Third Person

The entire group was outside Robert's house, resting underneath the blazing sun. Imogen was relaxing in the beach chair next to Kate, who was showing Imogen pictures of her and Sawyer. Imogen awed, seeing how far they came to be as a couple. Kate explained how Sawyer was always in love with her, but she had her eyes on another boy until she finally came to her senses.

"So you were in a love triangle?" Imogen questioned, tilting her head so Kate could view her eyes that were covered by sunglasses.

"You could say that," Kate shrugged her shoulders and her dimple on full display because of her smile. "I was just rebellious back in those days, but then I fell in love with him." She turned to admire her husband.

Sawyer, Lucas, and Sawyer's son Landon were all playing catch with each other. Sawyer chugged with all his force towards Lucas, nearly knocking the air out of his lungs. Lucas gently threw towards Landon, who cheered when he caught it.

Darius and his partner Julian were training, getting ready for the possible fight tonight. They both were sweating profusely, their gym attire was soaked in their sweat. With every punch, more sweat dripped down their foreheads, but they couldn't rest. Darius and Julian needed to keep Imogen safe, it's all they were asked to do.

Daenerys was inside preparing a fresh batch of pink lemonade for the group. Robert came inside to support his fiance, carrying everything outside. Daenerys carried the large pitcher while Robert helped bring out the glasses for the guests. The group swarmed them like the flock of birds, requesting for lemonade.

"I don't think I made enough," Daenerys said, pouring the last bit in Landon's glass. Landon quickly gobbled it down, causing some lemonade to drip down his chin.

"Drink slowly, Landon! We don't need you choking again," Kate commented, grabbing the glass and lowering away from the little blonde, freckled boy.

"Mommy, I'm thirsty," he complained, crossing his arms across his chest and angrily stomping away. Kate rolled her eyes, following after her baby boy.

"I'm going to go make a fresh batch," Daenerys yelled out to the rest of the group whose glasses were empty. Daenerys walked back inside the house, placing the container on the counter and reached in the shelves for a new package.

Imogen strolled her way towards Lucas; Lucas was in the middle of a conversation with Carter about his homeschool experience. Imogen wrapped her arms around Lucas's waist, tightly hugging him. Lucas stroked her hair, brightly smiling down at her. He intently listened to Carter's story while placing a kiss on her head.

"Yuck, teenage love," Carter commented, having to hold back the urge to throw up.

"You're just jealous because you can't get a girl," Lucas teased, clutching Imogen closer to his chest, and she grinned in his arms.

"I can get a girl! In fact, I went on a date two nights ago," Carter defended.

An arm curled around his shoulders, Carter looked up to see Darius's arm around him, pulling him closer into his moist shirt. "How much did you have to pay to get her to go out with you," Darius chuckled, causing the other two to snicker as well.

"Shut up, Darius! No one asked for your input," Carter whined, pushing his arm off his shoulder and strolled away from the group.

"I better go say sorry to him," Darius said, kneeling in front of Imogen. "I'm grateful to be able to protect you, my chosen one."

"Please, Darius, you don't have to be so formal," Imogen commented, gesturing for him to lift himself back up. He smiled towards her and turned to follow Carter's path.

Imogen bored into Lucas's breathtaking gaze, making her heart flip in somersaults. She bit her lip, lightly swiping her brown locks behind her ear. "Thank you for yesterday. I couldn't ask for a better day," she cooed, snuggling up against his chest.

"All I wanted was to make you forget about everything, even for a few hours," Lucas said, placing his hands on Imi's cheeks and making her face him.

"Well, you succeeded," she smiled, licking the bottom of her lip, her arms secured around him.

"How are you feeling about tonight?" He questioned, twirling her lengthy hair in his fingers, making it get twisted.

"Honestly, I keep forgetting that the ritual is happening later. . . I'm just so happy right now, watching all of us enjoying ourselves," Imogen answered, her gaze shifting to the other group who were all grinning together. "I don't want anything to change. . ."

"It won't. We will have a party tomorrow to celebrate our successes," Lucas reassured his girlfriend.

