The Enchantress (Wicked Book 1) (22 page)

Caspian
stopped in front of the dwindling group. He wore black gear, Gold armour
shielding his chest, his sword clasped to his hip. The Wicked rose, and in
perfect unison, lifted their swords in salute.
  ‘Caspian, what are you doing?’ Drew asked, drawing his sword cautiously.
  His voice was unpleasant, ‘you are naive.’
  Laura shuddered as his gaze fell upon her. She didn’t know what to think. This
couldn’t be Caspian, could it? He wouldn’t betray them, would he?
  ‘What’s going on Caspian? Why are you doing this? Why are you a part of
this?’ Stella choked.
  He then glanced at James.
  ‘A shame. He was a good follower. Just proves how incredible you are.’
  His eyes wandered across the room, coming to rest again on Laura’s face. He
smiled and took a step towards her, extending his hand. Drew pushed her behind
him.
Caspian laughed at the gesture, ‘young love. Beautiful, isn’t it?’
  His followers snickered. He waited patiently for them to quieten before he
spoke again, ‘It’s a shame Caspian won’t live to see it. He did adore you two.’
  Laura’s heart began to pound, ‘what do you mean? Aren’t you Caspian?’
  ‘I’m not Caspian. Yes this is his body, only it no longer holds his soul.’
  ‘The soul we uncovered,’ whispered Leo.
  Caspian’s hand moved gracefully through the air, pointing at Leo, ‘yes, the
one
you
knocked over. The one I sent my men to find. But instead, you
found it, and set me free.’
  ‘Where is Caspian’s soul?’ Drew demanded.
  Caspian’s body laughed, his eyes wandering from each of their faces to the
next, ‘now why would I tell you that?’
  ‘Tell us!’ Leo shouted and Laura jumped with fright.
  Caspian’s gaze moved swiftly to Leo. He drew back his hand and thrust it at
the Wizard. A flare of red lightening shot from his fingers and struck Leo in
the stomach. He cried out and Caspian laughed as Leo doubled over, falling to
his knees.
  Stella dropped down beside her husband, drawing her to him. Every fibre of
Laura’s being screamed at her to run to them, but she stayed put. She didn’t
want to make the situation worse. With Stella’s help, Leo rose from the ground.
  Again, a laugh spilled from Caspian’s lips as he flexed his hand, ‘my, my I
am quite enjoying this body.’
  Laura shivered but forced herself to step around Drew.  Finally, she mustered
up the courage to speak, ‘why did you possess Caspian?’ It took every ounce of effort
to hold her voice steady. ‘Why don’t you possess me, since it’s me you want?’
  She heard a whimper escape her mother’s lips.
  ‘Why indeed.’
  He raised his hand to his chin.
  ‘Well Laura, no matter where I go, you will follow, for I have both Caspian
and Cara.’
  Laura glared at him, ‘But you need me for your plan! Why don’t you take me,
not him? I will trade. I will trade!’
  He tsked, ‘you know how possession works. You can only enter one’s body whose
soul is weak, its body on the brink of death. Yours certainly is not. No, I can’t
possess you unless your mother allows me to with her Charm, which she is
currently refusing to do.’
  Laura was struck by his words.
  ‘But Caspian is not weak?’
  ‘Oh, but he is. Caspian it dying.’
  Drew let out a snort, ‘don’t be ridiculous.’
  Laura agreed, ‘Caspian is not dying.’
  Leo moved away from his wife, turning to Laura and Drew, ‘Caspian
is
sick.’
  Laura’s eyes flickered to Leo. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t even
blink.
  Leo turned to Caspian’s body and snorted, ‘you should have left your soul to
die long ago. You have no place here, Erebus.’

The Wicked
straighten at the sound of his name and Erebus smiled a wickedly evil grin. ‘I
see you have figured it out.’
  ‘Oh I had my suspicions. James gave it away when he relayed your plans to
Laura.’
  Erebus covered his mouth thoughtfully. ‘Enlighten me, will you? I would
love
to hear your take on the situation. You’ve always been so very intelligent,
Leonardo
.’
  Leo flinched at the use of his full name, the name he had grown to hate
thanks to his father. He knew Erebus was playing with him, but he replied
anyway, ‘years ago, not long after the birth of the Enchanted, you devised a
plan. You were furious with them, because they weren’t like you. You wanted to
rid the world of them; start over. That plan failed
dismally
,’ Leo concealed
a smile, ‘but then, as our race grew, the Wicked were born. You finally had
your followers, your perfectly evil Army - only there were so few of them that
when it came time for battle, well, you lost. I assume you came close to death
after the battle, so entrusted your soul to the Devils, having them pass your
messages on to the Wicked once they had strengthened in number.
