> Fire

The Mess Hall was just about empty when you and Rudy sauntered over hand in hand. But Vicky had stayed, sat on the same bench in front of the same window, with a strange look of contemplation on her face.

You slipped a sly hand to Rudy's cheek, making her trill with joy as pushed a stray hair from her sunny face "Wait here a minute, this'll be a bit of a doozy."

She nodded "You got it, Cowboy." taking a seat a couple of rows away as you strode towards Vicky and sat tentatively beside her.

The Copper-skinned beauty gazed out into the field where you had once stood, clutching the helpless Becca in your arms, watching the winter sun stray shyly under the curtain of grey clouds.

"You're looking enlightened?"

"pft." She smiled grimly. "I've had a good life, you know? Not many good friends though. There were a couple of girls who followed me around in high school for the clout but... they didn't really like me. Izzy was the only one who ever spoke her mind, and called me out on my bullshit." she lamented.

"You two have always been attached by the hip, I'm glad she had you when we stopped being friends, in a way at least."

Vicky put her head in her hands "But you were right, weren't you? She and those freaks are up to something with the S&Rs, I could just feel it when they saw you slobbering over Rebecca's neck, the way she looked at me, I've never seen that face before. They all had it, like they were looking skyward during pearl harbour" She peered at you, fear and worries painted on her face "You know what it is, don't you?"

"Yes." You were honest, as honest as you could be "But, it is not my secret to tell. and like I said--"

"It will put me in danger, yeah I know." She sounded bitter, but a long sigh revealed her understanding "It's not like I've never put you in this position, so I won't push you. Just, why involve me in the first place? I was obviously just a pawn in your little game, but for what reason, why me?"

Shuffling closer, you put an arm around Vicky, making her freeze a little "If you're serious about us getting along, then you've got to get on my level, Vic. The people in my life get hurt, some don't have a choice in the matter. With you that will not be the case. We are at the gates of hell now, Vicky Kaz, you looked the devils square in the eyes. So I ask now, are you willing to take the risk in order to see the world as it really is?"

Vicky allowed herself to relax into you, and smirked "Yeah, I'm willing to take the risk, I want to know the truth."

"Well then, I guess that makes us friends too." You grinned.

"You and your cheesy lines. Save 'em for Becca, tough guy." She chuckled, leaning away as the two of you shared a laugh.

You, Vicky and Rudy reconvened in the hallway, where a few groups rallied to their lockers to prepare for the last few classes of the day "So what's the next move?"

You scratched your head "Well...."

"You don't have a clue do you?" Vicky deduced with folded arms and a look that could disarm the united nations.

"Never expected to actually pull anything off, so no. But don't fret, I have a feeling the answers will come to us now." They saw the feed, to anyone else it would simply look like any other awkwardly romantic teenage encounter, but to them, it would be all too clear. That, at least in theory, should have been enough.

"We better get our classes I guess. Let's meet up after though. Anything goes down, send me a text, Mr Harrow always lets me out whenever I have to go to the bathroom"

"Sounds good." You watched as she went off down the hall. A stabbing feeling came to the surface as you watched her back "Hey, Kaz."

"What?" She asked.

"Watch your back out there." You warned.

She tutted "No need, you seem to be watching it for me plenty all on your own." Flashing you a wink, she left with a prideful grin.

"That girl needs a dickin' pronto." Rudy pointed out.

You took Rudy's hand as she escorted you towards the music studio "You're telling me."

The bell let out its screaming rattle, making students dash into their classes, leaving the halls empty and derelict as you and the Wendigo traversed them.

East-Wallace was a winding structure. You always had a lot of trouble finding your way in the first couple of days starting here, but before long it became familiar. Only... right now, walking arm in arm with Rudy, things became unclear.

This hallway looked different than what you remembered, weren't their lockers there before? yeah... and a door to the janitor's closet?

"What's up?" Rudy asked as she noticed you lingering.

