The Ashwordly Witches

[ILLYRIAN]

WARNING. There is strong content but not of a sexual nature, no
swearing has been used and no violence is portrayed. Most of this
story is scary. The best way to describe what is in the story is go
to You Tube Music and watch Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath.

The story only has relevance to the TV series from something
that happened when the coven was trying to teach Willow.
The names of Buffy Dawn and Willow are from the series, their
interaction with each other was referred to when writing this story.

Introduction

Giles had taken Willow to England as ordered by the Coven
Several of the members of the coven were worried about what
might happen to Willow. Because the evil had promoted itself in
her, they could spend many a year teaching Willow how to have
control over it and still have doubt. Miss Harkness suggested
they should create an existence where Willow could teach herself
how to be good, how to take the power that some call evil and use
the power to create good.
Sat at points about the circle of the greeted four winds, hearing the
thought’s of the God’s of the winds. It was agreed to create a new
world where Willow should be, for her and a couple of friends to
be there. For Willow to sink to the depths then find the good and
bring it to life within herself. Miss Harkness sent them to the
lands near Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire



Nervously two men were digging the two open graves in the
woods, the area was devoid of plant life not even a tree root had
strayed into that area. They kept a look out for who was spying on
then. They knew someone was, they had felt themselves being
watched. And there must have been someone as there was a
church bell ringing.
“Why do we seem to keep getting these scary jobs? Is it
because of who we are?” asked Stephen.
Jeffrey glanced to him.
“You just keep digging the sooner we are out of this God
forsaken place the better, or I’ll tell you what is really scary.”

“Do you think there could anything scarier than listening to
that ruddy bell,” said Stephen while he listened to the sound of the
bell he thought he heard an echo, “And here we are digging graves.”
“Here I am, you are not digging you have stopped, again. Right
you asked for it, look to the middle of the woods. Why do you think
that only witches are buried in these woods? Why are the only
people that have been buried in these woods are witches?”
Stephen looked to the middle of the woods, he saw nothing, nothing
until the sunlight flashed its brightness through the trees. He saw an
old wooden church, whitewashed walls and wooden slats for the top
half of the building. But it was what seemed to be a guard, an
ominous looking figure in black stood near its door. And the figure
watched them.
“And do you know the best thing Stephen,” Jeffery continued,
“When we first came here, they were not here.”
Jeffery dug a few more shovel loads of soil. “That’ll do.”
“Look I know I’m not as good as you are at digging graves but
these are not good enough,” said Stephen.

“And they don’t have to be when their bodies are dumped in
here neither of them will be in coffins and like all the witches they
are to be buried face down. And do you know why they are buried
face down,” asked Jeffery.
Stephen looked to him, he didn’t have an answer.
“Come on, I reckon that’ll be good enough for them.” They
both ran until they were outside the edge of the woods.
“The reason why they are buried face down, is so that when
they return they haven’t got soil in their eyes. And have you
noticed the other thing?”
Stephen looked all around them. “No, nothing to do with the field,
It is all about the woods, as soon as our last foot stepped on soil out
of the woods the bell stopped.”

***

Jeffery and Stephen walked into the jail cell they looked at the sign
above the doorway -ASHWORDLY JAIL- “Home again, at least
we are safe here,” said Stephen.
“Any other day I’d agree with you but not tonight, not with
those two in there.” They pushed open the heavy door and saw
their friends Michael and Matthew. “Everything okay?” asked
Jeffery.
“They’re still here if that is what you mean, look,” said
Michael.
The prisoners Monica and Dawn began to look at them.
“Quick, divert your eyes!” exclaimed Jeffery, “Never look
into their eyes or you will allow then to look into your eyes for
they will be able to see your soul and corrupt it.”

The girls Monica and Dawn were sat at a table in their cell on the
table is a plate with half a chicken on it. Monica looked at it.
“Happy birthday sister.”
“What is the happy about it, we are to be hung as witches
tomorrow.”
“Then buried, don’t forget that,” said Monica.
“Oh joy,” replied Dawn.
“Look on the bright side, they might have burnt us.”
“She does have a point, why are they not to be burnt?”
“Michael, you would ask that of me, so tell me do you want
to stand there while they burn? They would be alive to long, no we
hang them then bury them, it’s quicker,” said Jeffery.
“What have we done to warrant that kind of treatment?”
asked Dawn.
Jeffery took the sheets of paper from his desk.
“You were both accused of witchcraft most vile that should
have been enough but not you. What you did proved you are in
league with the devil. The girl who had accused you died, no one
had more to gain from the poor girl being dead than you two, so it
was decided that her death was your doing,” said Jeffery..
Jeffery looked to other jailers, Michael, Matthew and Stephen he.
saw they were scared there were sat around a table against the wall.
“When the morning light comes we can hang them and at
midday we put their bodies in their graves and run from there,”
said Jeffery.
“Why should we run from there?” asked Matthew.
“I was there, I helped dig the graves, I saw what else watched
I agree with Jeffery and I urge you to be ready to run,” said Stephen.

