coming at you fast, midnight

[cosmiccon]

Comments

[fifthbase]

The good old days?

( Why be burned at the stake when you can accuse perfectly innocent humans of that which you practice. )

There are only two ways for the Gauntlet to end. End the lives of the circle that called it to fruition, or, win.

( And we know what's more common. )

It's likely Sierra wanted the power for herself. There was a great disturbance in Prague and still yet a greater power store in New Orleans. She upset the balance. And whomever called on the Gauntlet once more must feel it.

( Amateur. )

[imnot_likeyou]

Well, the harm's already done. Now we just have to figure out how to move forward.

[Which speaking of damage done:]

Have you ever run into a damnum essentia?

[fifthbase]

( And how to not be involved, but you're Sam Winchester, she knows that's not possible. )

Heard of it, I created it.

( Back in her days when she gathered all the power she could, before becoming the queen of Hell. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[Of course she did.]

I have a friend who was affected by one. She got her magic back, but she says it's been off since then - do you think you could help her?

[fifthbase]

The Damnum Essentia doesn't just strip a person of their magic, it reconfigures a person's very essence. Think of it like a loss of muscle memory. At one time you could ride your bike, but after, you will never ride it the same again. Or, ride it all.

( She frowns. ) Did your friend cross the Colony?

[imnot_likeyou]

Someone from the Colony gave one to Monroe's hunters who used it on her.

[But from what Bonnie said about the way her magic is behaving, losing her muscle memory makes sense. She has all the power back, but she's starting from scratch at learning to wield it.]

Is there anything they can do to get that muscle memory back?

[fifthbase]

Your witch friend will need to learn their magic from scratch. Her magical triggers are altered, like a chemical imbalance. Any further altering could backfire greatly, I'm afraid.

( She makes a face. )

You said a hunter wielded one?

[imnot_likeyou]

That's what they said, but I wasn't there.

[He gestures for her to follow him as they go in search of Bonnie and Isaac.]

It was in Prague, about three months ago.

[fifthbase]

Sierra Harper was in Prague, was she not?

( Weren't they just saying that?

She follows, recognizing Bonnie, but not Isaac, as they emerge from the room they shared, bags in hand.

Samuel, your friend is Bonnie Bennett?

[imnot_likeyou]

Yep.

[He's allowed to have fancy well known friends, Rowena. Don't be so surprised.]

Bonnie, Isaac, this is Rowena.

["Sup." Isaac doesn't know why he should care. You don't recognize him, he doesn't have to recognize you.]

[moralitypolice]

Rowena Maccleod.

( "A pleasure to finally meet you in person. Your grandmother was a dear frenemy." That's Rowena for you. "The werewolf could do well to smile more now and then," she adds, rudely, calling it like she sees it. )

Elena said you were offputting.

( "I just cut to the chase, darling. If that's a crime, then, well, I'll be returning to Hell at the end of this." She shrugs. "I can see your magic," she adds. "It's in you. It's jumbled up like a jigsaw puzzle left out in the rain, but you will return to form." )

When?

( "You're relearning new magical triggers. As most things, it takes time. I want to hear more about this hunter." )

[notwitty]

[Isaac flashes her a thin smile that is not a happy smile, before glancing to Sam for him to translate.

"The one who used the damnum essentia."

Ah. That one.]

The one who used it or the one he worked for?

[fifthbase]

Let's go with all of it. I didn't make a Damnum Essentia for a below-average worker bee to use it on one of a few innately powerful witches.

( Oh, did Bonnie not know about how much untapped power is in her Bennett line? It's a lot. )

[notwitty]

Well, I think David said that it was newly made so technically you didn't make it.

[The spell, yes, but the actual device know. Isaac is absolutely petty enough to point out all the technicalities.]

The hunters weren't anybody, but did you hear about everything that went down with Tamara Monroe?

[fifthbase]

( A point of contention as she sticks a finger up. )

I have never given that spell away. I have been outsourced, but not recently. I believe we have a copycat on our hands. If that's the case, I may be able to help you Bonnie yet.

( And then. )

Talk to me like I hadn't.

( As she hasn't. She doesn't like that that spell is out there. )

[notwitty]

Gerard Argent's heir apparent. Decided to go for a mass murder plan and militarized some of the disparate hunter groups to try and take out as many supernaturals as she could. She was behind large-scale attacks in London, Prague, Mystic Falls and New Orleans this year.

[He leans into the wall, as they might be having this conversation a while.]

She's dead now, but she did a lot of damage.

[fifthbase]

All these swirling coincidences.

( Which always mean there aren't. )

Tell me, how does Sierra Harper factor in?

( "Sierra, or Maura as she went by in Prague, was also in New Orleans. Do you think she's the one who gave the hunters her Damnum Essentia rip-off?" )

Could be. She's Colony born and raised and until a decade ago, she towed the line.

[notwitty]

David Gainor seems to think that in Prague she was trying to reclaim the Knightsbridge collective power for herself, but the spell failed.

[Because that's important information.]

He seems to be trying to help us. But he's kind of shady and questionable so we're taking that with a grain of salt.

[Especially since he's got Allison owing him a debt.]

[fifthbase]

I would take that one with his actions. He may have been bred from a long line of selfish opportunists, and that's coming from a mother, but he is a survivor if I've ever seen one.

( Of everyone, she'd believe him. )

If Sierra was not fully ready or capable of taking everything in then there most certainly have been a great surge of power.

[notwitty]

In my experience, survivor isn't always a positive thing.

[But he'll leave that there and continue with his information.]

When the spell failed, a room full of hunters dropped dead. Would it generate that kind of backlash?

[fifthbase]

( He's speaking to the ultimate survivor who won't make colorful commentary because you're all friends here. )

If she was channeling them.

[notwitty]

[Isaac himself is a survivor. He's not trying to discount it. He just knows from experience that just because you're able to survive doesn't mean that you won't cut other people out to do so.]

That tracks. There were other people in the room and they were fine.

[Which means it wasn't an area of effect situation, and more targeting those specific people.]

[fifthbase]

It sounds as if she tried to failsafe her spell and the opposite happened.

( But, she has not gone after a coven's wellspring, and her (2) will keep her speculation to a minimum. )

There are a number of reasons why it backfired. What you should be focusing on is there here and now. The what's next. So. What is next?

[notwitty]

[Isaac says nothing, just glancing to Bonnie to see how much they want to share. Danny's been a well kept secret thus far, and he's in Bonnie's care. He'll leave it for her to decide if she wants to share that with the literal Queen of Hell.]

[fifthbase]

( Bonnie has been the hidden trump card, living under the old witch house, the Salvatore's and Elena's secret weapon. She knows better than to play it, especially to a blunt redheaded powerful sorcerous. )

Isaac and I are about to take a trip to Mystic Falls. My family's grimoire is there. We think there may be information that might be useful. About the Gauntlet.

( And maybe the Colony. )

The Armory is keeping it safe.

( A (6) recollects something vague, but mystical. And quite old. Kind of like her. Bonnie knows what she's doing.

"And there is the Knightsbridge's store." Rowena says, nodding. It feels like a part of a plan.

"And you, Samuel?" she asks. )