"What are you so afraid of?" I asked Maria. "We have the power to destroy everything they built, everything they stand for. We can rebuild—the right way. You all say you want to maintain peace here. I don't believe peace includes being hunted and killed! Forced to flee from your own home."
Amiyah whistles and the harpy circling the sky comes down to her side by the other. She takes some food from her pocket and dangles it over the head of the eagle. "We'd be no different from them. We're not interested in conquering and killing. We're safe here." She drops the food into the mouth of the eagle and behind them, a crowd is suddenly walking our way. Amiyah turns to them and chides the soldiers who are failing to control them. The soldiers give their pleas, expressing that once they heard I was here, they all ran out on their own.
I turn back to Maria. "Do you see? What happened to you, Elder? When I was a child you were brutal when you needed to be. We fought to actively find multi-seals and bring them here."
"What happened? You happened. You made things so much worse for us. Your rivalry with Elaina split the coven in two. When I was elder, I could feel there was opposition brewing among us. Elaina offered a different solution than you or I. One that's allowed us to fly under the radar and reduce the chance of being discovered. We still find and help people where we can. Elaina even implemented spies into the coven. Some of which are even rooted in the houses of royal families. It's a slow race. And you my dear, are rushing to the finish line. As for the crowd, they're in need of spectacle. None better than you."
I won't change their mind with words. I'll show them instead, and they'll come to understand my actions. By the time their plan is fully realized, they'll all be dead. I said I'd rather be alone—that I didn't need followers. But now I realize that by following me, I'm saving them.
"Brothers and sisters of The Coven." I turn to the crowd. "As you all may know, my name is Helen. I'm offering you an out. A new path, one that's not hidden in the shadows. One that's fully expressed in the light, one that you can be proud to be who and what you are!"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Amiyah growls.
"Letting them decide their own fate."
"No one's going-" Before she finishes a young lady walks forward out of the sea of bodies, dragging along a man by his wrists. "We'll go," She says. Both of them have dark purple hair, it almost looks black, but in the sun it becomes more visible. Her purple-colored hair is tied up in a bun on top of her head. She has yellowish-tan skin, and dark brown eyes, with semi-dark circles under them like she doesn't sleep much. Besides all of that, there are more of them here…?
"Victoria, No!" Amiyah shouts.
The man tries to grab Victoria and settle her down but she jerks away. "No, she's right. I'm tired of being content with this. I want more than just this, I want to see my family—what's left of them anyway."
"This is not the way to do it," Amiyah says.
"She wants to leave, so she's leaving," I say. "And what about your friend?" I nod to the man behind her.
She turns around to face him "You said you want out. This is it, George."
"I don't want to risk it, Victoria. I'm sorry. I never imagined she was actually real! They were just stories."
"Coward!" She shouts. "All of you, cowards!"
Suddenly more soldiers come running to Amiyah's side—they whisper something into her ear. Her eyes go wide and she turns my way.
"Harris is dead, is this your doing?"
"Dead…? No, he's in a coma."
"He's dead," she repeats.
"This wasn't me," I say. I should feel something, but I don't. My feelings for him died long ago. Especially watching how he treated Alyssa for so many years.
She trades a somber look with Victoria that quickly turns into anger. "You want to leave with her? Go, both of you leave! We won't ask you again."
I nod to Victoria, telling her to follow. I've done enough ruffling of feathers. Despite everything, The Coven is in good hands with Amiyah. If they want to live a sheltered life, I'll let them live it—for now.
"Is there anything you need to grab?" I ask Victoria.
"No, let's just go." She walks ahead of me, full of steam. We walk to the exit portal and step through. Upon reaching the other side, the door becomes transparent until it disappears completely.
"So, where to?" Victoria asks.
"How old are you, anyway?" I ask her.
"Twenty, why?"
"Just wondering. We're headed to my former student's home. I'm ashamed to say that she betrayed me. Had evidence of it right in my face like I'm some idiot."
"Well, let's go teach her a lesson."
"You're very fiery, aren't you? Why you? Out of everyone? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here. But what is it really?"
"Didn't know there'd be so many questions," she chuckles. "I mean, I know who you are…both me and my brother, George dreamed of something like this happening. But now I realize he was just bluffing, too scared to actually go through with it. When the soldiers came back to set a perimeter, we already knew what was happening. Either you showed up, or The Valentine did. I just wanted out of that place, I'm tired of hiding. I miss my home, my actual home—District Six. Even if there's nothing there for me. I can't go back, not without being recognized. Nearly my entire family was killed by Valentine soldiers. So, your plan to eradicate them doesn't sound half bad."
