THE LIBATION

CHAPTER THREE

The moon came out full in honor of the witches. Father Lucien mounted the podium dressed in his black cassock and his wife, Lady Selene standing beside him, down from the podium. She looked up and smiled gently at him, and he nodded graceful towards her, smiling back softly. Father Varian and other men in black were standing left side of him, and the other members all stood sitting in front of Father Lucien. Father Lucien looked up, as he held up his hands and shouted with all power and authority;

"All hail witches!" He shouted.

"All hail Dark Lord!" The members replied.

"Their power awakens."

"The dark Lord rises."

"The night of union approaches–when shadows and souls entwine beneath the Dark Lord's gaze. Prepare your hearts for the sacred gatherings in the woods." He paused as he bowed his head, and the people reciprocated. "In less than a month, we would all be celebrating a big change in my daughter, Elara." He smiled when his eyes met hers. "She won't only be turning sixteen, but would be signing the blood book, which makes her a full Witch and adding more powers and abilities to her." Father Lucien smiled so proudly at his daughter who sat looking pale.

"So the hour has come my people, another time of the year were we honor Dark Lord with our souls and bodies and blood mixing together under the moon, for it a blessing unto him. All hail witches—"

"All hail Dark Lord!"

"Their power awakens."

" The dark Lord rises."

Father Lucien bowed once more as he climbed down the podium, and taking his wife, Lady Selene into his arms and smiled at her.

"Are we going into the woods." She smiled moving close to him.

"Don't you want to?" He smiled back.

"I'm heavy you know. You can't lie on me." She laughed looking down at her protruded stomach, soothing it with her palm.

"It doesn't stop me." He laughed also and raised her hand and kissed the back of her palm.

"Dad, we need to talk." Guess someone broke the romantic moment of two couples. Selene rolled her eyes and gave her a stern look which Elara ignored.

"Not now Elara. It's the night please."

"Dad—"

"Shouldn't you be with your friends, give us space."

Selene said as she started walking with Lucien in her hands.

"Do I have to really participate in this?" Father Lucien paused and turned to meet her eyes.

"It's only meant for those who have signed the blood book."

"17 and above." Selene completed.

"So what do you have me do now while you all are in the woods?" Lucien opened his mouth to respond but Selene cut in with a sharp whining.

"What's it?" Lucien turned to Selene and held her properly. " Are you alright?" He asked.

" It's just a sharp pain I felt at my back." She straightened up and looked at him. "I think I need to relax, honey. I'm tired of standing."

"Alright, let's go."

"Dad?"

" Elara, go for your night practice." He said without looking back at her. Selene turned and smiled mischievously at Elara. "I hate you." Elara said quietly, in between her teeth.

"Ohh look who wanted to follow her daddy cause she got no guy to please tonight." Raven and her disciples giggled at her words. Elara turned slowly and gave a disgusting look at the trio.

" Oh, I forgot. She's underage so she can't do anything now." She mocked once again and they all laughed at her. "Well, as for me, I got Draven." Raven toyed her hair as she smiled sheepishly. "Can't wait to know what it feels like when he's in me."

"Gross." Elara spitted out and walked passed them.

"You're just jealous. Nobody wants you. Nobody got you, loser." Raven yelled behind her. "Ooh, I hate that girl." She whispered.

Elara walked silently in the dark with her hands fixed into her pocket. She could hear the bushes rattle in accordance with the night still breeze. She heard footsteps behind her–slow and steady. She wondered who it was following her. She shrugged lightly, and kept her pace–walking, hands fixed in her coat pocket and acted like no one was there with her. The footsteps became fast and loud, as if the person was chasing after her. She could hear whispers – soft at first, then rising into a frantic chorus. She could feel it thudding in her heart, her body unsure whether to creep or run. The footsteps grew loud, fast and near. The shadows watched her, whispering her name, closer....always closer. She gasped as she turned abruptly, heart pounding, eyes darting into the darkness.

The whispering stopped, but the silence that followed was worse. She looked sideways frantically, as if to see who that was.

"Who's there?" She asked, her eyes searching through the thick silent darkness. She waited as if to get a reply. "Oh heavens!" She breathed out as a hawk swooped above her head, it's wings slicing the air, with a loud eerie sound that made her blood run cold. "Oops...!" She moved back when she hit an image.

"Hey."

"Were you following me?" Her brows arched, as her hands were fixed on her hips.

"No. I wasn't." Draven smiled down at her.

"Then how did you know I was here?"

"This is the way back to the dorm. Hey you look scared." He searched her eyes. Elara kept quiet, trying to find the truth in his eyes. "Oh well yeah, I didn't quite follow you." He scratched his hair. "Just saw you looking around then came to you. Thought maybe you needed me, you know." He gave her a lopsided smile, making him look more handsome that moment.

