The dark figures had begun to close in on Mariana as they stood at either end of the bridge, blocking her only escape route. She looked at the violent water below and pulled her heavy cloak closer to her. The wind had grown colder the last two months, a sign that the solstice was approaching. The river was entrancing as it frothed and churned, the spirits in its icy depths inviting her in, seducing her to find solace and end her dilemma. But as she prepared to leap from the sturdy bridge, the dark figures halted their approach. A familiar voice cut through the chill, icier than the air itself.

"If you jump, you had better jump far." It was Roman.

"I plan to do just that," Mariana said, facing the man who had been pursuing her for two moons. He stood in the twilight, grinning. The wind tossed his thick, dark hair around his lucid skin. Even from a few feet away Mariana could see the veins of his neck, their blue wires spiraling down beneath is leather collar and out of sight. She felt beneath her cloak for her dagger and held it securely in her hand.

"My dear, you know that is no escape. My men will follow and hunt you down like they have all those times before. If the temperature of the river does not kill you first," Roman stated.

"I will not surrender," she said using the sharp end of the dagger to carve three deep lines into the wood.

"I hardly care. I tire of your games, child. My patience is thin and if you escape me, I assure you that when next we meet I will not be so kind." Roman took a step closer to her, still smiling.

"Assuming you can capture me. I have eluded you thus far. I can find many hiding places."

"You can only run so long." He drew his be-jeweled knife from beneath is cloak and twisted it so the blade caught the last few rays of sunlight. The reflected fire crossed his face and flashed in his steely eyes. "I will find you."

Mariana let his words caress her for a moment then thought of her escape. She glanced around at Roman's men. Feeling her dagger in her hand, she glanced at Roman. A smile of content graced her face and caused him to look at her curiously. She revealed the dagger and threw it at Roman's chest. Not caring whether or not it penetrated, Mariana turned around and leapt from the bridge. She heard Roman shout her name before she hit the water.

Mariana resisted sucking in a breath in reaction to the cold water closing over her. It penetrated her thick clothing and assaulted her body with frigid force. Breaking through to the surface, she inhaled and struggled to keep her head above water. The swift current carried her downstream and she turned around for a moment to see what was happening behind her.

Roman's men hit the water in a frenzy of splashing water and commanding yells from their leader, who was bent over holding his stomach. Mariana assumed her dagger had penetrated her foe and smiled. Her only thought now was to find a place to hide. About fifty of Roman's men we swimming after her and if she could lose them in the river she would be able to return home.

Mariana turned back downstream just in time to see the glistening sheen of a large boulder inches from her head. She slammed into it head first and was jolted instantly into blackness.

Mariana awoke. Her vision was blurry but she could see a fire blazing a few yards in front of her. Her head throbbed
and she remembered her misfortune in the river. She was bound to a tree with her hands tied behind the trunk. In the distance she heard the laughing of men and horses. Her escape had failed.

"Finally awake?" Roman asked, rising from his seat beneath a nearby conifer. He circled around her with a slight limp. He held her dagger in his hand and twirled it between his fingers. "Your wound was not too severe, merely convenient. You're stubbornness will cost you. You should have taken my advice and surrendered the pendant to me. Now your coven will miss you at the sabbatt. You have broken the circle."

"Not of my free will. There will be no punishment for that. Your betrayal deserves death, traitor. Tamen and the others will gift you with a traitor's death."

Roman laughed loudly. "Your weakened coven is no match for my hoard. And you will never see your lover again."

"Are you jealous, Roman? Tamen is stronger than you think, he will find me."

Roman laughed again and reached into the pocket of his breeches. He retrieved a diamond shaped crystal and let it dangle between their faces. "I have the stone."

Mariana felt the warmth of tears in her eyes. She had failed. She had been sworn to protect the stone, to give her life for it, to never let it fall into evil hands. Now, the evil hands of her ex-lover held the crystal, his eyes filled with the pleasure its power brought him. He was a mad man and a warlock who had been cast from the sight of Manon. Once an asset to her coven, he had been a powerful wielder of the Power. News of Mariana's gift had been kept secret, known only to a few very wise shamans. Roman and Mariana had become lovers by the time he found out about her gift, and the thought of the power she possessed burrowed into his mind. His desire for the Power had driven him to loathe her and eventually drove him from the coven. Tamen soon replaced Roman as the Forth in the coven and as Mariana's lover.

