Shattered: The Reckoning

Two months have gone by since the war started. The Enchantress’s army has been causing all kinds of problems. The zombie looking people have caused mass panic among the humans, although most of it is contained at the moment. The Warriors are still having trouble tracking all the videos and posts that have been made online. Not to mention some news channels have covered the zombie people attacking the humans.

Thankfully the humans think that the zombie people are real people pretending to be zombies. They don’t eat human flesh, so the humans are coming up with all kinds of crazy things. At least they haven’t figured out that zombies used to be dead people. I’m surprised they haven’t, but my dad says it's because most humans don’t want to admit they aren’t the only ones on the planet or universe.

The magical world is having just as much difficulty with the spirits. The Reapers have been doing over time trying to take care of the pale green spirits that are plaguing the magical world. They are showing up at covens, shopping centers, and even people's homes. It’s a real mess, but at least most of the witches and warlocks can defend themselves. The humans don’t have as much of an advantage.

The team and I have been all over trying to help where we can. Right now, we are in NYC helping to contain a zombie issue along with a spirit issue. The team is split up at the moment. I’m with Alice, Bex, and Carter dealing with the spirit issue while Calder, Ryan, Brie, and Avery are dealing with the zombies.

The spirits are hard to kill; fire is really the only thing that kills them. We did figure out that the spirits don’t like salt, so Carter made himself a special salt gun to weaken the spirits, which makes setting them on fire much easier. The zombie people are strong, and know how to use weapons, which makes taking them out that much harder.

Thankfully the Reapers and the Warriors are trying to figure out ways to take out the spirits and the zombies. They captured a few of each last week and are holding them in a special location. I know they are experimenting with what will hurt and kill them.

Carter fires off his gun, and hits a few of the spirits. I throw a fireball at them, and light them on fire. Bex uses fire that comes out of his long sword while he fights the spirits. Alice is on the other side of the street setting spirits on fire. Carter gets on top of a car to get better shots at the spirits.

There are dozens of them. I peer out from the car I’m hiding behind and blast several small fireballs at two spirits that are trying to get to Carter. I hear Alice scream and quickly look over at her to see her being attacked by three spirits. Alice is wounded. I run out from behind the car and blast the suckers with fire.

Bexton has his hands full with his own group of spirits. Carter is switching between firing his salt gun and the flame thrower. Once the spirits go up in flames, I’m at Alice’s side. Her arm is slashed open, and her shirt is cut open and I can see a bleeding gash. On top of it all, she hurt her ankle. I make quick work trying to heal Alice, but I’m having trouble because I have to fight off the spirits that are trying to kill us. I look over at Bex and Carter who are fighting off their own hoard of spirits. Crap!

Alice is too weak to help me fight, plus she is losing blood too quickly. There’s only one thing I can think of that will work and that’s to let the monster out to play. No one on the team has seen the dark side of me. They haven’t seen me transform either, but there is a first time for everything. I was hoping I would never have to show them this side of me, but I’m not about to let my best friend die.

I close my eyes and summon my inner monster. When I open my eyes, I know they are black and that my skin is pale with black spider veins. I stand up and face the street that is full of spirits. I take a huge breath, then with all my power, I blow out black fire on to all of the spirits. They all go up in flames.

Bex and Carter turn to face me to figure out what just happened to the spirits they were fighting. Carter jumps down from the car he is standing on and then walks towards me. Bex runs over to help Alice. The problem with letting the monster out is that once she’s out it’s hard to put her back under lock and key. I’m breathing heavy. I need to calm myself down, but the adrenaline is too much.

Carter wraps his arms around me. I can’t even believe he is touching me like this. Carter rubs my back.

“It’s okay, Emmy. You got them. It's over,” Carter whispers to me in a soft voice that is soothing.

I feel myself relax. I close my eyes and when I reopen them, I’m back to normal. Carter is the key to helping me calm down. He always knows what to say and do. I kiss Carter quick on the lips and thank him. I turn to face Bex and Alice. Alice has passed out, but Bex has managed to heal her wounds. I teleport everyone back to our base camp which is really just a townhouse that we are staying in till we head back to the manor.

