When Fiona and Madison returned to the residence in high heels, reeking of alcohol, they were met with a bizarre scene: shattered glass, overturned furniture, minotaurs, chainsaws, black blood, ritual formations, and more.
"Am I seeing things? Or have I come to the wrong place?" Madison rubbed her eyes, unable to believe what lay before her.
"Looks like we're back at our place, all right." Fiona's gaze swept over familiar faces like Cordelia before she rubbed her temples, sobering up rapidly. "Who can tell me what on earth happened while I was gone?"
Fiona turned to Ruboo.
Clearly, she remembered his knack for stirring up trouble.
Ruboo shrugged helplessly, insisting it truly wasn't his fault.
"Look no further. This is the trouble you've caused," Cordelia stepped forward, addressing her mother.
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
Cordelia pointed at the minotaur. "The work of the Voodoo cult. You sought her out, deliberately provoking trouble. This is her revenge!"
Fiona narrowed her eyes and beckoned with a flick of her wrist.
Snap!
The minotaur's neck twisted like a twisted rope, then snapped with a wrenching tear—flesh, windpipe, and bone shattering apart.
Black blood gushed forth like a fountain as the minotaur's head flew towards Fiona's palm.
Witnessing this, Quini silently set down the snack in her hand.
After catching the minotaur's head, Fiona, without a thought for the filth upon it, examined it meticulously without flinching. She sneered coldly, "This is indeed the work of that wretch. She dared send this thing to attack the witches' academy! It is a provocation! A trampling of the peace treaty!"
"If we're talking about provocation, you were the one who started the fire at her place, weren't you?" Cordelia remarked, her mood sour. The academy hadn't suffered such an attack in decades.
"You know full well. What were you doing there?"
"That's my private affair. You needn't concern yourself."
Fiona sneered coldly. "Needn't concern me? Let me guess—you went seeking those voodoo practitioners to cast a fertility spell upon you. Marie's conception rites, heh... Do you truly believe the voodoo folk wield greater magic?"
Cordelia retorted sharply, "Perhaps I could verify it through personal experience. But thanks to you, she refused my request."
"So everything is my fault?"
"Of course!"
"I went to show my enemies I'm still a force to be reckoned with! Your actions, however, bring shame upon the Salem witches!"
"Showdown? Then what about the illustrious Mrs Delphina LaLaurie?" Cordelia pointed at Delphina.
Prior to this, she had already learned Delphi's true identity from Queenie.
Fiona fell silent.
She glanced at the young witches surrounding her, took a deep breath, and addressed Cordelia: "A mother-daughter quarrel is best settled in private. Spalding, tidy this place up."
With that, still clutching the bull's head, she beckoned Delphi and led her towards Cordelia's office.
Thus concluded, for the time being, a domestic drama between mother and daughter.
Ruboo watched their retreating figures, a hint of lingering interest in his eyes.
Unlike the young witches, who grasped only fragments of the truth, he understood the entire affair from beginning to end.
Put simply, upon discovering Delphi's immortality, Fiona, consumed by envy, sought out the Voodoo Queen Marie, hoping to attain eternal life like Delphi.
Alas, their conversation took a sour turn, sparking a bitter conflict between them.
Learning that Delphi, whom she had deliberately buried underground, had been unearthed, coupled with Fiona's provocation, had prompted Marie to orchestrate today's events.
It served both to warn the witches and to retrieve Delphi.
Alas, the minotaur met his end.
Even her soul was swallowed whole by the Book of Containment.
Aware that trouble loomed between the two major witch factions, Ruboo turned to the young witches and inquired:
"So, shall we proceed with tomorrow's camping trip?"
"Of course it does! Everything's sorted now, isn't it!" Madison, having sobered up considerably, declared with an air of self-evident certainty.
Ruboo turned to Queenie.
The latter, her dark, plump hand hovering over the snacks before withdrawing, nodded solemnly upon hearing the question: "I require a change of scenery to stimulate my appetite. Ruboo, remember to reserve ample space in the boot for my snacks."
As for Zoe, well.
Her expression screamed "if you're going, I'm going" – far too predictable.
Indeed, no flood or beast could deter the young Americans from their desire to roam.
Ruboo nodded in acquiescence: "Then, the plan stands!"
...
After midnight.
Everyone, including Fiona and her daughter, had been up for ages and were utterly knackered. They all drifted off to sleep.
Ruboo was about to rest himself when a text message interrupted his thoughts.
Soon, a soft knock sounded at the door.
Ruboo opened the door to find Madison, clad in a revealing halter-neck nightdress, slipping swiftly inside.
"Didn't Zoe catch you?" Ruboo asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Madison beamed. "Don't worry, I used my newly acquired ability to send her off to sleep peacefully. She didn't notice a thing."
"Newly acquired ability?"
"Yes! Fiona taught me. Fancy trying it out?"
Madison flashed a sly, fox-like grin. Without waiting for Ruboo's response, she pulled up the hem of her already short skirt and commanded in a commanding tone:
"Help me."
What?
Before Ruboo could process it, his expression suddenly flickered. His body instinctively lowered, his head jutting forward—
just as he was about to touch his destination, his entire body jolted.
Snapping out of his trance and regaining his senses, Ruboo scrambled to his feet and shot Madison a disapproving glare. "That wasn't a very funny joke."
Madison blinked with a smile. "It's not as if this hasn't happened before."
But that's not the same thing!
One was voluntary, the other forced.
The meaning was entirely different, alright.
Ruboo sternly warned that such actions must not be repeated.
After Madison gave repeated assurances, he let the matter drop: "That just now was your newly awakened ability."
Ruboo knew exactly what it was.
Mind control—one of the Seven Array Arts abilities—capable of temporarily manipulating a person's thoughts.
Of course, with Fiona's formidable magical prowess and certain methods, permanently altering a person's perception was also achievable.
This was undoubtedly a formidable ability.
Combined with mind control, flame manipulation, transmutation, astral projection, divination, and resurrection, it formed the most crucial of the Seven Arrays for Salem witches.
The standard for becoming a Supreme Witch was precisely passing the Seven Arrays assessment and mastering all seven abilities.
Madison had now mastered three of them.
Considering that she possesses all six abilities except divination and prophecy,
No wonder Fiona had identified her as the next Supreme Witch.
Her aptitude is truly exceptional.
Well, my own judgement has served me well.
Such silky-soft wool—she could stroke it for ages.