Meiyuki

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

What's up folks?

Amongst the Lonesome- A return to Santa Somabra [Fantasy Noir]

@Kingfisher I'm a patient woman, I'll be kicking around here likely when you get back. Or I might just make some posts and muck everything up, never know.

I'm also a whimsical woman. You've been warned. ;)

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

@Fetzen That's quite alright. :D

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, and am just glad we cleared it up quickly. ;)

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

Hiya! What's up folks?

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

@urukhai I believe Aer's got something in the works for our brave hunters. Would Yuri be at/near the Witch's Paradise?

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

@Fetzen That was meant in jest, I apologize if I sounded serious. I'm pleased when my players 'ruin' my plans most of the time.

Count that as faux anger, not the real thing. ;D

Edited that post for clarity

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

Civil War officially torpedoed! For now.

Stay tuned for the next bit of witchly buisness! Or... ya know... keep at it. ;)

The information on the landing page is still useful. Gathering relics is a time honored witchly passime after all.

Some info and prompts

Shagranoz and Fetzen have brought the Civil War arc to an unexpected conclusion. Well done! However darkness looms! *cue ominous music* Alright folks, if you've been reading and staying up to date you may have heard references to a dark and mysterious force looming in the ominous 'dramatically appropriate' future.

Yeah, so let's chat about that a bit. The incursion is starting its very first blushes, meanwhile Lorelai and Medusa are scrambling to arm up and secure the witch's positions before all hell breaks loose.

There's plenty to do!

1: Relic aquisition: This I see as the primary 'battleground' as witches rush to arm up the coven in anticipation of the switch to open conflict.

2: Sabotage: Break the other guy's stuff. Simple right? Disrupt supply chains, steal stuff, terrorize and spread dissention. Fun fun.

3: Survival: Write a story about something attempting to kill your witch. Npcs exsist only as needed for your own stories, and as scenery of varying beauty. Plenty of good stuff here.

4: Gather or Ensure flow of resources: Food, reagents, sacrifices, and weapons are the 'mundane' backbone of any endeavor.

5: Thwart Traitors: The Enemy has its witch pawns, so I'm sure there are spies and junk right? Kill 'em, or whatever. Excellent fit for the aspiring mind witch.

6: Everything else: I can't cover everything obviously. The above is not an exhaustive list. Got an idea? Write it out!

Any questions can be dropped in the OOC or my PM box as per usual. I'll also be lounging here for the duration of the arc while I'm online, so come poke me as needed!
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Notes on Relics: For your convinience I've compiled a sampling of available relics and the 'threat' level of their aquisition.

Extreme Threat:
Thorncrown: A witch wearing this crown can restore sight with a touch, cure plagues, walk unarmed through the inferno, and that's only the beginning. They find their magic fundamentally changed, calling on divine forces instead of whatever it had before. (I.E. Lorelai would summon angels) Their spells are empowered against darkness. (Witches that have performed dark arts, werewolves, vampires, etc) The price however is that performing evil acts wracks the witch's body with terrible pain, even risking death.

Bloodmoonstone Staff: The staff of the first witch. Even touching this ruby red crystal staff can kill most witches. Those that can withstand its might can wreak truly apocalyptic magics. Said to contain the dark spirit of the first witch, a practitioner that makes use of this relic places her will in eternal conflict with the spirit's terrible power.

High Threat:
St. Gertrude's Remains (Lorelai faction only for now) Powerful healing relic

Nail of the Cross: Immunity to hexes.

Altar of Blasphemous Union: Empowers group ritual magic, conveys lasting benefits to the rite master.

Moderate Threat:
Old Witch's Ring: Allows witch to see/speak to ephemeral entities. (Ghosts, Spirits, Urge Demons) Witches with gifts that allow control over these entities find their magic empowered.

Pelt of the Land: Allows communion with the primal forces of nature. (Fire, Earth, Air, Water) Witches that harness 'nature' magic find their magic empowered.

Tears of Leathe: Allows witches to sense the presence of nearby minds. Witches that practise mind magic find their magic empowered.

Low Threat:
Bloodmoonstones: These little puppies are rare, but not unique.

Potions/Scrolls: One time use. Don't underestimate their utility.

And more! This also is not an exhaustive list of course.

Note: As I'm sure you've noticed some of these are inspired from biblical mythos, and while I don't intend to exclude any other traditions/faiths that's simply the one I'm familiar with. Feel free to draw inspiration from any source you choose.

Have fun!,

Meiyuki

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

_{in collaboration with @shagranoz and @Fetzen}

"A Prayer for Peace"

Rebecca made her way back into Seren's Folly, dressed in her lilac robes. At least this time, she knew where she was going. She walked down the street to The Witch's Paradise, just in time to see some drunk get thrown out an open window. She swallowed nervously, knowing that was not the best of omens, but she went inside anyway, and the whole tavern came to a dead halt upon seeing her. She went up to the bartender and said in a quiet voice, "Excuse me, but you haven't seen a hunter named Andri around, have you?"

The bartender's face was a mixture of interest and pure disgust. Who the hell was this woman ? Noone in the bar started hostilities towards her, so he wouldn't start them as well. He was just an ordinary bartender and if it happened that there was no hunter around, he wouldn't put himself into their position. So he tried to be as friendly as he could while he started to breath through his mouth as one couldn't smell anything that way.
"Andri ? You mean that colossus ?" He shook his head. "No. He used to be here often but something appears to have started keeping him away from his drinks. I don't know where he is... but... shouldn't be that hard to spot him, should it ? His dwelling place is a few buildings farther up the road I think. Something shabby."

"Thank you for the help." She winced as she pulled out a silver coin and gave it to the bartender for his troubles, then turned and headed out.

Andri's place wasn't exactly the nicest house in town, but it wasn't shabby either. Rebecca saw that the door was locked, so she knocked and called out, "Andri, are you in right now? Lorelai and Medusa both agreed to the meeting."

Andri felt refreshed. After a rather sluggish start into the day satisfying Khan's needs had powered up his circulation. Now, after having enjoyed his giant host unpacking his wang in front of a local whore, the demon worm was silent. It just added to Andri's feeling of recreation. He was sitting on his bed in his tiny room, his meal on his chest. The assassin was eating fast - the further the day progressed, the more he was like a cat on hot bricks. Would that witch, Rebecca, actually return ? And more important: What clothing would she wear ?

He heard someone knocking the door. The voice accompanying the knocking was enough for him to know who was standing outside, so he rushed to unlock it. Unlike the first time they had met, Andri wasn't wearing his leather armor, but ordinary cloth. "Shhhh. Are you crazy ? Don't mention these names in the public here, this is a village filled to the brim with hunters! Come in!"

Rebecca headed inside and plopped herself down in a wooden chair. "Managed to catch Lorelai and Medusa together. Apparently, they've managed to get some talking accomplished on their own, which is a good sign. They expect us to meet them tomorrow at noon in the town cemetary. You're allowed to bring up to two other hunters with you. Any idea who you're going to choose?"

"At noon, at the cemetery ? Seren's Folley's cemetery ? Isn't that a bit... risky ?" A part of him was regretting actually asking this as the risk was on the witches' side and every other place he could momentarily think of would transfer risk from them to his own side. The other part of him however didn't want put that meeting at risk by other hunters possibly discovering them, so in sum he did ask it, just for confirmation. Rebecca's concluding question however was tough: Aside from Draco, if he subtracted all the hunters he didn't trust with regard to such an endeavour from all the hunters he knew, he ended up with zero. He sighed a bit. "Well... Draco is the only one I can think of right now. There's no other one."

