Cult of Two

Full Circle

The thing about the Darkness was that it made the light seem so much brighter.

It made all of the pain, the trials and tribulations of life, worth it. She was a witch, and witches made their homes in the Darkness, but there was something about the light that was more magickal than any long-forgotten corner she could tuck herself away in.

The only sign that the half-collapsed mine had ever been without light, was the lantern full of black sludge that Caliban lifted as they got to their feet. There was also something in his other hand.

It was her shoe.

"I believe this belongs to you."

Sabrina snatched it out of his hands and slipped it back onto her foot, "Did the Darkness try to... consume you too?"

Caliban shook his head, "No, it did not."

"Weird."

"Not at all," he disagreed, "I was forged in Hell, in darkness, but you, my lady, are made of the same stuff as the Pleiades."

Stars. Somehow, it was easy to forget she was made of something strong enough to forge planets, but he had helped her remind herself of that. He had helped save her life.

That wasn't surprising. He had everything to gain as long as she was alive, but what did surprise her was the gentleness he used to coax her back into reality. His tone of voice was soft. She had only heard him speak like that once. No, she had heard it twice now. Once when he offered her the Pygmalion spell, and more recently when he had told her that her heart was in the right place.

"Are you two alright in there?"

She tore her gaze away from Caliban to answer her cousin's call, "We're fine, Ambrose! We're coming out!"

There was another reason Sabrina appreciated light; it made it easier to get out of the cave. She no longer had to worry about tripping and falling, although she was sure that Caliban would catch her.

Thankfully, it didn't come to that, and Ambrose helped her past the worst of the collapse.

"Thank the Dark Mother you're alright," Ambrose exclaimed, "I had to enlist the help of the coven."

"We heard," Caliban informed him.

A look of confusion spread across her cousin's face, "What is that?"

He was pointing to the lantern.

"A lantern filled with Absolute Darkness," she said, gesturing for Caliban to hand the lantern to Ambrose.

He examined it for a moment before shaking his head in disbelief, "You have managed to do what is nearly impossible. You trapped an Eldritch Terror."

She smiled under his praise, before heading towards the entrance of the mine.

"Are you leaving already, Cousin?"

She shook her head, "I just wanted to feel the sun on my face."

She turned back and walked the final few steps towards the entrance, but she didn't step onto the grass. She stayed in the mouth of the mine. The sun was just beginning its descent, and it was warm. Warm and welcome.

"I must say I'm surprised."

"By?"

"You are worshipping Hecate now," Caliban said.

"I'm surprised you hadn't figured it out by now."

He chuckled, "I had my suspicions, but you are still Lucifers' daughter."

"I'm also a witch," she reminded him, and to a lesser extent, herself, "Haven't you ever believed in anything?"

She was starting to sound like Prudence, but maybe that was because she finally understood her perspective. She finally believed in something. She had always acknowledged the existence of The Dark Lord- Lucifer- her father, but she had never believed in him. He had never given her anything worth believing in.

Hecate had. She stood for the free will and equality Sabrina believed in and fought for. She was the Divine Feminine. A mother, an advisor, and a friend as well as a Goddess. There was the pursuit of pleasure without causing anyone else any pain. She was free to do as she wished as long as she harmed none.

And, of course, she had brought her Auntie Hilda back from the clutches of death. Her Auntie Hilda who never said a word when Sabrina didn't say her dark prayers before bed because she too knew what it was like to know and not believe.

"Not until you," Caliban answered, "I believe in you."

She turned to look at him, really look at him. There was nothing in his tone of voice, his posture, or the slight curl of his lips to indicate that he was lying. What he was saying was true. He believed in her.

She turned her face back toward the sun, avoiding his gaze.

"And you... don't totally suck," she admitted.

"Do my ears deceive me, my lady?" he questioned with a slightly teasing tone.

"I'm not going to say it again."

"I did not expect you to."

She didn't say anything more and continued to appreciate the way the sunlight streamed through the trees and onto the grass. It was strange, the forest had always seemed so dark, and now it just didn't. However, that didn't account for the shock of red hair bursting through the treeline.

"Aunt Zee?"

It was her, and Hilda was hot on her heels.

"Ambrose?" she asked, "What did-"

"You said I couldn't tell them you were getting married, Cousin. You never said I couldn't tell them you were here," Ambrose pointed out, "Now go."

Sabrina didn't need to be told twice, and she immediately bolted towards her aunties. Leaves crunched under her feet, and she couldn't help but admire the way everything had come full circle.