It was quiet in the forest near the beach. Ash rested unconscious on his back with his hand on his belly and knees bent. To give him confidence, Breena visited him from the heavens. Their encounter was a little bittersweet though.
A blue spirit orb floated down from the treetops, and from it came Breena’s voice, “Ash. Ash, please wake up.” The orb stopped next to him, and like Matt on Emilee and Jesse’s island, it took on the form of a beautiful, young fairy who was not the age she was when she died. Just like her brother, she had aged but in spirit form. This was Breena. She had always been the big sister – six years older than Ash, and they looked almost exactly alike. She had long, beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes. Like Ash’s, her ears were long and pointy. She was dressed in a white, medieval-style dress with a gold band under her breasts, gold wristbands, and brown, medieval-style, strappy shoes. A blue diadem rested over her forehead. She looked like a princess crossed with an angel. Silvery-white fairy wings glistened behind her back, but they couldn’t be seen very well. They were there though. The young woman was outlined by blue as a sign she was just a spirit, but even as a spirit she was able to touch Ash’s skin. She couldn’t be there for long though because she was dead. Her brother was alive. Breena got down on her knees and took his arm, “Please, little brother.” Finally, Ash stirred and moved the arm she had a bit. He recognized that voice. It sounded like his sister was right next to him. She was. Very slowly, he opened his own blue eyes, and the first thing he saw was her blurry face. “Ash,” she repeated, “Can you hear me?”
“Breena?” he feebly asked. Her blurry head nodded. The young Wizard Fairy immediately felt around for his glasses. Feeling them, he picked them up and slipped them on. His eyes widened at the now clear vision of his beautiful sister hovering over him, “Breena.” She feebly smiled and took his hand, helping him sit up. She then got down on her knees in front of him, and Ash slowly got up on one knee. Closing his eyes, he reached for his head again. Breena felt absolutely awful right now. She wanted to help him, but she knew couldn’t. The only thing she could do was give him words of wisdom.
Makenna Delling and Silvey soon appeared at the top of a sandy hill, and their mouths dropped open at the sight of the beautiful, young woman hovering over Ash. Who was she? Makenna didn’t like her at first. She thought she was alive and that she had appeared from out of nowhere. Glaring, she started forward, but Silvey stopped her. Makenna peered down at her, but then she looked at Ash and Breena again. She and the fairy dog stayed dead silent and just watched.
Ash slowly removed his hand from his head and opened his eyes. He looked Breena straight in the face.
“Oh, Ash, I’m so sorry,” she apologized, and she lowered her ghostly head, “I wasn’t with ya when ya got this concussion. I couldn’t help ya. I’m such a rotten sister. Ah dinnae kin who I am anymore.”
Makenna and Silvey kept their distance. Wow, this was amazing.
Breena kept on trying to apologize, but Ash interrupted her, “Breena. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I should have been more careful. I really appreciate ya staying with me during this struggle though. It proves to me I’m not alone.” He was trying to speak to her without tearing up.
“It’s not just that.” Breena spoke in a choked voice, and she looked up again. Lifting her hand, she took Ash’s hood and pulled it off his head so she could see him better. A zephyr blew his long sideburns, and he listened carefully, “You have grown into such a handsome, young man, and I haven’t been with ya in person during your whole journey, from annoying, little brother to brave warrior. Please forgive me, Ash! Please!” Ash stared gloomily into her face, but he said not a word. Hearing his sister’s voice felt like a knife had just stabbed his heart. It was heartbreaking to hear she was depressed. He watched as spirit tears ran down Breena’s cheeks, and she yelled, “I just left you to die with broken wings! I wish I was here with you!” With that, she burst out sobbing and fell into Ash’s arms.
He rubbed her back and hugged her, “It’s okay, Breena. I wish you were here too.”
Where Makenna and Silvey stood, Makenna rubbed a tear from her eye and whispered, “Gee, they remind me of Caleb and I.”
As soon as she got there though, Breena had to leave. Another zephyr blew a group of flowers in her direction and started to circle her. The two were forced to let go of each other.
