THE WITCH'S REBIRTH

The music was loud enough to make my chest thump, and the lights were flashing everywhere like they were fighting to blind me. Lana's birthday party was in full swing, and honestly, I'd lost count of how many shots I'd had. Everything felt a little too warm, a little too fuzzy, but I was having fun. I deserved to have fun.

Lana had just climbed up a chair, yelling something about being twenty and dangerous, and everyone screamed. I laughed so hard I nearly spilt my drink. The place was packed with people dancing, shouting, and sweating. For once, it felt like the world wasn't so heavy on me.

Around midnight, I decided it was time to go. I could already hear Aunt Reina's voice in my head about "late nights and bad choices." She was working a night shift at the hospital, so she wouldn't know I was just getting home, but, still, I grabbed my jacket and waved goodbye to Lana, who was still surrounded by her fan club.

Outside, the air was cold and smelled like rain. My head spun a little. A guy I'd seen at the party, tall, with that overconfident grin, guys like him always have, followed me out.

"Heading home?" he asked, falling into step beside me.

"Yeah," I said, hoping he'll take the hint. But he didn't,

"I could keep you company," he offered, smiling like he thought he was doing me a favour.

I gave a small laugh. "I'm fine, really."

We got to my car, and he leaned against the door, still talking about how boring parties get after midnight. I don't even remember what I said back, but somehow, he ended up in the passenger seat as I drove off. I guess I didn't want to be rude or maybe I was just too tired to argue.

The drive was quiet at first, until he started inching closer, his hand brushing mine on the gear stick.

"Don't be shy," he said softly.

​That is when my whole body went stiff. I pulled my hand away, but he kept pushing. I could smell his cologne strongly, like burnt wood and something bitter. My heart was racing, my palms cold. "Stop," I said, trying to sound firm.

​He didn't, instead, he grabbed my arm.

​"Let go!" I snapped, turning sharply toward him, my free hand pushing out. A wave of freezing, silver-tinged air rushed from my palm and before I could even process what happened, there was this loud, sickening thud. He flew backwards, crashing against the passenger door like someone had slammed him with inhuman strength.

We both froze.

He stared at me like I had just done something impossible, eyes wide, mouth half open. Then, without a word, he scrambled out of the car and ran off into the dark.

I sat there for a long time, hands gripping the wheel, trying to catch my breath. My chest hurt and my ears rang. What the hell just happened?

I finally drove home, the image replaying over and over in my head - him flying back, the look in his eyes, the sound of the hit. I didn't even remember the rest of the drive.

When I got home, Aunt Reina wasn't there yet. She'd left me a note on the table, something about leftovers in the fridge and locking the doors. I didn't even read it twice. I just dropped my keys, kicked off my shoes, and fell into bed, hoping sleep would make the night disappear.

But sleep didn't bring peace.

It brought fire.

Flames, screams, and the overpowering smell of blood, ancient wood and sulfur filled my dream. I saw an ancient village, burning and women with glowing eyes chanting in fear. I saw a man in silver armour cutting them down one by one. I saw her, a woman who looked just like me, standing tall even as the world fell apart. Her voice echoed through my head like thunder:

​She fell, and I saw her killer. He stood over her, his expression cold, his striking blue-grey eyes watching the slaughter with chilling finality. Words echoing in the far distance;

"Veyrath will rise again."

I woke up gasping, drenched in sweat. The sun was already creeping through the curtains. My phone was ringing.

"Girl, what the hell happened last night?" It was Lana, her voice half-teasing, half-concerned. "That guy from the party said you threw him across the car. Are you hiding superpowers from me or something?"

I sat up slowly, rubbing my face. "I... I don't know what happened, Lana."

"Come on," she laughed. "You? Miss Soft-spoken Una? You probably just scared him off with your death stare."

"Lana, I swear, I didn't-" I stopped, looking down at my hands again. "I didn't mean to do anything."

On the other end of the line, Lana snorted softly. "What's that supposed to mean? You didn't mean to throw a full-grown man across a car? Girl, you sound like a Marvel character right now."

