"So Seer, How things went?" Steven leaned back in the cushioned crimson marble chair, looking at Garnet from across the table in the center of her workshop. His arms were crossed and while his face was the picture of calm, the reflexively silent snarl from his upper lip left side told a different story.

"It went..Not as smoothly as I hoped." The witch ran a hand through her afro. "That said, there has been some gossip being passed along the magic and demon scene."

Steven said nothing as he folded his hands on top of the table, he nodded for her to continue.

"There's been a demon familiar hunting down and capturing demons for a few months now, indiscriminately. The attacks were random enough in terms of time and place...but their victims were always found in the same way. Completely drained of their magic and spirit, a mangled mess of flesh..and in some cases, their gem dimmed, crushed and powdered over the corpse. "

"That's...horrendous." Steven's face twisted in disgust at the thought of the victims. Pity filled his heart as his hand went towards navel. "For what reason would they need to go that far?"

"To gain infamy, what else?"

Steven groaned as a slightly  more demonic and distorted voice chimed through from behind his chair.

"Violet." Garnet greeted evenly as a ghastly  more demonic looking version of Steven hovered from behind the chair into her view. 

The aptly named specter, chuckled at the tone of the witch  "Been a while, Tri-sight. Look up any good lottery numbers, spoil any good movies, give any fortunes that may or may not be beneficial to others."

"Violet." Steven growled. "Now, is not the time for your normal characteristics."

"It's alright Steven. It's just how it is. He's in his right. "

"You're damn right I am." Violet grinned a little more at the small bit of guilt in her voice. "But that can wait for another time."  

"I agree."  The hybrid offered with a hard exhale from his chest. "Garnet, is he right? They are doing all this for something as foolish as attention." A surge of magic radiated from the demon hybrid at the thought.

"It's a high possibility...though it's more like they wished to be feared." She suggested. "When you asked me to look into the attack and the possibility of any other ones happening in the city, I stumbled upon something that may be related to something I've been looking into previously." She sat up and folded  her hands on the table, a slightly cool glare in behind her glasses. " What do you know about puppetry spells?"

"Come on...Don't glare like that, a bewitching beauty should always be smiling, right?"

Connie kissed her teeth at Azurite’s teasing smile. "So, I can assume that was your doing a few days ago?"

"A few days ago?" 

Connie ire rose as she watched the demoness playfully tipped her head to the side, as if she was trying to recall an event.

"That was so long ago." Azurite mused, before snapping her fingers, before pointing at the witch. "You're talking about that musical glutton of an annoyance in the middle of the burner street." She chuckled "Sorry, I know It was your demon's prey, but well.I couldn't resist such a fear-filled meal. Besides ” Azurite patted her stomach “Lady’s got to eat right.”

“What are you after?" 

"Sheesh..You're really all business..Well except  for your hybrid." 

Connie snarled as her eyes took on a bit of purple to go with her black. "Keep him out of your mouth." The witch warned.

"Heh, you really are a passionate one."Azurite  complimented. "Explains why you are so well versed in fire and offensive artes." She sighed as she crossed her legs. "The hybrid's lucky..His partner is someone who could actually support him in battle. Not a coward like my master-Woah!" Azurite leapt from her perch, dodging a purple fireball from the witch. "Damn," Azurite complained as she watched the metal bar melt "You are quite protective over what's yours, huh? Get me a little jealous, when compared to my master."

"You're complaining all about your partner." Connie observed. "If you're trying to get on my team. I'm not looking for another troublemaker, happy with my current partnership." She gave her a grin that was drenched with danger, before it fell to an even neutral stare. "You said you wanted to talk, but it seems like you're stalling..And you don't  seem like a fighter...So," She pointed her index  finger at the demon, a flame of purple igniting at  the tip. "I'm going to do my job, my real job."

"Hey hey.. hold on.. I really do wanna talk." Azurite lifted her hands up in peace.

"Really, don't  have much to say to manic demons. Definitely, one with a stalker complex."

"That was on my master's orders, my human master!"

