Karma | 01
✦ characters: warlock!yoongi x witch!reader ft. warlock!taehyung ✦ summary: you never wanted to be a part of a coven but sometimes you crave to be a part of one. they seem too structured and formal for your liking, so being a Solitary Witch seemed more appealing. a Solitary Witch is a witch that practices magic alone, without a coven. that and the last coven you were a part of kicked you out due to your refusal to practice the darker magic that they were so drawn to. this meant losing your friends and a boyfriend that you loved you deeply. but after meeting a Solitary Warlock, you found yourself wanting to be a part of something again - maybe a coven or maybe something more. ✦ genre/words: witchcraft. mild violence. death. drama. light flirting. | 5.3k → chapters: 01 | 02 | 03 → [mini series in progress] ✦ moodboard made by me ✦
What exactly does it mean to be a witch? You ask yourself that very question everyday. It has a different meaning to everyone. Hence why there’s 10 different types - that you know of. It’s only been a year since you left your coven. To be honest, it’s been very peaceful. The life of a Solitary Witch is sometimes frowned upon. What is a Solitary Witch, one may ask. Essentially, it’s a witch that chooses to practice magic without being a part of a coven - solo magic if you will. Some witches feel that you need a coven for protection and guidance. Your coven was leading you down a dark path, so you chose to leave rather than betray them by joining another coven. They didn’t take that choice very well either.
Leaving your coven meant losing your friends and a boyfriend you loved very much. They were your family for years and then...something shifted. Su-mi, the leader of your coven, started presenting new spells and incantations to practice. Small things here and there like making someone get a flat tire on the way to work, a pipe bursting in a neighbor’s apartment just because they always gave you a dirty look, but then it got bigger. The other witches wanted to get revenge on those that have wronged them - cursing exes, bosses, the barista who got a coffee order wrong. Things were getting out of control and when you spoke up about how wrong it was, they laughed at you. One day in particular pushed you over the edge.
“Tae, I still don’t think this is a good idea,” you said as you nervously watched one of your witch sisters lying on an altar. It was midnight, witches hour, and your coven was going to sacrifice your witch sister, Ara, for a ritual. Candles and torches decorated the sacred ground to illuminate the dark area. Ara looked over at you from the altar with a cute smile.
“Relax Y/N. It’s only temporary. There’s a spell to bring me back. I’ll only be gone for a minute.” You raised your eyebrow at how nonchalant she was being about the situation.
“Ara, that’s necromancy! Once you’re dead, you’re dead. What happens if we bring you back and your soul gets stuck in limbo or something? Or what if you pass because it’s too late?” Your boyfriend, Taehyung, stood in front of you and placed his hands on your shoulders; leaning down slightly to meet your worried eyes.
“It’s okay, baby. We know what we’re doing. Don’t you trust us? We wouldn’t let anything happen to her, okay?” His deep voice and kind eyes were so soothing. You felt your doubts slowly fading but something didn’t feel right. Death was not something to play with and this was crossing into a realm of dark magic that made your stomach churn. What happened to innocent little spells to give someone good luck or cure someone who was sick, things that helped the greater good? Now we’re doing spells that require a sacrifice so your coven can heighten their powers to become stronger? Nothing good comes from magic that results in personal gain.
You took a deep breath and nodded your head slowly. Tae smiled at you and cupped your cheeks to press a gentle kiss on your lips. He lightly brushed your hair behind your ear after pulling away.
“That’s my girl. Now, did you bring the knife?” Reluctantly, you pulled the antique athame, ceremonial blade, from your bag. It was your job to find it for your coven’s use and although it was an easy task for you, it was easier than handing it over to your boyfriend. Behind him near the altar stood Su-mi, with a proud smile on her face. A part of you felt that smile was more deviant than anything else. Su-mi extended her hand towards Taehyung to get him to walk towards the altar. Your boyfriend was the strongest warlock in the coven. Naturally, she always chose him to do the dirty work, and you hated it.
Taehyung walked to the altar as you stayed back. Your brothers and sisters gathered to form a circle around the altar. They held hands together and began the incantation. One of your brothers turned around, always the sweet one who would realize that you were still left behind.
