Wicked Tongues - Part I.

“sub luna lacrymis colligimus adorare” She said, finger carving out a spiral sigil in the crisp air.

The obsidian pupil in the door slid shut, as a series of locking mechanisms retracted in turn, as the ironwork rose vines, complete with razor thorns slithered away, revealing the words beati magicae intrare. The cyclopean pig iron door grunted with exertion as it ponderously began to open.

“Are the passwords always In Latin?” Calintha asked casually. “It's not like the magic is language-specific. Seems a little odd, nothing I’ve been taught was in Latin.”

“It’s part of the culture, old world shit, ya know. The ancient crones set the rules for everyone and made all the entrances and that’s probably what they spoke. Maybe that is what the goddessess spoke to, who knows these days.” Serenda replied, taking a casual pull from her vape, the smell of licorice and candy corn leaking into the chill evening air.

“Latins for doctors, lawyers, and weirdos.” Calintha scoffed.

“We might fall into the latter.”

“Well you’re definitely not smart enough for the former, so not much choice there sis.”

“Bitch.” laughed Serenda.

“Love ya too sis,” Calintha replied with a wink.

“Could this door be any slower?! I don’t want to be late, Morgana won’t like that and I hate to let her down,” she said with exasperation as the door seemed to slow down subtly in an almost mocking response.

“You can just admit you’re nervous. It’s okay, I remember the first time I came to a Sacro-coven Ritual I was scared shitless. It’s a big deal but not the type you’ve cooked up in that noodle brain of yours. Don’t worry I’ve got your back and we have Morgana too, she might not look like it but the old crows got serious teeth when it comes to protecting her own. Chances are you won’t even have to do anything unless we receive a real challenge.”

“Thanks sis. I know I shouldn’t be nervous it was going to happen sooner or later but I can’t help it. I’ve seen plenty of minor Rituals before but none of them involved Witches of this caliber with real magic on the line. It’s a lot of pressure for my first time and I don’t want to embarrass the coven.” she said, anxiously chewing her colorfully painted nails, and fidgeting with the bows in her curly hair.

Serenda patted her on the shoulder. “Relax, worst case scenario we lose a little magic, and reputation nothing we can’t bounce back from. Besides you’re more than ready. I was way less experienced than you when I had to support my first Ritual. Remember we are different groups but one sisterhood. We compete and things can get heated but we are not enemies. There are no real foes here. Some politics and power mongering but nobody has died at one of these things since… well I can’t remember exactly but probably a few centuries. I wasn’t there for it but Morgana was. They simply called it the Malefience and even after all these years I've never heard anybody speak openly about it. I couldn’t even get Morgana to speak about it when she was pickled on mulberry wine and margaritas so it must have been bad, all I know for sure is that it is the reason all these meetings occur in warded locations overseen by one or more of the most arcane crones, to prevent the use of dark or violent magics and curses, ”

“The Malefience? I heard stories about it, but it’s all whispers and half tales at tea. Seriously though maleficence. I have to shake my head sometimes, all the magic in the world doesn’t seem to help us on the creative front. I mean come on? It’s simultaneously full of itself and a direct yet vague explanation. Might have well just called it the BAD TIME!”

Serenda shrugged, the motion a well-practiced habit.

“It’s stupid, all this ritual stuff is stupid. Stupid crones, stupid clandestine meetings, stupid magic, stupid door with its dumb iron. Not even a pretty metal, just stinky old iron…”

The door's movement slowed to a glacial pace.

“I forget how obsessive and petty you can be when you’re stressed. I’ve missed you,” replied Serenda giving Calintha a hug. Now calm down, breathe a bit, there we go.” Calintha relaxed as they embraced.

“Thanks, Seren, you know me so well. I missed you too, we need to keep in touch more often. I’m just a ball of nerves at the moment. It’s just a lot, these types of gatherings are pretty rare these days and that makes it so much more intense.”

“Wait you’re stressed? I hadn’t noticed,” replied Serenda, releasing Calintha, and straightening out her cut-off jean vest, readjusting several of the patches and pins. “They really are, but that’s to be expected, sort of a sign of the times sad as it is.”

“I don’t get it, there's more Witches now than there have ever been. Why are there fewer Rituals taking place? Everyone and their familiar practices some form of witchcraft these days they should be happening on practically every street corner.”

“You’re so smart Calintha, I’ve been jealous of your ability to delve into the deep lore or complex calculations but your inability to grasp the obvious still vexes me. You’re the dumbest smart person I know.”

“Umm thanks or wait bitch? I don’t know how to handle that. Backhanded compliments remain your strongpoint as ever. Well that and your odor.” she said scrumpling up her nose. “Could you chill out with the vape for a bit? That candy corn smell could give sugar itself diabetes.”

