Chapter 4

Danielle

The dungeon"s entrance yawned before us. It was the stuff of nightmares, but I knew there was no avoiding going down there. There were times to pick a fight with my sisters, but this wasn't one of them. I'd come to terms with our supernatural sleuth status long ago. I even enjoyed it most days. Well, all except the constant mortal danger we found ourselves in.

Mold covered the walls as we descended the stairs, and the air held a peculiar scent. It was a mix of old dirt and rotten vegetation. Lia led our motley crew into the unknown with a confidence that both comforted and unnerved. It was her smell-o-visions and insistence on saving a woman from being killed that started us down this path. At times, like now, she took the lead because she took responsibility for us being the go-to investigators in New Orleans.

Basements weren't really a thing in our city. The high water table made them impractical. Clearly, this was the home of a magical being and had been for some time. However, there was only so much magic could do. It couldn't keep all the water out of this place, which only made this area look like a creepy dungeon.

Dre looked around with a curl of her lip. "Lovely ambiance. I give it a solid two out of five stars on the haunted trip advisor. Any ghosts, Dea?"

Dea shook her head. "Nothing so far."

Phi was in her element as she crossed to the far wall and started tracing whatever was on them. The one thing our dragon sides hadn't given us was super sight. I'd hoped it would, but so far we all had the same sketchy vision that had started to fade with age. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful it hadn't gotten worse. It would help us in the long run if it improved.

"These stones bear symbols," Phi explained, "maybe ancient runes. I can't tell if they are enchantments or telling the history. It feels like walking through a magical history book."

Kota's upper lip curled as if she'd stepped in dogshit. "I don"t like the feel of this place. The memories in this place are not pleasant at all. Let"s look around and get out of here."

Dea nodded in agreement. "The emotions here are raw like the dungeon was a repository of the joys and sorrows of those who were here before us."

As we delved deeper there was no mistaking the presence of current enchantments. I went on alert and grabbed Phi's hand when illusions began to dance on the periphery of my vision. I was careful to keep my other hand pressed to my stomach so I didn't add visions of the past to the mix.

I should have known better than to tempt fate like that. A second after that thought flitted through my mind, I stumbled over a discarded bowl on the ground. My hand instinctively reached out to keep me from face-planting, and my palm landed on the cold stone wall of the dungeon. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over me, and the world around me shifted and blurred. It threw me off balance because I didn't expect my powers to work in the dream realm.

Before my eyes, the stone wall transformed into a vivid vision of a bustling marketplace, alive with the sounds and scents of a bygone era. Exotic spices filled the air. They mingled with the chatter of unknown tongues and the rhythmic bustle of merchants hawking their wares. How was this possible? I'd touched the stone wall in the dungeon.

Shaking off the question, I paid attention to what I was seeing in case it would help us with the cursed well. In the midst of the marketplace stood a hooded figure, its presence commanding attention despite the slight stature of its form. A merchant whose face was weathered with the wisdom of ages, gestured toward an ancient relic.

The artifact was a weathered stone tablet roughly the size of a book. Its surface was etched with intricate carvings, their lines deep and weathered by the passage of time. There were other scars of age, including cracks and fissures that hinted at the tablet"s ancient origins. Each corner of the tablet was also adorned with ornate metal fittings that had been dulled by centuries of neglect.

Despite its weathered appearance, Dark energy emanated from the relic and overwhelmed my senses, even in the vision. Runes and symbols that I couldn't decipher embellished its surface. I didn't even want to get closer so I could see it and have Phi interpret it. As I watched, I knew I was looking at a piece of the Tainted witch's history. I bet that was how she'd twisted the magic of the well to do her Dark biddings.

The images vanished, and I came to being shaken by Phi. We were still in the pinnacle of every witch"s dream vacation. The dread that filled the dungeon made me long for the vision again. I tried to grasp my connection with Noah. It was always my beacon of hope, but let me tell you, it felt more like a flickering candle in a windstorm at that moment.

