The In

The Mistress and her companions stood around the scrying bowl. The green fog of their magic whirled within it. The underling stood nearby. His hands were clasped together in front of him. He looked at his feet, but periodically he would glance up at the circle of venefici. He quickly looked down again before they could catch him looking and punish him.

The magic in the bowl cleared. Humans, witches, wiccans surrounded one of the RU in? cafes. They used magic to try to shut down the barrier and the charm over the building. The humans' magic wavered over the venefici magic, weaved with it, broke strands of the venefici magic here and there, but overall it had little effect.

The doors opened. Beautiful venefici untouched by the human's magic streamed out in front of the building. They were at ease as the humans directed the magic at them instead of the building. The venefici smiled as one. Green magic flowed from the building, around them, through them and then out again and directed at the magic wielding humans. The humans tried to stand together, tried to redirect their magic to protect themselves, but it was too late. The first human fell dead. Then the second.

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The humans broke ranks and ran, scattered. With their magic up, the zombies ignored them as they ran past and let them go.

The beautiful venefici walked back into the building not bothering to clean up the human bodies.

"I think," one of the Mistress's companions said, "it is time for the third stage."

"It is too soon," another companion said. "We have not accrued enough human souls for the spell to be powerful enough."

"I don't think we have a choice," another companion said.

"A vote then," one of them said. "That is the way we decided to do this."

"A vote," the Mistress said. "Those in favor of implementing the third stage now."

Ayes called out all around her clearly in the majority.

"Aye," she added her voice to theirs. She turned to the underling. "Implement the third stage."

"Right away, Mistress," the underling said. He skittered away from her and out the room.

The Mistress and her companions moved to the windows. They watched the sky as a third green flash lit up the sky.