"Given my powers, I figured it was the best place. Lots of necromantic energy for me to tap into, just in case things go horribly wrong."

Rebecca's face plummeted when he mentioned that Draco seemed to be the only one who might go along with this crazy venture. "And he didn't seem too enthusiastic about the meeting in the first place. A shame, really. Think we should go alone? I trust Medusa and Lorelai not to harm us, given how cordial they were to me, but I'm not sure if you can say the same, considering how you never met them."

"Honestly, I would like not to do this entirely on my own, but I'm willing to take the risk if I really have to. Think about it as a forthcoming action compensating for the fact that the elected meeting place is basically the lion's cave for you witches."
You are gonna meet two more witches ? Hell, that makes one undead woman and two more ordinary ones! You must chain fuck them! You MUST!
Or you eat my brain ? Andri replied mentally to the awakened worm, already knowing the routine.
You guessed it! But I'll give you some time to arrange things!

"Then it's settled. We can head out tomorrow, but I'd like to stay here tonight. Don't need to gather any supplies or anything, but I do need to sleep. Don't worry, I'll gladly take the floor."

Andri had to battle off another of Khan's... urgent suggestions. "Okay, I'll stay here and keep the door locked. If somebody else comes and I can't keep him away from this room..." He pointed to a small wardrobe. The assassin had not any chance of fitting into it, but Rebecca probably had. He made a facial expression as if he intended to excuse himself for this proposal. Then he sat down on his bed again and continued eating. The smell still was terrible, but after that cathedral and their first meeting in that small cave he had already started getting used to it.

---

"I'm surprised you came." Lorelai had been wating in the cemetary since first light, her demonic sentries roaming invisibly over the surrounding area. She trusted Rebecca, barely, but strange hunters or Medusa? Not a chance.

"I said I would didn't I?" Medusa'd done her own scouting, and divinations had revealed no secret threats or hidden ambushes. She made her way over to Lorelai, who was leaning against a decidedly melancholy tree. She hadn't had cause to be in a cemetary at noon, the sun's bright rays looked quite odd on the headstones and burial sites. "Wouldn't want to disappoint."

Lorelai nodded. A silence hung between them for several minutes as they waited. Eventually Lorelai broke it. "What do you think will come of this? Do you think there's a person out there we'd both trust?"

"I doubt it." Medusa sighed. "But I don't relish the idea of moving to open war, or anything close to that. I'd be remiss if I passed up on even this slim chance."

"That's about what I expect. I'm slightly hopeful, perhaps they'll offer us some insight we haven't thought of." Lorelai busied herself packing her tabacco pipe, a rare vice of hers, once it was lit she continued. "The offer to stand down doesn't have an expiration date Medusa, I don't particularly want to kill you. Your sin, in my mind, is impatience and incompetence, not malicousness."

Medusa extended her hand, taking the pipe from Lorelai enough to savor a few puffs. "I appreciate that... the same goes for you Lorelai." The silence stretched out between the two old witches, as they smoked fresh tobacco and waited on a longshot that might yet save them from tearing their coven apart.

Rebecca came into the cemetary, Andri at her heels. "Good to see you two here. Andri decided to come alone, though honestly, I think he's big enough to count for three people all by himself. I haven't truly been able to update him on the situation, so how about you two explain your grievances in your own words?"

"Don't overestimate me, Rebecca." the hunter replied in a semi-casual way. Andri did take his time to examine the two persons in front of him, though he knew that witches probably were the type of beings this strategy of assessing one's opposite was prone to fail, if not even dangerously misleading. It was just an assassin's habit.

"So... one of you is Medusa and one of you is Lorelai, right ?" he started a bit hesitantly. "I'm Andri. Andri Hymir." He reached out his oversized hand as he was used to do this with everyone else.

"Medusa." Medusa was the first of the two to take the outstretched offer of gretting, shaking the enormous hand as best as she was able. "And the grievances are Lorelai's, I'm mostly trying not to get killed or lose control of my coven."

Lorelai took the man's hand next. Giving it a firm shake. "Process of elimination makes me Lorelai, as I'm sure you surmised. I accuse Medusa of incompetance, due to some staggering losses we recently suffered during an endeavor of her devising after I assured her it was uneccessary."

"And you think that starting a revolt would bring your losses back to life ? Wouldn't such a thing just bring more losses ?" He disrupted himself, already feeling that he was no trained diplomat and that this was perhaps too blunt. "Okay... erm... let's start over again. So... both of you want to either keep or take control of your... coven, is this term correct ?... exclusively ? And given the fact that Rebecca is actually worried about some kind of civil war instead of just a single casualty I assume that each of you has a lot of followers ? So... why you don't just split the coven ? One gets her half, the other one her half, and the two new covens can cooperate with each other at their individual leader's discretion ?"

Lorelai's mouth curled into a frown. "The goal here, is to prevent future losses. Why does everyone expect me to ignore the longterm costs of continuing under Medusa in favor of the short term costs of war. What would you do if a poor leader threatened to weaken you before calamity strikes?"

"The issue of splitting the coven is that although our followers can be neatly tucked away under one new banner or another, there remains many things that cannot." Medusa explained. "Relics, locations, even housing needs to be considered. With you... hunters choking down the surrounding lands there just isn't enough room for another coven to operate with any modicum of security. We've worked tirelessly to obscure our home from your kind, and as a result we have safety. One of the covens would be turned out into the cold."

"If I was suffering under a bad leader I would probably start organizing an insurrection against the leader, but not against my ordinary fellows. What is it that apparently makes the entire coven believe that it must involve itself into this ? Wouldn't the problem just be 'solved' if one of you killed the other one ? And... do you think that your efforts of obscuration will survive a full grown civil war ? Do your think your facilities will survive this in an acceptable way ? In an ordinary civil war, neither of these things usually does. If we are honest, you already have some kind of security breach at hand because of what you are planning to do. Otherwise we wouldn't be here and talk to each other right now."

"The coven... is more of a family unit than a military one. It isn't of course, but closer to the former than the latter. Each sister has an opinion, their loyalties, and none of them are eager to let their patron die without a fight."

"Our obscurations are quite sophisticated, although not perfect. Efforts could be taken to move the conflict away from our home, in fact due to the way witches typically fight their internal struggles the fighting will likely occur farther afield, clustering around loci of power or during contests over relics each side covets." Lorelai stole a glance at Medusa. "A duel might be the... 'simplest' way to deal with this, but how would one ensure that the loser's supporters didn't revolt in the wake of their loss?"

"If that would happen you would just end with what you appear to be seeking for in the first place: A civil war. So nothing to loose by trying this strategy if you want to put it in blunt words." The assassin wondered what these 'loci of powers' could be. He had no idea - and he didn't want to overtax the ongoing discussion by adding any questions that could be off topic. Then he remembered a few words Lorelai said a few minutes before. Calamity...
"Lorelai, you said something about an incoming calamity. What did you mean with that ?"

Lorelai and Medusa looked at each other for a long moment. Lorelai turned back towards Andri, her eyes solemn. "We... don't know specifics, but for quite sometime our divinations have indicated that... something is coming, something alien and impossibly vast."

Medusa nodded, picking up the thread. "That's the primary reason we've gathered here. Normally with hunter activity as... robust as it is from Seren's Folly a wise coven would have fled the region." She sighed, leaning against a nearby tree. "But we're hoping to stop or hinder... whatever it is, that's why we've invested so much into remaining in this area. From our wards, to our obscurements."

"Yes. In fact, that... whatever it is is the reason I want you two to stop fighting. You two are the most powerful witches I've ever heard of, much less met. If our divinations are true, and there's no reason to believe they've all failed, we are going to need everyone we can get our hands on, and you two would be our strongest weapons. We can't afford to lose either of you. Not now."

