recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Chapter 13: Prey

#### Then

In a flashback, Welsh and his wife, Salla argue, their newborn child crying incessantly. Salla blames Welsh for her unhappiness, he then reveals that he knows she's cheating on him with a 'twenty-five-year-old kid'. In retaliation, Salla says that she sees the way Welsh looks at Marsh and asks him if he has 'taken her yet'. Welsh then explodes and begins yelling and it is soon revealed that they lost a child. Just as their argument begins to get more heated, Marsh then calls him and tells him of the incident with Callum and the other Lycan.

#### Now

Welsh manages to escape from the rope tying him up on the ceiling and begins looking for the others. After reaching out and trying to find any sources of water, he stumbles upon the mangled body of Marsh, who warns him of a nearby chupacabra.

### Ash

Ash and Reg hide out in a classroom. Ash has gotten agitated already, prompting him to try to talk to Reg. This backfires, however, and Reg tells him how he blames Ash for his part in getting them into this situation. Before the conversation can turn into a full-blown argument, a scream is heard in the halls. The two follow the sound and find Marsh's body. Before they can figure out what did it, the answer appears before them, Ursula, alongside Viktor, who asks them their names.

## Trivia

* First (and last) appearance of Salla Welsh
* First mention of Damon Welsh
* First mention of Ashton Welsh
* Last appearance of Kaye Marsh
* First appearance of Ursula
* This chapter features the first scene to be set in Atlantis.
Characters

Redirect to:

* Category:Characters

## The Academy

* Mary Cassel
* Ashton Moore
* Callum Denham
* Reginald Denham
* Florence Gale
* Damian Prescott
* Justin
* Cara
* Lee
* Tanner Webster
* Joshua Hamilton
* Ashley West
* King Merliniad II

## Atlantis

* King Astridian II
* Mathias
* Drake Pierce
* Kyle Welsh
* Kaye Marsh
* Salla Welsh
* Damon Welsh
* Ashton Welsh

## Witch-Hunters

* Jax Turner
* Colleen
* Brick
* Marcus Turner
* Argo

## Witches of Old Salem

* Cassandra
* Beatrice
* Melanie
* Grace

## Monsters

* Viktor
* Nilo
* Ursula

## Humans

* Zeke
* Fred
* Charles Dickens
* Richard Thorne
* Thomas Thorne
Hamilton's Academy for Witches and Wizards

### Inhabitants

Mary Cassel, Ashton Moore, Reginald Denham, Callum Denham, Florence Gale, Joshua Hamilton, Ashley West, Tanner Webster, Damian, Cara, Justin, King Merliniad II, Lee,

**Hamilton's Academy for Witches and Wizards** is a magical school that opened in 1997. Its current headmaster is Joshua Hamilton, who has run the academy since the beginning.

## Structure

The academy consists of a large square-shaped field with three buildings. The first is the main building, which leads from a path from the front entrance. It is a large mansion with a porch surrounding the exterior. Inside are multiple classrooms in which lessons are taught.

In the north-east corner of the Academy is the residential building, which is a small building that houses all the students.

South-west of the main building is the canteen, a long wooden building where the students eat.

It is noted by Ashley West that each of the buildings in the Academy is made larger on the inside to accommodate for the sheer number of students.

## Trivia

* The Academy was founded in 1997, the same year that the first Harry Potter book was released.
* After dying to a vampire, King Merliniad II was stationed at the academy as gatekeeper due to having an unfinished goal in life.
* The origins of the academy and the hiring of both Ashley West and Merliniad II will be explored in the A Place of Teaching short story.
Thomas Thorne

Grace Thorne *(Sister)*

## Introduction

Thomas Thorne was the only son of Cassandra Thorne. He was a human inhabitant of Salem until his death in 1693.

## Pre-ASFS

Thomas was born around 1680 to Cassandra and Richard Thorne; a few years later, his sister, Grace was born. Not much is known about his life prior to his appearance in the novel.

## ASFS

When Cassandra was arrested, so too were her family. The Sheriff then gave her the choice to confess that she was a witch, or her family would die with her. She gave in and confessed, but Thomas, Richard, and Grace were executed anyway.
Tanner Webster

*"You’ve never been to a modern school, have you? You don’t know what it’s like. No-one can keep a secret for long."*
― Tanner to Mary[src]Tanner Webster is a student at the academy. He is a secondary character who assists Mary in escaping. He is a teleportation mage. At some point, Tanner began attending the academy and started teleporting people out in exchange for money or favours.

## ASFS

When Mary wants to leave the academy to find Fred's grave, Reg tells her of Tanner and his ability to teleport people out of the Academy's walls, citing this as the way he gets out. Mary then attempts to enlist Tanner's help, but he initially refuses, stating that he might help her if she does him a "favour." This tips Mary over the edge and, in a fit of anger, she fills his lungs with water accidentally. Tanner, terrified by the ordeal, agrees and takes her to Earl's Court.

## Abilities

### Teleportation Mage

Tanner is a teleportation mage and has the ability to teleport to the places he wishes. If he is touching somebody while doing so, the other person will be teleported alongside him. This is limited by distance, however, as it is more difficult to teleport the farther the destination.

## Relationships

### Reg

Reg has been teleported outside the academy by Tanner multiple times. Though this has been at the cost of multiple favours, the two have been working together for a while and Reg does not seem to mind owing him.

### Mary

After Mary almost drowns Tanner, he immediately complies with her demands and takes her to Earl's Court. He expresses fear towards her and does not hit on her after this.