  ‘You waited patiently for this moment, before finally rising, bringing
together the Wicked to form an army. The army you had intended to create all
along, even before you were a Wizard.
  ‘You hadn’t been experimenting with just anything, had you Erebus? You’d been
searching for this power all along. You weren’t stuck in that lab that night,
were you? You had finally perfected the experiment, and allowed yourself to
undergo the transformation.
  ‘Only you hadn’t counted on our souls determining who we would become. Good or
evil. Enchanted or Wicked. But now that your army was finally complete, you
knew it was time to rise.
  ‘You’d heard whispers of a girl, born under unusual circumstances, and you
knew that this was the body you had been waiting for, the body you needed to
command your army and take this planet for yourself.
  ‘When your soul was released, however, you clung to the only body that was
weak enough to allow you access. Caspian’s.’
  A slow clap echoed around tower as Erebus smiled.
  Leo raised his voice, ‘now, you are weak. Your followers are weak. You will
never have the power you long for. You underestimate the strength and number of
the Enchanted, Erebus. We will defeat you. We will
always
defeat you.’

The clapping
stopped and all was quiet.
  After much scrutiny, Erebus spoke, ‘I suppose you would like to know how this
was all possible?’
  He started towards Laura. Drew was in front of her in an instant, sword drawn.
  Erebus ignored this, his eyes on Laura, and she saw for the first time that
they were entirely black.
  He cocked his head to one side, watching her thoughtfully, ‘you’re scared.’
  She didn’t answer.
  He turned abruptly to Leo, ‘now, since I don’t plan on keeping you around for
much longer, I suppose I see no problem in letting you in on a few little
secrets. Someone may as well know of my brilliance.’ 
  Leo stared, waiting.
  ‘Huh. I thought perhaps you would have something to say to me, for giving you
such a generous gift. However, if this is how you’re going to respond than
maybe I will just kill you.’
  Red Lightening danced among Erebus’ fingers.
  Stella pushed in front of her husband, ‘no, please, tell us. We would be…’
she hesitated, before choking out, ‘humbled to hear from our great creator.’
  Erebus dropped his hands, lacing them together.
‘Well, since you put it like that.
  ‘It seems you already know of my army and my greatest hopes for war. I intend
on inviting any Enchanted to join me, converting to the ways of the Wicked of
course. For those who don’t choose to undertake this transformation, will find
themselves battling against me in war.
  ‘With my army and Laura’s power coursing through my veins, I will defeat the
Enchanted, therefore cutting all alliances with the Gods and Angels. The Devils
and Demons will furthermore take care of them for me.
I expect to then take the Human World soon after, where I will, at last, take
up my rightful place as Emperor.’
  Stella pressed on, ‘what I can’t understand, though, is how you preserved
your soul? I know a Devil would have done so, but why would they help you?’
  Erebus shrugged, ‘what you don’t realise is that we had an alliance with the
Devils long before the Enchanted found the Gods. Now, enough talk. I’m bored.’
  Erebus charged for Laura, grasping a hold of her arm and yanking her into him
before anyone could react.
  ‘Seize them!’
  ‘No!’ Drew shouted, lunging for Erebus, but two Wicked were already on top of
him, pinning him to the ground. He thrashed wildly in their grip, but they were
too strong for him to break free.
  Three Wicked appeared by Erebus, containing Laura while he stepped away.
  ‘Stop your struggles.’
  Leo and Stella were already detained by Wicked, and Drew had been dragged to
his feet.
  Laura paused.
  Cara was in Erebus’ grip, a knife pressed to her neck,
  ‘You won’t kill me,’ hissed Cara, ‘you need me.’
  He looked angry. Frustrated.
  ‘Fine,’ he tossed her to the ground and seized Stella’s wrist. ‘I won’t
hesitate with her. Now stop your struggling.’
  Everyone stopped.
  ‘Cara, rise from the ground please.’
  Cara followed his orders, wiping her lip and smearing blood along her chin.
She didn’t remove her eyes from Erebus’ face.