Suddenly, the radiant sun was covered by an ominous and black cloud. The weather predicted for today to be a sunny day, but abruptly everything changed. The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark and ragged clouds. The wind was sighing and thrashing in the treetops, and boughs croaked. Thunder came marching from far away with increasing tread. Rain escaped the ominous clouds pouring rapidly onto the group.

They all scrambled inside but were interrupted by the group of people covered in black robes. The person in front of them reached out to pull their hoodie down. A tumble of blonde curl fell as she removed the black toque. Her blonde hair was poker-straight and pulled back into a low ponytail. Her pale features were visible along with her sunken eyes filled with anger and revenge. The Hasting family mouth's dropped at the sight of their daughter standing in front of them.

"Emma, honey? Where have you been this whole time?" Her mother Jojo questioned, her forehead creasing from the sleepless nights she spent searching for her missing daughter.

"With my real family," she smirked, making sure to send an arrow into her mother's heart.

Jojo forced back her tears that were begging to come down. She took a deep breath, getting her thoughts ready before answering back to her daughter. "We didn't raise you like this! We raise you to always help the good," Jojo explained, having her husband rubbing her back to console her.

Emma scoffed, walking down the patio's staircase and stopped at the last step. "Taisla is good! She's going to bring sanctuary and peace to all of us! Imogen is just going to bring us down unlike Taisla, she's been practicing her entire life for this!" Emma knowledge the group.

"Oh, honey, you clearly have been brainwashed," Jojo whimpered, letting her tears escape from her eyes and fall upon her rosy cheeks.

"No mother, I haven't. Uncle Lorenzo was right about you," Emma said, looking at her mother with disgust.

Osmin's eyebrows shoot up, trying to process her recent information. "Uncle Lorenzo? You know you're never supposed to have contact with him," her father interjected.

Uncle Lorenzo? Lucas thought maybe what Carter mentioned about having an Uncle was true after all.

"Not my fault that you don't know how to hide your family," Emma shrugged her shoulders, shifting her gaze off her parents onto Imogen and Emma's younger brother. "Good thing you're here, Taisla asked for you," a devilish smirk was plastered upon her washed-out face.

Lucas pulled Imogen against him, pumping his chest out to intimate his sister and trying to protect Imi from any harm. The only disadvantage was that Emma had super-strength just like he did, meaning he couldn't use it against her.

"Please don't do anything stupid. I wouldn't want to hurt poor old Drew," Emma raised her brow, intently observing Imogen's reaction.

Imogen tensed up against Lucas's body. The thumping of her heart against her chest vibrated in her ears. Imi couldn't hear her rapid breathing but could feel the oxygen flooding in and out of her lungs. For a second she thought everyone was safe, only to come to reality that no one was safe.

Fear tortured her guts, churning her stomach in intense cramps. The fear was her challenge and her demon to slay for it would torment her until she completed it. The only way out is to order this brain to function, to demand solutions instead of this crazy-making circling anxiety, she thought. Imogen has the option to stay still and let the others do the fighting for her, but she choose to go fight instead.

"Are you ready, my dear? Taisla is waiting," Emma asked, pulling her hand out for her to come to grab.

"I'm ready," Imogen exhaled, starting to walk towards her only to be stopped by Lucas's hand. Darius and Julian stepped in front of Lucas, ready to protect the chosen one at all costs.

"No," Lucas said, fearing what will happen if he lets his girlfriend leave with his sister. Imogen's eyes widened, shifting her gaze between the two siblings.

"I wouldn't. No reason for you and your friends to die too," Emma threatened, having her fellow members stick their palms up, and in seconds fireballs appeared.

Imogen's legs trembled, forcing herself in front of Lucas and clutching onto his shirt. "No! Lucas, Darius, Julian, it's fine," Imi stared up at her boyfriend who couldn't tear his gaze away from his sister. It like his body was shocked to the core, unable to move any of his limbs.

Darius and Julian backed down just like she asked.

"It's fine, it's fine, I'll go. No one needs to get hurt. . . There's no reason for you to get hurt," she breathed, admiring her boyfriend's features for possibly the last time.

