The Coven's Altar

Priscilla's eyes opened slowly, drowsiness sticking like glue to her eyelashes, the room was dark with a large pillar of light illuminating the centre of the chamber. Her arms struggled against the cold chains wrapped around her wrists, her legs were no better, tied to the base of the chair. 

'H-Hello? Is anyone there??' She called out, half-hoping no one would answer. Priscilla racked her brains trying to think back to the last event she remembered, memories of the ''date'' with Noir, walking through the busy town, even entering the pharmacy. But what happened after that is what she couldn't remember.

The smashing of her shoes against the marble floor scared off the birds, flying away in the hope of fleeing from the doom enveloping the building. Their wings fluttered frantically until hitting a hidden barrier that contained everything and never let anything escape.

'Don't worry dearie, we won't hurt you, however, this was a necessary precaution to make sure you don't escape again.'

'Lucia? Why are you doing this?! Let me go!' She struggled against her binds trying to rip them off with her superhuman strength, but it was fruitless, the more she struggled the harder the chains became. Lucia's heels clacked against the marble floor, a long cape lagging behind through the wind. Far behind her was Noir's handsome face averting eye contact with Priscilla.

'You seemed hesitant about the idea of joining a coven, and seeing as tonight is a blood moon I just had to take this chance to create a perfect witch.' Lucia pointed to the large red hue of light that descended menacingly upon her. She danced around the altar, singing hymns in a language of grunts and clicks, lost to history. 

Noir stared at her, feeling a little guilty of what was to happen as the clock struck midnight. Ever since Lucia's plan started he had been feeling uneasy about this whole thing, but clouds started drifting through his mind, coming together to form an idea to help her. The first time in so long that he felt human again was with her, he couldn't let that feeling go unrewarded. 

His steps were silent, not a single tap was heard by the long-forgotten walls of this temple, vines had overgrown every inch of gold that had proudly been displayed before. Now it was nothing more than a monument hidden in the woods used by animals as shelter. Noir's eyes shifted to the front gate, a large wagon was stationed with flickering lights painting a silhouette of someone enjoying a meal while keeping watch. 

'You enjoying your meal Oscar?' He spoke with his usual charming voice, but Oscar was unamused, he knew of Noir's sly nature and was never willing to exchange words with him for free. Oscar extended his arm, the palm of his hand eagerly awaiting the sweet golden nectar that had been moulded into coins.

'Yes I am enjoying this meal, Lucia was gracious enough to even prepare two portions for me. What about you cat? Enjoying the evening?'

'Suuuuure. Just a quick question though, where is the brown kitten? You know the one for the ritual?' Noir used his hands more than his mouth, trying to make a cat with his fingers. 

'Depends, what's in it for me?'

Noir rummaged through his pocket looking for any spare change he had left. He raised his hand towards Oscar, with a couple of paper clips and several pieces of lint. 'You owe me Noir, remember that.' He excitedly shook his head and asked again the whereabouts of the little Vaundr. 

'Lucia had asked me to place him at the top of the tower, it was quite a hike but I am strong- YOU COULD AT LEAST LET ME FINISHING TALKING BEFORE RUNNING OFF!' 

The half-demolished stairs of the temple ran up the side of the building, each step shaking with any amount of pressure applied. He dashed with his increased mobility fast enough to avoid any damage to the structure, eyes fixated on the golden dome that sat on the bell tower. 'One of those fancy brooms would sure come in handy right about now.' He joked to himself trying to shake away the little bit of fatigue that built up.

From above he could see Lucia preparing the altar, a large serpentine dagger placed upon a goblet filled with pig's blood. 'Yuck.' He remembered his bonding with Lucia like it was yesterday, the pain he endured that day was surreal, and he couldn't allow Priscilla to face that same level of pain. Not yet at least.

'Meow!' Roared the little brown kitten trapped in a cage of paper talismans strong enough to seal an arch-demon. 

