The night seemed to whizz by as Nhea trudged alongside Roe'nika and the horse carrying Quantum's body trotting slowly past the trees. Daylight began to streak through the forest canopy, illuminating their surroundings. The night had finally gone. The light of day had come.
Nhea was filled with a sort of comfort upon seeing the night's darkness slowly fade away. It gave her confidence, and filled her with some sort of delight. To her the scary things had gone away at last.
Walking alongside Roe'nika, Nhea turned to look at Quantum, his body swaying with the horse's movements. She looked straight into her face, almost expecting him to open his eyes and tell her that everything was just a game; he was joking with her. However, there was only stillness. His eye had completely lost its blue shine. His body seemed to look more and more battered as time went on.
Nhea didn't want to accept it; but he was beginning to look more and more like a dead body.
The trees towered before them as they forged on into the seemingly endless forest. The light of the sun streaked through here and there at the forest canopy. They occasionally made Nhea squint, as the glare of the Sun met her eyes. The forest was filled with a slight morning mist, as they continued to climb onwards.
Nhea was silent, not wanting to engage with Roe'nika. She doubted too many things, and she didn't want to fill her heart with even more doubt and uncertainty. However, Roe'nika broke the silence between them.
"By the way, what is your name?", she asked. The dull, gentle thuds of the horses movement filled the air between them.
"Nhea...my name is Nhea."
The girl reluctantly opened her mouth and spoke.
"Nhea, is it?", Roe'nika began.
"Well, we are headed towards the Blood Witch's abode. Over there your man here might just get a second chance at life. That place, is also where I call home." She paused and asked, slightly raising her tone.
"Have you heard of the Blood Witch?"
Nhea stopped in her tracks as the subject of the question met her ears. Roe'nika pulled the horse to a stop as well, although she was generally unfazed, there was a bit of intrigue on her face.
Nhea couldn't believe it.
She had made a big mistake in trusting that strange woman. Of all the people Roe'nika could've mentioned, why that fearsome witch?
Nhea began to fear for her life, and her conviction to restore Quantum seemed like it had been thrown into the gutter. She looked carefully at Roe'nika who was now clearly intrigued, one of her brows raised.
"Tell me. What have you heard about her?", she demanded, a slight grin forming on her face.
Nhea paused for a while, before the words finally came from her lips.
"You can't be taking me to that witch…no…no…"
Her breaths became heavier as her heart began to pound faster within her little chest.
"No…you-you're joking…she-she isn't real, is she?"
Nhea continued, "My mother told me about her, once. They say she drinks the blood of innocent children. She gouges out their eyes and mixes them in a big pot!" She paused, waiting for Roe'nika's expression to change. Roe'nika looked at her as though she clearly didn't know what she was talking about.
Nhea continued, her stance even stronger,
"Her-her nails are like claws…she's old…and ugly…and drinks blood!"
Roe'nika giggled. She was obviously having fun with it.
Nhea stood, dumbstruck.
"As much as I'd like to know where your mother heard those things from, I'll restrain myself. None of those things are true",
Roe'nika said, her voice firm and reassuring.
Nhea looked unconvinced. She clearly wouldn't believe her so easily. The Blood Witch was an entity that was feared by many. It was said that sighting her was rare, and usually meant you wouldn't come out alive. As such, the stories of her were dark and gruesome. She was a demon people mentioned in their conversations to swear upon, scare their children into doing what was right and customers into rejecting the wares of rival traders.
In essence, she was a myth.
Roe'nika sighed. "Come on, weren't you the one who said you'd follow me? Trust me, she's no one you should fear…"
Nhea turned her gaze to Roe'nika. Clearly, she had no doubts about herself. Roe'nika spoke as though she was seeing the Blood Witch every single day. As though the Blood Witch was some regular person.
On top of all this, regardless of whether Nhea believed or not, Roe'nika would still take Quantum away, with or without her. Her only choice was to follow, just as Roe'nika had told her at the pool.
Nhea took a deep breath, and continued walking, Roe'nika following suit.
