The Coven of the Black Rose

Chapter Ten: A Warlock's Confrontation

    "So it was like you all have natural powers?" Asha asked.
    "Hmm... Well yes but it's more than that." Tasra replied. Both of them settled on chairs before the table where two bowls of carrot soups, a plate of bread, and two glasses of water were served. Beside Tasra's soup was a wooden basin which has icy waters in it. He held a wet, clean, cloth then wiped it to Asha's wounds. Some of his wounds were wet, some were dry that implied he was done wiping his own wounds.
    "Every warlock and witch nowadays are born like typical humans coming out from mother's womb but along with few rose seeds."
    "Rose seeds?"
    "Yes, seeds." He dipped the cloth in the cold water then squeezed it hard, letting the excess water pour into the basin. He gently traced the scratches on her arm and even the bruises all around her body. "Usually three to five seeds, those are need to be planted as soon the child was born."
    "Planted in a pot or somewhere? Like an ordinary plant?"
    "Yes, you got it. Because their lives, or our lives, will always be connected to the roses, that we call the Black Rose."
    "Oh..." Asha said in awe and glanced around. "So where are your roses?"
    "It is kept in the Black Garden."
    "Oh, yes. I heard about that sometimes, before from some random witches out there." She took a scoop of the carrot soup then sipped it. "But, wait, why are you all born with rose seeds? And your lives depend on it?"
    Tasra returned the wiping damp cloth back to the basin and took scoops of his soup before he replied. "Long ago, the people of Mirillios were normal back then, just like ordinary humans. But one time, mysterious flashes of black lightning struck in the southern west of Loverra, the middlemost region of entire Mirillios. The area was just a normal wheat field but after the lightning smote it, these roses, or simply called the Black Rose, has sprouted on it. Somehow alike normal roses but its petals were glowing and has no thorns." Asha nodded while sipping her soup as she listened.
    "Our ancestors were wondering about it." Tasra continued then he sipped again. "They took care of it and decided to build its garden in underground chambers and stronghold, which we currently have today." He grabbed his bowl and slurped his remaining soups.
    "Hmm. Where do these roses come from? A black lightning is very weird in my eyes."
    After few seconds, Tasra placed the bowl back in the table, seeing it empty. He took another clean cloth from his lap then wiped his mouth. "I don't know either. Everything began when they did took its sip and mixed it with their beverages."
    Asha frowned. She was nearly finished in her soup and took a bite on a half-eaten bread from the plate. "Wow, very curious. I like that. How did it taste, though?"
    Tasra shrugged. "Aunt said it was good and sweet. They thought it was a new and good source of food and spices. Eventually, almost half of the entire population of Mirillios drank it. But after many days, all the people who drank its sip started to hear whispers in their head. It particularly tells them to visit the largest chamber of the rose garden underneath. When a large group of people visited it, spells in a language they've never seen before, were written on the walls."
    Asha burped softly, pushing her bowl inches away from her as she was finished eating. "So the spells are the ones you are all using nowadays?"
    Tasra shook his head. "No. But more on those spells later. Anyway, when they saw those spells, the voices in their head taught them on how to learn using those. People were startled but later on, became joyous on their new discovery. From then, they made it part of their lives. Spellcasting and witchcraft have become very useful since early ages, just like in other kingdoms. From their generation, every children who were born has rose seeds with them, along with natural ability to study spells. Similar with what I was telling you about mine."
    "Oh... so from your ancestors who drank the sips, their successor were born with rose seeds? Then they are all planted in underground chambers so it will be more protected and safer?"
    He nodded. "They discovered that those roses are much healthier in dark places and of course, the beauty of glowing petals is more luring with that."
    Asha nodded with her eyes staring in the opened window. She faced him, smiling in awe. "Woah I can't believe you're a warlock. Can I study any of the spells, too?"
    "No. Because the capability only flows in our blood. So in other words, all the children who were born from that time are considered to be the naturally born witches and warlocks in Mirillios. Back then, upon studying these witchcrafts of the Black Rose, there were whispering voices in their head. Because I think its role was to teach our ancestors on how to harness the Black Rose's written spells."
    "Black Rose?"
    "Yeah, we call our roses the Black Rose and the whispering voices is the Spirit of the Black Rose."
    "Oh, yeah right." She recalled. "Gods, why didn't you tell me this since before? I would definitely understand your situation."
    "Yes, but I don't know. It's just us being safe and keeping it secret as much as we can. When the Forgonians came, no other human villager knows what I really am and what the Hedsens really are."
    "So even Tessa and aunt Floressa are witches, too, right?"
    "Yes, of course. Tessa doesn't study much about sorceries as much as I do. And yes, aunt Floressa is my mentor."
    Asha nodded. Her face was normal and not very petrified upon knowing his true identity.     Tasra felt a little flush of guilt upon concealing this from her. Now that she knew about it Tasra was relieved. Having her by his side, listening genuinely about his life as a warlock has truly lessen the thoughts in his mind.
    "Don't worry, I understand." She leaned closer to him and gave him a kiss on his check. "It's okay, Tasra. Just tell me more about the Forgon's conquest on Mirillios."
