Ever since I was a child, seeing parents blooming with their newborns and other families grow with their children always made me smile. Whether it’d be sitting alone on a park bench, being supervised by higher ups who were hired to watch me from a supposed father I never met, to eating in an establishment with other fostered children belonging to the culture of Witchcraft that I watched every personified pursuit of happiness. Seeing fathers cater to their daughters, act weak towards them, belittle but make a future man for their sons, mothers catering to their sons, and acting just as sweet to their daughters always made me happy. Seeing that every day, drove me into a new desire, and gave me a new dream I hoped to accomplish. Yet one day, I found out cold heartedly that I would never accomplish this dream.

I overheard all the higher ups shout, and scold a woman who wanted to permit herself to a lover and bear a child but keep the title of Witch. They unfortunately told her dead on that her dream would never come true since she’s been stripped of her ovaries, like the rest of us. I only happened to overhear this when I was walking by the office, and peaked in to see her dead blanched expression. They carried her out, and she walked away all zombie-like. When I heard that, I couldn’t help but feel angry and find it untrue. Later that night, she had taken her life, shooting herself in the head, and her supposed lover did the same. How did the rest find out? Because it was I who found their bodies in their room, and my reaction to seeing it was sad. Not from the gruesome scene that would scar any child that age, but because it felt similar to the story of Romeo and Juliet, but this story ended in a suicide because both wanted to create the most precious thing in this world—another life.

To help cope with seeing that tragedy, I decided to take deeper sleep, seeing if I can predict another prophecy, but this time, one that would achieve my dream. When I did, I was ecstatic, and in that afternoon, I happened to draw my future family, the one I envisioned. The higher ups loved seeing what I drew because they knew what astounding potential I had. My powers, my spells, my mana, my soul alone as I grew older was worth more than the most precious diamond in the world. As I drew the vision I had, one of the higher ups, a woman aka nanny around her thirties, grabbed the paper out of my hands as I held it up to my bedroom window to express my greatest artistic asset, only to have her ground her teeth and stomp away with it. I was left confused and wondered why she took my precious drawing away, it was a new feeling I hadn’t experienced since I wasn’t a very social child. So, I followed her without her acknowledgement. She barged into the office of the foster owners, and shouted, showing them my new vision that they couldn’t believe, but didn’t doubt.

“What do you mean?! I thought women in Witchcraft can’t bear children! What is this blasphemous drawing she has created?!”

The foster owner, a tall brown haired man, his outfit befitting for someone with elegance and prestige collapsed his hands together as he expressed a glint towards the rude nanny.

“Are you doubting this fine piece that she has created?”

She barked down, and took a cowardly stance.

“No no… it’s just, I thought it was deemed impossible given our cultural practices.”

He got up and grabbed the paper out of her hands.

“To you and the rest of Witchcraft society. But she has proven herself to be more than just another spawn, but more of a prophet than anything else.”

I eased in, peaking through the gap of the door, and continued hearing their conversation.

“Abyzou… that girl will one day become not only the prophet given to her by name, but become greater than anything else this world has yet to see!”

The nanny bowed and put her arms to the sides.

“Indeed, I’m sorry for ever doubting her abilities.”

“And you should.” he said in a menacing tone.

He saw my tiny red eyes creeping through the gap of the door, and he approached it. He opened it and my twelve year old self was nowhere near intimidated by his emcualant menacing statute. Instead it only made me move my head to the side to see where my paper was at. He turned and saw my eyes on that drawing I became cherished by. He raised his brows, expressed a grin, and nodded to me. As the nanny was still in a bowing state, he pulled an ink pen out of his upper coat pocket, and pulled the woman's hair back, gashing her neck. It made my eyes bounce and grow wide for a second, but ultimately, I felt no remorse for the woman, I just wanted my drawing back.

“Shh, it’s almost over.” he said as he held her neck wide open, letting the blood gush everywhere.