## Appearances

* Chapter 6: Escape
* Chapter 7: Water

## Trivia

* Tanner has a condition in which water makes him feel ill. As such, he avoids water at all costs and even refuses to clean.
* It is implied that Tanner sometimes exchanges sexual favours for his services.
* Tanner is the only character mentioned to have smoked marijuana.
Chapter 17: Miles to Go

Florence

## Sections

### Callum

Callum, still worried about the Salem Four, is distracted in class. When the lesson finishes, the teacher, Mr Kaspbrak, keeps him behind. As Kaspbrak fills his water bottle for him, he tells Callum that he understands his distraction, but given his Lycanthropy, he can't afford to waste the opportunities he has already been given. He leaves, stopping to consider Florence's last words as he was in the coma. Lee then appears next to him, telling him that she can sense the emotional pain he is in too. When Callum asks her why she is so nice to him despite him being a Lycan, she jokes that she heard no such rumours. The two then sit down and are soon interrupted by Damian, who demands to know what happened to the others. He even goes as far as to apologise to Callum about his bullying of him, but before Callum can consider telling him, Hamilton comes and gives a speech to the whole Academy, telling them about the Salem Four.
Beatrice

*"We must do something, Melanie. Richard and the children are innocent, why do they join her in shackles?"*
― Beatrice to Melanie[src]

## Introduction

Beatrice is a Witch of Old Salem and serves as a secondary antagonist throughout A Sacrifice for Salem. She is a Water Mage.

## Pre-ASFS

Beatrice was a part of Cassandra's coven at the time of the Salem Witch Trials. When Cassandra and Melanie were executed, she fled Salem.

Hundreds of years later, Cassandra's spirit was able to talk to Beatrice and convince her to help her resurrect the other Witches of Old Salem. Fueled by revenge, she agreed.

## ASFS

Beatrice is first seen scolding Cassandra in a flashback viewed by Mary and The Wand of Water. She accuses her of being "cruel" when she breaks the legs of the sacrificial lamb.

Unknown to Mary at the time, Beatrice is the one who sent the wave to the Rainbow Bridge and was hunting her under the water. When the Salem Four eventually reach their destination, Beatrice is there to help Cassandra and fights against the group as the Witches of Old Salem begin to return. She is then injured by Mary and forced to retreat.

## Relationships

### Cassandra

It is implied that Cassandra and Beatrice's relationship was a strained one before the Trials. This did not, however, prevent Beatrice from staying loyal to her 'sister' and—upon Cassandra's imminent return—she began to once more serve her.

## Appearances

* Chapter 8: Past and Present
* Chapter 21: The Rise of Water
* Chapter 22: Endure

## Trivia

* Beatrice is the first Witch of Old Salem to be seen alive
	+ It is unknown how Beatrice evaded capture.
	+ Furthermore, it is unknown how she is still alive and did not die for over three-hundred and fifty years.
* She is also the first Witch of Old Salem to speak, albeit in a flashback.
* Originally, Beatrice was going to aid the Salem Four and was actually on their side.
	+ This was changed when the mystery of the person at the Rainbow Bridge was introduced.
St. Katharinen (Windheim)

Die **Kirche St. Katharinen** ist ein evangelisch-lutherisches Kirchengebäude in Windheim, einem Ortsteil der Stadt Petershagen im Landkreis Minden-Lübbecke in Nordrhein-Westfalen.

## Kirche

Die Windheimer Kirche wurde im frühen 13. Jahrhundert als zweijochige Saalkirche mit Westturm und eingezogenem Ostchor erbaut. 1769 wurde die Kirche im spätbarocken Stil erweitert, 1858 bekam der Turm seinen heutigen Helm.

## Glocken

Der hohe Turm birgt mit fünf Glocken das umfangreichste Geläut der Region. Eine erste Glocke soll es wohl schon 1070 gegeben haben. Die heute älteste Glocke ist die kleinste; sie wurde 1708 gegossen und ist die einzige Glocke, die über beide Weltkriege in der Kirche verblieb. Ihre beiden Schwestern von 1781 (1. Weltkrieg) und 1827 (2. Weltkrieg) wurden eingeschmolzen. Die drittgrößte Glocke ist ein Werk der Zwischenkriegszeit. 1957 wurden die beiden Glocken durch drei Glocken aus Sinn zu einem Quintett vervollständigt. Alle Glocken läuten an Holzjochen in einem Holzstuhl.
Witch-Hunters

Witch-Hunters are a group of people that have existed for hundreds of years with the purpose of hunting and killing as many witches as possible.

## Pre-ASFS

Witch-Hunters were formed sometime before the infamous Salem Witch Trials with the objective of hunting down witches and killing them. Even when the witch population was at an all-time low, they kept their hunt going until in 1809, a Witch-Hunter names Theobald Silver infiltrated the witch capital of Atlantis with the intention of murdering King Merliniad I. This assassination attempt failed and resulted in the death of the king's wife, thus triggering The War For Witches.

The War for Witches was an over two-hundred-year conflict between witches and Witch-Hunters which was only resolved in 2010, though the peace was only really beneficial to witches.

## ASFS

Witch-Hunters make their appearance in the novel as an organised cell in New York State lead by Jax Turner, corrupted and under the influence of Cassandra Thorne. They track and capture The Salem Four. Argo, Jax's second-in-command, tortures Ashton Moore as a retaliation to his defiance of Cassandra. Jax's son, Marcus, remains unaffected by Cassandra's influence for a while and helps the Salem Four escape. Mary Cassel frees Ash and, upon seeing what happened to him, kills Argo.

