AN: I'm not usually one for ANs but here we are...In my mind this was going to be a sequel to 'Loopholes' and an attempt at something more interesting...but it's turned out that this story actually makes sense on it's own too, the only resemblance to 'Loopholes' is the characters Rocky Fluxweed and Kada Kettleworth. However, some things mentioned in 'Loopholes' will be elaborated/explained so if you've read it already, awesome, but if not, don't stress because you don't need to have to follow this story. It'll be a long one, but as usual my chapters are pretty short. I have time on my hands though, so I can actually promise reasonably quick updates. I'm waffling. On with the story!
An owl hooted somewhere in the not-so-distant darkness. Amongst the trees, a rather plump woman glanced anxiously at her surroundings, tucking her silvery hair behind her ear before treading carefully away from the beaten path. She sighed as she saw a dark silhouette against a thin torrent of smoke billowing ahead of her.
"Zelda!" she called out, quickening her pace as she approached, "Is that you, there?"
A proud-looking figure stepped forward, dressed head to toe in garments that made it strikingly obvious, even without the steaming cauldron behind her, that she was a witch.
"Really," the witch sneered at the woman who had approached her, "Must you insist on forsaking the cloth of your calling and dress like that?"
"I could say the same to you, Zelda," the woman spoke breathlessly, eyeing the witch's pointed hat, "You don't do yourself any favours...we're in the midst of a witch-hunt, you know, my dear!"
"Oh, tattle," Zelda waved a hand dismissively, "I am a Hallow; I am one of the most powerful witches one could hope to be. I daresay that those who seek to destroy me do not match up to my magic,"
"Don't you say that," the other woman pleaded, "I've heard things, and I came to warm you, you are in grave danger. We-"
Her words caught in her throat as the two of them were surrounded by another source of magic. With a loud rushing sound, crackling blue strands of energy encircled them, as strange hissing voices echoed throughout the clearing.
"Kill us breed, for power, for glory... do the deed, make them bleed, kill us breed..."
As quickly as it had started, the chant stopped, and an eerie silence filled the space it had left. The strands of magical energy ebbed, but were suddenly revived and transformed into a circular wall of icy blue flames.
"There is... no escape," a quiet, but confidently calm voice spoke as another witch materialized in the centre of the circle. In the lack of daylight, it was impossible to glean any detail of this witch, other than that she was clearly a witch. She spoke in a taunting tone as she advanced towards the proud-looking witch. She then suddenly pointed a finger sharply to the plump woman's chest.
"She's right you know... your enemy... has a new tac... tic..." she sang mockingly, directing her speech to the one she knew must be a Hallow. An evil smirk flashed across her face as a bolt of magic leapt from her fingertips, into the woman's chest. The plump woman writhed and screamed in excruciating pain for a brief moment, before collapsing to the ground. She lay like stone in a motionless heap among the first fallen leaves of the autumn.
Zelda remained rooted to the spot in terror, knowing, as only a witch could, that her companion had not been able to fight the spell. In anger and an attempt at retaliation, she tried to cast a spell at the unknown enemy, but it was deflected almost as soon as the magic left her fingertips.
"I wouldn't... do that," she drawled, breathing heavily, "If I were you... But you show... daring... a commendable trait... in a witch"
She cast what looked like a weaker version of her previous spell. It was as though she wanted to play with the taller witch; to watch her suffer for a while.
"They like... brave witches," she whispered teasingly, "You could always... join us... You could... use your steel for... something use... ful... something much more glor... ious..."
For a long moment, the pain-filled witch glared up from the ground into her enemy's bloodshot eyes.
"Never!" she croaked. Then she cast a very different spell. This time it was not one that was aimed at her enemy in retaliation, but one that was aimed at her own self, for she would rather die than face the torturous existence that her world was soon to be.