Life Passed

A Transgender Paranormal Fantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter Twelve: Elias' Congregation

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can the circles bond to defend against Elias and his followers?
What will Elias and Amon do to stir up their congregation against all the wiccan circles?

Copyright 2008, 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Tuesdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

Crane's devastating assault on Tabitha's circle and the first serious injuries in magical combat had left our entire community reeling. But as Laura and I sat together in my bedroom the morning after the attack, we could sense something far more dangerous developing across Cedar Hollow than even the violence we'd just witnessed.

"Minuet," Laura said, her hand pressed to her Celtic Triquetra necklace as visions flowed through our connection, "something's changed about Elias. I can feel it from here."

Through our telepathic bond, we could sense the supernatural disturbances rippling across our mountain community. But the most disturbing change was in Elias Vire himself. Where once his elemental possession had been chaotic and unpredictable, now we felt a cold, controlled power emanating from the direction of his church.

"He's learned to hide it," I said, understanding flooding through me as I focused on the distant spiritual signature. "The fire elemental—he's not fighting it anymore. He's working with it."

Elias Successfully Internalizes His Fire Elemental Nature
Through our developing magical sight, we could see the truth of what was happening. Elias had found a way to internalize the elemental's power, drawing it deep inside himself where it burned with controlled intensity. To anyone watching him, he would appear completely normal—a charismatic preacher delivering passionate sermons about faith and community values.

But we could see the fire beneath his skin, the way his eyes flickered with inner flame when he thought no one was looking, the supernatural heat that radiated from him in waves that only magical practitioners could detect.

"It's worse than when he was out of control," Laura observed, her young voice carrying a wisdom that surprised even me. "Now he can plan, organize, build his power systematically instead of just lashing out."

Michelle appeared in my doorway, her expression troubled. "Girls, I've been getting calls all morning. Something's happening at the church—people are gathering for some kind of special service."

Through our enhanced perception, we could feel the elemental's influence spreading like ripples through Cedar Hollow's spiritual atmosphere. Elias was calling his congregation together, and the supernatural charisma flowing from him was impossible for ordinary people to resist.

His Sunday Sermons Galvanize the Congregation Against "Demons"
That Sunday, Laura and I convinced Michelle and Gladys to let us attend Elias's service, hidden in the back pew with our necklaces tucked safely beneath our clothes. What we witnessed chilled us to the bone.

Elias stood at the pulpit, his appearance perfectly normal—a concerned pastor addressing his flock about the spiritual dangers facing their community. But through our enhanced perception, we could see the elemental fire flowing through his words, literally binding his congregation to his will through supernatural charisma they couldn't recognize or resist.

"My friends," he began, his voice carrying an authority that made people lean forward despite themselves, "we face a crisis that threatens the very soul of our community. The recent... disturbances... are not random acts of violence or natural disasters. They are signs of a spiritual war being waged against everything we hold sacred."

The congregation murmured in agreement, their faces reflecting a mixture of fear and righteous anger. Through our connection, Laura and I could feel the elemental's influence spreading through the crowd like wildfire, feeding on their existing prejudices and magnifying them into something far more dangerous.

"There are those among us who practice the old ways," Elias continued, his eyes scanning the crowd with predatory intensity. "They call themselves practitioners of ancient wisdom, but we know the truth. They traffic with demons, corrupt our children with false teachings, and bring chaos to our peaceful community."

He's talking about us, Laura's mental voice reached me, tight with fear. About all the circles.

I know, I replied, watching in horror as the congregation's expressions grew more hostile with each word. He's turning them into an army.

"The time for tolerance has passed," Elias declared, his voice rising to a crescendo that made the windows rattle. "We must choose—will we stand with the light, or will we allow darkness to consume everything we've built?"

Introduction of Deacon Amon Crane
As Elias's sermon reached its climax, a thin man with cold eyes rose from the front pew. Deacon Amon Crane had always been a fixture in the church, but now we could see something different about him—a calculating intelligence that complemented Elias's charismatic fire.

