A/N: This chapter is going to be a bit more on the sadistic side than previous ones in my opinion. It will also have a major spoiler for "Ojamajo: the Fusion Incident." That is all. Enjoy.
-Brutal Revelation-
The room felt unearthly cold all of a sudden.
Shadow Doremi stared grimly at Shadow Hazuki and Shadow Aiko. The latter two were speechless.
"I-If something like this was going to result," Shadow Hazuki stammered, "Th-then we sh-sh-should've used s-something else!"
Shadow Aiko put her hand on Shadow Hazuki's shoulder and shook her head. "The only ones safe from that thing will be anyone who isn't in Majo Kai," she said. She then shifted her gaze toward Shadow Doremi. "Why didn't you tell us about Walpurgis earlier!?" Shadow Doremi's head sunk. "WELL?!"
"Because Black Queen-sama forbade me," Shadow Doremi finally replied, "She liked the thought of unleashing a plague of reality-bending monsters on Majo Kai. When I told her what Walpurgis was, well, at the very least, she was pleased. But then I told her that we didn't want to unleash something that powerful on the Light Beings for fear that it would eventually come after us…"
"And she told you not to tell us why?" Shadow Hazuki asked accusingly.
"She knew we would try capturing the familiars. She knew we would put them back in Ningen Kai where the Puellae Magi would either kill or let them become Witches." Shadow Doremi slammed her fist on her chair. "She threatened me with a fate worse than death…if I ever told you before the plan was set in motion."
"Figures," Shadow Aiko retorted, "And let me guess: Black Queen-sama wants to see how powerful Walpurgisnacht is?"
"It's a safe assumption," Shadow Hazuki replied, "She didn't like losing to Light Queen's Super Form the first time and she didn't like losing to an upgraded form either. Hell, she even hated seeing Light Rin get one of her own!"
"Evil Rin hated that even more," Shadow Aiko added.
"The point is-!" Shadow Hazuki breathed heavily. "-Black Queen-sama wants to see Light Queen lose in her Super Witch Form, by any means necessary! …though she would prefer doing the deed herself."
"And Walpurgisnacht seemed like a good idea for it," Shadow Doremi finished, "In any case, we can't stand up to something that powerful. Nothing can." The pink Shadow closed her eyes in thought. "I've never seen it in action…I've only heard of what it can do from Skaj-kun. And even he seemed deathly afraid of it."
Shadow Hazuki shook her head. "If Skaj is afraid of it, then Black Queen-sama would easily like to see it defeat Kada and his team." She straightened her glasses. "In the meantime, I'll relay this to Shadow Hana-chan and Shadow Pop-chan."
"Good. They'll need this." Shadow Doremi glanced at Doremi's portrait. "I hope they warn Light Pop about this…"
"Until then, that balcony will be off-limits," Shadow Aiko added, "The only one who can deal with those familiars is Light Pop!" Shadow Aiko smirked. "Let's lure her there early so she can deal with them!"
"Are you sure she can handle them?"
"Couldn't be any worse than dealing with several Witches with armies of those things," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned.
Shadow Doremi and Shadow Aiko shot each other looks and then at Shadow Hazuki.
"Okay," Shadow Doremi spoke up, "But if Light Pop doesn't make it, then we'll have to abandon this plan and-"
Oh, I wouldn't be too sure, a telepathic voice spoke in all three of their minds. The Shadow Ojamajos knew exactly who this belonged to. After all, this is your plan and it would be dishonorable to abandon it all because of a simple flaw…
"Fine…Black Queen-sama…" Shadow Doremi replied under her breath.
Then I shall leave you alone for now.
Once they were sure Black Queen wasn't watching them, the Shadow Ojamajos resumed their conversation.
"Well, fuck that plan," Shadow Aiko stated indignantly.
"But I thought-!" Shadow Doremi stammered, but was cut off by Shadow Hazuki.
"When Black Queen-sama makes a promise…" Shadow Hazuki deadpanned.
There was a silence. Finally, Shadow Doremi spoke up.
"Now what?" Shadow Doremi asked.
Pop's eyes were closed. She was dead. That much she was certain. Her soul had been ripped out by the very chunk that she sacrificed to save herself with. And now this was it. She was going to live life as a member of the undead.
She moved her arm...only to find it still attached by the fingers to her body. In an instant, her eyes shot open. Surveying her surroundings, Pop saw everything as if it were in slow motion. Her ghost was reeling from what seemed to have been a cheap shot and the possessed blankets that were holding her down had been disintegrated. Quickly turning her head, Pop saw something floating by the door: The shimmer. She noticed that her body was still intact. Immediately, she took advantage of the part of her soul that was still attached and went back inside.
