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Post by Holly Cleary on Jul 27, 2011 20:01:59 GMT -7
Hallow had promised that tonight would be absolutely explosive- but she had refused to say what she had had in mind. Holly had been more than a little reticent about her enthusiasm, because every time Hallow promised something would be “explosive,” she delivered, and not necessarily in a good way.
Holly checked herself in the mirror, her dark ponytail falling over one shoulder as she stuck her new earrings through her piercings. She intended to duck out of the circle after the ritual and head to Hoyt’s to surprise him with a midnight snack- which she had even baked herself, and even more amazingly hadn’t burned- to make up for her inability to keep their former plans the weekend before. The two had become good friends in a very short time, falling into a sort of relaxed state that Holly hadn’t felt with anyone, ever. Not even Hallow, which was surprising.
Finally deciding that she looked good enough for the circle and for her later plans, Holly headed downstairs to the shop, the sound of the wind chimes reaching her ears from the open windows. She walked around the downstairs of the shop, looking for her roommate, but couldn’t find her. Curious, she went outside through the back door and into the fenced back yard of the shop. Hallow had set up chairs in a circle around the empty fire pit. Overtop where the flames would normally be was a large, metal grate- and something else covered in a tarp. Hallow looked up when Holly paused outside of the circle, offering her a smile.
“You shouldn’t be out here yet, Holly. It’ll ruin the surprise.” Hallow straightened, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
“What is that?” Holly nodded toward the tarp, frowning. It couldn’t possibly be like what it looked like… but what else would make that shape?
“Don’t worry about it. Go let the guests in, would you?”
“Hallo-“
“Go.”
Holly gave her mentor another searching look, but shut her mouth as she turned to go inside and begin to welcome the coven.
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Post by BB on Jul 27, 2011 20:33:00 GMT -7
Brandy knew how powerful Hallow was, she had magic that rivaled her own - but Hallow's magic was rooted in darkness. Entirely selfish, corrupted, and all the things that Brandy knew in her heart was wrong. Magic wasn't meant to be used the way Hallow was using it, Hallow wanted power and Brandy really wished Holly would see Hallow the way she did. Unfortunately, Brandy knew Sam's words were right - even though she hadn't wanted to hear them. It was something Holly had to see on her own and no matter what Brandy said, Holly wouldn't believe her until she saw the truth herself.
Brandy had been having nightmares for the last three days. Something was wrong and she could feel it in her veins. Even as she drove to the Moon Goddess Emporium she felt a lump in her throat that wouldn't go away. She had asked Sam before she left to stay up and wait for her, somehow in the back of her mind it gave her comfort to know she could see him after the coven gathering. She needed him.
She parked her car, noticing that she was the last coven member to arrive. She had entered in the front, locking the door behind her just as she caught the tail end of the others heading outside. She quickly caught up to them, heading straight to Holly and giving her a slight nod. However, she saw something different in Holly's eyes... was Holly... was Holly worried?
"Holly, can you come here a sec?"
The others didn't pay any attention, all of them heading outside and toward Hallow. Hallow was the coven leader, after all. Brandy on the other hand, just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen tonight.
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Post by Holly Cleary on Jul 27, 2011 21:27:29 GMT -7
With each person that joined the circle, Holly felt sicker. She would never say aloud that she thought Hallow was going too far- after all, she didn’t know what was under the tarp, suspicious though it was- but there were some lines that were not supposed to be crossed. She could argue details, saying that one couldn’t possibly harm a corpse, but that was a tiny prick of gray in a big patch of black. White magick did not use corpses. The end.
There was only one person left, the one that Holly was the least sure about. She had lost some of her previous suspicion towards Brandy, but the other witch had made little qualms of saying (behind her back, anyway) about how little she trusted Hallow, which put Holly in a curious situation. Sure, Hallow went a little far sometimes, but she was a good person, with… ultimately… good intentions, right?
When Brandy walked past her into the shop, Holly was set to walk back out into the yard and make the best of what was to come, but Brandy had other ideas.
"Holly, can you come here a sec?"
Holly opened her mouth to protest that Hallow was waiting, but if she was being honest with herself, the idea of being stuck in the back yard with a corpse and some strangers was even a bit rough for her, queen of the weird as she was. She cast the door another look, then moved closer to Brandy so they couldn’t possibly be overheard.
“Yes?” She cleared her throat to hide her nervousness, her hand toying with the pendant around her neck that was supposed to ward off evil intentions. It had been the first of many things that Hallow had given her. “We don’t have much time before the circle starts…”
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Post by BB on Jul 27, 2011 22:02:12 GMT -7
“Yes?”
