CHRONICLES OF THE FOURTH HORSEMAN

HOARSE

The world was spinning too fast and too hard for me.The newly found life was becoming more and more unbearable.My hunt for the four elements was not going well at all at all.As it happens, the four never held a meeting where humans would discover which was the reason why even after being on earth for millions of years the human race never believed in magic and if a magix ever came up with the idea of magic's existence, everybody was dismissive of it.The magix world had relied on humans need to explain everything.It have always been a well hidden world with the only places that talked openly about it being in fairy tales and folklore gener books and stories.I was trying to follow all of them but none led me to understanding how the elements worked.All they ever helped me with was by explaining to me how each of them behaved and what magic each possessed.I had gone in circles for a good two weeks.I had also reported for my first classes where i majored in archeology which was my first love.Ever since I was little girl, I wanted to be like my mother.She had lived a life of touring the world, discovering things, putting history to perspective but her favorite place on earth and in her line of work was Egypt. The uniqueness of the country, its people but most especially its history and knowledge were the things that kept her rolling she had just discovered a tomb buried in time and she was looking forward to being the archeologist who discovered the tomb of some rich pharaoh or some rich Egyptian fella.But then she died before she could see the project through and that was the end of her sweet dream of being the best.To me though, she was still the best their was and their could ever be.

I never knew her that much, the memories i had of her were vague.I only read her journals and diaries.Through them I had known her loved her and felt like she was still around, whispering to my ears.Whenever I read her diary, my mind would visualize her writing and even doing the stuff she was writing about.I had a feeling she was one hell of a woman.Maybe that's why papa loved her soo much.Maybe that was the reason he was soo broken after her death that he tried to replace her with someone her height and complexion but he could not find one with her courage or profession.

Thinking about it now, did I reap my own mother? did i orphan myself and broke my papa's life? was i the reason for growing up with a crazy step mom?If I am death now it means I was death then.I may have not known it but I reaped my mother.I hated myself for that.I understood and I mean like, really understood why the boys needed sometime alone.I could also take some time off from myself if it was possible.I felt the need to honor my mothers memories by not just taking up her profession but also deciding to do it a thousand times better than she ever deed.One day I could discover something history changing or making and then I would dedicate it to her.But first I had to figure out a way to not end the world and by then I had no solution whatsoever.I was loosing it.Maybe it would have been easier for me to not be in the world.If the boys were to find a way to cast away the angel leaving me behind to have a normal life.Maybe then there could be no death on earth and everybody could just live forever happy.That was a happy thought and those were hard to come by for me those days.I felt all alone.I knew I was all alone.

The boys on the other hand seemed to be doing just fine.Their quest for answers had just turned into a treasure hunt and they love those.They had never actually had a real one before and the excitement on them was evident.They hadn't found the house yet but they had found a map.A super old map that was supposed to give them the location of the house but when they found the place marked X they found yet another map with a riddle to solve.Of course they had solved it.The boys were bot very bright and sharp and it didn't take them a moment to solve it.They were now following that map and they were doing it happily.I was jealous.They had locked me out of the friend circle.Tom was busy looking for something that could take away the angel leaving the old weakly me be while John was looking for evidence to prove he was right and everything could be explained by the mighty science.He wasn't ready to take anything like "Magic exists" for an answer.

Duke was working his way through the fishing trips he had been going to often.He made some new friends after the others died.The only difference was, while the others were hunters, hunting for fun and for trophies and to pass time, the newly found friends were fishing for food and for money.It was not the best business nor was it the easiest one either, but it was the most available one for people like Duke.It had the freedom and the little money he needed and then something else, something I wished I had known earlier.

I had been following him from time to time.I wanted him to teach me how to astral project, but he didn't have the slightest clue how.At first I couldn't understand why he said he couldn't since he had done it before but then he explained to me that the elements had done it so he could end me.The real me.They however never told him how to go about it since they termed it as dangerous.He never went back to ask again.

That was another reason why I had to find the elements.In that state, I could see and feel things I could locate anyone and anything living from every corner of mother earth and now thinking about it, maybe I could hear the heavens above and hell below.I could spy on Duke without him knowing I could tell what the elements were after without even following them but most importantly, i could join my friends in their quest.Be a part of them even though they couldn't be in the know.

