Different

Chapter 17

Samantha made me uncomfortable. I had to leave because I didn't like what I was feeling. I wanted to grab her tits. I wanted to f*ck her. But those nasty thoughts couldn't linger on my mind. There was something else that bothered me. How was I to tell Madame Veronica about the intruders in her basement without sounding like an intrusive guest? I decided to think about it later.

I needed to be alone somewhere I could practice more offensive and defensive spells. Weekend was a wonderful gift.

The forest that became the hub of the coven offered a free sanctuary. There I could practice my skill undisturbed like I usually did. The forest had more foliage now. I could smell the blossoms. The hum of the bugs and the rustling of the leaves soothed my senses and calmed me.

One of the things I wanted to learn were non-verbal hexes. They were efficient. Very few witches now recited verses to cast spells. They had their use. In fights, though, they were barely useful. The one who cast the quickest hex would win and outmatch the slower opponent. There were so many hexes and incantations to learn -- blasting hexes, freezing charm, paralyzing spells, pyrokinetic magic, among other things.

Splinters of wood hit me after I blasted a tree trunk with a mild hex. Then a branch fell in front of me right after I sent a hex that worked like an invisible blade. I snapped my fingers, and the branch burst into flames.

Fire, one of the elements early wiccan practitioners learned to wield first, was the easiest to manipulate. It was more fluid than water, but more malleable and visible than air. It wasn't hard and rigid like earth. Pillars of flames shot up from the burning wood. I guided the flames that soon surrounded me. I basked in the heat before I dissipated the fire with slow hand waves.

I hurled sharp hexes that hit branches overhead. Then I swiftly moved my index and middle finger across each other on top of my head. The branches disintegrated and became dust that slid down the shield I had conjured around me.

The levitation charm was exciting. I never fantasized flying, but I thought it was a good way of avoiding your attackers. I flapped my hands like a bird flapped its wings. It felt ridiculous. First few attempts were unstable. I was wobbling in air. But I got used to the weightless sensation in the air.

The shadows and run rays peeking through the trees had changed direction and angle. Without looking at my watch, I knew it was already around four in the afternoon. I didn't realize I spent that much time practicing spells and hexes. I was feeling a little sore in different parts. Most of the incantations had to be performed with multiple body movements. Sometimes doing them felt like doing Yoga or something of that nature.

Only then had I realized how much damage I did to that part of the woods. Several trees had torn barks. A few others, uprooted. There was a pile of branches to my right and ash from burnt wood beside it. It was also noticeably more quiet. I must have scared off the animals.

The smell of burnt wood overwhelmed the place, something a few hand flicks could take care of. The smokes vanished, and the former scent of fresh foliage returned. A healing charm ought to regrow the branches and restore the barks.

Grass started growing on the trail. I wasn't sure if grass ever grew that fast, but ten minutes of walking proved my quandary. The trail had changed. Or gone. I could no longer distinguish between the pathway and the bush. A witch couldn't get lost in the woods. It just sounded ridiculous. But the forest looked stranger as the minutes passed. The trees were taller and older. The surroundings got darker, and that cool air that hugged my cheeks told me I was already in the middle of the woods. I was about to teleport myself out of it when someone spoke.