A witch. Where's my broom? Ok, stop thinking like that, I thought to myself, looking around.

It all started with those little dreams, sensations, hallucinations of places I've never been to.

For instance, this one.

 It was late in the afternoon. I stopped when that road came into view. The forest road. It seemed to be less travelled by if the dry leaves and the fallen branches on the path were anything to go by.

All I could see around me were trees. Different trees dried up due to the season of the year. And then some occasional ones with its green ones intact.

I had walked quite the distance.

What were you thinking, going around places just because they were in your weird dreams, trying to find out about yourself? Idiot.

This didn't work.

Just like that old book I had rented from the library last week. I had tried practising some of those things. I had memorized all that I felt like memorizing and had tried to make them work. Incantations, sigils, anything. But it didn't work.

I huffed, turning around, intending to go back.

And then, I stopped. Something in me made me stop.

You don't intend to go back after coming so far, do you?

Nope. Let's look around.

Sidestepping the forest way, I walked ahead. There was a calmness here, but it didn't make it peaceful. It just made it lonely.

This would be the perfect time to realise that this was not a good idea. If you don't want to be murdered, mugged or something worse, you should turn back.

Yet, I walked ahead.

Looks like some other level of stupidity to me.

But this place feels safe. Something you don't easily feel.

What if it's to lure you in?

Well, I'm a witch, aren't I? Maybe, this would be the perfect time for my powers to show up.

Walking ahead, I found another path, but this was paved with cobblestones. 

Cobblestones? In the middle of nowhere?

Stepping on the cobblestones, I walked ahead. There was a bend and then looking up, I found myself standing in front of a coffee shop.

It was a wooden cabin, two green shrubs at either edge. A pristine white circular table and a chair to one side.

Looking around, I found various flower plants. Some recognisable, while others I had never seen before.

A board was stumped at the side of the cabin saying,

“BREWED

Keep calm and drink coffee.”

It brought a smile to my face. Well, at least some good came out of this long walk. I get coffee.

I walked ahead, intending to open the door, but as I went to open the door latch, I found it to be locked.

“Eager, aren't you?”

A sarcastic voice observed from my side, making me jump back from my position in shock. I screamed.

“No need to be so loud!”

The same voice responded. Turning my head sideways, I found someone sitting on the chair, not much older than me. 

The person had a rich mahogany skin that seemed to sparkle in the dim afternoon sun, box braids surrounding their face.

“It sure took you some time." 

I kept staring, confused. What does that mean?

“Delano Hart, it's a pleasure to meet you.”

“I'm sorry. Who are you?”

“Oh, the owner of this shop, of course,” pointing towards the coffee cabin, he said, “Welcome to Brewed.”

“Alright, Delano, what did you mean by that “it sure took you some time” comment.”

“Oh…well, that was just because you see, um, how deserted this place is. People hardly come here anymore.”

“You mean people actually used to come here. Doesn't seem like the right place to set up a business.”

He chuckled, not so amused. Getting up, he gestured towards the shop, saying, 

“You want to come in? Get something to drink?”

“Uh…sure.”

Just as I stepped back for him to unlock the door, Delano handed it to me, saying, “Go ahead.”

Strange human.

Opening the door, a strange feeling rushed through me. It was faint, but it was there.

Delano waited by the door as I went in. I heard a sigh of disappointment from him. 

The interior was cosier than anything I had ever seen. Ceiling lanterns hung above, casting dim yellow light around. Brown sofas and chairs were placed around two tables.

And then there was the counter. Rows and rows of glass jars sat on the countertop. Each filled with some kind of powder or dry herb. And the wall shelf attached to the side was filled with small potted plants.

As I sat down, my original plan for the day long forgotten, I watched the shop owner get to work. A frown etched deep on his face.

“You never introduced yourself,” without looking up, he mentioned.

“Oh, yeah, it's Sorin Monroe.”

“So Sorin, how did you come about this place?”

“I was just looking, I guess.”

“Looking for what?”

He is asking a bit too many questions.

“Just looking around? I've never been here before.”

He didn't seem satisfied but didn't bother asking much.

I looked around the place, never seeming to get enough.

“Those herbs and shrubs are beautiful.”

“They are, aren't they?”

A small smile graced his face as if he was reminiscing a memory.

“Like nothing I've ever seen before.”

My gaze went up towards the ceiling lanterns again as he placed my coffee in front of me.

I got out of my seat, coffee in hand as I made my way to the centre most area of the place. At first glance, one might not notice it, but looking closer, the lantern above me was strange. Attracting your attention. Or maybe that's just me.

