Chapter 8

The sound of running water grew louder as the four of them traveled. The strain of moving the bomb was slowly taking a toll on the Witch and Fairy, but they were handling it. A factor in their favor was that they knew each other well, and cooperation came naturally.

Timmy led the way, as Zing scouted ahead, alert for any insect attacks.

At last they stood on the bank of the river, and Lucy and Mirta gratefully set the bomb down to take a rest. The river ran in a roughly east-west direction, cutting off any chance of going further south. But that was okay; the ship was now due east of them.

The river ran swiftly between banks some twenty feet wide, and was about seven feet below them. It wasn't really very loud, as few rocks were above the surface.

"We're making good progress," said Timmy, "We'll be back to the ship in about two hours at this rate."

"Ooohh, sorry, not gonna happen," said a new voice.

They looked around, on the alert for anything. On the other bank the three witches appeared, nasty grins on their faces.

"Thanks so much for finding the bomb and getting it this far, but we'll take it from here," said Inez. Megan and Zee laughed.

Timmy pulled his pistol and aimed at them. "You're not gonna get it, and if you don't leave, you ARE gonna get it."

Four Witches and a Fairy stopped and stared at him.

"Um... I mean..." he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Never mind, we know what you meant. Now hand it over, and we might spare your lives," threatened Megan.

Lucy's hands began to glow dark green as Mirta changed to Fairy form. They got set to attack.

Zing had flown across the river, and found herself behind the witches, who seemed not be aware of her. When they threatened her companions, she took action. She called all the flying, biting, and stinging insects that were within her range to her, and commanded them to attack the witches.

"No?" asked Inez, "Good, I was hoping you'd say that-- OW! Something bit me!" She slapped at her thigh.

"OW! HEY! What was that?" shouted Zee, slapping her shoulder.

Megan suddenly bent forward, quickly putting her hands against the back of her head. "YEOW!" she shouted, rubbing hard at the spot.

The three witches found themselves the center of attention of a swarm of different insects. Some were tiny, while others were as much as three inches long. Some flew, some crawled up their legs, and some hopped onto them.

While their enemies were distracted, Mirta flew up above the trees, Lucy took a position behind a large oak-like tree, and Timmy got behind an outcrop of rock, ready to dive for cover if needed. There was no time to move the bomb, but they knew it wouldn't be a target.

Inez, Megan, and Zee slapped and waved at the insects that attacked for a few moments, but that had little effect.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!!" shouted Inez, "INSECTUS REPELLUS!!" She held out her arms and a light green glow formed around her. It moved outward to cover her companions and the bugs were forced away from them by the glow.

"INSECTUS INCINERATUS!" shouted Zee, and a blue glow formed outside of the insects, effectively trapping them. The bugs that touched the blue glow burst into sparks and were gone. Zee made a 'come here' motion with her hands, and the glow moved toward them, zapping the bugs as it did. When the blue glow met the green glow, both vanished, leaving the witches free and all the insects dead.

"That couldn't have been natural, even on this planet," commented Megan.

"It wasn't," answered Inez, "We were attacked, I felt Command magic somewhere behind us."

Zee scanned the others across the river. "I don't see their pixie anywhere; I'd bet it was her."

"Go find her and swat her," ordered Inez. Zee nodded and vanished.

Zing had watched with horror as her attack was neutralized, and tears came to her eyes. Those brave insects...

"AHA!" said a voice behind her, but before she could move, Zing was grabbed, and not gently, by Zee. The Witch held her up to gloat. "So, that was YOUR little trick, was it?"

Without warning, a jolt of what felt like lightning ran up Zee's arm, and she let Zing go with a yell. She looked at her hand and found a red welt on her palm. A half-inch-long stinger was sticking out of it.

"Grabbing the Pixie of Insects isn't the smartest idea," commented Zing, and flew into the branches of a tree.

With a yelp, Zee pulled out the stinger, and tried to find the pixie. Unsuccessful, she spitefully threw a blast of magic at the tree, blowing all the leaves off it. But by that time, Zing had flown down the side of the trunk away from the Witch, and vanished in the bushes without a sound.

Growling in frustration, she vanished and returned to the others.

Meanwhile, the students and witches were taking potshots at each other. The tree protected Lucy, though it was slowly being torn to pieces, while the rock kept Timmy safe. Mirta was easily able to avoid the magic blasts. Inez and Megan had put up a combined magic shield that kept attacks away.

Zee reappeared beside them, holding her hand.

"Get her?" asked Megan, taking another shot at Mirta.

"No," growled Zee, holding up her palm, "Blasted little thing stung me!"

"Never mind," said Inez, "Get rid of those three, and a pixie won't be much trouble."

Zee added her share to the magic barrier, making it completely surround them, so Zing couldn't attack again.

Megan had been concentrating her fire on Timmy, while Inez divided her attacks between Lucy and Mirta. "The Fairy is mine," said Inez, "You get the Witch."

Zee shook her hand. "That really hurts," she muttered, then started throwing blasts of blue magic at Lucy. The tree was slowly being splintered, and Lucy had few chances to retaliate.

Timmy had recharged his pistol, but his shots were not very effective against their protective barrier. But the Blinding Light charges forced them to pause and cover their eyes. That was something, at least. The rock he was using as cover protected him, but was suffering some damage.

The tree Lucy was behind was rapidly splintering, now, and she couldn't head for another without risking a magic blast taking her out.

Inez was keeping Mirta busy, dodging her blasts, and trying to return fire. Mirta tried a few of Flora's plant magic spells, but didn't have time to do them correctly, rendering them ineffective.

With a shout of triumph, Megan hit the tree one last time. It shattered into toothpicks that flew in all directions, leaving Lucy vulnerable and in the open. When she dared open her eyes as the sawdust and splinters settled, she saw the nearest tree was twenty feet away.

"This is it, Witch," shouted Megan, a bright blue glow surrounded her hands, and she took aim.

Mirta saw what happened, and the danger Lucy was in. "NO!!" she shouted, and flew down toward her best friend. She flew below the top of the bank for protection, and came up again directly between Lucy and the witches. "I've got you, Lucy," she said, grabbing her by the hands. She intended to carry her toward the thicker woods.

Seeing what was going on, Inez shoved Megan in time to spoil her shot.

"HEY! Wha-" said Megan.

"The Fairy is MINE!" growled Inez.

As Mirta grabbed Lucy's hands, Inez threw the strongest bolt of green she could muster at her. It struck her on the upper left of her back, burning off her left wing, and making a hole into her body six inches across and five deep. The heat cauterized the wound, so not much blood was released.

"GOTCHA!!" Inez shouted.

Mirta looked at Lucy with wide-eyed surprise. She opened her mouth, and blood trickled down her chin. She let go of Lucy's hands and staggered back. Her eyes began to dim as she dropped her hands to her sides.

Shocked, Lucy was unable to move for a moment, staring at her friend since childhood wounded and bleeding in front of her.

"Luce--" whispered Mirta, more blood accompanying the word.

Startled out of immobility, Lucy lunged toward Mirta, but it was too late. She toppled over the edge of the bank and fell toward the river, blood trailing behind her. She hit the water and disappeared under the surface, the blood rising to the top only to be swept away.

Timmy came out and stood beside Lucy, as did Zing, looking down where Mirta's body had disappeared. They could only stare, open mouthed with shock.

Mirta was dead.