Roman became very jealous of Tamen and very interested in Mariana's crystal. Centuries old, the stone contained the spirits of all its previous owners. The essence of a thousand sorceresses was contained in one polished drop of smoky quartz and entrusted to the first born of the previous possessor. Mariana's mother had given it to her just as Mariana's mother had done. It was the only thing her mother had ever given her and she had sworn her life to protecting it. Now that it was in Roman's grasp, Mariana knew that the stone's power would only be misused.

Roman needed the proper spell in order to release the spirits, and Mariana was the only person alive who knew the incantation. As long as she had the spell, Roman would never be able to use the powers of her ancestors for evil.

"The stone will be no use to you without the words, Roman. You will never hear them pass over my lips, not on the verge of death."

"You do not know that, my dear. The spell I will cast does not need your incantation. The power of the stone itself was all I desired. The spirits will aid me, empower me, and then I will be able to use them freely. I have no use for you, Mariana. You will be dead soon enough, once I tire of your pleasures." Roman moved closer to her and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. "The covens will watch you die."

"They won't follow you. They will unite and rise up against you. You will fall, traitor," Mariana stated.

Roman grasped her thin neck with one hand and squeezed it firmly. "Do not place too much faith in the covens, child. Their differences shall be their demise. They will turn against themselves and start a war. But I will serve as their guidance, their leader. They will turn to me."

"You are not that powerful, Roman," Mariana choked, her voice slightly above a whisper. "You are dark and unfocused. You are weak."

Roman let his grip lax and Mariana gasped for breath. His hand stroked her dark hair and entangled itself in the knots set there by days of hard riding. "Yet you were drawn to me. This you cannot deny."

"I was a fool. You mean nothing to me. You are nothing more than my last excrement."

"Then why do you tremble so? Why does your sweetness rise from you loins? Why do you not resist my touch?" Roman asked, trailing his hand down her neck and bodice to squeeze her breast. "I could have you tonight, if I wished."

"Pig!" she spat. Roman wiped her saliva away from his eye and took the foam into his mouth hungrily. Mariana shuddered and turned away, sickened by the sight of him.

"I will leave you now. When you wish to be unbound, speak the words. My bed is warm and safe from the elements. The insects are hungry tonight, and I cannot control my men while I am asleep. Since you are bound, you would be easy prey for men who have not been pleasured in so many months. Sleep well, my darling." Roman laughed and walked off towards his tent.

In the darkness, Mariana glanced around herself. There was nothing she could use to unbind herself. Sighing, she prayed that Tamen and the others would keep on her trail, the chase leaving not time for Roman to formulate his spell.

The men stirred at dawn and their movement startled Mariana awake. A horse rode into the camp with a scout astride. He dismounted and awaited Roman outside his tent.

"Sir, there are remains of a fire about an hour's ride upstream and the footprints of three," the scout informed when Roman had exited.

Roman glanced at Mariana and smiled. "We move on," he commanded. As the men went to picking up camp, he approached her. "You have a devoted clan, my dear. Tamen must value your companionship greatly to follow you all these miles, these many moons. Will he brave the Wastelands? I think your coven will find the lack of fresh water a bit of a setback, don't you? And then there is the mountain..."

"They are strong united, stronger as a unit than you are even with your entourage. Your mountain will crumble." Mariana raised her chin in defiance and glared at him with cold blue eyes.

"If only you believed that, I might consider it threatening," Roman laughed. He drew his blade and freed her from the trunk, keeping hold of her wrists so she could not escape. He steered her by her arms behind her to his stallion. Taking a rope from his saddlebag, he tied her again. Holding the rope, he mounted his horse pulling her closer with a tug. "You will ride with me, little one. I do not trust my men with such a brilliant gem. And I would enjoy the journey more with your firm arse in my lap."

Mariana pulled back for a moment but was pulled back with a swift yank on her rope. Roman grabbed her by the back of the neck and hoisted her up onto the stallion. With a heel to the ribs, the horse bolted off towards the north.

