The House of the Witch

[ILLYRIAN]

Thanks to the copyright holders who gave permission for the characters of the series BTVS to appear in this fan fiction.

The House of the Witch

Willow found herself at a loss, having just moved back she found that she had nowhere to live, she had stayed at a friend’s house the previous evening but she needed to find somewhere else a bit more permanent to call home. They decided to go to the café not far from there where a notice board had been started that was known to advertise rooms and houses for rent.

Once in the café Marie went to the counter to order a cup of coffee each as Willow went to look at the noticeboard. Back at the table Marie offered Willow the coffee and a cake, Willow said she had seen an advert for an old farmhouse in the forest where Firewood used to be sold. “That is a good as the house is reputed to have been home to several witches over a few centuries.”

Willow replied telling her new friend that she had made note of the phone number to ring. At the house Willow knocked on the door, Marie heard a woman’s voice behind them. “Are you the girls who want to rent the house?” Willow said they were. “We have known of each other for years but just recently we became reacquainted.”

Willow looked to Marie, she was about to shake her head but Marie spoke up. “It isn’t surprising that she does not remember me, she only had time for another,” Marie said that her name was Tara. Willow was amazed that anyone remembered them, Marie smiled to her. “I hope you are as willing as I am to be a friend?” Willow greeted Marie’s offer of friendship with a courteous nod.

The woman handed them a piece of paper, “I’ll need a few minutes to put a welcome picture over the fireplace then the house will be yours for as long as you need it.” “Sounds good,” said Willow to Marie then she turned to face the woman, but she was gone. Marie opened her clenched hand and showed the contents to Willow. “It is a front door key.”

They quickly finished their drinks then started to walk to the car. “I can’t wait to see the Thorough bred Horse Stud,” said Marie. Willow looked to her completely bemused, Marie grinned. “Never look a gift horse in the mouth and considering everything about the farmhouse I’d prefer to say of a thoroughbred horse than an old nag!”

Willow smiled, they went to the car then following directions they went to the house, Marie quickly went into the front room. “Blimey, look at that! The picture above the fireplace is like a tapestry but it can’t be, the message reads, ‘Some might say bless this house, but I say unto you Willow and Marie, Bless–sed Be.’ How did that woman know we are witches?” asked Marie.

“Like you said how did she find time to make that?” asked Willow. Marie looked to her, “With only one answer I can think of, witchcraft.” Willow said she’d go to the car and get their bedding Marie said she find a room. Marie watched Willow walk from the house then stepped onto the stairs following them to the top, to the attic.

She went into the room though she was puzzled by the four steps up in the room. She gazed at the steps and wondered why only turning from them when Willow walked into the room behind her. “How long have I been stood here?” “Don’t ask me how but I knew you’d be here,” said Willow. Marie pointed at the steps. “Odd aren’t they I’m going to look at the room below here.”

Willow moved a bookcase to under the window about to see what books were available Marie rushed into the room. “The room below has four steps that go down to the floor, she looked up in that room and told herself there is enough space for another room between that room and the room Willow was in.” Marie rushed to that room and looked about.

“So where is the door to that room?” she asked. Willow looked down at where she thought the other room might be. “Is there is a spiral staircase that connects this room to the other what do you suppose the secret room could be for?” asked Marie. Willow grinned which broke into a smile, “I think I know and why not,” said Willow.

“What are you referring to?” asked Marie. “The church has what is common knowledge they have a priests hole, for them to hide in when the Cavaliers the royal soldiers sought them as the monarchy had banned all Catholic priests from England,” Willow smiled to Marie. “So why shouldn’t we have a secret room for witches?”

They looked about the room, Marie began by tapping at the wall panels, though none gave of a hollow sound. “What are you doing Willow?” asked Marie. Willow continued to look at the large oil painting of a tree. “What type of tree do you think it is?” asked Willow. Marie looked to it had had no idea.

“Could it be an old Oak tree, as worshipped by the druids, it might be a link to the witches and if you look closely at it you’ll see a door handle on the door on the tree.” Marie twisted the door handle, opened the door then led Willow down a spiral staircase to the floor of the room below, as they stepped from the staircase the wall lights in the room turned on.

On the walls were drawn circles, the directions of a compass were marked around the walls of the room. “The circles, the witches who used this room have left instructions on what to call for in the room, I wonder were each of the coven is?” asked Willow. Marie looked to a circle, “That one it says how to find a lost witch but given that the witches are not lost. How old is this room?”

Willow looked lost, “By following that one we might see where a witch was last seen, we need to ask new questions to find where the current families of the witches are. Marie looked at the circle that had been drawn on the floor then compared it to the circles on the walls.” When Willow asked her what she was doing Marie said she was hoping to see where to look.

Willow told her to seek a method of finding them current addresses. “Scrying is not suitable and the Ouija might go wrong.” Marie suggested they find an object to concentrate their power on, finding some plastic to burn green they concentrated their power to make the flames become blue so they could seek divinity in the power of the blue flames.
With the elements in their favour they saw the addresses of the descendants of those witches in the flames. “That is a good thing they all still live in the area,” she said.


To be continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch - 2

Unsure which method to use to find the descendants of the witches Marie found an old leather bound book with the name of each witch and their ability. As the coven had been active for so long Marie wasn’t overly surprised the thirteen members were listed. Next to each name was the ability of each one even though some abilities were shared: the power wasn’t shared only that the value of that power was doubled.

The second chapter of the book listed how the ability could offer its assistance to the group an example could be the seers who could increase the power of others in the coven. It was those known as Healers who gave most to the coven as they gained their ability from the planet, from nature itself.

To the few who understood the healer was known as she of green fingers, she who could help a seed begin its plant life. The third chapter spoke of the circle by the house, why it was there and what they grew to do. The fourth chapter said of the importance of the estuary alongside the and why a lighthouse had been built above the rocks at the estuary’s beginning.

Reading who of the witches had water related ability’s Marie began to understand more about them, why Molomby was able to float on water and why Bryleigh could track other beings through water; it was that their ancestry started out as Sirens, those known as witches of the seas. It wasn’t that the seafarers could be controlled to sail their boats onto the rocks.

It was that as witches they could control the tides, the swells and the rivers in the seas. When ships stopped being pulverized on rocks they changed to be witches of the land. It was the energy retained in the ships the Sirens wanted not any remnants of energy in metal nor any benefit that might be found in whatever the energy that existed in flesh.

