King of Hell (AHS: Apocalypse)

Chapter 1 - The Promise

Misty Day had been trapped in the nether realms for about five years. Five years. That is a very long time. Cordelia, having returned to New Orleans with her witches, had sat down with the young woman she had known for a short time, but missed so dearly. She remembered being at the Hawthorn School for Exceptional Young Men just a week ago to administer the test of the Seven Wonders to a very promising, but mysterious young man; his name was Michael Langdon. He passed the tests with flying colors – telekinesis, concilium, divination, transmutation, pyrokinesis, vitalum vitalis, descensum – but Cordelia knew there was something about him that didn't sit quite right. The fear still weighed on her mind, even though during his trip to hell, he brought back Misty at her request. He had also brought back Madison and Queenie, something she herself, as Supreme, could never achieve. An endeavor driven by a vision of the future now changed entirely – Cordelia knew Michael could never reign as Supreme in a sane, just way. Again, something about him just did not seem right at all.

Misty was cupping her tea close to her face, taking sips gingerly as to not burn her lips. In the background played Edge of Seventeen on the stereo by her favorite singer, Stevie Nicks, and Cordelia was in front of her.

"Did you sleep well, Misty?" she asked.

"Yeah," Misty replied with a nod, reaching for a jelly donut on the confectionary display in front of her. "I'm still starvin'. They don't serve solid food in hell."

"The warlocks at Hawthorn gave you a full meal," Cordelia said. "That was nice of them. I never expected such a kind gesture from them... toward any of us."

"Why?" Misty's bright blue eyes looked innocently at Cordelia, ignorant to what had gone down between the Salem descendants and the warlocks.

"They want to steal my crown," Cordelia said despondently. "A man has never attempted the Seven Wonders until Michael did last week. There is something wrong with him. I can't put my finger on it, but... I saw a face like his in my vision. I saw the future."

Misty tilted her head, biting the jelly donut and getting a little powder on her lips. As she chewed, she remembered that she got a very strange feeling from the young man who resurrected her.

"I ain't educated, but I ain't no fool," she said, her mouth slightly full before swallowing. "I've been able to sense evil since I was a child... you almost fainted at the sight of him. My heart started poundin'. You know better than I, Miss Cordelia, but... there was somethin' evil about him. He even reeked of death. The very perfume of death. I ain't gonna forget that anytime soon."

Cordelia looked at Misty and pursed her lips downward, having a sip of her tea before putting it on the table before her. She watched Misty grab another donut and stuff her face with it, getting a little more powder not only on her ethereal face but on the shawl Stevie herself had given her years before.

"Misty..." she began, her dark eyes looking into those of the swamp witch. "You need protection now, more than ever. Not just healing. I'm so happy Stevie appeared on such short notice for you, but please... you are attending the evening gathering right? Are you up for it?"

Misty nodded rapidly, chewing on the jelly donut: "mhm."

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Just after dinner, Cordelia called for a special meeting of her witches that were no longer students of the academy. Misty was the first one to appear, as she remembered Cordelia instructing her to hours before when they shared tea and donuts. Zoe, dressed in a black pantsuit and a stylish wide-brimmed hat, came into the ancestry room next, her doe eyes glistening and her sleek light brown hair moving swiftly in sync with her gait. Just behind her was Myrtle, an elderly witch with flaming red hair extensions and eccentric fashion sense who served as a mother figure to Cordelia most of her life. Madison and Queenie came in at the same time, both still dressed from dinner. The only exceptions to the no-students rule in this gathering were Coco and Mallory, relatively new to the academy but both promising in their own ways. Coco, the cocky, rude daughter of one of the most prominent billionaires in the world, was still doubtful of her abilities but studying with Cordelia has helped her hone her divination skills. Mallory could easily be a little sister to Misty, as she was a white witch with the ability to heal injuries, bring dead animals back to life, and even turned white rose petals blue and made them fly like butterflies. She even looked the part – she was the only one in the room dressed in all white, celestial jewelry, and a gilded leaf headband.

"Why were we called? This better be important," Coco said snobbily.

"It is," Cordelia said, approaching Misty and touching her arm. "It is very important."

"Does it have to do with Langdon?" Madison asked.

"Probably," Zoe said, looking at her colleague before looking at Cordelia. "Well, is it?"

"Partially," Cordelia said, taking a sigh and looking at all of her closest witches and the two newbies. "I've called all of you in here to take on a great task, and to make a promise amongst each other, and to me as your Supreme."

"A blood oath?" Coco asked, scowling a bit. "Hell no! I'm out!"

As the blonde woman turned on her feet to leave the room, Cordelia was driven to use concilium on her to make her comply.

"Get back here!" Cordelia said firmly, making Coco face her and stop walking away. "Please, listen. This is a major task." Taking another sigh, she began to explain her expectations. "Up until a week ago, Misty was trapped in the underworld for five years. That is a very long time for anyone."

"I'd know," Madison said.

"Yes. All of us have seen it here," Cordelia agreed, "in some form or another. Some of us never attempted descensum, like Mallory and Coco. That is aside my point. My point is, Misty has been such an asset to our coven, a true light among us all. Without her here, things have been pure chaos." Cordelia teared up. "I lost her once, and I will never lose her again."

"Miss Cordelia," Misty said, interjecting and standing in front of her Supreme. "You won't lose me. I'm here. I'm safe. I'm with y'all right now."

"Everyone here must promise to help protect Misty Day from any harm, especially right now. She is in a vulnerable state after being gone for so long, and is in need of healing and protection from all of us."

"I have the white light of spirit," Misty said, confused. "Thank you, but- "

"Oh dear bird," Myrtle began, her antiquated voice filling the room. "Please. Where was that white light when we disintegrated to ash in front of us five years ago? Accept our blessing. I, for one, make my promise."

"Me too," Zoe said.

"Me three," Queenie added.

"I will, whatever it means to protect her," Mallory said with her soft-spoken tone.

"Anything," Cordelia said. "Tomorrow Myrtle has arranged a field trip to the swamps to gather plants for a potioncraft lesson. Misty, knowing this particular area so well, is coming along, and maybe gathering some mud so she can teach the others how to make her poultice. Please... watch her."

"I ain't a child," Misty protested. "Thank you for the concern, but-"

"Alright, fine, I promise," Madison said. "She's a grown woman though."

"Misty, you are very vulnerable," Cordelia said, facing the swamp witch. "Especially right now."

Coco looked around the room and then at Misty, whose curling gold curls framed her face. She needs a bath, she thought to herself.

"Fine," she said reluctantly. "I'll watch Stevie Junior here. But... what is in it for us?"

"A stronger bond," Cordelia interjected. "You all have proven yourself in some way here to be responsible and have each matured. I would not have brought you forth for any other reason."

The witches proceeded to surround themselves around Misty in a circle, holding hands and bestowing their protection upon her even if they were not directly watching her every move. For once in such a long time, she felt like she belonged someplace again, like she knew who she was.