When Stars Fall (NaNoWriMo22)

Chapter 3

Somewhere, in the deep crevices of Mount Erebus, is a dark castle. A castle that has no namesake, no history, nor remembrance. Time has made sure to erase it from the knowledge of mortals. From the outside, it just an ordinary castle. But on the inside, it hides a terrible evil. There within lives three sisters. The remaining members of a lost coven. Three Witches that have continuously defied nature too many times to count.

"You've lost her!" One sister mock at the other's failure. "It seems you have lost your touch, sister." The third sister laughs with the first. "Perhaps, Nirvana will have a better chance of getting to her than you." The second sister hisses at them, her eyes flashing with malicious anger. "Neither you nor Nirvana will get in my way, Eleste." She plays with her rings as she thinks of new plan. "We must find out where she's headed and how she managed to escape our grasp. Get the bones." Nirvana is quick to follow her sister's command.

They all get ready for a reading, shuffling everything around to make space for it. Eleste grabs a small red velvet pouch as the two others stand around a table. "Who shall do the reading?" The second sister holds out her hand without asking. "Fine, Illumia, do the reading!" Eleste relents the bones to Illumia and steps to her side of the table reading. "Remember to focus on the intent in question, Illumia." Illumia sends her sister a glare before turning over to the bones. She dumps them on the palm of her hands and shakes them ever so slightly. Illumia closes her eyes, focusing on the Star. With a small sigh, she turns over her hand and let's go of the bones. The three sisters hurry over. "It seems you missed her by a few short minutes. Now that is unusual, right sisters?"

"Yes, it is," Nirvana agrees with Eleste, "After a fall, Stars remain unconscious as their bodies acclimate. The daytime is when they're utmost vulnerable." Nirvana leans closer over the table. "Oh, but sister, look! She has a friend." Eleste winces. "You mean, captor. He has her binded and on the road to the Wall. What shall we do, sisters?" Both Eleste and Nirvana turn to Illumia, who is currently smiling coyly at her sisters. "Hmm, we have yet to lose our Star. We can use this boy to our advantage." Eleste and Nirvana share a look before turning back to Illumia. Illumia sighs, irritated by her dimwitted sisters. "We used up the candle with the trip to the crater and back so, we'll just have to intercept them. Therefore, I will be using what's left of our last Star."

They all fall silent. The last Star that had stumbled into their hands was over a centuries ago. After their coven had slowly killed each other for each other's Stars, these three sisters sat back and quietly watched their dissemination and stole their remnants of their Stars. They split it into threes all those years ago, but that was one of their first mistakes. The other was believing that their source was unlimited. In the last 25 years, they've had to ration and limit the usage of their Star. What Illumia is planning on doing is what they each have fought each other against.

"And why is it that you must use it? Why not me, Illumia?" Nirvana narrows her eyes as she glares daggers at her sister. Illumia crosses her arms, unphased at her sister's rising temper. "This is my quest, Nirvana. It is on me to bring back our Star. Plus, I am much more powerful than you." Nirvana opens her mouth to rebuff her sister's statement, but Eleste interrupts before an argument unfolds. "I have a suggestion," Eleste goes and picks up three sealed boxes. "Why not make it entertaining, hmm? Let us all go and fetch what is ours. However, the first trap to her shall get the biggest piece."

"You desire a game?" Illumia shares cat-like grin among her sisters. "Interesting."

"Yes, sister." Eleste places the boxes in the middle of the table. "We shall each take our last piece of our remaining star. Then, we will go our separate paths to our Star as per what the bones tell us individually." Eleste picks up the bones and shakes them back and forth as she smiles at them both. "Shall we?" Illumia drags her tongue along her lips already tasting her victory, while Nirvana nods feverishly. The anticipation is nearly driving all three mad. It has been ages since any of them have done anything together. And even longer since they have left the castle grounds for anything so deliciously exciting.

"We shall," both Illumia and Eleste say.