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Prologue:

"Once upon a time, centuries ago, the world, like now, lived in peace and everything was fine until one very fine day.

"A group of eight people who call themselves, The Celestial Mortals, demanded that the King of the Luna country were to give them a magical gem of immortal power. However, the King knew that The Celestial Mortals was a group of very bad people and banished them from the land for eternity."

The young girl who had been listening to her mother's tale pulled gently at her mother's long silky skirt. Interrupted, the woman looked down at where her daughter was, seated on the floor with her legs crossed. It seems that the girl had a question. "Why...they...Celestial Mortals?" the five-year-old child asked innocently, gazing upon her mother's face.

"I thought I told you never to interrupt me when I'm telling the story?" the mother spoke softly. "At that time, not many people knew, but it was rumoured that The Celestial Mortals have secret powers!! So many many days after the King threw them out, the eight of them attacked the kingdom. They burned every house and used their powers to execute every single villager alive. The king was very scared, and he called every king in the world to join forces and help him in stopping The Celestial Mortals! This was because they were also planning to destroy many other kingdoms as well, so they must be stopped! On the battlefield, it was only the eight of them versus all of the kings' mighty big armies. There were millions of soldiers gathered at the open field just to battle against them. It was--"

"Not...fair. Eight with many pee-pul!" again the bright child fired a question with a pronounciation error.

"Actually," the petite woman resumed, "it was a fair fight. Remember I said that the Celestial Mortals have super powers? Well, you see. The Celestial Mortals were able to eliminate all of the billion soldiers there all because of their powers! One had the power of fire and he burned millions in one shot, and it was so hot, that the blood of these innocent soldiers was evaporated along in the flames.

“Another had the power of water, and whoever she touches, their bodies will immediately shrink inwards. It was known that she sucks all the blood from the human body, and the soldiers die looking like skeletons! The third one, with the power of earth, could create earthquakes and send spikes flying from the ground without the soldiers knowing. If I'm not mistaken, he could breathe mobility into trees and use them as weapons as well.

“The one with the power of air could suffocate a group of soldiers and suck out all the breathing air around an area. She was also able to blow poison into the soldiers' direction, and they practically died instantly. Number five was the one who had magnificent speed, faster than light itself! He was the best in sneak attacks and killed many in the blink of an eye. The sixth person had two powers! She was able to shape-shift into anyone in the world and she also posses the power of electricity! Don't you know, that's how electricity came about? Anyway, it was always an effective way to freeze soldiers and infect others too. Also, the shape-shift was one of the Celestial Mortals' methods to kill of the main king.

“The seventh is a weapon itself. He could transform his arm into cannons or even a bazooka and fire huge missiles in the soldiers' direction! I heard that he could make it transform at any part of his body, whether it's the arm, leg, face, stomach or even his entire body! It was a bloody massacre. But the one who annihilated the most was the last one. The eighth mortal had the deadliest power. He could just look into your eyes, and you instantly die!"

With the exaggerating tone, the mother pretended to look deep into her daughter's eyes. She could see the girl's eyes widen with fear, but the mother could tell that her daughter would not want her mother's tale to stop there. "The kings grew desperate, and luckily in the midst of desperation, a girl dressed in a beautiful gown secretly came forward to the kings. She claims that she is was actually one of the Celestial Mortals, but betrayed them as she knew that their doings are sinful and wrong. The lady said that she had the power to stop the raging war between them. The kings were doubtful at first because they knew that there were only eight in the enemy's group and not nine. In fact, a quarter of the kings had half the mind to kill her off as they thought that she could be the shape-shifter in disguise.

The girl pleaded and said that if she will cease all attacks from the Celestial Mortals as proof that she is telling the truth. And so, following the girl's orders, the kings commanded every single one of their soldiers left to retreat while the girl walked alone into the battlefield. The kings sat at the edge of their seats, waiting, as the girl vanished in the mist of the air that was filled with the stench of blood. After fifteen minutes, the girl emerged back from the shadows, with the eight of the Celestial Mortals lined up abreast behind her. All of the kings were shocked as the mysterious female traitor of the group spoke, 'To the many kings of Earth, the Celestial Mortals have finally surrendered! Cross my heart and I solemnly swear that these eight will never again attack. They are all now at peaceful terms and are no more dangerous beings. But with this, I implore that you do not kill them for their murderous deeds. Instead, allow them to live among us and let them be transformed into better people.'