Following Duke was of course the only way to get to the elements.He was the only one known to have seen the meet or heard their voice.I was still tracking down the few magix members known to have the knowledge of the elements.One of them went by the name philomena, she was an old ready living in the woods all by herself.Rumors had it that she thrown out of home for being a witch when she was just but a little girl.She was to be burned to the stick but her mother helped her escape, she had lived in the forest since then.Only the magix people knew about her.

The Magix was a general term for the people who possessed magical or supernatural capabilities.The most famous of the magix were the witches, back in the centuries people even believed in them.People also believed in magic many years ago.But then a group of the magix together with the elements decided it was time to devide the two worlds.The magix world went into hiding Making vails to separate their world from the normal world we know.The gave the normal people "Science" to solve their medical and mechanical problems while the world of magic was left well hidden.Only few normal people like Duke knew the existence of the magical world and the elements made sure it remained that way.

There was something I couldn't understand.Why would the elements decide to seal the world of magic.Everything could be much easier with it.The people could talk with them.The elements could always say when they got hurt and maybe then the world would be much cleaner.Something must have happened.Something big.All the magix i have encountered to this moment had different stories as to what commenced.Some said the mix of the magix and the normal beings brought about the existence of supernatural beings that were not supposed to exist.I still wonder how many supernatural creature are still out there.Some other magix said the world of humans enslaved the magix forcing them to go into hiding.There was no certain answer.I hoped maybe the lady Philomena had an answer.

I had not told anyone about my hunt.Not even John and Tom.I couldn't tell them I was hunting for the elements or that I was following Duke.The last time a person lifted a finger to point me they were killed by a ghost.If something happened to Duke, Tom would be convinced I had somrthing to do with it.I couldn't let that happen because there was a more than likely chance my friendship with the two boys would come to an end.I planned to go looking for Philomena after the days last class which was about to end.

The bell brought me back from the stream of thoughts.I heard nothing throughout the lecture.I hadn't even taken notes but I was chewing on my pen.I just picked up my books, put the in my back pack and left with everybody else.I still had four hours to spare before going back to the books.I couldn't afford to fail a class.I had to read beforehand just in case i fazed through the class like I mostly deed.

I had no time to go back to the hostel to freshen up.I just called a cab and I was on my way.It was a thirty minutes ride from the school to Philomena's property which was about fourty acres and was surrounded by woods.There was no way for a car to drive on and I had to walk the remaining distance on foot.I paid the driver after seriously counting and converting, i had not gotten used of the countries currency yet.

The tiny farm house was built deep into the woods.There was a farm too with all sorts of crops, poultry and domestic animals.It was breathtakingly beautiful.The lone house was also surrounded by flowers and from a distance one could see a huge dam that probably supplied the place with water.A dog started to bark and two others joined.The sounds were deep and fierce.It made me wonder just how dangerous the dogs themselves were.It took me a moment to spot the huge German shepherds.They were soo huge i started shaking even before they got close to me.My papa had told me that animals like dogs could smell fear and that running from them was even worse.I just stood there and waited for them, trying my best not to show fear and I was doing a crappy job at it.I was pretty sure the three dogs would tear me into bits and I hoped the lady Philomena would come to my rescue.

The dogs stopped just before they could get to me.To my surprise, the dogs were scared and coiled themselves putting their tails to their stomachs."Its okey, i don't mean you any harm," I said walking slowly towards them.Still afraid they might decide to pounce.The much bigger and much stronger one slowly regained its posture and and started wagging its tail.The others joined and we had a short lived moment.From the distant I heard someone calling for help with a hoarse voice.They must have been calling for quite sometime by then.

The dogs jolted back to life and ren towards the house.The beautiful moment between me and them was over.I followed them, half walking half running.My mind thought maybe Philomena had someone held captive somewhere inside the tiny spooky house.That would only have meant that I was walking right into a trap.Maybe she was a witch after all.Maybe the inside of her house was made of sweet baked cakes and candy to trap people.Maybe she was eating whoever was shouting inside there little by little while they were still alive.

