The Hidden World

Chapter 11: The Witch

Sarah took a glance at the shapes drawn on the floor of the room. There was something downright cliché about them. Indeed, they looked just like one might expect them to, like something out of a movie where cultists were trying to summon something unspeakable. Sarah sighed. At this point it seemed that most fantasy stories would lose their effect on her. Here she was, in another dimension alongside a shapeshifting creature, ready to travel through a portal to her own world. "In my case, life is truly stranger than fiction," she mused to herself as she watched hundreds of tiny spiders begin to activate the portal. "When the portal opens, you will head straight through, as fast as you are able. Opening a portal large enough to accommodate a human isn't exactly easy nor does it come cheap," Helena said. She had taken control over Dvoynik's body, changing back to her usual appearance in the process. "Edmund will brief you on your operation on the other side." Sarah merely nodded. A month ago, she might have retorted is some way, but now she knew better. The month had moulded her, made her different. And not in a good way, she feared. Nevertheless, only one thing was on her mind now. She had to defeat the Witch – only then could she try to recoup her losses and return to her normal self.

As the two waited, a spider crawled onto Helena and started to tap her rhythmically. Helena nodded. "Tell him that the problem will be taken care of today." An unnerving smile creeped onto her lips. "Just make sure to remind him about his responsibilities." Sarah watched with disinterest as the messenger scurried away. She felt that she should have been more inquisitive, that she should have asked Helena what that exchange was about. It was as if she wasn't in complete control of herself. She could only concentrate on the task at hand. "Perhaps I've finally snapped," Sarah thought, "And after taking care of the Witch I'm just going to break down." She decided not to do any more introspection. A few minutes of silence later a crackling sound echoed throughout the room. A purple tear opened up, forming into a swirling vortex. Sarah stood up and walked toward it. She could feel her skin tingling as she approached the portal. She glanced at Helena, who nodded. She then closed her eyes, bit her lip and jumped forward. The sensation was akin to falling, but the direction she was falling to changed continuously. Soon she felt that she passed some sort of a membrane, after which she noticed familiar smell of tea mixed with plant life. She opened her eyes. A familiar sight – a cellar filled with plants – greeted her.

A wave of nostalgia hit her. She had been here a short time ago, but it felt like a lifetime. Seeing the place again was like an insult – the Sarah here today was worlds apart from the one who had come here to learn the basics of magic. She broke from her reverie when Ernie called out to her. "Sarah... Is that you? Oh my god..." Soon he wrapped his arms around her, in a gentle embrace. Sarah managed to catch a glimpse of herself in a mirror while she was being hugged. Ernie's confusion was warranted: she looked like shit. Her hair was long and messy, and her clothes were torn and stained. Still, the worst part were her eyes. The looked so tired, so... lifeless. After a while Sarah pulled away from Ernie. He looked at her from head to toe and was clearly mortified. "What has happened to you? Oh, I know I shouldn't have let Blaze have her way..." Contrary to her expectations, Sarah felt nothing upon hearing that name. She was relieved, but at the same time scared about what she become. This feeling soon passed, however. "Sorry to break the reunion, but we're on a schedule here," a voice called. Sarah turned toward it and was startled to see herself. Well, a version of herself that had a different haircut and wore glasses, in addition to being unsullied by a month in another dimension. The other Sarah stood up and started to morph, and soon Edmund was standing before her. Curiously, he was wearing a soldier's uniform from World War I, as far as Sarah could tell.

"I was told that you would tell me what to do," Sarah replied. Even if she was seeing her old teacher again, she felt nothing but the need to complete her mission. "First, you should take a shower. I have also procured you a change of clothes. After you're done, meet me at the front of the store. Ernie looked helplessly at the both of them. When Edmund started to move toward the stairs, Ernie blocked his way. "What have you done to her," he said in a fearful tone. "This is not the Sarah I taught!" Edmund sighed and looked away. "We've done nothing but set her free of distractions and trained her powers further." Edmund shook Ernie's hand off him and walked upstairs. Ernie the turned to Sarah and looked at her with a sad expression. "Look, I know what happened with Blaze. And... I don't think you need to feel responsible. She was a person living on borrowed time. Her actions were bound to get her killed. There is no need for you to throw your life away in search of vengeance!" Sarah closed her eyes. This all felt so wrong. Yet, somehow, she knew that she had to do this. "I'm not in if for the vengeance. I just happen to be the only one capable of taking her down at this moment," she said in a deadpan voice. As she started to climb the stairs, Ernie didn't try to stop her. His shoulders simply slumped, and he was left standing in his cellar, looking utterly defeated.