Spell circles are made by using the essences of magical creatures to achieve different effects. These are typically temporary in nature, though permanent results are possible with powerful enough components. Humans, having no magic of their own, use spell circles. Spell circles are considered dark business, because oftentimes the...ingredients...are not obtained with the consent of the donator.

Excerpt from ‘Magics of the Fey’

Over the next two days, Ives drained Tanya’s blood and sheared locks of her hair off several more times. That didn’t bother Tanya as much as feeling the corruption spread. It had a physical sensation now, a heat spreading from her chest to her limbs. Every time she saw Ives she thought of more violent ways to end him.

Worse, with every passing hour she lost hope in her mission of saving her sisters. If she couldn’t save herself, she wouldn’t be able to save them.

Ives was serious about never unchaining her from the wall, and as Silas had said, he could do nothing to help. He had visited her twice more, trying to distract her from her circumstances.

Ives grew even more chatty as it became obvious Tanya was truly stuck, “It’s quite a clever work of art, actually. Your own magic powers your prison here,” he’d said, proud.

On the third morning of her imprisonment, something out of the usual routine occured. There was a distant crashing sound from above, and Ives was late. Tanya hoped they had to do with each other.

After the first crash, all was silent, and then the mansion rocked, the walls shivering.

There was the sound of running footsteps and then the door to Tanya’s cell opened. It was Kuon, all disheveled, with a wild look in his eyes.

“Tanya! How do I get you out of this?” he asked.

“I think if you mar the circle it’ll disrupt the effect,” Tanya said, “I can’t believe you actually came back for me.”

“I’m not the only one,” Kuon said with a grimness unlike his usual demeanor, and then he transformed into his equinine form. He charged the wall and his horn pierced through a portion of the spell circled etched into the wall behind Tanya.

The disruption to the spell circle was immediate, and Tanya felt her magic flooding back to her being. Along with it came a fresh, strong urge to destroy Ives for his violation of her freedom and person.

“What do you mean you’re not the only one?” Tanya asked as Kuon reverted back to human form. With her magic unhindered, she snapped off the chains that bound her to the wall like they were made of butter.

“One of your sisters is here. She’s upstairs now.”

“What?” Tanya said, and began walking down the hallways. As she walked, her magic threw every door she passed open, freeing the others who'd been imprisoned as she ahd been. “Have you seen Silas?”

“Silas? The mer? He was defending Ives last I saw.”

“No,” Tanya breathed, the lightness that her freedom had given her dashed away, “I need to go save him.”

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Tanya ran upstairs, and found that the top half of the mansion was half rubble. The first person she noticed was Ives. One of his wings dripped blood onto the floor, and Tanya felt sick and also gleeful at the sight.

Then she saw Silas, who stood in front of Ives, ready to defend him, his hands spread out. A Tear— her sister— held a broom of her own and readied her magic.

“DON’T!” Tanya moved in a burst of speed. She pulled out her hair comb and as she sailed forward, it turned back into its broom form. Now she was defending Silas, ready to bear the brunt of whatever magic her sister had been about to unleash.

At the last second, her sister held back the violent spell.

“Hello, little sister,” The Tear said.

Tanya stared. It really was another Tear. Her skin was more blue than green, and the petals of her dress were cream. She didn't seem that evil, at first sight. But the destruction that surrounded them told another story.

“Well,” the Tear continued, voice unexpectedly husky, “The unicorn got you out then? You seem to be fine, which is good.”

“The mer—Silas—tried to help me,” Tanya said, “he had no part in this. It was all Ives”

“I know.” Tanya held back a shiver. This sister of hers was violence incarnate, in that case.

“Why did you come here?” Tanya asked.

The Tear gave her a crooked grin.

“I was curious. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a new little sister. And when I felt your presence diminish, I knew something was wrong. We have to look out for each other, you know. No one likes us much these days.” Tanya’s big sister stepped past her and Silas to stand above Ives. It appeared this sister of hers also had some unique abilities. Tanya coudn't sense her sisters at all.

“You scum,” the Tear broke the Goose’s unharmed wing with an awful crack. Ives shrieked, the sound almost musical to Tanya’s ears.

Tanya stepped to stand next to her. She looked down at Ives, his face that was twisted in pain, the terror that made his eyes crazed.

After a moment of deliberation, she stomped on his bleeding, but as of yet, unbroken wing. The crunch satisfied something dark in her.

“You turned fast,” her sister said, amused.

“What?” Tanya was jolted out of her dark enjoyment.

“You’re only what, a week old? Already reveling in violence?”

“I’m n—” Tanya stopped herself, because her sister was right. She stared at Ives, “He deserved it. I haven’t turned, and I’m going to stop the corruption.”

The Tear laughed.

“You think you can resist, that you can save us? Oh, that is so cute! You’re already corrupted.”

Tanya shook her head.

“Oh yes, you’ll see, little sister. Soon, all you’ll crave is the destruction that helped birth you. So no, I’m not going to lift another finger here. I’m going to let you descend into the madness all on your own. That unicorn boy? And that mer? You’ll probably kill them by your own hand, especially if you’re anything like me.”

Again Tanya shook her head.

“Well, since you're safe now, I’ll take my leave. Be careful. I might not always be able to come to your rescue."

The Tear moved close to Tanya and embraced her.

“Really do be safe, little sister. There are a lot of monsters out in the world, besides us. Now, I've got to go. People to torture, you know?"

The Tear's smile held a hint of mania, when she let go of Tanya. She hopped onto her broom, turned invisible, and presumably, flew away.

Tanya looked at the wreckage that surrounded her, then back at Ives's whimpering form. She leaned over him and whispered in his ear.

"So you can't ever do this again, I'm placing a little curse on you," Tanya said. The magic flowed, and when it was done, all of Ives's feathers were crimson red, along with some unseen effects. There was no physical pain, but from the expression on Ives's face Tanya knew that this was worse.

Tanya came to a realization. Her big sister's domain was raw, physical violence.

But the corruption in Tanya screamed for joy when she cursed Ives, and then quieted. It was as if she was a newborn again, all but untouched by it.