Brandy had to make sure nobody was listening either, when she was satisfied she parted her lips to say something when Holly fingered her talisman. A sigh left Brandy's lips when Holly mentioned the circle was starting soon.
"Your stone is so clouded Holly, have you noticed how dark it is?"
She glanced toward the talisman, then back up to her again. Trying to listen to Sam's advice was hard - especially because it was in Brandy's nature to say what was on her mind no matter if it was welcomed or not. Instead of saying anything else on the subject, Brandy actually shook her head, and took a step closer to Holly.
"Holly, I don't think we should be here tonight. I don't think any of the coven should be here. Something is wrong, and I know you will only deny it but Hallow is wrong. My dreams haven't been good these last three nights Holly and I have a feeling in my stomach I just can't shake, something is going to happen tonight and I don't want to see you caught up in the middle of it. I don't want to see anyone caught up in it"
It was her final ditch effort to try and get Holly to change her mind, but Brandy also didn't think it was going to work. Brandy knew that Hallow not only needed Holly and the coven, but that she needed her as well. If she had to, she would go where Hallow intended - but only in hopes to save the others for whatever madness Hallow had planned tonight.
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Post by Holly Cleary on Jul 27, 2011 22:28:03 GMT -7
"Your stone is so clouded Holly, have you noticed how dark it is?"
Holly glanced from Brandy’s face down to her pendant, surprised that that was what the girl wanted to talk about. “It’s not any darker than usual,” she answered passively, her fingers continuing to rub over the dark moonstone. Moonstone was supposed to be particularly protective of children of the Goddess, and this one… this one was almost black, something Holly had never seen before. She had been surprised Hallow had been so quick to part with it, but the other witch had said simply that “it belonged with her.”
Something about the other girl set Holly off however. So it wasn’t just her that felt it- the dark, negative energy in the air, the wind of some great change coming. Hallow was stirring something up, something that Holly knew should remain dead and buried.
But Hallow knew best, right?
"Holly, I don't think we should be here tonight. I don't think any of the coven should be here. Something is wrong, and I know you will only deny it but Hallow is wrong. My dreams haven't been good these last three nights Holly and I have a feeling in my stomach I just can't shake, something is going to happen tonight and I don't want to see you caught up in the middle of it. I don't want to see anyone caught up in it"
Holly was silent for a long moment, and she took in a deep breath. Surely they were both overreacting, right? Hallow wouldn’t let anything get out of hand… she had been like a mother, a sister, everything to Holly. She wouldn’t put her in danger… right?
“The circle is going to start soon.” She repeated after a moment, any earlier fear showing in her eyes gone and replaced with strong willed resolve. “We should go join the others, Brandy.”
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Post by BB on Jul 27, 2011 23:09:09 GMT -7
“It’s not any darker than usual,”
Brandy had her own thoughts about it, but for once she kept them to herself. For a moment, as brief as it was, it seemed that Holly was actually listening to what Brandy was trying to tell her. Maybe it had been enough, maybe Holly would decide to leave with Brandy and they could be done with this place?
“The circle is going to start soon.”
Damn. Brandy let out the breath she didn't even know she was holding in. Holly was damn stubborn when she wanted to be, and Brandy had read the look in Holly's eyes clearly. Holly wasn't budging.
“We should go join the others, Brandy.”
Brandy nodded, if Holly hadn't been there she probably would of tried challenging Hallow on her own. However, Brandy knew whose side Holly was on and the only chance Brandy had to make things right was to let Hallow go on with whatever darkness she had planned. Brandy had followed Holly to the outside, given her nod to the others including Hallow before she took her own place in the circle.
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Post by Holly Cleary on Jul 27, 2011 23:28:17 GMT -7
Chance would have it that the only two seats were the two to Hallow’s left- and Holly naturally fell in next to her mentor. Hallow had clearly been waiting for the two of them, peering up at the starry sky as the other coven members chatted excitedly among themselves.
”You’ve all come so far over the last few weeks,” Hallow started, offering them a warm smile that didn’t quite meet her dark eyes. Holly frowned. ”I’m proud of each and every one of you. You’ve come together as a coven, and as a group of really talented witches. It’s time we put that to good use, don’t you think?” She flashed them a mischievous smile, stooping down to take hold of the corner of the tarp. Holly felt her stomach flop, and she pointedly did not look at Brandy.