Andri staggered a bit. Of course these two were witches, and of course the ordinary school of hunters told him not to believe any of their statements, especially if they were spectacular. But he had already given a shit about the ordinary school by attending to this meeting, and with Medusa's explanation of why the coven was still active in this area they had a point. Unsure about how to continue about it, he drew his conclusions and picked up the original thread again.

"So can't you just... postpone... your hostilities then ? A coven weakened by a sudden change in leadership and riddled with internal conflicts can't be a good thing with something evil coming in either, can it ? I totally agree with Rebecca at this point, at least as far as my horizon limited by my knowledge of witchcraft does reach."

Lorelai turned towards Medusa, eyes narrowed. "You killed Vespa, I'll have your blood for that." She turned slowly back towards Rebecca and Andri. "...But perhaps you're right... Medusa, your sentence is pending, give me one more reason to kill you and I will, civility will have nothing to do with it."

Medusa's eyes widened, did Lorelai just agree with them!? She never thought she'd see the day the last Von'Strauss let go of a blood debt, or even delayed one. Her face bloomed into a bright smile. "I'll defer to you in wartime Lorelai... and I can't tell you how sorry I am about Vespa."

Rebecca's jaw nearly hit the ground. She had thought the differences were far too deep for Lorelai and Medusa to overcome them. To hear that the fighting would be delayed, that Medusa would actually cede power, even temporarily... it seemed that this could only be divine intervention, or at least, something close to it. "That... that's honestly more than I had hoped for. I never thought this would actually work. Lorelai, Medusa, Andri, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This coven... this family. I couldn't bear to lose it. With your permission, Medusa, I would name Andri an honored guest, free to come and go from Castle Bloodrose as he pleases, so long as he does not divulge its location to his fellow hunters."

The giant was unsure if he could trust what the witches were saying about deferring their own hostilities or not. Anyway - from the standpoint of him just being a hunter that basically had nothing to do with this business, he could consider this meeting a success. When Rebecca suggested offering him access to this castle he had not even heard of before, he was flabbergasted and it was obvious to everyone who was able to catch a glimpse of his face.

"I...I... am not a traitor. But I don't even know where this castle is located at anyway."

"We will need an envoy to the hunters at somepoint..." Medusa gave Andri an appraising glance. "Perhaps he'd be suitable... For now however I do name you a friend, merely speak my name should you find yourself at odds with a witch, that should give them more than enough pause to save your life."

"Elizabeth seems to be settling into the castle just fine, I think she'd serve well enough in that role." Lorelai gave Andri a small smile, her brow still furrowed in frustration. "However you've performed a great service for us Andri, and I wouldn't be opposed."

Medusa turned to Rebecca. "I'll leave it to you then. The brave witch that risked treason and an unimaginably painful death to bring us this reprieve. Choose soon and we'll be away, Lorelai and I have some catching up to do." Lorelai nodded as Medusa glanced at her.

"I didn't fear death," Rebecca said with a smile. "After all, I've died once before. After that, you kind of gain a new understanding of it. Andri, you may follow us. I'll be more than glad to show you around myself."

Wait... "Liz is in your castle ?" The assassin got louder than he would normally approve of himself, especially in this situation. However he was just too surprised and shocked. "Did this Charon teleport her there ? Can I meet her ?"

"Charon deposited her and Flint both in the woods as an offering to me. I made a deal with her mostly as an excuse to preserve both of their lives." Lorelai arched an eyebrow at Andri. "You're welcome to see her, I don't keep her on a tight leash or anything. I'm sure she wouldn't mind the company."

He would see Liz again... That alone was enough reward for the effort he had made and the risks he had taken. It wasn't just about trying to excuse for that action Khan had forced him to do, but about staying in touch with the person that had proved such a formidable partner in that cathedral.

Andri thought about carefully probing Khan if he could not just poof him between the Castle and Seren's Folley in the future. It would make things much faster and, more important, much more secure. He couldn't allow himself to be discovered on his way to or from Castle Bloodrose. For now however, as he lacked the knowledge about the location and didn't want to stir up things again, he resorted to more traditional ways of travelling - and that were his feet and a horse. Hopefully the beast had been able to recover from carrying him all the way back to the village just the day before.

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

_{in collaboration with @Wildeyes and @SunsetRoses}

"The Knighting"

Elizabeth sat in the large feasting area of the castle, twiddling her thumbs and chewing thoughtfully on an apple. She regarded the red skin of the fruit as though it were a masterpiece, because what else could she do? Lorelai hadn't been around for a while, not even in the evenings when they were supposed to go to bed. Liz cared for Lotte whenever the little girl would have her, but when she wasn't being entertained by the girl's aged mind, she was a basic gypsy. She had no purpose, other than to wait for Lorelai's instructions, and so far, they hadn't came.

Liz was about to leave the table, and finish her apple in the safe haven known as Lorelai's personal tower, when she was approached by a servant. It told her to meet with Lorelai in the training grounds, then abruptly left. "Thank you." She called after it, before heading off towards the outer training yard. She couldn't help her excitement, because for once during her stay here, she was actually going to do something productive.

In a few moments, she was at the grounds, staring at Lorelai. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be upset with the witch, or filled with gratitude. Instead, she smiled and waved at Lore. "Nice to see you again. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were avoiding me on purpose." She chuckled, pretending to be hurt by throwing a hand over her heart and shaking her head.

"I'm sorry for your wounded heart." Lorelai laughed. "It's a good thing you do know better then."

"I have something planned, something dangerous." Lorelai said grimmly. "And before I send you to your death I want to see you work."

She gestured to several squatting demonic sertivors. They were twisted parodies of some form of primate, covered in red fur with long sharp claws, spikes of bone protruded from their shoulders. "Would you mind if I instructed these to kill you? So I might see your technique?"

"If you don't think the worst in me, I won't think the worst in you. Cross my heart." Liz explained with a wink, crossing her finger over her heart. Her brow creased as Lorelai suggested a dangerous quest, but the promise of hard work and less lounging time was too good to pass up.

"That sounds great, actually. I think I'm being treated like a princess, a well ignored princess but nonetheless. Work would do me some good, it's what I'm here for." She looked at the three primate-esque demon figures on the ground. If they weren't from the depths of hell, she would probably think they were cute.

Triss prodded her chin with her knuckles, considering the challenge Lorelai had given her. "Am I supposed to beat them in a battle of fists, or do you happen to have my whip around?"

"Right!" Lorelai smile sheepishly, turning to retrieve Elizabeth's whip from a nearby rack. She turned it over in her hand, examining it. "As much fun as it might be to watch you beat them to death with your bare knuckles I've always wanted to see one of these in action."

She handed the whip over to Liz. "My grandmother used to tell tales of masters of the whip, she always thought its use was beautiful." She moved to the side, well out of the way of the arena. "Let me know when you're ready dear."

Elizabeth rolled her shoulders, which were still sore but healing efficiently. She needed them to work for proper use of her whip, so she would just have to fight through the pain if they started to throb. She took the whip and stretched it out, testing the chains briefly before positioning it to start swinging. "I hope to do your grandmother's depiction justice."

Her arm moved faster and faster, going in wide as the adrenaline from a potential fight coursed through her. She turned to Lorelai and nodded, watching her foes as they were sicced on her. Her first move was a wide sweep, her whip slicing through the air with a loud hum. She just wanted to clear some distance between her and her foes as they rushed upon her, so her strikes could be extended and accurate. Aiming for the first demonic monkey's head, she cracked her whip. It came down fast and hard, with a crack of metal in it's wake. The blade at the top was sideways, the sharp end coming down with-hopefully-enough force to slice through it.

