The Coven was abuzz as the gossip quickly spread throughout the Realm, excitement filling the air as the announcement neared. A new leader was to be chosen; the current witch had fallen critically ill, leading the council to designate the next successor. It was always a special occasion once a new Mother was chosen to lead the Coven, something that happened every few hundred years, if not more, unless something befell the predecessor. The council was composed of the oldest, wisest, witches within the Realm; their word was law and anyone who broke the law faced exile or worse.

The candidates selected consisted of two witches from the High-Level ranking; one Short Range witch, a Tanuki witch, and a Necromancer classification witch. One of the HL witches, by the name of Ametrine Gorgon, was rumored to be the most favored by the council due to her impressive skill level and dedication to the Coven. Though she was favored by the elders, many of the younger witches had different opinions of the witch with the flaming red hair. Rumors of deceit and secretive agendas rippled through the women like a raging fire.

"I'm so excited to see who the new Mother will be! It's terrible Mother Rosediah fell ill in such a horrible way, may she recover swiftly, but I'm sure our new leader will be just as great!" A young Tanuki witch gossiped to her friend as they rushed down the corridor to claim good seats in the gathering chamber, excitedly moving through the crowded passageway.

"I just hope it isn't Ametrine; the elders may think she's perfect, but I heard she has been sneaking out and hooking up with human males! They're such disgusting creatures; though I guess it's fitting for a snake like her to be with one's own kind." The two snickered before taking off, weaving through the throng of witches with ease.

As the plethora of witches filled the massive gathering chamber, on the center stage stood the contenders sitting perfectly still on their assigned chairs. Murmurs waved over the crowd as one chair on the end was empty, the chair for the second HL witch Evanora Killgorne. Everyone quieted down as the council strode across the stage to their respective podiums, their movements slow yet graceful and fluid. They earned the utmost respect with just a single glance.

"Witches, sisters, welcome to the coronation ceremony. Though we mourn the illness of Mother Rosediah, now is the time to keep our strength and spirits up as we welcome our new Mother." An elderly Necromancer witch by the name of Celestina Barclay spoke loudly into the microphone adorned to her stand. "We, the council, have narrowed down the candidates for this crucial and sacred role that binds us together as family. But sadly, we do have some unfortunate news regarding one of our selected witches,"

The emporium went dead silent. Most of the older witches had a guess at what happened while the younger ones looked around in confusion. The council slowly scanned the crowds, taking in the confused, knowing, pained, and horrified looks before the second councilwoman spoke up.

"My sisters, it is with a heavy heart that we, the council, announce the sudden disappearance of Evanora Killgorne. We have received notice from a sister branch that she left their location two days ago but never arrived at her halfway checkpoint back to our home. We are diligently searching for her using every available resource." Marilla Wyrm, a Tanuki witch, broke the heavy news to the hundreds of witches sitting before her.

"Ladies, we understand your thoughts and feelings, but we must have faith that she will return to us. We have sent our fastest and stealthiest teams to track her down and bring her home safely." A third council witch, Raine Moonfall, assured the panicking crowd, the whispers nearly becoming hysterics within minutes. Even the Council could not ignore the nagging sensation of the rumors spread so vicariously. Word of treachery and dishonesty never bode well amongst their kind, yet without the proper evidence to be presented in trial; their words were whispers in the breeze.

The fourth and final witch amongst the council took a step backwards from her podium while raising her hand, her thumb and middle finger barely touching. The three other witches took notice and took a step back, bowing in respect as they moved. After a heartbeat of waiting, she snapped her fingers and the whole arena went quiet as a calming wavelength washed over them.

"Witches, while this is a very urgent matter that has arisen, we must continue on with the ceremony as scheduled. We have the matter under control, so please refrain yourselves from further interrupting. Remain mindful of your tongues; false words whispered amongst the willowing stalks of grain are as such."

"We, the council, have hereby decided upon our new Mother of the Coven. Narrowed down from these candidates sitting before you all, their dedication and experience standing out above others, their bravery and courage helping those who look up for guidance and knowledge. For years we have observed and taken note of those who have earned the sacred honor of Coven Mother nominee. Witches, today we welcome the newest Mother to lead our clan to a safe and prosperous future, building the path for our youngest witches while keeping our sanctuary safe."

There was a pregnant pause as the coven looked on, anxious to learn of their new chosen leader.

"May we proudly present…"

"Our new Mother…"

"The one who shall guide us on our journeys…"

"And bring prosperity to our Coven for many generations to come…"

Ametrine growled through her mouth gag, sealed eyes twitching restlessly beneath the fabric as she was shuffled along like a criminal. She was fitted with a straight jacket that kept her arms pinned awkwardly behind her, every jostle or bump in the road causing her shoulders to grind painfully. Shackles were linked around her ankles, restricting her movement to small shuffles when she walked. With her powers bound she had little hope of escaping the Witches Realm unscathed. Even so, as a witch of over four thousand years old, she could still sense there were numerous guards surrounding her, anti-magic weapons aimed mere inches from her body. Small sparks would arch far enough to zap her often, a painful reminder not to try anything.

"Nyamu."

The captive witch grunted as a hand grabbed her roughly by the back of the neck, forcing her to stop. If an aura could kill…there'd be no witches left alive.

"You'll be staying in a hidden location until the time of your trial, Ametrine, so I suggest you use that time wisely to repent for your sins." Snarled Mabaa's assistant as a heavy metal door screeched open, like iron nails on a chalkboard. Hot breath hit Ametrine's ear as the witch drew close. "Unfortunately for you, I am one of the judges for your trial. If it was up to me, I would kill you on the spot while you're tied up and defenseless. The others may not be aware, but I am fully aware of what really happened to Mother Rosediah all those centuries ago."

The memory flashed through the captive witches' mind and she let out a silent tsk. She had tried to be careful when taking care of the elderly and sick Queen Witch, but apparently not careful enough. Everything had been planned down to even the 10th backup plan. A slow, but effective, natural poison that was nearly impossible to trace, was slipped into a nearby incense burner. With her weakened state, and the burner running nearly non-stop, it only took about two and a half weeks before she slipped away in her sleep, none the wiser. It must have been a servant who had inhaled too much of the incense and fallen ill as well, or a hidden recorder lacrima stashed near the Queen. One small slip and now she had a witness, one who was a judge, no less. Ametrine turned her head to face the feline witch, her glare nearly burning through the seal. The powerful witch let the edges of her tight lips curl upwards as she felt the glare permeating from behind the seal, releasing an amused puff of smoke at flaring nostrils.

"I see your memory is still sharp after all these centuries. You'd best remember your place and keep it." Blowing another puff of smoke into Ametrine's face, the higher-ranking witch flicked her wrist before turning and leaving. The sound of chains clinking diminished as the large iron doors began to close.

The groaning of the door rang throughout the small cell as Ametrine was magically chained against the wall, the final slivers of light giving into darkness with an ear-shattering clang. She would have plenty of time to think of an escape; a trial like this would take up to seven days maximum to prepare all the evidence and gather the Council. More than that, it would give the witch ample time in which to formulate her retaliation against the DWMA. Seeing as the brats who interfered with her interrogation of the Death Scythe meister were willing to throw everything at her, it would take every ounce of magic to smush them into the earth. Even a Shinigami was no match for one of the oldest witches alive. Power accumulated with age and she was plenty ripe with the flowing substance, warm and tingling powerfully.

A wicked grin graced taut lips; she would save the best prize for last. Oh yes, the precursor to the grand finale. Once the final piece was knocked from its square, the queen would swoop in and checkmate. Excitement burbled within. How many years had she dreamed of this moment? All her plans coming to fruition, no thanks to her useless children. Through the mouth seal slipped a low, resonating chuckle.

You're mine, Death Scythe Meister Maka Albarn.

"Maka…Maka-chan…"

Maka groaned as she nestled deeper into the warmth, her consciousness slipping back to the darkness as she ignored the disturbance. A hand began gently pushing against her arm and the meister twitched her arm slightly away. Exhaustion weighed heavily over her mind and body, the urge to slip away from it all tempting.

"Maka-chan, you have some visitors here to see you. Kid would like to see you, he's waiting in the living room." Blair purred as she gently grabbed the meisters arm and began removing her from the cocoon of blankets she was currently nestled into. An arm wearily reached up to swat away the hand before disappearing back into the nest. "Tsubaki and the Thompson sisters are here as well. Come on, Maka, let's get you up now. You've been sleeping for a long time!"

"K-Kid?" The meister slurred the words out, her mouth feeling full of cotton. She flicked her tongue around before trying again. It hurt to even attempt to clear the Sahara of a throat. "Blair? What's going on?"

