WITCH - ARA

Eleven

The clock reads 2:13 a.m., its glowing digits casting a pale light across my cluttered bedroom. Sleep is a stranger, ever since Silas... left. Every time I close my eyes, her face haunts me—sometimes smiling, sometimes twisted in pain, but always there, just out of reach.

I sit on the hardwood floor, a piece of chalk in hand, drawing a large five-pointed star on the floorboards. The symbol feels like it radiates power, a gateway to the unknown, as I complete the final line. The candles I’ve scattered around flicker slightly, casting erratic shadows across the walls.

As I kneel before the star, I take a deep breath, steadying my racing heart. The room feels colder, the air heavy with anticipation.

"Yovan," I begin, my voice trembling at first but gaining strength with each word. "Spirit of shadows, I call upon you. Yovan, keeper of secrets, I summon you. Yovan, hear my plea and appear before me."

The temperature in the room drops further, a biting cold that makes me shiver. The candles flicker wildly before dimming, their flames shrinking until they’re nearly extinguished. The shadows around me seem to thicken, coalescing into a dense darkness that looms at the edge of the candlelight.

Suddenly, from within that darkness, something massive begins to emerge. My breath catches in my throat as the shape takes form. It’s not like anything I could have imagined—definitely not the vague, human-like figure we had thought Yovan might be.

Two glowing purple eyes pierce through the darkness, their gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my heart pound in my chest. As the figure steps forward, the rest of its body comes into view, and I’m struck with a mix of awe and fear.

It’s enormous, easily towering over me, with a body that’s jet-black and covered in sleek, velvety fur that seems to absorb the light around it. It looks like some monstrous cat, but there’s something disturbingly human about it as well. Its head is feline, with sharp, pointed ears that twitch slightly as it moves, but its body is that of a human—broad shoulders, muscular limbs, and hands that end in long, clawed fingers.

The creature’s mouth parts, revealing sharp, glistening teeth, and when it speaks, its voice is deep, resonating like a growl that seems to rumble through the floor beneath me.

"Blaze," Yovan says, his tone dripping with dark amusement. "You've called me again. How... persistent of you."

I swallow hard, my fear threatening to overwhelm me, but I force myself to speak. "I need answers," I say, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay calm. "Why did Silas die? You took her to those woods. You knew they were cursed. Why?"

Yovan chuckles, a low, sinister sound that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "Ah, always with the questions," he purrs, circling around me, his movements smooth and predatory. "You humans are such curious creatures."

"Stop playing games!" I shout, my frustration boiling over. "Just tell me the truth! Why did you lead her to those woods?"

Yovan’s purple eyes narrow, a dangerous glint in them as he stops circling and leans in closer, his massive form looming over me. "Tell me, Blaze," he whispers, his voice taking on a more menacing edge. "Who could've killed her?"

My heart skips a beat, confusion and fear swirling inside me. "What? That's what I'm asking you!"

He grins, a wicked, unsettling smile that makes my blood run cold. "Could it have been me?" he muses, his tone mocking. "Or perhaps... the monster in your dreams?"

I feel a chill run down my spine, memories of recent nightmares surfacing unbidden. Dark figures, twisted faces, Silas screaming... I shake my head, trying to dispel the images.

"Stop speaking in riddles!" I demand, frustration mounting. "Just tell me the truth!"

Yovan’s massive form seems to pulse with dark energy as he leans in even closer, his voice a soft, sinister whisper. "Or maybe... it was your dear mother?"

I freeze, confusion clouding my thoughts. "My mom? What does she have to do with any of this?"

His grin widens, his purple eyes gleaming with a dark, twisted delight. "Oh, so many secrets buried in your family's past, little Blaze. So much darkness hidden beneath the surface."

I grit my teeth, refusing to be baited. "You're lying. My mom has nothing to do with this."

"Are you sure?" he taunts, his tone dripping with malevolence. "Sometimes the ones closest to us hold the deepest shadows."

I shake my head, trying to hold onto my resolve. "Enough of this. If it's not any of them, then who? Who killed Silas?"

Yovan pauses, the room growing eerily still. Then, he leans in so close that I can feel his cold breath on my face, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper.

"Could it be... your own hands?"

The accusation hits me like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath from my lungs. I stumble back, eyes wide. "What? No... I would never... I wasn't even there!"

"Are you certain?" he presses, his purple eyes boring into mine. "Guilt can be a powerful thing, warping memories, twisting reality. Perhaps deep down, you know the truth."

Tears prick at my eyes, a mix of anger and anguish threatening to overwhelm me. "Stop it," I whisper, voice trembling. "I loved her. I would never hurt her."

Yovan’s grin fades slightly, replaced with a look of dark contemplation. "Love can be destructive," he murmurs, his tone almost sympathetic. "Sometimes, we destroy what we cherish most."

I feel a tear escape, trailing down my cheek as I struggle to maintain control. "Why are you doing this? Why won't you just tell me what happened?"

He steps back slightly, his eyes gleaming with an unreadable emotion. "Because truth is not something to be given, but something to be earned. Solve the riddle, Blaze. Discover the answers you seek."

I wipe away the tear, straightening my spine and meeting his gaze head-on. "I will find out. With or without your help."

Yovan’s eyes glimmer with approval, or perhaps amusement. "I look forward to seeing what you uncover."

With that, he melts back into the darkness, his form dissolving into the shadows as the temperature in the room begins to rise back to normal. The candle flames flare back to life, their warm glow chasing away the lingering chill.

I'm left alone, heart pounding and mind racing with the implications of Yovan's words. His riddle echoes in my mind, filling me with a growing sense of dread and determination.

Could any of what he said be true? The monster in my dreams, my mother, myself... None of it makes sense, but the seeds of doubt have been planted, and I can't shake the uneasy feeling settling in my gut.

I extinguish the candles one by one, the room growing darker with each dying flame. As I crawl back into bed, questions swirl through my mind, refusing to let me rest.

Who killed Silas? And why is Yovan so intent on playing these twisted games?

Staring up at the ceiling, I make a silent vow. No matter how deep I have to dig, no matter what secrets I have to uncover, I will find out the truth. For Silas. For myself.

And when I do, whoever is responsible will pay.