The darkness within

Chapter 1

It's 8 am on a Sunday. I wake up to the noise of incessant chatter about some power struggle going on in the capital. I try to go back to sleep. Try and fail since the windows in my room face the street. I live in a small village of Galena, in the southernmost kingdom called Aldoria. The population mostly consists of humans, like me, and witches like my aunt. Like most villages, our Galena is beautiful, surrounded by vibrant, lush forests and calm waters. I make a second attempt to fall asleep when the smell of bacon and eggs jolts me awake.

I make my way to the open kitchen and see my aunt setting the breakfast table. Her face fills with the most radiant smile the second she notices me. She gestures me to take my seat. My aunt Rowena is the only family I've ever known. She raised me since the passing of my parents. I finally break the silence and greet her with a good morning. "Good Morning, Hope. I've brewed a fresh pot of coffee. Help yourself". I nod and make my way to the kitchen counter to pour a cup of coffee for myself. I'm a coffee addict. My day begins and ends with it. Any remnants of sleep are long gone the minute the aroma of coffee and cinnamon hits me. I make my way back to the table sipping the elixir in my mug. I see Rowena reading the newspaper intently. The headline speaks of the same power struggle the townies were gossiping about. I can tell she doesn't like what she's reading by the way her nose scrunches up. Before I can ask her about it, she speaks up "Would you mind helping me in the shop today ? Rick delivered a fresh batch of Herbs and other ingredients. I need your help sorting them out". I nod in compliance.

My aunt is one of the most powerful witches in the village. She is a healer. In the eyes of everyone, my aunt is a saint. But I see it. I see her soul and the darkness that lies within. This is the one, useless power that I possess. It's usually easier with humans, I can see and feel all the evil deeds committed by them. But with supernatural, the more powerful a being, the more difficult it gets. Sometimes it's just a feeling. I make my way over to the sink to do the dishes while I ponder about my abilities. I don't know why I have them. It's not a common trait, especially in a human. Hence, Rowena always warned me to keep this between the two of us. I understand her fear and paranoia. I understand that even societies as varied as ours, don't accept anomalies. And I'm an anomaly.

I turn to see my aunt has already left the kitchen. I go back to my room to get ready. I lock the door on the way out and walk over to our shop which is present at the end of the street we live in. I begin sorting all the new items once I reach. I see my aunt near the counter, selling the migraine medicine she brewed last week to Elaine. Elaine is our regular customer. She also worships Rowena since she helped her with her bouts of pain. The chatter about the capital wormed its way to my head again. This time, I decided to ask my aunt about it. Rowena then began to explain "You know ours is one of the very few kingdoms ruled by a coven of vampires, right? Most of the world is ruled by Nephilims. Our Queen has kept them at bay with the help of us witches, but only for so long. They grow more powerful by the day, conquering everything in their path. Especially after the awakening of their leader, Sebastian Verlac." For some reason, this name sent a shiver of dread through my spine and at the same time piqued my curiosity. Before I could ask her to elaborate, our conversation was interrupted by a loud voice, screaming for help and making his way into our shop.