Sous

Today was Sous' birthday; she was turning twelve years old. She jumped out of bed that morning when she heard a knock on the store's door. The witches, not hearing it, continued to sleep in their beds.

Her little feet tapped the stairs until she finally got to the door. Wearing only a long night gown, not even have washed her face nor brushed her teeth, or hair, she grinned from ear to ear when she saw the admissions officer.

"Hi! Are you Sous, Sous of Puimo?" He looked at the envelope. "Uh, there's no last name." He flipped the letter back and forth.

"I never told anyone." Sous jumped up and snatched the letter. She opened it while the man still stood at the door. "Dear student,

Due to being sponsored by Mara since you're a non-citizen of Nadia, we are happy to accept you as one of our students here at Hacate. Please report to orientation on Augustus the 11th at 8am- eeeeeeeee!!!!"

Sous flopped on her back and began rolling around near the front door's entrance. The man smiled while a small sweat dropped appeared near his brow.

"Congratulations," he said. "See you at the orientation."

Sous didn't hear him wish her the best nor hear him depart. She got off the ground and closed the door. The letter was held tightly to her chest as she ran up the stairs to read it again to herself. She lost count how many times she read it over and over again when the sisters knocked on her door. Sous showed them the letter, the four of them jumping for glee. It was time for Sous to start her new journey in just under three months. In three months or so, she will be a first year at Hacate!

It had been a fun filled day for Sous but now she sat in the witches lair in a wooden chair, with a black blindfold covering her eyes.

The witches came down stairs guiding a man, a bandit who they caught on the river bank earlier that day. They guided him as he took each step, step by step. Eventually guiding him to another wooden chair in front of Sous.

Sous sniffed the air, smelling the human who sat before her. Humans were often bandits compared to the other species, regardless, it was Glinda who took the blindfold off Sous to reveal the bandit who's eyes were met with fear, red, and irritated from the crying he had been doing. The smell was also him urinating on himself when the sisters brought him here.

"This is a human bandit," Gladian exclaimed, touching the man's shoulders. "Humans have energy. You will be draining his energy and transferring it into yourself, creating your first seal."

Sous took her wand out of her pocked and stood up. She looked at Gladian, waiting for her to instruct her.

"Put the tip of the wand on his forehead." Sous did as she was told. Glinda and Gortrius stood to the side watching. "Concentrate your magic. Do not let any of his energy corrupt you and turn on you." Sous nodded her head. She gulped and wiped her hands on her pants, nervous with sweat. She positioned the wand on his head once more. "Say the words, repeat after me: Si ante- "

"Si ante," Sous repeated.

"-lucem moriaris-"

"-Lucem moriaris-"

"-animam tuam-"

Sous continued, "-animam tuam-"

"-mihi vindicabo."

Sous finished, "mihi vindicabo."

The eyes of the bandit rolled to the back of his head. He began to make chocking sounds from his throat, his body convulsed. The tip of the wand lighted up with a bright white light but the movement of the human scared Sous. She hesitated.

"Stay firm, do not lose your grip!"

Sous concentrated and tighten her hand on the wand. His energy was white. It slowly rose from his body, circling him as it made its way into the tip of Sous' wand.

"That's amazing how her and Tany are able to use their training wands for such advanced spells," Gortrius whispered.

"It isn't the wand that makes the magae but the magae that makes the wand." Glinda said.

From the human, to the wand, the white energy made its way to Sous' arm. It traveled to her neck and circled around her pulse, deciding to settle in that spot. Sous kept her wand on the man's head, the energy turned from white to red. Gladian noticed and quickly pulled Sous' wand down. Sous stumbled back, slamming into the chair. She placed her hand on the left side of her neck. It burned.

"What was that?"

The bandit fell out of the chair, unconscious onto the floor.

"It was his blood," Gladian said. "Once you start seeing red, pull away from the spell. You'll kill them and if you transfer blood into yourself, it can kill you too."

Gladian helped Sous up to her feet and gently took Sous' hand away from her neck. She looked at the seal that formed on the neck, burning bright orange.

"It hurts," Sous winced.

"It will for a little bit."

Glinda walked over to the human who laid on the floor. She placed her foot on him, turning him on his back, looking him over.

"Hmm," she examined. "He'll make a decent slave. I'll keep him. How do you feel about your gift, Sous?"

"Yep, you got your father in you and now you have the energy of a human as your first seal," Gortrius said.

Sous rubbed her neck, still feeling the burn. She shrugged. "I feel the same except for my neck burning."

"When you get to Hacate," Gladian suggested. "Join the dueling club and join the sparring club so you can get stronger and faster so you can tap into your new power."

Sous sat around the kitchen table in the living room in the apartment. Glinda placed a cake on table and at the same time, Gortrius and Tany teleported into the living room. The same moment, the bell rung from the store with Glinda going to answer it. Soon Sous saw Shadow, Jacob, Monica, and Kara!

Sous laughed, getting up out of her seat, pushing the chair over with the amount of force she used to get up. She ran and hugged Monica, along with Jacob, Kara, who she hugged for a while, and then Shadow.

When she pulled away from Shadow, he looked at her with one eyebrow arched. "You smell different, and what's this?" He inquired.

"It's a seal," Monica pointed out. "It seems Gladian taught her how to do it." She looked at Gladian who shrugged.

"Ever the wise, Monica, ever the wise."

Monica laughed going to the sisters and giving them a hug and kisses on the cheek. It had been so long since she'd seen them, she felt herself getting emotional. She smirked, wiping the tear that began to form at the corner of her eye.

"That Alpha of yours is causing such a ruckus." Glinda said.

"Does she even know you're a witch?" Gortrius asked.

"NO!" Kara spoke with a different look to her face, like one of betrayal.

Tany looked at Kara, the omega Icarus had told her about. This was the girl Sous had a crush on. She eyed Kara up and down while Kara saw Tany staring at her through her peripheral vision. She could clearly see Tany was beautiful. It was sad they both seemed to fancy the same Alpha. It was even more sorrowful since Kara wanted to learn more about being a magae but she would have to settle for Red Woods, away from Sous. She sighed and bowed her head.

Sous walked over to Kara and placed her hand on her shoulder. She walked with Kara to Tany with Jacob not far behind.

"Tany, these are my friends: Kara and Jacob. Jacob is from Red Woods too and was given asylum to attend Hacate," Sous introduced them and as she spoke with Jacob about his courses and clubs he was involved in, Tany and Kara assessed one another.

Kara noticed Tany had dark brown skin that went well with her silver hair and eyes. She noticed Tany demanded attention and was gifted in her abilities, she stood up straight and was clearly confident in herself. She knew exactly who she was.

Tany noticed Kara was shy and more aware of her movements, and how they may be perceived. She noticed Kara would think prior to making an action or even saying a word, analyzing the people around her and the environment. Her submissive nature allowed her to see different angels regarding how she should assess and approach a situation.

"You like Sous," Tany transparently asked.

"I would like to be her Omega, yes." Kara answered truthfully.

"I like her too." Tany paused before speaking once more. "It seems I have an advantage: Ill be with her at Hacate. You have an advantage: you're an Omega...nice to meet you, Kara."

"Nice to meet you too, Tany."

Kara watched Tany leave toward the living room table where the adults and Sous, and Jacob lingered. Kara was a year younger than Sous so she had a year to try and figure out a way to go to Hacate. And with these three women being friends with her mom, there may be hope after all.