“Hahah, make me,” she said blowing a candy corn-flavored kiss towards Calintha, the smoke forming into a lub-a-dub cartoon heart on its way as it bounced over. With a flick of her wrist, Calintha launched one of her hairpins dead center into the smoke heart, bursting it like a balloon, as she smiled audaciously.

“Aww don’t be like that. Save it for the Ritual,” that concealed spite and spark you’re packing might be just what we need.” said Serenda with a mischievous smirk.

“Aww baited, you got me again, still the same shit disturber I love and remembered. I’ll concede, what did you mean about missing the obvious?”

“Ohh it's so simple you probably never thought about it. There’s more of us than ever before, that's very true. Millions, possibly more each worshipping in their own way, nobody actually knows how many people are actively practicing witchcraft these days and how many are accidental practitioners. The number of covens is countless at this point. The thing is magic is not a completely infinite resource, the Goddess loves and blesses us all, but even her powers have a limit. She makes sure everyone receives a portion of her divinity and grace, her gift of magic. You’re good at numbers, do the math.”

“Ohh so the magic is less concentrated, there's less of it to go around. That’s why these upper-tier Rituals are rare these days. Most Witches don’t have enough magic to perform them or risk. Ahh, that makes sense. BUT THAT DOES NOT HELP MY NERVES!” Calintha said, returning to chewing her nails with all the nervous energy of a cocaine-powered beaver.

Serenda facepalmed, releasing an exasperated sigh and drawing it out into a chuckle.

“What I was trying to say with all of that is this is a safe place, although it might not feel like it, and losing a bit of magic won’t hurt us. We’ve got plenty to spare otherwise we wouldn’t be invited.”

“But but…” before Calintha could spiral into another anxiety tirade, Serenda turned away shifting to the door.

“Seriously though this door. What the fuck? we’ve got shit to do put some hustle in it. I’m patient but we’re busy women. This has never taken this long before. Move before I melt you to slag, I don’t care what old bag forged you back in the diaper period of humanity. Open up!”

The door remained stoic, as a new message bubbled and settled upon its face.

non armis permisit. Virgas tantum.

“Shit, my bad. Forgot to mention. No weapons or dangerous tools are allowed within. Another security feature to make sure everyone plays nice and no outsiders can get in, doors won’t open if we are packing. If you’ve got anything give it to the door and we can get it back on the way out.” Serenda said, pulling a switchblade out of her boot, and a can of heavily enchanted spray mace from her vest pocket. The image of an angry stinging wasp on the can buzzed around menacingly, its eyes and stinger twitching in anticipation.

“Okay sis, will do!” Calintha said, pulling a Glock 19 out of her handbag.

“For real?! you’re packing a goddamn glock, what the hell? Serenda blurted in shock.

“Well if somebody were to attack me, then I would use this to cast 'Unlife' on them,” she said, twisting the Glock sideways and pantomiming hosing down an imaginary attacker in a gangsta-esque fashion. Serenda stared speechless.

“What? It’s a sketchy part of town, we are literally in the basement of an abandoned industrial complex on the ass end of nowhere. This is the sort of place where horror movies are born. We have magic but there are rules against using it to harm living things. Who knows what's lurking out here, I wanted to be prepared,”

“I get it but, damn girl! Did not expect that from you, haha. Since when were you so street? Give me that thing and let's get going. If we make Morgana and the others wait too long we will need something bigger than a Glock to save our asses,” As they turned to the door a number of iron hands extruded out and took their weapons.

Breathing deeply, Calintha stood tall, her curly hair billowing in the colorful cadent winds whipping out from the door as it opened. “Let’s do this!” She yelled.

“That’s the spirit sis! We are going to slay this Ritual. Game face on!”

Inside the door frame, a semi-translucent bubble of shifting colors formed which filled the air with the smell of lilacs, rich earth, and elderberries. The sisters strode confidently through, as reality bent and compressed, lurching in every direction all at once, and then they popped out the other side with an audible plop into a corridor of smooth polished stone and cement. They took a moment to look back at the door.

Two words spanned the slab in flaming letters.

Bona Fortuna

==Part I of V==

The Story Continues in Part II.

==Authors Note==

Created this for the Under the Spell challenge and it sort of got away from me so in an attempt to make my writing more accessible I've broken it down into several smaller submissions/parts, as I tend to write long and didn't want to have to cut too much out, also with Halloween looming I don't know if I'd manage to get it all done in time so piece by piece it is. Better to submit some rather than none.

I hope you enjoy it, and thanks for taking the time to read through it. Happy Halloween! Remember to check out all the other exquisite submissions to the challenge.