"You're point?"

"It was supposed to be an offering of affection. A sacrifice of love to you..The one who saved him from death six months ago." Azurite announced dramatically, before she snorted " He's such a fool and a coward, not made for battle, kind of like me." She chuckles " But he does have a vast amount of magic, a vast amount of ambition, has the making of a saboteur and a synergist...Manipulative little man he is...I respect that." She almost voiced in praise.

“I...Have no idea who you are talking about..And you’re officially wasting my time.” Connie answered.

“Then let’s stop wasting time. My master wants your heart...I want your strength.” Azurite clapped her hands and from the shadows more people, like the one before appeared. Soulless and tormented eyes upon neutral line lipped faces. Their clothes torn and ragged with splatters of blood. Bruised and cuts on various places of their bodies. The magic...Azurites magic leaking of them. 

 “And I am willing to exhaust a lot of my resources to get you.”

.“What did you do to these people?' Connie raged, hand clenched fist as her flame engulfed them. 

"Them..I did nothing, but made them my champions." Azurite smirked. "I'm not a fighter, something we both established...So I had to get some protection." She twirled her blue hair around her finger, "Though, the process did break them. That's experimentation for you."

"You…"Connie stepped back, caution and repulsion  in her voice. " You brainwashed them?"

Oh..ohoh!" Azurite  snickered into her left palm. " No no...Nothing like that...They are quite aware of what they are doing." Azurite's manic and seductive smile nearly split her face. "They just have no control over their lives, period."

"That's..for what reason?!"

Azurite sniffed the air and shivered almost euphorically. "That's why?" She turned to Connie biting her lip. "That emotion...The unsettling weight, the desperate struggle, the chilling grip on your heart and spine…" Azurite gushed. "Fear!  The emotion that drives the magic of 'Pale Moonlight!'.

"Puppetry magic...Spells that utilizes the emotions associated with fear as its conduit. It takes away the target reasoning, control, but leave and at times heighten their awareness.”

Steven seemed confused at the prospect.” What..What’s the point of keeping the target aware?”  

“To build  fear, discord,  and agony within the target.” Garnet  offered. “It keeps the spell active  feeding off the fear of the target.”

“But wouldn’t it be easier to just brainwash them?”

“There's no brainwashing spell, Steven.” Garnet chuckled  “The closest one would get is an emotional manipulation spell based on lust and wanton emotions. They are actually much easier to break than puppetry, since they are only used to enhance a target's affection  or change the receiver of such.” Garnet sighed “While both spells weaken and burns out after a while,  Emotional manipulation spells, unlike puppetry spells  leave your soul and mind intact for the most part and the user of the spell has to provide the emotion to keep it intact for long periods, they have to make the love real or at least make their target believe it’s real.”  

“It’s not the same for puppetry spells?” Steven inquired.

“It is similar, but a lot more easier.”

“How so?”

“Really?” Violet growled as he folded his arms. “ Imagine being forced to attack and murder your love ones in cold blood in the most brutal way possible...Flesh against your knuckles, blood on your claws..Their screams of confusion and torment as you ended their lives without fail...Without intention..Without any form of reason, you could explain.”  He sneered at his fleshy half. “A prisoner in your own mind, literally; not even with the ability to scream and rage... I imagine It’s enough to drive a person to utter despair, for them to willingly give up their sense of self.  Anything to rid the guilt of their actions, that load on their psyche.”  

“That’s hellish..” Steven revulsed.

“ You won’t hear a disagreement for me” the tri-clops nodded. “The length some would go is just as hellish, even more so at times.” Garnet gave a dead stare at the two. “You were right to be concerned about the city... During my investigation, I found out about a local club being the scene for a massacre.”

“ A demon doing?”

“That or a skillful spell-caster.“ Garnet suggested with a shrug.”The place itself was ransacked like a brawl took place. It still hadn’t been completely cleaned..The bodies were recently removed  at the time so they had some lingering emotional  and magic signatures.”

