The darkness grows stronger and Mukura continues with the child returning back where she came.
"It would be nice if I could fly or run at super speed so we can get there faster!" she says walking with the boy holding his hand, "But maybe I can try and do something simple and fast!" she looks around, "But he said I should not use that power ever!"
"Who said that?" the boy asks for the first time ever since they met.
She stops and holds him tightly on the shoulders, "So, all this time I have been talking and talking alone when you can actually talk?"
"Ummm, you are hurting me!" he says trying to shake Mukura's hands off his shoulders.
She removes them and steps back, "Ooh I am sorry, I am just excited that you can talk, I mean it has been days yet you had not said anything!"
The boy does not answer her and he takes the lead and she follows.
"You seem to know where we are going!"
"No, I do not, I just faced the direction we were already headed!" he answers impudently.
"How rude," she stops and folds her hands, "You do know that I am older than you right?"
"Yes!"
"So, you should be addressing me as big sis and be more respectful!"
"Okay, if you think so!"
"Yes, I do think so!" she grabs him and puts him on the back, "Let me try something!"
"What are you trying to do? Let me get down right now!"
"I will as soon as I have tried what I would like to try then I will get you off my back," she turns her head, "Before I forget, you did not tell me your name."
"That is because you did not ask!"
"Well, would you mind telling it to me now?"
"Yes, my mom said I should not talk or tell my name to strangers!"
She puts him down grabs his right shoulder and points a finger at him but the words cannot come out because of the frustration and anger she is feeling.
"Why do you keep on doing that you little ..." she stops and takes a deep breath to calm herself, "All this time we have been travelling together and I never did anything bad to you right?"
"Yes!"
"And after all this time, I am still a stranger to you?"
"Maybe."
"I will take that maybe as a no, so now please tell me your name!" she yells at him.
He looks at her terrified, "My name is Tatenda Muchinguri."
"Smart boy! You even know your surname!"
He nods his head and she smiles, "Now, let us continue. We have a long way to go!"
She lowers herself down, "Get on so I can try what I wanted to try to cover more ground!"
He gets on her back and holds on.
She gets up and jumps a bit, "This is going to be hard! If only I had super strength like Superman or Hulk!"
"Umm, who are they?"
"Only two of the strongest superheroes of all time!" she replies jocundly, "Wait, you really do not know those?"
"No, I don't!" he moves his head trying to look at her face, "What do they do and where do they leave?"
"Actually, they are fictional characters who save the world from evil beings, similar to what I am trying to do!"
"Really? But when I saw you, you were terrified of dead bodies." he reflects on his first encounter with her.
"The scene was horrific dead bodies everywhere with black veins all over their bodies and bite marks. It was like a vampire massacred them!"
"I think we should get going now!" Tatenda's face changes and he changes the topic.
"Okay, I understand!"
Mukura starts thinking on how to jump a great distance to cover more ground. A thought flashes in her mind from back then when she was still under Gwanhoya's spell and she remembers she used to teleport to anywhere with Gwanhoya.
She begins focusing on her destination and her magic back fires sending her flying back.
"Are you trying to kill us?"
"No, something must have blocked me causing this backlash by my magic, let me try again and this time just place your arm on my shoulder so that you won't be left behind!"
"I think that would be for the best."
"Glad you agree!" she sits down and crosses her legs and breathes heavily, "Now, place your hand on my shoulder!" Closes her eyes and concentrates on her destination.
Stands firm resisting the backlashes tearing her body bit by bit.
"Heyy, you should stop now! It is okay even if we walk a very long distance!" Tatenda shakes her trying to stop her.
Blood flowing from her ears, eyes and mouth.
"Heyy stop we can walk!" Tatenda shouts but she still ignores.
"Got it!" slowly they both vanish and reappear in a very unfamiliar place.
Tatenda steps back slowly from Mukura in terror, "Do you know where we are?"
Mukura looks at him and notices the fear in his eyes, "What is wrong, Tatenda. Why are you not happy we covered so much grou ...…!" Mukura faints.
Garamba appears out of nowhere with two more witches behind her. She looks delighted, seeing Mukura's face and her lying down in exhaustion.
"Take her body!" she orders them, "After a long time I will finally get my revenge on you, my dear Genteel!" she laughs malevolently loud.
"Leave her alone!" Tatenda shouts.
She walks towards him slowly smiling delightfully, "Or what little boy? You will do what?"
"Or you will regret ever touching her!"
Garamba is amused by the boy and the look on his face seems cold. She kneels down and gently touches his face.
"For a child that look in your eyes is priceless. I guess you will be worth taking!" she grabs him by the hand and drags him back into the dark forest.
Hours later, Mukura slowly wakes up tied up again. Surrounded by witches of the dark forest and in front of them Garamba seated on a chair.
"Welcome!" she says getting up from the chair, "How do you like the place? I created it after you forced me to retreat and hide!" she holds her by the cheeks pressing her fingers on them, "You do not know how long I have waited for this, my enemy! To stare at you right in the face before I kill you!"
She examines her face closely as if she is searching for something. He seems confused by what she is seeing.
"How come you did not age? It has been years since the great war between our factions and you still look the same as you did back then!" she asks examining in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" Mukura asks in a low voice.
"It seems you still haven't completely recovered from the last tangle with teleportation and I apologise for cutting in and manipulating your destination. It is just that I just missed you so much and here you are looking so young once again striking a blow in my heart making an opening and filling it with jealousy!"
"I am not who you think I am!" she tells Garamba.
"You are exactly who I think you are! My arch-nemesis, my former friend and sister in arms, Genteel!"
"I am not Genteel, my name is Mukura!"
"If you are not Genteel, then why do you look like her? Let alone dress like her in the same exact clothing she wore to battle!"
"I am not her!" she yells, "Why do you people keep saying that I am the white witch of the Enchanted Forest!?"
"Ohh because you are and I am the one who is going to end you now! Your tricks won't work on me but before I kill you, I shall grant you sometime to say goodbye to your new travelling companion!" she turns to leave and get the boy.
Alabaster Weald
Genteel wakes up from her sleep causing the whole enchanted forest to shake and all the residents stopped whatever they are doing and rushed to see what is happening. She comes out of her house wearing a white robe.
"What is going on here?" she asks looking at a huge crowd outside her house staring at her.
"I am sorry for disturbing your long rest but your daughter needs you right now and before you say but this and that, I know I said you should stay away from her but things are drastically changing and I need you to attend to that and save her from the evil queen!" she hears a voice speak directly into her ear.
She summons her magic stuff and immediately departs for the Dark Forest. Everyone is left wondering why she just left like that!