  ‘You were able to cast that mark upon the Map Keeper’s house in Bran, I would
like you to now cast your possession mark upon Laura in the same way. Wizards,
let her go. Laura, I warn you, one wrong move and your friend, Estella, is
gone.’
  The knife dug deeper into Stella’s neck and Laura nodded with pleading eyes.
  The Wicked released Laura and she stumbled forward into her mother’s arms. In
that momentary embrace, Cara whispered something so quietly to Laura that she
nearly missed it.
  ‘When I tell you, speak the names of the four elements.’
  Cara backed away, took Laura’s wrists in both hands, and turned them upwards.
Her eyes closed as she whispered the Charm’s name. Her Identity Mark began to
change colour right before Laura’s very eyes, eventuating to a brilliant green.
  A glow ensnared their wrists, entwining its way up their arms like vines. A green
light expanded further around them, illuminating the entire room. Then, it
exploded, raining down over them and encircling the two with green flames.
  The world around Laura disappeared, and all she could see was her mother’s
calm face.
  ‘With my light and power, I summon thee, to help your allies, in desperate
need,’ Cara chanted quietly.
  Her voice rose slowly and out of nowhere a gust of wind whipped around them.
Laura’s hair thrashed wildly and her eyes watered from the winds strength.
  Cara remained peaceful, her own hair fluttering about her face. Their clothes
billowed, clinging to their bodies as the wind grew wilder with every word her
mother spoke. Then, Cara opened her eyes.
  Everything disappeared, the glow, the wind, the fire.
Cara released her wrists, turning to Erebus, ‘it’s done.’
  He sighed, shoving Stella into the arms of a Wicked. Leo lunged for Stella,
but the Wicked holding him grasped his arms tighter, dragging him off in the
opposite direction.
  Erebus ignored the entire exchange.
  ‘Five thousand years I have waited for this. Five thousand years stuck in a
box. Now, it is time.’
  Laura was terrified as Erebus approached her. Cara’s eyes met hers, and she
gave Laura a reassuring nod, her expression blank.
  Cara then flickered her eyes to Drew. His sword lay close by, and she moved
her head in the slightest, indicating to it. She followed the motion with Leo
and Stella. All of a sudden, Laura understood. Cara was urging them to fight.
  Erebus stood before Laura, studying her face, and she was thrown by Caspian’s
innocent features.
  ‘It’s such a shame,’ he said, reaching out and running his finger down her
jaw line.
  She swallowed. ‘What is?’
  ‘It’s a shame that your lovely face will be ruined once I take control of
your body.’
  Laura smiled, tilting her head.
  ‘Are you sure of that?’
  And then she attacked.

Laura was
small, but she had the momentary element of surprise. She shoved into Erebus’
chest as hard as she could, unbalancing him enough to thrust her knee into his
stomach and ram her shoulder into his ribcage.
  There was a groan and he stumbled backwards, so she slammed her fist the way
Drew had taught her into his cheek, sending him sprawling to the ground.
  It hurt to be attacking Caspian’s body like this, but she forced herself to
remember Caspian’s soul no longer occupied it.
  She shook out her now bleeding knuckles and realised that, Leo, Stella and
Drew had sprung into action.
  Two Wicked were already dead and Drew ploughed through the gathering
Soldiers, knocking them down where they stood.
  A gruff Wicked charged for Drew and he was quick to dodge him. Ducking under
his arm, he gripped the Wizards head and cracked his neck.
  He was gone again in a flash, red Lightening following him as went.
  Using Drew’s provided distraction, she pulled the pocket knife from her boot
and flicked out the blade. She was no match for even the Wicked, and there was
a very real chance she would die, but she had to try and fight. She couldn’t
resort to trembling in the corner while her friends did the hard yards. So she
entered the battle, hoping she would survive.
  Cara had acquired an enemy’s swords and was dancing through the Witches and
Wizards, cutting them down where they stood, finishing them off with her
Lightening for their own blades would not kill them as an Enchanted one would.
  Erebus retreated quickly to the far end of the room, allowing his followers
to do his dirty work for him, and Laura was only further disgusted by him for
his cowardice.
  Laura couldn’t see much of Stella nor did she even know where Leo was, and
her heart clenched with fear for them.
  The large number of Wicked retreating to the walls, eyes trained fearfully on
Laura, suddenly became apparent, and Laura finally understood. Her mother had
known this. She had been counting on their fear. That was why she was confident
enough in fighting back.