A massive breath of air immediately flooded her lungs, so much that she found herself going into a daze and feeling very disoriented. When she recovered, she had to refocus her vision. What she saw shocked her: The shimmer was fighting her ghost self by using Light attacks!
"Why are you with Living Me?!" Ghost Pop shouted, "You should be with the others!"
The shimmer didn't answer. Ghost Pop angrily lashed out with her sword. The shimmer fired a beam of light and disintegrated it, but Ghost Pop fired her own beam of darkness, striking and sending it reeling.
Pop got a look at the shimmer. The blow, for a brief moment, caused an outline to appear. The shimmer wore the same uniform as the Ojamajos sans Hana, but that was all that could be discerned before it returned to its preferred form.
The shimmer made a move that seemed to imply that it knew Pop was up and about. It made another gesture, causing the opposite side door to unlock and open. Pop saw what it was trying to do and quickly made her move.
"Oh no you don't!" Ghost Pop yelled. She quickly pursued Pop but was intercepted by the shimmer. "Out of my way!"
While this was going on, Pop had made it out the door and came to a hallway. To her right was a door that Pop, from experience, believed was locked. To her left was a staircase likely leading up to the next floor. She took a chance and barreled up the stairs.
Just as she was halfway up, she heard an explosion. Pop spun around and stared fearfully at the source. The door she had just come out of had been blown off its hinges. Moments later, the shimmer flew out; instead of the smooth and flowing pattern Pop had thought, it flew in a motion that reminded her of limping. Within the moment, it had vanished through the door.
Pop fired a Fire and Sky blast at the door. Through the resultant dust cloud, a beam of light could be seen; the number of them increased as the dust cleared. Suddenly, the light seemed to vanish, as though it was being drawn into something. An angry yet childish growl told Pop who was doing it.
"Come back here, you treacherous, glasses-wearing-!" Ghost Pop angrily said.
Pop wanted no more of it and quickly fled up stairs, coming to another door. She tried it and, miraculously, it was open. She wasted no time in going through it and shutting the door. She was now in another hallway; only this one was more straight-forward. Candles lined the walls at set intervals, but the dim illumination meant that wraiths would likely show up. The red Ojamajo treaded with caution.
The first door she came across was locked as per the norm with another split just ahead. Pop glared at the door as though it were mocking her very being.
"Maybe there was a key back in that room?" Pop asked out loud, "There are no runes on this one, so it's safe…minus the wraiths and all."
"That's too bad," replied a voice from behind Pop. The red Ojamajo spun around in shock and, to her horror, saw Ghost Pop floating behind her with a toothy grin plastered on her face. "I would say 'You look like you've seen a ghost', but…"
Pop decided not to let her finish. At once, she slid on her knees underneath the red spectre and fled down the hall. She rounded the bend and continued onwards, repeating with the next corner and passing a few doors. At the end of the hall was yet another locked door.
"Great! Just what I needed!" Pop griped. She turned around only to face her ghost once again.
"Heheheh," she chuckled as she waved her finger at the red Ojamajo, "End of the line, Living Me!"
"I don't think so!"
Pop punctuated her shout by firing a Fire and Sky blast at one of the doors she passed. The explosion blew the door off its hinges and kicked up a thick cloud of dust. Taking advantage of the resultant concealment, Pop made a break for it and slipped past her ghost self and back around the corner.
Instead of going to her right –which was where the stairs were-, Pop went to her left and came to a dead end. She was about to turn back when she noticed a slight blur taking over the hall. At the same time, runes began appearing on the wall, bringing to the surface a certain fear.
The red Ojamajo had no intention on fighting another Witch at this time. Thus, she promptly fired yet another Fire and Sky blast, this time blowing a hole in the floor. Then, taking as much care as time would allow, she gripped the edges of the hold she made and dropped down into the hall below…
Pop landed with an audible thud. She may have landed on carpeting, but its lack of thickness left it as an ineffective cushion. Still, she hadn't fallen far, but she swore that she had sprained something. She got up and immediately felt pain in her ankle, confirming her fears.
Pop looked up and saw that the blur had enveloped the hole and was now starting to come down.
"Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop quickly chanted, "Time stop!"
As per her spell, time itself froze. The rose-haired girl chose not to remain in the area and limped off as fast as she could, trying to put as much distance between herself and the encroaching barrier. She rounded the bend and decided that she could potentially find aid courtesy of the shimmer and made haste to the room that looked like Hazuki's.
