This story is based after the 13th W.I.T.C.H. book, so it might be a good idea to read up to that point to understand what's going on. I only read the U.S. books so I have no clue to what's going on in the comics, I swear.
Disclaimer: I don't own W.I.T.C.H. or any of its characters. Oh and for those out there who don't already know, the 14th book just came out. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 1: Just a Dream?
Will's POVWill's big, brown eyes dawned on the scene before her. She wasn't even sure if it was real. Everything was too perfect to be real, but here she was standing there in the plain daylight. Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin were all there, but nobody was fighting. There were no tears from lost loves and no mean nicknames. They were just being average teenagers talking about getting out of school and giggling about boys while licking scoops of ice-cream. Will was even amazed that her mom was there since they had been fighting like cats and dogs lately.
She gasped and her mouth dropped when she noticed the cute brown-haired boy sitting across from Cornelia. Matt Olsen, her crush since the first time she saw him at the Halloween dance, was actually waving at her and calling her name to come sit and have some ice-cream. Her feet felt like Jell-O as she slowly made her way to the table. I don't think I can talk! She thought panicky. He really wants me to sit next to him. Oh he is too cute!
She stopped when she saw the way Taranee was looking at her. She was smiling like she was very amused at something. Will's eyebrows furrowed with confusement until she realized something with horror. Taranee could read minds! The girls would know about her mondo crush on Matt for sure. Good going! Taranee busted out laughing from what other people would think was from nothing at all. Will blushed deeply as her face turned the same color as her hair and the girls started giggling. She pushed hair behind her ears and sat down awkwardly next to Matt. Now she actually had a good look at everyone at the table, including someone who wasn't supposed to be there, someone who she thought she would never see again. She gasped because now she knew that somehow what was happening couldn't be real because the Queen of Meridian couldn't possibly be sitting at a picnic table eating ice-cream like a teenager. Elyon couldn't really be here.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Elyon asked worryingly. "Is something wrong?" Will had been so dazed at the presence of Elyon being in Heatherfield instead of Meridian, that she shook her head with confusion as Elyon looked at her with her eyebrows raised. Something was wrong. She just had that feeling again, like when she could tell that there was a portal nearby. It was like her instinct. She leaned in over to Elyon to whisper in her ear.
"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in Meridian with your people?"
Elyon was surprised at first but then was clouded over by a shadow of grief. She stuttered while trying to find the right words.
"Phobos beat me. He has the throne now. I just only got away. Wait a second, how do you not remember all of this?" her expression turned from sad to questioning as Will jumped to her feet, looking at everyone. Everything is backwards! We beat Phobos! He is in custody of Candracar residing in the Tower of Mists. If Phobos did beat Elyon, I know he wouldn't have let her go. This isn't real! Will thrummed at her head searching for answers. Whoever put her up to this dream needed to get her out. She knew that things were about to get worse.
"Did you hear me?" she shouted out this time. "I said this isn't real! This has to be a dream!"
Her head suddenly felt like it was split in two as a wave of dizziness more powerful than ever caused her to fall backwards. She would have hit the ground too if Irma hadn't reached out right at the last second. While hoisting Will up, she stared at Hay Lin who was looking at her hands in amazement.
"I was trying to keep her from falling on the ground, but nothing happened! Where are my powers?" she exclaimed.
All of a sudden, Will shrieked out in pain as a loud voice boomed in her head. Her mother started running to her frantically and all Matt could do was stare at her nimbly.
" WILL! YOU'RE RIGHT. THIS ISN'T REAL!" the familiar voice thundered causing her to shriek with pain again. "BUT THIS ISN'T A DREAM, IT'S A NIGHTMARE!"
Will's eyes opened but everything was kind of blurry because her head was still throbbing. She started to gain clear focus and realized that things weren't good. Her mother was frantic. She was running around screaming for help before she had realized that her daughter was okay. Matt was looking at her with a mix of worry and confusion. I know just how you feel, Matt she started to think while rubbing her head. Her friends, she knew, were used to her sudden "attacks", but they still looked worried as well. It had never happened that badly before.
"Will, are you okay? That seemed worse than usual." Cornelia asked with concern. The others were nodding, also with concern for their friend. Everyone that is, except for Hay Lin. Will found that unusual for Hay Lin. She was always the one to cheer people up and make them feel okay. Right now, she only had eyes for what was above them and was breathing very shallowly.
