Witch Hunt #Wattys2018

Chapter 12

The rest of my training went by quickly. I learned more than I ever thought was possible about witches. My body adapted to the rigorous training, and by the end I rarely got sore. According to Witch Hunter rule, a trainee must be trained for one year before given the title of Witch Hunter. A week away, before I was given said title, Seraphina and I were in the clearing. By then our fights had become sport. It was nearly always unknown who was going to win when we started a match.

"Are you excited?" She asked as she swung her fist at my face.

"For what?" I asked ducking and kicking at her

"Next week, you become an official Witch Hunter." She replied dogging my kick.

"Oh." I said taking a step out of her range, "I forgot how close it was."

"How?" She asked, lunging at me, "The week leading up to the end of my training, I was ecstatic."

I kicked at her again, ''I suppose I've had other things to think about."

This was very true. Mira's attacks had gotten very bad, nearly all groups came back early due to injuries.

She grabbed my leg, and twisted me to the ground, the necklace thumping against my chest when I landed.

"I'll say." She teased

She offered me her hand, which I took. "So what's it like?" I asked, "When they give you your title?"

She thought for a moment, "They give you small ceremony, with all your cabin mates, and make you say the pledge, then they'll give you your first assignment. Don't get to excited though," she added, noticing my excited demeanor, "They give you really easy ones, just enough to get your feet wet."

When we entered the village for dinner, Eliana was already waiting with Aliza at the dining hall. She had a huge smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"What's going on?" I asked her
"Look!" She squealed holding out her right hand, on her ring finger a simple yet beautiful copper ring sat. 

I let out a gasp, "Did Michael," I began

"Yes!" She squealed, her smile growing bigger, "I can't believe it Rose! I'm so happy!"

I was happy for her, she and Michael had been courting since Eliana was sixteen and Michael was eighteen, now two years later I knew Eliana was happy to finally move on to marriage.

"Do the Witch Hunter's have any special traditions for weddings?" I asked as we entered the dining hall.

"Just one." Eliana answered, "The ceremony isn't allowed to be held until the new couples cabin is completed."

"How long does that take?"

"Anywhere between four months to six months." She answered again.

Dinner passed quickly as the four of us talked about what Eliana and Michael's life together would enstore.

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The last week of my training passed by uneventfully. The night before I would be granted my title, I found it hard to sleep. My stomach had tied itself in knots with anticipation. The warm cabin felt to small as I tossed and turned. Finally, with a huff, for the first time in a year, I quietly slipped my boots on and, after taking my knife out from under my pillow, I snuck out of the cabin. The warm night air greeted me. I was planning on sneaking to the clearing and throwing my knife at the old oak, to calm my nerves. The started to quietly make my way through the village when I saw the light in the distance. It came from a torch, that much I could see. The fire didn't move as I quietly neared it.

Leaves that had fallen from the trees years ago, crunched under my light steps. Trees, fat and skinny, offered me cover as I neared the light. The closer I came to it, I noticed how low to the ground it was. It wasn't until I was a mere five feet from the torch I realised what had happened.

A group of five laid lifeless on the ground. Three men and two women. One man's organs laid next to him, another's heart was missing from his chest. The last man's stomach was sliced open in three different spots. On woman's head was bashed in, the other had a gaping hole on her throat. The same spot on her throat the my nail had lodged itself in Thomas's.
I realised what had happened here. Mira had assumed that the girl was me.
We had the same hair color, and her face had the same heart shape as mine. But this girl was at least three inches shorter than me.

"You!" A raspy voice behind me called

My bones turned to ice, and my blood to lead at the sound of the voice, and when I saw it's owner, I almost dropped dead from fear.

Standing behind me was Mira.