The Witches of Weston

The Dry Lands

It was nightfall when Louis had us stop for the night. The weather was colder but with the extra clothes and blankets it was manageable. Climbing off my horse and stretching my legs. I watched the others scatter to make camp. 

"We need to find water" grunted Louis tying down a tent for Laura.

"I thought the Tekla gave us enough water. "Rachel speaking for the first time since starting back on our journey. Her aloofness didn't go unnoticed, but everyone lets her be. No one wanted to upset an already tense pregnant woman.

"The Dry Lands are coming up Rachel. Its wise if we stock up on water to be safe. "answered Laura sitting down on a rock.

"Let me go find the precious water for all of you " Rachel responded sarcastically walking into the forest without further discussion. Shaking my head, I knew she was pushing us away but didn't understand why.

I was just about to suggest taking the first watch when I was literally rattled by the ground shaking. Holding myself up I looked around to see the scared faces of my companions. Malcolm and Louis trying desperately to tie down their panic horses. The others securing our supplies rather than the horses who ran into the forest. Grabbing the nearest tree for leverage I moved to help Jacob save our food.

Just as I made a step the quake got stronger splitting the tree I was using for balance. Barely jumping out of the way I felt my knees scrape the ground on impact. Jacob was right next to me giving me a hand.

"Are you alright?" 

" I'm fine but this quake is abnormal for this area of Petra. I think someone is doing this with magic.  I said as I felt the flow of magic in the ground with the quake in progress.

"She's right someone is manipulating the quake" spoked Rachel having returned. Standing steady she closed her eyes and focus. A burst of light illuminated her body and magic gathered in her right hand. She flung it into the ground as the earth felt like it let out a mighty roar. Hitting the ground with Jacob on top of me I was stun seeing Rachel still standing.

"You will not win" she shouted as rocks and tree roots shot out of the ground. It was like the earth itself came to embrace her like an old friend.

"What is she doing" whisper Jacob still covering my body." I didn't answer but Laura near us did.

"She's trying to stop the other witch but its tough. To diffuse this kind of magic Rachel must find every link and sever them so the other witch's magic is useless."

"That's impossible without knowing the witch's location" squawked David dropping his glasses on the ground and barely missing a horse.

"Thanks for the support my friends" grumbled Rachel having heard everything" I got this, and I need to pay Melissa back for what she did in Weston. "At her announcement a familiar feeling came over me and I groan at the bad timing of my sight to occur. Knowing it's useless to resist I let myself be pulled into a daze forgetting everything around me.

 I found myself looking at a familiar sight of Weston but now the village I called home was in shambles. The fires were still going but the houses were swallowed up by the earth.  The once bountiful fields were no more, and what was left was scavenge through by villagers or raiders. I almost cried but I couldn't because who I saw next made me furious. My sister came stumbling out of the destruction dragging a body with her.

Moving to get a better view I gasp at who Mel was pulling. Ella I almost vomited at the state she was in. Rachel had told me of the wounds that killed her but seeing it was a whole different matter. The hole in her neck looked ghastly and the pain must have been excruciating.