Chapter Seven
Tuesday, May 6
On the night of the next full moon, Dylan was initiated. It almost did not happen. M'Lila was having last-minute reservations about Dylan and that made things iffy. However, since M'Lila didn't know why she had a change of heart, and there were no signs of anyone would have a change of heart about Dylan, the ceremony went on as planned.
The Dark Mesa Temple members gathered at their usual outdoor covenstead at the appointed time. This time, the coveners included their new High Priest, now referred to as Lonestar Windwalker. Chakira had brought Lonestar out to the covenstead the night before and ran through the ritual, since he had not seen most of his own. It was good for Chakira too, because they would be using a slightly modified ritual format, this one including a High Priest.
The women were dressed in their finest robes and Lonestar in his only one. Nasira had chosen to be Dylan's sponsor and Morgaine volunteered to be the Challenger. Before long, Dylan arrived and the ceremony began.
The initiate wore a shift of lightly flowered white. The shifts were made out of old bed sheets and often were not pure white, because of designs. When everything was set and Dylan was dressed, Nasira met Dylan in the parking lot.
"Are you ready?"
Dylan heaved a fake sigh. "Ready as I'll ever be."
Halfway down the trail, Morgaine jumped out at them. Pretending to be startled and a bit scared by the masked and cloaked figure in front of him, Dylan gave a small yelp and jumped. Nasira held back a laugh and even Morgaine smiled behind her mask. They could tell he was faking, and they could also tell that he thought that he had fooled them. But members of Dark Mesa Temple are not easily fooled.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"It is I, Dylan, child of Earth and starry sky."
"Who vouches for him?"
"I, Nasira, Witch and priestess."
Morgaine held a dagger to Dylan's throat. "Know then, that it is better to rush upon this blade and perish, then enter the circle with fear in your heart. How do you enter?"
"With perfect love and perfect trust." Dylan replied calmly.
At those words, Morgaine and Dylan embraced. He hugged her so tight, that Nasira had to pry him off. Then, Dylan was bound a blindfolded, as all initiates are, and led to the circle.
When Dylan had been given the fivefold kiss, they moved on to the ordeal. He was tied to a tree, and Chakira scourged him pretty damn hard. She enjoyed it, though. M'Lila and Chakira had some knowledge of who Dylan and Corey were, and that made Chakira scourge him all the more harder. After Dylan was untied, he collapsed to the ground.
"Are you ready to swear allegiance to the Craft?" Lonestar snarled.
Chakira stared at Lonestar for his harsh words. However, the glare was not justified, as Chakira herself had scourged Dylan pretty hard. But, they were on equal turf. Finally, Dylan's gasp broke the silence.
"Yes!" he said, clutching his side.
"Then repeat after me: I, Sunhawk Mountainsky, in the presence of the Lady and Lord, the Mighty Ones and the Guardians of the Watchtowers, do freely and solemnly swear that I will ever be true to the Craft of the Wise. I shall follow the Rede to the best of my ability, that I will never reveal the secrets of the art, except to a proper person, properly prepared; and that I will help, protect and defend my sisters and brothers of the Craft. All this I swear by my hopes of a future life."
Dylan wearily repeated the words given him. When he was finished, Aimee took his blindfold off; Athena anointed him and Echo presented Dylan with his ritual tools. It was all over sooner than it had started. That was bad. Especially since they didn't celebrate like they usually did afterward. Even though Corey wanted to.
Wednesday, May 7
Dylan's phone rang late the next night. Probably an unwanted call. Wearily, he reached over and turned on his bedside lamp. With a groan, he picked up the phone and held the receiver to his ear.
"Hello?" he asked sleepily
"How's it going, Mr. Therrian?" Mandy's voice asked smoothly.
"Fine." Dylan murmured. "They initiated me last night."
"Did they now?" the voice on the other end, asked condescendingly. "How nice. Will you be learning anything soon?"
"I meet with my tutor for the first time, Monday."
"Isn't that grand? Well, do not forget what you are being paid for, Dylan. Morgead wants those Witches out of the picture, as soon as possible. Nothing can stand in the way of his wedding to Sarah-Sinead."
"It will be accomplished quickly."
"See to it that it is." Mandy said brusquely and hung up.
Dylan stared at the phone, which now gave off a dial tone. He slammed it into the cradle and turned the light out. Screw Morgead. He had not even found that damned Sarah bitch yet, anyway. Why should he continue helping the Satanists out? He was in the coven, he had the power and the access to the records. That was all Dylan wanted. Morgead wouldn't be getting anything more out of him.
