Chapter 40: Confronting A Wayward Mentor
Twenty minutes later, Max was driving up to the Bennett family burial grounds, having fully assimilated the Devil himself. Literally. Arcadius' psychic abilities — including control of Hellfire — was Max's to wield. Every soul that was in Hell was transferred into Max's psychic realm, fully healed and pretty much pedestrians now.
'I needed the people anyway,' Max thought. 'Or the vampires I intend to claim as mine will, anyways.'
Hell itself was turned into an infinite source of Hellfire — The entire dimension was transformed into an affinity that Max could draw on whenever he wanted — An endless source of fire that erased everything it touched on a conceptual level so great it burned all physical matter and even metaphysical matter it torched.
As for the souls Max gained, the ones who were decent with mild sins, he let pass on. The ones who were heinous human beings? He left in the psychic dimension to act as food for vampires, blood sources for witchy rituals, or just happenstance to werewolf rages.
'My psychic dimension has gained physical manifestation…,' Max thought with narrow eyes. 'This means that it's less a psychic realm and more a literal place, with very real flesh and blood people numbered in the trillions. And the best part? They may die, but they'll never stay dead if I don't wish them to. The only way they actually die is if I will it for them to pass on.'
Max was aware that such a place was heaven compared to Hell, but for those that ended up here as a result of being absolutely horrendous, they'll learn of their new Hell eventually.
After all, not being able to die was its own kind of Hell…
"Speaking of dying…" Max murmured after drawing forth a formation of salt and refined, shredded crystals.
Max stood in the center of a large magic formation, complete with complex runes and symbols — Most were traditional runes and symbols, but there were a few original that Max created to make his job easier — Runes that could call forth, bind, shackle and restrain; otherworldly symbols that acted as power reservoirs that he himself did not personally possess but could access through channelling and bargaining.
It was all basically Max's most intricate, most complex and most complicated formation he's ever put together — But for his target, it was worth it. It was definitely called for as well.
Qetsiyah was anything but weak. Max would dare call her the most powerful witch alive, right behind Inadu.
'Well, considering Inadu is more of a primordial dark spirit than she is a witch, calling Qetsiyah the strongest witch ever isn't necessarily wrong,' Max thought as he telekinetically placed the candles at specific areas, and used pyrokinesis to light them. 'Either way, with her, I cannot afford half measures.
'I'll be channelling both the Rowan Oak Sacred Grove's Nemeton + the Hidden Oak-Pine Nemeton + every version of them across the multiverse, compounded by the Verbatim Stone, my own unique existence and the sheer power of my own psychic abilities.'
'I'm like 82% certain this will work in holding down Qetsiyah, but there's no guarantee for how long.'
Max could feel the multitude of Bennett witches watching him from the Other Side. He didn't need to use a Revelo incantation to sense their curiosity. With his psychic abilities alone, passively sensing the presence, intent, and emotions of spirits was child's play to Max.
But he did his best to ignore them, psyching himself up for what he was about to do.
"Here goes nothing…" Max murmured to himself.
Then he started chanting.
"Lespri ansyen, mwen rele non ou — Qetsiyah, sòti lòt bò a vin jwenn mwen."
"Pa tè ak san, rete isit — pa deplase, pa disparèt."
"Qetsiyah, audi me — transi limen inter mundos et siste in hoc circulo."
"Anima tua ligatur hic — nec fugere, nec frangi potest."
"uoY era ereh. uoY niamer. uoY od ton evael."
As Maximus chanted, the clouds above blackened and rumbled. The fire of the candles rose 4 meters into the air with overwhelming power. The air vibrated with pure magical might. And even as Max chanted over and over and over again, the wind only progressively got rougher and harsher outside the mausoleum.
And, as Qetsiyah appeared within the circle, the phenomena only increased continuously.
Qetsiyah was dressed in a dark blouse dress complete with buckle waist belt and sandals. Despite the situation, she was effortlessly beautiful. Her hair was done flawlessly, her skin was unblemished and her unamused expression — however dangerous — was what any straight man would kill to have as their own.
Thank the gods, Max was gay.
Qetsiyah merely raised an unimpressed brow, but Max reacted immediately.
"Word Soul Magic: Binding of Mind and Soul!" Max chanted, instantly causing silver chains to wrap out of the ground and latch onto Qetsiyah's wrists, binding the witch.
Unfortunately…
"That's a neat trick, apprentice," Qetsiyah smirked, as an emerald-indigo flame alit itself onto the chains, melting them almost with no resistance. "You have anymore? I think these are broke."
Max had a slight frown on his face, clearly annoyed.
Meanwhile, Qetsiyah smirked, clearly perceiving Max's silence as defeat. She attempted to take a step forward — But even she couldn't cross the barrier of magic.
them almost with no resistance. "You have anymore? I think these are broke."
Max had a slight frown on his face, clearly annoyed.
Meanwhile, Qetsiyah smirked, clearly perceiving Max's silence as defeat. She attempted to take a step forward — But even she couldn't bypass the barrier made from so many sources of power.
"Did you think the chains were all I had?" Max smirked at Qetsiyah's frown. "I knew I would be facing the most powerful witch ever born, so I took precautions."
"Can these precautions save you, though, from me?" Qetsiyah glared.
"They don't need to," Max leaned forward slightly, daringly. "You won't be leaving."
Max pulled out a special talismaned candle, using an 'Incendia' spell to light it.
"An anti-magic candle?" Qetsiyah growled, clearly impressed and displeased. "Ah, that is an old one. But if no one can use magic in its presence, how do you intend keep me here?"
"That's an actual good question," Max smiled sweetly. "You see, I fiddled with its original formula. Now, only the witch who alight the candle can use their magic. A little trick I picked up from Wanda/Vision."
"Who now?" Qetsiyah asked curiously.
"Hasn't happened yet," Max gave a dismissive hand wave. "Anyways, I've got to be quick because my future husband is waiting on me, so, my dearest mentor — ancestress… Any last words?"
As Max walked up to Qetsiyah, she was quiet for a moment. She observed Max with deep, reading eyes.
And then at last she spoke.
"I— I wasn't sure of it before, but I am now. Your power has turned you into something beyond human, my apprentice," Qetsiyah spoke with a rare endearment to her words, her tone as if Max was a lost son she had watched over from afar. "Don't let them control you. It won't end well for you, or those men you seem so hellbent on collecting. And beware of HIM… You'll know what I mean when you experience my memories."
With that, Qetsiyah let her head drop, leaving Max temporarily stunned before he could regain control of himself.
Placing his palm on her forehead, Max used the Rune of Assimilation on the 2,000+ year old witch — And through the pain, he saw many things.
'Oh, this is interesting,' he thought mid-vision.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
END OF CHAPTER NOTES:
I'm posting ahead of schedule because I won't be able to post next week at all unfortunately.
P.S: Discord link will be posted at the end of the chapter.
P.P.S: Don't forget to comment and leave a reply! They help tremendously lol!
DISCORD Link: https://discord.gg/zTUtunfx.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Translation Notes]:
"Ancient spirit, I call your name — Qetsiyah, come from the Other Side to me."
"By earth and blood, remain here — do not move, do not fade."
"Qetsiyah, hear me — cross between worlds and stand in this circle."
"Your soul is bound here — it cannot flee, it cannot break."
Logomancy:"You are here. You remain. You do not leave."
Line 1–2 (Creole)
Line 3–4 (Latin)
Line 5 (Logomancy)