Elara shook her head, as she walked passed him, but Draven was fast enough to stand at her front again.

"Hey." He moved closer to her. "It's the night." He smiled as he looked up. "The full moon's out." He looked down at her, and smiled widly. No doubt, Draven was tall, most handsome, his presence both elegant and intimidating, every young witches' dream, his features were strikingly defined: a sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and eyes the color of midnight storms, deep and unreadable. His deep black curly hair framed his face perfectly, with one rebellious strand that always fell across his eyes, making him all the more alluring. His voice carried a quiet authority—low, velvety, the kind that lingered long after he spoke. There was something about him that made every witch in Nytherra pause–a beauty that wasn't gentle, but dangerous. Draven wasn't just handsome; he was spellbinding, the kind of man whose gaze could make you forget where reality ended and enchantment began. And of course, Elara's reality ended and her enchantment began instantly when Draven brushed his lips against hers. He sucked her lower lips softly with pleasure. Draven wrapped his hands around her small waist, and pulled her closer to himself, kissing her with intense passion that rose in him. Yeah...Draven had that effect — he could make anyone lose themselves, draw them into his spell, make the world blur into something dangerously beautiful. But that trance didn’t last long for Elara. She drifted back from the kiss, eyes wide open in shock, her brows knitting together in irritation. A heavy frown carved itself onto her face as she looked up at Draven — who only smiled, that maddeningly confident, masculine smile, as if he already knew the chaos he had stirred within her. Elara wiped her lips and walked away from the intimidating handsome figure that stood in front of her, before she completely fall for his trick.

"C'mon Elara, you're the one I chose for the night." Draven said following her behind.

Elara chuckled. "Me?"

"Yes you, is anything wrong with that?" Dragen asked looking confused.

"I'm 16, Draven!" She almost yelled at him, and besides, you won't want to arose the devilish anger inside of Raven." She said without looking back, pushing aside the grasses that came her way.

"Raven?" He scoffed. "We aren't anything. I don't....even like her." His words seemed to stop her. She turned and threw a quizzical look at him.

"Yeah, I understand those questions in your eyes." He moved closer to her.

"She boosts of you as her boyfriend. And several times, I've seen you both—"

"Kissing? Having s*x? Yeah, but that doesn't necessarily mean I like her. I do it for fun and Raven on the other hand seemed to be an available s*x toy for me." He smiled and that made Elara's stomach twitch in pains. Just then, a sharp and echoing sound cracked through the air in the silence, enough to make Draven's head swiveled from the force. His jaw clenched as he slowly moved more closer to her, the muscle in his cheek tightening. His eyes burned — first with anger, dark and dangerous — but then something else flickered there, something heavier, and deeper. The anger switched, darkening into a different kind of intensity, a raw hunger that made his gaze linger on Elara longer than it should have — lust smoldered in his eyes, hot and draining. Elara caught the swift in his eyes and instantly turned to her heels to leave, but Draven was faster. He grabbed her and crashed his lips against hers in a forceful kiss. His hands had just began to tug at her clothes when a fierce wind of shadow swept through them, breaking them apart. Draven released her abruptly, his gaze darting Into the thick darkness, searching. Then came the whispers — faint at first, then rising, eddying around him like a curse. He lurched back, gripping his head as the voices grew excruciating, forcing him to his knees. Elara stood trembling as she watched with wide eyes how Draven became so low to unknown voices and shadows, the same kind she had always seen and heard. She has always seen him as one of the most strongest, and proud young warlock, and now here he was, screaming in pains for what they didn't know what came after him. And then... silence. The silence became dense, almost suffocating in it's eeriness. Draven finally fell to the ground helplessly, breathing fast.

"Wh....what.....what was that...t?" He asked when Elara rushed over to his side.

"I don't know." She said with worriness in her voice.

"What sort of power do you have? I've never been defeated like this before?" He said still trying to control his breathe. Even in his weakness, he still got that pride in him. Elara said inwardly as she rolled her eyes.

"I got no strong powers like that. I'm not stronger than my father." She said as she stood up and left Draven fighting for his life on the cold grass.

"It came. It came Emily. It attacked him. It attacked Draven. I saw it. It was firece. Powerful. He couldn't stand it. Those voices. The shadows....it pinned him to the grown." She turned breathlessly to Emily. "You could have seen how weak and drained Draven was. The almighty Draven; the strong handsome warlock in Nytherra. He had no hope, he couldn't defend himself." Elara fell on her bed, arms spread wide apart, as she faced the ceiling. She didn't know whether to laugh or feel bad. Emily crawled up to her and laid on her chest. Elara stroked her softly, still thinking of what had happened moments ago. As if Emily had asked her a question, she replied immediately.

