Kingdom of Ash

Witches, here amongst us. Witches, now
going to war.
A rising tide of witches, who took to the
skies in their red cloaks, swords strapped to
their backs, brooms shedding years of dust
with each mile northward.
Witches who bade their families farewell,
offering no explanation before they kissed
their sleeping babes and vanished into the
starry night.
Mile after mile, across the darkening
world, the call went out, ceaseless and
unending as the eternal flame that passed
from hearth to hearth.
“Fly, fly, fly!” they shouted. “To the queen!
To war!”
Far and wide, through snow and storm and
peril, the Crochans flew.