Aeternum Chapter 8

I watched in awe as the candle I held in my palm sparked to life. The elegant flame began to swirl like a mesmerizing, beautiful dancing woman. Burning away into the night, signifying passion and bravery. Like Brutus. And yet engulfed in its trance, I tried to caress it and it lashed out and prickled my finger. Reminding me that as hypnotic and graceful fire is, it can also destroy anything in its path and scorch and sear a man's flesh and bone. Like Brutus. Flash backs of brutal jaws snapping around a neck and an eerily snapping noise fill my mind. I placed the small flame in front of me and look up at the circle as the others place their lit candles in front of them. We were all praying and (Megan especially) trying to send some courage to Brutus. Nathan stared lifelessly and his flickering flame, his face set into stone. I think I'd only heard him murmur one or two words after the night Brutus was arrested. That was days ago now. Megan was sniffling away tears as she held her hands either side of the candle, little webs of blue magic fed the flame making it grow then shrink and change color. She had bags under her closed eyes from sleepless nights spent desperately draining her magic on spells to save Brutus, but so far nothing. Ellie had her head bowed and was chanting lowly some prayer in Latin. I felt a smile tug at the corner of my sad lips, normally Ellie was quite masked and at a first glance some people had her down as bitter and self centered. But whenever we prayed or did something meaningful or traditional, her true caring and gentle nature showed.
"Salvum nostra nobilis frater." She whispered before looking up. Her sad eyes met mine as she asked
"Any new ideas?"
"Not yet, it's getting there that's the hard part. Once were at the Ghoul Realm the prison is right in front of us, and even sneaking by the guards- I'm sure Megan could use some kind of magic to get passed them. But there is no way to actually get to the Ghoul Realm" I sighed in despair.
"Portal to hell." Nathan croaked beside me.
"Nathan, only Nikita has access to the portal." Megan said gently.
He shook his head and said quietly "Haven't you noticed? When Nikita steps into the portal it takes a minute or so for it to close. If we could somehow lure her here- we could follow her back."
"And how exactly do you plan to bring her here?" Ellie sighed.
"Maybe I can help with that." Mr. Draco's nervous tone sounded from the doorway.
"Sorry to interrupt your prayer circle, but I do believe I could bring Nikita to the school. The rest of your plan... I don't think I need to know about. I think it's best if I just inform you myself and Nikita will be having a meeting tomorrow night. It's a regular check up, since certain events have occurred." He paused to do one of his famous awkward chuckles. "You might also be interested in knowing she is  very good time keeper, opens her portal to leave at 6:45PM sharp, every week.
"Wow...Mr. Draco, thank y-" Megan began.
"For what? I just came in here to see if you kids were ok." He said bemused and winked at us before leaving via walking through the wall.
"Where do ghosts mail their letters?" Nathan said smugly.
"What?" Ellie said giving him a weird look.
"At the GHOST office." He laughed. "See what I did there?"
"Oh Nathan, not your crappy jokes again." I tried to pull off a serious voice, but I was so glad to see him back to himself- I couldn't help but laugh.
Later on that night we had planned everything down to every little detail. All that was left was a way to get past the prison Defenders.
"I was thinking, what if we wore a disguise? It's a risky idea but there's a potion I can brew that'll make us look like someone else. Defenders, for example." Megan chirped.
"Like polyjuice potion from that human movie, Harry Potter?" Ellie sniggered.
Megan death stared Ellie and through gritted teeth said, "One word for you Ellie. Twilight."
Ellie hissed and retracted away from the group sulking on her bed.
Megan just rolled her eyes and sighed "Yes actually it's similar. We need to get a hair or a nail, part of whoever's body we want our own to copy. It'll last for hopefully 24 hours but we should be careful because it's risky."
Nathan nodded "I'm in. If it wears off in the middle of busting Brutus out, Megan can just take her wand and zap the Defenders."
" I don't just 'zap' with it Nathan that's highly propit-" Megan snapped.
"Okay!" I sighed cutting her off. "I think that's it then, Megan can do the potion tonight and I'll help her. Nathan I have no doubt you know where to get weapons and anything we can use to defend ourselves.  Ellie I think you should get something to eat, Brutus is bound to be in pretty bad shape and I don't want you getting all creepy when you see him bleeding so go fill yourself up. But take Emma with you or something" I trailed off awkwardly.
"It's okay Kate, I don't mind taking someone with me- it's understandable after last time." She giggled before heading out the dorm.
