Chapter 9_ The Witch and the Prisoner
Chapter Summary: After their near death experience Shouta and the others finally meet the witch. She answers his questions, but Shouta is horrified by what he discovers.
Special thanks to ElanHer for the comment!
WARNING: This chapter holds light gore, and the after effects of torture.
After Shouta helped everyone, they followed Cementoss. They made sure to stay close and in the jewels' light. They only had Tenya's now (Shouta assumed his fell into the river with the rest).
The woods would make an attempt to restart their assault every now and again, but every time they did Cementoss would create a wall, or smash the extending limb. Shouta soon noticed that they weren't even walking on the ground anymore but on a stone road.
"This feels weird..." Toru muttered, breaking the silence they had been walking in. She tugged at the bright baby blue tunic she now wore.
After Toru was lost and almost drowned Shouta insisted the girl wear clothes from now on. Along with the blue tunic, she also wore a sunshine yellow cap and pink pants. The colors clashed, but it wasn't like Shouta was one to talk. Besides the bright colors meant he wouldn't lose her again.
"Deal with it," he said. "In any case you shouldn't be running around naked. You'll get sick."
'Or worse…' Shouta tightened his grip around Toru's hand, worried she'd vanish if he let go. He carried a quiet Tsuyu in his other arm. Shouta had managed to bandage her back, but she was still exhausted and had fallen asleep. He'd have to get a better look at her when they were safe.
The rest of the children were watching Cementoss. Now that they were mostly sure this guy wasn't going to kill them, the dwarfs were looking at him with the same interest they had when they first met Shouta.
"Are you a wizard?" Izuku asked.
"No, I'm a golem made from stone," Cementoss explained patiently.
"Ah! Like the golem who helped All Might crush the Wyvern Wizard!" Izuku exclaimed, getting excited all of the sudden.
"No way! You need a wizard to make them! Or a witch...Oh!" Momo suddenly remembered who had sent the golem. Cementoss said nothing but smiled pleasantly.
"It shouldn't be long now," he said.
After fifteen minutes of walking (and questions from Izuku) the nine came upon a large stone wall, just as tall as the trees.
"We're here." Cementoss said as they approached.
"Huh? Whaddya mean? There's just a giant wall!" Denki said. Instead of answering the golem reached out one of his stone hands and touched it. The wall split open to create an entrance for Shouta and the dwarfs.
"After you," Cementoss said patiently. Shouta took a deep breath.
'This is it.' He led the hesitant but curious dwarfs through the entrance. Once they were all in Cementoss closed the barrier behind them.
They blinked at what was inside.
The first thing Shouta noticed was all the stone statues of all shapes;
There were dragons, cherubs, devils, beautiful women, devilishly handsome men-with proportions he hoped the girls wouldn't ask about- and cute animals. The young man hoped that they were just statues and not living things turned into rock figures. He pondered for a moment if they were alive like Cementoss, but none of them seemed to move as they passed.
"Those aren't people, right?" Izuku said, voicing Shouta's own question. The golem gave a soft chuckle.
"No, no. They're just art statues I make to amuse myself," he assured them. Shouta and the dwarfs all gave soft but audible sighs of relief.
There were soft shades of purple that lit the area in a mystic sort of way. At first, he couldn't seem to pinpoint the source, but then he saw some odd, strange types of flowers. The flowers were a pale pastel pink and every once in a while they would shoot out an orb of light. The lights would float around a bit before settling somewhere. There weren't many plants in general as everything seemed to be covered in stone. Even the path they were walking had cobbled stones. Shouta did notice that there was a small garden, however. In the distance, there was a small fountain. In the center was a woman wearing a long flowing cape. The water sprouted from a hand that was held before her, as if reaching for someone. He wasn't sure why, but this statue was different from the rest.
Before Shouta could ask about it he saw that they were approaching a small cabin.
The Cabin was smaller than their cottage and appeared to be made from stone like everything else in the garden. The walls were decorated in carvings of plants, trees, and birds that flew into the sunlight. The door was a pastel with an odd red symbol on it. Shouta would later learn that it was the symbol of healers.