Knowing that the humans are scared of most entities who are regarded as evil, Kimora’s magical ability to change her eyes to black or red did not help calm what many thought of witches being evil. When those who did worship the devil became to be regarded as being successful those who sought to help lost their momentum.

Marie looked to the last few pages of the book, her curiosity arisen she began to read what was written then told Willow the gist of what that was. “There is mention of the fourteen of the coven, she would not partake of the craft she would cure each witch of what troubled her.”
“So what am I?” asked Willow. Marie read to the end of the book, amazed at what was written she looked to Willow.

“It says here that the fourteenth witch of the coven should only use general remnants of the craft yet never partake of any specific part of the craft, that she was there to help each witch. To cause each one to rise from the grave to heal all ailments of the mind, to keep clear a witches ability to focus on whatever cause the coven is seeking to do, Willow was ignore what the medical ailments were.

Marie looked to Willow and said she was the only one whose ability was to remove the ailments caused from magical pursuits. Marie told Willow she was to be the for the want of a better term,
she would be known by all as the witch who could remove the stress even remove any guilt the witch would feel after starting or ending any curse. Willow was what some knew as a Sin Eater.

Willow had long wanted to be of help to other though she had never considered she could be so beneficial. She decided to learn some of the basics of being a Healer so that she could cause the ill taken into her body to be passed out of her body. What she didn’t know was how she would know where to go.

Early the following day Willow was sat outside her home, she didn’t know if she was meant to wait for others to contact her or if she was to be pro-active. Later Harbury contacted her as the coven had been asked to help a community that was being targeted by people who wanted them to leave an island; the people on the island were; lowly fishermen and people who worked the land.

The island was near to the middle of the ocean so the person who had contacted Harbury had promised her that any witches would be given somewhere to live near the residents of the island. To try and protect those who lived on the island the witches who had water based abilities were transported to where the rocks are situated around the island.

Having been given information about where the islands fishing boats were the witches Bryleigh, Kimora, Melissa and Molomby. They are said to have heralded from Sirens who were known as the witches of the sea, they used their combined abilities to stop the movements of currents, waves and swells. Any boat was a motor powered boat likely to be a pirate vessel.

Nia initially restricted the availability of air around the boats but the pirates started to wear breathing apparatus in the areas close to the island. Knowing another tact was needed Nia restricted the airflow around the motors to the point that they stopped working. That, in turn enabled Zaylee and Yaritz to alter the thoughts of the pirates to drop their guns into the sea.

The attacks on the islands were becoming fewer but it had caused the pirates to become a lot more violent than they had been. Willow had been called in to help the witches, not to prevent them from being too arrogant but to save their feelings of failure, Willow informed Harbury so she could promote the same level of hatred on the pirates.

Nia was asked to speak to Harbury to try to stop the pirates, Harbury had Nia to cause the currents to stop the pirates as soon as they came within half a mile from the shore, that caused the cost of fuel to be increased though it still wasn’t enough. Knowing how great the violence against the islanders would be Harbury called for the pirates to know pain.

Flying in gliders, Nia had Yaritz get near to the pirates for her to cause them ignite the fuel on the boats, that began to slow then stop intrusions by the pirates. As they hadn’t been physically touching the pirates when they killed them neither Harbury nor Nia needed much consoling

To Be Continued

(That was hard, mainly as the software I wrote it on decided not to save anything for awhile.)

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 3

Samuel was in the kitchen of the farmhouse when he received a telephone call in which he felt were his formative hours of the Wednesday morning. Pressing his back against the wall in the hall he felt himself reliving how he felt the previous afternoon. He began to look forward to the trials and tribulations that could be created by a beneficial persona for whatever he could feel for the day.

He listened to the receiver, to the person who was speaking to him, he heard that the voice almost in panic. His friend spoke of a fire that had spread from the bushes in the forest caused by a lightning strike near his property. The flames had soared up the bark of the trees and ignited the leaves on the smaller branches the rush of flames continued another half as high as the tree, to almost 40 yards high.

Samuel looked outside he wanted to calculate how to see what the height was equivalent to there, he looked to a third the way along the next small field from the house, then imagined a wall of flame that reached to a point higher that he could see beyond. Then he imagined he could see the plumes of white, grey and thick black smoke that filled the sky as high as he could see.

He knew the members of the coven needed to be notified, for them to rescue as many people as needed saving. As the members of the coven prepared their abilities to be at their peak readiness Samuel remembered what he knew of fire, of it being a distinctive active element though it could provide the warmth to those who felt the cold.

By the time they had gone to where the fire was worst and they promoted their abilities to where mankind had built their homes. The coven caused the pockets of tinder dry plant life to be protected by passages of bare ground raked clear to where all evidence of the root systems of dead plants were gone. In the dark of evening the witches spread themselves about the properties driveways, lanes and roads.

When night was on them and the witches had finished their evenings meal then they sought respite from the evenings fire fight. Christi told them all a story of what fire is. “That fire is in all things both for and against, it comes towards you spreading its light and goes away behind you spreading its light it is only the smoke from what it burns that darkens its way.

It is both natural and occult, it can manifest itself to a proper and improper action. It is boundless and invisible, sufficient to itself foe every action that is moveable and yielding though not willing to yield should it need not, then it will renew, guard its nature then enlighten though not comprehend its lights being of veiled light.

Quick in motion it could leap forward or backward bend forward or back, to always be in motion not standing still while it waits for another movement. It might secretly invest in itself and spring forward when no one expects; predicts or advises for or against it. See it will be active, powerful and invisible in all motions no matter how hard you watch it.

Should you say the laws of the elements give right for it to behave in such a way, then know this, it will behave as it wants to even doing what you say is impossible. It will not be affronted nor will it be opposed as it will reduce on a sudden and call all things to obedience regardless if its method, to be incomprehensible, impalpable, most poor and or rich in all things or dispensations of it.

Know it is mischievous as it will be, it will and can create and destroy an item at will. Let all animals and plants that are preserved by the heat of fire not stand in front of a bushfire for they then will feel themselves reduced to ash and dust without a moments regret by the fire for the properties of the infernal fire are a parched heat that consumes all things and makes them barren.

