The Time Capsule

Chapter 30- Wizard's Wisdom

***FEED CONNECTING...FEED...FEED CON....FEED...oh dear.*** It seems, dear reader, that you have unfortunately come across the murkiest part of the book that was lost in translation. I regret to inform you that it's far too late now. You know the story, you know the characters. Now you too have been sucked in. Perhaps it's too late to reveal that this story has been printed on psychic paper from the Library of Secrets...but now you know that too. Damn. This does not bode well...-Araxie Sparrow

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Chapter 30: Wizard's Wisdom 

Angelica's eyes grew wide as a silent scream erupted throughout the room. Time seemed to go in slow motion as she dashed for Araxie, only to find her evaporated into thin air. It was slow, painful, beautiful. The flesh and blood that made up her body slowly disappeared into nothing more than words, 'hair, eyes and skin' floating away into the distance and crumpling into pools of ink. The atmosphere of the room had changed from victorious to deadly. James and Nightwing were yelling something at Gail and holding him by his arms. Levi was still trapped in the block of ice and the four siblings were holding back tears or openly sobbing. Jillian rushed over to Angelica and took her by the shoulder gently, only to be shoved to the floor. The pain was clear across James Sparrow's face. 

For he had waited for her for so long...only to be reunited with her not even five minutes. Shot by Gail Sultan, the rebel who always masked his emotions. Or perhaps the killer who felt nothing at all. Jillian looked into his eyes for a trace of the Gail she had grown to now and even, she hated to admit, love, he stared ahead, motionless, his eyes pools of black. 

"Wait," Jillian spoke up, the silence that had falling over the room breaking her voice. "I think...perhaps we should hear what he has to say." 

"HE KILLED MY WIFE," James shouted. 

"DON'T LET HIM KILL YOUR CHILDREN TOO," Nightwing snapped. 

James was instantly quiet, the deadly orange glare from her bird- like eyes piercing into his soul. Gail still remained motionless, but the faintest trace of a tear down his cheek didn't go unnoticed by Jillian. She slowly crept forward and snatched the gun from his hands, which transformed back into the wand. Something wasn't quite right here...

"Gail?" She dared to ask. 

With a yell, Gail lunched and nearly attacked her before being hit across the chest with the most powerful forcefield Nightwing had ever casted, flipping and rolling him across the floor until he hit the wall. Before Jillian could react or thank her, the wall slowly slid apart, blue blowing once more on the center column The wall creaked and breathed as if not feeling relief for thousands of years, perhaps not millions, before it finally stopped with a clang. A tunnel of darkness was now open for the world to see. And before anyone could stop him, Gail took one look at the four siblings, who now had the perfect excuse to murder him right then and there, and took off 

"After him!!" Layla screeched with more fury than Angelica had ever seen before. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," She said, blocking the entrance before the crowd could rush in at once. "Let's be sensible about this now. The murderer of Araxie Sparrow has just disappeared into that dark tunnel *with his weapon* and we have no idea what's down there other than him, dark and certainly imminent death if we all go rushing in. 

The group let out a collective breath and Angelica turned to go first before pointing at Jillian. 

"You," she said. "What did you say? You said maybe we should hear him out first. Why?" 

Jillian hesitated and finally, after a long glance at Nightwing and the two exchanged the tiniest of nods, she spoke up. 

"I think something is wrong with Gail Sultan's mind," she said simply.