Ash’s sister floated back up towards the treetops, but he refused to let her go. Jumping up, he grabbed her hand and tried to pull her back down, “No!” By now, he was crying too, “Don’t leave me again! I can’t succeed in this mission without you, Breena! Please don’t leave me!”
“I’m so sorry,” she choked out as tears continued to run down her cheeks.
“Breena, no!” Ash yelled, and he forced himself to float up towards the treetops with her. Under his grip though, his sister’s hand vanished, and she turned back into a spirit orb. Ash ended up falling, and he crashed into the sand and grass. Makenna and Silvey wasted no time. They hurried to him, and Makenna took his arm. With tears streaming down his own cheeks, Ash yelled at the spirit orb that soon vanished, “No!” He collapsed back onto the ground and landed face first. The young man sobbed into the grass.
Makenna helped him up again and patted his shoulder. She literally had never seen Ash cry like this before. He reached into his pocket and drew his sister’s slingshot, hugging it to his chest. Makenna soon took his shoulders and pulled him into a hug, but she was nervous he wouldn’t hug her back. He did though. The teenage Wizard Fairy wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder. Silvey wrapped her feelers around his arm and rubbed up against him.
“Shh, it’s okay, Ash.” Makenna comfortably told him, “You still have Silvey, Harmony, Tracey, and I.” She and Silvey closed their eyes, and they together shared the emotional moment with Ash. What happened here was proof that he and Breena were very close to each other.
Makenna’s words helped him get in control of himself, and he hugged her tighter, “Thank you, Makenn.” The Metamorphic Fairy nodded and let him go.
Pulling him to his feet, she said, “For now on, Ash, we are not going to get separated. Do you have the instructions?”
Entire face red, Ash rubbed his eyes and pointed to the letter which rested in the grass, “It’s right there, but I can’t look at it. Something happens whenever I do.” He watched as Makenna approached the paper and picked it up. She brushed the sand off it with the help of Silvey’s feelers. Behind, Ash grabbed hold of his hood and pulled it back up. The hood was the only way how he could shade his face and prevent another searing headache. He honestly did not feel like himself today, especially after that encounter with Breena. He wanted to sleep – he was tired, but he knew he couldn’t. Not now at least.
After brushing the sand off, Makenna faced him and examined the piece of paper, “There’s nothing on here about where to find that scroll! What sort of cheap trick is this?! Right, Ash?” When she looked up she saw that he was staring at something beyond her, “What are you staring at this time?” Ash gestured with his chin for her to turn around. Intrigued, Makenna did. She smiled at what she saw. It turned out that she and Ash had stumbled upon a beautiful, little stream with a pool, rocks, and a small waterfall. It reminded her of the place where she found the Crusha Fruit.
Makenna’s fairy instincts pulled her in the direction of the stream. Something told her that this was where she and Ash would find the scroll. The young Metamorphic Fairy reached for her friend’s arm and grabbed it. She pulled him right to the stream and let him go.
Ash ended up falling to his knees because his head started to bother him again. The waterfall wasn’t the only thing they found at the stream though. There also was a stone path that was outlined by shells. The path winded around the waterfall and led to two larger pools behind it. At the ends of the pools, up a small flight of stone stairs, was a fairy sculpture/fountain surrounded by two small waterfalls. The sculpture showed a sprite leaning against the steam of some concrete flowers. Palm trees danced in the breeze above her and provided her with shade.
“Wow.” Makenna whispered when she peered over the first waterfall and saw the fountain, “Just how much more is this island hiding? Ash, I feel that that fountain is where we’ll find the scroll.” She jumped when she heard a small cough behind her and turned. Ash still rested on his knees on the ground. Drawing Crusader, he leaned against her as an attempt to stand but quickly fell again. Just seeing her friend in this condition, Makenna decided to move on forward and retrieve the scroll herself. Ash needed to rest a bit, but he refused when she approached him and told him what she thought was best. He was desperate to not let Selene, Merlin, and Breena down.
To stop him from standing, Makenna took Crusader away and shook her head.
This made Ash upset, and he reached for her, yelling, “Crusader!” but the Metamorphic Fairy slapped his fingerless glove.
