Chapter VI

"For anyone who carries out these schemes will suffer eternal torment."

-De Le Demonomanie des Sorcers


Sakaki pulled up on his motorcycle seconds after Amon arrived. Karasuma wasn't far behind, and the Hunters parked their vehicles out of sight, gathering in the parking lot to decide on a plan of action.

"Man, are we really going to go by what Doujima said?" Sakaki grumbled.

"You have a problem with that?" Amon asked, eyeing the boy inquisitively.

"Just that it's Doujima . . ." Sakaki muttered under his breath.

"We'll split up," Amon instructed, dropping the subject. "Karasuma, you and Sakaki cover the perimeter. Make sure the witch doesn't try to escape. Robin, you and I will go inside." The two teams went their separate ways. Karasuma began circling around one side of the enormous building, and Sakaki went in the other direction. Robin silently followed Amon to one of the entrances, one hand absentmindedly fingering the glasses in her coat pocket.

Amon took out a small, black box, which had a tiny light on the top. He stared blankly at it for several minutes, and Robin edged a bit closer, waiting to see what would happen, if anything. The red light suddenly began to blink on and off, and Amon carefully pulled out the keycard that the box spat out. He then walked to the door, and slid it through the scanner on the lock. The door opened with a quiet hiss, and the two Hunters walked inside. Apparently, Robin thought to herself, breaking and entering was allowed in the STN-J.

"Start searching the upper level. I'll stay down here." Amon said, handing Robin a communication headset. "Make sure you stay in contact with me. Report anything even mildly suspicious."

"Okay," Robin answered, but Amon was already walking away.

A black cat followed one of the Hunters, leaving tiny paw prints in the three-ringed circle of sand it had been standing in.


"Anything, Miss Karasuma?" Sakaki radioed to his partner, who was somewhere on the other side of the building.

"I'm not sensing anything. If the witch is here, she didn't come in this way."

"Alright, let's keep checking."


"Amon, I've been tracking the witch. According to police reports, She definitely lives in the area around the mall. I'm working on an exact location," Michael's voice was cracked and full of static, and Amon sighed, pulling the phone away from his ear. It was one of many reasons he hated malls: bad reception.

"Keep me updated," he replied before hanging up. He didn't really need any new information from Michael. The witch was somewhere in this building. He could sense it.

The shopping center was dark and empty, he hadn't even seen a security guard around patrolling the floors. Headquarters had probably already cleared the place before they arrived. Or the witch had. Amon carefully peered around a corner, then continued stalking the wide corridors. He passed the various shops and food stands, now closed up for the night, his eyes penetrating every shadow, looking for every subtle movement.

He came to the center of the mall, a large, open area with kiosks scattered all around. But the center of attention was a large, ornate carousel. It has two tiers, each one containing various animals wearing bright, decorative riding gear. Amon began to circle the contraption, eyeing it warily. There were too many places to hide in there, and if there was one thing Amon didn't like, it was being made to feel uneasy. That, and despite the fact that he was a Hunter, and a good one, he had always found the image of a rearing horse skewered on a gilded pole rather barbaric. It couldn't go anywhere but where the machine took it. If there was another thing Amon did not like, it was the feeling of being trapped. He forced these thoughts from his mind, they would only hinder him in his search. Continuing to check out the carousel, he wondered absently why Robin hadn't checked in yet.


Robin was trying fervently to get her headset to turn on. It was her only way of contacting Amon, and it didn't want to work. Letting out a frustrated sigh, She placed the device back in her pocket.

The mall was large, and for Robin, who hadn't had much opportunity for shopping at the convent back in Italy, it was a strange and confusing place. The witch, if they were here, could be hiding anywhere, and she may never find them. The thought made her uneasy, and she wished desperately that her communicator was working. Amon was a harsh man at times, but hearing his voice would be reassuring.

A sudden crash rang out behind her, and immediately Robin spun around, a burst of flame appearing in the air in front of her. She was met with the sight of an overturned trash can. Wondering what had caused the accident, Robin took a few hesitant steps forward. A cat scampered out from behind it, and Robin breathed a sigh of relief. She found it odd that there was a cat wandering around the mall, but it was long gone now, so she didn't give it a second thought. Slipping on her glasses, she decided maybe it would be best if she just found Amon herself.


