Chapter 12: The Crystal of Aether
The morning sun hung high in the sky as Evanora, Everett, and the witches of Moonlight Meadows gathered just outside of Astoria’s enchanted forest. The air crackled with magic and anticipation as they prepared for their next mission: retrieving the Crystal of Aether, a powerful artifact hidden in an ancient floating city. Legend had it that whoever possessed the crystal would have control over the winds, an ability Monroe could use to summon catastrophic storms.
“This is it,” Evanora said, her voice a mix of determination and nerves as she held her new wand tightly.
“The Crystal of Aether is our only chance to stop Monroe from unleashing those magical storms. If he gets to it before we do...”
“We won’t let that happen,” Everett said confidently, standing beside her. He gave her a reassuring smile.
“We’ve been through worse. Well, we’ve crashed through worse.”
Evanora smirked, but her brow furrowed slightly.
“I just hope my broomstick cooperates this time. I don’t know how much more of that you can handle.”
“Hey, I’m a pro at falling now,” Everett replied with a playful grin.
“But let’s try to keep the falling to a minimum.”
The other witches, now their trusted allies, gathered around them. Briar, the eldest and most experienced of the group, stepped forward.
“The city of Veloria, where the crystal is hidden, is treacherous. It’s been abandoned for centuries, and its magic has gone wild. If Monroe’s forces are already on the move, we’ll need to be faster.”
Evanora nodded, her fingers tightening around her broomstick.
“We’re ready.”
Briar raised her wand, and a swirl of sparkling wind enveloped the group. In an instant, they were lifted into the sky, their broomsticks trailing behind them as they ascended toward the distant floating city of Veloria.
Everett clutched tightly to Evanora’s waist as they soared higher. His stomach lurched as they broke through the clouds, the ground below disappearing in a sea of mist. “Why do I always feel like I’m one fall away from a very painful death?”
“Don’t worry,” Evanora said with a strained laugh.
“This time, I’ve got it under control. I think.”
Just as she spoke, the broomstick wobbled slightly, and Everett braced himself. But to his relief, Evanora managed to steady it, albeit with a slight jerk. “See? Improvement!”
“Yeah, I’ll believe that when we land,” Everett muttered under his breath, though he couldn’t help but smile.
As they approached Veloria, the city came into view—a massive, sprawling metropolis suspended in the air by ancient, magical structures. Towering spires of marble and crystal glistened in the sunlight, while vines and greenery twisted around the buildings, giving the place an otherworldly beauty. But even from this distance, Everett could see that parts of the city were crumbling, debris floating in the air as if gravity had lost its hold.
“There it is,” Briar said, her voice tense.
“The city’s been unstable for centuries. We need to be careful.”
“Careful. Right. Got it,” Everett said, swallowing hard. He could already sense this wasn’t going to be as simple as grabbing the crystal and flying away.
The group descended into the city, their broomsticks hovering just above the ancient streets. The air was thick with magic, and the sound of wind howling through the broken buildings sent shivers down Everett’s spine.
“We should split up,” Briar said, her eyes scanning the area.
“The crystal is hidden in the central tower. Evanora, Everett, you two head to the tower. We’ll cover the perimeter in case Monroe’s forces are already here.”
Evanora nodded, determination flashing in her eyes. “Got it. Come on, Everett. Let’s do this.”
As they flew toward the central tower, the wind seemed to grow stronger, whipping through the air with increasing intensity. Evanora struggled to keep the broom steady, but just as they neared the tower’s entrance, the broomstick gave a violent jerk, and they plummeted toward the ground.
“Evanora!” Everett shouted as they spiraled out of control.
“I’m trying! I’m trying!” she yelled back, pulling frantically on the broomstick, but it was no use. With a loud *crash*, they landed in a heap of vines and rubble, narrowly avoiding the edge of a broken bridge.
Everett groaned, pulling himself out from under the vines. “Well, that went about as well as I expected.”
Evanora winced as she stood, brushing dirt off her robes. “Okay, maybe I didn’t have it under control.”
“You think?” Everett said, though he smiled to show he wasn’t angry.
Shaking off the fall, they made their way into the tower on foot. Inside, the air was thick with dust, and faint traces of ancient magic crackled in the walls. The tower’s staircase spiraled upward, disappearing into the darkness above.
“This is it,” Evanora whispered, her voice echoing in the vast, empty chamber. “The Crystal of Aether is at the top.”
They began their ascent, the sound of their footsteps mingling with the distant hum of magic. As they climbed higher, the air grew colder, and Everett felt a strange pressure building around them, as if the tower itself was alive.
Suddenly, a loud *boom* echoed through the tower, and the ground shook beneath their feet.
“Monroe’s forces!” Evanora gasped, looking back down the stairs. “They must be trying to bring the city down!”
Everett cursed under his breath. “We need to hurry.”
They raced up the stairs, the tower trembling with each step. As they reached the top, they found themselves in a grand, circular chamber. At the center of the room, floating above a pedestal of stone, was the Crystal of Aether. It glowed with a soft, pulsating light, and the air around it shimmered with the power of the winds.
“There it is,” Evanora breathed, her eyes wide with awe.
Just as they moved toward the crystal, a group of Monroe’s henchmen burst into the room, led by a dark-haired witch with a cruel smile.
“Well, well, well,” the witch sneered. “Looks like we’re not the only ones after the crystal.”
Evanora raised her wand, her jaw set in determination. “We’re not letting you take it.”
The witch laughed. “You think you can stop us? You’re just a clumsy little witch and a tourist.”
Everett stepped forward, his own wand drawn. “Maybe, but we’ve gotten pretty good at surviving.”
Without another word, the fight erupted. Evanora sent a blast of wind toward the henchmen, knocking them back, while Everett unleashed a beam of light that disoriented the dark-haired witch. The room filled with the sounds of spells clashing, the air crackling with magic.
But the fight wasn’t just with the henchmen. The tower itself was crumbling, chunks of stone falling from the ceiling as the city began to collapse.
“We need to get the crystal and get out of here!” Everett shouted, dodging a blast of dark magic.
Evanora nodded, focusing all her energy on the crystal. With a flick of her wand, she called the crystal toward her, and it floated gently into her hands. The moment she touched it, the winds around them seemed to calm, as if the crystal recognized her as its new keeper.
“We’ve got it!” Evanora yelled, clutching the crystal tightly.
“Now let’s get out of here!” Everett said, grabbing her arm as the ceiling began to collapse.
They raced down the stairs, dodging falling debris and spells from the remaining henchmen. By the time they reached the entrance, the city was falling apart around them.
“Broomstick?” Everett asked, raising an eyebrow.
Evanora grinned despite the chaos. “Let’s hope it cooperates this time.”
They leaped onto the broomstick and shot into the sky, narrowly escaping the crumbling ruins of Veloria. The city collapsed behind them, falling into the clouds below as they flew toward safety.
As they soared through the sky, the Crystal of Aether glowing in Evanora’s hands, Everett couldn’t help but laugh.
“Well, that was fun.”
Evanora laughed too, relief flooding her face. “We did it. We got the crystal.”
“Yeah,” Everett said, smiling. “Now let’s go stop Monroe.”