Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose #8

The novice witch Willowry attempts to use stolen magic to resurrect the ghost of Brandi, with predictable results. Meanwhile, Raven and Tarot are both being hunted by magical agents of evil.

Tarot and her mother have gone to Ravens tower in the dark Salem woods to plead with her to call off the evil entity they believe she has unleashed o the town. Raven denies her involvement but says any magical entity unleashed on the mortal world could only do it good. Raven invites her sister to join her and her mother at the old covered bridge to face the creature that beheaded the drug dealer in the last issue. Raven turns her down intent on calling forth her island witches sanctuary where witches will be able to gather until they are ready to take over as rulers of the mortal world.

Tarot tells her that her idea will be a prison for witches, that if they sequester themselves from the outside world it will create an unbreachable rift between commoners and keepers of the craft. Meanwhile Ravens new apprentice Willowry is stealing candles and books from her spell room leaving a not for her mistress informing her that she is quitting.

Some time later in the woods Willowry meets Crypt Chick and begins to prepare to cast the resurrection spell the ghost has requested from her. Once preparations are complete the young apprentice witch begins casting her first spell, an advanced and dangerous spell meant to raise the Crypt Chick, Brandi, from the dead. For a few moments it works, Brandi is back in the flesh and looks wonderful, she thanks Willowry and the Goddess but Willowry tells her she took the Goddess out of the spell entirely, saying that the source of the power was all her. Just then Brandi's new flesh begins to drip off of her and no matter how hard she tries she can not maintain it, Crypt Chick is back in her ghostly form.

As Willowry prepares to cast the spell again suddenly a cold rain pours down stripping her of her clothing and she hears the voice of the Goddess explaining all magic comes from her and from the earth, something she intends to connect the young girl to much more intimately. Before Crypt Chicks eyes the young girl begins to transform into a tree, this being the last of the young 'willow-tree' that we will ever see.

Back in town at Salem Harbor in front of the Customs House Raven Hex is prepared to cast her spell bringing the island paradise to existence under the dark moon. If she fails in her spell she will have to prepare for another full year before she can try again. Before she can begin she is confronted by the Coven of Shadows, a group of dark hooded witches who say she has been marked for death for crimes against the craft. The leader of the Coven of Shadows has bound her sorcery in a spell with a small doll resembling Raven, now that she is powerless he commands his accomplices to attack the witch shooting lines out at her to bind her physically.

The coven claims Raven has earned a death sentence for her Halloween attack on the town last year. Raven, face to face with the leader of the Coven of Shadows, accuses him of not being a witch as he claims but a warlock, one who betrays witches has possesses barely any power or knowledge of the craft. Raven proceeds to take out the entire coven with a dazzling martial arts display, her arms still tied behind her back, not having to use any magic at all to subdue the imposters. Left with just the leader to defeat Raven calls on her goblins who assault the warlock and quickly subdue him.

Raven momentarily flashes back to her teenage years when she first befriended the goblins and they made her their honorary queen and swore themselves as her personal body guards. Once her minions have untied the doll that bound her magic Raven is able to cast a spell to force the Coven of Shadows into a existence of servitude transforming them into a flock of crows to do her bidding.

Meanwhile at the old covered bridge in Salem Tarot and her mother have come to confront the entity that has threatened the lives of the citizens of the town. As they wait Skeleton Man appears almost walking himself into the point of the Black Rose Sword. Even though the witches know it's a trap and Jon knows he is powerless to stop the creature, they must act to defend the town from the entity that has promised to start beheading the children of Salem.

The issue ends with the sudden and terrifying appearance of the beast over the covered bridge. A jack-o-lantern wielding headless horseman astride a skeletal mount. "Death to the witches of the Black Rose and all who fight by their side!" he screams with a laugh as the lightening crashes behind him and the rain continues to fall.