“My husband,” a soft feminine voice called out. Zerto’s contemplative expression crumpled as his thoughts were interrupted once more by an intrusive and frustrating voice, another interruption. First it was his flustered son, William, reporting his failures and begging for a chance at redemption. Then it was the clergy with reports of his daughter’s departure from the church and inquiries about the research into the experiments that his subjects had conducted. Now it was his wife, whose sister was causing this bothersome mess in the first place. He quietly grumbled at the inconvenience.

“Elesa, to what do I owe the honor of my Queen and High Priestess?” he questioned a common gruff and stoic voice.

“I have prepared a tool for you, my husband. An assassin who will strike down the witch and the rebellious children who trouble us,” she answered in a cold tone.

“Oh?” Zerto answered with mild intrigue. “Let me see this assassin.”

“Very well. Come here child,” she called over a short individual hidden in a white cloak.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness,” a cool eager voice greeted the King. Zerto could not guess much of the individual's behind her shroud, but the voice told him all he needed to. It was the voice of a confident young woman, ready to please him, but that alone was not enough..

“This tiny thing? Very well. Do you know of your mission, woman?” the King called to her.

“I do not your Highness, but I’m ready and willing to destroy any of your obstacles,” she giggled at the mention of ‘destroy.’ Just as he suspected, this woman craved bloodshed, possessed by an unsettled anger. Perfect for his intentions. He grinned.

“Then let it be known, assassin,” he began. “Your mission shall be to hunt down the witch Phordata, the traitorous witch born Prince and Princess, and any of their accompanying allies. They are all enemies to the crown and abominations upon this world. Slaughter them with prejudice and cleanse the world of their blight. So sayest King Zerto Lx Aurelo!”

“A witch and some royal vermin, eh?” she grinned at that. No, she reveled at the thought. And permission to slaughter them? “Yes! Perfect!” she cheered with a quiet sadistic tone. “I shall do as you desire you Highness! They are as good as dead,” her eyes were wide with crazed excitement as she turned to leave the chamber.

As Queen Elesa saw the woman leave, she could not help but feel a pang of sadness. Her poor children were destined for such cruelty. And yet, she had long since accepted the inevitability. The terror of Phordata and her petulant witches would soon be ended. It was unavoidable.

* * *

The girl rolled over from her restless sleep, rising from the tree hollow she used as her impromptu bed. Right, she was supposed to go after those noble fools who had chosen witchood. She grinned, how silly of her to forget. Although, she really craved the blood of that knight, too, though she was uncertain why. There was simply something inexplicable about him that made her want to cackle as she watched his flesh crackle, burn, and tear away. She wasn’t sure why, but she was certain he deserved it.

She began to giggle to herself as she imagined the knight’s body being torn by her lightning. The idea of slaying him gave her a mighty grin, only surpassed by her desire to slay that red headed witch. The two crumpling to the ground beneath her would be a mighty reward, and one she would savor.

“Well, if I want to enjoy this, I should get going then,” she snickered as she stretched her small form. “That king had better reward me for this,” she grinned. She felt her eye twitch for a second as another heat flashed within her. It wasn’t just the knight or the red headed witch she desired to kill. There was another that made her blood boil, nearly driving her to tears, but she couldn’t recall the face. Another impulse pumped through her body, an eager arc of lightning sparking from her fingers, emitting a loud popping sound as a nearby branch crashed into the ground. She already knew what she wanted for her reward.

She jumped as she heard a collection of small tweets. She watched as a few birds seemed to jump from tree to tree, attempting to attract each other. She giggled as she watched them, relaxing as her bloodlust melted away, a cute smile appearing on her face. “They’re so cute,” she smiled. “Birds sure are neat. They get to make such cute sounds and the way they fly, gliding through the air, they’re just precious,” she giggled.

Her eyes wandered falling upon a handful of baby plants poking through the ground, eyeing them curiously. “Wow,” her voice cooed. “I wonder what kind of flowers you’ll be when you grow up,” she smiled. “Seeing everything spring to life as Winter ends is just…” she breathed in, and in, and in, a shimmering current lifting her hair behind her. “It’s so beautiful,” she smiled. “Oh?” she blinked as she eyed a small bird tumble into the bush beside her.

