Part 72: Banishment XV

The chilly biting air of an Ipswich winter nipped at them inside the ancient home where witches from their lines had congregated for centuries. Amy rolled the last bundle of herbs ignoring the constant beating of the hear that was coming from the black pot in front of her. “Okay kids now all I have to do is light this baby and we are set to go. Tell Mark to start the summoning spell the faster we can get the Horaci here the quicker we can get this all done.” Amy said using a match to light the bundle on fire. Hissing in Latin she threw the bundle into the pot.

Maria and Tyler nodded heading up the stone steps of the basement towards the kitchen where the others were waiting. Chase was looking out the window with Michael both keeping a wither eye on the shadows of the forest not wanting to be caught off guard.

“Mom says you can begin the summoning spell.” Maria whispered as Serena squeezed her hand.

“Okay everyone. Tonight is the night we have all been preparing for.” Caleb said gaining their attention. “We are strong and we can win this fight. We know our strengths and we know our jobs. This is your last chance to back out if you are having second thoughts because in a few minutes we are heading into battle for our lives and that is not the time to get cold feet.” Caleb said looking at everyone in the room. “Are you with me?” Caleb asked.

“I Liz Parker head daughter of the Scion line will fight with you.” Liz said shaking his hand the power flowing through their hands in a magical contract.

“I Pogue Parry of the Covenant your captain and brother will fight with you. Brothers to the end.” Pogue said shaking Caleb’s hand.

“I Faith McCullum of the Scion line captain of Liz Parker, will fight with you to the bitter end.” Faith said shaking Caleb’s hand smiling when he grinned at her.

Chase stared hard at Caleb before he began in his ethereal deep voice, “I Chase Collins of the Putnam line long thought dead will fight and give my life for you for the good of our family. You have my word.” Chase said sticking out his hand when the two male heirs clasped hands a clap of winter thunder sounded shaking the ancient house.

Serena grinned at her boyfriend before turning to Caleb. “I Serena Aires daughter of the great Aires line of the Scions will fight with you.” Serena said shaking his hand.

“I Reid Garwin of the Covenant your brother and constant pain in the ass will fight with you.”

Maria giggled at his words before turning serious. Caleigh smiled at her friend before turning to Caleb. “I Caleigh Killian the rattalen of the Scion line will fight with you.”

Tyler turned to Caleb next. “I Tyler Simms of the Covenant will fight with you brother Danvers.”

Maria stared at Caleb feeling a deep sense of pride that she was able to be a part of such a monumental task. “I Maria Deluca of the Scion lines will fight with you.”

One by one the adults, aliens and Alex all pledged their loyalty and abilities to the fight. At last Caleb turned to Amy and Mark who grabbed Tyler and Maria to join them. “Mark and Amy, our success this night depends on you two completing your task of completing the ritual. Should you fall your heirs will take your place. Do you swear?” Caleb asked the four.

“We swear.” They choursed.

“Alright summon the Horaci.” Caleb said.

“Ah Danvers you might want to cancel that.” Chase hissed looking out the window looking to Michael who nodded as well.

“Why?”

“Because the Horaci are already here.” Michael said. “And there are a lot of them.” Caleb raced to the window and groaned.

“Shit we need to get out there, you know where to go people.” Caleb said and the others took off pairing off according to rank leaving Caleb and Liz in the kitchen.

“Ready Caleb?” Liz asked.

“Ready.” The two were the only ones to head out the front door and when they did the Horaci stopped their progression grinning at the two witches.

“Oh look the cavalry has arrived.” Kate sang as not seeing who was standing in front of her the shadows hiding their faces.

“Gee Kate why am I not surprised to see you?” Caleb asked stepping into the light watching disbelief cross her face.

“I thought you were dead.” Kate said.

“Nope maybe next time you should go and check to make sure the person you are trying to kill is actually dead.” Caleb said making Liz laugh.

“Well she has never been very good at keeping track of who is dead or not.” A deep voice chuckled from the left of Liz.

“But honey that would make our jobs so much harder.” A soft feminine voice laughed.

“Who the hell are you?” Kate asked watching with unease as the two stepped into the light. “No I know that the two of you are dead.” Kate said.

“You see Kate that is the funny thing about magic.” Chase said his voice cheerful but the underlying hate was quite clear. “What is supposed to be is not always what is.”

“Are we going to stand around all night or are we going to fight? After all you have to kill us to please your master.” Serena said and Kate sneered.

