The Coven of the Black Rose

"The Black Rose grows weaker." A devastated lady muttered heavy-heartedly. Her face was veiled, shadowed by the hood of her black cloak. All alone she stood in a dark, spacious chamber. Behind her was a hallway, the entrance from where she came from. There were no windows, only the weak-illuminating flames of the torches hung on the cobblestone surface of the walls provided light. The floor was nothing but black soil and was not wet nor arid, where few stones were scattered. Before the lady was a gigantic bush of roses. The flowers were bigger than the usual, its purple petals were glowing dimly. Its stems were dark-green and thick. It has no thorns, which could lure any people who sees it to pluck them from its roots. With its beauty, a sweet floral scent wafted across the whole atmosphere of the chamber. Few feet afar from the bush of roses were more roses planted around all directions. Few shoots of grass were grown beside some flowers. Other shoots were tenacious and standing while the remaining were fallen, lying down on the black soil. Glancing around her, withered and alive roses were dispersed. Leaves and petals from the rose bush continue to fall towards the lady's direction. Although there were no windows nor any vents, a gentle blow of wind kept on circulating in the garden, brushing the lady's long blonde hair.

All she could hear was the wind's whisper which made her embrace the melancholic silence. Later on, she heard footsteps from behind as two people in black cloak emerged in the chamber as they walked in towards her. Their faces were veiled, too.

"Lady Floressa." The one greeted with his deep, male voice. "Luison's people have seized the western state of Loverra. And our people..." He paused and heaved a sigh of distress, but he didn't dare to finish his words.

"I know." Floressa replied with a faint snuffle. She took a deep breath and kneeled, fixing her eyes on the tall rose bush in front her. Few petals kept on falling, piling up with the wilted petals and leaves fallen earlier on the floor. The two men behind her observed that some of the roses started to wilt in an instant. They couldn't do anything but to bow their heads on the rose bush.

Floressa closed her eyes with tears dripping across her cheeks. "Prepare the candles. Convene an assembly to our coven, too. But they don't have to go if they cannot."

"Yes, Floressa." The one who spoke first earlier volunteered to obey. "I will go ahead."

He turned and strode away from them. As his footsteps got weaker, the other man unveiled his slightly-wrinkled face, revealing his kind brown eyes and short black hair. He aged around forty years. Dismay took over his expression as how Floressa felt. "The kids have just got to your home. They had a safe venture in the woods and harvested fruits from your farmland."

Floressa got to her senses. She scooped the stone nearest beside her and stood. Her calm and blank gaze still locked at the rose bush's roots. Even with her unseen face, her tight and shaking grasp on the stone expressed her fury.

Ronan noticed it. "Everything has been tough for us...I hope time will come when we will be able to savor our freedom once more."

"Seeing a peaceful intervention with our foes...that will never happen." She calmed her grasp and unveiled her face. Her long blonde hair, white skin, and fierce yet teary blue eyes became visible upon facing the dim purple light of the petals. She aged same as the man talking to her but she looked younger. "But I see no other ways to destroy them." She whispered and the stone on her hand has been ignited by green flames. A soft kindle that caught Ronan's attention.

"Those Forgonian scums..." She continued. "...deserve a sweet torment in the underworld." The flame in her hand grew that it devoured the stone she held. Its soft roar interrupted the quietness of the garden, until the rock charred and turned to ashes in an instant.

"I know, I know." Ronan gently held her arm. "But this is not the place to release your anger. Calm yourself, Floressa."

She took a deep breath to tranquil her mind from her bursting emotions. "Right. Apologies." Floressa faced him. "Wait for me, I will inform the kids about the-"

"You don't have to." He snapped. "I already told them to have their dinner and sleep afterwards."

Her face was puzzled. "But Ronan, why?"

Ronan gave her a stern look. "Because when I was with them earlier, I already sensed the Forgon people retreating from somewhere. I suppose they came from western Loverra."

Floressa's face got paler, and she shook her head. "How many more lives does Luison have to take... for the sake of his greediness."

Ronan nodded in sympathy and continued. "The kids and I saw their army and horses running across the other side of the stream. We fear that they have just conquered another state, and so it was."

"Leastwise they don't give much attention to every mundane villager they see." She managed a smile. "We don't know why the Forgon and the Sorcerers of Light invaded us. We live in peace for centuries until they came."

"I don't know either. What is certain is that there is more behind their alliance, and I don't feel any good whatever their agenda is." Ronan took a deep breath in frustration. "Apparently, Luison cannot seize Xetram without the aid of sorcerers."

"Apparently." Floressa agreed. For the last time before they leave this place, the Black Rose Chamber, they both stared at the rose bush then bowed.

"In times of sorrow and despair, the door will be visible upon a stare." There was a soft raspy whisper from nowhere.

In surprise, they both glanced at the rose bush and saw that the falling petals were swirling around the bush. Even the wilted roses and petals around them were blown by the wind and later, swirled around too.

"What is that? What is the meaning of this?" Ronan asked, his face was taunted by wonder and a little fear at the same time. "Is that the Spirit of the Black Rose?"

"I think so." Floressa replied. Her mind was baffled as Ronan's. "Let's keep listening."

"The chamber of old, and its mystery will unfold." It continued. Then the swirling petals flew towards a wall on the farther right of the Black Rose Chamber. Ronan and Floressa followed it.

"By the blessing of an ancient spell, the mages may live, and evil will repel." The voice, suddenly, fell in silence with a laughter. All the petals sticked on the wall, forming a rectangular shape. Neither of them spoke, they just watched the petals as it evaporated in thick black mist. Eventually, a black wooden door was revealed as the mist evaporated in the wind.

Floressa's eyes widened. "The Chamber of Ancient Spells..."

Ronan was surprised, too. "After decades we've witnessed to hear the words of the Black Rose."

"Indeed, Ronan." She replied. For a moment, she temporarily shook off her grief as her mind was dazzled by astonishment. Her eyes were still fixed on the engraved figure of three roses on the door. They also observed that it has a knob. A door with a missing key.

"We have something to discuss, right after our cemetery rituals."