"Ah, Sleeping Beauty finally wakes up." A harsh voice said from behind her.
Sabrina turned around and saw Baba Yaga leaning against a tree.
"Where's my family?!" Sabrina yelled at the hag, getting shakily to her feet, her hands balling into fists, preparing to charge at the witch.
Baba Yaga laughed, "Oh, cool it you little brat, I don't have your family." The witch's eyes turned cold, "And if I were you I'd un-ball those fists of yours before you get hurt."
They stood glaring at each other and then Sabrina reluctantly un-balled her hands. There was no point getting the witch mad when she could help her get her family back.
"Do you know who took them?" Sabrina asked.
Baba Yaga laughed, a laugh that sounded like someone dragging their fingernails down a chalkboard.
Sabrina stood there fuming as the hag laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks.
"How long have you been here?" The witch said, still chuckling, "A year? Who do you think took your family?"
Sabrina could have kicked herself, the answer was so obvious!
"The Scarlet Hand." She said.
Baba Yaga clapped, "Yes! Golden Star for Sabrina!" The witch cackled.
Sabrina ground her teeth together, barely managing to hold back a sharp retort, "Can you help me get them back or not?" she snapped.
Baba Yaga stretched and yawned as if a kidnapped family was as boring as watching a movie about cockroaches, "Maybe."
"What do you mean, maybe?" Sabrina said, starting to get ticked off at the witch.
Baba Yaga sighed, "When I say 'maybe', I mean I can help you only if you're capable of handling the things I give you." She said slowly, as if speaking to a two year old.
"What things are you going to give me?" Sabrina asked.
Baba Yaga threw up her hands, "The child is helpless!" She pointed at herself, "What am I? I'm a witch! And what do witches deal with? Magic! And the only way you can save your family is to use magic!"
"But . . ." Sabrina said, "I'm addicted."
"That's why I said I could help you if you're capable of handling the things I give you." Baba Yaga said and eyed the twelve year old girl, "Are you capable of handling magic?"
Sabrina swallowed, the last time she had used magic hadn't worked out too well but if magic was the only way she could save her family she'd risk using it.
"Yes, I am." She said, hesitantly.
Baba Yaga stared at her, as if examining her to make sure she could, "Fine. Stay here."
The witch turned and walked into the woods.
A few minuets passed and Sabrina was starting to wonder if the witch had left her when Baba Yaga walked out of the woods, carrying three things: a wand, a dagger, and something wrapped in cloth.
Sabrina immediately felt a powerful pull jerk her towards Baba Yaga and it took all her strength to hold still. Her eyes locked on the cloth covered thing Baba Yaga was holding and she instantly knew that that was the source of magic that she so desperately wanted. Whatever it was, it was powerful. Sabrina felt an urge to grab it, to feel its powers and make them hers. To feel that feeling of security, knowing that with all that power she can save her family, get rid of the Scarlet Hand for good and wake up her parents. With that power she could do anything she wanted to do.
Sabrina eyed the thing hungrily until Baba Yaga said, "Snap out of it child!"
Sabrina shook her head and realized that she had almost closed the gap between her and Baba Yaga without knowing it.
"What. . .what's that?" She asked, pointing at the cloth covered thing in Baba Yaga's hand.
"I'll tell you, if you'll promise me one thing." The witch said,
Sabrina nodded her head, ready to do whatever it took to see it.
"You must think of your family. Of all the happy and sad times you've spent together, you must think about how much you love them and want to save them. You must not let your addiction control you." Baba Yaga said sternly, looking Sabrina straight in the eye, "Can you do that?"
Sabrina hesitated. Could she do that? Whatever was behind that cloth was powerful, so powerful that she could fell it drawing her closer even at a distance. But her family needed her.
Sabrina nodded her head and Baba Yaga motioned her to come closer.
Sabrina stood by the Witch and watched as Baba Yaga unwrapped the cloth. Sabrina gasped as a wave of power hit her, knocking the breath out of her.
She closed her eyes, desperately trying to fight away the urge to have all that power.
Family, she thought, think of your family!
Memories ran through her head but one stood out stronger than the rest. It was the one of her lying between her parents after that dream just last night.
"I'll protect you, No matter what happens I'll protect you, I promise."
Could she keep that promise? Could she protect her family even with her addiction?
Sabrina took a deep breath, shoved back her thirst for power and looked at the thing in Baba Yaga's hand.
It was a round amulet, hanging from a gold chain. A red mist moved around inside the stone, covering everything except for a black spot in the middle, making the amulet look like an eye.
"What is it?" Sabrina asked.
"This is the most powerful amulet in the world, "Baba Yaga said, "The 'Dragon's eye.'"
"The Dragon's eye." Sabrina said in wonder, staring down at the amulet.
"Well, its original name is in Ancient Greek but I'm too lazy to tell you." Baba Yaga said.
"Why is it called the 'Dragon's eye'?" Sabrina asked.
"Dragons are the most powerful creatures in this world," Baba Yaga said, "They can do a lot more than spit fire out of their mouths and fly really fast and this amulet contains the blood of the eight most powerful dragons in the world."
Sabrina stared down at the amulet, disgust filling her as she realized that the red mist was actually blood.
"Look at me child." Baba Yaga demanded.
Sabrina reluctantly lifted her gaze from the amulet and was met with Baba Yaga's intent gaze.
"I give this too you only as a last resort," Baba Yaga said, "You must not use this unless you absolutely need too. You understand?"
"Why?" Sabrina asked.
"Because, if you use this, the amulet's power will tear you and everything around you apart." Baba Yaga said.
"Okay." Sabrina said, not sure she wanted it anymore.
"To use it, all you have to do is get a drop of blood onto it and it'll activate the amulets power." Baba Yaga said as she wrapped the amulet back up in cloth and thrust it into Sabrina's hands.
Sabrina felt the amulets power fill her through the cloth and it took all her will-power to pay attention to what Baba Yaga was saying.
"Now, lets see it you can handle the amulet and the wand." The witch said, thrusting the wand into Sabrina's other hand.
Sabrina felt amazing power race through her, making her feel invincible. A crazed look filled her eyes as she felt like she could take the whole world on.
Baba Yaga quickly yanked the wand out of Sabrina's hand, "Well, there goes that idea." The witch said as she thrust the dagger into Sabina's hand.
Sabrina frowned at the weapon; it didn't feel magical to her, "Is this. . ."
"No, it doesn't have a single drop of magic in it, which makes it just perfect for you." Baba Yaga said.
Sabrina slid the amulet into her pocket, planning to touch it as little as possible, and tried to find a place where she could put the dagger without stabbing herself.
Baba Yaga handed her a belt with a sheath attached to it and watched Sabrina put it on and slide the dagger into the sheath.
"Well, you're all set." The witch said.
"That's it?" Sabrina said, shocked, "That's all you're doing to help?!"
Baba Yaga nodded her head, "Remember, I still hate your family's guts."
Sabrina glared at the witch, thinking about stabbing her.
"The way I see it, you have two options," Baba Yaga said, "One, you could control your addiction and have a slight chance of saving your family. Or you could let your addiction slowly take over you and your whole family could die."
The witch shrugged, "But that's up to you."