It somehow was. I couldn't pinpoint it. My hand involuntarily went to touch it.

“What is it?”

Delano asked, walking towards me, confused and curious. 

That's when it started. 

Some kind of foreign words were being chanted. It seemed as if the cabin was getting smaller and smaller, closing in on us. A cloak of mist surrounded us.

It was hard to breathe, the darkness around me made everything pitch black. As my eyes closed and I drifted away, I heard someone calling out my name.

___

“You dare think of your future king as anything less than your superior!”

“A scandal if I ever saw one!”

My limbs wanted to disengage from my body.

“Pride and anger. Both are destructive.”

An acute headache started.

“The good or harm that you do to others will come back threefold.

It was hard to breathe.

“Will you wait?”

“Even if it takes forever.”

And then, I was floating.

___

“Sorin, Sorin, wake up!”

My eyes focused. Sitting up, I looked around. My voice groggy as I asked, 

“Where are we?”

Looking at the sky, it was a Baleful grey.

Everything here was still. The calm in the forest did not compare to this. Not even a single bird chirped. Even the air didn't seem too insistent on travelling.

We were in some other woodland. But this one was darker. Drier. Gloomier.

“What's going on, Delano?”

“I can't be too sure.”

“Just tell me.”

“I think we are somewhere else.”

“I get that, yo–”

“No. That's not it.”

“Well, then what is it?”

“I think, I think you unlocked it,” he looked at me, an expression on his face between hopeful and doleful.

I was confused.

“Unlocked what?”

“The gates to the world of the wizards.”

“World of the wizards?”

I questioned him, incredulous, watching as he looked around.

“Yes, but this is not at all how it used to be!”

“You mean, you've been here before?”

“Yes, of course.”

“H-How?”

“Well, because I was or kinda am a wizard.”

In my astonishment, I failed to notice the frown of panic that settled on his face.

Thinking it better to keep my questions to myself, for now, I started following him as he walked us through a forest trail.

Not a single leaf fluttered in the cold air.

What the–?

Every single thing here made questions bubble up in my head.

“Did you hear that?”

“What?”

He walked ahead.

“I heard someone weeping…far away.”

“You are not making sense.”

Walking out of the forest, we set foot near a huddle of houses.

“Stop peeping, Delano.”

He gasped. Pointing towards something, he gestured for me to move forward, as if unsure of what to say. 

When my gaze fell on it, I looked. And looked some more. It was almost transparent. But there was a mother, standing by the cot of her child. As if she was singing a lullaby, and never finished. 

And now, they were fading.

We passed through numerous such houses until our feet gave up and we sat down by a tree.

My stomach growled.

“You know, I never did finish that coffee.”

“We don't even have anyth— wait, I had a few berries. Here.”

He handed them to me as I asked,

“So, what's the plan? What's going on? Why are we here? What gate? What did you mean by the world of wiz—”

“Deep breaths, Sorin. We are in the world of wizards and witches. I was born here, I know this place. I don't exactly know what's going on here, but you opened the gates to this place. I had a piece of paper with me suggesting someone will open them, one day. And as for the plan...”

He looked northward, deep in thought.

“...We should walk in that direction. Let's see what is happening here?”

Nodding in affirmation, I asked another thing that had been in my mind for the past couple of hours.

“What kind of witch are you?”

“A green witch. Specialised in herbs and plants.”

“Ah, that explains the shrubbery. What am I, then?”

“I don't know, but I guess, you would find out in time.”

We took our rest as time stood still. It must have been hours in the human world, but the time did not pass. It stayed still. Even the abiotic components seemed to take their sweet time here.

The awful silence seemed to be ever so present. It was unnerving. As if everything was dead and gone. 

On our way, Delano explained things to me. The pentagon or the great five that ruled and balanced their kind. Or our kind, for that matter. He, for some reason, did not seem to remember much of anything that had happened.

He informed me about wind, water, soil, fire and the spirit. I had known that already from that book I had. But four of these were in the hands of the witches, to balance each other. The spirit on the other hand, was not exclusive to anyone just as it wasn't inclusive to anyone.

“There it is,” he whispered, almost to himself.

I looked up.

There, rising above all was the palace. The view was not clear. It was shrouded in darkness and cloaked by a strange mist seeming to absorb all its light, exuding despondency.

As we made our way to it, it seemed as if it wanted to push us away.

Making our way past the massive entry gates, we stepped onto the hall. Just like everything, the hall was lightless. Serene.

There were statues to the sides and some busts. The thing was that they seemed to stare at you, too human to be just standing still.

“What was the plan again?”

“To know what in the bard's name is going on.”