Bright fires drives away all demons of brightness and darkness though should a demon that controls all water confront the fire it might lose its battle with the fire as the fire can boil water and cause it to evaporate unless the water is concentrated onto the fire by people who know the restrictions of water allowing only the light of fire to be.

Christi had the witches be thankful to Dionysius, Pliny and those Pythagorians who gave her inspiration to promote the story she had relayed to the witches. And when the light of day broke chards of light to peek through the dark sky the witches were fueled by a new understanding of fire they found they were able to save a great many people that chose to live amongst the forests in the countryside.

They promoted themselves to endeavour the winds that blew the fires on lands that had already been burnt, though those lands could still hold fire the intensity was reduced and the witches with the fire fighters were able to slow the threat of fire, house, homes, shed and farms held the spread of the fire front at bay.

Samuel received a telephone call from his friend, whilst the front of his property had been burnt the front of the house had only been scorched the crops behind the house were all saved. Samuel said he was glad for his friend, the friend said he would offer his time to help stop the burnt timber from reigniting.

He had been told that for each hour of fire four hours of mop up would probably be needed. Knowing the Cathcombe forests should be protected Samuel told Christi to promote back burning knowledge and practice, how to burn the ground to protect the good growth that they wanted to keep.

Samuel had decided to continue the farm, to do that he needed to understand how an arborist would grow and cut down young and old growth, how different trees could be cut to give good blocks of firewood. With the increased understanding of how the countryside prospered Samuel was able to save and protect the church and the chapel.

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 4

Having spoken with some of the oldest people in the area, word of a chapel that vanished began to filter through the members of the coven several. Harbury asked Angharad to put a team together to seek if the chapel had been demolished or if it had just been devoured by the earth. She chose Perla, Zaylee, Kimora, Corinna, Christi and Willow.

They set off to where the disturbance of the ground had been recorded so many years before, though it wasn’t an actual earthquake that had passed through the region but a land slip that had followed the topography and removed a gully down a hillside and gone where a stream had cut into the craggy ground under the stream.

It was a recent land slip that Angharad led them to that area where the stream had once collected to create a small lake though all the water had gone and was now bounded by a deep gorge. Corinna took herself back to the house to find and return with long ropes and high powered torches. What Kimora and Zaylee found confused them, the earth of the land slip had not been found.

Nowhere could a flood of mud be found, all that was assumed was that the mud had filled up a vast crevice in the ground probably under the chapel as nowhere else could be seen. When Corinna returned she and Angharad were deftly lowered by the other members of the coven to the new ground level, they moved into the seemingly bottomless holes under the chapel remarking on the lines of mud surrounding the holes.

The Chapel building that once was above the crevice had appeared to have slid to its new resting place, it was discovered to have its inner catacomb lowered to the bottom of a cavern. The other members of the coven found the chapel in a surprisingly good condition. A new flight of steps were cut into the ground so the members could walk to their new home that was secret from unwanted and unwelcome visitors.

Angharad was happy to discover Willow within the chapels walls, she led her down to where the catacombs were only the stone floor of the room had gone been, the floor of the catacomb was now the cavern. Willow saw a vast wooden panel that wasn’t there before, she opened it and found a great resource of books that told tales of the beginning of the worlds monsters.

Sirens, vampires, Werewolves, Mermaids, Gargoyles, Fairies and Zombies. The witches had called for them to be friends, even though they were what the humans referred to as monsters. Ion eons passed the witches had created them to help control Gods creations. The humans had taken it upon themselves to ruin as much as they could about them even though they were a creation of God.

The Sirens had formed a protection for all the creatures in the seas, they saved the waters from being polluted by the waste the humans through away; like plastic and rope. The Sirens called for the swell to move the currents onto the nearest rocks to stop the humans ruining the oceans of the world, but the humans compounded their efforts and formed islands of waste plastic.

The time was long gone as ships had begun to be built of metal that often left only a small dent on the human’s ships when they ran aground on the rocks. The Sirens had moved onto the land where they could join with those of their kind; the Sirens being witches of the sea. The humans being their usual stupid selves erected lighthouse to stop the ship going onto the rocks. Unwitting they did so long after the Siren’s had moved inland.

Vampires and werewolves had been placed in the forests, close to the coastal regions where shipping vessels had smashed onto the beaches of rocks humans had built the lighthouses sought to live, the witches have kept it quiet about them being there allowing the human to falsely believe that it is okay to wander amongst forests. When the year 2021 begins mankind will learn that coronavirus has come from the blood that has been drunk and that of a wolf.

The mermaids and fairies were both one and the same, mermaids when they become allergic to sea salt are carried onto the beaches of the world by whales. Sometimes one is brought alone but at other times a hundred or more are transported and the mermaids become the fairies. The fairies are one of the few creatures to get smaller as they get older. The very old and intelligent are almost two inches tall.

But it is the Gargoyles and Zombies who the humans think of as their monsters of choice, stupid humans as usual as it is the priests of the Voodoo religion who, when they go to heaven have the choice to take Gods word to the masses. The Voodoo priests have two souls one is used when they reach the pearly gates, they can return with a soul if they wish.

They are known by God as the precious for only they are on earth with a soul. A soul is a gift from God for those who he has allowed into heaven. The only other who is allowed is Gods honoured creations, they are the Angels and the Gargoyles. Having allowed Willow and Angharad to find the knowledge of the life with a soul Willow clambers through the words amongst the books in the library.

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 5

Marie was in the catacombs reading the books when she heard the distant siren of an emergency vehicle on the highway, it wasn’t that she was surprised by them, nor was it that her attention was pulled away from where it was directed at the paragraph she was reading. Initially she hadn’t that taken by its meaning but after being reintroduced to it she took her time to read with an increased care.

Aware of the presentation in the book she held its meaning in her mind, it mentioned of a group of people who had be found to have multiple souls, not knowing how or why that was so, she took heed of the warning that vampires had begun to seek special favours from people because they promoted themselves as being special for having a soul.

Marie called for Willow to assist her as she had been told that where Willow was from there were two vampires who were made famous because each of the vampires Angel and Spike had a soul. Willow entered the library in the catacombs about two hours later, Marie let Willow know about the book she had been reading and said that creatures that had a soul forced into them were damned much more than the normal level of damned.