”Tonight, we’re going to do what no other coven has dared to do. What no other coven had been brave enough to try. We’re going to raise a dead body.” With a dramatic flourish only Hallow could have pulled off, she whipped aside the tarp, and Holly gagged, scrambling backwards a step and nearly tipping her chair out of the circle.
Silence reigned.
In the empty fire pit was a body that had seen better days, to say the least. Parts of the flesh were rotted off, one actual finger was missing, and the stench… Holly resisted the urge to vomit. Had Hallow dug this thing out of the graveyard? She wouldn’t have been surprised.
”Holly. You first. Lead us in the chant.”
Holly’s eyes went from the corpse to Hallow’s, and she could feel the other woman’s resolve. Very slowly, as if she didn’t know how, Holly’s voice raised in an eerie chant…
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Post by BB on Jul 28, 2011 6:49:31 GMT -7
”You’ve all come so far over the last few weeks,”
'As far as witches can come when you feed each of them just enough of your dark energy to make them feel like it is their own...'
Brandy's thoughts were far from kind, and had she not been so outnumbered in a group of delusional coven lackeys she might of actually said those words out loud. Scratch that. If Holly hadn't been there and so blindly devoted to the head witch, she would of. Brandy saw something - felt something - that she didn't in the others. She liked Holly, genuinely cared about the girl, and unlike Hallow she wanted to see Holly's magic shine - not corrupt it and use it for her own gain like Hallow was doing.
”Tonight, we’re going to do what no other coven has dared to do. What no other coven had been brave enough to try. We’re going to raise a dead body.”
Oh Shit. All the color had drained from Brandy's face - something that was even more noticeable considering the caramel shade of her skin. The tarp came off the body in a dramatic flair and Brandy stared wide-eyed at the body. Necromancy. The darkest of the arts, and Brandy's brown hues shot toward Hallow.
Brandy wanted no part of it, and she had stood up - about to break the circle herself when Hallow had ordered Holly to start chanting. Brandy turned her head toward Holly and then back toward Hallow.
"This was your intention all along?"
She had a sick feeling in her stomach, the other coven members were staring at Brandy - and they had began to chant as well. It was obvious who held the cards in this game and Brandy sat herself down. It was too late now. Brandy knew, even if she left now, the body would still be raised and it would be even more evil without Brandy's own influence in the magic. Holly would be trapped and would lose herself completely, this sort of thing changed you and Brandy didn't want that for Holly.
So she joined the chant, the incantation, and pushed aside all feelings of wanting to just get up and run. This was exactly the one thing she had been afraid of...
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Post by Talbot Edgington on Jul 28, 2011 8:22:26 GMT -7
Being dead was a curious thing. The body was gone, the memories were gone, everything was gone… except a small sense of presence, caught in limbo with no will and nothing to drive it in either direction. It was this way for him, anyway, and it wasn’t like he had anyone around to compare notes with. He had spent a lot of time in this limbo- but he had no way of telling how fast time passed here, or what else went on without him…
Until things changed.
First it had been the whispering, the sense of someone else being around, even though he couldn’t see them. A woman, one he had never met, had spoke a name at him- his own? Hers? Who the hell knew?- a name that his being, at least, responded to for reasons he couldn’t quite remember. What good were names here? But just as soon as she had appeared, she had been gone, and limbo continued.
But tonight, the voice was back, along with others. And as each new one joined the chanting, he felt himself slipping… more feeling was coming back to him… and then he opened his eyes.
The sky above was starry and the air was warm, he could feel that. There were at least thirteen distinct voices he could hear, and… was that grass? He could feel grass… He was alive! There was no grass in the afterlife, or limbo, or whatever the hell he had been sitting in, and for a moment, he forgot everything else as he raised awkward fingers to touch the ground beneath him, closing on a single blade and yanking. It came up in his hand, and after a moment’s pause, he raised it to his face. He remembered grass, remembered lying on it with…. A black hole. No, that was right…
”Talbot.”
That name again. He pushed himself up on aching limbs, stiff from death’s clutches, and got his first real look around him. Several of the witches were staring unabashedly- how rude- as if he were some circus freak, and he pulled his lips back to reveal… human teeth. That didn’t feel right.
”Talbot. Welcome back.”
“Fuck you.”