“Maybe this will make you ready to run, the name of those
Woods is Whichery Woods but it was not always so, in fourteen
forty two its name was Witches Woods. Because of what happened
in the day before yesterday, they were tied to a length of rope and
dragged through the towns pond, they did not float though it was
suggested to wait awhile. The torturers were called away and
forgot about them until the evening. The two dead bodies were
dragged from the pond, they had been underwater all day. You
would think that would be the end of it but it wasn’t. Their bodies
were left in the dungeon overnight, yet in the morning they were
stood they waited for the torturers, they even had the cheek to taunt
the torturers, so they were brought here, to the cell,” said Jeffery.
“If they were drowned how are they here?” asked Michael

“They must be the devil’s children, they were not condemned
in any court, they are not to be burnt,” said Jeffery.
“Why?” asked Matthew.
“In hell there are fires right?” asked Jeffery.
“Yes, so,” said Matthew.
“As Devil children they will go to a place of fire, they will live
an eternity in fire so if fire is seen not to harm them anyone there
to watch them will be in great fear. So we hang them. Also only a
heretic is allowed to be burnt,” said Jeffery.
Michael started to make a hot drink for them all. But abruptly
stopped. “This can’t be happening.” He looked towards the girls.
“That is all the proof I need they cannot be normal witches.
This cream was fresh today, it cannot have gone off yet, but it has.
He looked to them again.
“They must have come from the Devil himself,” said Matthew.
As they looked at the table they girls were sat at the flame on the
candle began to turn blue.

***

The ghost of Debra came through a wall of the cell, “Evening boys.”
The jailers saw her and tried to get out of the jail.
“That’s far enough boys, can’t have you leaving now can I, so
stay where you are,” said Deborah.
“Who is she?” asked Matthew.

“She is their mother, her name is Deborah a witch who we
buried her last week,” said Stephen.
Deborah looked to the jailers. “Go and sit at your table boys.”
The ghost went to the table, she sat near Dawn and took some
chicken, she started to eat it. When she had finished she smiled to
the girls and became whole.
“You don’t need to bother your jailers. I know why you are here,
each of you killed a boy to give life to me but it did not work, it
could not work for as you can see I’m not dead. I had already been
returned to life by another witch,” said Deborah.
“What else is there what aren’t you saying?” asked Monica.
“That left the girl who accused you, she killed herself to rid
herself of the pain of the memories of her brother being killed. So
you couldn’t get your revenge on her, well not in this time. So we
allowed for you to be killed and you will be returned to life in a
few hundred years when there is enough for you to get your
revenge,” said Deborah

to be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The Ashwordly Witches present day October 31st 2013
(before you start to read this part remember the introduction)

Buffy is stood at the main doors of the college, she is waiting for
The other members of the coven, as they leave the college building
she formally welcomes them, what they will soon do is historical.
“Lisa welcome are you ready to make history. Gavin, Susan,
David welcome. Beth, Bryan, Linda, John, I am glad you are all
here. That you are ready to do what has to be done,” said Buffy.
A group of lads nearby are dressed for cricket practice
“Who are they, I don’t recognize them,” said the instructor.
One of the lads Darren looked at the instructor, Darren knew that
he wouldn’t recognize any of them.
“They tend to keep to themselves which is good, they are the
current coven of Ashwordly Witches.”
“Don’t they do anything at all?”
“If there is a play that is being done that needs witches, yes.
They give that extra something to Macbeth,” said Darren.
“Like what?” asked the instructor.
“Real witchcraft.”
Darren looked at the tutor.
“I’d best warn you about them, whatever you do never say or
do anything that they would have reason to think you have tried to
upset them, especially that Buffy.”
“You make it sound as if I should know them,” said the
instructor.
“I wouldn’t say you should know them, but you ought to
know of them they are the current Ashwordly witches.”
“Well known around here are they?”
Darren stopped some girls who are passing them.
“The instructor wants to know if you know who they are?”

“Who them, the Ashwordly witches, word has it they are
going to the Whichery Woods. Something really big is going to
happen. That is where we are going to go,” said one of the girls.
Darren looked at the instructor. “Tell you what, I’ll take the class
if you want to see what they can do.”
The instructor arrived in the car park, for the Woods there was a
carnival atmosphere. He got out of his car and called some people
over. “Excuse me what is everyone here so excited about?”
“Because the witches are coming here and it is today of all
days,” said Susan.
“Today, what is so special about today?”
“Today is All Hallows Eve, this is when the dead come to life,”
said Geoff.
“Okay when we go do we go into the woods.”
“You are joking right it is way too scary to go in there. You
have never been here before have you, I’ll bet you are new to the
area as well,” said Susan.

“A girl tried to yesterday, she stopped near the woods, that
was enough for her. And a girl from college did two years ago,
that was Rachel,” said Geoff.
“Where is she now, can I speak to her?” asked the instructor.
“Rachel is catatonic she is in the psych ward, and has been for
two years ever since she went in the Woods,” said Susan.
“Some say the devils children play in there. The bell puts most
people off going in there,” said Geoff.
Two cars drive into their parking spots, Buffy gets out of her
car she is followed by the others. Buffy opens the boot of her car.
She hands a dark brown robe and a staff to each of them. The robe
is tied at the front with a golden cord, a big hood covers their head.

The nine of them slowly walked into the field around the woods.
They stopped halfway towards the woods, one of them uncovered
her head, it was Buffy. She led the others into the field that
surrounded the woods. She stepped forty nine paces, stopped then
turned to all of us, she signaled for us to be quiet.
Her people spread out in a circle, each began to whisper, the sound
became louder as if more had joined in, then they stopped, all was
quiet. Brenda lifted her hood into place then without any warning
each member of the coven struck the ground in front of them seven
times in unison, then they stood still. When they hit the ground it
felt as if thunder was rolling in the ground.

The coven faced away from the centre of the circle, then faced the
left and went to where the next of them was stood. They struck the
ground seven times. Each of them turned and went to the right to
where one of them had stood. The ground was struck seven times.
They all turned to face the middle, and struck the ground once.
They knelt and bowed, then stood, stepped backwards six steps,
bowed, knelt and lay the staff’s on the ground alongside them.
The coven stayed were they there, they appeared to be waiting.
The ends of their staff’s become lit by a glowing light.
The ground began vibrates as nine blocks of stone rise up from
the ground just inside the glowing ends of the staffs.
Brenda led her people to the path where she picks up the cloth bag,
they went in single line into the woods. As the first one of them
stepped into the woods a bell began to sound, it echoed all around.
As the last of them enters the woods the stones slid back into the
ground. Some of the crowd showed bravado, they ran to the edge
of the woods that was where their bravado left them, one poor
girl had a sudden awakening of fear, she had to be carried away.

