The Society of Rebel Enchanters (Malefice Pt. 2)

"She's not giving us anything!" The voices of the Demogor crowded around me. They had been torturing me for who knows how long, with all manner of pain inflicted upon my soul. First, they'd lashed me with their long whips of fire. I still had the scar on my collarbone because of them. Then, they'd threatened my family. I was pretty sure that that threat had no merit, as my family was the most powerful enchanters known to men and creatures. Still, they were ruthless invaders and plunderers, so who's to say who would win?

"Of course I'm not making you anything! Why would I?" I retorted, my voice salty as stale popcorn. They wouldn't give up, and I wouldn't give in, so we were at an impasse.

"Fine, then. We'll have to destroy you through your social life instead." Malicius said. He was the wizard that had come into my family's shop asking for a city-destroyer. Even then I could smell the tar oozing from his robes, signs of his corruption and evil. He'd never thought to do a magic cleanse. I wondered what he meant, destroying my social life. It wasn't as if we ran in the same social circles.

"Sleep." A resounding voice filled my ears, and I couldn't hold on to reality anymore.

I woke up later, how long I didn't know. As I glanced around, the light burned into my cranium. Where was I?

"Lariona! What did you do?" Marilic was frantic as if he was struggling internally.

"Marilic! How'd I get here? What are you talking about?" Suddenly, people began swarming me with no remorse, crowding me and shouting my name. "What's going on?" I screamed over the crowd, trying to find Marilic.

"Come on!" He pulled me into our shop, away from the angry mob. It seemed like years since I'd been there, walked among my family, made the step on the stairs creak. I couldn't believe I was back here, though there were unpleasant consequences to my being here. I still couldn't understand why.

As soon as we got out of earshot, Marilic spoke up.

"Why? You could've protected our spells. Fought back, even. But you chose to make them an amulet. To kill thousands of innocent people!" He ranted with an angry tone as if he was trying to keep himself from lashing out at me.

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything! I didn't give anything up!" I tried to convince him. "What did they do?"

"Lariona, even if someone believes you, the rest of the world won't. You used to be so moral, so kind. I used to look up to you!" He screamed.

"You don't believe me. Not even you. Well, I don't need you to believe me." I turned, gathering my things. As tears flowed down my cheeks, I shoved my way out of the back door. I was on my own.

_______________________________________________

"I'll have another Rotcarmel. Make it a double." I was drowning my sorrows in malohol, the type of alcohol that was like non-drowsy cold medicine. At least there, in the bottom of the cup, no one thought I was lying.

"Lariona. Isn't it?" A hearty voice echoed through the empty stalls of the bar. There wasn't anyone else but us. Even the bartender seemed to have disappeared. I turned my head, slowly trying to piece together who could've been here at this hour.

"My name is Ayn Christie. I am part of the Society for Rebel Enchanters. We have studied you closely for some time now." She was a stout woman, with curled hair on one side and brown eyes with a gray sheen covering her follicles.

"Wait, you're not trying to arrest me, are you?" There was no way she'd be, but I still had to check. I'd never heard of the Society for Rebel Enchanters. Well, maybe that was why they were rebels.

"No, child. We've come to induct you. Come with me." We? We slunk out of the back door, me still watching Ayn's every move. A bunch of other women peeled off the streets following us in a way that wasn't in any way suspicious.

When we made it to an alley, she guided me through to the end, where there was a door. It was grim, with shiny black bricks, like those you'd see in the Vaults of Mysteries.

"Child, let us introduce ourselves to you. As you know, my name is Ayn Christie. This woman," she said, pointing to an Asian woman, "is Moonbyul Solar. Our spy in the Demogor's name is Toni Steinbeck. As you've probably realized, we are all women." She just kept talking. I couldn't process all the information Ayn was throwing at me.

"Wait, so you said... You wanted to... induct me?" I was still skeptical at this whole thing.

"Allow me to explain. Our organization has been around for the length of the Demogor's terrible feats.

Suddenly, her magic threw me into the world of the 1700s.

"Step down from there, Malicius." Ayn shouted. Malicius? He had been around then? How had he survived?

Suddenly, tendrils of black began to coil from his grip. They twisted and turned on Ayn, as if poising to strike. I wanted to reach out, to protect her, but then a violent rage of gold burst out from her fingertips.

"You will not take Largon today. This is under the protection of my Society." She plunged her gold into his heart, overpowering his black. Just then, the dream faded away...

"What was that? Why was he so weak against you?" My mind was a blur. The Demogor were always made out to be so powerful...

"Back then, we had been many, and they few. Malicius, who I assume was among your captors, was their leader. Our power remained strong until the Purge." At the word Purge, everyone in the room flinched but me.

"What's the Purge?" The responses of all the other members was almost too predictable.

"It was a horrible event where they gained Malefice from the outer worlds and darkened the minds of many of our members. We were never the same. Now, we need to bring in fresh talent. Meaning you."