Father Antonio started to take a few steps before he stopped to turn over his shoulder and Penelope then started to walk. She wondered what the witcher wanted to give her. Was it books or was it the potions as they were leaving the church and closing it for no one's use.
"Has the church been assigned to you and the others?" she asked him, seeing Father Antonio lead the way. He held a lantern up in his hand so that they could walk in the dark cold dungeon-like bas.e.m.e.nt which was built under the church.
"Not yet. I requested the council to place us in the same church or at least in the same vicinity but there are not many seats available in a single church or rather, they are trying to spread us out. After the council exam, the loss was of the witches but the council looks at it in a different way," said Father Antonio who continued to lead as they passed one pillar after another, "They doubt the work the white witches have given them all the years."
"Why not ask the head council to come forward and explain what happened then?" Penny could tell that the witches in here were careful and the weapons that were in progress had been stopped.
"That would put all of us in jeopardy, Penelope."
"How so?" It was a council's matter and the order coming from the council for witches to take part in it, therefore, she didn't understand why the council was not owning up to it instead of chasing the white witches.
"As you already know, the witches aren't favored anywhere. If there is a place that favors them, then one should consider it to be lucky.
"We are the creatures who turned to black witches who went to destruct while also trying to fix the damage of what occurred between the sister witches," they had started to walk down the stairs now, "There are only a few of the people in the council who will help the white witches and if we raise the words, it would remove the existing help. A head council is in the highest standing power but at the same time there are other people called the elders who you must already be knowing."
"Like Evelyn..." Penny uttered the name.
"A head council will do what he can but there are others to sabotage it like the elders and the ratio of members is higher there compared to one person with some of the loyal people. In the end, everyone plays behind the curtains to get things done," Father Antonio had a faint smile as he iterated it to Penelope, "If we put the people in a spot like that, we will lose the remaining alley that we have."
"Why are they so hell-bent on taking the witches as councilman or councilwoman when they are ready to point in the churches?" it was a question that had been bothering her for quite some time.
"When the power of the black witches turned fearful in the eyes of the higher society, they decided to shut it down along with the white witches believing there would come a time where the witches would overtake the race of the humans as well as the vampires. It is a silly thing to think like that but it what most of us have come to understand," they finally came to stand in front of the door after walking down through the steps, "It is why you will no white witch anywhere but in the church mostly. And the most being in Valeria and Bonelake. Though these two lands have a higher population when it comes to vampires, at the same time, there are some who allow us to take part in the church. It is necessary that we don't drag them in the middle."
Father Antonio pushed the handle of the door to let both of them inside.
The room was dark therefore Penny stood in place while watching the man going to light the room by using the existing lantern to burn the other lanterns that hung on the walls.
The wall of the room was as dark as the other walls in the dungeons, a small room where she caught sight of a safe that was placed at the top at the corner. When Father Antonio walked towards it, Penny had guessed that it was something in the safe that had her curious but instead of reaching for the safe, the man bent down to pull a box from below it.
"I have kept this in my care since I came here to Bonelake. Working in this church. I think it is only right that I hand this to you," she heard him say while lifting the box up and placing it on the table.
The lantern on the table illuminated the light on the box and Penny came to see the box that was made of carved wood.
Father Antonio unlocked the case and pushing the top to pick a single piece of parchment that was torn.
"What is this?" Penny questioned him. He handed it to her.
"I hope it will come in use for you."
She got close enough to the lantern to take a look at the torn piece to see something written there but she couldn't understand what it was.
"I don't think I can read this," she said furrowing her brows.
"That's strange, I thought it could be ready by you as you read the hidden writings of the first generation witches," he said, "I found this box up in the secret room but I got it here as there was something else written. Check the box here," saying this he closed the open carved box and brought the lantern towards it, hanging it in the air.
Penny turned the box noticing the wood wasn't carved with just designs but it also had writings on it and it read,
'When the time is dire and the night is dark, this shall reach one of them who have been chosen to walk the path.'
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