Bad thoughts flooded my mind, making it impossible to think of a get away plan.I was supposed to be running away as fast as posible but infound myself running towards the house.Even with all the supernatural horror films I had seen, a scene like this one never ended well.Someone was going to get hurt and in this case me.

In about forty seconds I was right outside the house.The door was ajar.My heart was thumping wildly.I was sweating and my knees were clambering soo bad.I swallowed hard, wiped my hands against my pants and walked towards the door in slowly measured steps.The dogs were wagging their tails and barking wildly.I picked up a piece of broken log and held it ready to attack as I made my way into the spooky house."Baaad move...," I thought as i walked in.

The dogs heeled me with their tails coiled.The barking died down and whole place fell silent leaving the hoarse voice hanging scarely in the air.The inside of the house was not covered in candy and that was a good sign.It was a cozy little house with a modem touch.The sofas were classy and leather soft.There was a flat screen TV.The house was bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside.I loved the look, but yet again maybe it was a trap.

I walked slowly and the dogs were still following.I could hear the source of the voice in the next room.The door was wide open.I walked in ready to attack, my shaky hands held around the log tightly.I said a little prayer and pushed forward but what I saw sent me back to the door which closed before I got to it.I was stuck in the room.Frozen solid pressed against the door.A cold sweat trickled down my forehead going right into my left eye.The log on my arms fell off leaving my hands frozen akimbo.In my head a plan was cooking, but outside there my body was frozen.

Right at the center of the room was an old lady I figured to be Philomena.Trapped inside what seemed to be the four elements working together.Her feet stuck in the ground while her hands were trapped in a whirlwind.surrounding her was a wall of red hot frames that seemed to have come straight from hell.She looked thin and weak.The elements were sucking the life out of her, and I had no idea how to help her.

The place was surrounded by acres of woods and no matter how hard she screamed no one could have heard her.What a slow and heartless way to kill a human.I was beginning to think the four were bad news.Maybe being away from the human race was the best thing after all.Why the hell did I go after these crazy world? Why were they against the end of the wild if this is how they killed those they thought were a danger to them?What could she have probably done to deserve such a an insane death?But most importantly, how the hell did t think going after them was a good idea?

There was only one way to find out, but that meant endangering my life to save hers.

With no particular plan at all, I marched forward.Realizing for the first time that the dogs had tried to save their mistress due to the scratches on floor.The was a little bit warm even though it was supposed to be melting down given the circumstances.I walked forward towards the circle of fire where the last was trapped.He hoarse voice had died down completely and I could see a frightened face looking at me.

"Courage or stupidity?," a deep voice which I was pretty sure was coming from the ring of fire asked.I was taken by surprise."I ...i came looking for a way to get to you," I answered.An awkward silence followed and then the they slowly let the Woman go as they came towards me.I watched in silence, this time round I had no fear.The way they came towards me clearly showed they feared me and it made me instantly know they could do nothing to me.Slowly they circled me, taking every caution there was for them to take.

" I was hoping you could tell me about myself.I don't intend to hurt anyone and I sure as hell don't wanna get hurt...please," I said looking around at each of them.The earth was in form of what seemed like a moving anthill.Fire was just that a pilar of fire .The air was in form of a whirlwind and the water was a gazer only that they moved and talked and were inside a house.The lady of the house was lying on the ground.She must have gone out.

"Tell her," air said."No you tell her," fire answered back."I will if you all fools won't," said earth with a deep calm voice.I just stood there waiting for answers."You are a tale old as time...,"Earth started but then I stopped him."A tale? what do you mean a tale...I thought I was as real as everyone else,"How could I have been just a tale?

"Hold it little miss, you said you wanted to know about yourself and I am telling you.Hold your peace and take a sit," earth said as it shaped itself into a stool while air pushed me backwards I sat on earth.And then it continued.

