The Dark Society

108

Alex arrived at the Lady of Victories by daybreak, eager to confront the cult. Upon entering, tapers flickered along each passage, while many ancient volumes lined prominent shelves in the foreground. Expectedly, his heart raced as he observed the scene, understanding the sect possessed abilities like Karen's.

Unfortunately, he knew they would stand against him to protect the temple. With this in mind, he entered the place Karen had described but he had never expected to see: the main throne room.

Radiant sunlight streamed through colorful stained-glass windows while full-length tapestries adorned every wall. More importantly, a second vast collection of ancient relics filled several adjacent shelves. Each relic, crafted from pure porcelain, depicted a particular goddess--part of the narrative Karen had defined but Alex was only now beginning to understand. Without realizing it, he had ventured into a supernatural world where imagination became reality.

"We've been expecting you," Sienna whispered, stepping forward.

Alex looked astonished as she and Lesley approached. When Dena drew near, however, she displayed a rage unlike anything he had ever witnessed. She had always been cordial and outgoing since childhood, but recently--like Karen--she desired absolute power. One way or another, he had come seeking common ground.

"I need help," he pleaded.

Lesley retrieved a ledger, placed it on the desk, and opened it. "Come."

Alex approached as Sienna and Dena watched.

"What's this?" he asked.

"The spells required to perform an exorcism," Sienna explained, scanning the text.

"An exorcism?" he questioned. "Do you mean expelling a demonic spirit?"

Alex's knowledge of magic was limited, much to his regret. So, the sisters aimed to clarify, hoping he would understand.

"Yes," Dena confessed. "But once the spirit escapes, the host dies."

Alex appeared fearful, grasping the gravity of the situation. More significantly, he wasn't a practitioner and knew nothing about exorcisms or their purpose.

"Impossible. I can't believe it." He turned toward the door.

"The woman you love is gone, as is our sister!" Dena shouted. "Forever merged with the soul of a demon!"

Alex whirled around, anger flashing in his eyes. "What? How?"

She stepped closer. "Bishop Luen and Sovereign Steele."

He pondered Karen's rivalry with the church and the animosity between them. "What about them?"

"They used Sovereign Morgan's psalms to invoke the spirit of Nemesis," Sienna explained. "The experiment failed, and now Karen is condemned to death."

Alex scoffed and turned away.

"The truth isn't easy, but it's necessary," she continued. "You must accept it before emotions dictate your actions. Besides, if Karen follows through, she'll be no match for the Morgans."

"Morgans?" he questioned. "I thought they were a myth, and that Sabrina was an only child."

"No," Lesley interjected. "She's second generation--the younger sister of elder Samantha Morgan."

Alex moved closer. "She never mentioned a sister."

"Exactly," Dena answered. "For almost twenty years they were separated, and due to their mother's magic, neither remembered the other."

He grew angry again. "What else?"

"Each represents a powerful coven," Lesley proclaimed. "So, conflicts between them were inevitable. Despite that, we didn't understand Sabrina's lineage in time to exploit it."

"So?"

Sienna approached him. "Sadly, Trina and Jasmine discovered the truth, and they were killed. Now Tatum Cotour and Lyndsey Graham have gone missing."

"You're certain?"

Dena scowled. "No one's heard from them in weeks, and all attempts to contact them have failed."

Alex felt shocked. He had known about Trina and Jasmine but not about Tatum and Lyndsey. Unlike the first two deaths, however, there was no proof substantiating these claims, so he kept his suspicions to himself.

"Regardless, Karen has gone to America," he said. "If she intends to confront Sabrina, I'll stop her."

Dena showed sympathy but knew he would fail, so she pleaded with him one last time.

"This is beyond you, and any efforts will prove futile."

Alex groaned. "It's like she always told me: everyone has a destiny, and if it's mine to save her, then that's what I'll do. Besides, I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."

Lesley gathered a small container from behind the altar.

"What's this?" he asked.

"A rare emerald," she answered, opening the box. "Every witch has one, and it holds the origin of a sorceress's vitality."

Alex admired the sisters' gems.

"This was Karen's," Sienna added, presenting the stone. "If you truly want to save her, place this around her neck."

"Can she be saved?"

"If placed by one of her own, it's possible," Dena testified. "However, such a revival has never succeeded, so I can't promise anything."

"One of her own?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "Either Jessica or Jordan. No one else."

The sisters had always admired his dedication, but Alex wasn't one of them and lacked their gifts. Nevertheless, he left the temple determined to find Karen's parents. Whatever happens, the sect's future felt uncertain, making it imperative for the coven to safeguard the church.

Meanwhile, Bishop Luen and Sovereign Steele had unknowingly been exiled following Karen's invocation--a ceremony that, if discovered, would carry dire consequences. As a result, Dena had succeeded Luen, and with that change, those once thought forgotten had returned.

"Everything's in order," Kyle reported.

Dena embraced him as Logan, Lesley, and Sienna gathered around them. As of today, Karen's strength remained unknown, but Jessica's influence was infamous. Still, the coven wars loomed, and a conflict with Saint Anthony's seemed inevitable.