Arcanus

[5]

 "You- you absolute MONSTER!" Bat cried, rushing to her bleeding friend's side. "She did nothing to you!"

"I beg to differ." Katrina said coldly. "She prevented me from a 100% assassination streak."

"So you are an assassin." Bat sucked in a breath. "May you die slowly and painfully the way you killed others."

"I have granted one a painless death." Katrina said. "I kill them the way I was paid to do."

Bat's face whitened. "You killed Kylie, didn't you?"

Katrina said nothing and turned around.

Bat gasped audibly, and began to cry. She felt for Mari's pulse, even tearing apart her tank top to try and stimulate some of the bleeding.

"She...she..."

"She's not dead yet."

The voice that spoke was soft, and female. Bat and Katrina whirled around to look at each other, then at the Arcanus Cliff, the steepest drop in the Valley.

Outlined by the setting sun, was a figure hooded in maroon, her right hand resting on an oak staff.

"Well?" Bat said desperately. "Heal her!"

"Are you sure?" The voice was behind her, and Bat spun around to see the hooded figure behind her. "Healing comes at a steep price."

"Please." Bat begged. "I have money. I am willing to pay any price."

"Very well then." The Enchantress replied, after a brief moment of hesitation. "I shall heal your friend."

She extended a pale hand to Bat, who made to take it, but before she could, shimmery silver magic rushed out of the palm of her hand, surrounding Bat in coils of beautiful ropes. They began to close into her, pressing into her personal space.

Confusion turned to terrible pain as the magic sunk into her skin. Bat screamed, falling to the dusty canyon floor, sobs mixing with physical pain, and she writhed and convulsed at Katrina's feet.

Thick ropes of sparkling magenta erupted from Bat's chest, connecting with an unmoving Mari's. Bat arched her back, her arms flailing around as she panted for breath.

More pain followed, and Bat screamed until she could scream no more.

Five minutes passed, and finally, there was silence.

Bat whimpered, and shakily sat up. "Did it work?" She whispered, her throat raw and scratchy.

Mari stirred, her fingers rubbing at her eyes. Her wound was stitching itself back together, sparkles of magenta flying, and finally, she was whole again. She seemed perfectly fine, perfectly well.

Then she opened her once sky blue eyes.