#day12 witchs brew
For@mysme-fictober2020prompt list
Day 12: Witch’s Brew
“Eye of newt eye of newt eye of newt. Where is the eye of newt?” Yoosung ran his gaze across the jars on the shelf. Ah, there. Grabbing it his fingers slipped around the glass and it fell on the floor shattering instantly. The smell hit him and he gagged, running towards the bathroom, squishing eye of newt in his wake.
Finished emptying his stomach he flushed the toilet and rinsed out his mouth. He stared at himself in the mirror, his large amethyst eyes wide with disappointment. Why did he even bother at this point? He wasn’t a good witch, more often than not his spells went awry. And if he was honest with himself, he didn’t have an evil bone in his body! He didn’t want to curse anyone. He didn’t want to defeat his enemies. He wasn’t even sure he had any enemies to defeat. He didn’t take pleasure in hurting people, he just wasn’t a good witch!
Sighing he shook his head and prepared to clean up his mess. It took him a good long while, as the smell kept him going back to the bathroom often. Why were so many spell ingredients so disgusting? Once he was done he threw the towels into the bathtub and decided to take a walk. The moon was high and the air was cool, it would help clear his head. Before he left he opened a window, hoping the smell would also be cleared out by the time he returned.
Wrangling his bicycle out of the garage he jumped on and began to pedal. The park wasn’t far and he enjoyed walking the hiking trails there. There was nobody out, it felt as if he had the earth all to himself. Once he made it to the park he dropped his bike and took trail 1, it was the longest and he felt as if he didn’t want to go home anytime soon. The coven would ask if he’d brewed the potion and expect to see it. Maybe he could just lose himself in the woods and disappear.
The climb was bracing and the physical exertion helped keep his mind occupied. At the top he paused and took in the view. There were few lights below, the world slept and only he was awake to witness its slumber. Ready to head back down he noticed the path he was on actually continued further into the woods. He’d never seen the trail before, it was overgrown, but seemed to have been recently disturbed. There were broken branches and trodden underbrush. Curious, and still ambivilant about returning to his life, he stepped onto the newly discovered path. He had to push limbs aside for much of the way, wondering if he shouldn’t just return. However, he was glad he had continued as the path opened up to a large clearing, the full moon overhead, beginning to decline.
In the center there was a large stone table. It appeared to be made out of a boulder. A man stood beside it, a large cauldron on the ground above a roaring fire. As he watched, fascinated, the man reached towards the table, picked up a pot, took the lid off and pinched out some powder, he then sprinkled it into the brew. Without realizing what he was doing, Yoosung began to walk towards the man, who obviously was another witch.
As he drew closer, the man raised his head and pierced him with his golden gaze. The fire made his eyes look ablaze.
“Who are you?” he questioned. He came around the cauldron and stood before Yoosung. The man was about his own age, similar height, but with paler skin, freckles and red hair.
“I…uh…”
“What are you doing here? How did you know I was here? Answer me!” the man pressed.
“I didn’t! I was just…I found the trail and followed it, I didn’t know. I don’t know who you are I swear, but it’s OK, I’m a witch too.” Yoosung tried to calm the man down.
“A witch?” the man backed away from Yoosung and began casting.
“Wait!” Yoosung was unable to get anything else out, his lips felt glued together and his body stiff. He had been taking a step forward when the spell hit him and he fell on the ground with his momentum.
“Fucking evil piece of shit!” the man hovered over him. “You think I’m anything like you?”
Yoosung tried to plead with the man with his eyes, suddenly he was terrified, the man appeared to be about to kill him, or at least hurt him very badly.
“I’m going to let you speak, but if I hear the beginnings of any spell I’m going to plunge this into your heart!” there was a pressure against his chest and Yoosung understood it was probably a dagger of some sort. He tried to nod, but of course it was impossible for him to do so.
Suddenly he was able to move his head and his mouth.
“Start talking.” The tip pressed inwards and Yoosung felt it nick his flesh.
“I…I don’t know what you want me to say!” he was flustered, his mind frantic. How could this man deny he was a witch? He’d been practicing magic.
“Why are you here?”
“I told you, I…I was just out for a walk and saw the trail. I…I don’t understand, you…you aren’t a witch? Then…” he glanced at the cauldron questioningly.
“I’m a practitioner of white magic, what you do is an abomination of nature! Where is your coven?”
“White…magic…?” he had never heard of such a thing. He had always assumed there was only one type of magic, the dark kind, the evil kind, the killing kind. He’d never questioned his teachings.
“You don’t know.” The man was genuinely surprised. He sat back on his heels and retracted the dagger, placing back into his voluminous robe. “Sit up.” He commanded. Yoosung’s body relaxed and he was able to control himself again.
He did as he was asked, stretching out his strained muscles.
“No, I was taught there was only one type of magic and that it was only used for gaining more power and influence, for personal pleasure and personal grudges.” He spat the last out in disgust.
“You don’t agree?”
“It never felt right to me. Maybe, maybe that’s why my magic never works correctly. I haven’t ever been able to complete a successful spell, it always goes wrong!”
The man stood and walked to the table where he picked up a book. He sat back down and opened it to a particular page.
“Here, try this.” He handed the book to Yoosung, who took it carefully. A man’s spellbook was a precious thing.
“Are…are you sure?” he doubted the man was really going to let him cast a spell, it was probably a trick, yet he trusted those eyes.
“Positive.” He said and waited.
Yoosung swallowed hard and read the spell several times before attempting it.
He held his hand over the grass beneath him, “Moon above, earth bellow. A gift is given and received. Balance ordered; balance kept. An ounce of blood, an ounce of flesh. The trade is made, sustenance obtained.” As he cast the spell, he could feel the blood drain from him, a life essence that would quickly be replenished. It felt right, not a single thought of trepidation and beneath his hand, the bounty his spell had coaxed, traded, from nature, a single ripe watermelon.
“I did it! It didn’t mess up! I did it!” he was so excited, setting the book down and picking up the watermelon. He looked at the other man, who now had a smile on his face.
“Congratulations witch. You just cast your first white magic spell.”
White magic? Was that it? Was that why his spells never worked? He smiled, sure of the answer, and filled with a million other questions.
“Hi, my name is Yoosung, will, will you teach me?” he asked hopefully.
“Nice to meet you Yoosung, I’m Saeran and I’d be happy to teach you.”
