The smoke of Kindra leaves choked the inside of the house making Reina’s head spin. It was the first time she was allowed inside the heart of the Covenant of Shadows. It was also her first time experiencing the dizzying effects of the potent drug. The bitter smell was all around her, invading her nostrils, clinging to her clothes and coating her hair. But she had to endure and get used to it. Although there was no proof that Kindra leaves had any effect on the various spells, curses and hexes, the plant had become a constant in almost every ritual the witches performed. Mostly because everyone believed that it expanded the user’s awareness. Or it could’ve been that it lowered a witch’s inhibitions. No matter what the truth was, the Kindra had become a permanent part of a covenant’s life.

Reina’s personal disdain for the drug didn’t matter. And her idea that it was a crutch for weaklings was considered nearly heretical. After all, what did an inexperienced initiate know about such things? With such rhetorical questions, her instructors dismissed her questions. It made Reina angry that her curiosity was brushed off with such ease, she wasn’t asking out of some misplaced moral superiority. All she wanted was to better understand the reasoning behind each and every ritual. It simply felt right to her.

The initiate suppressed an annoyed sigh, fearful that it would likely be misinterpreted in this sacred place. This was neither the place nor the time for such childish behaviour, she chastised herself. Not that any of the full-fledged witches would have noticed, but other things were lurking in the shadows. Powerful entities and beings, invisible to the eye, but even an experienced initiate such as Reina could feel their presence, ushing at the back of her consciousness. Her skin crawled at their ghostly touch as they gathered around her and the others.

Reina couldn’t ignore them and their tempting whispers, just as she could no longer avoid the drug and the other narcotics that were slowly consuming the covenants. So far, she had done her best to guard hirself, feeling it deep in her gut that succumbing to the temptation of the Kindra would hurl her along a dangerous path. But she was no longer a child and tonight’s ceremony would mark her sixteenth birthday. In just a handful of hours,, she would be allowed to become a proper witch. All the sacrifice, pain and hard work were about to pay off, and Reina could barely contain her excitement. It had been made clear to her, that until the final ritual was finished, and she had formed a contract with a demon of her choosing, this was supposed to be a sombre event.

It was for this reason; that Reina had surrendered her comfortable silk robes and was wearing the hard linen rags of a slave. She might hate this silly tradition, but it was the best way to remind her of the torment the first witches to form the Covenants had gone through. All of them, all those legendary figures, had started as slaves. Well, the young girl would endure this last humiliation. Proper ritual had to be observed no matter what or she risked her soul.

The witch-to-be forced her attention back to her surroundings, realising too late that her thoughts had been scattered because of the Kindra. Reina couldn’t allow herself to make any mistake, not now. She had to get a proper look at the others who would be joining the Covenant of Shadows alongside her. They might be her brothers and sisters come morning, but until then, they were her competition in forming a contract with the most powerful demons around. And the pickings tonight would be truly grand since, as luck would have it, it was the Night of Gwastraff. Only the most potent of demons emerged during the green moon that occurred once every five years.

However, demons were not the only thing Reina had to compete for. Over the last few years, all of the heads of the Covent of Shadows and the other major witch covenants had finished educating their respective aspirants. As luck would have it, Reina was going to be amongst the first witches of a brand-new generation. Which meant that tonight, she would be fighting for tutelage as well.

Hushed chants, whispers in the guttural language of the infernal realm and droning murmurs came from every direction. They gave a peculiar sense of mysticism to the large hall Reina was ushered to. At a podium at the far side was a tall pillar carved with the images of the leaders of the various covenants. Twenty men and women, all figures of unquestionable power and authority. Some, long dead, consumed by their pursuit of power, while the others lived on as legends. To have any one of them become her tutor would be an honour like no other, even if it meant that Reina would have to abandon the Covenant of Shadows which had raised her.

The initiate could name each one of the revered leaders, their covenant and their greatest achievement. She had even gone further and committed to memory the name of their contracted demons. It wasn’t something required of an initiate such as Reina to do, but it was something she desired to know. After all, knowledge was a witch’s greatest power. As well as her greatest weakness. Those who knew too much tended to be blind to their own faults and shortcomings. Something that the carved faces at the bottom of the pole attested to.

