You watched as the fire consumed the remains of what was once a small village. You didn't like to see the result of your anger, or hear the desperate cries of people, but it was your nature, and as much as you hated it, you couldn't do anything about it.
At least this time you managed to hold back until the families with young children had escaped.
"They are not to blame for being born near the beast" you thought sadly.
But you were done. After hundreds of years you had finally avenged the last member of your family, no more hunting or killing other than food. Although, maybe it was already a little late. Your name was already whispered in fear.
You took one last look at the mess, feeling as devastated as the village itself, before it disappeared into the night. A sinister shadow that would remain in the hearts of the survivors, as feared as the dark castle in which you lived.
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Agatha gasped, trying to avoid the low branches of the trees. It would be easier if she could fly, but it was too risky. She internally cursed herself for not acting faster. She shouldn't have come back for her mother's books.
She must have known that Evanora had one last trick up her sleeve and that she with her last strength would alert the nearby covens. Now, the brunette was being hunted by the same breed as her.
"I need to rest" she thought.
She could feel their steps on her heels. It wouldn't be long before they were upon her and she knew that the fate that awaited her would be far worse than death. Even with all her failings as a mother, Evanora was appreciated in various covens, she being friends with other leaders, who now wanted Agatha to pay for murdering her. That and there was still the whole black magic thing.
"If only they tried to understand" she sighed.
She needed shelter and soon. And as if fate took pity on her for once in her life, the witch could glimpse a huge castle in the distance. She could fly there. It looked old and creepy, probably abandoned. It was worth the risk.
When she heard footsteps behind her, she knew she had to make a decision right now. With the last vestiges of power she had left, she propelled herself forward. Whatever she might find in the castle, it would have to be better than being hunted by other witches and warlocks...right?
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You frowned when you felt a strange magic in your domain. You hated your immortal status, if only because it terrified you perhaps more than humans, but you had to admit that it had its advantages, such as amplified senses.
A woman. You could smell the blood running through her veins, and magic too. A witch? Possibly. But there was something else there. Something besides the obvious tiredness and exhaustion. You could smell the fear. She was scared, but...not of you?
At least not yet.
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Agatha tried to catch her breath as she walked with one hand pressed against the cold stone. She had managed to get there, but now she couldn't find a way to get inside. As if the entire building was sealed.
She really didn't want to think about the fact that no one had followed her. It was almost as if they knew that whatever was here, it would be worse than any punishment they could give her. Had she made a mistake?
When she sensed a presence in the shadows behind her, she wondered if, perhaps, the castle was sealed not so that no one could enter, but so that someone or something didn't come out.
