Chapter 7: A Twinge of Courage
"What just happened?" Jordan asked, confused.
"That, was a power-stealing athame," Millie said. "Steals the powers of anyone that gets pierced with it. That's how warlocks steal powers of witches."
"If warlocks use it, why didn't the powers all go into Charles?" David asked.
"It only goes into those who wish to have them," Millie explained. "Charles was using it to stop Nexell, not to take his power."
"So, where did all those powers go?" Annie asked.
"They moved on to their new rightful owners."
"I couldn't kill him with a gun, how could he be killed with a knife?" David asked.
"The athame took Nexell's powers," Millie said. "After his powers were depleted, he was easily vanquished." Millie started to walk away. "Come downstairs. We can have some tea and discuss more."
They followed her downstairs and sat down in the kitchen. She put a pot on the stove to warm some water, then went over to the table to sit with them. No one said anything. Jordan started playing with her hair out of boredom.
"Oh, so when we all sit down to talk, nobody wants to know anything?" Millie asked.
"When will the Guild try to kill us?" Annie asked. That was the question that was on everybody's mind. They knew the day would come. Millie looked down.
"They won't come after you by themselves," Millie said. "But, they will kill you themselves if they run out of options."
"Why don't they kill us themselves if they could do it so easily?" Charles asked.
"It's against their laws," Millie said. "They are not to put themselves in any danger while part of the Guild, but if absolutely necessary, they'll kill us."
"What makes it absolutely necessary?" David asked.
"When the Underworld becomes insecure, and they start running out of upper level demons."
"What happens when one of them dies?" Jordan asked. "Are they replaced."
"Not usually," Millie said. "Demons become part of the Guild in groups of five, so if one dies before the others, they'll just live with one less than normal." She paused and looked at Charles. "Axict was part of the Guild. When they found out that he had fallen in love with a witch, they tried to destroy him. He was forgiven after he had killed an innocent, but taken away his status of Guild member. But he was replaced by a different demon."
"How are they vanquished?" Jordan asked. Millie chuckled a little.
"Do you think you're ready to fight them?" she asked. Jordan shrugged. "There is a vanquishing spell and potion combo. You must throw the potion, then each four of you would have to say the spell together."
"Doesn't sound too hard," David said.
"Maybe not on a normal demon," Millie said. "But these guys are strong. They could kill all four of you in under a minute. You could get the potion thrown, but you wouldn't have enough time to say the spell."
"What powers do they have?" Annie asked.
"They have a lot," Millie said. "Power to throw fireballs, energy balls, shape shift, fire starting, and, most dangerously, the power to kill something at just a look."
"Wow," Charles said.
"You're forgetting one," Sabrina said. "They can manipulate minds; put people in comas, erase their memories, even manipulate what they believe."
"Can't wait to kill them," David said boldly.
Please, God, help them, Millie thought to herself
"So, Annie," Charles said. They were sitting in the living room. Later that night Annie was sitting in a chair, reading a book. Jordan had given Charles a little help on how to talk to Annie. He hadn't been able to say more than a few words to her before. He was feeling slightly more confident now. "How are you?"
"Good," she said brightly. "How are you?" Annie had a perky, beautiful voice. She always seemed to brighten anyone's day, especially Charles's.
"I'm doing fine," he said, starting to feel the shyness coming up again. He wasn't used to talking to girls like this, especially ones he's only known for a little over a week. "Um…I wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?" she asked.
"I…don't know how to ask you."
"Come on," she said. "What do you want to know?"
"Do you…have a boyfriend?" She dropped the book she was holding and looked at him. He blushed and looked away from her. She picked up the book she had dropped.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Just wondering, you know. Wanted to, you know, get to know my fellow witches."
"Well, I don't have a boyfriend," she said slowly. "But there is this one guy I really like."
"Oh," Charles said looking at the floor.
"The only problem is, he won't ask me out," she said, standing up.
"Huh?" Charles asked, looking up to find her walking into the kitchen.
"Hopefully he gains some courage and asks me out sometime."
"Wait! Annie!"
"Good night, Charles."