The kings were reluctant. Not only were they not told of what the girl did to the Celestial Beings, but they were supposed to be allowing a group of murderers into their society. In the end, the kings gave them probation of ten years to prove themselves worthy. However, after three years, the kings have taken a liking to all eight of them. True to the girl's words, the Celestial Mortals were no more evil. They made friends, helped recreated destroyed kingdoms, did harder labour than others and most important of all, earned trust from many locals and the kings. They were even offered positions in the grand council, but all eight declined, saying that to atone for what they have once done, they will lead normal lives. So life went back to the way it was. And everyone lived happily ever after. The end."

"Bad...twist...what the girl do?" the daughter pouted her lips, angry that the conflict was totally off even though it was a good fairy tale.

"Nobody knows, my dear. It's an extremely old tale. I myself is not even sure if it is true," the mother carried her child into a pink room and tucking her daughter into bed. "Good night, sweetheart. I hope you don't have nightmares tonight."

"Don't worry, mum. I won't," the small girl curled in a ball, and clutched her killer whale toy. "I never have." (end of prologue)

Chapter 1:> I remembered that old tale very clearly. Among the hundreds of stories that my mother concocted for me when I was young, the one that stood out was the one on the Celestial Mortals. Just like all the other fairytales, never once did I consider it true. In fact, to be honest, I've forgotten every single one until what had happen today. The incident instantly reminded me of that story, and right now, I'm wondering whether or not the tale might have actually been true. This was because it had four of the elements inside; water, fire, earth and air.

At approximately ten fifteen in the morning, during six period of my English class, the computer automatically switched on by its own. Throughout the period that I’ve been paying much attention to the professor, Ms Cross did not even go near the teacher’s desk, so that’ll be absolutely no way that she would have switched it on without me knowing. Instantaneously, the screen rolled down on its own as it life had taken over. The monitor quickly flashed up on the screen a visual of the main menu, and by itself, the mouse clicker hovered over the ‘computer’ icon and selected it.

Professor Cross was the one that was the most terrified. When the thing moved by itself, she practically fell from her standing position and almost crawled outside the classroom. I didn’t know how everyone felt, since I was seated in the front row, but I knew that I was sort of frightened as well. Seeing a computer switch on by itself and operating on its own, are not things that you usually see everyday.

A male professor hurriedly through the class door and almost tripped on the scared educator on the floor. His eyes widened when he saw the computer screen and muttered to himself quite loudly to Professor Cross, “Every single classroom has their computers automatically switched on.”

Both of the professors then discussed nosily in front of the class as the computer was stationary at the moment. After it had clicked the ‘computer’ icon, the mouse-clicker was just circling around the virtual page, as if it was waiting for something to happen.

And it did.

About several moments after that, a video materialized on screen. With high colour definition quality, it skimmed through what looked like the institution’s Biology Laboratory. A girl was then shoved into the scene looking bedraggled and injured as she was pressing onto her stomach. The noisy teachers had finally shut up to stare at the screen with us. Everyone froze when the girl on the screen spoke, “What are you?! Get away from me?!”

At first I thought it was some sick joke, a prank, especially when four-hooded figures came into sight. It surrounded the girl in a big semi-circle, leaving gaps in between them that the girl could have used to escape. But she didn’t. Her skinny legs shivered in fear looking straight into all of the four pairs of eyes. Tears streamed down her face as she leaned the wall for support and pressed her hand on her stomach.

I couldn't see the faces of all four of the mysterious figures, but what happened next, made my heart skip a beat. The one right at the end of the semi-circle held out his/her hand towards the scared girl and pressed a finger onto the girl’s forehead. She let a piercing scream, like a werewolf’s howl, as though the impact of the finger was so great and painful.

