Witch Gaze

The oldest magic doesn’t need words.

In the modern city, witches don’t wear pointed hats. They wear leather jackets, ride the night subway, and wait in line for coffee. But their blood is the same.

Witch Gaze is one of the First Arts – a direct channeling of will through the eyes. No wands, no incantations, no circles. You just look.

The target feels it instantly: the air gets heavier, purple smoke curls at the edge of vision, and ancient symbols ignite in the witch’s pupils. For a heartbeat, the city noise disappears. For that heartbeat, the victim’s mind is not their own.

Street witches say you can recognize someone who has been hit by the Gaze – they walk away smiling, a little too calm, a little too obedient.

The Council forbids using it on civilians. Everyone does it anyway.

“Don’t look her in the eyes. Especially if she smiles first.” – Graffiti in the Old Town underpass