Chapter 16: WitchHunt

Max and I continue our walk with Abhartach in silence at the back of my mind. She explains a lot about her powers and where they come from. Her parents are firm believers in the arts and taught her all they know.

I wonder what else she knows, she could be a valuable ally.

"We need to talk to Carol too but after we pass by my house. I need to collect something," she says.

We arrive at her luxurious humongous "house" and it makes mine look like a small cabin. We enter through a massive guarded electronic gate, as if the large brick wall with electric wiring didn't already send the desired message. This place is huge. It has a pool for each floor one beneath the other, linked together by a waterfall. The house is modern contemporary with nicely cut grass and a see through garage. Her mom is outside under the shade of an apple tree, plucking some out and eating them.

"Hi Mrs Shumba," I greet while waving at her. She's known me for years.

"Hello, Angelo. It's been a while since I saw you around here. You better not be avoiding us, after all you're like a son to us," She greets back while fixing her curls. "Say hi to Kelly for me when you get back and tell her book club is on Sunday."

"What? I'd never avoid you. I'll get the message to her," I say laughing.

We walk into her insanely gorgeous looking house with white tiling and Slick modern decor. Her dad comes out of the kitchen drinking orange juice from the carton shirtless. His shows off his flexing muscles as he looks at us while gulping down the pulpy refreshment.

"Whoa that was a good workout!" He screams.

"Hi Mr Shumba," I greet.

"Call me dad. After all you're marrying my daughter," He winks with a smug look on his face.

He likes to tease at the idea that Max and I are made for each other, we just don't know it yet.

Max and I both share a look, shake our heads in disgust and both utter

"That's never going to happen" at the same time.

Mr Shumba laughs and walks away retorting.

"Yeah yeah, that's what they all say. This is why I beat y'all in Video-games."

"You wish," Max responds and her dad makes a scouring expression at her as he leaves the room.

We enter Max's room which is on the fourth and final floor of the house. Definitely the room of a gamer. Shelves full of action figures, games, consoles and merchandise. A desk with a high power PC and a fancy chair. She opens her closet and I see a tailored outfit, She pulls out something and closes it before I can get a proper look at it.

"Nah that one's a surprise for later. For now we need this," She says holding out a marble. "We can go now. Come on."

I follow behind her and we head to Carol's house.

We knock on her door and a minute passes before the door slowly opens and Carol peeps out.

"Oh Max, it's you, come in," she says.

Max walks in and I follow behind her. She had not seen me she is awestruck.

"Oh, Angy. You're here too."

"Hey there, Winter," I say and hug her tightly. She wasn't expecting that and she softens into my embrace.

"I've been wanting to talk to you."

"I know. I could tell."

"Thing is. I was a bit frustrated and jealous of how fast you were developing. You haven't had your powers for long but you can already do all these things and I've had mine for like two years. I know people are different but I wanted to be the one to show you all those things."

I can understand her feelings. It stung when she picked up the subjects I was doing and killed me in every class in less than two months. When you spend time and effort on something only to have someone pick the same thing and do it better faster.

"I just. But it's ok. I know that that's just how life is but I can't help it."

"It's ok. I understand. You can tell me anything, besides, there's still a lot I have to learn. You're still a better fighter and more experienced," I say. Carol looks into my eyes and kisses me.

"Ok enough of that. I'm still here you know," Max complains.

"Shit, I forgot Max was still here," Carol says in worry that she might have said something.

"Don't worry. I already know everything. It's why I'm here."

Carol's parents aren't home yet but we decided to talk in her room still. Max explains everything to her and she is less is not as surprised.

"I suspected you knew but I couldn't be sure."

"How?" I ask curiously.

Max cocks her head and smiles. "Interesting."

"Well whenever something Danann related you disappear and you've never asked where me and Sam go thoroughly. Even though we have alibis, you usually investigate but you always let them go. Plus I can't sense your presence out of everyone around me."

"I see. Seems I was a bit careless. You do have more experience with this," Max says.

"I thought you had a really strong Danann at first but this makes more sense after all you inherited magic in one of it's most powerful and ancient form."

"I can perform magic, but what I use is more on the lines of witchcraft."

"I see. I find it badass that you can actually use magic without a link," Carol stated.

"Thanks. Now. I might be able to find out who the person responsible for the second rising and who exactly this 'unknown' figure is. I need the scroll he gave you and some space," She said.

Carol took out the scroll and handed it to Max.

Max sat in the middle of the room in a meditating position. She placed the scroll in front of her and took out the marble she had. The atmosphere in the room became heavier with each second. Her eyes turned white with black pupils that looked like stars.

Her body levitated off the ground, her hair floating. She whispered words in Shona, I could understand some of them but some were lost in translation. She began to fidget and spas. Her breathing became erratic and she fell to the ground.

"Max!" Carol and I rush to her side. She's panting.

"I'm fine. I didn't see everything but I saw a lot. This isn't by coincidence. This was planned years ago, centuries ago," Max says.

"How come? What is it?" Carol asks.

"The second rising was planned by King Balor of the Fomorians and his son Bres, is supposed to succeed him."

"We already met Albert. He died," Carol says.

"Albert isn't dead. He survived. I suspect that The Unknown is King Balor. He had distinct golden eyes but the rest of his face was covered. I should've been able to see him. The only reason I suspect he was able to keep me out was that he knows how to use my magic and he is blessed by his ancestors. Whoever this Unknown guy is. He's not on the side of stopping the second rising, he's the one causing it. He wants Danann and Fomorians and he'll attack after their war, after each side is weak."

"What the fuck?! Come on. He has a Fomorian link and he knows witchcraft," I complain.

"I didn't see his face but I saw his aura. He's African descend, maybe even Kaguvi. This could be bad. I need to speak to my parents about this."

Max left the house in a hurry. Carol and I were silenced by the news. We needed to stop the war. I didn't care about the world but I cared about my family. Chances are they'd be dead if this war happened.