"Lana, I'm serious."

"So am I!" Lana laughed, though there was an edge to it. "You should've seen his face when he was talking about it. Said you barely even touched him. I thought maybe he was just drunk, but... you sure you didn't, like, shove him a little too hard?"

I sighed, dragging a hand over my face. "He tried to touch me, Lana. I just pushed him away. I didn't push him hard," I whispered. "It was like something else hit him, something that came from inside me."That's it. The rest... I don't even know what happened."

For a second, the line went quiet. Then Lana's voice softened. "You okay though?"

"Yeah. Just tired."

"Alright. Then let's chalk it up to drunk drama. He probably slipped or something."

"Yeah," I said, even though my voice didn't sound convincing to my own ears.

"Good. Because I told him if he starts spreading that story, I'm calling him out for lying and I'm posting his drunk dance videos online too."

I laughed softly, Lana was one to always keep in your corner. "You're awful."

"I love you too." Lana giggled. "Anyway, get up, witchy woman. You promised you'd help me pick an outfit for the fair tonight."

I groaned, throwing myself back onto the bed. "You're impossible."

"Love you too. I'll swing by in the evening. Try not to throw me into a wall, okay?"

"Very funny."

When the call ended, I sat there for a moment, staring at the faint light slipping through the curtains. The house was quiet. Too quiet. Somewhere outside, a crow cawed, sharp and echoing.

I tried to laugh it off, just like Lana. Just some weird accident. A drunken misstep. But when I stood, catching my reflection in the mirror, my breath hitched. For a split second, my eyes looked darker like a storm brewing behind them-then it was gone.

I blinked hard, shaking my head. "Get a grip," I muttered, pulling my hair up into a messy bun. "You're not in a horror movie." I walked away but traced my steps back looking into the mirror again. "You're never drinking again." I snorted at the person in the reflection, which was me.

Still, as I turned away from the mirror, the small lamp on the desk flickered. Once. Twice. Then steadied again.

"Something ain't right in here."

Something felt off. My hands were still trembling. And in my mind, the woman from my dream kept whispering -

"Veyrath will rise again."

The smell of scrambled eggs filled the little kitchen, mixing with the faint scent of rain that drifted in through the half-open window. Una moved lazily around, hair tied up in a messy bun, humming a song from last night's party. Her head still ached a little, but not enough to dull the pleasant rhythm of a quiet morning.

She flipped the eggs and looked at the clock on the wall. Almost nine. Aunt Reina would be back soon from her night shift. The woman had this habit of coming home exactly when breakfast was almost done like she had some inner alarm for food.

Just as that thought crossed Una's mind, the front door creaked open. "Smells like heaven in here," Reina's voice called out, tired but warm.

Una smiled. "Hey, Aunt R, you look exhausted."

Reina trudged in, still in her scrubs, her dark hair slightly damp from the drizzle outside. She kicked off her shoes by the door and leaned on the kitchen counter, watching Una move around with that gentle, familiar smile.

Una noticed a faint, almost sickly pale cast to her skin, which the fluorescent kitchen light seemed to highlight. "Rough night. Two emergencies back-to-back. You?"

Una hesitated. "Uh... about last night..."

Reina raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. "The big birthday bash, right? How'd it go? I hope you didn't drink yourself into the hospital I work in."

Una laughed nervously, "Not exactly. It was... fine, mostly. Until the end." She paused, stirring the eggs a little too long. "There was this guy-Lana's friend, I think. I offered to give him a ride home."

Reina's smile faded slightly. "Okay..."

"Well, he started being weird halfway through. I told him to stop, but then..." Una frowned, trying to find the right words. "It's going to sound insane, but I think I pushed him away. Literally. I didn't even touch him. He just flew backwards, like... something threw him."

The silence that followed was sharp. The only sound was the soft sizzle of eggs.

Reina blinked slowly, her expression unreadable. "He what?"

"I don't know, I swear! Maybe he tripped or something. But he looked terrified, then ran off." Una gave an awkward laugh, hoping Reina would too.

