"Qira," Xaxu says. "State the facts before we vote."
"With pleasure, sister," she says, and everyone turns her way. "We have thirty-three Karmic Islands to activate, thirty-three keys to be won to bring Mother's Beacon Earth alive, thousands of humans to snatch from their families; and their future rests upon one girl, a rhesus null whom Kat seems to think can withstand twenty-seven mirrored years asleep. If this Mary fails, the ninth witch dies and Fantum becomes the black wand. This, sisters, is the dilemma before us."
"What say you, witches?" Xaxu asks.
"Yes!" the seven shout in unison.
"Yes," Fantum borrows Jarka's purr, and stares at Kat as if she'd be doing it for the last time.
"Yes," Xaxu says with a heavy heart, and then, "are you really sure you want to do this?"
"There's no other way. Don't worry. I'll come back and hand you the first key myself."
Xaxu sighs in response.
"Okay, let's do this, then."
The witches descend their thrones and meet at the centre of the circle. Then they place their left hands upon the blue ball above the triangle, and sink into a deep silence. Together, they focus on Kat's goal, the islands, the people, their players, and finally merge their colours over the circle. Kat is the first to blow upon the earth. The rest follow her lead. Then she whispers her secret word and releases more of herself. Another long silence follows. And when Kat has sunken deep enough, she summons the spell from her mind and places it before her sisters.
They in turn drum up a force so strong it is unmatched by any of their previous encounters. They join hands, each fully aware of what is at stake, knowing that if Mary fails, Fantum would possess a power no one wants her to have. Still, Xaxu begins the spell.
"We witches are joined together, to cast a spell on thee. The circle that sits below us must give up thirty-three. And when the time is over, we'll plunder all the earth. A new world in the making, or death before the birth."
The sisters follow; first Qira, then Raea, Fejj, Suke, Jarka, Mira, and Fantum. Now it is Kat's turn. Will she go through with it or change her mind and decide to attack the humans? They anxiously await, Fantum more so than the others. Kat eventually speaks up. And when she does, she not only utters the words but does so more thunderously than the others. Finally, she adds words unsaid by them.
"The one, who came before us, must walk the earth again. Our mother and protector; avenger and our queen. Through death the gate will open. From darkness she will rise. Great Mother of all shadows, and ruler of all time."
As Kat utters the last word, the two circles start spinning and her throne – the etched triangle, sucks her in beneath itself. And now the Feel Room is transformed. The room goes from pitch darkness to an almost blinding white, leaving Xaxu to dominate the space in her absence. Then everything stops and a great sadness overcomes them, even Fantum. Because for the very first time since their initiation in Lilith's cave, the ninth witch has taken her darkness away from them.
YOU ARE READING
THE 33 KEYS: Key 2 - ANSWER THE CALL "Listen for that Perfect Beat"
FantasyIt matters not if you remove your crown and throw off your robes for an impostor to claim your throne. Because something must eventually stir all your children awake. And then they will become as stars across a darkened sky. One by one, they will li...