“No, Ash!” she announced in a stern voice, “You’re not going to come with me! I’m sure your sister is thinking the same thing! You need to sit down for a bit and let me take care of the scroll! You’re going to hurt yourself even more if you try to help! I honestly have no idea why we didn’t wait until after the doctor checked on you! You haven’t even taken your medicine yet! No wonder you’re in such pain!” This was interesting. For the first time in forever since before Breena died, Ash was being bossed around by a girl. He didn’t say a word.
He went mute for a little while. Makenna sighed and gave him his sword back, “Now I’m going to run on ahead and get the scroll. You on the other hand, I expect for you to sit here until I get back. Just watch. You’re going to feel a lot better if you rest for just five minutes. Five minutes is all I’m asking from you!” The Metamorphic Fairy huffed and turned on her heel. It was revealed here that Ash still had a little bit of his annoying little brother personality still in him. He didn’t know why, but for some reason, Makenna reminded him so much of Breena. He did not feel a romantic love towards her, but more a brotherly-like love instead. Just as he did so with Breena in the Highlands all those years back, he stood up and started to follow Makenna. With hope she wouldn’t notice him, he stayed quiet.
She didn’t see him, but she knew he was following her. The Metamorphic Fairy growled and clenched her fists. Turning, she snapped at Ash, “Just what do you think you’re doing?” This was a bit of a cute moment. Since Makenna was a big sister herself, she treated Ash in a sisterly-like way. This reminded him of a time in the Highlands when he followed Breena to an abandoned castle from Celt Village, the village his family retreated to when the feud broke out. Literally he could still hear the bagpipes in the background when they left – bagpipes because a few Celtic fairies had put on a show.
Ash stopped when Makenna snapped at him but waited until she was on the move again to continue following. He definitely still had a bit of his annoying little brother personality left. This right here proved it. Makenna sighed and turned to him again. Why was Ash being so annoying all of a sudden? Assuming there was nothing she could do, she finally let him tag along and gestured with her head. He smiled and immediately joined her. The two stood side by side and headed towards the stone path that would lead them to the fairy sculpture and scroll. While they walked, Makenna glanced at her friend and asked, “Promise me you’ll rest a bit after we find the scroll?” Ash didn’t need to say anything. He responded by merely nodding and sauntered completely synchronized with her. Makenna glanced at him again, “Thank you,” and the two together stepped onto the stone path.
The day finally was starting to wake up a bit more now. Coutarine Island was first and then finally Emilee and Jesse’s island. Tracey, Merlin’s apprentice, woke up on the floor of Matt’s room with a blanket over him and tried to think back to what he saw overnight. He thought he saw a ghost, and then everything turned white. Hiro had left the room, and the door to the hallway was wide open. His nostrils picked up the scent of bacon down in the kitchen, and he couldn’t help but to lick his lips. The young fairy leaped to his feet and took the sling off his arm. It felt better today. Matt’s ghost actually did something to it overnight so that it healed faster, but Tracey was totally unaware. He rubbed sleep from his eyes and held his ninja star at the ready when he stepped into the hallway in case there were any ghosts around. Finding the stairs, he took them down into the hallway next to the kitchen. When he reached the bottom, he heard murmuring coming from it. Emilee and Jesse had gotten up before him and were chitchatting.
Emilee served her husband an omelet for breakfast since he didn’t eat bacon and said, “Here you go, sweet grass.”
Jesse hid behind a newspaper but dropped it when he saw the omelet, “Thank you, Emilee.” He set it down in a chair next to him and stuffed his napkin into his shirt. He wore it like a bib. “Ah,” continued the older man, “my extra cheesy spinach omelet. One of the best meals anyone can have in the morning.” Tracey didn’t step into the kitchen at first only because he still was a little nervous around these humans. He hid behind a wall and silently peered into it.
The couple didn’t notice him.
Emilee walked past her husband and patted his shoulder, “You need to eat every last bit, sweet grass, so you can have the energy you need for you know what.”
As soon as she said that, Jesse’s face dropped, “I know, Emilee, but look at me.” He set his silverware down and put his hand on his head of gray hair, “My hair’s all grayed up, and I get these aches and pains in my back. I’m growing old. I don’t know if I want a party this year.”
