Chapter 8: The Great Debate
"She killed it?" Millie asked. David and Sabrina had just retold everything that had just happened. Charles and Jordan both had disgusted looks on their faces. Millie and Robert kept it cool.
"Yeah," David said.
"How did she kill it?" Robert asked calmly.
"What?" David asked. "Why does that matter? She killed it!"
"David, calm down," Millie said, cooing him. She quickly paced him back on topic. "How did she kill it?"
"With an athame," Sabrina answered for him. Shethought back to the bloody athame and then the thought of Annie licking it. It sickened her to even remember it.
"And she licked the blood off of it," David added, speaking Sabrina's mind.
"Ew," Jordan said.
"That's wonderful," Millie said, actually happy. "This is great news!"
"What do you mean by wonderful?" Charles asked, speaking for the first time in hours. "How is this wonderful in any way?"
"Well," Robert said. "She didn't use her warlock powers to kill it, which would have been easier. Instead, she used an athame for her kill."
"And this means…?" Jordan asked, not seeing the silver lining to this cloud.
"That there's still good in here," Millie said.
"How is there good in her?" David asked. "She killed a chupa-whatever with an athame, and then she licked its blood off of it."
"She didn't use her warlock powers to kill an animal, so she probably won't be able to kill a human with it. If she doesn't kill someone, there's still hope for her. The good in her is fighting the urge for her to kill with her dark magic. Deep down, though she doesn't want to admit it, she doesn't want to be a warlock."
"But it's only a matter of time before the evil gets so powerful that she does kill someone," Robert said.
"That's why we have to do everything in our power to keep her from killing."
"What do we do?" David asked. "Follow her around and save every innocent she goes after?"
"Exactly," Millie said. "Now, tell me, did you leave that body of the chupacabra out in the forest?"
"Yeah, why?" Sabrina asked.
"Because someone needs to get it out before someone finds it and discovers that they really do exist." Everyone turned to face David.
"What?" he asked. "Jeez, by now, Annie has probably eaten it."
"Why didn't you kill them?" a warlock asked Annie.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded.
"I followed you, I saw you talking to those two witches. Why didn't you kill them?"
"Because," Annie said. "Last I heard, I didn't need to answer to you."
"But you do need to answer to me." All the warlocks, which was about fifteen, turned to face the source of the voice. It was a tall demon with a red cloak and a hood, hiding his face. All the warlocks, including Annie, bowed to him. "Stand!" Everyone obeyed him and stood erect.
"What brings you down here, Heru?" a warlock asked.
"I wanted to see our newest addition to my warlock faction." He was the voice of warlocks in the Guild. Everyone cleared so that he could get a view of Annie. "Ah, there you are."
"She's a traitor," one of the warlock's said. "She had the perfect opportunity to kill them, twice, and yet, she didn't do it."
"Maybe she's biding her time," Heru said.
"That I am," Annie said. "The mistake of other demons and warlocks has been attacking right away with full force. I do not intend to die like the others have."
"You are quite correct. Leave now, rest up, for when you do face them again, you will need all your strength." She nodded her head and blinked away. Heru flamed out.
"This is ridiculous," a warlock said angrily. "We have to do something."
"Yeah, but what can we do about it, Fortzwa?" another asked him.
"Kill her ourselves," Fortzwa said.
"That's punishable by death!"
"Not if no one finds out about it," Fortzwa said mischievously.
"Why didn't you kill her?" Jalvor asked Heru, who had just flamed back and told the other Guild members what had just happened.
"Because we can use her," Heru said. "No need to kill her when we can use her."
"She can still be turned back," Zera said. "If they find a way to get to her before she's fully evil, then we've lost everything. Kill her now so that it's assured that the Four Corners are ruined."
"If she stays a warlock, she can kill them and then they'll be dead, plus we'll have a very powerful warlock."
"But what if they do get to her?" Jalvor asked. "Then we're back where we started, with four powerful witches and one less warlock."
"If you kill the witch, then we can be assured immortality," Zera said. "They'll have no way of stopping us without the Power of Four to vanquish us."
"I'm not giving up this opportunity," Heru said. "How often does a warlock of power this great come into our hands?"
"How often do we have a chance to kill a powerful witch so easily?" Jalvor said, answering his question with his own.
"She's not a witch anymore!"
"But she can still be turned back!"
"Enough of this," Elron said. "You're giving me a migraine."
"Sorry, Elron," Zera said. "But this fool here is destined to be the end of us."
"Shut your mouth, Zera," Heru said. They both did a strange growl at each other.
"Both of you, quiet," Elron said, not raising his voice.
"As you wish," Heru said reluctantly.
"I've been thinking this over for a while now," Elron said, standing up. "And I have reached a decision."
"Ah, good," Zera said, smiling, thinking that she had won.
"Heru, you have exactly forty-eight hours to change the witch. If you fail, then I will kill her myself."
"Thank you," Heru said, bowing his head and flaming out, leaving Jalvor and Zera with nasty sneers.