All of a sudden, a transparent wall emerged from the carpeted floor and trapped the girl inside, as if it was a chamber surrounding her. The girl was trapped! The transparent wall grew until it touched the ceiling, caging her like an animal. Recovering her senses, she pounded the glass-like wall so hard that her knuckles started to bleed, staining the inner surface of the wall. Now, her eyes were really red with pain.

Then one of them spoke. Actually, I wasn’t too sure but since the trapped girl’s lips weren’t moving, so I assumed it was one of the hooded goons. “I assure you. This ice barrier is too strong for normal human hands so I suggest you don’t have to even try.”

“This demonstration,” a female voice from one of the four sounded. “…is a signal to the entire world. The spoken prophecy that was sent down thirty years ago will finally materialize!”

With that, the figure right beside the one who had encaged her, touched the surface of the ‘ice’ chamber. Nothing happened at first, until a mist of purple smoke suddenly appeared inside the chamber. The innocent girl inside, started to cough. She clutched her throat and looked like as if she was choking. Her legs gave way and she fell to her knees, trying to breathe. The violet gas must have been poison, because dark mouldy green patches started to appear on her white arms. “St…sto-h…stop…pleas—”

Before she could finish her plea for help, another figure raised his/her hand up and snapped. In the twinkling of an eye, the girl inside the chamber burst into flames. Her shrieks of agony was horrifying, and chilling, as her body turned into charcoal black almost instantly. The fire blazed wildly within the ice chamber, engulfing her entire body. I could see her soft skin hardened black. The fingers that were trying to claw out of the chamber, broke into pieces of ash and fell miserably on the floor. Her beautiful face dissolved in the flames, as a skull took its place, skill screaming.

Just when I thought I was going to puke any moment, the last figure of the semi-circle, placed his/her hand on the chamber like how the second one did, and a blinding white flash of light shone from inside the chamber. The light that was shining in the girl, grew brighter and bigger until it lighted the whole room. All of a sudden, an explosion erupted.

Chunks of the ice flew in all directions, but none hit onto any of the four hooded figures. The barrier was gone! And so was the girl inside! About ten seconds later of pure silence and no movement, the computer screen turned pitch black and automatically switched off mysteriously again just like previously.

I was practically shivering in fear and gripped the table so hard, that they ached. It was so traumatizing that nobody breathed a word, including the two professors.

I heard someone shouted from behind, “That was so fake! Computer graphics were so obviously used in the clip.”

When he said that, I had somehow relaxed a bit. It was true that computer graphics could generate unreal movements like the flames. I sighed a breath of relief and sank in my chair, glad it was just a fake. Until, a siren echoed throughout the whole institution and the director’s voice boomed into the PA system. “All students are to evacuate the buildings immediately. The video that you have just seen is not a hoax! I repeat all students are to immediately evacuate the buildings!”

As if on instinct, everyone stood up and, made our way outside the classroom. The terrifying feeling that I had just now crept back. It’s not possible for it to be real! It can’t be!

I closed my eyes and massaged my forehead from the headache. The pain was pounding and I was so confused. When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I wasn’t with my classmates anymore. I must have slowed down and they walked first without realizing that I was left behind. I could still see students from the other levels hurrying down to the spiral staircase that was much further ahead.

The corridor that I was on, was empty, probably because everyone had already ascended down the steps. I took quick strides to fasten my pace to the staircase where everyone would be, when all of a sudden, I saw something rolling into my direction in front of me.

It didn’t bother me at first, but when it rolled forward and stopped at my feet, my heart simply stopped beating. I realized that the object was big, and it wasn’t even circular, but rather, it had an irregular shape and it was strangely cold. There, beside my shoe, was the same shade of transparent blue that was on the ice chamber just previously. And inside the broken chunk of what looked like ice, made me choke up a scream in my own throat. It was…the blackened skull of the girl’s burnt skeleton.

Immediately, I couldn’t help but scream and fainted by the shock of the horrific reality that I saw right in front of me.

---------------------------------------------------------------Cast a Spell By Vampyre Tiadora