The small thing tweeted wildly as it thrashed on the ground, the girl looking at it with pity. “Poor thing,” she said, scooping it up. She calmed it with her gentle smile as she held it to her face. “You should be more careful. It’s dangerous down here,” she said placing it on a nearby branch. The bird quickly flapped its wings and flew back into the trees as she smiled at it with anticipation. It would not be long now before they’d be laying their eggs and then raising new chicks and watching over them. A kind doting mother and a father who…

She shivered. Her smile dropped as she thought about the papa bird, a sense of disgust and anger filling her up. She imagined the papa bird cruelly kicking his chicks out of the nest as they desperately tried to learn how to fly. She was certain he would neglect them, sabotaging their lives, much like… an intense rage built up in her as she considered the chick’s siblings, her frown twisting into a disgusted scowl. The quick flapping wings of the birds carried them away as her lightning licked the trees around her. She gripped her hand as she tried to center herself.

As she gathered herself, throwing the hood of her white robe over her silvery hair. She began to hear a rumbling sound, one very familiar to her. “A carriage?” She wondered as she peeked her head out. Passing her by was a large carriage, one fit for a royal, an armored woman spurring the horses on. For a brief moment she spied a man in the window of the passing carriage, noting the familiarity of his dark spiked hair. “Well lucky me,” she chuckled.

She looked down the dirt road before her. She knew the road well, as well as where it led. She eyed a set of nearby tracks, noting the evidence of recent travelers. “So, that’s where you’re headed,” she licked her lips. “I wonder what kind of fun I’ll find in a city like that.”

* * *

“What do we do next?” Phordata tapped the table as she slowly ate her lunch with the others. She sat with her family and allies around a large wooden table at one of the taverns in Gelin called ‘Julian’s Delicacie’s.’ It was a comfortable establishment, with firm cobblestone walls and warm wooden floors. Beside their table sat a warm heater which valiantly fought the lingering Winter cold attempting to sink in from the walls. The witch took a bite of her ham as she once more thought over their options.

“Unfortunately, this excursion has not been what I had hoped,” Xenia admitted. “I thought our adversary would have at least stirred some rumors in her wake, and yet none seem to have taken root.”

“It is very strange,” Fiona took a sip of her pint. “A woman like you all described should have caught some attention, especially with that bloodlust.”

“It’s almost as if she appeared at the exact time we arrived,” Aria scratched her head.

“That may very well be the case,” a woman’s voice intruded, Aria spinning around to see a confident woman looking upon them.

“Who are you?” Phordata’s fingers twitched, ready to grab at the surrounding mana.

“It is alright Aunt Phora,” Saya chuckled as she stood up, approaching the woman. “It has been sometime, Nerivi,” she smiled.

“Goodness,” Nerivi smiled. “You must be her then,” she chuckled. “Your brother never told me how absolutely precious you had become. It suits you far better than that tired armor, Princess.”

“I love my brother, but he has never known the meaning of such charm,” Xenia laughed.

“True, it took me ages to get him to understand my appeal,” Nerivi tossed her hair behind her shoulder.

“I am officially confused,” Phordata sighed.

“Is this another one of your sisters?” Honey asked.

“No, no,” Aria chuckled. “Nerivi is Aurith’s wife. They married just over a year ago. I hear it started as a political marriage.”

“It was,” Nerivi nodded. “I am rather fortunate that Aurith and I happened to bond so well. He’s so much more understanding than most of my suitors were.”

“My nephew’s wife, huh?” Phordata quietly thought to herself. “Well then, it’s a pleasure to meet you, but why are you here?”

“Yes, I was under the understanding that brother was uncertain of what position to take,” Saya frowned.

“He was, but recent developments have changed things,” Nerivi scowled. “He’s here in town as well, though I expect he’s looking for you on the other end of town right now.”

“I see,” Xenia nodded. “Fiona?” she looked to the knight.

“I shall go find him with great haste, Captain.”

“Nerivi…,” Saya attempted.

“I know,” Nerivi nodded as she set herself into Fiona’s empty seat, Saya returning to the table meeting her with an apprehensive look. “I suppose I’ll start with what happened after you all left. The castle was largely quiet and rather typical. There was some shifting among the guard, but they seemed uncertain as to why, only that they seemed to be predicting an attack,” the others looked at her with an increasingly grim curiosity. “Once Aurith returned, we simply retired for the night, since the King was likely unavailable. That was when he explained your situation to me.

