Walpurgis Night

"We're almost at the rendezvous point," Suho informed the rest of us, keeping his focus on the road. Two hours had passed since we acquired the scroll, and we were finally starting to relax after the encounter with the vampires.

Despite the relief, I still had an uneasy feeling. It seemed as if someone was constantly watching my every move, and an ominous aura loomed nearby. I hoped my suspicions were just paranoia.

"What are we doing on Walpurgis Night?" Anna asked, leaning her head against the car window and trying to stay awake.

Suho explained, "Every year on Walpurgis Night, all the covens in Europe send emissaries-usually at least two people. This year Robert and I were chosen for the mission. Walpurgis Night is an important event in the supernatural world. Witches, vampires, werewolves, they all pay attention. The reason is the possibility of a ritual taking place, which is quite dangerous when hundreds of witches gather in one place.

Anna seemed satisfied with Suho's explanation and turned her attention back to the passing scenery. We were on an old, rarely used road, and the rough terrain was evident in every bump and jolt. As we continued, nature took over the road, making the journey even more nerve-wracking. The only redeeming aspects were the peaceful atmosphere and the pleasant scent of the forest.

It was as if the car was taking us to a hidden, magical paradise. Anna and I couldn't resist rolling down the windows and taking in the beauty. We were so enchanted that we hardly noticed the imperfections of the road. Our trance was broken only when the car came to a stop.

Unlike me, Anna quickly snapped back to reality and joined the others in getting out of the car. I couldn't help but focus on the energy flowing through the forest and the air. Every movement I made seemed to draw more energy into my body, as if the power of the forest was eager to merge with me.

After using some breathing techniques I'd learned from my father, I managed to shield myself from the influx of energy. When I got out of the car, I was confronted with a strange sight: a massive, centuries-old tree blocking the road.

"What are we going to do with the car?" Lucas asked while looking for a parking space.

Suho replied in a dry tone, "I'll drive it into the tree after you clear the way."

I couldn't help but laugh at Suho's deadpan answer. Robert tried to clarify, "What Suho meant to say is that this tree is an illusion and serves as the entrance to the meeting place. We'll go through the tree and once we're inside, I'll tell Suho to drive through.

We nodded and followed Robert through the tree. I was hesitant to walk through a tree, but seeing Robert do it effortlessly made me follow suit, taking a deep breath before stepping through.

On the other side of the illusion was a huge meadow decorated with tents of various sizes. Dozens of witches and wizards bustled about, engaged in conversation or activities. Anna and I were mesmerized by the spectacle, oblivious to the imperfections of the road. Our reverie was shattered when the car came to a stop.

Our car had reached a dead end, and all four of my friends were waiting for me. It was disconcerting to see nothing but a colossal tree blocking the road, a tree that had probably been there for centuries.

"So what do we do with the car?" Lucas asked, looking for a solution.

"I'll drive it into the tree as soon as you move," Suho replied in his usual monotone. I fought to hold back my laughter, finding his matter-of-fact delivery amusing.

Robert intervened, trying to make sense of Suho's statement, "What Suho means is that this tree is just an illusion and the entrance to the meeting place. We'll go through the tree and once we're inside, I'll let Suho know that he can drive through.

We all nodded and followed Robert's lead through the tree. I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath before stepping through.

Hours passed, and we made our way to a large tent in the middle of the campground that served as a canteen for all the participants. We ordered our food and drinks, but after the earlier incident with Mateo, Suho and Robert remained silent, not joining in our conversations.

Robert didn't even order food, which worried us. The atmosphere in the tent became heavy, with an overwhelming feeling of sadness and regret emanating from Robert.

I couldn't help but think, "Thank you, Coven Connection, for ruining our day!"

Anna and I wanted to address Robert's sadness, but hesitated, knowing it would only exacerbate an already awkward situation, especially with Suho present.

After dinner we returned to our tent where Suho and Robert were preparing for the meeting. Each coven had received robes, each in a different color with their emblem. Our coven's robes were black with a half-red sun.

