Witchcraft Rising [ONC 2020]

Temperance

"Temperance," I whispered. The older woman immediately heard it despite it being no more than a breath.

She gave me a gentle smile, if confused, and began walking towards me.

Goddess, what do I do?

"Hello, child," she greeted kindly.

"Um, aren't the Seven Virtues supposed to be in hiding?" I asked innocently enough. I could feel Tenebris' own curiosity in my mind.

Temperance gave a light laugh like she got that question a lot. Had she ever even been in hiding? "The others are, yet I care not to. Prudence is beside herself with excessive planning lately, we all feel the rise of the Supernal."

"And are you ready to die?" The question came out before I could stop it, and I felt more than understood that Tenebris had taken slight control over me.

Temperance, for her part, did not look surprised at the obscene question. "We all die eventually, even the great Goddess herself. This has been my destiny for some time."

"So you have done nothing to prevent your own demise?" I was a little startled. Suddenly the Prophecy seemed so much more real. I was supposed to kill the woman standing in front of me, and yet I couldn't bring myself to unsheathe my blade from my back and run her through with it.

The Virtues' gaze suddenly became foggy, looking inward. "What is your name, child? I don't believe I know you."

"Anveya Carnel." There was no point denying that. The Elemental and everyone else was sure to call me that in front of her.

"You're a caster witch? Flames, yes?"

"Yes."

"And yet there is darkness in you. Something brought you to this school, what was it?"

"The Elemental took an interest in me."

"Darling, he takes an interest in everyone here. Each student at the Numinous Atheles was handpicked by him."

Tenebris took control of my mouth at that moment. "I know that. I like to think I'm different from everyone else here. We're all unique, aren't we?"

Temperance's gaze hadn't cleared back to their normal amber, and my palms began to sweat at that; that she was still looking for who I truly was. Suddenly, she reared back as if Tenebris' shadows had struck her.

Her sandaled feet echoed her frantic footsteps backward down the hall. Her hand had gone to her witch mark. "You're the Supernal," she rasped. "He found you. The warlock found you. No."

I stepped forward, wrenching control of my body from Tenebris. "Are you alrightー" Temperance's eyes were suddenly staring straight into my own, boring deep. Her hands grasped my forearms tightly.