When they got closer Shouta saw a small, old woman standing on the porch.
'Chiyo?' She didn't look like the image Shouta had of her in his head. Witches weren't rare, but they never came to the palace as the king had no need of them. Hizashi mentioned once that Witches and wizards didn't even like visiting the town near the palace.
She had her silver hair trapped in a round net atop her head, a strange pin tucked into it. Around her shoulders and over a pink dress was a white shawl that glowed like it was woven from moonlight. She smiled kindly as they approached.
"Hello there; Welcome to our humble home." she greeted. Her voice reminded Shouta of every sweet old granny that carried candy in their pockets. The dwarfs stared at her in interest, but also slight confusion.
"Are… are you the seer of the woods?" Tenya asked with a small frown and tilt of his head. Shouta could understand their hesitance. The woman looked too—normal and sweet to be a witch.
"I am." Tenya quickly bowed as he remembered his manners. He couldn't remember a time when he had gone to someone else's home.
"P-please forgive the intrusion!" he said. He didn't know what to do after this point, so he stayed in the bowing position as he sweated. Should they have brought something? A gift basket maybe? Was it too late to have Momo make one? How could he not have thought of this earlier?!
"You okay, Tenya?" Ochaco asked, having no idea what he was doing. "You're acting weird…" Tenya turned a deeper shade of pink when the witch laughed.
"Such a polite boy!" Tenya perked at the compliment. Chiyo's eyes settled on Shouta for a moment. For a split second, he could have sworn her eyes glinted white. Before he could question whether it was his imagination or not, she turned her gaze to Tsuyu who was just barely awake in Shouta's arms. She clicked her tongue sympathetically.
"Poor dears," she said. "I remember when you could take a nice, peaceful walk through the woods. Alas, that is not the case anymore." The kids were surprised at the idea of ever having a peaceful walk in the woods. It wasn't something any of them could even dream anymore, except for Toru who had only the faintest memory of chasing a butterfly through the trees once.
"I'm sure you're all exhausted after your little adventure," Chiyo said. "Please come in."
The witch opened the door and the children looked at Shouta. Shouta hesitated but nodded. He needed to treat Tsuyu's wounds as quickly as possible.
Shouta didn't know what he was expecting when he entered the stone cabin. Like the outside, nearly everything was made of stone. From the furniture to the decorations. Along the walls were herbs, some hanging, others in jars. There were woven tapestries here and there depicting stories of some kind by a stone bookshelf. Most of the books appeared to be leather-bound journals. As Shouta's eyes traced the cabin his attention was drawn to a large fur rug laid before the fireplace. Shouta couldn't tell what animal it was, but it looked like a bear with feline features.
As he tried to figure out what it was, Chiyo motioned to Shouta.
"Please place the merrow-dwarf down so I can help." Shouta hesitated, at first not realizing who she was referring to. When he realized who she meant he wavered a moment but lowered himself so he was at height with the witch, but held the dwarfelle in case she tried anything. Tsuyu blinked her large, blurry eyes awake. Chiyo gave her a soft, but pitying look.
"Seems like you had a tougher time than the rest," she said. "Don't worry. We'll fix you up, right as rain!" Suddenly her lips shot out like rubber and kissed the child on the forehead. A startled Shouta almost fell back but saved himself.
"What the hell?!" Before answers could be given there was a sparkle of light. When it vanished all of Tsuyu's injuries were gone. The human and dwarfelle looked her over in shock.
"I'm healed!" Tsuyu squeaked. She even squeezed her tongue a little to check. The others moved forward to see.
"Whoa! How did you do that?" Izuku asked with wide eyes. Chiyo's eyes twinkled.
"Magic. It's not an easy talent to learn, but useful if you can," she said. "Luckily I didn't have to. That's a specialty that came with my blood." Izuku tilted his head curiously.
"Your blood?"
She kissed the tiny dwarf on the forehead and his wounds healed as well. He stared at himself in awe.
"Yes. My great grandfather is elfin, you see. Elfs naturally have healing abilities and the ability to break curses on others. Sometimes their children can inherit it."