Emilee gasped, “Orlando Jesse Freeburg! How could you say that?! We are not going one birthday without a party! Right, Hiro?” Hiro stood over at his food and water bowls and looked up from having a sip of water.
Jesse sighed gloomily, “I know, but still. If you’ll excuse me. I need to relieve myself of my old man water. You also have a guest standing just outside in the hallway.” Wait, how did he know that Tracey was out in the hallway? Did he see him? Jesse stood from his seat and shuffled in the direction of the closest bathroom.
Once he vanished, Emilee chuckled and placed her hand on her hip, peering in the direction where Tracey hid, “You can come out, Tracey.” Tracey gulped. He then built up his confidence and stepped into the kitchen. At the sight of him, Emilee smiled and Hiro hurried to his side. “Good morning,” the old woman soon said, “Did you sleep well?”
“I guess.” Tracey shrugged and froze on his tracks. He had a feeling that if he told her he saw a ghost during the night, she wouldn’t believe him.
Emilee had set up a seat just for him in the kitchen and sauntered over to it, “That’s good. Don’t be shy. Sit.” Hiro used his nose to push Merlin’s apprentice towards the seat. He had no choice but to comply. Nervously sitting in the seat, he placed his hands in his lap. The last time he had a meal with someone, he made a fool of himself. Images of that night at Makenna’s house clouded his brain. He had to act as human as he could. He couldn’t let Emilee and Jesse know his true identity. He didn’t know they already knew he was a fairy though. Emilee shuffled over to the refrigerator once he sat and opened it, “What would you like to drink? We have orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, tomato juice, and milk.”
“Um, or-orange juice please.” Tracey stuttered. Emilee nodded and pulled out the carton. With it in hand, she started in the direction of Tracey. He couldn’t help but to ask once she got there, “So, um, what’s the deal with Mr. Jesse today, ma’am?”
“Just call me Emilee,” she friendlily spoke. She started to carefully pour the orange juice into his glass, “Oh, you know. He’s all depressed about turning sixty-six today. He thinks he’s too old for birthday parties.” After serving Tracey his drink, she screwed the top of the carton back on and set it down where he could reach it. Next, she picked up his plate and approached the stove where breakfast sat in some pans.
“Sixty-six?” asked Merlin’s apprentice, and glancing at her, he smiled, “Oh, he has years ahead of him! My master is 1,004, and he’s still juggling, riding around on a unicycle, and befriending pretty girls.”
Emilee’s eyes widened. “1,004?” she asked, “Um, humans don’t live that long, young man.”
This time, it was Tracey’s eyes that widened. “Really?” he asked, and he slapped his palms on the table, “Boy, do I have my human years wrong.”
Emilee sighed and finally decided to ask him something she meant to ask the night before, “Tracey, I have a question for you. Well, a few questions.” She pulled some eggs onto his plate and next put some bacon on it and a croissant. Then she returned to him and set it down in front of his face.
Tracey feebly smiled, “All right. Hit me, and thank you for the food.” Emilee nodded and pulled out the seat next to him. Sitting down, she offered him her hand, and he took it.
The two met eyes, and Emilee took a deep breath, “Dear child, do you have a family? Anyone else besides your teacher?”
“I have friends.” Tracey answered. Just at the thought of Gina, Makenna, and Ash, his face dropped.
“That’s not the same.” Emilee told him, “I mean, do you have someone who never leaves you?”
Tracey thought for a moment, “Hm. Well, Sensei did leave me for a month so he could deal with that business on Coutarine Island. He told me to stay behind and train.” Emilee nodded to show she understood.
Her next question was a little more personal, “Ha-Have people been nice to you?”
Tracey froze for a bit when she asked this, “Um, no. Not exactly.”
“What do you mean ‘not exactly?’” Tracey let go of the old woman’s hand and sat back in his seat.
He didn’t want to tell her, but something inside told him he could trust her, “There was this really mean guy last year! Peter Nelson I think was his name. All I remember is getting slammed up against some lockers, punched at the pep rally, and getting caught in a net. When I woke up, I was in ICU.”
