The date was the first of august, Poppy who was 11 at the time and her uncle Joe had their lives changed forever.
Most of her immediate and extended family were gone in a matter of minutes; a convoy made of twenty people, on their way to the Compass Coven biennial convention.
The Compass Coven, known to be one of the world most powerful covens, lost close to their entire governing body when they crashed on the motorway. A couple of weeks after the devastating car accident, Poppy and her uncle Joe attended their loved one's funeral.
The service was beautiful, and Poppy was grateful that the remaining of her family could make it. The Compass coven's governing body, also the founders was made of a large multi-cultural family living all around the world.
Two hundred years ago, a prophecy announcing the arrival of a great evil was discovered by a wizard. In order to prepare for an inevitable upcoming war, four powerful covens decided to join forces and create an all-powerful, unshakable body which will allow their descendants to face that danger.
They quickly realised that the best way to erase cultural misunderstanding and bigotry was a merger through holy matrimony. It also had the added advantage of increasing each of their descendants' powers. Green witches from west Africa, White witches from northern Europe, Hedge witches from the middle east and Water witches from the Pacific Islands.
Her father's family, the Bah, better known as the Green Witches were the first to arrive. Poppy paternal grandmother, Hawa Bah, still recovering from the crash, was helped by her distant cousin, Elisapeta Hauata who was also injured during the collision. They held on to each other, silently mourning the loss of their children.
The rest of the Hauata family, the Water witches were right behind them; they were surrounding, Millicent Navaz known also as Millie, the last adult of the Navaz family, the Hedge witches. The children were spared the trip and sent to Hawaii where they would now reside with their cousins.
It was a sunny day; the gardens encompassing the crematorium were picturesque and tranquil. Poppy and her family marched silently through the Rose Garden Ashes Graves, holding urns in their hands.
Poppy could feel the summer wind on her face, which was in stark contrast to the cold emanating from the metal urn she was holding. That moment made her realise the finality of the situation. She stopped walking and thought, they are not away on vacation. They are gone for good.
Tears began welling up in her eyes, and her hands started shaking. She whispered to herself, "I can't do this!"
She raised her head and saw her Uncle Joe looking at her. He walked up to her and leaned toward her, "Are you okay, little bean?"
Their eyes locked, and she shook her head. He went down on one knee and threw his arms around her.
Millie approached them sobbing and placed her palm on Poppy's back. Joe said to poppy, "I am not ready either, but you are not alone. Millie and I will always be there. We will never leave you."
Joe slowly got up, his slim 6 feet tall frame towering over Millie's 5 feet 6 height; he opened his arms, and all three threw themselves in an embrace.
"Big breath," said Millie as they all took a big breath together.
She stared at the group behind them and said "Come on, now. Let's go and say goodbye," and they continued the difficult walk.
Her paternal grandmother, and the rest of the mourners were observing a few feet away.
She turned to her cousin and murmured, "they are the last Southills, we cannot leave them here, they will be vulnerable. That crash was a direct attack on the coven leadership and our family. I think it would be wise to take them back with us."
Her cousin nodded, "You are right. As soon as we are done here, I will begin the arrangements; you should talk to Joe."
They reached one of the flower beds and stopped. mum loved roses; this is where she would have liked her ashes spread thought Poppy
She opened the urn, her eyes watering, and she said with a shaky voice, "Mum, you always said to me, 'you will always be my heart and my light. Do not be scared of flying and shining. I will always be with you!'"
She stopped to take a deep breath and wiped the tears that were running down her cheeks, "It is my turn to say it back to you. 'Do not be scared of flying and shining. You will always be in my heart, and you are my light!'"
Poppy then scattered the ashes on the flowers, choking on the words, "I love you, Mum!"
Joe took off his glasses, wiped his tears and wailed, "I love you, Maggie!"
"Do not worry, I'll take good care of them, I promise!" added a tearful Millie.
