Sandara Harrison is not dubbed the Jade Witch for nothing. Despite her age, she has managed to instill fear into countless demons and even fellow witches know not to cross her. She is not the most powerful witch- she isn’t even anywhere close to being amongst the top five. But that does not make her any less respected than the top witches of the realm. With the highest magic potential in several millennia- one that even outclasses the High Witch’s monstrous affinity for magic- her sphere of influence is by no means small. For a witch who is barely three and a half centuries old, her mental resilience is frighteningly strong.
Thus, it comes as a huge shock to Estelle Vane to see her looking like one whose soul has been literally sucked away, leaving behind an empty shell. She is sprawled on the floor, eyes bloodshot and swollen beyond recognition. Her hair is disheveled, no doubt the result of intense tousling- something the Jade Witch does whenever she is upset, stressed, or under severe pressure. She is still dressed in the clothes she wore earlier. Her aura is frail and barely present- signs of severe trauma and emotional instability. Overall, she is a sight for sore eyes.
Estelle relaxes a little when she detects no threat lurking within or around the house. She takes small steps towards her distraught sister and raises her hands up, showing that she is not a threat. By adopting a conciliatory pose, she is able to get close enough to initiate physical contact without triggering an attack against herself.
“What happened?” the High Witch crouches till she is on the same level as her sister. The younger witch only stares on, as if she did not hear the question. The older witch tries to scan her, but she cannot see anything other than a brick wall. Shocked, she repeats the action two more times but is met with the same result. A tinge of worry grips her, and she wonders if her sister has been possessed. While it is extremely rare, a witch, just like a human, can be possessed by a demon or a ghoul. As much as it is almost impossible for a witch like her sister to fall prey to a demon’s antics, she refuses to brush off this possibility. After all, she just returned from Morsgrove.
Another thought flits across her mind. What if she’s grown strong enough to block me out unconsciously? Estelle shrugs off that thought at first, unable to believe that her younger sister can wield such power. Her mental abilities have been pruned and sharpened by years of study, wars and practice. How possible is it that a witch who has not even lived half as long as she has can wield mental powers that rival hers? Not rival, dear. This far surpasses the limits of your abilities. She refutes her subconscious immediately. Deny it all you want. You wouldn’t be completely shut out if her powers were just a tad bit stronger than yours.
Squashing down the unpleasant feelings that creep up in her chest, she continues to examine Sandara, silently setting up more guards in case of the inevitable. She couldn’t have her daughter caught in the shockwaves of whatever could happen.
At this thought, she remembers the last time she saw her daughter. Lia was dressed in a pair of ripped jeans, along with a white crop top and black boots. She’d worried that the silly girl would catch a cold but later realized that her fears were for naught when Sandara appeared out of the blue and wrapped a coat around her. As she watched the duo banter, a wave of jealousy almost overwhelmed her, but she managed to catch herself before she slipped. She remembered the seer’s prophecy and knew that it was best if she stayed away, but she couldn’t bring herself to. She reasoned that Sandara did the right thing, as she would’ve otherwise exposed herself and risked ruining the entire scheme.
Suddenly, she considers a possibility. An insane and technically impossible one due to all the guards set in place, but a possibility nonetheless. It is true that nothing can ruffle Sandara’s feathers. But Lia is an exception to this.
As she considers the possibility that Lia could be in danger, her heart rate spikes and her stomach feels heavy with dread. Trying to remain as calm as ever, she rises up and ignores the slight creaking of her bones as she makes her way to the bed.
Her eyes widen as she takes in the sight of her daughter. Lia’s skin is pale, so pale that her veins are visible, and this is without using special senses. Her hair is plastered to her face and her cheeks are sunken, nothing like her appearance a week ago.
Estelle Vane has been the High Witch for more than half a decade, and she knows a failed awakening when she sees one.
When a child in the supernatural world reaches a certain age, he or she undergoes a massive physical and spiritual overhaul, allowing them to tap into their powers and wield them. This process is known as the Awakening; it marks the end of childhood and the beginning of maturity. This is what sets members of the supernatural realm apart from the mortals, as mortals never Awaken. A Failed Awakening refers to the inability of a child to Awaken his or her powers. Depending on the level of failure, a Failed Awakening can be mild or severe.
The High Witch sends a jolt of electricity to her sister to awaken her from her stupor. Every moment wasted is a shred of hope lost. “We can still save her. Get over here and assist me in casting suspects sorginkeria[ Resuscitation spell.]. You should have contacted me the moment you found her in this state.”
Together, they cast the resuscitation spell, reverting Lia’s body, soul, and spirit to their original state.