Aurora, Franz, Ugo, Nisha and Cassandra. The first of students of the Great Witch Margo. Founders of the five oldest covenants; The Pale Moon, Sacred Shadow, Glowing Eyes, Infernal Sisters and the Covenant of Shadows respectively. Each one had reached the pinnacle of power only to be brought low by the pettiest of temptations. The other initiates, including her teachers, tended to mock them for the foolish ways they had perished. Reina, on the other hand, strived to learn from their mistakes, paying close attention to the lessons their hubris taught. A cautionary tale of how the power of demons could corrupt even the most gifted.

“Sarthal Lok, master of anger, devourer of emotions. Kai Nem, mistress of cunning, lover of betrayal. Mertahl Lux, master of hatred, bringer of violence. Xal Ata, master of pain, harbinger of pleasure. Asmodai Val, master of torment, father of nightmares. Letum Mors, master of lies, guide of change,” Reina recited as she was taught while making exactly thirty-six steps to reach the spot marked by the ritual circle, stopping exactly at the sixth spot. “I accept the cursed gifts you offer.” She finished as she sat down in a flawless single motion.

“Such well-trained girl. Pretty and smart. Seeker of knowledge, look no further. There is so much I can teach you.” The poisonous words seeped into her mind in a dozen voices and more, as the shadows gathered around her.

Promises of power and desire bombarded her from all sides while she waited for the other supplicants to join her. Only after they all had completed the first of many tests, would they be allowed into the very heart of the Covenant of Shadows. There was an order to how they would enter, gather and be evaluated by the masters and mistresses of this sacred place. They would observe the new supplicants and judge them, and at the end of the night, they would have their pick. Reina was not foolish to believe she was the only one, for whom such an honour was reserved. No, there were at least two dozen more initiates waiting in secluded rooms. It just so happened that she was the youngest of them and as such was the first to go through the first test.

Reina smiled at the audacity of such an evaluation. Only vermin gathered in this place. Demons too weak to even pass through the ritual circle. To fall prey to one of them would not only make her a laughing stock, but it would also reduce the gifts granted to her by the Infernal Lords. No, Reina chastised herself, erecting barriers to guard her thoughts. Being overconfident leads to arrogance and arrogance is the seed of weakness. This was why the pilar was here. The point of this test wasn’t to measure her skills, the goal was to… Actually, the witch-to-be had no idea what the point of the test was supposed to be. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made and all the grandiose explanations she could think of sounded foolish.

“It couldn’t be that they make initiates wait here so that they could feel superior? That’s just stupid,” Reina mumbled to herself, regretting giving voice to her thoughts the moment they left her mouth.

There was no telling who, more importantly, what might be listening. And that was if she ignored the chittering vermin clawing at the barriers surrounding her mind. Low-tier demons weren’t known for their ability to keep secrets.

“I like this one.” Reina curled in fear as something terrifying and hungry brushed against her.

The thing’s voice sounding in her ear as talons scratching on glass made her blood freeze. Before she could form a coherent thought the presence was gone, leaving Reina to wonder if she had imagined it. Believing that to be true would be a mistake. Always assume the worst where demons are concerned, that was the first and most important rule of being a witch. The girl took a deep breath to calm down her racing heart. Of course, powerful entities would take a peek at the initiates, especially during the Night of Gwastraff. However, just as with the vermin gathered around her, so too trying to form a contract with a too strong of a demon was foolish in the extreme. Actually, as far as Reina understood it, the latter was equivalent to committing suicide. If presented with the choice, being laughed out of the Covenant for being weak was preferable.

“You, come with me,” one of the attendants approached her, despite her face being hidden behind a blank stone mask, Reina could sense the fear in the witch’s voice.

“Yes, mistress,” the girl obeyed without question, as was expected of her. Still, her curiosity got the better of her. “Did I pass the first test?”

“What?” The witch stopped her head fixed on the thick wooden door leading out of the ritual room.

“It’s nothing,” Reina replied quickly, noting the hint of annoyance in the woman’s voice.

“That’s what I thought.”

With a wave of the hand, the heavy door swung open and the girl noticed that this wasn’t the same corridor through which she had entered. New questions formed inside her head, but this time she resisted the urge to give them voice. The most prominent one was where they were going next. Although Reina had been taught how to behave and what was the proper way to observe the rituals, no one had told her what awaited her. Every time she asked one of her instructors and teachers, their answers boiled down to – you will form your first contract. What they failed to tell her and the other initiates, was that for the majority of witches, the first was also the last contract they would be offered.

