Celeste jolted awake. Warmth emanated from the gentle sunlight that filtered through the massive leaves of the giant oak trees surrounding her. Looking up, Celeste could tell it was the middle of the day, even though the last thing she remembered was the dark of night.

“Belladonna!” Celeste shouted as her memory of the previous night came flooding back into her mind. As she tried to stand and look around, her legs and back cramped. She lauded back down and cried out in pain as he body felt like it had just ran a marathon through the dense forest.

“At least I’m back in my own body,” she thought as she sighed deeply.

“Yes, although it may need more rest after the burden it carried two nights ago,” a deep voice echoed in Celeste’s mind.

“Two nights?” Celeste questioned mentally as she felt her heart start to race.

“Indeed, your body was not meant to carry all of the moonlight and starlight in the sky on a full moon,” the Elder Tree chuckled. “It’s possible that we made the right choice…”

“What choice? Where is my friend?”

“The other witch is safe in the roots, and-“

“Let her out!” Celeste demanded, pounding a fist on the ground in frustration.

“Whispering witch,” the Elder Tree said sternly. “Your friend is lucky to be alive, and she is just barely so. We can return her to you if you wish, but she would not live on her own.”

“Are you healing her?” Celeste asked. “When will she get better?”

“Child… you misunderstand…” the Tree sighed. “Your friend was possessed by the shadow of death itself. Her body may never recover.”

“No!” Celeste screamed out loud in a hoarse voice. “She can’t die!”

“Her life in preserved in the roots, but we can’t reverse what was done to her body… the best we can do is-“

“So what, you are just going to keep her there underground forever?” Celeste continued to scream at the enormous tree in front of her.

“Celeste? Is that you?” A familiar voice responded.

“Bell?!” Celeste answered, trying again to rise to her feet. Unable to stand, Celeste began to crawl towards the voice. “Where are you, Belladonna?”

“I… don’t know…” Belladonna whimpered. “It’s warm though.”

As soon as Celeste was able to circle around the Eder oak tree, she saw a small bush with dark green leaves and purple bell-shaped flowers. However, Belladonna was nowhere to be seen.

“Bell?” Celeste called, peering into the forest as far as she could see.

“Celeste? I can hear you. Where are you?” Belladonna’s voice replied from the bush in front of the whispering witch. The leaves twitched awkwardly. “It’s so dark! What’s happening?”

The young witch stared at the talking plant; her jaw dropped to the ground. Looking around, she asked, “Is… is that?”

“Yes,” The Elder Tree replied. “She is safe, but this is the body she must live with from now on.”

“What is that voice?” Belladonna shrieks in Celete’s mind.

Tears welled up in the whispering witch’s eyes as she realized for the first time that Belladonna’s voice was inside her head like the old tree’s. “Bell…” Celeste muttered before continuing in her mind to avoid her voice breaking. “You are a plant… I think you are a flower.”

“She has become her namesake,” the Elder Tree explained. “Speaking the ancient tongue comes naturally for plants.”

“Who is that?” Belladonna cried.

“That is the tree, Bell,” the Whispering Witch explained. “Remember, I told you I could hear the trees…”

“You really can hear the trees?” Belladonna wailed. “Why are they talking to me? Why am I a flower!”

Suddenly, jet black ink shot from the purple flowers emminating with Belladonn’s life force. Celeste gasped and jumped backwards, even though the spray had already flown past her into the grass. That patch of grass withered, turning an ugly brown color as it shriveled up.

“Uhh… I think you are poisonous….” Celeste stuttered out loud.

“Belladonna is toxic! It’s deadly nightshade… and it can aid in flying potions,” the plump witch-turned-plant responded.

“Your herbal magic and affinity for potions will stay with you,” the Elder Tree mused. “This body might make you more… useful than your last.”

“What did you say?” Bell roared, giving Celeste a headache. The Whispering Witch placed a palm on her forehead and doubled over as the Great Tree argued with her friend.

As the wind picked up, Celeste’s vision began to blur. Suddenly, her head snapped backwards and she levitated 5 feet off the ground with her hair splayed in random directions and her mouth hanging open. Looking a solid white, her eyes turned up into her head as if staring into the brain.

Peaceful and serene, an unfamiliar forest stretched as far as she could see. A waterfall bubbled in the distance, outside of view, like something from a fairytale. Then, the animals one by one fell to the ground as a shadow crept across the forest. Birds dropped from the sky, squirrels slid from tree branches, deer toppled over. Just as suddenly as the vision came, Celeste’s world went dark.

Deep laughter pounded in Celeste’s head as two red eyes peered at her from the darkness. They examined her carefully—a predator studying its prey. Disorienting darkness spread everywhere other than those eyes, causing Celeste to scream.

“What did you see, Child?” The Elder Tree questioned as the vision faded and Celeste crumpled to the ground.

“Celeste! Are you okay?” Belladonna shrieked.

“I… don’t know,” Celeste responded, holding her throbbing head in her hands. She recounted her vision and layed in the grass to recover.

“The Dark One is waking in the Northern forest,” the Elder Tree hissed. “Her influence is growing! You must leave at once!”

“Leave? To where?” Celeste groaned.

“I said the Northern Forest! Make haste, Whispering witch, before it’s too late!”

“Hold on,” Celeste threw a hand up to cut off the tree—as if it had a mouth. “I thought the Dark One was here… in your roots. Don’t you have it contained?”

“Young witch…” the Elder Tree sighed, causing a breeze to blow through the grove. “The Dark One can not be contained by one tree—no matter how ancient. I contain merely a fraction of The Dark One’s power… as does every other Elder tree old enough to have lived through the Great War…”

“There are more talking trees?” Belladonna squeaked.

“How many of you are there?” Celeste asked, shaking her head. “What was the Great War? Are there more shades? Why didn’t you just get rid of The Dark One?”

The Elder Tree chuckled, “You have more questions than time, young witches. The Dark One can not be destroyed… but you may be able to stop her from gathering her strength and returning.”

“That shade… are there more of those?”

“Magic this ancient and powerful can manifest itself in many ways… however, a shade is the least of your worries. Should The Dark One return, all will be lost.”

“What do you mean ‘all will be lost’?” Belladonna whined.

“You beat her before… can’t you just contain her again?” Celeste asked.

“You do not know the cost!” The Elder Tree roared in both witches heads. “Make haste to the Northern forest: find the Elder Birch Tree. Perhaps she can answer your questions… if you get there in time.”