Her spell wore off by the time she turned the next corner, allowing the barrier to continue spreading. To Pop's fortune, she was able to get through the door and slam it shut just before it could reach her. The door formed runes afterward. Unfortunately, with all the excitement from being chased by her ghost self, eluding a Witch, and having to run on an injured foot, Pop passed out.
"Are you sure you that's all you remember?" Majo Toron desperately asked.
"Yes!" Momoko replied, "I'm sorry! Although…"
"I understand. I will interrogate them immediately."
Majo Toron removed her hand from Momoko's portrait. For ten minutes now, she had been trying to get some information out of Momoko and Aiko. So far, all she had been able to discern was that neither of them could remember much from when they were evil ghosts. The lack of progress was driving the inventive witch to her wit's end and back…repeatedly.
"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" Shadow Ruka asked. Her tone had a hint of deadpan seriousness to it.
Majo Toron shook her head. "I doubt you would get any further than I." The inventive witch turned towards the door before the Shadow Ojamajo's cell. "I'm going to ask the them a few questions."
Shadow Ruka sighed. "Do your best."
It wasn't long before Mao Toron had wheeled herself over to the Shadow Ojamajos. Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko were being rather…friendly with each other. At least, that's what the sounds coming from within the cell implied. Majo Toron face-palmed.
"OKAY, YOU TWO! I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND I WANT THEM ANSWERED!" Majo Toron boomed.
"Gyahhh!" both Shadows jumped in surprise. This was quickly followed by the sound of something large falling over and hitting the hard floor. Shadow Onpu quickly got to her feet and peered out the door's window. She glared at Majo Toron.
"What. The hell. Was that for?!" Shadow Onpu yelled, "Shadow Momo-chan and I weren't doing anything-!"
"There's no time for your excuses!" Majo Toron bit back, "I have questions. You have answers. And time is running out-!"
"Ugh! Light Beings!" Shadow Onpu said in disgust, "I'm not going to tell you anything!"
"Ehh…Shadow Onpu-chan?" Shadow Momoko peeped, "Maybe we should…uh…tell her anyway."
Shadow Onpu's eyes went wide as her head turned to where Shadow Momoko apparently was. "Wh-what?! But what if Black Queen-sama-?"
Majo Toron saw her expression soften. I suppose Shadow Momoko has a strange influence over Shadow Onpu, she mentally surmised, Does this mean that even Shadows know friendship, despite their outlook?
Majo Toron could barely hear Shadow Momoko's words. She made out a "…please, Shadow Onpu-chan? Maybe if we…" and a "…even if Black Queen-sama…" but nothing else. She then saw Shadow Onpu turn back to the inventive witch.
"Fine," the purple Shadow said, "We'll tell you all we know-"
"Then I shall begin," Majo Toron said, interrupting Shadow Onpu.
"And if you ever get in contact with Light Pop again," Shadow Onpu growled, "Tell her I'd like to give her a piece of my mind!"
Majo Toron's expression hardened slightly. "I'll keep that in mind."
Pop awoke with a groan. She was still on the same spot where she had collapsed, much to her confusion. Adding to that was the pain that still existed in her ankle.
The shimmer should've healed me by now, thought Pop.
She got to her feet, using the counter for support when necessary. Once she was steady, she gave a quick glance over the room. It looked just as normal as the last time she was there, including the charred remains of the other door and the smell of smoke.
Another glance revealed that the shimmer was in the room. It was on the bed and its posture made Pop believe it was sitting. There was a slight shift in its form that was followed quickly by another. Then it glowed a bright orange, making Pop shield her eyes from the sudden glare.
When it was through, the shimmer's form had changed drastically. It now had an orange glow complete with similarly colored glowing eyes and wore an orange uniform just like the Ojamajos. In her chest was a light that shone like a star. A familiar round pair of glasses was on her face and she had long brown hair. She was panting heavily.
Pop gasped in shock.
"Ha-Hazuki-chan?!" the red Ojamajo blurted in surprise.
The ghost turned her head back. "Yes…" she said weakly, "Forgive me…Pop-chan…"
Pop was speechless. All this time, it had been Hazuki who had been guiding her, giving her keys, and healing her. Then her eyes shot open. Hazuki completely lacked any and all of the wounds that Pop had been healed of. That is, unless it wasn't her who was healing her. The thought alone broke Pop out of her stupor.
"H-have you…Have you been healing me?" Pop finally asked. Hazuki nodded her head. "But then-?!"
