03: Find Her For Me!

Inside a dimly lit and dark cave, nestled just behind the grand castle of Wiccaland, a mysterious gathering was taking place. Several figures, shrouded in black cloaks from head to toe, materialized at the center of the cave. A solitary beam of purple light radiated from a crystal resting on one of the small stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling, creating a spooky silhouette over the surroundings.

Each figure wore an identical black mask that concealed their face. Carved onto each mask was a grotesque visage of a monstrous creature, its horn protruding from the center of its forehead and deadly fangs adorning its mouth.

Amidst the group, one figure stood out. Draped in a dark red cloak and wearing a menacing red mask, this individual appeared to be the leader of the group. They numbered ten in total.

They circled a flat boulder located at the center of the cave. An array of tools lay atop the boulder, each speaking of their arcane craft: a gleaming, sharp athame; ancient grimoires; flickering candles; glistening crystal stones; bubbling cauldrons; fragrant herbs; shimmering powders; potent potions; and other mystical implements, each with a purpose known only to them.

Taking charge, the presumed leader picked up the athame and made a small cut on her hand, allowing droplets of her blood to fall onto the largest black crystal stone. A hushed silence fell upon the cave as the drops landed with a soft "plop" upon the crystal stone. The stone, hungry for the offering, absorbed the blood. The surface pulsated with an ethereal aura, taking the form of the monstrous figure carved upon their masks.

The cloaked figures bowed in reverence before the apparition.

"How is the mission progressing so far?" A haunting voice resonated from the figure formed by the aura, its pressure echoing throughout the cave.

"My Lord, we have made no progress on our mission. Despite eight long years of searching every corner of Wiccaland, there has been no trace found of Leviathan, the royal maid, or the child," a female voice responded with a trembling tone. The statement came from the red-masked figure, who was assumed to be the group's leader.

"But recently, I discovered that Marcus is missing from the Restoration Chamber beneath the castle. This indicates that Leviathan is still alive and managed to retrieve Marcus's body from the chamber right under my nose," the leader said.

"My Lord," interjected a male voice among the masked figures. His words were edged with a touch of hope. "This means we may be on the cusp of finding them. Leviathan, weakened by the previous encounter, can do nothing but hide with her lover instead of returning to reclaim the throne."

"That does not solve my problem!" The mysterious voice roared, reverberating throughout the cave. "Human abilities have significantly diminished since the disappearance of the Supreme Human. This is the perfect time to set me free so I can exploit their weakness." The voice had a noticeable tinge of sadness.

"I granted your coven a significant portion of my power eight years ago to assist me in retrieving her baby. Yet, you failed... Leviathan is of no use to me. All I want is her daughter. Only her blood can break this curse," the voice echoed relentlessly.

"Fail me again, and I will have all of you massacred," the voice issued a menacing ultimatum.

The dark-red cloaked lady knelt, her voice filled with urgency. "Please, my lord, you must quell your anger. "I summoned your spirit manifestation because I have found something that will help us locate them soon."

The swirling aura above the crystal stone, which had been mirroring their lord's form and violently vibrating, began to calm down.

"And what is this discovery?" The voice inquired.

"I have the same artifact that our mother gave to my sister - a pair of amulets that can detect each other within a range of one hundred miles. Since her amulet remains undetected in Wiccaland, it suggests that she is hiding in Zithran or Humaldor, or she has sought refuge in the beasts' territory."

"Either way, we now know that our search extends beyond the boundaries of Wiccaland. Soon, we shall find them for you," she reassured, still kneeling.

The aura began to diminish, retreating from the air and into the crystal as the voice of the monstrous creature trailed off, saying, "You had better find her soon. My patience is wearing thin."

The leader with the red mask turned to the other figures and handed a diamond amulet to the man who had spoken earlier.

"Werney, do you recall what our Lord said eight years ago when we inquired about the mysterious power the queen used to absorb our powers during our encounter?" she queried.

"Yes, Your Majesty. He said it was demonic power," Werney replied.

"Excellent. We shall begin our search from Zithran. Given her possession of demonic power, the demon territory may be her preferred hiding place."

"I entrust you with this task. You may choose two additional people to accompany you. Explore every corner of Zithran. With the markings bestowed upon us by our Lord, you shall face no restrictions in the demon territory," she instructed, turning her attention to the remaining members of the coven.

"The rest of you shall remain in Wiccaland as guardians. Should she attempt to return, we will be prepared."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" They responded in unison.

The witches dispersed, each setting off to complete their assigned tasks.

*****

Meanwhile, in the human settlement, the baby that the Devil Coven is after has grown into a cute girl along with her supposed twin brother.

Evelyn and Elvis lived with their mother, Dorcas, in Rylinth, one of the five cities of Humaldor.

Dorcas had always known that her daughter had a different personality compared to her son. While Elvis is cheerful, loquacious, and outgoing, Evelyn is moody, indifferent, and reserved.

She knew that something had been strange about Evelyn ever since the day she returned from the grassy plain. It had been eight years since that day. She always feels a strong bond with her son, Elvis, but she doesn't feel any connection with Evelyn.

'It makes me wonder if she takes after her father or my brother more.' She will always think, 'She looks nothing like Elvis, even though they were twins, but she bears a striking resemblance to my brother.'

Despite this fact, she always tries her best to be a great mom to both of her children.

'Soon they will be old enough to start their basic training. Then, I will assess whether they have the potential to become mages, just like their father. I wouldn't want my daughter to be like me, unable to use magic.'

Dorcas was constantly worried as her children grew older, anxious about the possibility of them discovering their magical potential. She wished that none of them would face the same predicament she suffered years ago. Despite having a natural affinity for powerful elemental magic, she was unable to wield it.

Since birth, Dorcas had a minuscule mana core that was incapable of holding sufficient mana or circulating spiritual energy throughout her body. This limitation deprived her of the joy of experiencing magical prowess. Only tragic experiences involving magic lingered in her memory, leaving her traumatized and sensitive to the topic.

Hailing from the esteemed Zeccammon Mage Family in Rylinth, Dorcas's father spared no expense in searching for solutions to expand her mana core. Countless pills, potions, absorbable crystals, and beast cores were all futile attempts to unlock her magical potential. Deep down, Dorcas yearned to become a mage and accompany her betrothed on thrilling quests and adventures.

Driven by her struggles, Dorcas fervently desired a better future for her children. She longed for them to possess the greater magical potential and never experience the struggles she had faced.

The memory of the day when she had forcibly absorbed so more mana than her core can handle, just to unleash her lightning ability, remained etched in her mind. Although she managed to create a little sizzle around her hand that day, the price she paid was not worth it.

The exertion caused numerous ruptures in her arteries and veins, making her spend months of treatment at Rylinth's renowned apothecary.

From that point onward, she dedicated herself to mastering combat skills, martial arts, and swordsmanship, with the hope of assisting her husband in his endeavors.

Sadly, her efforts to assist her beloved were in vain. She now found herself a widow, unable to provide the support she had once envisioned for herself.