“Y/N, join us,” Jimin said kindly. All you could do was look between them and Ara lying on the table as Taehyung stood beside her with the knife in position above his head. Tears formed in your eyes and you shook your head, frozen in place. Slowly, you found yourself backing away. Su-mi scoffed.
“Leave her be. No one can force her. Her loss anyways.” Her words were so cold. She’s been questioning your loyalty to the coven for some time now and maybe she’s given up. There was no way you could be a part of this. Their voices became louder and louder. A breeze began to blow amongst the sacred ground and you could feel a stronger magical presence. Before you knew it, Taehyung’s arms dropped and the athame pierced through Ara’s heart without a single scream, only a small whimper that rang through your ears. The flames from the candles around the circle ignited in a stronger haze as a rush of smoke rose from Ara’s lifeless body and dispersed into the mouths of your coven. The spell worked.
Within seconds, the wind ceased and the candles returned back to their normal state. Everyone collapsed to the ground, which made you panic. Who would perform the revival spell to bring Ara back? Would Ara just rise soon on her own? As fear coursed through your veins, you ran over to make sure everyone was still breathing. They seemed to be unconscious but certainly still alive. When you turned to Taehyung, you shook him lightly, calling his name but he wouldn’t stir. You didn’t know the spell that needed to be performed to bring Ara back but even if you did, could you perform such a dark spell to bring someone back from the dead? Maybe you could take her to the hospital.
Your heart raced as you stood next to the altar to observe her body. The athame was still in her chest; a perfect stab into the heart. Blood stained her white dress, a dress to symbolize her purity. The youngest witch of your coven lies before you with nothing behind her open, lifeless eyes. Your hands shook as you attempted to lift her but you didn’t have the strength to lift her stiff body. Suddenly, you heard a voice.
“Y/N?” You froze at the sound and slowly looked up to find Ara standing on the other side of the altar. Your eyes widened at the sight of her. She looked at you and smiled.
“Did it work?” You looked at her in disbelief and shock. Your lips parted but you couldn’t speak, not knowing what to say or what to do. Ara’s eyes fell to the altar, realizing that her body still remained there. Reality settled in as she discovered that she was merely a spirit form of herself.
“A-Ara...I...I don’t know. I-I don’t know how to bring you back.” Tears streamed from your eyes as you could see worry flood over your sister. It looked as if she was going to cry but she smiled and shook it away.
“It’s okay. They will wake up soon and they will bring me back.” Always such the optimist, always believing in the coven; all the while, you could not. You looked at your brothers and sisters on the ground with no sign that they would wake soon. Your heart sank into your stomach. Ara followed your gaze and her smile slowly disappeared.
“Y/N...I don’t feel well,” she said with a shaky voice. When you looked back up, her form was becoming more and more transparent.
“No, no, no, no. Ara, stay with me,” you said as you rushed to the other side of the altar, “Wake up! Wake up please!” Your voice roared into the night but no one stirred. Ara stood before you with tears streaming down her face.
“Y/N,” she said with pure sadness in her voice. You reached out for her but you couldn’t touch her. Your lips trembled as you watched her fade away.
“I’ll find a way. I’ll bring you back somehow,” you promised desperately. But it was too late. Ara disappeared and the candles around you extinguished. Silence surrounded you and you felt more alone than ever. Your friend was gone and your coven remained unconscious. You knew this would happen and no one listened, not even the man you loved. Is this what they’ve become? Murderers for power? This isn’t what you signed up for. Without giving it a second thought, you found yourself running and never looking back.
It’s been a year since you ran away from your coven. Taehyung tried to see you but you would never open the door or respond to his calls or texts. In fact, you had heard recently that he was now dating Su-mi. That was all she ever wanted - more power and your boyfriend. Now she has both. Mazel tov. There was never any report about Ara’s death or disappearance. No one in town questioned it. It was as if she never existed but you could never forget her. Her death haunted you ever since. In fact, you haven’t used any of your magic since that day; at least nothing spectacular. Just small spells here and there. Anything more didn’t seem right.
