Reckoning

This article is about a power-stripping ritual. You may be looking for the episode The Reckoning.

Reckoning
General Information
Effect	Depriving a witch of their powers by breaking the pact with the Devil

“	I now declare that contract null and void. Here, now, and forever. And now I take from you every power I gave.	”
	— The Devil to Mary

The Reckoning is a ritual officiated as the ultimate punishment to the detriment of a witch who is guilty of having betrayed their Lord and Master, the Devil. The punishment is to be deprived of all gifts bestowed by the Devil upon them.

Description

Mary breathes her last witch-fire

Rescinding the contract between the Devil and the witch first requires the immolation of the Familiar, piercing it with a coffin nail through the left hand of the witch. Thereafter, the control over the four elements is ripped off from the witch. The earth is uprooted from the witch's body in a cloud of dust and debris. Air and the very witch's breath is taken away from their body by a strong whirlwind; exhausted and weak, the witch thus loses control over water spewing it from their mouth. Lastly, the most precious gift is snatched, namely the fire that fuels their anger. The witch is burned from the inside by a large blaze. The ritual ends with the cancellation of all the power given by the Devil, leaving nothing but a powerless human being.

Aftermath

“	You are still reeling from the loss of your powers.	”
	— The Sentinel to Mary

Similarly to the physical changes experienced after coming into their powers, likened by Mary Sibley to a fever in the blood as they start to work wanders, the result of the Reckoning is a painful exhaustion, fever, and weakness in the limbs as well as inducing hallucinations. The Sentinel explains this as the body trying to recover from the loss of power that sustained it and of the energy that flowed in the veins of the witch, adjusting to the new psycho-physical state.

Throughout the Salem Series

Following the failed attempt to assassinate the Dark Lord, Mary Sibley was tortured by The Sentinel with an Angelic Box of Anguish that rendered her helpless and weakened through psychological torture. Mary was then taken to a clearing in the woods where the Devil and his right-hand brother, under the terrified gaze of Anne Hale who was spying on what was happening, was punished. First her toad familiar was killed for good by piercing it with a large nail driven into Mary's hand. Then, one by one the four elements were torn from her body to represent the loss of elemental control and magical powers. Her struggle was in vain as the Devil was simply too strong for her to use witchcraft against him. Mary was then abandoned to herself as an average woman.

Afterwards, Cotton Mather is incredulous that the Devil freed Mary of her contract as in all recorded history, it never happened.

Gallery

Nailed familiar

Earth

Air

Water

Fire

Reckoning's end

Memorable Quotes

The Sentinel: "We will take something more precious to you than your life. Something you have entirely forgotten how to live without. Something you came to think of as your own nay was you. But it was never yours. Only lent to you by your betters."

— The Reckoning

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Mary: "Take what you will. I want nothing of you or yours."

The Devil: "I see you don't even remember who you were. What you were when I first came to you. In the depth of your need, you called upon me, and I gave you power."

The Sentinel: "The power to survive this world of shit God gave you."

Mary: "You cannot. I gave you my soul. We have a contract."

The Devil: "Had a contract. I now declare that contract null and void. Here, now, and forever. And now I take from you every power I gave."

— The Reckoning

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The Devil: "I take from you the power of Earth. And now I retract all power over air."

Mary: "No, you little bastard. Leave me my breath!"

The Devil: "Now give up your waters, woman. Earth, air, water... That leaves but one precious elemental power."

Mary: "No. That is mine. That fire is mine, and it was there long before..."

The Devil: "I have killed the elemental powers within you. I have killed the witch in you and left nothing."

The Sentinel: "Nothing but a woman. Weep, woman. Weep. The tears are all we have left you."

— The Reckoning

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Cotton Mather (to Mary Sibley): "The Devil freed you? In all of recorded history, such a thing has never happened."

— The Commonwealth of Hell

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Trivia

• The Reckoning is one of the original rituals introduced in the series. The others are the Grand Rite, the Consecration, the Royal Marriage, and the Great Terror.