Chapter 4 - Breaching The Witches’ Sanctuary

“Alicia where is the Supreme Magus?” A worried feminine voice inquired with urgency.

A mature woman stationed within the inner quarters of the witches’ sanctuary asked, “Tiffaun what happen to your leg, it’s bleeding profusely?”

The demanding voice said, “Never mind that and answer my question.”

“She’s inside the Cronus chamber meditating.”

“At a time like this? Hasn’t she been informed of our predicament?”

“She doesn’t want to be disturbed.”

“The hell with that. I’m going in.”

The witch who had been wounded back at Vermont residential district barged into the restricted sanctum of the council where she discovered an elderly woman garbed in multiple layers of clothing; resting on her knees in front of a dark monolith while engaging in indistinctive chanting. Her hair was furry and white as snow, each length of her follicles signified her ancient existence.

“Supreme Magus! We have trouble knocking down our doorsteps!”

“I am aware of that, Tiffaun.” The powerful elder with the title of Supreme Magus spoke without haste and worry. Finishing her chant, she calmly rose to her feet and turned her head to face the injured witch. Her glossy eyes portrayed a mystical attribute that could glimpse into the future. So it was safe to say that she was well aware of the foreboding circumstances that were encroaching on them. 

“It’s only a matter of time before they breach the inner sanctum.” Conveyed the Supreme Magus.

“Then shouldn’t you be doing something to save us?” Tiffaun’s voice was laced with distress as she tried to convince the Supreme Magus to take action against the hostile crusaders. “We’re all that’s left of Guillume colony. Most of our Lycans have already been killed or strayed from the source of battle. We’ve lost most of our defences, only you alone can save us now, Supreme Magus!”

Tiffaun dropped to her knees and started begging, “Please, use your powers to unleash the full force of retribution on our enemies. Please I beg of you!” Tears began to trickle down the corner of her eyelids, still, the Supreme Magus was reluctant to take drastic action.

Alicia who followed Tiffaun into the chamber, asked the Supreme Magus upon taking notice of her settled disposition, “What is stopping you from unleashing your powers to cut down our enemies?”

Perceiving the imploring gazes of her worried pupils, the Supreme Magus finally admitted, “I’m afraid I can no longer wield the same calibre of my former strength. And if by some miracle I killed all those men, it will only prove their point about us being spawns of evil.”

“What do you mean you’ve lost your power?” Tiffaun asked while standing up.

The Supreme Magus went back over by the dark monolith and explained, “Most of my magic has been siphoned by this Cronus monolith to activate its latent attributes. You see, my followers, I am not the person who will save our kind and ensure our existence in history.”

“If not you, then who, Supreme Magus?” Alicia and Tiffaun were eager to know the answer.

Taking a deep breath while coming back over to where the witches were, the Supreme Magus conveyed, “The children of the cult’s original bloodline.”

“You don’t mean those troublesome spawns of Vaud, that traitorous wizard who did every inhuman act he could think of to craft Immortalis?” Tiffaun and Alicia glanced at each other in tacit understanding.

“They are the ones who will ensure our survival. I’ve glimpsed into the possible timelines and these children are the only constant who have ushered a new balance in Astasia. Their cursed biology will be a key player.” Shared the Supreme Magus. 

Tiffaun wasn’t pleased to hear this. “But Supreme Magus, they are just a pair of inexperienced kids, not to mention very prone to causing trouble. How are they supposed to save our flesh from getting cleaved by the blades of those brutish men who are outside? The moment they breach the inner sanctum, we will be annihilated!”

“That won’t happen.” The Supreme Magus seemed sure of herself.

“How can you be so certain? Have you seen the carnage that they’ve created outside? They’ve slaughtered hundreds of our brothers and sisters. What will stop them from doing the same to us?”

“We will surrender when the time is right.” Suggested the Supreme Magus.

Tiffaun protested, “But how is that any different from tossing away our lives. Those men outside aren’t a bunch who can be reasoned with.”

“Someone special is coming up the mountain that will make them comply.” She was hinting to the Grand Inquisitor. “Now we don’t have much time. Gather the Vaud siblings and bring them here and tell the Bookkeepers to secure the precious artefacts in the reliquary.”

Alicia said, “Most of the precious manuscripts and grimoires have already been shipped to safety since the afternoon when the crusaders commenced their attack on Guillume Mountain. All that is left are a few basic tomes and magical items. I will try my best to bring as many as I can carry.” She ran out of the chamber apace.

“I will go gather the Vaud siblings.” Tiffaun exited shortly after Alicia. Both of them traversed in separate directions.

