When The Witching Hour Strikes

Chapter 11

A/N: Hello! Sorry I haven't updated in forever, there was no motivation for me to write, and I felt stuck. Sorry if this is jumbled, I'm writing this in the evening after a day of work. Anyways, leave a vote or comment if you enjoyed this part, and as always, have fun. 

Love you lots and see you soon!

Char, xox

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The strangest sensation came over my body, as if time had slowed down, almost to a standstill. My movements were sloth-like and I couldn't move a muscle without pain. Every nerve in my body was aching, as if I had been fighting invisible forces for hours on end. Each breath I took almost drained the energy from me. Slowly and painfully I rose, wondering where we were, and how we'd get out.

Blackness was all around me, although my eyes adjusted to the dim radiance coming from my friends. It seemed as if I was the only one awake, so the job of getting them out of here was mine.

The darkness had no limits, yet it was suffocating me. I struggled to breathe, yet I knew that there would be a way out, somewhere in the darkness.

I struggled to my feet and tried to move despite the pain in every muscle. As I rose, I glanced around me at my comatose friends. Then I heard it. A faint whisper, calling a name. As it continued I could hear it was me, but why?

"Come, do not be afraid. I will not hurt you, for I am not inclined that way. Follow my voice, it will guide you to where I can see you, then we will talk."

Unsure of what to respond, if at all, I headed in the direction of where I thought the voice was.

As I crept forward, pain in every step, the voice guided me to a small area lit by unseen candles, flickering in the dark. I walked into the light, and saw only a faint shadow behind me, nothing in front of me, nothing in the darkness ahead. When I finally let go of doubt, the voice spoke, softly, yet I could easily hear it.

"Hello Ellie, I have come to you. For now, my name is none of your concern. You may be wondering why I have come to you. Well my dear, you possess something which has never before happened. Three energies flow through your veins, and give you the life force which you wield. You know two of them, gold and silver. But what of the other?

Purple, it is a power you have not yet seen, for not many wield it, and those who do are of royal blood. You however are not royal, for your purple is not meant for a palace, to be flaunted in front of kings, and danced with dukes. Your purple is something not yet established in this world, or any for that matter. This purple was a gift, from your mother, who you know not. It is the gift of mind wandering, it will allow you to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. Use it well"

With that the voice was gone, and I was once more left in the darkness. I slowly walked back to my friends, guided by instinct, or maybe I knew the path I was taking already. Then I thought of a plan to get us out. It was crazy, but worth it.

I would use my newfound skill with lock opening, to feel around and see if there were any doors, or entrances I could open. I felt around in my mind, and saw that there was a small opening near where I was. I had to remember what to do, reach out with my mind, feel the opening under my hand, feeling the opening give way under my constant pressure.

I pried open the door in my mind and sensed the tension ebb away, letting light into the darkened space. I opened my eyes, and saw my friends do the same, waking up slowly, not knowing where they were. We got up and ran, as fast as our tired limbs would take us, running into the distance, not knowing where to go, just to get there. After a while we arrived sweaty, out of breath, tired, covered in dirt, (A/N: remember they were in a forest before, and the dark spaces had dirt floors, because they were illusions of the castle)to the grounds of the school, where only the professors who had been in the hall that morning sat, chatting amongst themselves, occasionally glancing up at the distance. As we ran up to them, relief coursing through our bodies, we began to slow, and walked. Kalen was the first to speak.

"Sorry to disturb you all, but are we the first ones back? Or has everyone already gone inside to eat and be merry?"

Naida who was sitting there simply smiled.

"Kalen, always getting to the point. You know the rules. Once inside, you shall have some answers."

Glumly we walked into the school, past the mishmash of hallways, and past the bedrooms.

"So, how did we get out of the second dark space? What happened?"

"Yeah, I wasn't awake for that, were you guys? Kalen? Ember? Alvin? Ellie?"

"Nope, wasn't awake either" pronounced Kalen and Alvin.

"I was out cold." said Ember.

Then that left me. I hadn't spoken yet, not knowing what to say, and I wanted to let them process what they'd gone through. Finally, Cordelia's incessant poking in my ribs was enough to get me talking.

"Me? Oh yeah I was awake, for the whole thing. I suppose I got you guys all out, but if it hadn't been for Ember's help with opening things we'd still be there." At this Ember shot me a look of gratitude, mixed with guardedness.

As we entered the hall, I stopped short, not sure what to say. The others soon followed suit.

"This has for sure never happened before. What is going on?"