That very same evening Veronica had begun to stir, returning from yet another day of strange dreams that made no sense. She sat up slowly and opened one eye, seeing that it was just past sunset, she rose from the bed. She dressed in an almost slow motion trance, as if she were a zombie. Once she was dressed and a little more coherent, she rang the bell on her desk and waited. She listened, tapping her foot in annoyance until one of the servants knocked on the door.

"You rang miss?" She asked with the polite manner of a British nanny.

"Yes, Gina would you bring me a cup of Dark witch brew?"

"Yes miss anything you wish. Would you care for anything else?"

"No, I think that's all, but could you make it a large cup?"

"Sure miss, I will return shortly." Gina replied bowing to Veronica, then heading out of the bedroom to get the witches brew prepared for the young mistress.

Feeling a little groggy, Veronica tried to force her mind to fully awaken. She wasn't sure why she was still tired, she had slept well, with only a few symbolic dreams that made no sense. She tried until she gave herself a migraine but couldn't remember what the symbol had been. It aggravated her to no end; she hated it when that happened. If it had not been important then why did she see it in the first place? She shook her head as if to remove the thought by force. It was not a moment longer when Gina arrived with a huge mug of Dark witches brew. Veronica smiled and then she rushed over to retrieve it.

"Thank you; of all the servants I have had in this castle, you're one of our best."

Gina blushed for just a moment before exiting Veronica's chamber tower of the castle.

Veronica waited for her servant to leave; she hated most of the staff, mindless idiots if you asked her. Gina had sense; she knew what to say and when to say it. Veronica couldn't stand the ones that would babble on. Sipping her Dark brew, she stared at the moon and began to think. She needed to figure out what the deal was with Ludwig, he hadn't been himself lately. He was obviously jealous of Galderian, but she needed to understand why?

 She took a gulp of her witches' brew. She needed to be patient, but she found it to be more and more difficult. She needed answers instead of questions. She took a deep breath, then set the large clay based mug down, and headed for her book of shadows and the amulet. She stared at it, as if she would sense something from it, but nothing. She opened up the book, hoping to find something within these worn pages that would help with her gargoyle troubles.

The real trouble was that she didn't even really know what it was she was looking for. She flipped through meditations and vision quests, there wasn't anything useful there. She rolled her eyes in frustration. She knew there had to be a spell or something in here that would help with the issue of the gargoyle. Slowly she turned each page, hoping she would find what she needed. She looked through her dark enchantments, with absolutely no luck in the matter. Veronica was beginning to feel the rage inside of her build, she was getting pissed off.

 It began to feel like soul burning pissed. She wanted to kick something, but she knew her best option was to keep her wits about her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She began to chant for help, repeating it until the words were in tune with her own breath. Once her chanting had ceased, she walked over to retrieve the clay mug, slowly gulping down its contents.

She then turned back to the book determined to find something she could do about this mess with Ludwig and the raven. There had to be more to this than she knew. She could feel something, she just couldn't tell what. She skipped the section on Dark ceremonial magic, and began to dive into the section of Dark spirited necromancy and spells. She read through until almost all hope was lost, on the very last page she found exactly what she needed to do. She read over the spell several times, gathering a bag of outdoor essentials, she was giddy with excitement. Veronica was always excited when it involved her spell work. It seemed to give her a surge of magical energy that nothing else in her life could produce. It gave her a true sense of peace. She smiled as she scrambled for her things, and then headed out the chamber door and down the long winding  staircase.

Veronica headed through the kitchen, waving to Agatha as she ran past the elderly cook. She needed to get out to the court yard as soon as possible; this witch had some work to do under the bright moon light sky. She needed answers, and she was going to do something about it. She put all of her energies into one thought, finding out the truth about Ludwig. She stood in the middle of the court yard, where the nocturnal pull was at its peak.