But Aunt Reina didn't. She just stared at her, something unreadable flickering behind her calm eyes. Then she sighed softly and forced a smile. "You've been drinking, sweetheart. Maybe it was just the shock or the lightning. Things look strange when you're tipsy."

"Yeah... maybe." Una turned back to the pan, trying to shake off the weird feeling twisting in her gut.

Reina stood up suddenly. "We're out of greens. I'll get some from the garden."

Without waiting for a response, she slipped out the back door.

Una watched her leave, a little confused. She'd seen her aunt tired, grumpy, even emotional but this was different. Something about the way she'd gone quiet after she told the story... like she knew something she wasn't saying.

When Reina returned, she had a basket of fresh vegetables and a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Add these to the mix," she said, placing them on the counter.

"What's that?" Una asked.

"Herbs," Reina said simply. "Good for the body. You should add a few to the eggs."

Una stared at them. "Uh... you sure? It looks kind of... wild."

Reina smiled faintly. "It's good for you. Trust me."

Una shrugged and took the leaves. "Okay, if you say so."

As she chopped the vegetables, she caught her aunt watching her again, calm but distant, almost like she was studying her. The silence stretched between them, soft but heavy.

For a brief moment, Una thought she saw something flicker in Reina's eyes-fear, maybe. But when she blinked, it was gone.

The smell that came from the pan was oddly sweet and minty, but she didn't question it. She was just glad breakfast was almost done.

When they finally sat down to eat, Reina seemed quieter than usual. She kept watching Una from across the table, her gaze distant, like she was thinking about something heavy.

Una noticed, of course. "You okay, Aunt?"

Reina blinked, forcing a small smile. "Yes, dear. Just tired."

Una nodded slowly. Something about that answer didn't feel true, but she didn't want to push it. Reina had always been a bit strange, especially when she came back from the garden with her 'herbs'. Maybe it was just one of her moods.

They ate mostly in silence, the sound of the spoon scraping the plate filling the room.

Halfway through the meal, Una felt a small warmth settle at the back of her neck, faint, but real. She rubbed it away, thinking it was just from the kitchen heat.

Reina, on the other hand, lowered her gaze, her lips moving slightly, almost like she was whispering a prayer.

The air in the kitchen shifted for a moment, light but steady. The warmth on Una's skin faded.

Una blinked and looked around. "Weird," she muttered, brushing her hair back.

"What is?" Reina asked, her tone even.

"Nothing. Just thought I felt something."

Reina gave a small nod, smiling faintly again. "The morning sun, maybe."

"Yeah, maybe," Una said with a shrug, going back to her food.

By the time they finished breakfast, the strange feeling was gone, and Una was laughing again, talking about how Lana almost tripped into the punch bowl last night.

Reina laughed softly too, but her eyes were far away - knowing too much, and saying too little.

Reina turned to pour herself some coffee. "You should rest after breakfast. Big day yesterday," she said, her tone light again.

Una forced a smile. "Yeah. Big day."

Reina left the table once they were done eating.

"I'll go freshen up," she said quietly, picking up her basket.

"Alright," Una replied, still humming softly as she cleared the dishes.

Reina went down the small hallway to her room. She closed the door and leaned on it for a moment, breathing slowly. The air in the room was thick, almost heavy, and she could feel that dull ache again deep in her chest. The kind that came whenever she used too much of the old magic.

She moved to the bathroom and turned on the tap. The water hit the floor in a steady stream, filling the small space with the sound of rushing water. She stepped in slowly, letting the cold drops run down her body.

For a while, she just stood there, her hands pressed to the wall, her mind turning over and over the same thought.

It was wearing off.

The spell.

The one she had placed years ago to keep Una's true nature hidden. It had been strong then, bound with herbs and old words. But time was cruel to such things. And Una... Una was changing.

Last night proved it.

Reina shut her eyes. She could still feel the faint echo of Una's power which was wild, untrained and dangerous. It was no accident that the boy had been thrown back. The magic was slipping through the cracks, no matter how tightly Reina tried to seal them.

