Chapter 37: motive

Mr. Alex cautiously ventured into the enigmatic castle, a sense of foreboding looming in the air. As if anticipating his arrival, a group of witches awaited him, their presence laden with the residue of a previous skirmish. The Witch Queen greeted him with an unsettling familiarity, her voice dripping with an eerie welcome.

"Dear old friend, what may I offer you?" she inquired, feigning hospitality.

"How dare you kidnap Jessy!" Mr. Alex's anger flared, and he charged towards the queen, only to be thwarted by a mystical barrier. "I didn't mean any harm. I kidnapped her to lure Lucas. He poses a threat to the world, and we must act," she explained calmly.

"You did this for your own interests, not to save the world. You know taking Lucas won't be easy," Mr. Alex retorted, his conviction unwavering. The queen witch materialized, her form enveloping him, attempting to manipulate him with her expertise. "Join hands with me, an old alliance, to bring the man who calls himself Lucas, and avert Earth's impending destruction," she urged.

"You are selfish and cruel. I won't collaborate with witches whose motives are self-serving," he declared, breaking free from her enchantments. He swiftly exited the castle, descending the mysterious tree, and returned to his allies. "Mr. Lucas, we have Jessy now," he stated with a resolute expression.

Jessy's POV

Mr. Lucas remained unconscious, the effects of the witch's poison proving exceptionally potent. His fever was escalating, prompting me to apply cold water in an attempt to alleviate his suffering. "Where did the others go?" I inquired of Gabriel urgently, stepping out of the room.

"Don't concern yourself with them," he replied, gazing at the city's skyline. "Is there anything you can do to counteract the poison? I fear it's more severe than we realize," I pressed, worry creasing my brow.

"He will survive it," Gabriel reassured me cryptically before departing, leaving me with a sense of impending danger that seemed to shroud the atmosphere.