NIGHTS OF HALLOW

Perdita’s death stare drilled holes in Sthena’s forehead as she seethed in anger. She didn’t know if she should be annoyed he had left or at his reply to her question.

”Why did you leave me without informing me? Where did you go? Only to come back now?”

”What if I wasn’t able to fight him? I would be dead.” She pointed at herself and then at the witcher who continued to stare aimlessly with a gobsmacked expression.

”You turned out fine...” he drawled, his lips threatening to stretch into a smile. ”Besides,” he continued, ”who said I had left you?”

Perdita’s gaze remained fixated on him, lips pursed in displeasure. Without saying another, she turned and walked deeper into the forest.

”You are heading in the wrong direction.” Sthena called out, following behind her. ”Are you leaving your fellow Witcher alone in the forest?”

”You can dine with him if you wish.” Perdita retorted, swinging her hand behind her. ”And do not follow me. You can go ahead and leave again.”

”I’m afraid I can’t do that.” His voice sounded almost right behind her. ”How will my heart accept leaving you behind?”

At his words, Perdita shot him a glare. Her lips parted to speak but instead decided not to respond to his words. She had learned a long time ago that she could never win when it came to battling words with the sly pureblooded vampire.

Suddenly she stopped in her tracks and sharply turned to look behind her, and like she expected, Sthena had left her again.

”I knew you would leave again, you...”

”Who left again?” Her words caught in her throat when she heard the voice of Sthena above her head. She turned too quickly to have her legs almost slip beneath the wet forest floor, save for Sthena’s hand that swiftly caught her waist.

He drew her towards him, his eyes on hers, which had widened from the fear of nearly falling. ”Why do you like running when you know I will always chase, hm?”

Drawing her to stand on her feet, he said, ”I had never left, you just didn’t notice. You think I would leave and allow anyone to touch even a strand of your hair? ”Oh, my darling.” He shook his head in disappointment.

”You had never left?” Perdita blinked, trying to get her thoughts in order. Then her eyes widened once more. ”You were that annoying bat!” No wonder the bat had flown away when she tried to use it.

”Annoying enough to stay,” Sthena grinned at her. Holding her hand, he gestured, ”This is not a place to stay. Let’s finish what we came here for.”

”Ah, yes,” Perdita mouthed as she walked back with Sthena. Filled with annoyance, she had almost forgotten why they had come here while she threw tantrums like a child. Ugh! Thinking about it now made her want to pull her hair.

Sthena turned to look at her and, at the same time, met Perdita’s gaze already on him. ”Why are you laughing?” She quizzed, her brows furrowed.

”You look adorable when you sulk.” He replied only to receive a pointed look from Perdita, and he chuckled.

Up ahead, Perdita could hear the faint grunting of voices and the sound of steel clashing against each other.

”Ready to get your hand dirty?” Sthena remarked, his lips pulled up, eyes glinting as though he anticipated the fight they would soon be a part of.

”If not the most famous vampire king, who else would it be?” A voice suddenly spoke, making them turn.

”If not the monkey witcher, who else would be hanging upside down on a tree?” Sthena flashed the Witcher a smile, his fangs coming into view.

The Witcher who sat on the tree with his legs hanging upwards and his head to the floor snorted, his tongue slittering as he spoke. ”You must know even as a king, the possibility of you leaving here alive is slim, not to talk of the lady you brought with you.”

”I didn’t realize that not only is your body cracked, your head too has become rotten to be so delusional. Tch.” Sthena shook his head in disappointment. However, his words rubbed on the sour pride of the Witcher as he jumped down from the tree, turning into a bat.

Flying towards Sthena, he suddenly disappeared from sight and almost immediately reappeared behind Sthena, ready to claw at his neck.

However, having anticipated the Witcher’s move, he swiftly turned in time to send him flying with a flick of his hand that tossed flame on the Witcher.

”Who knew you wanted to be a toast? I would have set the forest on fire for you.” Sthena commented, unfazed by the attack from the witch as he watched him regain himself from the crash against the tree.

Rage blazed in the eyes of the Witcher as he dusted his body that sustained a burn from Sthena’s counterattack. ”You will wish you never set your foot in here!” He spat, whistling as he cackled in loud laughter. His body began to change as cracks took over the smooth surface of his skin, jagged teeth and elongated claws swinging ferociously from side to side.

Perdita watched as the Witcher’s body changed into his full form while anticipating an attack and also ready to fight.

”Stay close to me, darling,” Sthena said to her, and immediately she moved to stand beside him.

In the Witcher’s eyes was an evil glint that seemed to spark in anticipation when he heard how the king addressed the woman beside him. Crackling once more, he lunged at them, claws ready to dig into their hearts.

Perdita, no matter how she prepared herself for the attack, got struck on her shoulder, and she stumbled a few steps away from Sthena. It was then she realized that it wasn’t just one that they were fighting, but there were more than fifteen of them coming at them with a sickening speed.

Shit! She cursed under her breath as three of the witches came at her all at once, not giving her a chance to regain their push on her.

Her eyes moved in all directions, looking for an advantage as she struck one of the witches on the jaw, eliciting an angry groan from him. Moving out of their reach, she turned immediately, surprising them with how fast she moved.

Their eyes narrowed on her, realization dawning on them. ”You are not human.” One of the spoke, voice croaking as she did.

”Took your half-brain so long to realise?” Perdita retorted, quickly catching one of them by hand, rendering it useless as she turned it hard and dry, and it broke off and fell to the ground.

”What are you?!” Another demanded, rage seething from their eyes, and their nose flared up.

”Guess,” Perdita answered. Gaining some distance away from them, she bent low to touch the ground, and immediately roots sprouted underneath the ground, moving quickly towards every witch present unbeknownst to them. Before long, before more could come at her, the roots came upwards from the ground and began to tangle on their legs, going all the way to wrap around their entire bodies.

”You are a witch!” The first witcher cursed, eyes watching Perdita as she went back to stand beside Sthena, who had a proud look on his face.

”But not your filthy type,” Perdita spat.

”Why go with that arrogant vampire when you should be with us fighting for the good of all witches?!” The Witcher continued to question, fighting hard to untangle himself and loosen the tight roots that seemed to squeeze life out of them just like the other witches. But no matter how hard they tried, their ability didn’t work!

”At least this arrogant vampire wants what is good for everybody, unlike you, who eats the human heart to become evil. It is the very reason I have come to end every one of you.”

”You are making a grave mistake. Vampires do not wish good for anyone except for their selfish interests.”

”Hmm,” Perdita hummed, raising her hand as her index finger glowed with a blue light. It was then that it hit every one of them who Perdita really was.

”You are one of the siblings. You should come with us! We will have the world under control and be free of these vampires.”

”Yes, tell me about it.” Perdita clicked her tongue. Without waiting to hear more of the Witcher’s words, she flicked her finger towards the ground, and immediately the roots that had wrapped themselves round the witches tightened, and their bodies cracked with a snap and turned into black dust.

”Phew! That was quick.” Perdita dusted her hands with a satisfied look on her face. She turned to catch Sthena already watching her with a smile. ”How did I do?” She asked him, smiling back at him.

”Too good I am starting to think you might take the advice of your fellow Witcher to take over the world.” A chuckle escaped his lips when Perdita’s glare shot at him.

”You are improving quite amazingly. Soon, you’ll get accustomed to your abilities.” Sthena praised her, making her eyes twinkle as she smiled, her chest filling with pride.