Marcus soon succumbs to Cassandra's corruption and deserts his group, meeting up with Beatrice. Together, they go to Salem Common and Marcus, aiming at Mary, end up shooting Florence Gale. Immediately, Reginald Denham forces Marcus to shoot himself, killing him instantly.
WITCHNET

**WITCHNET** is a secure, secret part of the internet used to store information that cannot be uploaded onto the regular internet.

## Pre-ASFS

At some point following the introduction of the internet to the public in the 90s, WITCHNET was established. At this point, it is unknown who created it and when.

## ASFS

Trying to find the location of her foster-father, Mary was helped by Ash, who accessed WITCHNET and discovered the message sent to Mary by Mathias.

Later, WITCHNET is used once again by Ash to research The Wand of Water, where he discovers that it was stolen in 1867, the same year Mary was frozen.
Darla

Melanie *(Friend)*

## Introduction

Darla was a Witch of Old Salem and a member of Cassandra's coven prior to its breakdown in 1693.

## The Purging of Magic

At some point prior to the short story, Darla was arrested under suspicion of witchcraft. Cassandra and her family then attend her trial, in which she is found guilty and hanged.

## Relationships

### Cassandra

In the first chapter of the short story, Cassandra notes that she trusts Darla to keep the existence of her coven a secret, hinting that there is a certain level of trust between them.
Jax Turner

*"We are Witch-Hunters. And we have to tie up loose ends, Dr Travers."*
― Jax to Zeke before letting Argo kill him[src]**Jax Turner** is a Witch-Hunter and serves as a minor antagonist in Part Four: The Sacrifice.

## Pre-ASFS

Jax presumably fought in the War for Witches, acquiring a large scar on the right side of his head that he now shaves off so that everyone can see. The injury also made him lose the use of his right eye, which is now a milky white.

Jax will also appear in the planned short story in which the War for Witches finally ends.

## ASFS

Corrupted by Cassandra's influence, Jax and his cell of Witch-Hunters track down and capture The Salem Four, killing Zeke along the way. Hiding away in a forest, they string them up to a tree for the night. Jax orders Argo to torture Ash as "punishment for angering her", referring to Cassandra. Unbeknownst to Jax, his son, Marcus, manages to break the other members of the Salem four free. They then help Ash escape and Mary Cassel, in a fit of anger, murders Argo. The Salem Four escape from the Witch-Hunters and Jax is not seen again.

## Trivia

* Originally, Jax's appearance was based off of that of Arthur Argent from the TV Show "Teen Wolf"
	+ This was changed in a rewrite.
Purgatory State

When a witch or wizard reaches a point in which they are extremely close to death, they may enter what can only be described as a 'purgatory-like state'. This enables the witch to form a connection with another person or even see through said person's eyes. The two people are then able to communicate with each other for as long as there is no disturbance in the connection (such as—but not limited to—death).

## Instances of the purgatory state occurring

* Chapter 19: The Salem Four
	+ Ashton Moore enters the purgatory state following the infection received by the bite from Ursula. He slips into unconsciousness and then communicates with both Reg and Cassandra. He leaves the state when his arm is properly treated by Zeke
* Chapter 22: Endure
	+ Following the incident at the Rainbow Bridge, in which Mary Cassel held back the wave sent by Beatrice, she enters the purgatory state. Due to The Salem Four's closer proximity to Salem, she forms a connection with Cassandra, who uses the opportunity to show Mary the death of her and her family during the Salem Witch Trials.

## Trivia

* What causes the purgatory state is largely unknown.
	+ Some of it may be a result of Cassandra's growing influence the closer the Salem Four come to her.
King William

**King William** was the fifth king of Atlantis and the predecessor to the current king, Astridian II. He reigned from 1939 until 1985, when after the hoarding of food brought upon a rebellion, he was overthrown.

## Pre-ASFS

In 1939, William ascended to the throne following the assassination of his predecessor, Merliniad III. During his time as king, William was credited with informing President Truman of the existence of witches, a tradition which was then passed on until 2017.

In 1984, The Atlantis Rebellion broke out due to food shortages in Atlantis, led by Astridian II. A year later, William was successfully overthrown and presumably killed. Astridian then took over as king of Atlantis.

## Trivia

* The Atlantis Rebellion and the events surrounding William's overthrowing will be explored in the future.
The War for Witches (Short Story)

## Introduction

The War for Witches is a planned short story set in 1809. It follows a Witch-Hunter called Theobald Silver and his failed assassination attempt on the king that sets off the War for Witches.

There are four chapters planned that will contain approximately 2,500 words each.

## Characters

* King Merliniad I
* Theobald SIlver
* More (to be added)

## Trivia

* This is the only one of the short stories told from a human's perspective.
Prologue

## Synopsis

In 1867, Mary is introduced to Charles Dickens and Mathias by her foster-father, Fred. They tell her that she is a witch and that she is to be sent to the future in order to "play her part" in the events to come. They lead Mary to the chamber, in which she is frozen.

