The True Story Of The Original Witch

Chapter 1: A Ritual In The Woods

I was only 19 when I met young prince Joseph. He was 23. Tall, blonde, and icy, blue eyes. He was the apple of every girl's eye, Mine included. The Prince was known for his advanced academics, mostly in the mathematic studies. He was an engineer, an inventor of sorts. He would propel the kingdom of Proditione into a glimmering age of science and technology someday.

But not everyone would go along with those plans. Some of us believed that there was a much simpler solution. People like me. Whenever unlucky things would happen around the town, the people would say that witches were to blame, with their magic and curses. But those didn't exist. At least, not yet.

Yes, I will admit. I, Elise Brandt, planned to invent witchcraft, for real. And I intended to use it for my own benefit, AS WELL AS the benefit of others. And I had help. The help of my two best friends. Julia Tyrone, and Clara Lake. We all wanted a name for ourselves, and this, the invention of magic would give it to us.

That night, we set our plan into action. I grabbed my cloak hanging from the nail above my bed and threw it over myself. I descended out the window and slipped quietly into the woods.

Walking through the pitch black paths, I ducked under the light of the moon, afraid of being seen. I saw something moving in the bushes. Drawing my dagger slowly, I jumped into the bushes and stabbed whatever was in them. A rabbit. Whoops. I covered it up in the bushes.

There was a snap of a twig behind me. My dagger was at the ready again, as I spun on my heel, dagger in the air. Standing behind me was Clara, her arms crossed in front of her face. I gave a small sigh of relief.

"Where were you?" She whispered. "Julia and I have been waiting forever!"

"I know, I know!" I whispered. "I had to make sure that Mr. Jones couldn't see me. He's been all worried since that wolf ate his wife." I added on, under my breath, "Ruined my red cloak, too."

But I brushed off my thoughts and grabbed Clara's hand. Her hands were large, but not too big for her arms, and they were warm. Soft, and silky, and warm. We rushed to the meeting spot under the cliffside where we were to meet Julia. She was there, tending the fire. When we approached, She stood up and hugged us both.

"Are you ready?" She asked.

Clara and I shared a look, then nodded. We were ready. Julia nodded too. We all sat down in a circle around the fire.

"Elise, would you do the honors?" Asked Julia. "You've done the most research."

"Of course," I said. "Clara?" She looked at me, eyes wide with surprise and excitement. "Raise both your arms to the sky, palms up."

Clara nodded slowly and did as I told her. She was obviously confused, but went along with it anyway. "And Julia? Place both of your palms just above the ground." Julia did the same. Taking a deep breath, I extended my arms, hovering just in front of the fire. My palms were hot, nearly burning.

"Gods and Goddesses, we call." I said.

"Gods and Goddesses, we call." Julia and Clara repeated. Though it wasn't necessary, both their eyes were closed. But being the ritual master, mine were open.

"I call to Estrella, Goddess of the stars and heavens." I said. "Come, and deliver to us your power. Deliver your power to the woman, Clara. She shall be your great power here on earth. Her arms await."

"My arms await." she repeated. In the blink of an eye, something was forming in her hands. A glowing orb. A shard of heaven itself, it seemed. Clara seemed tempted to touch it, but I shook my head.

"I call to Unus, God of the World and Land. Come, and deliver to us your power. Deliver your power to the woman, Julia. She shall be your great power here on earth. Her arms await." I said.

"My arms await." she said. The ground only under her palms started vibrating slightly. She didn't touch it.

I took a deep breath, my palms ready to burst from the heat of the fire. "Chao, God of hell underneath us and the fires that live there. Come, and deliver to us your power. Deliver your power to-" I stopped myself. Clara and Julia nodded. It would be okay. "Me. I shall be your great power here on Earth! My arms await! My arms await!" The fire before me became larger and blazed brighter. Clara gave a shocked gasp, quickly being replaced by confusion, but happy laughter. Julia was smiling.

"We three women will be the carriers of your powers, should you lend them to us.Clara, carrier of light and goodness. Julia, carrier of the world and of the spirit. And I, Elise, carrier of chaos and hell. Together, we three will carry out a new age of light, propelled by your powers- witchcraft." I continued.

"Our arms await!" Julia shouted. Clara followed suit. I joined in. It became a chant, hypnotic and powerful. The ground under Julia's fingertip's shook harder. The sliver of light hovering in Clara's hands glowed brighter. The fire blazed brighter.

As we chanted, I could see things in the fire. Images, visions. As if the gods were warning me of what may come. I saw myself kissing a man. I saw a blood-covered rosebush. I saw a shadow falling from a window. I saw lines upon lines of bows and arrows. A tin full of dried red flakes, Julia, standing in a clock tower, with a knife to her throat. And a tiny, sleeping princess in a purple dress.

I wasn't holding back. Screaming one more time, with reckless abandon, "Our arms await!" We knew it was time. Julia slammed her hands on the ground, stopping the shaking. Clara clapped her hands together, destroying the light in her hands. And with one loud scream, I thrust my hands into the fire.

It burned terribly, but it felt euphoric. I could feel the power flowing through my fingertips, infecting every cell in my body. Body filled with fire and blackness and chaos. I was screaming in pain, but refused to let go. The power of those flames, given by Chao himself, all for me. My hands found themselves going deeper into the fire. The pain was worth it.

By that point, Clara and Julia had let go. They had enough power. But then they saw me, hands still in the fire, still craving more. They knew if I kept going, I would be more powerful than the gods themselves.

"Elise, stop!" Clara shouted. I wouldn't. The flames licked my elbows and the skin on my fingers started to fester.

"More..." I mumbled.

"Stop!" Julia shouted, standing up.

With one final push, I shoved both of my arms into the fire, all the way up to my armpits. Julia and Clara screamed and pulled me out.

"What were you thinking?!" Julia shook me by the shoulders.

"Oh my god! Your hands!"

Clara was right to be worried. My hands were black and charred, my arms covered a shade of red and pink. But it was worth it. "I... have it all." I said. I nodded towards the fire. It had gone out. "I... I took ALL of it."

"Wait, so..."

"Yes. I have made Chaos himself obsolete. I'm a witch."