Rebirth: The Awakening Of A Witch

by Jessica S. Quinn

  Rhiannon yawned out loud. “Can we kill her now?” she asked as she leaned against a wall, looking very bored. I dragged my eyes back to her, and as I did so, I allowed my eyes to roam around the place where they currently held me. By now, Rhiannon’s ball of flame ignited so brightly that the entire room was almost lit. It looked like an old, abandoned sweatshop. The whole place was literally about to fall off. Cobwebs, soot, and grunge were everywhere coupled with long, broken tables and other supplies carelessly set aside on one corner of the room. I didn’t exactly know where we were, but I had a strong feeling that we were still in Rattford Cliffs, just somewhere that I haven’t been to yet.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” he replied. He was now back to that evil, pondering expression of his, walking away a bit, giving a short distance between us. “Since you’ll be gone soon, let me tell you how I work here. If I just killed you, the entire process of finding you, the thrill of finally seeing your face, the entertainment I got from that lightning show your beloved guardian performed, and that impressive psychic ability you displayed on that playground will all go to waste now, wouldn’t it? You see, I strongly want to kill you, but I also want to enjoy the entire process of doing so. That way, the kill would be worth the hunt. You can say that I like to keep things interesting,” he explained as he rubbed his hands together, thoroughly enjoying every sinister plan he had on his mind. I felt my anger escalating further at the thought of going through all that trauma because he wants to be entertained. He’s completely mad!

  The rage I felt dug in deeper, extensively rooting itself in the recesses of my entire being, filling me with an intense glow of warmth I’ve never experienced before. I felt like something inside me was going to explode, but I didn’t even think of suppressing it. I allowed it to grow in its vastness, to build itself up until it almost took hold of me completely.

  Just when I was contemplating the thought of completely falling on that darkened abyss, allowing it to hoard every ounce of strength it needed, everything suddenly went quiet inside me, and I felt peace. I smiled when a nudging feeling was telling me that something was going to happen, something great. As I sensed his presence coming at an impossibly sharp speed, I completely forgot the rage I felt a moment ago. I slowly closed my eyes and took deep, relaxing breaths as I looked up towards the rusted bars on the ceiling, waiting for him to come.

  Chapter 14 - Anguish

  I instantly felt an overwhelming feeling swamp through me as a cycle of lightning struck inside that god-forsaken building, fully cloaking the distance between me and the devil siblings. All my anger vanished when I saw him standing there, his long hair flying wildly about as the intensity of the lightning he brought with him caused a strong wind current to emanate inside that room, blowing everyone back.

  I was taken aback when I saw the untamed, murderous expression he had on his features. I’ve never seen him this intense before. It scared me a little, but I somehow felt proud of him in a strange way. The stir of emotions I now felt inside me couldn’t be explained. I tried to search through my brain for any logical explanation but there wasn’t any. I was just that overjoyed that he was suddenly there, alive, and saving me again with a thunderous expression on his face. My smile broadened as I stared at his back that was only inches from where I was currently detained. With or without a prophecy, I knew I would eventually come to realize this feeling of blissful contentment every time I see him, no matter what expression he had on that god-like face of his.

  As that sudden revelation flooded me, I felt Elise and Cole’s presence as they appeared on either side of me. Elise immediately swiped her hand beside me, bringing a rush of wind acting as sharp blades on the steel bars that held me back, and I was suddenly free. I haven’t recovered yet from the shock of what she just did before she immediately extended her right arm to her side. All of a sudden, a large barrier surrounded the three of us, making it look like we were encased in a clear bubble. Adrien finally stopped throwing lightning and tensed himself, stepping behind into the bubble with us as shots of fire started coming at us, encasing the bubble into an array of light with yellow and orange flames.

  “Take Skylar and get out of here.” Adrien suddenly stated.

