Episode37-The Arrival
1999 Words
It has been two days since Commander Vandisia and the six set out on their journey. They have wandered endlessly until they arrived at the Lake of Fear. A flowing lake with crystal clear water, shining so bright as it freely trailed down its path.
"So much for the name. It sure looks peaceful then scary to me." Harry says as he gets off his broom.
"Be warned. Whatever you see here is not what it truly is. Do not trust anything." Lucas ordered.
The lake is atop a mountain with a balcony. Lucas, moves to the windswept balcony beside the lake, observing the surrounding. Birds littered them, each looking harmless and alluring. The birds made the place feel uneasy, but he has to stand ready and wait for whatever that will happen.
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When Rabbi Humbledore first built Rayvin Academy, the second of Peace made anyone without a pure heart feel uneasy. It was an impenetrable fortress. With the recent incident, that goal has been defeated. Now he had to use all the resources available to guide what he has lived for and make sure that evil doesn't win.
Rabbi Humbledore stood on the windswept balcony outside the council chambers. It is where he first made his messenger, which went and came back to that particular spot. Looking at all that evil is about to overtake, as thoughts overtook his mind, Mackenzie and Edward join him. Not saying anything to each other, the three of them watched the sky together with foreboding. Rabbi never believed that evil could defeat well. He had fought in a thousand battles and endlessly, good always win. But, he has never seen anything like this battle they are fighting. Unlike other wars, there was a motive, plan and insight. This is just him dancing in the dark without knowing the intention of his opponent. He wonders if there is still hope or this is the end for them.
Mackenzie and Edward have been there so much longer than any of the professors so they understood what he was afraid of. Hopefully, when their reign ends, it would end with all the battle and for once, like during Omiri's rule, peace will stay.
He leans against the battlement, the students roaming around without worry beneath him, the ground of Peace staring at him in total ruin.
"I hope for everyone's sake, the prophecy gets fulfilled."
A messenger comes in bring word. "They have arrived at the Lake of Fear."
"That is where their journey truly begins." Rabbi Humbledore says before turning away from the view calling back to the chambers. Mackenzie and Edward follow. Everyone needed to assist them because what they are about to face would be unbearable for them. It would only that the assistance they get from different sources for them to survive.
"What those the goblet reveal." Humbledore settles into his chair, but with a thousand thoughts on his mind.
I am afraid it has shown nothing. For now it sleeps," Mackenzie replies.
"Even when we need them to be our eyes, they sleep. Should they keep pushing us to work alone?"
"The god's sometimes wants us to take care of our matter. They've not left us. They're just watching."
Before Humbledore could say another word, Mackenzie has disappeared. Humbledore turns his gaze back on Edward. His face lit with surprise but containment, almost impossible for one to read what is his true emotions are. The whole council members vets on their feet, one by one with a bow, they begin to return to their duties. But, it was no good — every time they get near him, he felt more dampened. His energy for no reason keeps diminishing. Was this all connected to the fact that his mind has been worried? Or, is there more to it?
“Help us, Omiri,” Humbledore mutters desperately.
Humbledore begins to growl, his fangs drawing out during broad daylight against his control. What is happening to him? He has lived for a long time and this has never happened. Turning into a vampire when he wasn't in full control.
Humbledore takes a deep breath, clears his mind and begins to meditate. His heartbeat was racing more than usual. If he gets out of control that means trouble for Rayvin Academy because he will become a killing machine.
Mackenzie reappears, without realising where she is, she knocks Edward down with a blow of her magic before getting to pull herself together.
"What is happening?" She asks, out of breath.
"Someone is controlling us," Rabbi Humbledore says, growling.
"Rabbi, you've turned! " Mackenzie says, stepping away from him as she talks.
"That is the point. I never turn without being in control. Has every council member left?" He asks Edward.
"Yes, Rabbi."
"If I get out of control for any reason, you know what to do, Edward. Mackenzie creates the spell with the students who are witches. Even if we are not certain that it would work, we have to try. Call Rimalon one more time. We need to know what is happening. If everyone getting affected, this is no longer a matter of staying patient."
"Yes, Rabbi."
It took a full minute before Rimalon appears after a thousand incantations and surrounding by Mackenzie. She looked determined not to give up even if Rimalon hadn't answer quickly. She would have kept summoning her until she did.
The room darkens, the atmosphere becomes chilly, a whirlwind begins to blow and Rimalon appears in her form.
"You've summoned me."
"Yes. Something is happening and it is not right."
"Judith," Rimalon calls out, "you must use the goblet and the blood of an original, binding it by a spell of strength. Someone is not pure amongst you and it has easily paved the way for evil. As you what you seek most, the eyes of the Guardian are upon them." She fades away.