"Pastor Vire speaks the truth," Crane said, his voice carrying clearly across the now-silent sanctuary. "I've been documenting the... unusual activities... in our community for months. The evidence is overwhelming."

He produced a folder thick with photographs, documents, and what appeared to be surveillance reports. Through our enhanced sight, we could see that every Wiccan family in Cedar Hollow was represented—their homes, their children, their meeting places, all catalogued with military precision.

"These people aren't just different," Crane continued, his tone deceptively reasonable. "They're actively dangerous. The fires, the strange weather patterns, the unexplained illnesses—all of it can be traced back to their... practices."

Laura grabbed my hand, and I felt her terror through our connection. Crane wasn't just a bigot—he was an organizer, someone who could turn Elias's supernatural charisma into concrete action.

"What do you propose we do?" someone called out from the congregation.

Crane's smile was cold and calculating. "We protect our families. We make it clear that their presence is no longer welcome in Cedar Hollow. We give them the opportunity to leave peacefully, or we help them understand that their corruption will not be tolerated."

The way he spoke made it clear this wasn't a spontaneous suggestion—Crane had been planning this moment, waiting for Elias to provide the spiritual justification for actions he'd already decided to take.

The Congregation Votes to Drive the Witches from Town
What happened next would haunt me for years to come. Elias raised his hands, and the elemental fire flowing through him reached out to touch every person in the sanctuary. We could see it happening—threads of supernatural influence connecting him to his congregation, binding them to his will through a combination of charisma and actual magical coercion.

"Brothers and sisters," Elias said, his voice carrying the weight of divine authority, "we have a sacred duty to protect our community from the forces that would corrupt it. The question before us is simple: will we act, or will we allow evil to flourish in our midst?"

The congregation's response was immediate and terrifying. Voices rose in agreement, fists were raised in anger, and the very air seemed to crackle with barely contained violence.

"All in favor of forming a community action committee to address these concerns?" Crane called out, his voice carrying the authority of someone who already knew the outcome.

Hands rose throughout the sanctuary—not all of them, but enough. Families we'd known for years, people who had once been friendly neighbors, now voting to drive us from our homes based on fear and supernatural manipulation they couldn't even recognize.

"The motion carries," Crane announced with satisfaction. "We'll begin organizing immediately. Those who stand with us will be protected. Those who stand against us..." He let the threat hang in the air, unfinished but unmistakable.

As the service ended and people began filing out, Laura and I remained frozen in our seats, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what we'd witnessed. Elias had successfully transformed his congregation from a community of faith into an army of persecution, and Crane had provided the organizational structure to make their hatred effective.

"We have to warn everyone," Laura whispered, her young voice trembling with the weight of responsibility.

"We will," I replied, feeling the Celtic Triquetra necklace warm against my chest. "But they're not going to stop with warnings or harassment anymore. They've voted to drive us out completely."

Through our telepathic connection, I could feel Laura's fear mixing with my own. The war for Cedar Hollow's soul had entered a new phase—no longer random acts of violence or individual persecution, but organized, systematic action designed to eliminate every practitioner of the old ways from our community.

The congregation had voted to drive the witches from town, and with Elias's supernatural charisma and Crane's cold efficiency leading them, they had the power to make that vote a reality.

As we finally made our way out of the church, careful to avoid Crane's watchful eyes, I felt the weight of destiny settling around my shoulders like a cloak. The ancient magic of the Celtic bloodlines might be our only hope against such organized hatred, but first we had to survive what was coming.

The real battle for our community's soul was about to begin, and Laura and I would stand at its center—not just as friends, but as guardians of something far more precious than our own safety. The question was whether we could protect everyone we loved from the storm that Elias and Crane had just unleashed.

It was clear and terrifying: the congregation had formally voted to drive all practitioners from Cedar Hollow, transforming individual prejudice into organized persecution that would threaten every circle, every family, and every child who carried the ancient wisdom in their hearts.