Your eyes narrowed "Nothing, just... nothing." You continued on. Things started to look right, you passed through the library, strolling beside the study hall which was, strangely empty. But when you got to the Music block... you knew for sure that something was wrong.

The long passage which usually led to the orchestra hall was bricked up, like literally a freshly built brick wall blocking your way "Strange place for a dead end." Rudy pointed out.

Your eyes glowed, claws sharpening reactively "Careful, there's definitely some fuckery afoot here."

You turned to head back, to circle around and see what was going on, but as you did you flinched as you bounced off of another brick wall. Your eyes widened "Rudy, it's-"

"Cysgwch"

Before you could even look back, something heavy and loud like a giant bell ringing in your mind struck into your consciousness, knocking out all thought, feeling and sight.

Deaf, blind and immobile, you felt yourself smash into the ground, as the world cut to black.

You fell, descending and plummeting into the shadow. You felt tugging at your limbs as you rolled and tossed, pulled down a rocky stream by a violent current. Down and down it dragged you, further and further until you thought you'd go mad. Paralyzed and discombobulated, you tried to keep your head above water, but the pure aggression of these otherworldly waters kept you submerged.

The black water **** its way past your lips, plunging down your throat, and invading your lungs. When the frozen aqua touched your fiery heart, a roaring bout of steam lept from your lips.

Trembling with shock, when you opened your eyes you immediately vomited up on the smooth stone floor, painting it with salt water and small specs of red. Tufts of cloudy steam shot from your nostrils, as your drenched black hair hung like a thick rope on your head.

Gasping violently, you struggled to push yourself up, the strength dispersed from your freezing cold body.

"You idiot!" A voice cried as you tried to get your bearings, still fuzzy from whatever watery hell just dragged you to god knows where.

"Don't call me an idiot! he broke the bridge, I told you he's too powerful to just drag wherever you want!" another replied spitefully.

You lifted your head, seeing a figure's ivory boots planted right next to your head. You reached out, gripping the heel tightly... a mistake "Don't you dare touch me, you Undead Filth! Carnation!"

A voice wrapped in darkness cried out "Rhwymo"

The sound of creaking and slithering could be heard before a swarm of tendrils, strong and binding tightened around his arms, legs and chest, ripping him away from the ground and hoisting him up into the air. "oof!" You groaned as you hung from the dense cloud of vines that filled the ceiling.

Below was a group of women, all garbed in strange, tight-fitting robes. All were hooded save for two, who wore pitch-black veils above their staunchly decorated mantles.

You the bodies counted quickly
"Thirteen"
You kept the number locked in your mind as you tried to observe your surroundings.

"Not so tough now, are ya Drake?" that voice, you knew that voice. The body it belonged to, wore a brightly covered robe of blazing orange and yellow. It made You smile.

"What you got to smile about, Leech?" Another spoke and yet another voice that you recognised.

Coughing up and spitting away the last of the water in your chest, you spoke "Other than the fact that I was right, that you chose to steal me away in the company of my best attack dog..." Rudy was nowhere to be seen, but it was only a matter of time if they hadn't captured her already.

"The Wendigo, against all odds didn't cause us any trouble. But I must admit I am curious, what exactly were you right about?" The angry feminine voice called.

"That you S&Rs are certainly up to something, Penelope Helia."

The girl in orange robes paced wrathfully, reaching up to her hood. when a pale-gloved hand grasped her wrist, she seethed even further. "Take your fucking hands off me, Iris." She roared as she ripped her hood away.

Penelope Helia gazed up at you like a hungry hound "You are unworthy to speak my family name, Drake. Do you even know who I really am?"

You tilted your head, but the Veiled Witch dressed in Ivory butted in "Enough, Daughter Sol-Flora. This is not how the Matriarch would want this done. I will not warn you again."

"You're all witches." You spoke out, as the women stirred "I thought there might be a few of you... but this, there I go again biting off more than I can chew."

