"I can't believe you found this place..."
"I can't believe you would kidnap my friends!" shouted Frida, storming forward to face Vella.
"Frida, wait!" David shouted nervously, grabbing her by the shoulder. "She's a really powerful witch!"
"A really powerful witch wouldn't have to tie someone up to keep them still!" Frida shouted, pointing at Vella and looking fiercely into her eyes.
"For your information, I didn't kidnap Hilda and her mum, they broke into my workshop, and now all of you are breaking in here too! It looks like I'll have to tie up five people this time... Dobrik!"
Dobrik stepped forward, pounding his fist into his hand... and was immediately blasted back into the wall opposite the doorway, knocking him unconscious immediately. Frida turned and could see Kaisa stepping forward, holding her wand.
"Get back, everyone," said Kaisa. Her voice was calm, but with a slight tremble... as if she didn't intend to defeat Vella, but to stall her for time so everyone else could escape.
"...Kaisa," Vella said, with a hint of contempt. She stepped forward as well, her hands crackling with magic.
"You two know each other?" asked Hilda, looking up at Kaisa.
"She was one of the speakers at a magic conclave I attended a few years back..." said Kaisa, not taking her eyes off of Vella. "I thought her magic was quite strong... I... looked up to her as the kind of witch I wanted to be."
"I'd never be a librarian," said Vella dismissively.
"Oh, I can tell from your notes that you don't read very much," Kaisa replied with a smirk. "Perhaps you should start!"
Vella let out a roar of rage, and as Kaisa fired off a spell, Vella met her with a far more powerful spell, knocking the librarian off her feet. She then waved her arms, conjuring up magical bindings that hovered above Hilda and her friends.
"Once I wrap you up in my magic, I'll take that whole roll of tape and wrap up everything that's left! You won't even be able to squirm when I'm done with you!" Vella hissed, sending the bindings at her intended victims.
"No...!" shrieked Kaisa, managing to cast a spell that dispelled Vella's magic, causing only David to be affected as a stray red rope caught his ankles and made him fall.
"Oh, rats!" shouted David, wiggling his legs as Hilda and Johanna rushed over to see if he was okay. "Kaisa, be careful!"
"That's her problem," said Vella, smiling and preparing another spell. "She's already too careful."
As Vella prepared to hit Kaisa with another blast of magic, she was temporarily blinded as a bright flash of light went off in front of her eyes. When she could see again, she saw Frida, pointing a wand at her and readying another spell.
"Child, you are no match for me," said Vella, "but maybe you'll put up a better fight than the librarian..."
"I'm still right here!" shouted Kaisa, rising back up to her feet and hitting Vella with another powerful burst of magic, this time pushing her all the way back toward the wall before she was able to recover. "Frida, we'll stop her together, all right?"
Frida looked over at Kaisa and nodded, before adding the power of her own magic to Kaisa's spell. Though her magic wasn't nearly as strong as Kaisa's, the added power was enough to keep Vella from overwhelming them immediately, and a magical clash began to take shape in the center of the room as Hilda and Johanna managed to free David from his magical bindings and help him to his feet.
"Frida's in trouble," said Hilda, worry in her eyes as she watched her friends clash spells with Vella. "Vella's magic, it's really strong... they'll need my help!"
Johanna, worried, held Hilda tightly to her body... but as Hilda looked up at her, she knew she had to let her daughter do what was necessary to aid her friends... and to give her her full support in whatever she needed to do. She released Hilda, but kept a hand on her shoulder, smiling and nodding in encouragement.
"Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" shouted Vella, intensifying her spell and pushing both Kaisa and Frida backward. "The Committee has already authorized me to unify magic for the battle to come!"
"The Committee has been lying to you!" shouted Kaisa. "Witch magic and troll magic can already be used together, it just takes a powerful witch who knows what they're doing!"
"I know exactly what I'm doing, and I'm far more powerful than you!" Vella shouted back, seething with contempt that a librarian like Kaisa was challenging her, after she'd already been insulted by a meddling little girl. "I've had just about enough of people like you and that little brat telling me what I can do!"
"Brat?!" shouted Johanna, stepping forward with Hilda. "My daughter barely even knows magic, and she's done far more miraculous things than you have! She's saved the lives of every person and troll in this city, some of us much more than once!"
"There's a world outside this city, a world only I can save, but I need the power of the trolls to do it, and you won't interfere!"
"We could have worked together!" Hilda shouted. "All you had to do was ask me about the trolls and I would have told you everything I knew! We all could have worked together, but not now, not after I know who you really are!"
