WITCH NO MORE

Gabriel watched in silence as Bartimus looked like he was pondering whether or not to go and find Vivian. He looked at Gabriel with an accusing stare when Selene asked why Vivian had decided to leave without word. She nodded as if she understood what had taken place and suggested they go look for their companion.

"She is slowing us down. We'll be off-track if we detour now." Bartimus disagreed immediately.

"But what is so important in Jezim that we cannot even help out an ally?" Selene asked irritated.

"I need to find Elkwin so he can fix me." Bartimus said pouting like a child telling a white lie.

"Can't Elkwin or whatever wait till later! What if she is taken by the other witches and wizards?!" Selene retorted.

"She was considering going back anyways so her journey to find them will be shortened." he said seriously.

Selene shook her head and asked for Grand tree's help. In turn, the old man looked at Bartimus as if he was waiting for a go ahead from him. Forest spirits like him couldn't go anywhere unless the one who summoned them allowed them so Grand tree was bound to Bartimus. Selene walked towards the old man and took hold of his hands.

"Papa, I am Bartimus'master so listening to me is the same as listening to him. Please help out your other daughter who is making a terrible mistake." Selene said holding Grand tree's hands in hers.

"You're right! I won't be breaking any rules!" he said cheerfully,"Shall we princess?"

Selene smiled after hearing his hearty response. He patted her head like her real father did when she was younger making her wander if he had seen that in her memories.

"Princess?" came the puzzled voice of Gabriel.

"Any daughter of mine is a princess, lad." Grand tree said as he walked to a bush with Selene following behind him.

Gabriel looked at Bartimus and then at Selene who was beckoning him over. He got down from the carriage and started following them even though he didn't know where they were going. Bartimus also followed because of Selene and internally, he was happy to do what she wanted. They walked for ten minutes into the forest and soon found Vivian sitting on a rock. She was silently sobbing and didn't turn to face them even when Selene called her name.

"Vivian, what is the matter? You just left without saying a word." Selene said walking closer to Vivian while the others stood a distance from them.

"What happened to my baby?" Vivian whispered eerily.

Bartimus was alerted by the question. He looked at Vivian closely and noticed that she looked different.

"What baby?" Selene asked confused,"Were you pregnant?"

Vivian chuckled devilishly and her voice became deeper. She grabbed Selene's hand tightly and threw her to a tree behind him. Bartimus was quick to act and created a portal on the tree's trunk that made her appear next to Gabriel standing upright. Grand tree changed to his tree form and enlarged himself and squared over the two humans. A blue fire appeared around the and it was more intense close to where Gabriel and Selene were but Grand tree housed them perfectly. Vivian's face morphed into that of an old man and five other witches appeared to stand between him and Bartimus.

"You are really dedicated to your master this time around, aren't you?" the old man impersonating Vivian said to Bartimus.

"You must be Vancouver." Bartimus said glancing at Grand tree.

The blue flames extinguished and the forest spirit stood up with the two humans in his arms. He started running back to where they had left the carriage and three of the five witches who had appeared to follow them.

"Where is Vivian? My master will never forgive me if I return without her." Bartimus said as his wings grew out of his back.

"You are really optimistic. I killed every dragon and you think you can stop me?" Vancouver asked growing four wings of his own that were larger in size compared to Bartimus.

Bartimus recognized two of the wings as his mother's and father's. His eyes flared up dangerously making the two witches protecting Vancouver scared. Unlike Vancouver, they were just normal witches who were tasked to cast the reverse magic spell so that Vancouver could have the upper hand. Bartimus noted that they were both females who used a special type of magic called intimidation. As long as he made them fear him, their magic would get stronger. He had killed one like them when he was a little dragon but he wandered if he could do it again while fighting Vancouver. They started chanting the spell but before they could finish it, Bartimus released his full power and they started coughing up blood. He smiled and looked at Vancouver who looked startled.

"Just unleashing yourself killed them. Impressive." Vancouver stated with a wrinkled smile on his face,"I wander what that outburst has done to dear Selene?"

"She's fine. We are in a magic dome all alone, Vancouver. That means that it if I concentrate on you then it will affect you as well."

"I have the power of every dragon that has ever lived and yet you think you can beat me!" Vancouver said enraged by Bartimus' pride.

Bartimus laughed and looked up to his right at Vivian who was tied up and was hanging from a branch. All the magic she had possesed before was gone. Vancouver had given that magic to her and he had taken it as well. She was now a normal human. She was unconscious and was breathing heavily.

"You'll kill her if you don't leash yourself again." Vancouver taunted,"She is bleeding internally right now but if you continue like this she will explode."

The rope from which Vivian was hanging cut and Bartimus made a portal for her like he had done for Selene but this time he took her to Selene and the others. He looked back at Vancouver and smiled.

"No one to kill, no need to leash." Bartimus said,"You claim to have all the power of all the dragons but let me tell you something. Of the hundred dragons you have killed, you possess only a quarter of their power. When dragons die, three quarters of their power is distributed to other dragons. You have given me unimaginable power, Vancouver. I've only unleashed mine; I wander what would happen if I used everyone else's."

Vancouver staggered behind in disbelief. He remained silent for a while while he thought about what Bartimus was saying.

"That means I also have the distributed power, doesn't it?" he asked.

"No. You forget that you're not a dragon."

"Will I be if I kill you?"

"No. You will remain a sorry imitation of a dragon. The power stores in me will be released to nature once I die."

Vancouver was infuriated with the outcome of things. He had always dreamt of being a dragon and now he was being told he couldn't be one. Bartimus had killed his wife a few days ago leaving him with Vivian who was his only daughter but she had also betrayed him. The sky begun to darken and the cloud directly above them was loaded with lightning ready to be released.

*

*

Grand tree was alarmed when a tied up Vivian fell into his arms but he caught her before she could slip from his hands. She was unconscious making him have to hold onto her as she couldn't hold onto him. Gabriel saw that the 'tree man' was struggling to keep Vivian from falling so he held her. Selene smiled gratefully at him they looked over Grand tree's shoulder at their persuers. She fell down when Grand tree made a sharp turn to avoid a ball of fire that had been thrown at him. When he realised she was not in his arms he stopped running and turned around. The three wizards picked up Selene who had fainted after hitting her head on the ground and before Grand tree could do anything, they disappeared with her.

Grand tree put Gabriel and Vivian down to start looking for Selene. But where would he even start? He reverted to his human form and sat down helplessly.

"Aren't you going to look for her?" Gabriel asked concerned about Selene who seemed to be the only human.

"If she had been awake then I would have easily found her. But she is unconscious." Grand tree replied sadly.

He had failed to protect the only person who had treated him with kindness and even called him papa. He started crying helplessly.

*

*

Bartimus was about to finish off Vancouver when the latter started laughing.

"Has your defeat driven you to madness?" Bartimus asked in his deep voice.

"I haven't lost yet. No I haven't." Vancouver said laughing,"What are you without your master?"

Bartimus' eyes returned to normal and he frowned at the old man who's face was bloodied. He finally registered what Vancouver meant and his eyes flared up again but before he could deliver the last blow, the man disappeared into thin air.

"No!!!!" Bartimus roared loud enough that even Gabriel and Grand tree heard him.