  Laura managed to duck away from a Witch, stabbing her knife into the Wicked’s
neck. She didn’t hesitate, not once, and she was shocked at herself. She didn’t
allow herself a moments regret however, for the next Wicked was fast
approaching.
  The room was then illuminated by a tremendously bright blue light,
distracting even the Wicked.
  Leo.
  Wisps of Lightning shot from his hands as Wicked approached, believing they
had a chance. But Leo had been a guardian. He was in his element.
  Another Wicked lunged for her and she fought to protect herself, but she knew
she was struggling. She was doing the best she could, defending herself like
Drew had shown her, but she only knew the basics. She lacked in her ability to
attack, so relied heavily on defence, and that would only get her so far.
  ‘Laura!’
  Ducking the Wicked’s fist, she spun to Drew in time to catch Leo’s sword. She
gripped it firmly, turned back to the Wicked and without faltering, sliced the
blade through his neck.
  She didn’t watch as the body hit the ground. She was already darting through
the crowded room, dodging fists and swords, side stepping charging Wicked and ducking
under outstretched hands. She soon spotted the one person she was searching
for.
  Erebus leant against the wall, a band of Wicked shielding him from the fight.
  ‘EREBUS!’ she shouted across the ocean of blood.
  He locked eyes with her, and spoke a single word; ‘stop.’
  Every Wicked in the room paused, mid motion, before returning to the walls
without a word. Drew, Stella, Leo and Cara stood tense and alert, glancing at
one with confused expressions.
  Erebus pushed past his followers, gliding across the ground to Laura’s side,
‘you called?’
  Laura didn’t want any more bloodshed, she couldn’t stand the death and
destruction, and she couldn’t lose her friends, her mother. Not like this. But
for that to happen, Erebus must die.
  ‘You can’t do it.’ Erebus hissed.
  Laura didn’t move, however she released a breath she didn’t realise she’d
been holding.
  He was right. She couldn’t kill him. Staring into his black eyes, she felt
herself falling into their dark depths. She searched for the body’s rightful
owner, but she knew he wasn’t there.
  It was still Caspian’s body. It was still
him.
No. She couldn’t kill Erebus.
Not yet.
  He shook his head with a tsked, ‘you disappoint me. Here you are, the
opportunity right before you, and you fail to take it. This is not strong. This
is weak. Allowing your feelings to cloud your judgement is
weak
.’
  She opened her mouth, and spoke, ‘courage does not come from killing someone.
It comes from love. It comes from the actions you take in the name of love. If
I don’t kill you now, it won’t be because I am weak, it will be because I have
enough courage to hold myself back from taking the life and future of someone I
care about.’
  His nostrils flared. ‘Cara, tell me how I am to possess her body now that she
has the Charm running through her veins.’
  Cara kept her mouth shut.
  Erebus’ hand shot out in an instant, grasping Laura’s wrist and jerking her
into him. He shoved his knife to her neck, digging it in, hard. Her throat was
still sore from her bruises, and now her neck throbbed with agony as blood trickled
down it. Laura found her mother, and locked eyes with her.
  Cara then spoke, ‘no.’
  Erebus growled, ‘Cara,
tell me.
’
  ‘No. You won’t kill her, same as you won’t kill me.’
  ‘Didn’t I already teach you this lesson? I can have one of your other friends
killed in a matter of seconds. Or do they not mean that much to you.’
  Cara laughed dryly, ‘you don’t get it, do you?’
  ‘I will kill your friends, and then, if you don’t do as I ask, I will kill
you too and find someone else who is willing to help me. What is there to get?’
  She took a step towards him, ‘you won’t be able to find anyone. Do you know
how long it took me to locate someone who had access to the possession charm?
Months. Many, many, months. If you are even half as lucky, you may find one, but
by that point you’ll be shut down by the Enchanted. You don’t get it. You may
be strong and powerful in your own right, but you can
never
go up
against the Enchanted. You would never win. You don’t have the numbers, and you
will
never
have Laura.’
  Laura felt Erebus’ shift slightly behind her. A low growl sounded from his
throat. ‘Cara, I think maybe it is you that underestimate us, and
my
abilities.’
  He removed the knife from Laura’s neck, and tossed her to the side.
  ‘Bring the box,’ he called to one of his followers, who rushed up the stairs.
  Laura managed to stand just as the Wicked hurried to Erebus’ side. Erebus
took the small, golden box and dismissed the Wizard.