Ivy runs to help Bex get Alice to a bed to rest. Alice hasn’t woken up yet, but she should in a bit. Avery and Brie go help Alice. I go to the kitchen to find Calder drinking a beer. Calder looks at me.

“Looks like you had someone get hurt too,” Calder comments. He is my second in command now.

“Who got hurt?” I ask, grabbing some water from the fridge.

“Ryan. He got stabbed, but he will be okay.” Calder finishes off his beer and tosses the can away.

Damn. It takes a lot to take Ryan out, I think to myself. Ryan is strong and he is built like a brick house. The fact that a zombie could hurt Ryan means trouble for the rest of us. If the zombies can take out our strongest physical member with just a stab, well that’s a big deal. We are going to have to get our defenses up in order to stay ahead.

“Is it just me or does the Enchantress’s army seem to be getting smarter and stronger?” I ask hoping that I’m just losing my mind, and there’s no truth to my thoughts.

“No, I was thinking the same thing. You had to let the monster out, didn’t you?” Calder asks, leaning against the counter looking much like our father.

“Yeah, I did. How did you know?”

“I can sense it. It’s weird, but I seem to know when you let the monster out to play.”

“How come you don’t transform like I do? We have the same blood running through our veins.”

“I don’t know. I always wondered why you transformed into something else when you tapped into your dark magic. Maybe it has something to do with you being the Chosen child. I don’t know, Em. All I know is that when I tap into my dark magic, I don’t transform like you do.”

I sigh. “Well, that’s not helpful. I hate how everything is a mystery, or a secret when it comes to our family. I feel like Fate must hate us, or something, because it feels like we are always left in the dark.”

Calder laughs. “You sound like dad.”

I laugh too. It’s true. I sound like our dad. Dad is always cursing fate for being against our family.

“Maybe dad isn’t so far off from the truth,” I state.

“Maybe. Who knows?” Calder shrugs his shoulders as he replies to me.

“Certainly not us, that’s for sure,” I comment. Calder laughs at me. “It’s not that funny.” I roll my eyes at how ridiculous Calder is being.

“Yeah, it is. I can’t believe how much you are like Dad sometimes.”

I roll my eyes at Calder again. I seem to always be rolling my eyes at Calder for one reason or another. I think it’s the little sister thing to do.

“Whatever.”

I notice a mark on Calder’s forearm. It’s a triangle with a black circle in the middle that has lines that connect the circle to the three points of the triangle. Strange, I’ve never seen that mark on him before.

“Calder what’s that mark? Did you get a tattoo?”

I point to Calder’s forearm.

“What. No.” Calder looks down at his forearm. “What the hell?” Calder tries to rub the mark off him, but it doesn’t work. Calder looks at me. “Did you do this?”

“No. Why would I put a mark on you? Calder, you didn’t have that mark this morning when I saw you. Did one of the zombies touch you?” I ask, trying to figure out the strange mark on Calder’s arm.

“No, but I did feel like my arm was on fire while I was fighting. I didn’t think too much of it. I thought maybe I was straining myself or something. I totally forgot to check it out when we got home.”

Just then Calder cries out in pain and holds the arm with the strange mark on it. I go over to him. Calder slides down the counters and sits on the floor crying out in pain. I bend to help him, but I don’t know how to help him. Calder stops screaming as he moves his hand from his right forearm where the mark is. Underneath the triangle is a skeleton key.

“What the hell is going on?” Calder asks.

“I…I don’t know.” I brush my hand over the markings.

Bex, Ivy, Brie, Carter, and Avery walk into the kitchen to see what Calder is screaming about. Calder shows them the marks. No one knows what to say. I was hoping maybe Bexton would know what it was since he is Mr. Smarty Pants, but even he doesn't know. Calder wants to head home to see if our parents, or anyone at the manor might know what the mark means. I agree that he needs to go.

Calder teleports out of the townhouse and I tell him to let me know if he finds anything out. In the meantime, I have to check with the leaders of the Warriors and Reaper organization to see if they need any more help here before we head back home.