The top of the babau's head slid slowly to the side, black smoke rising into the air as brackish blood poured down its features. With a sickening thud it finally fell to the ground, the babau's body following suit shortly thereafter. The hunched demons stole a glance at Lorelai, who was grinning broadly. "Go on scum! Die."

So they did, try as they might they couldn't seem to close the gab between themselves and their prey. Whistling death found each of them in turn as the blade from Elizabeth's whip, glinting wickedly in the afternoon sun, sliced through bone and sinew. Soon the air was quiet again, the small training ground covered with the spray of fresh demon blood.

Lorelai's applause was the first thing to break the silence. "Well done! It was wonderful. My grandmother did not exaggerate it would seem." She patted Elizabeth on the shoulder.

Suddenly her expression grew thoughful. "Liz... Tell me what you think of magic if you would."

Elizabeth stretched her shoulders, ignoring the way they strained. It felt so good to hurt, she had just been lazy for so long. Running through the castle, or around the gardens, wasn't justice. She wiped the sweat from her brow and posed proudly with her whip at her side.

"Thank you, I haven't sparred in quite a while." She watched Lorelai's expression change, and found her own softening. Her smile faded into a thoughtful frown, and she shrugged. "Well, I think magic is quite...curious. Humanity knows little about it, definitely not enough to make rash judgements, but we do. Magic is spread everywhere, some is accepted, most is not."

Elizabeth shrugged, puzzled by Lorelai's question. "It all depends on who you are, really. I guess I'm a special case, because I'm obligated to hate it, and I don't. Why do you ask?"

"My family, before they were eradicated, had one of the most prominent knight orders." Lorelai examined Liz appraisingly. "I've recovered the rites and rituals to induct a new member. I was wondering if you'd be interested?"

"I'm honored by the offer, but if you're looking for a knight wouldn't you want Coraline? She's already a knight, and a half-witch. Compared to her I seem less than qualified." Elizabeth straightened as Lore appraised her like one would a shiny gem. "What would it mean for me, if I were to become your Knight?"

"Coraline!?" Lorelai burst into laughter. "Not at all, her magical education has left her with a very strong impression of demons.

"You however, are perfectly qualified for the job." Lorelai continued her examination, circling the other woman. "You would be able to, with my assistance, tap into infernal power. What lies have you learned about demons Liz?"

Elizabeth held still, her cheeks aflame as Lorelai's scrutinizing eyes burned their way over her body. This was worse than when her mother did it, because her mother didn't have the power to kill her where she stood. "I see, you want someone with minimal exposure to magic. That way you can shape them, and use the efficiently." She said it very matter-of-factly, but it was more of a question.

"Lies? Well, I've heard that they're all evil beings without a care for the lives of mortal men. So far, that has proven to be true. I've also heard they are all figures of hell, and it is ungodly to work with them." She turned to smirk playfully at Lorelai. "I must say, though, I have never been religious."

"Believe it or not neither have I." Lorelai returned Liz's wink. "Men would like to believe demons come from hell, and in large part that is where they live. However their source is the darkness that lurks within the frames of mankind. Succubi represent lust taken too far, but would you say all lust is bad?"

"Without lust, there would be no passionate love, so of course it isn't all bad." Elizabeth couldn't help it, she was enthralled. "I see why you brought up Succubi, they represent one of the seven sins. Yet, those sins aren't really bad in small quantities, it's only when they are taken out of proportion that they are truly deadly."

Lorelai came to a halt in front of Liz, her face broke into a bright smile. "Exactly! Yes! Wrath is the strenth of a person's desire to destroy threats to themselves or their families for another example." Her steel grey eyes bored into Liz's "To become an Adherent of Blood and Claw you must be trained to withstand and harness these extremes. A demon of wrath can push your body to new heights of power, but that would be useless if you were consumed."

"So, I'll ask the only question that matters. Elizabeth C. James, can your will withstand the power I offer?" Lorelai's eyes twinkled with excitement as she waited with bated breath for Liz's answer.

Elizabeth momentarily bristled at the thought of harnessing the powers of demonic entities, but Lorelai's sparkling eyes made her relax. Her mouth split into a grin, and she nodded eagerly. "I would love to try, Lorelai. If I don't at least do that, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." She spoke in hushed tones, full of contentment. "Whenever we begin training, I will push my will to its brink. Only the best for you of course."

"We'll begin now." Lorelai patted her shoulder, extremely pleased. "Give me some time to prepare, and we'll begin."

"Nice, new girl, I am impressed, you get that rebound sex, she needs it." Alphonse strode into the room, apparently hearing the back half of the conversation. "Lorelai, I'm happy to see that you're recovering so well, I half expected you to be half full of Sousiel right now. I like the girl and all, but I don't think it's healthy to rely on a demon for your sole sexual release."

Elizabeth's trance was broken by the voice of a male. She turned to look at him, smiling still. He had bright blonde hair that made her own look almost pathetic. She was surprised at how little she was affected by the idea of them having sex, probably because it was so unlikely.

"Wait...rebound sex. What hap- Never mind." She cut herself off, officially red. Lorelai had slept with someone and apparently it didn't go too well. She decided against bringing it up in a bad way, instead reaching out a hand to grasp Lorelai's shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that Lorelai, but we can discuss it later if you'd like."

Lorelai laughed, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She glared at Alphonse in faux anger, her lower lip trembling slightly. "You really do hear everything don't you?" She smirked playfully, but with little cheer. "And here I thought you'd be too busy having your own fun with... Triss? Yes that was her name."

She gestured between the two. "Alphonse, this is Elizabeth James. Liz this is Alphonse Stone." She turned to Al. "Liz will be joining you on that project we'd discussed."

Alphonse shrugged in recognition her mention of Triss. His cocksure smiled hid his fluttering heart. Last night had been....something else.

Alphonse appraised Elizabeth, and the demonic gore spread all over the room briefly, then nodded in appreciation. "I like your work. I would say that I look forward to fighting beside you soon, but I prefer to avoid open fighting. Especially where we're going."

"Everyone is getting busy, I feel a little slow. Maybe it's just my old age." Elizabeth chuckled, rubbing her arm as Alphonse noticed her work. "Thank you very much, open fighting is my forte, you can't really be quiet with a whip. As far as the mission, I've only heard that it will be dangerous. Would you like to explain?"

"Ha! Don't call yourself old, I'm nearly eighty which would make me ancient by that standard." Lorelai chuckled. "We're just planning a bit of a trip to steal a holy relic out from under the nose of the Knights Hospitallers."

Lorelai examined Alphonse surruptitiously. The man looked different today, maybe a little lighter, or brighter, or something. It was odd, but now was hardly the time to interrogate him over it. "So Alphonse. About Elina. I was expecting you at dinner where I was intending on having you talk me out of it. Instead, left to my own devices, my fatigued mind has elected for insanity. She rejected my feelings unfortunately, but I'll recover, I always do." She smiled grimly.

"Hey, you're a tough old lady." Alphonse punched Lorelai playfully in the shoulder. "And you've always got me and Sousiel" Alphnse grinned cheesilly.

"Sousiel is sleeping it off." Lorelai grinned at the man. "Perhaps you would've been of little use anyway, I've been told I'm getting stubborn in my old age." She winked.

"Why don't the two of you get to know each other some while I prepare my ritual materials for Liz's induction?" She turned to Liz. "Alphonse can brief you on the mission, I'll be back soon."

