The Witches of Moonlight Lake

by Phoenix Heart 27

Ch. I: Prologue

Ch. I: Prologue

The darkness of a forest was a perfect setting for what was occuring this silent night. In the cover of darkness, three figures traveled at light speeds unseen by any other pony. Once they finally came upon their destination, an abandoned looking cabin near a lake, the figures slowed to reveal a trio of ponies with cloaks covering them from sight. As quietly as they could manage, the trio entered the cabin and locked the doors and windows. Once they confirmed they were alone and unfollowed, the ponies removed their cloaks to reveal three stunning unicorn mares. The first, a tall white coated mare with a blonde mane and tail in a long braid. Her cutie-mark of a caldron shimmered as she moved to light the candles strategically placed around the darkened room. The second, a medium height coffee coated paint mare with cream markings. Her blood red curly mane and bunned tail bouncing slightly as she moved about placing items from a saddlebag onto a table, her cutie-mark of an inflamed cross shimmering against the candle light. The final, a shorter, azure coated mare with charcoal colored cropped mane and tail lit a fire inside a built-in fire pit. Her cutie-mark of a voodoo doll with a knife in its head illuminated in the fire light as she filled the caldron with water to boil.

“Is everything prepared sisters?”, The white one asked.

“Yes Solaria. The ingredients are all here.”, The brown one chuckled.

“We're only missing one crucial thing for this to work: the blood of a virgin. That's where he comes in.”, The blue one smirked as she removed from the largest of the bags, a bound and unconscious Pegasus colt.

Walking towards the bound Colt, Solaria grinned as she inspected him.

“You actually got him?!? Excellent work Artemis! Soon we shall be able to complete the ritual and bring him back to this world.”, Solaria said with a twisted smile to her azure ‘sister’.

“Are you absolutely certain this colt's disappearance won't cause the citizens of the village to come searching for him?”, The brown mare asked as she started pulling petals off of a selection of flowers and crushing some herbs in her hooves.

“Absolutely not. You need not worry, Terra Nova. We’ve got this!”, Solaria reassured her coffee colored ‘sister’ with a calming hoof on her shoulder.

Terra Nova sighed in relief as she saw that the water was finally at a boil. Bringing the table closer with her magic, the mare gently set the table down next to the caldron in her green aura. Calling her coven sisters over and prepping the other ingredients with Artemis, Terra Nova cackled as the colt was unceremoniously dropped by a black aura. The three then lit their horns simultaneously. Auras of black, green and red enveloped the ingredients and brought them above the caldron. Cackling, the three mares began to chant as they put the ingredients into the boiling water.

Eye of Dragon

Tongue of Manticor

Petals of Lavender

Leaves of Rose!

Timberwolf Claw

Dolphin Tears

Dog Paw

and Hippogriff Toes!

We witches three do summon the great McCracken!

The three then proceeded to draw a circle with a star in the center. Placing the now conscious and freaking out colt atop the star, the coven surrounded the sacrifice. Before they could begin though, Artemis heard the tell-tale sounds of an angry job of ponies approaching. Growling in annoyance, the sisters abandoned their sacrifice, briefly forgetting to re-tie him back up. Summoning their brooms, the trio took to the skies to attempt to ward off the impending attack.

The villagers saw the three witches ascend to the skies as they got to the cottage. A small group went to search for the missing colt inside the cabin. The rest went armed with crossbows and other weapons intent on bringing down the coven.

“Foolish ponies! You cannot take us! We are all powerful and once our supreme leader of darkness rises again, we shall be at his side! Bringing darkness and despair wherever we walk! For we are the Daughters of McCracken and we. have. RISEN!!”, Solaria boomed from her broom as her sisters cackled hysterically.

All was well until a strategic move with a net casting spell from a young unicorn stallion struck Terra Nova and down she went. Soon after Artemis was struck down as well. With only Solaria left, she knew she couldn't do it without the others. So perhaps doing the only “good” thing she's done since foalhood, she turned around and flew back down to the ground. Willingly giving herself up (but not without casting a few...well placed hexes on some unlucky ponies near her) to her captors.

(A day later…)

The entire village gathered at the stakes in the middle of the woods. The three witches that dare to kidnap one of their own were now standing chained to the three stakes. Two of the three witches stood there with insane grins on their faces. Only one looked remorseful and had already resigned to her fate.

“Any last words, you demons of Tartarus!”, The executioner said as he lit the torches.

“You all will burn! McCracken shall rise! Faust will fall and with her Paradise!!”, Artemis bellowed as the first torch was thrown on her stake. Her screams of agony could be heard throughout the woods.

Terra Nova looked on as her killer looked at her with an almost sorrowful gaze. Using this, she managed to speak one final plea.

“Please, somepony find my daughter. Tell her mother's sorry and that she loves her very much. Don't let her fall into the wrong hooves. Please? I beg of this...my final plea. *sigh*...I am ready. See you all in Tartarus.”, Terra plead as the torch reached her stake. She didn't even flinch as the flames scorched her body.

“Hahahaha! You think you’ve won? We will be back! Maybe not in this lifetime, maybe not even for many lifetimes! Yet we shall return. This coven shall rise! Stronger than the three of us could ever be and we shall help our father rise! Long live McCracken! Long live Mc--”, Solaria was abruptly cut off by her own screams as she too was burned by the final torch. Yet her body, as she stand dying posed a sinister smile at the knowledge that her final curse was through. It would be many years until her curse was realised.

Comments

[Golden Fang Ryu Shenron]

“Please, somepony find my daughter. Tell her mother's sorry and that she loves her very much. Don't let her fall into the wrong hooves. Please? I beg of this...my final plea. *sigh*...I am ready. See you all in Tartarus.”, Terra plead as the torch reached her stake. She didn't even flinch as the flames scorched her body.

!

Wow, now that was one dark beginning......can't wait to see more!!!

[Phoenix Heart 27]

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As it is...I aim to please! Even with the dark sh!t

[Golden Fang Ryu Shenron]

9245395
Eeyup.

[Starlight Nova]

How do I know this story won't die after only one chapter?

[Phoenix Heart 27]

9247101
Because the next chapter will be up in a little while.😉 And trust me.. it's a doozy.