He pulled the ink pen out, and then dropped her body forward once he knew her life was completely drained. I watched and quickly walked over her body to get to my drawing. I grabbed it, and held it up his only window with the sun shining. Seeing the picture intact and its glorious display made me smile and hug the drawing. He smiled too, and put the ink pen to a pool of blood so he could suck some in. Afterwards, he approached behind me, placed his hand on my small shoulder, and handed the bloody pen to me. I gazed at the crimson stained pen glistening beneath the shining sunlight, and brought my gaze up to his smiling face. I grinned and grabbed it, and immediately added more to my drawing, colouring my daughter's eyes crimson like mine, and painting the moon in red.

“You are indeed a wonderful child. To think your stupid father would ever abdomen such a magnificent being.” he said while hovering his head over my shoulder.

I kept colouring, and I replied with words that motivated him till the day we took our separate ways.

“If you ever did find him, please be sure to print this image of me—and ensure that he meets a death greater than abdomenment.” Samantha said.

My tone, my demeanor made him flustered, and grew proud of an actual father to a daughter.

“If you do, then I’ll promise to go to that acedemy you oh so wanted me to attend.”

He hugged me from behind, and vowed to ensure the promise I’ve bestowed upon him. Tears came down his face, and onto my shoulder as I kept drawing my desired dream, and that was for this family to be born. Once the drawing was complete, I fell in love with it, and could see the man whom I’ll procreate life with, a tall handsome man with a shy demeanor but with the expression of toughness, manliness. My daughter looks like me, and I wondered why she did until the day came when I did create her.

There’s so much to tell, so much to show on how I managed to achieve this dream, but right now… there’s something getting in the way, and ruining it. And I will not standby, and watch any longer.

“And I’m not going to let—some dumbfounded blonde slut take that away from me.” Samantha said, her voice echoing, fading away in Sarah’s subconscious.

Sarah was coming back into consciousness. Her head was aching just as worse than before. Her vision was fogged, her hearing was ringing, she couldn't tell what’s going on. She slowly gazed around as her hearing was coming back to her, unmuffling, and undistorting. Blinking multiple times to defog her vision, she blinked rapidly and gazed to her left, and saw something aiming between her eyes. She rubbed an eye, and her vision began to un-fog, showing clearly now that the barrel of a shotgun was aimed between her eyes. Her hearing became clear, and she heard grunting, growling, a struggle of some sort, and shouting.

“Wh…at’s—going on?” she said.

Jack shouted as he was slammed against the table with one arm put behind his back.

“Sarah!” he shouted.

“Jack?” she muttered.

When her vision became one hundred percent, she saw Mandy’s shotgun and growling face aimed at her. Her eyes glinting, her teeth showing, she was centimeters away from pulling the trigger, but Linnea had her right arm held away from the pump of the gun. She also had Jack pinned and tried her best to keep him down, but he was growing more inconsistent, forcing her to almost let go of Mandy.

Sarah’s eyes shook as she stared down the barrel of the gun.

“W-Why?” she said.

Mandy pulled her arm away from Linnea, and pumped the shotgun.

“Abyzou! You’re mine!”

“Sarah, RUN!” Jack yelled.

Sarah loudly gasped and fell off the bench at perfect timing as Mandy shot the gun. The explosion caused a mass panic, her pellets penetrated the ground, and scrapped the earth. Sarah rolled and quickly got on her feet, and began to run on foot. Mandy again pumped the shotgun, this time a mana shell went into the chamber. Linnea saw and tried reaching for her friend.

“Mandy no!”

Mandy lunged over the table and pursued after Sarah on foot.

Jack slammed his palm against the table.

“You… won’t kill her! I promised her father!” he growled.

Linnea frowned. “I’m sorry! I didn’t me-mean for this to happen.”

“Didn’t?! Th-then wha…t—was that? Fuck you’re using mana against me aren’t you?”

Jack was starting to overpower her, but she enhanced her strength and kept him held down.

“This is a total misrepresentation!”

“Misrepresentation?! My—fucking ass!”

Jack managed to slip off her grip, and fell off the table. He tripped his way back on his feet, and chased after his friend who was being hunted down before his eyes.

“Don’t try and stop me!”

Linnea ran after him, but to not apprehend him rather run beside him.

“Again, I’m sorry! Really, I didn’t think she’d react that way.”

“Then why did she? Why’d you stop me from preventing her from almost blowing my close friend's head off!”

“Listen, if you felt what we felt in that moment when Sarah laid her eyes on us… then you’d understand.”

