Divided Page 01

It was Night time in Manchester, England. Everyone was inside at this time having dinner or sleeping while a man with raven black hair and mint green eyes stood outside his house, talking on the phone.

"Is she alright though?" he asked, "It's still around? That's a relief, we'll need it if we want to end this once and for all. And... where's Victoria...? Right... thank you for telling me."

"Peter!" a woman called from inside, "Come inside! Dinner's ready!"

"Coming, love!" Peter called back before turning to his phone, "We'll talk about this later, bye."

-----

At the dinner table, Peter sat down, greeting his wife and three kids. Well, not all of them were kids anymore. His son Raven, having the same features as him was turning 23 and first daughter Hope, with brown hair and eyes was almost 19. Then there's little Jaina, just barely in her teens.

"So," his wife asked, "who were you talking to?"

"Anne," Peter sighed, "you know who it was... He called, saying Eleanora was fine."

"Is that really a good thing? Knowing what she's done? I only hope Daniel hasn't fallen prey to that witch."

Raven glanced at his mother before taking a sip of his drink, "He's fine. I went to see him at the end of last year."

"Would've been nice to see him for Christmas," Jaina muttered, looking down, "or New Years..."

"He's really busy with his job," Hope explained, "and he's always moving from country to country."

"Oh yes," Peter frowned, "Working at a carnival."

"He has a well paying job with accommodation," Anne said, "That's what you wanted of him."

"It would've been nicer if he didn't up and leave England. Especially with everything that's going on."

"Well, maybe he wouldn't have left if you weren't so hard on him and his magic training all the time along with his occupations."

Peter sighed and looked out the window. Was he being hard on him? Daniel was the eldest of his siblings, he wanted the young wizard be more serious and responsible...

Without warning, all the lights suddenly burnt out.

"What on earth?" Raven asked, "Jaina?"

"This isn't me," Jaina answered, "I swear."

The windows nearby shattered and a strong wind blew in, knocking all the food on the floor. Black smoke blew in, circling around the table and closing in at the center before disappearing. There she stood with her dark clothes, her blue eyes and her white to transitioning black hair.

"... No," Peter gasped, "Victoria..."

"Oh Petey," Victoria smiled, "you have no idea how long it took me to find your lovely home." she looked around at the shocked faces, "Anne, good to see you again and- Oh my word! If it isn't like Raven, all grown up? And two daughter, hm you've certainly been busy. But, there's someone missing..." she turned back to Peter, "Where's your little Danny?"

"Not here," Peter glared, standing up, "and you weren't welcomed in. Leave."

"Oh? I'm hurt, dear Petey," Victoria fake pouted, stepping off the table, "I only wanted to invite and your family to-"

"Read my lips, you heartless monster, we're not interested. Get. Out."

"Hmmm... Alright then." she raised her hand and snapped her fingers, "Just know, I tried to be nice."

Almost immediately, the house was overrun with ghouls. One grabbed Anne but was shot down.

"Leave our mom alone!" Jaina yelled, holding her wand.

"Jaina," Anne frowned, "what did I tell you about wands at the table." Hope and Raven took out their wands and helped their sister fight back.

"Just be happy they didn't listen this time," Peter said, clapping his hands together. Once separated, an oak wand with very intricate patterns and the name 'Kirkland' written in cursive appeared in his hands.

"Ooh," Victoria smirked, "it's been a while Peter."

"About 20 years. Certainly doesn't mean I haven't lost my touch." in a flurry of colours, shards shot everywhere, missing his family and hitting the monsters around, "Everyone out!"

First, the kids ran out, followed by Anne, then Peter who provided cover from behind. A ghoul came from the front and went for Raven.

"Stay away from my baby!" Anne yelled before taking out her wand and lighting the creature on fire, which screached and flew away. Everyone just stared at her, "I never said the no wand rule applied to me or your father."

"Stop being so irritating," Victoria frowned, walking out.

More ghouls and creatures emerged around them. Anne took a step forward, then Peter placed his hand on her.

"I'll handle this," he said. She looked at him worried before nodding and took a step back. Peter closed his eyes and started muttered incantations as his wand began glowing. He then raised his hand skyward causing the wind to shift into a tornado surrounding them, picking up the creatures around. He then opened his eyes and quickly dropped his hand. The tornado stopped and the ghouls dropped onto the ground, just as spikes came from the ground, impaling all of them.

"... I'll never forget father's day again..." Raven muttered, his sisters nodded in agreement.

"What is the point Victoria?! You killed Nathaniel, Nicolas' family, had Alexis go into hiding with Eleanora! Why?! And why are you after my family?!"

