Uncovered

Chapter Four:

(Benjamin's POV)

"Who do you think you are to call the council together?" Jeremiah snapped while sitting down.

I quickly told them about Anne's terrible adventure. Jeremiah nodded, taking in my appearance.

"We need to move the coven then. Kimberly and Tobi will check everyone. I'll have everything packed up before the new moon cycle. Ben, I need you to keep the kids safe, please," Jeremiah glanced at me.

I nodded, "Of course."

Kimberly smiled at us and left. I sat in Anne's seat, which used to be mine back when Jess was alive. That woman was ruthless. Our territory used to be safe with her power. No one dared to fight us.

Someone tapped my shoulder, making me jump out of my thoughts. I looked to find Jeremiah again.

"What?" I glared.

"You really should let go of her, brother."

"I don't know what you're on about."

"Like hell you don't. You loved Jess. She's gone though. As much as I hate saying it, you need to let her soul rest," Jeremiah touched my hand.

I shook my head, "I can't."

Defeat glowed in his eyes. I moved my hands onto my lap while we sat in silence. Jeremiah had more experience than the last time I'd seen him. He carried himself more confidently, more like a real leader.

"What're the Storm Voices weaknesses? Can we fight them or is our coven at high risk for failure?" he asked after a while.

"We don't stand a chance against them. They don't have a weakness. You can move us all over the world, but the Storm Voices will always follow. I'm sorry, brother," I replied evenly.

His shoulders lowered. He thinks he's failed to follow in Jess' footsteps. I gestured for him to come with me as I walked into the temple.

"Do you know what this place used to be?" I stood by a tunnel.

He shook his head.

"This particular temple was used by the Gazers coven centuries ago. They were the Storm Voices' only rival. I grew up as a Gazer warlock. All these tunnels lead down to the sacrifice temple," I touched one of the rocks.

It fed off my magick, remembering my soul from long ago. The tunnel opened fully. Gazer magick was unique. We hid everything from outsiders, only showing ourselves when it was necessary.

"How can you be a Gazer and only be thirty years old?" Jeremiah asked, confusion thickening his voice.

"You obviously didn't pay attention during history lessons. I'm three centuries old as of tomorrow. I mastered all spell books to giving eternal life. Every Gazer learned and breathed tradition. Anyway, stay close through here," I grinned.

"I swear you just get weirder and weirder. Why do the Storm Voices have an interest in Anne?"

"No idea. Her soul must be pure if they want her so bad. Keep your head down for the next fifteen steps," I crouched down.

The tunnel shrunk quickly. Darkness engulfed us as I smiled, listening to Jeremiah groan against stone walls.

"You're awful at navigating in the dark," I laughed.

"Shut it," he chuckled back.

We came to the sacrifice temple. It was blood soaked, centuries of tradition echoed around us. Jeremiah's face paled while he gazed at all the skeletons.

"They were my brothers and sisters. We fought, laughed, and prayed together. Then Lei took over," I stepped in front of his smiling skeleton.

"Who was Lei?"

"A blood hungry warrior. He was stronger than me. Lei began killing off the Gazers, starting with our children. Once we realized what was happening, there was nothing we could do," I touched the skeleton's hand carefully.

"I'm sorry, Ben. I don't know how hard it is to lose your whole coven, but I hope it doesn't happen again. Why are the skeletons standing out here?" Jeremiah stood beside me.

Pulling my knife off my belt, I cut my palm and dripped blood into the bowl. Blue light shimmered from the temple's center. Skeletons slowly grew hair and skin.

"What'd you do?" Jeremiah looked at me.

"It's a memory spell, sort of like a play. I wanted you to see how devastating Storm Voices and Gazers used to be. Stop casting though, otherwise you'll wake Lei up," I ordered stiffly.

Jeremiah immediately stopped casting. Gazers moved through the motions of once-daily life. Warriors paced the walls, their hands swaying while they shielded the temple. Young children ran happily by us, hurling pebbles at each other. It was like they were alive again. Like Lei hadn't poisoned the water supply. I sat on the temple's steps. Grief struck my heart like lightning, jolting it into overdrive. I missed my family. The bodies were silent despite their mouths moving. Silence was so depressing, so haunting.

"So that's Lei?" Jeremiah pointed at a man.

"Yes. He's poisoning the water there. See the vase he's carrying? That's what he used to kill us off," I answered sadly, calmly.

"How could a leader do this to their own coven?" Jeremiah's voice broke.

"I don't know. Lei and I were friends. We studied together. He used to see me as his equal, but then he lost himself. I wish I could've helped him," I admit.

"You can't blame yourself for what Lei did. He made his decisions, and you made yours. What's going on near the tunnel?"

"That's where Lei killed Howler, one of the best warriors we had. Howler disagreed with our leader, and he wouldn't back down."

Jeremiah fell quiet, his eyes flickering over the scene. Howler's body blame a skeleton again; his skin evaporating into thin air. I gestured for Jeremiah to follow. Every skeleton grew motionless again. My hands tingled while bells knocked against each other. Energy flowed through the temple while we stood in the center now.

"I'm going to teach Anne how to cast with these rituals. We could teach the younger warlocks and witches, too," I turned to the man.

"How would it help us?"

"All these rituals and dances involve spells that Storm Voices can't win easily against. We have a chance of survival with this. Trust my judgement on this."

"I'll back up whatever you need to do to keep our coven safe, Ben. Let's get back though. We need some rest," Jeremiah sighed.

I quickly gathered old spell books, potions, and some leather armor. Jeremiah raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Ready?" I smiled.

He nodded and silently followed me back up the tunnels. I closed off the passages, making sure no one else could go down there.