And worse, the same herbs she used to strengthen the spell were beginning to take a toll on her own body. They had been safe at first, but now, each time she used them, they burned inside her like smoke. Her veins felt hot sometimes, her heartbeat slower, heavier.

Still, she couldn't stop. Not when Una's life and everyone around her could depend on it.

Reina ran a hand through her wet hair and sighed deeply. "Not yet," she whispered. "Please, not yet."

She didn't know if she was talking to herself, or to something else.

From the other room, Una's cheerful voice suddenly broke through her thoughts.

"Aunt Reina! I'm going out for a bit! I'll see you later!"

Reina blinked, forcing a tired smile. "Alright, dear," she called back, her voice steady even though her chest felt tight.

The sound of the front door closing drifted faintly down the hall.

Reina stayed under the water a moment longer. Then, as she tilted her head back and closed her eyes, a small, fragile, but clear thought came to her.

There might be another way. Something older. Something she had promised never to use again.

If it could keep Una safe, even if it took a little more from her - then maybe it was worth it.

She opened her eyes slowly, the water still running over her face.

"Maybe this time," she whispered, "it'll be enough to bind the Veyrath soul, but the price will be heavy."

And in that quiet bathroom, with only the sound of the dripping water, the air seemed to shift faintly as if the house itself had heard her.

It had been a week since the whole "club disaster," as Lana liked to call it.

A full week of teasing, side comments, and playful nudges that never seemed to end.

Una didn't know whether to laugh or roll her eyes as they sat in their favourite corner of the small café down the street. The place smelled like roasted coffee beans and baked croissants, the kind of warm smell that wrapped around you and made everything feel calm.

"So," Lana said with that sly grin she always had, stirring her drink lazily, "guess who ran out of the library the second he saw me?"

Una groaned. "Lana, please. Don't tell me..."

"Oh, I'm telling you," Lana cut in, her grin widening. "He said, and I quote, 'I'm not sitting anywhere near your friend Una. That girl's got demon strength.'"

Una almost choked on her laughter. "He did not say that."

"He did!" Lana insisted, laughing. "You should've seen his face. The poor guy looked like he'd seen a ghost. Honestly, I don't know what you did to him that night, but you've officially made history."

Una tried to laugh it off, though she felt that tiny knot of unease in her chest. "Yeah, well... maybe I just have good reflexes."

"Reflexes that throw people into walls?"

"Shut up," Una said, nudging her playfully. "You're impossible. And for the umpteenth time, Lana! It wasn't a wall."

They both laughed, and for a moment, everything felt normal again.

When the waitress came over, she smiled brightly at them. "The usual?"

"Yeah," Lana said. "One caramel latte, extra foam, and a cappuccino for me."

As the waitress left, Lana leaned forward on her elbows. "So, have you told Aunt Reina about it?"

Una shook her head. "She says I need to stop hanging around boys who can't handle a little push."

Lana giggled, and Una joined in. Their laughter carried softly through the café, mixing with the gentle buzz of conversation.

A few minutes later, the waitress came back with their drinks. "Careful, they're hot," she said, setting them down. But just as she was about to place Una's cup on the table, her hand slipped a little.

The latte tilted forward, just a second away from spilling all over Una's lap.

Without thinking, Una's eyes darted to it.

The cup froze. Not in midair, not dramatically but just enough. The liquid steadied, the waitress blinked in confusion, and somehow, the cup ended up perfectly upright on the table, without a single drop spilt.

"Oh...uh, that was close," the waitress mumbled, embarrassed, and hurried off.

Lana blinked. "Okay... did you see that?"

"See what?" Una asked, pretending to laugh.

"The cup. It..." Lana stopped, frowning slightly. "Never mind. Must've been my eyes."

Una shrugged and lifted her drink. "You've had too much caffeine."

But Lana didn't look convinced. She kept watching Una, her brow furrowed just a bit. "It's weird, though. For a second, I could've sworn your eyes... did something. Like they flickered or glowed or something."