  ‘You, too are quite powerful. Maybe you will do for now. Until I am able to
take Laura’s body. Would you rather that? Rather give yourself up to me instead
of your daughter?’
  Laura felt the world tilt around her, ‘What?! No! Mum, don’t be stupid!’ She
shouted and tried to cross the room, but two Wicked were already holding her
back. She didn’t fight them. There was no use, she wasn’t strong enough.
  Her mother refused to meet her gaze, ‘yes, I would prefer that.’
  ‘Mum! The second he takes your body he will use your Charm to take mine.’
  Her Mother finally glanced at Laura, ‘no honey. He doesn’t know how to
actually do the swap. Not unless I tell him, which I won’t.’
  ‘But won’t he copy what you show him now when he swaps to your body?’ Laura
pleaded.
  ‘It’s a different procedure when it isn’t you who actually
has
the Charm.’
  Laura was begging her now, ‘
mum don’t.
’
  She gave a weak smile, ‘trust me.’
  Laura sucked in her breath as it dawned on her what her Mother was actually
doing. This was a distraction. A diversion to draw Erebus away from her. Cara
wasn’t going to give herself up at all.
  The world slowed down as Erebus turned his head to Laura.
  ‘FIRE,’
  Laura tugged at her arms, taking the Wizards by surprise and prying herself
free.
  Erebus took a step backwards, ‘What is she-‘
  ‘EARTH,’
  ‘Stop her from speaking!’
  ‘WI-,’
  ‘Wizard, stop her NOW!’
  ‘WIND,’
  The two Wicked behind her lunged forward, jarring her backwards and
attempting to cover her mouth.
  She bit down hard on someone’s hand and cringed as the metallic taste of
blood filled her mouth.
  She thrashed wildly, and managed to yelp out ‘WAT-’ as the other Wicked
snaked his hand around her neck, choking her.
  She had managed to free a hand, and using her nails, she dug them into the
arm of the Wicked, and he loosened the grip enough for her to finish through
gritted teeth.
  ‘WATER!’
  The building began to tremble and dust rained down from the roof, and Laura
was afraid they would be trapped like they almost were in the Temple.
  Wicked were stumbling back to the walls, shouting to one another. Erebus was screaming
orders at his followers to kill Drew, Leo, Stella and Cara, but he was drowned
out by a rumbling as the roof above them lifted straight up into the sky.
  The two Wicked holding Laura released her, turning and running for their
lives.
  Erebus was shrieking so loud now that his voice was raspy and hoarse, his
face, Caspian’s face, red with rage.
  Stella, Leo and Drew struggled to keep their balance as the ground began to
shake beneath them. Cara was staring up with utter disbelief.
  There was an ear shattering explosion and the roof disappeared altogether. The
sky above was lit up by fire, real fire.
  Sweat prickled the back of Laura’s neck as the room began to boil.
  ‘Laura, what is this?’ Stella shouted above the rushing and growling of the
four elements.
  She was knocked into Leo as astonishingly strong gusts of wind shot through
the tower like tornados.
  ‘I don’t know!’ called Laura and she tumbled to the ground. ‘I didn’t do
this!’
  Her clothes billowed around her while she crawled to the wall, forcing her
fingers into the groves between the stone, dragging herself up from the ground.
  The heat beating down from the fire above was excruciating and the walls were
quaking under her grip so much so that she couldn’t hold on.
  ‘Cara!’ Barked Stella over the roaring of the wind and the flames. ‘What’s
going on?!’
  Cara stretched out her arms, drinking in the orange blaze above.
  A crackling sound filled Laura’s ears, and she glanced up. To her absolute
horror, the walls were beginning to ice over. She shoved herself backwards, striking
the ground the same time the ice hit the floor, crystallising the entire stone
wall and sending shards of frozen water in every direction.
  Laura couldn’t believe what was happening around her.
  Wicked charged desperately for the exits, Erebus still shouting ferociously
at them to assemble. Most ignored him, piling through the doors.
  Stella and Leo clung onto one another, huddling on the ground, and Drew
managed to force his way through the thinning crowd and the stormy winds to
Laura.
  He reached for her, and she grasped his hand, holding on for dear life.
  ‘Cara!’ Leo shouted in a final attempt. ‘Please!
What is this
?’
  Cara looked straight at Erebus, beaming at him.
  ‘These are our allies. Tell me you will win the war now, Erebus. Tell me you
are more powerful than this, stronger than this. Tell me you will win the war
against not only us, but the Gods.’