The ride was long and Mariana watched as the scenery changed from lush green forests to dying shrubs whittled to a mass of twigs by the wind. The wind was relentless, rushing into Mariana's nose and choking her with its dryness. It licked her cheeks with frigid tongue and pried at her dress with icy fingers. The color of snow washed boulders and the long dead foliage stuck out against the snowy mountainside, the only things that were not stark white. "This is the perfect place for Roman, cold and dead," she thought.

"We are close, it is only a few hours more," Roman stated.

Mariana followed his gaze up to the horizon ahead. There in the center stood a steeply sloped monolith, Mount Sazert. Tamen would follow her there and the battle would begin.

Mariana was led into Roman's courtyard at knife point. His men built a fire in the center and began to prepare their weapons for the coming battle. Roman took Mariana up to a tower which had been carved out in the mountain's face. From the window she could see the courtyard below and hear the sounds of swords being sharpened.

"This should provide a good view of the slaughter, child. You can watch your clan fall." Roman laughed as he brought her wrists up to the clamps embedded in the wall. There was a shout from outside and Roman went to the window.

"The battle begins."

Mariana looked out the window and saw Tamen, Luc and N'dea entering the courtyard. Tamen's long blond locks flowed out behind him with the wind, his strong Nordic features twisted with rage. N'dea stood stoic, taller than Tamen by a hand, her curved saber drawn, and her dark eyes slanted and keen. To Tamen's right stood Luc, his medicine bag heavy around his throat. She struggled against the iron shackles that held her tight, cutting into her wrists and ankles.

Roman entered the courtyard with a shout. "Welcome, Tamen! You have arrived just in time to view the power of the crystal and to see the first few moments of my reign."

"Manon will not have it, snake." N'dea hissed.

"I am more powerful than Manon could possibly dream with the crystal at my will. His reign is over."

"Blaspheme!" Luc cried. "Manon will strike you down for your betrayal!"

"Where is Mariana?" Tamen asked. "You need her for the spells, Roman."

"She is no use to me now," Roman said, pulling the stone out from under the folds of his cloak.

"She is the key. You cannot harness the power of the stone without her. It is part of the prophecy," Tamen stated.

"She failed to mention it. But the situation is easily remedied." Roman turned to his hoard and motioned for them to attack as he walked by them and into the opening of the mountain fortress.

Mariana listened as the men rushed towards her fellow witches. Tamen ordered them to spread out as he leapt on an approaching warrior, taking him down easily. Tamen had the blood of Vikings in his veins, making him a fierce fighter. He was making his way through the mass following the path Roman had taken to get into the fortress, his heavy double-headed ax mowing a swath in the guard.

The door burst open, and Roman stood in the entranceway. His gray eyes filled with the fire of hate when he looked at Mariana. "You told me nothing of the need for you as a conduit, Mariana. Why must you always make things difficult for yourself?" He approached her immobile form and hit her hard across the cheek.

"I knew nothing of it, Roman. Please believe me." she cried, the pain shooting up into her brain. "The whole prophecy was never mine to tell."

"Liar!" he shouted. "I have spent too long planning this--I will not have you fail me. Tell me the phrase."

"Never!" Tamen shouted from the doorway. "Give me the stone, Roman."

Roman turned on his heel and found his nemesis. Pulling Mariana's dagger from his cloak, he prepared to battle Tamen.

"How fitting that you should die by the hands of one you tried to replace. By the dagger of one you love."

Tamen looked at Mariana and she could see the concern in his eyes for her. She closed her eyes and swallowed before opening them again. Tamen was dodging Roman's short stabs, dancing with a warrior's grace around Roman's heavy lunges. Roman soon grew weary of Tamen's nimbleness. He shoved his arm past Tamen's torso and Tamen pulled Roman by, using the momentum Roman had to bring him to the ground. While Roman was regaining his bearings, Tamen stomped on Roman's hand releasing its grip on the dagger.

"A match with Power, Roman. No weapons, only wisdom." Tamen challenged.

"To the death? Prepare to meet your end." Roman accepted.

Mariana trembled in her chains. Roman was much stronger than Tamen with magick. She watched in horror as Roman began to chant the words to a transformation spell. A thin veneer of gold found an outline around his body, causing him to glow with power. Soon his form was that of a snake, and he curled his tail around Tamen's boots.

"Tamen..." Mariana began but was startled by a violent hiss from Roman.