“I don’t care, it doesn’t justify her action. We’re stopping her and you two are telling me what ya sensed, got it?”

Linnea grinned, and the two continued as they saw the two girls starting to grow their distance.

“We have to hurry.” Linnea said.

Sarah hopped over the hood of a car, and slid behind. Mandy jumped over a car, and aimed where she was hiding. People pointed, screamed, and military men who were patrolling were alerted to her presence. They radioed of a new supernatural person hopping over cars. Immediately they took action and sent the new vehicles to the area. Mandy paid no mind to them as her eyes were locked onto the panicked goth girl. Sarah continued her run until she was in the middle of an open four way road.

“You’re mine!” Mandy shouted.

Sarah thrusted her foot forward, slid, and turned round to Mandy who was aiming her shotgun in her direction. Her shotgun began to glow, and the barrel started to glow red hot. Sarah ground her teeth, and once she stopped skidding, she simultaneously placed the tips of her fingers on the pavement.

“No, I’m done running and not being able to take action!” she growled.

Sarah placed her palms on the road, and in a marathon runner pose, she stretched her arms out to the sides. Mandy gasped and watched their world transform. Once the military arrived, they had vanished out of thin air. Linnea and Jack also arrived and wondered where they went.

“Fuck, they’re gone! What happened?” Jack said.

Linnea kept calm, and glanced around.

“They’re outside our dimension. Hurry, we have to find the gatepath to your friend's mind.”

“Oh right, that dream world crap.” Jack said.

Inside Sarah’s peaceful nature type dreamworld, Mandy with her shotgun still aimed forward gazed around at the beauty that was Sarah’s mind. It trickled a gasp beneath her breath, and gave her the shivers. She never imagined someone like her to have such an adoring mindset. Sarah eerily stood straight, and loosely took a step forward.

“I’m tired of not being able to do anything but be told to sit aside!”

Mandy brought her attention back to Sarah, and mildly dropped her gun. She could see her annoyance, her posture telling her that she’s had enough of being told to stand back and be a damsel in distress. She could relate to her, but at the moment, her anger was still blinding her.

Sarah brought one of her hands towards the side of her face.

“If you’re also after my family, whatever the cause maybe, whether that be hurting my father, me, or my mother—!”

She closed her eyes, and clenched her fist. She took a deep breath, and reopened them to show her battle hungry pupils.

“Then allow me to be the first to stand in your way!” Sarah exclaimed, grounding her teeth.

Mandy gasped again, and completely lowered her shotgun. She was in disbelief and never thought she would hear worlds of unity coming from someone who’s a complete replica of everything that she loathed. After some intense silence, Mandy also shut her eyes, and lightly nodded. She quickly took aim, and again, her shotgun glowed. Sarah braced herself, and Mandy fired one shot. A blue light ball came out, at first going slow at the speed of sound, but it quickly gained speed as it traveled and hurtled towards Sarah. The speed, force of it while coming at Sarah turned the dimension from its bright clear environment, to dimming out the artificial sun.

“Could I… really dodge that?” Sarah muttered.

She blinked and the ball was just at her face, and she leaped to the side, and part of her shirt around her armpit area was torn from the passing force. She gently landed and behind her, the ball of light kept going, until it made contact, and exploded. The explosion alone almost sent Sarah on fours from its destructive nature. To Mandy, it was nothing more than a mere shotgun shell in her arsenal of powerful slugs. Mandy saw her beautiful creation turn the dimension into a glorious display of flickering light. As the destructive sound waves dyed down, Sarah’s right fist glowed, and she shot it in Mandy's direction. She sent a wave of fire in her direction which caught her off guard.

“She can bend fire?!” Mandy thought.

Mandy leaped out of the way, and to the air, taking aim again, but lost sight of Sarah.

Sarah appeared behind, and Mandy quickly jolted the gun in her direction, firing a shot. Sarah barely dodged the shot, and flung herself back to the earth. Sarah backflipped a couple of times until she was ready, and panted. Mandy levitated back down, causally staring down her opponent and still not breaking a sweat.

“Damn it, her reactions are faster than my actions.” Sarah said.