## Memorable Quotes

* > "The night that would forever change Mary’s life begins when the carriage stops at Doughty Street."
>
>

* > “You’re…you’re Charles Dickens, aren’t you?” - Mary
>
>

* > “It’s difficult to say this, but they were right. Humans were right the first time about the existence of witches, for they still live today.” - Fred
>
>

* > “Your parents made me promise not to tell you, but the time has come for you to know the truth.” - Fred
>
>

* > Where, or rather, *when* I come from, you were there with me, fighting alongside me. I can’t tell you what you were fighting or why because you told me that I didn’t tell you.” - Mathias
>
>
* > “Please, Mary. Make your parents proud. Make *me* proud. Be strong.” - Fred
>
>
* > "She never remembers blacking out, only the rigid cold interior of the chamber."
>
>

## Trivia

* First appearance of Mary
* First appearance of Fred
* First appearance of Mathias
* First (and last) appearance of Charles Dickens
The Chamber

## Introduction

The chamber refers to the metal box that was built by Charles Dickens, Frederick Cassel, and Mathias with the intention of sending Mary to the present.

## Pre-ASFS

Sometime before the Prologue, Mathias travelled to the past and came to Dickens and Fred. Together, they began and completed the construction of the chamber.

## ASFS

In 1867, the chamber is used to send Mary to the present day. Mathias sends a letter to Hamilton, telling him about Mary and setting the plot of the novel in motion. In the first chapter, Ash and Reg then open the chamber and bring Mary back to consciousness.

## Trivia

* As Callum figures out, cryonics hasn't been figured out even with modern technology.
	+ This implies that Mathias must have brought the plans for the chamber from the future to be used by Fred and Dickens.
* The construction of the chamber is going to be expanded on in the future.
Salem Common

## Introduction

Salem Common is a large, eight-acre park in downtown Salem. It is the sight of the Battle for Salem the climax of A Sacrifice for Salem.

## ASFS

Joshua Hamilton brings Mary to the Common with the intention of using her as a 'sacrifice' to bring back Cassandra and the Witches of Old Salem from the dead. This proves partially successful when Mary is saved, but Florence Gale is instead killed, triggering the resurrection. This is, however, prevented by The Salem Four, resulting in the prevention of the Witches of Old Salem from coming back, save from Cassandra herself, who flees from the scene.

## Trivia

* The battle at Salem Common is foreshadowed in Chapter 4: The Rumour in Ash's dream, in which he sees Mary at the Common with her throat slit.
Drake Pierce

*"We found our people at that school, or what’s left of them, at least. What happened there?"*
― Pierce to Ash[src]**Drake Pierce** is a Sentinel who encounters Ashton Moore and Florence Gale after the incident at the Rainbow Bridge. He is an earth mage and a minor antagonist that appears multiple times.

## Pre-ASFS

Not much is known about Pierce's life prior to his appearance in Chapter 22, other than the fact that at some point, he became a Sentinel. He is human-born, but due to his parents' deaths at an early age, he was brought up in Atlantis.

## ASFS

Pierce was sent to the Rainbow Bridge following the dire wolf attack on the Rainbow Bridge. He is able to track down and find Ash and Florence as they hide in an alley. He manages to get close enough to them so that he can encase them in dirt, almost suffocating the two. But before Pierce can "treat [them] as hostile", he is knocked unconscious by Reg.

## Trivia

* Pierce will appear again in the future.
* Pierce's part-Atlantean upbringing resulted in his accent being a mix between American and Atlantean.
Who was The Lycan?

## Introduction

This is a mystery surrounding the Lycan that attacked the group on their way back to the Academy. This resulted in the fight between the Lycan and Callum.

## Set-up

While on their way back to the Academy, Ashley West, Ashton Moore, Reginald Denham, Callum Denham, Florence Gale, and Mary Cassel were stopped by a Lycan, causing them to crash. In defence, Callum transformed into his wolf form and fought the Lycan while the others escaped. The Lycan ran off and Callum then retreated.

## Answer

The Lycan later turned out to be Joshua Hamilton, who was trying to capture Mary and bring her to Salem to be sacrificed and begin the resurrection of the Witches of Old Salem.
Chapter 11: Rubicon

## Sections

### Florence

Florence is saying goodbye to the unconscious Callum when Reg enters. It is here that it is revealed that Florence is not a momentum but a much rarer time mage. He then tells her that she should tell Callum how she feels when they get back. This makes Florence freak out and run away, freezing time as she does so.

### Mary

Waiting at the airport, Ash explains what a plane is to Mary. Ash advises her not to ask about "that kind of stuff" in public, saying that people may think she is crazy, to which Mary says that she might be. Mary then asks Ash if he should tell his parents where they are going, but Ash tells her that his parents don't care and explains his family's sudden prejudice towards him. Mary advises him not to give up hope, stating that she didn't get a second chance with her's. When they get on the plane, Ash tells her that he sent them a text.

### Sentinel Welsh

Welsh almost spills vodka on the man next to him as he wakes up. When the hostess comes, he orders two more bottles of vodka and offers one to the man, but he refuses. He introduces himself as Viktor and almost immediately, Welsh dismisses him as not having "a magical drop in his blood". But Viktor then asks if Welsh is a Sentinel, which surprises him. Viktor tells him that he knows about the others, saying that their smell is "pungent". Welsh then realises that the man is a vampire, but before he can do anything, he looks for Marsh and the others, only to notice them gone. He then sees a younger man before blacking out.