Hazuki shook her head. "I…I think it's because I'm…I'm…not living anymore. That I do not have anywhere for the wounds to…to transfer to…yet."
Pop clenched her fist. That last part of Hazuki's statement. She was clinging onto the hope that she will be human again. She quite likely wished that the others wanted to return to normal too. But if she does, then wouldn't she suffer the healed injuries all at once? What is she thinking?! She remembered the last time she healed something, did she not? Onee-chan said Hazuki would've been near death had it not been for Jou-sama! She's sealing her fate just to allow me-
Pop furiously shook her head. She had to get those thoughts out before they drove her mad…at least, more mad than she probably was by now.
"Please don't tell me I have to fight you!" Pop begged.
Hazuki closed her eyes. "That de…depends…on how much longer I…I can hold…hold it back…Pop-chan." The orange ghost turned toward Pop. "At first, i-it only took…almost no…thought…just to suppress. But as I used magic and aided you…it got worse."
Pop was about to ask what she meant by "it" but went on a limb and believed that "it" was whatever made them evil when they were ghosts.
"But how? When Ai-chan held it off, it was only for a few seconds! And Momo-chan couldn't hold it back at all!" Pop's pupils shrunk and she quickly aimed her Vac-Drive at Hazuki in fear. "H-how can I tell you're not trying to trick me?!"
"Pop-chan! Please!" Hazuki gasped and then clutched her head. "I…I know you have a way to read our minds. Use it! Please!"
Pop hesitantly took out the All-in-One and scanned Hazuki. She then read the entry.
Hazuki Fujiwara: A timid, sweet, and loving young girl who is a very close friend of Doremi's. One of her defining traits is her intellect and her overwhelming fear of ghosts. She is also a bit naïve, but it has allowed her to find the good in some people. She does not like fighting for any reason, preferring instead to break them up. The presence of the Light Medallion within makes her Light-based, giving her an aversion to Darkness but allowing her to travel even in brightly lit areas. Her weakness is her own image.
But Hazuki-chan isn't vain! Pop mentally yelled, Onpu-chan is…to some extent…Okay, more than the others, but still! Pop rubbed her fingers over her forehead. Ok, Pop. You've scanned Hazuki-chan. Now time to see if she's really trying to trick me or not.
"I…I…" Hazuki sputtered.
Pop looked at the All-in-One.
I…I…
It was all the proof she needed. "Hazuki-chan…! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Tears streamed down Pop's face. At least, that's what should've happened. It didn't for some reason, but she didn't care at the moment. "I should've given you a chance! Please forgive me! Please!"
"Pop-chan…" Hazuki began. She then shook her head. Pop immediately stopped talking. "It's…it's okay. If anyone should be…be apologizing, it should…it should be me.
"I wish…I could've aided you further, Pop-chan. I wish I could have had more time…but I don't. To prolong myself, I…had to heal some of your wounds only a little. As I used magic…I weakened." Hazuki pointed toward the light in her chest. "This…this light…it is the Light Medallion. Its power is…is what has allowed me to resist…resist it for so long. But it depended on my own resolve…my own resolve that weakened with each moment…"
So that's how Hazuki-chan lasted so long, thought Pop, "But did you-?"
Hazuki clutched her arm. "They surrounded me, Pop-chan. They chased me into this place! Cornered me!" The orange ghost buried her head in her hands. "I had never been so terrified. And then Shadow Hazuki showed up. She had a strange device…and she used it on me. When she was done…she tasked me…me with guarding the Light Medallion. I couldn't control myself…I was staring through my own eyes while something evil controlled my body and will. But then the power of the Medallion gave me strength and I broke free…and when you came, I decided to aid you…guide you…heal you…"
Hazuki suddenly broke down and orange ectoplasmic tears began streaming down her face.
"I didn't want to be a phantom again! Even if I could be sensed normally, I didn't want to be one!"
The light inside her flickered for a brief moment. Pop knew what Hazuki was talking about. She had seen it personally. Everyone thought she had been killed when in reality her soul had been disjoined. Such was the power of that weapon Majo Isabelle used during that incident. But perhaps this was what also allowed her to resist it for so long?
Pop didn't know, and there was no real way for her to know anyway. For now, she had other questions, but did not know if all of them could be answered.
"So please, Pop-chan!" Hazuki turned to the red Ojamajo with a desperate look. She then gestured her hand and a drawer opened up. "That drawer has a tool that will let you use my appearance."
"But Hazuki-chan!" Pop cried out, "I have so much more to ask you!"