Before going to the meeting, Suho advised us to close the tent and rest. At first we laughed and agreed with him, but eventually he left with Robert in the direction of the meeting circle.

While they were at the meeting, Anna, Lucas and I discussed our plans for the future. I finally had time to reflect on recent events and my encounter with the mysterious woman. She had completely disappeared from our sight, leaving me perplexed.

I didn't see her with her coven members or anywhere nearby. Her sudden disappearance puzzled me, especially as I wondered how she knew my name when I hadn't introduced myself.

"Our tent should be around here somewhere," Robert exclaimed as he scanned the area. It was a warm day and the heat of the sun was beginning to take its toll. Anna and I began to sweat profusely, longing for water and shade to escape the oppressive sun.

However, it dawned on us that accommodating three extra people in the tent was not part of the plan, as Anna, Lucas, and I had decided at the last minute to follow Suho and Robert.

At that moment, I didn't care about a place to sleep; all I wanted was water and shelter from the sun's rays.

"Here, this should be ours," Robert declared, reading a sign that read 'Shimmering Dawn'. Our tent was quite spacious, possibly accommodating at least four people. Maybe we could still find a comfortable place to rest without crowding each other.

"Take the luggage to the tent. I'll see if anyone can spare some sheets," Robert ordered, making his way to the center of the plateau where the organizer was located.

Unpacking and discussing our plans while the other two attended the meeting were our next tasks. After a while, Robert entered our tent, accompanied by a dark-skinned man named Mateo, who was carrying three sleeping mats.

"Here, they gave me sheets and even sleeping mats. I don't know if they'll all fit, but we can try. By the way, this is Mateo. He's from a Spanish coven and offered to help when he saw me struggling with the mats. Thanks again for your help," Robert said as he handed me the sheets while Mateo put the mats on the floor.

"Why didn't you call me for help? I would have helped," Suho grumbled while she gave Mateo an appraising look.

"I was about to, but Mateo came over before I could even reach for my phone. You could at least show some gratitude for his help," Robert teased Suho while Mateo scratched his neck, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"It's no big deal, no need to thank me. I just wanted to help, it looked sad to see you struggling with the mats," Mateo said, trying to ease the tension in the tent. Anna, Lucas and I stood by and watched the situation with big eyes.

"Nice Spanish accent," I remarked.

"Anyway, thanks for your help, Mateo. We all appreciate your kindness," Anna interjected, pushing Suho aside, who seemed slightly annoyed.

Robert then questioned Suho's suspicion, "Why do you have to be so suspicious? He's one of us; you should be a bit friendlier to our kind."

Suho replied in a monotone voice, "You don't know if he's really safe. Witches often feud with each other, and some make deals with other supernatural beings to harm other witches. Maybe he was checking to see if we brought something valuable to this meeting so he could use that information later. Don't be too naive, Robert, and don't forget what happened in Paris.

The mention of Paris cast a shadow over the conversation and left us all puzzled. What had happened in Paris? I couldn't help but be curious, but I didn't feel it was the right time to pry into her past.

Hours passed, and we set out to get something to eat at the campground's central canteen tent. Inside, we ordered and talked, but the tension remained, and the dark cloud of unease hung over the table.

Soon the whole atmosphere became eerily quiet, and we realized that the cries for help and the agonizing screams had stopped. The silence of the night was ominous.

Lucas urged us to go up the hill to the ceremony site, where we might find safety even if the other witches were absent. The place was protected by spells and could possibly give us an advantage.

I couldn't help but feel a connection to the girl we had saved, who was now sleeping soundly. I knew I had to carry her, but before I could, I found a strange seal on the ground that had finally come off her face. It looked as if a witch had made it, and its dark, foreboding presence disturbed me.

As I examined the seal, another dark presence approached us, catching me off guard. By the time I noticed, it was too late. A vampire's hand sliced through Lucas, quickly ending his life.

The once lush green of the forest seemed to fade into shades of crimson, as if the moon itself had turned red with the blood that spilled from Lucas' body.