---
    Later on they closed and locked the farmer's hut as they proceeded to their cabin in the barn. With his shirt taken off, Tasra sat on the bed beside Asha. She held a jar of creamy, white healing ointment which she spread on Tasra's wounds and bruises. He told her everything on how the use of the ancient dark spells could harness black magics and could summon demons from a different dimension. Along with how their ancestors used this to conquer kingdoms and other domains beyond their land.
    "Then the Spirit of the Black Rose started to take control of themselves." Tasra continued wearing a new, clean shirt. "Aunt Floressa says that the Spirit urges them to kill anyone who's not under their power, particularly the remaining humans in Mirillios."
    "So it almost whipped out the human population?" Asha applied ointment on her own wounds.
    "Yes but fortunately, they lived. Many of the warlocks and witches managed to fight the voice of the Spirit but it wasn't enough to stop the madness from within." He laid on the bed and grunted in relief. "Ugh finally some rest."
    "I remember the tales of the Arcane war and what did happen in Mirillios." Asha recalled. "I know about it, so it is true that the sorcerers from different places helped the people of Mirillios to vanish these spirits in their minds?"
    Tasra nodded. "Yeah. When they erased and burned all the copies of written dark spells, the whispers have silenced."
    "Do these spirits came from the flower itself? But it bet you all may not kill the roses in the Black Garden, because you will all die as well, right?"
    "Yes, naturally. In truth, none of us are certain why but it vanished when the spells were burnt and destroyed."
    "Yeah, that's good to hear because I might go crazy when someone is speaking inside my head." She chuckled and capped the ointment jar. "It's good that it vanished for long."
    "Agreed, yet the thing which bothers the coven now is that the Spirit has awakened again." He told her about the door in the Black Rose Chamber and how did it emerge from the petals of dead roses. He also told her about the war they have against Forgon. It was good that when Tasra and all the heads of the coven were at the cemetery, earlier that dawn, because Ronan gave them all a recap about their history. That was why Tasra was able to tell Asha everything.
    "Yeah I see..." Asha laid beside him. "They also seized Galem when I was a child. Right after my parents' ship sank on their way back to our home, right after that incident, I will always remember on how their army invaded my town. When I was living alone, by myself."
    Tasra comforted her by his warm hug. He knew that both her parents were associated with Galem's royalties. They were on a sail as it was their duty to accompany the prince of their kingdom. Asha's mom has decided to leave her in their neighborhood for few days.
    When the prince was sailing back to their land, they met several, massive warships of Forgon and took them down.
    "I went with sailors and worked with them 'til I grow up. Then decided to stay here because I thought I would be far away from the Forgon. But now... I don't know what will happen." Her eyes got teary while she tried not to sob and wiped her tears right away, instead. "I also hate the Luisons."
    "Yes. Even the coven can't figure out on how we will end this."
    Asha pulled away from him and sat. "I hope Ronan's plan would work. Because I don't know if using dark spells could help us in any way."
    "I think it could." He sat with her. "But I fear that the Spirit would corrupt its users again just like what it did before."
    "Yeah, that's what I wanted to point out."
    "But I don't know why it would corrupt us in the first place." He sighed. "It's just absurd that the source of our life could take control of us. I know that no one wants us to use this dark magics. We do not want to conquer like what our ancestors did. We just wanted live in peace just like any other kingdoms." Asha nodded and embraced his back by her right arm. "I only see this, being a warlock-blooded, a curse and not a gift. I don't need any powers to be happy..." He paused noticing that tears were dripping across his check. He wiped it and took a deep breath.
    "It's okay, Honey." Asha said. It was really comforting and relieving to vent everything out to his loved one. Finally, he didn't have anything else to hide from her. Although he really knew he could trust her in the first place, but he was worried if she'll get scared of him.
    Part of him was surprised that Asha easily accepted and acknowledged what he was. But as his life partner, he knew that was much expected.
    "Don't put the blame on yourself being a warlock." Asha said. "All the coven of Mirillios didn't dare to cast those spells again. Your ancestors may have greatly sinned and have done wrong to anyone before. You all can't do nothing to change it. It's already done. What else you could do today is be kind and avoid turning yourself like what your ancestors have become. Although it's in the past, we shouldn't forget about it and must continuously learn from our history, right?" Tasra nodded and didn't say a word in reply.
    "Yeah, that's right." She continued. "And as what I see today, witches and warlocks have truly changed. If it is said that Mirillios was a colonizer before, well I can't see it now. In fact, I met some witches when I got here in the first time, and they helped me to be familiarized in this country. Hence, they're all good. You are all kind and good, Tasra. The capability of people to develop and change themselves, after a drastic occurrence in the past, marks a new chance and hope for them to start again."
    This made him smile. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, honey."
    Asha nodded. "Shall we sleep now? Because those wolves really made my body tired. My hunting skills aren't enough for them." She faced him. "I'm glad you stepped up." Then giggled and laid herself on the bed.
The wolves. Tasra remembered about those. Those were strange and he wanted to talk about it with Asha, but his body was tired, too. "Yes. I think Tessa will go here tomorrow to join us."
    "Oh, sure that's good." Asha replied. "Wait I only remembered by now but what about your parents? Did they also... you know..." She said in a very low voice.
    Tasra nodded and already understood what she was asking. "Yes." Yes, they were slain by the Forgonians, too. He yawned and laid beside her. It was an exhausting day. Sleeping the night away is what they deserve.