Chapter 11
Spending a couple days relaxing and getting to know the witches and wizards, the group decides it's time to figure out what is happening and what they need to do. Lenora with a withdrawn face steps into the group's room of caves. They all stop talking and feel the somber feeling blow through the air. "What's wrong?" Jack said. Lenora drops her head and tells them about their parents and the Alphas. The capture, the double cross and about how Sebastian was the one to incapacitate them. She apologized for his role in their capture but told them it's not his fault and he's being controlled by a magic collar. "They are called the Magic Hunters. We Travelers have been running from them for our entire lives, we have no sane way of stopping them. They capture and kill or enslave us."
The kids quiet after hearing everything on top of what has already gone wrong, sat down and huddled close together for comfort. Alex coming out of his reverie first Asked Lenore what they were supposed to do, they were just kids and while very capable had only known peace since birth. Harper chiming in "What about the rest of the clans!? They need to be warned and go into hiding or something." "Don't worry dear we have people approaching them as we speak to get them to safety." Lenore had sent people out the first moment the kids had landed but liked them and wanted to let them recuperate before they were thrust into danger and hiding.
Sam always analysing conversations grabs Lenore's attention. "You said you didn't have any sane ways of stopping them, what crazy ways do you have? Could we help get our parents out?" Lenore, surprised by her conviction froze and tried to figure out a way to keep these kids safe in her head. The twins Austin and Rachel, now always present by Sam and Alex, now decided to add to the conversation. "She is talking about going back in time" Austin said "To the beginning, when Humans and those with magic lived peacefully and helped each other. When..." Lenore needing to stop the twins cut them off before they could put crazy ideas into these young ones' minds.
"That is enough for now! Why don't you go and get ready for dinner while our guests do the same. We can talk more another time and let you know how we are going to help your…" Barbarus Lenore's youngest student bursts in "They have escaped! they have the prisoners and are jumping from the building as we speak. They need help and we need our orders." Lenore, tired of all the interrupting, gets up and leaves in a rush of magic wind, having it propel her to the meeting area where she starts dispatching witches and wizards to aid The Walkers and the prisoners.
Jack taking the time to categorize and go through all the information sat with Lucy to the side. The others grouped together and tried to figure out what they should do and why, very worried about their families and friends. Jack coming to a conclusion stands and everyone quiets down. "Alright here is what we are going to do. If the Travelers succeed in getting all of them we help in whatever way we can but wait for my father and the alphas to guide us. If they can't and they fail… We need to do whatever we can to make this right. Too many lives have been lost and we were raised for this." After his little speech no one talked in the silence. They still didn't know what to do until the Travelers came back.
Austin thinking on his feet told them to follow him and raced out of the room. Stopping in a room they had never been in before, the group started asking questions all at once and Rachel yelled above them to scream at Austin. "WE CAN'T BE IN HERE YOU DOLT! If Lenore finds out she will make us leave, we won't be safe outside of the group." "they need to see this! If the Travelers don't succeed we'll know right away and can go back in time and save the day. We can finally be a help to the Travelers and to the shifters." Not having an answer to Austin Rachel throws her hands up and stalks to the back of the room, She can be mad at him but would never desert him. Austin touches the watching well in the middle of the room and the kids are shocked at everything they see and how it plays out.
With only the four of them left on the roof and the Vampires Lee looks around and says "This was too easy, Why haven't they tried to stop us yet?" Henry in his eloquent accent with a slight brogue stepped up and pointed into the sky. "Apparently they are waiting for something Mr. Walker. We thank you for your help but will be leaving now." Quicker than the eye can see the Vampires jump off the roof and flee into the forest. "So much for their help." Barbie says a little stiffly. Seeing the army of attack helicopters coming from the distance the four jump off as one and land in the snow.
As they hit the snow the wind starts to pick up and snow starts to fall, all the shifters lift their noses and smell the magic in the air. Someone is creating a storm and before Lee can give instructions,Riding out of the trees on brooms came hundreds of witches all chanting and pouring more magic into the air. One slows and drops to the ground in front of Lee. "Hello Mr. Walker, my name is Lenora Zora. My people and I have come to save you and bring you to your children. They are safe and so are your clans, if you come with us we will cover you and lead you to our haven." With too many people to watch over Lee agrees with this woman but keeps his body ready in case of treachery. Xavier watching from a helicopter smiles at his fortune and tells his attack squad to hound them but let them go in the end, we'll get what we need.
Trudging through snow four feet high and wet the group finally makes it to the entrance of the travelers cave. Lee bringing up the back of the line turns around to look out at the storm. Thinking he hears something off he walks a couple steps out and tilts his head to get a better sense. As the storm starts to die down he hears a whoomph whoomph whoomph and an explosion of air. His body reacts as his mind catches up that they found them and shot rockets at the cave. He grabs the last 6 people in front of him picks them up and jumps through the opening. People get thrown every which way as he barrels through them, the blast hits seconds after and the cave entrance collapses. As the sound slowly fades the people around him can hear other explosions in the distance. The Magic Hunters have trapped them in and collapsed the caves.
As people assess themselves for injuries Lee finds his wife in the corner of the cave where a doorway once stood. She is trying to pull rock away but nothing gives. Alice turns at his approach and starts crying. "Barbie and Preston were the first through, They had to be crushed by the collapse… I don't know what to do Lee ``''I'm so sorry baby but they could have made it though, if not they are gone, we have to look out for those that need us now. We will remember them and come back for them later when we can." Alice cried for a few more moments and with a force of will dried her eyes and put on her Alpha face "Find me that Witch, I have some questions for her."
Seeing the two clans Alphas disappear, The Walkers trapped and the Witches in jeopardy above the mountain caves, the kids fight off the urge to freak out and ask the twins if there is a way to get to their parents. The twins share a pained look and shake their heads. Austin speaks for them "We are at the center of the mountain, the tunnels are mostly destroyed and they are miles away. If we stay here we will run out of air and food. I… I think our only option is to try and fix this, but… We might die there too."
As the two groups regroup and plan for what's next Lenore and her people are in a battle for their lives and are losing. Above the mountain caves the Travelers lose the storm magic and get strafed by machine gun fire. The Helicopters that disappeared earlier by the storm were really under an invisibility spell by Sebastian. As he dropped the spell the Magic Hunters killed with abandon. The Travelers not having the time to protect themselves dropped like flies. Lenora's heart breaking with so much death, she pulls her broom up and out of range taking as many who will follow her.
Sebastian seeing her attempt to escape leans out and sends a magical message that appears in her pocket. Then he defies the collar and creates a giant EMP Magical Wave that hits the Helicopter Fleet and sends them crashing to the ground. The last thing he sees is a small group of Travelers getting away before he blacks out from the pain.
Lee and Alice find multiple caves off to the side of their new prison with Traveler kids and non-combatants. They spend the time to comfort those that have been hurt with the collapse and ask for their leader. A Woman who smells of Lavender and has a strong feeling of magic steps forward and says "My name is Sunny Waters." Lee and Alice look at each other at the mention of the woman's name and she laughs. "I know it's not common, my parents were really into the hippie movement." Chuckling Lee and Alice immediately liked her, introducing themselves they immediately got down to business. Once everyone was up to date on what was happening Sunny stopped the flow of the conversation. "Before we go any further we need to spread out some food and make sure those you helped escape get what they need. We can figure out what to do next when everyone is full and resting." Knowing she could look as young as she wanted to but chose a grandmotherly look Lee knew not to fight her on this and just said "Yes ma'am" with a smile.