{Story} Magic During Wartime, (Warning will contain sensitive material)

I am going to seriously tone this story. I apologize if I offend anybody. In later chapters, I'll get into the war itself through the survivors' point of view. This part I am going into the differences in the past from the present for spellcasters

It was 14 years ago that The Last Occult War happened, pulling in every occult and supernatual along the way. Today was the anniversary of the end of the war and Minerva Charm sat in Elixersand Brews with her daughter Gemma waiting for the other survivors to show. She was trying not to cry as they waited patiently. "Mom, what's wrong?" Gemma asked wondering if casting a spell of pretty doves flying about would make her mom feel better.

Her mom rarely talked about the time before her birth Gemma thought and always avoided talking about her Father Soloman Charm. Was her father such a horrible person that talking about him was going to cause her so much pain?

"You know Gemma there are 3 Sages right. Simeon Silversweater, Morgyn Embers and that woman L Faba"

"Yes I know you hate L and are friends with Simeon and Morgyn she said with a smile"

"They are the last 3 Sages there were 7 when you were just a toddler."

"7?" Genna asked very curious and wondering if she should press her mom for more information.

"Yes 7. Your father was the Astral Sage. Athena Moonshadow was the Sage of Ceremonial Magic. Julius Heart was The Sage of Natural Magic his health and the health of The Garden were intertwined. If he was healthy so was The Garden and as long as the plants in the Garden were healthy so was he.. Belladonna Shadowhawk was The Sage of Ancient Magic"

"I don't mean to pry but what happened," Gemma asked not prepared for the story her mom was about to tell her.

"Maybe its time to break the silence." Minerva began "Maybe by knowing this part of our history somebody can be sure to make sure it never happens again."

Minerva looked at Gemma happy her baby girl was alive and safe from harm

About 20 years ago it all started Minerva recalled. In those days The Realm of Magic was much larger. There was The Silverwolf Academy for all spellcasters coming to their own. The school taught every form of magic imaginable. It was a bustle of the staff and students always there to teach and learn. Minerva was a younger woman then and taught about the elements used in magic including Void and Kah. When using Void in your magical cycle she smiled always start or end it with the element of void or the spell becomes dangerously corrupted If Void is The Great Mother of all Elements than Kah must be it's Father for all elements come from and die in the Element of Void yet Kah is hard element to understand and the best way is through Void. She met her husband Soloman who explained The Astral Realm to students as a middle ground of all Supernaturals and Occults alike. Everything was possible on The Astral Plane. Magic had a harder time of overload and draining a spellcaster while on The Astral Plane. He had just been elevated to The Astral Sage.


In those days The Grand Library of Spirits had countless tomes, books of shadows, grimoires, and scrolls. A spellcaster could spend their entire life there and still not read everything in there Minerva believed. She recalled spending many times with her husband in there studying old dusty scrolls debating on the ethical use of some of those old spells. However, nobody believed that banning information in that Grand Library of Spirits was ever needed.

In those days there was the Apothecary. In there every ingredient needed for potions, kitchen witchery, decoctions, infusions salves and ointments could be found there. The Master of Alchemy Sydney was always cheerful ad helpful willing to teach anyone a new potion or two.

In those days The Great Hall had statues of all the famous spellcasters throughout history. The ones you told tales of to your children with a little bit about them on the plaque under them. Her favourite one was Selene The first of The Ancient House of Nightdrake. There were, of course, The 22 Ancient Houses of Magic, often referred to as The Ancient 22 by spellcasters, with each of their family's first in their long and very powerful bloodline.

In those days The Magic Realm itself had a sweet smell that was nothing short of inspiring and spiritual in nature. Smelling of incense burning and flowers.

In those days familiars were always by the sides of their spellcasters, Dragons phoenixes, gryphons and other magical and mythical creatures were all around. In those days children could both learn and use magic for some as early as newborns.

In those days The Four Watchtowers protected The Magic Realm from outside harm.

In those days Morgyn's Magic wasn't Wylde and Untamed. He was knowledge obsessed and spent all his time when he wasn't in class in The Grand Library of Spirits. With one goal to one day read everything in there. The focus of his studies was, of course, Natural Magic back then. His twin Sister Maya Ember and he were as close as twins are rumoured to be. She was a girly girl and loved to have flowers from The Garden in her hair and loved pink silk best. Her study of magic love magic wanting to see more love in the world. They were always together and Morgyn was very protective of her and they always knew when the other was in some kind of trouble. She would be seen dancing and playing with the unicorns roaming The Magic Realm. Her familiar was a beautiful white unicorn that had a pretty glittery horn that sparkled. She would ride it and her brother would sometimes ride with her.

Simeon was much younger and not so ordinary-looking and some of the ladies thought him being kind of cute in an odd sort of way. He and Athena Moonshadow had an odd closeness. some would say an unnatural closeness between the two of them since they met as children at Silverwolf Academy. She was not just his First Love but his true love. Even though his family forced him to marry somebody simply for political gain and power, He really hated Linda Starkin with a passion but learned to tolerate her his behind contempt and disdain for her. It was common knowledge of his love... no that really isn't a strong enough word for how he and Athena felt for each other. A couple of years after Simeon married Linda Athena left us for a time and married Cain The First of The Vampires. I think she wanted to not be The Other Woman anymore and be The only Woman. It would be a few years later she would return at Simeon's request, They simply continued where they left off. Simeon was angry that The Love of His Life married a vampire and his jealousy was well known amongst other spellcasters."

