The Eye of Carly’s Hope: Found You, or Did I?: S04E09

Millie carefully made her way through the long, dark tunnel, a faint light shimmering at its end. Her aunt always warned her, "Never go into the light, Millie," but this one seemed to pull her in against her will. As she got closer, she could sense something—or someone—moving around her. The cave's acoustics made it impossible to pinpoint where the noises were coming from. Suddenly, the tunnel ended, and Millie found herself standing at the entrance to a massive cavern filled with every kind of gem imaginable.

"Oh my," she whispered in awe. Then, more practically, How am I going to find the Eye in all this?

As she took in the sight, a strange noise reached her ears again.

Did that voice have a body attached to it? she wondered, recalling the troublesome demands of that voice insisting she couldn’t leave.

"No, not the—"

Millie felt a slight tug on her pants. She looked down. "Fizzles and flops," she muttered, seeing Gardon at her feet. "Where'd you come from?"

"I was just wandering back through the cave… not very nice of you to send me so far away… witch!"

"Well, I, um… I'm supposed to be on this quest by myself," she stuttered. "You just surprised me, is all. This quest is very important. I have to save my sister."

"Sister, eh?" Gardon said, watching Millie intently. "Maybe I could help?"

"Oh no, thank you. But like I said, it's a lone quest, so, um… I need to do it on my own."

Gardon scratched his chin, his long nails digging through his thick white beard.

"What's here that could save your sister?" he asked, shuffling his black-booted feet. "And who said I can't help?"

Millie, still guarded, raised a hand to brush her hair away from her face, and Gardon dashed behind a large rock.

"There’ll be none of that witch stuff," he called, still hiding. "I only asked a simple question."

Millie tried to hold back her laughter, but Gardon looked so funny with his little legs running and his red pointed hat flopping about. She couldn’t help it—she laughed. Gardon, hearing her laughter, stepped out from behind the rock, straightened his jacket, and adjusted his hat.

"That wasn't very funny, Witch," he said, but his caution remained.

Millie’s laughter began to change, becoming something more—a new source of power. The air expelled from her mouth began to form a funnel, catching the cave dust as it grew in size and length. Gardon saw a large stalagmite not far from the rock and latched onto it just in time. Millie’s powerful breath picked him up, and he held onto that stalagmite for dear life.

Millie had lost control. The power surged beyond her laughter. Panic seized her as she searched her mind, trying every spell she knew, but it felt like the funnel had a will of its own. It was draining every ounce of her energy. Then, a green mist appeared inside the funnel, forcing its way against the force and into Millie's mouth. Millie collapsed to the cave floor and passed out.

She didn’t know how long she'd been there when she finally awoke, and Gardon was standing over her.

"Cranzoo, Witch," he said. "You almost blew me away in that portal."

"Portal?" Millie asked, confused, though she felt… different—stronger, more in control.

"Yes, a portal," Gardon replied. "Never seen a witch do that before, and I've been around a long time, but yeah, definitely a portal."

Millie picked herself up, brushing the thick layer of dust off her face.

A portal? she thought. But what was that green—

"What was that green mist?" she asked Gardon.

"A traveller," he said, starting to walk deeper into the cavern.

"Wait," Millie called out, "what do you mean, a traveller? What kind of traveller, and where did they go?"

For a moment, she forgot why she was even in the cave. She carefully made her way through the sea of gems, following Gardon.

"Where did they go?" she asked again.

Gardon had a large white crystal in his hands, and he took a bite out of it. As he answered, slivers of crystal flew from his mouth.

"In you."

"What?"

"I said, inside you, Witch."

Inside me? Millie thought, feeling fine—better than ever, actually—but she couldn’t help the fear rising from her toes to the top of her head.

Her eyes darted around, trying (and failing) to look inside herself to see if something or someone was in there.

Nothing… she just thought when something strange happened.

No need to fear, young maiden, a voice whispered telepathically. All is as it should be.

Millie jumped, almost stepping on a red gem.

Who's there? she asked, still scanning the cavern. According to her, nothing could portal into someone, even a witch.

Oh, but I can, the voice said.