  “No. We’re not leaving without you!” I stubbornly replied. I couldn’t believe he was asking this from his siblings. But Cole and Elise immediately grabbed both of my arms. I was too stunned that they were actually willing to do just that. I struggled, fighting against time as I expected us to instantly be in a different place, but nothing happened. We just stayed on that building with Adrien still in front of us. I frowned, turning my face to look at Elise. She closed her eyes as she furrowed her brows, concentrating deeply at something. While I was just staring at her, the flames surrounding us surprisingly thinned, and I immediately saw Alastor and Rhiannon smiling smugly a few feet in front of us.

  Alastor released one of his wretched, demented laughs as he looked right at us, directing all our attention to him. He raised both his arms on his sides and swiftly lifted them higher until they were pointing towards the ceiling, bringing dark, faceless figures with orange eyes rising from the ground, completely passing through the cemented floor of the building. My breath caught in my throat when I realized that we were all suddenly surrounded. Thousands of Alastor’s dark ghouls were standing everywhere, their bodies that appeared to be made of a strange, sticky, black substance slowly dripped to the floor as they continuously swayed from side to side.

  “Leave now! Cole!” Adrien hastily ordered.

  “We can’t. Something’s blocking us,” Cole retorted, clenching his fists beside me.

  Rhiannon clicked her tongue. “That’s because we spelled the entire area. No one is allowed to leave,” she stated with an icy smile.

  “You didn’t actually think we would let you take her that easily, did you?” Alastor continued with an amused, sinister smile on his face. He then motioned at his minions to come charging at us. “See, Skylar? This is exactly what I meant by entertainment,” he roared as he let out another one of those crazed cackles. As he laughed, I suddenly felt the ground shake violently. Adrien instantly grabbed me by the waist, keeping me from toppling over while he was throwing flames from his free hand to those figures that were wandering too close to us. Elise was constantly swiping wind from her arms as blade after blade kept flinging towards the rest of the ghouls, slicing them up as they attacked us from hers and Cole’s side. I was amazed at how she still kept the bubble of shield surrounding all of us while spurting wind blades. The ground suddenly stopped vibrating then, and I saw Cole crash a massive block of cement against the wall behind us, completely destroying it and giving us a clear view of the surroundings outside.

  Without warning, I suddenly felt myself floating from the ground, and I gasped as Adrien lifted me in his arms as he instantly ran at a rapid speed through the large hole on the wall, Elise and Cole were closely behind him, flanking him on his sides as they kept hurling blocks of air and rocks towards any ghoul that were too close. Once we were outside, a heavy downpour viciously flowed upon us as rain continued on beating down heavily. I closed my eyes and squirmed closer to Adrien as he continued on gliding through the forest that we were currently on. He never slowed down even once, even if I was obviously weighing him down.

  Just when I thought we were finally going to be able to get away, that emerald smoke started clouding everywhere and Adrien immediately stopped. “Elise!” he called out.

  All at once, that clear shield was surrounding us once again. Adrien gently settled me down on my feet before abruptly turning around, completely blocking me. He nodded towards Cole, who was suddenly stretching his arms before him in a continuously brisk manner, forming a tornado as his hands continued on forming a circular wave, never stopping even once. Before I knew it, the thick mossy smoke around us was gone followed by a rough, heavy, and twisted tornado made completely of water started falling harshly on the shield above us as it forcefully flowed everywhere
around us. When the water finally stopped gushing, I scanned our surroundings and saw that we were almost on the edge of that exact cliff in one of my visions. Black puddles that looked like tar washed all around us as Alastor’s minions heavily lay lifeless everywhere, scattered all around the place as they covered everything in darkness.

