New World [Complete]

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Sickness Necklace

A/N: I feel like I should warn you that this particular chapter is very... intense. There are some emotional parts, okay? Enjoy?

Skylar's POV

Something was wrong. Everybody, who had previously formed their own little groups in the castle, were clustered around Lizzie's door and there was an atmosphere of tension. As I watched, Kitty led Raygel into the room. In the second before the door closed behind them, I could only catch a quick glimpse. All I could make out was a bed, with presumably Lizzie in it, and several figures hovering or pacing in the room.

"What happened?" I wondered aloud.

Jason, who happened to be closest, answered. "Lizzie found something and got sick from it. Apparently it was enchanted." I nodded, even though I didn't really understand. I got as close as possible at the edges of the crowd before gently pushing my way through to the front. I didn't even question why Sky and Ant had become the guardians of the door.

"Can I go in?" I asked politely. I got blank looks, until Ant apparently realized something and whispered to Sky. They knew I used to work for Herobrine. They also knew that I might know about some of his enchantments, and that maybe I could help Lizzie.

"Go ahead," Ant confirmed. I nodded in recognition and pushed the door open. As I approached the bed silently, I noticed the dark flame-like magic flickering from under Lizzie's blankets. Her face was pale, so pale.

Raygel reached forward and placed a hand on Lizzie's arm. An almost blinding flash of white, healing light shone from the point of physical contact. How did she summon that light? And how did no one else react to it? I silently asked myself. Then, Raygel stumbled and looked as if she was going to faint. The connection was broken.

Initially, it looked like it had worked. But she had just driven back the dark magic. I could sense that it was still there, hidden from plain sight. That meant that it was my turn. I noticed something wrapped in a plain cloth sitting on Lizzie's nightstand. Was that what she found? I wondered. Was that the origin of her sickness?

I carefully unwrapped the cloth to reveal a golden locket nearly obscured by a darkness even darker than Herobrine's and tinted with strong hues of jade green. It was so heavily enchanted that there was even a black sheen to it, similar to a normal enchantment. I only placed one finger on it, but immediately pulled back as poison green shadows reached for my hand. The shadows, at least, were visible to the others, but they weren't normal to me. Even if they reacting to Herobrine's residue in me, it was something more sickening - more evil - than Herobrine's magic.

"What are you doing?" Seto questioned. His voice was strained with worry for Lizzie, and I felt bad for him. A lot had happened recently.

"Is this what Lizzie found?" I asked instead of answering his question.

"Yeah," Kylie confirmed. "Do you know what it is?" I shook my head.

"A necklace of some sort, obviously, but why is it enchanted so heavily? And why would he even have something like this?" I mused aloud. Raygel, apparently recovered somewhat, came over to look over my shoulder.

"What is this?" She murmured, reaching out. I stopped her.

"That'll hurt if you touch it," I warned. "That's what Lizzie found."

"No, no," she objected. She smiled at me. "I'll be fine. I'm protected." Protected? I thought. Who was protecting her? Wait, didn't Seto say something about Notch and Herobrine both messing with her mind?

"Lizzie isn't cured," I warned. "You've held off the enchantment, but you haven't gotten rid of it." I told her quietly. Thankfully, no one else heard. Whatever the case about protection, I stepped back. She could probably handle herself. She stared in confusion at the object.