The book stated that a cadre of gypsies had forced their enemy (Angel) to be reborn with another soul that eons later the demon (Angel) had fallen foul of the curse, the demon (Angel) enjoyed the task of tricking creatures who had their soul removed by force. Considering her knowledge of giving back Angels soul to him Willow was interested about the side effects a vampire might have,

let alone what the grotesque physical appearances would become and notwithstanding any effect to the allure the procedure may have presented itself. Willow thought of how Buffy may have been coerced into her apparent agreeable disposition towards each souled vampire even though she should have been hell bent on the destruction of any vampire.

To aid her understanding of the effect a soul may have Willow called upon the few she knew from Sunnydale that may assist her to understand how a forced installation of a soul might affect a Vampire Slayer. Willow’s initial call was to Faith and Giles. She expected her contact with Giles might be easier as the coven in England’s West Country would have helped, so with great amazement Faith responded two days later.

Faith had moved to Salem where she had found a coven that had as its history a link with the Mayflower, three of its founding members had been on that fated ship, fated in that the God fearing members of the God squad had been evident in the murder of the Native Americans. Also that they were in the coven that fled Salem before the blatantly false witch trials had taken place.

All those who had converted to being witches in those early days had come from the Quaker religion, not believing in the recognized religions need for finery or any belief of pagan symbols the Quakers had procured an edge for the acceptance of a nature based belief. Faith had discovered that all those initial members had come from a split in the Quaker movement in the far west of Massachusetts.

Faith had come with a descendant of the Native American’s extended family Anareco, they were at Willows door on the second morning after her call for assistance was sent. Willow answered the door not expecting to be met by Faith, her amazement was pure and as Faith was glad to see, true. Willow was glad to meet Faith – for them to be friends.

Anareco was beside herself at the meeting of the only known member of a coven who was known as a Sin Eater. Anareco pleaded with Faith to be of help to Willow she so wanted their covens to be on talking terms; physical and otherwise. Faith had always been against a vampire slayer being friends with a vampire until help for a deeply personal level from Angel was needed.

So Faith gave Willow her once true hatred of the first souled vampires she knew, for two weeks Willow studied the known mannerisms of the two vampires. Then Giles joined her, Willow saw her frame of mind change when Giles was with her: though it was only Willows attitude that changed. Giles was glad to meet Willow, he was so proud that a friend of his was a Sin Eater, and to such a powerful coven.

Giles was able to state how the Vampire Slayer had altered herself to be acceptable to the vampire, from that Willow was able to see how the vampire had changed what gave Willow and Giles the final piece of the puzzle was when the vampire Spike fronted them. As he had known Angel before the gypsies curse and after it he was able to state the specifics of the change.

Willow took how curse of having a soul forced on them had made them be acceptable to the vampire slayer. Spike didn’t realize how he had changed his personality so much to be acceptable to Buffy though he knew how much he changed when he became a vampire. Willow said to Faith and Giles they could start an understanding to all those who wanted to further their understanding of the knowledge of the vampire slayer to vampire relationship.

The two covens had become friends, Willow and Faith had become the best of friends that people each side of the country could be; seeing and knowing of each other was enough. On the next morning on a rain soaked ground Willow opened the door to see Angharad smiling at her, “I met this person who said she wanted to meet you.”

Angharad stepped aside, Buffy began to cry at seeing her dear old friend again, her smile was so evident. Not needing to say anything, with both arms holding the other, they felt so secure. Even after ten minutes they felt so glad to meet the other, Buffy was amazed as Faith walked up to her and Willow, then Faith was followed by Giles and Spike.

Buffy relaxed as Giles told her all that Willow had discovered about the vampire slayer vampire relationship and how the vampire being souled had promoted that. “I know I’m not and never will be like the person in the street, but thanks to days like I have seen here I am glad to be able to help the understanding of what is,” said Spike.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 6

Marie and Willow had placed several books they had taken out from the library on the bench table, reading a couple of books each in the catacomb. Marie told Willow she had found a reference to tales of Pagan Europe, as Willow checked she found several books that seemed to imply another subject was responsible for the growth of paganism throughout Europe. They both agreed that there needed to be a vast degree of agreement from a joint assertive behavior.

Having spent several hours searching they called in the other members of the coven to help search for evidence of the growth and spread of paganism, the awakening of past beliefs. Harbury questioned Willow and Marie about what they wanted to discover, Marie mentioned that it was due to the resurgence of the belief in the late seventeen hundreds, Harbury had read of the witch hunt lead by the Catholic church that caused many people to learn of the benefit of paganism; to call the four Gods of the winds to them and actually see their presence.

Once that was talked of it only took a short time until each other witch of the coven was in attendance, Melissa and Corinna prepared then set out the circle for them to bring forth the four Gods of the winds to each point of the compass. Corinna went to the Gods and told them the circle was for the coven to seek the truth of what could be used to ride in the air on the sky boats.

The reason why the need of flight was needed was the coven had been called to aid a woman whose daughter had gone missing, that the woman and the daughter were descendants of a woman who had been a protector of the coven several centuries earlier in sixteen thirty. It was explained to the Gods of the winds that the police had tried to find her but no traces for the girl had been found.

The mother of the girl had been unaware that anything was wrong until her daughter (Eulyn) failed to turn up for Sunday dinner; the police were notified but they were unable to find any recent history of the missing daughter. Three days later the coven was made aware that something was wrong at the house so seeking to aid the descendants of a protector the coven sought help.

Not knowing if the missing girl had been murdered or abducted Bryleigh, Nia and Angharad were initially given access to her flat and where she worked. It was a couple of days before Nia was able to state that Eulyn had been put on a plane. Nia with Angharad searched the airport before evidence of several girls had been kept in a cage then moved to a plane.

They had been loaded onto a plane in a hangar which gave the probability that the plane was not a big plane. The police were notified of the witches involvement, they gave their okay but were not overly impressed. A plane was dispatched from the airport where the girls left from the covens crew were Harbury, Willow, Bryleigh, Nia and Angharad.

Nia was able to state if the plane was going the right way but she could only say if they were going the wrong way once they were heading the wrong way. Holding a recent photo of Eulyn, Angharad and Nia were able to point the movement through the air of Eulyn and the other girls. Eventually the plane landed at a secluded runway, Harbury was able to contact the police.

