Lolirock: Ephedia - Sequel to Lolirock: A New Beginning

Ephedia: The Looking Sphere

TALIA'S POV 

"Carissa," I snapped, "where were you?" 

"Geez, I was just getting some more information from the King," she shrugged. 

I rolled my eyes, while Chandler put an arm around me. With a growing certainty, I realized that Kyle wasn't the one for me. 

"Chandler, I don't know what to do." I whined into his shoulder. 

"Shh." he caressed my fears as we walked down the hallway, anxiety painted in our steps. He seemed to enjoy comforting me, and I wasn't about to shout at him. I almost liked it. I was till getting used to the fact that he was, in fact, Mephisto's alter ego, but he was kinder than Mephisto. 

Lyna was frowning, while Dawn wrapped her arms around herself as slow, steady breaths exhaled from her mouth. Auriana, cheerful as ever, was laughing at something Carissa said. 

I pushed away from Chandler, and went to walk beside Dawn, who, to her credit, was staring at the window, as dawn began to break out. Her face broke into a smile as she stared outside the window. I grinned because her's was so wide. 

"So, what's the plan?" 

"Let's investigate in the practice room again." she decided, and took a sharp turn, while Chandler, Lyna, and Carissa followed her every move, except for Auriana, who skipped every time she was able. 

We entered the room, only to find an empty crystal box that was open. 

"What?" Auriana's giant smile faded. 

Holding my hand out to Dawn and Chandler, they grasped it and we all held hands. 

"Say Crystalocum Ostandere."

We looked at the broken crystal, and shouted, 

"Crystalocum Ostandere!" 

We firmly held hands, and everyone stared up at the circle. In the purple image, we saw a destroyed town. Lyna gasped, and Chandler sucked in a breath. 

There was destruction everywhere, except for a purple house that looked eerily like Iris' house back at home.  But it was the next image that scared everyone. It was a black figure, like a princess in Shaila form, with the wrong color scheme. 

She looked at us, shot a stare that would stop Graymorr in his tracks, and shot a magenta crystal at our looking sphere. It exploded into a mass of purple glitter, sending us each back at least a foot. Auriana jumped and gasped in excitement, while Dawn looked at it in amazement. I was just irritated. Growling, I was about to charge through the looking sphere myself. 

Chandler pulled me by my wrist and stopped me with a shake of his head. He crossed off all communication, and walked off, shaking his head. Dawn followed him, reassuring him that everything was okay. 

"What? How did she see our looking sphere?" Lyna asked me, as an invisible source still sprinkled glitter into the air. Auriana danced under the glitter, smiling. I smiled because her face was joyous in times of despair. She always seemed positive. 

"There's only one other person who knows that spell." I realized, because I had to teach everyone else. 

Auriana stopped in her tracks. 

"I know where I've seen that crystal before." she murmured, tears forming in her eyes. I realized the same just as the glimmer in her eyes faded. 

"Iris."