Shouta eyes rounded in surprise.
"They do?" Could Hizashi do that? He would always ask to kiss and make Shouta better whenever he hurt himself. He thought it was a lame pick-up line, but now he wondered if he was being literal.
"That's amazing!" Izuku said. "I've heard all about the elfs! They were in the All Might legend! They helped him with their light magic to fight against the demon army."
Chiyo gave a nostalgic sigh, "Ah, All Might; been some time since we've heard that name, hasn't it Cementoss?"
"Indeed," the gentle rock giant responded. Chiyo kissed the rest of the dwarfs and soon they were all healed, much to their amazement. (Though Denki wasn't too thrilled to be kissed by an old woman.)
Within seconds each of them became filled with amazement and questions.
"This is so cool!"
"Amazing..."
"Can you do other magic?"
"Can you fly on a broom?"
"Or make love potions?"
Chiyo laughed at all their curious queries.
"We can discuss all that later," she said. She walked over to an oven and pulled out a pan of apple fritter treats.
"It's been a while since Cementoss and I had guests. After the rough trip you had getting here, I'm sure you can see why. Would you like some sweets and tea?" Chiyo motioned to a small kettle on the stove. The kids eagerly accepted.
"Yes please!" they said, their eyes shining at the desserts. She handed out clay plates of sweets and poured them some herbal berry tea to have with them. Tsuyu, Tenya, and Denki weren't too crazy about the taste, but Momoyao's eyes sparkled like glitter after one sip. The rest were neutral to it, though Toru almost burned her tongue and throat from trying to gulp it down.
"Drink it slowly!" Shouta told her. Chiyo chuckled as Shouta rubbed the girl's back to make sure she didn't choke.
"Would you like a cup?" she asked him.
"No." Even if Shouta could be sure that the cup wouldn't be poisoned, he was more of a coffee drinker. Hizashi could drink both.
'Hizashi…'
"I was told you could help me find someone," he said, cutting straight to the point, his anxiety threatening to consume him. Chiyo chuckled to herself as she set the kettle back on the stove.
"Impatient, aren't we?" she said as she hobbled over. "Before all that though-" Her lips shot out like rubber and kissed a startled Shouta's cheek. He almost tipped over but caught himself with a bewildered look. Chiyo smiled innocently.
"I don't like cleaning up more blood than I have to," she said sweetly. It was then that Shouta noticed that all his wounds were healing over, even his bruises were vanishing. When all of them were healed, Shouta was tired but no worse for the wear.
A small apple fritter was suddenly slipped into Shouta's hand.
"Eat. You'll need the sugar." the tiny woman ordered. Shouta obeyed, but only because he was suddenly starving. Chiyo beamed and turned to the tranquil giant.
"Cementoss, will you take the children outside for a while so I can talk to this young man?"
"Of course."
The children all hesitated and shuffled closer. They were not at all crazy about the idea of going outside again after nearly drowning. True they weren't near a river, but they just felt safer being in a house.
"It's all right," Cementoss assured them. "Chiyo used her magic to create a barrier in the area. We'll be safe."
The children weren't sure they believed that and looked to Shouta. Shouta didn't like the idea either, but he needed to talk to the witch, so they'd have to risk it.
"It's fine. If anything happens, I'll be right there," he promised.
The dwarfs were still nervous but trusted him.
They left the cabin with Cementoss and it was just the two of them.
"So?" he pressed. "Can you help me?"
She chuckled.
"Straight to the point aren't you, Prince Snow White?"
Shouta stared at her, his ruby eyes wide with surprise.
"How—" Then he remembered. "Right. Seer."
The old woman gave a soft, pleasant smile. As she did so her eyes crinkled, illuminating their deep, deep, blue irises. As he stared Shouta was reminded of the ocean and all the mysteries it hid in its depths.
"That is why you came to see me, is it not?" she stated in an obvious way, perched in her chair. She motioned to a large stone chair across from her. "Please, have a seat."
