Page 56 of Wolf Spell

“Thanks, yes.”

Pointing to the chalice, Austin muttered and I watched as a string of electric blue light shot from his wand and whipped to the herbs. The flames were instant, snaking up, giving an copper hue that glowed before us. Elongated shadows from the stones cast an eerie atmosphere.

Taking a deep breath, I raised my arms up to harken to the souls.

“Mages and witches, we call on thee,

With wands and cauldrons

Be here with me

Tooth and claw

And fire bright

Help bless the souls that are here, this night

Muster your courage, your power and join with us

No more killing of witches, werewolves, creatures of night

Lend us your magic so we can stop

The travesty of the killings

From Adara, now end.”

Puffing as I felt my body weaken, drained, I watched as the flames from the chalice rise higher, brighter. I shuddered as a breeze whisked around us and whispers sounded in the wind.

I couldn’t make out what the voices were saying.Luke walked towards me, his chest puffed up as he eyed the fire.

Above us the moon disappeared for a moment as clouds swept over it, as if hiding it from the forces that grew around us. I trembled again, part in fear, part with cold as the breeze picked up pace.

He stood beside me, arm touching mine, as Austin did the same with Grace. Enlarging more, the flames licked high above us from the small vessel. I gasped, stepping back as the roar of a beast echoed through us and in the flames the face, the head of a werewolf appeared, snarling, with fangs dripping in blood.

Unconsciously I gripped Luke’s arm, transfixed on the sight before us. Bending he whispered in my ear, “Look around the stones… You did it. Look, see.”

Peeling myself away from Luke but still clutching his arm, I stole a glance. Apparitions of witches, werewolves, vampires, even angels and demons appeared, watching us in ghostly silence.

Dozens of them stood around the stones. Diaphanous faces, their clothes were from another time. Frock coats, boots, breeches to corsets, long skirts and bonnets. It seemed we’d raised the dead, the persecuted from every bygone age and now they watched, waiting with faces full of pain.

A musty scent filled the air, like old death and the werewolf face in the flames roared louder, its mouth exposing its fangs.

Silver fingers of moonlight reached down as the clouds parted, the faces reflected skulls. A crack of lightning illuminated the stones and the ghosts. Then the lightning burst, flooding the sky in a haze of purple shards that grew brighter, stronger and shot like an arrow heading straight towards me.

I tried to move, my mouth opening to scream but no words came. Luke grunted, but he couldn’t move me. Fixated to the spot, I felt an icy spear plunge through my head, my body.

Convulsing, my body rocked and then that terrifying fear of something inhabiting my body, my voice, my mind.

I bellowed, arms wide as purple and silver light radiated from me, blinding my friends around me.

“The anger and the sorrow from the persecuted, the souls of those sacrificed now flows through my veins, through my blood,

A power fuelled by darkness

Now I am bonded in a shadow that haunts my spirit

And the vengeance of the accused, of the cursed