Tragedy in the Supernatural War: Why the Death of Innocents Often Results From Dark Magic

The price of power has never been measured in gold, nor land, nor the fragile promises of men but of what is sacrificed in its pursuit.  There are demands that are met when seeking power. True power, comes from a place of wisdom, understanding and compassion in addition to strength.  However, power based on evil, the kind that bends reality, calls upon the dead, breaks the treads of time, and demands something far more precious. It demands the sacrifice of life, literally and figuratively, either on purpose or as acceptable collateral damage for its achievement. .

A normal person wouldn’t dare to pay that price for the most forbidden ceremonies. But dark magic’s currency is blood, flesh, and perhaps life itself. And, the killing of innocents is the one sacrifice with greater power than all others, the one offering that is the most corruptive of nature.

Although there has always been destruction caused by supernatural wars, the most horrific scenes do not originate from battlegrounds or dead soldiers. They originate from the rituals that start behind closed doors, in candlelit rooms where power-hungry summoners and necromancers or those pretending to be wield magic to impress their followers dare to challenge the natural order. Something strange awakens, and the world changes when the earth’s power is used to harm the innocent.

In Saga of the Keepers, A Demon’s Kiss, the ancient keeper clans have been fighting cults for ages that try to breach the barrier between worlds. These cults are aware that they must first provide something irreplaceable to summon the darkest powers. There are stories of whole bloodlines being wiped out, of heirs being abducted in the night, and of their lifeblood being used to reawaken creatures who should never have been disturbed.

Keepers have seen it before: One desperate soul, one forbidden ritual, one choice that cannot be undone. And the price is the same each time. A child’s murderdeath, the death of innocents or the reckless use of dark magic all signals the beginning of something that cannot be controlled.

Interestingly, the majority of people who pursue black magic are not monsters at first. They start with the pursuit of wealth or power for themselves as a means of advancing their interest. They start out as victims. A ruler who sees his path to greatness to be through aligning with the forces of darkness, a person seeking to improve their lot in life sees the use of dark magic as a means to his ends or someone who seeks to reverse death or avoid deaths embrace believing the forces of evil can help him achieve these neds. heir snatched away by illness, a parent who has lost their only son, or a magician who doesn’t believe death is permanent. They try to change fate and bargain with forces that are older than time itself and which enjoy ensnaring souls for their amusement.

However, dark magic does not provide. It just takes. It destroys rather than creates.

This is black magic’s curse. And the sorcerer never bears the entire cost of such rituals. Entire villages vanish overnight, their lives taken to satisfy the hunger of whatever was summoned. Though keepers have dedicated centuries to preventing such catastrophes, power is a strong motivator.

It’s a cycle that once started is difficult if not impossible to stop. And it’s the cycle of blood. One sacrifice leads to another.  At first the changes in a person are muted, unseen, their judgement reasoned.  But then they soon spiral sucked into the void until they believe they are invincible and make a mistake. A mistake that allows their evil overlord to finally consume them. A door is opened the moment the death of a child is used to fuel magic. Moreover, Ddoors are difficult to close when they are unlocked. What starts as a single act can cause ripple effects in the veil that of desperation turns into a series of horrifying events, each worse than the one before it.

The keepers are there for this reason. They have a responsibility to stop the cycle from happening again in addition to combating otherworldly threats. They are aware that all dark rituals start with an ambition and end with the deaths of innocents. child’s death. They have seen great warriors, strong leaders, entire bloodlines fall prey to this temptation, and even members of their race fall prey to the appeal of forbidden magic.

However, there is a warning to those who seek power! The temptation of dark magic will never go away. Their chronicles record that history has repeatedly shown that no power acquired by engaging with those from across the veil can ever be fully controlled.

And for those who dare to summon what should remain bound, the price is always higher than they can imagine.