“The following morning, Aurith set out to approach his highness, and brief him about his mysterious assailant. However, there was something amiss. The king was already aware of your appearance,” the others’ eyes shot open. “It gets more peculiar. He was aware of your presence, but not of Aurith’s own attendance. I’ll let him explain it all himself later, but he believes that the king was the one who sent the witch, and her target wasn’t Aurith, but all of you.”

“The witch was targeting us?” Aria looked at Nerivi with apprehension. “But she…”

“I know she attacked Aurith, but apparently his highness went so far as to say ‘let the witches fight amongst themselves.’ Between that and other things the king said, Aurith concluded that the witch was intended to attack all of you and something else set her upon him. Which means…”

“Father… he…” Saya stammered in shock. “You are certain?”

“Aurith was quite certain. He rattled off a number of contradictions such as the king citing information from William that placed this assailant with you all at Lord Ilo’s manor,” Nerivi frowned.

“It’s true we were at Ilo’s,” Xenia confirmed. “But that night with Aurith was the first time we encountered that witch,” she mumbled. “That is quite suspicious. And father did send William to observe, likely to attack us should sister and I choose awakening. It seems quite possible he would do commit to such an attack.”

Phordata’s fingers dug into her palm. “That man knows no shame,” she hissed. “Using a witch to wipe out her own kind.”

“B-but…” Saya shook her head. “Did father really send her to…” Xenia’s eyes sank as she realized what Saya was attempting to say. Certainly, William was sent to capture them, and potentially kill them, but the initiative was unclear. William had plenty motivation to seize the chance to clear out his own personal grudges. Or at least that is what she desired to believe. She suspected Saya hoped the same vain thought. But should Nerivi be right, a woman she entrusted her brother’s safety to, then there was little doubt.

“I am sorry sister,” Xenia frowned. “But I am afraid Aurith’s assertions are likely correct.”

“Saya,” Aria held Saya’s hand as tears began to drip from her eyes.

“Father… he wants us dead?” she brought her hands to her chest as the reality sank in. The cracks and hesitations in her resolve made themselves known with an anguished wail, the faint hope of reason swallowed by their hollow grasp. “He chose not just to abandon us, but…” her voice shook. In an instant, her feelings began to calm as a firm grasp gripped her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the familiar bulk of her armored brother, Aurith looking upon her with a calm yet saddened face.

“It is alright sister,” he massaged her shoulder. “Father may have abandoned you all, but I shall not. A king who thinks so little of his children is not owed the respect he asks of me.”

“Aurith,” Saya’s voice sank.

“Father has betrayed you all,” Aurith massaged Saya’s arm as he spoke. “He seeks to shift the suspicious and blame away from himself. Of that I am certain now. As much as it pains me to admit, it was quite clear that your assertions about him were true. I am sorry to bring you such a cruel truth.”

“No,” Saya shook her head. “I knew from everything we have seen now that father is that kind of person,” she wiped away her tears. “But I suppose my heart was less prepared for this than I thought.”

“It is alright Saya,” Fiona said as she emerged from behind Aurith, patting the shoulder opposite the large knight. “I doubt any of us were prepared for such a forward and clear attack,” Saya looking to Aria and Xenia who nodded in turn.

“I see you weren’t too far, dear,” Nerivi chuckled as she looked upon her husband.

“I had a half a mind to explore the other half of the city, but we both know that you have always had the better luck finding people we are looking for,” Aurith chuckled.

“That is quite…” Nerivi’s voice halted as she noticed Aurith’s eyes widen. “Dear, what is the… matter…” she looked toward the window, her eyelids bolting open as she witnessed the woman Aurith had described. Bright purple eyes and long silvery hair upon a short woman, who sneered with satisfaction in their direction. She rose her hand, energy rippling around her arm as Nerivi shouted, “GET DOWN!”

A bright flash of lightning erupted through the window, the frame blazing with flames as the townsfolk looked on with horror as the witch cackled. “I’ve found you,” she cackled.

“Not so fast!” Aria declared as she climbed out the window and charged at the woman. The woman chuckled as she released another bolt from her palm. Aria recalled some words Mable had once told her after training, lightning is drawn to the path of least resistance to the ground. She collapsed her form, landing her right elbow upon her knee, the metal armor connecting as she channeled her anchoring spell around the limbs, using her sword as a lightning rod to sink the lightning. “I’m ready for you this time,” Aria grinned. The witch smirked much to her shock.