"And what's that?" shouted Vella, firing off another burst of magic, a spark of which leapt forward and singed Kaisa's shoulder.
"Nnngh...!" grunted Kaisa, still pushing forward through the pain with all her might, as Johanna winced sympathetically, rubbing her own bruised shoulder. "You're a bully who uses your magic to frighten people who aren't as strong as you! A witch is supposed to use their magic to help people! The most powerful witch I've ever known is also the kindest person I've ever known... you wouldn't even know she was a witch because she only uses her powers when someone's in trouble!"
"That's right, Tildy is a kind and wonderful person, she doesn't go around trying to save people to inflate her own sense of self-worth!" Frida added, knowing immediately who Kaisa was referring to.
"How DARE you!" Vella shrieked. "I don't fight to save people because it makes me feel better, I fight to save people who need saving!"
"The only people who needed saving today were us, from you!" shouted Hilda, who then pointed to Kaisa, Frida, and David. "By them!"
David, who knew he couldn't help Kaisa and Frida with magic, decided instead to help the only way he could, bracing Kaisa by holding her tightly and preventing her from sliding back further. Though he was small and light, he had managed to slow Kaisa's slide, helping to steady her and allowing her to aim her spell accurately. He grunted fiercely as he felt the incredible force from Vella's attack, and nearby, Hilda was doing the same for Frida, bracing and steadying her, while also giving her numerous compliments to aid her confidence.
"Kaisa is always helping us out, she'd never kidnap someone to keep them out of the way!" said David, smiling at Kaisa before looking angrily at Vella. "She cares about us, she cares about if we're sad, or frightened... but you don't! You hurt Hilda and her mum, you didn't care how they felt, you didn't care how much you upset them! You're selfish and cruel, and you can lie to yourself all you want and say you're not, but deep down you're just a mean witch and you don't deserve all that power!"
As Vella, Kaisa, and Frida's magicks clashed, papers were swirling around the room. Kaisa and Frida were still being pushed back... their combined magic wasn't strong enough to defeat Vella, and the black-haired witch knew it, starting to laugh as she intensified her spell further to finish off her opponents.
"You fools have no idea who I am! You're insulting the one witch who can save all of you from what's to come... but that's fine... that's fine, I don't need your help, I have the support of the Committee, and soon all of Trolberg will support me, and you... if you won't help me, I'll keep you all trapped here, you'll be wrapped in so much rope and tape and magical bindings that you might not even be able to breathe! I'll make you beg for my help!"
Kaisa and Frida knew that Vella had gone off the deep end, and they were determined to stop her, but despite all of their strength, they just weren't quite strong enough. Hilda, holding Frida tightly, could feel her heart beating fast, and knew how scared she was, just like she had been before.
"Hilda, I'm not sure I'm strong enough... she's just too powerful, with too much experience... I'm still just a witch in training..."
"You're a great witch, Frida," said Hilda with a warm smile. "Better than she'll ever be."
"What was that?" shouted Vella, hearing Frida and Hilda's conversation. "Getting in a few last words before I stuff those bratty gobs of yours with your own socks?"
"I said my friend Frida is a better witch than you'll ever be, you mean old hag!"
Hilda then released her arms from around Frida and ran right at Vella, rearing back her fist to strike her in the face. Vella, who saw Hilda coming, just laughed and leaned back, dodging Hilda's blow to the side and readying a spell to trap the little girl in an inescapably tight magical cocoon.
"I swear, those will be the last words you ever say!"
Vella began to cast the spell, only to immediately have her arms and legs wrapped up tightly in glowing red bindings. The sheer force of the sudden spell caused her to fly back, slamming into the wall just as Dobrik had done before, though she remained conscious and immediately began to struggle.
"You... how... no!"
Vella shrieked and screamed, thrashing wildly on the floor as she attempted to escape. Kaisa and Frida, their magic almost completely spent by the binding incantations, both slumped to the floor, panting in exhaustion, while Hilda kneeled as well, letting out a sigh of relief despite her confidence, which turned out to be well placed, that her friends would be able to take advantage of the distraction. She looked back at Frida and winked, smiling warmly at her.
"You really are the best witch ever," said Hilda. "And I'm proud to be your familiar!"
"Thanks, Hilda..." breathed Frida, smiling back. "I'm just glad we're all okay."
"That was awesome, Kaisa!" cheered David, hugging Kaisa from behind as she caught her breath. "You're a way stronger witch than her!"
"Not yet," Kaisa replied, giving him a smile. "Just smarter."
Johanna, meanwhile, walked right toward Vella, who had struggled into a kneeling position as she continued to try and escape her magical bonds. She was unable to conjure up a spell, but gave Johanna a threatening look as she walked toward her.
