Book 2: Chapter 108
Heidi
The man was laid on the altar table, alive, unharmed, and he smelled of fear. Like they said, he was aware of everything happening, and it set in that he was going to die. This ritual was different from anything I’d done, though it felt… natural.
I was tired from not having a demon, but the symbols were preserved into the floor. All Hellinia had to do was activate the right ones by drawing in chalk, and she’d already done that. I took a step into the middle of the altar… and I was handed a knife.
It looked old, but it was polished, probably being hundreds of years old.
“I Theyolina Yolter, summon who will hear. I bring you to this world. I make you mine. I bind you, but in return you have my protection. That we fight for each other, we hunt together, we cast together, and live harmoniously.” I said firmly. I stomped my feet three times. “Night Father…. I ask again that you forgive me…. I do not deserve it… I offer this Sinner… I’ve never done that before, but my hope is that you accept.” I said with shaking hands.
It was very real now….
I was expected to kill a person... not in self-defense, not to save someone, or even to give justice to the victims he made… but for my own selfish desire. This was not my character… I was not a murderer… I had never killed anyone who wasn’t trying to kill me first…. But here I was tasked with taking energy from someone else to ‘finish’ the circle.
His blood would flow on the chalked lines…and he was a sinner…
But also, Without a familiar, I would continue to Drain.
I raised the dagger over my head. “With this blade, I release you. May your judgment be fair, and may you change your ways in the next life should you prove yourself able….” The chains had his mind docile, though I could smell his fear.
After all, no matter how tough he would have probably talked… no one wants to die, especially if they know they’re headed to Hell.
The blade went into his heart so easily.… and I felt the feeling of Dread, though it was not the one I thought would come…
Blood oozed slowly into the pre-carved cracks in the floor. With each drop, the floor glowed a dark red until the symbol of the Horned One appeared.
It was the Herald…. He looked at me with Distain as he held a large, wide scroll with both hands, as it was already open. The black paper with red, glowing symbols cast a crimson hue off his eyes…. And I had to admit… he was intimidating.
“Heidi Charred-Stone, hear the words of your God. Hear the words of he who created all in this room.” He flapped his pinkish bat’s wings. His almost whiteish glow and golden-brown horns did not match who he was… and what he was about to say had to be BAD. “From my mouth will you hear them. From the Herald of the End, may you understand your punishment.” He said sternly.
“Punishment….?” I said incredibly quietly.
He glared at me.
None of us said anything…. His was an aura you could taste.
“By the order of the Master, Zuviel, King of the Void, ruler of half the Universe itself.... you are hereby Banished from demonship. You may not use, procure, or be aided by Any demon of the master’s make. From this point onward, they will not speak to you, nor help you. You will not Touch a demon. You will not Speak with a demon. You will not aid nor be aided by a demon. 30 lashes and the master’s wrath should you disobey. 50 lashes and the master’s wrath should you disagree. Should you summon an unauthorized entity, you will be subject to Immediate collection.”
He sneered, dismissing the scroll, landing on the pulsing circle. When his feet touched the marks, they became an off-white pink.
“I accept my punishment.” I said fighting the dread and shock….
“As his Voice, know he does this for your own good. You, who cried in the master’s arms, know he extends his fatherly love to you, that you learn the value of what you have done. Then and only then will you be lifted from this.” He said firmly.
He stepped in front of me, and I could literally see the power of a demon so grand. He did not have a rank tattooed on him that I could see… he did not Need one.
“As I said…. I accept. I understand he’s still angered. It is his right.” I said seeing him raise a brow. He was interested in what I had to say, likely thinking I was going to be a spoiled child about it.
“Go on.” He said with folded arms.
“He makes his servants that they serve. Disobedience must be addressed…. And since I did not receive physical punishment, I am to receive spiritual.” I said looking at my feet.
“Indeed.” He said with a nod. “Though, this will not be our last meeting, nor does he leave you unprotected. Your soul is My charge until this is resolved.” He reached through the stab wound in the man’s chest, and pulled out a soul with a red X on it. He screamed. “Murder, my favorite flavor.” He said disappearing.
And just like that he was gone, as was the soul and body of the man.
“What the Fuck did Rahrraam Do?!” yelled Hellinia. They rushed to my side, but as she held me, I wasn’t surprised.
“Mistress, please tell Heidi that I am sorry the Master has punished her so harshly.” Said her demon, and like a lightbulb, the other demons in the room were aware of the loophole.