I want to go home and be with Calder. I’m worried about him. I don’t like that a random mark just appeared on him. I fear it might have something to do with the Enchantress. Anything that involves the Enchantress is never good.

After I contact the Reapers and the Warriors, I find out that we can go home. I’m happy that we are going home. I’m worried about Calder. I haven’t heard anything from him yet. I can feel my anxiety increasing.

I go to tell the team we are good to head home. Everyone is pretty happy to be going home. I walk into the room I’m sharing with Carter. I find Carter is sitting on the bed, showered, and ready for bed. I take my shower, and then join him. I fall asleep still wondering about Calder.

Out of nowhere, I jolt upright in bed, screaming. My right arm feels like it’s on fire. Carter turns on the light, and tries to help me, but he can’t. I hold my right arm to my body crying out in pain. Finally, the pain subsides, and with fear I look at my arm through tear filled eyes. I have the same mark on my arm as Calder does, but instead of a key underneath the triangle there is a sword.

“What the hell?” I shout. “What is going on?”

“I’m going to get everyone. We are going back to the manor now,” Carter declares as he jumps from the bed.

After a few moments, everyone is in our room. I’m packed and ready to go. Ivy is holding Alice upright and Bex is helping Ryan stand. We all link hands, and I teleport everyone back to the manor. Alice and Ryan go straight to the healing wing. I find Calder with my parents and grandmother in the main living room. Carter has to help me walk because I’m weak from the mark and having to teleport so many people at once. Normally it wouldn't bother me, but the mark that is burned into my right forearm seems to have weakened me.

My dad looks at me.

“Not you too?” He asks, sounding frustrated.

“Yes, me too,” I reply as Carter helps me sit down on the couch next to Calder. I show everyone my mark.

“What the hell is going on?” Calder asks. “Why do you have a sword and I have a damn key?”

“I don’t know Calder,” I snap.

I’m tired and frustrated. Carter rubs my neck trying to get me to calm down. I don’t mean to snap at Calder, but I’m irritated. I hate when we don’t know what’s going on. I hate when strange things happen. It’s almost never good. I’m also sick of the endless surprises that keep getting thrown at us.

“This is insane! I don’t like this,” my father declares.

Well, he can join the club, I think to myself. Ivy, Brie, Avery, and Bex walk into the living room and join us.

“So, no one knows what’s going on?” Bex asks. I shake my head no. “Damn it. Well, someone needs to explain this.” Bex rolls up his right sleeve. On his right forearm is the same triangle, but underneath his there is a shield. “I got this just now.”

“Seriously what the hell?” Calder throws his hands in the air in frustration.

“You aren’t going to believe this, but Alice and Ryan have the same mark as Bex,” Brie states. They seem to have gotten theirs while we were still in NYC while they were resting.”

“That just leaves Brie, Avery, and Carter who don’t have marks,” my dad states.

Just then Brie, Avery, and Carter all cry out in pain holding their right arms. After a few moments they too are marked just like Bex.

“You spoke too soon, Dad,” Calder comments.

“How come Calder and mine are different?” I ask.

“I’ll tell you why.” Lynden walks into the room as if we summoned her for the answers ourselves. “I think you all need to sit and listen to what I have to tell you.”

Everyone sits down and stares at Lynden wondering what she is going to tell us. I don’t know how Lynden even knows anything that would be going on, but she says she has answers. At this point, I’ll take what I can get.

Lynden is a smart girl; she wouldn’t play a prank on us. I try to read Lynden's mind when I realize that I can’t. That’s strange. I should be able to read her mind. I read Carter and Mom's mind to make sure I haven’t lost my skill. I haven’t. I can hear their thoughts, but not Lynden’s. Something is very wrong right now. I have a feeling I’m not going to like what we are about to be told.

Everyone is looking at me. I know they are wondering how a sixteen-year-old human girl is going to tell them what they need to know, but the truth is I’m not really human. I’m a special human, one chosen to do great things. I’m connected to the universe, but even more importantly I’m connected to the three beings that control life, death, and fate. I was destined to be an oracle.