"You did a foolish thing today, Mr Drake. Feeding on our territory is forbidden." This woman was dressed in varying shades of peach and yellow spoke.

"Oh, so you got my message, good. I was worried I'd have to do something a little more devious." Your chuckle broke into a cackle as the coughing disrupted it. You gazed out at them all with your piercing eyes "Why hide your faces, I recognize your voices and your scents, the scrolls weren't kidding when they said you all smell like firewood, hehe."

Nobody said a word. If their leader, this 'Matriarch' they mentioned wasn't here, then they must have had no idea what to do with him.

"Come on, ladies, don't be shy. We are all monsters here, right? Penelope's got the idea... what no takers? Anise Quill, I know that bow-legged stance anywhere..." The girl in golden robes straightened her legs to no avail "...And you, in the grey robe. If that's Penelope, then you're definitely Bhavna standing next to her."

The Woman drapped in sparkling grey, folded her arms "Very clever."

"Be silent, It doesn't matter how observant you are, Vampire. We live by our immortal doctrine and the law speaks clearly. You shall be put to **** for the crime of feeding upon sacred grounds. That is the end of the matter."

"Exactly, I vote that we put an end to this fool and his whole poisonous line. Hell, I'll do the deed myself!" Penelope roared.

You licked your lips at the Ivory Witch "Fair enough. But if you are gonna kill me, and believe me, you're not the first to try, then at least do me the courtesy of looking me in the eye when you pass the sentence."

The Ivory Witch paused but apparently saw your point. She pulled down her hood revealing her mane of wavy golden hair. And with a graceful gesture, her veil vanished in a small puff of grey smoke.

Just like all the rest, she was pretty but incredibly stone-faced, with eyes that shone like a grass field under the summer sun. A scar consumed her right cheek, not a scratch or gouge... but a crack, like one you'd see on the sidewalk.

"Looks like we both have our weaknesses then, Ms..." You prodded.

"Watts, Regina Watts, Sister of Lilies." She answered in a cool American tone "And you are the infamous Charles Drake, Crowslayer, Lord of the Nox, the up-and-coming Dark Sun."

"You introduce me so well, I should hire you. Sister Iris." You jested.

"Crowslayer?"
You thought dizzily.

"Even in bondage, your ignorance allows you to joke. Don't you see that we have you at our mercy, today is the day that you die, Mr Drake."

"I know that voice. How could I not, I heard it only earlier today." You said looking at the other veiled Sister.

Removing her hood and puffing off her veil, Miss Omnyo, your maths professor looked up at you through her hard-rimmed glasses with a cold smile "I did try to warn you, Charlie."

"None of this matters!" Penelope cried "He broke our law, Sister Carnation gave her warning, I gave him mine, and still, he persisted on growing close to our Isabella, even further still! He fed on Rebecca. Not to mention the things he tried to reveal to Victoria!"

Bhavna nodded "Altering her memory will be a challenge to be sure."

Altering her memory? Woden wasn't kidding, these ladies really were dangerous if they possessed such powers.

"Then I say we vote now." Sister Iris called.

However, Miss Omnyo protested "Out of the question, Hedwig has a plan for him, Watts."

Regina pushed her finger into Haru's chest "I was made First Watcher in our Mistress's absence, not you."

"Yes, but whether you act in her interest or in your own bid for power, is a matter of debate." Haru condemned.

Iris sneered, looking at the hooded girls around her "Very well if my judgement has been called into question, then we shall let the students decide."

"I don't think-"

"We have a right, Sister Carnation." Penelope but in, before Haru could protest that too. She looked with hopeful eyes "I have a right. The same blood that runs in his veins, runs in mine. Do not deny me this."

Of course! "Helia, Helia! how didn't I notice before?!" You cried, remembering the family book Remhilde had read to you. In the Family tree of the Descendant houses, one of the corrupted ones, they were the Helia... that meant, that they were corrupted.... because they were Wiccan.