"Kid wanted to discuss something urgent with you and the girls wanted to make sure you were okay. You've been out for quite a while so they haven't had the change."

That woke Maka up. As the blankets were thrown back from her lethargic frame, the natural light penetrated her green orbs and she let out a hiss, wincing in pain. How long had she been out? What had she even been doing before the near coma? Noticing how sticky she felt, she must have been taking more than an afternoon nap. A while didn't exactly sound very comforting…

After some shifting of blankets and clothing, Blair helped the meister shuffle to the bathroom to clean up a bit. After adjusting to the brightness of the lights, Maka cracked a watery eye and nearly had a heart attack looking at her ragged reflection; it looked and felt like someone had used her face as a punching bag before a big match. Bruises lining her jaw were a medium purple/red color, matching ones traced around her cheeks and eyes, even down her neck to the collarbone. The bruises would be gone within a few more days, but she couldn't help but grimace at her appearance. She noticed an oddly darker bruise that appeared hand-shaped print around her neck, just under her chin. Narrowing her eyes, she stared at the markings until the sensation came back to her in a flood of emotions and she could feel the witch stealing the very breath from her once more. A strangled gasp left her lips and she backed away from the mirror, grabbing at her throat with both hands. Panic began to set in as her chest constricted painfully, breathing becoming ragged as she slid down against the wall.

Ametrine…

Arachne…Medusa…Shaula…Gorgon…

Asura…

Blair knocked on the door and asked if everything was alright, but the loud ringing in her ears drowned everything out. The world was becoming hazy as the room began to spin faster and faster like an amusement ride. Tears poured down Maka's face as she curled into a tight ball, willing the images to go away; for the pain to go away. There was a dull tug at her soul, but the pain soon washed over it and she let out a silent cry.

"Blair, is something wrong with Maka?" Tsubaki gently asked as she made her way down the hallway, Thompson sisters close behind.

"Bu-tan doesn't know what to do to help. Maka-chan has been having terrible nightmares during the nights and not even Soul-kun can wake her up. I think she's having them because she's afraid of that witch, of how much stronger she is than Maka. I've never seen her shaken up so bad and I don't know what I can do to help…" Blair's ears folded against her head as she wrapped her arms around herself, eyes drifting to look at the closed bathroom door with forlorn. "That witch, Ametrine was it? I have a really bad feeling about her. I may be just a cat with incredible magical powers, but I'm nowhere near the level she is. I could sense her power from the club, and it was like nothing I've ever felt. There aren't many witches with that level of power remaining in this world and Asura doesn't seem to come close to her level…"

"Ametrine's power nearly overpowered my own considering my awakened powers as a Shinigami; the fact that her level is that high, if not higher, means she's a serious threat to the city and others worldwide." Kid had joined the conversation quietly, standing between Liz and Patty with his arms crossed over his chest. "Had I been going at full power, it's possible we'd be evenly matched. Ametrine's soul continued to expand far beyond anything I've seen before. It's lucky that Maka survived a battle against her. Who knows what would have happened if it weren't for us intervening the battle. I've been researching what history we have on the witches, but there is very little mention of Ametrine. There was a page that had notes on her becoming the Coven Mother hundreds of years back, though it seems after a short term she was exiled. This may require contacting the witches directly and gathering more information from them."

"But didn't they capture Amoeba? The witches have probably already locked her up forever," Patty chirped up, curiously tilting her head with a finger against pursed lips.

"Ametrine, Patty, but she has a point, Kid. I'm sure they've got her locked away and probably awaiting a trial at some point." Liz corrected her sister before turning to Kid. "If she was exiled from the Witches Realm, then she must've done something horrible enough for the witches to turn on her. Maybe she broke some sacred rules or something? Actually, since Kim is the official bridge between humans and witches, shouldn't we—"

The shower suddenly turned on in the bathroom and everyone went quiet. The handle slowly turned, and the door cracked open ever so slightly to reveal a sliver of green. Avoiding eye contact with them all, Maka focused solely on the feline shifting closer.

"Blair, could you grab me some fresh clothes? I'm just going to shower first and then we can talk." Maka croaked out, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course, Maka! I'll grab you some sweats and a t-shirt and leave it inside of the door for you."

"Thank you." The door quietly shut.

"I'm going to make some tea for when she comes out. Liz, Patty, could you help me get some food ready for her? She may not be hungry, but she needs to eat something." Tsubaki took command and ushered the sisters into the kitchen, throwing Kid an apologetic look.

Kid gave a reassuring smile and gestured for them to go ahead before slowly returning to the living room. Ametrine must've done something worse than breaking a few rules to become exiled after just a few years. Witches were usually in charge for hundreds of years, if not longer, until they became too weak or sick to continue ruling. Considering how powerful of a witch she was, there's no telling what could've happened. There must be a clue somewhere, possibly right in front of their faces…

The front door swung open just then to reveal Black Star stuffing his face with rice balls and an annoyed Soul Eater carrying groceries on both arms.

"Sorry it took so long, someone kept eating the groceries on the way home and we had to go back and get more." Soul shot a dirty look to the unapologetic ninja, earning a shrug in return.

"I was hungry, do you expect the great Black Star to starve? It takes a lot of energy to be as perfect as me!"

"Black Star, what have I told you about doing that! Especially to someone else's groceries!" Tsubaki scolded him, waving a wooden spoon threateningly in his face. "You can use that money you earned from that mission and pay Soul back. I can't believe you, I thought you were better than that. I'm so sorry, Soul! Black Star seems to have forgotten his manners as of late."

Black Star dropped the charade and quickly shot an apology to Soul, tossing him more than enough money to cover the groceries, at least enough for a few months, and started following Tsubaki around the kitchen asking for forgiveness. Soul rolled his eyes. He always acted so tough, yet when Tsubaki was scolding him, he followed her around like a puppy hoping to get back on her good side. Liz and Patty greeted him as he unloaded the food onto the table, separating refrigerated from non-perishables.

"We're making food for Maka, did you want anything specific? Hers will be pretty bland if it's been a few days." Liz asked while picking out the ingredients she needed, handing them to Patty and Tsubaki. "She woke up a short while ago and is showering now. It's great Blair is here to help out while you're gone, though I'm sure you wanted to be here when she woke up."

"I'm good, not all that hungry right now. I could feel when she woke up earlier, so at least that's a bit of comfort," Soul paused momentarily as he was placing cans in the cabinet. Liz noticed but kept quiet, waiting for him to speak. "She's being tormented by that creature in her sleep, the one we fought in Russia, screaming out and trying to fight it off. I couldn't even wake her up, no matter what I tried. I feel useless as her partner not being able to help her…"

"Soul, the best thing you can do right now is be there for her, whether she's awake or not. You two share an unbreakable bond; you're bound mind, body, and soul. As partners, you're always there for each other no matter what happens." Tsubaki had overheard the conversation and joined, laying a gentle hand on Soul's shoulder. "She may not be aware you're there, but her soul can feel your presence. Even if you can't reach her physically there's always another way."

"Tsubaki is right, Soul, you are the strongest team I have personally ever seen. Not just in physical strength, but in soul connection. Of course, you'll have your arguments and fights, but when it comes down to it, you'll always be there for each other." Black Star interjected, earning surprised looks from the women. He made a weird face with both hands up in the air. "What? Did I say something weird?"

"Shinigami above, he actually has some brains in that thick skull of his," Liz snorted.

"Sometimes he says really nice things, you guys, it shouldn't be so shocking. It's just…rare…" Tsubaki attempted to defend her meister only to falter when no good example came to mind. Both shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm sorry, Black Star…"

"You think he had any to begin with? I'm pretty sure it's just full of hot air," Patty snickered with a hand over the devious smile growing on her face.

"Patty, you too? How could you all turn against me! Soul, buddy, pal, you've got my back, right?" The ninja whirled on his white haired best friend, grasping him by the shoulders.

"After you kept eating my groceries on the way home and making me go back to get more? I'm not so sure anymore," Soul replied while looking away from the blue haired meister.

"Ouch, that's harsh, Soul. I trusted you like my brother—"

"To be fair, Black Star, you do tend to do whatever you please without caring about the consequences. Do I need to remind you of the asymmetrical damage you did to the front of Shibusen that fateful day all of those years ago? I still have nightmares about it from time to time." Kid added his input from the living room couch.

"Seriously, Kid? Nightmares about the front of the school becoming asymmetrical. You couldn't have nightmares about, oh I don't know, Asura trying to kill us all?"