***

As the witches walked along the path in the woods a church
appeared, floating from the church towards where Buffy was
stood was the figure in black. Buffy stopped, she looked to it. She
noticed the figure in black stood out with the white-washed walls
of the front of the church behind her, the faded wooden roof could
be clearly seen. The figure in black now stood just in front of her,
the dark pools of its eyes stared at Buffy, and into her mind. The
figure in black turned and went back towards the church door.
Buffy turned to look at the path her focus was centred where
the figure in black told her to go to. “I see it now, we need go to
where the two paths meet. The twins are buried where nothing
grows on the soil or in the soil,” said Buffy.

The coven walked to where the two paths met, they looked at the
barren patch of ground. They hear the ringing of the bell.
“There is another grave here, it is Deborah’s grave their
mothers. You can ignore that , it is empty now, it’s resident has
been returned to life. We are only here for the girls Monica and
Dawn. Buffy went to stand in between the graves, she held her
arms wide then slowly turned about. The others of the coven
formed a circle around the graves. They focused on her and sent
their power to her, she added it to her power and directed it the
graves. They remained at the graves they watched and waited for
signs of movement below the surface of the ground.
As they are quietly sat there they listen to the sound of the bell
a few of them comment on how loud it seems, Lisa stood up.
“You are right, it is getting louder.”
Then it stops, all is silent.
The sound of the bell starts again. Though it now has an echo
The earth above Monica’s grave starts to be pushed up
The piles at the side of the grave are getting bigger then they fall
to the sides. Fingers appear from the surface then Monica’s hand
appears. John and David go to her to help her rise from her grave.
While they waiting for Dawn the soil is brushed off Monica’s
clothes. Buffy opens the bag she was carrying she give a robe to
Monica, Dawn joins them a few minutes later.

***

They walk in a single file from the woods, the bell tolls until the
last of them leaves the woods. They stop by the edge of the forest
in the darkest shadow and look at the people who are still there.
“There they are!” exclaimed Geoff.
He saw that they were not moving.
“But why have they stopped,” said Geoff.
“That I don’t know but I can guess what they’ve done.”
People stood by them looked to the witches..
Geoff looked at Susan
“You can, what have they done?” asked Geoff.
A person in the crowd behind Susan shouted to her.

“Yeah, come on, what is so obvious.”
“Look at them, the witches are walking this way in single file,
There was nine of them who went into the woods, look at them
there are eleven of them now.”
Geoff counts them.
“So, that might mean two were already in the woods, mind
you I wonder how long they were in there for?” asked Geoff.
“Looking at the dresses that are sticking out from under the
robes of the last two. At least two or three hundred years.
Geoff looked at Susan
“That style of dress hasn’t been worn for .. Oh crap.”
“That something big they were doing,” said Susan.
“What?”
“They just brought two dead back to life,” said Susan, “On
today of all days, All Hallow Eve, when the dead walk the earth.”

Buffy was sat with her gran (Willow) playing a game of scrabble
She kept turning to look at the twins Monica and Dawn wondering
“Don’t worry about them,” said Violet, “they will be alright
I expect they are having happy dreams, they are looking forward
to tomorrow.” Puzzled, Buffy looked to her gran.
Willow smiled.
“When you brought then here I said it was their birthday, I
told them that I have a nice surprise for them tomorrow.”
“How old are they?” asked Buffy.
Her gran smiled to her. “You did well today, thanks to you the
Coven of the Ashwordly Witches will be remembered for a long
Time. Those girls know this as their twentieth birthday but it is
three hundred and one years since they were born.”
Buffy managed a grin. “Am I related to them.”

“No, you are not, they were sort of adopted. An ancestor had
her baby stolen from her the father was the son of a Lord who
didn’t want a bastard grandson. It was several years after that the
Lord’s son married, his wife had twin daughters they were taken
and named Monica and Dawn. But the son joined the church, he
had to be seen to be celibate so accused his wife of witchcraft
and she was sentenced to be killed. The woman who stole the
children became their mother and when old enough those girls
were welcomed into a coven, the Ashwordly Witches and they
were taught well. Their downfall came when there were a bit
younger than they are now, their adoptive mother died. They
wanted her back from the grave, without telling anyone they
broke two boys hearts literally.”
“I remember you saying about girls who broke boys hearts,
did you mean them?” asked Buffy.
“That was them, they were quite good at the craft but not
very good at talking with people,” said Willow.

To be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The Ashwordly Witches (3rd part)

Detective Susan Torrente and Detective Bertha Jacks were based
in the city of Westminster in the city of London. Because of the
importance of the case they were working on they received orders
to go and see Judith Bridger the Ashwordly towns psychic.
The detectives at various police stations had called her in on many
cases before. Her gift had proved helpful many times before so
they were hopeful as they drove through the town of Ashwordly
towards the psychic’s house.
Without noticing though, they passed the college, stood by the
gates were Buffy, Monica and Dawn the witches sure noticed
the two detectives.

The detectives parked outside Judith’s house, never having seen
her before they had imagined her living in a little terraced house.
So when they stopped the car outside a two storey detached
house they were quite surprised. As they wandered along the path
to the front door Det. Jacks looked at the size of the garden.
Det. Torrente knocked on the door it was answered almost
straight away.
“That was quick. How did you know to open the door so
soon, did you know we were coming?” asked Det. Torrente.
“Yes and no,” smiled Judith, “I saw you walking up the path.”

