When Darkness Fell: An Elemental Enchanters Story by Carrigan Richards Page A

that Corbin’s army was moving closer to us. We had to stop them.
    “Sister, I think we should go to Caprington,” Colden said to me one night as we sat in the parlor with Aaron, Gustav, Maggie, and Maya discussing a strategy.
    “You cannot be serious,” Aaron said.
    “It is the only way to defeat Corbin. He will not fight his own battles as you see. This will not end because both sides are equally strong.”
    Gustav stroked his thick beard. “He is right. We have to kill him. End this madness once and for all.”
    “How can we?” I asked. “We cannot be seen in Caprington. Everyone there will recognize us and kill us.”
    “We can sneak you in,” Maggie said. “They will not know we have come.”
    As I sat and listened to their ideas, I feared what would happen. I did not want to go to Caprington. But this was something Colden and I vowed to do. I hated war. I hated the deaths and violence, and I wanted peace. And this seemed to be the only way.
    We traveled in a small pack, so we would not draw attention to ourselves. Carmen had the ability to change our appearances with a single potion. However, it would not last long and we had to be quick to find Corbin.
    We set out the following night. The sky turned a blood red once the sun set. I did not want to face Corbin. Colden had reservations about seeing him after so many years, but he was calm, much to my surprise. My stomach had twisted itself into several knots, but I gripped Aaron’s hand as tight as I could.
    After several nights, we arrived in Caprington. I had never seen it, but it reminded me of the village where Colden and I grew up. There were small buildings down a few streets and larger manors on the outskirts. Tall snow-capped mountains in the backdrop. Despite the evil that was Caprington, it had a beautiful landscape. We looked to the largest manor, surrounded by a gate.
    “That has to be his,” Colden said.
    Gustav pushed his way to the front. “Looks like something he would own.”
    “Here.” Carmen handed Colden and me each a vial. “Drink the potion. We have to hurry. Once we are inside the manor, we must act fast in order to kill him.”
    I exchanged a worried glance with Aaron.
    “It is okay,” he said. “I am here.”
    I took a deep breath and drank the potion. I felt the strangest pull inside and outside my body. My skin stretched and my hair shortened. I touched my cheek, and it was bigger and more filled out. Colden’s long raven hair changed to a blonde color and his features lightened. He looked younger and less glum. His skin tone darkened a little.
    “Let’s go.” Maggie’s arms turned into Sai weapons and she held a fierce look. She was prepared for this moment.
    We snuck inside the gate, with the others following closely behind. The grounds looked quiet and we saw no guards.
    I had no idea how we would take Corbin down or what we would even say. The closer I walked toward the door, the more I doubted our mission. We had not thought it through very well at all. But Colden seemed confident and invincible. It was as if he knew exactly what to do and say. I had never seen him like that.
    We approached the door. Colden turned the knob and opened it. We heard chatter, laughter, and music. Were they celebrating another victory? We followed Colden through the strange manor, and he halted.
    “What is it?” I asked, taken aback by the strange sound of my voice. It was deeper.
    “I hear him.”
    My heart pounded so hard I felt sure it would leap out of my chest. We did not have long for the potion. We were in Corbin’s manor on a mission to kill him, but the closer we got to him, the more I wanted to turn back and run away. Could we defeat him? Were we strong enough to kill our own father?
    Colden moved toward a room and I reluctantly followed. Once we reached the room, Colden crossed the threshold and stared his father in the eye. I clutched Aaron’s hand and looked at the man who had caused us so much heartache.
    Corbin and