## Trivia

* It is revealed in this chapter that Florence is not a momentum, but a time mage
* It is also revealed that Ash has a fear of flying.
	+ This is partially due to the lack of oxygen at high altitudes.
* This is the first chapter in which a minor character has a POV section.
* First appearance of Viktor
* First appearance of Nilo
Salem Witch Trials

*"The destruction of Salem is the only reason that witches aren’t the dominant species on the planet. We were at a low population before, but after…we were driven to near extinction, and for good reason. Back then, we were a merciless people, those we didn’t like were ‘sacrificed’. We lived as the secret dictators of the human world. If they’re coming back, it means they’re after revenge. They won’t hold back."*
― Hamilton talking about the Trials[src]
## Introduction

The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. The Trials marks a point in time in which the rate of witch-killings was at its highest, resulting in the near-extinction of the species.

## Major Events

* 1692 - The Trials begin
	+ Members of Cassandra's coven are caught and executed.
* 1693 - Cassandra is caught, trialled, and executed alongside her family
	+ Melanie is then caught and executed.
	+ The Trials end.

## Trivia

* The only known survivor of the Trials is Beatrice.
* Contrary to popular belief, convicted witches were not burned at the stake, but were more commonly hanged.
Andee

**Andee** (born 1972) was an American Disc Jockey and Radio Personality from New York City, New York during the early 2000's. She originally began working as the co-host of Lips 106, a top 40 radio station operating in New York in 1998. She worked alongside Cliff Lane who was main host, but she would eventually become host after Lane was fired for his pedophilic remarks about teenage girls and Andee took full control of the show. By 2001, she was also announcing local news and events. By 2013, she had been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Francis Richardo, Doctor

## Biography

Doctor Francis Richardo is a man in his early 50s who has made a reputation for himself as an employee at Trager Robotics. He was a member of the team responsible for the latest generation of Trager War Droids and was the head engineer on the latest series Security droid.

## Appearances

* Dr Richardo was briefly mentioned in A City of Heroes Issue #1 when Xavier Young was scheduled to meet with him regarding Trager purchasing a drone controller design from DwarfStar.
Who is The Sacrifice for Salem?

## Introduction

The idea of the "Sacrifice for Salem" is the central focus of the novel.

## Set-up

The Sacrifice for Salem is first mentioned by The Wand of Water, in which it tells Mary that there must be "one more death" for them to succeed in their plan to stop Cassandra from coming back from the dead. The Wand, however, cannot tell Mary who this sacrifice is, as this could change the outcome.

## Answer

The Sacrifice is, at first, implied to be Mary herself. She is taken captive by Joshua Hamilton, who tries to cut her throat at Salem Common. However, she is saved by the remaining members of The Salem Four, who stop Hamilton and defeat him.

Just as it looks like the sacrifice has been averted, Marcus and Beatrice arrive. Marcus holds a gun to Mary, as Beatrice begins a spell to bring the Witches of Old Salem back. Just as Marcus is about to shoot, an exhausted Florence throws herself in front of Mary, taking the bullet herself. She then falls to the ground, her blood soaking the ground and being used in the spell. Florence soon dies, making her the "Sacrifice for Salem".

## Trivia

* The original "sacrifice" was supposed to be Callum, but this was later changed when he was given a different role in the story.
48 Doughty Street

## Introduction

48 Doughty Street is the former residence of Charles Dickens and is the main setting for the Prologue.

## Pre-ASFS

At some point before the beginning of the novel, Mathias approached Fred and Dickens and told him his story of having travelled from the future. They then constructed the chamber underneath Dickens' house with the intention of sending Mary to the present day.

## ASFS

In the Prologue, Fred brings Mary to Doughty Street and informs her of her magical blood. It is here that Dickens leads her to the chamber and is convinced to enter it.

Almost two-hundred years later, Ash and Reg are sent to Doughty Street following the letter from Mathias. Once there, they enter the house and free Mary from the chamber.
Planned Short Story Anthology

## Introduction

There is a short story anthology in development that will encompass several hundred years of magical history prior to the events of A Sacrifice for Salem. It will feature five short stories ranging from the days of the Salem Witch Trials to the founding of Hamilton's Academy for Witches and Wizards.

## Stories

1. The Purging of Magic
	* Cassandra must fight to protect the lives of both the sisters in her coven and her family in the middle of the blood-soaked town of Salem.
2. The Birth of Society
	* Driven to near-extinction, Merliniad must find a place for his people before it is too late.
3. The War for Witches
	* When the attempted assassination of the king goes awry, the would-be assassin must escape the sunken city before he is discovered.
4. A Place of Teaching
	* A young man with a dark secret has a dream, but with the threat of discovery a constant threat and a new voice calling to him in his head, will he be able to live long enough for his dream to come true?
5. A Hope for Peace
	* The war has produced losses on both sides, but is peace an option? Witches and Witch-Hunters collide with only one thing on their mind: peace. But at what cost will it come?

## Trivia

* Over the five short stories, the tone of the anthology will start from one of complete despair and get gradually more hopeful.
	+ This is to represent the development of the magical society.
Merlin

*"Why would Merlin create such things if it were to only cause death and pain?"*
― Mary talking about the Nine Wands of The Earth[src]**Merlin** was a Witch from the times before The Salem Witch Trials who was the creator of The Nine Wands of The Earth.

## Pre-ASFS

Not much is known about what Merlin did prior to his appearance in the novel. It can be assumed that most of the legends involving him were mostly true. At some point, he began the creation of The Nine Wands of The Earth.

## ASFS

Merlin's only scene in the novel involves him using The Wand of Creation to create The Wand of Water.

