By: Lady Isis
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon
Chapter 12
Malevolence
"We are here on the dark moon, to perform our clan's secret ritual." The priestesses talked softly, "All of your families have been tied to mine throughout the generations, and I trust you to maintain our secrecy, that applies to you vampires."
"Secrecy will always be," Her companions murmured.
"We shall then perform the ceremony," The priestess declared.
Lacing a piece of white chalk through her fingers, she proceeded to drag the chalk over the rough floor boards, creating a crisp new circle over the countless smudged lines. As she worked she mumbled harsh words under her breath and stopped just before closing the circle.
"I invite you in, those that wish to be." She said to her coven, bowing down and extending her hand toward the circle.
One by one the 11 people filed in, their black robes swishing as they took their places within the circle.
"Oh Goddess, protect us now," The priestess murmured, stepping in and closing the circle, carefully joining the ends so that the entrance was indistinguishable.
Walking slowly towards the strange alter, shaped like a hexagonal in the centre if the circle, the priestess placed the chalk delicately in a silver dish and ran her hands over the ancient wood of the alter, tracing the carvings lacing its surface with her fingertips. Sliding her hands down its sides her finger encountered a trigger causing a segment of the alter top to click loose, revealing a hidden compartment. Lifting the lid, she lowered her hands within the dark hole and curled her fingers around a heavy object. Ignoring the thick cobwebs that caught on her skin and robes, she removed the rectangle object from its black haven and placed it on an the alter, gently blowing its cracked surface removing a thick cloud of dust.
"The book of Black Shadows," She informed the coven, running her hands adoringly over the leather binding, despite the black stains that splattered its cover.
Smiling, she again reached into the alter and bought out four bowls, each darkly coloured red, green, blue and yellow. On their shiny surfaces black runes had been drawn, they were crude and streaked downwards as if the artist had used too much paint.
Taking each bowl and a compass, she wound between the coven members and placed the green bowl at the North point. From within her pocket she removed a handful of stones; the dark stones consisted of smoky quartz, bloodstone, amber, onyx and jet which clattered sharply against the enamelled sides before settling. Working anti-clockwise the priestess laid the blue bowl at the west point, and filled it with pure water; continuing to the South point she laid the dark red bowl down and in it lit a black candle. At the final point of East, she placed the yellow bowl down and balanced a stick of incense on its lip, to invoke the Goddess the priestess walked three times around the circle before returning back to the alter.
Breathing deeply the priestess opened the front cover of the book, despite its creaks of protests, and thumbed over the yellow pages, her eyes roaming over the titles. Her mouth curled upwards when she found the special spell – this particular spell was the most brilliant spell in the book, and probably in the whole history of Wiccan, Vacuum Eiectio, The Void of Banishment.
Reading the ancient calligraphy text, she followed the instructions and once again reached into the alter, this time she removed a chalice and an atheme engraved runes. The atheme looked plain compared to the elaborate silver adorned chalice, not worth noting, until the sheath was removed revealing a metallic blade stained so deep with evil, it shone black under the feeble candle light. The priestess shivered, not in fear but in anticipation as the knife pooled its power into her body.
Placing the tip of the sharp blade against the soft palm of her left hand, she re-read the instruction before pierced her skin and drawing the blade diagonally across. A small hiss escaped her lips as the old scars re-opened and her blood welled threatening to spill onto the floor, tipping her hand the priestess let her blood collect in the chalice until it was half full. Placing the chalice back onto the alter, she wrapped her hand quickly, with the help of a companion, and looked back upon the book.
"To complete the potion," she said to the hooded figures within the circle, "I need a sentimental object that belonged to the vampire." She finished, directing the last bit of the speech to the three cloaked figures opposite her.
The tallest figure removed his hood and shook his pure white hair onto his shoulders, stepping forwards towards the alter, the priestess gritted her teeth and contained her fear. Stopping just before her, the flickering candles shone eerily over the vampires pale skin and intense grey eyes, from his pocket he drew out a large solid gold ring. This ring had taken the vampire years to locate, he didn't know what sentimental value it had, but he knew this ring was important to his old companion, before his enemy banished him and took his title as King.
"Will this do?" He asked, holding it between his forefinger and thumb.
The priestess nodded mutedly and held the silver chalice towards him, "Drop it in."
Releasing the ring, there was a small 'plop' as the gold band fell into the thick red liquid, "Please return to your position." She commanded, hating feeling weak.
Once again alone in the centre of the circle, in control, she spoke the next instruction, "From all of you I need but a single drop of blood."
Moving anti-clockwise, each coven member took the sharp blade and pierced their index finger, each letting one drop of their blood unite with their priestesses. Coming to the vampire trio, she looked into the hood of a beautiful woman; the priestess instantly hated her, the female vampire's bold features wore an expression of pre-eminence and her lips were pouted into a smile of mock.
Offering the atheme to the vampire, the priestess sent her own mysterious smile savouring the small drop in the vampires coolness as she became confused. The vampire rolled her eyes and closed her hand around the hilt, as soon as she touched the hilt she shrieked as it burnt into her flesh, causing her to drop it.
There were collective gasps of horror as the atheme sailed to the ground. The priestess closed her eyes just before the atheme made contact, she couldn't bear to see an important part of her heritage hit the floor, she had – like most witches – always despised vampires for their mass killing of witches in the past and had been so eager to hurt the vampire woman she had ruined the spell and dark purity of the atheme.
