Chapter 22- TWO WITCHES

Rina's POV:

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SWOOSH!

I heard something flying through the air from behind and I ducked in time to see a red wolf pass over my head and collide against the foot of the hill, smashed into a paste. I tried keeping my palms on the ground for stability but they didn't stay long as I jumped and rolled away because the ground was searing hot!

The stones, pebbles and other particles on the floor started vibrating, followed by a deep rumbling beneath the ground.

CRACK...CRACK....RUMBLE... SPLIT...BOOM!!!

A massive billow of red fiery flames burst forth. It was like hell decided to burn on earth. The explosion was deafening and got me thrown far back to where I hid at the beginning.

Why do I keep getting back to this place and why does it seem to be immune to the hazards occurring? I didn't get to ponder for long as my 'hair-tenant' started freaking out again.

"Serena! It's Serena!" It exclaimed, making it way too easy to notice the awe in its tone. I, however, made a swift note to go through my hair strand by strand after getting out of this cloak. But for now, a piercing howl got my attention.

"Yoouuuu!!! Impertinent daughter of scrawny witches!! How dare you?!!!" A beautiful woman in white screeched, grabbing her face in pain, as she turned into an old ugly woman in black.

Wait,what?!

"Oh, Letitia." A voice drawled. "Just call me a witch and stop using vocabularies, hmm? Those rotten teeth of yours can't bear the weight of them you know." The voice sighed at the end. This voice was enthralling, and on a normal day, any listener couldn't help being enchanted.

"And how dare I what? Ha! I don't like battling fakes, you see. Told you down there that I wanted to see if you've gotten more ugly aaanndd, I kind of like what I'm seeing right now. Hahahaha." The woman finished, a string of laughter emerging from her red lips.

The flames worshipped her as she levitated in the air with her red hair dancing wild as her shimmering red robe swayed along. She was slender and curvy, fair and beautiful to behold. Fierceness and tenacity bounced off her body and it was so sure that the goddess made her for the color red and all it stands for.Her emerald eyes glowed as they rolled to look at another direction.

The hilltop.

Arrows flew towards her, exploding as they came in contact with the fire. Looking at the direction from which the arrows came from, five out of the seven men in black,had their crossbows raised, taking another aim at her.

I couldn't help but wonder if they weren't foolish. It didn't take long to prove my guess right as the flames grew higher and hotter.

"Everyone down!Now!" The old witch shouted, followed immediately by a rain of fire arrows possessing explosive energy, hitting the hill where the prince and the guards once stood. Some arrows went through the portal. Guess that's an RIP to the unfortunate victims on the other side.

Two men died instantly and others were trying to put out the fire on their bodies. The prince was at a safe distance as his gift gave him an edge over others.

He teleported back to the portal, carrying a little bundle with him and then he was gone before anyone could make sense of what was in it.

Out of nowhere, a gale swept through the area and the clouds started to get dark. There was a burst of laughter from the woman in red and I started getting this notion that witches laugh a lot.

"A power stolen from the owner while she was vulnerable? I saw you that night, old witch. Not only are you one of the greatest betrayer I've known, you're also the greatest thief and murderer." Serena finished. Her tone was emotionless and no one could tell what she was thinking.

"I'm honored to be complimented by a killer herself." Letitia chuckled before laughing wildly. It started to rain.

"I don't know why you overdo yourself. Why is it hard to accept that that which you all seek is a lost cause?" Serena sighed.

The rain got heavier and in response, the fire burned fiercely, expanding it's territory and licking the wet ground dry. There was a hint of confusion on Letitia's face while all that was on Serena's was a smirk.

"I can see your fire is unquenchable," Letitia drawled, schooling her facial features before stretching her hand. A staff flew into it turning into a broom, leaving her hand and nudging her to seat on it. All the while, she was transforming back into a young beautiful lady in white.

"I've not been idle these years like someone who's only been licking the boots of her fellow evil-doer." Serena replied. Flipping her red hair, she continued. "So what do you think? You should never steal something that isn't yours to start with. The power will never acknowledge you as its master." She finished, stepping backwards in the air and dropping herself on a fire throne that appeared out of nowhere. The fire ring over her head moved backwards too.

'There's absolutely no way that fire doesn't possess its own consciousness.' I subconsciously concluded.

Letitia's lips moved downwards as she didn't seem to like that attitude of Serena's.

"What? You like my throne? Don't think I'll offer you a seat. You can just go get your ownnn...what is it again? Ah, right! WATER throne with the power you stole. Just stop staring at mine." Serena begrudgingly said as she patted her throne and started fawning over it just to irk Letitia and she got her result.

Letitia almost puked blood at Serena's words and not being able to take it anymore, she staggered and fell on her broom which flew into the air, away from Serena and much closer to the portal whose light was getting dim by the way.

Regaining her composure, she adjusted her sitting posture on the broomstick. It may look ordinary but it's actually very powerful and only looks powerful when its power is unleashed by the owner.

"She's long dead, witch. It's just a matter of time before it acknowledges me." Letitia said, pruning her long fingernails. I don't want to imagine the number of eyeballs those nails might have really gouged out... according to rumors that is.

"It's unlike witches not to revenge. Why haven't you come for us all these years?" Letitia asked in a concerned tone but anyone who sees her 'wide-smiling' face would know she wasn't the least bit concerned.

"You're right. It's unlike witches not to revenge and being a proud one at that, how can I disregard that aspect. Come fellow witch, hehe. Lemme give you a little insight. You see, the thing is, I'm carefully preparing the spices I wanna roast you all with," Serena said, finishing with a sad tone but she was actually smiling creepily.

"I am not done with them yet as they require stringently special processes." Serena sighed again "Alright, i promise to let you all have a sniff before dying though. That way you'll know how important you all are to me for me to have prepared something of great quality that has never existed. Trust me, it will leave you thinking with your thwarted minds, just how great you all will taste in Cerebus's mouth. He will surely thank me for the treat." Serena finished casually, like she just talked about skewing fishes and drinking wine.

"Oh?? Then I want to smell them already." Letitia chuckled.

Seriously?! And my whole life I thought I've seen enough psychopaths? Oh, Rina, Rina, you've been living in a well.

Letitia then continued, "How's the injury going? Not an easy thing to deal with I can assure you." She finished, pruning her long fingernails. Again.

What's the thing with witches and their fingernails though? First, the sadistic laughter and then, the fingernails.

"Motivates me to work faster on the spices. I can see you got rid of the burn on your face. Not this one though, the real ugly one." Serena answered, her statement successfully popping a vein on Letitia's face. Changing her position to a more relaxing one on her throne, Serena's cold eyes moved towards the portal before settling back on the old witch in disguise.