## Trivia

* Merlin will become extremely important in future novels.
* It is not known why Merlin created the Nine Wands of The Earth
A Hope for Peace

## Introduction

A Hope for Peace is a planned short story set in 2010. It will follow both a group of Witches and Witch-Hunters as they try to establish peace following a war that has lasted for centuries.

There will be four chapters planned that will contain approximately 2,500 words each.

## Characters

* Jax Turner
* Argo
* More (*To be added)*
The Salem Four

**The Salem Four** was a group of students of Hamilton's Academy whose main goal was to reach Salem and prevent the resurrection of the Witches of Old Salem.

## Members

### Official

* Mary
* Ash
* Reg
* *Florence*

### Unofficial

* Callum
* Damian

## Formation

Though initially not the only ones going to Salem, the extra two being Sentinels Welsh and Marsh, the Salem Four is the result of being forced to go to Salem with very little time to prepare. The four were forced to go to Salem by the two Sentinels in order to "confirm" that what they were saying was true and, if it was, to stop the Witches of Old Salem, thus forming the Salem Four.

## Disbanding

After reaching Salem and fighting to stop Cassandra from returning, Florence sadly loses her life to Marcus. After this, Reg leaves the academy, deciding that the world of magic is not for him. Though Mary and Ash stay at the academy, the Salem Four is considered all but disbanded.

## Trivia

* Originally, Callum was going to be joining the other members on the trip to Salem, making the group the Salem Five.
	+ This was altered later so that Callum would stay at the Academy for a while longer to show what was happening there.
* There are three members of the Salem Four left alive for now.
Dreams

**Dreams** in A Sacrifice for Salem are a large part of the story. They have a mysterious effect on the characters and appear to foreshadow events to come in the story.

## Instances of Dreams Occurring

* Chapter 4: The Rumour
	+ Ash dreams of Mary sat on Salem Common. She looked up at him and it is revealed that her throat has been slit open.
		- This foreshadows the beginning of the Battle for Salem, in which Mary is prepared to be sacrificed in order for the resurrection of the Witches of Old Salem to begin.

* Chapter 17: Miles to Go
	+ Florence stares up at the sky in a tranquil state. She thinks of Callum and becomes determined to see him again
		- These are the final moments before her death.

## Trivia

* Dreams and the effect they have are different from the purgatory-like state seen in which one can connect and talk to other people when on the brink of death.
* It is unknown what causes these dreams, and how they can somehow show the future.
	+ Presumably, magic is involved.
I (The Purging of Magic)

## Introduction

This is the first chapter of The Purging of Magic and the first chapter of the short story anthology.

## Synopsis

On the morning of the trial for an accused witch, Cassandra wakes her children, Thomas and Grace, and prepares them. Her husband, Richard, has already gone to work. While getting ready, the high sheriff, George Corwin, pays her a visit, entering the house and not-so subtlely begins inspecting it. He tells her that he insists on her and her children attending the trial, his excuse being that they must "see justice being served". She tells him that they were just getting ready for it. This seems to please Corwin, who leaves, but Cassandra has now become aware of Corwin's suspicions, and makes a note to mention it to "the others".

Cassandra and the children then make their way to the courthouse and join Richard. They watch as Darla is forced to recite the Lord's Prayer, which she does perfectly, albeit with a trembling voice. Just as Cassandra is convinced Darla will be freed, the judge deems her recital "a trick of the devil" and deemed guilty. She is taken outside and hanged immediately as Cassandra watches on, feeling Corwin's eyes on her.

## Trivia

* This is the first chronological appearance of Cassandra, Thomas, Grace, Richard, Melanie, and Beatrice.
* First appearance of George Corwin
* First (and last) appearance of Darla
Kaye Marsh

*"We shouldn't have come here"*
― Marsh shortly before her death[src]Kaye Marsh was a member of theSentinels and was responsible for the formation of the Salem Four. She was an electricity mage.

## Pre-ASFS

At some point in the past, Marsh joined the Sentinels and became partners with Sentinel Welsh.

## ASFS

Marsh and Welsh captured what would become the Salem Four with the initial plan of taking them to Atlantis for questioning. However, upon hearing about the possible return of the Witches of Old Salem, they agree to take them to Salem. On the plane to Boston, they are kidnapped by Viktor and Nilo and taken to the abandoned school. This leads to Marsh being torn to pieces by Ursula. She manages to warn Welsh but bleeds to death moments later in his arms.

## Abilities

### Electricity mage

Marsh was an electricity mage and, though she never got the opportunity to display her powers, it is implied by the "crackle in the air" whenever she gets angry. Presumably, she had the ability to produce electricity from her hands.

## Relationships

### Kyle Welsh

To Marsh, it appeared that her relationship with Welsh was strictly professional. However, it is implied that Welsh was in love with Marsh, despite being married. This love was more than likely unrequited. It is also possible that Marsh held some prejudice against Welsh due to him being human-born.

## Appearances

* Chapter 10: No Choice
* Chapter 11: Rubicon
* Chapter 13: Prey

## Trivia

* It is implied that Welsh was in love with Marsh, but it is likely that this was unrequited.
Chapter 1: Home

## Sections

### Ash

The chapter opens with Ash reading a letter from Mathias in Hamilton's office, which tells them about Mary. After a brief discussion, they decide to send Ash and Reg to confirm its legitimacy.

Later, Reg and Ash are lining up outside Charles Dickens' house, waiting to be allowed to enter and join the tour. Once inside, they locate the door mentioned in the letter and break off from the tour. Reg unlocks the door and they go down the stairs, Ash leading the way by lighting a fire in his hand.