Nathan stretched out his arms and yawned, " I think I'm gonna go see Katniss after I get the weapons. In case anything bad happens to me tomorrow, I want to make sure I give her a night to remember me by." He laughed at the end.
"Oh Nathan that's so gross. I do not want a picture of you and Katniss doing it in my head dude." I groaned.
"No one said you had to, it's obvious you have some uncontrollable attraction for me. But, Katherine you have a girlfriend. I just can't ruin that baby, I'm sorry." He sighed, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Totally, it's so hard to keep my hands off you." I said, my voice filled with sarcasm.
"Speaking of Emma, why don't you sneak into her dorm tonight too? This whole fatal adventure gives you a chance to get some action." He laughed while waggling his eyebrows.
I stared at the floor trying to stop my cheeks from flushing. I could feel his eyes searching my face, and then I heard him howl laughing.
"You've totally done it with her already haven't you! I knew it. Wait until I tell Ellie that I found out before she did, oh she will be so mad." He sniggered.
I rolled my eyes grinning at him, then chucked a pillow at his face.
"Oh get out of here and get those stupid weapons." I muttered.
"You're not denying it" He laughed even harder.
"Okay! Yes, we have. Satisfied? Now go." I said shoving him towards the door, laughing.
I turned towards Megan smiling sadly.
" I know what you're thinking, it would be even funnier if Brutus was here, but he will be soon. We'll get him back Kate, you know we will." Megan murmured.
The following night we were  on our way to Mr. Draco's office with our plan and everything ready. Ellie gently knocked on his door and from the inside we heard his nervous voice croak
"Come in!"
The four of us quickly stepped into the room and shut the door.
"Oh it's just you lot. Nikita is going to be here any second, quick hide!" He whispered, sweat beading on his forehead.
Megan pulled out four potion bottles and handed them to us, I swallowed it quickly and wrinkled my nose at the herbal taste as it slithered down my throat. I felt a tingle rush from my toes to my head, and when I looked down my entire body was invisible. I couldn't see the others either, although if I squinted my eyes I might of been able to make out Megan's shadowy outline.
There was a brief tap on the door and without waiting for a reply, Nikita swept into the room. At the sight of her soulless eyes I hid behind the curtain for extra measure.
"Is everything under control?" She sighed at Mr. Draco, boredom filling her voice.
"Y-yes your majesty. You're public example has taught our students a valuable lesson." He croaked.
"Yes, yes but what of the Katherine girl? That bastard child of Victoria." She pressed, her claw like fingers gripping his desk.
"She's very quiet, I can't say I've seen her much..." He fumbled for an answer.
The queen leaned back hissing, "I'll break her soul if it's the last thing I do."
She turned around, murmured some Latin words into the air, and dragged her hook like finger downwards. The air rippled slightly then split revealing a bubbling red sky, and heat waves blurring my vision of the stony prison ahead. She stepped inside and sighed,
"If any news comes of the girl, please do tell me otherwise I might have to vent my frustration on you instead."
She then walked away until she was out of sight.
"Quickly!" Megan hissed handing us the antidote for the invisibility potion. We swallowed it then hurried into to portal.
"TRAITORS!" A voice cracked behind us. I whipped round reaching for the gun strapped to my leg an-
"Oh Melvin it's just you. Get out of here, this doesn't concern you." Ellie sighed.
"You're going after the Queen! If you want to get to her you have to go through me first." He yelled, pushing out his chest and standing up taller.
"What the hell Melvin, we're just-" I started.
"Ok." Nathan said and punched him square in the face. Melvin crashed to the floor unconscious, a trickle of blood seeping from his nose.
"Was that really necessary Nathan?" Mr. Draco groaned from behind Melvin's body.
Nathan just shrugged and smiled sheepishly.
Mr. Draco rolled his eyes and sighed "Go on before the portal closes. I'll take care of this, good luck kids. I know you'll bring Brutus back safely. But... be careful, don't underestimate Nikita."
"Don't worry sir we won't let you down." Ellie murmured.
We then all stepped further into the Ghost Realm, and watched as the portal fizzled and sealed back up.
We turned to face the ominous prison in the distance. I could hear the screams and cries of pain even from this far away. The thought that Brutus was in there made my heart pang in agony.  An eerie silence fell over the prison, and in that fraction of a second a lone scream pierced the night. It was one we all recognized...
"Brutus!" Nathan cried.