Willow Island

Chapter 13

The second voice continues. "You cannot help her. He wants her to stay here. If he finds you he will keep you here or worse. This is not a place for the living. Go now before you walk among us because you are dead."

"Where am I? Is this the otherworld? I cast a spell to join my mother and I was brought here to this land of grey nothingness. Can you help me?"

The first voice I heard speaks again. "This is the afterlife for witches. A peaceful place until your mother arrived. Her arrival stirred up old vendettas from years past. Her coming here to save something in the land of the living broke him. He took over our world of blissful eternity and turned it into chaos. This fog spreads each cycle. If something is not done our afterlife will be nothing but what you see. Grey, cold, and miserable forever will we be."

"So, I did reach the otherworld. My mother is here then."

"If your mother is the sea witch from the land of the living he has trapped here then yes. She is here."

"Could you step from the grey and let me see you both? I would like to say this to your faces."

"In unison, I hear, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am sure."

Directly in front of me, two people emerged from the blanket of fog. I tell myself they are people but they are more ethereal than that. I soon realized they were floating rather than walking. If I tried to touch them no doubt my hand would pass right through.

They both have long wavy hair and are wearing floor-length gowns. It is really hard to make out detailed features because they blend with their gowns and their surroundings like they are flowing with the air itself.

I greet them hesitantly. "Nice to meet you both. I am Luna. The daughter of Helene the High Priestess of Luna Oceanus Coven. My mother did not come here voluntarily. She merely tried to contact her ancestors and something or someone pulled her into this world. Thank you for the warnings and for confirming I have reached my destination. I cannot heed your warnings, however. I must find her and return to the land of the living with her."

The ethereal being on the left spoke first. "My name is Divinity. I have been here for a very long time. With time my memories from the land of the living fade, but I recognize the coven's name you mentioned. You said your mother was High Priestess of Luna Oceanus Coven correct?"

"Yes, she is and we need her back."

"If I am not mistaken Luna Oceanus Coven practiced on Willow Island when I was still residing in the mortal plane. Do you still practice there?"

"How do you know that?" I ask.

The ethereal being to the right speaks in response to my question. "Because my sister and I were members of Quattuor Elementis Coven on Willow Island. We practiced with witches from your coven."

"You are elemental witches?" I ask them. They nod in response.

"Divinity and," I look toward the witch on the right. "What is your name?"

"I am Freyja."

"Divinity and Freyja as you know I am here to save my mother. My mother on the other hand is here to save Willow Island. She ended up trapped here during a ritual that was meant to contact her ancestors who she believes can save the island from sinking into the ocean. The ritual went sideways and she ended up here. I must find her to save her and the island she cherishes."

Freyja looks at her sister who nods and then back at me. "We will help you find your mother and your ancestors. We loved our time on Willow Island and do not wish it to be destroyed. We require something from you in return, however. We want our afterlife returned to how it was before chaos came to power. We help you and you help us. That is the deal. Are you interested?"