A Powerful Secret

Chapter 32: Spell Casting

Heeeeeyyyyyyyy!!!! And bye. Go read read now! Mama loves you! Hahaha Enjoy xx

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“What he has done to thy soul.” I swallowed the saliva that had gathered in my mouth as I recited the last line of the spell and waited for something to happen, for my dad to move, for him to be normal again. My heart seemed to be pounding obnoxiously loud in the disconcerting silence, and seconds felt like hours as I watched the man that wasn’t really my dad anymore.

Then he jerked. His body shivered violently and he gasped loudly, his eyes wide in shock and obvious pain. I cried out, reaching to help him, but when I saw his eyes I  froze, my hand hanging mid-air. The dark clouds that previously misted over his eyes were parting and I could see his kind, brown eyes again. Tears pricked my eyes as I approached the couch to hug him when Xeneya pulled me back and shook my head, reminding me that he still wasn’t the same and we didn’t know how long the spell lasted.

“D-dad,” I stuttered and he looked up at me. “How do we get to Nequitiam Malum?” For a moment he simply stared into the air behind my shoulder, then he jerked again and looked me dead in the eye.

“Be aware when he next appears at front, for he will take all that’s left.

You two must stay strong, ignore his irresistible allure; and use the forgotten wand to follow him back to his hole,” came his final reply, but his voice was different. Usually, he sounded like honey swirling around on your tongue when you make yourself a sandwich and lick the spoon. Like water trickling down a soft waterfall in the morning sunshine. Like grass and flowers weaving in the wind.

But now my dad sounded like sharp rocks in a cave, slicing through the air and hacking at the ground, or like a hammer pounding on a nail. A mighty storm ripping the sea in half.

Xeneya was right.

This wasn’t really my dad. He was an imposter.

Once again, his body jerked, and before I got to ask what he meant and when we would do this the dark clouds returned in his irises and the completely brainwashed version of Tannon Devonne was back.

Sighing in defeat, I pulled Xeneya back upstairs, and when I entered my room my phone was shaking with new notifications. I picked it up and saw that there were four new news stories blinking from the apps I downloaded. I groaned, too tired to check them out at the moment, and flopped on my bed.

Bling!

Five stories.

“We can look at them later,” I said dismissively when Xeneya raised an eyebrow at my bleeping phone. “I’ve had enough to take in for a while.”

“Me too,” Xeneya agreed, and after that the only sounds made were two more beeps signaling news reports. Once the seventh one was announced light started flashing from the corner of my eye and I leaned up to see the buttons of our Special Objects blinking.

Great. Just what I need right now.

“Xeneya, our objects,” I muttered, yawning and getting up from my bed. I retrieved my Special Mic, tossed Xeneya her pocket-knife thing and pressed the button, internally groaning and wishing that the day would just end. I shut my eyes, the swirling colors and shapes making my pounding head throb even worse, but this time I needed no time to recover. I’m not weak anymore. I’m too numb to need recovery.

Bling!

During the journey my phone had vibrated a few times, and when I pulled it out I now saw that it was at twelve stories. Oh joy.

I jogged to the meeting room, Xeneya in tow behind me, not wanting to be late to what could be a vital meeting. When we entered the crystal room my BFF and I were the third and fourth ones there, with the two others silently sitting hunched in chairs and mumbling to each other. After around five more minutes, only another four walked in when the door shut with an echoing boom and Fortuna Dea glided into the room. Her eyes swept over the few Potea Creandi seated down in front of her and her lips curved downward, her usually soft features worried and nearly aged, which says something, because she’s hundreds of years old and still looks around twenty.

“My eight remaining Potea Creandi,” she began, trying to smile at us, but failing. This, too, but very unusual for the warm, welcoming goddess, as she was normally joyful and happy, and now seemed grave. “As you can see, many of you are missing, and I am sure you are wondering why.”

I nodded and Fortuna Dea continued.

“The evil is spreading, my children. He is taking over, making people his slaves, and you are the only hope left. You eight that sit her before me, you are the only ones who can save us. I need you. Your family needs you. The world needs you.”

I gulped. I wish I weren’t sitting here.

“You must defeat Nequitiam Malum, my dears.” Gasps echoed across the room, and she nodded gravely. “Yes, it is he. He has not perished. He is back, and wrecking havoc in the world once again. My – Our enemy is more powerful than before.”

My what? Why did she cut herself off?

“What do you think she was going to say?” Xeneya whispered, reading my thoughts, and I shrugged. If a goddess is keeping a secret, it’s probably very complicated and important, and I’ve had enough of both of those to last me a lifetime.

“You are our last chance. Without you, everyone is – “ Fortuna Dea’s words were cut off by a deafening noise, something that sounded like a giant piece of paper being ripped in half, followed by a deep hollow laugh and a burst of darkness.

It was him. He was here.

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CLIFFHANGAR (kinda… I think…) Anywho…. Who do you guys think it is???? I know who… oops that’s cuz it’s my story! Lol I’m weird peoples.

Yuki xx