While rushing down a narrow corridor, Tiffaun was conversing with her mental self. “Why is the Supreme Magus putting the fate of our lives in the hands of those brats? I just don’t get it.”

She came upon a group of witches who were armed with magical trinkets and relayed the message, “The Supreme Magus wants the rest of us to gather in the Cronus chamber.”

“Ok, we’re on our way there.” The witches were initially going to offer support to their brethren who were sustaining the barrier at the sanctuary’s entrance, but hearing Tiffaun’s message, they switched their destination to the Cronus chamber.

“I hope those 2 are still in holding.” Tiffaun had a hard time going up a steep flight of curving stairways due to her leg injury that hadn’t fully healed yet. Climbing to the last step, she placed her feet on a flat surface and teetered down the hall from there.

Tiffaun made it in front of a grilled chamber where she had to unlock several bolts to enter. Inside had many brown papers scattered all over; some even plastered on the walls. Arcane writings were inscribed on the walls’ surface and several stone tablets were sitting on a wide counter. 

“Amich! Silvia! Where are you?” Tiffaun ventured further into the stench of aged papyrus and rust. She followed the sound of a low grunt until eventually, she discovered a 9-year-old boy hiding in the corner shivering in fear. The lower jawline of his face was concealed with a cloth that was partially tied in a knot at the posterior of his short dishevelled silver hair.

“There you are, Amich.” Tiffaun helped the little boy up from the cold floor and tried to comfort him from thinking about the loud banging noises below. Looking around the room, she saw no sign of Silvia, the black sheep in the colony who was regarded as the number one trouble maker.

Tiffaun inquired, “Amich, where is your sister?”

Amich didn’t say a word, he only pointed to a narrow window secured by thick bars.

“She went outside?” Tiffaun became alert when this thought entered her mind. She wondered how a fully grown 21-year-old lady could have slipped through those bars and escaped through the window. There wasn’t any ledge outside for a proper foothold so if she went that way she must have used the essence of magic.

“That brat is giving me more trouble than is needed right now. Stay here Amich.” Tiffaun set the boy aside and went over to inspect the window. The first thing she saw when she glanced outside was the hellish flames that were consuming the mountain’s vegetation. About to peer sideways at the wall, she received a startling surprise from behind.

Amich snuck out of the room and met up with his sister who was tinkering with the locks. They were trying to trap Tiffaun inside, however, they were found out before they could succeed with their plans.

“You troublesome brats! What do you think you are doing at a critical time like this?” Tiffaun became more upset than she already was.

“Shoot, she found out too early.” The silver-haired dame standing by her little brother abandoned the fastening of the locks when a gale of trepidation blew past her.

“Amich, let’s go!” Silvia grabbed her brother’s hand and started dashing down the hall to where the curved stairway was.

“Get back here you 2!” Tiffaun exited the chamber in angst and gave chase to the siblings but her leg injury was making her pursuit quite difficult. She thought of another way to get their attention and shouted, “Your presence is requested by the Supreme Magus!”

“What did you say?” Silvia stopped midway down the flight of stairs when she heard the echoes reverberating off the narrow walls and waited for Tiffaun to catch up. Silvia held the Supreme Magus in high regard so when she heard that she wanted to see them, Silvia no longer sought to escape the hideout with her brother.

“You brats should be more considerate of my injuries given the circumstance that we’re currently facing at our doorsteps,” Tiffaun told the siblings that their presence was requested In the Cronus chamber.

Due to the urgency of the matter, they didn’t waste time apologizing for the stunt they tried to pull nor was it solicited. Together, the 3 of them alighted the stairway. From there they hurried down the corridor until they came upon the long path that led to the main entrance of their sanctuary.

Just as they approached that area, they witnessed a great explosion followed by the swift advance of Commander Dreylude and his men of holy valour. “We’ve made it inside the witches’ stronghold! Advance and annihilate those detestable worshipers of darkness!”

“Fall back, everyone! Fall back!” The witches who were responsible for upholding the barrier for as long as they did was now on the run for their lives while occasionally casting attack-type spells back at the incoming crusaders.

“We have to make haste before it is too late!” Tiffaun grabbed Silvia and Amich’s hands while instructing the remaining witches to regroup at the Cronus chamber.

In the midst of audible clashes, Commander Dreylude recognized Tiffaun’s resounding voice and swiftly located her further down the tunnel. “You bloody witch! I’m coming to claim your head! See if you escape me this time!” He had a personal bone to pick with Tiffaun. He didn’t like how she gave him the slip back at Vermont City.