"Emerald," a voice hissed, the priestess opened her eyes and watched the dark haired vampire glower down upon the whimpering woman.
The priestess heart jumped as she noticed the atheme safely held within his hand, "Your pathetic, you risked this whole spell because you can't tolerate a silver burn, do you know what you would have done? You would have discharged the blade, the ground would have absorbed its dark power rendering it useless. Your weak you never should have come with u-"
"Enough Sapphire!" The white haired man interrupted.
"Fine," Sapphire said, sending a final glare at Emerald who humphed.
The priestess couldn't help but admire the one called Sapphire, he obviously had a knowledge about her culture and respected it, any sort of respect or courteously among vampires was a true rarity, that's why many vampires ended up in Vacuum Eiecto.
Taking the blade, Sapphire pierced his skin without so much as a wince and passed it to the white haired leader, who took the hilt impassive of the silver burning his flesh and pierced his finger. Allowing a drop of blood to fall, his skin instantly healed back to its initial smoothness and he handed the knife gracefully back to the priestess, who continued down the line until all had contributed to the potion of blood.
Placing the chalice onto the hexagonal alter, she started the next step of charging the blood with negative energy. Lowering the blade until the blood skimmed the hilt, the priestess closed her eyes and the coven dipped their heads.
"Mother of Light, Mother of Darkness
Whatever you wish your name to be
Guide our ceremony, consecrate our essence
Lend us your strength
So mote it be!"
She recited the prayer in a soothing tone her coven mumbling softly with her. Any person would be fooled by her enchanting voice, nothing so lovely could be bad, but in reality the priestess was far from that. Her body reeked of black magic skilfully disguised by runes, and her hands not only held the scars of blood letting, but the lives of the countless animals sacrificed in the name of black magic. What she did was against the witch laws and morals; it was a crime worthy of death, but to her and her faithful coven, it was all worth it.
Calling up a coven member, she handed the Book of Black Shadows over and place her hands flat on the hexagonal alter. Applying pressure, the priestess pushed the alter into to the floor, so that the ground was unbroken and totally flat. Turning to the next page of the book, the priestess read the text and picked up the chalice holding it square to her breast, returning beside the flat alter she fished the blood stained ring from its depths – which was now purified – and positioned it in the centre of the hexagon. Kneeling down she began to recite the ancient spell:
"Vacuum Eiectio!
We call upon thee
Awaken now, in the dark of no moon."
As soon as the first part of the incantation was complete, the priestess tipped the chalice pouring the red blood over the hexagonal alter, the blood began to glow as it ran into the carvings like a flooding river. From each of point of the hexagon lines began to run off, joining and creating a perfect pentacle around its hexagonal alter heart. She heard the gasps of those around her, as the room was filled with a supernatural wind that tossed her unbound hair and ripped at her robes.
"Vacuum Eiecto
We command of thee
Release the prisoner that we decree
Find him now and grant him pass!
Return him back
To the land of his past,
So mote it be!"
The room began to pulse with an evil; it consumed everything, re-coating the walls of the evil saturated room, with another layer of darkness.
"Release him Now!"
Throwing her hands up the rest of the coven followed, offering their strength to the strange force flowing around them. The hexagon alter began to glow a vivid red orange and grow upwards becoming a three dimensional shape, as the hexagon grew the surrounding air suddenly felt thick as if statically charged. Hitting the ceiling the room began to throb with evil life, casting hideous shadows upon the walls. There was absolutely no noise from outside, not even the incessant hum of the crickets all the animals had run away at the negative energy being discharged from within the ancient hall.
There seemed to be an over serge as crackling energy formed around the hexagon, then all of a sudden the room was plunged into darkness. The priestess blinked at the abrupt light change and waited letting her eyes adjust to the pitch black darkness, once focused she frowned as she saw the figure of a unconscious man lying upon the alter. Moving towards the man her robes swished against the floor, but the vampire trio got there first and crouched beside the dirty man, lifting his ratty hair to confirm his identity.
"It is him! Vacuum Eiecto is never wrong." The priestess snapped, her face twisted in a scowl of insult, "Now get out!" The priestesses commanded, "And give us your due."
The white haired man rose from his knees and walked towards the priestess, "Here as promised." He said in a low voice that sent tremors down her spine.
Snatching the object from his hand she scrupulously inspected it and eventually nodded confirming its authenticity.
"Its been a pleasure doing business with you." He said in his emotionless velvet voice.
Spinning on his heel he walked victoriously from the circle, Sapphire in tow carrying the ragged man and Emerald last, the gold ring clenched within her fist. When they heard the dull 'thud' of the heavy door indicating their exit, the priestess smiled to her coven and began to snigger, her laughs quickly evolved into the trademark cackle of a witch and her eyes shone with insanity as she began to dance around the circle.
"We have it!" She declared in ecstasy, holding a pure black loop in her hand. She hadn't wanted to release the vampire but that could be re-fixed later, after all you had to give to get and now they had it, "The Collar of Lost Will."
Not exactly a nice chapter, but necessary. Sorry it's short; I decided it needed a chapter of its own.
Vacuum Eiecto isn't a real spell, I made it up, so if you wiccan or into it please don't be offended.
- Lady Isis