Una almost snorted into her cup. "Lana, you seriously need sleep."

Lana laughed finally, shaking her head. "Yeah, yeah. Fine. But if you start floating next week, I'm selling your story to Netflix."

They both burst out laughing again, and the air between them eased. But as Una took another sip, she couldn't help glancing at the cup.

The memory of that frozen moment stuck in her head, and deep down, under the laughter, under the normalcy, something inside her whispered that it hadn't been an accident.

By the time Una and Lana got back to campus, the sun had already climbed high enough to make the courtyard glow gold. Students were scattered everywhere, chatting in groups, rushing to classes, or lounging lazily under trees that lined the long stretch of the walkway.

Lana was still teasing her about the "coffee magic show," but Una wasn't really listening. Her mind was elsewhere.

Because as funny as Lana made it sound, she knew deep down that what happened back there wasn't a coincidence.

She'd seen it before.

The flicker. The strange light that came and went in her eyes was like a shadow playing tricks.

It used to happen rarely, once in a long while when she was angry, scared, or... hurt. But lately, it felt like it was happening more often. And now, with the cup, it felt too real to ignore.

"Hey," Lana said, bumping her shoulder playfully, "you're zoning out again. You okay?"

"Yeah," Una lied quickly, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about that project due tomorrow."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Lana groaned. "Anyway, I'll catch you later. I promised Cara I'd help her with her costume for the event tonight."

"Sure," Una said. "See you."

Once Lana disappeared into the crowd, Una didn't waste a second. She turned left and headed straight for the library.

The library was old... like, really old. Half of the bookshelves were made of dark oak wood that creaked when you brushed past them, and the smell of dust and paper filled the air. It was quiet, except for the soft hum of the air conditioner and the faint sound of pages flipping somewhere at the back.

Una hesitated at the entrance of the library, clutching her backpack as though it could ground her to reality. The idea of looking for a book to explain... whatever this was, felt ridiculous. Magic wasn't real. Things like glowing eyes and trembling trees belonged in the fantasy novels stacked neatly on the shelves before her - not in her life.

And yet, something tugged at her.

It wasn't just curiosity. It was stronger, deeper like an invisible thread pulling her forward, whispering to her in ways that didn't make sense. Her feet moved before she could decide to, carrying her past the rows of tables and through the maze of tall shelves.

Her pulse quickened. Every few steps, her chest tightened like the air itself was trying to tell her something. Her gaze flicked from one shelf to another until she stopped in front of a dimly lit section near the back.

"This is stupid," she muttered, shaking her head. But her hand still lifted, tracing the spines of dusty old books until her fingers paused on one, a dark green volume with no visible title.

Her heart skipped.

It wasn't that she saw anything special about it. She felt it, like the book itself was waiting for her.

For a moment, she stood frozen between sense and instinct, reason and that quiet, impossible pull. And then, finally, she gave in.

She slid the book from the shelf.

"The Veiled Ones."

She pulled it out carefully and sat down by the nearest table. The cover felt strange like it was slightly warm to the touch.

Flipping through the pages, she saw sketches of women surrounded by strange symbols, their hands glowing, their eyes shining with light. The drawings were detailed, haunting, and beautiful all at once.

One page caught her attention:

A mark of power lives in the bloodline. Hidden until the soul awakens.

Una frowned. "What does that even mean?" she whispered under her breath.

Her fingers brushed across one of the symbols on the page, and suddenly, a soft pulse ran through her fingertips, like the page itself had a heartbeat.

Startled, she slammed the book shut and looked around.

No one was near. The few students scattered around the library were quietly reading, completely unaware.

She exhaled slowly and whispered to herself, "Okay, that... that didn't just happen."

Her heart was beating fast, but even through the panic, a tiny part of her felt drawn to that book like it was calling her.

After a moment, she tucked it under her arm and whispered, "If I'm losing my mind, at least I'll have proof."

Then she walked straight to the counter to check it out, the dark green book thrumming lightly against her side, a heavy, silent answer to the question she hadn't known she was asking.