A Cup Of Fiction

A Cup Of Fiction, Dark Magic

Good day, my friends. It is a great day. It isn’t Thursday morning. I am writing this piece, but I thought we might enjoy chatting about interesting history. I enjoy chatting with you in the mornings. Did you know that way back when the Romans had an eight-day week called the Nundinal Cycle? The day E pronounced, Eh was associated with the Roman God Jupiter, King of the Gods. Meanwhile, back in the middle and northern European areas, the fourth day of the week, Thursday, if you consider Monday the first day of the week, got its name from its association with The Norse and Germanic God Thor. Pronounced Thorsdayg, it transitioned to the current pronunciation between 1100–1500 CE, with Thursday being the common by the late 1400s CE. Later, when the Romans adopted Christianity, they left behind the Nundinal eight-day cycle over a few hundred more years. They adapted their days to the seven-day week and associated Eh to Thursday as they saw similarities between Jupiter and Thor. Gods and ancient history bring me to the Creative Fiction writing topic for today’s A Cup of Fiction. Do the Norse and Roman Gods ever conjure visions of Dark Magic for you?

Where should we start in our conversation about Dark Magic today? In Creative Fantasy and Fiction Writing, Dark Magic is one of the most compelling elements serving as a way to explore power, morality, control, and the unknown. It is often rooted in ancient mythologies, astrology, and black or blood magic and invites readers to question the costs of wielding forbidden power. Some authors draw inspiration from Norse, Germanic, and Roman traditions, which provide a rich framework for crafting tales of wicked Magic. These cultural traditions offer diverse interpretations, from necromancy to curses and the supernatural realms.

In Katherine Arden’s “The Bear and the Nightingale” she blends dark Slavic folklore with richly detailed characters, revealing the dangerous repercussions of even well-intentioned magic.

In Norse mythology, dark Magic appears in forms like Seidr and Galdr. Seidr, associated with gods like Odin and Freyja, involves shapeshifting, divination, and manipulation of fate. While it can guide or prophesy, its darker uses are cursing enemies or altering destinies. Similarly, Galdr, a practice of incantations and magical songs, could summon healing or protection. Used with a darker intent, Galdr becomes a harbinger of death or despair. Another chilling concept is the Draugr, undead creatures created through dark rituals embodying physical and spiritual destruction.

The Draugr brings to mind the dark topic of necromancy. In Norse Myth, the Draugar are undead creatures, often described as a reanimated corpse that inhabits graveyards. Usually guardians of the burial site and the treasures of the dead that are buried there. They possess unnatural strength, often enhanced by magical items. It is said that they can shapeshift, cause illness, and even enter the dreams of living. So many modern tales possess these elements of Dark magic.

In Germanic mythology, themes like Weather magic arise. The power to manipulate storms, wreaking havoc on entire communities, and reflecting the chaos of nature under human control.

Neil Gaiman’s “Norse Mythology” revisits ancient tales, showcasing the cunning and dangerous magic of gods like Odin and Loki, where ambition and mischief carry devastating costs.

Roman mythology enriches the portrayal of Dark Magic with practices like summoning spirits or demons. Poison magic, involving deadly potions, can be a metaphor for deception and betrayal while binding spells control or enslave. These themes help authors explore ambition, temptation, and other ethical dilemmas central to Dark Magic’s allure. Authors incorporating Dark Magic often create narratives that delve into its moral complexities. Often forcing characters to confront difficult moral choices. Can dark magic ever be used for good? Are there situations where the ends justify the means? These ethical dilemmas provide rich ground for exploring the complexities of human nature and the struggle between good and evil.

Ancient civilizations believed the cosmos held profound influence over human destiny. Astrology, with its intricate web of celestial alignments and planetary influences, became a tool for both divination and manipulation. Dark Magic is often intertwined with astrological principles, seeking to harness the malevolent energies of certain celestial bodies or exploit planetary conjunctions for nefarious purposes.

The belief in malevolent spirits, ghosts, demons, and supernatural entities has permeated cultures across the globe. Demonology, the study of these beings, often involved rituals to summon, control, or bargain with them. Dark Magic frequently involved invoking these entities for power, seeking to exploit their supernatural abilities for personal gain or to inflict harm upon others.

