"Guys Please!" He pleaded, begging for help.
"THERES SOMEONE IN HERE WITH ME!"
Everything started off okay. It was a plan. We had one. How were we supposed to know- that everything would go wrong?
————————
3 hours before:
The anxiety consumed us whole. You could taste the fear- fall victim to it, even.
"Okay so-what does this mean then, for us?" I replied cautiously.
Lexi looked at me. Gently swiping her hair to the left. "It means-" She sighed.
"It means Methaya has a literal gateway to our world, which isn't very far by the way. Oh yeah-
Also we're marked together meaning that if one of us were to die, which we know is going to happen- we're all going to die." Laughed Lexi manically. "Ha ha ah ha."
"Why would this Methaya person want to kill us? Maybe she's moved on? Maybe she's dead?" Said Stiles innocently.
"Stiles we've heard that story a million times by Carol. It's the one story she'll tell us. The one about how Methaya killed our parents to seize the throne. We're the only ones left. Without us- she will have no threat." Scolded Jess. "And also she's not dead because she's a mystical being like us, who I'm assuming cannot age because she sold her human soul to become well that- I don't even know if she can be killed."
I looked at Kai, who was currently sitting down- head down- cradling it with his hands.
"Kai- what do you think?" I asked. "What do we do?"
He looked up. He then continued being silent.
Jess answered tiredly. "Guys- we can't keep doing this. We have to speak to Aunt Carol."
Lexi scrunched her eyes. "Are you stupid?"
She got up to her face-"No! We will not do that." Realising the short length between Jess and herself, she sighed and walked back. 'Is it just me or is Aunt Carol very suspicious?"
"I know what you mean." Kai replied dismally.
"There's something going on. She's not telling us everything. The full picture."
Stiles looked at Kai. Tilted his head like a curious puppy, "What do you mean?"
"Well for starters, she lied about her powers." Said Jess.
"She's always so suspicious. Never wants anyone to come over." Bitched Lexi.
"Yeah now that I think about it, she never speaks about our father or mother." Slandered Kai
I got up. Rolled my eyes. "Guys. Enough!" They all went from bitter to even more sour.
"You all are so quick to critique, yet you can't praise when needed. Talk about narcissism. Yeah granted- she hasn't been the most truthful, but could it be, that she was only protecting us. Hm? Yeah exactly. Silent. She has been protecting us, since the beginning: She housed us, gave us an identity, sided with us and took place of our mother." I said.
"So if you're judging her for a mistake- why don't you judge yourself? Because seriously none of us are innocent. All of us.- have at least made one mistake-so shush."
They all looked guilty.
"Fine." Said Lexi firstly. "We'll tell her. Everything." She said- not so convincingly.
So we did. We walked to her room collectively and woke her up. She was silent for most of it.
We told Aunt Carol what had happened. About everything. Everything after the prediction: The rift opening up, the dreams, the book, the maps, the mark. Everything.
I expected a rise out of her. Expected her to get angry. God I wish she was angry.
Yet she didn't seem that worried. More like sad. I questioned her-yet she just shirked it off.
"You predicted it. Didn't you?" Assumed Lexi, crossing her arms together.
"Alexa!" Scolded Kai.
I was about to defend her too yet I noticed she didn't defend herself. She instead was looking at the ground guilty.
"Aunt? It's not true isn't it?" I asked
Aunt Carol gradually lifted her eyes. "Yes I did."
My mouth was open. Feeling betrayed, I quickly confronted her. "Are you serious?What's with all the damn secrets!"
Now THAT, she seemed surprised of. "I-"
"No! Do not try to say 'you were only trying to protect us' because thats. Not. A valid. Argument!" I screamed mockingly, like how a child spitefully repeats the opposition.
I felt so stupid. I just defended that- that bitch and Lexi was right. She was a lying multifaceted cunt.
"Let me explain." Pleaded Carol as she placed her hands parallel, preventing us from coming near.
"It was a long time ago. Prophecies aren't exactly clear. I saw a vision of a battle. A deadly one. Between Methaya and-" She paused. "- You kids. Yet I had an intuition, which is why we had to keep moving. No one could find out- They shouldn't have. Yet somehow- she's coming and she'll find us."
Her eyes welled up with desperation. "I can feel it. In my soul. She's coming and she's coming to kill. You have to believe me. I love you guys."
No-one said anything to her. We just stood there, comprehending what we just heard.
I couldn't take it no longer. Seeing her face made me angry and when I'm angry- I do things. I walked out the room.
"Ember wait!" She called after me.
I kept walking. The others followed.
"Guys! Please." She begged. She was about to get up and follow yet Kai waited back.
"Stay!" He commanded like she was a dog.
"Kai." She whimpered.
He scoffed in disgust and walked out.
I had to get out. My head was spinning- which meant that their head was spinning
I went to the garden, which was like a bloody forest. Where the hell is a gardener when you need one?
The chartreuse saplings had sprung to mahogany trees. The vibrant, colourful flowers grew to diluted herds.
"Damn. How long have we been?" Stiles shockingly stated, as he peered around the corner. His eyes were wide open.
"Wha-" I turned around. They all had followed me.
