Chapter 43 - High Witches Council

-----------------------------

*Note*

- I was having trouble with the High Witches Council's chapter. The sims I made weren't showing up in-game. I decided to use others, but then other things went wrong. It went downhill from there and I lost interest. Frustrating me so much, I scratched and skipped it completely. Then I reevaluated and, after a LOOOOONG hiatus, decided to just post it un-pictured.

-----------------------------

As soon as they entered the door closed behind them. Julie turned around and was shocked to see it had disappeared entirely. There was no way out of this place. 'Maybe Damian wasn't wrong to be worried', Jane thought, taking in their surroundings. They appeared to be standing on a round platform in the sky. The whole scene oozed serenity and calm. With the forest sounds and clouds surrounding them accompanied by a soft breeze. If they didn't know better, they'd think they died and gone to heaven. No wonder the council was hard to find…

'Hello?'

'Is there anyone here?', Julie whispered. She had no idea why she was whispering, but it was like the area called for soft voices. 'We came here to ask for help. Something big is happening, but we don't know what. Please, is there anyone h—'

'Welcome, Jane and Julie, daughters of Allen', a voice floated on the wind. 'I am Mica'

A woman materialized out of nowhere. She had a short hairdo that seemed to enhance her features perfectly. Her dress was pure white and almost merged with the floor. The cloud carpet made it seem as if she was floating. 'I represent the present. What can I do for you?'

'Our cousin asked us to contact you about what's happening. If you can help us in this coming war'

'The war between the vampires and the hunters? You're witches… You should stay out of it'

'We can't! Both of them are after our family, because of some stupid prophecy. They're after our cousin'

'I'm aware of the prophecy, but it still has nothing to do with…'

'They already killed one of them!', Julie burst out, 'A witch! So don't stand there and tell me it has nothing to do with the witches! She told us to look for you just before she died and you're saying you want nothing to do with this?'

'Your cousin made a choice of which she knew the outcome. She has even told you why. Yes, I know more than you know. One deceased witch does not send all of them into a battle between vampires and Hunters---'

'Future has changed, Mica' Another woman materialized. This one had long curls in her dark hair and the same chocolate brown skin as Mica. 'Victoria – of the future, at your service', she nodded at the twins and walked over to whisper in Mica's ear. 'The future that was seen included their cousin. She made a different decision this time around and it resulted in her death. We need to revisit the present occurrences to see the future outcome'

'We're not asking you to send an army into battle, just to help us save our cousin, also a WITCH, from suffering the same fate. What is going on here? We're running out of time!'

'Silence Julie, daughter of Allen'

Mica and Victoria hushed as well and took a step back. Right next to them the third and final council member appeared. A woman with pure white hair that was so long it flowed over into her white dress. 'Karima - of the past, at your service', she introduced herself and continued. 'The change in the matter has already been brought to our attention and now requires a moment of thought'

Her face suggested a young woman, late twenties, but her manner of speaking and calmness showed maturity.

'I understand you are worried about your cousin Marina, but there has been a change in the foreseen future. It seems your deceased cousin Rinka made a different choice this time around and changed the outcome.  The present is now filling in the holes she left. Since we represent the past, the present and the future, my sisters and I will need to revisit all we know and see if us helping you brings it all back to the way it was. You will see us, but you won't be able to hear a word, because it includes your future as well. Please, have a seat', Karima said, waving her hand and a couch appeared. The trio didn't give the twins time to respond and floated off to the other side.

Jane watched them; their ethereal beauty and mystery and the elegant way in which they moved. They looked exactly like a child would imagine an angel only without wings. So serene… and yet intimidating. These were the leaders of the witch community, so in the back of your mind you're always reminded of how crazy powerful they had to be. Julie must've felt the same way, because she just sat down without protest. Or maybe she realized that pushing the council could just turn them from helping.

'I didn't ask before, but how is it they know a war is coming?', Mica wanted to know. She knew about everything that was happening in the present, and that nothing was indicated in their direction. 'Surely they're not blindly following what their cousin said?'

'Jane and Julie, daughters of Allen. One can see the future and the other the past. They can feel a lot of things, even if they can't explain them at the time. The gifts of time are born to them, Mica', Karima answered watching the twins take a seat.

Mica's mouth fell open slightly as the words sank in. She'd been following their process like any other witch in the present without really seeing, but now hearing what Karima said opened her eyes completely.

'Council members, Karima? They're the future council members to take over from us?'