Another example of the cycle right here before my eyes. The Valentine and their decisions—creating enemies that lay right beneath them. I do like her, I admit. And it doesn't seem she knows what runs in her blood. "Okay, let's get going."
After walking through the forest for a couple of minutes, we reach the streets of District Three. Another couple minutes and we've arrived at Charlotte's home. In an attempt not to scare Theo, we walk up to the door and I knock. No answer. I knock again, and again—no answer. Well, sorry Theo. I tell Victoria to stand back and I blow the door off of its hinges using a wind blast from my mouth. We both walk in and it's quiet. I suddenly notice Theo out of the corner of my eye. He's hunched down in a corner and crying.
"Do you know him?" Victoria asks.
"His name's Theo. He's her grandson." I walk over to him and ask where she is. He wipes his tears and points to the basement. I tell Victoria to stay with him as I head down there.
"Shit! Shit!" I hear Charlotte's voice echo as I make my way down the steps. I make as little noise as possible. Upon reaching the last step, I walk slowly toward a door in the back with light shining through.
"Chaos Enchantment: Soul Transfer!" I hear her shout, followed by "Shit! No!"
The possession spell requires a divine enchantment, profound, and ancient magic there. But chaos magic? It can only be performed by making a certain pact. One I'm sure Charlotte hasn't made. The difference between the two is possession is exactly how it sounds, it leaves both consciences in one body while the caster gains control.
The soul transfer, however—completely overrides the body of the person you're possessing. The person is essentially dead at that point and all that remains is you. It also doesn't require you to channel your aura through your palm, it can be done remotely and from feet away. I've taught Charlotte well, but, it makes sense why she isn't able to perform it. I open the door and casually walk through. She stumbles back, almost falling down after hitting her hip on the table—the table that my body rests on.
"Why?" I ask.
"H-Helen? Helen, please. I was just-"
I point to her and make a circle in the air—a simple gravity enchantment. Her body tenses up and hovers above the ground.
"I asked you why." I step closer, and here comes her tears. I'm holding back the urge to just kill her now.
"I just-I just wanted to be like you!" She snivels. "Forgive me, please!"
"You think my power comes from my body?" I walk over to the table and take a look at myself. My black long flowing hair—my brown skin that sheens. My oval-shaped face, and full lips. I haven't aged a day, my body still looks so full of life.
"My body, soul, conscience, whatever it may be, may in fact be immortal. I may have a light, and a mysterious shadow seal, but my power comes from my knowledge. The years upon years of studying spell-work, ancient remedies—history. Everything in The Coven's library is inside my head and I can access it at any time I wish, darling. That's my power."
I turn over my palm, revealing both the light and shadow seal there.
"There's a price I had to pay for it. I'll show you how to perform the spell, my dear student. After that, you can watch as the body and power you want so badly take the life out of you."
"Goddess, please! Please forgive-"
"Hush now, darling." I extend the gravity spell manipulation to her lips, causing them to seal shut.
I look down at my body, studying and focusing intently—then projecting my aura forward onto the body. Imagining connecting every network point in my aura system. And those same networks filling with energy, like flowing through a tube.
"Chaos Enchantment: Soul Transfer."
Everything goes black and I feel cold all of a sudden. My skin fills with goosebumps like the temperature dropped thirty degrees. I open my eyes to see the ceiling—and take a moment to gather my breath. I sit up from the table, but it's too quick. I feel faint and my head aches for a moment. After taking a few breaths, I come to my senses. I get up from the table and walk over to Charlotte—she's trembling.
"Poor, darling. I'm sorry this is the end for you." I turn over my palm and the light seal shines with white light, a second later—a complete double of myself created from white light manifests slowly. Charlotte screams inside her own mouth, unable to let anything out.
I clench my fist and my light double plunges its arm through her chest. I take a moment to study Charlotte—watch her drift away. I truly am saddened that this had to happen. I only take pleasure in killing those who deserve it. But Charlotte lied to me, betrayed me—she had to be punished.
"Helen!" I hear Victoria yell from upstairs. I unclench my fist and my double disappears, dropping Charlotte's lifeless body to the floor. I make my way upstairs to see dear old friends of mine standing in the doorway, it's the Knight Squad.