"You see, He finally realises. If the Sisterhood agrees, I would challenge him." She offered.

The group murmured nervously "Nelly, that's a **** sentence. You saw what he did to Duke Harmon, and heard of what he did at Mortemus..."

"what the fuck's a mortemus?"

"... even dulled and restrained as he is, he could still kill us all! W-we should just let him go" A Witch in a tattered sage green garb spoke.

"By the old one, Fran!" A Witch in bright pink said, nudging the Sage robed girl.

"We don't need the input of handmaiden, Fran. End of story!" Helia cried "For eight hundred years my family has adorned the Lotus, abandoned by his dynasty in our time of need. I ask you all to trust me, let me face him. I will not fail."

They all murmured amongst themselves, this wasn't good, if they got to planning amongst themselves then you couldn't control the narrative.

"She's right you know." You called, making them contemplate your words.

"Right about what?"

"Well, I had no idea she was of the Descendant Houses. My Aunt never once even brought much attention to them, that must mean my ancestors didn't give much of fuck about some tainted branch."

Helia was fuming, and many of the others seemed to share a dislike of your tactical hubris.

"I say she gets her fight." Bhavna agreed loudly.

"Me too!" Anise shouted

"**** to the Law-breaker!" a few more cried and before long every witch followed suit, save for Haru, who merely stood, arms folded and grim-faced.

A sound barely audible began to whistle subtly from outside. The Witches paused, as did you. "What is that sound?" Omnyo pondered.

"whistling?" The sage Witch agreed. They all looked around for the source as it grew louder and louder, until... you recognized the tune and grinned deeply.

"That'd be the cavalry" You muttered, as the group of women stirred.

The room was a vast silver hall, floored with polished marble, decorated with windows of stained glass depicting all kinds of otherworldly wonders. Many banners flew around above, not hanging as one might expect but soaring and gliding like birds.

The tall curved arches were ensnared by Vines that slithered in huge mounds like snakes crawling on the shining bannisters.

The whistle transformed into a joyful yowl "YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAW!" A colossal BOOM shook the hall violently, and an eruption of dust and rubble spat in all directions as a wrecking ball power smashed down through the roof behind you.

The Witches took to cover, as a nimble body darted at breakneck speed up to where the veins held you, and with three decisive slashes sliced them free with relative ease.

The hold on you loosened, sending your body hurtling towards the ground. "Oof!" where you expected to collide with the hard floor, you were instead sprung softly up in powerful arms.

Blinking through the thick cloud of dust, you saw a sunny face and two eager magenta eyes. "You ain't getting away from me that easy, Mister!" Rudy cried enthusiastically, heaps of dust and first falling from her shoulders as she checked you for wounds.

"I'm okay, Rudy. You got here quick!" You chuckled through a cough.

"Not gonna get rid of me that easy" She winked "Still, had to dig like a gopher to get all the way down here!" She shook away the dirt that stained her hair, combing the muck from her fingers.

You looked up as the dust cleared, seeing the solid path through the hole of the ceiling and the huge path she carved herself out from the giant hole in the ceiling in the darkness outside.

"You're cracked you know that?" You chuckled as she hoisted you up, readying for a fight.

"WERE GONNA NEED A SHITLOAD OF STUDENT COUNSELLING FOR THIS!" Rudy cackled.

The Witches rushed forward, wands and long staves in hand. They were tense with wrath.

"You dare defile the Grand Hall, you mindless vermin!" The Sister in White roared.

"Kill them both!" another demanded.

"No!" Penelope barged passed them, throwing herself between you. "He is mine, none of you will touch him before I have my justice!"

"These transgressions go further than you're immature spat, Daughter Sol-Flora!" Sister Iris cried, but Penelope held true.

Bhavna seemed inclined to agree "even if we do incapacity one, the other could still kill us all off. Use your heads, The Descendant already wants a one-on-one match, don't escalate this more than it needs to be."