"Ahahaha, sis is a scaredy-cat! Scaredy-cat, scaredy-cat!"

"You guys, we're being too loud! We don't want to disturb Maka too much…"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, everyone, but Maka is almost ready to sit and talk now." Blair interrupted the rambunctious activity in the kitchen. Being nosey, the witch sniffed around the cabinets until she found what she yearned for; a can of lightly salted sardines. Cracking it open without care, the cat began happily chewing on the treat while the others grimaced at the sudden pungent smell.

Black Star was latched onto Soul's legs, listing off all the times he'd helped Soul out and reminding him of the good times. Patty was twitching with glee, anxious to start a fight with the blue-haired ninja. Tsubaki was busy stirring a pot on the stove and Liz was busy examining her nails again. Kid, who had joined the gang in the kitchen, poured himself a cup of tea, eyeing the chaos with mild amusement.

"I'll be right back," Soul roughly kicked Black Star from his leg before hurrying down the hallway, leaving the ninja on the tiled floor.

"He really does love her a lot," Blair sighed with a smile while taking a seat on the corner of the table, tail twitching softly as she reached for another sardine after licking her fingertips. "Though he would never admit that aloud to anyone but her. Young love is such a wonderful thing. And so are these sardines! My favorite!"

Maka ran her fingers through her wet locks, attempting to detangle the knots that had grown. When that failed, she grabbed the comb and began to tug them out. The shower had helped wake her up and clear her mind. The feeling of panic seemed to lurk at the edge of her mind, but a familiar warmth kept it at bay. Patting her hair dry with a towel, the meister heard a commotion going on in the kitchen. It sounded like Black Star being loud and obnoxious once again, though it seemed like others had joined him. She should've known everyone would show up along with Kid to see her. A flash of guilt hit her and she lowered her arms, resting the towel on the edge of the sink. Because she was so reckless, she'd caused her friends to worry once more. Soul must be worried sick out of his mind…

Her legs felt like jello as she exited the bathroom and rested her back against the wall, the muscles burning from lack of use. She closed her eyes and rested her head back, a bit of dizziness coming over her. The shower may have been too hot with the heavy sensation of feeling dehydrated. When was the last time she had eaten anything? A day? Two or three? Or maybe she'd been out for an entire week…a few days she could understand, but an entire week? That hadn't happened since the fight with Asura.

"Maka."

Opening her eyes, she stared into the familiar crimson ones that she had come to know and love. He definitely looked a little ragged; his hair was in disarray, aside from its usual spiked form, and he looked exhausted judging by the bags under his eyes. Even his clothes seemed a little more wrinkled than usual. But there he was, standing less than a foot away from her, relief written clear as day on his face. The warmth from his soul sent relief washing through her weary body.

"Soul…" Maka hadn't even finished breathing his name before she was engulfed in his arms, the surrounding heat soothing her aches instantly.

"Thank Shinigami you're awake. You've been asleep for days," Maka grimaced against his chest. As she suspected.

"How long was I out?"

"Nearly a week. The few times you briefly woke up was to use the bathroom and get water from Blair before going back to bed. You were never fully conscious."

She could feel his soul quivering slightly against hers with an emotion he rarely showed; he was scared. Because she was always so reckless, her partner suffered the emotional toll of her actions. Tears slipped down her face before she could stop them, the drops landing against Soul's shirt. Gently pushing her back, the weapon lightly wiped them away.

"I'm so sorry, Soul, I never should've been angry with you over something so stupid. If I hadn't acted like a complete idiot, then none of this would have happened and I wouldn't have caused you so much pain." Maka blubbered out as she wiped furiously at her eyes with the backs of her hands. "I always cause you so much trouble…maybe it would be better to have a partner who isn't so reckless and stupid all the time."

Soul knelt down on one knee, grabbing Maka's face gently as he waited for her to calm down. Within a few minutes the meister was reduced to hiccups and watery eyes. She kept her gaze down, embarrassed at her outburst at Soul. But he waited patiently, his eyes never leaving her face for a moment. He wiped away any stray tears with his thumbs, stroking her reddened cheeks with such tenderness that it made her heart flutter and soul flip.

"Maka, none of this is your fault. No one could have known she was a witch in disguise before something happened. I should've been there for you and I'm sorry. I may be an arrogant, snarky, uncool guy sometimes, but I will always be there for you. We're partners and have been since the moment we met until the day that we die. I am willing to throw my life down for you if it means that you're safe. You mean more than anything in the world to me."

Maka felt the tears flowing again once more and threw her arms around his neck, openly sobbing into his shirt. The weapon let out a small laugh as he held her close, their souls instinctively aligning as he tried to send calming wavelengths to his meister. He wasn't nearly as good at is as she was, her Grigori soul might've been part of the reason why, though he still tried his best. At least she was awake now and he could begin to ease back the incessant worrying.

"Such a crybaby meister, what am I going to do with you?" Maka snorted against his shoulder and whacked him on the back of the head. He could feel her soul lightening up as she calmed down and relaxed.

"You could feed me some of your famous cupcakes to make up for making me cry so much."

Soul rolled his eyes; there it was, the Maka-Guilt-Trip-Tactic. It always came out when the two had argued over something he'd done wrong like burning dinner because Blair had distracted him by popping her top off in front of him. Whenever she pulled that card, though, he always gave in. He wanted her to be happy no matter what, even if it meant putting on a frilly apron and decorating cupcakes into little soul shapes. Which he secretly enjoyed as a passive hobby.

"I suppose I could do that, but Kid and the others have been waiting patiently for you to sit down with them. They want to go over everything that happened so we can figure out a plan of attack against that rogue witch." He felt Maka stiffen up. Unease filtered between their linked souls.

"Ametrine…she's no ordinary witch, Soul. When we fought, she told me that Arachne, Medusa, and Shaula together barely matched half of her power. I was effortlessly tossed around by her and she had only raised a hand. There was no use in trying to fight back, Soul, she's too powerful…"

"Be that as it may, she's chosen to mess with the wrong city and the wrong Shinigami." The two turned to see Kid standing in the hallway, hands symmetrically placed in his pockets. Though his tone was serious the smile on his face spoke volumes. "We've had our fair share of strong opponents, but if I recall correctly we've always overcome and conquered them thanks to your Soul Resonance. So, the question for you, Maka; are you ready to give your all and dish out some revenge while you're at it?"

A fire ignited inside of Maka as she stood tall, albeit with some help from Soul, and turned bright emerald eyes to golden ones. Kid smirked as he knew his answer. Nothing kept the best meister in all of Death City down for long. Not witches. Nor Kishins. She was ready to fight for the sake of the world once more.

"Let's have a seat then, this is going to be a long night."

A knock on the door brought Ametrine back to reality, her fingers marking the page of the spell tome she was skimming through. It had been a few months since being officially coronated as the Mother of the Coven and she had been swamped with paperwork and research. Evanora Killgorne had been missing for nearly three months now and members of the Coven were pushing their Mother to take drastic actions in finding her. A headache began to form, and she pinched the bridge of her nose letting out a heavy sigh. She knew there was a heavy responsibility of becoming the leader of the witches, though this felt more like being buried beneath a mountain of paperwork and constant meetings that were really just for other witches to complain about stupid suggestions; like a new color of flower for the Coven gardens.

With a grunt she pushed her chair back and stood, straightening the wrinkles in her floor-length robe out. It was tradition for the Mother to wear the midnight black robes embroidered with golden thread depicting the connection between the stars and magic. For thousands of years, the Mother of the Coven had worn this sacred robe to keep the tradition and faith alive for generations to follow. Thankfully they had kept it clean and in fairly good condition, but the thought of one of her predecessors dying in the robe made her skin crawl. Couldn't they at least make a new one? Or use magic to duplicate the well-worn fabric?

"I'm coming," Ametrine called as she made her way to her office doors, her heels clicking loudly against the aged wooden floor. Through the large glass windows adorning the office walls she could see the sun beginning to set, a vibrant mix of oranges and reds creating a peaceful view. It was the little things in life she tried to appreciate.

"Mother, forgive me for the intrusion so late in the day, but there's been an incident and the Council is requesting your appearance immediately." A breathless courier huffed out as she bowed, raven locks scattering towards the floor. "Regarding the disappearance of Ms. Evanora Killgorne. Please, come with me and I will escort you there."

"Evanora Killgorne? They've found her then?" Ametrine asked as she hurried behind the messenger, one hand grasping her large black hat as they moved. The teams sent out to find her hadn't reported anything that would lead to her location, so why now? What changed all of a sudden?