Humbledore begins to snarl but Mackenzie is fast to create an invisible spell for Edward and herself, making both of them disappear. She slowly reaches for him, crouching down, she draws a sharp blade and slightly cuts his shoulders, causing blood to drip. She takes a few drops before where she had cut, healed up.
She puts it into the goblet and begins to chant. It takes a few minutes into her chanting before blue flames begin to burn in the goblet. The fire spread into smoke that everyone inhales and things go back to normal.
A sudden yelp tells her that she has done a good job. Rabbi Humbledore takes his seat and scoops some of the smoke into a little jar.
"You've done we'll, Mackenzie. Thank you."
"It is not without the help of Rimalon."
"Do you think they will be okay?"
"We only have one way to find out. Watch there every move!"
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"No one told me that we would freeze to death here," Grenada complains.
The lake has become cold, covered with mostly snow and the paths in or out blocked. Everyone is shivering. Maybe, it wasn't the cold that is the problem, but a mix of anxiety and fear is causing them to shiver. The once crystal clear water has turned to a light-dark fog with the water out of view. It was either the water is covered by the fog or the water has now become the fog. The birds that looked innocent surrounding them, has glowing eyes and sharp beaks. Standing in a position that suggests that they were guiding something other than being there for just playing around purpose.
"Dad, it is so cold," Harry complains
"That is why it is known as the lake of fear because it will use everything possible to bring out your darkest and deepest fear. What you see here is not what it is. There's more to everything." He raises two fingers to his eyes, pokes at them and stretches them forward. His men take that as cur and spread out, surrounding the lake.
"Are you okay?" Mael asks Grenada.
"Very, fine," Duke replies jokingly. "It seems no one is concerned about my well-being."
"That is so not true. I care," Melody says.
They take out the snacks they had packed up and begin to eat. Staying close to each other, Lucas and his men further inspect the place. After their break, they made their beds and laid down.
Lucas returns and shakes his head, smiling a bit. "We camp here for the night and resume tomorrow. Remember, stay alert and take a nice rest. This might be the nicest you will get. Things are about to get a little difficult."
"That is so scary," Evelyn mumbles.
"Yeah, it sure is. Stay close and don't leave the sight of me or my men. No matter what."
"Okay." They all echoed.
As Lucas lays out his bed, beside his sons, he hears a twig break.
Drawing his gun, "stay together," he mutters. Signalling his men, they move to check out where that strange noise came from. No one is there. Taking a sharp breath, he returns to bed.
"Who was it?" Harry asks.
"No one. Just some noise. I'll start a fire to keep it warm." He says.
They were laying down in a circular form so, Lucas started the fire in their middle to keep everyone warm. It also brightened the darkness that has started to loom over them. It felt better for everyone. Less scary and warmer.
If only they could make things easier and find the sword by morning, they would return to the Academy and set things in place. Things did come easily and the sword wasn't going to come to them easily too. It is a task that they must fulfil by discomforting themselves to set things right.
"Dad? Are you asleep?" Harry whispers.
"No, son. A soldier never sleeps."
"Why are we doing this? I mean, everything seems to gate us. Look at the lake for example. It turned its back on it by having a fog cover it up immediately we arrived. A lot of things don't like our presence."
"It is not what we did, it is what is about to happen. Sometimes, you need to get denied, tested and rejected for you to be motivated to push through. They don't hate us, they don't just want to get involved."
"In what?"
"Something bigger than them."
"I wish I had superpowers like Batman, I would have saved everyone."
"You are Batman. The fact that you are courageous, beats a thousand Batman. Come one, get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us."
"Yes, Dad. Good night."
"Good night, son."
Mael closing his eyes sees a woman in red laughing deeply. There is another woman dressed in all black, looking aged but with the body of a teenage girl. Both beckons on him to come to them. Getting enchanted, he starts moving towards them but as he turns his back, a young girl whose face is hidden thrusts an arrowhead into his shoulder.
He stands immediately and opens his eye, but doesn't make a sound. Looking around, everyone seems to be peacefully asleep except for the guards on standby, patrolling the area and the burning fire which itself, seems to be fading into the night, as it slowly wears out.
Mael focuses his gaze on the fire but repeatedly, that vision plays in his head. It looks so real and caused him to become uneasy. Was someone dying today? Was he dying today?
*************
A woman is covered in black from hair to toe. Her back turned and she is having a mirror. She begins to laugh intensively. This is one kind of laughter that tells them that her plans are working out.
"Soon, that mistake I've been waiting for so long will happen. Soon the dance will begin."
She buys herbs and puts them into a boiling pot, making steams and chanting. She sways from side to side, chanting endlessly.
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