"She's speaking sense!" You called out, "I am reasonable, I will still take the duel. But if you come at us, then you'll see how unreasonable my Rudy is -- Trust me, you don't want this little minx raging around."

Rudy fixed the witches with her unnerving twitchy grin, hungry to tear them all apart.

The tension built and built, with each girl clutching their magical sceptres and wands tightly. But Ms Omnyo strode around the crowd, pushing down their weapons "Sheath the fucking Catalysts. Now!" she commanded, and slowly, the witches complied.

Haru turned to you, raising a hand to Rudy "Only one need die today, call off your hound and we will settle this the old way. The Humans will have likely discovered your ruckus already, we have limited time to respond as it is."

"I don't carrrrre" Rudy sang with a shrug "I will do as my master bids, little kindling, nothing more nothing less, if he wants to fight your twigling then Rudy suggests you take that deal. Or Rudy will peel the skin from your flesh and consume the softness underneath, like a bonfire split!"

The Witches shared a collective chill, Rudy was not one to be reasoned with, she was a gnashing hound, tested and honed for the hunt. Only You held the leash.

Rushing to Haru's side, Penelope explored the Sister Carnation furiously "Let me at him, I can do this." she pleaded.

Omnyo gazed long and hard into the young witch's eyes and sighed "Mr Drake. We consent to the duel."

Sister Iris beckoned the others, all agreeing begrudgingly.

Before long you sent Rudy off "Stay back there and do not interfere."

"Don't get yourself killed by a bunch of broom jockeys huh, boss?" Rudy teased

"Didin't know you cared that much, Rudes."

"I don't, that would just be straight-up embracing!" She howled as she hurled herself up to the hole in the ceiling, hanging upside down with claw and foot to watch like a smiling bat.

"Here we shall see justice done, in the name of our old god. Today the law-breaker Charles Drake shall be condemned to ****, his executioner, Daughter Sol-Flora, claimed by right of blood."

Regina and Haru split the crowd like the red sea, drawing them aside and backwards leaving only Penelope behind to stand in opposition to you.

She threw off her orange mantle, her boots crashing into the stone as she kicked them away to stand on bare feet. Penelope lent down to her long skirt and with tight white fingers tore the loose fabric away so that she stood only in her black leggings and tight corset. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Stretching your back, clicking your neck you took a deep breath and stood tall "Someone will."

Regina walked out from the safe distance she established "Now Helia, Begin."

Penelope grinned. Like a flash of lightning, she plucked a long stick blackened from burns out of thin air and screamed as she whipped it at you "Bring the strength of snow and sleet, take this fool up from his feet!"

Without a shadow of a doubt, the harshest, coldest most frigid blast of hideously freezing air struck out at you like an antarctic blizzard, sending you spiralling off your feet and making you smash painfully to the ground.

"Good wand Work, Helia, perfect Incantation, well struck!" Watts called.

You pushed yourself up straight "ooh a Commentator, perfect."

In truth you had little to answer their magic with, you hadn't properly fought any witch before at least not seriously. That made Penelope's moves a mixed bag... however, you doubted she knew what you could do either.

Standing up, you shook the cold from your limbs "Phew, that was cold!"

Helia scowled, seemingly surprised that the blast didn't break your neck. But you were made of harder stuff than that. She raised her wand again and yowled "Be the blade that rends the flesh, strike hard, strike true, leave nothing left!"

The Air curled unnaturally at the tip of her wand, and gripping it tightly with two hands you watched as she painted three strokes in your direction.

Feeling goosebumps flush across your neck, You slit your thump with a claw in a split-second reaction "Mhalia!"

Flinging your blood before you, the crimson droplets quickly hardened into a beautiful onyx blade, inscribed with images of sun and flame. Unsheathing Lugh at breakneck speed, you sliced as fast as you could in the same motion Penelope did and felt two clangs as if you'd crossed swords.