"You guys look! I've never seen clouds come that fast!" she yelled pointing up at the swirling mass of black clouds blacking out the once sunny and bright sky like a black canvas covering a painting. Thunder roared in their ears as lightning flashed dangerously close by. In fact, it was too close.
"Aggghhhh! Watch out for the tree!" Irma screamed grabbing Hay Lin and Matt while running away from the bolt of lighting heading straight for the tree that was towering them. Will looked frantically over to Taranee who was beating against the hurtling bolt with all her strength. Beads of sweat were trickling down her forehead, but the lightning still didn't stop for a split second when it split the tree in two and burst into flames.
"Everything is burning!" her mom yelled while trying to call the fire department on her cell phone. "Will! Get over her now!" she demanded.
Will didn't even think twice about it.
"Not without Taranee!" she yelled over her head as she started running as fast as her skinny legs could take her to her best friend. Will came up to her as she was trying to calm down the flames. Taranee looked exhausted but determined even though she was bewildered that nothing was happening.
"Taranee!" she panted. "These flames are too high to mess with without transforming. You could hurt yourself. Taranee!" Will sighed with relief when Taranee finally backed down and started moving towards her. They started to run to the others, but not before Will shivered and looked back.
"Why are you stopping!" Taranee shouted looking back at her
"There's something evil behind that tree!" she yelled over her head, and before Taranee could stop her, Will spun around and started running back towards the burning tree.
"I know something's here and I'm going to find out-" she choked on her sentence as she looked behind the tree and gasped. Out of all the things she expected to see, a Metamoorian monster, an evil history teacher, this was diffidently something surprising, something very creepy. She was looking at herself.
This girl was Will, but with a few minor differences. She was older, exactly like Will's transformed self. Instead though, of having Will's purple bell-sleeved top and green mini skirt with beautiful flowery wings, she was dressed in all black and had no wings. The creepiest part was her eyes. They were not Will's warm, brown eyes that always seemed so cozy and knowing. Her eyes were cold and resentful and they added a soulless expression to her gaunt face. She looked positively evil. Her face spread out into a greedy grin when she saw Will. She looked a little too happy to see the young Guardian.
"So, the little Guardian brat has decided to be a little snoopy." She snickered at Will when she gasped at hearing her own voice of when she transformed, come out of this imposter's mouth. She finally regained herself enough to speak.
"Who are you?" she demanded gathering courage although the girl's glare really scared her. "How can you look like me?"
The evil Will smiled broadly again. She started swirling a lot of white magic from her fingertips while staring down the real Will.
"You know. It doesn't really matter who I am because you won't really live long enough to entirely greet me. Since I have your powers, you can do nothing to stop me from getting what is also properly mine, the HEART OF CANDRACAR!"
She struck so fast, Will barely had time to react as a force so powerful that had once resided in her body pounded her against the tree screaming. Evil Will glinted madly as a bright pink light burst from Will's chest. The Heart of Candracar started moving away from her. She struggled, but she was getting weak. She really didn't have her powers! She had an empty feeling in her stomach as she felt her heart getting taken away from her. Someone far away screamed her name, but she couldn't resist the fact that she had lost when the blinding white light tore through her and surrounded her in nothing but darkness.
Will gasped as she pulled the covers off of her for a breathe of fresh air. It was still dark outside. She reached for her alarm clock that read 2:37 am. She heard her dormouse skittering around her room as she wiped sweat off her forehead. Everything was so confusing! What just happened? Will wondered, rubbing her eyes. She was still shaking, and she was still scared to death. An empty feeling was rising in her and she just had to make sure everything was all right. Thrusting out her hand, she felt wind blow her hair back and power flow through her. She sighed with relief as she saw the Heart of Candracar floating above her palm, like it always had. She was still shaking though and took deep breaths.
"I guess I didn't die. The fire, Elyon, the evil Will it wasn't real. It was all just a dream." She mumbled through an uncomfortable sleep. She tossed and turned until she finally calmed down.
"Yes, just a dream."
One thought stayed with her through the night as she tried to sleep peacefully until the next morning when she would awake to the surprise of a lifetime:
"But are things how they always seem to be?"
Hey! I hope you liked that chapter. I'll have the next chapter up next week because I've got exams I've got to study for. Summer vacation is in a week for me so I'll be able to write more then. I know it's a bit rushed. Please review the story! I want to know if anyone likes it. Bit of a cliff- hanger to leave to you for a week though, huh?