Hansel and Gretel: Let's Try This Again...

Chapter 12: Hansel

"Well I hate to ruin the moment, again, but this rift is about to close and I don't want to be here when that happens. So ta-ta for now!" Satan disappeared through the rift, cackling triumphantly."Run!" Phia screamed, "I don't normally agree with him but we need to get out of this hall!"We ran, to say the least, though I had my doubts that something was actually going to happen. The rift seemed to be behaving normally, if anything its power seemed to become more prevalent. We got past the doorway stepping back out into the Monasteries quiet surroundings. Phia quickly slammed the door shut speaking a few magical runes of protection that encased the door, "Hansel, make some sort of rune of protection on that door, just to be safe," she said rushed"I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but I don't think I know how to,""Ugh," she said clearly frustrated, "You saw the Overseer write the runes for the Dome of Cian? Just try one of those using your sword."'I obliged even though I was very much doubting that she knew what was going on. I drew to the best of my ability a few of the runes I had seen the overseer inscribe on the bell. I stepped back to admire my work, the runes flared up encasing the hall in a barrier of light."Phew, we should be safe now," Phia said exasperated."But from what? Shouldn't a rift closing be just that?""Oh you don't want to know," Phia spoke solemnly. I examined the hall that was now under full protection spell, there wasn't anything unusual about it. Suddenly the building disappeared, I blinked with disbelief."What just happened!" The captain demanded."Oh I think I remember something from my lessons, closing rifts are like a vacuum, the consume anything within ease of reach in a blink of an eye," Kiki noted, her tone was a superior matter-a-factly.Phia nodded, "The rift is gone now,""Well then I repeat, what's next?"Gretel asked."Satan's threat to earth is far from over, he still has one other rift he is capable of sending an army through. The Spirit Rift, the rift that has kept the constant Maelstorm running over the Maelstorm ocean.""Why does he want to send an army to earth?" Kiki asked."It must be because he wants to wage a war with the heavens, but guess who is right in between him and that goal. But what I am wondering is what is with this Spirit Rift, if it has been causing such a big disturbance, why hasn't anyone tried to close it?""There is a story, ages old, a group of benders found themselves shipwrecked on a small Island in the Middle of the ocean. They had planned on going to the Southern Isles to practice magic, but they found the island's environment was flowing with it. It is said they began experiments building four towers on each side of the island, and in the middle they set a mirror. They were planning to use the whole island as a ritual site, to try to extract the fifth element, spirit. The succeed; earth, water, fire, and air benders all stood atop their towers and channeled their energy into the mirror. With it they created spirit. But they were foolish, they assumed they could control such a power. The spirit magic became volatile ripping a hole in the boundary between earth and hell, creating a constantly sustained storm of spirit magic powered by the rift. It is said to step on the island one must grasp all elements, for spirit in itself is all of the elements combined."Everyone turned to Gretel, "Alright, then I can get on the island, simple,""Not quite," the captain interjected, "I have sailed around that storm, and it is not like any other. The magic storm there would tear apart any ship that set foot in a vicinity of the island,""Your captain is correct," Sister Whoopie Silverberg appeared out of no where, "But I think you should return to your castle, rest, you'll need it. In the mean time the monastery must recover, for its source of power is lost."We nodded walking back, silently down Church Road.

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Back at the castle I rushed to my room shutting the door and pulling out the book of prophecies. I pulled open the desk drawer fumbling around for a pen. Instead I felt a square object, seemly a box coated in felt. I pulled it out, a ring box, peculiar, I never had a ring before. I opened it taken aback by the ring that sat inside. The best way I could describe it, was it shone as brightly as the angel's sword, and appeared to be made out of the same material.There was a small note inside the box:Thought you might need this... Do with it what you like-The OverseerI looked at the note quizzically, suddenly there was a knock at the door, "Can I come in!" that all familiar voice cried.I quickly fumbled around sticking the ring back into its drawer, and opening the Book of Prophecies to a random page. "Sure!"Kiki opened the door slowly, "What 'cha doing?""Oh nothing, just trying to see if the Book of Prophecies says anything about the Maelstorm ocean," I said as Kiki strode into the room."Oh, on a page about papayas?" She said reading off of the book, then turning to look at me strangely."You caught me-I was sleeping," I responded quickly"Or you could have been admiring this perhaps?" she said revealing the ring box in the palm of her hand, "Although I don't blame you it is very nice," she said trying it on, "And look, fits perfectly!""Um, glad you like it... It is yours if you want it...""Oh maybe later, I didn't come in here to steal your jewelry," she said with a laugh, and set the ring box back down on my desk "Actually I thought up a way to get through that storm,""Well then! That's fantastic! Um... what is it?""Oh its quite simple. The storm is a magic one, correct?" I nodded, "Do you remember that time when we got captured in Karnia, by the red queen?" I nodded once more. "Well she had used copper chains to prevent us from using magic."I suddenly caught on, "Oh so you are suggesting to use copper to get through that storm, as a sort of protective barrier, that's genius!"Kiki smiled widely, "Oh I know!""We must go talk to Captain Hook about this, we would have best chances traveling on his ship," I walked past her grabbing my coat, and stepped halfway out the doorway, "You coming?"She stared back at my desk with slight disappointment, then turned towards me smiling, "Yup!" and she grabbed my arm as we walked down the hallways of the castle to find the Captain and Gretel.