Shouta hesitated, his mind cautious. She was a witch, after all. In the end, he did sit down, not to be polite but because after everything that happened today he was exhausted.
"You haven't answered my question yet," he said. Even when there wasn't anything at stake Shouta wasn't one for small talk. "Can you help me find out what happened to Hizashi? Where he is?" Chiyo let out a long sigh.
"Perhaps."
"'Perhaps?!'" Shouta didn't mean to raise his voice, but it had been a long day, and his worries were getting the best of him. Not to mention he didn't fight through a literal killer forest and nearly drown for just a "perhaps." Chiyo was patient with him though, seeming to understand his feelings as she started to explain things;
"The reason I live in this forest is that its aura and energy hide magic," she told him. "It all blends together in one big mess, so you can't tell one from the other. It also makes it harder to use spells."
"But you knew about me the moment I walked in!" the prince argued. "And that golem, he had no difficulty using magic."
"You are right in front of me. That makes using my magic on you easier," she told him. "And Cementoss was born of the forest stone. He is a special case." Shouta tightened his fists. He was unaware he had clenched them till that point.
"Does that mean you can't help?" Shouta's heart threatened to sink.
"I didn't say that, now did I?" She took a sip of her tea. "It just means that I'll need something from you in exchange."
Shouta's brow furrowed deeper than it was.
"Like what?" If she was about to ask for his firstborn, she had a surprise coming considering he was dating a man. But then what else could she ask for? He literally had nothing.
"The only reason you got here was because of a certain gemstone, correct?" Accurate. Shouta had no doubt that without them they'd be 6 feet under, or dangling in the trees with the rest of the skeletons. "That's because the rune holds powerful magic. If you would allow me, I can use its energy to strengthen my own magic and help you find who you're looking for."
Shouta didn't hesitate to reach into his pocket and pull out the rune. He knew that it wasn't the wisest choice to give a powerful item to a witch of whose intentions were unclear. After all, why would she help him without a price? The dwarfs did so because of their age and naivety, but this woman? Plus, if he gave her the gem then he would have no way to get the dwarfs back home. Giving the witch the jewel was was selfish, irrational, and very, very stupid.
Even so-
Shouta held the stone out to her.
Chiyo's smile turned sympathetic as if she had just read his mind.
"You must be very desperate," she said.
"Do you want it or not?" Shouta was tired of waiting, tired of wondering. He had to know where Hizashi was and what happened to him now, dammit!
The woman sighed.
"Ah, youth. Though in your case, I suppose you're justified in your impatience." She took the magical jewel from Shouta's palm, then waved in front of her. "Help me clear the table and lay down."
"Is that necessary?"
"It's advised. I'll be sending you into an astral trance. I will then use the red string between you two to send your mind to your love's location. This will leave your body in a hypnotic sleep. Unless you can sleep standing, I suggest you lay down somewhere you won't hurt yourself." Shouta grumbled but obeyed the witch's orders.
Shouta then closed his eyes, hoping that his temporary trust wouldn't end with a knife in his chest. He felt a hand press on his heart and he almost jumped before he felt himself being yanked upwards.
777
When Shouta opened his eyes, he was no longer in the cabin but in a stone room with chains and cages everywhere. His heart jumped a pace when he realized it was a dungeon and stopped when he saw a familiar figure.
"Hizashi!"
Under any other circumstances, he would have been relieved and overjoyed to see his lover. But not this time.
Hizashi was hanging in the middle of the room by shackles that held his wrists towards the ceiling. The mouth that was usually curved into a friendly smile was gagged by a knotted cloth which muffled his heavy breathing. He had been stripped of his shirt, revealing the marks of torture that were sure to scar. There were spots of his flesh that had been melted off to reveal the tissue beneath. Some had scabbed over while others were still bleeding. As he looked closer Shouta could see whip marking and bruises from a good old-fashioned beating. His hair fell around him, strands sticking to his face, neck, and shoulders due to the sweat that now covered his body.
Shouta ran to him and reached out, but his hand fazed through. He couldn't accept this though, he wouldn't. His breath grew more and more ragged as he tried again and again to grab Hizashi. But alas, it was to no avail.