“Fine then.” Kate said and as one the Horaci moved forward.

“Here we go.” Liz muttered feeling the air thicken with magical energy before the waves of magical energy burst from the Horaci furiously rushing towards the four witches practically sucking the air away from them.

Caleb lifted his hand and deflected the brunt of the energy while Liz concentrated on getting her fire ready. Seconds after Caleb surged the Horaci power back at them she had a wall of fire ready and charged it at the Horaci’s Liz concentrated on sending the wall where she wanted it being mindful of Chase, Serena, and Caleb who were now actively throwing their energy around.

Serena grinned at Kate remembering the girl from before. Serena shot her arms out in front of her and let the energy form tendrils at the ends of her fingers before she wiggled them and sent them shooting at Kate. Kate snarled when she saw the biting strands of energy and grabbed onto one of the strands before using her magic to surge a searing pain through Serena. Serena released her magic and shrieked feeling the burn in her arms spreading through her body.

“Come on Rena push through it girl.” She scolded herself grinding her teeth as she produced a fireball and shot it at Kate who ducked out of the way shooting an energy ball back at her. Tyler and Maria appeared suddenly both raising their right hands and surging all of their energy into a blast that knocked three Horaci away.

Nancy and Paul appeared chanting the spell directing it at the three Maria and Tyler had distracted waiting as the spell struck two of the three turning them into dust and then nothing. The third one just stumbled a bit before turning towards the two adults even more enraged.

“Uh oh!” Maria screamed grabbing Tyler’s hand. She raised her right hand and shot everything she had at the Horaci watching in gasping awe as flash after flash of energy shot out of her hand in the fashion of a gun stunning the male Horaci coming after them.

Ryan and Pearl came around the other side of the house chanting targeting the Horaci Caleb was fighting catching it off guard when Caleb made it burst apart only for the adults to kill it for good.

In the Basement

Amy held the diamond tipped dagger in her hands holding it high above her head as she faced the alter resembling an ancient Aztec temple. “Ancestors give me strength.” She muttered and she nodded at Mark who began the chant.

“Antepasados…” His deep voice rattling off the incantation they found that started off in modern Spanish and then transformed into an ancient tongue hoping it was close enough to the never recorded Aztec language to get the job done.

Mark nodded to Amy who brought the dagger down slicing through the human heart blood spattering over her small frame. She took the heart and poured the blood into a dish before slicing her hand and dropping two full drops of her blood into the mix. Amy held the blood in the bowl over her head while Mark chanted. When the word ‘muerte’ left his mouth Amy dumped the blood into the pot watching as it hissed and the heart beat sounded faster. Mark nodded at her one last time and Amy took over the chant as he waited.

“I summon thee Acolmiztli god of the underworld, destroyer of worlds. I call on thee Acolmiztli come before me.” Amy chanted hoping that she was able to raise the god before his followers could. Amy watched as Mark staggered a bit before continuing. “I summon thee Acolmiztli god of the underworld, destroyer of worlds. I call on thee Acolmiztli come before me.” Mark staggered and jerked around more than before knowing it was time now. Mark dipped his hand into the potion and took a hearty drink fighting the urge to bring it all back up.

“With my blood and the blood of my allies I summon thee Acolmiztli I summon thee into my world and into my body.” Mark chanted taking another drink as Amy chocked back a sob as she watched her friend take in more of the noxious liquid. “With my life I will finally banish thee.” Mark ground out his eyes glowing an ethereal gold as a light shone from behind them.

Amy watched as a black puma in a shadow like form paced the ground in front of the alter a devious smirk on its face which should have been impossible. The puma watched as Mark drank and drank the paste like potion. Amy could feel in her bones that the puma was trying with all its might not to go anywhere near Mark but as more of the potion entered his system the closer the puma got. Finally the last of the potion was swallowed and the puma paused.

“Acolmiztli god of the underworld I come before me. With my life I will finally banish thee.” Mark wheezed out. The puma as if pushed by an unnatural force charged at Mark looking ready to pounce when its spectral form went through him making the light in his eyes glow brighter. Amy handed him the diamond tipped dagger and watched in sick terror as Mark slid the blade across his throat in a precise manner. She willed her eyes closed at the grizzly sight but knew she had to watch to make sure it was done.