"I'm alright," I assured Phi. "I saw Agnes, I think. She was buying a stone tablet that might have given her the ability to turn the well Dark. It gave her these runes," I gestured to the markings on the walls. "That's what gave me the vision."

"We should call Nylah and ask about the tablet," Dre suggested as she continued walking.

Lia tilted her head toward Dre with a frown. "Unless we have the relic in hand, I doubt she will be able to do anything. She's new to this, like us. She doesn't have an encyclopedia of relic facts stored in her brain."

More illusions conjured by the Tainted witch"s ancient magic tortured us as we went. It was difficult to ignore the images of suffering in the narrow tunnel. Thankfully, we entered a large room less than a minute later and I didn't feel like the walls were closing in on me. On the other hand, we'd entered a truly horrific place. I half-expected a sign saying, ‘Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.'

"Shit," I muttered, eyeing an illusion of Lia's teenage self, hair streaked with rebellion and eyes full of misplaced angst. "Do we really need to revisit our awkward high school phase? I thought we were here to save the world."

Dre crossed her arms over her large chest and sighed. "If this witch thinks she's going to break us by showing our poor taste in clothes, she's sadly mistaken. Everyone in the late eighties and early nineties were determined to outdo each other in the ‘Who Can Wear the Most Ridiculous Outfit" competition."

We all laughed at that. Those were the glory days of fashion faux pas and questionable style choices. I recalled the neon spandex that could light up a room, hair teased to the heavens, and shoulder pads so big you could take flight with them.

And we couldn't forget the jeans that were so acid-washed they could blind you. And then there were the shirts so big they could double as tents. And let"s not forget about those fanny packs. Because who needs functional pockets when you can strap a tiny suitcase to your waist? Those horrors were coming back. Although now they wore them strapped across the chest, which was marginally better.

Accessories were equally over-the-top. There were slap bracelets that were more weapon than accessory and scrunchies so massive they could probably be seen from space. And of course, there was the iconic mullet. The hairstyle's motto was Business in the front and Party in the back. The eighties and nineties were a glorious era of fashion experimentation, where the motto was ‘the louder, the better'.

"These symbols make no sense," Phis said, having moved on while I was lost in thoughts about the clothes and hair of decades long gone. "It"s like trying to read a cosmic IKEA manual."

Kota snorted and moved closer to help her. "We're screwed if it's that difficult. I always have screws and bolts left over after building something we bought there."

Dea ducked and looked like she was grappling with illusions of misfiring magic. "They're responsible for us facing illusions that are driving us toward a magical midlife crisis."

Lia observed the illusions with a discerning eye. "These are not just random fears. They"re tailored and personalized. Agnes knows us better than we think. How is she managing this?"

"How heartwarming," I quipped, looking at my illusionary self surrounded by flames. "Nothing like a good old-fashioned burning-at-the-stake fantasy to brighten your day."

As we stood our ground, the dungeon played its psychological tricks. For me, it was a surreal journey through relationship choices and consequences. Illusions of paths not taken, regrets piled high like a magical landfill of what-ifs.

Sensing my turmoil, Lia laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We"re in this together, Dani. No illusion, no matter how vivid, can change that."

I managed a half-smile. "Great. After this, we should get matching "Survived the Dungeon" tattoos."

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "I think something subtle, like a protective rune on our pinkie toes."

Dea chuckled and added, "Just as long as it"s not an enchanted tattoo. With our luck it would make us even bigger targets, and we"ve had enough magical mishaps for a lifetime."

"Something"s not right." Kota"s head spun around, and her gaze narrowed. "These illusions, they"re trying to keep us from reaching the heart of the dungeon."

"You mean we aren't already there?" I asked as I glanced around at the implements of torture around us.

Dre pursed her lips and walked toward a rusted table covered in stains I would rather not think about. "So, it"s not just a psychological maze. There"s a tangible barrier, a magical force at play." Her hand moved through the table as if it wasn't there.

