Follow me Witch Boy, I may know how to save you. (The Covenant)

The Rules of Coexistence

With a movement from her hand, Alessa opened a circular portal to take them back to her place. It took most of the morning and afternoon for Alessa and Chase to reach an accord. As they sat on the small kitchen with occasional snacks and cookies they started to set limits to their public performances. There were simple rules he had to follow to ensure his survival in Aloburgh.

The first rule was the hardest to follow. No free use of The Power. It was precisely the contrary of what Chase wanted to do, but once again he was willing to give up. Alessa then explained that in Aloburgh people were conservative to the point of stigmatizing magic and its wielders. They would treat any out of the ordinary phenomena as magic that should be eradicated, but it contrasted with their vision and superstitions.

"Aren't you exaggerating a bit Sweetheart? We are in the dawn of the XXI century; surely these people aren't as primitive as you're picturing them."

"No! Believe me, they are. I was once at this class... it was something related with economy or entrepreneurship, and this ... "friend"..." the word friend was framed by air quotation marks. "said that she truly believed the one and only God created the world in seven days."

"Wait a minute... Don't you believe in God? What do witches believe in?" It was a loaded question. Chase had given up the concept of God long ago, when he discovered he was the bastard son of a decrepit 40 years old warlock. When he learned what The Power made to its wielders he lost the little faith he had in a God. But he was intrigued by the girl's words. She was undecided to answer that question.

"Look, I can't speak for all of the witches out there. I've met some witches who believe in an almighty God and prefer to deny their magic. I've met others that believe in the magic of Earth and the elements and some others believe there is no god, only knowledge and power. So pick what suits you better."

"You didn't answer. What do you believe in?"

"I know magic is science. We deal with power, elemental power that allows us to bend reality."

"Now you have piqued my interest." Chase turned his body to demonstrate full attention to the words from the girl. He saw her chuckle to his demeanor and proceeded.

"I know I have! Since you don't have a formal education about your powers, you don't really know the extent of them."

"Is there a Witchcraft school that I've been missing?"

"Sorry Witch boy, there is no Hogwarts for people like us. There is however tradition and knowledge that passes from generation to generation. It is the duty of your covenant to teach you about your powers."

In that moment an image came to his mind. "The Book of Damnation." Chase whispered absentmindedly.

"Sorry?" Alessa was now confused since she could barely hear him. So far they were talking animatedly to each other without really paying attention to all the previous frictions between them.

"Oh, the Book of Damnation. It was my other target. I would get it once I got the power of the ones that outcaste my lineage. It has the history of power until our days." It was a book that the remaining founding families from Ipswich had and passed from fathers to sons. Chase supposed that he could find a way to destroy permanently the ones who wronged his legacy.

"That means that you never had access to your own history? That is sad, but explains a lot about your lack of knowledge." Alessa took a sip from the glass of water in front of her.

"And you do have one?"

"Mine for sure isn't damned. For my lineage and most witches, to be able to use magic is not a condemnation. It is a privilege we accept and we live for. Nonetheless I'd be lying if I'd say that there is not an internal fight to gain domain over the power of others. Mine is called Encantus, every witch receives their Encantus at the age of 13, when their powers start to show. Then is responsibility of the eldest Witch in the Covenant to instruct the younger witches for their Ascension."