Eventually, they find the chamber which holds Mary inside. Reg pulls open the door by using his magic and they find Mary sat down in the same position in which she fell asleep in the prologue. Ash then sets his whole body on fire and Mary begins to thaw.

### Mary

Mary wakes up from her sleep and—after a moment of confusion—tries to run past Reg and Ash, only to be held in place by the former. Ash then calms her down and Reg sets her free. Mary tries to ask what happened while she was asleep, but Reg interrupts her and tells them that they need to get back to the academy.

## Memorable Quotes

* > "If this is a trap, it’s either in there or out here. If it’s out here, then we’ll have found it already" - Ash
>
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* > "When you’re in a public area, you’re nearly always in the presence of a monster or something of the sort" - Reg
>
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* > "For Ash, heat has never burnt him. When he was a toddler, his mother had left some pasta to cook in boiling water. When she found him with the pan on the floor, the water everywhere and the pasta in his mouth, she screamed only to find that there was not a single burn or blister on his skin."
>
>
* > "For over one hundred and fifty years, Mary slept. One hundred and fifty years of cold, dead slumber. Never waking. Never aware of the world growing around her."
>
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* > “Scream and I’ll make you bite your tongue off" - Reg
>
>

## Trivia

* First appearance of Ash
* First appearance of Reg
* First appearance of Hamilton
* The title for this chapter comes from the last line, which is said by Ash.
Atlantis

Atlantis was a city in Greek Mythology that sank beneath the water. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean and is the capital city of the magical community.

## History

* 1765 - The monarchy is developed in Atlantis and the city is now used as the capital for witches
* 1800s - Witches finally return to the surface
* 1807 - Atlantis outlaws dark magic
* 1952 - Atlantis informs President Truman about the existence of witches, starting a tradition.
* 1984 - The Atlantis Rebellion begins as aa result of a lack of food.
* 1985 - The Atlantis Rebellion ends

## Monarchs

There have been six kings of Atlantis so far. These are:

* King Merliniad I
* King Merliniad II
* King Astridian I
* King Merliniad III
* King William
* King Astridian II
Chapter 15: Retaliation

## Sections

### Mary

As the fighting starts, Mary is quickly shown how to use the Wand of Water. She just barely manages to hold onto the Wand as she uses magic for virtually the first time in combat. Viktor pounces on Welsh and tears into his chest. Mary tries her best to learn to control the overwhelming power of the Wand, using it to knock Viktor off the Sentinel. Nilo chases Florence and Reg away as Viktor and Ursula attack Mary, Ash, and Welsh. The chupacabra attacks Ash once more, but Mary forces her off him, leaving it open for Ash to set it on fire, killing Ursula and sending Viktor into a rage. Desperate, Ash sets his whole body on fire and manages to defeat him.

### Florence

Florence and Reg run away from Nilo as fast as possible, but the vampire keeps catching up by teleporting. growing too tired, they stop and prepare to fight. Nilo takes Florence hostage and threatens to kill her if Reg moves. Florence then freezes time, tricking him into believing Reg is complying. He then teleports behind Reg, unknowingly freezing himself. After telling Reg, she becomes weaker and unwillingly loses her concentration, resuming time. Reg then manages to kill Nilo, impaling him on a wooden board.

## Trivia

* Last appearance of Viktor
* Last appearance of Ursula
* Last appearance of Nilo
A Place of Teaching

## Introduction

A Place of Teaching is a planned short story set in 1997. It will follow a younger Joshua Hamilton as he fights to establish his academy despite both the ongoing war and a voice whispering to him in his head.

There are four chapters planned that will contain approximately 2,500 words each.

## Characters

* Joshua Hamilton
* Ashley West
* King Merliniad II
* More (to be added)

## Trivia

* This story will show a much more optimistic and naive Hamilton, prior to his conversion to Cassandra's cause.
* The hiring of both Ashley West and Merliniad II will be shown in this story.
Lee

*"I’m a health mage. Meaning I can sense pain, and I can feel a lot of pain coming off of you."*
― Lee talking to Callum[src]
Lee is a student of Hamilton's academy. She is a health mage and is the one who heals Callum's wounds after the fight with the Lycan.

## Pre-ASFS

Not much is known about Lee's life before the book's setting, other than she was born without her optic nerves and at some point, came to the academy to study magic.

## ASFS

Callum meets Lee shortly after he wakes from his coma. She is the one to inform him about the Salem Four and their mission. When Callum and Damian plan to escape, she initially wishes to go with them to help, but when their plan goes awry, she stays behind to stall Ashley and help them get away. She is not seen again until the end of the novel.

## Abilities

### Healing

Lee is a healing mage, meaning that she can heal physical wounds with her hands. This healing has been described as a "mending" of the flesh.

### Pain Sensing

Though completely blind, Lee can sense the physical and/or mental pain of others, allowing her to almost "see" people.

## Relationships

### Callum

Lee and Callum's relationship grows after their first meeting. She can sense his pain and appears to seek to alleviate some of it. She provides him with counsel and gives him help in his time of need. At some point, the two develop crushes on each other resulting in her kissing him before he escapes to go to Salem. By the time he gets back, however, Florence has been killed and Callum becomes distant.

### Damian

Lee appears to view Damian as Callum's only way to get out of Salem, despite obviously not liking him.