But you weren't quite fast enough, one slipped through. You hissed as a sharp pain slashed through your side. a long but fairly shallow cut opening on your waist.

Penelope looked shocked, as Lugh erupted in embers. Haru stepped forward "The Blade of Lugh..." You heard her mutter under her breath.

"You sly piece of shit, Come here!" Penelope pointed her wand again, but this time, you were much faster.

The rune you painted with your bleeding finger glowed white hot as you spoke the words "Hellfire: Hot flash!"

The Rune screeched as it glowed red hot, shooting a ball of unrelenting orange flame the size of a melon careening toward Helia.

The Flaming orb struck its mark, exploding into the girl's chest, reducing most of her corset to ash as she tumbled to the floor.

"Shit! Nice one boss" Rudy yowled, laughing manically.

Regina stepped forward, anger rising on her narrow brow "Get up Helia!"

Your intention wasn't to kill, if it was you'd have used Azure Inferno. Yet still, Penelope lay unmoving on the ground "Penelope?" You called. "Toughest girl in the school goes down that easy, come on, up you get." You encourage genuinely. There was still so much more you had to learn from this fight.

Luckily... or rather, unluckily as you'd find out, the Girl started to twitch and bend. Her arms quicking and spiralling as she began to... smoke, like a goddamn chimney.

Her body floated up as if pulled by invisible hands, placing her on her feet. When Helia looked up, a chill ran down your spine.

"Fire?" She said, in a tone that flickered like flame "I was born of fire, you fool." Her corset was burned, exposing her bare chest. Etched into the skin above her petite bust was a phoenix in flight, which burned like a hot iron as she seethed with an aura of black smoke.

"Oh no." Vana said as Penelope began to step forward.

"tân!"

The tip of her wand sparked and then spat a fireball bigger and faster than the one you'd thrown, it collided with your leg making you spin widely.

Again she beckoned another spell "Tân-Plygwch!"

A blazing stream of bright red fire slipped forth, coiling and slithering through the air like a serpent. When it kissed your side it set your shirt and jacket ablaze, the great fiery collum whirling you around and around in the air like a ragdoll.

Slammed once again into the ground, you groaned downwards "We gotta stop meeting like this buddy."

"Die!" Penelope demanded as she pointed her wand once more and spoke "tân Neidr!"

You looked around, but nothing happened only... a strange sizzling sound, that's when you peered down at your stomach to see a small ball of ivory fire, whistling like a kettle as its power grew unstable. "Oh."

Bang and your vision was consumed by white. The Explosion sent a torrent of heat through the hall, singing the banners and vines above, as Helia's hair stood up on end, sparking and smoking.

"tân Neidr, tân Neidr!"

Boom and blast consumed the air, filling everything in Your direction with fire.

Penelope marched towards you, flicking her wand over and over while yelping like a dog "tân Neidr, tân Neidr, tân Neidr!!!!!"

An ungodly spiral of absolute pyre shot up into the ceiling, smashing the windows, and cracking the marble below. The Witches behind her covered their eyes, shielding their ears as their robes flew in every direction, doubtless eyebrows were lost as all was lost in an ungodly flash.

When the blast dissipated, the room was caped in a shroud of black smoke. You were nowhere to be seen, only the large groups of skirmishing flames lit up the wreckage that came after.

Penelope huffed, groaning as cracks began to form on her neck and chest. She was exhausted.

"You forgot one thing!"

Helia's eyes bulged near out of her skull as she heard your call. All the Witches looked on in disbelief as the skirmishing flames burned down, turning white hot, before relaxing into a coiling black inferno.

You stepped out from the smoke, with Lugh's flaming blade illuminating your scared shoulder and golden eyes "We are of the same blood, but we aren't the same. You were born of fire, I was born of ****."

The Smoking Witch snarled, pointing her wand. "Mhalia!"