"Long before everything, there was just the four of us and darkness...we lived together.We were friends.We never had to do anything but sleep.But then one day something new came to existence.Something strong and powerful, something lively.Then there was light and the next thing we knew, we were separated, there were creatures roaming over me, air was scattered all over the nothingness, water was out there flowing all over me, and then fire was hidden from the world.The being they now call God said fire was dangerous to his jumpy and noisy creatures.We thought that was it.We believed it was easy to live with them since all they deed was survive.Then they created the human beings...The worst kind of creatures.The gave them all we never had, a full functioning body which was complicated and beautiful.They gave them our language, our magic but even worse the gave them the power to control and comand us.It was easy at first.All humans ever wanted was to be happy then the serpent came and gave them one more gift which turned out to be a curse for them.They were to age and suffer diseases, hunger pain and then they could finally die.Yes that is when you were born.An angel who was to take the sauls of the dead to the other side.A thin veil between the world of the living and that of the dead.We were happy.We thought they could finally leave us alone.Instead, they became curious.They had just realized they had something to live for.Limited time pushed them to think more.They wanted to make everything easier for themselves.

They discovered fire, then farming but they also started fighting each other over the things they had achieved.We chipped in to help and we gave and taught them our magic and in return we wanted peace.We love peace, we love quiet and we sleep a lot.We wanted it to remain that way.Our magic was usefull at first.Their was peace.Unfortunately that didn't stick around for long.They started to fight over us.Some wanted our magic for themselves and they ended up enslaving us.Using our magic to benefit themselves.They began to devide themselves into groups of the mighty and the weak.In the process the created another world.The world of Magix.Creature of all sorts with magical properties.

Before them we were the only ones with magic.We allowed them to use it and take advantage of it but they were never to posses it.They felt that was not enough even though we never asked for anything in return.The started to look for ways to have it for themselves, and they found it.They made hybrids using our magic.The warewolves, fairies, witches, wizards, you name it.The world became a chaotic place.The wars raged.The two worlds fought against each other.Our days of peace and sleep were gone.We knew then we had to do something.The magix as they were later called, had special capabilities.The could see what we could and they knew what the knew.They could see through the vail.There was no difference between the dead and the living anymore.We had stayed ahead of them because we had death to scare them with.With that gone we were defensless.

We took to our last defense.We charged for our magic.Made another veil that devided the world of the human and normal creatures from the world of the magical beings.We kept them under our watch and made sure they stayed away.Some we disguised, some we forced to go into hiding.But there were those we couldn't control, the witches and wizards.They were all humans before they became magical beings and that gave them some sort of advantage.We then made people hate them and with time they started killing them.But some got away like the one right here.

We knew you would come to her since she is one of the few still remaining with the old knowledge.We came here before you and you and decided to kill her so you could never know the truth.You could just keep going round and round looking for answers but you could not find them.We know now we can't hurt you, at least not without hurting the world ourselves included.You decided to hide amongst the humans and you have lost your way.you have no idea who you are and maybe that is enough to keep you off the world ending saga.But you had to alive way too early and crash the party.If we kill the physical you we will just be releasing the mighty you who is hiding inside.We won't hurt you and neither will we kill her but we will warn you.If the last seal gets broken, the wall we created between the worlds will come falling down, magical creatures of all sorts including the monsters will spill into the world of the humans and then, not even their science will be sufficient to save them.use the information we have given you wisely.When the time comes, choose your weapon wisely," the earth concluded.

The four disappeared into where they had come from.I was left standing confused in the room.Philomena was still out on the floor but the dogs had found their way into the room and rushed to their mistress to check on her.I joined them and picked her up to put her in a much comfortable place.The couch seemed comfortable enough and I half dragged her across the hall back to the living room.I nursed her for a bit before checking on my watch and realizing three hours had already passed by.It looked like I had already missed the fast thirty minutes of my study schedule.I didn't know what to do with her.I had done what I thought I could and was about to walk away when I felt her arm grab mine and squeeze me a little.I looked back.

