Abigail Halston

Abigail was the youngest of Samuel Halston III’s three children, and his only daughter. Her father’s relationship with his daughter was acrimonious from the moment of her birth when complications took the life of Abigail’s mother Lorraine Halston.

Samuel Halston III built an empire and amassed significant wealth, but had little use for his daughter. An ill-fated attempt to secure a legendary magical artifact cost not only Samuel his life, but the lives of Abbie’s two older brothers Samuel IV and William.

Sebastian first met Abigail when she was probably eight or nine, at home from some boarding school. She had always been a small delicate child, diffident. As a fully grown woman, she stood only 5’1” and was slender of build. Her ash blonde hair parted in the center framed her delicate pretty face.

When Abigail came into his office at the manor house, there were two other young women with her, an amazing looking blonde and an equally as attractive browned haired woman. The blonde was a hair taller than the brunette, but both were significantly taller than Abigail.

“Hello Sebastian,” Abigail greeted warmly, friendly smile.

Rising, Sebastian nodded. “Abigail,” he said, taking her hands in his much larger ones. “My condolences on your loss, we are all left poorer by your father’s passing and the loss of your brothers,” he said, finding it difficult not to look at her two remarkably pretty companions.

She nodded. “Thank you,” she replied, “This is the reason I’m here to see you today, to discuss some of my father’s affairs,” she said.

“Where are my manners?” Sebastian said, shaking his head. “Please, have a seat,” he said, pointing at the two chairs across from his desk. “I’m one short I’m afraid,” he added apologetically as he circled back around behind the desk and sat.

The blonde smiled, “It’s alright, I’ll stand,” she said, a sexy little southern drawl in her voice.

Abigail and the brunette each took a chair.

“Something to drink?” Sebastian asked cordially.

Abigail shook her head. “I suppose I should be direct, it’s probably easier that way. I am assuming my father’s mantle,” she said.

Sebastian smiled warmly. “As his lone surviving heir, that stands to reason,” he concluded.

“I’m referring to the Disciples of the Hidden Path,” Abigail added straight forwardly.

“I am not sure to what you refer,” Sebastian replied.

“For the sake of brevity, let’s not play this particular game. We both know he founded the Path, and we both know you are part of the inner circle. That said, your feigned ignorance is duly noted, so let’s move on,” she said, giving him a smile.

He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his belly. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “Your father was a man of some very specific talents, capable of miraculous things. He spent a lifetime refining his gifts. Both of your brothers were ascending the hierarchy of the Path, though he made no mention of you in this regard. Said you possessed no value. No offense.”

“None taken. My father was a rank amateur whose grasp for power exceeded his reach,” she replied causally. What she didn’t explain, was she was the one responsible for her father’s demise. To his last breath, he belittled and derided her, then she swallowed him.

“Nevertheless, he was without peer in the organization,” he countered. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch the names of your two lovely companions,” he said, looking at the other two women.

Abbie smiled. “My apologies, Angelica,” she indicated the blonde, “And Marissa,” she introduced, turning her head toward the brunette.

He smiled. “Sebastian,” he replied, inclining his head. “Sorry, you were saying?”

“I will be taking over the leadership of the Path,” she said.

Sebastian frowned. “What makes you think you have the requisite skillset to assume that particular position?” he challenged.

Focusing her will, Abigail extended her hand toward Sebastian palm up. His chair began to shake, then lift. Sebastian gripped the arms of the chair as it rose a few inches off the ground before settling back on the floor. Abbie let out her breath, beads of perspiration forming on her brow.

“An impressive cantrip, levitation no less, a feat worthy of third tier status, not Grandmistress Thaumaturge,” he remarked, brow raised.

The woman identified as Angelica, raised her hand, Sebastian was immediately lifted into the air several feet from the floor. She twirled her fingers and he spun, the contents of his stomach threatening to spill out. Flicking her fingers nonchalantly, he was unceremoniously dumped back into his chair.

Sebastian, eyes wide, stared dumbfounded at the blonde woman while she seemed to be examining her nails. “How?” he babbled.

Abbie raised a calming hand. “She is gifted in the way of power. She is my tutor.” Angelica tilted her head to the side and smiled.

“Effortlessly,” he mumbled, stunned by the demonstration. “Is this what happened to the others?” he asked, voice small and quiet for such a large man.

“Yes, my father put elements in motion that put him in opposition to some extremely powerful people. He overestimated his own abilities and that of the organization, and because of that arrogance, now they’re gone,” Abbie said.

 “Gone?” he asked.

“Gone.”

“The plane crash?” he asked.

“There was no plane crash,” she replied.

“What then, what happened to all those that are missing?” he inquired.

“My father was captured along with my brothers and myself, other high ranking members of this organization and co-conspirators were also rounded up. We were shrunk to a few inches in size and placed into a hunting environment where we were systematically hunted down and eaten for sport,” she paused to look over her shoulder at Angelica. “She devoured me. Fortune smiled upon me due to latent ability hidden somewhere in my genetic code. Angelica recognized it and regurgitated me back into the world of the living where I was restored to my former stature.”

Sebastian sat with an incredulous look on his face. “Honestly, you mean to tell me-“. He was cut off when the brunette simply smiled.  Sebastian began to shrink back into his large chair. Panicked gripped him, he yelled as his world expanded outward around him. No magic he knew could make something like this happen. In moments he was tiny, trying desperately to crawl out from the tangle of his clothes. Standing atop the massive heap of fabric he had been wearing, fear stabbing his insides.

The brunette appeared over the edge of the desk. Looking down at him, she smiled. He felt himself expanding, growing. Marissa returned to her seat.

Fully restored, Sebastian tried to speak but only unintelligible sounds came out of him.

“You can take a moment to get your clothes back on,” Abbie said. Sebastian, eyes wild and round, scrambled off the chair and hastily re-dressed.

“I trust the demonstration was sufficient to convince you of the veracity of my story?” Abbie asked.

Sebastian bobbed his head.

“Good. Now you are the ranking surviving member of the Path, and my sources tell me behind you by a few places is an Arthur Thelwell. My intent is not to dismantle this organization, on the contrary, I want to extrapolate on my father’s work, rebuild the organization with a broader focus. I want you to act as my direct representative in this matter. Mr. Thelwell can continue to serve as your second,” Abigail stated.

Sebastian shook his head slightly.

“Is there a problem?” she asked.

“Uh, there has been an incident involving Arthur,” Sebastian explained, “He attempted some type of ritual and now has vanished.”

Abigail looked over her shoulder to the blonde.

“What type of ritual?” Angelica asked.

“A book he found in Turkey, according to a woman I know, it was like a summoning ritual. He made the necessary arrangements and performed the ritual but has since vanished. There was a young woman in his place at the site of the ritual,” he told. “The man I had watching the girl also vanished, but we have her now and she is en route as we speak.”

Abbie looked to Angelica, then Marissa.

“Some type of summoning ritual? I think maybe we should contact Hilde,” Angelica said, looking at the others.

Marissa nodded, “to advise her of the situation at the least.”

Turning back to Sebastian, “Regardless of Mr. Thelwell, I trust we have an understanding?”

Still shaken, he nodded.