the books of hidden worlds

chapter twenty-four: Kian

     The day the Darkness Coven witches attacked, Peter met his tragic end in the midst of battle.

Inside a dimly lit room, Evander lay unconscious, drained from the immense power he had used to save Kaelion. Moments later, his eyes fluttered open. Lucan, standing by his side, sighed in relief. "Thank the gods you're awake, Evan."

Confused, Evander pushed himself upright. "What... what happened? Why am I lying here?"

Lucan sat on the edge of the bed, his expression concerned but relieved. "You passed out, Evan. Kaelion said you collapsed after overusing your powers to save him."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Lucan rose to answer, and as he opened it, Salem and Kaelion stepped inside. "Van, are you feeling better?" Salem asked, his voice gentle.

Evander nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay now."

Kaelion approached and sat by Evander’s bedside. "We brought you something to eat," he said, revealing a bowl of steaming soup. "Salem made it. It’s a special broth – good for the soul."

Salem chuckled softly. "I’ll leave you two alone. I’ve got things to take care of." He glanced at Lucan, who nodded in agreement. "Yeah, same here. Take it easy, Evan."

As they left the room, Kaelion carefully lifted the bowl. "Can you manage to eat?" he asked softly.

Evander smiled. "Yeah, I think I can."

Kaelion stayed beside him, watching as he slowly ate. "I’ll stay here until you finish," he said, his tone filled with quiet concern. "How are you feeling, Kael?" Evander asked in between bites.

Kaelion hesitated, then smiled faintly. "I’m alright. Don’t worry about me. Just focus on getting better."

Evander’s smile widened, a rare warmth between them. "Alright," he said, his voice soft as he continued eating.

Meanwhile, Elias and his brothers gathered in another room, their expressions heavy with the weight of their mission. "Do you think we can really get the book?" Kian asked, his voice strained with worry. "I miss Father... I just want to go home."

Elias moved closer, putting a reassuring hand on Kian’s shoulder. "We’ll find the book, Ki. I promise you. And when we do, we’ll go home."

Rowan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and once we’re home, we’ll play hide and seek again. Just like old times." Alden grinned at Kian, adding, "Promise?"

Kian’s eyes softened, and he smiled weakly. "Promise," he whispered, laughing along with Alden.

"Alright, let’s get some sleep," Elias said, wrapping an arm around his brothers. Kian looked up at him, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you... for being my brothers." The words took them by surprise, but they smiled warmly at him.

"Goodnight, Ki," they all murmured together before drifting to sleep.

The Attack of the Darkness Coven Witches

The next morning came, but the shadows of the witches were already lurking. In Kaelion and Peter’s room, all was quiet as they slept peacefully. The room was bathed in soft moonlight when suddenly, the air thickened. A cold breeze swept in, causing the curtains to sway violently. Without warning, the door creaked open, and smoke began to fill the room.

The witches had arrived.

Peter was the first to fall. One of the witches wrapped her hands around his throat, choking the life out of him. Gasping for breath, Peter’s eyes widened as darkness overcame him.

Kaelion woke with a start, eyes wide with terror. Grabbing a flashlight from beside the bed, he aimed it at the witch. As the light hit her, she vanished into thin air.

"Wake up!" Kaelion yelled, his voice trembling with panic. The others stirred at his cries, but Rowan remained motionless.

Lucan rushed in, alarmed by the commotion. "What happened?" he asked.

"There’s a witch," Kaelion gasped. "he only appears in the dark. We need to help Peter. Salem, check him!"

Salem knelt by Peter’s lifeless body, placing a hand on his chest. His face turned grim. "I’m sorry... He’s gone."

The air in the room was heavy with grief. Elias clenched his fists, his voice low but firm. "We need to stop that witch."

They left the room to confront the evil outside, but Kaelion, Cassian, and Kian stayed behind, standing guard.

In the kitchen, the witches gathered, their dark energy swirling like a storm. The brothers, united by their magic, unleashed their combined powers to defeat the darkness. Elias summoned the very roots of the forest to trap the witches, while Lucan’s fire magic burned bright, forcing the coven back.

As the battle raged, Rowan entered the room where an old wardrobe stood. There, he found a letter from Peter, given to him by Evander.

Kian soon found Rowan, quietly reading the note, tears streaming down his face. "What’s wrong, Rowan?" Kian asked softly, stepping closer.

Rowan wiped his eyes and embraced Kian. "I’ll be alright, Ki. Don’t worry about me."

Together, they returned to the kitchen, where they joined the others.

The battle continued. When Elias and the others confronted the final witch deep in the forest, an eclipse darkened the sky. The witch, grinning with malice, called out to Elias. "So, you finally found me," he sneered. "Do you know why this is happening? Because I’m the one behind it all."

Elias’s eyes widened in shock as the witch’s mocking laughter filled the air. "Do you remember the dreams, Elias? The child begging for help, the woman you thought was your mother... that was all me."

Lucan, furious, unleashed his fire magic with all his might, while the others combined their powers to finally destroy the witch. As her body turned to ash, the cursed book he guarded fell into Elias’s hands. "We’ve got it," Elias said, breathing heavily.

The group returned to the palace, where they were reunited with Kaelion. Thanks to Ursula, the portal to their home had been reopened.

"Kaelion!" Evander cried out, rushing to embrace him.

"Easy, Evan! You’re suffocating me!" Kaelion laughed. "I’m fine. Look at you, though... you look exhausted. Sit down and rest."

Evander smiled, his exhaustion catching up to him as he dozed off, his head resting on Kaelion’s shoulder. Hours later, he woke, feeling refreshed. "Thanks for the tea, Kaelion," Evander said with a smile.

"Anything for you, Evan. Let’s join the others."

That night, everyone gathered to eat, the air filled with laughter and the relief of victory. The worst was over, and for now, peace had returned to their world.