Another bright flash leapt from the witch’s palm as a large root emerged from the group to capture it, leaving crisped tinder in their wake which quickly crumbled in the wind. “That was clever Aria,” Phordata said as she left the restaurant’s broken window, “but you made one glaring oversight. With enough power her spells could still fry you.”

“Ooh, someone knows what they’re talking about,” the silver haired witch giggled. “Guess I’ll have to take care of you first,” she grinned before it curdled on her face as her gave caught upon Aurith and Xenia proudly approaching her. “Those two again,” her right eye twitched.

“Brother, sister,” Saya called out.

“Leave this to us, sister,” Xenia ordered. “We’ll…” a sudden gust of wind whipped Xenia’s breath back into her throat.

“This wind,” Honey cringed. “Her magic is forming a storm around us.”

“I’m going to enjoy slaughtering all of you,” the woman declared with crackle of a cackle, bolts of electricity jumping and crashing all around them, a purple glow illuminating her hair.

“What is…?” Nerivi attempted to question as a spark crashed into the building behind them, then another upon the building behind the witch, and yet another crashing into a nearby fruit stand. “She’s just letting them loose everywhere,” Nerivi’s growl was swallowed by the gale. The woman cackled as another bolt of lightning swirled around her before launching out.

“Oh no,” Saya’s eyes trembled as she looked along the street, tracing the bolt’s arc. Her heart shook as she saw the burning hole burrow into a familiar building. Her heart sank as she recalled the sights of the town they passed through in the Ethnertan territory when they first traveled North.

She shambled down the street as she visualized the deep gouges in the Earth and the hollowed out buildings. It was a moment that proved to her how revolting the notion of such conflict was to her. A memory that clung in the back of her mind that filled her with horrible dread. All of the people there were killed by knights, steeped in duty to follow the orders that drove them to slaughter. And now here she was, witnessing a similar sort of horror committed by one of her ilk.

“Hannah,” her voice wobbled. She felt pangs of pain in the Ethnertan city, imagining the frightened residents slain for no reason other than a malicious order. She imagined what would have happened to Hannah had she been present at such a horrible scene. Tears filled her eyes as her eyes sank upon the sign below the smoldering hole, ‘Illustrious Illusions.’

“HANNAH!” she broke into a crazed dash.

“Saya, wait!” Aria chased after her. The knight saw the witch lift her finger into the air, her body glowing brighter, and her hair becoming an increasingly more vivid purple. She grimaced as the witch pointed at Saya, directing a bolt at her. Aria dug her heels down and slashed into bolt, the blade absorbing the lightning, blitzing down Aria’s armor and into the ground. Aria panted as she felt the mana stored in her armor weaken. “Dammit,” she winced.

“Hannah!” Saya yelled as she ran to the door. She was gripped by horror as she saw a smoldering hole caving in the back of the store, a bed crashed into the back wall. Upon the bed she saw a young woman panting and griping her side in pain as flames began to lick down from the upper floor. “Hannah,” her voice fell quietly as she stumbled to her friend’s side.

“S-Saya?” Hannah managed to cough out. “What are you…?”

“Hannah, are you okay,” she approached, her eyes widening as she realized a broken plank of wood plunging into the girl’s side. “You… No…” her hands bolted to her mouth from shock.

“Saya,” Hannah mumbled.

“Hannah, do not talk, you are…”

“Saya, please,” Hannah’s voice rasped. “Mom and Dad,” she clenched her wound as she tried to focus, “they aren’t here right now,” she gave a small smile. “I’m the only one here,” she sniffled. “Tell them I love them for me,” she looked up to Saya pleadingly.

“No, you cannot…”

“Saya,” Hannah looked to her friend. “I can’t move. And I know that I won’t make it,” she began to sob. “Maybe this is divine punishment for these feelings,” she gripped her chest before she began to cry. “I… I don’t want to die… I…”

Saya gripped her friend’s shoulder as she began to cry more and more, the heat above her becoming hotter by the second, and the flames beginning to roar. She recalled again the sight of the Ethnertan city and the carnage and the complicit knights. But she was not a knight. Yet she was not powerless either. She took a deep breath as she decided what she was going to do.

