The purple glow of the witch's eyes shimmered like live embers in a dark cave. She analyzed me in silence, as if she were seeing something even I couldn't understand. A chill ran down my spine.
— Strange… — she murmured, narrowing her gaze.
— What do you mean, strange? — I asked, my body stiffening without realizing it.
She leaned in closer, her bony fingers hovering over my chest, as if she could open my soul with a single gesture.
— Watch it, that's my man. — said Ciny
The witch laughed and then exclaimed.
— Your mana channels... they're not damaged. They're blocked. As if someone were... locking your mana from the inside.
The revelation knocked the breath out of me.
— But... it was my mother who damaged them. — I swallowed hard.
The witch crossed her arms, her lips twisting into a mischievous smirk.
— And are you really sure it was her who damaged your mana channels?
— What? But she... that's what she said! That's what she told me before dying at my father's hands!
— Hmm… then maybe it's time we paid a visit.
She smiled.
— To the realm of the dead.
Silence.
The room froze.
Ciny coughed so loud it sounded like she'd swallowed a piece of her own soul.
— WHAT?! That's completely unthinkable!
Chad's eyes widened, visibly uncomfortable.
— What do you mean, "visit"? How does a living person enter the realm of the dead?!
Before anyone could continue the spiral of shock, the door opened with a soft click.
— No, he won't. — said a familiar voice, sharp as a razor.
Mili walked in like she owned the place — again.
Ciny huffed loud enough to move the curtains.— Great, the soap opera queen was all that was missing...
— Mili? — I exclaimed. — What are you doing here?
She stopped in front of me, arms crossed, gaze as judgmental as always.
— Don't trust that witch. Anyone who enters the realm of the dead never comes back.
— Not if they have a witch like me. — the witch retorted with a venomous smile.
Mili turned to her like she was looking at a bug.
— No. I don't trust you.
I sighed, tired of all the games, the secrets, the accusations.
— And what other plan do we have then?
— You take the drug. — she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
— And become addicted again?! — rage rose in my throat.
— Better than dying!
— Mili… — I began, my voice trembling — I'm tired of this. You show up without warning, say whatever you want, want me to become an addict just because...
She didn't even flinch.
— It's the fastest way to end the Azural. While we're here arguing, they're conquering the world.
Chad stepped forward.
— And if John gets lost along the way, it'll all have been for nothing.
— And who are you, walking muscles?
— Chad. — he replied, lifting his chin calmly. — And for now, I'm on John's side.
Mili looked at him like he was a cockroach on the floor.
— Great. Now besides your ugly friend, you've got a wardrobe on your side.
— Mili, enough! — I shouted. — I don't want to hear another word. Don't ever show up again.
She stood frozen for a second.
— Don't bite the hand that fed you. — she said coldly.
— Leave.
— Or what? What's the mana-less man going to do?
At that moment, Chad and Ciny stepped between us. The witch simply waved her hand and a faint mana field appeared around me — protective.
Chad spoke first, firm:
— I don't usually get involved… but you've crossed the line.
Ciny added, sweet but threatening:
— Cinderella, leave.
Mili looked around, eyes narrowing.
— Just what I needed... For now, I'm leaving. But don't count on me to save you next time.
She turned and left, her cloak billowing like a shadow in a storm.
As soon as the door slammed shut, the witch snapped her fingers and a stone fell from my coat pocket.
— The stone I took from the boy...? — I asked.
She smiled.
— A magic tracker. Now that it's broken… she can't find us anymore.
I sighed. The air felt lighter without Mili in the room.
— So… the realm of the dead. How are we going to do this?
The witch snapped her fingers.
— Easy.
She paused dramatically.
— By dying.
— WHAT?!?!?! — we all screamed at once: me, Chad, and Ciny.