C17 Animation of Normalcy

Theo squinted at the sun streaming through the window. She felt her eyes widen - it was brighter than she'd ever seen, as if it wanted to reassure her that life would go on despite yesterday's events. With a deep sigh of resignation, she got out of bed and got dressed.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Caleb stood silently with a plate in his hands. Danny's voice echoed desperately in the emptiness, trying to fill it with stories that no one could hear apart from Theo.

“We should get to school,” Theo said softly, breaking the stillness.

Caleb slowly nodded, taking his time before putting down the plate and heading to the car. His gaze was heavy and intense as he got behind the wheel. The tension in the car was palpable as they drove away. Theo felt her heart pounding, knowing something big was coming at the end of this ride. She held onto courage and determination like talismans against anything that might come their way - together, they could make it through anything!

Theo dragged her tired feet back to school, with Danny following a few steps behind. Everywhere she went, the young woman had hawk-like eyes watching her every move, as if the campus were a battlefield.

"What sort of horrible crime did I commit," Theo fumed under her breath, "to be treated like a prisoner walking an electric fence?"

Way Onyx strutted into the cafeteria and plopped down in the chair next to Theo. "What's up, JoJo?" Way exclaimed, giving her a friendly nudge.

"Oh, you know…just trying my best," JoJo replied with a forced smile. She cast a glance at Theo, who seemed unusually quiet today.

"What's up with you today, Theo?" Way said as he snickered at the clear tension between them.

JoJo rolled her eyes and muttered, "Just ignore her."

Theo shrugged and replied, "It's nothing, just feeling a bit off today."

Way and JoJo continued their conversation, their voices growing increasingly louder as Theo sat alone at the table with her tray of food. She picked at it absentmindedly as her thoughts roamed in circles.

Meanwhile, Danny hovered near the edge of the room, taking in the strange dynamic between the three of them. Although Theo was the only one aware of her presence, she appreciated having someone looking out for her in this new school, making her feel slightly more secure.

The rest of the school day passed without incident but Danny stayed close by Theo's side, never letting up on her silent surveillance. As they made their way out of the building, Danny finally spoke up.

"Listen," she said in a low voice, "you don't have to be afraid here. I'm here to protect you."

Theo nodded gratefully and smiled weakly in response.

In the last period of the day, Theo watched as Mr. Crawford Beaumont slowly stalked around the English classroom, his heavy footfalls reverberating off the walls. When their eyes met, a spark passed between them, and they exchanged an understanding nod before class started.

But once class was dismissed, Theo felt a pull in her gut as Mr. Beaumont motioned for her to stay behind.

"Theo," he whispered, leaning close to her ear. "I need to meet with you later with the others, in the forest." He paused as another student approached them with a question, giving him no opportunity to explain further.

As Theo stepped out of the classroom, she nervously glanced around for Caleb or Catherine, but thankfully she and Danny escaped school without being seen. They rushed down the street and into the tree line on the edge of town.

Theo and Danny didn't stop until they were deep in the heart of the forest. The trees towered above them, their branches blocking out what little sunlight there was. It was eerily quiet as they trudged deeper into the unknown.

Suddenly, a loud whistle pierced the silence. Theo and Danny paused, their eyes scanning the surrounding woodland for signs of life. Then, from within the shadows, emerged a young man with jet black hair and intense blue eyes—Way Onyx.

"You made it," Way said with a slight smirk as he approached them.

Theo's heart raced as she realized this must be who Mr. Beaumont had told her about earlier that day. She glanced at Danny before walking over to him.

He smiled warmly in response before quickly getting down to business. He gestured for Theo to follow him, and they did.

Theo and Danny followed Way as they trudged through the thick underbrush of the forest. The trees towered above them, their branches blocking out what little sunlight there was. It was eerily quiet as Theo's mind raced with questions and doubts.

Suddenly, Way stopped in front of them and motioned towards a clearing deeper in the forest.

"Mr. Beaumont is here," he said, his voice low and serious.

Theo felt a jolt of fear course through her body—was she really ready for such a daunting task? She glanced at Danny before taking a deep breath and pushing past her doubts. With newfound courage, she nodded solemnly at Way before pushing past her fears and stepping forward into the clearing with Danny by her side.

In the center of the glade sat Mr. Beaumont, surrounded by three other figures in long cloaks with hoods pulled up to conceal their faces. He motioned for Theo to join him as he stood up, his blue eyes meeting Theo's with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

"Welcome," he said softly, "I've gathered you all here because I know you each have something important to contribute in order to achieve our mission." He paused then added, "Ravensky needs our help."

He spoke with urgency, “Ravensky has been taken over by an evil force, The Dark One. Its power is unimaginable - it has taken control without any sort of resistance. Zandra is the one responsible, once again. We must take back Ravensky from The Dark One's grasp - we have to become heroes for her one more time. Will you help me restore our beloved city?” He peered at them in anticipation, waiting for their answer.

"It's settled then," Mr. Beaumont declared, and the group paused to fully take in what he had just said. After a short moment of contemplation, they all nodded in agreement with renewed purpose.

"Let's make this happen," Pi Stout exuberated. "We need a plan," Lyaanna chirped in as the group moved into action; ready for whatever lay ahead.

Way stepped forward with a booming voice, "I'll lead the mission. I've been to Ravensky and know its layout better than anyone else." He then went on to explain his strategy in greater detail, “We'll sneak into Ravensky, divide up into teams, and each team will have one specific task: one team will break into the main palace to take out The Dark One while the other two teams will be responsible for rescuing any citizens still under his control." Everyone nodded in agreement and Way continued, "Let's do this!"

Theo slowly turned around, her rigid body tense as she glanced over her shoulder at Danny standing beside the tree.

"I'm going to tell them, they deserve the truth." Her eyes scanned each member of the group before flipping back to Danny who shook her head 'no'.

"Tell them what?" Way questioned with anticipation in his voice.

"More importantly who are you talking to, Theo." Buzadu's voice was stern as he pulled off his hood and stared directly into Theo's eyes, waiting for a response.

"Her name is Danny," Theo said with a heavy breath. "She was sent by Elysium to watch me while I roamed 'the mortal world', but here's the catch - only I can see or hear her!" She finished, throwing her arms up in frustration.

Buzadu's eyes bored into Crawford with a weighty intensity. "How do you know you can trust her?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

"If Elysium sent her then we can trust her," Crawford replied confidently.

"My sentiments exactly," Theo added, nodding firmly.

Danny leaned in with a sly smile. "Plus I might be the only one that can help you unleash your true powers." Her words hung heavy in the air like a death sentence.

Theo's eyes widened in shock. "Seriously?"

Danny raised her eyebrows, adding to the intrigue. "Yeah, seriously."

Way cut through the tension with confusion. "Seriously what?"

"Danny said she can help me unlock my true powers," Theo explained.

The others exchanged wary glances as Crawford voiced their collective concern. "How?"

As if deliberately keeping them all in suspense, Danny took her time before answering. "Keeper Magic takes some time to develop, but considering our ever shrinking time frame, I guess we'll have to get it done in a hurry."

"I'd say," Theo agreed with a gulp. "But tell me...what is Keeper Magic anyways?"

The group fell silent as everyone held their breath. Theo waited for an answer, knowing that whatever came next would change everything she thought she knew about magic forever.