The Crocodile Queen turned to face Ally, this next part is all on you Ally, it demonstrates why you are so important. This necklace will respond to you, it’s in your bloodline, your heritage, and your destiny. The necklace now belongs to you, but if you accept it, you will need to embrace it and all the power that it will bestow upon you. This is your one chance to turn back, this decision will change your life and your destiny.”
Ally had passed that point when she first used the Dream Cane with Dan, she knew her life would never be the same, and she liked the excitement and the thrill of being different. Westtown was a sleepy boring place to her, she needed this excitement and she realized it brought Dan closer to her through shared experiences. Ally just nodded her acceptance to the Crocodile Queen.
The Crocodile Queen let the burlap cover fall to the floor exposing Myrddin’s necklace, the amulet was smaller than Ally had imagined. She walked behind Ally and placed the necklace around Ally’s neck, taking the time to hook the clasp together at the nape of Ally’s neck. Once the necklace’s clasp was closed, the Crocodile Queen let go as the golden chain took the weight of the amulet now suspended from Ally’s neck. She walked around her slowly taking in the sight of a newly adorned white witch.
“Ally, I want you to approach Kaan,” Ally moved to within inches of the stricken monk, “touch the Kaledral amulet, the red stone in the center with one hand,” Ally complied. The Kaledral amulet instantly recognized the bloodline of the white witch, it sparked into life breaking its dormant state. Small wisps of red energy could be seen within the stone, like lightning bolts bouncing around inside the stone’s interior. “I want you to close your eyes, and concentrate on releasing Kaan from his stone tomb, see it happening in your mind’s eye, concentrate hard, and when you’re ready, keeping your eyes closed, I want you to reach out with your other hand and touch Kaan, keeping your hand on the amulet. Whenever you feel the time is right.”
Ally complied, she closed her eyes and imagined releasing Kaan, a hot flowing energy shot through her hand, originating from the Kaledral stone, Ally could feel it flowing through her arm, crossing her collarbone and moving into her other arm. Once it had reached her other hand she extended her arm forward, keeping her eyes closed, until she felt the stone surface of Kaan’s chest. She lay her hand, palm open, against his chest and released the energy into him. She knew she was merely the conduit for a powerful energy pulsing through her body. The ancient witches knew about the spider’s bite, and the spell required to reverse it; the Kaledral stone had stored countless memories, spells, and rituals, from long ago. The dragon’s talons, contained within the necklace, would protect Ally from the forces of evil trying to access her from other realms.
Ally experienced a strange feeling of intense inner peace, a oneness with the necklace, as if the necklace had finally found a home it was happy with. It had indeed come home. The necklace had the desired effect, Kaan’s thin stone shell started to crack and fall away from his body. When the fragments of stone hit the floor, they exploded into plumes of dust. The color gradually returned to Kaan’s face, the Crocodile Queen held her breath in anticipation. Kaan took a sharp intake of much needed air, as he burst back into an animated state; relieved, the Crocodile Queen exhaled letting the air out of her lungs and breathing again.
Kaan opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Ally’s pretty face erupting into the most dazzling of smiles. Kaan scanned the room, he saw Dan, and then the Crocodile Queen. He noticed the warriors from the Ninth Realm hovering in the background, “Am I safe?” he managed to choke out the words.
“Yes,” said Ally, nodding to him as she smiled. They’d managed to set Kaan free, Ally didn’t know Kaan well, but she felt immense relief.
Kaan was overcome by emotion, “Elora couldn’t hurt me physically, but she tortured my mind, relentlessly. I’ve seen, heard and felt things, I never want to go through that again,” Kaan looked distraught and shaken to his inner core.
The Crocodile Queen stepped forward, she’d never seen Kaan like this, and he looked like a broken man. Kaan was normally a big, strong, loud, and brash warrior, “Elora’s grip on you has been broken, welcome back. We missed you. You have Dan and Ally to thank for your release, Atheria played a massive part as well.”
Kaan clasped his hands together, dust flew into the stale air, “Thank you both, I’m forever in your debt,” he turned to the Crocodile Queen, “and thank you, for not giving up on me.”
“Atheria’s warriors are protecting us right now, but we must go soon, this place isn’t safe anymore. Elora managed to kill everyone here, the students and the masters, everyone except one very traumatized monk who managed to escape to Crescent Island. You’ll need to meet him, reassure him, and together find another monastery. You’ll have to rebuild this place, somewhere else, recruit new masters knowledgeable in the old-world skills and find gifted students.”
Kaan stepped out of a pile of stone dust, leaving footprints behind like a walk along the beach in the wet sand, “Killed everyone,” he repeated, shaking his head, “what about the Reposte Scroll?”
“Don’t worry about that,” the Crocodile Queen assured him, “Atheria has it safely hidden away.”
“This will take some rebuilding,” Kaan looked overwhelmed and weak. “It’s not the building, we’ve lost all of our masters, thousands of years of knowledge passed down painstakingly from generation to generation.”
The Crocodile Queen spoke calmly, “We can talk about that later, when we’re safely back at Crescent Island,” she approached Ally, “The necklace will teach you what you need to know; because of your bloodline, the necklace thinks you’re family, it’s found its home. Remember my dear; you will grow into the most powerful white witch alive today. You will always be in danger and Elora will always come for you whenever she can, look after these two precious things,” she glanced down at Myrddin’s necklace.
“Two precious things?’ inquired Ally.
“The necklace,” said the Crocodile Queen pausing to turn her body towards Dan, still standing at the back of the room, “and him.”
They both smiled, “I will,” said Ally.
A crimson butterfly’s movement caught Ally’s attention as it fluttered by, Dan saw it instantly, he knew this was their signal to return. Ally was caught off guard, the room started to spin, the space within the room flooded with crimson light.
Both Dan and Ally were returned to Dan’s bedroom, the Dream Cane had extracted itself from Dan’s closet and activated their return.
Dan scooted over to Ally, “Are you alright?” he placed a hand upon her shoulder.
“Yes,” she affirmed, reaching up to ensure her necklace was still hanging around her neck. She couldn’t explain it, but her thoughts landed immediately upon the school paper on the female archetype of a witch. Now that she knew the real story surrounding the Pendle Hill witches and trial, and the difference between white witches, dark witches, and fraudsters, should she re-write her entire paper before submission? Ally smiled to herself, no – some things are best left the way they are.
“I can tell you one thing white witch Ally,” said Dan teasing her, “you’re never going to be bored from now on!”
They both laughed.
The End …
"The moment you stop believing in fanciful things, the world stops being fanciful."
- Phil Armstrong
Crocodile Queen Page 20
