The Witch's Covenant: Guardians of the Realm

The Summoning

The oppressive atmosphere of Odgir hung thick in the air as Rio, Agatha, and Nicholas found themselves standing amidst the barren, twisted landscape. What had once been a land of raw, wild beauty was now a wasteland, a shadow of its former self. The sky above them roiled with dark clouds, tinged with hues of purple and black, as if the very essence of the realm had curdled. A low, ominous rumble of thunder echoed in the distance, vibrating through the ground beneath their feet.

The three stood side by side, Rio's hand gripping Agatha's tightly, their bodies tense and their minds racing. They had been torn from their home, dragged across the barrier between worlds to stand here, on the brink of something terrifying. And now, in the heart of this corrupted land, they were being told of their purpose—a purpose they had never fully understood.

The Eye of Odgir, which had once pulsed with life and energy, had become a beacon of doom. Its glow, which had always felt like a part of them, was dimmer now, weaker, flickering with the same uncertainty they felt in their hearts.

"The Eye chose you," the Watcher's voice reverberated through the air, its figure standing before them like a shadow against the dying light. "From the moment you touched its magic, your fate was sealed. You are its guardians, bound to it by your power, by your very existence."

The weight of the Watcher's words sank into Rio's chest like a stone. She could feel the spark of her magic, the untamed wildness that had always defined her, but now it felt diminished. She was mortal now. The invincibility that had once allowed her to throw herself into battle without fear was gone. They had sacrificed their immortality to save Nicholas—to bring their son back from the darkness—and now, standing here again, she felt as though the danger they faced would be worse than anything they'd ever known.

The Watcher's glowing eyes fixed on Agatha, its voice low and unwavering. "You know why you're here," the Watcher intoned, its glowing eyes fixed on the three of them. "The Eye has called you because the balance has been broken. Mephisto, Prince of Lies, is rising once again. He seeks to finish what he began all those years ago."

The mere mention of Mephisto's name sent a shiver down Rio's spine, and she clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. It had been Mephisto who had torn their family apart in the first place. He had tricked them, deceived them, into sacrificing their son. Nicholas, their precious baby boy, had been taken from them by Mephisto's dark magic, and it was only through their sacrifice—their decision to give up their immortality—that they had been able to bring him back.

Mephisto had lost that day. Agatha and Rio had undone his wicked plan, without him even knowing, reversing his spell and reclaiming Nicholas from the void where Mephisto had imprisoned him. But now, standing on the desecrated land of Odgir once again, Rio could feel remnants of Mephisto's rage simmering in the air. He had figured out what they'd done. And he wasn't about to forgive them for undermining his power.

"He's back because of us," Rio muttered, her voice bitter as she turned to Agatha. "We destroyed his deal without him knowing, and now he's coming to take it all back."

Agatha nodded, her face pale but determined. "That weakened him, but it didn't destroy him. He's been waiting... and now..."

Nicholas, standing between them, felt the weight of their words like a stone in his gut. His parents had told him stories of Mephisto, the dark sorcerer who had tried to take his life. He had grown up hearing tales of that battle, of the sacrifice his mothers had made to bring him back, but he had never fully understood the danger they had been in.

Now, standing in Odgir, facing the raw, terrifying energy of the realm, he understood all too well. Mephisto wasn't just a story. He was real.

And he was coming for them.