Emilee’s jaw dropped, “ICU?” Memories of Matthew flashed in her brain, “Oh, my God.” How could somebody bully a sweet boy such as Tracey? No wonder he was nervous around humans. That was all she asked him on that topic though because she noticed he was getting a little uneasy. Her final question was a clarification question. Taking Tracey’s hand again, she took a deep breath and asked, “Tracey, are-are you a fairy?” The second she mentioned ‘fairy,’ Tracey felt something, an aura.
This time around, he refused to tell her the truth, “No. No, I’m not. That’s crazy. Fairies don’t exist.”
Emilee saw that he seemed a little upset, “I-I’m sorry. Did I offend you? I asked you that because you have the attributes of a fairy. Just a second ago, you said that your master was 1,004 and that you’ve got your human years wrong! That’s more than enough proof!”
Tracey turned really mean all of a sudden. Standing from the table, he said in a loud voice, “I’m not a fairy, all right?! All of that is just gibberish – fairytales! If this is all you’re going to be asking me while I’m here, then I might as well just leave! Thank you for the hospitality, but I have a mission! I have to get to the Bermuda Triangle, and you can’t stop me!”
“The Bermuda…?” Emilee asked. She gasped, “No! Tracey, wait! The Bermuda Triangle has Hell written all over it!” Tracey though stormed out of the kitchen and hurried to the laundry room where he found his apprentice uniform. Quickly changing into it, he crumpled up Matt’s pajamas and threw them into a laundry basket. As he pulled on his boots, the black mark of Poseidon’s trident re-appeared on his arm. When Tracey looked up, he saw Emilee. She stood in the room’s doorway with a look of sadness on her face. “Tracey, stop!” she begged, “You don’t want to go to the Bermuda Triangle! The Bermuda Triangle is Hell!” Tracey didn’t listen to her. Without meeting her eyes, he shoved by her and hurried towards the haunted house’s front door.
He pushed Emilee so hard that she fell. There definitely is something going on with him, she concluded, He definitely is a magical being of some sort. I have to stop him from traveling to the Bermuda Triangle!
Tracey threw open the front door and jumped out onto the lawn. Outside, unlike Coutarine Island, it was cloudy – not sunny. The young apprentice sprinted in the direction of the path that led to the ghost town and beach. Stopping for a bit, he glanced back at Emilee and Jesse’s house one last time. Then he took off running again.
Emilee appeared in the doorway holding his shuriken that dropped when he pushed her down. “Tracey!” she yelled, and her eyes landed on the path.
All Makenna Delling could do while she and Ash walked on the stone path towards the fairy sculpture was stare. This may be her only time on Coutarine Island, so she had to take in as much of it as she could. The two turquoise pools surrounded either side of the path, and their waterfalls roared gently. Ash stopped for a bit behind Miss Delling and glanced into one pool at the swimming fish. Sticking his fingers into it, he let them nibble his skin. After playing with the fish, he chased after Makenna again.
Stopping, she sighed and admitted, “Ash, I think it’s safe to say that your annoyance level is officially caught up with Caleb’s. No offense.” He wasn’t offended. Breena used to say very similar things. That was just another reason why Makenna reminded him of her.
The two fairies soon made it to the flight of stairs that led to the fairy sculpture, and Makenna whispered, “Wow.” The waterfalls made music and rainbows. Makenna, Silvey, and Ash together climbed the stairs and stared at the fountain. “This is it,” continued Makenna, “This is where we’ll find that scroll with whatever in it. It’s beautiful. How do we retrieve it though?” Just before she could try something though, dark energy flowed throughout her body. “What the?” the Metamorphic Fairy asked.
“What’s wrong?” Ash questioned.
Makenna shook her head, “I feel something. Something very unsettling. My fairy instincts are speaking to me.” Dropping her wings behind her back, she passed the sculpture and approached one waterfall. The teenage fairy lifted her hand and held it up to the water. “What do I feel?” she asked it, “I feel that…” A few seconds later, Makenna Delling gasped. Her wings shook with fear, and she peered over her shoulder to Ash who had approached her with Silvey. “Tracey,” she frightfully told them.