Eulyn was found to have been shipped away from the airport with the other girls in a large van, a selection of magazines had been found which indicated that several of the girls were in their late teens; carefully searching the pages of the magazines one was eventually found to have indentations of writing being done on the paper on a page. The indentations stated the date the flights would be made and name and address of a country house where the girls were too kept.

The witches realised their new found prowess at flight and went to where the girls were being held, the criminal gang had taken steps for the girls to be taken then sold to overseas businesses. Harbury and Willow contacted the God of one of the winds to ask for a wind to stop the plane from taking off. When the girls were being taken from the house to the airport the driver of the van kept seeing objects flying near him.

The girls were held in a cage at a hangar at the airport until suitable flying conditions presented themselves. The girls were loaded onto the plane then it taxied to the main runway. Just before permission from the tower was given for take of strong winds blew across the runway that nearly blew the plane onto the grass

The control tower told the plane that the take-off need be aborted, the criminal gang said they were going to try a take-off though a cross wind blew a star picket into the front tyre causing it to deflate. The take-off had to be aborted, going back into the hanger the plane was completely surrounded by many policemen and policewomen as soon as its engines were stopped.

The girls were so glad to be rescued they had virtually given up hope. All the people who had captured and contained the girls had their homes invaded by the police at the most inconvenient time. The mother of the girl who the coven had initially searched for was stopped on her way home, expecting to be given a fine for speeding she was overjoyed to see her daughter at her cars window.

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 7

Melissa was standing with Willow on a mound of earth looking out over the countryside they both thought the view was wonderful. Melissa wanted them to play a betting game. Willow suggested to appease her that twenty pence a game was sufficient Marie was happy to join in, Melissa was glad the others were acceptable to the idea, Melissa stated that they might win even though she expected to. As it turned out Marie won every game.

Harbury answered a phone call about a housing estate that was being built near there. All had seemed well then the problems began to be noticed the men on the workforce, they disliked being there as the tradesmen refused to do any work to any of the houses in a certain area. They didn’t like being so scared as they had to face several people screaming as they ran passed them.

When Melissa questioned them as to why people screaming was putting them off their work she was told the people screaming were invisible, they couldn’t be seen as they ran passed the tradesmen. Angharad said she would investigate why the ghosts were screaming and running. She spent to rest of the day in a local library.

She looked at what might have made a group of people so scared, her initial searches were for earthquakes, threats of wild animal attacks. Marie stood beside her and looked at the vegetation where they stood. Eventually she suggested Harbury make enquiries about a large bushfire, Willow agreed with her as she was reading about a large bushfire that had all but destroyed the area.

Standing in the field they watched as Perla and Nia drove away. They looked to each other, “How did we get voted in for this?” asked Nia. “I think the proper term to use is getting roped into it,” said Perla. Willow suggested it should be have did they get volunteered?” She had them wander about at the time each day and see if the workers saw the people screaming.

As they walked towards the house they heard some screams, “Come on,” said Willow. All they heard where the screams but when they found the screams it was just the sound of screams of people being chased, sensing the reason for them to run was that a big bushfire was bearing down on them. Kimorda returned from the local newspaper archives, she had discovered that a large number of children had died in the area, more than likely they had been murdered.

Just over a hundred years prior a farmer had been evicted from the land as all the children who had worked for him had vanished but their bodies had never have been found. Harbury stated they need to make note of the time that the screaming horde was heard. Kimorda stated that screams had been heard by other famers though the screams were from different hours of the day. She said that many children had gone from the Children Home about that time so they agreed to start making accurate records of the times the ghosts were heard.

During the following afternoon at just after mid-afternoon Willow, Harbury, Kimorda and Marie sat in the forest and looked to the countryside they also listened for the sound of people screaming. “Look near that stand of trees,” stated Kimorda. She pointed to the four figures running towards them. “They seem to be running from someone, they keep looking behind them,” she said.

“It would have to be lots of people, notice the way they look back at various places behind them and see that the ground around them is getting darker.” Willow told Kimorda to ignore the sounds of their screams. A tradesman had walked to them, “I know that sound it sounds like a big passenger plane taking off, one of them Jumbo Jets, that is the sound a big bushfire makes.

The trees are not water based as in England the Gum trees are oil based so the trees burn fiercely and when the oil is trapped in a trees trunk it heats up to the point it explodes, the rush of the leaves burning can cause the sound of aircraft taking off, children running from that will be deafened, scared beyond belief and be in fear of dying,” stated the tradesman.

Marie asked what the land had been used for recently, I doubt it was used as a farm. She looked to the sky, exasperated by her own stupidity, the housing estate that was being made, could another company have tried here?” “That explains the change of business name of the building contractor and maybe there have been a couple of fires go through this area?”

“That might explain the different screams, the historical times of different fires as far as I’m aware all they did was make a list of where ghosts were, knowing which ghosts may have been beyond the understanding of most people, record the level of how much of the tree has been burnt after each fire.”
The level and tone of the screams may indicate that it is children adult men or women affected by a fire and where the screams stopped and why.

At various times there may have been a fence, a river or even an open underground river, it might be an idea to find if a bore was being built to be erected here,” said Melissa. Hearing children’s screams they wait and follow where the children’s voices are coming from they cross fields of long dead grass. “Why is nothing growing here?” asked Angharad.

“There could be many reasons, the farmers may have used this area for cropping or it might be that the area have large bedrocks just under the surface,” said Willow. “A couple of things, we heard a few screams and what sounded like a jet engine nearby, we also found an area of ground that nothing grows on. Veronica is on the internet finding reasons.” “Dad, they say a jet was heard near there, can you ask Simon why one could be heard up there?” asked David. “That will not do anything, the clothes the children wore look like something worn a long time ago.”

“A poor family, maybe a large family... get your dad to ask Simon to find out about a large family near here over a hundred years ago.” In the morning as they were preparing for the day Simon rang them. “Hello what is it?” asked Erica. “Young Mr Smithers asked me to get some answers for him, about what you are working on at the moment, can you get him for me?”

To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 8

Marie was sat at the table with Willow, she said she had found a book that read as a journal, it stated that a Mr. Porter would ring at about eight thirty in the morning, he said that he is a bit of a history buff about the area a few hours inland from there. He said he thought that the sound was caused by a big bushfire.

The trees had large amounts of oil in the wood that caused the trees to explode in flame the leaves promoting the spread of the fire. He said about the sound of people running ahead of the fire were probably ghosts as fires could move at speeds faster than a person go at a constant speed.

