The last witch of Lunarisca

Chapter 2: The House (Part 2)

When the final door opened, Kaia felt like she was being embraced all at once, by light, fresh air, and the scent of something alive and real. It wasn’t just something she could smell; she could feel it deep in her chest, like warmth spreading through her after a long time in the cold. She stopped at the entrance, unable to move right away, her mind almost “loading” from everything she was seeing.

It felt unreal, like stepping into a dream, but if it was real, then it looked like someone had spent an impossible amount of effort and magic creating it.

In front of her stood a massive building, around twelve floors high, but not perfectly shaped. Some parts extended outward, some were wider than others, and balconies were filled with trees and blooming flowers. Some floors even looked like full gardens, almost like a small forest growing inside the structure itself.

Everything was covered in colorful flowers, bright, soft, and even glowing in ways she had never seen before. It was simple, yet breathtaking, the kind of beauty that made her stare without realizing how long she had been standing there.

Surrounding the building was a wide forest, but unlike the dark forests she imagined, this one felt alive and welcoming. The leaves moved gently, even with the lightest wind, and the flowers seemed to respond to the air around them.

There were colors she couldn’t even name, soft shades that glowed faintly, as if they had their own quiet light. It felt peaceful, but also powerful, like the place itself was alive and aware.

Then she noticed the animals, and that was when her brain almost gave up trying to understand everything.

There were dogs… with wings.

Flying.

Like it was completely normal.

“Wait..hold on,” Kaia muttered, stepping back slightly as one flew past her. “Was that a dog… or did my brain just lag?”

Another creature passed, a bird with glowing wings, almost like it was made of light. It moved so smoothly it didn’t even feel real.

Kaia held her head, half-laughing. “Okay… this is too much. Even my imagination has limits.”

As she and the old woman walked toward a wide open field, Kaia saw more people, at least forty. Some were talking, some practicing strange abilities, and others looked just as lost as she felt. But what caught her attention most was this:

Every newcomer had an old woman beside them.

And they all looked exactly the same.

Kaia froze and slowly looked from one to another. Then back at the woman next to her.

“Wait… are you all clones? Is there like a group chat called ‘Same Face Society’ or something?”

The woman beside her smiled slightly, clearly amused. “Es mi don,” she said calmly.

Kaia blinked. “Wait, what level of language is that?” she said, squinting. “Translation, please. I’m still on basic settings.”

The woman chuckled softly. “It means… this is my gift. Soy guía… en muchas formas.”

Kaia stared at her. “…You lost me again. Ma’am, I barely passed English, and now Spanish?” she sighed. “But okay, let me guess, you’re one person, multiple versions?”

The woman nodded. “Exactamente.”

Kaia pointed at the old woman like she had just solved a difficult puzzle. “Oh! I get it now! So it’s like Wi-Fi, one source, multiple connections.”

The woman smiled calmly. “Sí.”

Kaia shook her head, clearly impressed. “Okay… that’s actually really cool. Multitasking on a whole different level.”

As Kaia looked around again, her expression slowly softened. This time, she wasn’t just staring in shock, she was trying to understand. The people around her were all different. Some looked serious, some were laughing, others were quiet and observing, but despite all their differences, there was something connecting them. Something familiar she couldn’t explain.

The woman spoke gently beside her. “Todos aquí… llevan sangre Lunarisca.”

Kaia turned quickly. “Okay, wait...pause. English version, please. I am not ready for subtitles.”

The woman smiled patiently. “Everyone here carries Lunarisca blood.”

Kaia blinked. “Everyone?” she asked, wanting to be sure.

The woman nodded. “Primos… tíos… abuelos… familia.”

Kaia stared at her, trying to process the words. “…I heard ‘family’ and suddenly I’m a little stressed,” she admitted. “Are you saying these people could actually be my relatives?”

“Sí,” the woman replied simply.

Kaia glanced at a group of young people laughing nearby, her thoughts spinning. “So… someone who looks like my classmate could actually be my aunt?” she muttered. She rubbed her forehead. “This is not a family tree anymore… this is a full family forest. With hidden levels.”

The woman explained that long ago, their bloodline spread across many families all over the Philippines. That was why everyone here was connected, even if they had never met before.

Kaia grew quiet as she looked around again. The feeling inside her shifted. These people were no longer just strangers. It felt like invisible threads were tying her to them.

She placed a hand on her chest. “This is so weird… I don’t know them… but it feels like I do.”

“Porque es verdad,” the woman said softly.

Kaia blinked. “Okay… that sounded important. Translation again, please.”

“It means… because it’s true.”

Kaia let out a slow breath. “Okay… noted. Spanish words...short, deep, and slightly emotionally threatening.”

She looked around again, her expression calmer now. “If my family is this big… then there’s so much I don’t know about myself,” she said honestly. Then she smiled a little, softer this time. “But… it’s also kind of nice. For the first time… I don’t feel completely alone.”

The woman watched her carefully before saying, “Porque aquí perteneces.”

Kaia immediately pointed at her again. “WAIT.. I know this. Give me a second,” she said, concentrating. “‘Porque’ is ‘because’… ‘aquí’ is ‘here’… ‘perteneces’… okay that one sounds important, but my brain gave up. Help me out.”

The woman smiled gently. “It means… you belong here.”

Kaia looked around again, slower this time, taking everything in.

“Yeah…” she whispered. “That actually makes sense.”

They continued walking, and Kaia noticed other newcomers like her, nervous, confused, some clearly overwhelmed.

“Okay…” she muttered. “At least I’m not the only one who looks like I accidentally entered the wrong dimension.”

Just then, a girl approached her.

“Hi,” she said softly.

Kaia smiled. “You’re new too?”

The girl nodded. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah,” Kaia replied. “Same energy, lost, but pretending we understand everything.”

They both laughed, and the tension between them eased a little.

“I’m Elise,” the girl said, reaching out her hand.

“Kaia,” she replied, shaking it. Their grip was firm, like both of them needed that small connection to stay grounded.

“Are you okay?” Elise asked gently.

Kaia exhaled. “I don’t know… everything feels like too much. But at the same time… it feels like I’m supposed to be here.”

Elise smiled. “Same. I’m scared… but also curious.”

“Good,” Kaia said. “At least I’m not confused alone.”

“Deal.”

“Support group,” Kaia added. “Free membership.”

The old woman smiled faintly. “Amiga.”

Kaia turned to her. “Okay, I know that one. Friend, right?”

“Sí.”

Kaia nodded proudly. “Look at me. Slowly becoming bilingual. Very slowly… but still.”

Before they could continue, a deep sound echoed across the entire place, like a bell, but stronger. It wasn’t just heard; it was felt deep in the chest.

Everything went quiet.

People turned in one direction.

Kaia felt her chest tighten again. “What’s happening?” she asked softly.

“Ceremonia,” the woman answered.

Kaia closed her eyes for a second. “Okay… I don’t need translation for that one. It already sounds serious.”

She took a deep breath, gripping her hands slightly.

“This is really it…” she whispered.

She looked at Elise, and without saying anything, they understood each other.

We’re in this together.

Standing there, surrounded by people who might be her family, in a world she was only beginning to understand, Kaia felt everything at once, fear, excitement, and something new.

Hope.

She had nothing to go back to.

And for the first time—

She was ready to face whatever was waiting for her.