“Who's the bard?”

“Shh.”

He, for sure, had been in this place before, if his determined pace was any indication.

We walked into a room, a throne room, larger than any room I've ever seen.

To the sides, there were multiple chair-like structures adorned with drapes, but what attracted your attention was the throne. 

The strange patterns on its top seemed to speak of a tragic tale. 

On one of the steps, was a book lying. It lured me against my wish. I stepped closer.

“Del, what is that bo–!”

A strong force pushed me back. 

“Sorin, look up,” He whispered, horrified.

Looking up, I found silhouettes, floating above. In their own silent world. 

And then, darkness clouded the place. I found us in front of the entry gates of the palace. 

“What just happened?”

I need to stop touching stuff.

Without answering, Delano stood up and went forward towards the gate, with all intentions of getting in again. The gates, ominous as always, didn't seem to think so, because they did not open. 

He sighed and looked at me,

“I don't know what's going on.”

“What do you remember?”

“Snippets.”

“Well, there must have been some kind of documentation, right? Maybe somewhere we can acquire info?"

His head perked up at that.

“You're right! How come I never thought of that?”

“Yeah, well, what is it?”

“I remember this…there was a separate bibliotheca. You can find any answer there. It's only a matter of will.”

“Well, let's go then! Lead the way!”

He hesitated for a while, but then thinking better of it otherwise, he started walking.

Where we entered later, was a bibliophile's house of dreams. It wasn't nearly as misty as the palace. Instead of entering through the main gates, Delano sneaked us through a large window to the side. 

Inside, there were rows and rows of shelves. Books upon books and well, potions. Lights were out, but somehow, it was comfortable. Like a good old memory.

When we set to work, Delano's gaze seemed to go to the back every few minutes, a faraway look on his face.

So I took it upon myself to go check that section. He was too busy to the side anyway.

I walked through the aisles. These shelves somehow seemed forbidden. 

Don't touch anything.

Lifting my index finger, I traced them lightly, perusing the books. At one point, I felt as if I was slowly drifting into a dream.

A boy stood there, holding the same book in his hands.

He had found it, at last.

He remembered what the sea witch, Esadora, had said to him. He didn't know any witchcraft. No spells, no incantation, it was pathetic really. How would anyone ever accept him? How would he ever accept him? And he was in his late teens. As Esadora said, it just wasn't meant to be. Unless…

And here was the answer. It could be dangerous, it was dangerous. He could get killed in the process, but he just had to do this.

He would go to inherent depths to see that smile on his face. To be with him.

“Eiran?”

Shutting the book, he put it in its place, hurrying out of there.

“Eiran! What are you doing here?”

The boy asked, his curious eyes stared at Eiran. He didn't even realise how beautiful he was, Eiran thought.

It was Delano.

“Oh, nothing. Just…looking.”

“You wouldn't do anything stupid, right?”

Eiran nodded his head, hoping everything would be alright.

“Let's go!”

“Sorin?”

I walked from behind the shelves, a little out of it.

“Did you find anything?”

“Yes, look. Remember, I told you about a page. It seems to be taken from this very book, whatever way it reached me,” he said, handing me a piece of paper.

The paper crinkled as I opened it.

“A wizard banished from his home,

Shall bestow his faith on the stones.

For the destiny shall bring one day,

One of his kind to take him away.”

“So this is what you meant when you said I took my time.”

“Well, I could never tell who was not human. Hit and trial was my only option.”

Nodding my head in understanding, I settled my gaze on the book now. 

“A love shall find,

It prevails in time.

Have patience, child,

That is prime.

The curse that stills

The circle of life.

Shall lift along with,

The human strife.”

“But how? How do we lift the curse?”

Delano glared at it as if that would intimidate the book enough to give him answers.

As I turned to the next page, I found something written in another language. One that neither of us was familiar with. Or maybe Delano was but didn't have the memories of it.

As Delano went to the shelf nearby, trying to find something, anything to get by, I traced the black ink scribbled over the pages.

“You dare refuse my order, boy!”

“But I never refused your order—”

“I curse thee, the faulty future king of these lands…”

She chanted an incantation, flicking her wand.

A bolt of strange lightning curled out of it, going for the strike, straight to the sky.

The sun hid behind the clouds, something sinister filled the air. Time stood still. The ticking of the enchanted clock had stopped, stuck in one place.

Everything stopped, the prince's movements stuck. As if drifting apart, he disappeared. The single piece of paper that he'd carried in his hands was now lost, somewhere beyond the wizarding world.

To someone who'd need it more than ever.

I gasped out loud, making Delano turn to me in worry.