I’ve been preparing for this moment ever since I came to the Coven’s manor. I knew that soon I would come here and would have to explain things to Emmy, Calder, the team, and well everyone else that is a part of this.

Ivy is my sister and I love her and right now Ivy is looking at me like I’m crazy. Ivy is always protecting me as my big sister, but what she doesn’t know is that I’m the one who really looks out for her. I have visions of the future along with being all knowing, it’s why I’m so smart, and why the humans think I’m a genius. My purpose is to give advice and help people, but mainly right now my purpose is to guide the team.

“There is no real easy way to go about this so please bear with me.” I sound so mature.

I am mature and I have the wisdom of a damn ninety-year-old human, possibly older. I may look sixteen, but that’s just my body, my mind is a different story altogether.

“The triangle on your arms is the mark of Fate, Life, and Death. They represent the three points of a triangle. The black circle in the middle represents earth. The lines are the connection magical and non-magical beings have to Fate, Life and Death. They are immortal beings, like gods. Each controls time as it pertains to their purpose. Oracles are their messengers. We are connected to these beings. They allow me to see visions of the future, they give me my wisdom, and they will help me guide you all in this important time. The symbols underneath the triangle represent your purpose. Emmy, Calder, and the team are like the three points of a triangle as well. Emmy, you have a sword under your mark; that is because you are the weapon. The weapon that will destroy the Enchantress. It’s why you transform when you tap into your dark magic. Calder, you have a key under your mark; that is because you are the key to unlocking the creature that will help defeat the Enchantress’s army, you are also the only one that the creature will listen to. The creature is a phoenix, and she will be your animal companion. The team all has shields under their marks because they are the protectors of this world. They protect both magical and non-magical beings. Together you all form the Reckoning. You think you came up with that name on your own because you didn’t. It was implanted into your thoughts by me. I can influence people's minds when the Three need me too. The Reckoning is what will save both worlds.”

“Okay let me get this straight. I’m the key to unlocking and freeing a phoenix. Isn’t that a mythical bird?” Calder asks. “Also why isn’t this in some prophecy? The team and Emmy have a prophecy, so why don’t I? In fact, I’m not mentioned in the prophecy about the team, but yet I’m a part of the team, or let me guess that was by accident.”

Calder sounds bitter and I’m sure he is. He is older than Emmy, but he lives in her shadow because she is the Chosen Child.

“The phoenix is real, but they are so rare that only three exist in the world. The one you will find has been trapped in a prison for a very long time. The Enchantress imprisoned the phoenix centuries ago. She cast a sleeping spell on the phoenix and only you can wake her up. There is a prophecy about you, it’s just that no one even knew it was about you, because it was written way before you were born.” I reply.

“What prophecy is that?” Calder counters, and I know he doesn’t believe me.

Calder and I have become close over the last few months. We are good friends and I know when Calder is skeptical of something. Calder is skeptical of most things because he believes that people pity him because of what happened to him. Calder feels he has a lot to prove and perhaps he does.

“The one who has the phoenix’s heart will rule the magical world.” I state.

“What the hell does that mean?” Calder asks.

“It could mean different things, but after a war-torn magical world, I would assume we will need a leader, or perhaps you will be the head of the Reapers Organization. You could even be the one to lead us into battle against the Enchantress. I don’t know the exact meaning to the prophecy, at least not at the moment I don’t. Time will tell as it always does.”

“So, Calder needs to find the phoenix?” Emmy asks.

“Yes, he does. He will need the team to help him. This will be a different kind of mission for the team. The team is used to helping the Reapers or the Warriors, but this time you will be on more of a quest. The location of the Phoenix is not going to be easy to find. The Enchantress will have made sure to not hide the phoenix in plain sight. Besides, I’m sure she will have set booby traps around the location.” I answer Emmy feeling that this is going better than I thought it would, except for Calder, he seems to not be taking this information well.

“Okay so where do we start?” Emmy asks, taking charge for the team as she should since she is their leader.

