Only a little

Annie felt so overwhelmed right now, she did not know what to think at all, one part of her was happy that finally after so long, she was here, in front of what would bring her, her powers back, she could not believe it.

"Umm Curtis, are you sure that we are in the right place?" asked Maddie as she snapped everyone out of their thoughts and they turned to look at her.

"I don't mean to be like that, but that spring or whatever you call it doesn't look magical at all, it just looks like plain old water" said Maddie as Ollie looked at her in disbelief, he could not believe that she was being serious right now, speaking about the eternal waters like that and calling it ordinary.

Maddie didn't mean to me mean, but she found it hard to believe that this water or whatever would solve all of Annie's problems, if you wanted her to believe so, at least like the water glow green or purple or something, or defy the laws of gravity, but it just looked like plain old, ordinary water.

To think that they came all the way here to see this, water flowing out of some hole in a wall, how magical.

"Maddie, have you no respect, how can you speak about the eternal waters, we are in a sacred place" said Ollie as he shook his head.

"Firstly blondie, I wasn't talking to you, and secondly, this place doesn't look all that special and sacred to me" said Maddie as Ollie scoffed, could she be any more worse than she already was.

"Curtis, are you sure that we are in the right place?" asked Maddie as she looked at Curtis.

"We are in the right place Maddie" said Curtis as Maddie sighed, to think that they came all the way here for this, for water flowing out of some hole in the wall, she really didn't want this to be a waste of time.

"So you mean that once Annie drinks from that water she will have her powers back right?" asked Maddie.

"Yes she will" said Curtis as he nodded his head and Maddie looked sceptical.

"Why do you look so sceptical Maddie? We have had several confirmations that, that is what will happen" said Ollie.

"Well blondie, seeing is believing, just saying" said Maddie as Matt looked at Annie who had been quiet the whole time as she looked at the water flowing from the little waterfall.

"Annie, what are you thinking about?" asked Matt as everyone looked at Annie.

"I mean, I don't know, Maddie is right, seeing is believing, how are we sure that if I do drink this water I will get my powers back?" asked Annie as Maddie's words made her to start doubting this whole thing, what if they came here for nothing at all.

"You see what you did now, you are making Annie doubt as well" said Ollie as he looked at Maddie.

"Hey, don't pin this on me, any sensible person will doubt as well" said Maddie as Ollie scoffed.

"Annie don't listen to Maddie, she doesn't know what she's talking about, I am sure that it will work" said Ollie as he looked at Annie.

"Ollie how can we be so sure?" asked Annie.

"Annie, the only way to be sure is to try it" said Curtis as Annie looked at him, she knew that was the most logical answer, but a part of her was scared, scared of what if after everything, it didn't work? She would feel so devastated, so hopeless.

"I know that you are scared of it not working Annie, but you have to try, that's the only way" said Matt as Annie looked at him, he could tell that she was scared.

"But if I do try and it doesn't work, what then?" asked Annie, it was easy to say that this would work when she wasn't here, but now that she was here, she was starting to doubt everything, she could not help it.

Maddie sighed, she felt like Annie's doubt was mostly her fault, oh she and her big mouth.

"Look Annie, don't be like that, you have to believe that it will work, and if it doesn't so what? That won't be the end of the world, because there will always be another way, we can always try something else, and you know that we all will always follow you to the end" said Maddie as Annie looked at her.

"Annie, come on you have to be brave and do this, we haven't come all the way here to waste our time, do you remember all the things that we have been through?? I haven't slept on a decent bed in months, so you better go ahead with this thing" said Maddie as she laughed and Annie laughed.

"So come on Annie, listen to Curtis and let's get this over with, because it's cold up here" said Maddie as she smiled.

"Thank you Maddie" said Annie as she smiled.

"Anytime Annie, now let's hurry up" said Maddie as Matt and Ollie smiled and they shook their heads.

"Curtis" said Annie as she looked at Curtis and he smiled at her.

"Go on Annie" said Curtis as Annie nodded her head and she felt her heart pounding as she walked closer to the little waterfall and she took a deep breath, this was it, this was the moment of truth, everything that they had been working for, hoping for, it would be determined right here, and right now.

Annie took another deep breath as she stretched out her right hand to the little waterfall, she cupped her hand as she felt the shivering cold water drop on her hand.

"Curtis, how much do I have to drink?" asked Annie as she looked at Curtis.

"Not too much Annie, only a little" said Curtis as Annie nodded her head.

"Okay" said Annie as she took another deep breath, she let the cold water fall into her cupped hand as she brought her hand to her lips.

"Here goes nothing" said Annie under her breath as she drank the water and Matt, Curtis, Ollie and Maddie all held their breaths.

"Annie, did it work?" asked Maddie as Annie turned to look at them.

"I don't know" said Annie as Matt, Ollie and Maddie sighed.

"Do you feel different?" asked Ollie.

"I don't feel any differ…" said Annie as she suddenly stopped talking and she gasped as she stood completely still and her eyes were blank with a dead expression in them.

"Annie" called Matt.

"Annie, wait a minute, Annie" said Maddie as she walked to Annie as she touched her as she received no reaction at all.

"Annie, Annie" called Maddie as she waved her hand in front of Annie's face.

"Guys, I think that something is wrong" said Maddie as she looked at Ollie, Matt and Curtis in worry.

"What's wrong with Annie?" asked Matt as he was about to shake her to snap her out what seemed like a daze.

"Wait, leave her alone" said Curtis as they all looked at him.

"Do you know what's wrong with Annie, why she's frozen like this?" asked Maddie as she looked at Curtis.

"If it is what I think that it is, then she's fine" said Curtis.

"And what if it's not what you think it is?" asked Ollie as he looked at Curtis and in the same moment, they all heard what sounded like growling as a big rock was thrown at the wall and broke into tiny pieces.

"What the heck was that??"asked Maddie as she looked at where the rock had hit it had broken into different pieces, that rock had to have been throw at such a fast speed for it to break like that, Maddie didn't know what to think at this point.

"Rogues!!" said Matt as suddenly there came many rogues climbing up to where they were.

"What???" from where??" asked Maddie as she could not believe what she was seeing right now, she had to rub her eyes, Matt was right, there were rogues, coming from everywhere as they climbed up the wall.

"Why are there rogues here all of a sudden?" asked Ollie as he sounded more fascinated than scared, he had not seen rogues before, but he could recognize them with their blood red eyes and shaggy appearance.

"Curtis explanation" said Maddie as she looked at Curtis.

"I don't have an explanation for this" said Curtis as he got his sword.

"But we have to protect Annie at all costs" said Curtis as he looked at Annie who was still as frozen as ever as the rogues slowly made their way to them.

"Oh this is going to be fun" said Ollie as he got out his own sword.

"Are you crazy??? These are rogues!!" said Maddie in nothing but concern.

"I know" said Ollie as he smiled and Matt got his own sword.

"Oh what the heck did we get ourselves into now?" asked Maddie as she got her sword and she sighed.