You painted one of your prized pistols from your blood, clicking away the safety and firing a shot right at her hand.

"Cut that wizard of Waverly place shit out!" You growled

"Carntro!"

With a flick of her wand, the bullet staggered and dipped away, planting itself in the ground. You shot three more times with the same result, but she staggered, clearly having used too much energy or whatever.

So, you decided to get a little sly. You pointed at one of the silver laid pillars behind her, firing a shot that pinged off the metal with a loud ting and ricocheted backwards.

"AHH!" She screamed as the stray bullet pierced the flesh of her ankle, making her collapse as the shards of her smashed heel lay splayed on the ground.

Wailing in pain, she dropped her wand as your looming form grew closer and closer "Wait! wait wait wait! Stop!"

You continued until you were only a foot or so away, Helia frantically tried to drag herself away, primal fear flooding through her bones. But you shot down, grasping her undamaged heel, pulling her closer "GET AWAY FROM ME! NO NO!"

The Witches behind her looked grim and frightened, Regina moved forward wand raised as you closed in on Helia's terrified husk.

"Stop there leech! You will not find me a foe so easily beaten!"

"I have no doubt. Now then, ms insurmountable Foe, shut up and let me concentrate will ya?" You said, crouching down to Penelope's level.

Regina saw the lack of hostility in your tone, but Penelope was still shaken, throwing a hand up to strike, tactfully caught in your large hand. "Will you cut it out, you lost. Just be still."

Your mind control petrified the flaming-haired girl, an easy task with so much panic breaking her focus. Kneeling on one knee, you dapped your finger into the wound on your waist and observed the damage.

"Mssss, that looks painful." It really did, the flesh felt like normal skin all the up to her shattered Achilles, where the bullet had smashed skin, bone and visceral like a china plate, "Hope this works." You Painted a spiralling symbol on her hairless calf.

"Dragon's Breath: Flourish"

As if the hands of time themselves had turned back the clocks, you watched as a warm ray of blood-red light whisked the shattered pieces back into place, fusing the cracked bone back into place with a loud click.

"Ow!" Helia cried, broken from her trance as she huddle backwards, looking uncertainly at you. "W-What? What!? how the fuck did you -- Why did you...?"

"We are not our ancestors, Nells. You're just a girl I've known since high school and I'm just some asshole who happens to know very little about his family. Maybe it's time that changed huh?" You spoke earnestly, you never really wanted to fight in the first place, but it wasn't unexpected the way you went about things.

Helia looked uncertainly at you, however, her eyes wander past you and froze in place. God himself must have appeared before her, because she sat up and then bowed her head low, all of them did, staring off behind you.

Slowly turning, you beheld the Four figures before you. Two were clearly the other sisters, hooded, veiled, one dressed in Purple the other in robes of furious red.

"Nelly, why are you all burnt up? God help you if you've been using Elementa again, I swear I'll tan your hide!" The Sister in red spoke, marching over to and picking up Penelope.

But it wasn't the Red or even the Violet Sister you paid mind to.

Stood in a cloak of Black and Azure-violet, the woman removed her hood, running at you and checking your wounds. Isabella Salvador clutched your shoulders, overflowing with worry "Are you okay, Guapo?"

You nodded "I'm fine, Iz. Guess the cats out the bag now huh?"

"I never did get that saying."

Moving aside, Isabella made way for the tall, illustrious woman at the head of them all. Her hat was unimaginably wide, it's crown sharp and jewelled. Her gown was so long it spiralled behind her on the ground, and gems of black opal and obsidian were etched into her beautiful dress.

She considered you with eyes black as pitch, and hair white as snow.

"Charlie..." Izzy started, raising an arm in reverence to the snow-white beauty before her "...This is Morgan Blair, Matriarch of Blumengarten, The Arch-Wicken, Queen of the Witches, the Nymph of the Iron-Oak."

Now, this, looked like the witch you should be looking for, and finally, here she was.