"He cannot possibly win, Mariana. There is no hope for you."

Mariana watched as Roman concentrated on constricting Tamen. She saw her dagger lying in the corner and she summoned the powers of Manon. "The magnetic powers be mine, Manon." she chanted in a whisper. Tamen's choking became audible and Mariana knew she had to hurry. She could feel her dagger slide across the stone floor, bringing itself towards her quickly now. The handle pivoted and the tip of the blade inserted itself into the lock of the shackles. Her mind was beginning to tire and as the lock sprung open, she caught the blade as it began to fall. She quickly unlocked the second lock and was starting on her ankle locks when she heard Tamen fall to the floor. Her locks were undone in seconds and she found her lover's side.

"Tamen, get up."

"He is dead, Mariana. You cannot save him." Roman said from behind her.

She turned to face him and found him in his human form. He was breathing quickly, out of breath from his efforts. Tears stung her eyes and she shoved her arm out only to have her dagger pushed to the side. Roman shook the blade from her weakened grasp and pulled her towards him. She struggled and he finally pushed her onto Tamen.

"Tell me the words Mariana and be spared. Your coven is dead." Roman said.

She shook her head in denial, knowing that it was true. N'dea was a warrior and Luc a powerful shaman, but neither was a match for Roman's hoard. She had no other escape, but she would never give him the incantation.

"No, Roman. You should kill me now for I will die before you hear me betray my ancestors."

"Very well, little one," he said. Bending down to pick up her dagger, he looked past her, out the window to the courtyard. His face changed and grew pale with fear. Mariana glanced out the window to find a black cloud descending onto the courtyard. It shattered into a thousand pieces like glass, each piece taking on a human form. Mariana stood up and walked to the window.

"The covens have united..." Roman said.

Mariana ran past him and went out the stone door and down the stone staircase, Roman quick on her heels. He caught her before she entered the courtyard, keeping her close to him as he continued into the courtyard.

"Give us the girl and the stone, by order of Manon," an older witch commanded. Her voice boomed, resonating with Power.

"Greetings," Roman bowed his head in acknowledgment. "I am afraid that is not possible."

Mariana began to chant quietly. As Roman was distracted with confrontation, she could feel the power of the crystal pulsing against her back. She could hear the voices of her ancestors calling to her from inside the stone. She was speaking in a language she had never heard before, in a voice not her own. Roman released his grasp on her and turned her around to face him. Her eyes had rolled back into her head and were fluttering as she chanted. The crystal broke away from its chain and found Mariana's grasp. The surrounding witches began to recite Mariana's words in a low monotone. Then Mariana recited the words her mother had taught her and released the spirits that had been confined in the smoky quartz for centuries.

The crystal blazed with silver brilliance then flashed, releasing a stream of light that entered Mariana with such force it sent her to the ground. She recovered her senses and felt a strange fire burning inside of her, the fires of a thousand souls. Their power hummed inside of her and she stood.

"Mariana?" Roman asked, backing away from her glowing body.

"Manon is very angry, Roman." Her voice was that of a thousand.

Roman retreated slowly into the fortress watching in horror as Mariana levitated off the ground and moved closer to him. He released a scream of fear as she descended upon him, sucking away his Power and leaving a pile of scales. She fell gently back to the ground and turned to face the covens. They were linked together in a circle, their backs to the center, eyes closed singing their praises to Manon.

"Manon?"

Mariana turned to the voice behind her and found Tamen there. N'dea and Luc had joined him to gaze upon their southern corner, who now glowed with Power. She reached out her hand and found his face.

"I must leave the coven, my love. I have been chosen to be with Manon." Mariana was crying and Tamen had tears on his cheeks.

"He told me with his breath of life that you were to join him. It was the prophecy." Tamen stated.

"But how did you know?" Mariana asked.

"Your mother came to me in a dream and foretold the rebirth of Manon. She was a prophet wearing the crystal and told me to protect the one who wore it. It was you who would be reborn as The Power. You are Manon."

She was crying harder now, not knowing what to do or how to live with her new form. Then, in an instant, her fears were calmed. Her face became placid and dry and the knowledge became hers. She watched as the sun sank behind the horizon and the witches began their celebration of the solstice, sending their praise to Manon in her new goddess form.

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