Pandora's Box

Chapter twenty-four

Toni sits by the frost covered window and stares at the glass shard he received from the Aura of Magic, he sees the rest of his foster siblings and what they are doing at this moment. He can't help but yearn to be near them because they are the only family he's ever known and he feels like their parent since he's the oldest. At least, this shard gives him a sense of comfort that they are okay.

June walks into the room and tosses bright yellow earmuffs onto Toni's lap.
"There is no way I'm wearing that!" They are currently in Greenland and are getting ready to leave the hotel to search for the water charm.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's freezing outside!" She yells back impatiently waiting to leave.
"It's going to look hideous with my outfit and I'm not looking like a clown if we run into some hot guys on the way up!" Toni responds and flips his furry orange hoodie to cover his head, trying to show June that this will keep him warm instead.

"Whatever." She sighs and walks out the door, leaving it open for Toni to follow. If there's one thing she knows about Toni, it's that he will keep up an argument no matter how wrong he is. Usually she'll stick around and find herself entertained but today she has no patience .

"How are we getting there?" Toni calls out as they step into the snow.
June stays silent and faces her wrist towards the light. Toni pays little attention at first until he notices a tattoo of a compass across her wrist. As they walk further the compass needle turns and they continue in its direction.
"Not to sound like a dad but...when did you get a tattoo?!" Toni seems alert and really comes off like an overprotective father.
"It's nothing really. While we were at that library, I found a book on charms and I thought that this one would be useful. Don't worry, it disappears when we find what we're looking for." She talks quickly, giving Toni no chance to lecture her.

They walk further and further away from civilization. The snow gets deeper and the chances of seeing another person become slimmer and slimmer.
"June? Do you hear that?" Toni finally says, searching for the source of the sound of gushing water.
"What? Not really, these things really block out most sounds." June answers, referring to her earmuffs.
Toni grabs her hand and moves quickly towards the sound.

Once they get over a hill, they can see that the sound was actually coming from a waterfall. In the cold, the water looks like it's a rainbow of colors. It looks mesmerizing at first. June checks her compass and it points to the waterfall. They rush down the hill.
"How does the water still run?" Toni asks, not taking his eyes off the enchanting water feature.
"Magic" June smirks as she walks closer.

"I feel like I'm in a fairytale." Toni says in a dreamy state, his voice sounds as if he's miles away from reality. June smiles at her foster brother.
"Stay here and enjoy the view for a while longer, I'll be back." She says because she doesn't want to drag her brother away from something like this, she knows that he can't help but admire magical landscapes.

Eventually, she makes her way behind the waterfall and walks on searching for the charm. Toni stares at the magnificent waterfall and doesn't realize that June walks away. Once she's out of view, he starts to hear voices. Voices so serene, so calming that he can't help but close his eyes and let his mind delve into the peaceful pleasure.

When he opens his eyes, he sees women sitting near the waterfall around the pond that surrounds it. They are stunning, too beautiful to be considered real. For a moment he remembers a tale Jane used to tell him about sirens and their ability to lure men to their deaths but that memory is wiped from his brain when he hears their voice and he can't help but follow. He isn't thinking straight. He follows mindlessly close towards the women. They smile playfully as they move deeper into the water.

"Toni!" June cries from behind but he pays no attention. Toni keeps moving further until he is shoulder deep in the water. The women move towards him and carry him deeper under the water. But something stops them. June followed them and now latches onto Toni's shoulder.

Those beautiful women now wear a face of anger and irritation. They follow June as she pulls Toni up for air. She moves quickly and drags him out and lays him on the snow. He's unconscious.

She stands up quickly and summons all the fire she can and blasts the evil beings so that they take cover underwater. She hopes they stay there.

She runs back towards Toni, who only manages to open his eyes. She smiles with relief that he's okay and her eyes tear up at the thought of losing her brother. He wraps him in her fur coat and puts her earmuffs on him.
He smiles at her and gives her a look asking if she found what she's looking for. She reaches into the coat pocket and shows him a light blue crystal the size of a bouncy ball.