Millie stopped walking, took a deep breath to calm herself, and asked, Who are you?

I am who you've come for, maiden.

No, Millie protested, I’ve come for the Eye…

She mentally kicked herself. Damn! I shouldn’t have said that.

The entity, or the Eye, inside her whispered soothingly, But it’s true, young maiden. There is one more thing we need to find before you portal us out of here.

One more thing?

Yes. I will guide you.

Millie followed the directions as Gardon gnawed on his crystal, watching her every move. The Eye led her to a large rock with a smaller one on top. Millie climbed up, picking up the small stone. It was perfectly round and smooth—just a rock, yet it felt right in her hands.

This? Millie asked, deflated.

It felt like being sent to another realm—something very possible given what had just happened—only to return with a T-shirt.

Sort of like the cave… and the Eye, she thought. I was sent to find a jewel, and all I got was this rock.

A bubble of laughter rose in her throat, threatening to become an audible belly laugh. Not after last time, she thought, swallowing it back down.

Agreed, save that, the Eye said, and yes, just that rock. Put it in your pocket.

Millie squeezed the rock into her front pants pocket—it only just fit.

Now, the Eye instructed, open a portal to get us out of here.

What?

A portal, they said. Open one so we can save your sister.

Apart from the fact you’re in my head, how do I know if you’re telling the truth? she asked. How do I know this rock is what I came for? You could be a nasty hitchhiker trying to trick me into helping you escape.

You don’t, the Eye admitted. But this quest is built on trust, young maiden. You need to look inside yourself for the truth. It’s always been there.

Millie sat on the rock, looking around the glittering cavern, searching her mind for what Aunt Millie had taught her.

"It will know me," she said aloud. "It will sing out to me alone."

Yes, young maiden, and I did sing to you. You answered by allowing me in. It’s a maiden thing—you’ll get used to it. But if you wish to save your sister Sandra, and your mother—

Mum?

Yes, a dark presence holds not just your sister, but also your mother.

How do you know that? You live here, right?

For a moment, all Millie could hear was Gardon chewing. When the silence in her head broke, what the Eye said next spurred her into action.

In the bones of dead gods sleeps a spell that could take your sister forever. Those who hold your mother are ancient and control the Hobgoblin, the Eye said. But if we undo the spell, the Hobgoblin will be freed and help you seek revenge on the witches who bound it. We must go now, maiden. Look at your watch.

Millie looked down, realising she'd lost three hours. But it only felt like twenty minutes, she thought.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Okay, what do I have to do?"

Remember the rock in your pocket. Hold it tight, and look at that foolish goblin watching your every move. He’s looking for a way out too. You can't let him out—he's here for a reason. Now, open your mouth and scream at the roof.

Won’t that be dangerous? she asked, worried about causing a cave-in.

No. You have the power to funnel your scream—it is powerful.

Millie stood on the rock, lifted her head to look at the ceiling, and screamed. Gardon dropped his crystal, and before he could reach the base of the rock, Millie's portal opened, and she, surrounded by a green mist, was sucked into it.

Before she knew it, she was back in the Ether, watching Sandra pound her fists against an invisible wall.

"Told you I’d come back for you, sis," she said, and Sandra fell to the ground in relief.

We cannot release her until we undo the spell on those bones, the Eye said. Millie looked at Sandra's cell and saw the pile of dead god’s bones.

But how do we do that? she asked.

We wait.

Wait for what?

Just then, someone appeared next to Millie—it was Sam. But Sam couldn’t see her.

For her, the Eye said. She cannot see you, for you now live on a higher realm than this witch. Sandra can see you because you are twins, but the witch, ancient as she is, holds no power but what she steals.

Millie put a finger to her lips, silently signalling Sandra to keep quiet. Then she watched and listened as Sam approached Sandra’s cell.

I’m going in, Millie thought, taking a step forward, but the Eye stopped her.

No. We wait.

What? Why?

You've come this far, maiden. To fail now is not an option. The bones hold a power of their own, and in this realm, that power may reveal your presence.

Millie’s gaze rested on the bones, shimmering with a blue aura. She watched and waited. It was unbearable to be so close to her sister, the bones, and not be able to act.