We Stand Against Evil

Chapter 3

‘What’s happening Declan?’ asked Lana as they rubbed him until colour began returning to his cheeks.

‘She t…t…told me to…g….g….go.’

‘Is she alright?’

He tried to nod.

Lana breathed heavily. ‘Are you sure?’

‘I think so,’ he whispered. ‘She’s n….not alone though.’

‘What?’ yelled Lana. ‘How could you leave her?’

Marlene put her hand on Lana’s shoulder, ‘Honey, he wouldn’t have left her unless he thought she was safe. She’ll be fine.’

‘But…’

‘No buts,’ Marlene added. ‘Have faith.’

‘Faith?’ Lana mouthed before turning away and shaking her head, stepping a few feet from them.

‘ Lana, ’ Declan shouted as she went to walk back towards the water. ‘ Don ’t do it. She’s alright. I can hear her. Let her do her thing. Just take a breath and give her some space down there, okay?’

Lana bit her top lip and nodded before she took a long, deep breath and waited.

Beneath the water, Emma floated, carefully watching the creature as she gingerly moved closer. When her outstretched hands were close enough, Emma lifted both her arms until their hands touched - creating a gentle spark. The creature’s terrifying mouth turned upwards into a smile and her entire face changed.

Emma watched in amazement as the woman standing before her was no longer the strange, frightening creature she’d seen moments before. It was Eleanor.

The water quickly disappeared and the two of them stood deep within a forest, surrounded by trees.

‘Eleanor? What’s happening? Where are you? We came to Canada but we can’t find you anywhere.’

Eleanor nodded and smiled and motioned for Emma to follow her.

‘Can’t you just tell me where you are?’

Eleanor continued to smile, saying nothing as they walked, the ground crunching beneath their feet.

‘Talk to me, Eleanor. I need to know.’

But she did nothing but smile.

‘Jesus, Eleanor. What are we doing here?’

Eleanor stopped and turned to face her.

‘Talk to me, please,’ Emma pleaded, tears rolling down her face. ‘I can’t lose you, not now. Please just tell me, just tell me.’

Eleanor pointed to the trees around them.

‘You’re in a forest?’

Eleanor smiled.

‘But where? Do these creatures have anything to do with this?’

Eleanor smiled.

‘Are they responsible? Do they work for Madge?’

But Eleanor’s face remained the same, making Emma become more and more irritated.

‘If you’re not going to tell me anything, then why did you bring me here? Why? I don’t understand? You’re not Eleanor. This is just a trick.’

Suddenly Eleanor grabbed Emma’s hand and gently squeezed.

‘What is it? What are you trying to tell me?’

Releasing her hand, the woman crouched down. Taking a stick, she used it to draw something in the dirt.

‘You’re trying to tell me something, aren’t you?’

Eleanor slowly nodded.

Emma crouched down beside her. All she could see was one word.

‘Magic? How does that help me?’ she tutted, rubbing her forehead. ‘I know about magic. We all have it. That doesn’t help me, Eleanor. Help me help you,’ she shouted. ‘Magic what?’

Eleanor stood up and pointed to the trees again.

‘I know, you’re in a forest somewhere. In Canada? Which one? And what’s magic?’

Eleanor just pointed at the trees.

‘I don’t understand, Eleanor. Magic trees? The magic is in the trees? I don’t get it.’

The forest began to swirl and Emma felt like she was floating in water again. She opened her eyes, and the creatures were drifting off into the distance.

‘Wait!’ she tried to shout but seconds later, they were gone and Emma had no choice but to return to the surface.

‘Emma!’ Lana yelled, running as fast as she could towards her sister who had jumped so far out of the water that she was further away than before. ‘Are you alright? I was so worried.’

‘I’m okay, Sis. I’ m fine, ’ Emma said, as she used her own skills to warm herself up. ‘Let’s just get back to the house.’

oOo

‘Magic trees? That’s what she told you?’

Emma sighed for the fourth time, ‘Yes, Jesus, how many times do I have to tell you? That’s all she managed to tell me. And what the hell was that creature anyway? And why did she help us? I’m so confused, I don’t understand any of this.’

‘You’re not the only one, Emma. We’re all confused. This is messed up,’ Declan said, as he put on another thick jumper on top of the one he was already wearing.

‘Still cold, huh?’ Marlene asked. ‘Maybe you should take a hot bath?’