Judith looked at detective Torrente.
“And it’s not hard to guess what detective Jacks is thinking.”
“And that is?”
“She’s been looking at the size of the garden and now she is
looking at the house,” said Judith.
“Very good, .. Oh yes that was very good, how did you know
my name?” asked Det. Jacks.
“Hey, I’m a psychic a little respect here. It was left to me in
the will when my parents died. You don’t think I could afford a
place like this on what I get as a psychic.”
Judith invited them in and directed them to the drawing room.
“When you said there was a high profile case you wanted
help with I had a quick look to see what there was, all I saw was
the Hellburner, was that close?”
Detectives Jacks and Torrentes looked bemused to each other
neither of them knew what a Hellburner was.
“A Hellburner was the name given to a ship in fifteen eighty
six and all subsequent ships like it. It was a wooden sailing ship
filled to the gunnels with gunpowder bricks and headstones.”

“So.”
“So it caused a big explosion, very big. Anyway forget about
that, what can you tell me about what your case is?” asked Judith.
Detective Torrente told Judith that a phone call was made to a
newspaper in the same manner that a terrorist threat is made. The
message is; from beneath the seat will come the power. As the
waters rise the other will cause the waters to sink then rise. Good
isn’t it.
Detective Torrente looked at the books and the lap top on the table
“I’m sorry, did we disturb you, if you don’t mind me asking
what have you been doing here, is it anything interesting?”
“Two things really, one is that I’m writing a booklet that I’ll
self-publish and sell it locally.”
“What is the subject?” asked Det. Torrente.
“You probably shouldn’t have asked that, it’s the use of
witchcraft in Ashwordly past and present. And about the towns
development because of them.”
Detective Jacks said that she was interested in witchcraft, although
she was more interested in those who did it than witchcraft itself.

“Well this might change your mind a friend rang me asking
for help her daughter saw something but she didn’t know what or
where. I asked her friends and eventually I found what she did and
this might affect you detective Jacks, it was what she saw in a
place that is a burial ground for witches it is possible she saw a
dead witch or two,” said Judith.
“Well if we can help we will,” said Det. Jacks
Judith tried to think how she could broach the subject.
“Thanks, but I think this is too far out of your comfort zone.
Maybe I’m wrong, maybe you have had cases that have involved
two three hundred year old witches just risen from their graves?”
“You what?” asked Det. Torrente.
“Welcome to country life, let’s go in the back room, that’s
where I do my thing.”
They walked out of the room towards the back room where Judith
told them where to sit at the table. As they sat down they looked at
what was in front of them
“A crystal ball, a pack of Tarot cards and a bowl of water, why is
there a black cloth in the Glass bowl?
“What are you intending to do,” asked Det. Jacks.
“Find out about your case and start to learn what happened here.”
“I see what is here but what do they do?” asked Det. Torrente

“The overall idea is to get a picture of my thoughts. The black
velvet is to stop any reflections that might get onto the glass as
images appear on the water, I may get images in the crystal for
your case. I use a separate one for cases in town,” said Judith.
“Why would you use a separate one for local cases?”
“It’s like this detective, while they are only used by me to
help me concentrate a crystal ball works sufficiently well normally
but for cases here I have found that a crystal skull does best here.”
Judith sat opposite them she picked up the cards and shuffled the
pack then gave them to Det. Jacks.
“Okay, will you take the pack shuffle the cards until you are
happy they are sufficiently shuffled, just hold them for a while
then give them back to me,” said Judith.
While she is waiting she writes out the riddle into sections.
Detective Jacks puts the shuffled pack on the table.
Judith turns over the cards and stares at them, she looked into the
water then the crystal ball. “I don’t know, I keep seeing that ship.
So either that ship is all about your case, and what I am doing if
So that night mean both cases are joined.”
“Something that has helped us in the past is if you say your
thoughts for others to hear,” said Det. Jacks.

“The vision I had with the Hellburner I thought was because
of the headstones maybe it wasn’t,” said Judith.
“What do the headstones have to do with your job?
“Dealings with the dead, this friend’s daughter she tried to go
into the woods, so why headstones, none of the graves have
headstones,” said Judith
“What does the Hellburner have to do with our case?” asked
Det. Torrente.
“A big explosion, nothing more.” said Judith.
“How big an explosion?” asked Det. Jacks.
“Big, massive, bloody massive, humongous.”
“That big?” asked Det. Jacks.
“Both these cases are linked, how I don’t know how, but they
are I have a feeling.”
“In the past you’ve proven yourself to be good. So go with
your gut feeling. The headstones link with the local place, is it
far from here?” asked Det. Torrente

Judith took detectives Jacks and Torrentes into a field by the woods.
“I’d suggest you both stay here, it’ll be safer for you here, I’ll
go into the woods and put these flowers at my spirit guides grave.”
“In these woods?” asked Det. Jacks.
“Yes, she was a witch who died in eight forty one,” said Judith.
“A witch who was buried that long ago?” exclaimed Det. Jacks
“Oh yes, Ashwordly was mentioned in the Doomsday Book of
eleven twenty five, it was a big town even then, unofficial records
go back to when Stonehenge was built. The Ashwordly Witches
were instrumental in placing the altar stone. While I’m in the
Whichery Woods I’ll try and get some footage of the graves.
“How long will you be? In the woods?” asked Det. Jacks.
“I’m not sure but you’ll know when I enter the woods from
the other Side, listen for the bell. When I come out the bell
will stop ringing, or.”
“Or what.”
“Or when I’m dead. That’s the thing with life, you never
know. It might be a brain aneurism or I might trip on a tree root
and hit my head on a rock. Or the entity in there might will me
dead.”
“Entity?” asked Det. Torrente
“If the church appears in there its guardian is the figure in
black.” said Judith