Sometimes you still see Ara in your dreams. Whenever you passed by your friends on the street, they would give you dirty looks or simply pretend like you don’t exist. A few times, you’ve tripped over nothing and fell to the ground; knowing that it was their doing. You considered trying to speak to them and explain what happened and why you left but it seemed useless. They would believe anything Su-mi said and you were not her favorite. You were nothing more than a threat that is now gone. Your magical abilities surpassed hers and she couldn’t stand it. She especially couldn’t stand the fact that you did nothing with your powers except help others. She said you could do so much more, become all powerful, but you didn’t care. Now that you’ve chosen a life on your own, you’ve tried to live a normal life. At least until the anniversary of Ara’s death.
It was early May and the days were becoming warmer. Although the days were brighter, they seemed darker as your lost friend’s anniversary was approaching in a week. Living in a small town, it was always enjoyable to take little walks downtown as you always came across a friendly face. Friendly faces always put a smile on yours when you were feeling blue. Today seemed to be the exception. Today, there were fewer friendly faces and more appearances of your past coven. What are the odds?
“Screw this,” you mumbled to yourself as you saw your ex, Taehyung, and Su-mi walking hand-in-hand down the street. It seemed like a glamour spell of sorts. A spell that made you see things because it wasn’t just once that you saw them but it seemed to be about ten times within the same block. You stood in the middle of the sidewalk and closed your eyes for a moment, rubbing your temples to try to shake off the illusion. When you decided to keep walking, you bumped into someone.
“I’d say I’m sorry but your eyes were closed. Seems like it’s your fault, hm?” The voice didn’t sound familiar but it was deep and smooth. You opened your eyes and found a dark haired man before you. He wasn’t much taller than you but he had soft features, despite his eyebrow raised as he looked at you. You didn’t recognize him but you admired his grunge-style clothes.
“S-Sorry. I had a sudden migraine. I didn’t mean to,” you said as sincerely as possible. Witches were a best kept secret in this town, so you couldn’t explain what was really going on. Although you did feel a large amount of energy from him. The man chuckled lightly and presented you with a small smile.
“I’m just teasing. I can tell when someone’s having a bad day. I may have intentionally stepped into your path, so I’m actually at fault. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Now you were the one raising your eyebrow at him. A bit forward for a strange meet and greet.
“That’s...kind of you, I guess. I’m fine. I just need to get out of here. Clear my head. It was nice to meet you,” you said the words as you stepped around him. He turned around and laughed lightly.
“Did you really meet me though? You didn’t get my name and I didn’t get yours. So, it would be more appropriate to say ‘It was nice bumping into you’.” You stopped and turned around with a look of disbelief on your face. Who the hell is this guy and who does he think he is? It’s hard to tell if he’s being nice or trying to cause trouble. Perhaps it would be best to try to get rid of him a different way. Harmless magic wouldn’t be too terrible. You scoffed with a smirk, folding your arms as you faced him.
“You’re right. My mistake. It was nice bumping into you,” as you spoke, the man’s shoes were becoming untied and re-tied together with the force of your telekinesis abilities without him noticing, “I’m not sure if you’re just visiting, passing through, or a new resident but enjoy your day. Have a wonderful walk.” You smiled sweetly and waited for him to take his step in hopes that he would trip on his shoes. The man looked at you and remaining in place. He put his hands in his front pockets and smirked.
“That’s impressive. Subtle movements and you didn’t even have to look at what you were doing,” the man said without a single stutter. Your heart felt like it dropped into your stomach but you tried not to show emotions. Instead, you tried smiling.
“What are you talking about,” you asked nervously but trying to mask your nerves with steadiness. The man mirrored your crossed arms.
“Do you usually practice magic so freely out in public? Someone could catch you, you know? That’s kind of careless, don’t you think?” And in that moment, your heart stopped and started beating faster. The only witches you knew of in your town were those in your coven. Other than that, there are rumored to be witch hunters around. So, does that make him a witch hunter? Panic coursed through your veins.
“Very funny. I have to go. Sorry again for running into you,” you said in a rush, unsure of what to do in this situation. You turned on your heels to continue walking away.
“Wait,” the man called out to you but it only made you walk faster. You wanted to make sure you lost him, so you turned down an alley to take a shortcut back to your apartment. Your stride was cut short when you turned back to see if you were being followed then suddenly bumped into someone. Again. When you turned, the man from before was standing in front of you. This made you jump back.