“Brother you tread shallow water. The Master’s rage can literally be tasted in this room.” Said his brother.
“All the better to taste the wrath of his whip Now on Purpose than on Accident later….All I am is because he has given…” He didn’t finish what he was going to say…
“That he Take from one so young is too harsh.” Said Hellinia. He was ordered that he could not disagree… but I don’t believe she was… “We witches are allowed to have our own opinions, but they are not. They are Tools…. It’s hard to remember that…. You did what you thought was best.”
“… but Who Was That?!” Asked Grenadinia.
“The Herald… he is the one who throws the unredeemable into the Pit.” I said and everyone was silent. Even They didn’t see him when their coven was cursed…. I could feel almost a film over my soul… like I was put in plastic wrap.
…. But also there was a pain in my chest I could not shake…. There was a betrayal I felt from being cast out…. I always knew deep down this would happen.
“Heidi… I don’t know what you’ll have to do to fix this… but I don’t think we are even allowed to help. Regardless… we will.”
“Matron!” Yelled I didn’t know who being in her arms, but she snapped at them.
“Without her, our people would have withered away to being powerless, and a Baba would have come along and finished us off, if not the Church’s Lap-Dog Hunters.” She said truthfully. “And even if that Wasn’t the case, she is still My littlest sister.” She hissed.
“You don’t have to defend me.” I said quietly touched.
“I Do. I Lead this coven. You are a member, and my soul’s blood. It would be Wrong to leave you to the world… of all the witches, we are the Most hunted. And I didn’t hear anything about you being Fully Banished.” She sneered. “No group allows us safety, and no pardon by the Church would stick the Moment they catch wind of us. Regardless of the ruling you sent me, worship of our creator is Still illegal.”
She wasn’t wrong…. But I wouldn’t put them in my affairs… there was a worse feeling in my gut… to be rejected by your god…. To be cast out by the one thing that said it would protect you… I was essentially an exile…. Regardless of the protection…. Without a familiar I was missing an integral part of all this…
I found myself using my portal stone without thinking, and I ended up in the living room. I walked upstairs. I went into our room, and turned off the lights. I went into the bathroom, took a shower, dried off, got in bed, and laid there. What was I supposed to do?
I did everything I could.
I tried being a good person…. I tried so hard not to let my past interrupt my future… I embraced who I was… I did something I was still processing. I killed a man. I left the mess…. I didn’t even help clean up the blood and chalk… the portal stone won’t work again until tomorrow.
“Heidi why are you back so soon?” Asked John.
I didn’t turn to face him. I lay on my side, but he got in under the covers. He smelled of blood and wolf, but he came and hugged me anyway. I didn’t mind. I didn’t say anything for a while, which made him concerned, but I had no words. What was I to tell him?
“…I am Banished from owning a demon.” I said staring at the wall. I didn’t even want him to look at me.
“I’m so sorry baby.” He said hugging me, turning me around so I could be hidden from the world in his chest. “You can cry you know.” He said with a soft smile.
“There are no tears…just whiplash…” I said looking him in the eyes. They were so electric green, that even in the darkness, they lightly glowed.
“Then just rest on me….” He said soothingly.
“Alright…” I said looking at the night… it would be likely sunrise in the coven by now….
The Horned One’s anger and punishment was warranted… he played favorites with me, and I disappointed him….
Also, I didn’t trust that wording… there were no conditions, no instructions on what would Stop This…
It’s likely that I will never again have a demon, which meant I would never be able to fully use my powers…I can’t be of Real help in coven affairs… and should anyone come after me, they will likely win any magical duels if they have a familiar…
That goes for the priests too…I still don’t trust them. All they have to do is dishonor their word… something humans are the most likely to do and have done in the past.
… But at least the ray of hope is that the Herald or the Horned One himself will come to my aid.
“I heard that.” Grumbled John. “If he didn’t want his Feelings hurt, he should have sent you an instruction manual First, not just give you gifts….”
“John don’t.” I said with a little concern.
“I don’t fucking care.” He growled. “If that bastard banished you, know that I never will. If I have to make you a damn demon myself, I’ll figure it out.” He said with a convicted anger I’d never heard from him.
“That’s sweet… but don’t worry about me John.” I said hugging him.
“It’s Literally my job.” He said hugging me closer. He smelled as if he were moments away from raging out… but I didn’t care. I wanted to be in his arms… he was the only thing that couldn’t be taken from me. At least, not like that…
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