Merlin’s apprentice reached the ghost town before Emilee did. He sprinted through it as fast as a ninja and ignored the lighthouse’s beam that hit him again. Young Tracey hurried in the direction of Ronda’s raft and the ocean. The Octopus Man’s mark glowed fiercely on his arm. He hopped over a bench and focused his attention on just the Bermuda Triangle, where he felt he belonged. The closer he approached the water, the brighter the trident glowed. His entire body was soon outlined by a black light with some red splotched in it. When he reached the beach, he stopped right at the waterline and closed his eyes. The ocean was extremely rough right now. Lifting his foot, Tracey kicked Ronda’s raft aside so he could see it more clearly. Aside from the black surrounding his body, the outline soon flashed blue.
Emilee’s voice was soon heard behind him, “Tracey, wait!” Wind blasted hers and Merlin’s apprentice’s hair. Emilee stopped just behind his back and placed her hands on her knees to catch her breaths. When she did, she stood back up and told him, “You can’t do this! I don’t know anything about the world of magic, but I can assure you that the Bermuda Triangle will not solve your problems! I don’t want to lose you the way I lost Matthew! Matthew died after sailing into the Bermuda Triangle where his sailboat wrecked! He washed up onto our shore, and we had to rush him back to the mainland! Tracey, please! Think about this!” Lifting her hand, she shakily reached for Tracey’s shoulder. Just before she reached it, he snatched her wrist and whirled around! Emilee yelled and quickly pulled herself free. She was too late. The Octopus Man had taken control of Tracey’s body. He opened his eyes, but Emilee didn’t see the golden brown. Instead, Tracey’s eyes mimicked the Octopus Man’s eyes. They glowed blue.
Emilee again yelled and fell back onto the sand. “He’s under a curse!” she concluded.
This was it.
With eyes still glowing, Tracey lifted his arms like he was fighting against tough gravity and used dark magic to summon an ally. “You can’t stop me from flying to the Bermuda Triangle!” he shouted, “I forbid it!” Lowering his arms, he glared at Emilee. Behind him, the ocean water bubbled. A huge, fifty-foot tall whirlpool shot into the dark sky. Eight, Kraken-like arms escaped it. Emilee watched frozen as the arms wrapped around the whirlpool. The water then was sucked away, and it revealed the Kraken – the real Kraken! Not even a mirage like what Makenna witnessed. Its humanoid form landed behind Tracey and roared.
Emilee screamed at the sight of the alien-like monster, “Tracey! No!” Clenching his teeth, Merlin’s apprentice lifted his hand and pointed it at her as an order for his ally. At his command, the Kraken leaped over him and landed right in front of the old woman! It hit the ground with so much force that she was thrown into the air. Emilee crashed into the sand but amazingly was unhurt by the fall. She wasted no time though. Hopping to her feet, she ran back in the direction of the ghost town. She couldn’t run for long though because she wasn’t as young as she used to be.
The Kraken chased her, and Tracey followed it by using magic to fly. It smacked one tentacle through a line of old buildings and knocked them down. BOOM! It even took off the top of the well! Emilee definitely wasn’t safe in the town’s streets. She didn’t want hers and Jesse’s house to get destroyed too, so she hurried to the abandoned fair, where the Ferris Wheel was, and threw open the gate. The woman dove behind a stand and brought her fist to her chest, inhaling breaths of air. This had to be a dream. It wasn’t though. Emilee pinched her skin, but she didn’t find herself waking up in her bed. For about a minute, it turned quiet. When she managed to catch her breaths she peeped out from the stand. As soon as she did, the Kraken’s four eyes and oval-shaped mouth jumped in front of her, and she screamed again. Emilee barely missed an incision on her arm from its claws by rolling out of the way. She next hurried towards the Ferris Wheel. While she ran, she peered up to spell-struck Tracey and yelled, “Tracey, stop! This is not who you are! You’re under a curse!” Tracey didn’t hear her.