  I felt Rhiannon’s presence suddenly coming towards us from above. “Elise, above us!” I cried out. She stiffened as she abruptly directed her hands above our heads just in time before a shower of fire immensely washed down on us, creating a cloud of white smoke as it mixed with the heavy rain. Each time a fresh wave of fire pounded on us, I saw Elise wince. She was getting exhausted with this. I glanced at Cole and Adrien to see that they both looked equally worn out despite their efforts to stay strong. Adrien suddenly reached his arms toward the heavens, calling onto a dance of lightning towards Alastor and Rhiannon’s direction. Cole also placed his palms together before shoving them before him, throwing spurts of water forward, joining Adrien’s lightning dance as everything they both created turned into a chaotic shower of electric currents everywhere. Much to my horror, Alastor effortlessly avoided each flap of current. Rhiannon’s flame of waves, on the other hand, slowly weakened just in time as Elise’s shield finally gave in. Adrien instantly grabbed me as all three of us bolted out of that spot at the last minute before the last wave of Rhiannon’s flames hit the place where we were just standing.

  I felt myself being hauled roughly on the ground as I groaned. A mixture of rain and small rocks fell on my face. I instantly opened my eyes and saw thick clouds of dust filling my vision. I glanced down to find Adrien sprawled on top of me. He directly got up, pulling me with him before turning around, using his body to block out whatever was coming towards us once again. My eyes frantically searched everywhere for Cole and Elise, but they weren’t in sight. The haze of dirt slowly cleared with the help of the rain, and I felt Adrien’s back tense up as he clenched his hands hard. I stepped slightly beside him to see Cole and Elise tied up together with that identical, thick steel bars that held me captive just a few moments ago. That same grassy smoke hovered around them, keeping them in place as Rhiannon, whose leg was now bleeding, stood before them.

  “Impertinent guardians! You dare injure me with those lightning rods? Now you can all play witnesses to the death of the last of the Imperials!” she snarled as she formed an even thicker fog of smoke around them.

  My heart shattered at the sight of them struggling in pain as they fiercely, but weakly, tried to get loose. But nothing could have prepared me for what was going to happen next.

  Adrien angrily let out a strong wave blending of lightning and fire at the same time, aiming them straight at Alastor. The attack brought forth a mist of smoke as it merged with the continuous pouring of rain. For a moment, I thought Alastor would be done for, seeing how he didn’t do anything at all to stop the attack that Adrien just set on him. But my heart sank as Adrien’s effort just vanished into thin air before it even touched him. I immediately turned my attention back to Adrien. He was struggling. His jaw was tightly clenched, and his eyes were filled with intense concentration as he seemed to be battling with himself.

  I held onto his arm, squeezing it gently. “Adrien, what’s wrong?” I asked, my face creasing with concern and terror as I peered up at him, ignoring the drops of rain that blurred my vision of his features. He looked at me then, and he smiled the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen him wear. It was genuine, scrunching up the sides of his eyes as those striking silver-grey orbs gazed at me with what could only be a gratifying-filled look. My heart crumbled at what that gaze meaningfully held, and I shook my head violently at him. “No,” I whispered towards him.

  “Ah. How my mind control works.” Alastor suddenly spoke.

  I gasped as he unexpectedly grabbed hold of Adrien’s throat, easily lifting him off the ground while I almost stumbled backwards.

  Chapter 15 - Wrath

  Before Adrien was violently dragged up into the air, he managed to push me slightly so that I was at a safe distance behind him. I stumbled back as complete dread washed over me at the sight of him fighting with the last of his strength. I instantly felt that soothing aura shroud me, and upon impulse, I instinctively knew that he was purposely doing that, calming me down as I saw him being killed in front of me.

  “I think I’ve been entertained far enough. As a thank you, I’ve let you observe my control over your guardians as I easily dictated them not to fight back,” he scoffed.

  “Now I’m going to give you the pleasure of seeing them die as I use my strength to crush the life out of all of them. Starting with this one,” Alastor calmly said as his eyes came alight with that crazed madness I’ve seen him wear in my vision. Adrien continued on calming me even as he cried out in anguish.