After walking for what seemed like hours, Nhea noticed that the forest was changing. The leaves on the trees weren't green anymore. There were reddish leaves showing up here and there, increasing exponentially as they forged on. The forest air was different as well. The smell of mist, dry earth and vegetation, was gradually replaced by that of peculiar fragrances. As they etched on, the tang of rust began to take its place in the air.
The trees slowly began arraying themselves, as they headed along up a hill, fixing themselves into neat rows. Cryptic signs were etched on the trunks of each tree, each one slightly different from the other. Nhea touched the trees as they passed them, and felt the small, soft patches of red moss upon the bark of each of the trees. It continued like this for a while, until the line of trees ended.
They had reached the top of the hill. Looking beyond, Nhea saw a single tree on the hill, and beyond the tree an ominous looking entrance.
Roe'nika breathed in gently as she set her eyes on the lone tree.
She smiled and said, "Home, sweet home."
"Welcome to the Blood Witch's abode, Nhea."
The entrance to the Blood Witch's abode was carved into a dark rockface. It seemed as though part of the hill was raised by a gargantuan entity, who had gone further to puncture a hole within the wall of raised rock. Roe'nika stepped forwards, and Nhea followed cautiously. She wondered what awaited her within that cove. Her little heart began to beat faster and faster as they approached. She clutched the fabric of her garment upon her chest. A mix of fear, excitement, anticipation, and mystery filled her heart like a combination of several colors, creating a mysterious, vague hue.
Upon reaching the tree, Nhea was made aware of its actual size. From afar, it seemed no different from the other trees they passed. Up close however, Nhea eyes were drawn to its large trunk, and magnanimous height. Red and red-orange leaves shone in the sun's golden light, draping the tree in a fiery, yet gentle regalia. Nhea had never seen a tree so beautiful. It stood tall, and it deserved its position, as it stood out from the rest.
Roe'nika tied the horse to one of the roots of the tree, and went ahead towards the hollow in the rockface.
Nhea continued to stand underneath the tree, her amber eyes tilted up in awe towards the magnificent flora.
Roe'nika spoke, her voice confident and unwavering.
"Mistress Nekea, your servant has returned from the scavenge."
Nhea's attention was drawn to the entrance, and the response of one deeper within the cove.
"Enter, Roe'nika, and bring whatever you have with you.", a voice rang from within.
Goosebumps rushed across Nhea's body upon hearing the voice. It didn't seem as though its bearer was straining herself, or shouting. It was calm, yet it stood above the distant cries of birds and the shaking of leaves upon branches of trees in the gentle wind. An authority that the tree she looked up to with so much awe, seemed to bow to. The voice was firm, authoritative, and feminine, seemingly overflowing with intellectuality.
Roe'nika stepped back turned, walking down the dry grass towards Nhea.
"Nhea…", she began.
"This has a very high chance of going south. The Mistress is very selective about my scavenges, and never have I brought a live child to her…"
Her composure had been disturbed. Uncertainty welled up in her crimson eye, and it didn't hide itself from Nhea.
Nhea stared at Roe'nika, her innocent, tired amber eyes scanning the woman's face. Clearly, she was on edge. But she was strong, too. It was barely visible.
"Listen. Make sure you don't give off the slightest hint of pride or insubordination. If you really want this, that is."
Her voice rang with a friendly tone. She cared for what Nhea wanted, at least.
Nhea affirmed, "Okay."
"Good. Prepare yourself. Many people have longed to see the Blood Witch. Consider it a great privilege."
Nhea listened carefully, nodding in affirmation. If there was even the slightest chance, that she would see Quantum smiling again, it was bent on what she would do.
Nhea gulped.
Roe'nika took Quantum's body into her arms, and carried it towards the cove's entrance.
Nhea followed closely.
Within her little heart, she tried to contemplate exactly how the choices she had made had led her thus far. It was strange, yet compelled her to push even further. She was forging on because of something; she continued hanging on because of a certain someone. She couldn't give up. These thoughts circulated in her mind as she stepped into the open mouth of the Blood Witch's haven.