CHAPTER EIGHT
Crystal
October 20th, 2000
1:37 P.M.
“What is she doing here?” Victoria made her way to the elevator after she’d spotted Crystal standing between William and Dylan. “How dare you bring this child to this building? Do you not know who she is? Do you not understand how important she is? You must take her from here, she is in terrible danger!”
Everyone turned to look at her in confusion, not understanding what was going on. It was Jake who came forward, “She'll get us out of here, Ms. Palmer. Like you said, she's our only hope.”
“That is not what I meant when I spoke to you about her safety.”
Dylan spoke next, “Well, I say we stop arguing and start doing some saving or we're just going to end up all agitated - and dead - if we keep discussing whether a girl who is already here should or should not be here.”
“What?” Victoria shrieked.
“I mean,” Dylan rolled his eyes, “she’s here, let’s use her to get out before this bomb explodes in,” he stopped to look at his watch, “twenty-two minutes.”
“He’s right,” Will said. “We don’t have much time.”
Crystal’s strong, yet calm voice was heard, “I can do this, Ms. Palmer. I can help you.”
Victoria stared at her in horror. “But, child, I-”
“Just,” Crystal explained, “take my hands and I will cross you over to the elevator.”
“That’s easy enough,” said Dylan Torrence, ignoring Victoria’s shock. “I say we start with the humans. How many can we fit in the elevator?”
Rebecca was the one to answer that question. “It says here maximum weight shouldn’t exceed 2,500 pounds, but I think it’s more about how many can fit in here. Maybe eight people?”
Jake agreed, “That would mean just two rides. We’re not that many.” He then added, “And you’re right, we should start with the humans. Are they ready?”
Fabian and August, who were standing behind Jake, hurried to Felicia’s office. It didn’t take them long to guide the humans to the elevator; they were eager to leave. As they walked, their tears turned into hope; their frowns into smiles.
“Is this all of them?” Dylan asked. Seeing Felicia nod, he explained to the firm’s employees all they needed to do was hold the little girl’s hand and they would get on the elevator to leave the building.
“Just hold her hand?” Denise, Jake’s personal secretary, hesitated.
Crystal gave a step forward, both her hands outstretched. “Yes, give me your hand.”
The first to go were Denise and Kate, the receptionist. Crystal took their shaking hands, guiding them to the elevator where Rebecca waited. Next, she took Felicia’s and August’s personal secretaries, followed by Fabian’s personal secretary and one of the paralegals, Matt. Finally, a man named Sean was guided to the elevator as they bypassed the magical barrier with ease.
“That should be enough for the first ride,” Dylan said to a crowded elevator. “We’ll wait for you to come back, Becca.”
“I'll be right back.”
Rebecca and the human firm employees disappeared behind the elevator’s closed doors. Once alone, Victoria hurried to Crystal’s side, studying her from head to toe making sure she was unharmed.
“I’m all right, Ms. Palmer.”
“You shouldn’t be here, child,” Victoria’s tears threatened to fall down her cheeks again.
“But, I’m here to help.”
Victoria was already shaking her head. “You are in terrible danger,” the Head Witch whispered to her ear. “There's an evil witch who'll try to kill you for the power you gained the moment she learns of your existence. It's important you understand this. It's important she never finds you. Therefore, you need to get out of here and find safety someplace where she won’t even suspect someone like you is alive.”
Crystal stared at her in confusion, her frown telling her what she heard didn't make sense to her. “I understand, Ms. Palmer. Really, I do. But I can get you out. I can help. What good are all these powers if I don’t use them to help?”
Her words touched Victoria’s heart. Crystal was right. That was their purpose. This was the reason the powers beyond had given them their abilities. Whoever put them on this earth meant for them to help others. Crystal was proof there were still good souls ready to do what was right.
“Yes.” Victoria’s tears slid down her cheeks, forcing a smile. “You’re right, child. You’re right.”
At that very moment, the elevator’s doors opened again. Rebecca Sawyer appeared behind them in the empty elevator box. “They are being evacuated out of the building.” Rebecca turned to look at Crystal, seeing she was in what looked like an intimate conversation with Victoria. “I hate to interrupt, but we don’t have much time.” Looking at her watch, she announced, “Fifteen minutes.”
Victoria nodded, “We better hurry.” Turning to look at the others, she gave a step back letting them approach Crystal, their savior. “Please, I must make sure you are all safe. I can wait until you are all in the elevator.”
“That’s nonsense, Victoria,” Felicia said. “You are the last witch standing, we must secure your safety.”
Except Victoria did not budge. “I insist. In a way, I am the reason we are in this predicament. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Go.”
It was the werewolf who seemed most eager to leave. Will gave a few steps towards Crystal and offered his hand. “I don’t want to die. Not when I’ve come so far. Please,” he told her, “take me.”
The little girl nodded, taking his warm hand. She then took the other hand closest to hers, and since Victoria had moved behind every vampire, Crystal took Dylan’s with her free hand.
“Let’s go,” the werewolf hunter said, walking to the elevator. Felicia and Fabian followed, leaving Victoria and August last. They still had twelve minutes to evacuate, plenty of time to get a safe distance out of the building.
