It was a typical night at the bar, the clinking of glasses and the hum of conversation filling the air. I stood behind the counter, expertly mixing drinks and casting subtle spells with each pour.
As the owner of the Castro’s most popular haunt, I was used to the eccentric clientele that frequented my establishment. But tonight, I sensed a darkness lurking in the corners of the room.
I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but there was a feeling of unease that settled over the bar like a thick fog. I tried to shake it off, but the feeling only intensified as the night went on.
One of my regulars, a flamboyant drag queen named Lola, sidled up to the bar and ordered her usual. As I mixed her drink, I noticed her eyes darting around the room nervously.
“Is something wrong, Lola?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“I don’t know, João. There’s just a strange energy in the air tonight. It’s making my skin crawl.”
I nodded, feeling the same sense of unease. I handed Lola her drink, casting a calming spell with each sip.
As the night wore on, more and more patrons began to feel the effects of the eerie atmosphere. Some left early, citing sudden headaches or dizziness. Others simply sat at their tables, staring blankly into space.
I tried to keep the mood light, cracking jokes and pouring drinks, but the tension in the room only seemed to grow.
Suddenly, the door to the bar swung open and a group of hooded figures entered. They were dressed in black robes and carried sinister-looking staffs.
I immediately recognized them as members of a notorious coven of dark witches. They had been rumored to practice black magic and sacrifice animals in their rituals.
I froze, unsure of what to do. The hooded figures made their way to the center of the room, chanting in a strange language. The other patrons looked on in fear, huddling together in the corners of the bar.
I knew I had to act fast. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a powerful protective shield around the bar, keeping the dark witches at bay.
But they were not deterred. They continued their chanting, drawing power from the fear and negativity in the room.
I knew I had to use my own magic to counter their spell, but I was running low on energy. I needed to find a source of power quickly.
I scanned the room, looking for something to use. My eyes landed on a small statue of the goddess Hecate, the patroness of witches, on a shelf behind the bar.
I grabbed the statue and held it aloft, channeling all of my remaining energy into it. A bright light filled the room, blinding the dark witches and causing them to stumble backwards.
I used the moment of confusion to gather all of the patrons and usher them out of the bar, locking the doors behind us.
The dark witches were still outside, banging on the doors and trying to break through the protective shield. But I knew that the goddess Hecate would protect us.
We huddled outside, waiting for the sun to rise and banish the darkness. I vowed to never let such evil enter my bar again.
The patrons were shaken, but grateful for my quick thinking and magic. And as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
The dark witches were gone, and the bar was safe once again. But I knew that another night may come when they would be back—and on that day, I might not have the strength to hold them off.