"I'm afraid I don't have the final answer, Mother, I am merely the messenger. I do not dare question the Council for they are a fierce and respectful group of witches. We are nearing the meeting room, Mother."

The meeting room was merely a stone's throw from Ametrine's head office, nestled directly in the center of the Coven. It was an ancient building with records indicating it was nearly as old as the Coven itself, shaped like a crescent moon adorned with intricate flower beds along the walls. There were witches mingling around in the gardens surrounding it; a generally popular place to relax and enjoy the foliage on nice days. Ametrine was slowly getting used to the other witches bowing and showing respect as she passed, but today she paid them no heed.

They arrived at the massive set of ornate wooden doors leading into the meeting room and the messenger bowed deeply before scurrying away, leaving Ametrine alone to deal with the Council. She could feel the tense air seeping through the cracks around the door frame and grit her teeth; this wasn't going to be good news. Then again…it never really was when they called an urgent meeting out of nowhere. The old crones were grating on the already fraying nerves.

"Ahh, Mother of the Coven, welcome to our sanctum," Celestina Barclay greeted Ametrine with a bow as she strode into the room. The head witch returned the favor, pulling both sides of her dress into a curtsey. "We have urgent news regarding the disappearance of Evanora Killgorne and the other witches. Please, have a seat at the head of the table. We are waiting on Cordelia Delacroix to finish gathering her information regarding the matter. Would you like anything to drink? We have water, tea,"

"Just water would be fine, thank you." Ametrine smiled at the elderly witch as she took the head of the table, the large, backed chair seemingly imposing over the others. A position of power. Respect. And most importantly – command.

She eyed the witches with interest as they fluttered around, gathering papers and marking map locations with charcoal. Most of them were nearing a thousand years old, give or take a few decades, though that number paled in comparison to the head member of the Council. Cordelia Delacroix was the oldest surviving witch in the history of the Witches Realm, reaching an age nearly double that of her council members. Stories tell that she was one of the original founding witches to the Coven, but she merely shook it off as rumors spread by witches with nothing better to gossip about. The Coven was founded nearly three thousand two-hundred years ago; unless she was a master at life extension, Ametrine highly doubted she was that old. There were fairy tales of witches living past a thousand years old, created mainly to scare to children into avoiding the forests at night; however, they were nothing more than tall tales.

Nearing six hundred and fifty years old herself, Ametrine was entering the prime of her years and magical power. Witches generally reached their peak power level between two hundred to four hundred and fifty years old, with the exception of some naturally gifted witches born with larger power reserves like herself. The High-Level witch had stopped aging shortly after turning twenty-one years old, her appearance staying young and supple thanks to her powers. The councilwomen, however, preferred not to waste their powers on something trivial like appearances. Their hair had long ago faded to gray and were now kept up in tight buns or braids, very rarely let down from those styles. Wrinkles adorned their sun-spotted faces, only adding to their wise and all-knowing appearances. Only Cordelia attempted to keep some of her youth, opting for a younger sixties appearance to hide her true age from the world.

Ametrine sipped on her water lightly, eyes drifting downward to the table as she waited for them to settle. There were a few maps lined neatly in front of her showing the wooded areas around the Coven along with the closest sister towns. A red line showed the path Evanora should have taken on her way back; it was nearly a straight shot from the town back to home base, but there was one patch of dense woodland centered directly in the path. The witch narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the spot, something in the back of her mind telling her to avoid that area at all costs.

"Forgive me for the wait, Mother, there was new information I needed to read over before meeting with you." Cordelia strode into the room with her head held high, a stack of papers resting in her arms. "We, the Council, have called you here in regard to the missing witch Evanora Killgorne. Our sources have gathered unusual readings from within the Kerrojour Woodlands over the past few months, approximately around the time Evanora vanished. The magic around the perimeter is too strong for our witches to attempt to enter."

"Though it is still an unlikely option, we fear there may be madness seeping into the Realm." Marilla added in. "It cannot be confirmed of yet."

"Or there is a possibility that the madness within someone has finally reached the point of consuming its host," Raine Moonfall quickly threw in. "There is no telling what exactly has happened since we have not been able to successfully enter the forest grounds. The nearby towns have reported some of their witches having gone missing as well, all of them going near or through the forest."

Ametrine scanned over the papers she was handed, all depicting reports of missing witches, the dates they vanished, and odd noises coming from the forest itself. All of the disappearances seemed to begin just a few weeks before Evanora was set to return home. The towns were sending letters begging for the help of the Coven Mother, all desperate to have their citizens return home safely. One remark stood out from the rest and she traced a finger over the sentence as she read.

'A witness reported seeing a strange human male stumbling towards the forest dragging a large burlap sack behind him. When confronted and asked if they needed assistance, the man turned and snarled menacingly at the bystander before lunging at them. The victim managed to escape without injury and stayed a safe distance away, watching the person retreat back into the woods.'

There weren't very many human men in the Realm; mainly witches put a spell on them and kept them around as servants for a few years, but the ones that were around had a close eye kept on them to ensure the safety of the witches. Save for the few men on the Elite teams, most were kept under a memory wipe spell that cleared their minds of anything magic related. Only one or two had gone rogue in the past few decades, but the fact that there was another one acting crazy was suspicious. A stray portal could've opened easily; it happened from time to time when a young witch lost control of her powers. Though normally an elder sister was there to guide them to prevent such mistakes.

"Perhaps Asura's madness still lurks within the world…" Ametrine mused as she flipped through the other papers. She had read around a dozen books pertaining to the Death God Asura and how Lord Death had forced unbridled fear into his first-born son to become the God of Absolute Order. Once he lost himself, the madness was felt even in the Witch's Realm.

"Asura is still sealed away, Mother, he could not possibly be behind this strange occurrence." Marilla pointed out.

"That may be so, but his madness was felt all the way here in the Realm hundreds of years ago. Surely someone who was affected by it would still have remnants remaining inside of their body if they were never cleansed of it. Witches do not have the power to remove any amount of madness from a person; all we can do is destroy the physical body to remove it, thus taking the life of the person infected. Only a person wielding an anti-demon wavelength would be able to purge and destroy the madness. The madness, depending on how the body was destroyed, will most likely be released into the environment and just move onto its next host. Who's to say it hasn't been passed from body to body in search of a stronger vessel? With all of those witches going missing, it may be searching for a more powerful host to inhabit."

The councilwomen froze and looked at each other with wide eyes. No one had thought of that possibility due to the improbable idea that Asura's madness had still survived hundreds of years later. Ametrine took the shock as a sign to continue.

"Furthermore, if I was a person infected with madness I would stay away from the general public to avoid raising suspicions with the locals. A dense, quiet forest would be perfectly suited for such a thing. Also, considering the fact that this forest sits directly through a main travel road between towns, it would be the easiest way to trap unsuspecting witches travelling through. Many higher-ranking witches travel along that road for council meetings here in the Coven, so the possibility that they were infected by the madness on their way through is mild to high. There is the added possibility that the infected person suppressed their madness or used Soul Protect in case the witch was too powerful to take down. If that were the reason, it would explain the constant disappearances of less powerful witches. They're working their way up to a more powerful witch in order to do something drastic. If they need that much power, then something major is going to happen."

"It makes sense now…sisters, I believe Mother is onto something here." Raine whispered, horrified as realization settled in the room. "We must take a plan of action, immediately, before any other witch befalls this madness. Let's assemble the elite team and –"

"Great Witch Cordelia, if I may suggest?" Ametrine interrupted the elder witch. "I believe I will take this task head on. We wouldn't want others to get wind of madness possibly spreading around, now would we? Give me a small team for backup and this problem will be solved by morning."

That gave her more or less twelve hours to get this taken care of. Plenty of time to take down a rogue vessel of Asura's madness.

"M-Mother, I fear that going by yourself is extremely dangerous! We must insist—!" Celestina shouted out, an unusual characteristic of the normally quiet councilwoman. Fear had gripped their frail hearts easily.

"Celestina, you shall control your outburst lest you have your privileges suspended." Cordelia spoke quietly, but her tone sent a clear message. "Forgive her, Mother, she is just concerned of the high risk of doing such a thing. We have many elite teams that are trained in hand-to-hand combat and magical defense, surely, they will be enough to conquer the being?"

"I'm afraid not; if they cannot penetrate the outer edge of the forest, a higher-ranking witch will have to cut through and enter the forest. Being a High-Level witch myself, I see myself as an acceptable solution to the problem at hand seeing as it will not risk any young, budding witches." Ametrine laid the papers down on the table and stood, the elevated ground below the chair giving her an intimidating stature. "I respect your wishes and your guidance, Council, but this is a matter that needs to be handled swiftly and discreetly. If word were to get out, we would have panic and disorder in the Coven. Please assemble a small team of elite witches and have them ready near the Northwestern side gate, I need to return to my quarters momentarily."