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?!" spat Vella, her shoulders jerking wildly as she wriggled her arms inside the glowing red bindings. "I-"
"No," said Johanna fiercely, kneeling down in front of Vella and grabbing her chin, much more tightly than Vella had cupped hers before. "You are going to listen to me now. You hurt my daughter, and I don't care what anyone has to say, not the Committee, not your familiar, not your friends, I will make sure everyone in Trolberg knows who you are and that you are not to be trusted. Whatever thing it is that you've come to stop, we will handle ourselves, without your help."
"You will fail," said Vella, looking into Johanna's eyes with extreme contempt... and a slight bit of fear. "And you have doomed us all."
"Whatever happens because you're not here to stop it, you have only yourself to blame for," said Johanna, holding Vella's chin in one hand and a strip of duct tape in the other. "You'll rot in jail while my daughter saves the world like I know she can."
"You don't know anything," Vella said through gritted teeth.
"...are you done?" asked Johanna, holding up the strip of tape, her intentions quite clear.
Vella looked at Johanna, then looked at the tape... then, instead of saying anything else, she spat in Johanna's face with as much contempt as she could muster. Hilda saw this and flew into a rage, storming toward Vella.
"You bloody-" Hilda began before Frida clamped a hand gently but firmly over her mouth... not wanting Johanna to hear her daughter use an even stronger swear.
"We're done," said Johanna, pressing the tape over Vella's mouth as fiercely as she could, her thumbs pressing hard enough into her face to cause a small bit of pain. "And mark my words, if you ever so much as look at my daughter again... I won't be so merciful. Understand?"
Vella just looked into Johanna's eyes with unbowed fury. Johanna continued to look at her, her thumbs still pressing hard into Vella's face.
"Do. You. Understand?"
She leaned toward Vella so far that the tips of their noses could almost touch, and Vella, feeling fear start to well up at Johanna's expression of pure rage, nodded slightly. Johanna finally relented, removing her hands from Vella's face and standing up, still glaring down at her.
"I've already called for the Safety Patrol," said Kaisa, placing a hand on Johanna's shoulder. "...are you going to be all right?"
Johanna looked at Hilda, who also had a look of concern, but upon seeing Johanna's smile, the blue haired girl returned it, smiling proudly up at her mother. Johanna then wiped Vella's spit from her face, turning to Kaisa and nodding.
"I already am," said Johanna, placing her hand on Kaisa's. "Thank you again, for everything."
It didn't take long for Gerda and a Safety Patrol deputy to arrive and take both Vella and Dobrik into custody, while Hilda and her friends stood outside and watched as the two were taken away. Kaisa and Frida had gathered up all the useful notes from Vella's atelier, while Hilda and Johanna stood together while Gerda briefly spoke to them.
"Are you sure you'll be fine? I can take you both to hospital if you need me to," said Gerda, looking at the two with concern.
"Oh no, but thank you very much," said Hilda with a sweet smile. "My mum banged up her shoulder a bit though."
"Oh, it's nothing," said Johanna, shaking her head. "Just a little ice pack is all I'll need and I've got one of those at home."
"What's going to happen to them?" asked Hilda, looking into the back of the Safety Patrol vehicle. Vella was still tightly secured with her magical bonds, which had been reinforced with numerous shackles that would continue to hold her after the magic faded away. Her gag had been removed, but she wasn't saying anything, just silently staring at Hilda and Johanna.
"They'll be placed in jail for kidnapping, of course," said Gerda. "The workshop they were using wasn't technically theirs, so you didn't commit any crimes by going in."
"I told you!" said Hilda to Johanna. "They were squatting!"
"Still, it was a violation of their privacy..." said Johanna, before catching herself. "Which they completely deserved!"
"They do have diplomatic immunity, but that only took effect after their meeting with the Committee of Three, while they attacked and restrained you two before that meeting took place, which means they can still be charged with their crimes. It might get a bit messy, I'm sure the Committee will have something to say about it..."
"And Tildy will have something to say about that, once we let her know about everything that happened," said Kaisa.
"That's right, those two attacked Hilda and Johanna, they deserve to be punished for their crimes to the fullest extent of the law!" Frida added.
"And I'll make sure they are, don't worry," replied Gerda, turning to Hilda and Johanna. "You'll need to come down to the Safety Patrol headquarters tomorrow to give statements, but those can wait until you're both ready."
"I'm ready whenever you're ready, mum," said Hilda, smiling. Johanna smiled back and gently ruffled her daughter's hair.
