Incense mixed with the clinging smell of sage. Smoke lingered in the room almost strong enough to make Vanessa's eyes water, but she stayed focused. Her ritual was near its completion. She lit her eighth candle and then said her prayer for an Earth Blessing to occur.
She had no unrealistic expectation for the short spell's success. Her only goal was to get her garden growing early so it would get a jump start on the short growing session once it warmed up enough. When you lived in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado the growing season remained short indeed.
With the main part of her spell complete, she stood up to prepare to begin her Lesser Banishing Ritual. She froze when a soft humming radiated from the small alter of candles and incense she'd created. Before she had processed what could be happening, the humming grew in volume. Soon the very air vibrated like she was on an airplane during a hurricane.
The eight tongues of incense began to curl together. At first she thought they might be forming a lightning bolt, which had stayed a symbol of Hecate throughout the millennia. Then she wanted to slap herself. Here was the first real supernatural thing that had worked—the first she'd seen, and she idly speculated on its meaning when she should be fainting or curling up in a ball crying in terror.
Shaking her head, she dispelled such notions. This was a gift a… the incense moved and changed its form. Looking like lightning no longer, it became an elongated snake before her eyes. Grey and moving, it danced before her vision. Drawing her in, she allowed herself to become mesmerized in its serpentine movements.
Then, without warning, the serpent of smoke exploded sending wisps of grey into her eyes. Visions flashed and burned through her mind. She saw horrible things. Cities tumbled into the sea while other structures rose from it. Humanity crumbled as waves of death from both natural forces as well as unidentifiable creatures plowed through mankind.
A fear gripped her like nothing she had ever even come close to experiencing. She froze as more visions twisted before her and threatened to drive her over the brink of sanity. Just as she wondered if they would ever cease, the visions began to slow.
An eight pointed start materialized and on each point was a wavering face. She noticed two things before this last image faded. There was only one female face and it was hers.
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