They stood silently for a minute, then repeated the process for all the other members of the family.
Joe looked at his watch, they had been at it for two hours, but it was worth it. Each family member had received their full attention.
After saying their last goodbye, Poppy felt a strong wind blowing through the cemetery. She shakingly tried to stand while the wind was growing stronger.
Her grandmother and her cousin frowned; they looked around in panic.
A smoke-like coloured condensation was forming at the edge of the garden and slowly floated toward Poppy.
The two old women eyes met; "no one else seemed to have notice the strangeness in the smoke" whispered Poppy's grandmother to her cousin.
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The old Lady took Poppy's grandmother's hand, her breathing quickened, and she furrowed her brows "Cousin, the smoke is turning into a purple mist."
Poppy's grandmother sigh and nodded, "unfortunately."
Poppy's grandmother's cousin's shoulders dropped, she sighed and shrieked, "Oh my God! She is a natural sorceress!"
The Compass coven was made of witches, but they were also renowned to be able to produce a few sorcerers and sorceresses.
Sorcerers or sorceresses are the rarest and most powerful witches in the magic world. Unlike Witches or other magical world titleholders, the title of sorcerer can only be given to witches who have reached the highest level of magic through study and practice, at least that's how it used to be.
What granted the title of most powerful witches was the ability to detect and utilise the purest, most genuine energy of magic left on earth for witches by the Almighty or the creator depending on who you ask.
By virtue of that gift, they no longer had to borrow or tap into other less powerful sources of magic like regular witches.
Their ability to create magical spells without the use of totems, magical objects or the strength of a fellow witch had resulted in sorcerers leaving their covens and working alone or with just one apprentice.
But the great war changed many things; for example, sorcerers were staying withing their coven to assure more protection.
The cousins locked eyes and Poppy's grandmother said, "What are we going to do? Whoever came after us will probably sense those powers. Even if we return home and gather the remaining of the family and the coven, we might be no match for the killer."
Her cousin shook her head and said with a stern voice, "Not if we move her to a secure location. Some places like Beka for example is a no-go territory for anyone outside the family. Strangers approaching are spotted immediately!"
"Good idea" answered Poppy's grandmother. She beckoned her daughter, Zara who noticing that Poppy had trouble standing up against the wind, had grabbed her by the waist and held her in her arms.
"Are you ok sweetheart?" asked Zara
"I don't know, it felt like a wave of heat is pouring out of my body making me dizzy" answered Poppy
Why do I feel so weak all of a sudden? I think I am going to faint thought Poppy.
Joe who was chatting with Millie walked up to them and asked, "Are you okay, sweetheart?"
Zara handed Poppy to him, "she is feeling weak on the knees, could you hold her? My mother is calling."
Joe nodded and took Poppy in his arms.
"Can you walk?" asked Joe
Poppy nodded "It must be the emotions. I think I am ready to go home now."
They turned toward her grandmother, her grandmother's cousin and her aunt and saw them having an active discussion.
The three women felt a pair of eyes on them, stopped talking and slowly turned around; Poppy, Joe and Millie were staring at them.
They smiled and waved nervously.
Joe turned toward Millie, "What do you think that was all about?"
Millie flipped her long blond hair from her shoulder, shrugged and replied dryly, "Something to do with Mustafa surely. His mother has been trying to convince him to move back to Beka with Maggie, but they preferred Lancashire. Zara, however, has always supported her brother's choice to stay here. Now that tragedy has struck, she is probably looking for someone to blame."
"Can we please go home?" asked a pale Poppy
Joe nodded "Yes sweetheart, we are going home."
A branch cracked near to where they were standing.
Joe turned toward the noise and didn't have time to respond. Poppy had just jiggled out of his embrace and was walking toward her grandmother.
Joe gave one last look toward the direction of the branch's noise but saw nothing.
He sighed and reluctantly followed in Poppy's footsteps joining the rest of the group; It was time to go home.