What looked like a clear success was stopped by a gasp coming out of Victoria’s mouth, choking as she let go of Crystal. “Go…,” she muttered. Blood spurted from her mouth. Behind her, Liliana Porter stood, her knife having stabbed the Head Witch's back. “Leave!” Victoria hissed one last word before her knees gave in, collapsing in front of the elevator.
Lily’s jet black hair looked more beautiful than ever, cascading behind her majestically. Her lips were red, her eyelashes thick. It was almost as if she had beautified herself before she showed up again for a final kill. She wore a plain, yet shiny, black dress with long sleeves. She now looked more like the bad guy from a children’s book than anything. The wicked witch.
Crystal pushed August to the elevator.
“Come on, Crys,” Rebecca called. Her hands stopped by the intact magical barrier.
“Crys?” wondered Liliana, suspicion in her tone. Her eyes looked down at the girl in front of the elevator. “And who are you, little girl?”
“Come on!” the vampires in the elevator urged.
But when Lily raised one hand to attack them, Crystal acted first. With her mind, she closed the elevator’s door, sending everyone to safety.
“No, no wait-” she heard Rebecca yell before gravity cut off her words.
“I can take care of myself,” the little witch muttered. Turning to a surprised Liliana, Crystal jerked her armed in her direction, sending her flying to the other end of the office, and through the receptionist’s wall - which fell into pieces when the evil witch broke through it like a ragged doll.
October 20th, 2000
1:52 P.M.
What is happening? Liliana Porter was supposed to be the most powerful witch alive. She had absorbed the magical energy of dozens of witches. She had access to all of her abilities. She had proven to be so powerful that not even a room full of experienced vampires had stopped her. Best of all, she had defeated the greatest werewolf hunter in the country with just a thought… more than once!
Lily had felt invulnera
ble and commanding, she'd thought she could do whatever she wanted. There hadn’t been a limit to what she could do and for a moment, she’d felt like a goddess. She’d been in total control, ruling over her enemies. They’d feared her.
If she was a goddess, then how was it possible a little girl hurt her so easily?
Watching pieces of wall fall off her dress when she sat down, Lily held her throbbing head after having been thrown through sheetrock. It had been the unrelenting force of a child what had pushed her, and she hated her for it. She hated her for ruining her dress. Her black hair looked gray with dust, covered in the debris she had taken with her. Her pounding headache getting worse as she tried to stand up.
Following the pain with her hand, she reached the back of her head to find it wet. Her fingers brought back red blood with them, making Lily’s face cringe in pain and disgust. No. It was more like hatred.
“What the hell?” she choked.
With an effort, she tried to remain standing as she brushed off the filth from her once perfectly dark gown. Through the hole she had made on the half wall, she stared at the little girl who had caused her all this grief.
Crys, they had called her. Christina? Christie? Chrissie? The girl looked like her complete opposite in every single detail. When Lily wore a dark dress that covered most of her skin, the girl wore a short, plain, and sleeveless white dress. Her hair was a light brown, much shorter than Lily’s and she almost seemed to glow next to the metallic elevator doors. Perhaps the one thing they had in common was their eyes - they were blue. Except where hers were an ocean blue, the girl’s looked more like two clear diamonds.
Whoever this girl was, she had become her archenemy. Darkness and light. There could be only one, and Lily decided right then, she had earned the right to be the only witch standing.
All the time, the little girl stood there, watching her. Her hands rested on each side, her breathing even. What is she doing? Lily wondered. Is she not even a bit scared? The bomb the werewolves had activated would blow up any minute, so whatever she planned to do with her would have to wait. For now, she had to get out of the building. She didn’t want to blow up with it because of some stupidity. Lily got ready to escape, but when she tried to teleport out, her powers failed her.
With wide eyes, she turned to look at the small frame of the girl. What power hid behind the young body? How had this girl's very existence escaped her? How had she missed this? Why had no one told her about this power?
Who is she?
Lily tried teleporting out again, but to no avail. She'd lost all track of time and not knowing how much time she had before the bomb exploded made her frantic. Was it minutes? Seconds? She couldn't think on another way to escape but to kill the little bitch. She had to die. Yes, then she would take her power and run away. Victory would be hers, she would be truly invincible. Those blood-drinking pests would be defenseless against her. With all that power within her, the vampires would fall.
Her hand slid to the hidden pocket behind her dress, touching her favorite blade with care. Once she had it in her grasp, Lily threw the knife directly to the little girl’s heart. Except… except the blade stopped in mid-air, turned around, and attacked her, landing on her leg.
Lily gritted her teeth in pain as she took the blade out, watching it drip with her own blood. "Damn you!" she growled.
“Why are you like this?” The little girl’s voice sounded so out of place. It was sweet, yet sure of her position in this world, and filled with power. This little girl knew who she was and what she was doing. “You do bad things.”
“Who are you?” Lily hissed.
“You aren't supposed to kill,” the little girl said instead. “It’s wrong.”
How dared she? Lily thought. Raising both hands to her sides, she summoned lightning. The room lit up as the electricity surrounded her. With a thought, she sent the energy at the little witch. The girl knelt down with her hands in front of her like a shield, summoning a protective spell. Lily saw the outline of the sphere of telekinetic power around her opponent.