  At the sound of his pain, I completely let myself free, feeling something entirely snap inside me. The wrath I previously experienced soared to new heights. The resentment that was already deeply embedded within me fully flourished at rocket speed, sending shocks of lightning and blazing flames radiantly glowing inside. I felt that strange but familiar heat bubble up in my inner recesses as the hatred that caressed me before came back in full swing. I roared out loud in abundant fury.

  I reached my arms skyward, letting my mind do what it was dying to do. I envisioned viciously pulling Alastor away, clashing him violently with Rhiannon in mid-air. I felt my eyes lit up as that darkened rage consumed me. I saw them struggle, Alastor actually trying to fight against my seethe, willing me to stop what I was doing. I easily waved off his efforts as the sensation of that fiery glow finally erupted. For a moment, I thought I saw that same emotion flash through his eyes when I barked at him before—fear. I smiled as I completely released the pent up flares from my body, quickly bringing my arms down towards them as I deliberately discharged a colossal wave of fire.

  My smile widened as I heard them shrieking out in pain as they were burned right in front of me. I continued on releasing the immense wave of flames until I felt all the hatred and fury leave my body, slowly following the current of that blazing stream. Once every bit of that contained loathe was gone, I instantly welcomed the rush of calmness. That serene ambience suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and I completely allowed it to swathe me as I freely descended into its pleasant crevasse of dormancy.

  Chapter 16 - Aftermath

  I panted, trying to catch my breath as I hoarsely breathed in and out. I rested both my hands on my knees as I bent my waist down, letting my hair flow on either side of me. I tried keeping myself still as I calmed my pounding heart. When my breathing gradually slowed, I covered my mouth with both of my hands, stifling any giggle that would threaten to come out.

  I gazed up at the canopy of leaves above me, enjoying the coolness I got from their shades as I slowly leant back on the tree. I inhaled the cool breeze as a fresh new wave of wind rustled past the tree that I was currently using to hide myself. We were playing hide and seek for the nth time today. We weren’t going to give up until both or, at the very least, one of us finally succeeded. I scanned my surroundings, hopefully waiting for him to announce that he has given up looking for me once and for all. That was a far-fetched cry from happening, but we both still kept our hopes up. We stubbornly believed that it can happen. If it doesn’t happen today, then maybe tomorrow or the next days that followed.

  As I grew tired of waiting, I let my feet slowly slide down on the grass until my bottom finally felt the silent thud of the ground. I hurriedly pulled out a few of the blue bells, lilacs, and fairy wands that were abundantly surrounding me. I pulled them all to my nose as I lazily leaned back against the trunk of the tree. I love these flowers, especially the lilacs. They’re my favorite, which is why I loved coming to this place, just so I could surround myself with them. Then, as I was thoroughly enjoying my time with the flowers, I suddenly knew he was coming. I groaned as I hung my head. Why is it that he always manages to find me or the other way around
? I crossed my arms with the flowers still on my hand as I pouted, waiting for him to come up to my side.

  “Boo,” he said with an extremely bored expression on his face. He walked towards me, dragging his feet on the ground.

  “No fun. Let’s try it again. I’ll look for you,” I said, still pouting heavily at him.

  “Again?” he said as his face twisted in what looked like frustration. “Can we do it again tomorrow? We’ll get it right this time,” he continued. I was going to argue more, but he pulled out the flowers from my hand and tied their ends together. He added more flowers to them until they all formed a circular, floral crown. My eyes easily lit up when he placed the flowers on my head. He always knew how to make me smile, and right now I felt so giddy that I attacked him with a hug.

  “Thank you, Adrien. I promise I won’t try to find you tomorrow,” I happily said, letting go of him as I picked up more flowers to bring home with me.

  “Nu-uh. I won’t find you first,” he replied smugly as he wiped one dirty hand on his cheek, creating a brown smudge of soil on his face. “Come on, Sky. Stop the floral killing. We still have to go to the hill. Hurry before the sun sets!” he animatedly said, tugging on my hand and pulling me along.