Imi wrapped her hands on his neck, bringing him down to her height. Imogen felt the urge to do something, to comfort him but also herself. She pressed her lips onto his, felt his body loosen and his arms fell by her waist. The kiss was only seconds long but still made their hearts skip a beat. "I love you," she whispered, keeping a smile on her lips to reassure him.

Lucas's lips trembled, finding the strength he needed somewhere inside of him. He swallowed the lump in his throat along with the tears, placing his hand onto Imogen's. Gripping tightly, enjoying her warmth. "I love you," he whispered back.

Eyes closed, bodies flushed together, they kissed each other like two dying people desperate for life. Their bodies reacted like they always did, their heart beating in a wild hysteria just like all the days they spent wrapped in each other's arms. Shaky breaths, as they parted, leaving their foreheads connected for a few seconds.

Lucas narrowed his eyes towards his sister, wanting to bury her six feet under. Lucas refused to look away, even as his lip trembled and his shoulder heaved with emotion. His dark lashes brimmed heavy with tears; his hand clutching hard onto hers.

"Close your eyes," Imogen whispered, causing Lucas's gaze to shift to her. A lone tear traced down his cheek, and just like that, the floodgates opened. Imogen's heart ached, feeling hopelessly useless. She nodded and repeated, "Close your eyes."

Lucas stared at her, taking in her beauty one last time. He swallowed the lump in his throat and proceeded to close his eyes. Imogen exhaled, slowly walking away and removing her hand from tender hold.

And just like that. When Lucas opened his eyes; she was gone.

-----

A concrete wall was all Frankie could see. She's been tied to the table for over a day. Her wrist ached against the metal handcuffs. She hated them before and hated them much more now. Frankie's stomach grumbled, her mouth dry from the lack of water. Today was the ritual and Frankie was stuck here, unable to free herself.

She spent most of last night trying to break her legs free. Her whole shirt was drenched with sweat from all the exertion. After countless hours of tugging, the knot hadn't budged, still intact as Katherine had just tied it. All the frustration caused Frankie to sob and her limbs ached with passion.

It's a new day.

Frankie had to do everything in her power to free herself and go kill Taisla. The sudden creaking of the stairs captured her attention. Frankie's eyes wandered to the door; have her prayers been answered? Several moments passed and nothing, Frankie laid her head back onto the ground and held back the tears.

"You have no time to cry, Franks," she whispered to herself.

"Frankie? Why are you tied to the table?" Rebel questioned, rushing over to her side.

Frankie leaped up, meeting his gaze. "Thank god, you're here," she beamed, shaking her feet and feeling the path to freedom just moments away from her. "Can you untie my feet, please! We have to go warn the others. Drew has been brought to Taisla, and he's in danger."

Rebel started trying to untie the knot. The knot seemed like it was professionally done it; it seemed impossible to untangle. "We know. Taisla sent Emma to take Imogen," he acknowledged her. Rebel placed his teeth on the knot, thinking it could help untangle it.

"And you let her take Imogen? Why? We still haven't figured out a way for her to live through this," Frankie commented, watching the boy untying one of the knots.

"Imogen volunteered herself so no one else would get hurt," Rebel answered, getting the final knot untangled. Frankie scratched her legs, noticing the rope marks around them. "I came here to pick you up and get ready for the ritual."

"What are we going to do about this?" Frankie asked, looking at her hands. "Katherine took the key with her and I can't use magic unless these are off."

"Maybe we can get Robert's witch to unlock them before everything goes down," Rebel said, picking himself off from the floor. He dusted off the dirt and reached out for Frankie. She gladly accepted his hold and used it to lift herself. "Let's grab all the grimoires and head out."

"Sucks to be you. You're stuck with two horrible soulmates," Frankie joked, following him towards their bed, which had the books stack next to them. However, one book was missing but Frankie and Rebel haven't seemed to notice.

"Look who's talking! You're stuck with Drew," he teased back.

"Touche."