"Argh!" Shouta shouted in helpless despair. He clenched his fists at his side as he was forced to acknowledge that there was nothing he could do. He looked at Hizashi, his gaze was heartbroken. Hizashi's own eyes were only half awake and red as if he had been crying. Shouta instinctively reached a hand up. He wanted to help him, to hold Hizashi safe in his arms as he wiped away the tears and treated his wounds. He wanted to kiss away all his tears and keep him safe. Those hopes fell away though when his hand phased through his cheek.
Just as he threatened to break, a door screeched from behind him. He turned and his eyes widen with fury. It was King Shigaraki. He stood there in his black attire, a wicked smile on his dry lips as he took in Hizashi's pain.
"You!" Shouta snarled. "You'll pay for this, you bastard!" He charged at the man only to run through him and fall to his knees. As he caught himself, Shouta cursed his predicament as the king began to talk.
"Not dead yet. I can admire a man with a high stamina and tolerance for pain." He reached up and yanked the gag from Hizashi's mouth, allowing Shouta to see his cracked and swollen lips. Hizashi didn't look at Shigaraki, whether through stubbornness or just pure exhaustion, so the king reached out and grasped his jaw, forcing the blond to look into his inferno eyes.
"Ready to be a good servant to your king?" Shigaraki sneered. Hizashi said nothing instead glaring defiantly, gritting his teeth. Shigaraki released him roughly. "Such arrogance."
He then began to circle him, like a cobra surrounding his prey. Shouta wanted to grab and pull him away from Hizashi, among other things, but when he tried though he just ghosted through. So instead he just stood between them, as if that would somehow protect Hizashi. After a minute of hollow silence, the evil king spoke up.
"I know where your beloved prince is," Hizashi's head whipped up at this, enticing a smirk from the other as he continued, "There's only one place you could have sent him where my magic cannot see; the Daemonium Forest."
Hizashi remained silent. The king continued;
"Did you think the woods would protect him?" Shigaraki actually laughed at this. "More like you sent him to become someone else's prey! Haven't you heard? No one survives the forest of demons. Your scullery boy won't survive in there. Hell! He's probably already dead thanks to your stupidity!" The king looked gleeful at the thought, like a child about to win a game.
Despite everything, Hizashi chuckled. He looked Shigaraki straight in the eye.
"Don't underestimate my Snow White. He may need a good shove now and again, but when the situation calls for it, he's one hell of a customer. So you know he's in the forest, so what? You'll still never find him. The forest is bigger than half the kingdom and is getting bigger every day. To comb through it would take years, centuries even, no matter how many soldiers you send—not that you have that many anymore, do you? You could go yourself, but even you would end up lost without ever meeting my Snow," he bragged. "Do what you want with me, but even with all your magic, all your power, the chances of you ever finding Snow are slim to none. I'll die knowing he's safe."
"No!" Shouta could only watch in terror as Shigaraki lashed out, his touch physically burning Hizashi, who thrashed in his chains. He would have been swinging if not for the shackles around his ankles, securing him to the floor. His voice cried out and echoed throughout the dungeon, shattering Shouta's heart.
"Hizashi!" This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be happening! It was a dream, no, a nightmare. It had to be. "Stop it! Leave him alone!"
"Die?" Shigaraki hissed, eyes blazing. "Don't think it'll be that easy. In fact, I have something VERY special in mind for you. And don't think your precious Snow White is safe just yet; you and I both know I have a trump card in my grasp." To empathize his point Shigaraki moved his hand right above Hizashi's heart. As his palm touched him, Hizashi's skin started to sizzle.
"AHHH!"
"HIZASHI!"
The King turned, and for just a moment their eyes seemed to meet.
{To be Continued...}
A/N: Poor Hizashi.
Meta Notes:
*Yes, I know Night Eye would have worked better as a seer since his quirk is precognition, but by the time I realized that everything was already written. Plus, Chiyo just works better.
**I did consider using Midnight, but she's always the witch in stories like these. Thought I should switch it up.