He instead again yelled, “You can’t stop me from flying to the Bermuda Triangle!” Then just like, he ordered the Kraken to destroy the Ferris Wheel. It listened to him since really Poseidon was ordering it around. The Octopus Man literally was in Tracey right now. The Kraken lifted two of its huge, powerful tentacles and broke the Ferris Wheel with one strike. It crashed into the ground, seats flying everywhere, and Emilee yelled. The force of the collision threw her towards another stand and caused the ground to shake. The Kraken’s four eyes landed on the exhausted, petrified woman and glowed up just like Tracey’s. It started towards her but suddenly stumbled backwards and screeched in pain! A sudden axe had struck it right in one of its tentacles! While it pulled it out, Emilee got up on her behind and looked in the direction where the axe came from. She managed to smile a bit when she figured out what happened was an act of true love. The axe came from the powerful grasp of Jesse! He stood behind the destroyed Ferris Wheel and was armed with three knives.
Jesse was up in his lighthouse when he saw Emilee run onto the beach to confront Tracey. Like her, he witnessed him summoning the monster and wasted no time to run out here and save his wife.
After removing the axe, the Kraken broke it into two and glared at him. “Leave my sweet grass alone!” Jesse shouted at it, and he chucked one of his knives.
“Jesse!” Emilee shouted, “Jesse, move!” The knife Jesse threw struck the Kraken in another tentacle, and it screeched for a second time. Emilee was forced to close her eyes and cover her ears. Stumbling backwards, the monster tripped and fell hard on the ground. Trails of blood escaped its gashes, and it attempted to push itself back up. While it was down, Emilee had the chance to run towards her husband.
He drew another knife and pushed his way through the debris of the Ferris Wheel. “Emilee!” he shouted while he ran, “I told you we couldn’t trust that boy!” He was talking about Tracey.
Emilee knew he was, but she tried to protest, “No, you have it all wrong! He’s under a curse! We have to snap him out of it!”
Things only got worse from there. Just before Emilee and Jesse could make it to each other, the Kraken jumped up and shot one of its tentacles towards them!
The tentacle wrapped around Emilee’s ankle and pulled her down! “AHH!” she screamed as she clawed at the ground.
“Emilee!” Jesse yelled, “No! Let her go, you big bully!” Diving forward, he slid on the ground and reached for his wife’s hand but missed it.
“HELP!” she screamed. The tentacle moved up to her belly and dragged her into the air.
“No!” Jesse yelled again, and he used another knife to stab the creature again. It screeched but didn’t let go of Emilee.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she was pulled towards the ocean, “JESSE, PLEASE!” Her eyes landed on Tracey who launched tons of different spells towards him. One spell shot him into the air and caused him to crash through a stand. He hit the ground with so much force that his world went black. Happy birthday, Jesse. “JESSE!” Emilee shouted one last time when she saw him. The Kraken held her up towards its oval-shaped mouth and chomped at her. “TRACEY!” she yelled at Merlin’s apprentice, “Snap out of it! This is not who you are!”
Her voice hit him hard. Tracey suddenly stopped attacking. He froze the spell in his hand and closed his eyes. The Kraken also froze but did not let Emilee go. She frightfully stared at Merlin’s apprentice. Did it work? Did she snap him out of his trance? She didn’t. When Tracey opened his eyes again, they still glowed blue, and he shot the spell into a building. That building fell on top of another one and caused a huge bang. The Kraken pulled Emilee and Tracey to the ocean and created another whirlpool. This whirlpool was a portal to the Bermuda Triangle. Ronda’s raft was picked up and thrown into it. “Remember who you are!” Emilee shouted at Tracey as ocean water sprayed her. Her voice again hit him hard, and this time, it actually worked in terms of snapping him out of his trance. He closed his eyes for the second time as the Octopus Man’s spirit left him. He fell unconscious towards the whirlpool, but Emilee grabbed him.
The Kraken started to pull them into the portal. Fortunately, it was escapable, but a sacrifice had to be made. One victim would escape the Triangle’s evil clutches while the other traveled to the Triangle itself with the Kraken and Poseidon. More images of Matt invaded Emilee’s mind. She didn’t need to think this over – she had had her share on this Earth. Tracey hadn’t even hit twenty yet. Still holding onto his hands, her eyes rolled down to Ronda’s raft that floated directly under them at the edge of the whirlpool. Ocean water trickled down her face as the Kraken tightened its grip on her. “I’m going to let you go, Tracey!” she yelled at Merlin’s apprentice, “Hold on!” Without one more thought, she let go of his hands. The cursed fairy fell and landed right on Ronda’s raft on his back! Crash! He did not wake up. As Emilee drew closer to the portal, she continued to yell at him, “You can make it! You can make it, kid!” Ronda’s raft started to spin as well as Merlin’s apprentice. The sail flapped wildly in the wind.
