Astrid sat in the center of her dimly lit coven, her body rigid as a sudden, overwhelming force gripped her. Her eyes snapped open, glowing with an unnatural light, and the candles flickered violently around her, casting eerie shadows against the stone walls. She could feel it- a powerful shift in the balance of magic, something ancient stirring from deep within the fabric of reality. Her heart pounded as she realized the weight of the danger that had begun to unfold.
"The time has come," Astrid muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands moved swiftly, gathering herbs and stones from her altar, and she threw them into a bowl, lighting the mixture with a single flick of her finger. The flames roared to life, blue and crackling with energy. She had to act fast.