---

Stars shone as sugar spilled over black marble, glistening in the sun. The night sky was such a welcoming sight, appearing like magic at each sunset, promising to return as she faded in dawn's first light. Our eyes are as bright as the constellations above; our stardust atoms seeking the stars until they can bathe in the light of the sun.

This was the type of dark that occurred in a complete solar eclipse, blocking out the light, the noise, the feeling of being, leaving everyone in the silence of serenity, if only for a few seconds.

Imogen took tentative steps down the dark path Emma led her down. Emma led up the mountain to the area where the original ritual had taken place. Imogen was driven by her fear, her primal brain taking control. Every noise like a gunshot in the night and her mind leaped at even paranormal explanations.

The path was filled with pebbles, causing Imogen to stumble upon them several times. Imogen's right foot twisted, causing her to tumble and latched onto Emma. "God, I can't see anything," Imogen grunted.

Emma pushed her shoulders back, making Imogen let go of her. Emma waved her hands, making it go upwards while chanting ancient words in her mind. Suddenly, the fire appeared all around them and made the path clear.

Imogen gasped, glancing down at the pits of fire that surrounded her. Imi glanced back at Emma, who continued down the path which was inches from ending. "You're a witch too?" Imogen asked, trying to regulate her breathing from the sudden shock the fire caused her.

Imogen glanced down at the end of the path, noticing a body laying down on the floor faced away from them. She stopped short, trying to recall why those brown locks looked so familiar to her. His body looked as if they flung it onto the floor. His brown locks were all disheveled, he was still wearing the skin-tight black shirt along with his matching ripped jeans.

"Drew?" Imogen said, rushing down to his body. She kneeled next to him, shaking him vigorously. "Drew, Drew! Hey, Hey, Drew!" Imogen kept shaking him, but he didn't react at all. Imogen feared the worst, placing her hand on his neck and checking for his pulse. Imogen exhaled once knowing that his pulse was still intact but why wasn't he responding.

"What did you do to him?" Imogen accused, her demeanor changing from a calm one to agitate one. While Imogen was checking on Drew, Emma wandered off to the manmade lengthy podium reaching up to her waist.

She placed her grimoire down and glanced at Imogen. "Calm down. He's sleeping," Emma answered, seeking through the pages of the grimoire. This grimoire was unique, with only five copies that the most powerful witches' families kept.

"Then why isn't he waking up from all the shaking," Imogen questioned, her eyebrows shooting up. Imi glanced down at Drew's chiseled features.

Of course, Imogen still hated the boy for what he caused the day earlier. However, she still cared about him and wanted him to be kept safe along with everyone else. If for some reason she died later, she will hate him for the rest of eternity.

"He's under a spell," Emma replied, waving her fingers and causing the boy to suddenly shoot up.

Drew frantically searching around his surrounding, trying to recall the last place he was. With Frankie, he thought. While panicky, looking around and moving around, his hand landed on another's hand. His head shot to the side, noticing Imogen's delicate features next to him.

Suddenly, Drew was blinded with flashing colorful spots and craved darkness, quiet, and stillness. The nausea was overwhelming him and he turned over to the side, releasing the food that he had eaten. Pain was throbbing violently around his skull that he wondered why it didn't just crack open. Imogen rushed to his side, rubbing his back and looking away from the throat that landed on the floor.

"Oh, my head," Drew complained, cleaning the leftover vomit on his lips with his sleeve. "What's wrong with me?"

"Do you remember what happened?" Imogen asked, her worried eyes on full display.

"All I remember was talking to Frankie and Katherine barged in. She threw me against the wall and everything was black after that," he explained. "Where are we? What happened?" Drew hysterically said, looking around to only see endless trees surrounded them.

Imogen gently grabbed his trembling hands, trying to calm his nerves. "We're at this mountain called 'Mystic Peak' where the ritual is taking place. Taisla brought us here," Imogen informed him.

"Why don't I remember anything?" Drew asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Because I place a spell on you. One spell causing you to forget what happened before this and the second one will eventually kill you," Emma interrupted.

"Why are you killing him? I have done everything you asked," Imogen added, staring towards Emma. Emma crossed her arms on her chest, smirking while looking at Imogen. Imogen stood up and started walking up to where she was standing. With a flick of Emma's hand, she sent Imogen flinging back onto the rough ground.

