NIGHTS OF HALLOW

In a faraway land was a forest so dense that only the sight of it can make one run miles away.

Humans never entered or came near its vicinity, unless they were the unfortunate ones who were captured and were going to be used as sacrifices by the creatures who lived in the forest.

Even some vampires didn’t try venturing into it, only the most powerful were brave enough to enter.

The tales told by these powerful vampires that went into the forest were enough warning to whomever tried to explore it as no one had ever gone inside and came out in one piece.

All of these led to the forest being named ’FOREST OF PERIL’.

One could hear the loud hoots of owls and wild animals in the forest. The wind blew heavily on the tall and huge trees causing their leaves to sway in the direction of the wind with their sizzling sound that echoed and drove fear into the heart of any.

Inside the forest, the forest floor and top of the trees were dry with no trace of falling snow.

The trees were dry and their leaves scattered on the forest floor. It was said that the weather in the forest was different from the weather outside the forest, and the days there went by slowly. This always deceived so many into thinking that they had been there for a few hours, not knowing they had spent some quality days there.

Even in this strange forest, one soul walked steadily deep into the heart of the forest, the person’s steps firm, and the sounds of the scrunching dry leaves under the feet accompanied the already eerie sounds of the forest.

This person was none other than Serena the witch.

The weather of the forest being different from outside was dark as it was time of night.

Her green eyes were fearlessly looking and watching where she was going. Looking at her aura, one would say she owned this territory, which in turn was true.

This forest of Peril belonged to her and other witches who were the cause of the tales flying around in the kingdom.

A loud whistle suddenly echoed around the forest making Serena stop in her tracks and her ears perked up while she moved her head a little to the side to get a better hearing of where the whistle came from.

Just as how the whistle came, so did it stop. The loud sounds of the forest abruptly stopped too and the forest became dead silent.

Serena frowned as her green eyes narrowed. She continued to walk, this time looking for woods in the forest.

When she gathered enough wood, she sat down near a tree with her back resting on it. She put the woods together to create fire, and with a snap of her fingers, the dry woods caught fire.

She sat upright with legs folded, her palms placed face down on the burning fire. Her green eyes closed for the briefest time before they opened to show a white iris.

Her lips moved in a whisper together with her hands that moved around the fire. Soon, the fire went off leaving only the smoke that trailed up to the top of the trees before disappearing into the sky.

Serena continued her incantations while keeping her voice as low as she could. She suddenly stopped and distinguished the smoke, and her eyes returned to normal.

Almost immediately, two men appeared in front of Serena and fell on their knees with heads bowed deeply.

”Her Ladyship,” They both chorused with respect.

Serena stood up and dusted her hand. She stared at the men and spoke, ”Rise,”

The men rose to their feet, their striking green eyes stared at the green orbs of Serena before they lowered their gaze.

”Mr. Leonard and Mr. Fredrick,” Serena called in a voice almost a whisper, a subtle smile playing on her lips. ”I see you two have been awake for some time.”

”Yes, My Lady.” Mr. Leonard answered. ”We’ve been at the mansion since the day we woke from hibernation as you and His Lordship instructed.”

”Good,” Serena praised and turned to look at Leonard and Fredrick who looked surprised and at the same time curious.

Fredrick bowed, ”Her Ladyship, it has been several years since you woke up before us, and right now, we don’t know where the rest of our family members are. Where is, His Lordship?”

The expression of Serena immediately changed. Her face contoured in anger and a slight sadness could be detected in her eyes.

”His Lordship refused to be woken up. He slept back on his own, saying he will wake up once the time for it comes.”

Fredrick and Leonard nodded their heads in understanding. Leonard was the next to speak.

”Her Ladyship, what about the little Lord and Little Lady?” Leonard asked hesitantly.

”They’re gone,” Serena answered in a strained voice. ”I couldn’t find them. They’re gone. I don’t know if they’re dead or alive, captured or free. Their graves were empty.”

”What?!” Leonard and Fredrick shrieked loudly. Their eyes were wide with fear and uncertainty.

”His Lordship...” Leonard began to be cut off by Serena whose voice rose as she said.

”His Lordship shall never know what happened to his children. Do you hear me? Until I find them, no one is allowed to wake him except I.”

”Our great family of witches will be incomplete if we don’t find them. And if His Lordship wakes up and didn’t see them, there will be chaos. You all will die. Do you both understand me?” Serena questioned in a hard voice.

”Yes, Her Ladyship.” Mr. Leonard and Mr. Fredrick answered simultaneously with their heads bowed.

Leonard raised his head while staring ahead of him with several thoughts and questions in his head he couldn’t ask at the moment.

When he did turn to look at Serena, he began to speak, ”I thought it was ordered that every one of us were to lie in our respective graves? Then how come they were not found in theirs? Did anyone wake them before time?”

Serena exhaled a distant look now on her face. She replied to Leonard’s question, ”They were in their graves, Leonard. No one woke them before time. I don’t know what happened and how they managed to leave their graves even under the spells used to close and lock the graveyard.”

”This is a grave and bad omen. If they’re not found, we are all dead. The vampires will overrule us. They will kill us.” Fredrick said in a panicked voice.

”I know, Fredrick.” Serena turned to look at the man who appeared to be young with similar eye color as her. They all did. Every member of the witch family had green eyes as their distinguishing feature and their ever-young bodies.

Serena continued to speak, ”I know that disaster will befall us if we fail to find them. That is the reason why I’ve been looking for them.”

”We will help, Her Ladyship.” Leonard volunteered while Fredrick nodded his head in approval.

Serena smiled. ”It will be hard, Leo and Fred. It has been long you know of their scents. The only scent I have of them is faint.”

”It will be enough, My Lady,” Fredrick responded in a firm voice. ”With you leading the way, we will find them and bring them back, else we will be doomed. The time is almost near.”

”It is, Fredrick. The last time I perceived their scents was in Woodbridge village.” Serena said with a thoughtful look.

”Where is that?” Fredrick and Leonard questioned at the same time.

”It’s too late, they’re also gone from there. They’re no longer there that’s why I came here so I can reach out to you two who are awake at the moment.”

”This is bad.” Leonard groaned in frustration. ”Where are we going next if we can’t find them there?”

”I don’t know.” Came the slow and tired answer from Serena. ”Perhaps, we will search the entire kingdom and capture anyone who has green eyes.”

”It will take time, I know.” Serena sighed but her eyes were firm with resolve, ”If we are determined we will find them soon. If not we are doomed.”