Azeria noticed that the hamlet seemed alive these days, more than usual. Buzzing with witches trotting left and right without ever running into each other. Every woman occupied themselves with a variety of tasks like brewing potions, gathering herbs and drying them, sewing ceremonial dresses, and chanting incantations. The small village was preparing a ceremony of great importance. A ceremony some Sorginak never lived to see.
Azeria knew too well what was unfolding in this remote place. She had been told ever since she was a baby that this day would come and that she would play a part in it.
Indeed the Sorginak protected a terrible secret unknown to anyone but them for centuries. Outside of their tiny village only a handful of very powerful wizards had heard of the tale and even less believed it to be true. When Azeria turned eight, her mother sat her by the fire of their small but comforting hut and narrated the unique secret shared only among their kind.
"You see Azeria there is a reason as to why we only live among women and away from civilization. We carry in our blood a knowledge that could bring ruin to our world if it were to ever fall into the wrong hands." said azeria's mother in a solemn tone that made Azeria strenghten her back and focus on her mother's voice.
"So you have that k.. know.. knowledge" asked azeria fumbling over words she barely understood.
"No my love, no i don't. Only one of us possess that knowledge and it is the oldest woman, the wisest of us all. We don't know when it began but an ancient spell was passed down generation after generation to only one of us at a time. When the witch who knows about the spell feel her last breath coming we organise a ceremony gathering every children above ten. She then chooses the right one to hand over the spell to."
"Will I be chosen mom ?"
"No, I hope you won't sweetie. If the spell was discovered or coveted and we were put in danger, it is an unspoken rule that we would rather see our line end then to let the spell slip away."
"What does that mean ?" wondered Azeria, chills running up her back.
"It means that the one trusted with this secret will always live with a sword hanging over their head. But you don't need to dwell on that, for as long as your are not chosen." Azeria's mother embraced her and snuggled her in her arms, a loving gesture she rarely endulged in with her daughter.
Azeria's mother was long gone from the village. She had fled with a man that she claimed to be in love with. What her mother had done was considered a crime and therefore lost all respect from her community of witches. Not only did she leave Azeria behind but she also abandonned her to the judgemental gaze of the other Sorginak. Man were considered unreliable and of treacherous nature. Young Sorginak left the community once they felt ready and if they wished to in order to find a man in the surrounding villages. Once love bloomed they would abandon them to go back to their hamlet and birth their child.
The day of the ceremony finally arrived. Azeria woke up to a village engulfed in a morning mist. Unlike the two other young girls aged 13 and 15 concerned with the event, Azeria was not thrilled by the idea of inheriting this ancient spell. Before any of the adult could catch her and prepare her for the ceremony she sneaked her way out of the hamlet.
With her bed hair, puffy eyes and long black linen sleeping dress she made her way into the still sleeping forest. Feeling the moist and cold moss under her feet, she breathed in the fresh air. She knew exacltly where she was headed, Azeria knew that forest all too well. There was a spot, about forty minutes away from the small settlement, where the forest ended. Azeria enjoyed seating at the edge of the cliff to observe the forest continuing at the foot of the rock face.
The air felt airy and heavy. Azeria noticed the hot and humid atmosphere which foreshadowed a huge storm for the afternoon. "I hope they don't plan on doing the ceremony outside I don't want to end up damped and cold." Azeria said to herself.
She sat there for what seemed like an eternity but when the sun made it's way up in the sky she got up to her feet to walked back on her step. It was almost noon and even if the ceremony only started at night fall, she had loads to do to prepare. Before her departure she starred again into the horizon giving herself courage.
Something caught her intention in the distance. Some ruffling in the tree leaves accompanied by a shrilling noise. Suddenly she noticed a couple trails of black smoke moving like snakes towards her at high speed. There was not a living thing inside this forest that Azeria could not name but that thing was frighteningly foreign. She turned on her heels and rushed through the sea of dancing trees. Running carelessly through thin water streams, toadstools and puddle of mud.
Exhausted and breathless she arrived at the village and searched for the eldest woman. When she found her she grabbed her by the wrist and described her weird encounter. The eyes of the old women widened. Azeria figured she knew what those things were and her intuition turned out to be true when she heard her mumbled "the death eaters".
The old woman whispered in the other women's hears and everyone hurried up. She told Azeria to make her way to the Akelarre. Traditionally during sabbaths, the sorginak gathered to sing, dance, play music and feast in akelarre, places most often isolated only lit up by moonlight. Azeria listened and followed the other witches to the sacred place.
They all sat by a large fire, the eldest facing the three girls from which she was supposed to choose. She gave each one of them a wooden cup with a thick beverage inside. This potion contained Solanaceae flowers, deadly in high doses. They made this special ointments on a base of animal fat to which they added mandrake, belladonna and other datura and henbane, rich in hallucinogenic substance and powerfully toxic if wrongly mixed.
Azeria drinked it reluctantly but quickly felt all her worries dissipate. This potion allowed the old witch to enter the minds of the young girls in order to assess their tenacity, their will-power, their intelligence and worthiness.
A deafening sound from the village disturbed the ceremony. The death eaters had destroyed it.
Azeria was trembling uncontrollably as she saw the dark mass dash in their direction. She was startled when the elderly woman grabbed her by the shoulder and said "You will be the only one surviving tonight. Our secret has been broken. We should all perish but from what I just saw in your mind I believe you are brave enough to carry this burden. Please do not prove me wrong. I will get you to safety, in the hand of the only man I trust, through a teleportation spell. His name is Dumbledore. About the spell... Never use it, never share it, always fear it. The curse will prevent you from saying it unwillfully."
Azeria barely had the time to process what had happened before the witch whispered "Iluntasun Infinitua" in her hears. Next second she was sucked in away from the ground, leaving forever engraved in her memory the image of her loved ones fighting and falling.
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Tell me a lie
Fanfiction"You're clueless...as always" She felt him draw his breath slowly into her hair, his chest rising and falling. She gave up trying to push him away, her palm resting on his chest. She looked up, her skin tingling with every of his words "you have no...
