Wake Up, Witch

Chapter 7

Glinda sat inside a white room, her white hair almost luminous as she tilted her head, lips slowly forming an insolent smile as I stopped in front of her, her immaculate white table the only thing standing between her and my asperity toward that arrogant smile and the utter ignorance in that tilted head.

"It's not uncommon for powerful witches to aspire to be an Astral, Aster," she said, smile mirroring the satisfaction in her blue eyes. "I hope you don't take this personally. We have to do our job during the assessment."

I walked toward the wall and touched it. "Interesting," I said, as the glass window appeared, revealing the city below.

Her gaze followed me. "You still have much to learn about the Saint Society—windows, apparently one of them," she said.

"Why do you think I'm not befitting to be an Astral?" I asked, brow furrowed with curiosity.

She let out a breath and shook her head. "With no disrespect to the past, witches of the new age are stronger and wiser now. We have technology that you didn't have in your time. You may have been powerful and you may have discovered the secret to immortality, but to be an Astral is far beyond that. You have to have true power—one that transcends the living world. You must have a connection to different worlds—real worlds. Not just some fabricated version of them."

"Hm," I muttered, walking to the center of the room with my hands inside my pockets. "I'm disappointed."

She blinked a few times. "Excuse me? Disappointed with what?"

"With everything," I said, lifting a shoulder.

She scoffed in disbelief. "The Council has given you a great favor through an unbiased assessment. We didn't have to, but we did. Not all witches get the same treatment."

"I'm not disappointed with the Council," I wryly said, getting bored. Once again, I looked around, landing my gaze on her. "I'm disappointed that you dream about this."

Her brows fused together. "What do you mean?"

"And I wonder why you dream about my failure," I said instead of answering. I walked closer to her, and with each step, the walls slowly vanished, "when my success can give you everything you desire."

She jumped to her feet, planting her hands flat on her table as the strong wind rushed in with the sound of the city below. There was nothing in the room but the floor, her table, me, and herself. A passing vehicle blew her hair to the side.

Fear glowed in her eyes as she realized what was happening. "Get me out of here," she demanded.

"Dreamers always say it the first time. I'm just getting started," I said, tilting my head as the floor floated in the air, flying over Genesis City. "Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you. Anything."

"I want to wake up!"

I saw the door behind her and hid it behind the trees that sprouted from the white floors. To give her credit, Glinda did not scream. She only stepped to the side when a crack ran between her feet. It broke in half as water poured in, filling the gap, carrying her white table to the far horizon, falling down into the city below. Soon, the water rose, drowning the buildings to give way to the gentle sea. And from the stream scrawled grass and flowers.

"Have you ever been to a place like this?" I asked her, watching the calm, azure ocean. I looked over my shoulder when she didn't reply. What I saw was terror and awe woven into one as she touched a trunk, the reality of the dream sinking in. I faced her as the first drop of rain fell on her cheek. She ran a finger through its trail, blue eyes wide and filling with wonder.