"I know…but I'll try-" Suddenly, Hazuki's eyes went wide and she clutched her head. She began panting even more fiercely that before. "Never…mind! It's taking control! I must-!"
"Hazuki-chan!"
Hazuki drew her poron. "Paipai Ponpoi Puwapuwa Puu!" she chanted in a strained voice, "Heal Pop-chan of her injuries!"
The wave of orange magic washed over Pop. In seconds, the pain from her ankle disappeared along with her fresh scratches and bruises. Pop looked at the All-in-One and saw that the messages matched the words Hazuki just spoke.
The orange ghost stopped panting and straightened her glasses. Pop looked at her with worry and went on the defensive. At the same time, the room had become unearthly cold.
"Hazuki-chan…?" Pop said carefully, "Are you…Are you alright?"
Hazuki turned back toward Pop. "Yes, Pop-chan." She smiled sweetly. "I guess I didn't really have to worry after all!"
Pop kept her distance and looked at the All-in-One, scanning it for messages from Hazuki's mind.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Yes, you did…Hazuki-chan," Pop replied, "But you?" The red Ojamajo took aim. "Hazuki-chan doesn't want to be a phantom! So let her go!"
The sweet smile vanished from Hazuki's face and was replaced with a frown. "But there are too many advantages-!"
"Save it! I know you're not Hazuki-chan! Not the Hazuki-chan I know!"
Hazuki's expression changed to another smile; it reeked of evil and malevolence. "You know…I really do not like that thing you have in your hands, Pop-chan. So I'll just destroy it!" Hazuki rose into the air and raised her poron. "Paipai-!"
I have to get that tool and use it now! Pop mentally shouted. She rushed toward the open drawer and reached her hand inside.
"Ponpoi-!" Hazuki continued chanting.
Pop took out the contents of the drawer. It was just a small hand mirror. Let's see if vanity is this Hazuki's weakness! Pop aimed the mirror's reflective surface at Hazuki. "Look at this, Hazuki-chan!"
"Puwapuwa- What?" Hazuki ceased chanting and looked at the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her. "Eh? Eh? EH?"
Now to blast her with Darkness and-! Pop thought, but her train was interrupted.
"GHOST!" Hazuki screamed. She then began zipping around the room. "MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA!"
So it wasn't vanity? Pop shook her head. No! I can't think of how or why it worked! I have to suck her up. Now! And with that thought, Pop took aim with the Vac-Drive. Unfortunately, Hazuki was flying around too fast to get a clear shot off. "Hold still!"
The red Ojamajo grit her teeth and decided to just spray a stream of Darkness with the hope that Hazuki will fly into it. She needed to widen the area, so Pop waved the nozzle around to scatter it. Just when it looked like she was going to run out, she caught the orange ghost in the stream.
"Gahhh!" Hazuki screamed. The light in her chest went out, allowing Pop to see the Light Medallion floating within her spectral body and leaving her with a mild orange glow. "I didn't want to fight you, Pop-chan, but now you leave me no choice!"
Hazuki immediately charged Pop, but she immediately shined her flashlight on the ghost. And as usual, it had no effect, forcing Pop to dive out of the way. The rose-haired girl then took out the mirror and the ghost once again saw her reflection. She floated there momentarily before screaming again.
"KYAH!"
This is it! This has to be it! Pop mentally yelled.
She shined her flashlight once again on Hazuki, successfully stunning her this time. Pop then activated the Vac-Drive and immediately began sucking the ghost in.
"What? NO!" Hazuki screeched.
The orange ghost quickly tried to fly off, but the suction zeroed in on her and caused Pop to be dragged along for the ride. The red Ojamajo yanked hard repeatedly against Hazuki's tug, but she was proving to far more persistent than even Aiko's ghost. At the same time, Hazuki was taking advantage of the room's layout and proceeded to drag Pop to where the bed would impede her movements. She could not maintain the hold she had on the ghost and was quickly knocked onto her backside. Hazuki floated up and the Light Medallion began glowing fiercely once again.
"You almost had me, Pop-chan," Hazuki remarked, "But now they will have you!" She raised her poron once more. "Paipai Pon-"
"I don't think so!" Pop yelled. She quickly regained her footing and fired a Dark blast at Hazuki. It struck true, causing the Light within the ghost to fade and leave her with her orange glow. "Bullseye!"
"But you're too late! Paipai Ponpoi Puwapuwa Puu!"
Oh no! Pop thought, Please not her!
"Ghost Pop-!"
