(5) The Calm Before The Storm

My eyes fluttered open. The sunlight hitting my face, I quickly tried to lift my hand to block it. However, something was lying on my arm. Rather—someone.

I looked over to see the girl from last night cradled against my shoulder. Her head rested in the nook of my neck, as if it belonged there. I quickly retracted my arm, noticing the soft warmth that was pushing against my elbow.

Not soon after, she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh? You're up?" She asked before yawning. I looked away. Her nightgown was thin and left little to the imagination. She glanced down, perhaps wondering why I kept looking away from her. "Ah, I see..." she muttered. The bed lightly creaked as she stood up. I continued facing the other way, towards the wall of the room we were in. "Alright. Don't overreact. I'm changed now." She said, a slight annoyance in her voice.

"Where are we?" I asked her.

"An inn just next to the palace." She told me, crossing her arms. I don't know how she changed so quickly and into such a long, extravagant green dress. It was similar to the one she had worn last night but less poofy. Her raven-black hair was swept to the side in a neat braid.

"I need to leave now." I shook away the thought while standing up. Why would I care about what she wears?

"So soon?" she asked me.

"I would rather not be found with you, Elodie."

She didn't respond for several seconds. "Alright. But there is a faster way."

I turned around, looking at her. "What is-"

The palm of her hand was pressed against my forehead. I remembered its coolness from the night before. Except, unlike then, she wore a poorly concealed gaze of sadness on her face. "Goodbye, Adam."

I wasn't given any time to ask any questions. Though it's unlikely she would've answered them.

There was a blur of white light. Immediately after blinking, my surroundings had completely changed. She had teleported me. I was right in front of my house. The horse-drawn carriage I had taken to the ball was there, parked beneath the shade of a medium-sized tree. How was it that Elodie the Evil Witch knew where I lived?

"Sir! You're back!" A voice said from behind me.

It was my butler, Barret. I collected myself and nodded, walking towards my house.

"Whoever you are, Elodie. Your fate is up to you now." I mumbled aloud, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Remind me, Barret, to never attend a royal gathering in the future."

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After I teleported Adam away, my breathing staggered. I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply.

I knew I couldn't continue using my magic so freely. It was draining, and my recent resurrection was making it impossible for me to cultivate my energy.

The first thing I noticed upon revival was the change in the air. The smell of smog and pollution stung my nostrils; I almost vomited after smelling it. Thankfully, as an Emerald Witch, changing such things was within my capabilities. However, after remembering the lies put out against me by my own kingdom, I wasn't sure I wanted to.

Emerald Witches were one of a kind. Their magic is centered around nature itself. Unlike a Scarlet Witch's powers, which derive from magic itself. Their abilities were too unpredictable, and so the universe's way of "fixing" was creating beings with abilities that could counter their dangerous power.

Emerald Witches' powers rely on nature.

Scarlet Witches' powers rely on magic.

The smaller details and differences between the two were ones I was too tired to think about. I walked to the bed and tried to rest, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of my head that prevented me.

I sat up, frustrated. "Am I forgetting something?" I thought aloud, scanning the room. Why wasn't I able to sleep?

It was exactly then that the voice came back to me. 'Kill the queen. You must kill the queen. That is why you are alive.'

A vein throbbed in my head. This voice was becoming a nuisance.

๏๏๏ꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉ๏๏๏

The room was filled with a thick and untouchable aura. The rooms in the inn surrounding Elodie's grew cold. Glasses, windows, and cups cracked, hearts pounding in foreign fear as the intense aura grew stronger. No one had any idea what was happening!

Back at the castle, nearly all the lights flickered on and off, and the sound of maids shrieking echoed throughout the long and fancy hallways.

"Guards! What the h*ll is going on?!" The princess yelled.

"We, uh, are looking into the situation, Princess." A guard said. Another guard came running into the room, panting as he bowed towards the royals with great pace.

"We have a problem, Princess." The guard gasped. "Soldiers report east of the castle a whirl of pure magic. Specifically.."

The princess' fist shook with anger. the side of her clenched hand smashing harshly to her hand rest. Her eyes darkened. "Nature magic. It's her."

The guard bowed again before continuing to speak. "They also report that magic users surrounding the inn have been unable to leave due to a malfunction with the magic running through the building. The doors are locked tight. Anyone who tried to open a window was sent flying. As if-"

"D*mn it!" The princess yelled, growing furious. "That witch put a repelling spell on the building. No one will be able to leave until she releases it."

Hearing this, the guard's face paled, staring at the floor in disbelief. "This... this is the power of the Evil Witch?? H-How..."

The princess didn't respond, deep in thought. 'I need to find a way to stop her from regaining strength. If Elodie manages to get even half of her true power...'

She reflected on the war seven years ago. Her brothers and she only managed to suppress Elodie's power by using every single one of their best mages and wizards. They banished her, thinking they'd have enough time to think of a way to properly kill her.

But, as the seven years came and went, their objective goal grew more and more difficult to complete. Yet Isabella knew she couldn't let this sudden change derail her hard work. not after how far she'd come.

"Split our military into three teams. The first and second will surround the premise of the inn." Isabella stood up. "The last will report to only myself and the king!"

"Yes, princess!" The guards bowed. With that, they scurried out of the room, the princess returning to her thoughts.

"Elodie... if you think I've only sat here and gotten weaker, you're wrong." She smiled triumphantly. "I'll take you down, even if it's the last thing I do."