Judith takes them to the field around the woods, she tells them
To wait there.
“I’ll go around to the path a the back, you’ll know when I
go in as the bell will sound.”
The detectives sat down.
“How long do you think she’ll be?” asked Det. Torrente
They hear the sound of the ringing bell.
“She’s in the woods,” said Det. Jacks.
Judith held the camera in front of her, she followed the path that
wound its way to the church. The figure in black appears in front
of her.
“I want to make a recording of the empty graves, I mean no
harm. Then I will put these flowers at my spirit guides grave. I
have come here to ask your permission first.”
The figure in black pointed to their graves then to the other grave.
“Thank you,” said Judith.
A few minutes later Judith approaches the detectives in the field.
“Now we go back to my place we can watch what I took on
the television,” said Judith
Judith led them into her home then upstairs to her Television road
“What’s this, a forty inch screen, very nice.” asked Det. Jacks
Judith closes the heavy velvet curtains, the room becomes very
dark then the lights are turned on.
Detective Jacks turned to look at Judith. “You didn’t did you?”
“No, I used the remote control for the lights,” said Judith.
Judith connects the camera to the television and starts the playback.

A picture appears on the screen, they are following the path, the
bell began to ring. The camera shows Judith follow the path to the
The vision follows a path to the right, the church is seen fifteen
feet in front. Judith speaks to nothing
“I want to make a recording of the empty graves, I mean no
harm. Then to put these flowers at my spirit guides grave. I came
here to ask your permission first.”
Judith looked at the screen.
“Odd, it seems as though she doesn’t appear even on digital
I was speaking to the figure in black. At that point the thing was
right in front of me.”
They watch as Judith walks back along the path as they approach
the other path then turn right onto the path going along the path
until Judith stops walking, then she swings the camera to the left.
They look at two holes in the ground, the earth looks as though it
has been pushed aside.
“See what I mean,” said Judith, “Those two clawed their way
out of the ground they were not dug out.”
The camera slowly pans to the right then follows the path again.
Judith stops the film then rewinds to when the church is seen.
“There what do you think of that,” said Judith triumphantly,
“When I first went to the church you saw it right in front of it.
When I walked away and followed the path to the right to where
the graves are then I did the pan again as you can see.
“What are we looking for?” asked Det. Torrente
“Both times you can see the front of the church, the second
time you should have seen the side of the church,” said Judith.
Judith disconnected the camera from the television.
“Okay, that was creepy,” said Det. Jacks, “Add to that the
two who were buried there. Why were they brought back to life I
pity who they came back for. Any chance of a cuppa?”
A loud crash is heard downstairs like a sideboard falling over.
They run out of the room then down the stairs checking every
room in the kitchen they saw fridge magnets were being moved.
“I wouldn’t have thought of you as the sort of person who
Would have fridge magnet letters,” said Det. Torrente.
“Nor me, that is the first time I’ve seen them, Jesus look at
that. The letters are making a message. Thank you for asking
permission to record the empty graves. Your friend’s daughter is
okay, so is the other girl.”
Judith looked at the two detectives.
“The first bit is what I said that to the figure in black and
the other part is about a girl from the college, she went into the
church, all she has said in two years has been that there is no bell
in the belfry. Would one of you mind doing the kettle I have a
couple of phone calls to make,” said Judith.
“If it’s okay with you I’d like to go back to London after this
cuppa,” said Det. Jacks.
“Why what’s the rush?” asked Judith.
“Gangsters, hooligans, drunks, gangs, even the occasional
terrorist. When you compare that with what you have here, I’ll
be glad to get back to London,” said Det. Jacks.

To be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The Ashwordly Witches 4th part

Getting on for noon the following day Judith heard someone
repeatedly knock on her front door.
She went to answer it and came back into the room with a pretty
young woman. Judith invited her to sit down and asked her why
she wanted to be there.
“I’m here to give you a message two of my coven seek
revenge, we know you are in contact with the police.
“How do you know that.
“They were seen here, we know what they are working on.
Judith felt a little embarrassed. “What do you want me to do?”
“One of mine will stay with you. She is your spirit guide, she
who lives beyond your knowledge in that little gap between life
and death.”
“Who do you mean?” asked Judith.
“She who once lived here, before there was a house here,
she who is known as the figure in black,” said Willow.
“Thank you, now how can I help and what do you want the
police to do,” said Judith.
“What the police seek to understand what they thought was
terrorist threat isn’t, they need to know it is just a robbery. What
they intend to do will kill many and cause panic. Now this is
where the police have a choice, if they want to stop that they can
or we will for one of those is one who our girls seek revenge on.”

Judith sat back. “I’ll pass the message on, I would like to know if
what I saw was a help.”
“With the Hellburner you mean?”
Judith grinned
“That story started with the girl’s real mother who was
accused of being a witch though she wasn’t, she was held in those
dungeons. When the girls scared the torturers off she escaped. But
it was one of her families ancestors, he was one of those who did
the gunpowder plot. A descendant now is one of the robbery team
so the Hellburner to the robbery is the link. An explosion to start a
panic, another explosion over an underground tunnel allows
Thames water down during a king tide, then up at the stations. And
during that panic the robbery.
“If you know that, why do you need my help?” asked Judith.
“Ashwordly is where we choose to be, it is a good place to be.
We can live as witches here.
“But not in London, I can understand that.”
“I’ll await your reply,” said Willow.
“When I get the reply how do I contact you?”
“One of mine will hear.”