Amon was now combing the lower level of the carousel, looking for any sign of the witch. He found nothing. Suppressing his frustration, and the urge to reprimand Doujima when they got back to Headquarters, he began searching for a way up to the top level.

One by one, the colorful lights lining the outside of the carousel lit up. Amon stopped, shading his eyes with one arm as his eyes adapted to the sudden brightness. The carousel began to turn slowly, the carved animals leaping sluggishly up and down on their poles. Amon looked around, trying to find whoever had turned the carousel on while keeping his balance.

As the machine began to pick up speed, he spied someone out of the corner of his eye. He whirled around, part of him relieved at who he found, but part of him growing more apprehensive.

"Robin," he called, shouting over the lively music of the carousel. "Did you do this?"

"Yes," the girl replied calmly, staring at him with a blank expression.

"What?" Amon said in disbelief, his brow furrowed in anger. "What are you thinking?" He yelled through clenched teeth, walking on the edge of the carousel to keep her in sight. It was now moving too fast for him to jump off, faster than it should have been. . .

"Shut it off!"

"I can't do that. You have to be punished," his partner replied, her voice flat and monotonous.

Amon was becoming increasingly irritated at Robin's behavior. What had gotten into her? She was behaving strangely, not to mention compromising the hunt, and he wasn't going to stand for that.

"Shut this off immediately." He repeated sternly.

"But you have to suffer," Robin replied. She closed her eyes, then opened them again and glanced up at him. Amon felt the air around him grow warmer, and the vial of Orbo around his neck began glowing intensely. Amon's eyes widened in shock. Was she using her Craft on him? Robin continued to direct her power at Amon, and a nearby carousel horse went up in flames, the intense heat having nowhere else to go. Amon jumped back to avoid the flames, glancing at Robin in astonishment. He took out his Orbo gun and aimed it at her slowly, running in one place along the carousel to keep her in his sights. She lashed out at him again, and he dove off the carousel to dodge her power, attempting to curl into a ball and roll as he hit the ground, but not succeeding as well as he would have liked.

Amon raised himself up off the ground, then realized the sleeve of his trenchcoat was on fire. He quickly put it out, then leapt to his feet, aiming his gun at Robin. His Orbo was wearing out from absorbing her attacks. If he didn't take her down now, she would incinerate him.

Why couldn't he do it? His finger hovered over the trigger, but he couldn't pull it. It was clearly him or her, so why was he hesitating?

"You have to suffer." Robin repeated, walking toward him with slow, deliberate steps. "You have to suffer, for what you have done. For what you have done to them."

"To who?" Amon asked, narrowing his eyes and taking up a defensive stance.

"The witches."

Amon was beginning to realize something. He didn't want to shoot Robin. Though he was wary of her Craft, it was more due to her lack of control with it. He had never thought Robin would turn it against him. He hadn't imagined ever having to hunt her. She wasn't like Kate. . .was she?

Robin was drawing closer, a cold, deadly gleam in her eyes, like a snake about to strike. Amon raised his gun slightly, adjusting his aim. He had no choice.

A wall of flame rose up between him and Robin. Confused, Amon lowered his weapon, but remained on guard. The curtain of fire soon parted, and Robin stepped through, completely unscathed as she used her Craft to form a shield of sorts. A quick burst of fire in midair drove her back again.

"Amon!" Robin shouted, running up behind him. She pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose as she reached his side.

Amon glanced at her, then back at the Robin in front of him. He raised his Orbo gun once more. This time, there was no hesitation. He fired several of the glowing green bullets at the impostor, who cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground. Amon sensed rather than saw Robin's discomfort at watching the image of herself being gunned down. He ignored her for the time being, though. Keeping his gun trained on the witch, he turned on his communicator as he approached her.

"Karasuma, we've got her. Have Michael call in the Factory, and meet us in the lower level of the mall."

"Where are you?" Karasuma asked. Amon stared calmly down at the witch, who had shifted back to her true form, then glanced over his shoulder in disdain before answering.

"By the carousel."