The ever-present smell of opioids faded away as the wooden door closed behind her. In its place, Reina felt the hunger of powerful demons who lurked in the deep shadows. For a moment, the girl indulged the thought that perhaps they too had their own rituals and order as to who would have first pickings. After all, those eternal predators were quietly watching her walk amongst them, and not one dared to intrude into her mind. Reina wasn’t so naïve to think that her mental barriers would stop any of the monsters salivating over her.

“Stop.” The woman behind her barked and the initiate froze mid-step. Reina saw the witch’s extended arm hover over her left shoulder as she pointed at something the girl couldn’t see. “Know your place fiend. It is the Night of Gwastraff.”

A shadow detached itself from the darkness blanketing the polished mahogany floor. It grew in size in the blink of an eye becoming twice the size of the girl. The demon took shape, she knew it had, however, her mind failed to comprehend what it was. Still, Reina felt her pulse increase and her breathing became laboured as the tendrils of fear wrapped around her heart. A second later, she was staring at six burning orbs, nestled inside as many empty eye sockets of a bleached skull. An arterial red halo obscured the demon’s deformed body as it glared at her, while a pair of rock-like teeth, akin to those common in rats, chittered in unison with her own. A second mouth formed inside the darkness of where the nose should’ve been. This one,, however, was that of a spider or any other carnivorous insect, with florescent bluish ooze dripping from the still mandibles.

“You will move aside,” the witch behind her demanded in a steel voice. Despite the fear running wild through her, Reina could hear clearly that the woman was calm.

Sickening guttural growls and hisses emitted from the demonic face. It stood there for a few more seconds, examining the girl with its unholy gaze. Slowly it circled around the initiate before joining the rest of its kind between the evenly-spaced torches. As quickly as the demon had taken shape, it had dissolved into nothing. Regardless of that, Reina couldn’t help herself but wonder if perhaps this encounter was planned. Something about the spot the demon had chosen, the calmness of her escort, the clear violation of covenant rules, didn’t sit right in her mind. Its kind couldn’t manifest themselves at a whim, only the greater demons could do that. Those monsters, however, wouldn’t bother to glance at a mere initiate. If her speculations were correct, this had to be another test or a way to reinforce how horrific and dangerous demons could be. Either worked fine, because if the goal was to see if she would piss herself, whoever had designed it needed to be congratulated.

“You can move now,” the witch behind her commanded.

Reluctantly, Reina moved her foot, feeling embraced to death that the attendant would know that she had wet herself the moment she took that single step. Thankfully, no sound came from the woman as they continued crossing the seemingly endless corridor. There was clearly some hex involved, and under normal circumstances, Reina could have grasped the basic concepts behind it. Hell, she could’ve even guessed where the hex originated from. However, this place was overloaded with so many spells, curses, hexes, words of power and the very energies of the Infernal Realm, that it was close to impossible to even start to tell where a single one begins or ends.

“Have you been told what to do?” The witch asked all of a sudden, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“Yes, mistress,” Reina answered a little surprised that her voice wasn’t a trembling squeak. “I enter, recite the rites and stand at the exact centre of the room. Once there, I offer my oaths to the Grand Matron and the heads of the covenant.”

It was simple enough, especially for a superior applicant such as herself. Actually, most of her training involved learning the proper way on how to conduct herself than anything else. It made some sense since controlling her gifts without contracting a demon was dangerous, to say the least. For this reason, Reina was startled that the echoing sound of her escort’s steps suddenly stopped.

“Who is your master, child?” Hints of anger clouded the question.

“Uhm, that would be mistress Gwen…”

“That bitch! She’s gone too far this time!” The witch behind her went into a string of incoherent curses.

To hear anyone, address a kind and accommodating teacher such as mistress Gwen in such a way came as a shock to Reina. The woman was the only one in a long string of instructors, who encouraged the girl’s curiosity. She had even gone out of her way to give the future witch a few extra hints and warnings regarding contracting her first demon.

“Listen carefully, child,” the attendant moved in front of her and placed both her hands on Reina’s shoulders. “When you enter the basilica, you keep your eyes glued to the ground. Recite the greeting to the Infernal Lords and stop at the foot of the alter! You do not speak, until permitted by all of the Covenants.”