In the event that they were dead the ghosts could have been of a group of people running ahead of the fire front though why or where they came he had yet to learn. He had learnt of the bushfire after hearing the sound of a jet aircraft was getting closer to where he stood, though it traveled fast it was a lot slower than a real jet plane.

The doorbell rang at precisely eight thirty, Marie answered the door to Mr. Porter? She invited him in. He said he had some answers for her though he said that he wanted an answer first. He wanted to know how many people could be heard ahead of the fire.

Marie told him that the answer to that question wasn’t known, all Marie could say was that she thought the children had come from a children home not far from there. It wasn’t known if the voices were from boys or girls she questioned about the bushfire as none had been mentioned of for many a year.

Marie’s gaze was transfixed by a person walking passed the door. “I knew her, she looked like a friend of my son Timothy, Veronica, she died only a few years ago a couple of years ago. Marie wondered if she was one of those whose voices they had heard.

Mr. Porter said, “The sound could be from a hundred years ago, though I have no idea about the ground. Veronica? Can you come in here please, there is some-one in here who recognises you, you were friends with his son Timothy.” Veronica walked into the room.

“Marie! How are you?” asked Veronica. “I am so very surprised, I can honestly say I never expected to see you today,” said the ghost. “Oh I seem to be alright,” replied Marie. She surprised herself at being so relaxed after seeing a ghost.” “Best if we go to this other place,” said Mr. Porter.

Not hearing what had just been said “Where are you going?” asked Veronica, “And can I offer a lift to anyone who wants a lift?” “Why?” asked a voice. Veronica smiled as she pointed to the other ghosts as they walked across the field of grass Mr. Porter asked if she knew who was who. Veronica smiled, “They are Simon, Edward Shvon and David.”

“He seems ok standing close to.... are they holding hands?” asked Marie. “Yes, one day they might even get married, if they can run fast enough.” “Look at the trees,” said Mr. Porter, “You see how they have bits of black bark on them, that is a sign a fire has been through here.”

”I will go and take a closer look.” They took the spades to the dead ground. “What do you want these for David?” asked Marie. “This is where the scream seem to stop, well most of them. So we are going to start digging and see what we find. What of you think of them?” he replied.

Mr. Porter looked up. “Oh hello Simon, well they do seem like nice people, even the dead ones.”
“He only said that because I am here,” said Edward, “What is it Edward?” asked Simon.
“That woman walking towards us? why is she here do you know her?”

“Maybe she lives near here,” said Mr Porter. “She and Shvon were friends when She was a child, and alive.” “When did she die then?” asked Simon. “In eighteen eleven!” Running to greet her was Shvon. “I really don’t know why I'm here, I just felt that I needed to be here," said Shvon. “Waiting to see if some ghosts of some children were going to appear,” she replied.

“Just a minute, there is this bit of ground a bushfire and the sound of a jet those trees are where the sound comes from, right. The ghosts of the children are seen to run this way, does any-one know what sort of time they are seen?” It was nearly four in the afternoon, why?” asked Willow. “That is it then,” said Mr. Porter.

“You want to tell us all?” asked Willow standing up from the floor. “It is the hot winds that come from the direction of the middle of the continent. When a forest burns so hot the sound generated can be like you are standing on the airport runway when the jet is taking off.”

“Veronica can you get some of the children here, this is where many of those who screamed stopped screaming, this might be the graves are for those children,” said Willow. “That is a thought, Shvon, those two on the steps are you aware if they are brothers?”

“Only one of them died in the house, maybe this is where the other died it would explain why I have kept thinking of steps.” Marie said she is going into the forest to try and help the rest of the children,” she said. “You should hurry up then, if the same strong hot wind is coming will be here soon, and is it the same as what was,” said Mr. Porter.

The name the wind that comes from over the desert ocean is generally a hot fire wind.” He was about to walk towards where the scream were coming from Perla held her back. “If they are screaming they must be running from something, so show them a place of safety to go to if you want to talk with them.” Showing them to safety she heard a voice call to her, “Thanks misses now that you have saved us from what was we can go to our graves.”


To Be Continued

The writing of part 8 kept confusing me.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 9

Willow called to Marie she asked her to sit next to her, Willow was reading an report of three creatures that had been found in a box of a prepared wood the box was the shape of a sacrificial cross. Reading from the report Willow said that an ornamental wishing well was built in the property on the outskirts of Braniston near the house of Patricia and Gareth Carrington.

A mechanized system had been erected to take the soil from the well onto the surface. And any bricks sand and cement could be sent down for the wall of the well. The owners wanted the well to be situated at the end of the path, that any soil be placed to make a mound that would support a curved stone seat.

The well was being dug when Dave let it be known that splinters of a prepared wood was in the last bucket of unwanted soil sent up, Andrew stopped at a depth of seven feet and scraped several more splinters of a prepared wooden item from the soil. Not knowing what it was with Gary they dug around the item with care.

They kept lowering the depth of the hole while digging around the item to slowly allow it to be revealed. The depth of the hole had become just over thirteen feet before the item was winched to the surface and laid on the ground. “Does it look like a cross by accident?” Dave asked even though he knew there was little hope in getting an answer.

Gary noticed that there was a false end to the item, he attempted to undo it and it opened up to reveal several parchments. He began to read each one the first said about creatures that were thought of as entities of demonic past: Here lies the remains of three beings we have heard referred to as Humanoid Leeches, please do not open the wooden box.

Andrew looked at Gary he admitted that he wasn’t aware what could have be meant. Willow picked up a book she had seen several Catholic priests reading. In it were accounts of demons, and what those demons did. Andrew explained to Gary and Dave that Catholic Priests would often need their texts to seek knowledge before doing an exorcism.

Dave suggested to Andrew and Gary that he should ring the police to notify them of the find. But they could tell other authorities that a corpse had been found, Dave looked to Andrew, “Even if we have no idea how old the corpses are.” Andrew headed for their makeshift table to make a cup of coffee each for them while they waited for the police.

They looked at the wooden cross, each said aloud what they thought it was, given its shape it was surprising that none of them said it could be a coffin. Setting four breeze blocks in a line over five feet Gary placed a plank on them for a make shift seat. At least they had something with a hint of it being comfortable to sit on.