Max watched as the enemy flooded the area behind the house he concentrated on the warm feeling in his chest and whipped out his shield willing it to stay strong. Tess concentrated on the Horaci in front of her and tore into its mind as Isabel began chanting to get rid of it while Alex took care of the other side. Max felt the blasts of the Horaci slam against his shield at the same force Chase had used on him, after seconds it collapsed. Michael blasted the closest thing to him and watched as it burst into a haze instead of the usual dust.

“Holy crap.” Alex breathed. “Michael you can kill them without the spell.” Alex said sending a surge of pride through Michael. He raised his hand again and let all hell lose on the Horaci in front of him. He was going to make sure all of them got out of this alive.

Alex ducked as a laser like blast shot towards him, he shot a blast back at the Horaci before starting the chant hoping that it worked in time. Isabel raised her hand and watched as the Horaci she was fighting disintegrated the way the Congresswoman had before turning into a black haze of death as well. “I can kill them too.” She whispered.

“Isabel!” Tess screamed sending a telepathic blast towards the tall blonde, Isabel jerked to the right just in time for the blast to connect with a Horaci sneaking up on her. Isabel was livid.

“Hey!” She growled. “My friends taught me that that is not nice!” She thundered raising her hand.

Max surged his energy towards his hand hoping to push the enemy back so that Alex could begin the chant and take out more. He knew from trying that he and Tess did not have the ability to kill the Horaci with a blast but he knew he could keep them busy.

At the front of the house Chase growled as he slammed out of the way of a high energy blast. He thrust his hand into the air letting his power was over the creature in front of him as the two blasted back and forth each dodging the other’s fire power. Serena screamed as she was thrown into the air using her powers to stop her furious path as she landed on her butt. She raised her hand and let the red raw energy funnel out into the Horaci who groaned at the impact as Nancy used the spell to kill it for good.

“These things just keep coming!” Liz groaned as she took yet another blast to the stomach.

Pogue ducked as Liz shot a blast at a Horaci behind him. He twisted around and came face to face with Kate. “Oh great.” He muttered as she grinned at him.

“What’s wrong Pogue, you don’t seem happy to see me.” She pouted but the yellow glow of her eyes made her look less than human.

“Oh I don’t know maybe I am mad because no one has killed you yet.” He snapped.

“Oh they sure tried but the one I really wanted to fight is over there.” Kate said sending a blast towards Liz who happened to shift at the time making the blast hit the side of the house. Pogue could not stop the hot fury running through him. He did not even use his powers he just tackled the girl to the ground.

“I know I have this thing about not hitting girls but since you are not really a chic I can make an exception.” He growled punching her putting magical force behind it. She kicked her feet and knocked Pogue off of her getting up to fight him.

“That was not very nice.” She spat.

“Well you are not very nice!” He felt the fire crawl up his arm and before he knew it his arm was ablaze ready to go. He extended his arm towards the girl and watched as the fire shot off him in a raging jet at the tall girl catching her off guard. She deflected most of it to the side but took some of it to the face.

“Okay that hurt!” She snarled. “You want to fight Parry well you have a fight!”

Part 73: Banishment XVI

Faith screamed as yet another blast hit her in the chest before she rolled away. She wished she could call out for help but the others were busy fight as well and she was stuck on her own fighting two very angry Horaci. Faith stuck her arms out on a v making sure to aim at the two of them and then she released an acid spraying them hoping to distract them long enough for someone to help her. Ryan and Pearl saw that Faith had an opening and they struck.

Suddenly the Horaci stopped an eerie stillness settled over them. Kate stopped and sniffed the air before she released a pitiful shriek looking distressed. “What did you do?” She growled her yellow eyes wild with anger.

Amy slowly walked out of the house onto the still battle field. “We banished your master for good. He can never enter this world again.” Amy said.

“That is impossible.” Kate snarled.

“Nothing is impossible for us.” Amy said.

“We will kill you for this!” Kate hissed and Amy nodded.

“We never expected any less.” Amy said and the fighting restarted. Amy ran towards the back of the house only two see three Horaci left. Isabel and Michael aimed and fired at two of the three while Alex chanted at the other and in no time the three were dead.

“How the hell…” Amy stopped when the kids turned to look at her.

“Isabel and Michael can kill them with a blast.” Tess deadpanned.

“Neat, now come on we have a lot more out front.” Amy said hurrying them towards the front of the house. “Have any of you seen Reid and Caleigh?” She asked.

“We thought they were out front.” Alex said making Amy stop.