“Hannah,” Saya whispered, the girl looking up to her, her face drenched in tears. “I will save you,” she smiled.

“Save me? What are you…?”

She took a step back and formed a circle with her hands. She pulled upon the mana within her and from around her, a bubble of water appearing within the circle. It was not enough. She knew it was not enough. That her experience and power were not enough. She thought back to her training and how she used spell circles and incantations to harness her magic.

“All powerful tides of life,” she chanted. “Pool unto me and grant me thy boon. May your waves ripple and pull into my grasp and dissolve my plight,” the bubble grew. “Gush forth and quench the searing wrath of my enemy. Swallow these flames and douse their hungry embers,” she ordered the water, tendrils of water emerging from the bubble and reaching for the flames above them. In moments the heat had vanished, a damp air left in their wake.

“Saya,” Hannah trembled. “What did you…” she looked at her frightfully. “What are you?”

Saya’s heart sank as her friend stared at her with horror. “I apologize Hannah,” she frowned. “But that will have to wait,” she said as she moved to her frightened friend’s side. “Oh, grand radiance, may your rays shine upon me and grant me thy power to heal,” she said with a hushed voice, as a ball of light began to glimmer in her hand.

“W-what is…?” Hannah fidgeted frightfully.

“I am sorry Hannah, but this will hurt for a moment,” she said as she held her friend. In the next moments sharp screams filled the air as the intrusive wood was removed, and Saya’s light filled the wound, mending the torn flesh. “There, that should be better,” Saya smiled.

“I… you…” Hannah’s voice shook.

“I am sorry,” Saya frowned. “But now is not the time. You have to flee,” her voice grew louder with urgency. “You are in danger here. There is a witch outside. And I fear you may not be able to escape again should her power strike here again,” she warned.

“A witch?” Hannah repeated. She balled up her fist. “This happened because…”

“Hannah? Are you listening?”

“You’re one too. Aren’t you,” she whispered. “A witch.”

Saya’s body shook, but she refused to deny it. “I am,” she confirmed. “But I…”

“SHUT UP!” Hannah yelled, shocking Saya. “I can’t believe I trusted you!” Hannah shrieked. “You’re a monster, aren’t you!?”

“Hannah, that is not…”

“What do you want from me!? Are you trying to corrupt me or something? Is that why you came to me!?”

“Hannah, please listen, that is not…”

“Oh god, earlier when we were talking, were you trying to influence me. Trying to tempt me with these unholy thoughts?” Hannah panicked.

“I would never!” Saya protested.

“Why should I believe you!?” Hannah shouted. “You’re a witch! A monster!”

“I am not a monster!” Saya shouted back. “I am your friend!”

“I could never be friends with a monster like you!”

Saya stepped back in shock as Hannah glared at her, tears rushing to her eyes. She pined escape as her heart groaned from the pain caused by Hannah’s words. She sniffled and began to cry. “I…” she stepped back, her sight of Hannah becoming blurrier. “I just wanted to save you,” she cried. “You are my friend, and I wanted to save you. Is that so wrong?,” she whimpered. There was silence as her vision faded from the tears.

“Princess!” Aria called from the doorway, Saya snapping back to see her precious knight. “What are you doing!? We have to get out of here!” she shouted as she pulled Saya from the building, her words trapped in her throat as the grief of her broken friendship lay in tatters behind her, only an incomprehensible murmur whisking past Saya’s ear as she was pulled away.

“Aria!” Xenia called to them. Saya looked down the street to see Phordata and Honey focusing their magics upon the attacking witch in an effort to suppress her magic, Honey’s winds canceling the swell of magic as Phordata’s plants wound around her body and pulled her down to the ground. “We have to leave.”

“Right!” Aria nodded. “Let’s go Saya!”

“B-but the people!” Saya objected. “I-if we leave, she will…” she hiccupped

“Saya, please, get a hold of yourself. Calm down and think,” Aria grabbed hold of her. “She’s after us. If we stay here we’re putting ourselves AND the city at risk,” she grimaced. “So, please, listen to us Saya.”

“R-right,” Saya nodded as she followed Aria down the road. The aggressive witch trapped behind them as they ran.

“Run as far as you’d like,” the witch grumbled. “But you’ll figure out soon that there’s no escaping me,” she snickered as lightning arced around her body. “Not really.”