Daoine

Chapter 1   Chapter 2   Chapter 3   Chapter 4   Chapter 5  

Chapter 5

    Eric yelped, surprised by an unknown witch’s sudden appearance. He slid under the tabletop hoping beyond hope to be unrecognized. Viburnum reacted unexpectedly by saying, “Boy, leave now, Willow and I are going to have a private conversation.” Her face remained unreadable.
    Without hesitation Eric scrambled from the room. Willow quickly ran through what she was to say to Viburnum. The later, though, had her own plans.
    “There is a prophecy that speaks of such circumstances,

    “There is more but this stanza comes to mind. I should have expected this earlier since your last good deed. I suspected when I found my previously locked front door open. I do require several explanations however. Such as what led you here and what have you found out.”
    This speech threw Willow off balance. She replied truthfully, “Your actions, knowledge and secrets caused me to come here. As of what I know, I will sum up. There once existed four categories of Witches: Forest, Fire, Ocean and Sky. Each group possessed their area of expertise and along with that, conflicts with each other. That is where this house fits in. It was the home of the Daoine, the peacekeeper between witches. I know that over four hundred years ago everyone vanished, except our clan of Forest Witches. We are all that remain in a world once manipulated by magic.
    “My puzzle is, where did they go? I don’t believe they are dead. There is no battle recorded, which would have been had it occurred. I direct this question to you as well as the question of what is your place in all of this. You reside in this ancient house.”
    “You’re a clever one, but I don’t have much to tell you. I have searched these books many times to find such answers. I live here because this house has been handed down to me from my ancestors whom obtained it after the last Daoine disappeared. You may leave now since you will find no answers here.” concluded Viburnum.
    Willow, who wished not to anger Viburnum, obeyed, bringing a sheaf of paper with her. Once in the privacy of her own room, Willow contemplated the gaping hole Viburnum had created in her explanation. As Willow had explained to Eric a short time ago, witches where birthed by one lone tree. There were no ancestors; it wasn’t possible. Viburnum must have truly been flustered not to realize her mistake. And if she had read all her books then she would have know about the charging ceremony. Had she not cared enough to reveal it to everyone? Clearly she was hiding more.

    Willow didn’t even debate over going to find the Daoine’s tree. She just went. It felt right and for some instinctual reason, she knew she would find answers there. She also knew also knew it was some thing she had to do alone. North-east of the Daoine’s domain wasn’t enough to guide her but felt a tug she followed blindly. An ancient crabapple tree drew her attention. The trunk was gnarled, the branches twisted. Yet it’s vast reach projected majesty. Willow had found the subject of her journey. The etiquette the handbook suggested ran through her head. She knelt not knowing what to expect.
    “Finally, a worthy Daoine.” Spoke a commanding voice.
    Willow blinked. What? Her? How was that possible?
    “You doubt yourself? You are powerful, caring and brave. I have waited long for one such as you. The old line has dwindled in ability. Their descendant refuses to admit her faults.”
    You can read my thoughts?
    I can communicate with you in many ways and that entails reading thoughts, yes.”
    How do you know anything about me?
    A booming laugh filled the air. “I am Aois, the guardian of knowledge, the keeper of secrets and the speaker of truth. I know much girl and am an excellent judge of character. A true introduction would be polite though.”
    Knowing only that she should do as she was told, Willow replied aloud, “My name is Willow and um….Forest Witch and friend of humans.”
    “Interesting that last, you need to add Daoine to the beginning of that list. And you needn’t speak out loud.”
    “I feel more comfortable this way, more like a real conversation. Can I ask you some questions so I can start understand what is happening?”
    Again came the resounding laugh. Willow dispelled the indignation she felt hoping that Aois couldn’t sense emotion. Possibly by imagination, the laughing became louder.
    “You aren’t dreaming, girl, talking to a tree. What I’ll show you next isn’t a dream either. It is one of the ways I can communicate with you. You want to know how the many other witches disappeared to. The best way for you to understand is to show you.”
    A vision filled Willow’s eyes. She wasn’t in front of the crabapple tree any longer. Witches by the thousands, dressed and with hair colour like she had never see before, stood massed before her. In clumps of similarity, they were spread across a white, sandy beach; approximately a quarter were sitting in the water. The same percentage was floating in the air! Off to her right a Forest Witch was addressing them all, while rubbing a deep green stone, an emerald. She told them that she had devised a plan to gain more power, one that they could all take part in.
    “Everyone must move closer. It is centered around this gem and for it to have any effect you must move nearer.” The speaker informed them all.
    Greedy for a chance to become more powerful, everbody shoved forwards. All at once, they began to glow, a soft, yellowish light emanating off their skin. That’s when the shrieks of fury began. As the light grew, many started disappearing.
    Where are they going? thought Willow. The emerald started glowing too. No, it’s not possible! Could they be going inside the stone?
    Only one witch was left one the beach and she was so bright Willow couldn’t look directly at her. “Caragana, this isn’t over!” she screeched, and then she too disappeared.
    Tears were starting to cloud Willow’s vision but they were not hers. When she could see again she was back facing Aois.
    “That happened four hundred and twelve years ago. Caragana, a power-crazed witch, transported thousands of witches into that emerald, and then sealed it. She harnessed their magic to add to her own already immense ability, and wore the gem as a necklace to keep it close and safe. She did a horrific, appalling deed only to better herself.
    “You just witnessed that event through the eyes of Zelkova, the peacekeeper at that time. She aided in the trickery that brought all those witches together and was therefore sparred. Caragana left aside a small group of Forest Witches so that witches could live on, only in smaller numbers. That way she had subjects to control too. She did pass away at the age of one hundred as all witches do, leaving behind her destruction and despair. Zelkova never found out what happened to the emerald.” Aois said this all in a matter of fact voice.
    Willow stood, stunned for a moment, trying to comprehend the vast scale of what had happened. How did Aois know all this?
    “I see all that Daoines see, through their eyes, as I will with you once you accept the task. Go home, rest, think through all that you have witnessed. Come back in a day or two, and bring your human friend. I am curious about him.”
    Willow stumbled home, lost in thought. She collapsed exhausted upon her bed, tired from a day of confrontations but it took her hours to fall asleep.