Several cars entered the front garden and stopped, policemen and women walked into the rear garden. One of the policemen wanted to know who had called them? “I did,” said Dave. “Thank you, I am Inspector Philips and with me are Sergeant Brown, Sergeant Addams and these are police constables Andrews, Roberts, Walters and Johns.”

“I am policewoman Sergeant Rose Whitaker the Chaplain.”
The police chaplain talked to Dave. “I have notified the local vicar he said that he would be here as quick as he could to state what may have happened and who might have been buried here.”

“There was a scroll attached to the coffin, it states what is in the coffin and how many. The local vicar will not be of any use though he might like to watch the proceedings,” said Andrew. He picked up the scroll, it states here that they had the belief that writing about them in a book would imprison them in that book.”

“Like cannibals eating a person to get the persons strength?” asked the Chaplain. “Yes, that sort of thing,” said Andrew, “there are three of the creatures in the coffin.” The Chaplain looked to Andrew she asked him what he meant by creatures?” Andrew breathed in deeply, “I knew this would happen, those in the box are not normal humans, they are described here to be

Humanoid Leeches of about six hundred and seventy years old.” The Chaplain’s face contorted,
“What do you mean by that?” “Firstly the term Humanoid Leeches we have taken to believe that they are vampires, also that when I say about six hundred and seventy years old I mean they are exactly six hundred and sixty years old, that reads 6,6,6.”

“Beings of the Devil?” asked the Chaplain incredulously. “Maybe yes, or maybe that is you making excuses for the failure of the church to protect humanity from vampires?” stated Andrew.
“Just a minute,” said the Chaplain, “They are in a coffin so I say we did save humanity from them,” added the Chaplain.

“We have already had this argument between us, so come on Chaplain, open the coffin,” Andrew stared at her. SGT. Rose Whitaker looked at the coffin, tentatively she moved to it. “The other thing to consider is how effective it was locking the vampires in a book,” said Andrew. The Chaplain knew she was being tested so she opened the coffin then stepped back, “I didn’t see any mist come from it.”

They all turned to face a helicopter that was landing in front yard of the house, walking from it were four women and three men, one of the men approached them. “I am the vicar you called a bit earlier Mickel Ward, these people are Bryan and Rupert Giles though he said he prefers to be referred to as Giles, he is a Watcher for the Watchers Council, guardians if you like of vampire

slayers one of whom is Miss Buffy Summers she is a vampire slayer, with her are Marie and Willow, they are all people of power. Power in authority terms and power in dealings with beings not of Gods world supposed creatures of the Devil. Buffy went to stand beside the coffin. “There is nothing with any life in here,” she said.

“I know that, there was no mist coming from it when I opened the coffin,” said the chaplain. Buffy laughed, “Oh right because you saw that on the television so it must be true, it couldn’t have been thar the vampires knew you were here and left without letting you know to chase them?” asked Buffy. Giles faced Buffy, “Do you think the vampires have gone?” asked Giles.

“It makes sense to me,” said Buffy, she looked to the chaplain, “please understand me when I say that I’m not casting dispersion's on you because, well, what part of your training to be a chaplain included the knowledge of being chosen to fight vampires?” Willow looked in the coffin, “There are three beings in here, skeletons, just not how I’d expect them to be.”

Willow looked at the scrolls, she quickly read it, “There is the answer, the bodies that the vampires had infected were never\in the coffin,” she looked into the well, into where the coffin had come from, “There they were in the hole in the ground under the coffin.” Buffy and Willow jumped down into the depths of the well, the wooden cross was supposed to hold them.”


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 9 part 2

Willow pointed to where the end of the coffin had been. She told Buffy to look at the shape of the hole in the ground. Buffy looked closely and agreed with Willow. “It was as if the end of the coffin had plugged the hole to stop the vampires escaping,” said Buffy. She looked to the top of the well and called to Gary, “Hey Gary have a look at the end of the coffin that was furthest down in the soil at the bottom of the well.”

On the surface Gary inspected the end of the coffin and agreed with Buffy, he saw several wooden crosses had been placed on it. He turned to Andrew who had been reading the next part of the second scroll, Andrew said to him that he noted it read that the coffin did not hold the vampires, the bodies in the cross were destitute people. The Chaplain was pleased they had not let evil into the world.

Giles asked Buffy if she and Willow could go underground and find where the vampires had got out. Giles dropped himself into the well, Buffy and Willow stood beside him, “As I see it the vampires who were in the hole needed somewhere to reach the surface,” Buffy looked to Willow, “can you come with me to find out where they escaped?”

Willow suggested that she get Marie and Bryan to be with them. Buffy thanked Willow, “The four of us will be a good idea.” As soon as they were together they got down into the cavern. “This is where the vampires went, it looks like where an underground river ran its course can someone up there find out where the river reached the surface?”

Marie suggested she could get the details but Willow said the four of them should remain together. Bryan called to Giles and asked if he would go and get that information. Giles agreed though it wasn’t until the following day that he returned, he passed a message to Willow. He said he had been to the Councils reference library the records stated the underground river broke from the ground part way down a hillside just above an above ground river.

The four of them followed the underground river to where it emerged onto the surface over the above ground river. About to go into the fresh air Buffy called the back, on a ledge away from the water Buffy had seen some bodies. She thought it was some victims of the vampires but Marie told her it was the bodies of the vampires.

Willow was extremely confused, she wondered what had caused the vampires to lie on the ledge, seemingly so afraid of falling into a river, it was then that she smelt the faint odor of garlic. She went back to Giles and asked him to check the records again, to find out what it was about the above ground river that caused the vampires to be so scared of it.

It was in the middle of the next morning that Giles called down to them, the river began about a hundred miles up-river from there, though the river passed the boundary of a churchyard two miles back. They followed the underground water course to near where the water exited the passage and dropped into the above ground river.

Buffy had them shine their torches onto the ledge at the side just above the water, she saw the bodies of the huddled vampires against the cavern wall. “It seems as though all three vampires were scared, petrified.” They went back to where Giles was at the well. Willow wanted to know what church grounds the river ran near also where the underground water came from.

Bryan tasted the water, “It is almost as though I can taste Garlic, could it be there is a canning factory up-stream?” Giles returned with the name of the church. During the afternoon the four of them entered the graveyard of the church, Marie carefully inspected where the river passed the graves she found the river ran alongside the resting places of the dead.