“They were all witches and warlocks?” Shock present on the hybrid voice.

“No..but that experience could have opened up their potential to be. Instead.. They were all driven to kill by fear based magic...Or most was,” Garnet folded her arms, “ I have a hunch that at least one or two people walked out of that place.”

“The caster and it’s champion.” Violet concluded. “ Or, puppet would be more appropriate.”

“A testing ground, perhaps?” Steven bit his lip and rubbed his wrist. “It was a testing ground for a wide range puppet spell?” Steven looked towards Garnet .”Is that possible?”

“Most spells like that are single target, but with enough magic and something to use as a transmitter..or amplifier, it’s a possibility..” Garnet eyes widen. “ The disco globe,” she whispered. “ It was doused with magic and while most of it disappeared, it did have some wisp of fear added to it.”

“Which means they could be planning to use this spell on an even larger scale.” Violet surmised. “Maybe even a city wide scale”,  Violet kissed his teeth “Ambitious.. I give them that...” 

 And someone like that is targeting my lady.” Steven growled as he clenched his fist. His pinkish irises squeezed into pin thin slits and his horns grew a bit more as his magic flared. “ The city is no longer safe. I told her that.” His voice trembled in tandem with his bouncing left leg as  his foot caused a small crater the size of his print..

“Steven, calm down.” Garnet eased grabbing the boys clawed fist.” Connie’s strong enough and smart enough to handle something like this.” she pulled her down her glasses revealing her three eyes. “ I assure you.”

  “Ok I had enough of your master madness.”The witch ground her feet into the sand as she took her ready stance.

"You think i’m doing this for him?,” Azurite gave a murderous smile “No, no, no! This.. this is for my benefit, my objective.” I had time to tune this spell, Witch and soon this city will become my very own fear filled domain, “Azurite stood to her feet” and all it’s residence; male, female, young, old, human and not.” and spread out her arms looking up. ” Will all become my toys, baptized in my horrifying light!”

 Connie could only stare, nerves rattling as the demon in front of her, laughed into the sky, insanely, "You're really completely unhinged."

Azurite looked down at the witch with under half-lidded eyes.”You think me insane? That's fine...Soon, you won't be thinking anything.” With murder in her inhuman blue eyes,  Azurite snapped her fingers and her hoard attacked.

‘Connie’s flame fist collided with the sand below her,  creating  a small explosion of heat and flame. 

Azurite shielded her eyes from the heat and flame as she was tossed back into a pole. “ From so far!? Feel like a bomb just went off!” The demon grunted. When Azurite uncovered her eyes all that was left was liquefied steel, humid suffocating air, tossed and slightly burned bodies,and scorched earth in the pattern spell glyph.

“Slick little witch!” Azurite grumbled. Anger flashing in her eyes as she saw her champions rose to their feet like zombies, teary eye zombies.

“It hurts..:”One managed to state, a teenage witch, which now bore a burn on her face. “It hur-”

“Claw out your throat.” Azurite interrupted emotionlessly, she smirked at the horror in the girl's features as she reached for her own throat and with strength a normal human couldn’t possess,started scratching at her own flesh uncontrollably. Tearing into the flesh after a few scrapes

“I‘m scared.. It hurts..  “

“I know, “She took out a small icy blue pocket mirror with a crescent glyph on its surface holding it to the girl, “and I need you to be.” She  watched as little by little grayish wisp of magic came from the victim into the mirror slowly making whole as the girls youthful tan skin slowly turned a moon gray as the crescent became a full moon. The girl fell to her knees as she continued to scratch trying to beg for help. Fear still in her face. “Hel-

“Plunge.”

The young witch plunged her fingers into her throat choking on her own blood as she died, despair on her face. 

“Her strength would have been useful” Azurite sighed, clamping the mirror close. “Her fear infused magic will suffice.”  She turned to the other seven, who remained silent. ”The rest of you fledglings,” She inhaled. “GET ME MY WITCH!!!” She roared as she spread her wings, blue eyes  blazing with the promise of death if they failed.