Bewitched (Ichabad Crane x Reader)

Chapter 8- Another Victim

They continue riding when Y/n suddenly stops. In the distance, she could see a white horse passing through the woods. She motions Ichabod to follow her and they both get off their horses.

"Stay here." Y/n says to Young Masbath, who nods.

She and Ichabod run deeper into the forest, staying as quiet as possible, and taking out their pistols. They look between branches and behind them till Ichabod taps Y/n's shoulder and nods his head toward the direction he saw the white horse go.

They follow the trail the horse went and when they turned around a big tree, they could see a figure in a gray cloak on the horseback standing there. They raise their pistols and take off the safety. 

"Halt and turn, We have a pistol aimed." Ichabod states and the figure pushes off the cloak to reveal Katrina.

"Katrina?" Y/n questions and they walk towards her. "We might have killed you. Why have you come?" Y/n still questions.

"Because no one else would go with you." Katrina states.

"Well, then we are now twice the person." Y/n and Ichabod take her hand, smiling at her. "It is your white magic." Y/n concludes.

"Pardon my intrusion." The three look to see Young Masbath popping up behind a tree. "I think you'd better come and look at this."

~~~

The group rode their horses into a clearing and looked up to see the giant Tree Of The Dead at the center. Its branches reach far and wide, knotted and gross, like agony captured in the wood.

The group dismounts and they stare up into the endless dead branches. The tree is bent in different ways that aren't normal and gives off an anonymous feeling.

"The Tree of the Dead." Young Masbath says.

Ichabod and Y/n walk towards the tree and when they got close they saw something dripped.  Ichabod touches the tree and when he brings his hand back down, they see blood covering his fingers. Ichabod gags a little and they turn around.

"Blood." Ichabod states. He walks towards Young Masbath's horse to grab an axe. Y/n walks to stand between Katrina and Young Masbath to see what Ichabod doing. 

"Stay where you are." Ichabod turns around to walk back to the tree and begins to chop. The more he chops, the more he begins to see blood coming out of the tree. Blood sprays on him and he begins to become nauseous, but keeps going. He then begins to pull branches away.

"What is it?" Young Masbath questions.

"Just stay where you are. Don't move." When Ichabod pulls away a piece of bark, the trunk is full of multiple bloody heads. Young Masbath and Katrina hold each other, while Y/n steps back in shock. Ichabod walks back to Y/n with a cloth covering his mouth and when he is close enough Y/n pats his back in comfort.

"This tree is a gateway. A gateway between two worlds." Y/n concludes. Ichabod and Y/n circle the truck till their eyes land on the Horseman's sword. Y/n climbs the tree, while Ichabod stays on the ground ready to catch her if necessary, and is standing in front of the sword.

She moves her feet on the ground to feel it. "This ground has been disturbed. The soil is loose. Can you hand me the shovel?" Ichabod runs to grab the shovel and climbs up where Y/n is.

After some digging and taking turns shoveling, they saw the skeleton of the Horseman, but something was missing. "The skull is gone. Taken. That is why the Horseman returns from the grave. To take heads till his own is restored to him." Ichabod says.

Suddenly it starts to thunder, Katrina and Young Masbath back away since the heads start to move as if they are still alive. "Ichabod? Y/N?" Katrina called, while Young Masbath ready his gun.