Mandy placed the shotgun on the ground, and put her hands on the grass. Sarah raised a brow, and the tip of all Mandy’s fingers arched, splitting the earth beneath Sarah’s feet. She fell at first but flew out of the collapsing earth. Then, a spontaneous light combusted out of the hole and shot at Sarah. She covered herself, and was flashed into it. She opened her eyes, and noticed her fathers barrier still around the edges of her body.

A quick grin emerged, “Dad…” she mumbled.

Mandy pointed her palm in the air as Sarah’s attention was caught by her father’s care.

“I invoke thee, to be smited by the mana surging inside me. Mana, explode out of my palm, and pull my target in a vortex of bladed light.”

Mandy’s palm ignited another ball of light that appeared to that of a buzzawing star.

“Mana, burst into thee.”

The star spiralled and shot out a straight beam of razor blading streams behind it. Sarah quickly caught on, and put her hands forward, catching it. The star tried cutting through the barrier around her hands, igniting spark, ricocheting light sparks around the area. Mandy watched, and calculated Sarah’s defense.

She suddenly kicked it back to her direction, and she jumped out of the way as it exploded on the ground. Mandy was impressed and didn’t predict that was her next move. She tried another trick up her sleeve, and her eyes glowed blue. She rubbed her hands together, and Sarah could sense her mana rising, which made her draw more sweat. Mandy kept rubbing until she abruptly stopped, and gave a quick smirk to the goth girl which dropped her guard for a moment. Mandy lowered her hands, and floated still. Her coat fluttered, her hair as well, Sarah waited for Mandy’s next move.

“What’s she planning?” Sarah said.

Mandy tilted her head in a creepy manner, and suddenly, in an instant teleported in front of Sarah. She loudly gasped, and Mandy spun herself, and shot a kick which shot Sarah back down to the earth. She crashed, and lay on her crater, but with minor damage. She then saw Mandy slowly putting her left hand near the edge of her face, then smacking her right hand against the palm of her left.

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She twisted her body to the left, and a huge surge of mana instantly built up. Her body became engulfed in blue by the surge of mana, and she shot her palms forward, shooting out a ginormous beam hurtling towards Sarah. Sarah didn’t know what to do, she’s never dealt with something of this magnitude. Instant spells, mana attacks built in seconds, she has nothing up her sleeve to combat it. The oncoming blast started to shake the earth below her feet, lifting rubble into the air from the impact about to brace. Sarah screamed with pride, and exploded out her aura, and shot out her fist. Another stream of fire exploded out from her knuckles that blew back the beam. It clashed violently with the beam and pushed it back towards Mandy.

“Huh?!” Mandy gasped.

Mandy jolted to the side, letting it be sent out into the air, and fading out to the fake space. When she brought her gaze back to Sarah, she saw that magmic aura of hers which brought back memories of her father who shared a similar shape but with a different colour. Sarah ground her teeth, and lunged into the air, right into Mandy’s face. Mandy and Sarah were nose to nose, and she got the close up shot that reminded her of Abyzou staring down at her that day, reminding her of the crimson eyes that have engulfed the world into red. Mandy’s anger exploded and she exposed her own colour, a new light that had blinded, flashed the world into an ocean momentarily. This pushed Sarah away from its awesome pressure. The glow around her died down, and the colour emitting around Mandy was sad, yet beautiful. A blueish sparkling aura that sounded heavenly and she was now the only source of light in the dimension. Sarah felt that battle lust twitching, tingling her body again.

“She looks like an angel.” Sarah said.

She smiled and exploded her aura out, which darkened the world around them into a hellish vision of nature. Sarah screamed as she grew her aura taller than Mandy’s, stabbing the sky, and creating a hole in the dimension that caused a 5.0 earthquake in reality.

***

People screamed, scrammed, cars were rocking, buildings too, some collapsed, cracked, windows shattered, and the military wondered where the source of this destruction was coming from. Linnea could see the sky turn red, and upon gazing around, there far out, she saw a piece of reality break off, and an opening appeared outside the town.

“Jack, grab on.” she said.

Jack did, and Linnea began to focus her mind on that strange hole in the sky.

“What’s going on?! Why does it feel like the worlds ending!” he shouted.

Linnea can see Sarah powering up, and couldn’t believe just how strong she was.