“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you,” he said with a slight laugh. The laugh made you only worry more and also become a little annoyed. This game wasn’t funny.
“How did you do that? Your shoes were tied together,” you asked to get right to the point. He raised his eyebrow and tilted his head a little to look at you.
“How did my shoes get tied together when they were perfectly tied before I bumped into you,” he asked with a cocky tone with a smirk that made your heart flutter a little. You couldn’t help but to smile.
“Touche,” was all you could say.
“I’m Min Yoongi and I did that the same way you did. Simple telekinesis can go a long way. I was untying them as you tried running off. As for my sudden appearance? That’s called Apporation. Different from Astral Projection because my whole living form can project to other places. Simpler term is Teleportation.” You looked at Yoongi like he had two heads. You’ve only seen people Astral Project, so this was completely new to you. Astral Projection is basically teleporting somewhere but only mentally while your physical body remains in its original place. A projection of yourself, if you will. He suddenly made you feel very insignificant but it wasn’t his fault; just your own insecurities.
“I’m Y/N. Telekinesis is really all I have, so. Not as cool as…” You stalled for a moment as you tried remembering the word.
“Apportation,” he said to help you with an amused smile on his face.
“Yeah, that.” The two of you laughed. You didn’t feel as nervous around him anymore. He seemed like a decent person nor did you sense anything off about him. Even though the weather was warm, you felt goosebumps on your arms, causing you to rub them slightly as you looked away.
“Do you want to go somewhere? You said you wanted to get away and I have the perfect place for that,” he saw the hesitation in your eyes, “I’m not a serial killer. I promise.” His comment made you snort.
“That’s exactly what a serial killer would say but sure. Why the hell not?”
It’s been so long since you’ve been out in the woods. Yes. The woods. Why did you agree to venture out to the woods with Min Yoongi? Because there was something about him that made you trust him with your life. Not only that, but this was the first person that has given you the time of day to this extent since the incident last year. Perhaps it was a coincidence or fate; either way, it’s worth a try, right?
Going to the woods ignites something in you. Perhaps it’s a sense of home or perhaps it’s a chilling feeling of suppressed emotions from a dark past. Leaving your own coven and staying away from a part of you that means so much to you - it’s been too hard; at least alone anyways. Thinking back, you don’t have regrets of leaving them but you do miss that sense of belonging.
The forest was just as beautiful as you remembered. There was a subtle eeriness that was somehow overwhelmed by a calm nature that made it more comfortable to be there rather than fearful. Now that spring has passed and summer has blossomed, the trees and ground that surround you are covered with greenery beyond belief. The tall trees provide shade from the blistering sun. Twigs graze your black jeans but it doesn’t bother you - not one bit.
As Yoongi walks ahead of you, you can’t help but to watch his stride. He didn’t necessarily seem like a loner; more of a wanderer. His porcelain skin in contrast with his dark hair and attire was alluring. He seemed gentle and calm, not threatening or menacing. With your past experience as a witch, you knew better than to follow a stranger into the woods but you felt as if you could trust him. The tall trees around you start to become more and more bare. Just tall stalks of lumber that are so symmetrical in every way that then leads to a clearing. Before you is a clearing of trees that create a large circle with nothing in the center; just dead grass and leaves and rocks. Yoongi slows to a stop. Now you can’t help but to become highly alert. You scoff with slight nervousness and laughter.
“Okay. This is officially the part when you kill me on some ancient burial ground,” you say loud enough for him to hear. He turns around and looks at you. His expression is calm but a part of him looks sad. In his eyes, you see something lingering within them. Your smile slowly faded as you could see that he didn’t think this was a joke. You felt a strong energy from this place - very strong. Something about this place seems all too familiar and not in a pleasant way. You take a look around all the trees and try to channel the energy you feel radiating around you. Suddenly, you feel completely drained; as if you’re going to be sick. Your eyes widen as you feel a cold chill brush over you. How strange to feel such a chill in the dead of summer. Yoongi remains the same, as if waiting patiently.
“W-where...did you bring me? Yoongi, what is this?” Yoongi remains. Panic starts to set in as you’re taking in the situation. Unsure of whether or not you need to take flight or fight. Either way, you find yourself bracing yourself for either.