 Lighting 3 black candles, she began to gaze into them, losing herself with in the flame contrasting against the comforting darkness. She slowly began to alter her state of awareness, to become one with the creatures of the nocturnal essence. Completely fixated on her task this night, Veronica stood facing the moon, and closed her eyes before chanting the incantation of the underworld. She felt the soul shifting presence pulling her to begin the ritual. That was a good sign when you felt the energies of night shift with your magic instead of against it.

"Dark ones I call upon your wisdom this night."

"I ask for the power to have visions of truth, show me please what is the Gargoyle hiding from me?"

"I faithfully await your reply."

She bowed to the Dark beings. She waited in the court yard, having a tranquil moment. She knew she wouldn't get an answer this prompt. The Dark ones worked on their schedule, and theirs alone. She sat in the darkness for a little longer when she sensed something. She couldn't tell what it was at first, and then her amulet felt warm to her. It meant only one thing; the raven was either here or on his way. She knew it before she saw him attempting to land a few feet from her. She looked at him, as if she were trying to read in to him somehow. It spooked Galderian, but he shrugged it off.

"Hello there. I haven't seen you in a while."

"It is good to see you too." Replied the raven, dusting himself off from a harsh landing.

"Where have you been?" She demanded with a stern voice and stone cold eyes.

He had seen that look on a female before. He was in trouble with the mistress and hadn't the slightest idea why. He hated that, but he was dealing with a human. She may be a powerful sorceress, but still a human female.

"I've been working on a lot of different things, why?'

"No real reason."

"Is something wrong?"

"Why would anything be wrong Terrance?" She glared at him as she said his true name.

"How did you know that?" He replied amazed that she knew it.

"So you are the one Ludwig has warned me about?"

"Ludwig, are you referring to that dreadful gargoyle?"

"I don't find him to be all that dreadful, thank you very much."

"Then you haven't known him long enough, in time you will see what I mean." Spat back the raven with fierce eyes.

Veronica took a couple steps back, sensing a wave of anger and resentment. She could feel the blood begin to boil inside her. She knew her fits of rage would subside for only so long. She felt herself shake from the inside out. She just hoped nothing too drastic would happen, the last time it affected the weather. It scared and empowered her at the same time.

 She enjoyed the thrill as well as the fear that rang through her. For reasons even veronica didn't understand, the rage began to overpower her. It took over her body and soul; she couldn't stop the engulfing darkness even if she wished. Her anger had fueled the flames of her never ending wrath. She felt the power surge through her soul. This creature had caused her to possibly lose the only creature she had ever tried to get close to.

"I highly suggest you stop insulting him before you get hurt, bad." As she spoke her eyes began to glow a neon violet that spooked the raven.

"Perhaps you should get to know the gargoyle before you put all of your faith into that creature."

"I know enough about him to see why he doesn't like you." Veronica shot back with vengeance.

'If you knew Ludwig as long as I have, you wouldn't question me, I know the truth."

"What truth is that?" She demanded, trying desperately to calm the flowing anger brewing in her soul.

"It's not my place to tell you of Ludwig's evil nature."

"Don't give me that bullshit."

"You will find out for yourself, I can see it." The raven replied in a calm almost insane manner. Veronica just glared at him part infuriation and part confusion. The raven glared right back at her before suddenly flying off into the distance of the blackened night sky.

"Why do they keep doing that to me?" Veronica asked the shadows hiding in the dark forest, before going in to meditate in her bedroom chamber. She hoped to get some insight. She didn't know who to trust or who to believe anymore. All the trouble began when she met the raven, no wait. She thought for a moment, it started when she mentioned him to Ludwig. Is it the gargoyle? She had no reason to suspect him of any misdoings before now.

She shook her head briefly, the entire mess was giving her a throbbing headache. She went in swiftly through the kitchen and back up the stairs. She hoped to figure this out and soon. She would look through her underworld meditations as soon as she became settled into her meditation routine. Then an idea struck her like a fallen branch from above her.

 The truth seers were available for a price. They were a last resort to any witch, be her of the dark or light ways. The truth seers lived deep in the forest, they weren't human they were of goblin decent. They spoke truth, yet it wasn't always a truth that the sorceress wanted to know.

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