Judith was doing research for her book, she had been tracing who
the descendants of Monica and Dawn’s accusers were.
She rings detective Jacks.
“I had a visitor I think the she helped me know this. You’d
better write this down.
“Pen and paper at the ready,” replied Det. Jacks.
“Bear with me on this I was told by a witch what will happen,
they will stop all the threat you are facing if you leave them be I’d
suggest you do. Has anyone considered the case that you are doing
isn’t about any terrorist activity, it is for a big robbery?”
“It hasn’t, we’ll pass that on thanks. Who did you meet?”
“I’m not sure, I know her name but not who she is, from
what she said and from what I’ve found out she might have been
the Patriarch of the coven. They seem to know everything about
the case, let them be free to end the case for you,” said Judith.
“We have been told we have five more days, if they can do
it in that time all will be well,” said Det. Jacks.

The three girls were wandering about in an art museum. Buffy
was attempting to teach them how not to react to people. Monica
asked Buffy. “What are we really here for?”
“I was hoping I’d get some inspiration from these paintings
that was the theory anyway.”
“It worked to a certain degree I have learnt to appreciate
beauty that painting by Constable. The one with the big hay
wagon that was good one, I liked that,” said Monica.
“What about you Dawn?” asked Buffy.
“Take this one for instance, this one is damned weird.”
Buffy looked at the painting in front of them. “That one is by
Picasso, he did some wonderful landscapes, but this one of a
hideously deformed human face, I’d have to agree with you,
it’s bloody weird.”
“So what lesson could we learn from that?” asked Dawn.
A couple walked passed them saying of the abstract beauty of
the painting.
Dawn and Monica watch as they go passed.
“That is a good start, hearing people disagree with you and
allowing them to walk away,” said Buffy.
“We learnt all that at the college at the college,” said Dawn.
“Mind you, if you had after what they said about that.”
The male of them seemed to trip on something and did a face
plant on the floor. Dawn turned away, she began to whistle
innocently.

“That is it really, to do something like that and not gloat
about it showing off that you did it,” Buffy looked at the man
on the floor, “That was good I liked that.”
They walked out of the museum.
“Now what?” asked Monica.
“Now we should try a drink,” said Buffy.
They walked on the footpath to a nearby Tavern, going in they
sat at a table.
“What are we supposed to learn in here?” asked Monica
“I will buy us a drink each, the idea being not to draw
attention to us, so you will have to sip the drink as a lady would
Buffy ordered them half a pint of Shandy each and put the drinks
In front of them.
“When you say we ought to take a sip, I’m guessing a sip
that lasts the whole drink,” said Monica.
“Followed by a loud burp is not what you mean,” said Dawn
Buffy walked ahead of them, she turned to them. “Just follow me.”
Buffy took them into a railway station,
“Not as many people as I thought, I know, on a platform as a
train arrives yes you two will love this.” Buffy rolled her eyes.
“I hope.”
As they are walking to the platform.
“Oh look, on the wall remind you of anything,” said Buffy.
There is a big promotion of the paintings at an art gallery.

“Monica, Dawn this is where we will find a perfect example
of how to deal with a lot of people.
Monica stopped, she looked about. “What is it, I felt something,
I don’t know what though.”
Buffy led them to a platform where a train had just arrived.
She turned to face Monica and asked her to make the ticket
collector not see any of them. They went straight onto the
platform and walked along it, three lads push passed them.
“Her look at these cutie pies,”
“Now there’s a good idea, come on girls we’ll show you a
good time.” He is very visual with what he’d like to do again.
“Oh we are going to have a good time now.
“It seems like to good an opportunity to miss. If you would
prevent everyone from seeing, make them blind for this. And
do it so that they can’t run away,” said Buffy.
“Okay,” they said it’s all done,” they said.
“Let’s see who will be first, you with the funny hair, come
here.” The lad with the Mohawk slides across the concrete to
Buffy, he faced her.
“You want them to have fun, okay. But to see that they are
having your head should be facing them,” said Buffy.
The lad screamed very loudly as his head turned to them.
“That is good but you do look odd, maybe your arms and
legs should bend the other way.”
His screams of agony suddenly got louder as his legs and arms
faced the other way.

Buffy looked at the other two.
“You with the chequered shirt, you can be next.”
He slid towards Buffy.
“I know let’s have a laugh, I want you to stand on your head.”
He lay on the platform and tried to put his feet on his head, he
kept falling over. Monica and Dawn laughed at him.
“And now for you, I’ve saved the best until last,” said Buffy.
She turned to the twins.
“Remember what the poster said, well this is what most
people remember about Picasso’s work. Buffy breathed in deep.
“Come to me.”
The lad slid towards her.
“During this you will not bleed, I think your head needs to
squish a bit.”
The lad began to scream as loud as he could.
“And both of your eyes should be this side of your nose.”
His screams echoed from the roof tops.
“Maybe your ear should be further back on your head.
The lads screaming faded.
“I know, have your mouth on your cheek and tie it shut.
That’ll do, now Dawn make us invisible then have everyone else
able to see,” said Buffy.
As everyone’s sight returned to them could wait the sheer panic
they caused.
“Give them ten minutes then let them be normal again though
they will not remember us,” said Buffy, “Monica, Dawn watch
them, enjoy their fear. They don’t need to know it was you.”

