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1261 Words
Twenty years later...
"Celestia!" Renee called from outside their hut. "It's time for your class!" she added.
Celestia grinned and jumped down from a tree behind Renee, trying to surprise her. But instead of getting startled, Renee simply waved her hand and lifted Celestia into the air with magic.
"No fair, Aunt!" Celestia complained as Renee gently set her down. "I didn’t even see you cast a spell!" she added.
"You need to practice more, then," Renee said with a smile. "And you’re not a child anymore. You shouldn’t be climbing trees," she added.
"I know," Celestia groaned, crossing her arms. "But I’m bored here! You never let me go with you when you visit town," she said.
Renee, who had been hanging clothes, stopped and turned to face her.
"You know why," Renee said softly. Celestia sighed.
"Yes. Only witches allowed by the Grand Witch can leave the coven," she muttered.
Renee gave her a small, sad smile. Celestia knew the rule, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to see the world outside.
"Now, if you understand, go to your class," Renee said, giving Celestia a quick peck on the cheek.
"Alright, Aunt," Celestia replied.
She walked away from their hut toward the small, empty hut used for magic lessons. She didn’t like going there because the witch who taught her was rude, but she endured it. She loved learning, and she didn’t want to disappoint Renee.
"Good morning, Miss Ophelia," Celestia greeted as she stepped inside.
Ophelia, seated in her usual chair, barely looked up.
"You're a minute late," she said flatly. Celestia clasped her hands together, lowering her head.
"I'm sorry, Miss," she whispered.Ophelia exhaled sharply, as if even hearing her voice was exhausting.
"You have no respect for my time. But what else should I expect with the half-blood?" She stood, her robes rustling as she gestured toward the center of the room. "We’ll start with spellcasting. Recite the Incantation of Binding," she added.
Celestia’s heart sank, and she gripped the hem of her shirt tightly. She had never been taught that spell. It was an advanced spell she saw in the book in the library. She swallowed hard.
"I... I don’t know that spell, Miss," she admitted. Ophelia’s lips curled in disgust.
"Of course you don’t." She stepped closer, staring down at Celestia as if she were something beneath her. "This is exactly why you do not belong here in the coven," she added.
Celestia stiffened.
"You are nothing but a mistake, a half-blood pretending she is one of us," Ophelia continued, voice laced with contempt. "You think you can stand among true witches? You will never be one of us," she snapped, forgetting about the Grand Witch's rule.
Celestia’s fingers clenched into fists. A strange heat surged through her veins, her pulse pounding louder than Ophelia’s cruel words. The air in the hut grew heavy. The torches on the walls flickered violently—then blew out all at once.
Ophelia froze. A shadow darker than night coiled around Celestia’s feet. A deep, unnatural growl rumbled from her chest.
Meanwhile, Circe massaged her temples, deep in thought.
"Is this true, Renee?" she asked.
"I'm afraid so, Grand Witch," Renee replied. "Millenie, who went missing a few days ago, was found near the lake—with a mark on her wrist," she added.
Ever since the prophecy came true with Celestia's birth, a dangerous group had emerged, hunting down Shadowclaw wolves and Nightshade witches. They called themselves the Abyss Brotherhood. To protect their coven and Celestia, Renee had volunteered to track them down alongside Shadowclaw’s elite warriors.
"And what of the mark?" Circe asked.
"It's the same symbol—a crescent moon inside a triangle," Renee said firmly. "There's no doubt. It’s them," she added.
Before Circe could respond, the ground suddenly trembled beneath them.
"What is happening?!" Renee shouted, steadying herself.
Circe’s eyes widened in realization.
"Celestia," she whispered.
Ophelia stepped backward, fear creeping in as Celestia muttered something under her breath.
"Umbrae ignis, consume et damnare."
Flames erupted from Celestia’s hands—but they weren’t ordinary flames. They were black, a fire Ophelia had never seen before.
"C-Celestia..." she whispered, her eyes widening as she realized she was cornered with no escape.
Celestia’s golden eyes glowed, and just as she was about to hurl the black fire at Ophelia, Circe intervened, trapping her inside a barrier.
"Celestia!" Renee called, running toward her. The moment Celestia glanced at Renee, her gaze softened, and the black fire vanished from her hands. But before she could say a word, her body suddenly gave out.
"Celestia!" Renee cried, quickly casting a spell to catch her before she hit the ground.
"G-Grand Witch..." Ophelia stammered, her hands trembling as she stared at Celestia in fear.
"What did you do, Ophelia?" Circe asked coldly, but Ophelia remained silent. "We’re going to talk—outside," she added.
Ophelia quickly nodded and rushed out of the hut.
"Take care of Celestia, Renee," Circe instructed.
Renee nodded and gently placed Celestia on a chair, watching over her with concern.
Circe stepped outside, but her mind kept replaying what had just happened. When she had cast the barrier, she had used one of the strongest spells her sister Lilith had taught her. Yet, the moment Celestia’s black fire touched it, she had seen cracks forming.
"She’s getting stronger," Circe whispered, unease settling in her chest.
Circe immediately spotted Ophelia pacing back and forth, anxiously biting her nails.
"Ophelia," Circe called. Ophelia looked up and rushed toward her.
"Grand Witch, we can't let her stay here. You saw it— you saw that, right?" she said. "The curse—"
Circe placed her hands firmly on Ophelia's shoulders.
"Calm down and tell me what you did," she whispered.
Ophelia looked at her, eyes glistening with tears.
"I'm sorry, Grand Witch," she said softly.
Ophelia had always been against Celestia living among them. She refused to accept her existence, and Circe had been aware of it. Yet, she had taken no action, making her partially responsible for today’s events.
"Ophelia, you need to understand this," Circe began. "Celestia has Nightshade blood flowing through her veins. She is one of us. The dark forces are already moving, and we cannot let anything happen to her. She will play a crucial role in our survival, and we must help her," she added.
Ophelia sobbed, embracing Circe as guilt weighed heavily on her.
"I'm sorry, Grand Witch," she whispered over and over.
"Apologize to Celestia," Circe said. Ophelia nodded, and Circe dismissed her.
When Circe returned to the hut, she saw that Celestia had finally woken up.
"Do you remember what happened, child?" Circe asked.
"A little, Grand Witch," Celestia replied, lowering her head. "I was casting a spell, but I don’t know what it was. Did I hurt Miss Ophelia by any chance?" she whispered.
"You did not," Circe assured her. "But I know you must have many questions. And soon, you will have answers—because tomorrow, you will travel with us to the Shadowclaw Pack," she added.
"Grand Witch..." Renee hesitated.
"Renee, it's time. We can’t delay this any longer," Circe said. Then, turning back to Celestia, she added, "Rest, child. We leave at dawn," she added. Circe left the hut, her mind heavy with the weight of what was to come.
Renee sat beside Celestia, rubbing her back gently.
"It's going to be alright, Celestia," she murmured.
Celestia, though uncertain of what lay ahead, nodded. Deep inside, she knew—this journey would change everything.
- Writer