Imogen screamed as her body landed on the dirt. Immediately, Imi forced herself up, trying to dash back towards her again. But before getting any further, Emma chanted a spell causing a ring of fire around Imogen.

Imogen gasped at the sight of the ring of fire confiding her in. Eagerly, Imogen tried pushing herself through the fire but was pushed back by a dominating force. Not only was force holding her back, but the fire grew higher.

"Don't bother trying to get through. I spelled the circle you're trapped and only people I allow can enter. No matter what you do, nothing can get you out of there," Emma answered, wandering down to Drew.

Imogen's blood pumped faster, watching Emma's deadly stare, making her feel uncomfortable. Drew was on the ground, aching and screaming every step closer she got. "Please just-- Just let him go," Imogen pleaded, tears forming at the brim of her eyes and threatened to escape.

"Taisla chose him," Emma answered, a devilish smirk plastered on her face as she grabbed a wailing Drew by his collar. Brutally dragging him to the corner of the mountain near her podium. Her hands raised again causing a ring of fire to erupt from the earth enclosing Drew in it. Drew's eyes were wide in horror, glancing over to tearful Imogen.

"It's going to be okay, It's going to be okay," Imogen assured but she knew things were going to get worse. Drew shook his head, feeling the urge to cry building up in his eyes.

Emma glanced down at her watch, checking the time, and making sure everything was going to plan. Her eyes shifted from her watch and up to the sky, checking for how close the eclipse is from occurring. "Everyone should be here in 3..2..1," Emma said, glancing up to see Imogen's crew emerge from the forest.

"Let them go," Robert said, holding his fiance's hand in his, she tenderly rubbed it knowing it will console him. Lucas and Imogen made eye contact, and both of their hearts leaped for each other. Imogen worded to him 'I will be fine' but the fear written all over her face said otherwise.

"Stop trying to be Mr. Braveman," Emma whined, rolling her eyes at his ludicrous demand. Suddenly, the sound of branches breaking caught everyone's attention. A smile emerged on Emma's face as she turned to face the path. "Finally, Taisla! You were getting pretty close there," Emma said, pointing at the moon that was gradually getting covered with every minute that passed.

Taisla's group were all wearing black ropes, looking like a cult as they traveled down closer to the other specials. The main leader placed her arm, making everyone else stop behind her. Emma strolled over to join them, kneeling down before her master. Taisla touched her head and Emma jolted up, moving to stand next to her.

"We finally get to meet the great old Taisla," Carter chimed in, pushing his glasses back. Sinister feeling surrounded them along with silence. Taisla's group all pulled down their hoods, revealing their faces to everyone. However, Taisla's hoodie was left on, making everyone in impatient. Everyone wanted to know who the mysterious woman was that was threatening Imogen's life.

Slowly, Taisla's hands reached up to her hood, haltingly bringing it down. Her hair flowed down her back like black ink of a tilted piece of parchment paper. Her hair was so black against her pale skin. The shock and contrast only served to make her all the more ghostly, all the more haunting. Her eyes were almond shape and had an icy greyish-blue hue like the clear sapphire ocean.

Everything about her looked way too familiar to Imogen. Imogen's hand covered her mouth as she released a gasp. The reality made Imogen's legs go weak, her stomach to lurch and her heart ached. Her hands trembled as she reached up to wipe the tears that flooded down her eyes.

It can't be... It can't be... She thought.

"Mommy?" Imogen cried.

Her icy blue eyes shine brighter at the sight of her daughter crying. "I prefer Taisla," she smirked, one of her eyebrows raised.

OH MY GOD! So now you know who Taisla is!!! I tried leaving some foreshadowing clues on who would be Taisla. The next chapter is when everything goes down! So I hope your excited and ready for it!

Was anyone able to guess who Taisla is?

How would you feel if you were Imogen?

How did you feel about Imogen and Lucas moment together ?

What do you think will happen in the next chapter? Love to hear your theories!

Thank you for reading and LOVE YOU!