Seven
The scent of metal and flames filled my nose. I looked down on the open casting mold. I glanced to my right, liquid silver bubbling in the small furnace. The heat of the smithing furnace washed over me as the wind howled outside. My gaze lingered on the metal soup, my thoughts falling into a dreamy state.
An image of my Aunt Lily floated along my thoughts and I let out a small sigh.
It had been four days since my Aunt Lily appeared at the mansion entrance. The summoning ritual brought her back. My mother Rose and Lily's daughters, Dana and Beth, were elated at her return. We all moved into a room and broke out some wine to enjoy. Dana and Beth were nearly to tears, seeing their mother returned back from the great beyond. She was different, just like my mother. Aunt Lily was seven feet tall and her invisible aura dripped of dark and devilish power. Those not sensitive to the mystic arts would have thought she was just a beautiful woman with a peculiar height. As a family, we knew what it all meant, but to have her back was like a family reunion of a different sort.
That night was one of decadence and blood magic until Aunt Lily arrived. When we moved to a sitting room, the mood shifted to something almost innocent. The conversations turned to how much everyone was missed from both sides, the living and the dead. My mother spent the time silent and watching with adoring eyes, seeing her sister had return. Beth and Dana were full of questions, asking what it was like in the dreamlands and how much she was missed since her untimely death.
Aunt Lily was kind and warm, telling of lying in the tendrils of darkness and basking in great secrets.
The conversations began to wane as the sun started to rise. That night had exhausted all of us. We all soon returned to our own rooms. My mother and I showed Aunt Lily to her room. I remembered her gaze as simple and not filled with lusting cravings like when my mother arrived. She instead gave us both a kiss on the cheek and retired for the day.
The following days were filled with pleasant family meet ups. We ate, drank and talked. I couldn't help but feel like I was fallen into a dream. The pain and heartache of their deaths began to slip away a little at a time. By the third day, we all lived in our little world, enjoying the mansion and our company together.
Dana and Beth began to make themselves at home. I often caught my cousins exploring the mansion like when we were younger. They each would sneak a kiss with me before running off. There was a part of me that thought it would progress from there, but it didn't. Despite the many conversations of building our blood coven, dark knowledge and mystical arts, all of us acted more like roommates over the last few days. I wasn't sure what to make of it, so I channeled my energies elsewhere.
The Libro Nocte was still with us. The ancient book continued to whisper secrets to me and I was caught in its dark gravity. Reading a few pages from the book often brought me to other mystical books in our family library. The Libro Nocte was a mystical tome of ill repute, but it wasn't the only book on the dark arts.
I glanced down to the molding again and saw the strands of hair tied into a thin, simple, round braid. I had spent the last few days collecting the hair from my mother, Dana, Beth and even Aunt Lily. I did nothing unscrupulous. As High Priest, I could ask for whatever I wished. They happily plucked strands of hair and handed them to me without an argument. Beth and Dana were happy to help. My mother and aunt smiled with affection as they handed over strands of hair.
I had spent the last few days studying the rites and spells needed to have a functioning blood coven. It wasn't enough for a High Priest to simply be the leader, they had to prove that they accepted me as their priest and lover.
When I received the strands of hair, I tied them into a tight, braided loop. Earlier today, I made my way to the work cottage to complete what I needed to do. The work cottage was filled with all kinds of equipment and tools to create mystical items, jewelry, ceremonial daggers, and swords. Everyone had to learn how to smelt and craft these items for rituals and spells. It was an honored past time and one I took up when I was very young.
I picked up the metal tongs from the workbench and reached out to grab the thick cup in the furnace. Gray liquid bubbled as I held the cup over the mold. My other hand reached down to the tiny braid and put it into the mold. It fit perfectly and I closed it. With a turn of my wrist, I poured molten silver down the small hole. It wasn't much, but it would be enough for my purposes. When the last drop fell, I put the cup back in the furnace and made sure the mold was secure. Now, all I had to do was wait for the metal to cool.
I put down my tools, turned and leaned against the edge of the workbench. I looked to the window, gray filling the skies. I continued to stare until two tall figures walked by. It didn't take a terrible high leap of logic to see my mother and aunt walking by. I could hear the murmur of their conversation as they walked past the windows and continued on to the forest that populated the rear of the estate.
I stood up and walked over to a window. I watched them as they moved on, laughing and talking on their simple stroll. My mother was dressed in her fine white dress and wide-rimmed hat. My aunt was in her red, silky dress. Her long blonde hair curled at the tips and bounced with every step she made.
I noticed that they had spent the last few days taking a walk together. They would walk to the forest and disappear for a time. I thought to follow them, but decided against it. They were happy to see each other again and it felt rude to disturb them.
I watched them vanish into the forest and let out a small sigh.
I turned and walked back to the work bench. I reached down to the mold, turned it and slammed it down. The mold cracked and fell away. A simple, silver ring fell to the workbench. I touched it and felt it was cool. I picked it up and brought it over to the buffing machine. It didn't take long to buff the ring and make it shine. When I was finished, I lifted it to my eyes and inspected it. When it was up to my high standards, I slipped it on.
Energy tingled along my finger. The tingling grew deeper, running along my hand and into my heart and mind. Once the power settled, the tingling faded away.
I could feel the new power. I had influence and control over my blood coven. I could control them to my every whim, if I needed to. It was something I felt I didn't need to exploit, but it did bring me some comfort.
Dark thoughts caressed my mind. I knew my mother and aunt were different. They came back from the dreamlands. My mother told me that we were to bring the dreams of chaos and knowledge to this world. I understood and didn't understand what she meant. Our families were always agents of the dark ones, but to embrace it further meant to bring the unnatural to the natural world. It wasn't about plunging the world into darkness, but to enlighten the chosen so they could spread true knowledge.
I shook my head, pushing away the edges of dark designs.
I made my way to the door of the cottage, opened it and stepped out.
The door closed behind me and I took a slow walk back to the mansion. Despite the gray skies, the grass glowed with deep, emerald hues. The long winter was approaching soon and the life under every step I made would wither and die until the spring brought life again.
I entered through the back door, close to the kitchen. No one was there when I walked in. The mansion was vast and often felt like no one was around, even when we had people stay.
I allowed my new ring to seek out my cousins. I could feel their heartbeats in the sub level. I smiled as I walked toward the stairs and made my way down.
It didn't take long to walk the corridors until I reached the underground pool. Blue and white tiles filled the large underground pool chamber. I stepped in and the sounds of laughter touched my ears. I glanced around and found my cousins swimming, talking and laughing. The moment I entered, they stopped and treaded water, their bright gazes on me.
"Gerald!" Dana shouted.
Beth smiled as she floated in the water.
I stepped to the pool edge, seeing my cousins in their bathing suits. Dana was in a one-piece suit. It adhered to her athletic body. Beth wore a large, black shirt that looked like a dress on her. It swirled as she kept her head above water.
The two of them swam closer until they reached the edge of the pool. They grabbed it as they looked up.
"Join us," Dana smiled.