“You need to meet with Death, Fate, and Life first. I will take you to them in a few days when Ryan and Alice are better. In the meantime, you all should rest and prepare for a not so easy mission. I don’t even know how long it will take you to accomplish this mission. The Three will give you a clue where to start when we go see them. I will do my best to help you with everything that I can. I will be coming on this mission with you. Please don’t worry about protecting me because I assure you, I can protect myself.”

Emmy and Calder go to inform Alice and Ryan what is going on. The rest of the team goes to rest and recover from their last mission. Travis, Gemma, and Vivian go to Vivian’s office where I’m sure they will be discussing this newfound information.

Now it’s just Ivy and I. Ivy looks pissed. Ivy is sitting with her legs crossed and arms crossed against her chest. I’ve been dreading having to tell Ivy about who I am. I don’t think Ivy will understand. She’s a bit overprotective when it comes to my safety. I know she liked the idea of me safe and sound at boarding school.

“When were you planning on telling me all of this?” Ivy demands. She is using her older sister's authority voice.

“I couldn’t tell you, not tell the time was right. Unfortunately, that involved telling when the team found out. I would have told you earlier if I could have.” I keep my voice soft and even.

“Have you even been away at boarding school?” Ivy asks.

She is challenging me with the look on her face right now. Ivy isn’t one to get mad easily, but when she is mad it’s pretty hard to calm her down and make her see reason.

“No. I’ve been training. It’s a type of boarding school if that makes you feel better.”

“No, Lynden, it doesn’t make me feel better.” Ivy huffs.

“I’m sorry Ivy, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to keep this from you till I could tell you. I wish it had happened differently, but I’m not in control of my fate or anyone’s for that matter. I’m simply a messenger for the Three. They keep me safe and protect me. I’ve had plenty of training on how to protect myself along with so much knowledge. Ivy, I know you are mad right now, but I hope one day you will understand that I didn’t deceive you on purpose. I’ve been taken care of. There are others like me, and that is who I’ve been staying with. It’s a special school for oracles and other prophetic people, like the ones who take prophecies down for the covens. I have friends and a great place to live. I’m well cared for, and I love my life. Ivy you have your own abilities, and I have mine. You are a fantastic Warrior, mom and dad would be so proud of you. You use your abilities to help the Warriors and I use mine to help guide those who are assigned to me.”

“You can compliment me all you want, but I’m still mad at you.” I watch as Ivy’s expression softens. “I’m glad you love your life and that you are happy. I just want to make sure you are safe and cared for. If you tell me you are, then I believe you. I swear if something happens to you, I will be kicking Fate’s ass.” I laugh at Ivy’s words. Ivy gets up and hugs me. “I love you Lynden, you are the only family I have left.”

“I love you too Ivy.”

Ivy and I spend the rest of the day together. After dinner Ivy goes to spend time with Alice who is her soulmate, they just don’t know it yet. Alice is great for Ivy. Ivy is uptight and Alice is wild. Alice is spunky, and has no problem calling Ivy out on her controlling ways. Ivy always has to be in control, she has been that way since our parents died. I think because she couldn’t control what happened to them, she feels the need to control everything she can. This is why I always thought it was odd for Ivy to join the Warriors. Ivy’s job is very unpredictable, at least it is when she is out in the field. I know she much rather be an instructor because she has better control over things that happen.

I love my sister even if she gets on my nerves. I know it’s because she cares that she is always in my business which made keeping my secret that much harder. I practically had to beg her to let me go to the fake boarding school out west. I knew I wasn’t really going to a boarding school for smart girls. I’ve known about who I was since I was six years old. I was very good at keeping my secret, because I knew how important it was to make sure no one knew until the time was right.

It will take time for Ivy to fully come to terms with who I really am and what I will be doing with my life. I think part of her hoped I would live a normal human life. Like going to college, having a career, getting married, and having kids. I don’t have a soulmate, and I’m honestly okay with that. I know most girls would be upset, but I’m not. I’m proud to be an oracle, and I've accepted the fact that I will never marry or have kids a long time ago. I know that I will do great things in my life. I’m very self-confident and assured in who I am. I take pride in who I am. I love helping people and helping the team is my first task as an oracle.