Naomi Novik’s “Uprooted” portrays dark and natural magic intertwined with Eastern European folklore. When applied imaginatively, Dark Magic can explore humanity’s relationship with power, fear, and morality.

Thank you again for reading this blog and chatting with me. Now comes the part of the blog I cherish. I hope you get as much joy from it as I do.

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A Fresh Cup of Fiction

A Blackened Soul

The chalice gleamed on the altar, its obsidian surface unblemished though ancient. Leanna hesitated, the heavy silence of the chamber pressing against her. The plague had already taken half her village. Her mother was dead, her brothers ill, and now even little Maren was wasting away in their beds.

The wandering priest said the chalice could stop it. The old scrolls, brittle and faint with age, also spoke of it: a vessel that could restore health to the dying and life to the recent dead. Of course, the catch was what it demanded. “Drink, child,” the chalice whispered, its voice a hiss that coiled in her ears. “You will save them. All of them.”

Leanna’s hands trembled as she touched the chalice. It was cold, colder than the winter air outside, and it seemed to pulse against her palms.

“How,” she asked aloud, though no one was there to hear her.

The voice didn’t falter, “A life for a life. One pure soul in exchange for your people’s salvation. You know what must be done.”

Her thoughts reeled. A soul. Whose soul? Could she offer her own? Would it suffice?

The chalice chuckled, the sound profound and mirthless. “Not yours, dear one. Yours is already tainted with desperation. It must be a soul without stain and unbroken.”

Leanna clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She thought of Maren, her little sister, who clung to her dolls even as the fever devoured her. She thought of the priest, who had prayed day and night, his faith unshaken even as his flock fell around him. She thought of Tomas, her closest friend, who had been the first to bring her bread when her family’s stores ran dry. Who among them was pure?

The answer rose unbidden as though the chalice had placed it there. “Maren, no,” Leanna whispered, her voice cracking. “Anyone but her.”

“She is the one,” the chalice hissed. “Her soul will save the village. Her light will consume the plague like fire does wood, even revive the already dead. If you act now, child.”

Leanna backed away, her heart pounding. She had come this far, braved the cursed forest, and descended into the forgotten temple. All for her people. All for her family. She turned, and the image of her sister’s bright smile filled her mind. The way Maren twirled in the meadow, laughing as though the world had no edges.

Could she take that away? The multitude of voices that filled the Village square on a market day called her name. Her hand reached out again, trembling as she lifted the chalice. It seemed heavier now, as though it knew her thoughts.

“If you do not, all will die,” the chalice reminded her. “Your hesitation is their death sentence. Be the warrior they need.”

She tilted the cup, her face twisted with grief and resolve. Tears streamed down her face. Leanna closed her eyes, whispered Maren’s name, and drank.

The world shattered. A scream tore from her throat as pain lanced through her body. It was as though the blaring rays of the sun and the deep black of the night waged war in her mind. When she opened her eyes, the chalice was gone, and she was back in the village square.

People stirred from their beds, their sores vanishing, their breath strong and sure. Her neighbors hugged one another, their joy spilling into the streets. Leanna watched, her heart heavy, as Maren ran to her mother, who rose from her viewing bed along with others known to be dead.

But when Leanna looked into her sister’s eyes, there was no light. Maren’s face was dark, her voice hissed when she spoke, and her laughter rang hollow. Her soul, the spark that made her Maren, was gone.

The villagers praised Leanna as their savior, but the chalice’s whispers reminded her of the evil she did. Every time she looked at Maren, she heard its voice. “A heroin? By who’s judgment,” then it laughed.

I hope you enjoyed this Flash Fiction Tale.

If you are interested in the books highlighted in our conversation today, remember the links above and below are AMAZON Affiliate links. I will benefit if you use them to purchase the books. Please read, respond, clap, and recommend my work to others.

If you have Tall Tales that feature Dark Magic, Respond and tell us where we can find and read them.

© 2025, T. Mark Mangum

I am T. Mark Mangum. From an early age, I was hooked on the imagined, unfathomable worlds of Star Wars, Star Trek, Conan, the Lord of the Rings, and many others. I love writing fiction tales. I love writing in multiple genres, but my favorites are Sci-fi and Fantasy fiction. I am a father of six; we have a cat and a dog. Tabletop gaming is a passion of mine.

You can purchase my several published offerings on Amazon as well.