"That's my brave girl," Johanna said proudly. "We'll be there tomorrow afternoon."
"Thanks again, Gerda," said Hilda, giving the Safety Patrol leader a gentle hug, then pointing at the vehicle. "And be careful around her... she's sneaky. I wouldn't have taken off her gag just yet."
"It's against Safety Patrol regulations to keep a prisoner gagged, and the wards in all Safety Patrol vehicles and at headquarters will prevent her from casting verbal spells," said Gerda, smiling reassuringly. "Don't worry, Hilda. I can handle myself quite well, just as you can."
Gerda then walked back to the vehicle, where her deputy was waiting. As it sped away, Vella gave Hilda one last angry look, and Hilda thought she could see the witch mouthing 'you'll regret this...' at her before she and the vehicle both went out of sight.
"I don't think so," said Hilda, putting her hands on her hips. She then turned to Kaisa, Frida, and David, who were all getting ready to head back to their respective homes. "Thanks again for saving us... you were all so brave back there!"
"I'm going to start looking through these notes more extensively," said Kaisa. "Vella might not have been the best researcher, but there are some useful things here about trolls, and some information about her fellow witches that might come in handy..."
"That's right, she came with more witches, I hope we won't have to worry about them..." said Frida.
"I think we'll be fine. Vella wasn't all that popular even amongst her own compatriots, so I think most of them will still be willing to help us, and we'll probably need their help if we're going to face the threat Vella warned us about. Speaking of which, we'll need to learn more about that as well..." Kaisa said, her voice trailing off as she started to think about the challenges that lay before all of them.
"Sounds like we've got more adventuring to do," said Hilda, smiling excitedly.
"Already? After that harrowing ordeal?" asked David, wrapping his arms around his chest.
"I mean, you were kidnapped and tied up once, and you jumped right back into the fray, didn't you?" asked Hilda, turning to Frida. "You too, if I recall..."
"Yes, but our captors were somewhat less... menacing," said Frida, reaching over and taking Hilda's hands. "You sure you're going to be all right?"
"Honestly... I might still need a bit of time," said Hilda, turning back toward Johanna. "It was scary, being all tied up like that with mum. Not being able to see, or speak... not knowing if it was going to be all right... I mean, I guess I did know... I had mum with me, and she kept me pretty calm, but it was still pretty frightening."
Frida didn't need to hear any more, she leaned forward and wrapped Hilda up in a tight hug, holding her close and stroking her back softly. David also joined in the hug, embracing Hilda from behind.
"We're here for you, Hilda," said David, smiling as he parted from the hug. "Next time you go on an adventure, we want in! ...even if it is scary."
"Of course, David, next time I'll bring both of you along, I promise," Hilda replied. She held onto Frida a bit longer, and as they parted, they continued to hold hands, still looking into each other's eyes. "Frida, to be completely honest, I was utterly terrified... even with mum there, there were times I thought the worst. I hope I won't dwell on it too much, I wouldn't want to freeze up next time we're in danger."
"It's okay, it might take a little time," Frida replied, gripping Hilda's hands tightly in hers. "You're braver than me, if that had been me back there I would have been out of it completely. ...maybe not if you were with me."
As Hilda and Frida exchanged one more hug, Kaisa and Johanna were talking as well, the subject returning to the troll incident. Kaisa was still feeling residual guilt, knowing that Johanna must have agonized over not being able to help Hilda, considering how terrible the librarian felt about it herself.
"I will be stronger the next time Hilda needs me," said Kaisa, making a solemn promise to Johanna.
"You already were," replied Johanna. "You saved me and Hilda... you were very brave. You're a very good witch."
"I... try my best," said Kaisa, smiling and rubbing the back of her neck. "Johanna, right?"
"Yes, you can call me Johanna."
"...you're a fantastic mother."
"I try my best," said Johanna, before hugging Kaisa tightly. "Thank you for helping to keep Hilda safe out there... she's my brave girl, but she needs all the help she can get."
"You have my word she will always have help from me."
Then, it was finally time for Kaisa to take Frida and David home. It had gotten extremely late, and Johanna knew their parents must be very worried. As the group exchanged their final waves goodbye, Kaisa and Frida began discussing the immediate future... and how quickly things had changed in Trolberg.
"We'll both need to train harder," said Frida, holding onto Kaisa's cloak with David as the three walked down the sidewalk together. "We should meet up with Tildy first thing tomorrow and tell her everything."
"Agreed," said Kaisa with a nod. "I'm... still not entirely sure of myself, but after fighting Vella back there, I think I'm ready to take the next step in my training."
