The Witch Warriors: The Hollowbeast - Chapter 1 (pt.1)

Instructions

Chapter 1 : An Unwanted Mandatory Invitation STAY HIDDEN. That’s what Arcadia Sillabare was always told every day for as long as she could remember. She had lived by that rule her entire life. Her whole family did too. A long line of magic users dating back hundreds of years. Witches had to stay hidden no matter what. That was the only way to stay safe. Long, long ago, humans and witches lived with one another in peace. That was before the witch hunts. That was before the practice of witchcraft was considered sinful. After the witch hunts people did not come to their senses. They claimed that magic wasn’t real. Little did they know that forgetting magic would be one of the worst decisions mankind has ever made. Though a few attempted to keep the spark alive, telling stories of wondrous beasts and people with powers beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. But those tales are only a fragment of magic’s true power. It is impossible for anyone to understand the extent of magic. Arcadia knew that even though she was a magical being, she too would never understand magic. She’d only understand the portion of magic she could control. And that night she’d be assigned her own part of witchcraft. And be placed in a coven with people like her. She looked at the clock on the wall and smiled. 10:32. Only a few hours until the Starlight Ceremony began. A few hours until she’d be a real witch. Arcadia took a seat on her bed and decided to read, take her mind off the events coming up later that night. She flipped open a book by a human author about a girl who had to take care of her family during WW2 and eventually got ill with polio. It was something she had to read for her human school. The school she’d be dropping out of tomorrow morning. She glanced at the clock again. Only three minutes had passed. And they had been the longest three minutes of her life. Arcadia picked up the lavender envelope that sat atop her nightstand, and opened it for what was possibly the fiftieth time that night. She read the letter inside and smiled. /Dear Arcadia Sillabare, It is with great pleasure, that I, Madame Clove, shall bestow a coven and wichcraft category upon you. Bestow a place where you can be yourself. A sisterhood that cannot be broken. By life, or death. Sincerely, Madame Clove/ Arcadia flopped back on her bed, and closed her eyes, imagining what having an unbreakable bond with three other girls would be like. A bond that cannot be broken. That sounded nice. Living freely with others who were like her didn’t sound half bad. She hoped she was placed in a Healing Coven. Traveling the world and healing the sick and ill fated with magic had always been her dream. Maybe her and her soon-to-be ‘sisters’ would discover a new type of witchcraft or become famous for finding a new beast. Her black cat, Phantom, jumped on her lap and growled. Arcadia frowned. “What’s wrong Phan?” she asked, gently stroking her silky fur. Phantom sniffed the air and climbed up Arcadia’s arm, digging her nails into her owner’s skin, and sat on her shoulder. Phantom’s eyes narrowed. Arcadia stiffened. Phantom was no normal cat. She was enchanted, cursed one could say. Phantom could sense when danger was near. She only acted this on edge when something bad was about to happen… Arcadia set down the letter and cradled Phantom in her arms, rocking back and forth. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for something–anything, that was out of place. Then she let out a weak laugh. “Nothing’s here, silly.” she said, setting the cat on the floor. But Phantom’s fur was still spiked and her eyes wide. A cold winter breeze ruffled Arcadia’s dark curls and she shivered. She turned to face her window and frowned. It was wide open, though she could’ve sworn her mom had come in less than an hour before to close it… Maybe something was wrong. Arcadia gulped and stood up and went to her desk. She picked up a chain necklace with an opal and bundle of dried sage connected to it. She gripped the chain tightly and held it close to her chest. As she did, Phantom arched her back and hissed at the window. Goosebumps ran down Arcadia’s arms. Something was happening. And whatever it was, it couldn’t have been good. Then she saw something in the distance. A fiery glow coming closer and closer to her window. As the light drew near, Arcadia noticed that it wasn’t a ball of light, but instead a phoenix. Her eyes widened in awe. Never in her life had she expected to see one in person. Although she was still in shock, she couldn’t help tilting her head in confusion. Why was a phoenix coming to her house of all places? Why not a more rich or more powerful witch’s house? When the phoenix flew through the window, its light began to dim, like dying embers in a fire. Its wings shook as it flew, and the moment it reached her bed, the(+)