The initiate’s heart stopped for a second. She must’ve misheard, did the woman just say all the Covenants? No, that had to be wrong. The ceremony was always conducted by the covenant which had adopted a witch-to-be. It’s supposed to be a private, secretive event.

“It’s the Night of Gwastraff. The Night of the First Contract. Contract ceremonies aren’t usually conducted during this time.” Her escort answered as if reading her thoughts. “A demon will be born personally for you, and it is up to the heads of all the covenants to decide, where your gifts will serve our kind best.”

Reina felt her knees buckle and if not for the witch holding her, she would’ve fallen to the floor. She wasn’t prepared for such a responsibility. Suddenly, her entire education as an initiate felt insufficient. All her hard work and dedication - wasted. This put her escort’s outburst into a different light and Reina felt compelled to add to the numerous insults hurled at Gwen.

“What will happen to me?” She asked on the verge of hysteria, once done abusing her teacher.

The woman moved to the side and motioned for Reina to continue down the corridor. Her silence was the answer the girl had feared. She had failed before the true test had begun. Death was an option, the question was how high attractive it would be because there were fates worse than it waiting for a witch.

“Why did mistress Gwen do this?” Reina asked, adding the title out of habit. She tried to scour her mind, but couldn’t think of a single slight or reason.

The question made the witch walking behind her stop again. She clearly pondered on what answer to give for a long while, before shrugging. “Jealousy.”

Knowing the answer didn’t make Reina feel any better. Sure, the anger burning in her heart had subsided, leaving her empty and resigned. However, there was something else budding in her. An emotion she’d never felt before. It took her a few moments to define it as malicious animosity. Her entire being in this moment revolved around how she could turn Gwen’s life into a living hell. So trapped was Reina in her thoughts, that she had missed when she had entered the basilica.

“I’m not sure if I should call you brave or stupid,” s soft seductive voice echoed through the expansive chamber.

Reina felt compelled to direct her gaze at its owner, her almond eyes being sucked in by a pair of violet circles glistening with cunning and murder. The owner of those jewels was the pinnacle of perfection for a witch. Tall and lean, with pale skin as smooth as polished wax, long black hair caressing her shoulders, made darker by the woman’s full red lips. No wonder everyone called the Great Witch, Margo the Raven.

Compared to the mistress of the Covenant of Shadows, Reina resembled a rotten fruit. No one would ever call the girl a beauty, with her slightly crooked nose, uneven teeth, and all the scars the pox had left on the right side of her face. However, until this moment, the initiate had never thought of herself as being ugly.

“Or are you insolent?” Margo tapped the well-manicured nails of her right hand on her thigh. The sleeve of her black dress shifted in a way that would accommodate the motion.

Reina wanted to drop to her knees, to lower her head and beg for forgiveness for daring to breathe the same air as one as exalted as the Great Witch. Alas her limbs disobeyed her and her jaw refused to move. Her thoughts felt sluggish and she feared that she was going to go blind from all the powerful sigils glowing around Margo. There was nothing except the Great Witch and Reina, and the girl was a stain in this beautiful little world. Cackling and cruel words brushed against the initiate’s ears, nonetheless, they were nothing but meaningless noise.

Without warning, the face of the gorgeous goddess in front of her, twisted and turned sour. Reina’s heart stopped out of fear that she was the one to blame for this reaction. It was enough for the girl to plead with the Infernal Lords for a swift death.

“You’re in my seat.” A bored husky voice rang from behind her. It wasn’t loud, nor intimidating.

Actually, it sounded plane in comparison with the seductive furious tones issued from Margo. “How dare you!”

“It is my seat. You’re sitting in it. I don’t know how that might be hard for you to understand?” A note of amusement entered the unknown voice, and Reina felt someone walking right next to her. “Could it be that you have your head so up your ass, that you can’t understand me?”

Reina’s blood turned to ice and she forgot how to breathe. To speak to someone like Margo the Raven with disrespect was the same as being snarky with one of the Infernal Lords. Trying to turn her head to her right, however, proved impossible for the girl. She was certain that she would have better luck bending iron with her bare hands than forcing the muscles in her neck to move. However, this allowed the witch-to-be to see all the mighty greater demons retreat into the shadows of their hosts.

“You’ve not shown your face for seventy years, and this is what you have to say?” Margo hissed as madness entered her violet eyes. “You’ve relinquished any right to stand among us!”