‘I will, in a bit,’ he smiled. ‘After we’ve figured this out.’

Marlene nodded while they made themselves comfortable in the same place they’d sat earlier in the day, surrounding the fire.

‘Do you know what they were, Declan?’ Lana asked.

‘Those creatures?’

She nodded.

‘Honestly, I’ve no idea. Initially I thought maybe mermaids, but living in a lake? I dunno.’

‘Maybe they don’t live there. Maybe they were just travellers. Maybe Eleanor somehow managed to communicate with them while they were passing through,’ Aria thought out loud.

‘Passing through where exactly?’ Emma asked.

Nobody answered.

‘I just feel like we’re getting further and further from the truth. Why can’t she just tell us?’

‘Do you think it was really her?’ Lana asked. ‘How do we know it’s not some kind of trick? Madge could have put them up to it.’

‘No, it was her,’ Emma said.

‘But how do you know?’ Lana asked.

‘I just do.’

‘Fair enough,’ Lana answered back as she tossed another log onto the fire.

As they watched the flames dance around and envelope the wood, Emma suddenly perked up, her eyes wide. ‘Magic trees!’ she exclaimed. ‘She was telling me she needs somebody else’s help. Oh why didn’t I see that to begin with?’

‘Who, Sis, who?’ asked Lana.

Declan nodded, ‘You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I’ll get on the blower straight away.’

‘On the blower?’ asked Aria as Lana stood up with her hands on her hips.

‘Who?’ Lana asked for the second time.

‘Oh, that just means he’s going to make a phone call, Aria,’ smiled Marlene.

‘Strange English language,’ muttered Aria as Lana became more exasperated.

‘Who are you calling?’ Lana demanded for the third time.

‘Why Sammy, of course,’ Emma smiled.

CHAPTER 4

She was one of the ugliest women ever to have been born, but Madge Sophokles had accepted it pretty early on in life and had therefore never really let it bother her. She’d married a very wealthy man - also a Skull - who was equally hideous, both in looks and personality, but she had soon grown bored of his uselessness. Her attempts at poisoning him had not quite come to fruition so she had simply let him be caught by the Watchers and had been overjoyed to hear that he’d eventually been killed in captivity.

Sthenelaus did have some use, however, having aided her into becoming one of the most powerful Skulls in England. But that wasn’t enough for her. She wanted more. Madge wanted to be the most powerful Skull in the world. And to do that, she would have to do away with the Watchers once and for all.

Madge believed that k********g Eleanor Hayden-Jones, the Guardian of the Fourth House of Praxos, was a stroke of genius. It was her way of getting exactly what she wanted. It was her way in.

‘Has she arrived yet?’ asked Madge, placing the hand mirror back down onto the desk and turning in her swivel seat to look out at the forest.

‘ No Ma ’am, not yet,’ said the nervous young man who looked oddly out of place wearing clothing that resembled an outfit from several centuries ago.

‘Valentine, get out there and don’t come back in until she’ s arrived. ’

‘Yes Ma’am,’ he nodded, backing out of the room and closing the door behind him.

‘I still can’t quite believe that this spell is going to work,’ said a man’s voice in the corner.

‘I can. I can do anything I want to do and I’m disgusted you don’t believe that,’ she scowled, standing up and staring at him.

‘I’m, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that I didn’t believe in you, Madge. That’s not what I meant at all. I just meant…’

‘I don’t care what you meant, you little…’

She was interrupted by a quiet knock on the door.

‘Yes?’ she bellowed, walking around the front of the large walnut desk. Leaning against it, she momentarily glanced out of the room’s other window, looking down towards the ocean beyond.

The door was gingerly pushed open and the same oddly dressed young man poked his head around it. ‘She’s here, Ma’am. She’ s arrived. ’

Madge nodded before the door was pushed all the way open to allow an elderly woman to stride in.

‘Well, it’s about time. I’ve been waiting for days,’ Madge stated.

‘Yes well, my apologies, but this isn’t the easiest of locations to find and these things take time, Mrs. Sophokles.

‘Oh don’t call me that, for heaven’s sake. My name is Madge and I’m proud of it.’

Nodding, the elderly woman took off a long cloak and a headscarf.

‘Very well, Madge it is. Now, if you don’t mind, I require a drink.’

‘Of course,’ said Madge.

‘Valentine, get in here,’ Madge shouted.

