Callia's Redemption
Chapter Eighteen

I put the stone with the others as I stare after her. Allie stands up and holds me. “Well since you’re stuck with me, I’ll go talk to the Elders. We should be able to get out of here at first light. That’s if they’re cooperating. My guess is they’re likely going to relocate the city.”

“That’s best.” I sigh. “We better get some rest.” Everyone nods as they agree. Allie helps me to my room and lays me down.

“Callia-“ Allie tries to start but cannot finish. Her voice will not follow her orders. Those pesky Spirits.

I put my finger to her lip and stand back up. I stumble down the hall with her, at this point just wanting to go to sleep. I lead her to the meeting hall. She gives me a confused look as I sit at the table. “Shut the door.” I instruct her, knowing we’ll likely get a visitor.

She does so and sits next to me. “What is it Callia?”

I sigh, “What are you wanting to tell me? Are you worried that I’m going to have to die?”

Her eyes widen, “How, how can I ask you this?”

“The Spirit said do not talk about it outside of this room, especially to anyone outside of the room. Since we’re alone in this room it is fine. The Spirits are forceful, but they’re not cruel.” Minus that previous one.

She takes both my hands and looks at me with wide eyes. “Callia, you cannot go into that battle and die. We’ve lost you once and it hurt too much. You cannot leave us.”

I smile, trying to choke back some tears wanting to fall. I truly do not want to die again. “We all die at one point or another Allie. If I can rid the world of these two evils while I’m at it, then I’ll do it.”

“Why? Why must you die?” She’s at tears at this point. “You weren’t going to die last time. You would have succeeded. Even the Spirit had said that.”

“I already told you Allie. I need the Wind Elemental Stone filled in order to succeed. Since that is impossible, I have to go with what I have.” I take the stone out of my chest and show her. “You see my stone? How it’s pulsing ever so slightly?”

She nods. “I do.”

“That is the magic in my stone that is throwing off the magic in the other stones, which is essentially disabling them. The only thing that can enter these stones is Dark Magic since it can absorb all magic. It’s the only magic that won’t be affected by it. Once I activate this stone, nothing will stop it as long as my magic holds out.

“Now there is a very strong key in the magic world. In order for all magic to exist in this world, Dark Magic has to exist. It’s a pesky check and balance system but it has to be there. With this spell, since there is no Elemental Magic to lock onto a specific target, it will drain all Dark Magic. Once Gstalt is drained of his magic, my magic has to stop. In order for it to stop, I have to die.”

Allie starts wiping tears from her eyes, “Can’t you just give up your magic instead?”

I shake my head. “I don’t have that power. The only one that can take my magic is a Spirit. Since they’re not allowed to meddle in mortal affairs that’s not likely to happen.”

“You just can’t die.” Allie breathes.

“It’s not your say little one.” Allie and I look up and see a floating blue orb. I nearly groan. After my last encounter with a water spirit I really want to stay far away from them.

“It’s not fair!” Allie yells. “You allow her to be brought back just to kill her again.”

“This is what her destiny entails. Her heritage makes it so, so it will be.” The Spirit doesn’t sound angry, just patient. It is understanding Allie’s pain, but it’s not budging on my death. Since my death is the topic, you’d think I’d be more vocal about it.

“What do you mean her heritage?” Allie’s on her feet now, becoming more hostile. “She was basically an orphan. She grew up moving from city to city because of her power. Her power isn’t what defines her. It shouldn’t control her life.”

“Yet it does little one.” The Spirit does seem a bit angry now. “Callia was granted her life back for this specific reason. To save your world and ours from oblivion.”

“Hold it,” I say as that piques my interest. “The Spirit world will be destroyed if this fails?”

“Morticious is dangerous Callia. Infinitely more than Gstalt. Once Gstalt destroys the Elemental races Morticious will kill him. Without a dark magic host life will cease to exist and therefore we will too. Morticious doesn’t care about living, he just wants revenge.”

“Wait, Gstalt is the God of Darkness?” I ask, just now letting that click into place. Of course. There can only be one.

“In a way yes. He’s not a God of Darkness, but he holds his power. A new God of Darkness is chosen once all Dark Magic has been removed from the host.”

“Hold it,” I step in before Allie can. “So I can’t just kill Gstalt and get it over with?”

“Do not kill Gstalt, Callia.” The Spirit roars.

“So I have to die, but the bastard gets to live?” I ask for clarification.

“If that’s how you choose to see it. Once Gstalt has been removed of his power you may kill him.” The Spirit allows.

“Well that’s…” I can’t think of another word, so I plop back down in my seat. I look at him as a thought strikes, “Why did you remove my stone, if you knew me sealing that spell would release Morticious into this realm?”

“The Stone was becoming too strong for you to handle Callia. It would have exploded in your chest as you slept and killed you. Since you would have had Dark Magic inside of you, you would be summoned as Gstalt’s soldier of the dead and kill us all.”

“Fair enough.” I say, backing down.

“Callia, give me the Elemental Earth Stone.” It really doesn’t give me much choice as he pops it out of my chest. I roll my eyes as he takes the others and merges the stone with the other Elemental Stones. Both Allie and I jump a little as the stone hums slightly.

“Keep it safe.” The Spirit says quickly as he shoots it back into my chest, the spirit disappearing the instant after the stone vanishes.

I pull the stone out of my chest immediately to see what that was about. Allie and I stare at it, amazed that it’s bigger than expected. It hovers above my hand as it spins, showing more room to store the dark magic. Odd.

“Why did the Spirit leave so fast?” Allie asks as I put the stone back into my chest.

“I don’t know, but I’m suddenly getting the feeling the Spirits aren’t being fully honest with us. I think we need to replace out why Morticious was banished from the Spirit world.”

“I think we better. I’ll do some research on what I can replace out the last time a Banishee was in this world as well. If you remember correctly, the last one to fight a Banishee died as well.”

I nod as I stand. “They all did.” If I remember correctly, the way the Elemental Wind Stone acted to me, Jon said the last one who got that reaction from the stone was turned into a Spirit. If that’s their plan for me, I have some more moves I can make.

Allie takes my arm and helps me to the door. “Let’s get some rest, we have a big day ahead of us.”

I open the door and am met with Garth’s face. I yelp and jump in surprise as Allie pulls me back. “What are you doing here?” We hiss at the same time.

“What were you two talking about in there?” He demands as we move past him.

“Nothing we can talk about,” I sigh. Literally. Garth is starting to get on my nerves. He’s always present and seems to get angrier the more I wonder by myself. I do feel a little mean not telling him what is going on, but I have no other option.

“What is going on? I know you’re keeping something from me.” He grabs my arm. “Look, I swore to protect you. I swore on my life to my grandmother that I would restore my grandfather’s honor. In order for me to do this, and protect you, I need to be kept in the loop.”

I gently take my arm back. “I understand that Garth, I truly do. However, there are things stronger than I that is limiting what I am allowed to discuss.”

“What’s stronger-“ He cuts off right as it hits him.

Allie nods. “Callia will be fine Garth; you just need to trust her.” Allie takes me away before he has time to recover.

“He’s so much like Lee.” Allie whispers as she giggles. “He worried too much and was always so serious.”

“Well he was who the Spirits assigned to protect me, so I at least understood his crazy.” I sigh. Allie kisses my cheek as she leaves me at the door.