People ran onto the platform they saw the lads then screamed,.
“I see what you mean, this is good. And they don’t need to
see us, them knowing it was us would have given them a place to
vent their anger, not they don’t know who or where,” said Monica.
“Now what?” asked Dawn.
“You seem about ready, now is time t make plans for your
revenge,” said Buffy.
They walk out of the station, Buffy looked about.
“What are you thinking?” asked Monica.
“Well what we could do, you were returned to get your
revenge lets go somewhere where we can make a start. Before
when you said you felt something where were you standing. Do
you remember where you were?” asked Buffy.
“That was before we got onto the platform, I’ll show you.”
They went towards where Monica meant, appearing as they
walked the jostling crowd kept their secret. Monica stopped and
looked about. “Nothing.”
“Now face the other way.” Buffy pointed to a map that
trains from that platform went to. “Run your fingers along the
line tell me which station causes you a reaction.”
Monica did as Buffy suggested, her fingers stopped by a station
“Morningsham,” said Monica.
“Next train to that station then,” said Dawn.
“No, I’ve got my car here remember, what I will do while we
are here is get us somewhere to stay near there,” said Buffy.

***

Buffy had rented a house for a few days in a village five miles north
of Morningsham for a few days. So they had somewhere to go and
somewhere to stay the night, the name of the place wasn’t the best
though, it was called the old chapel.
That evening as they were enjoying a brew someone was heard
at the front door Monica went to answer it. She found Willow
standing there so she invited her in.
“Hello what is it that brings you here?” asked Monica.
“I thought I’d come to join you it’ll give me an excuse to get
Somewhere else, I’ve never been here,” said Willow, “Though I
do know of this place. Many years ago I found out about a friend’s
death. She was declared a witch by a witch hunter named
Webster Creedy. By the time I found out he had gone to
America.
“Does it matter where he went?” asked Buffy.
“Not really and yes, he followed where the Puritans went he
even found four of the witches from the initial ship. That gave
him an excuse to carry on his ways over there,” said Willow.
“I didn’t know of any witches that left England,” said Buffy.
“No, these chose to be during the crossing. And that was
because the journey was several weeks longer than planned, more
than half the people died. They were running out of food and
water. Then it got worse, they were put ashore in the wrong place,
short of food and the first two crops failed. It was some Indians
who helped them. About that Creedy rumour has it he caused
the start of the Salem witch trials,” said Willow.
“Did he return to England?” asked Dawn.
“No, a descendent of his wife’s daughter traveled here. The
current descendant lives near here I’ll make her pay for what he
did, he was too talkative when he was drunk,” said Willow.
“What did he have to hide?” asked Dawn.
“His secret was he helped real witches to escape but only if
they joined his coven. But because he caught so many and most
of them had to be set free some of them had to be found guilty
my friend was one of those who were killed,” said Willow.

To be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Willow watched Dawn as she washed the plates (5th part)
by hand then mopped the floor.
“Wouldn’t it be a lot quicker if you used magic to do that?”
Distracted from what she had been doing Dawn looked to her
“Yes Willow it would, but one of the films I saw in Buffy’s
car was the film Fantasia, there was only two parts of that film
I remember the Hippopotami ballet and what happened to the
Sorcerer’s Apprentice. He used magic to do this and he ended
up in such a mess, so I thought I’d do it the long way and let’s
face it, there’s no rush,” said Dawn.
“Have you done anything about getting revenge yet?”
“We decided to get the five men who were planning the
robbery, we’ve agreed to get the get the money man first, he
lives near here. His family are going to get a surprise soon,”
“In what way?” asked Willow.
“His three kids are about to be abducted, they would have
been taken earlier but we’ve nowhere to hold them,” said Buffy.
“What are you going to do with them,” said Willow.
“Make a recording of them speaking and offer them for
ransom,” said Dawn

“Can they afford it?” asked Willow.
“That’s the beauty of it as according to the wife yes but he
spent their money setting up the robbery, so we tell them the kids
are dead, she blames him then she disappears. Then we use the
E.V.P.; the Electronic Voice Phenomenon. Take a television set
when a station isn’t tuned in all you get white noise, sometimes
you can hear dead people talking, and he will,” said Buffy.
“How will the white noise get the revenge?” asked Willow.
“We had them put a camera in their room so we can watch
him watch the white noise, that way we know when to play the
voices of the children and the wife. He thinks they are dead and
goes crazy when he has lost the plot completely and gets a
padded cell all to himself, the first visit by his wife and kids will
send him to live in cloud cuckoo land for all time,” said Buffy.
The next day Willow rented a large house, the children were
taken from outside the school and the ransom letter was sent.
The following day a note saying the money was not received so
the children are dead. While watching the television the channel
was changed by remote control so all they heard was white noise.

As they were about to put the news on the voices of the children
were heard arguing why their father hadn’t paid the ransom.
The wife accused him of letting their children die after she found
he had spent all the money to steal the art, she walked out of the
house telling him she would never forgive him for what he had
done. Two days later her voice was heard over the white noise
the news said of her car was hit by a runaway petrol tanker.
All that time he thought his wife and children were dead they
were being held in the basement of the rented house, the wife
told her children why the ransom wasn’t being paid. It was those
accusations that when were heard on the television that led to his
mind shutting down and he was put in a mental institution. As it
was thought he might try to injure himself he was put in a
padded cell. His wife was distraught to find out what had
become of him so she took the children to see the man who had
betrayed them.
Seeing his wife and children, people he thought were dead that
caused his mind to shut off.
Monica liked doing harm by trickery as so many people would
have the constant companion of memory. She asked what could
be done next and to who.

“There is one way that would be effective, the part of the
gang that is to steal the art. One of them has an art gallery and
the other is in the mail room of international security firm, they
are prime suspects for a spy ring. And they’d be so easy for us
to frame them,” said Monica, “What about the one you thought
of has anything been done about that?”
“That one is so easy, we don’t have to do anything but
watch. I planted things they will find and added a few tales to
what is. I discovered that only one exists of those I wanted but
he is a leader of an archaeology team so I put together good
way to get him and as it could affect many people I put it in
play, it will only involve my being there. If you all want to live
near there you can all see how it will affect them,” said Willow.
“Yours does sound interesting,” said Dawn, “And if you’re
ready to make a start on it, why not?”