“No they were supposed to be out back with you.” Amy said her heart racing. “Oh god, get out front and help the others I need to go and look for them. If you get a chance tell Paul that Reid and Caleigh are missing.” Amy said and she took off in the other direction fear coursing through her blood freezing it in place. Her limbs felt stiff as she ran looking for any sign of the two blondes as she stayed vigilant for any remaining Horaci. She came around the side of the house and she saw foot prints in the half melted snow as well as drag marks from what she guessed were heels.

“Amy!” Paul hissed running towards her looking incredibly like an older version of his son in that moment. “What is going on?”

“Reid and Caleigh are missing.” She said as the two followed the path.

“Amy this is leading to…”

“The old Swann home I know.” She hissed as the two jogged along the path. “Why the hell would someone go there?” She asked.

“Because it is the only other place around here shielded.”

“But Paul it reacts to powers, in a negative way.” Amy huffed.

“I know but I am thinking that whoever went there didn’t know that.” Paul grunted.

“Or they do and they are using it to their advantage.”

Pogue ducked as Kate sent another powerful energy wave his way, the debilitating wave just barely missing him. He plunged his hand into the ground staring hard at Kate before using one of his darker powers. He concentrated on her hard and watched as moments later when she was unaware roots shot up from the ground wrapping around her. He pulled his hand out of the earth and then stood up clapping his hands together to create a sizeable ball of potential energy before he propelled it towards a bound Kate just as Nancy turned in his direction and began her chant and just as the blast hit the struggling girl Nancy’s spell took action getting rid of the Horaci posing as Kate for good.

“Bout damn time.” He muttered before he took off towards Faith who was yet again trapped by Horaci.

Amy and Paul came to the end of the path that led to the Swann house not knowing if that was a good or bad thing. Paul motioned for her to be alert and the two cautiously moved towards the house trying to control their racing heart beats. A light was on inside the house and the two moved towards a window to see inside. Paul peered over the windowsill and saw two blonde heads ducked as if the people were asleep and two males pacing the room.

“Are there more than two?” Amy asked reaching out with her senses knowing that Paul was doing the same.

“Just one more I can sense them nearby.” Paul said and Amy nodded.

“Take him out and then get the other two?” She asked and he nodded.

“Alright let’s go.” The two made their way through the thick trees surrounding the house following their internal pull towards the evil. “There he is.” Paul whispered and sure enough there was a tall beast of a Horaci waiting on the other side of the Swann house his yellow eyes glaring furiously into the night.

Amy darted out before he could alert the others and shot a blast at him while Paul chanted. She shot blast after blast at him never giving him the chance to get a round off as he dodged and tucked about. Finally Paul finished and the Horaci disappeared.

“One down two to go.” Amy whispered hoping that the two inside had not been alerted to their presence but they were not holding their breath.

“So we go in the front door?” Paul asked.

“We go in the front door.” She nodded the two heading in being quiet.

“About time you two got here.” A male growled his yellow eyes oddly tinged with orange as he and his goon of a friend hovered over an unconscious Reid and Caleigh.

“What did you do to them?” Paul asked.

“Made them go bye bye.” The other laughed.

“Far away from here.”

“Put up a hell of a fight they did but we were able to overpower them soon enough.”

“Why bring them here? Why come here?” Amy asked “I mean this is the place where both of our enemies resided, doesn’t exactly make sense.”

“Oh when you think about it little Amy Deluca daughter of Miamaria. It makes perfect sense.” The orange and yellowed eyed monster hissed.

“Even ground.” Paul hummed. “We are on even ground. Neither of us has the home advantage here.”

“That might be true but there is something you don’t know about this house.” Amy said inching towards the kids.

“What?” They asked.

“The Swann family hated magic very much so much that they would even curse their own bloodline to keep magic out of their house.” Amy said.

“So when someone uses their powers like say us the house will react.” Paul said.

“So when I do this…” Amy let off a large blast at the two Horaci before tackling the two blonde witches to the floor in their chairs as Paul jumped on top of her. The air crackled to life and then rushed out of the room as a blast overtook the ancient home.

Paul groaned in pain as debris lodged in his skin and the heat of the explosion ripped at his flesh. From the sounds coming from Amy she was suffering as he was. It felt like forever but seconds later it was over. “Expello malum pro mihi quod nunquam permissum reverto absentis suus visio quod permissum exuro!” He croaked, he heard two shrieks and knew the Horaci were gone.