I gasped as Phi scratched a line through a rune. "The symbols are not just for show. They"re a language, a code if you will." The image of the large chamber disappeared and was replaced with four stone walls and not much else.

Kota clenched her jaw in silent determination as she helped Phi cut through the symbols. "I think we can continue now. How far beneath this house do you think this goes?"

Dre lifted a shoulder as she murmured, "Who knows? But Agnes didn't plan on the six of us. There's no other bond that is as strong as what we share. We"re more than sisters."

Having revealed the way forward, we pushed through. We encountered spiderwebs so thick I bet they'd been there since the Spain governed the colony. Dre was batting the sticky stuff when we encountered the dungeon"s guardian.

It was a towering figure cloaked in shadows that seemed to dance and writhe around its form. The scariest part were its eyes. They gleamed with an eerie light, piercing through the darkness with a malevolent intensity. Its features were obscured, hidden behind a veil of darkness that seemed to shift and twist like wisps of smoke.

Its presence was palpable, sending shivers down my spine as I took in its imposing stature. We didn't need to see more to know it was a force to be reckoned with. As it moved, the shadows coalesced around it, forming twisted shapes.

Lia stepped into the role of our mystical negotiator and addressed the magical being with a blend of authority and respect. "We seek knowledge, not conquest. Test us if you must, but know that we"re not here to disrupt the delicate balance."

The guardian"s response was a tempest of spectral energies swirling around us with an ominous intensity. We braced ourselves, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. Few had ever encountered a resolve like the one we had. It was born of being sisters and the bond germinated in the crucible of our mother's illness. I had always loved my sisters and cherished them, but going through Mama's cancer with her had forged our relationship in steel. When I was with them it was easy to grasp the confidence we needed to remain unwavering in the face of our foes.

Our reaction initiated a clash of magical forces. Dre"s calculating eyes were alight with strategic focus as she cast a sidelong glance at each of us. "We can beat anything as long as we stick together."

I cracked my knuckles, a playful grin on my face. "Always. Let"s give this guardian a taste of the Twisted Sisters" magic."

Phi"s face was etched with determination as she nodded. "We"ve faced worse, right? This is just another supernatural Tuesday."

Kota rolled her eyes. "I prefer Taco Tuesday. Let"s make sure this guardian regrets crossing paths with the Twisted Sisters."

The guardian threw magic at us, making us react instinctively. I erected a hasty protective barrier without much thought. Lia tossed a magical bomb while Kota lashed out at it with a whip she must have conjured.

Dre and Phi began weaving intricate spells, tendrils of magic dancing around their fingertips as they prepared to unleash their arcane fury. Dea conjured a much better barrier than I had. It effectively shielded us from the guardian"s onslaught. I started building a magical lightning bolt. Kota and Lia wasted no time in shifting into their smaller dragon forms. They were ready to unleash their razor-sharp talons.

The battle was a chaotic symphony of magic and mayhem. Spells collided with the guardian"s spectral form, sending ripples of energy cascading through the air. Dea"s barriers held strong against the onslaught. They provided us with a momentary reprieve from the guardian"s relentless assault.

With a roar that shook the very foundations of the dungeon, Kota and Lia charged forward, their talons gleaming in the dim light. The guardian recoiled, sensing the threat posed by the dragons" formidable claws. With lightning-fast reflexes, they struck, slashing through the guardian"s spectral form with deadly precision.

Meanwhile, Dre and Phi continued to rain down spells upon the guardian, their magic intertwining in a dazzling display of power. I unleashed the lightning I had been building. Bolts of energy crackled through the air, striking the guardian with pinpoint accuracy. The shriek it let out was high enough to shatter glass. As the battle raged on, I found myself caught up in the exhilarating chaos of combat. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a torrent of flames, sending them crashing into the guardian"s form with searing intensity.

Phi froze an incoming magical surge when she quipped, "Looks like the guardian is aiming for a magical crescendo. Someone get it a conductor"s wand."