“Unbelievable… but it’s not surprising.” she muttered.

Jack could see the sky grow more red, the sky crackled, and lightning violently shot around the area. TV's reported of the disaster around not only the town, but it began to spread across the world.

“Linnea, answer me!”

She had a clear path to it, and her eyes glowed.

“It’s your friend, hurry, grab on!”

Jack did, and the two instantly vanished.

***

Mandy’s eyes emitted a faint glow of white as she raised her fists, watching Sarah grow her power more and more as she was breaking her own reality apart. The sky roared, lightning crackled, struck the ground, everywhere, and Sarah’s hair began to change colour. Mandy waited for Sarah to make her next move.

Lets see—how much Leon has taught you. Mandy thought.

Sarah grew her power enough to simmer down, and lowered her arms to the sides, showing Mandy a glance of her strength. This actually made her shake a bit, and nervous.

“What a display of heat, and anger.” Mandy said.

Sarah took a deep breath, and held her arms to the sky.

“Hail to the guardians of the north, let it be known that my enemy is neither friend or foe, but should be smited by your crackles—your anger shall be stung into her flesh as you lay down your light… hear me!”

Mandy observed the sky above Sarah as it swirled and created a vortex of flashing clouds of electrical currents. She sprung into action, and threw a right jab to Sarah’s still face. Sarah’s eyes grew big, and she grabbed Mandy’s arm, and held it.

“Gotcha…” Sarah said.

Mandy gasped, and a small purple barrier formed around them. The vortex swirled around the barrier, and spun faster and faster. Lightning kept striking the barrier, inflicting damage to the two. They screamed, squirmed, and growled. Sarah then shouted, and placed her palm against Mandy’s stomach. An enormous explosion occurred, and the vortex reacted by creating an even more massive one. The sky was scorched in heat, as if a hydrogen bomb went off midair. The earth below became scorched, charred from the heat, and not a single piece of vegetation in the area survived the massive explosion.

***

Linnea and Jack arrived through the hole, and landed on the charred earth covered in fire. They felt aftershocks of their punches colliding from afar. They covered their faces, and at a distance, they could see a blue and red stream colliding, bouncing, and zigzagging through the air.

“This-This is madness!” Linnea shouted.

Jack smiled. “You impressed?” he said as he turned to Linnea.

Linnea also grinned. “More or less… I wasn’t doubting your friend's strength.”

“Trust me, this isn’t even her at her best.”

Linnea couldn’t believe her ears, but it made it more believable since she was the daughter of the most powerful woman in existence besides the woman with the umbrella.

“We’ll see just how good she is.” she said as they continued watching the streams pulling back.

Sarah and Mandy collided one last time, their knuckles vibrating, creating, sending shockwaves everywhere. They kept trying to budge, but neither one could, thus resulting in reality shattering for a moment with another push. They broke through the sky like glass, and reality fell to the ground, displaying themselves to the world of the two disasters. People pointed at the air, and saw them, and felt the heat of Sarah’s presence, but felt Mandy’s heavy presence too. The military aimed their weapons, but the two girls again threw another punch, breaking them back into Sarah’s world. Doing that sent cars flying, buildings collapsing, being destroyed, and people getting hurt by their force.

They exchanged blows, blocking, kicking, punching, but neither one could land one, until Sarah managed to scratch Mandy’s cheek, which made her growl. She grabbed, reeled Sarah’s arm, snapped, twirled it, and gave her a nasty side kick. Sarah gagged but regained her composure, and retaliated with a backhand to Mandy’s face. Mandy’s head turned away from her blow, and a tiny dot of crimson flew out. Mandy grit her teeth, and yelled, threw a barrage of punches to Sarah, landing all of them. She did another fancy spin kick, sending Sarah straight down to the ground, and crashing. Sarah coughed as she tried getting up, and Mandy landed where her shotgun was at. Sarah sat with her arms back, and watched as Mandy menacingly came her way.

“I’m not even finished, not even close!” Sarah shouted.

She got up, charged herself, and again, firebended. Mandy put her hand out, forming a blue transparent barrier in front. She walked through the torching flames, and Sarah kept growing the flames. She can feel her arm going numb as she continues pumping more force to the flames. Mandy jumped through, out above the flames, and aimed her gun at Sarah. Sarah twirled, and did some sort of ballerina dance that manipulated her flames, and shoving Mandy away.