Tuesday, May 6
On the night of the next full moon, Dylan was initiated. It almost did not happen. M'Lila was having last-minute reservations about Dylan and that made things iffy. However, since M'Lila didn't know why she had a change of heart, and there were no signs of anyone would have a change of heart about Dylan, the ceremony went on as planned.
The Dark Mesa Temple members gathered at their usual outdoor covenstead at the appointed time. This time, the coveners included their new High Priest, now referred to as Lonestar Windwalker. Chakira had brought Lonestar out to the covenstead the night before and ran through the ritual, since he had not seen most of his own. It was good for Chakira too, because they would be using a slightly modified ritual format, this one including a High Priest.
The women were dressed in their finest robes and Lonestar in his only one. Nasira had chosen to be Dylan's sponsor and Morgaine volunteered to be the Challenger. Before long, Dylan arrived and the ceremony began.
The initiate wore a shift of lightly flowered white. The shifts were made out of old bed sheets and often were not pure white, because of designs. When everything was set and Dylan was dressed, Nasira met Dylan in the parking lot.
"Are you ready?"
Dylan heaved a fake sigh. "Ready as I'll ever be."
Halfway down the trail, Morgaine jumped out at them. Pretending to be startled and a bit scared by the masked and cloaked figure in front of him, Dylan gave a small yelp and jumped. Nasira held back a laugh and even Morgaine smiled behind her mask. They could tell he was faking, and they could also tell that he thought that he had fooled them. But members of Dark Mesa Temple are not easily fooled.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"It is I, Dylan, child of Earth and starry sky."
"Who vouches for him?"
"I, Nasira, Witch and priestess."
Morgaine held a dagger to Dylan's throat. "Know then, that it is better to rush upon this blade and perish, then enter the circle with fear in your heart. How do you enter?"
"With perfect love and perfect trust." Dylan replied calmly.
At those words, Morgaine and Dylan embraced. He hugged her so tight, that Nasira had to pry him off. Then, Dylan was bound a blindfolded, as all initiates are, and led to the circle.
When Dylan had been given the fivefold kiss, they moved on to the ordeal. He was tied to a tree, and Chakira scourged him pretty damn hard. She enjoyed it, though. M'Lila and Chakira had some knowledge of who Dylan and Corey were, and that made Chakira scourge him all the more harder. After Dylan was untied, he collapsed to the ground.
"Are you ready to swear allegiance to the Craft?" Lonestar snarled.
Chakira stared at Lonestar for his harsh words. However, the glare was not justified, as Chakira herself had scourged Dylan pretty hard. But, they were on equal turf. Finally, Dylan's gasp broke the silence.
"Yes!" he said, clutching his side.
"Then repeat after me: I, Sunhawk Mountainsky, in the presence of the Lady and Lord, the Mighty Ones and the Guardians of the Watchtowers, do freely and solemnly swear that I will ever be true to the Craft of the Wise. I shall follow the Rede to the best of my ability, that I will never reveal the secrets of the art, except to a proper person, properly prepared; and that I will help, protect and defend my sisters and brothers of the Craft. All this I swear by my hopes of a future life."
Dylan wearily repeated the words given him. When he was finished, Aimee took his blindfold off; Athena anointed him and Echo presented Dylan with his ritual tools. It was all over sooner than it had started. That was bad. Especially since they didn't celebrate like they usually did afterward. Even though Corey wanted to.
Wednesday, May 7
Dylan's phone rang late the next night. Probably an unwanted call. Wearily, he reached over and turned on his bedside lamp. With a groan, he picked up the phone and held the receiver to his ear.
"Hello?" he asked sleepily
"How's it going, Mr. Therrian?" Mandy's voice asked smoothly.
"Fine." Dylan murmured. "They initiated me last night."
"Did they now?" the voice on the other end, asked condescendingly. "How nice. Will you be learning anything soon?"
"I meet with my tutor for the first time, Monday."
"Isn't that grand? Well, do not forget what you are being paid for, Dylan. Morgead wants those Witches out of the picture, as soon as possible. Nothing can stand in the way of his wedding to Sarah-Sinead."
"It will be accomplished quickly."
"See to it that it is." Mandy said brusquely and hung up.
Dylan stared at the phone, which now gave off a dial tone. He slammed it into the cradle and turned the light out. Screw Morgead. He had not even found that damned Sarah bitch yet, anyway. Why should he continue helping the Satanists out? He was in the coven, he had the power and the access to the records. That was all Dylan wanted. Morgead wouldn't be getting anything more out of him.