"If you think I've come to kill you, you're greatly mistaken," she smiled, "I'm having a celebration and want you to come." but her smile went blank, "And I won't take no for an answer."

"Well, how's this then?" Raven asked, "... No."

"You know Raven? I don't like you," Victoria glared before waving her hand across them. Yellow dust burst from the ground around the family, engulfing them. The same unfortunate thing that happened to Nora happened to them. Once the dust cleared, the family was on the ground, unconscious, "Take all of them." Victoria muttered before turning around.

The remainder of the ghouls picked them up and flew away. Though, one went to Victoria.

"Mistress..." it said, in a corrupted voice, "the little one is missing, as well as Peter's wand..."

"... What?" Victoria glared as she turned back, "Find that girl... Find that wand! IMMEDIATELY!!!"

-----

There was rustling in the bushes and twigs snapping every not and again, which stopped and was replaced by the sound of someone catching their breath. Jaina soon became visible and looked around quickly before looking down to hers and her father's wands, deep in thought. She then put her wand away and held Peter's with both hands, closing her eyes.

"I don't know how this is supposed to work..." she whispered, "but I need you to take me to get help, to my big brother... I need to get to Daniel..." the wand started glowing and shot forward and created a portal in front of her. The young girl gave a sigh of relief before standing up to go through. Then something grabbed her leg, forcing her to the ground again, causing her to scream.

"Don't worry, little Kirkland," a terrifying voice said to her, "we're just taking you to your family..."

"No! Let me go!" Jaina screamed as she was being dragged, grabbing onto a branch as she looked to the portal, then to Peter's wand. She wasn't going through... But something had to...

"Now, just give me that wand and-" with all her might, Jaina threw the wand through the portal, which closed immediately after it passed through, "No! Where did you throw that?! Where did it go?!"

-----

"Eddy!" Daniel yelled from outside the kitchen.

Eddy sighed. He was enjoying cooking without potential disaster. Dan was his friend and he knew the wizard meant well, but him and kitchens...

"Eddy, are you in there?!"

"Yes, I'm in."

"You've got to help me! It's absolutely terrible!"

"Dan, calm down," Eddy said, turning around, "I'm sure it's no-... thing..."

Instead of the usual bright blonde, Daniel's hair was dark brown, "Dude! My dye wore off and I'm all out! This is a big problem."

"Wait... You aren't naturally blonde?"

"Yeah... I'm pretty sure I've told you this before."

"Okay then... Why don't you just... I dunno, buy some more?"

"They don't sell the brand I use here! And I know what you're going to say, 'just use the brands they have here'... I don't want to risk getting it wrong! Can you imagine me with pink hair?!?"

Eddy stared at Daniel, then up at his hair, "Pfft!" then just burst out laughing, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he tried to stop his laughing, "How... how about... calling your family or something."

"You're asking me to commit suicide... Do you have any idea how much shit I'll be in if, 1: I ask for dye, and 2: If my parents find out I dyed my my hair."

"Umm, Dan... you're 24, why would they care?"

"It's... complicated. Hm," Daniel thought, taking out his new wand, which just looked like a standard black and white magic show wand, "Maybe I could-"

"NO! Not in my kitchen! Please, put the wand down!"

"Eddy, I have to cast the spell for something to happen with this," Daniel sighed, "But, you're right. I need a proper wand. But, those things don't just fall out of the sky and-" before he could finish, a portal opened above him and the Peter's wand fell through, hitting Daniel on the head and landing on the floor.

"Huh, I guess they do."

"Ow, I think the point stabbed the back of my head..." Daniel muttered as he picked the wand up, examining it, "This is weird. I wonder who sent...." Daniel's face fell as he saw the name on it.

"Uhh..." Eddy looked at his friend, worried, "Dan?"

"This... this is my dad's wand..." he quickly put the wand down, "Okay, this better be some sick joke."

"Maybe your dad just dropped it-"

"You don't understand!" Daniel panicked, "This wand has been in my family for generations! No one takes it's safety more seriously than my dad! It literally lives inside of him!"

"Wait, what?!"

"I know, right?! Something even more complicated... But, the fact of the matter is, this has NEVER left his side."

"Just call him then," Eddy suggested before noticing Daniel's expression, "Let me guess... it's complicated..."

"I'll call Raven," the wizard said, taking the wand, "I really hope this is just one of Jaina's sick, twisted jokes..."

Eddy watched Daniel leave the tent before he smelled something burning and turned to his pot, "Ah! Come on!"

To be continued