"Yes, Mother. Protection and guidance be with you." The witches chanted in unison, bowing as Ametrine strolled from the room.

Ametrine was nearly giddy with excitement; being able to study madness up close would be a dream come true! Books never did justice to studying something in person and this was the perfect opportunity to do just that. Her robes fluttered as she strolled back to her quarters, hands clasped behind her back. Madness had always intrigued the witch with how it completely ruined a person's mind and soul with ease. It was such a powerful weapon that could annihilate an entire army within seconds, bringing them to their knees from the insanity. Her pace picked up as she neared her room, heels clacking loudly against the stone corridor. All she would need is her usual witch apparel and a small bottle to capture some of the madness.

The perks of being a curvaceous woman was that anything looked good on her; the dark thigh-high stockings accentuated the length of her legs while drawing attention to her hips, the two-inch heels boosting her height as well. A long, tight black and gold embroidered dress left little to the imagination with its high side slits while a Grecian neckline showed off her plump assets. Ancient witch symbols lined the tops of the stockings and down the sides of the dress slits, powerful meanings behind each one. Long gloves stopped just shy of her shoulders with loose fabric flowing freely from the base, the sleeves just short of touching her wrists. Long blood red nails protruded from the ends of her gloves, glinting dangerously in the light. With a snap, her long flaming tendrils were weaved together into two thick braids, the tails ending just past mid-back. Ametrine tossed on her over-sized twisted witch hat and gave a nod of approval, lightly touching the curled lip of the fabric.

Being the Mother of the Coven made being secretive even harder due to the constant flow of people in and out of her office daily, so the vial would have to be hidden somewhere safe in her room. She would deal with that when she got to it; she had some madness to collect.

Night had fallen by the time Ametrine made her way to the gate, piercing maroon orbs scanning the area for unwanted eyes. She could feel the presence of a few elite members nearby, waiting for her arrival. A shadow jumped down from the tall wall, landing effortlessly on the ground next to her.

"Mother of the Coven, we welcome your arrival. As ordered, a small team is ready and at your disposal for this mission. We're ready when you are." The masked witch bowed deeply, her bright white eyes shining in the darkness.

"Very well, let us embark at once and put an end to this killer." Ametrine began walking towards the forest, the elite team following silently behind. They believed the farce! Unbelievably gullible. The excitement was only growing with each step closer to the thicket of trees.

In less than an hour, they'd arrived at the edge of the Kerrojour Woodlands. Even from a distance Ametrine could feel the madness seeping through the dense forest. She kept her face neutral as she walked up to the closest tree, energy snapping at her fingers as she laid them against the bark. Taking a deep breath in, she began to chant.

"Mothers above, guide us with thy wisdom and thy magic. What has been bound must be undone, what has been unleashed must be ensnared back to the Earth. Thy will commands, thy shall comply. Thou shalt bend to thine will, thou shalt abide by thy command. Corrupticus Phanterio, Reduerous Imperfenum; thy will shall hath commanded…shatter!"

The barrier shimmered briefly before shattering violently. As it did, a blast of madness hit them hard. The Elite team staggered backwards, clutching their heads as the madness began to corrupt their minds. Ametrine clenched her teeth as she fought the thick black fog, covering her mouth with an arm. It was more dense than expected. This level of madness would make any witch succumb within minutes.

"Thy shall bow to thine will by order of the Mothers above, thy shall cleanse thyself with the heavenly stars. Remove thyself from thine presence or thy shall face the wrath of the heavens. Evicta Focuendius…cleanse!" Ametrine shouted as she threw her hand out, blasting the wave of madness with a cleansing spell. As if it were alive, the madness let out an earsplitting screech before bursting into nothingness. The Elite team were stunned and coughing, but still alive with the air thinning out and becoming more breathable.

"I will be back within three hours. If I am not, then you have my order to come in and retrieve me. Otherwise, please stand guard and ensure no other witches enter the woodlands." Without waiting for an answer, she strode into the dense forest, a twisted grin on her ruby lips. That display of madness power was beyond anything she had ever experienced…and she wanted more of it.

The iron doors creaked as they opened, stirring Ametrine from her restless slumber. With a grunt she sat up, shifting uncomfortably on the cold hard ground. It took her a moment to realize what was happening as the sound of metal scraped against the rocks in front of her. Food? How thoughtful of them to feed a convict. Not like there was much of an appetite anyways with being shackled like a wild animal.

"Mabaa has been generous enough to give you decent food, not like it matters with your limited time left." A guard gruffly said as he closed the iron doors behind him, sealing the two together in the cell. "Just so you know, there are a dozen guards surrounding this place so don't try anything funny. While you were asleep, an exploding collar was attached to your neck. Curtesy of Lord Death from the DWMA. Try any incantations and boom."

Ametrine tried to stretch her neck and felt the cold hard collar pressing against it. There were infrared sensors that monitored any movement and it let out a warning beep when too much movement was detected. Making a note to specially thank Lord Death, the witch remained still as her mouth seal was removed. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. There was a slim chance this could work…she would just have to wait for the right moment. Being alone for so long only fueled the urge of revenge.

"Could I please have some water? I'm a bit parched from my slumber," Ametrine mewed sleepily, adding a small yawn for effect. "It does tend to become a little dry in here after a while."

"Don't even try of using seduction on me, sweetheart, it won't work. I've been warned about your dirty tricks beforehand." The male guard barked out a laugh before grabbing the glass of water from the tray and plopping a metal straw into it. "I've read the stories of the men you've seduced and then suddenly they disappeared."

"Seducing men? Surely, you jest," Ametrine purred out as she shifted her shoulders to push her chest upwards slightly. "A woman of my level could easily get any man I wanted without the tackiness of seducing them like a piece of meat. I prefer to use my brains instead of an attractive body for my entertainment."

"I'm sure you do, witch Ametrine, but with looks like yours men should be hitting the ground and begging at your feet within seconds."

The edge of the straw tapped at her lips and Ametrine slowly allowed her lips to part, drinking ever so slowly from the cup. If everything went according to plan, she would get the guard to drink from the cup and the rest would fall into place on its own. With a discreet breath out, a small blast of madness was slipped into the glass, seamlessly mixing with the liquid.

"I'm sorry to be such a pain, but the water seems to taste weird. Would you mind taking a sip of it? It seems to almost have a metallic taste to it," Ametrine grimaced, waiting for him to take the bait. Hopefully he was a sucker for big breasts and innocence, otherwise another guard would have to work and there just wasn't enough time to wait for another opportunity.

"Metallic? That's weird, I wonder if the pipes are beginning to rust out in the kitchen." The guard removed the straw and swirled the glass around, looking for anything physical in the glass. With a hesitant sniff, he put it up to his lips and took a small sip.

"It's probably nothing, but I just wanted to ensure it wasn't tainted water. I have a small reaction to certain metals, and I hope it won't cause an allergic reaction." The witch sounded worried, biting the corner of her lip. She knew he had already taken a swig of the water as the madness inside of her began to twitch eagerly.

"Huh, it does seem to have a weird taste to it. I'll check with the kitchen and make sure the supply line is fine. Time's almost up, you'll need to eat quickly." The guard quickly fed the imprisoned witch, even taking the time to wipe her mouth off afterwards.

"Thank you for feeding me, kind sir. May I know your name?"

"Aleksy, Captain of the Elite team."

"Captain Aleksy, thank you kindly for taking care of me. I hope you treasure every moment that you are still breathing." The witch gave a small bow, leaving her head down as he cleaned up the food tray.

"I always do, ma'am, never a dull moment. It's a shame, you know, for such a bright and talented witch like yourself to be imprisoned. I may not know what crimes you committed, but you don't seem all that bad to me." The guard stood and knocked on the door, signaling he was done. Hook, line, sinker. He was under her control now.

"You flatter me, Aleksy. I'm sure any girl would swoon over your sweet words,"

"Only one girl for me, ma'am, and I'm the luckiest man in the world to have her." Captain Aleksy smiled to himself as the massive doors groaned open, bright sunlight filtering into the dark cell. "I'm going to ask her to marry me within a fortnight."

"Happy wishes to you both, Captain. Who's the lucky girl?"

"Adeline Norwood, the kindest and most beautiful woman I've ever met."

"May you have a long and prosperous marriage, Captain. Mothers guide you both to eternity."

