Astral and I make a huge pentagram on the grass with salt. Luckily, it is a clear day today, with only a soft breeze. The sky is clear as the sun shines brightly down on us. Tobias watches his perfect lawn with not a blade of grass out of place.
“You know, I only just repaired the grass from the last time you destroyed it, and now, you’re mixing salt in it,” he whines.
“For someone as dominant and intimidating as you, I never pictured you being a green thumb when I met you,” I retort.
“I just like my lawn and gardens looking nice, nothing wrong with wanting nice grass.” I shake my head as I hear multiple cars driving down the driveway. Looking up, five cars drive toward the house before stopping out the front.
“Are you sure they won’t notify the council?” I ask Astral, worried they might come for my son if they find out.
“Positive, witches stick to themselves, especially when it comes to magic and power, none of us want it falling into the wrong hands.” She tells me, as we walk around to greet them.
The car doors open, and women jump out. There are about twelve women who get out, all looking around nervously. Astral introduces everyone and explains what’s going on with Thaddeus. Some look skeptical, others scared, and I realize the situation is more dire than I first thought.
I also notice by their auras that there are three air users, three water, three earth and three fire users here, leaving me and the oracle the only spirit users.
“Why so many?” I ask Astral, making her turn to me.
“His magic at the moment is contained inside him and still weak, but once we draw on it. It will awaken and fight against us. It won’t be trapped easily. Unfortunately, you and I are the only spirit users alive, so it will take its toll on us the most. Especially you, because your magic is tainted and you’re Thaddeus’ mother, so it may even try to reach out to you, recognising you as a safe place, but you mustn’t give into it.”
Suddenly, Josiah and Caroline pull up. Caroline jumps out of the car. “What’s this I hear about witches coming and doing stuff to my grandson? I demand answers now!” She says, walking over.
Josiah walks over, calmly placing a hand on Caroline’s shoulder making her relax. Tobias and Theo walk out. “Come, we will explain,” he says, waving his mother into the house. She eyes us suspiciously before stalking inside. The witches all walk out the back to the pentagram, I watch as each one lines up behind their elemental point.
Astral moves to the center and pulls five small blades from her pocket. She then walks over and hands the first witch at each point a blade, before bringing the last blade and standing on the top point with me. I watch horrified as each one slices their palm before holding it over the point dripping blood into the pentagram. They then move, handing the knife to the next and they do the same. Astral does the same before handing me the blade.
“This doesn’t feel very hygienic,” I tell her, as I slice my palm and imitate her actions.
Astral chuckles. “You will be fine; you’re dead already anyway, what’s the worst that could happen?” She laughs. Each witch then circles around the outer ring of the pentagram and Caroline walks out with Thaddeus in her arms.
“I’m telling you witches now, harm even one follicle of hair on that kid’s head and I will eat every one of you,” she says, flashing her fangs for emphasis before placing him in the center of the Pentagram.
He grabs fistfuls of the grass, making his father groan as he pulls it from the roots. I chuckle before silence falls over everyone as they join hands. I watch the magic go from hand to hand, spreading through each person before finally reaching me. I gasp at its strength as we channel each other’s power. When the magic hits Astral, she shudders, and her eyes glaze over before turning an eerie white. Thaddeus must be able to feel the power as he stops and watches for a second before going back to ripping the grass out.
Astral starts muttering under her breath, looking up at the sky before looking straight ahead. She chants in a foreign language and I watch as each witch’s eyes glaze over matching Astral’s. They chant one by one and when I feel it roll over me. I shudder and become frozen in place, my lips moving yet I don’t understand the words leaving them, but I can feel power building to immeasurable levels.
Suddenly, Thaddeus squeals loudly and my eyes snap to him. They burn brightly, flickering between the silver to gold and red, then go black, even his scleras go black. I want to go to him and tell him he is okay, yet I can’t move a muscle, locked in place. I see Caroline go to step forward, Josiah pulls her back.
At first, I don’t understand why, until I see it. There is a thick mist escaping from my son. He isn’t in any pain as it slips out of his fingertips and toes. It pours out of him before forming a cloud above him, growing in size. The clear sky turns to night as strong winds whip around us, the cold of the wind stings my skin. Lightning cracks above us, and I look towards Astral. All the witches look at her in alarm as we watch my son’s magic grow bigger. It zaps loudly, angry, and malevolent. The temperature drops massively. I can see our breath in the air and the sky turns dark and angry. The noise is so loud as the winds pick up to hurricane levels.
I think we are going to be blown away, when suddenly, I feel the ground move. Roots shoot from the ground and wrap around everyone’s feet, holding us in place.