Emilee watched as her new friend turned smaller and smaller, but the raft moved in the direction of safety. Before she knew it, the Kraken’s humanoid form pulled her into the portal, and she disappeared with a final yell. The whirlpool blew up like a bomb had hit it, and Ronda’s raft went flying. A miniature tsunami crashed into Emilee and Jesse’s sailboat and pushed it up against a few broken buildings. Its sail cracked and fell on top of some debris. Jesse remained unconscious in the abandoned fair. Rain poured down, and everything turned silent once again.
Merlin the Great woke that morning to a great disturbance in his heart. His apprentice – he felt it, something had happened. The great wizard reached for his hat and grabbed it, but he didn’t put it on. He tried to rise to his feet, but the disturbance forced him to plop down on a driftwood log. He reached for his heart and closed his eyes.
Raeven the Megabat soon approached him with Gina and asked, “Are you all right, oh great and powerful Merlin?”
“Are you having a heart attack?” Gina asked next. As soon as she said that, she felt the same great disturbance Merlin felt. Gina’s beak dropped open. “Tracey,” she whimpered. She should have never left him alone! Terrified, the tern peered over her shoulder at the ocean.
Raeven flew in front of her and landed on Merlin’s shoulder, “I also took a few therapy courses for bats, so you can talk to me.”
Merlin just stared at him, and then he finally spoke, “A feeling, Raeven. My heart is telling me something. Something terrible just happened to my apprentice.”
“Try communicating with him.” Raeven suggested, “Trust the Megabat, Merlin! I know what I’m talking about! Tracey’s fine!” Merlin didn’t believe that. He didn’t feel that Tracey had died; he felt that the Curse of Poseidon had claimed victory over him. The old man followed through with Raeven’s suggestion though.
Dropping his hat on his lap, he held his hands in front of him and called him, “Tracey, this is Merlin. If you’re there, say something.” A bright, holographic light appeared over his palms. Merlin begged to see his apprentice’s face in it, but he didn’t. “Tracey,” he called again, “this is Merlin the Great! If you’re there, say something!” Tracey’s face still didn’t appear. By this time, Gina was gone. Flapping her wings, she flew off and soared over the coral reef in the direction of the ocean. Behind at Merlin’s camp, he kept on trying to get in contact with his apprentice, “Tracey! Tracey, say something! It’s Merlin!” Raeven noticed a few tears glistening in the old man’s eyes. It was useless. He could not get in contact with his apprentice. Giving up, Merlin watched as the holographic light disappeared over his palms and quickly turned his head to Raeven, “Raeven, we have to find him! Tracey is in grave danger!”
“But there’s only one way how we can.” Raeven explained, “Remember?”
Merlin nodded, “I do. There’s only one fairy who can tell us. The Wizard Fairy. We’ve got to hurry to where Makenna and Ash are. Tracey’s death is getting closer every day as well as the fall of our two worlds. It’s time we stop goofing off. Get your sea wings on, Raeven, and follow me. We’ll probably run into Selene and Dr. Snugglekins on the way to Celt Tip.” With that, he picked up his hat and placed it on his head. Standing, Merlin the Great started forward, and Raeven followed close behind. Behind them though, they were unaware that they were being watched.
Alice hid behind the trunk of a hanging palm tree and peeped up from it. She had woken up just a short time ago, so she was still in her in her blue PJs with anchors on them. She let her family be while they worked on their boat and explored the beach for a bit, just to get dragged into Raeven and Merlin’s conversation.
Fear wiped across her face like windshield wipers, and she asked, “Wizard Fairy? Celt Tip?” Her last question had a huge arrow of fear stuck in it, “Death?” She had to find out more! As quiet as a mouse, she hopped over the palm tree and chased after the great wizard and Megabat.
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