“Are you alright, Sorin?”

My head was throbbing.

“Yes, yes. I'm alright. Let's search some more, yeah?”

What I had failed to notice was the hunch in his shoulders.

“Why would anyone curse anyway? That's against the rules. Whatever you do comes back to you! Everyone knows that.”

Whatever you do…the good or harm to others...comes back…

Those words seemed familiar.

“C'mon Del, don't tell me you're giving up after coming so far. For you and your people.”

“What people? I was banished.”

“That's exactly why I said your people. Let's get to work.”

I said turning back, going to search, the little dreams I was having, the strange sensations, still on my mind.

It was a curse. But how do you lift it? And what is that cloud surrounding this place?

It comes back threefold.

The headache was getting more and more painful.

What is my identity?

“I can't forget you even if I tried. You are a part of me, Eiran.”

“You will never be enough!”

“I will do anything I can to prove myself worthy. Even if I die.”

“A little scheming goes a long way.”

“You cheated.”

“No! You foolish child! You can't stop me even if you tried.”

What happened to Delano's memories?

“And then there is Anrat. It does not have an identity, yet it lives inside of us. But now, as it gets stronger, it can and will suck your happiness, memories, and lives.

“What good or harm you do to others will come back threefold. 

Always.”

I was in an abyss. 

What happened to me?

Lost.

Who am I?

And alone.

“Her memories don't exist. They have been tampered with, if not completely destroyed.”

“Who would do that?”

“I don't know. Perhaps, people closest to her.”

“You mean, the king?”

“Won't put it past him. How he is with his son can explain a lot of things.”

“She was supposed to live with the humans for a while.”

“Wherever destiny takes her. May the spirits watch over your path.”

I knew what I had to do.

Without letting myself think about anything that I had seen, I ran out of the library. Delano did the same as me, telling me that he had found what we were looking for.

Anrat. One major part of her curse. Esadora. 

Well, she had made a mistake.

The palace gates loomed above us, but seeing as we had no intention of entering, it was not of much use anyway.

We stood right where I thought Anrat had first started its work.

Delano stood on the opposite side, trying to work out his own sigils.

I chanted the words that I had once seen in that book of mine, putting my entire focus into how this place would have looked before and trying to bring it back.

Your intention.

Break it down.

Shapes.

Arrange your shapes.

And activate.

“No…”

“Yes, dude, calm down. You're not real. You don't even exist. You're just an abstract thought, not to forget terrorizing people.”

“I won't let you!”

“You will, Anrat. You've sucked on the witches' and wizard's lives enough. Time to give it back.”

When I went to flicked my wrist, I was thrown backwards, but it didn't matter. The job had been done. My teeny tiny spark coiled around Delano's and went somewhere inside the mist.

I waited with baited breath, wanting to know if it even worked.

“I will come bac—ahh!”

The voice was lost with the wind. It did work.

“Tata. Bye-bye.”

I waved my hand. The dark mist parted, making it easier for me to reach Del.

When I saw him lying on the ground, I didn't think much of it.

“Del? Del, wake up, now. You can't sleep just because time doesn't exis—”

 He jolted upright. Looking at me and yet unseeing. He rushed past me to the throne room, throwing open the doors.

He whispered a few words. An incantation or a request maybe, to whoever was above, I wasn't sure.

He went ahead and grabbed the book, pulling it to his chest. It was a heartbreaking sight. I turned away, closing my eyes. But as warm light flitted in my vision, I had to open my eyes. I watched as warm beams of sunlight filtered through the windows, illuminating the once dead dark halls. 

That was when I knew this wouldn't be as sad as I had expected.

Turning around in a hurry, I saw the other guy. Same shade of brown hair as mine. Woah, we are more alike than I thought. Courtesy of being twins, I guess.

I watched both the guys, as they looked at each other. Confusion not deterring them from taking their fill of each other.

“Eiran?”

“Delano?”

“You're alive!” 

They both whispered at each other.

I better get out before they get all mushy, I thought, but walking away, I did not miss it as they hugged each other.

“Never ever do that again. Or I will not talk to you.”

“Sorry?”

_____

“It is an honour, Ms Monroe.”

“I know, right!”

He looked at me, confused.

“Stop teasing my boyfriend, Sorin.”

Eiran cleared his throat, scratching his wrist as he side-eyed Delano. 

“Yeah,” his wrist scratching intensified,“B-Boyfriend.”

A shy brother?

This is fun to watch.

“You, from now on, are a part of us, Sorin.”

It would take some time, maybe, but I will create my own destiny.

Because now, I've found my people.

Answers from a different world.

And that for now, is enough.