Chapter 15 - A History of Witches.

In the Caves of Candervale, Endar and Camilla stay sat in their respected room away from everyone else as they stay in silence, thinking about the day the Tower fell, Both their minds racing to their loved ones.

Camilla's recurring memory of Major was their kiss. And Endar had thought of Rodahn the whole time they were separated, after all that time of space they'd finally connected again just to get separated once more. His mind in a mix of different emotions but the main one, was anger.

"I cant believe that stupid hag, how dare she bring us here without any warning?!" His voice was rash and aggravated. Pacing the room in a raging huff.

"Calm down Endar, she saved us from being crushed give her some credit"

"You don't get it Camilla, my mother didn't save us just to save us...she always has an ulterior motive"

"What would that be?" Lifting her head condescendingly, awaiting his reply.

"We're not staying long enough to find out, cause we're leaving!"

Her brows furrow in disbelief as her figure stands from her seat approaching him, He stands there staring her down, his foot tapping on the ground incessantly to the beat of his heart as Camilla places her hand on his shoulder.

"Please friend...I need to know why I can do what I do, don't leave"

Her begging tone pleaded with the witch to stay, but he had already made up his mind. Strolling towards the door of their living quarters but a tall figure stands ominously in the doorway.

Burnt orange orbs stare at them from her tall and dark gaze, walking in further to the room as the door shuts behind her. The Matron regally struts towards Endar with a powerful presence.

"Whats this about leaving child? You know now you are skin and bone...yet you still want to run?" Her voice was calm, but it was lined with manipulation.

"I chose not to make that choice, it wasn't yours to make"

The Matron circles him before sitting down in a seat nearby. Camilla watches on at their conversation with worried eyes. Unsure of the toxic relationship between them.

"Here you are, you're home, those filthy machinations covered and your power is...simmering at best...you need to accomplish the ritual again if you wish to do anything with your magic my son" her words get to him as a deep scowl forms on his face, his blood red eyes blazing in the direction of the Matron.

"you know whats really amusing? how after all this time you're still forcing me to be your little project...I've far surpassed you in every way" he snarls, her hand raising to her lips as a slow and condescending chuckle leaves her lips, standing high above him as she raises from her seat.

"Prove it~"

In a flash, a swirling purple and green spell launches from her finger at Endar with quickened speed, so quick hes unable to dodge or shield himself, the spell bounding into him with a slicing sound. Fresh blood soaking the walls of the cave room. Camilla shrieks in surprise as she rushes over to his side.

In her hand cradles a simmering flame of white light, her face struck with bravery and a determination to defend her friend. Endar remains cradling his slashed arm in pained grunts weakly on the ground, the Princess standing before Matron, who had an eyebrow raised at her action.

Her eyes arching toward the light emitting from Camilla's hand during the stand off, feeling the power radiate from her in droves of energy that made the Matron dissolve her spell, holding up her hand in peace towards the princess.

"There will be no need for that Camilla..."

"How could you strike your own son?! its barbaric!"

Endar weakly stands to his feet, the gash in his arm slowly begins to close back up, but the lack of blood left him looking faint and even paler than before, resting a hand on her shoulder then her arm, lowering it from his mother as Camilla gazes at him confused.

"What are you do-"

"Enough... these are our traditions Princess, I challenged her and she accepted..." he heavily breathes in, looking towards his mother with a concerned look.

"Shes right however...the ritual is the only way to restore my full power..." Wincing as his wound fully closes and heals.

Camilla looks to the Matron when she approaches and heads for the door holding it open, a smug and pretentious look on her face as Camilla helps him follow in her shadows towards the main chamber, which was hug in comparison to the Howling Valley, the cave system twisting into multiple levels high into the heights of the mountain.

Each level consisting of domed huts made of cobble stone and rock, smooth over and perfectly crafted, multiple carvings and pains covered the flat walls with ancient scribblings and prophesies from the early years of the tribes, before they knew how to harness their gift.

As they walk the main chamber, Camilla gazes upon the writings and tries to read them, unable to read the old language as it was...but the more she stared at it the letters begin reforming in her mind, changing before her eyes to her shock, looking away from the wall in a worried manner...but the Matron noticed this.

"The ancient language of our people is unreadable to the naked mortal eye...but the witch in you deciphers it for you...you should embrace that useful skill..."

"stop spewing your...coven bullshit..." Endar spurts out as they turn the corner into the ritual room, each magic type have a spring of elemental energy, like small pools of pure elemental power. There were ten of these pools scattered along the outside of the ritual chamber, each one glowing with magic energy.

The chamber was awash with rainbow lights as the stagnant energy remain still in their pools, escorting Endar over towards the mother walked towards, a questioning look in her eyes.

"do you remember it?"

"Of course i do" he hissed back, positioning Camilla further away from the pool than the rest.

"This will get messy, watch if you want...but don't let the blood touch you while I'm in it" he warns her as she persists.

"Why?"

"Just don't!" he says harshly to her, turning back around to see some of the older blood witches had gathered around to witness, Endar slowly begins removing his clothes at the edge of the elevated pool, steeping onto the edge as he peers in the red liquid below with steely eyes, pondering the last time he had to do this.

The memories driving his foot to delicately step into the pool, his naked back exposed to the rest of the witches as they quietly chant under his own, his deep voice speaking the words with conviction, gradually getting deeper into the pool, rising up to his waist as he stops and turns, the words still evident in his mouth as the chanting continues.

Nothing seems to happen at first, but the pool of blood slowly begins to travel up his waist and onto his torso, swirling in pretty red whirls all over his pale skin, a pattern of shiny red continues to rise up past his collar bones, to his neck, past his jaw...until the patterns had completely consumed him, the red of his eyes now glowing brightly.