'Yes. They are the twins Victoria saw a few years ago. They were only toddlers then and we couldn't figure out what their significance was at the time, but it's quite obvious now. The new council members have been born into one family this time. There is another, but her powers are dormant'

'Though a great honor, this gift is tiring and the responsibility far too great… will they be able to handle it, Karima?'

'None of us knew what we were getting ourselves into going into this. We all struggle with it at first, but we'll worry about them when the time comes. Let us discuss the pressing matter at hand. Victoria, if you'd please'

Victoria nodded and with a wave of her hand one by one ghostly figures appeared in their circle as she named them. 'The vampire…' A long haired male appeared; his hair tied back in a messy ponytail. He looked young, but important. 'The witch…' A woman appeared this time. She had a short haircut that framed her features perfectly. 'The hunter…' A second woman appeared. Very sophisticatedly dressed, looking both elegant and mysterious at the same time. There was something unsettling about her making Karima frown. She zoned out and searched the past for references.

'So the fight is between the 3 of them?', Mica asked Victoria, giving Karima the time she needed.

'Not really. The fight is between the vampires and the hunters. The witch, Valerie Prescott, is the bedmate of the vampire. Her current position in his life will most likely convince her to aid him. Her being a witch is where we're linked to all of this. Not to mention that vampire's half-brother is romantically involved with the twins' cousin Marina, also an indirect cause of this war'

'How so?'

'The prophecy. She's the one destined to aid the vampires. The hunters will be at a disadvantage if they are to fully mate. She would give strength to the founding vampire's bloodline; the Elite bloodline'

'I see… so eliminating this Marina should be the right solution, to not give the vampires the advantage'

'No, I'm afraid not. Not only is she the other council member Karima spoke of, the one with the dormant powers, but eliminating her could make it a lot worse. It could bring innocents into this mess, humans! The one she is tied to, the Elite Raven, would go on another Rampage. Remember New Orleans?'

'How could I forget?! We lost 80 people that night… Didn't Ivory, the previous past-dweller try to change that event?'

'She did. Several times in fact. The outcome was always the same'

'The huntress then! If she is out of the equation, there's no one to fight and…'

'And it would give the vampires free reign to feed on all'

'Yes, but we can always promote another one in her place. Easily fixed'

'You can't kill the huntress'

Both Mica and Victoria looked at Karima, returned from her trance and Mica laughed. 'That's funny coming from you. Why shouldn't we be able to kill the hun---' She stopped abruptly when she saw Karima's annoyed face and turned her head towards the hunter's ghostly silhouette. 'No… Isis?', she spat out with disbelieve.

'She goes by the name of Lillian now. And… now we know where she's been all this time'

'But then it's a losing battle, Karima. Isis---Lillian is immortal', Victoria said, circling the hunter's silhouette. 'Sending witches into this will only make the death count bigger. I say we just let the vampires and the hunters cancel each other out like before'

'I agree, Karima. The twins of Allen coming to us for help is for their own personal cause. They want to take revenge on the vampires for killing their cousin. I'm searching for a reason to help them, but I'm coming up short every time. We shouldn't intervene…'

'They don't know that it was the vampires that reached their cousin first. They want revenge, that's true, but not on a specific side'

'Should we tell them?'

'No, their cousin didn't so we won't either. If that knowledge reaches them and by chance the vampires survive, the next war will be between the vampires and the witches. More innocents will die then'

'So what do we do? If it comes down to a vote, we're already two against'

Karima looked at the silhouettes and back at the twins. 'If we don't do anything and leave it as it is now, what is the damage?'

Together with Mica, Victoria gazed into the future immediately after the war and came up with 1700 dead, including 400 bystanders… humans. 'And if we do help?', Karima asked.

'Almost the same number, minus 200', Mica answered.

'Then we help'

'Karima…'

'We're not helping the twins with their personal reasons, we're helping innocents. That's our job, that's why we're here'

'We're here to keep the magic community under control', Victoria corrected her.

'Would you carry the death of 200 people on your conscience? Only because most of them weren't magical?', Karima raged.

Victoria seemed unmoved by Karima's reasoning, but Mica was looking at it differently now. The vote now stood at one against and one for. Mica would have the decision in her hands.

--------------------

'What are they talking about? And are those ghosts between them?', Julie whispered.

'I don't know, but I'm tired of waiting. If they don't want to help, fine, but they're wasting our time keeping us here. We could've come up with our own remedies by now', Jane got up from the lounge, planning to find a way out of here, when the silencing veil lifted and the trio approached them once more.

'We have decided'