"Yeah, he kissed me. And as he was about doing that again, that was when he was attacked by an unknown force." The thought of Draven kissing her made a twitch in her stomach, arching a frown on her brows. Emily sensed that and let out a low angry growl.

"I know....I know.... he's so disgusting." She stood up forcefully, causing Emily to fall on the floor. "Oops...! I'm sorry." She bent to raise her, and dropped her on the bed. "He used Raven, or should I say he is using Raven." Emily made a sound at her words and seemed interested in what she was saying.

"Yeah, he was never dating her. She was his s*x toy." Emily grew more angry as if it mattered to her.

The morning sun was really excited as it shined bright on everyone. Elara frowned and muttered a curse as she walked under the bright, scorching sun. She hated the sun for all reason and wished she could make it disappear for eternity.

"Can it just rain for today." She said sounding frustrated. Immediately the cloud started coming together, becoming darker, and a thunderous sound was heard up in the sky, as rain poured heavily on the earth.

"Seriously?" Elara stamped her feet on the ground as she ran into the school building. She breathed out as she stood at the door, watching students staring at her wet body. She threw the hair that fell to her face aside, as she walked head down and passed the piercing eyes of the students.

"What's going on? Everyone seems weird today?" She asked Brielle when they got into the bathroom to get herself cleaned up. "Was it because of my wet body. I wasn't the only one who came in wet, was I?" She asked, squeezing her hair, releasing some amount of water.

"Woah.... that's a lot." Brielle swallowed. "Well.... haven't you heard?" Brielle asked bringing out her phone from her bag.

"Heard what?" Elara asked still standing in front of the mirror, this time around her reflection was visible to her, but she could see fainting shadows deep inside the mirror, which made her frown and utter words of curses.

"Are you talking to me?" Her friend raised her head from her phone and looked at her.

"No." She kept on brushing her hair.

"Okay got it. Here take a look, the witches are attacking humans. Are witches even real—?"

"What?" Elara turned and grabbed the phone from Brielle causing her friend to cry out in pains. "Elara that was harsh." She cried out.

Elara stared at the screen with wide eyes, her eyes moving left and right as she read through the screen. "This can't be. What?"

"Yeah, I was as surprised as you are right now. Witches aren't real right?"

"They are!" Elara almost screamed at Brielle. "Ooh, sorry." She exhaled and blinked twice.

"Woah chill girl. I know how scared you must be right now. Well....I do believe in them." She said, arms crossed across her chest.

"You do—?" The door opened and Nathan walked in.

"Hey." He walked over to Elara and kissed her.

"Hey Nathan, you better start asking for permission before walking into the ladies restroom. What if other girls were here, probably naked?" Brielle twitched a corner of her lips.

"Emmmm....my guess was right today. Maybe it won't work other times. "

"How did you know I was here?" Elara asked.

"Sophia. She said she saw you and Brielle walking towards the restroom. I miss you." He smiled and pushed her hair backwards. "Haven't seen you in days."

"Thought she was killed by the witches." Elara made a face at Brielle which made he giggle.

"Was busy with some stuffs." She smiled up at Nathan, which he did back at her and bent low to kiss her.

"Okay.... okay..... okay.... definitely not now. Please make do with the bedroom at Nathan's place. For now, we're talking about witches. They do exist after all."

Nathan and Elara both laughed after they broke free from the hot kiss. "Yeah....you were saying?" Elara squinted her eyes as she looked at Brielle. "You do believe in witches?"

"Yeah, I do."

"You two should stop this, especially you, Brielle." Brielle moved her head back in surprise, her brows knitting together as she lifted her hands, mouthing the word.

" What!"

"Witches don't exist. They are just make–believe okay?" Nathan ignored her.

"No they are real. See what they did. They have been attacking humans for days now, leaving behind bodies emptied of their organs—and cold. Cold, hollow, organless bodies." She said, her voice low and creepy.

"Brielle?"

"What Nathan, what? C'mon these are real. I can't believe this is actually happening in my time." She breathed out deeply and loudly. "I can't fight them all by myself."

"Fight them?" Elara and Nathan asked in unison. Just then the door opened and a girl walked in, staring at them in utter amazement, especially Nathan, wondering what a guy was doing in a female's bathroom with two other girls who seemed unbothered.

"It's fine. We'll be leaving." Elara picked up her school bag and followed Brielle and Nathan out of the door.

"Nothing happened okay." Brielle shouted when she walked out of the bathroom.

"She never asked you, silly." They all laughed as they made their way to the field.