The Blind Witch
Chapter 16

I was once part of something greater. But I can’t remember it. My past life is but an echo lost to time. I was a creator. They called me a God.

Clarissa closed her eyes as they transported. She could feel the energy around her, changing her, breaking her down, and rebuilding her. She reopened her eyes when she felt her feet on the ground again.

She looked around the darkness of her vision. But there was so much lingering in the air. It was magic, of all colors, floating around her. The coven’s temples were sacred places, blessed by the gods throughout time. She smiled as she held her hand out, touching a floating orb near her. It grazed her finger before bouncing off, floating away into the abyss.

Ophelia took a deep breath and began to rub her forehead. She glanced over at Clarissa. Her dark magic had taken some of Sybil’s. But why her? Ophelia had been around Clarissa often. Never once had her magic been absorbed. Was it because Ophelia had stronger magic? Or was the darkness only able to consume the shield? The shield... Clarissa broke through it.

Ophelia watched as Clarissa began to walk off. One of her hands was held out, feeling the air as she went.

“Ophelia?” Victor said, trying to get her attention. But her eyes didn’t leave Clarissa, and her face conveyed no emotions. He sighed and led Lydia up the steps into the castle.

“Child,” Ophelia called out to the girl. Clarissa stopped at the word. Ophelia’s tone was stern. She looked to the ground and walked over to her.

“I swear I didn’t mean to,” Clarissa whispered as she fidgeted with her fingers.

“I know,” Ophelia replied. “But while you are here, amongst other witches, I need you to be careful. If your magic starts to do something, I need you to step back and let me know. There are some here who would not hesitate to call you dangerous. Victor understands this, being a witch of dark magic himself.”

“Am I dangerous?” Clarissa questioned.

“All magic can be dangerous. We just don’t know the depth of what you can do yet. When we return home, Sybil and I shall help see what lies deep in your soul. Help you unravel the mysteries within. Alright?”

Clarissa didn’t speak; she simply nodded her head. Ophelia put a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze.

“Keep your head high,” she instructed as her tone softened. “You are the future Queen of Queens. One that has been fated by Bil. Own it.”

Clarissa gave a small smile. Ophelia took her hand and led her up the stone steps.

“This castle is one of the oldest buildings in the world,” Ophelia explained as they walked. “It was built a few hundred years after the creation of the Coven of the Lode Star. It was built so witches had a safe place to learn, meet up, and pray to the gods. Now, it serves as a holy place where we perform rituals and hold counsel. The world is not how it once was. Humans and werewolves do not hold the same fear of witches. So we can now freely travel the world. Places like this aren’t needed as a safe space anymore.”

“There is so much magic in the air,” Clarissa noted as she looked around.

“That would be due to the years of witches roaming this place, of the blessings that have occurred, and of the sacrifices we have made to the gods.” A man said. Clarissa turned her head toward the sound. She could see white and blue orbs swirling. This was the first time she came across a witch with water magic.

“Craigen,” Ophelia said as she nodded her head to him. “This is Clarissa, mate to our Prince of Princes. Clarissa, this is the High Priest of the Lode Star.”

“It is good to meet you finally, princess,” Craigen smiled as he studied Clarissa. “Such darkness in those eyes. Such an intriguing witch.”

Clarissa looked up to Ophelia. She was unsure how to respond. Was he complimenting her, or was it a subtle insult? She did not know.

“We are here for Clarissa to have her Welcoming Rites, should the Lode Star accept her,” Ophelia stated as her thumb gently rubbed against the back of Clarissa’s hand.

“You chose a great time to come,” Craigen replied. “The council is gathering tomorrow, but I believe we can squeeze in a vote and the rites. You are welcome to stay in any of the guest rooms.”

Ophelia nodded in response and led Clarissa upstairs. Throughout the day, Clarissa was given a tour and introduced to several of the higher-ranking witches in the coven. By the evening, she was exhausted. When she laid in her bed, she instantly fell asleep.

When she awoke the following morning, she felt oddly calm and at ease. She stretched her body and opened her eyes. Magic orbs swirled around her. All the various colors floated through the air. She put out her hands, allowing several orbs to land on her. She could feel their warmth and the energy held within them. The orbs flew away when a knock came to her door.

“Enter,” she called out. The door opened, and Victor walked in.

“All of the Counsel members are here,” he said as he stood by the door. “They are waiting on you.”

“What if they see something they don’t like?” She asked hesitantly.

“Then you won’t be allowed to join,” he replied. “But I doubt that will happen.”

She nodded as she stood from the bed. Once dressed, Victor led her through the castle. She was brought to a large circular room. On the floor was a small drawn circle in the middle, with symbols stretching outward to the walls. Clarissa was put into the middle of the circle. Several people stepped up, putting a white paint on her arms and face. She stood there, unmoving, as they marked her. Then suddenly, everyone stepped back from her. She heard footsteps enter the room, and the doors closed. She could see the auras of many witches surrounding her.

“Today, brothers and sisters, we gather to hold Welcoming Rites for Clarissa, daughter of Victor and Edith, fated mate to our prince of princes!” Craigen said as he stood in front of Clarissa. “Who in this room vouches for the girl?”

“Ophelia, former Queen of Queens, blessed child of Mihr, vouches for her,” Ophelia said loudly.

“Lydia, blessed child of Frigg, vouches for her.”

“Victor, blessed child of Nyx, vouches for her.”

Clarissa could not hold back her smile as she listened to them. But Victor’s vouch made her heart heavy. She needed to remind herself that though he was her father by blood, he was not her father in name. She needed to remember that. In their first meeting, he said he would not treat her as a daughter. She should not look too deeply into his words. There was no hidden meaning behind him vouching for her.

