12. The night attack

Sky had no idea why she woke up all of a sudden. There actually was no reason for it, and yet it happened. It's like someone pushed her suddenly, but when she opened her eyes, there was no-one by her side. Sky was still in her bed in Beata's house. The Flower Witch was also here, sleeping soundly, but it was generally hard to wake her up.

She held her breath, concentrating on her hearing only. There had to be something! But the night was calm and peaceful. Sky knew it was probably her imagination, she still didn't get used to living in a different world. The wisest thing to do right now was to go back to sleep, blaming it all on the nightmare she didn't remember.

But she couldn't play along. She had to be sure! Beata told her it was safe on the island once you had a house with good doors at your disposal, but Sky didn't feel safe right now. She got up and headed for the stairs. She was wearing only her underdress, but she decided it would be enough. It was just her imagination after all!

Now Sky was really glad Beata's house only had two rooms in it. She knew the living room was safe, so she had to check the shop to be sure everything's safe. But once she got down, she understood that the night wouldn't be calm after all.

The door to the shop was wide open – she could see the empty street behind it. The shop, unlike the street, wasn't empty. Among the shelves and the work tables stood a large dark wolf. There wasn't enough light to make out the exact color of its fur, but it wasn't entirely black, Sky was sure about it. The beast was large, way larger than the wolves in her world. Or maybe in this world too? Because this one wasn't a simple animal! Its eyes were shining in bright red, filled with magic she couldn't understand.

The wolf noticed her. The red eyes were directed at her immediately, the beast lowered its head and growled.

Sky froze on the spot, she didn't know what to do next. Should she run? But from where she was standing, she could run only upstairs, and that way she would set Beata up! She could also try to make a break for the open door, but… It was highly unlikely that she'd make it. And even if she did, the wolf would catch her outside easily! Sky had no illusions about which of them was faster.

So she pulled both hands forward, as if that could keep the wolf away, and smiled meekly.

"Easy now," she whispered. "I'm not your enemy! I live here… I don't know what you want, but please, just take it and leave!"

Unfortunately, the wolf didn't come here for the herbs or money. The creature attacked Sky, jumping forward. It either didn't understand her words or didn't care.

That was the perfect moment for her magic to wake up. She could actually feel it in her during all the training, it wasn't hopeless! But even if the power was in her, its slumber was too deep. It didn't answer even when Sky's life was in danger.

She had to rely on her human power only – again! She managed to jump off the stairs before the wolf's jaws could lock on her. She hit her leg when she fell, but ignored the pain and got up immediately, looking for some sort of weapon. There was nothing to help her! The knives Beata normally used were too small to hurt such a huge animal, and even they were hidden away.

The wolf went back to her, growling, ready to attack again.

"Why are you doing this?!" Sky screamed. "I don't even know who you are!"

Again, there was no answer. Perhaps that creature wasn't intelligent at all, it was just some sort of monster… There had to be monsters living next to witches, right? Or maybe it was smart, it just came to kill her and didn't want to talk to its victim.

It knocked Sky off her feet, and both of them fell on the floor. The wolf, naturally, ended up on top of Sky. She could see its fangs glistening in the dark… They were powerful enough to rip her throat out. Just one movement, and everything would be over for her!

The wolf didn't get a chance to make the final movement. Suddenly green vines surrounded it from all sides, caught it like a fishing net and pulled it away from Sky.

"What's going on here?!" Beata asked angrily.

The noise woke her up after all! Now she was standing on top of the stairs, also only in her night shirt, her hair messy. She had probably just gotten up – to this unpleasant discovery! But her reaction was quick enough to capture the wolf just like she did with the goat man.

The thing that happened next surprised Sky even more – Beata spoke to the wolf:

"Verina, what in the demon's ass are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!"

She knew that creature! Well, that probably wasn't so shocking since she spent two years on the island. But Sky just couldn't believe that monster had anything to do with humans.

As if to prove her wrong, the wolf became blurry, turning into a naked young woman. She was athletic, but not too muscular, with long legs and somewhat flat chest. Her hair was wavy and rather short, reaching only past her ears. Her eyes continued to glow, but this time in yellow.

"It has nothing to do with you, Beata!" the witch growled, baring her teeth as if she still had fangs. "It's between me and her!"

"But I don't even know you!" Sky exclaimed.

"That's true," Beata nodded. "I don't remember introducing her to you. Sky spends most of her time with me, she couldn't have done anything wrong to you!"

"If doesn't matter who she it and what she's done! It only matters she's a Night Witch!"

"No I'm not!" Sky objected.

"It's obvious you are!"

"She's telling the truth," Beata confirmed. "She got this body by accident, she has no control over the Night Witch magic!"

"Night Witches lie all the time, she can't be trusted! I came here to kill her and that won't change. Stay out of this, Beata, or I'll get rid of you too."

"You can try."

"You asked for it!"

This time Verina didn't turn into the wolf completely. She just grew claws on her fingers and fangs in her mouth, but that was enough. She cut the vines easily and got free. Beata tried capturing her again, but it was no use. First time Verina got caught because she didn't expect the Flower Witch's attack – and because she wanted to talk to Beata. But now she was fighting with the intention to kill.

Beata tried to stop her by growing lianas and large flowers in her way, but it didn't work. Verina was too fast and strong. She moved past most of the plants – and cut the ones she couldn't avoid.

Soon she reached her goal. Unlike her, Beata wasn't good at close fights. She was a long-distance type of witch, and the only way she could save herself was to keep Verina caught – or run. But it was too late for all of that. Verina got to her and hit her in the face hard.

Beata feel to her knees, fresh blood pouring down her face. She didn't pass out, but was in no condition to continue the fight anymore: all the plants she created became dry in an instant.

That's where Verina should've stopped, but it didn't look like she could. Sky didn't know much about Beast Witches, but she could see what was happening in front of her. It appeared that Verina was under the power of fresh blood, like a wild animal that had already started its hunt. It didn't matter to her who her opponent was, what relations they used to have, was such violence justified or not. She wasn't thinking! She was carried away by everything that happened here.

And that meant Beata was about to die. Because she helped Sky! Because she was kind… So kindness was punished by death on this island?

Sky could feel all fear leaving her soul, being fully replaced by hatred. She could be weak and miserable when only her own life depended on it. But now she had to protect Beata no matter what!

She could feel the now familiar heat of magic power burning down in the lower part of her stomach. This time it didn't go away, it was growing stronger every moment. She would be happy about it some other time, but right now she couldn't even fully realize it. It was as if she was in a trance – yet she was awake. Sky just felt so confident, like she had been in control from the very start.

She stopped trembling, and when she spoke, her voice was even.

"Stop it!"

There was something strange and new about her voice – the very sound of it! Like it belonged to many people at once, not to her… And it worked! Verina froze before she could hit Beata again, her raised hand still in the air.

"Now go and knock your head or the wall until you pass out!" Sky continued.

And the Beast Witch obeyed her again. It was a ridiculous order, an impossible one, but Verina still did it. She walked to the nearest wall, knocked her head on it two times and fell on the floor limply, leaving the other two witches to stare at each other in silent shock.