“Don’t test me, Margo.” The intruder stated, her voice turning to ice, moving behind the Great Witch before anyone could comprehend what had happened.

It was at this moment that Reina got her first glimpse of the impudent witch who dared disturb this sacred place. She was beautiful for sure, but not in the same way as the Great Witch. Luscious tempting lips twisted in an arrogant, outshined by a pair of dark-green eyes filled with kindness and mirth. Her long hair, the colour of autumn straw was tied at her back and pulled up, forming a most charming crest.

But most of all, it was this woman’s attire which caught her attention. Not that there was much clothing on that slender figure, but in no way could the girl consider it tasteless. Frivolous and provocative for sure, but not tasteless. On the contrary, it only emphasized her body in a way that made Reina look at it. A piece of dark red cloth tailored to hide the upper part of her chest, yet opened above her generous cleavage, stopping a couple of fingers before reaching her stomach. From her waist dangled a boysenberry-coloured long dress, ending at the woman’s ankles. Unlike normal dresses, this one was open at the front, exposing the intruder’s legs. If not for the skin-tight blue pants everyone would’ve gotten a good look at her private parts. Oddly enough, she had chosen to hide her arms with a pair of blue gloves which reached up almost to her shoulders. The strangest part, in Reina’s opinion, were the thin metal plates protecting her elbows, shoulders and dangling like a second skirt from her belt.

“You, out of all, should know better than to provoke me,” the threat came from behind the girl as the same woman strode elegantly towards the middle of the spacious room.

Reina feverishly thought that this was a new kind of demon she hadn’t heard of before. Calling her a witch didn’t feel right because no one, not even the most powerful ones could move at the speed of this monster. By the Infernal Lords, even witches who stood at the top could at best skip through open space. But to jump from one end of the basilica to the other within the blink of an eye was something only demons could do… Reina’s jaw dropped as her gaze returned to Margo. Where the intruder had been a moment ago, there was now a knight in scarred full plate armour. The massive blade of the great sword in his hands rested against the Great Witch’s neck.

“Remove yourself, witch,” the man demanded in a rasping voice and Reina could smell the blood clinging to him like an aura.

“Is that what you amount to now, Alice?” Margo asked as she stood up from her seat, a smirk dangling from her lips. “Surrounding yourself with parasites and vermin. How the mighty have fallen. I doubt you’d want to pick a fight with all of us. As powerful as you are, we’ve grown stronger than you can imagine.”

Ignoring the comment, the woman stopped in front of the padded chair, waiting for the Great Witch to step aside. The largest werewolf Reina had seen dropped from the ceiling as soon as Margo nodded at the seat. Standing on the right of the coveted seat the beast snarled as the knight moved to the left. The pair stood like guards from a twisted story waiting for their master to claim her throne. She did with all the certainty and elegance of a queen. Crossing one leg atop the other, the intruder waved Margo away, the arrogant smile never leaving her lips.

“Hear me, my daughters,” the woman’s voice echoed throughout the basilica and inside Reina’s head. It never became a shout but demanded attention nonetheless.

“Tonight is the hundredth Night of Gwastraff. For five centuries, I’ve watched you grow. I’ve nourished your gifts when you struggled and rejoiced when I saw them mature. Your achievements have brought me joy and pride. But no more.” The woman paused, the mirth draining from her face and her eyes shone like gold. “I’m done with you. No longer shall I guide you. Teach you. Protect you. Come the morning sun, you shall be free to do as you please. To play your games without worry that I might interfere.”

A wave of tremendous power washed over Reina and for a moment she thought she was going to drown in it. The coin finally dropped in her mind as she realised who the intruder was – Alice the First Witch. Suddenly, the girl felt like an insect intruding at a meeting of gods. If she could, the initiate would’ve crawled into one of the cracks between the thick stone slabs covering the basilica’s floor.

“Here, you can have it,” Alice stood up and unceremoniously walked away from the seat she had so vehemently demanded a second ago.

“Isn’t that what you desired, Margo?” the legendary figure stopped and turned around throwing a withering glare at the stunned Great Witch. “It all belongs to you. The Covenants, the power and the authority. I’m done with you and your stupid games. But be warned, Margo. Stay out of my way.”

Alice paused and for the first time, directed her attention at Reina. “Since I know you’ve not prepared me a parting gift, I’ll take this little one instead.”