The Ghosts of Melbrew [1/12]

Chapter 15) Unusual Décor

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          "This is my personal journal that I've kept while studying witchcraft." Veronica said, "I grew up knowing a lot about this stuff, which made it really easy for me to get more knowledge on it. I'd love to get a chance to talk to Jane, I wonder if she has any past or personal experience?" She wondered, and then opened a box of gems, "You see the different colors, right?" She pointed at the crystals, "Different colors have different types of energies, or magic. Here, hold this peach one." She handed me a peach colored diamond. "How do you feel?"
 
         "A little happier, actually. So, this one is like, happy energy, or something?" I asked.
 
          "Exactly. It's not really the gem or color that really matters, it's all about the magic put onto them. Anything can be a magic gem, even if it isn't magic. The colors are only there so we can visually tell the difference. The colors were chosen based on the natural aura of the magic. For example, gold or yellow is the purest color of Light magic, just like black is the color of basic Shadow magic. It's simply magic."

          She pointed at a whole collection of crystals, "Peach is happiness, pink is love. It's the color of the nztrx uoldvis, since uoldvis each have different magic and emotions. It's important to leave those plants alone, because they could put a quote un-quote 'curse' on you, especially the red ones. Red is typically evil, but that isn't a constant. It can also mean anger. Goavins and Shadow Demons– the term for demons who live in the Shadow Realm– typically use the color red to show rebellion and separation against the Lights. Light reds are typically safe, but deep or vibrant reds should be avoided, magically speaking. Orange is usually hot fire magic, I guess Lord Lutho figured out not to play with fire, as we can tell from that first entry of hers."
 
          "That boy who grabbed the journal yesterday, he said he was the demon prince. I would've thought you would know who he is?"
 
          "That's because everything I know is knowledge from a long time ago. I could be wrong in all the things I'm saying, really. I just say what I was told. I'm sure some of the things I've said are wrong, it's pretty much a big game of telephone. Passed down from a Shadow creature, to my family, throughout generations. If what I'm saying is correct though, it's still definitely outdated. That prince was about the same age as us, I wouldn't know him... but, I would know his parents. If he's Prince of the Shadowlands like he said, then his parents would be Queen Crystal, and King Draven."
 
          "That's really fascinating." I said, "Do you know who the original source of your family's knowledge came from?"
 
          "My guess would be all the vampires that live around here. I know the most about vampires for that very reason. Vampire studies are also in my family history."
 
          "How did they even get here in the first place? And that demon Prince? And Lutho's Journal? Why is any of it here? How is it?"
 
          "I have no clue. There's obviously a lot of things we don't know the answer to. Sometimes I wonder if we ever will."
 
          "Well, we'll know the answers when we die, won't we? The afterlife is technically just the beginning, isn't it?"
 
          "I'm not sure. But I'm just a human. There's so much more out there. I wanna reach it. I need to reach it, but I'm not gonna die to do that."
 
          "He said it was dangerous, though. He talked about a war and uncertainty. Doesn't that worry you?"
 
          "Yeah, it does. But we just have to be careful. There's one thing that Cameron is good for and it's his lack of fear. Maybe we shouldn't be exploring these things, but then again, if we found a way to… why not?"

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          It was Saturday, November 19th. Today was the day, I thought to myself. We would finally see what would be behind those giant doors. We'd been hyped for this all week, even Dominik was excited! I mean, he was like, fanboying over a hole in the ground. For once in his life that man had no fear, which was a big accomplishment. 
 
          "This is so exciting!" Both Cameron and Dominik said to each other, which was a bizarre sight to see.
 
          "I've got my camera ready for so many photos and videos! I'm gonna record the whole thing, I can take photos while filming." Cameron said. 
 
          "I'm gonna be so disappointed if there's nothing down there! I don't want all of this to be for nothing!" Dominik said. 
 
          "Dominik? Wishing there was something creepy to be found? Who are you?" I said.
 
          "Someone who's feeling pretty curious, anticipating something cursed, and doesn't wanna be disappointed! Also, we have Veronica with us now!"
 
          "Wow, I'm so glad I can help your weird anxiety about demons." Veronica said sarcastically.
 
          "Everyone shut up and let's go!" Kimi said, pushing Kai to lead the way.
 
          We made friendly chatter along the way, Kai even coming in occasionally. Veronica and Cameron bickered a lot, but I managed to get them to stop. I didn't know what their beef was, but I didn't wanna get in their business. Some time passes, and we go quiet, just eager to get there already. Kai starts picking up the pace. 
 
          "I see it!" Kimi said, running ahead. We all ran to catch up to her. We climbed down the rocks and ledges onto the wide, concave space.
 
          "I had no idea that this was here," Veronica said in confused curiosity. The way the ground caves in around it was very strange.
 
          We all went and lifted the wooden cover from the hole, and we were careful about it. I'm sure if one of us fell down, the fall could kill us, or at the very least break some bones. It took me a while to climb down the first time.
 
          Kimi and Kai had brought out the biggest ladder that they could find a few days ago, and left it against a nearby tree. I hoped that it would be big enough. I was the only one who knew how to climb a rope.
 
          We took the ladder and carefully lowered it into the hole, but we couldn't feel it hit the ground. We took it back out and sat silently, thinking. Veronica took the ladder and set it against a rock, then began to search through her bag.
 
          "Uh, what are you doing?" Dominik asked.
 
          "Trying something I studied, but haven't yet tried, and hoping for the best." She said, and pulled out a rather large black crystal. "I brought these incase something like this would happen."
 
          She pulled out some weird looking black, sludgy glitter glue... or what looks like it, at least. She applied it to one of the flat surfaces of the gem, and stuck it to the ladder. We all watched, confused, but intrigued.
 
          She grabbed it with her hand and said some stuff in one of those weird old languages. Was she saying some kind of spell?
 
          Once she was finished, she dropped her hand from the gem and opened her eyes. It glowed now, as magic began looping around it. I looked over to the others, Cameron obviously recording, Dominik looked amazed, and even Kimi and Kai looked shocked.
 
          The glowing then stopped, the gem became clear, and the ladder was much bigger. She turned to face us, "See how nice it is to be a witch? Oh, wipe those looks off of your faces and put it back down the hole. This is normal." She then took the empty, clear crystal and put it into her bag, like there was never any of that glue on it.
 
          We didn't ask any questions, though Cameron was giggling like an excited, giddy child. He was mumbling his usual phrases of, "This is so cool!" Under his breath. We all went to grab the ladder together once more, though I noticed Dominik now looked a bit afraid to touch it. It could reach the bottom this time, like it was made to. A perfect fit.