Elizabeth stayed silent as they bantered back and forth. They looked relaxed with one another, even though the situation was tense, and it made Liz rather happy for no particular reason. At least these two can stay sane in the middle of all these conflicts, she thought, rather giddy. When Lorelai said she was leaving, Liz waved goodbye and took a seat on one of the less bloody patches of ground.

Liz cleaned the bloodied dart of her whip calmly, waiting for her briefing. She didn't seem bothered by the thick tar-like substance being spread across her shirt. Disguising her excitement about the ritual later on in the night was easier to do when she had a task at hand. "So, Alphonse, tell me more about this group we'll be facing." She gestured towards the ground in front of her so he could take a seat.

Alphonse took the offered seat, appreciating her ichor spattered shirt on his way down. "So, our little trip is taking us to the island of Malta, where we intend to steal the corpse of the greatest healer to ever live. Lorelai intends to summon and bind the Demon Lord Dagon to create a distraction for us, where upon we will sneak into their tomb and run off with the corpse from it's sacred resting place. In our path will be standing the Knights Hospitaller. They're bad dudes. Rather, they're good dudes, who are very, very bad for people like me and our mutual boss lady." Alphonse rested back to recline on his one good arm. "They have sacred wards, and some of the best hunters to have ever lived are amongst their number, our operation is scheduled to avoid the worst of them, but still, we need to be careful." Alphonse paused as he scratched his face with a nonexistent hand. "Those are the broad strokes. You're a hunter, right? We should be able to conceal our nature outside of the fortress, We'll have to appraise our invasion carefully in the field, so we'll be gathering intelligence in the city. I think that's about it so far."

Elizabeth blanched at the mention of Malta. She had spent many summers there, enjoying the waters and meeting royal families. She clutched the grass and took a deep breath. "You're going to infiltrate the Knights Hospitaller? I've spent time there, in that very keep. My father knows Gideon, they've shared drinks. I had a friend there, haven't wrote to her in quite a while..." She shook her head, doubt filling her mind. Was this something she had to do? Was it a part of the oath she had made?

"They know me there, Alphonse. I don't know if that's a bad thing, or a good thing. It could be beneficial, or it could ruin your plans." She paused, unsure if she should continue. "I could always ask my father to see if the keep is still open to the James' family. Or maybe I can ask Ashlynn, see the inside and report back to you before we rush in?"

Alphonse's tensed for a moment, suddenly considering many factors at once. After only a brief moment, he decided that many of his considerations could wait for later. "That could be useful." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I had assumed that you were some kind of exile, what are you doing out here if you're still on good terms with your father? Shouldn't you be out rooting out evil and what not?"

"Well, if it means killing those in the Keep I won't give you any information at all. I will not participate in their deaths." Elizabeth crossed her arms, holding her opinion firm with the gesture. "I am on very good terms with my father, it's my mother that's the problem. I'm here, because I made a deal with Lorelai to help her and her cause. I did it so Flint wouldn't try to murder her...well he did, but it was rather pathetic against the wards." She figured her explanation was confusing, but she didn't want to elaborate. "Either way, I have ties there...so I can help, if you agree not to raise the death toll too high."

Alphonse sighed. She had set forth conditions, that meant that she was willing to work with him. "Good! The only thing I hate more than open conflict, are unnecessary deaths. This is a heist, not an assault, so the more you help us, the more smoothly this runs, and the fewer people get hurt." Alphonse was not sure if he could trust her, but if she was willing to help Lorelai on the word of her mother, then he thought he could at least expect her to cooperate in this mission. "At the very least, we should use your status to see if we can get into the city. Your good name should deter suspicion, and make things more likely to work properly. We'll consider your other contacts as we move forward."

"Agreed, would you like me to write to the Lord there that I am going on a promotional visit, or should we stay as discreet as possible?" Elizabeth felt uneasy about the situation, but maybe everything would turn out fine and they could all go home and once they were done stealing the body she could play with Lotte and watch Birdo preen himself. "I'm glad we made an agreement. I may ask Lorelai a bit more about the corpse, if she feels it's okay to share."

"As far as I know, the corpse is a powerful holy artifact. Legend says that if were ever whole again, it's healing powers could do the impossible. Maybe, even bring back the dead. That's all I know." Alphonse shifted into an upright position. "I think discretion would be best, we might be able to get closer to the relic with a promotion, but that much attention would make it pointless. I'm really glad you're working with us. The last thing I want to do is hurt a lot of innocent people for our war, but Medusa's going to bring out the big guns, so we've got to match her." He reached his arm towards her and flashed his most dashing smile. "I look forward to working with you."

Bring back the dead? Fun, Elizabeth thought with a grimace, wondering just how many ways that could go wrong. "I can see why it's so heavily guarded. I hope that Medusa will be thoroughly outnumbered, if we pull this off." She reached forwards to shake his hand, after wiping hers on her pants because it still had a bit of gooey blood on it. "If only things were that simple." She said with a chuckle, sharing Alphonse's grin.

---

Making a Dragon Knight wasn't easy. A decade ago Lorelai would have still been incapable of performing the feats neccessary, but this is now and that was then. Her ritual chamber was dark but for the scant few candles surrounding the complex magical circle she'd spent the last few hours carving. The room smelled of various herbs, with a sinister undertone of blood. The wall behind her altar was painted with the symbol of Nocticula, The Lady of Pain.

Sousiel stood nude, her back carved with various sigils. Her essence would be the catalyst for this ritual. She would pour herself into Liz. Then Lorelai would draw them to the plane of nightmares. Where Liz would prove her mettle, or be crushed.

"Are you sure about this Mi'Lady?" Sousiel spoke hesitantly.

Lorelai paused for a moment. "I don't think one can be sure about something like this Sousiel, but I'm confident. Liz doesn't fear magic like her peers, she's got the best chance at this of anyone I've met so far."

"If you think so." Sousiel said. "She'll be arriving soon, I suppose we'll find out."

Elizabeth slowly made her way to Lorelai's ritual chamber, a sort of awkward gait that involved a few steps forward and another step back. Courage flowed through her in waves, when she thought about the prospects. The waves crashed and died when she thought of all the horrible things that would happen during the process. She frequently considered ditching and hiding in the bushes, but what was the point? She would just be found, and then she would have to apologize and feel awkward for the rest of her stay.

With a final squaring of her shoulders, she pushed inside of the room. It was darkly lit, but she could make out intricate carvings and paintings. Lorelai had spent a lot of time here, getting everything together. It made Elizabeth feel a bit special, which countered her overwhelming unease. Her eyes fell last on a nude figure, a beautiful girl with supple skin that looked absolutely flawless in the flickering light. Elizabeth bit back a blush, and cleared her throat to announce her presence. "Lorelai...is this the Sousiel you told me about?"

It would have been awkward if she was wrong, but Liz figured the demon was the most likely choice to help with the ritual. "The room looks incredible, thank you for taking so much time on it."

"Yes, this is Sousiel, the finest demon i've ever commanded." Sousiel colored lightly, puffing her chest in pride at her mistress' praise. Lorelai gestured to the center of the circle. "This is an incredibly difficult ritual, and I wouldn't have wasted my time on it were I not confident in your ability." She smiled reassuringly at Liz.

She turned to retrieve a bowl from her altar. Her ritual dagger opened her forearm easily, and blood soon began to pool at the bottom of the dish as black smoke coiled into the air. Once she was satisfied she had enough she turned to Liz. "We begin with a taste of Dragon's blood. The Adherent of Blood and Claw is the sword arm and most trusted companion of their Dragon, we shall deepen our bond with an offering of my essence." She extended the bowl towards her.