“This isn’t funny. Tell me what this is right now or I’m out of here.” Your voice is stern but no matter how hard you tried to mask the fear in your voice, it was evident. Yoongi let out a somber sigh as sadness truly washed over him.
“I lost my sister a year ago. People have been telling me that she ran off and moved somewhere to discover herself or to live her own life but I know better. I knew her better than anyone. She would have never abandoned me. Not like this,” as Yoongi spoke, you felt your heart beat harshly inside of your chest.
“I went to look for her. Day and night. I couldn’t rest until I got answers. People in town wouldn’t give me a straight answer. It was always the same as everyone else as if it was rehearsed. I searched everywhere but something told me to try the woods. I didn’t find anything. Even when she was missing after 48 hours, the cops wouldn’t come out here with me to look for her. Then I noticed that here, in this clearing, I could feel something. To other people, this clearing was just filled with trees. No one could see that it was a symmetrical opening. Here in this spot, I felt my sister’s presence. She was here. She lingers here. Trapped. Now why is that Y/N? Why do I feel my sister here? Why is it that we can see the clearing and no one else?”
Yoongi’s words froze you. You couldn’t breathe, you couldn’t think. There was nothing but screaming in your head. Unwanted flashbacks from a year ago. It couldn’t be…
“A...c-cloaking spell. Only witches and warlocks can see it. It’s...sacred ground.” Every word that came out of your mouth was so difficult to voice. Now is the time to tread lightly. There’s no knowing what is about to happen or what Yoongi is trying to say. At least...you’re hoping that he’s not about to say what you’re thinking.
“Right. A sacred ground. Witches would use places like this for so many reasons. Rituals, cleanses...sacrifices. There’s a plethora of reasons. Right, Y/N?” His tone changed. The air changed. So cold. Shivering to your core. Sweat beading down your temple.
“Y-yeah… Various reasons,” you take a few deep breaths before speaking, “but why bring me here, Yoongi? Why show me this?” You weren’t sure what to prepare yourself for next but you started channeling energy in case you needed to defend yourself. It wasn’t your fault, no, but does he know that? Does he know what happened to Ara? Is she really his sister?
Yoongi let out a sigh and scratched the back of his head. A look of defeat on his face as he looks down and nervously drags his foot across the dry dirt on the ground.
“I don’t know… I-” He lets out a loud cry that makes you jump a little. He runs his hands down his face and lets out a huff.
“I don’t know, Y/N. I just thought maybe… Bringing you here… You’re the first witch that has actually been nice to me. No one would come out here with me. Everyone has their own coven and they’re so damn possessive of each other. I’m not trying to make my own coven! I just want answers! I thought maybe...nevermind. This was a waste of time. Why would you know anything? You’re a lone witch and...the nicest person I’ve met in this shit town,” he lets out a sigh and takes a step closer to you but you take one back in hesitation. He stops walking when he realizes you’re stepping away from him.
“I’m so sorry, Y/N. I didn’t mean to scare you. If you want to leave, I get it.” Yoongi runs his fingers through his hair. Frustration is so evident on his face. You can’t help but to feel empathetic towards him. In that moment, you let down your guard and take a step forward.
“It’s okay, Yoongi... Do you...want to talk about it?” There’s genuine kindness in your eyes and Yoongi can easily see it. He sighs in relief; as if he’s been dying for someone to ask him this question. He sits down in the grass and crosses his legs to get comfortable. Your instincts tell you to follow suit as you approach him to sit in front of him. Your empathy can feel the dread illuminating around him.
“She was my twin sister. We were inseparable...are,” he scoffs, “I find myself talking about her as if she no longer exists but… I’m still hopeful, you know? She just vanished. I know damn well that the coven she was a part of knows where she is but they always deny it. I told her that she shouldn’t hang out with them but she never listened to me. At least after joining them…”
Guilt flooded your core. There was this bad feeling in the pit of your stomach that he was definitely talking about Ara. She had mentioned having a brother once but she spoke very little of him. It was as if she was trying to protect him. Su-mi was the only one that would bring him up from time to time; trying to get him to join us. She always said that the power of twin siblings was a force to be reckoned with. Your coven would be stronger, she would say.