Distracted by the new turn of events caught Lily defenseless from an attack. She felt the blow on the back of her head, hitting her already bleeding skull. It was a chair. Around her, every single piece of furniture began to attack her. Using her power, she pushed everything back. Disoriented, she cursed herself for letting her defenses down. She couldn't believe a girl her size was her greatest adversary. Her telekinetic force sent chairs, tables, staplers, computers, to each of the four walls with a command.
“Enough!” Lily yelled. Hurt and with her blade in hand, she limped to the girl decided to end this once and for all. It didn’t prove that easy. The little girl slapped her with an invisible force, sending Lily to a wall just as effortlessly as she had sent the vampires back when she tired of their insignificance hours before. She wouldn't have it. She was a force to be reckoned with! Once on her feet again, Lily sent a similar attack to the girl. This time, the little witch fell to the ground with a grunt, sliding backward.
I have her now, Lily thought.
She threw the blade again, but the little girl stopped it a few inches from her face. This time, she ordered the blade out the window. “No!” shrieked Lily in anguish, watching her beloved weapon disappear past the weakened magical barrier. “Damn you!” she sneered. “Who are you? Tell me!”
There would not be an answer. Not that day. Once more, Lily tried to teleport out and couldn’t. She was desperate. They would both die. Was that what she wanted?
“Look at the time, little bitch!” Lily pointed to the broken clock that still hung from the half torn wall behind the receptionist desk. “The bomb will blow up any minute!”
“I can’t let you keep killing people!” The girl stood up, her hands into fists; tears fell down her cheeks. “You're an evil person who needs to be stopped!”
Lily looked around, her chest moving up and down as panic rose in her. They only had a few minutes, maybe less. She had to leave. In her desperation, she ordered the elevator doors to open. The little girl, perhaps thinking her new friends were coming back, got distracted by the sound long enough for Lily to make her escape.
Thinking of her special place, where she felt the most secure and safe, Lily closed her eyes, and concentrating all of her power in teleporting out of the building, she disappeared just before hearing the bomb exploding behind her.
October 20th, 2000
2:01 P.M.
The building exploded.
The earth rumbled, the sky lit up with fire, and the deafening sound made Rebecca cover her ears as she knelt on the pavement. The impact made her hair blow back, the small pieces of the building that managed to reach as far as where they were standing hit her face and hands.
Beside her, Dylan and Will took cover. The humans, including the police officers, were a safer distance away. Everybody looked to be unharmed. After the building collapsed, and the dirt settled down, Rebecca could hear the women who'd been trapped sob in relief or anguish, while the men stared at the ruin before them. Not far away, Jake and his wife Maggie held each other close.
While everybody sighed in relief, all Rebecca could think about was Crystal.
“No,” the word barely came out of her lips. Dylan turned to look at her. Will looked at her, too. Their eyes told her how sorry they were for her loss. They didn’t understand what that little girl meant to her. Crystal had, somehow, become her anchor to the human world. She, who was an orphan just like she was. Crystal, who had been sent to remind her it was all right to be a woman; that not everything needed to be hunting werewolves and training sessions.
Rebecca needed her, and she was sure Crystal needed her back.
“Becca,” Dylan began.
“Shh!” she hushed him. “Listen!”
Dylan stared at her, pain in his eyes. “Becca,” he repeated. This time, his hand went to her shoulder; he wanted to pull her to him, to hold her tight.
It wasn’t the right time. “Stop,
Dylan. Listen.” She pushed him away.
She heard Will speak behind her, “Becca, she was still in the building. They both were.”
“No,” mumbled Rebecca. Wiping tears from her eyes, she walked towards the place where there once stood a building, now only a pile of rock and ruble. A few of the beams that had helped keep it upright remained. “She…. She can’t…”
She knew Dylan and Will would follow her. Their footsteps distracting her from her objective. She needed them to stop, to be quiet. She needed to listen for a heartbeat. There was still a good chance Crystal had survived, right? She was a witch, she was a telekinetic. Her telekinetic shield had been strong enough to break the powerful barrier Lily had created. She had to be alive.
Or better yet, what if she had teleported out? Just in time. She could have known the building was about to explode and she could have left. Right? She was a witch. Young, but powerful. She-
“Becca,” Dylan interrupted her efforts again. “I think this time we have lost-”
“No,” Rebecca wouldn’t hear it. “We thought Will was gone, too, remember? And here he is, his beating heart inside his chest. We just have to wait, listen, and help her out from wherever she is.”
“But, Becca, Will is a werewolf and he can-”
“Listen!” This time it was Will who quieted them both. His head cocked to one side as he heard what neither of the vampires was hearing.
“Is it her?” Rebecca asked him.
He nodded his head. “It’s a heartbeat. It’s beating fast.”
“She’s scared,” Rebecca knew, focusing her hearing as much as she could to pinpoint her location.
“Wait, Becca,” Dylan went after her. “It may be dangerous. It may be Lily. You have no idea what that woman is capable of.”
The Fall of Witchcraft Page 21