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Post by BB on Jul 28, 2011 8:54:55 GMT -7
There wasn't a doubt in Brandy's mind that the spell would work. Hell, she was sure Holly, Hallow, and herself had enough power within them to raise and control the dead. Hallow wanted power, influence, and control - and by successfully bringing back someone from the dead she was one step closer to what she truly wanted. Brandy felt sick to her stomach, but even more so when she realized what had happened.
It wasn't the soul that previously inherited the body that came back - it was someone different entirely. Brandy couldn't believe it, her gaze immediately shot toward Hallow. There was only one Talbot that she knew of within the Louisiana area, one whose death unleashed a series of events that sent the supernatural world back about one thousand years.
"Are you fucking kidding me Hallow? You brought back Talbot Edgington? Are you fucking insane? I mean, are you?"
Brandy shot a look to Holly, then to the other coven members who were still staring Bambi-eyed toward Talbot. Even as Talbot said the words 'fuck you' Brandy had stood up and turned toward the group. Her speech was directed to Hallow, who would know that Brandy spoke the truth with her next words.
"I don't think you know what kind of danger you have put the rest of the coven in, their memories need to be erased. Now."
When she looked over her shoulder toward Hallow there was a fire in Brandy's eyes. If Hallow didn't do as she had asked, there would be hell to pay. It was bad enough Brandy was knee deep in this shit now and it wasn't like Holly had the choice to leave - but the others? The pawns? There was no need for them to remember this night. No need at all.
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Post by Hallow on Jul 28, 2011 9:32:16 GMT -7
”Fuck you.”
Hallow couldn’t help it- she laughed. She had actually succeeded in bringing back Talbot, and it seemed as if everything about him had remained intact- from his bitchy attitude to his strange little accent. It was almost too good to be true… Eat that, Russell Edgington.
She watched hungrily as the body, previously decaying, started to heal itself. It would have been more perfect if she could have used Talbot’s actual body- oh, wouldn’t that irritate Russell?- but that bitch Sookie Stackhouse had destroyed it in the garbage disposal at Fangtasia, and even Hallow wasn’t a strong enough witch to put that back together. This would have to do.
But apparently, not everyone shared Hallow’s good mood.
"Are you fucking kidding me Hallow? You brought back Talbot Edgington? Are you fucking insane? I mean, are you?"
“You’re overreacting, Brandy.” Hallow purred pleasantly, looking at Holly. The girl’s mouth was open and she was gaping at Talbot as if she couldn’t quite believe they would succeed… simpleton. Why wouldn’t they? “Talbot will mind his manners, won’t you?”
Talbot stopped studying her coven and looked at her, frowning as if he’d really like to remember what he did to people that pissed him off. It had been a stroke of genius to bring him back as a human- so much more easy to hurt, if Russell decided to get uppity. ”Fuck you.” He said again, and she rolled her eyes. She never understood what Russell had found appealing about him to begin with, but oh well. If this was her way to total control of the supernatural world she was going to take it.
"I don't think you know what kind of danger you have put the rest of the coven in, their memories need to be erased. Now."
“I don’t think so.” Hallow stood as well, staring Brandy down. She was the coven leader here, not this prissy little witch. “They just witnessed history in the making- let them enjoy it.”
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Post by BB on Jul 28, 2011 10:09:50 GMT -7
“You’re overreacting, Brandy. Talbot will mind his manners, won’t you?"
"Talbot might, but Russell won't. Mark my words, Hallow, this won't end well. The other's are innocent and you know the only ones in this group who even hold any real power are the three of us."
She looked toward Holly, who was still too stunned to even make any real moves. Even as Hallow told her she wouldn't erase their memories - it wasn't like Brandy couldn't. The rest of the coven wanted to protest, well, a couple of them did, but deep down they all knew Brandy spoke the truth.
"They aren't enjoying this. You have what you want Hallow, let them go and I will pledge my allegiance to you. You have been wanting me to be a full member for weeks now, well here is your chance. My power at your disposal for the rest of them to go back to their lives with clean slates."
Brandy's eyes were crystal clear as she looked to Hallow, then toward Holly, then toward the others. The others would probably not realize the extremity of what Brandy was doing for them and they probably never would. In the back of her mind she could almost see Sam shaking his head at her, muttering how stupid she was underneath his breath.
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Post by Holly Cleary on Jul 29, 2011 9:46:31 GMT -7
Holly had no idea what to say- even if Hallow had raised a body (which Holly had been skeptical about, necromancy was a bitch of an art that rarely worked even for the best of practitioners,) she had entertained the notion of exactly who they were bringing back. But Talbot fucking Edgington? Holly hadn’t even been in Shreveport that long and even she knew who that was!