“They wanted me to join too. Several times. But I don’t know. I’ve always been a bit of a loner, I guess. I only use my magic to help the Earth, you know. A Green Witch. Using my magic for good. As witches and warlocks, we shouldn’t use our magic for anything else besides protection. We’re protectors of the Earth. Not...manipulative, selfish, mischievous little...” Yoongi stopped as he realized he was rambling. His pale cheeks turned bright red. The sight made you smile softly.
“S-sorry… I didn’t mean anything-”
“You shouldn’t apologize for having an opinion, you know,” you interrupt with a warm smile, “You’re one of the few that remember what our true nature is as witches. That’s why I haven’t tried seeking out a coven to join. Most of them are...well, corrupted. Dark. Wanting to cause harm to others or use their magic for personal gain. It’s sad.”
Yoongi listened with the utmost interest in your words. There seemed to be a little twinkle in his eyes. The more time you spent with him, the softer he seemed to become. Something about his presence made you feel warm - given the current circumstance.
“Yeah, exactly. Glad I’m not the only one that feels that way around here. So, I’m curious. Have you ever been a part of a coven? Or have you always been solo?” His question made your cheeks flush.
“In the past, yes. But it wasn’t for me. Dark and corrupted, just like the others. Even left my boyfriend behind because of it. He seemed like one of the good ones but...I guess I was wrong.” Your head shifted downward as you fiddled with your fingers while playing with a leaf that you found on the ground. Yoongi could hear the sadness in your voice.
“That must have been tough. But...for what it’s worth, it seems like it was for the better. Maybe it was fate.” His words made you lift your gaze to his. He was being so kind. This stranger didn’t know you but it seemed as if he did in a way. The thought started buzzing in your head - if someone I cared about was missing and someone knew where they were, I would deserve to know. The urge to cry suddenly flooded over you. You couldn’t find the right words; as if your mouth was filled with cement.
“Y/N? What’s wrong?” Yoongi shifted as he could see your distress. To avoid crying, you shook your head and sniffled a little.
Suddenly, thunder cracked in the sky. When you looked up, you noticed that dark clouds were moving in very quickly. Strange how there wasn’t any rain forecasted for today. Simultaneously, the both of you stood up from the ground just as the rain came rushing in. To avoid the downpour, you ran to the nearest tree that had enough branches and leaves for coverage but it was too late. You were both soaking wet but couldn’t help laughing it off. Damp hair and clothes clung to your skin but the summer heat made the coolness from the rain more tolerable.
Leaning against the tree, your laughter faded as you looked up at the sky. The clouds were already starting to separate to let the sunshine back through but the rain continued to fall. Yoongi wiped the hair dangling over his eyes, revealing his dark eyebrows and brown eyes. He had such innocent features and yet so mature at the same time. A soft smile appeared on Yoongi’s pouty lips.
“We should hang out again. Only...not under such cryptic circumstances,” he said with a laugh that was infectious. You nodded lightly with a kind smile.
“I’d like that,” you said timidly, realizing just how close you were standing next to each other, “It’s nice to meet someone who actually seems like a decent human being for a change.” Yoongi scoffed.
“I don’t know about decent. Tolerable, maybe.” Yet again, he made you laugh as he did the same. The rain slowed to a stop as the birds began to sing once more. This seemed like a good opportunity to head home. One too many overwhelming things have happened today and you weren’t about to stick around for another phenomena. You wiped your arms of the excessive rain water and fixed your hair.
“Let’s grab coffee or something tomorrow. Meet at the town square say...at noon,” you asked in a kind tone. Yoongi nodded with a light tint to his cheeks; flushed it seems.
“Noon it is.” His response and tone was so smooth and deep. Chills ran up and down your spine. You didn’t intend for it to sound like a date but perhaps it came across that way. Heat filled your cheeks.
“See you tomorrow, Yoongi,” you said with a cute little wave before venturing off into the woods. Your encounter with Yoongi started off strange but somehow, it seems as if your bond will grow stronger. A new friend perhaps. No phone numbers were exchanged but you had a feeling that he would definitely be there. Call it a hunch.