Heavily and relieved breathes leave his body, floating backwards onto his back, floating in the blood calmly, Camilla was confused, she was under the impression this would be painful for him and he'd thrash...but he seems to take relief in it.

Approaching the bath peacefully, but Matron holds out her hand without even looking in her direction, focusing on her soon in the energy pool.

"You have much to learn princess..."

Endar's body slowly rises from the pool, the luminescent red drips from his naked body, the patterns pulsating like a heart beat, he looked unconscious as the blood witches begin taking over the chant, the Matron smiles, pleased to have gotten what she wished. Escorting Camilla from the ritual chamber in a quickened pace.

"Do you know what your true heritage is Princess?"

"All i know is my father and my mother were both human...which doesn't explain my magic"

"But I'm afraid it does darling..."

Camilla looks at Matron with a mind full of unanswered questions, wondering the answer to each one as she begins to listen to the high witch.

"Do you really know your mother as well as you thought you did?"

"What as there to hide, she was a beaten house wife...and she deserved better"

The Matron laughs at her comment with heavy breaths in between, the larger woman turning to the princess as her orange eyes begin piercing though Camilla like a knife through butter. Churning her anxiety.

"Your mother chose that life, because she believed in a better place than her home...here"

"Wait...my mother was a witch of Candervale?"

Matron doesn't answer the princesses question and continues walking, she follows her desperately for answers, refusing to let her out of her sight. All the while the Matron had a knowing smile on her face, knowing her hooks were sunk deep.

"Amelia Elffire...well, that was her mortal name at least, died during the pregnancy of the mad kings only son..."

"She...she couldn't..."

"Before that she was a dear sister to our tribes, the finest cosmic witches of her time...before she threw it all away for luxury and a man who hated her..."

Camilla was struck by a strict silence, unsure whether to believe her or not.

"During her first pregnancy, her and the king had a gorgeous baby girl, I remember the night i got her letter stating she was to bare a child...I begged her come home so the child had a chance to become apart of our sister hood..."

She then stares grimly at her.

"But your father robbed you of that chance...and when the king found out you weren't a boy he started to lose his mind, knowing only in his small mind that another woman had failed him...he threatened to kill her and her baby...until she offered him a chance at a new born heir" she elaborates for her, wandering into a secluded part of the cave into a room full of letters and ravens.

"That night I relieved the last letter your mother sent to me, now you've returned with the help of my son...you can finally be apart of our family~" she says handing her a folded letter, it was wrinkled and old, and when Camilla opened it up, she read the last words her mother had written down.

My Dearest Sister Morian, Jerrod has forced my hand to do the unthinkable...to save my daughter i must give him a son to satisfy his rage.

Lest he kills me and our kin, he has declared war against monsters and our kind. I fear that one day, my choices may affect that outcome, i wish you luck with the tribes and our sisters. Watch over them and protect them from harm.

But i can only take so much suffering, Jerrod wants a son to be his rightful heir to Caspia...but being my sister...you'll already know what I'm thinking and planning, If my daughter survives, promise to me you will help her understand her importance...

She is the Light...and her brother be the Darkness.

Sincerely,

Azerianne.

After reading her mother letter, Camilla's eyes peer over to the Matron with pitiful and empathetic eyes, her own were watery and emotional, her mother was a faded memory in her own head, but to have someone she was so close to speak about her, sent Camilla into a whirlwind of emotions.

This whole time she was a witch who wanted a better life...and lost her life for it.

"What did she mean by my brother?"

"She spoke of a great and evil power, it was ancient and unknown to our tribes for millennia...but she clearly found something in Caspia that helped her figure it out..."

"Figure what out?"

"How to make a Snare"

Camilla didn't understand her, but when she waves her hand over the nearby wall, the letters begin to rearrange themselves so she can read them properly. The Matrons deteriorated finger scrapes over the carvings as she elaborates it.

"A Snare is a type of ritual, its when a witch uses her less vital flesh to make a newborn in her womb...a completely self made creature of pure evil and flesh, the ritual blackens the soul before its born, killing the mother in the process of its birth as it absorbs her life force to become truly alive...Should i carry on?" she smirks at the grimaces from her.

"No...but whats a snares purpose?" she asks intently invested.

"A Snare acts on the last breath of the witch, when the task is done, they die not too long afterwards"

"So my brother really isn't human in any way?"

"Indeed he isn't...but you princess show greater promise~"

The Matron smiles, placing her menacing hand gently on her shoulder for comfort, Endar remains trapped in the ritual until its finished, leaving Camilla alone with his mother for however long it would take.

In a small act of politeness, she removes her hand and backs away.

"I have much bigger things to worry about...like sleep and rest" Camilla wisely walks away from her and back to her sleeping chambers for comfort and peace...the bountiful amount of information bombarding her was too much.

"Of course...don't let me stop you..." the Matron says remaining in her raven room with a thoughtful look on her face, the puzzling princess wont be so easy to sway...with the help of other witches however...could change the outcome.

As Camilla flees back to her room she bumps into a woman of the same height, he eyes were a light shade of lilac, and when she notices who bumped into her, her temper began to rise slowly.

"Watch where you're going half-blood priss" she hisses at her, before shoving past her and heading to a hall of some-sorts, leading deeper into the caves where the sound of battle and training could be heard...enticing the princess with a curve of her brow.

Her interest was peaked and now she yearns to know what they do in the shadow hall. But the rude mouth of that witch was enough for one day, sending the princess back to her room in a tired and overwhelmed huff.