The Witch Council (I)

In a dimly lit cave, far away from mortal lands, sits the Witch Council. Nine women, all wearing cloaks imbued with the purest of magical essences, form a wide circle around their leader, the High Witch. With their hoods on, they levitate while sitting and continue to stare at their leader as she conducts a ritual. Utmost silence reigns in this cave, punctuated by the High Witch’s occasional muttering.

The moment she concludes the ritual, a feeling of overwhelming calm and serenity pervades the already quiet atmosphere. All the witches present take of their hoods at this point, for the biennial meeting of the Witch Council, has begun.

“Niam khawv koob, foom koob hmoov rau nws cov menyuam nrog lub zog, twsj hwm thiab hais kom ua. Raws li nws tau pib, yog tam sim no thiab puas yuav yog[1],” all chant before opening their eyes.

With the necessary protocol out of the way, each witch gives a report of the status of their respective jurisdiction. Hearing that everything is alright, the High Witch says nothing, but a ghost of a smile is seen on her face. However, she soon resumes her original stoic expression. “If only she could spare half a smile for her flesh and blood, I bet the witchling’s heart would burst out of sheer excitement,” Sandara muses inwardly, noticing the nearly imperceptible glow on the High Witch’s face at learning that all is well with the witches. Few things could escape the keen eyes of the Jade Witch after all.

“Two of the rogue witches living at Morsgrove reported sightings of the demons.” The Silver Witch of the North pauses for effect. The mention of the demons throws the council into a frenzy, and shouts of “Impossible!” and “How dare they?” rend the air. The High Witch stares at her sister as if to say, “Tell them to keep quiet”. Sandara just rolls her eyes and snorts- she will do no such thing.

When the High Witch realizes that Sandara will not interfere, she steps in to restore calm to the atmosphere. The sound of the crack of a whip as it hits the table is heard. Everyone goes silent at this.

“Now that we have finally gotten a grip of ourselves instead of behaving like rambunctious teenagers, the meeting can proceed. When did this happen, Deidre?”

“Two fortnights ago.”

“And why am I only hearing of it now?”

“I did not consider a matter to trouble you with. Besides the testimony of two rogue witches, one of whom died soon after, there have been no other reports. Several rounds of an investigation by the Gloved witches in my jurisdiction proved that there are no signs of demonic activity. Thus, their claims, however credible they seem, remain mere rumors due to lack of substantial proof,” Deidre, the Silver Witch of the North, replies.

Still, the High Witch is not convinced. Demons are known to be extremely cunning and sly. Taking chances is not something the witches can afford to do. Anything that poses a threat to their hard-earned peace must be eradicated without hesitation. However, Deidre’s words make it difficult for her to act. There seems to be nothing else she can do, and demanding to conduct a personal search is tantamount to questioning the witch’s efficiency.

However, Sandara rescues her from that quandary by further questioning Deidre. “What about the other witness?” “She’s not in the right frame of mind to answer any questions at all. The Enforcers found traces of deviant magic on her cloak, staff, and glabella. Her soul is too weak to withstand any external force, so we cannot perform a soul search to ascertain the validity of her claim. The most likely conclusion is that her insanity and damaged soul are side effects of the deviant magic she practiced.”

“Which is?” the High Witch prods. “Necromancy.”

Witches have control over magic, true, but there are still other branches of magic they do not practice. This is not due to a dearth of capability, but because of its adverse effects.

Nothing is free. Everything you desire is yours, provided you are willing to pay the price. The Law of Exchange is a fundamental law that every witch is taught as soon as they reach the age of comprehension- it is ingrained into their subconscious. Thus, extreme caution is exercised by all witches in the study and practice of magic, to ensure that they are not inadvertently destroying themselves.

Some branches of magic like necromancy, clairvoyance, and chronokinesis are referred to as deviant magic, as the price required to wield such power is by no means small. Apart from a few witches who are blessed with such gifts during their awakening, most witches do not bother to delve into it at all. These forms of magic slowly but surely strip away the lifeforce of the user and leave behind varying degrees of injury to the soul each time they are used.

Those who are chosen have it easier due to their massive lifeforce and extremely balanced soul, buffering the side effects faced. Even then, it is quite rare for deviant witches to practice such magic in an indiscriminate manner. Every magic has its price, no doubt, but the consequences of deviant magic far outweigh its benefits.

“How are you sure that her injuries and insanity are caused by necromancy?” “What else would vitiate a witch’s soul to the point of near extinction? A demon’s kiss?”

Sandara’s eyes widen, but she quickly manages to keep herself in check. The kiss of a high-ranking demon can indeed deal such damage without leaving any traces. “But they never come out from the depths of Hell unless things are at the very worst. Even then, they might choose not to, damning the consequences,” she reasons, trying to convince herself. Still, there is a nagging feeling that Deidre’s sarcastic words may be on point. She shudders to think what would befall them if it turns out to be true.