"It's nice to meet you, Sousiel." Elizabeth watched Sousiel's chest swell, and would have giggled if she wasn't so nervous. "Thank you for your confidence in me, I'll try to show that it is not misplaced."

Elizabeth stepped a bit closer to the circle, so she could watch the black smoke curl through the air in its own twisted dance. She was amazed that Lorelai didn't seem woozy at the loss of so much blood. Maybe the witch was just used to it by now. "I assume this is the easiest, albeit most strange tasting, part of the ritual?" Liz asked, her stomach curling as she accepted the dish.

With a final shaky breath, she brought the bowl to her mouth and drank. She almost recoiled at the taste, which was very unexpected. She was used to drinking toxic liquors, and thought this would be the same. Instead, it was sweet. It still had the same hot consistency of blood, sticky and thick as it slid down her throat slowly. Yet, the taste was almost...good. Spicy, like cinnamon with something else she couldn't place, sweet like a candy she was familiar with but had trouble naming. The texture was slowly forgotten as she downed the rest of it in long gulps.

When finished, Liz licked her lips and turned red as a tomato. They had just watched her guzzle blood as though she was a vampire. "I...I didn't think it would taste like that. I apologize."

"That's quite alright, Sousiel tells me that it's quite the delicacy." Sousiel nodded, nudging Liz's shoulder. Lorelai smiled. "And yes, that is the easiest part of this process."

"We are here to join in your triumph over the root of darkness Liz." Lorelai explained. "Tonight you conquer Fear, like no mortal has, or die trying."

"This is your last opportunity to withdraw Liz, and I won't think less of you if you do." Lorelai's face was passive as she maintined eye contact with the would be Knight. "Because the next part is your Oath, not to some ideal, but to me. You must pledge to stand as my partner, my guardian and supporter, for all time."

"This is a difficult decision, and I'll answer any questions you may have. I cannot, however, entrust you with this much of my power without a promise."

Elizabeth smiled charmingly at Sousiel, enjoying the subtle support she was given. "If I make it through, the credit would go to you both for encouraging me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even considered anything like this." She shook her head, in disbelief of what she was about to do. Defeat was not an option anymore, because that simply meant death.

"I figured there would be an oath. It's a style used a lot in witchcraft, isn't it? I do have one question though, if I make it through this will my life no longer be mortal, as long as your power flows through me?" Elizabeth shivered at the thought of an almost endless life, she didn't know how she could handle it. She wasn't like Lorelai in that sense, or in any sense at all.

"I just hope you know, I can be a thorn in one's side. You'll have to deal with that forever, and find ways to keep me entertained." Her eyes twinkled, and she finally let loose a short laugh.

"You'll be expected to be a thorn in my side." Lorelai echoed Liz's laugh. "This will be somewhere between master and servant, and partners. You'll be expected to defer to my wisdom, and I'll listen to your concerns and opinions and always take them into account."

"Alas yes, you will live for as long as I do, perhaps longer." Lorelai spoke sadly. "As my power swells I drift from humanity, becoming closer to the mythic Dragon my anscestors revered. It will come to you to keep me anchored in blood and flesh as the eons pass us by. I hope I'll be a good companion to you."

"Me, outlasting you? You're just saying that because you would miss me so much." Elizabeth winked, avoiding the ritual with jests. The entire time she joked, she thought, mainly about whether she would leave or stay and make the deal. Her face suddenly turned serious as she made her decision. "You wouldn't have to worry, I'll keep you anchored as long as you wish. Serving you will be a struggle, and I'd love to have a go at it. Maybe I can learn from Sousiel?"

"I've been stalling, but I will make the oath. To you alone, and not some silly cause." Elizabeth straightened proudly, readying her arm in case she needed to spill some blood.

"Very well, remember your oath when your eyes open in the plane of nightmares." Lorelai gestured to the center of the circle. "Strip before you step inside, and we'll begin."

"Of course." Elizabeth said, focusing strongly on her vow as she stepped inside the carved circle. She glanced back at Lorelai, giving her a final unsure smile, and closed her eyes. Under her breath she repeatedly muttered her vow. She was ready, to face her fears or die in the battle.

"Then we begin." Lorelai stepped towards the altar as Sousiel moved into the circle, standing face to face with Liz. "Sousiel will flow into you now. I'll need you to relax."

Sousiel flashed Liz a lascivious grin as her delicate frame blurred. Soon she'd dissolved into a thick black smoke, her mismatched eyes still twinkling darkly from within the miasma of her true form. She settled over Liz's head, flowing into her mouth and nostrils.

Liz felt a burning sensation in her throat as warmth radiated through her body. Her limbs filled with newfound strength as Sousiel took up residence in her flesh. When it was finished Lorelai turned to her, and from the woman's throat came a low gutteral song.

Liz felt herself being pulled somewhere as Lorelai filled the room with her thousand throated chant. The walls began to twist and melt. Reality faded and she soon found herself standing in a lightless realm. Black darkness assaulted her senses as her eyes strained to find light in vain. For all the darkness she could still see shapes. Impossibly horrible things made of some living shadow lurked at the corner of her eyes, undulating in alien dances that sent shivers of cold fear up her spine.

"The first lesson of the teacher fear is warning." Lorelai spoke gently in her mind. "A Dragon Knight is not fearless, but learns to recognize fear as the first sign of danger. Your first task is survival."

Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek to keep from whimpering. The darkness surrounding her was almost tangible, she caught her breath when she realized some of it truly was. Dancing around always in the corner of her vision, were figures of shadow, discernible through some form of otherworldly magic. Her squinting and pausing made no difference, because the surrounding terrain only stayed vaguely outlined.

Liz wondered if that made things better, because she couldn't see the grotesqueness of the figures. Quite possibly, it made things worse, because she couldn't face what she couldn't see. When Lore’s calming voice filled her mind, she jumped and laughed nervously. ”Thanks, Lore.”

With Lorelai's words in mind, she took a step forwards. The second her foot planted itself, a tremor of fear shook through her. It was followed by more minor ones, making Liz want to curl into a ball. She took another shaky step, and a spike of fear ran through her left side. She jumped back, and an object with an outline of a spike whistled past her.

Elizabeth suddenly realized what was going on. The tremors alerted her to danger, but it was everywhere. She had to know what to fear and what to tread on. ”Well damn, you Dragons really know how to put on a show.”

She took another step, and again felt fear shaking through her. The shockwaves’ frequencies shifted constantly, sometimes a bigger one fading away as soon as it had started. Within her next twenty steps -mostly involving jumping back and forth to avoid obstacles- she had it mainly worked out. She was sufficiently scratched, close calls from spikes having drawn blood. Her ankle also hurt dearly, because she had sprained it misstepping into a pit. Her emotional state was in tatters as well, for she had stopped frequently to shed silently tears and cradle herself.

These injuries made her learn quick, that even in this darkness you could never close your eyes. Fear had to be prioritized, and sometimes the shock she felt was overwhelming when it was only a sharp rock in her path. It was a lesson, and she interpreted it as best she could. ”Lorelai, what's the next step?” She asked, eager to move along.

"You're doing excellently Liz, hang in there." Lorelai's voice sounded in Liz's mind again, gently reassuring the woman. "Next lesson of fear is one I think you're quite familiar with."

The terrain shifted, brightening subtely. The shadows at the corners of Liz's vision were revealed for what they were. Twisted shapes bearing the faces of men and women contorted in fear. The end of their long spindly limbs bore sharp, deadly looking claws. They slowly approached her, murderous intent plain in their strides.

"Fear can be strength. Turn your fears into rage, fill your limbs with might and strike true. Or be struck down." Lorelai spoke again as Liz's weapon appeared at her hip.