“Three vouches for the girl!” Craigen exclaims as he smudges something on her forehead. This pulled her from her thoughts, bringing her back to the Welcoming Rites. “In a minute, you will be transported into your inner soul. There, you shall see the deity or deities who have blessed you in this life. They might reveal your path. There are nine gods that may reveal themselves to you.”

“Frigg, the goddess of the Earth and mother of life. She is also the mother of Eir, the goddess of healing. Together, they not only save lives, but they create it too.”

“Tir, the God of War. He grants strength and power to witches.”

“Mihr, the God of Light and Wisdom. He grants knowledge to those who are deemed worthy. Also, with the power of light, witches may use magic from the other gods.”

“Tsovinar, the Goddess of the Sea, Water, and Rain. She helps to enrich the Earth and all mortals that live within.”

“Labraid, the God of Death. He brings the souls of mortals to the afterlife. He rarely blesses mortals with his gifts.”

“Inti, the God of the Sun, Creator of Worlds and Universes. He is responsible for filling the void of space with his light and creations.”

“Bil, the Goddess of the Moon. She is the creator of the werewolves. She gives them their wolf spirits and hand picks their mates.”

“Lastly, there is Nyx, the Goddess of the Night, Eternal Darkness, and Shadows. The paths that she creates are unclear, shrouded in darkness.”

“We will be able to see what you see, but you shall be alone when you go,” Craigen said as he began to step away from Clarissa.

She could see as his aura left her, joining the others. The witches that surrounded her in a circle clasped their hands together. One by one, those in the circle began to hum. The humming reverberated off the walls and onto her. She could feel the vibrations against her body. This forced Clarissa to close her eyes. She took deep breaths, feeling the air thicken around her. Then, she felt weightless. She could feel her hair lift from her shoulders, floating in the air around her. She bit her bottom lip, trying hard to control her breathing. She was becoming nervous.

“Clarissa,” a soft, echoing voice said.

Clarissa’s eyes flew open. Before her was a world of darkness, but the world was filled with lights and shapes unlike any she had ever seen. She looked around, wondering where she was. But then she froze; she could see people. She could see them clearly. They were not masses of auras and magic. She could see their faces, eyes, noses and mouths. She could see their hands and each individual finger. She could see.

“Clarissa,” the voice repeated.

Clarissa turned to look at the person. It was a woman, or at least she thought based on the sound of the voice. She was tall, towering over her. Her skin was dark, but light flickered and reflected off of her. Her hair was dark and hung in twists upon her head. Beside her was a man. His skin was fair, shining brightly against the darkness. Clarissa continued to turn, seeing two more gods standing around her.

“Are you afraid?” The woman asked.

“I am not,” she answered as she turned to face the goddess. The voice, she recognized the voice. Some of the whispers that she heard in the darkness came from her.

“I am Nyx, your creator, the first god to give you powers.” She said as she stepped closer to Clarissa. “Do you know where you are?”

“In my soul?” She replied softly, questioning herself if the answer was true.

“In a way,” the goddess smiled as she held out her arms. “You are in the darkness of space. From here, your soul was created, as was mine.”

Clarissa stood there, silent as she listened. She looked around, her eyes seeing the farthest edges of the darkness and space. She turned until she saw the face of the God beside Nyx.

“I am Inti,” he said as he looked down at the girl. Something flashed across his eyes, bringing a smile to his face. “I was the second to bless you with magic. I am the one who gave you the power of fire. I plucked a piece of the sun, adding it to your soul.”

“I am Bil,” a voice said behind her. Clarissa turned, seeing a woman whose eyes were bright blue. “I did not bless you with magic, but I have blessed you with a mate.”

“Why?” Clarissa inquired.

“You would question a god?” Bil countered as she raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Clarissa replied with confidence. Her eyes looked up, meeting her gaze.

“She has every right to question us,” the last goddess said. Clarissa turned to look at her. There were green objects wrapped around this goddess. “I am Frigg. I did not give you magic nor a mate. But I have blessed your path. I have ensured your safety from the moment you were born until the moment your mortal body perishes.”

“Why have all of you blessed me?” Clarissa questioned as she looked around at everyone. “What is my path in life?”

“Your path is never ending,” Nyx explained. “We cannot tell where your path might lead because that is up to you and the choices you make.”

“You may ask us one more question, curious one,” Inti said. “Your time here is limited.”

“Am I dangerous?”

“Of all the questions you could have asked, you ask this?” Inti inquired curiously.

“It is what worries her the most,” Nyx replied. “She is scared of harming others. She knows that some fear me, and so they fear her. But, dangerous is a subjective word. Everyone’s definition is different. To me, to Inti, Bil, and Frigg, you are not dangerous. But that does not mean that you cannot do dangerous things. The choices are yours to make.”

Clarissa could feel herself being weighed down. She was being dragged away from the deities before her. She closed her eyes as she felt a rushing sensation. Only when her feet touched the floor did she reopen them. She looked around; the darkness of her vision had returned. She saw the familiar aura and orbs; gone were the shapes and colors of space.

She could hear murmurs around her. She froze, wondering if something was wrong. The witches that stood around her looked at one another. It was common for witches to have one deity bless them, occasionally two. Three was rare, but it had happened. But four? This was unheard of. Then, there was her confidence. She questioned the gods without incurring their wrath. None were angered, but they welcomed her curiosity. Before they had the chance to think about what was said, Craigen stepped forward.

“Raise your hands if you approve the welcoming of this young witch,” he instructed as he raised his hand. Everyone in the circle raised their hands, voting to allow her to join.

There was hesitation, but none could deny that she was scared of herself. She worried that she was dangerous, but the gods vouched for her. Even the ones who feared dark magic did not wish to claim that Inti, Bil, and Frigg were wrong. If these gods stood by her and believed in her, then they should, too.

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