'Let's see here, you better pray my lock-picking skills haven't diminished since my time as a human.' 

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'Sweet little Priscilla, despite our short time together I consider you a niece of mine. One with potential higher than the skies above. After witnessing your power I couldn't help but want to make you mine.' 

Priscilla's face turned white, tugging harder at the restraints. 'Sorry lady but I am not into other girls.'

Lucia's face frowned a little, looking down at the bindings. 'I didn't mean it like that. I want to use your potential to the fullest extent possible. That is why you will join my personal coven where you will be my most treasured pawn.' She couldn't help but squeal from excitement, it had been so long since a member last joined her coven. Only five total members remained after the latest expedition against the Vaundr king.

She returned to the preparation process of the ritual, placing cloves of garlic behind every pillar in the room and splashing the walls with Lilac-infused water. Her moves were so graceful it appeared as if she were gleefully dancing while spreading a feeling of impending doom to every corner of the chamber. Her hair fluttered in the wind matching the rhythm of her flapping cape, candles danced through the air illuminating the darkest parts of every gold plate on the floor. 

'They will arrive soon. Sit tight my darling.' Priscilla shuddered thinking about just who would show up. Lucia headed out toward the front gate getting ready to welcome her guests.

'Ouch!' She cut herself on a sharper piece of the chains, blood trickled from her finger into the palm of her hand, her mind picturing the fabled scissors she had summoned twice before. 'Snip Snip' Echoed through the chamber, with her hands free it was light work cutting the restraints from her feet. She looked around quizzically, trying to find any feature of this building she could have seen from the town, it was a dumb idea but that was all she could come up with at the moment.

A small creek flowed nearby, the water disturbed by the vibrations of Priscilla hitting against an invisible barrier binding her to the vicinity of the altar building. Her body and mind were not in sync, and thoughts of countless horrid scenarios flashed through her mind motivating her to continue slashing at the barrier. But her body wanted nothing more than to give up, take the easy way out and not have to suffer the possible future that stood before her menacingly. 

'Oh, my dearie Priscilla, where have you gone?' Lucia's voice steadily approached her location. She froze in the spot coming face to face with Lucia, a moment was all it took to ready herself, the scissors in her right hand ready to slash anything that came her way. 

An eerie aura formed behind Lucia, her shadow contorting and bending into the shape of a rapier half the size of her. The handle is beautifully decorated with Lilacs carved from black onyx, the hilt is pure gold and the blade is a silver of the highest purity.

Lucia shot forward with a sonic boom, the tip of her blade being deflected by the burgundy scissors a kick meeting her stomach, launching her into the air. Priscilla repositioned several feet back getting ready once more for the next strike, however, Lucia burst into laughter at the fact Priscilla managed to land a hit.

'Your very existence stimulates me, Priscilla. Surrender and the only pain you will feel will be from the ritual.'

'Why are you acting like such a weirdo?! You were somewhat cool before, when we first met, and at the hospital when you cleared those weird people from the room. But now you act like I am nothing but a piece in your game. Don't treat me like a child!' Priscilla dashed forward, blinking out of existence only to reappear stabbing the blade into Lucia's stomach, ripping through her flesh.

'It was a good attempt kiddo.' Before Priscilla could turn her head around the cold handle of the sword struck her to the back of her head. 'Here we go!' She took a breath and placed the young girl onto her shoulder, marching back to the altar, placing her on the obsidian structure along with the blade and pig's blood.

Several hooded figures filled the hall standing on the gold panels littered around the room. Their eyes were covered with a thin linen mask, their mouths marked as X with red ink. 

'Ladies, I welcome you on this crimson night to announce the enlistment of a promising new witch. One that battled and even defeated the Vaundrs that have plagued witch-kind for millennia.'

She took the large serpentine knife into her right hand, hovering it over Priscilla's shaking chest.

'This is the beginning of a new era!'