"Yeah." Said Lexi. "We feel it too."
"Carol? What are we going to do?" said Jess, who balled up a part of her dress in her hands.
"What do you mean?" Asked Stiles.
"Well. Do we believe her?" Jess said, glancing at me.
"I-well- why does it matter? What are we going to do? Exile her?" I sarcastically remarked.
After minutes of bickering, we finally reached to the conclusion- that we are wasting time.
If Methaya was coming, we must do something.
So we marched inside, side by side. Like an army. Aunt carol was sitting on the sofa, trembling. She got up, awaiting her sentence.
I was in lead. "Here's the thing, we don't know whether to believe you. More importantly- we don't care. We have to stop Methaya and we think you know how." I said bitterly.
Aunt Carol looked offended. She pouted.
"What do you mean? I don't know." She said carefully, trying not sound mean or sharp.
"Well you must. Someone defeated her. Mother did." Argued Jess.
"Your mother didn't defeat her. She simply escaped while the castle defence battled, sacrificing herself for YOU."
"So. Methaya would've got her, therefore she must've done something." Said Kai.
Carol sighed. "She couldn't, you don't get it. You don't remember. I managed to use my psychic powers a long time ago, so I had a vision of Methaya coming. I was able to warn the guards and the beings at the second castle. That was the only advantage we had. That and the fact that the rift was nearby.
I said "We don't remember anything back then. I can't even remember mother's face. It's like a blur. Some parts are clear- yet most of it is smothered like chalk."
"I know what to do!" Jess exclaimed like a schoolchild, raising their hand up.
"Carol said that she had a vision of Methaya. Just how the marker has invaded our subconscious. We can utilise our subconscious to have a vision also. Anything. Maybe something to-
"-Remember." Interrupted Kai, gleefully.
"I don't think that'll work." Sneered Carol.
"Why is that?" Lexi sassily asked.
"Well- it is dangerous to use psychic powers."
She started. "Yes it is in your blood yet don't forget that, that blood is stained with Milia's blood. You have her powers. You won't be able to control it properly. Me and your mother had strong training."
"Yeah and look how that turned out." Hissed I.
That one stung her.
"Are you going to help us or not?" Asked Lexi harshly.
"Me- help you?" Said Carol, in a manner that wasn't sarcastic but wasn't sure.
Lexi moved her head in a 'yeah' way.
Carol sighed. "I don't want to do this but- I guess have no choice. It has to be one of you guys, as the mark is a remnant of psychic power. You've had that event and if you channel it- well the first time a Marhyine unlocks their power- they release a large amount of energy. We can harness that energy to induce the person in a psychic coma. So who's going to do it?"
We didn't think about that.
It was awkward now.
"Uhm- well- I could- I guess- um." Stuttered Jess.
"I'm not doing it." Stated Kai quickly. I didn't blame him. Why would he want to, after his experience?
"So that just leaves me and you." Said Lexi to me. We were staring at each other.
"So who's going to?" I asked.
"I could. I guess." Offered Lexi, not very confidently. She said it, while straying away from looking me in the eyes.
"No! I'll do it." I said, again not very adamantly. Truth was I was scared. Even more scared to admit it.
"I'm doing it." Said someone else. It was Stiles. He was standing to the side.
"What?" Asked Lexi, as she sniggered slightly.
"Let me." He added. He had a confident face. "I was the one who had the first dream. The one that started it. I should be the one to end it- or at least help. Or-"
"Okay-okay. We don't have time." Said Carol, rushing Stiles to the sofa. "Lie down!"
Stiles laid on the sofa, with all of us circling him.
He didn't looked nervous to be honest. He looked okay.
"Okay Stiles. So you can't just unlock it automatically. It'll be easier to unlock than your main power as it's not dormant in your blood, however that doesn't mean it's going to be perfect. I'm going to try using a hypnosis time clock to put you to sleep." Said Carol, grabbing something out of her nightgown.
"You sleep with it?" Sneered Lexi.
"Yes- it helps me- even at MY level. Hypnosis helps most young Marhyines start grasping their power as they don't sleep normally- they sleep psychically. It should be easy- even for you." Carol replied looking down at Stiles with her glasses.
He nodded slowly. She had the watch in her hand and she dangled it over him.
"No- one else look at it okay. Only Stiles. Stare at it and listen to my words. Ready?" She said. She swished it back and forth as his eyes followed.
"You are feeling very drowsy. You are feeling very drowsy and you will fall asleep."
She swished it back and forth.
"You are going to sleep. You are going to sleep but will be awake."
She swished it back and forth.
"You will be awake. You will be awake and will use your psychic powers."
She swished it back and forth and clicked it.
"You will use your psychic powers. You will use your psychic powers and you are feeling drowsy. Go to sleep."
And it worked. He was knocked out. His eyes were clammed shut and his belly moved up and down with each silent snore.
Lexi was about to say something but Carol's look said otherwise.
"Are you awake? Have you used your psychic powers. Can you hear me?" Said Carol, while tightly holding his hand.
"Stiles? CAN YOU HEAR ME." She said, sharp and loud.
"I can hear you.."