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The entire coven looked like a place where a tough battle had just gone down. Something about the place felt very strange, just like everything Harmony Grove represented. A page out of a mystery book nobody understands. This entire place still feels like a dream–a bad dream.
“Please look around and find things that you think could mean something. You are better at this than me, and I’m sure you could spot anything that’s out of the ordinary. Thank you,” I called out loudly, and the rest of the team dispersed. Alexei was still seated inthe room where his sister’s hair was, and I made my way to the other side of the coven.
“The blood is fake; this is probably a mixture of some paints. We used to do this as a kid.” one of the men called out, and I wrote it down in my book. This was getting even more interesting. Who trashes a whole coven and paints the place in fake blood, activates a tracker, and leaves behind a massive chunk of hair from a missing person? Your guess is as good as mine.
“What’s this place called?” I asked and I looked around again. The entire building felt grand, almost like it used to house the dignitaries. Something about this place felt oddly familiar, and I hated the chilling feeling it gave me. A part of me feels like I have been here before, and I should remember it, but I can’t remember. It’s probably just my mind playing tricks on me.
“The Luminara Coven. This place used to house the strongest moon-blood witches, the only ancestral witches native to Harmony Grove,” one of the men answered me, and I wrote it down in my book.
“What happened to them?” I asked further, and he shook his head.
“Nobody knows, and all we have are just speculations. But after the war, none of them were anywhere to be found, and nobody has come down here since then. Their magic is ancestral to this place, so nobody wants to mess with that.” he explained further, and I thanked him before wandering off alone.
The more I dig into Harmony Grove, the more I am left speechless.
I went into the coven, a place filled with dark hallways and mysterious symbols. Somehow I felt like I had run down these same hallways as a child, but I know that’s far from the truth. I have never set foot in Harmony Grove until this assignment. I’d moved from one foster home to another, but none had buildings like this. This was just the supernatural powers trying to play tricks on me.
I finally reached the end of the hallway, and a giant door stood before me. It had moon carvings and writing in a language I had no idea existed. Judging by the coven's name, I’m guessing this place would play a significant role in their lives as moonwitches. I pushed the door open, and the grandest room in my life stood before me.
The room exuded an air of sacred mystique reminiscent of a hallowed cathedral, with lofty ceilings and intricately adorned arches that stretched towards the heavens. At the heart of the chamber, where one might expect a crucifix, stands an imposing structure—a colossal gemstone that mirrors the moon's glow. The gemstone, suspended in an ornate setting, bathes the room in a soft, ethereal radiance.
Stained glass windows line the walls, depicting scenes that weave together tales of ancient magic and celestial wonders. The hues of the glass harmonize with the moonlit gem, casting a mesmerizing play of colors across the floor. Rows of pews flank the central space, inviting those seeking connection with the mystical forces embodied by the lunar gem.
The air is scented with subtle hints of aged parchment, herbs, and a touch of sacred resins, creating an atmosphere transcending the earthly realm.
The giant gemstone felt too familiar, almost like I had seen it before, and that was when it clicked: my necklace had the same gemstone. Although minimal, they were the same thing, almost like it was made out of this giant one.
This was becoming stranger than I imagined. My necklace had been a gift from my birth mother before I was taken into the system. I tried digging further as an adult but ran into a dead-end. No detailed information about my mother existed, so I clung desperately to the only thing that had gone with me through various foster homes: a gift from her.
I wasgetting more confused still. Who the hell was my birth mother, and why did she have a gemstone that has a whole coven dedicated to it.
My feet moved of their own accord to the far end of the room, and soon I was standing before the huge gemstone that was the main character in this room. I was curious and scared, so I touched the gemstone. Strangely, it pulsed like it knew my pendant. It felt spooky, and fear ran through me. The gemstone started to shine brightly, and at the same time, my necklace started to glow too, a lot like they were making a connection. I jumped away from it instantly, my heart beating wildly.
I was scared because a coven shouldn't be linked to my human necklace. It didn't make sense, and the fact that they were glowing together made things even more difficult for me to process. It was like I was being taunted, and the thought of that made my skin crawl. Maybe this was the psychopathic killer playing tricks on me; he must have seen my necklace before, and he knew how it was shaped.
Deciding to keep this strange thing a secret, I returned to where the team was. I tried not to think about it, but the coven's mysteries stayed with me. The feeling was strange, like the past had opened up with hidden truths about my life. Truths I wanted nothing to do with and pasts that I would like to remain in the past.
Under the dark sky, we finished checking the coven. We gathered our findings and went back to the police station. The mystery still hung in the air, affecting our investigation.
At the station, the tech team tried to find where the earring had been. It was tough because the suspect knew we would do just that. They ensured it didn’t contain enough data to help our search. It was like it was turned on in that location and left there to rot. Or maybeit was turned on after they had set the stage from a remote location. Even though we worked hard, we didn't have many answers.
Coming back to the station felt good. It was a break before we went back to investigate. The normality of the station was a welcome, stark contrast from the weirdness of the coven.
When we met to plan the next steps, I felt uneasy. The coven's secrets were still with us, complicating our mission. Hidden in supernatural things, the truth felt like a puzzle we couldn't solve.
After a day's work, we took a break. Alone with my thoughts, I remembered the strange gemstone. I touched the pendant around my neck, wondering about the mysteries yet to unfold.
***
Thinking about telling Alexei about the strange gemstone, I walked to his room. But when I went in, I saw him sitting there looking sad. Tears were running down his face, showing how much he missed his sister.
Even someone who has lived for many centuries can feel so much pain when they lose someone they love. It’s even worse in his case because he has no idea what has happened to her. He has no idea how long she’ll be kept alive, or what horrors she had already endured. That’s not the kind of pain to wish on your worst enemy.
At that moment, my words about the gemstone and my pendant didn't feel important. Alexei's sadness was more significant than anything else I could have seen. In his grief, the mysteries of the supernatural world didn't matter.
Changing my plan, I enfolded him in a gentle hug, knowing how much he was hurting. Words weren’t going to ease his pain, so I chose to be there withhim in his grief and offer what quiet support and understanding I could.
It was clear that our mission, which had both supernatural and human parts, needed more than just determination. We understood that, even in our complicated investigation, we both had feelings and needed to be kind to each other.
