The Beginning - The Coven

The Beginning - The Preparations For The Exams and Our Escape

When I said exams I was being sarcastic in a sense. The Exams are really not as one would imagine. I was focusing on seeing them as some high school pre-graduation experience so I could light up the mood when I talk to Caleb about the day they would come. In reality is far far worse and terrifying. The Exams are really called The Rite of passage. Each twin goes up against on of the Elders and tries to incapacitate them or should the opportunity presents itself - try to kill them. That would be the greatest mark of worthiness that the coven holds for someone going through The Rite. Of course the Elder wouldn't actually die. Non of them would. They are linked and empowered by the collective magic that runs in each and every one of them and that is generated like I said, sadly, by all the sacrificed children. They are not immoral like vampires, most certainly not. I thought about that too. How to do it if it comes to it? How to kill them? And I have a theory. I actually got inspired by the coven of witches that only can perform their magic by the approval of their consecrated ancestors. Quite the conundrum they have actually in my opinion. You are a witch that can only practice magic by the will of some dead ancestors that may or may not like the reason you are using a spell. But anyways, like I said. I have a theory just in case. Late this night I am going to talk to Caleb and prepare ourselves for The Exam. There are proper steps, whole process of getting ready for this day.

First, you have to set up protection spells, barrier spells, and some other safety measures to insure you don't get mind-controlled, possessed or right off put unconscious in the first 5 minutes. It is gruesome to think about that this is very well a possibility that could happen. Your last moment before you will be sacrificed will be taken away, asleep. And then to wake up to your slaughter. I intend to change this course of action. We will have to first start with blocking any kind of possessions and mind controls - our mental state have to be in our hands otherwise we are goners. It's a simple spell, really, but effective. We have a limited amount of time that the spell is active, a day, but i's more than enough. I've been using this protections for a while now, juts in case if someone wants to probe me. Caleb is also doing it. And a clocking spell of course. We don't have a specific place for the exam to hold place, of course everything starts in front of the Alter place, but if you choose you can run for the near woods. If they find you is no good to exhaust yourself with running. Gladly we have tons of options for defending ourselves. I think that the only "good" thing being in the Danaro coven is that you have almost endless knowledge to learn from. A never ending catalog of all variations of magic - expression, spirit, nature, dark (of course, a staple) but also healing, shamanism, voodoo,  you name it, or maybe not. There are some forms of magic that I don't think that anyone is familiar with. Now for saving us from blacking out, being physically harmed to the point of death we have to set up totems so that the impact goes to them (Form of transference magic). And for the extremes, sadly this could happen also but not limited to your heart crushed, asphyxiation and well... a lot other stuff.  Advanced representational magic can make it so if a suddenly, ohh I don't know, get my heart ripped out, I would be able to come back and attach it back. Which sounds gruesome and it is, but it keeps you alive.  Decoys, enhanced dark objects, potions everything is allowed to be used and it's your job to make it count.
Of course there are the of offensive spells and tactics. It's just a matter of how do you control and portion size your magic because we are not normal witches. I have to syphon something or someone magical to have magic in me to use but I became quite resourceful in that matter. I realize over the years that places, grounds, even the air has magic  and if you can sense it you can use it. And boy oh boy, our "place", or coven grounds are FILLED with magic. Sometimes I honestly forget that I am syphoning. But then I realize this is so because of all the people that died and their essence in someway lingers. But I will use that as well. Whatever I have to. I have to get me and Caleb out of here. My favorite magic is hand motion magic. There is a very old type of magic channeling, magic language if you will, without words, where user can create spell with just his or her hands making different motions in a specific manner and positions. It's like your hand are dancing, drawing the spell then it happens. It's really effective because it is very quick to "draw" a spell and your mind doesn't have to be so focused on the performing of the spell, there are no words involved, like I said so, a split second is added to the confusion which spell am I casting and best of all soooo versatile. I can make myself invisible, create a clone, make fire, hard light as a form of a object or a weapon and the deadliest of all - a powerful magical wave that can literally slice through stuff. The only thing is that requires more power than the usual casting but it's worth it. When you live with a fine amount of magic in you, you learn how to use it effectively. But that's not all. This part is just for show so to speak. This is the thing they will see me doing and performing but the real "dagger" is the immobilizing spell that I created myself to put all of the people on site in to a very powerful state of petrification. The kicker is that the stun doesn't wear off in any way because it feeds on the power of the ones I cast the hex on. So the more power, the longer stun. I estimate that this would hold everyone of the coven in place for days. That's how much power those monsters posses. And I have a contingency plan that I set last week below the shrine where every kid goes there to be killed for the coven. But I don't want to use that, not useless it's necessary. I talk a lot how I despise my coven, my people, my family but there is a part of me that can see them in a different light, a better light. If only they were benevolent, our people can be such a strong protectors and guides for everyone in need. I have seen a glimpse of humanity in them over the years but I don't want to think about it too much because I know that I am fooling myself. They are way to lost and blinded by their desires and believes. So I will fight and together with my brother's help we will escape.
The plan is simple. I go first though The Rite and I try to win. If I get to the part where I show them impressive knowledge and power and it's looking like I am going to win over the Elder I use the petrification curse and me and Caleb are going to run. I have already prepared our bags and all of the books and potions and magic we need to stay hidden and survive without being found. Plus I am holding on the fact that the coven's need to stay hidden and not be known to exist will give me an edge and they won't follow us in concern of being discovered.

It's done. I conversed with Caleb and we are ready. He is a little scared but ready. He was always more obedient than me and follow as much as he can the rules by some reason of affection towards our parents but he knows deep inside that what we are doing is right. I hugged him tight and wished him good night. I love my bother and I want to see him smile again freely without the fear in his heart. And I go to my room and go to bed with my dream of a happily ever after. This is the only thing that makes me fall asleep. (This is how I see Caleb in my head btw)

Something is off...

The next day, the day before the The Rite our coven announced that we are to participate this night in the duel and right after that the "giving" (The Purging) to the coven of one of us is going to take place. They explained that is because it's a very specular and powerful night and this will be the most "ripe" moment to do it because of the movement and positions of the stars. So we have to feel very special.
I know that this is a lie. Yes, there is a constellations right now that is right over us, the constellations of Gemini but that is not a sign of prosperity. In our culture, in our specific type of witches this is a sign not of potency to create but a mark of the dual impact. It's meaning is that of potential movement, yes, but when it's in Gemini it's not specific, split. In other occasions this will be a good idea to perform a spell of creating where you can manifest a new duplicate of something or a new duality of a form that is from chaos. It has beauty in that but it's far from what they are claiming it will be used for. I thing that they are impatient and want our powers and life's. I sensed some time ago that they are in need of renewal of potency of they collective magic and they want it fast. So it's just a pretext to move it a day early because on our birthdays we could use for a spare time our syphoning to a greater  powers and potency. Which will make them weaker in the duels and make them more unstable and lose precious magic fuel. And they know that we are very capable members of the coven even just 15 of age. I don't like it but we don't have a choice.

This night is the night.