18 Hallows

Suddenly, there was a surge of mana and the place was slightly illuminated.

"that was not my lightning, right?" Aliester asked as he eyed the area. He could not feel the familiar current which was part of his skill.

"I'll be damned! To think I will be caught like this." Marlene weakly sighed as she fell on the ground. The vines had ceased to move and turned into dust.

She then turned towards Aliester. "Hey prey! Do me a favor."

"What?" Aliester turned towards the witch while aiming the claymore towards the witch.

"End my suffering." She seriously said. "I would rather die than be taken as prisoner by the Hallows."

Perplexed, Aliester asked. "What?"

"I said I want to die!" Marlene exclaimed.

Aliester hesitated. But seeing that the witch's request was to die, he can at least grant her wish.

However, before Aliester could swing the claymore, silver thread held him in place.

"I am sorry but I can't let you do that." A female voice was heard. "I need that witch alive."

"You really have to use a stalwart bind to tie up a non-caster, Lady Hallows." Marlene called out.

"I can also bind you up with stalwart if you wish, Marlene." the newcomer, Lady Hallows emerged.

She directed the broomstick she was riding on, in side saddle fashion, towards the two. Then with elegance, she made it hover near the ground before she got off.

"I really would like to abstain, my Lady." Marlene replied in mock politeness.

"Such a slippery eel…" Lady Hallows said while waving her hand.

Silver threads bind Marlene. Then Hallows lifted the other witch's chin. "To think that a spy from that pesky creature and a taboo like you had been running around my turf."

"You did not only sell valuable information to that fake Queen of Verbena, you even had the gall to cannibalize other casters and even non-casters." Her dark brown eyes turned even a darker shade as she held Marlene.

The mana that had surge in the area was tremendous. It was like a storm would wreck the whole place.

Hallows added. "Is there anything you want to say to me? After all you had already been caught."

"I have got nothing to say. If you want to kill me, just kill me." Marlene refused to talk

"Death is too easy for a punishment, especially to a scum like you. Casters like us could be revived even if we have died." Hallows pondered for a moment. "I've just got a nice punishment for you…It will be worse than death, my dear."

Hallows tapped her broomstick on the ground and a pentagram formed. However, nothing happened. It was as if the spell did not work.

"How can you nullify my spell?" bewildered, she asked.

Aliester butted in. "I am sorry to interrupt. But a dagger enchanted with dispel had been stabbed on her back…"

Hallows took the dagger from the other witch's back. Blood gushed out of her wounds. But after a few minutes the blood stopped and the wound closed.

It seemed to be that Marlene still has a spell on her sleeve. She tried to get away, but Hallows had been well prepared.

Hallows activated the spell and the pentagram glowed. "I cannot have you running away." She muttered as she allowed her mana to flow.

Marlene's limbs had turned to wood and her feet had taken root on the ground.

"Let me go!" Marlene cried out while firing a wooden lance towards Hallows.

Hallows simply laughed and erected a barrier. When the wooden lance hit it, the lance shattered.

"I will not. Since you fought back, I will have to send you to that place." Hallows then produced a black candle.

"Where are you going to send me?" the other witch asked while eyeing the black candle suspiciously. She was still struggling to get away.

"You do know that there is only one place that witches fear as their prison." Hallows gave a sinister smile that even Aliester could not help but feel goosebumps on his skin.

"No! send me anywhere else, just not that place!" the other caster wailed. "I will do anything for you… anything."

Hallows' brown eyes sparkled in delight. "Really?"

"yes really…" Marlene replied in panic and desperation. "I will do anything."

Hallows giggled before waving her hand. A large pentagram formed, she then let the black candle float and towards the pentagram. "sorry dear, but I am not in the position to give you a deal."

When the candle was lighted, Hallows shouted. "Take her to Rhoana's prison."

Several magical circles appeared and with a flash of light, Marlene was gone.

Hallows then turned her attention to Aliester.

The young lord caught his breath. This woman, although she is a witch, Hallows is such a beauty. Without her broom, her black robes and pointed hat, she would not be considered a witch at all.

She was quite young, about her twenties and her fair skin is blemish free and her black hair is secured in a braid. It was nothing like the witches from Hemlock's market, who were a bit older and had warts on their skin.

'She must have been younger than Caramel Caraway.' He thought.

Hallows drew near him and asked. "So what is a non-caster like you doing here?"

Aliester cleared his throat and answered. "I am on an errand, my lady."

Her dark brown eyes narrowed at him. "Based on your features, you are a Verbenian. Were you a spy sent by someone?"

"No, my lady. I am Aliester Alcove, son of the Duke of Alcove." He replied. "I came here for a mission given by the guardian of Verbena."

The woman held his chin. "Really, it was the guardian of Verbena who sent you?"

"Please believe me, my lady." Aliester sweat at her proximity. Although she was not releasing her mana like earlier, Hallows was really intimidating.

"You are not lying, right?" she asked. "I have cast a spell so that when a person lies within this area, he or she will be burnt to a crisp."

"Please, my lady. I spoke of the truth." Aliester's heart beat fast. He knew that he did not lie to the woman but he could not simply trust what she said.

He seemed to have finally develop the carefulness against people, since he had experienced such deception by the two casters earlier.

Hallows chuckled and with a wave of her hand, the silver bind disappeared. "You were telling the truth."

When Aliester was freed, he stumbled and fell on the ground due to exhaustion. He had to use the claymore as a cane to stand up properly.

[Notice: MP and SP had almost been depleted. You need to recover by drinking potion]. Zarame warned.

Hallows then gave him a curtsy. "Future Duke of Alcove. Please forgive my manners. I am Holly Hallows, head witch of the coven."

Aliester was taken aback. He could not believe that he found his target. "Are you really Holly Hallows?" he asked just to make sure.

The woman laughed. "yes, I am. You do know that we cannot lie. I cast a bare-the-truth-spell in this area. It did not only affect you, but also me as well."

"Even though, you are its caster." He eyed the woman suspiciously.

"Yes, even me the caster." She smiled.

Then she handed the dagger to him. "This dagger is from Hemlock. This is crafted by the ancient mage Zeke as a gift to the Caraways. You seemed to be special. It is unusual for Caramel to give one of their family heirlooms to someone."

"Family heirloom!" Aliester's eyes widened. He never thought that the dagger was that special. "She gave it to me before sending me to my errand."

"Then, you must be the one she had been talking about." Holly murmured.

She then held put her hand to Aliester. "It is best to talk to an area that is safe. We could not stay here. There are too many shadows lurking in this place."

After holding unto the young lord, she produced another black candle. Holly had lighted it, and a pentagram formed. "To Hallows House."

There was a flash of light, and Aliester and Holly vanished from that swampy area.