Liz winced as the area around her brightened. She was finally able to see what she had been up against in the last test, but it hardly concerned her. In front of her were ghastly beasts, humanoid faces twisted into savage expressions. Those had been the shadows dancing around her, and now they were primed to attack.

Liz fumbled for her whip, trying to maintain eye contact with the beasts. She felt her eyes watering, the fear overwhelming her senses. She thought of what these things were, men and women who had died and become little more than a shell with evil intent? They were slow, where her weapon was fast, but she was sure they wouldn't be easily defeated. Liz you jest, if life were that simple things would be boring.

The adrenaline of the battle tried desperately to overwork her fear, and to make her movements quick and graceful. It couldn't win, these monstrosities may have been emanating fear, or maybe it was her own subconcious telling her how screwed she was. So, her movements were slow, her swipes halfhearted and sluggish. She couldn't seem to cut into the creatures at all, not even when she worked up the effort to make a good attack.

Soon enough, the creatures were upon her. She had no room to swing her whip, clutching the dart in two hands and taking random jabs like a rookie. When the first monster swung its claws at her, instinct kicked in and allowed her to dodge. The second attack made contact, slashing open her shirt in three thin lines that started to seep blood. She accepted the strike, moaning at the pain but giving in. Lorelai had told her what to do, not to shed her fear but to work with it and shift it into rage, but she was going to die either way, so why try?

Liz’s first thought of fighting back arose at her second injury. She had been moving back so they couldn't circle her, but one had made it to her side, slicing a chunk of skin off her arm. Was she really going to die like this, after she had sworn to give her best effort, and fight till the end? She had faced such extremities, but now that she was alone she was going to give up? What would her father think? Flint, Emiliah, Bobby, even Andri and Coraline. They would all think bad of her if she allowed herself to die without a fight. Lorelai would lose her family's protector, and would be ashamed for thinking Liz was good enough.

More than that, though, she would never forgive herself. Dying so easily before her life could even begin. These were the thoughts that sparked her fury, alighting her with a rage unholy. She no longer fumbled with her jabs, taking her dart and plunging it into the chest of a monster. Another thought arose that made her fight even harder, she didn't want to become one of these things, and she didn't know if that would happen if she died at their hands. This is what Lorelai had wanted from her...this was what she had wanted from herself. To be so enraged from the fear of death she could take out any enemy.

Soon she had cleared enough space to start swinging, roaring cries of war, she took the monsters out one by one. She suffered plenty of injuries at their claws, whenever she had gotten overly cocky and jumped in with her dart. In the end, she was the one standing victorious. Covered in blood from both her and her enemies, but feeling stronger than a dozen oxen. With a final cry, thick and passionate, she called for Lorelai. ”Lorelai! I did it!” She danced among the corpses, praying her adrenaline rush wouldn't wear out and make her feel the pain.

"Wonderful dear, simply wonderful." Lorelai sounded pleased, her voice in Liz's mind almost seeming excited. "One more lesson, and we'll be done with this place. You join me at my side for all time."

"The test is here." Lorelai spoke grimly as the terrain shifted once again. Liz stood before Nocticula, the Lady of Pain and Lord of Fear. Her (its?) nightmarish form was impossible to behold, tendrils of vile shadow crawled over the ground towards her. Each stroke from these horrific appendages reminded Liz of nightmares both real and imagined, possible or foolish. It frayed at her will, offering to end the torment if Liz would forswear her oath, and forget her quest. "How long can you stand in the dark Liz? This is the final chapter, is your will strong enough to resist? We shall see."

Liz stood boldly, proud and unafraid of her next test. Until the scene shifted, and she slumped in the presence of Lady Nocticula. Stories were written about this very monstrosity, and here it was, essence and all. Her childhood priest had once told her that The Lady of Pain would punish her with a vile death if she misbehaved, and that was one of the reasons she had lost faith in religion. The idea had been so mindless she had just got up and walked away for a tart in the dining hall.

Now, her last test was to go up against the revered figure, not in a battle of brawn, but a battle of wills. The way it's wormy tendrils crept along the ground in front of her filled her with dread, but she straightened her posture and beckoned them forth with crossed arms. It's no big deal, you've never believed in her before, so why would you now? This was what she repeated to herself, until the first tendril licked her flesh.

A blood curdling scream ripped through her throat, as she was swallowed up by the first nightmare. She was trapped, by Flint and Emiliah. Her two friends considered her a threat now, and she was going to be killed. Fenros was on his way, how Liz knew that was a mystery, but she did. Lorelai was nowhere to be found, and her extraordinary power no longer coursed through Liz’s veins.

She tried to talk them down, but they no longer trusted her. She would never fight against them, so she relinquished her whip easily. It was a stab of Emiliah’s spear that brought her to her knees, she still had the ability to swing, but she refused. The tip of the spear was pulled out, and rammed back in just as hard. As Elizabeth collapsed, slowly dying, she heard Nocticula’s voice call for her. It was soothing, like a mother's tone when their child had just been injured. Nocticula promised her peace, all she had to do was withdraw her vow and give up. The promise was tempting, oh so tempting, but Liz simply closed her eyes and ignored it.

That nightmare ended when her torn heart finally stopped beating. In real life, she had never been stabbed. However, the experience had felt so real she had fallen to her knees, clutching the spot on her chest where the wound would have been placed. Hot tears streaked down her face, one at a time. She felt herself unraveling, her mind tearing at the seams. Feeling it hardly helped her prevent it, but she did manage to pull herself to her feet. She wobbled, staring hard at the second tendril as it began to caress her.

The second horrible situation was one that would never happen, not if she made it through the process. It started with a call from Nocticula, who told her she wouldn't have to face the whip if she just resigned, and gave up. Elizabeth flinched at the thought of a whip, memories flashing through her mind she had never before experienced. Two names came up among those thoughts, Gregory, and Westly.

She looked down, toying with the folds of her immaculate dress. She had just gotten it in from the tailor yesterday, and it fit perfectly. She splurged often, to ignore her pain. Loads of powder covered the marking on her face, which burned whenever she thought of it. She had to throw her head back to prevent her tears ruining her makeup, her long waves tied up in an intricately braided crown. The tears brought on another offer, Noticula saying yet again that she wouldn't have to experience the whip.

Elizabeth was about to accept, and live a life of luxury without pain, when she heard the sound of feet bare feet padding around the corner. It was her son, Westley. Her teary eyes cleared instantly, as Westley rounded the corner into her room. He wore a fine jacket, the colors matching his mother's dress. He was turning ten today, and Elizabeth could not be more proud.

The young child ran into Elizabeth's arm, where she held his warm body tightly. ”My boy, soon you will be leaving our nest and inheriting your own land. How I'll miss you!” How I'll miss your love when I face the torment of your father, she thought as she spun him around the room and he lead her in a messy waltz.

The rest of the day flew by, Westley receiving his gifts with a lovely grace. He didn't even have cake, because he wanted to serve everyone else an extra large slice. She was so proud of him, so in love with him. It made every night of hell worth it. She thought of that, and only that, as she hung to a wall in the dungeons. Her hands were in cuffs, not tight enough to leave scars, but enough to make her work even harder, struggle harder. Her husband Gregory stood before her, a chainwhip in hand -the one her father had given her for her tenth birthday, before her mother totally rejected the idea of her becoming a Hunter like him- and a sick smile on his face.

Nocticula gave her a final offer, but she passed it off with a smile. All she cared about was Westley, and she would take a thousand lashings if it meant his eternal love. The whip came down on her chest with a crack, and the nightmare faded.

