The Last Witch

Into The Folk - Ep 10

The heavy steps splashed water.  The cave was too dark for her to make out anything. In her panic, she pulled out her phone and dialed the one person strong enough to save her. "Come on Aliss, pick up". She groaned in frustration as the line went straight to voicemail. Loud grunts from her back made her turn and in that small moment of distraction, her legs tripped over each other. Her body crashed in the mud and her phone smashed into pieces. "No!"

The grunts were louder and she knew they were closer. She had to find a way to get help. She picked herself up and continued her sprint. Her heart was beating louder than a thousand drums and faster than the speed of light. Her brown eyes saw light up ahead and she smiled with hope. Unfortunately, hope could not save her. Her whole mind had been so fixed on what she assumed was a way out that she did not see the creature leap of a wall, tackling her to the ground. It grabbed her ankles and dragged her back to the prison she had escaped from. Feeling defenseless and hopeless, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "AH!!!"

                              *

"Would you like a cup of tea? You'll find it calming". The man waved his hand over a side table and two teacups with a kettle were conjured up. "Where are we?" Aliss ignored his courteous gesture. "My home of course". He snapped his fingers and all the furniture started to appear out of thin air. An urn that had been broken mended itself and floated back to its stand.

The room had an ancient decor with Persian rugs on the floor, stained glass in every window, handmade ceramic works like the urn and embroidered drapes hanging about. "You'll have to forgive the lack of a modern touch", the man said like he was reading her mind, "I have a sentimental attachment to the days of old. Never saw a time with the same bloodlust".

"I honestly don't have time for your poetic speeches. Where are we? What city? What country?" 

"We're in Prague, the heart of Czech Republic".

"So, we're in Europe", she unchained her spell book, "Well, this has been fun but I have to get back to Pine Ridge in America". "Alissandra, I understand your unwillingness to trust my words but it was important for me to get you here", the man stood up from his armchair, "the Creatures of the Night are going to bring chaos to the human world. I did not know how sinister the plot was until I went in search of the last fairy".

"Last fairy?" She rechained the book and stepped closer, "where is she?" "Dead just like those before her", the man shook his head, "I was too late. By the time I got to her home, her wings had been cut off. Whoever did so, failed to use the Skeeing wand causing her to bleed to death".

Aliss closed her eyes, trying to imagine the pain the girl must have felt. Meadow had a right to be scared. She thought. "How is it possible that she even survived? Fairies had been gone for centuries according to what I heard". The girl asked. "There is no magic more powerful in the world than love. The love of a mother is even more powerful. A willing sacrifice of a mother's magic can put a child in a sleep state until the times are safe for that child to begin their lives".

"Can all creatures do this?"

"Do all creatures have magic?"

"Right, no. Why would someone take her wings in the first place?"

"For Folk creatures, they're powers flow from the unnatural body parts they have. Elves have their pointed ears, Pixies and Fairies have their wings, Goblins have their gigantic feet, Leprechauns have their beards and so on. I believe someone wanted to harvest her magic without the trouble of keeping her. Of course, the magic in them would fade but if they subjected all the other fairies to the same fate, I'm afraid our opponent is very fierce".

Aliss pondered all his words. Why would someone need fairy magic? Could this be the same reason for the massacre of the Watchers? "I don't know if these people are responsible for the demise of the other Watchers but if they are, we're in trouble". "Can you read my mind?" She eyed him suspiciously. "I'm eight hundred years old. Let's just say I've picked up a few tricks when it comes to reading a person's expression". "If you're eight hundred years old then you're a..." Aliss gasped, "a Daemon!"

Her hand reached for her book. The man stretched his hand and her body was unable to move. "Let me go". She said through gritted teeth. He refused and she could see his flesh starting to burn up. "As much as it pains me to disobey a Watcher", he groaned sharply, "you must listen to what I have to say. Daemon or not, you are a Watcher. Even if I wanted to kill you, it'd be extremely difficult". Seeing him in pain stroke a chord of sorrow in her heart. "I won't leave. I'll hear you out. Now, stop! You're hurting yourself". She commanded and he released her.

She raised her arm and he put his up as well. "I'm not trying to run. I just want to heal you. We both know that your magic can't heal a noncompliance wound". She quickly said. "I see someone managed to get some reading time after all". The man chuckled. She rolled her eyes and muttered the words in her head. It was one of the few spells she had learned to do in her head, mostly because of Leati.

"I think we got off to a bad start", the man rubbed his healed arm, "I'm Lucian Balock; stowaway Daemon and part-time guardian angel". Aliss's eyes widened in utter shock.

                         * * * *

Kimmy. Kimmy. Kimmy Su! "Ah" Kimmy gasped and woke with a start. Her hands had been bound with a thick rope. She struggled to removed it but it was no use. Her pigtails had been dropped and her hair mashed with sweat on her head and neck. There she sat in the cold dark cave shivering with no idea what was to come.

Suddenly, an orange light appeared from a corner. Kimmy squinted her eyes to see that it was a torch. The bearer was a woman whose face was covered with a veil and she was dressed in a white flowing toga. "So sorry that my Elven had to drag you, Kimmy but I need your help". The woman said in an airy light voice. "I would never help you", the girl sneered, "for all I know, you helped killed my brothers. What did you do with their bodies?!"

"But your brothers are not dead, Kimmy. I can bring you to them if you want". Kimmy Su hated the devious smile plastered across the woman's face. Even the veil could not hide her wickedness. But she wanted to know if there was any truth in her words. "Take me to them".

The creature the woman called an Elven yanked her from the ground and pulled her to follow the woman. They walked further into the cave till they reached a place rounded with torches on the wall, bones on the floor and two men chained to a stand.

"Yoon? Xian?" The men snapped their heads to her direction. "Kimmy", they chorused. Kimmy elbowed the Elven and ran to them. Compared to their last photo, Yoon had dyed his hair an electric blue color and Xian's bleached hair had been cut short. They're clothes had been rumpled and their skins stained with brusies and dirt.

"I thought I'd never see you again", tears filled her eyes as she rubbed her head with theirs, "how? I have the mark and Jackson said you were dead". "You saw Jackson?" Yoon asked worriedly. "We were both ambushed in the apartment. I haven't seen him since".

"Your little boyfriend is fine", the woman in toga interrupted their reunion, "and he'll remain that way if you cooperate". "You must be completely mad if you think we'll help you", Xian spat, "you might as well end your spell because we'll never talk". "That's what young Kimmy Su is here for", she held Kimmy's arms harshly, "I'll break every single bone in her body and if the pain kills her, I'll bring her back and do it all over again. To end her pain, you have to tell me where it is". Kimmy's fright-filled eyes stared into her brother's.

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I admit that this chapter was a lot dark but it is necessary. And I've gotta say, this chapter was like a milestone for me. Reading it during the edit reminded me of how this two girls started this journey. I don't know about you but it's so damn touching😖

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