Dre deflected an arcane bolt with precision and retorted, "Or it"s auditioning for "Supernatural"s Got Talent'. Wonder what Simon Cowell would say." The guardian, stoic in its duty yet faltering against our combined might, flickered like an ancient hologram losing coherence.

Despite the guardian"s formidable defenses, we fought with a determination born of necessity. With each strike, we chipped away at its spectral armor, inching closer to victory with every passing moment. We worked together without needing to coordinate our moves. We had this sixth sense for complementing each other's attack.

"We"re breaking through. Keep pushing!" Kota said in her rough dragon's voice. To most, it would sound garbled, but we'd gotten used to it.

"The dungeon is reacting," Dea observed as she continued fighting. "We need to end this confrontation."

That made us all double down on our efforts. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of fierce combat, the guardian faltered. I was covered in sweat when its spectral form flickered and faded before our eyes. With a triumphant roar, Kota and Lia delivered the final blow, their talons tearing through the last vestiges of the guardian"s ethereal form.

As the dust settled and the echoes of battle faded, we stood victorious. Our breath came in ragged gasps as we surveyed the aftermath of our victory. With a smirk, I turned to my sisters, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins.

"Well," I quipped, "That wasn"t so bad. Who"s up for round two?"

Dre snorted. "I'll pass. I'd rather have those tacos."

Phi was catching her breath and wearing a triumphant grin as she said, "Guardian"s Got Annihilated. We should copyright that."

With the guardian defeated, the dungeon, once a bastion of illusions, began to crumble. "Oh, shit!" I shouted. "It's coming down around us. Does anyone see anything?"

"No," Dre called out as she hurried back the way we'd come.

Our exit became a race against the collapsing magic. We sprinted through corridors that seemed to shift and writhe. Lia was typing on her phone as we ran. I grabbed her arm and yelled at her, "Move faster. The dungeon won"t wait for you to send a message."

"I was just alerting Lucas and Noah in case we need them," I replied.

Dre ducked beneath a cascade of magical objects and replied, "Wouldn"t want to miss the dramatic exit. We are Twisted, after all."

We made our way back to the stairs and the house above much faster than when we had gone through it. The ceiling was falling when we reached the kitchen where we'd gone belowground. A large piece of two-by-four conked me on the head as I dove out the back door.

I tucked into a ball and rolled when I hit the ground. Lia landed next to me, followed by Phi. Dre and Kota had made it out before us. When I didn't see Dea, I jumped up and turned to find her. She ran out of the house right as the thing collapsed. The force of it threw her into my arms. I caught her and stumbled back into Lia.

We steadied ourselves and looked around. The moon hung low in the sky, a silent witness to our victory. Dre surveyed our disheveled state with a cocked eyebrow. "Well, wasn"t that a magical rollercoaster? I give it a solid seven out of ten for dramatic effect. Maybe a five since we didn't find what we were looking for."

Phi twirled a strand of her hair theatrically. "Needs more flair. Perhaps a dash of pyrotechnics next time? Nothing says magical drama like fireworks."

Lia scanned our surroundings. "I wouldn't say we came away empty-handed. Dani caught a glimpse of the relic that is powering Agnes's magic. We find that and I bet we can get close to the well and unravel the curse."

Phi started walking and waved a hand through the air. "I"ve got a newfound appreciation for magical pandemonium. Drea is right, we can't let this spread."

Kota, her eyes gleaming with the thrill of the unknown, added, "We need to call Kaveh to get us out of this dream. Tacos come first after we wake up. And then we can remind the supernatural realm the Twisted Sisters can handle any magical curveball."

Lia chuckled as she climbed into the truck. "We remind them of too much and we won't have time for much else in life."

Anticipation hummed through us all as Dre and Lia shouted for Kaveh to help us out of the dream. They were all right. I looked forward to tacos and regrouping with my sisters. I should have suspected our life wouldn't be normal when I chose the name for our group. Twisted Sisters, indeed.