Chapter 62- Whispers In The Wind

The sound of someone clearing their throat made Jeanette and the Carmichael’s turn to the shadows of the trees.
“I am afraid I have brought unwelcome news,” Jerry stated as he moved into the light with his head bowed.
“You are a messenger what other news would you bring?” Jerry was at the bottom of the witches. Their power was little almost nonexistent. Which made them messenger’s more often than not relaying bad news and facing the wrath of those stronger than them.
“I am afraid that the church is no more. The old oak tree has destroyed it. The father too,” Jeanette wanted to scream. Instead, she clenched her hands into fists at her side.
“Thank you for the information,” she said the words through gritted teeth. What she really wanted to do was punch the young man and get rid of some of her pent-up frustration.
“I have more,” she couldn’t help the groan that she released.
“A body has been found in the river. I am afraid it is that of Greg,”
She had Jerry boy his collar. “What did you say?”
“Jeanette, leave the boy alone. After all he is just the messenger,” Seth spoke with words of wisdom. Her life, her status as the leader was falling apart.
Smoke rose from the direction of the Straight Community. Screams of terror filled the forest and echoed around them.
Within seconds the smoke drifted towards them and laid heavy in the air.
“What the….” Jeanette said holding her head in her hands.
“Let’s go,” Seth said gripping her elbow and dragging her toward the trees. She wanted to stay put. Open her eyes and hope it was all a dream. Inside she knew everything was real.
“Levi!” Seth called.
“I will wait here for any sign,” Jeanette heard the boy say.
They ran back to the community. She didn’t know what to expect, yet her instinct told her to be prepared.
When they arrived, she couldn’t move, her lungs lost all air as she stared in horror at what had been her home for more than a hundred years. They had built the community up from nothing but trees and wildlife. It had taken them years. Yet in a matter of seconds, it had gone up in flames. Leaving nothing but destruction behind.
“How?” she whispered. Like a demon from hell Ruby walked out of the smoke. Fire shot from her hands scorching and burning anything still standing. It was a power that Ruby did not possess. Not one that was known to Jeanette. She moved objects with her mind. Then she saw the pendent and gasped. It was too late.
“Ruby!” Jeanette hollowed. But the girl was too far gone. Ruby turned and sneered at her mother launching a ball of fire in their direction.
Seth pushed her to the ground knocking her out of the way. Like she appeared, Ruby disappeared into the smoke.
Jeanette lay on her back and watched the smoke rise in the air. Everything she had worked for had been destroyed. She had nothing left.
Her own daughter, the one she trusted the most had reduced her world to ash. Her sweet and innocent girl now walked on the dark side.
***
The screams twisted Levi’s stomach. He could only imagine the horror that was occurring just a few miles away. He should have gone to help. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to move. He needed to wait, just in case by any miracle Crystal found her way home. He had faith in her. She was the strongest person he had ever met.
He tore his gaze from the smoke to the large ancient tree. The symbol on its bark was a reminder of the place he once called home. That very symbol had also created a problem that he feared he wouldn’t be able to overcome. Only one could activate it and she was lost inside Athens.
Extending his hand, he traced the pattern; he could feel the magic within the tree. He hadn’t felt the rush of magic in so long it was intoxicating. Closing his eyes, he let the electric feeling pulse through his body.
His head began to swirl, and his body felt like it was being pulled and thrown in every direction. Levi snapped his eyes open to find himself failing into a black void. With a bang he crashed to the solid ground.
Jumping up he almost started a happy dance. Excitement overrun his senses. He had opened the door and was standing in the mountains that belonged in Athens.
His excitement soon died down. Athens was a big place. He racked his brain. Where would she take Crystal? His mind didn’t have an answer. But he knew one person that would help him with his search. Margon. He knew where he was and knew it was a few days journey to where Margon resided. But he was hopeful that he would find Crystal.
He looked down into the forest that looked like a magical place, full of enchantment and surprises. However, it was all an illusion. Athens was a prison. A place to keep the creatures that would destroy mankind out of the human world. It was hell for the supernatural’s.
Levi turned away and began to descend the mountain. His quest to find Crystal and bring her home was all that mattered. He hated the girl for how she had gotten under his skin and made him feel things he didn’t want too. He had fallen for her and no matter how hard he tried; he couldn’t shake the feeling. Crystal Hudson had taken over his heart, craved her name their and left a scar. She had become a big part of his life. In a way he was glad that she was the key. He had feared if they found and destroyed the key, then the doorway closed for good, Crystal would walk away from him. She would no longer need him.
She was an independent girl and their goal of closing the vortex kept her by his side. He wasn’t a fool. Someone as pure as her would never be able to love a monster like himself. He knew it was wrong and selfish of him. But he needed her. It was more than that he wanted her.
***
Crystal was exhausted and her body ached. She needed food and water, yet she had no survival instincts. She didn’t know how to hunt. All she could do was keep walking. She listened for the sound of water, but she had yet to come across a stream.
The sun had begun to lower, and night would flood the forest within a few hours. She needed to find somewhere to sleep. There was no way she was going to walk in the darkness. She had seen what horrors lived within the trees.
Crystal had been following the same path for hours and decided to veer off. The ground became uneven with slopes and drops at either side of her. She made the mistake of looking down and her body froze. She was on top of a mountain. No wonder she hadn’t found water. Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths. If she made one move, she would fall to her death.
She took each step slowly and with causation. Night had fallen when she safely made her way from the edge of the mountain. The ground began to shake causing her to fall and scrape her knees. She couldn’t stand as the deep rumble made it impossible. Her ankle twisted with a sharp pain that rendered her breathless. The shaking became more frantic causing her to scream out in fear as a nearby tree began to topple over heading right for her.
She closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact when a gust of air whipped by her. Slowly she opened her eyes to be met with the biggest scariest looking eye she had ever seen. That very eye was as large as her whole body. She was lifted from the ground, dangling in the air. Franticly she began to kick and scream. “Put me down!” she yelled over and over again. The big giant let out a growl and his feet pounded on the ground as he jogged down the mountain.
Crystal had heard about the giants. Witches were their favorite meal. She had escaped one beast to be captured by another. Would her magic be a match for such big creatures? She asked herself as her body swung painfully. At the rate, the giant was moving she would be dead before they reached whatever destination the creature had in mind. She swung from side to side; branches scratched her skin one after another.