"Talbot might, but Russell won't. Mark my words, Hallow, this won't end well. The other's are innocent and you know the only ones in this group who even hold any real power are the three of us."
“We are sooo dead.” Holly mumbled under her breath, still staring at Talbot. What about her son? Sure, she hadn’t exactly been mother of the year lately, but Cody did need her alive and well- and she wasn’t going to be once Russell got here to reclaim his lover. She had a feeling what he had done to that news reporter was about to look downright pretty compared to the mess he was going to make of them.
She stood up, finally, turning to Hallow. “You have to do something- kill him again, I don’t care. Hallow!”
Hallow looked between the two women, looking almost bored. ”I’d expect this from you,” she directed at Brandy with a roll of her eyes, ”But you, Holly? Don’t you see what an opportunity this is? Russell will be under our control…. After all, like you said, what’s done can be… undone.” She smirked, watching Talbot as he stood as well, dusting the dirt off of his clothes and frowning at the fabric of them. He might not have any memories, but his personality was the same as ever.
"They aren't enjoying this. You have what you want Hallow, let them go and I will pledge my allegiance to you. You have been wanting me to be a full member for weeks now, well here is your chance. My power at your disposal for the rest of them to go back to their lives with clean slates."
Holly watched as Hallow quirked a brow. How many times had that look been directed at her? Too many to count. ”What makes you think I want you that badly? But if it makes you feel better, by all means…”
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Post by BB on Jul 29, 2011 20:42:54 GMT -7
“You have to do something- kill him again, I don’t care. Hallow!”
Brandy's gaze lowered slightly as Holly finally stood up to Hallow. It was the first time she had seen it, hell - it was probably the first time the coven had seen it. When Hallow mentioned expecting a reaction for her, Brandy had scoffed and looked away. Hallow was corrupt and tainted with greed and dark magic, and least now Holly was beginning to see it too.
”What makes you think I want you that badly? But if it makes you feel better, by all means…”
Brandy quirked her brow, she highly doubted that Hallow underestimated her - though, maybe she did. After all, as far as Hallow was concerned, she was the most powerful witch in Shreveport - possibly in all of Louisiana. Hallow was a fool. Brandy just nodded and closed her eyes, musing a forgetting spell underneath her breath that would affect everyone but her, Holly, Hallow, and Talbot.
When the spell was complete, the coven members looked quite disordinated and Brandy just offered them a fake smile and gestured back toward the store.
"Same time next week"
She glanced toward Hallow, waiting for her to say something before she looked back at Talbot. There was only word that came to mind at that moment and that word was simply 'FUCK'.
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Post by Talbot Edgington on Jul 30, 2011 9:31:38 GMT -7
“You have to do something- kill him again, I don’t care. Hallow!”
That wasn’t going to happen. Talbot may not remember anything, but he did remember being dead- and it wasn’t something he cared to hop right back to. He was getting irritated, these witches talking about him as if he wasn’t there- and as if they knew him, which was even more irritating. Talbot had no idea who he was, or what he was doing here- apparently he had been important, this Talbot Edgington, because the pale one was nearly having a conniption fit. Had he been an important leader? A band member, maybe? He just hoped that whoever he was, he had had better taste in clothing- this jeans and t-shirt ensemble was doing nothing for him.
And they kept bringing up a… Russell. The name felt like it held weight to it- not just because they were afraid of it- but because…. it meant something to him. Talbot tried to puzzle it out, but nothing was coming to mind. Who was Russell? Better yet… why should he care?
Talbot had finally had enough. He rose to his feet, brushing off his clothes- he really needed to replace them as soon as possible- and was just about to give them all a piece of his mind when the pretty one piped up again.
"They aren't enjoying this. You have what you want Hallow, let them go and I will pledge my allegiance to you. You have been wanting me to be a full member for weeks now, well here is your chance. My power at your disposal for the rest of them to go back to their lives with clean slates."
“Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” What was it about him that was so damn important they called him specifically from his grave? All they had done since he had arrived was bitch at each other- that was hardly important for him… so what was really going on here?
”What makes you think I want you that badly? But if it makes you feel better, by all means…”
Talbot was almost in awe about how fast it happened after that. One minute, everyone was staring at each other suspiciously. The next, they all had this glazed look about them and were streaming out the door as if nothing had ever happened. Talbot just wished it hadn’t.
“Really.” He tried again, meeting the pretty’s ones eyes when she looked at him. “What the fuck is going on?”
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