“She’s a quick learner, isn’t she?” Mandy said.

She landed back on her feet, dragged on the ground, and saw Sarah pointing two of her fingers in the air. She focused, and gently lowered her finger tips, and began a dance ritual. She swept her fingertips to the ground, to the sky, then collapsed her hands together.

“Still got more in you, ey?” Mandy said, smacking her teeth.

Mandy reached into her coat, and took three shells out. One was golden, another was purple, and she felt Leon’s touch on it. This made her smile, and the last was glowing blue.

“Let's see what you can do against these.” she said as she loaded two, and chambered one.

Sarah prayed quietly to herself, and remembered her dad doing the same thing, but also saw her mother doing the same, but after her dance, she was able to shoot a stream of lightning out the tips of her fingers. Remembering the poses, her mother's' elegant dance until she shot it out, Sarah can almost feel like she’s done it before. This made her let out a sigh, and she began to repeat the dance, feeling the flow of mana in her course through her upper body and to her arms. Mandy saw blue lightning flicker out of the tips of her fingers until they were sparking around her body as she danced.

Mandy panicked, and rushed the goth girl.

“This is bad!”

Linnea can sense the same flow of energy being built up.

“We gotta stop your friend or else she will destroy the world!”

“HUH?!” Jack yelled, and quickly ran to their direction.

Sarah had lightning flowing around her as she eased the tip of her right fingertips to her face. She opened her eyes, pointed her right arm at Mandy, and shot out a stream of lightning that crackled, flickering the dimension. Mandy ground her teeth as she saw the web of light coming towards her. She aimed her shotgun at it, shot once, creating a huge explosion. She flew into the smoke, and was hit directly by the stream. She dragged backwards, and had her shotgun blocking most of the impact. She tried to think of something before it could make an impact on something.

“If it blows up now, everyone will die.” she said.

As Mandy’s feet dragged deep into the earth, she thought of something, and with struggle, leaped out of the way momentarily to jump back in the pathway. She pumped the gun, aimed it, and this time Leon’s shell was chambered.

“Please bless this shell, for it has been touched by the one I love, I bind thee, light of justice.”

Mandy shot the gun, and a light beam of purple went into the lightning, and at first only swirled around it, which made her draw seat. Until it managed to ignite it, and another mega explosion occurred. The purple stream managed to absorb most of the explosion, enough to not hurt anyone outside the dream world. At last, this gave her the opening and chance she needed. Mandy vanished with her light speed, and Sarah was too busy covering her face from the explosion. She coughed, and when she wiped the smoke away around her, Mandy appeared and she scissor kicked the goth girl down, then did a leg sweep which caused her to fall backwards.

Mandy stood next to her, and pumped her shotgun one last time, taking aim at Sarah’s petrified face. Sarah coughed and wondered if this was it as she stared down the barrel of her killer's weapon. Sarah held one arm near her face, and accepted her defeat.

“Mandy! Stop!” Linnea shouted.

Mandy’s eyes quivered, and she slowly put pressure on the trigger. Sarah was gasping repeatedly as she was bruised and covered in dirt. Mandy felt something wet near the edge of her lip, wiped her sleeve, and saw blood. She held the gun with one arm, and knit her brows. Sarah shut her eyes, and put down her arm. This angered Mandy, but not because of winning, but because of Sarah accepting her defeat to which her father would never approve of. With the gun still aimed at Sarah’s face, Linnea came to her side, and bounced her arms to her friend while Jack grabbed Sarah, and held her.

Jack pulled out his gun, and aimed it at Mandy.

“I know it’s pointless aiming a normal gun at you, but I’ll still aim it at you so long as you threaten her, you’ve gotta get through me first.”

Sarah put her hand on Jack’s gun, and eased it down, panting.

“It’s-It’s okay, Jack.”

“Ar-Are you sure?” he said, sounding concerned.

Sarah’s eyes were locked onto Mandy’s and ultimately, Mandy didn’t choose to end her life. She lowered the gun, and walked off. Sarah got out of Jack’s hold, and turned to Mandy who was in the process of leaving her dimension.