“Paul.” Amy croaked.

“I am alright nothing a few days rest won’t cure. How about you?” He asked.

“I could be doing better if you got off me, I can’t breathe.” She wheezed. Paul moved off her as quickly as he could in his state working hard not to pass out from the pain.

“What about them?” Paul asked.

“Knocked out. They are not going to wake up anytime soon I have been trying to get them up.”

“They are probably in a magically induced unconscious state we need to get them back to the ancestral home.” Paul said.

“Why and how?” Amy asked.

“Because we happen to have a witch who specializes in magically induced comas fighting for us.”

“Chase.” Amy breathed and Paul nodded gingerly. “Okay then how are we going to get them there?” Amy asked standing up in the destroyed house.

“Easy, magic, but first we have to drag the two of them away from the house. We don’t want to set off another alarm when we go to float them.” Paul said.

“Great you take Reid I take Caleigh. For once I am glad the girl is paper thin.” Amy grunted carefully dragging Caleigh outside while Paul took Reid. Once outside it was easy to manipulate the two teens bodies to levitate them. It took longer to get back to the ancestral home than leaving since they were not running and they were in an intense amount of pain.

The home loomed before them and Amy and Paul quickened their pace hearing the Horaci spell ring out. The two adults followed by floating teens entered the clearing in the front yard in front of the stone fence looking at the scene in front of them. Max and Michael stood together breathing heavily as Isabel, Tess and Alex leaned against the wall Nancy patting Alex on the back. Pogue was holding Liz off to the side and Caleb was holding Faith as Tyler and Maria babbled back and forth watching Chase and Serena slumped against a tree being looked at by Ryan and Pearl.

“There they are!” Maria yelled followed by her scream. “Mom!”

“I am alright Maria.” Amy said.

“We need Chase.” Paul grunted catching said teens attention.

“What?” Chase asked coming over to them dragging a worn out Serena with him.

“Reid and Caleigh were knocked out by the Horaci. We were hoping you could do your thing and revive them.” Amy said and Chase nodded motioning for them to move Reid and Caleigh over in front of him. Serena and the others moved back as Chase held his hands over the two his black eyes glittering in the night. The two glowed a heavenly white as he concentrated his powers on them pulling his arms back. The others watched as Reid and Caleigh’s eyes blinked open.

“Aw.” Reid groaned as his dad ran over to him and Pearl over to Caleigh.

“What happened?” Caleigh asked.

“Well you two were sleeping while we won.” Caleb laughed.

“Ouch.” Reid winced.

“Yeah sorry about that.” Chase said. “The ah reentry process is a bit painful. You are going to be feeling that for a week or so.”

Tyler stared at the house moving away from the others. Amy cautiously moved towards the teen knowing he could sense her there. “Was it quick?” He asked in a soft whisper.

“Yes.” Amy said. “He was gone in seconds.”

“Why do I feel so sad?” He asked as she put an injured arm around his waist. “I mean I hated the guy.”

Amy squeezed him slightly feeling for the kid. “Maybe because even if he was an evil bastard he was still your father and you know that on some level he loves you. He did this for you to fix his mistakes that almost cost you and the others your lives.” Amy whispered.

“Yeah he died for us.” Tyler whispered a crystal tear falling from his blue eyes. “For us.”

Epilogue

The others were dead to the world once they got back to the Garwin home, except them. He looked at his father who nodded his blonde hair falling into his eyes slightly as he motioned for his son to get going. He road in his black car down the familiar road that he had just traveled. His car came to a halt in front of the stonewall the house dark and silent before him surrounded by debris and scorch marks mixed with blood.

He walked to the house and undid the lock on the door going inside the dark tomb of a house. The stench of blood filled the air from the drops left from when they had removed Mark. He went upstairs to the attic and over to the window that over looked the front yard; the place Gorman used to sit to watch for any intruders. A large stone sat on the sill and he picked it up taking it with him as he left the house and drove back to the Garwin home.

Closing the front door softly so as not to wake the others he made the trek through the winding halls. He reached the door at the end of the hall and went inside the dark room setting the large rock on the floor. He reached down and grabbed the handle on the floor and wrenched up revealing a chamber of quartz that whispered in the dark with ghosts of the past. He picked the rock up and set it inside setting it into a bed of salt and iron before he closed the hatch.

“Just one more magical secret.” Reid whispered as he closed the door to the gym. “Night dad.”

“Goodnight Reid.”