trying to be better, she knew what she was doing wasn't enough.

"By the way, Charlotte?" Sheena asked. "What are you going to do? Knowing that your father is your enemy, this would be harder to handle."

Charlotte's vision darkened upon hearing this. "He was never my father, and never will be."

"Charlotte..."

"I will battle him and end this once and for all," she whispered.

---

They decided to train in the fields, "are you sure no human could see us here?" Bridget asked. Charlotte nodded, "this was where Sheena and I trained before."

"What do you need?" Bridget asked. Charlotte took a deep breath and her eyes lit up, "I need a real battle."

The two looked at each other. "You're going to kill us if you get carried away," Sheena said. Charlotte crossed her arms, "I won't. I promise."

"No," Bridget said. "Although, we can summon creatures and make it look like they could cast powerful magic?" Charlotte looked at her in confusion, "you can do that?"

"We could try," Sheena said, "but I can't summon creatures. I could only summon the ones who are related to water."

Bridget bit her lip, "I couldn't summon one, too. We still don't know the average strength and limitations of Charlotte's powers." Charlotte turned around in disappointment, "why do I have to be the second caster of the moon?"

"We could visit a medium and ask for help," Bridget said. "Medium?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes," she replied, "although, we would need to travel. He's a light-bearer, but an air element. He lives in the kingdom of knowledge and it would take a while to travel there."

Sheena stopped in her tracks, "a medium that lives at the kingdom of knowledge?"

"Well, I never heard of his story yet. All I know is that he chose to live a life serving the magic realm. One day, he took off on his Griffin and he never came back. Only the air casters could visit him if they need to. Not everyone is granted the chance to fly to him," Bridget explained, "He may be a medium, but he also is the keeper of the knowledge of the magic realm."

"Keeper of knowledge?" Charlotte asked.

"That's how I heard it," Bridget shrugged, "I don't think that is how he calls himself, but I'm just telling you all I know."

"Okay, we can try visiting him," Charlotte nodded.

"Won't we take long?" Sheena asked.

Bridget thought about it for a while and shrugged, "perhaps, yes, maybe, I don't know!"

Bridget turned and cast her spell, "Hear me, my guide. I summon thee to take us to the kingdom of knowledge."

Suddenly, the wind blew strong. Light shone above the ladies, with the clouds drifting away above the sky. A huge creature gawked above them, slowly descending to the land.

"Oh my gosh," Charlotte exclaimed in awe, "It's a real-life hippogriff!"

It was of inky black color with one silver wing on the other side. It had beautiful feathers as Bridget stroked it. "I still don't have a name for her, but she has always been my creature for as long as I can remember."

"My father's creature has always been a hippogriff. When she was born, my father gave her to me,' Bridget explained. "It's been hard to name her, though."

"So, we're going to the kingdom of knowledge for real?" Sheena smiled. Bridget nodded. She got on her hippogriff's back and held out her hand. Sheena grabbed it and Charlotte followed.

"Hold on tight," Bridget said, "we're going for a ri-"

She was cut off when the hippogriff suddenly ran. The ladies held on tightly as the breeze was strong enough for them to fall back. "Bridget there's a treee-AAAAHHHH!"

The hippogriff spread her wings and jumped.

Charlotte opened her one eye and saw that they were finally flying. She looked down and gasped in awe as she saw the beautiful view of France and its nature. With the eye-catching architecture of the buildings blending in the breath-taking view of nature.

"Oh my gosh," Charlotte exclaimed.

Sheena spread her arms aside and exclaimed through the breeze. "This is amazing!" She shouted.

"Don't forget to hold on, ladies. My hippogriff is really an adventurous one," Bridget laughed.

"Woah!" Sheena exclaimed, instantly holding unto Bridget again as the Hippogriff took a turn to the waters of the forest.

"I thought we were going to the Kingdom of Knowledge?" Charlotte said.

"We are," Bridget said. She turned around and smiled,  "You and Sheena might enjoy the view for a moment, though."

The hippogriff instantly descended and ran across the river. The ladies laughed as they got wet and were enjoying the captivating view. 

"Hello!" Sheena waved.

"What is it?" Charlotte said, looking at where she was waving at. She dropped her jaw when she saw a variety of creatures whom she thought were mythical. "I am speechless!"

There were dwarfs and gnomes, and even manticores. Some trees were even moving from one place to another. On the other side of them, there were hippogriffs and griffins. Some silhouettes of Lycans could be seen, sleeping in the farther part of the forest. There were a whole lot more creatures out there that she never expected to see.

"I am in awe!" She exclaimed.

"Welcome to the magic realm, Charlotte," Bridget smiled.

As the Hippogriff continue to run on water, Charlotte could see a few lights following them. "Sheena?" She whispered. Sheena turned around and smiled, "they are fairies!"

Charlotte smiled in shock and waved at them. The fairies danced around them and some delivered flower petals to Charlotte. She smiled and said her thanks before finally leaving.

"Goodbye! Until next time!" Charlotte exclaimed, waving at them.

"If they are in the deepest parts of the forest," Charlotte asked, "can the humans see them?"

Bridget shook her head. "There are casters who protect the realm and the creatures, Charlotte. Exposing them to harm could deeply affect us, casters."

Charlotte nodded in relief, "I was glad to hear that."

The hippogriff jumped and finally ascended to the skies.

"The horizon!" Sheena pointed. Charlotte and Sheena screeched at the beautiful afternoon sky of orange and purple. "I wish the whole world could see what we can!" Sheena exclaimed.

"They can, but not in our perspective!" Charlotte exclaimed back. "If only they appreciate what we see, the world would really be a better place."

The hippogriff loudly gawked, its sound echoing through the horizon. "Hold on tight!" Bridget exclaimed. Sheena and Charlotte leaned on and grabbed each other tightly. The hippogriff finally ascended to the skies and flew deep to the clouds. It flew swiftly that the breeze was rushing through them.

"Bridget," Sheena said, grasping Bridget's clothes.

"Almost there," She replied, squinting her eyes.

Then suddenly, the Hippogriff slowed down. The ladies sat upright and gasped in awe at the beautiful sight of the sunlight and clouds. "We're almost there, ladies," Bridget said.

"Thank you, Bridget," Charlotte smiled. Bridget giggled, "Always, dear."

Charlotte bent over and reached to the clouds. "It's cold!" she commented. Sheena giggled, "you wanted this?" She said, grabbing a small ball of cloud. "No fair! I wish I was a water-caster!" Charlotte said, pouted jokingly. She poked the cloud and it disappeared to thin air. Sheena and Charlotte giggled.

"Look!" Bridget pointed.

Everyone looked up and gasped at the beautiful castle. It was a large white castle with a blue roof and silver highlights. The castle had multiple towers and there were pillars around it. "I'm starting to get curious about the adventures you went through," Charlotte whispered, still eyeing the kingdom.

Bridget smiled as she shook her head, "Let's descend over there."