"Don't do what they say...you can't trust them.Its a trap...," she said.I sat back on the couch next to her ready to listen to what she had to say.The squeeze on my hand slowly eased and she let go of my hand.I tried to shake her while asking for more information but she didn't answer she just pointed to a little safe vault on the wall before she dropped back on the couch.She didn't have a pause and she wasn't breathing either.She was dead.The idea of her being dead and staying that way even after five minutes of trying bring her back was raising questions in my head.Wasn't I supposed to be death? How comes she died even though I was right there and my intention was not to take her life?

I was still in my thoughts when my phone rang.It was John.He said he had news and that together with Tom they had found the house to which the address belonged to.They had planned to go the next day and they thought it was better if I went with them.Tom also told me that Duke had followed other four horsemen.He thought it would be better if we involved them into our plan soo they could be by our side in the end.Duke also said that I had power over them and i could just tell them whatever I wanted to.

I got up from the couch holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder while my arms were busy working the vault.If the lady had pointed it, it had to hold something she thought was important, and something she thought I needed to see.She had the instructions on how to open it written on a paper that seemed to have been just written recently.It was almost as she expected someone was coming and they would need to see whatever was in the safe."Bongo!," I said happily when the vault door opened up causing John to ask what I was doing and of course I lied to him.

The vault was almost empty.There was nothing seemingly valuable in it except for a silver chain carefully placed on what seemed to be an envelope.Maybe I was suppose to take the chain with me.Maybe that chain held some really strong magic powers that could not fall on the hands of the wrong person or people.

It was just an ordinary chain however and after carefully examining it I realized it was actually a fake.I went back to the vault and took the only other thing left in it.The envelope.I opened it and inside I found a note written in what seemed like blood.It read,

"I wish I could be of help to you but even as I am writing this, they are hunting me down.I really hoped you could get here early enough so I could help you.Now I know you are on your way and I know you need some answers.I am soo sorry I can't give you any.There are words I can't even write in this note without leading them to where I am.I need you to see with your eyes and understand that your enemy is not who you think it is.I will tell you this last words again because its the only thing I can do to help you.Don't trust them, its a trap.They are not who you think and take them to be.Follow the chain, find the truth and choose wisely"

I didn't even have a clue what that meant.She had warned me about them for two times.She even used her last breath to tell me just that.Who was she referring to?Why couldn't she just write their names on the note.I heard John shout from the other end of the line He was upset that I wasn't listening to what he was saying.He needed me to pay attention.

In about seven minutes I was done talking with him.We had a clear understanding that I could drop by Duke's place that same evening so he could give me address to the guy he said to have found so I could follow up.I grabbed my stuff and walked out the door and disappeared into the woods.Behind me I could feel the eyes of three scared dogs looking at me with scared eyes hoping I could take them with me.I wished I could but I knew I couldn't.Walking away from them was a hard thing to do but it was also the only thing I could have done to keep them alive. There was no way the elements could let them walk away from the hidden world and walk amongst the curious crazy world after staying with a magix for that long.They had stay behind.Stay hidden.

As I walked away, I thought about the lady Philomena.She expected me.She knew I would go looking for her.She waited on me.But she also knew she would never live.long enough to tell me anything and neither could she write all the answers I needed down for some reason.There was some people that I wasn't supposed to trust and I was trying to work out who.My first obvious suspect was Duke and that meant it was him and the four elements that i wasn't to trust.What was there to choose between? Tom and John may have gotten caught in between this madness but they were just humans.I had trusted them ever since I met them which was a long time ago.I could even entrust my life with them.It had to be the elements that I needed to stay away from.I decided to go and listen to what Duke had to say.Knowing it now, Duke was no longer a friend of the elements in fact, they may have wanted him dead like they had done with Philomena even after telling me they weren't going to kill while they knew pretty well the had already made sure she could never survive.Earth itself had admitted that they were on a quest to make sure I never get the answers to who really am and that they were willing to kill to make that happen.By the time I got out of Philomena's property, I called for a cab and gave the directions to Duke's house.I had decided to take.his plan since John had trusted him.Johns instincts were very sharp and whenever he warned against something I listened.This time round he was all for it and for that I was willing to try it out too.The ride was a short one and I even almost forgot to pay.

When I got into the house, the three men were already in, John and Duke were busy smoking while Tom was reading the days paper.I just took the paper and left.