War At Hand

The Battle hits too close

Alex, still reeling from Justin's visit was clinging onto Mason with him comforting her. The basement started to close in on her as her paintings taunted her. From the delicately detailed portrait of her best friend to old Subway Station she used to work at as a teenager and while Max was still running it, he recently put up an No Witches Allowed sign. This was all wrong, there father would be so crushed about the state of our family and what her brothers have become.

"It was horrible. He..." Alex started but then broke down as Mason held onto her tighter, letting his embrace sink into her. Mason kisses her head, lovingly.

"Darling, I am so sorry. I wish I was here sooner. If I was, he would've gotten through the door. I won't let him do anything to you or Iris. I'll protect us, I promise." Mason vows as Alex nods, her tears staining his shirt with her releasing, wiping the tears from her face.

"Are you ok?" Mason asks to which she nods unconvincingly but bought it as they went upstairs to check on Iris. In Iris' room, Iris is looking through every spell book possible for protection spells when she reached one. It was in a different language, deciphering it.

"AL...al...alla kravork?" Iris tried to say but backed away as her hands started turning blue and purple. Suddenly, her head tilted back and her eyes were wide as she chanted the rest of the spell.

"Alla kravorkian. Mien Gravortia, protect the house of Alex and Mason Greyback. Ivria Utolchi, Miravel Protectoria!" Iris chanted as the magic spewed on every crevice of the house, creating a mini earthquake in the process. Holding tightly to her magic, she cast it all around and onto herself. Her eyes back to the regular color as she collapsed, the book closing on her own. Now that the house was covered in the protection charm, she felt weak as she heard footsteps running. She gathered her strength to hide the book and cover her magic. When the door opened, she positioned herself to see them.

"Honey, you ok? There was a mini earthquake here and just was making sure that you were ok?" Alex asked as she approached her and hugged her tightly.

"I'm fine, mom. I promise." Iris lied with tears trickling down her eyes with Alex releasing, comforting her.

"Oh honey, I heard about Melanie today. I am so sorry, did you know her well?" Alex asks with Mason by her side. Iris thought about sharing her feelings but after Justin was in there and the look that her mom was giving and her dad tired and drained, she knew that the farther away from the truth they were, the safer they would be. Iris sat on her bed, thinking about what to say when Alex and Mason joined her, sitting on each side of her.

"I saw it. I saw her dragged out of the school, it was horrible." Iris started when Mason comforted her.

"That's horrible, they didn't...beat her did they?" Mason asked, half not wanting to know the answer to which Iris wiped her upcoming tears, trying not to cry.

"They did. She...she...she did nothing. How could Justin do this?" Iris half-asked, half-yelled with Alex and Mason looking at each other concerned and then look back at her.

"Honey, how did you know Justin was involved in all of this?" Alex questions with Iris standing up.

"It's all over the books, papers, and all over the media. He...he's a horrible person!" Iris spats with Alex looking down.

"He wasn't always like this. He used to be a nerdy and kind who would've done anything to protect the people he loved. This Justin isn't him." Mason attempting to defend him but Iris stood up, regaining her balance and looking at her parents.

"Well what you're describing to me isn't what I'm saying! What else is there, he's horrible. I don't know what happened to him but I don't love him. I don't." Iris bitterly states with Alex not even looking at Iris.

"Iris, please don't say that. He is still family and your mom's brother. Don't give up on him, please." Alex pleads with Iris, holding her anger in, powers hurting her.

"Get out!" She softly growled with her parents trying to comfort her.

"Please don't shut us out. Please." Alex pleads.

"Get out!" Iris snapped with her parents nodding and leaving with Iris taking a deep breath, collapsing onto her bed.

She didn't come down for dinner as she slept through the rest of the afternoon and into the night. During the night, the smell of smoke came towards her room. Waking up instantly, racing down the stairs to see Mason trying to put out the fire in their house. Which was minuscule, however she looked outside with other wizards casting spells against there house. Bolting outside, her feet was wet with leaves and stick. Sweat pouring down her chest until she caught up and turned around, her powers weakening.

"Owww, ahh!" Iris yells, going down. Her sight weakening with Professor TootieTootie coming closer. He bent down, lifting her head through her hair.

"Please, leave us alone!" Iris prays with TootieTootielooking enchanted. His eyes glazed over.

"This is a warning. Have Alex and your family side with us and destroy ass witches" Professor TootieTootie responded with him casting a spell on the house which came back to him where he was blasted. Iris regained her strength and stood up, looking at Rudy TootieTootiewho was confused.

"What? That spell should work!" Professor TootieTootie declared with Iris pressing a foot onto his chest. Struggling to breathe as Iris' tears consumed her slowly turning her eyes into a fire color. Her whole body heated with rage as her powers grew and her body turned possessed.
"You come near this house again, I will bury you into the ground where even the rats won't find your body! Now undo the spell!" Iris threatened with Professor TootieTootie nodding scared and reversed the spell. Iris released him, grabbing him by the cloak and put a hand to his head and eyes transitioned to yellow.

"Martvaria forgetiva, forget me and this house. Go!" Iris released as she calmed herself down and he casted a spell to make him disappear. The fire was gone and everything was repaired. Iris slowly got her mind back to which she shivered, shaking going inside with Alex hugging her.

"Honey?" Alex said with Iris out of it going upstairs and back to her room where she was about to go to sleep. Her eyes closing but then a howl came out and recognized the light voice and sat up.

"Jonah?" Iris quickly states as she gets up and goes to the window where she sees Jonah collapsed on the ground, naked and cold. Running downstairs, grabbing a blanket and going out the back to guide Jonah inside, when she got to Jonah. His skin was pale and his eyes were cold. Barely present, Iris hugged him to try and warm him.

"Iris, help me." Jonah pleads with Iris helping him up and bringing him inside. Not aware of both Jonah's howl and her own monster wanting to come out. However, either way they were in more danger then they realized.