The massive doors swung shut, deafening in the small cell. Ametrine licked her lips eagerly; Captain Aleksy let his guard down during the conversation and forgot to reseal her mouth. Though she couldn't recite incantations without her head being severed from her body at any moment, the witch could still work her magic in other ways. But for now, her work was done. The madness in the guards body would soon manifest into an out of control monster, spreading throughout the Coven and crippling their defenses. All she had to do was sit back and relax until the day of the trial.

This was going to be easier than she thought.

With each step she took, Ametrine could feel the madness growing stronger and stronger. As soon as she had gone just a few feet into the forest, the trees had shifted and sealed the entrance behind her. Not like she actually wanted to leave; not with the powerful amount of madness pulsating from within, and the witch found herself relishing the sensation of madness washing over her. Her mind was still clear and sharp, something that couldn't be said of the Elite members, though their power levels were nowhere near Ametrine's. The trees began to clear and what looked like a small cabin was nestled in the center of them. It looked run down and abandoned; a damaged roof caused by a fallen tree, the aged stone weathered down by time and rain, the front door tossed carelessly aside, moss covering nearly every inch of the house. In front of the old building looked to be a pile of…

"Who dares willingly entering my domain?" A voice hissed from within the rundown cabin. "You…you are not affected by the madness?"

"I am not, unlike my fellow witches who have fallen prey to such enviable power." Ametrine stopped short of the stone wall surrounding the cabin, eyeing the rotting pile of corpses in the front yard with disgust. "I am not here to vanquish you, nor am I permitting you to continue harnessing power from passerby. I wish to make a deal that will benefit us both."

The air began to ripple, and the witch readied herself, hands clenched and ready to release a powerful attack. The darkness blasted from within the cabin and surrounded Ametrine, powerful winds turning the madness into a tornado. It sliced at her clothing as the madness tried to infiltrate her body any way it could. Still within the parameters of the plan, good. A level of expected resistance against a being of pure madness was accounted for.

"And what makes you think I want to make a deal? What could you possibly offer me apart from a more powerful body?" A figure emerged from the rapid gale, unseeing eyes a pitch black as it effortlessly floated towards her.

"I see you've met my fellow witch Evanora Killgorne. Not a bad choice for a strong body," Ametrine grit out as she stared at the former, decaying body of Evanora. "I can offer you something that no one has before; a strong body and freedom. If I become your host, then I will help to spread the madness far and wide, even to the Human Realm. Your master, Asura, has been sealed away by Lord Death for nearly four hundred and fifty years already. Become one with me; together we can spread the madness to the ends not just the Witches Realm, but to the Human Realm as well!"

The gales suddenly died out and Ametrine lowered the arm shielding her face. Evanora stood there studying her, the emptiness in her eyes boring through the witch's soul. It seemed to be pondering the deal, crossing her arms and tapping her fingers rhythmically.

"What do you want in return? Your offer seems to have a catch,"

"I want to know everything there is about the madness and how to control it. But there will be rules that you have to abide by if you want to spread your madness across the mortal planes," Ametrine felt her heart pounding against her chest as she carefully thought over her next words. One wrong implication could shatter the delicate proceedings and ruin the one, golden opportunity she had at gaining unlimited power. "One; you must remain hidden until called upon to avoid suspicions. Two; You are not to fully control me unless given consent. Three; I want you to assist me in eliminating any threats to my power. Seeing as I'm the Mother of the Coven, these rules are non-negotiable. If it's found out that I'm carrying madness, I'll be executed on sight."

The creature seemed to mull over the offer, chewing on her lips thoughtfully. Taking a closer look, the witch noticed how rotten the body had become; skin was peeling away in blackened chunks, teeth had all but fallen out from rot, hair was thin and frail. Even her clothes were tattered and filthy, like they had never been washed. It was like something out of a nightmare and Ametrine doubted she could ever erase the memory from her mind. A section of chewed on lip slipped to the ground with a grotesque squelch.

"Mother of the Coven, you say? My, that certainly is a high title. Tell you what," Evanora's face was suddenly inches from Ametrine's, a sinister rotten grin on her face. It took everything in her power to stay still and stare down the black abyss without fear. "I think you've got yourself a deal, Ametrine, Mother of the Coven."

A crooked grin adorned Ametrine's face as she grasped Evanora's rotting hand, sealing the deal and her fate with a magical bind.

"Let's get started then…partner."

The conversation with Kid went on for nearly three hours and by the time everyone left, Maka felt completely drained mentally. The dinner Tsubaki had made, though, was delicious; a rice dish with an omelet roll on top and various vegetables as sides. Soul had even fulfilled his promise of making cupcakes with little soul designs on top. The meister hadn't realized how hungry she was until Black Star pointed out she was on her fourth cupcake after having two full plates of food. He promptly got a book thrown at his head, the crack satisfying to the scythe meister.

"Do you need any help in there, Soul?" Maka called to her partner as she laid out on the couch, too full to move. She could hear the dishes clinking together as he washed them. If it weren't for the food coma she was about to enter, she'd shove him aside and do the dishes. He'd already been so helpful with getting the groceries, assisting with dinner, even making her favorite sweet treat all while she sulked around recovering.

"I'm almost done. Tsubaki cleaned up most of them before she left, so there's just the dishes you and I used."

Soul actually needed a distraction like cleaning the dishes after the conversation they had tonight. It was a serious matter that kept everyone on edge, especially Kid. He hadn't seen the Shinigami so serious since the battle with Asura on the moon all those years ago. Of course, when a powerful witch somehow managed to infiltrate Shibusen and then attack a 3-Star meister, who had advanced Soul Perception abilities, without warning, everyone was bound to be on edge. For now, the school was on lock down until repairs could be made so the students were given a few weeks to relax. Soul almost envied them for being able to be so carefree while him and the others were about to engage in another war before they turned twenty one. Drying off the last dish, he set it back in the cabinet before tossing off the frilly pink apron and shuffling his way back into the living room.

Maka cracked an eye to look at him before sitting up, giving him space to sit behind her. He took it and settled himself against the arm of the couch, letting his head roll back. His meister waited until he was settled before resting her back against him, grabbing for his fingers that dangled over the top cushions.

"What are you thinking, Soul? I can tell you're worried," Maka said quietly as she fiddled with his fingers, running hers over each digit lightly. A habit she picked up after the battle with Asura. It was a coping method to feel closer to her weapon when worries arose. He didn't seem to mind and even intermittently latched onto a finger playfully at times. Some made sly remarks about their closeness but it was nothing more than a tight bond between meister and weapon. "Are you worried this is going to turn into another war?"

"There's no way it won't turn into another war, not with Ametrine attacking first. This isn't going to be like the battle with Asura; she's a witch more powerful than a Kishin and nearly blew you to bits with one hand." Soul ran his left hand through his messy locks with an exasperated sigh. "I don't know how we're going to defeat her. We couldn't even handle that pre-Kishin in Russia, so how the hell are we supposed to beat a witch who's probably thousands of years old and far more powerful?"

Maka stayed silent for a few minutes, wondering the same thing. The way Ametrine attacked, it was almost like there was something aiding her from the shadows. Obviously she was a very powerful witch, but there was something different about her attacks. Something familiar, yet the meister couldn't put her finger on it. The way her eyes seemed to morph as she attacked…

"What if… what if someone or something was helping her…when I fought her, her eyes seemed to change…as if being influenced by something…"

The meister suddenly shot up as it came back to her, startling her weapon. She quickly spun around to face a surprised Soul on the couch, palms pressing into the cushion as she leaned forward eagerly.

"Madness! That's it! When we we're talking, she told me she was under the influence of Asura's madness. That's how she was even stronger!"

"So, she's also got the power of Asura's madness behind her?" Soul asked carefully as he watched his partner get up and start pacing around the living room, mumbling to herself. He could practically hear the gears clicking into place with each step. "Asura was sealed on the moon years ago by Crona; if she's being affected by the madness, wouldn't that part of her been sealed up along with him? How did she come across an ample supply?"

"That would make sense…unless she was somehow in a place where it couldn't reach or only the main source was cut off and there still remained madness spread throughout the world…." Maka began chewing on her lip as she tried putting the puzzle pieces together. The exhaustion wasn't help, but she was pouring every ounce of energy into deciphering the witch mystery. "Asura was sealed for eight hundred years, right? So, and this is just a guess, what if she had somehow acquired his madness before he was sealed? Or even shortly afterwards?"

"That would make her nearly a thousand years old, if not older. How long do witches live anyways?" Soul had sat up, resting his arms against his legs as he tried to comprehend the information. "There's no way a witch like her would be that old unless she found the fountain of youth or something. I'm pretty sure that doesn't even exist."