## Appearances

* Chapter 12: Capture
* Chapter 16: Growing Distance
* Chapter 17: Miles to Go
* Chapter 19: The Salem Four
* Chapter 21: The Rise of Water

## Trivia

* The inspiration for Lee comes from the character of Lee Thompkins in the TV show "Gotham"
* Lee was born without her optic nerves, meaning that she is physically incapable of healing her own eyes as you 'can't heal tissue that isn't there'.
	+ This also implies that if one were to lose a limb, a healing mage wouldn't be able to regrow it.
		- It may be possible to fuse the two back together if the severed limb is still present, but this is largely an assumption and has yet to be confirmed possible.
Witches of Old Salem

The **Witches of Old Salem** refers to a group of witches that existed around the time of the Salem Witch Trials. These do not necessarily depict only the witches that died in Salem, but all the witches that were killed by humans at the time when the rate of witch-killings was at its highest.

## Deaths

The deaths of the Witches of Old Salem, though devastating to the witch population, resulted in the formation of the Atlantean empire. Because of the deaths of the Witches of Old Salem, the wizarding community has become much more cautious about the use of magic outside the capital city. This has resulted in the deployment of multitudes of Sentinels throughout the world to respond to magic use.

## Known Members

* Cassandra Thorne
* Grace Thorne
* Beatrice
* Melanie
Sentinel Prime

## Introduction

The Sentinel Prime is the highest-ranking member of the Sentinels, the magical law enforcement of Atlantis.

## Pre-ASFS

At some point between the establishment of Atlantis and its monarchy in 1709 and the present day, the Sentinels were created to enforce the law on both Atlantis and, when necessary, the world above the ocean. The Sentinel Prime position was made to manage Sentinel operations both in and out of Atlantis.

## ASFS

Following the rescue of Mary Cassel, Joshua Hamilton promised Ash that he would 'put in a good word' with the Sentinel Prime to help him pursue his career as a Sentinel. This was either a bluff or overlooked by the Prime as it is not mentioned again.

Soon after the incident with Callum and the other Lycan, Sentinels Welsh and Marsh were dispatched by the Prime to retrieve them and bring them to Atlantis for questioning. This never occurred, however, as the group soon decided to head to Salem.

## Trivia

* The name of the current Sentinel Prime is not known, though it will be revealed in the future.
Cut content

## Introduction

Sometime during the writing of one of the earlier drafts of ASFS, a lot of content was cut in order to improve the overall experience and tone. This resulted in an almost completely different book, save for the major plat points/characters.

## Cut Content

These include:

* The concept of a "convi". A voice inside every witch's head which would try to convince them to do something. The personality of one's convi differed from person to person.
	+ Mary's convi was afraid and would constantly tell her to run, while Ash's convi was aggressive and tried to make him fight people.
* Reg was originally going to have a much darker personality sue to being possessed by some evil spirit. This spirit made Reg seem angry at almost everyone, even leading to him attacking his own brother, Callum. After Reg abandons the group, Reg would have eventually broke free from the spirit and returned to the group.
* Callum's whole storyline was altered from its initial plan. Originally, Callum was going to be an electricity mage and would have joined the others in going to Salem, making the Salem Four actually the Salem Five. Furthermore, Callum basically served in what would become Florence's spot in the story. Befriending Marcus, and dying by his hand were both going to happen to him.
	+ Callum's story was changed due to the fact that, with him there from the beginning, his presence caused conflict with Reg's storyline, and gave Florence too few things to do in the story.
* After Ash's arm was harmed by Ursula, the original plan was to have the group summon Heracles using a spell in order to heal him.
	+ This spell included the murder and removal of Fairy hearts.
		- This was, obviously, deemed too dark, and the Heracles plotline was removed in favour of Zeke's
* Atlantis, Sentinels, and the Nine Wands of the Earth were not originally planned in the story.
* When Mary escaped to Brompton Cemetery, the original plan was for Cassandra's spirit to give the group a prophecy, and summon a group of Draugr. The group would then come back to the academy only to find it besieged by more Draugr, leading to the deaths of many students including Cara.
* Beatrice was initially on the main characters' side and wished to prevent Cassandra's return. This was changed, however, when the incident at the Rainbow Bridge was altered to include her.
* The dire wolves were supposed to have a smaller role than they got. They were supposed to chase the Salem Four for a while after their escape from the abandoned school but were never intended to follow them to the Rainbow Bridge.
	+ Instead, a Phoenix that had been corrupted by Cassandra was supposed to attack them. Once defeated, it was going to fall and blow up a section of the bridge, blowing Mary into the river.
* Originally, Dennis Flyman was going to appear in a flashback in which he would be killed, giving Reg a much darker personality by the time the novel begins.
	+ This was removed as it was less about the main story and mainly served to give Reg a tragic backstory.
King Astridian II

Astridian II is the current king of Atlantis. He began his reign in 1985 following The Atlantis Rebellion and the overthrowing of King William.

## Pre-ASFS

In 1984, Astridian began leading the Atlantis Rebellion which started due to huge food shortages that were blamed on the current king. This rebellion was won the following year and William was overthrown. Astridian soon took over as the monarch and has been ruling ever since.

## ASFS

Astridian is not seen in the novel, but his influence can be seen throughout. He appears to have sent Sentinels Welsh and Marsh to bring what would soon become The Salem Four back to Atlantis. Moments after the incident at the Rainbow Bridge, Astridian sent a large group of Sentinels with the same intention.

## Trivia

* Astridian's rise to power (and its legitimacy) will be explored in the future.