Willow smiled to her, some of the graves are affected by the river. “It might be that the rivers water has been infected by the graves, soil blessed with holy water would scare the vampires to stop the vampires being willing to drop into it,” said Willow. Bryan added, “We ought to go and find out what is up river of the underground river.

Contemplating what the possibility might have been Giles said that there may have been no deterrent at first.” Trying to explain himself Giles added that when the vampires were forced down into the cavern the river was plain drinking water, it was only during the last few years when a garlic canning factory became a viability that the water had become a concern for the vampires.

Buffy inspected the flesh on the bodies of the vampires on the edge of the underground water source. She guessed that judging by the deterioration of the flesh on the bodies that the flesh had seemingly battled the garlic content in the water during the last twenty five years. Bryan stated that the method of cleaning the garlic had some water enter the underground river though massive amounts of water poisonous to the vampires had been dumped in the river after the garlic was part cooked.

What with the build-up of garlic infested water being dumped into the ground; it drained into the river. The drainage from the canning plant kept the vampires out of the water. For several years the underground river had experienced great floods, which may have eased the effect on the vampires except for when dumping of highly infected water burnt their skin forcing them to climb to a higher ledge.

Bryan pointed out the ledges of the cavern did bear the markings of where the vampires had tried to hold on above the ledges, only during years when the depth of the river allowed it did the vampires seek the somewhat restful comfort of where they were found. Buffy looked at their bodies each was huddled to each other.

“It seems that they had accepted their fate, that being destroyed by Garlic was going to be less painful than being covered in Holy Water,” said Buffy. “Odd really because if they had fallen into the river getting straight across it then onto the opposite bank would have been bearable,” said Marie.


To Be Continued

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The House of the Witch – 10

Marie was sat at the table looking at the cover of one book then another, none of them seemed to hold her interest so she looked across the table. She saw that Willow and Bryan were leaning on each other, almost laughing at her. “What,” Marie asked them. Bryan pointed to the next book she was going to read, “It’s got lots of lovely fun facts in it,” he said.

Marie averted her eyes from them and looked to the book that Bryan was pointing at, “What am I looking for?” Willow grinned and leant forward over the table, she opened the book to the forty third page and pointed to where Marie was to read from. It stated about what God’s gift to those he gave permission to enter heaven was.

Angharad walked to stand at the table, “I heard what you said about what his gift was, do you know he does not agree with every religion, the one that offers forgiveness to its flock even though he is known to sit in judgement on all people, and if they have been given forgiveness by their church was he to search each of that religions followers, did God have to then decide to send every follower of that religion to hell?

Some followers of God have often said that the gift he gave to those who he offered freedom in heaven was a soul, he saw no reason to offer a soul to those who might choose to enter hell, for those who might fall from his grace by admitting into themselves a false god. God wanted those he saw favour with to be fulfilled with a soul blessed by him.

The vicar who welcomed the flock at the church didn’t know of the coven who rested in the catacombs but you can be sure that God knew of them, as he had given permission for all churches to be known as, ‘The House of the Lord’ then surely God must be okay for Witches to be hailed as those of his chosen, his children.

Many had often wondered and postured as to where heaven was, could it be in the sky above the planet, in the depths of the planet or on the planet itself. Some had stated that heaven was indeed in the skies around the outside of this planet. Where mankind left his rubbish of old satellites, was it in the air where mankind has poisoned the air that is breathed in.

Never would God allow the blessed to live their life beside the deaths of those in hell. That leaves a place regarded by God as being safe and secure from the accidental failings and the poisonous failings by the hateful mankind. Should more space be needed by heaven he’d have no qualms to have a flood limit the life of mankind. Though he did love his children; a few of them.

For those who waited on the children in heaven who he had bestowed a soul on, they who were his favoured, the Angels. Others of his favoured were the fairy’s, the sea witches who had become Sirens then chose to live as witches on the earth. So should a church ever say thou shalt not suffer a witch to live they are not a follower of God’s word and doomed to go to hell.

Those he gave the benefit of his love to were those in his army, the children of the Gods of the seas. The Fairy’s, The witches The Sirens and the massed ranks of Angels even those who were chosen from the ranks of the vampires, the werewolves and the Gargoyles. Only one did he battle it was not God’s friend the Devil, it was The Devil’s Son, that creature had stolen some of his vampires and built many massed Legions.

The Devil had caused many of his greatest warriors (demon’s) to search for evidence of his Sons disciples, once when flavour of the Sons forces were found God’s army waited to be called, how many were in God’s army no one knows as the width that marched forward was twenty wide yet no one could see where the procession ended; then as each was immortal the procession would never end.

A church a house of God had been found to have trapped a demon within its walls, though many questioned it none could ever make the demon agree to it’s being one of the Sons forces. By accident one of God’s chosen found that the demon was one of a few who were of God’s demons, it was a protector of God’s vampires.

The demon held the truth where the Son was.

Even those of heaven they went to queue at the Pearly gates, they wanted permission to join the battle against the so named Anti-Christ even though the battle was to be against the Anti-God. Time was put on hold for Gods army to prepare for an attack. Massed forces became a hundred wide, witches pin pointed where the son had hidden then the hills were traced for any caves.

Twenty seven caverns were found where the Sons Legions had gone to rest, towards the end of the afternoon when it was thought the Sons Legions would not expect an attack were given the word to attack. A plethora of God’s forces forced their way into the caverns of the Sons Legions columns of dust escaped the caverns openings.

Witches and Sirens looked into the shaft deep into the ground, they caused the Magma to rise up to cause the Son to retreat from the heat. Masses of rain clouds poured their water into the hole, it mixed with the Son who retreated from it so the Son was forced up higher until word of him being near the surface was passed about.

To many it had become evident that there was a fire that had begun to spread throughout the sky though no one knew why. Suddenly a mass of fireball rained from the clouds to where the Son was rising. A bright firelight lit the clouds a God appeared through the clouds then The Devil brought the colours of fire as he hurled great fireballs onto his Son.

They held boundless bonds of friendship to each other, God and The Devil felt peace as they could now control the earth as they wanted. To their surprise Willow fronted them, she asked if their coven to live in the house above the shaft, both The Devil and God agreed, it seemed only right that the coven should live in the farmhouse, to protect the world in The House of the Witch.



The End