Maka slowed her pacing, covering her mouth with a hand as she thought. Soul was right; very rarely did witches live to get even close to a thousand years old. There were probably a handful that had survived that long, or even longer, but a witch like Ametrine didn't seem anywhere close to that age. Nothing was adding up and it was making her irritated. A slipper covered foot began tapping rapidly against the floor as her mind tried coming up with a reasonable explanation.

"Maybe it's better to just forget about it for tonight, I can feel you're getting tired again. Do you want some more tea?"

"That would be nice, thank you." Maka gave him a tired smile before moving to plop back down on the couch. It felt like all of the energy had been sapped from her body. Maybe it was just from having everyone over that drained her.

"We've only got green tea left, that fine?" Soul called over his shoulder. "Damn, that's what I forgot at the store. If Black Star hadn't been so distracting…"

"That sounds perfect," Maka replied as she rested against the arm of the couch, holding a pillow against her chest and closing weary eyes.

She was still sore, especially her shoulder, back and ribs, but her body would just have to heal itself. The black blood was really only good for healing life-threatening injuries, not bruises and tender muscles. Maka grit her teeth as she moved her shoulder wrong, a twinge of pain shooting down to her fingertips, the appendages tingling. Soul seemed to pick up on it and she could hear the pain reliever bottle rattling as he poured some out. Sometimes their bond was a little too strong.

"It doesn't hurt that bad," Maka called to him as she shifted more comfortably on the couch, letting out a tired sigh. Soul would call her bluff immediately; she knew they were still resonating and that everything she felt, he felt. "I just moved wrong is all, Soul. I can handle it."

"And I'm the Queen of England," Soul snorted lightly as he brought the tray into the living room, setting it down quietly on the table. "You really should work on your lies, Maka, you still suck at them. I would've thought you'd learned by now."

"I'll try, Your Highness." Maka shot back with amusement.

"I could get used to being called that…"

"In your dreams, Soul. I'm never calling you that."

"That's King Soul to you, Bookworm. I'll be expecting my crown by morning."

The meister rolled her eyes before grabbing the pain pills and the glass of water, quickly tossing both back. The tea was still steaming so she let it sit for a few minutes, resting her head against the couch. She squinted at the clock on the wall and it glared bright red, showing it was nearly five 'o clock in the afternoon. Glancing at her partner, she took in his ragged appearance as he sat with his head back, eyes closed. Soul looked like he hadn't slept in at least a few days judging by the dark circles under his eyes. His shirt was wrinkled far more than he ever allowed it to get, same with his pants. White locks were lacking their normal amount of gel, his hair in a more unkempt and wild style. Maka felt a pang of guilt as she watched his chest rise and fall slowly; he probably hadn't slept much while she was out cold. The meister watched her weapon as he slept, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around her legs.

'He always puts me first, even when he's clearly more exhausted…I feel like such a burden to him sometimes. Maybe that damn witch was right, maybe I am a useless partner…'

"They certainly don't lie about the weather up here, do they." Ametrine grit her teeth as another strong wind came blasting down on her, snow blinding her vision. With a blast of magic, the size of her barrier extended, clearing another few feet of visibility. Extensive usage of her power in frigid temperatures only wore the witch down faster.

It was a serious risk coming all this way, especially in the winter, but there was no other choice. Now that she was a traitor to the Coven, Ametrine was exiled and thrown into the Human Realm to wander until death called for her. The witch grit her teeth at the memory, the anger still fresh nearly three hundred and fifty years later. Her reign lasted less than two years thanks to her secret being spilled by accident. A young maid had opened the door to her room without warning, not realizing the powerful witch was in the middle of experimenting with the madness by infecting small creatures to see how they reacted. It was her gasping that broke the trance Ametrine was in and by the time she'd spun around, the girl was sprinting down the hallway, screaming for the Council. The madness retreated and the Mother of the Coven was forced into trial, nearly the entire Coven in attendance.

Besides the accusation of harnessing madness for personal gain and endangering the Coven, there were other witches calling upon the suspicious death of Mother Rosediah who had passed away while recovering. Ametrine kept her face neutral as the charges were read, the Council sneering down upon her from their pedestals. Her Mother of the Coven robes had been stripped from her, ragged prisoner clothes replacing it. Dirt covered her body head to toe and her normally pristine locks were tangled and dull. Celestina and Marilla sent her glances of distaste while Raine Moonfall refused to look at her. Cordelia, on the other hand, wore a mask of pure hatred, eyes nearly burning holes through the chained-up witch.

"We, the Council of the Coven, hereby give the verdict upon the witch Ametrine Gorgon… guilty. You are hereby exiled from the Coven and the Witches Realm. Any last words before your banishment?" The crowd went deathly still as they waited with bated breaths.

Ametrine slowly lifted her head, blazing locks uncovering her wild eyes. Bursting out laughing, the witches were taken aback at the behavior, unease settling over them as the witch began shaking uncontrollably. With a deep breath, the exiled witch calmed herself after a few minutes before staring right at Cordelia, madness swimming in her orbs.

"You will all regret this day for centuries to come…the day I return here, you all will be slaughtered like the animals you are! There is no escaping Asura's madness…it's everywhere, in everything…you'll see…you'll all see!"

"Remove her from my court! Exile this psychotic witch from this Realm, never to return! If you dare to set foot upon these sacred lands, you will be exterminated!" Cordelia screamed as Ametrine fell to the floor, laughing hysterically as the madness squirmed wildly inside of her.

The Elite squad quickly swooped in and yanked the witch up by her wrist chains, dragging her backwards from the courtroom while she kicked and screamed. Witches closest to the doors frantically scrambled away as she went by, fear driving their hearts to flee. Her screams dwindled down as she moved further through the hallway, the chamber still echoing softly. The Council remained silent as they stood up and left, exiting through a room behind the chairs. Slowly, but surely, the room began to empty, the witches nervous as they headed down the corridor.

Ametrine was blindfolded and gagged as she was led through an underground tunnel system towards the outer edge of the Realm. There was a one-way portal specifically designed for banishing rogue witches that only the Council and the Elite team knew about. Four guards accompanied her as the Captain dragged her along, showing no mercy as she squirmed around in her chains.

"I suggest you stop struggling, Fallen One, you're only hurting yourself." The Captain growled as he yanked the chains harder. Blood began to trickle down her arms, nearly gray in color.

In a matter of thirty minutes, they had arrived at the doors of the portal room. With two guards stationed on either side of the doors and two on either side of Ametrine, the Captain raised a hand and a blast of magic hit a mechanism on the wall above the room. With a flash of light, the gears began to groan as they slid together, slowly pushing the heavy doors open.

"Enjoy your life in the Human Realm, Ametrine Gorgon, for now it's your permanent home!"

The Captain roughly yanked her to her feet before giving her a swift whack on the back of her neck. Her body fell limp and he scooped her up before facing the crackling portal. The two guards on either side of her quickly removed the chains from her hands and feet, retreating against the wall. With inhuman strength, the Captain hoisted the witch up before hurtling Ametrine through the portal, electricity snapping aggressively as the doors were sealed shut once more.

She had wandered through the world blindly; thankful that her magic was still intact and strong as ever. A young man had found her half submerged into a lake and pulled her from it, even going as far to nurse her back to health. Months went by and Ametrine cherished every moment with the man, sharing many passionate nights together. Soon, it seemed like their small family would grow by one more. At the news, the man had grown fearful as the witch began to glow, quite literally, from the effects of the pregnancy. He fled and never returned, leaving Ametrine to raise a child on her own. Her distaste for humans grew as a nearby village found out a witch was living near the sacred lake, raising a demon child. Forced to flee, she moved from country to country until landing in the United States, in a state called Nevada. Her child, Medusa, was a bright one, picking things up quickly, always studying about the madness from her mother's books. As soon as she was old enough, Ametrine set her free, watching with pride as her daughter paved her own future.

There was no need to coddle someone so headstrong and brave who was ready to make her mark on the world. It pained her to see Medusa go, but it needed to be done. Most witches, once they turned a certain age, were set loose into the world to carve their own destinies. It was a tradition to see them off with pride and Ametrine was the proudest mother there ever was. Her oldest daughter, Arachne, had done something similar when she turned of age, taking a flying leap into the world of madness. It'd been so many years ago, nearly five hundred, and the witch had neither seen nor heard from her eldest. There was the passing rumor that Arachne had vanished from sight since both the Coven and Lord Death were hunting her down, but Ametrine couldn't verify any solid leads on it, instead choosing to mourn her disappearance as a loss of life.

