Roses

THE INITIATION

"Carlos, Alara, cut your hands," Hestia ordered.

Carlos and Alara did so, wincing at the pain. They didn't cut themselves deep enough to cause themselves any harm, however.

"Now put your hands in a fist and let the blood drop onto the new girl's hand."

The new girl put her hand out as the blood of Carlos and Alara dropped onto her hand.

Carlos began shaking his hand to ease the pain.

"Shaking won't help. We'll fix you two up when we're done with the ritual," Hestia told the two. "Now, everyone else, I assume you know what to do?"

"Yes, Hestia," the members on the outside replied. They all held hands and closed their eyes.

Hestia and the other members outside the circle began to chant:

"We welcome hoc membrum quasi Rose. Est autem florebit et crescunt. Hoc folium Rose nobis suscipere. Speramus et non erit ardenti Rose. Rose hoc defendat. Sic fiat semper."

Red and green mist began to form around the new girl.

"Carlos, Alara," Hestia called.

"Yes, Hestia?" The two replied.

"For the ritual to be completed, you must both cut her on her arms. We need the blood of members and her blood for it to be official."

"This is—" The new girl began.

"You should not talk during the ritual! You are the one we're performing it on!" Hestia shouted in annoyance. "Well, it's too late now, you already spoke. What's your name?"

"Zoe King," The new girl said.

"Mkay," Hestia replied. "Complete the ritual, you two," she said, pointing to Carlos and Alara.

"We'll be gentle—Well, I know I will," Alara assured Zoe.

Carlos and Alara both cut the new girl's hands with their knives. Zoe winced.

"It's done," Hestia announced. "You are now an official member."

...
Carlos, Zoe, and Alara were with Hestia getting their hands mended.

"Ow," Zoe said as Hestia put some peroxide on the cut. "Why can't you just use magic? Don't you have healing powers or something?"

"No I don't have healing powers, but Dominic does but every time he tries to heal someone he makes it worse," Hestia replied.

"I'm still learning!" Dominic protested.

"And that's why you're not doing it."

"Can't you use like an incantation or something?"

"Incantations are too much work. Well, it depends. Either way I'm sure Hestia doesn't feel like doing one. Besides, it isn't necessary, it isn't a fatal wound," Alara told Zoe.

"Damn right I don't," Hestia said. "I would've  if I really had to.

"I remember my first day here," Carlos started.

"Yeah, you broke like ten pots," Hestia said and started laughing.

"What do you need pots for anyways?" Zoe asked.

"Potions," Carlos said.

"You made a potion on the first day?" Zoe asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, because he thought that he was actually able to do it," Chris said, annoyed.

"Well, we're all here because we have potential right?"

"Bloody hell, you ask so many questions. But yeah, I guess you're right."

"It's just that you have to take baby steps," Hestia added. "You can't jump into the big stuff before you master the little things. Right—Your powers."

"How are going to give them me?" Zoe asked.

"Can you stop asking questions, Zoe? Jesus..."

"It's a lot, I don't feel like explaining. Go to Chris, he'll help you. I need to talk to Lilith."

"Who's Lilith?"

"A member," Hestia said. "Chris is the one who complained about you asking so many questions before I did—I'm done mending you. Go on."

"Wait—What power will I get?"

"Whatever power you're meant to have. Or even powers. But you don't choose and neither do we," Hestia explained.

Zoe went over to Chris.

"Heal yourselves, you know what to do," Hestia told Carlos and Alara. The two groaned as they grabbed the bandages and peroxide from Hestia. Hestia then walked over to Lilith.

"Lilith." Hestia called.

"Yeah?" Lilith replied.

"I need to talk to you."

"About?"

"Your powers."

"Ugh," Lilith groaned.

"This is for your own good."

"I know, I know, but can we just not talk about it?"

"Well, I'm going to do a quick spell I know and hopefully it works on you," Hestia told her.

"Okay. Hopefully it works." Lilith said with a hopefulness in her voice.

"Plenam potestatem et facultatem ad restituere est haec puella." Hestia's hand began to glow a shade of pink.

"Thank you, Hestia."

"Of course," Hestia said.

"Now, we're going to go on a murder spree to test your powers," Hestia added. Excitement began to course through Lilith's veins. Then fear began to over power that excitement.

"What if it doesn't? It's just going to be you."

"Well, you can fight, I can fight. Whoever wants to go with us can, and I have a feeling it's going to be almost everyone. Except maybe the new girl, it might be too sudden. I'll probably leave her here with Dominic," Hestia said. Lilith, feeling reassured, began to feel less tense.

"Sucks for Dominic," Lilith laughed.

"I'll tell him. I'll tell him to teach her how to use her powers too, he knows something at least."

"Not that I'm complaining but wouldn't it be better for the power expert to teach her?" Lilith asked.

"Chris? Yeah, he will, we all will. But if we're going on a murder run then we'll need someone who's powers are well developed."

"True, true. I just want the new girl—Zoe, was it?—To be able to control her powers so she doesn't do anything stupid with them."

"You have a good point," Hestia said. "Well, let's get the others so we can go."