"L wasn't the mean insensitive woman I have learned to hate. She was gentle, sensitive, compassionate, empathetic and kind. We were friends back then" Minerva said with a touch of sadness. L was lighthearted and a total goofball making everyone laugh. She was your father's favourite pupil always curious to learn more about Astral Studies. She wanted to make the world filled with happiness and laughter.

“One would never think back then that the world they all knew and loved would quickly change. The man's name was Salamander Harkens. He was too ambitious, mean and evil for his own bloodline's good. He decided that he would start a cult of followers calling themselves Eternal Lumination. You would think that such a name would bring vast positivity, beauty and kindness bringing us all together in love and peace but it did quite the opposite Minerva said thinking maybe it was some sort of maniacal ‘joke’ Salamander wished to inflict upon the rest of us." Minerva began when Simeon and Morgyn joined them.

"I thought we avoided talking about him and his crimes against magic" Morgyn said to Minerva

"Keeping silent isn't going to do us any good. Our children and their children need to know what happened and maybe we can all really start healing and this kind of thing will never happen again" Minerva said in her defence.

"Maybe she is right," Simeon said sadly thinking of those he lost.

L now joined them under a once a year truce with Minerva she was curious to what triggered Simeon now.

"She was telling Gemma what happened 20 years ago," Morgyn said

"Did she get to the point where Simeon sacrificed his wife for power or when Salamander and his minions kidnapped and brainwashed Simeon’s son Cole turning the boy against everything his family ever stood for? Or when your sister merged with you after Salamander did what he did to her before killing her or what Salamander and his followers did to me and my family?" L asked as her eyes flashed an odd fire of Eternal Vengeance.

"I thought we were forbidden to sacrifice others solely for power. I thought it was considered forbidden magic" Gemma said thinking of the warning signs of going down a path in magic that a spellcaster should never go down.

"It was back then too but we all needed to become stronger quicker to be able to survive," Simeon said in his defence.

"No, I didn't get that far yet," Minerva said exasperated. "Now where was I, child?" she asked Gemma.

"You were going to tell me about The Cult of Eternal Lumination," Gemma said not understanding everyone's fear with those words. Words only have power if you let them she thought innocently to herself.

L took over with continuing the story as the fire burned brighter in her eyes. "Salamander was never a nice guy. He was obsessed with manipulating, controlling and destroying others simply on a whim. Morgyn and I know some magic we probably shouldn't know and should be considered too dangerous for anybody but neither of us has touched Pitch and Corrupt magic. Just as we had 7 Sages once Salamander had his twisted versions of the Sages called The Illuminated Ones. There was Myron Dreamshade The Illuminated One of Nightmares. There was The Illuminated One of Demons Sharon Foster. Lilith Marcon The Illuminated One of Corruption. The Illuminated One of Abaddon Lucy Furs. The Illuminated One of Pain Devon Sharp. The Illuminated One of Poison Gene Wylde and The Illuminated One of Disease Jennifer Marrow. None of them should have been gifted with magic."

L wasn't so heartless in her youth but war changes everybody and you learn to survive with the aftermath.

She continued trying to keep her hatefulness and spite in check. "Soon Salamander was recruiting anybody willing to swear a blood oath to him of loyalty. He was kidnapping innocent spellcasters and forcing them to serve him. sacrificing his own people along with his enemies to gain power. Drinking demon plasma to increase his ability to use magic that makes me sick just thinking about it. It was him alone who started it all"

Then Morgyn started to speak, "The Illuminated Ones were almost as bad as their master. With them, they brought nothing but the worst side of magic. It's because of warlocks like them we have hunters that think we are all like that hunting us down indiscriminately."

"Hi Magic Man, Pretty One and Beautiful darling L" a voice called out to Simeon, Morgyn and L "am I late"

"L did you invite That Woman here," Simeon asked as the point of his simple wooden wand touched the bridge of her nose

"No. She didn't. We all agreed to put aside our petty differences aside as survivors and for one day we get together" the vampire woman dressed in men's clothing reminded Simeon as she pushed his wand away.

"How is your master?"

“You are just asking that as polite conversation. Cain is ok and might be joining us a little later. Aren’t you actually more curious about your and Athena’s twins?”

"Yes, I am how are they? Are they learning magic like proper spellcasters?"

"Gideon has been teaching them magic and teaching them about their true heritage. They might be joining us later. What were all of you talking about" she turned to Minerva and asked

"We were telling Gemma about the last war," Minerva said.

"Did you get to the point where Magic Man over here sacrificed my boss's wife? If you haven't I'll tell you exactly what happened"

"Ooh, I love your style deary. If you were a spellcaster instead of a vampire I would teach you everything I know as my personal apprentice" L smiled gleefully. "When we get to that part I'll let you share it with Gemma. I love your way of telling that part to the vampires. With such glorious judgement and contempt."

"We only started the story," Minerva said as Caleb Vlad and Lilith came to join them.

"Welcome Caleb, Lilith and Vlad," The vampire woman said giving them all big hugs."Have you finally asked Lilith to marry you yet Vlad?"

Lilith showed the woman a ring with a half hear of black diamond and the other half ruby.

"About time Congratulations both of you"

"Caleb how are you holding out. It can be hard being a vampire and trying not to feed off of others. If you ever need to talk you know you can always call day and night. I am forever in your and Lilith's debt"

This is the end of Part 1