Her youngest, Shaula, was adopted into the Gorgon name after being found on the side of the road. Neglected and abuse by humans for abnormal qualities, Ametrine swooped the child into the once empty household and raised her like flesh and blood. It didn't take long to see the drive and tenacity the young child had; by the age of thirty, she had begun controlling small creatures with her mind, bending them to do her bidding. By one hundred, young children became the next target. And by the time she had reached pre-maturity, groups of humans killed and maimed with just a single word from Shaula. Truly a prodigy!

Ametrine's steps faltered as they snowstorm suddenly cleared, an eerie silence filling the frozen forest. She knew very little about the people hidden away deep in the Russian forest, but what she did know was that they were ruthless when it came to unwelcome guests. A few members on the Elite squads had been originally from this area, though they never spoke a word of their history or even their names. They all had the same characteristics though; piercing blue eyes and nearly unparalleled ninja art skills and stealth. A sound caught her attention and she reinforced her magic just as a shuriken came whizzing through the air and pierced the shield. Wary orbs searched the area but found no visible attacker. She was in their element and it was a huge disadvantage during a battle. Getting on their bad side was the last thing on her mind…

Shadows suddenly appeared from behind the trees, their clothes matching the frozen tundra surrounding them. Ametrine swallowed hard as she counted a few dozen, possibly more due to their known level of stealth, and prepared to unleash her magic reserves in case. One lone ninja landed just outside of her barrier, piercing blue eyes standing stark from the surrounding snow.

"You are not welcome here, stranger, turn around and leave before this place becomes your grave." The voice said roughly, though it was clearly feminine. "You have entered forbidden territory and by our rights, we have the authority to slay you where you stand."

Ametrine grit her teeth; the possibility of them listening to her was slim, but it was either that or die trying.

"I do not wish to fight; I am here with a message from the God Asura himself!" The witch spoke strongly into the wintered woods as she threw her arms out wide. "I bring with me the wisdom and power of Asura, the madness to bring any enemy to their knees in an instant! I offer his gracious gift to you in exchange for cooperation."

"What would we desire from an outcast witch like yourself?" The ninja sneered from behind their mask. "We know of your history, witch Ametrine, and we want no part of your twisted ways! Begone!"

"How about you let me speak with your elders before you decide for them, girl," She could feel the madness squirming around eagerly inside of her, ready for the feast to begin. "You are not of a high enough ranking to make a decision yourself. I'll give you one last chance to take me to your elders; if you refuse, I'll simply release the madness and your men will be overcome with fear and begin to kill one another."

The two stared each other down, ice blue into dark red, anger flaring wildly within their souls. Ametrine could feel the ninja's will breaking as she narrowed her eyes further before sending up a signal, her fingers moving too fast to see. Shadows began to retreat into the dense forest, becoming one with it once more. Their tracks were soon covered by the blowing snow, leaving no trace of their existence.

"You will be given one chance to explain yourself to the Elders. If you try anything funny, you will be dead before you can think about taking your last breath. Follow."

Ametrine gave a mock bow before following the aggravated ninja, a smile on her lips. She always did love when a plan began to unfurl.

Maka felt stifled in the apartment, so she left Soul a quick note and covered him with a blanket before heading out. The sun was low in the sky, his laughing face turning into a drowsy one as the meister slowly walked down the stone streets. Children were being called back home, their laughter filling the air as they raced each other. The streetlights began flickering on one by one, a low humming noise filling the air. It felt good to get outside; considering she hadn't been outside in nearly a week, this was refreshing. Soul would freak out if he knew she went out by herself, but he was so exhausted that he didn't even stir when she placed the blanket over him and brushed the hair from his face. Maka felt her heart flutter just thinking about him, how calm and peaceful he looked when he slept. He wasn't worried about any upcoming wars, her being unconscious, or even school in his dreams.

Her feet carried her to the familiar Square, the twisting Lord Death inspired fountain burbling loudly. Shops had turned on their outdoor lights, illuminating the area in a soft glow. Between the splashing of the water and the warm light, Maka felt herself relax a little more as she sat on the stone edge of the fountain. Couples were out on dates, laughing and flirting as they strode by in semi-formal clothing. Kids were running around while their parents were chatting over coffee. Even a violinist had started to play somewhere nearby, the music soft and enchanting. Closing her eyes she sat there, absorbing all of the sounds around, her chest losing some of its heaviness. She wasn't sure how long she was zoned out, but the peace ended sooner than she would have liked.

"You know, I'm not surprised you're here. It means you've got something on your mind." Maka cracked an eye open at the voice.

Black Star stood in front of her with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, a solemn look on his normally cocky and arrogant face. Maka chuckled lowly. Of course he was nearby.

"Nothing wrong with getting fresh air," Maka replied as she patted the spot next to her before closing her eye. "I've been cooped up in that apartment for so long, I almost forgot what it was like outside."

The ninja remained silent as he sat down, folding his arms behind his head comfortably. It was soothing in a way to have him near, even with his eccentric soul wavelength. They'd been friends for so long, words weren't needed to have a meaningful conversation anymore. But something about his demeanor tugged at Maka's mind and she turned to look at her friend curiously.

"Something's on your mind, isn't it? You're not usually this quiet."

"You could've died, Maka…." Bullseye.

"I've heard that a lot, but oddly enough, it just doesn't seem to happen, does it? I should have known there was something off about that girl, but I just put it off as a yearning for Soul's attention. Apparently obsessively fawning over the last Death Scythe could mean they're a witch in disguise."

"This isn't like any enemy we've had before, she's on a completely different level." Black Star dropped his arms as he shifted to look at her. "Especially because she's in cahoots with that ninja clan in Russia."

"Cahoots? I don't think you've ever said that word, Black Star, your vocabulary is really improving." Maka snickered lightly but went quiet as he stared at her, not an ounce of amusement on his face. She looked down at her lap before continuing, absentmindedly picking invisible fuzz off her pants. "I still don't understand how the two are connected. There was Asura's madness seeping from that creature; Asura is still sealed on the moon thanks to Crona, so why is it like he's broken free? Ametrine said she had Asura's madness in her, but that level of control over it means it wasn't something that happened overnight."

"I looked into it," Black Star interrupted, causing the blonde meister to look up. "That ninja clan? Apparently, they have ties to the Witches Realm, more specifically, the Coven. Seems some of their members were enlisted to be part of an 'Elite' team meant to be backup security for the higher members of society. They also were used as disposal teams, secretly removing corrupt witches from the realm entirely."

"So, the witches have a steady history with the ninjas…there has to be more to it than that, Black Star, something that motivated them to work together. I doubt there is anyone in the Coven willing to give up information about their 'Elite' teams." Maka watched as he leaned forward, pressing his elbows into his thighs as he thought.

"We're not sure; any record we tried to find on it never gave anything more than a name and a very brief history. Kid is going to get with Kim then find some time to get with Mabaa in the witches' realm. Tsubaki and I were thinking of taking that mission to investigate the area, see what we can find. Might be easier to fight ninja to ninja." A little bit of cockiness surfaced as he wiggled his eyebrows and Maka let out a small laugh.

"Mifune wasn't enough of a challenge for you?"

"Not for the Great Black Star! No samurai can defeat me!"

"…except you were beaten by him…."

"You know, it'd probably be easier to have you with us. Soul Perception and all that," Black Star casually suggested as he stretched his arms out, ignoring her remark. "Not sure if you'd want to go back to that Hellhole though after that beating you took. Got your ass kicked by both a Kishin and a ninja. Rough mark to that spotless record, huh, Maka?"

"If it'll help take that witch out, I'm in." Maka agreed instantly, rounding on the ninja was determined eyes, ignoring the record remark. All she was met with was a cocky grin. "I don't care how many pre-Kishins I have to punch to find her. The pain she's caused…I can't forgive it. I'll defeat her just like Arachne and Medusa; I'll take her soul."

A rough hand ruffled her hair and she puffed her cheeks in annoyance, glaring up at the blue-haired ninja.

"Good to see you back to normal, Bookworm. Save that energy for the real battlefield."

"Count on it."

The two fell back into a comfortable silence, watching as the once brightly shining moon rose clouded in madness, the nights becoming eerily dark. A low wind swept through and Maka shivered, wrapping her arms around her petite frame. She hadn't thought to grab a jacket and it came back to bite her as the night fell. Black Star suddenly stood up and offered a hand, a childish grin on his face.

"C'mon, I'll buy you an ice cream cone, like old times. Vanilla?" Maka took his hand, returning the smile as she was pulled up.

"Vanilla."