"You're still going to be a librarian, right?" David asked, smiling.
"Of course... it'll be knowledge and magic that gets us through this!"
Frida nodded in agreement, taking one last look back at Hilda and her mum. Today had been a close call... and though she was worried about what the future could bring, she knew that she and her friends were strong enough to face it, as long as they worked together.
Hilda... you showed me that being brave isn't about not being scared, it's about being scared and still having the strength to stand up for the people who need you. If you and I ever go through anything like what you and your mum did today, I'll keep being brave... because I'm with you.
Hilda and Johanna returned to their home and went inside. Alfur was already sleeping, and so was Twig, though Hilda still gave him a gentle pet before getting ready for bed.
As soon as she slid under the covers, Johanna came into the room and knelt down at Hilda's bedside, smiling warmly at her.
"You were so brave today, Hilda," said Johanna, reaching under the covers and taking her daughter's hand. "And I am so proud of you."
"...mum," said Hilda softly, guilt once again returning to her face. "I truly am sorry... I wasn't careful, and you got hurt. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want me going on adventures again, or if you didn't-"
"Hilda, you heard what I said... I'd never stop you from going on adventures, not anymore. I know you might get hurt, and I will always worry... and yes, you should try to be a bit more careful, but I know you and I know that you'll succeed at whatever you put your mind to."
"...I still feel bad about putting you in danger."
"And I feel bad about not being able to protect you from that awful woman," said Johanna, sighing and allowing her walls to drop slightly, showing the fear and guilt that she was also feeling. "Falling for that stupid gun trick, I should've known it wasn't real, and even if it was, I should've done more to-"
"It's okay," said Hilda, reaching over and wiping a tear from Johanna's cheek. "Mum, it's..."
Johanna reached forward and grabbed Hilda, pulling her out of her bed and hugging her tightly as she began to sob even more. Hilda shed a few tears as well, and for the first time since the beginning of their ordeal, mother and daughter finally had a good cry together, as Johanna fully absorbed everything that had happened, and her worries that she'd never see Hilda again. She rocked Hilda softly back and forth, remembering how it felt to be forced to hold onto her when she couldn't move, or see, or speak, only able to comfort her by humming and holding her tighter... it was a nightmare she never wanted to experience again.
"Oh, Hilda... I was terrified I'd lose you... I didn't know if you might not be able to breathe, I didn't know if she was going to come back and hurt you... I didn't know if she'd decide to keep us there forever... I didn't know anything, only that I had to protect you... but I'd already failed, Hilda... the only reason I didn't panic back there is because... because..."
"Because you did protect me, mum... you were there for me, and I barely even remember much of what happened after the tape went over my eyes..."
"...you were napping for most of it, yes," said Johanna, continuing to hold Hilda tightly. "But... I stayed awake the whole time, and judging from what it says on the clock, I... must have stayed awake for at least three hours... you... don't want to know the awful thoughts going through my head, Hilda... I'm... sorry to have troubled you with them."
"It's okay... mum... I want to know everything," said Hilda, finally pulling back from her mother's arms, but still holding her hands. "...I'm here for you. I promise."
"...you're so brave, Hilda," replied Johanna, wiping a tear from her eye.
"Well, I've had the best teacher..." said Hilda, sniffling softly. "And I'm not even all that tired, so if you want to talk about anything with me... or maybe we could just play some Dragon Panic?"
"...that would be lovely," replied Johanna, wiping away another tear. "I'll go make us some cocoa while you get the board ready."
"Sounds great!"
The two stood up to leave the room together, hoping to put the harrowing events of the day behind them so they could focus on what needed to be done in the future... more adventures, a new threat to stop, mysterious new witches to investigate... but before they parted ways to prepare for their game, they stopped just before the doorway, as Johanna had one more thing to say to her daughter.
"Don't ever let anyone discourage you from helping people," said Johanna. "Not some cruel witch, not some scary monster... not even me."
"You've never discouraged me, mum," Hilda replied, another tear falling down her cheek. "You're my hero."
"And you're my hero, Hilda."
Johanna kissed Hilda on the cheek, then stood back up to go make cocoa for the two of them to share. Hilda smiled warmly, going to fetch her game. Though still somewhat traumatized from the day's events, a trauma that she knew would linger for some time, she had already started to heal, and what might have completely discouraged a normal little girl from adventuring had only strengthened Hilda's resolve. She was determined to get to the bottom of this newest mystery with the help of her friends, and hopefully some of the new witches would be kinder than Vella had been.
Her heart was stronger than ever, and she owed all of her strength to one person.
Thank you, mum... for being the bravest person I've ever known.
