Wicca Awakened
Chapter One:
Spread of the Salem Witch Trials 1692
Six figures sprinted through the woods, panting, blood pumping, eyes straining. From far behind them torches flared in the darkness and the sound of hooves rumbled like a treacherous thunderstorm. They were coming.
Amidst the thin and decrepit trees there came a clearing illuminated by the glowing full moon. The cloaked figures rushed into it and suddenly stopped. They stood apart from each other in a circle and threw back their hoods.
"It's hopeless!" cried a mousy-brown haired man, "There's nothing we can do!"
"None of this would be happening if you weren't so reckless, Jonas!" a woman with short dark-brown hair said.
"I wasn't just going to let him hurt that young girl!"
"Enough!" a long, blond haired woman demanded, "this isn't the time, Cassandra. We need to think: and fast."
"We could always bind our powers? Then they cannot say we're witches without seeing our powers?" a black-haired woman said.
"We don't have the ingredients for the potion. Even if we did have them, with people like Sheriff Bailey about, people will always be hanged for being witches, powers or not," a tall, dark-haired man said.
"I don't hear any suggestions from you, Paul!"
"Enough!" the blonde said again, "Paul and Jonas are right. There's nothing we can do. Sheriff Bailey will sentence us to death, powers or not."
"…Lessa...? What if we sent our powers on? If we can't squeeze our way out of this one, there needn't be a way anyone can get hold of our powers," a long-haired brunette woman suggested.
Apart from the shriek of dogs and the thud of hooves, all was silent.
"Hmmm. I agree with Michelle. I for one do not want anything evil possessing my power. Anyone else?" Lessa asked.
There were a few quiet grunts and mumbles and then all was still again, save for the sounds of hooves and dogs which grew louder.
"Regrettably, this is the end. It was a pleasure knowing you, ladies and gentlemen. Repeat after me," Lessa pulled a small knife, an Athamé, from her cloak pocket and cut along her palm. She clenched her fist and let a few droplets of blood fall to the ground. The other five did the same.
"Spirits of the witches, rise,
Pass this gift to my next life,
From once it came, return it now,
By my blood, may it be bound,
Unlock this power to whom rightly found."
Once the final words were said and repeated, a strong gust of wind blew through the leafless tress and white, sparkling jets of light shot out of each witch and moulded themselves together in the centre of the circle. The bright white light then sunk into the ground and a six pointed star illuminated the ground, each point connecting the witches. Soon after is sub-sided.
All was quiet. Too quiet.
"Witches! Caught in the act!" a deep, booming voice rang out. "Arrest them!"
Many men equipped with guns, swords and axes came through into the small clearing and bound the six coven members and brought them to their knees. A tall man, clad in leather and a golden 'Sheriff' badge stepped in front of them.
"Well, well. What do we have here? Witches! Witches who delve into devilry and unholy acts against the church!" The commanding infantry stood silent, making sure their captives had no chance to escape. "You all saw what these witches were capable off! You all felt the force of that wind! These witches are far too dangerous to be held for a trial! Burn them! Burn them now!"
A cheer erupted from the men and they began to cut down surrounding trees. They set them up as poles and soon began to tie the coven to them.
"Any last words?" the Sheriff asked, eyeing each witch with scornful eyes.
"I would have enjoyed turning you into a toad," Jonas blurted out.
The Sheriff pulled out his gun and smacked Jonas hard across the face with the handle. Blood spat from his bloody teeth and Jonas returned Bailey's look of hatred. Bailey bent down and whispered in Jonas' ear, "you won't be so bold when I steal your powers." He looked at the coven and his eyes flashed red and his lips broadened into a grin. He stepped back, "burn them!"
Torches were thrown onto the bottom of the witch-fire and slowly began to burn through wood and flesh. Sheriff Bailey looked at them with envious eyes and brought out an amulet from underneath his shirt. The jewelled crest began to glow a faint red… Nothing happened. Bailey's grin fell as he pieced together what had happened before hand. The chanting … the wind … the light …
"No! Impossible!" he yelled, thrusting the amulet back into his shirt.
"You'll never get our powers, warlock!" the black-haired woman, Nadine, said weakly, before closing her eyes and taking her final breath. Cassandra, Michelle, Jonas, Lessa and Paul also succumbed to the smoke, closing their eyes and ceasing to breathe. Meanwhile, the flames continued to scorch their bodies.
"Sir? … Why did she call you a 'warlock'?" one of the men asked.
Bailey turned to the men and met their confused stares with hatred in his eyes. He threw out his hands and small pellets of crackling red energy shot from his palms. When the men were struck by this energy they burst into flames, and perished in screams that echoed through the still, night air. "That's why," he said.
He turned to the blazing fire, held out his hand and from it a forceful wind blew. The fire was extinguished, and with one final look at the dead, burned coven, he blinked and disappeared from sight.