Hazuki was almost finished casting her spell, but Pop threw the mirror to where the ghost was. She saw her reflection, causing her to stop the spell and look at it in shock. It had only been a second, but it was enough. Pop didn't wait for her to begin panicking; she just shined her flashlight on her. Once again, Hazuki was stunned, allowing Pop to suck her in.
"No! NO! NO!" screamed Hazuki.
It was intense, but Pop managed to avoid the same pitfall Hazuki lured her in to last time and gave one yank after powerful yank. Finally, Hazuki, exhausted from the repeated tugs, lost her balance and fell to the suction. She vanished into the Vac-Drive. No sooner than she did, the lights came on and the Light Medallion fell to the floor.
Pop picked up the fallen coin and gave it a good glimpse. It was silver and gold in color and had a brilliant ray engraved into its surface. She put it away and looked at the meter on the Vac-Drive and saw that there was now one for Light energy.
Finally! Something to fight my ghost self with! Pop smiled internally. She then let the recent events sink in. But…with Hazuki-chan gone...
It hit like a ton of bricks. She had taken for granted the healing Hazuki had given her throughout her ordeal. Now any injuries she sustains will be permanent and the mansion is still full of Witches that will easily inflict such wounds on her and then some. If she didn't take her earlier interest in being careful seriously then, she will now.
A glance at the All-in-One's screen broke Pop's train of thought. On it was a single message…from Hazuki.
Pop-chan…I know…I know you have little time, but…there are many things in this room…things that will serve you well later…They're hidden and if the wraiths and Shadow Ojamajos find them, I…I fear the worst. Please get them, even if you…even if you find it amoral…
The message ended right there. On these words, Pop began searching the room, turning it upside down where necessary…and sometimes literally. After roughly twenty minutes, Pop had found a bag of keys, a bag of Magical Spheres, and the Ice Medallion with a note written in perfect Kanji and Katakana…using orange ectoplasm.
If you're reading this, Pop-chan, then that means I've succumbed to the corruption caused by that device the Shadow Ojamajos have. However, I retrieved the Ice Medallion from its guardian. It saw me as a ghost, so it wasn't much trouble. I'm hiding it in here so you will find it. Use it well! But I have to warn you: There is another Medallion in addition to the Fire, Ice, Water, Sky, Earth, Light, and Dark Medallions. I do not know what it is, but it is well hidden and seems to be the most dangerous of them all. If a wraith gets it, then you must find a way to defeat it and get that Medallion! Time is of the essence, and probably now more than ever! Please, Pop-chan. You have to go and retrieve it! Only you can…and only you can save us all from this horrible fate!
-Fujiwara Hazuki
"Thank you, Hazuki-chan," Pop said to herself, "I've already promised to save everyone, no matter what. And if this Medallion is as powerful as Hazuki-chan says it is, then I have to find it!"
Pop put the Ice Medallion away and saw that there was now a meter for Ice. She then looked into the two bags and reviewed the keys; she swore there were enough for the entire second floor. The second bag revealed that the Magical Spheres were the ones that her poron used. Earlier, the Magical Spheres Majo Toron gave her had to be condensed into that form. These were already in that form on top of there being many of them. Looking into her poron, Pop realized there were only two Magical Spheres left; the bag raised that number to forty-nine.
After reloading her poron, Pop used a spell to extract Elemental energy and refill her meters. She turned toward the door and saw that the runes had not left. Pop swallowed hard. She knew that several Witches are hiding behind the doors. And she knew what happened whenever she gripped the knobs of such doors.
Suddenly, the memory of what the Ulla familiar did to the Sea Quake wraith surfaced. She remembered how it sucked the wraith dry of everything except the dark magic that made up a part of it. To her horror, she remembered how her ghost self was still there when she blew apart that door. If a small familiar can effortlessly kill an elemental wraith, then what chance did Ghost Pop stand against a Witch?
It was then that Pop realized that she may have inadvertently brought a permanent end to a part of herself. She will never be whole again. No! She had to hope that Ghost Pop escaped the Witch. It seemed like the odds were against her, but Pop knew she had been getting better at fighting and eluding; she trusted fate and firmly believed that Ghost Pop was still around, hunting her down but is being blocked by the Witch.
Bracing herself, Pop decided against touching the knob and simply blew the door of its hinges using a Fire and Sky blast. At once, the barrier of the Witch flooded the room…
A/N: I intended to get this uploaded before 21/12/2012. I have succeeded. But only time will tell if tomorrow is the end of the world. Reviews are appreciated.