Liz stood sobbing, she rubbed her face where the whip had once lashed her. It was so real, that she looked around multiple times for her gorgeous son Westley. She cowered as she thought of Gregory finding her dressed like this. ”My...my boy. Westley…” She moaned out between sobs. Nocticula's offer was almost tangible at this point, something she could just reach out and grab. She could see Westley again, live a long and happy life with him, if she just accepted the offer and rejected Lorelai. She had come too far for that though, and regrettably she pushed Westley out of her mind, vowing never to forget her young son. A son that had never, and would never exist.

”I won’t, I will never in a thousand years let myself give up like that. Not after what I've done.” She said, her voice weak and quivering as she pulled her chin up, still hiccuping from her sobs. Her mind was broken, too many things had infested it. The life she could have had digging deep, her death at the hands of her friends ruining her. She couldn't take any more, but a final tendril came down upon her vulnerable state.

The last nightmare was almost laughable to an onlooker, but to her and her fragile mind, nothing could be worse. She needed to be encouraged, and instead she was there. Posed out on a stage, were Elizabeths, all different ages. Elizabeth's essence was in every single one of them, allowing her to see through their eyes, and feel their pain whenever it was their turn to act.

One by one, the Elizabeths went on stage to enact a certain achievements in her life. One by one, the scene was twisted until they all ended in her death, even her birth ended in a mutilated baby the doctor couldn't save. Elizabeth felt every death, heard every plain faced audience member boo and throw rotten foods. It tore her apart, and at the end of every scene Noticula took her wounded soul and promised to patch it up.

Elizabeth wouldn't, instead she watched and felt and almost savored the pain. It was the encouragement she needed, to let herself be torn apart. By the end of the play, she had been mutilated so many times she couldn't count it. All of the living Elizabeths screamed out their pain, including the present one. Nocticula cradled them separately and cooed and loved them, but they never gave in.

At the end of the nightmares, Elizabeth was torn apart. Her mind was full of all her possible deaths, her son, her friends unemotional state as they slayed her. Her pride had never shifted though, and though she wanted to run and scream in circles, she stayed straight with her arms hardly crossed. She was weak, but she was successful, the tendrils no longer reaching for her. ”Lorelai…” She managed, calling for her new Mistress, because she needed to get out of this place.

"You are my Knight, now and forever." Lorelai voice boomed in her mind. "The final lesson I have for you today Elizabeth C. James, is that you're never alone in the dark."

With that final proclamation a roar sounded from behind her. Something more vast and terrible than even the undulating shadow of Nocticula spread its wings, yet Liz did not fear it. The ground shook as it landed before her, it's shuddering size almost too vast to behold. Clad in blood-red scales the beast reared its long neck, spitting white hot flame that burned away the shadowy tendrils that had tormented Liz. It's wing dipped low to shield her.

Just as the stench of Nocticula's burning flesh reached Liz's nostrils she awoke back in Lorelai's ritual chamber. More light had been brought into the room, and a rich meal was laid out on the altar. A quick examination of her body told the huntress that the wounds she'd received had been purely spiritual.

Lorelai stood nearby, her face bright and proud. "You've exceeded even my highest hopes Elizabeth." She extended a hand. "I'm honored to call you my knight."

Elizabeth watched in awe as Lorelai's Dragon guarded her, glancing a final peek at the white hot flames it shot before it's leathery red wing covered her body as a shield. It was a relief more powerful than any she had experienced, not being alone in all of her trials.

Waking up in the ritual chamber brought about many emotions. She felt a knawing at her chest when she caught scent of the amazing feast, but she ignored her hunger and reached out for Lorelai's hand. The witch was proud of her, and it made Elizabeth feel ecstatic, receiving praise from her new Mistress. However, she could not stop the downpour of tears from draining her face.

She was tired, hungry, but most of all she was upset. The things she had just witnessed were too much to bare alone. ”I'm sorry, but I have to do this.” She said in a rush, pulling Lorelai to her and wrapping her arms around the witch’s waist. Her head found Lore’s shoulder, aand there she released a flurry of emotion. She let go of her many deaths, her friends’ betrayal, and lastly, her amazing son and her abusive husband. She let them all fade, until there were only bittersweet memories.

Lorelai simply stroked Liz's back gently. The pain she'd felt had been all too real. "You needn't apologize."

With a quivering lip, she pulled herself away from Lorelai and went to eat her dinner. ”Thank you, very much.” She said, nibbling on the food.

Lorelai joined Liz at the altar, picking through the feast as she examined her new Knight. Her voice was gentle as she broke the small silence. "If there's anything you need to talk about, now or ever, feel free. It's quite an ordeal you just went through."

”We do have forever, don't we?” Elizabeth suggested with a small smile, her voice cracking but gentle. ”I had a son, such a beautiful young boy. His name was Westley, and I'll never forget him. That's what really tore me to bits, leaving him...he'll never be real. The only person I've ever thought about settling down with is Flint, and he's long gone.”

"I though the same thing dear, and yet I now have little Lotte and Abby." Lorelai reached out and squeezed the woman's shoulder. "We'll be around long enough to see things we never thought possible come to pass. You may yet have your darling son, only time will tell."

She laughed suddenly. "Maybe we will retire to that lake, you and your husband can raise a child and I'll be the crazy aunt with the 'eccentric hobby' hmm?"

”Maybe, but my child would probably love to know more about your hobby. His cousin Lotte would have to entertain him, of course.” Elizabeth chuckled, her previous mood melting off of her. Not in waves, but more along the lines of chunks, slowly getting closer to her heart.

”For now though, my true pleasure will be seeing you happy. What happened, Lore? Did you not like your new lover?” She wondered if she had gone too far, but didn't apologize for the question. Someday she would learn what was right to ask and what was wrong, today was not that day.

"Elina... rejected my affections." Lorelai said sadly. Her smile faded only for a moment before she brought it back to her face with an act of will. "Which is about what I'd expected. I'm not sure if I'll find another lover or not. I'm getting old anyway." She winked at Liz playfully.

Elizabeth shivered as emotions that weren't her own traveled through her body. She squinted at Lorelai, feeling a sort of depression coupled with acceptance. Had that been what Lorelai was feeling when her smile had faded? It also could have been her own emotion, but it felt slightly foreign.

She decided not to acknowledge it, her body language having given up plenty of hints. ”I'm sorry to hear that Lorelai, but no one can call you old. What you need is a little nudge of affection, someone to reciprocate your feelings. Then, your spirit will renew itself just as your body does. You are even more lovely when you are happy.”

"Flattery will get you everywhere Liz." Lorelai's cheeks colored lightly from the candid praise. She smiled. "Abby and Lotte's smiling faces will get me through this, with some help from you of course. I'm here if you ever need anything as well. We'll be together for quite some time now, no sense in bearing your thoughts alone."

"For now though what do you say we retire?" Lorelai stretched, yawning. "Night deepens, and morning comes sooner than I think either of us will like."

”I'll do my best of course, to keep you happy. Alongside Abby and Lotte it shouldn't be too hard a task. It's what you deserve, having saved me from the nightmares. Your Dragon...it's beautiful.” Elizabeth confessed, smiling with a lovely charm as she saw Lore’s cheeks color. If anything, it wouldn't be Lorelai's praise that pushed her, but her subtle showings of affection and the ability to be happy.

Elizabeth brought herself up from where she sat, taking a biscuit for the road. She reached out a hand for Lorelai, winking at her like they had just shared secrets. ”I do believe it's time to settle in, fair maiden.” She yawned, her body reciprocating Lorelai's tiredness.

Spells in the Dark (18+ For dark and suggestive themes)

@SillyGoy C'mere cutie.