At the once innocuous hill in the pleasant park near a road used
by people in that part of the country the whole hill had been
fenced off. A sub-soil scan had revealed a building to be below
ground, it was unknown what the building was.
A mining team was brought in as a tunnel needed to be made to
reach towards the middle of the hill. The team who had made
the sub-soil scans began to make horizontal panoramic scenes
taken at levels of four feet descending from the top of the hill as
a help to those making the tunnel, so that they’d know the weight
of what was above them. On the fourth panoramic shot of the
hills circumference something was found, cylindrical but tapering
to a point, on the next panoramic view four feet below the thing
they found thing was wider.

Small earthmovers were brought in to show the top of it was
they had found. It was seen to be clear though it was solid. The
next level of scan was dug down to the shape as one of the two
archaeologists Brian and Gavin observed it was like that of a
church steeple but its construction was unknown. What could it
be made of a? A substance that was solid yet see through.
That afternoon scaffolding was erected around the base of the
hill and tarpaulins fixed so no one could see what it was. The
archaeologists assistant didn’t help when he thought aloud,
he wondered if it was of an alien build.
The army was asked to provide security just in case people tried
to get in. Massive lines of soil were made, in case that needed to
be inspected. When the main part of the building was uncovered,
it found to be a church ten foot wide steps were found six feet
from it, the steps went down sixteen feet another passage was
found though that went under the church. It opened up into what
were first thought to be catacombs.

Questions were asked to find out why what was being done there
was even started. It was said of an ancient scroll stated that two
beings were kept there below the ground, that the being were of
significance.

A generator was sited near the top of the steps to allow light to be
placed so what was in there if anything could be seen. Leaders of
the archaeologists team were in there when the lights were turned
on. They found marking on each wall, covering each wall. But
the object of their concern was a stone coffin in the centre of the
floor. Until they knew what it was a taped area was placed around
it, that it was a restricted area, set as off limits.
Suggestions were made about who should be brought in to
decipher the markings on the walls. Four theologians of the
Anglican faith were allowed in, also four Druids and four native
Americans. Two decoders were invited to be there, not that they
were expected to understand what the markings meant, more so
they could help the others to see what was there to be read.
Several days passed with no understanding of the markings, the
main group of Anglican theologians kept their tables separate
the native Americans and the Druids had become firm friends
the decoders found that they were quite willing to accept them.

They made the first break through. That each section of wall was
written separately, not long after that the equivalent of vowels
were found the Anglican’s moved their table so they could be
seen as being of use to the team as a whole. It was at the end of
the day while the room was being checked that no one had been
left alone down there and that the lights were all turned off that a
section of the floor appeared to be clear. A set of steps was there,
at the bottom of the steps there was a figure, it looked to them
as it moved towards them flames seemed to form into life around
its body, it glared at them. They turned to leave but were stopped
not by a physical force, more that a barrier had stopped them.
They turned to see the figure glaring at them.
“I did not give you permission to see me nor did I say you
could leave, and nor did she.”

They looked about. “She? But there is no one else in the room.”
The flames about the figure grew, the figure just glared at them
“She is her, the one in the coffin is in the room just because
you can’t see her that doesn’t mean she isn’t here. Soon she will
know, as I now know that we can find our release, for now there
are only two of you here. I hope you’ve heard he saying he gave.
For with fourteen of you in this room I was stuck down there but
now I have a release,” it smiled, “Now there is here what we
have needed a life for a life.” The entity smiled again it’s eyes
filled with fire then the light in its eyes changed to be dark, it
looked to one of them. It looked to Gavin, as said a life for a life
now go. Gavin appeared at the foot of those steps. I’ll call to her
and she’ll want to be here, what do you think Brian. It will be
your life for her life. So soon, us together can enter this world
it will be ours again. Your mankind could not stop either of us
before. So now together we will control all that is, his creation
will be our plaything, you can’t even dream of this world ever
belonging to you again. It went up to be in the evenings air.
Brian began to fade as the being from the coffin began to appear
she saw the life she had just replaced. Willow stood in the roob,
unsure of where she was.
“Follow me up the steps, follow me into the dark and see
how the stars themselves bow to us,” it said from up the steps.
Willow stopped at the bottom step, she seemed to touch nothing
in front of her.
“You’ve done it wrong again for me to get up these steps I will
need to have a life for a life. So get back down and know this
when I am free I will cause it to be so that we will be together
to know that nothing can stop us forever.

It did as Willow said and the person returned. Willow shook her
head. “Gavin you were a fool to enter what is here, didn’t you
read the warnings I wrote on the wall? For us to be up there no
one would ever be safe again so leave here. You will not be told
to go there again, down there is not where you belong, Willow
looked to the coffin at Brian within the coffin.
“You should not be trapped in there.”
Brian appeared in the room again he was glad to be out of the
coffin he looked at Willow. Then as another figure appeared
“Should I thank you?” asked Brian.
“You can if you want,” was the reply, “But you do not need
to, you do not exist,” she said. Willow looked to her to see who
she was, many thoughts entered her mind then they left.
“Miss Harkness what are you doing here?” asked Willow.
“Hoping that you would learn the last lesson, it was not a lesson

One where you had to learn of the balance of where the greatest
power comes from, it is from neither good nor bad it comes
from the knowledge of what is the mixture of good and bad. And
for that to be good must always exist. Now we believe you are
ready to see your friends,” said Miss Harkness.

THE END