The oddly dressed young man appeared, ‘Ma’am?’

‘A drink for the old lady.’

‘Less of the old,’ she murmured before turning to face Valentine. ‘Whisky. And make it a large one,’ she smiled.

Valentine nodded. ‘And for you, Ma’am?’

‘Yes, my usual.’

Valentine backed out of the room, returning just moments later with a tray containing two large glasses, one full of an amber coloured liquid while the other was clear.

‘Vodka? Gin?’ asked the old lady as she took a long sip of her warming whisky.

‘Holy water.’

The woman croaked with laughter. ‘ Nice touch. ’

‘It is, isn’t it? Madge smiled. ‘Now, let’s get down to business.’

‘Of course. It is why I’m here,’ the elderly lady said as she opened the old leather bag she’d carried in with her.

Taking out a small glass bottle, she placed it on the desk in front of her.

‘This should do the trick.’

‘Is it what I asked for?’

‘ Don ’t I always get what you ask for?’

‘There has been the odd occasion when you’ve failed me, Geraldine.’

Geraldine scowled, ‘That was in the early days. Things have changed since then.

‘ Don ’t I know it,’ Madge grinned, her ugliness making Geraldine squirm a little. ‘How long will it take?’

‘Should be instant.’

‘Very well. How long will it last?’

‘Weeks, I think.’

Madge ’s face grew thunderous and she banged her fists on the desk, ‘You think?’

‘It’s an intricate spell Madge, and it required certain things that were not easy to come by. I was forced to use a little less than I would have liked.

‘Here you are, failing me again, Geraldine,’ Madge shouted.

‘I have not failed you. I have provided you with the potion you asked for. Not once did you tell me it was meant to be permanent or at least semi-permanent. I have produced what I could with the ingredients I could get at this short notice. Take it or leave it.’

Madge scowled before a smile crept onto her face. ‘Very well.’

‘My p*****t?’ Geraldine asked.

‘As agreed,’ Madge replied before she stood up and approached the man in the corner.

‘This is him, as promised.’

Geraldine grinned from ear to ear. ‘A fine specimen, Madge. He will do nicely.’

‘What?’ said the man as he stood from his corner seat. ‘What are you doing? I have been good to you, Madge. I have always done what you asked of me. Why would you do this? What will happen to me? What will she do to me?’

Suddenly his free hands were no longer free and he found himself unable to speak.

Geraldine was standing, her arms high above her head as she muttered something in a strange language. The man’s eyes grew weary and moments later, he collapsed onto the floor.

‘Wonderful!’ Madge clapped. ‘I do enjoy watching you work your magic, Geraldine. Out of curiosity, what will you do with him?’

Geraldine smiled as she knocked back the remaining whisky before wrapping the cloak around herself, and placing the head scarf back over her head.

‘You told me he had vampire blood in his veins?’

Madge nodded, ‘ For certain. ’

‘Then I will simply drain him.’

‘And his blood?’

Geraldine smiled, ‘I cannot say. I am sworn to secrecy by my coven.’

‘Very well, whatever,’ Madge scowled. ‘It was our deal, you do with him whatever you wish. That’s your business. This,’ she said picking up the bottle, ‘ is mine. ’

‘Why now, Madge? After all these years?’

‘I have my reasons, Geraldine. You will find out soon enough. I know how word gets around in our circles,’ she smirked.

Geraldine smiled. ‘Yes, yes, it does. Well, enjoy it while you can.’

CHAPTER 5

Yawning loudly and rushing through the airport, Sammy smiled at the approaching group while she dragged her hand luggage behind her.

‘Sammy!’ shrieked Lana, almost knocking her to the ground with a spine-crushing hug.

‘Hey guys,’ she just about managed to breathe. ‘How’s it going? Found anything yet? I’m so glad you called me over. I felt so useless at home. Everyone does, actually.’

‘Hey Sammy,’ Emma said, giving her a quick hug before shoving her hands in her jacket pockets before shaking her head. ‘Practically nothing, which is why you’re here.’

‘Yeah, about that. Declan was pretty cryptic over the phone. What’s going on? Why do you need me? I mean, I’m flattered but confused.’

‘ We ’ll update you in the car. Declan and the others are waiting outside.’

oOo

‘So you think it’s got something to do with the trees, then?’ Sammy asked as they drove down the wide Canadian highway back towards Banff after they’d explained everything to her.