Magnum Opus - Tales of Aradia: The Last Witch (Volume 1)

Tales of Aradia: the LastWitch

By Magnum Opus

I dedicate this story to mytwo best friends in the whole world, Nuby Caceres Sanchez andKimberly Anne Mattia, whom have always accepted me for who I am inspite of everything. Although I will never be able to truly thankthem enough for being the greatest friends I've ever had, I hopethis story will be a start.

Copyright Magnum Opus2010

Published atSmashwords

This ebook is licensed foryour personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold orgiven away to other people. If you would like to share this bookwith another person, please purchase an additional copy for eachrecipient.Thank you for respecting the hard work of thisauthor

"We have doing nothingwrong!" The cry echoed in Roman's ears as he kept his face stonystill. He stood at the head of the room watching as his menperformed their gruesome duties. Screams could be heard from boththe people being crucified and the ones being hung. The women'sblouses were soaking wet from sweat and tears. Their sobbingcompeted with the children's. The ones who were being hung, kickedtheir little feet in the air while their cries were muffled by thebags tied over their heads. Some of the people were dragged as weakas dolls to their places of death, a broken look in their eyes fromseeing their loved ones killed and not wanting tocontinue.

One of them,however, managedto break free of her captor's hold and raced towards the door.Roman noticed and using his vampire speed that could rivallightening headed her off and slammed the double doors behind him.The woman stopped and fell to the ground. She tried pushing herselfaway but it did no good. Finally she demanded, "why are you doingthis? We have done nothing wrong!" Roman scoffed, "yeah right youbetrayed us. After more than a thousand years the humans now knowabout the hidden world. At least they now know about you and yourpeople. How else would they know unless they were told by one ofyou? You have betrayed us all! You and your people know the law, weof the hidden race must remain hidden and those who break the lawmust be put to death along with their people." "How is killing usall helping to protect the rest of the hidden?" She demanded. Romansnickered as he reached out, grabbed the woman's neck, and broke itin a matter of seconds. "It's good measure," Roman snorted, "andbesides..." he trailed off looking at the shrieking, crying peoplebeing nailed to the crosses or hung from the rafters, "it'sfun!"

Suddenly, he was tapped onthe shoulder by one of his soldiers. Irritated at the interruptionhe turned around to growl, "what?" Quaking a little, the solidernevertheless continued by saying, "I am sorry sir but afterchecking the records of the people in the coven I have discoveredthere appear to be two missing." This definitely aroused Roman'sinterest. "Who could possibly be missing?" he snapped. The solidergulped and nervously spat out, "a woman, the seer of the coven, anda baby." Another solider appeared at Roman's right and said, "sowhat? A mere woman and a child? They are not worth killing!" Romanwhipped around and slapped the solider hard across the face. Thesolider fell to the floor with his lip bleeding and the look in hiseyes murderous. "Didn't you hear what I told her?" Roman said as hepointed to the dead woman at his feet, "it's good measure." Theother solider looking to curry Roman's favor offered to go disposeof them. Roman shook his head and said, "no I will deal with itmyself!"

The white light that greetedRoman upon reaching the little cottage was so blinding that healmost fell backwards. Irregardless, he gathered his wits,continued to move towards the cottage, and with one swift kickRoman broke the door down. The sight that greeted him upon storminginto the cottage was that of a shriveled old woman leaning limplyagainst a chair. A cauldron was in front of her, around her weresmall lit candles, and a spell book lay at her feet. "The seer Ipresume?" He asked while chucking dryly. The woman did not evenreply. Roman cast his eyes around the cottage before demanding,"where's the brat?" "She is safe," the seer replied weakly, "safewhere you and yours cannot touch her. She will be safe until sherealizes her destiny." "Her destiny?" Roman asked skeptically,"what is her destiny?" "To destroy you and your master!" The seersneered at him in a weak but firm crackling voice. Roman grabbedthe woman by the neck and hissed, "what? What are you talkingabout?" "It is done," the woman laughed weakly, "it is done. She issafe where you and yours can never touch her. Sent to where shewill be happy until the time comes to avenge her people and destroyyour master!" "You know what lady?" Roman snapped, "You talk toomuch!" and with that Roman extended his fangs and buried his facein her neck, ignoring her screams.

"Is it done?" a deep almostdead like voice said to Roman as he entered the dimly lit throneroom. Roman eagerly dropped to his knees as he made his report,"yes master it is done. The witches are dead! Dead to the lastchild!" "Your lying," the voice spoke softly. The voice took formof a man wearing a long black cloak, shiny black shoes, and longdarkened pants. He stood up, his footsteps making frighteningclicking sounds as he slowly made his way towards Roman. Romanquaked as he defended himself, "no master I swear to you they areare all dead. From the head witch to the seer they all rot in theirprecious town hall hidden away in their secret coven." "What of theseer's child?" the master asked. Roman trembled before asking, "youknow of it?" The master growled before saying, "well what of her?Is she dead too!" "But master," Roman protested, "you said we wereto execute the witches on charges of treason what difference doesone child make!"

"The difference in followingmy orders and disobeying them you fool! But I get the feeling youdid not kill her! Therefore the seer's child still lives! " themaster cried out stamping his foot in frustration. Roman shook hishead before asking, "I do not understand master why does the deathof one little girl mean so much to you?." "of course you don'tunderstand," the master said turning away from Roman, "you are toostupid to understand anything."

Roman stiffened from theindignation at least until he heard the master chuckle softly. "Youare not displeased master?" Roman asked now sounding confused abouthis master's sudden mood swing. "Of course I am," the mastercontinued, "but there is nothing to be done about it. At least notnow is it Morgan?" A woman enshrouded in another black cloakclutching a crystal ball on a staff appeared in a puff of darksmoke. Wrapping one gnarled green hand on the ball she spoke in adisembodied voice. "No master, the child is lost. Lost for now inthe fold." "Do you really believe it's possible that a mere childof a slaughtered race will become my downfall?" the master spokefolding his arms. The woman hesitated before answering in atrembling voice, "I have read the signs, used the runes, conversedwith the gods and goddesses of time and space..." "for God's sakeanswer my question!" he snapped. The woman hesitated again, gulped,and said in a soft weak voice, "yes." Roman and the woman preparedthemselves for the explosion instead the master sighed and placedhis hand against his face hidden in the hood of his cloak. Finallyhe broke the tension in the air by asking, "tell me somethingMorgan. Do your visions always come true?" The woman hesitated yetagain but then answered, "the future is a very unpredictable thing.One different step can make a whole new path." "In other words youdon't know?" the master snapped. Reluctantly, the woman nodded. Themaster sighed and said, "well for all of our sakes let's hope outof all the accurate predictions you have made for me, may this notbe one of them!"

"You'd think they'd tell usbefore we drove for six hours," Ross Preston muttered under hisbreath, sounding extremely bitter. "Did you say something honey?"Ross turned to look at the speaker, his wife Liza. Small, andpetite with mousy blond hair and a voice that was barely audible;'little woman' was a perfect way to describe Liza Preston. Hersmall appearance and her gentle behavior made many people wonderwhy she had chosen to marry Ross, who in contrast, was a large,brown eyed curly haired, loud-mouthed, outspoken hard-ass of aman.