Silence! Deafening silence! The once flapping of bird's wings, the swishing of magic poofs, the bickering of children, and the scolding of coven mothers were gone leaving behind an empty charred clearing.
Nothing was left, no one was left except me. I had gone into hiding, the coward that I am; hidden in a cave my father built for me protected by an invisible barrier.
My father, the great war-lock; the one so powerful no human dared look him in the eye has fallen. I could still smell the ash in the air, my fingers caressing the fire-darkened walls of the now burnt buildings.
My heart still mourned despite it being many years ago. My pain was established as revenge. My robe rustled as I made my way to where our home once stood.
I could still hear the screams of witches burning, wizards groaning, and children howling when all I did was cover my ears and block out the sounds.
Before that, we were a peaceful coven, we never strayed past our boundaries. The humans would seek us out for their selfish needs now and then and all we would ask for in return were a few rare items we didn't have ourselves.
We were happy, we were content. We didn't need their huge mansions or flashy cars to live. All we needed were the smiles and satisfaction on one another's faces. Our stomachs were full, we had clothes and we had a roof over our heads.
Why would they do this to us? What great and unforgivable harm had we done to them that they couldn't forgive us? The soldiers had passed right by me without spotting me.
I recognized their flag as they marched past, soaked with the blood of my family and friends. Eryndor.
Getting to the spot of my home, all that was left were fallen bricks and rotting wood, I picked through the rubble, flashbacks of my happy childhood bringing tears to my eyes. I walked further in, cracking beneath my feet chasing the silence. I saw something sparkle inside the rubble, I bent over and picked it up.
My mother's pendant; was broken and burnt but it was still hers.
I clutched it in my palm and screamed, the edges of the item drawing blood but I was oblivious to the physical pain. A blue smoke screen pulsed and blew out of my body, with such force, the earth vibrated. I collapsed to the floor sobbing uncontrollably.
The blue energy cascaded around me a symbol of my grief.
"Eryndor!!! You will pay!!!" I cried, my voice echoed through the expanse of empty land, the few tiny birds around fleeing my anger. My throat stung from the scream.
*****
I stood outside my adopted parents' shack of a home, on the outskirts of Eryndor, where the abandoned and wretched citizens live. My adoptive parents taught me to keep my powers hidden. Eldrin and Maeryth; wise and kind had taken pity on the tattered-looking, starving nine-year-old girl that had stumbled into their home looking for food.
The brook that served as a source of water captured my reflection. I couldn't believe who I had become, a shadow of who I was, a stark contrast to the happy girl I once was.
The crown shall rest on your head, a flame rising from the ashes, love shall bind your faith.
I hear those words more often now when the ghost lady in black visits me. She says nothing else and does nothing else. Just stands, looming over me with dark, fiery eyes, and repeats those words over and over.
When she visits, I can neither speak nor move. I am trapped by an invisible force that numbs my entire body, my tongue is stuck in my throat. I could make nothing of her except for her height and weight, what she wanted I didn't know.
Just the same words again and again.
I turned and entered the house, Maeryth by the fireplace making dinner and Eldrin sharpening a knife. I had made up my mind, it was time for me to leave.
"I need to go into town to look for a job in the palace as a maid," I announced.
Two pairs of eyes looked in my direction, frozen in shock.
"What are you saying?" Maeryth cried.
"Have you gone mad?" Eldrin queried.
"I cannot continue to stay here and watch you work yourselves to death in penury," I said, looking at their severally patched clothes and the measly food Maeryth was making for dinner; barely enough for one.
"And the palace is where you think is the best place to find a job?"
"The palace is where I can make enough for us to be comfortable."
"Lyssandra, there are other jobs you can have away from the palace." Maerith continued dropping a spoon in the old and worn pot sitting on the fireplace. 'Lyssandra' was the name she had given me, a name that I had struggled to accept for years.
"Maeryth, I have no formal education. The only job I will be employed in is a maid. What else can I do?"
"Going to the palace as a witch will spell your death!" Eldryn threw in his support to his wife.
"You have taught me well. I have learned to hide my powers. You have helped me, both of you. It is time for me to return the favor."
"I cannot talk you out of this can I?" Maeryth looked at me with sober eyes. I moved towards her and wrapped her in my arms.
"I gave it a great thought and I made up my mind. All I need is your blessing."
I stood up straight and then cupped her face in my palms, hoping that they wouldn't make me disobey them.
"Fine!" Maeryth said, giving up.
"What do you mean fine? I told you never to look in her eyes when you need to stand your ground!" Eldryn chastised his wife.
I smiled. They always said my eyes would get me past anything. I would look in the mirror all the time but I saw nothing special just a pair of blue sad eyes.
"Eldryn? Please…" I began to walk towards him.
"No! I am not going to look at you." He bowed his head almost to his knees, sharpening his knife like his life depended on it.
"Eldryn?"
"What you are doing is walking to your death! These people, they are monsters! Walking into the lion's den all by yourself without us there…"
"Eldryn?" I was on my knees now, my hands on his knee. He tried as hard as he could to fight it, he took one glimpse at my face and…