“Hey!”

Mandy stopped, “What?”

Sarah raised her hand, “let's have lunch tomorrow?”

Mandy didn’t say a word, and left. Linnea sighed and rubbed her head.

“I’m sorry about all that. If-if you’d understand our past and why we reacted the way we did, especially her, then you’d know.”

Sarah wiped her face, and turned around to the two.

“I’m sure. Regardless, I want to know everything, so I can also help out.” Sarah said.

Jack smiled, and approached his close friend.

“And I wouldn’t want anything more than that, but my pride as a man can’t allow it. Also, I promised your dad, so, still no mana.”

Linnea intervened and jumped in the middle, “too late for that now, the military’s looking for you now, and since you two were going pretty hard, surprisingly breaking through dimensions which is already ‘Wow!’ Anyways, we gotta get out of this town before those cultist freaks show up.”

Linnea walked a foot away, and clapped once. A portal opened and they could see Flint Michigan.

“We get to the next city this way, come.”

Sarah wanted to ask one more thing before leaving with Linnea.

“Linnea, who’s stronger, you, or Mandy?”

Linnea grinned, “that’s easy, my little friend is.”

Jack felt out of place, but still had something to say.

“Uh, are we forgetting about my concern here? You know why you two reacted the way you did.”

Linnea sighed. “We’ll answer that, don’t you worry.”

She turned her back to them, and took a step forward. Sarah wasn’t finished, and quickly went to her, grabbing her shoulder.

“What you felt during our little fight, did she hold back against me?”

Linnea chuckled, “Of course she did.”

Sarah expressed a satisfied yet adorable grin. She turned to Jack, and he wondered why she was smiling at him, which made him fluster. Linnea could feel her tiny hand let off her shoulder, and she looked over her shoulder to see her adorable grin.

“What?” she asked.

Sarah backed away, and turned round to Jack. “I did too.” she replied.

***

On his way home, and getting close, Leon was casually walking when military vehicles drove by him. He wondered what new ruckus occurred that had them on the run. He did sense two famalair mana spikes, but at the moment, he was glosing in his reunion with Mandy. As he was reliving that experience in his mind, three military vehicles stopped, and soldiers came out. He ignored them, and kept walking, but one tried calling him, but got no response. A sergeant walked in front of him, and Leon stopped, bringing his annoyed gaze up to the sarges face.

“Excuse us, we wanted to ask you something.”

“Out of my way, I just want to get home, and watch the game.”

“It’ll only be for a little bit.”

“Don’t care, leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m just a depressed businessman who wants nothing more than to bask in his sorrow in the comfort of his couch.”

“Come on, just—”

“Goodbye, good luck on your objective.”

Leon walked around him and went on. The sergeant looked back, and squinted his eyes, then pulled up his radio.

“I think we may have found him.”

Once he heard his radio talk back, he nodded and gestured to everyone to get back in their vehicles. They did and the burgaid drove off, but not without giving a glance to Leon as he kept his eyes forward. When all the vehicles faded out in the distance, Leon took some steps back, and stopped in front of his tiny home. He went to the front door, unlocked it, and found his wife preparing a platter of coffee.

She stopped mid motion, and with her hair over her shoulder, she brushed some of it behind her ear.

“Oh, I didn’t expect you to be home this early.” she said in a gentle tone.

Leon stepped more inside, and closed the door behind him.

“Wo-would you like to start where we left of?”

She sounded innocent, careful, yet her soothing voice made it more believable that she was genuine in this preparation. Yet Leon knew better, and he feels that this might be a trap to get him to forget their conversation and divert it to something else. He made his way into the living room and stood near the table.

“Cut the innocent act, and let's get to the meat and bones of our original conversation.”

Samantha frowned, and began to pour herself a cup of coffee and for him too. She made his all time favourite, and offered it. He looked at the offered cup, and refused, sitting down instead. She was disappointed and leaned over the table to set his cup in front. She grabbed hers and rested it on her lap, looking down.

“You may ask for your concern.” she said.

Leon furrowed his brows. “My daughter has a sensation only deemed for that of two beings in existence, that being the woman with the umbrella, and William H. Christ… but now Archard has achieved the same energy. Care to tell me why she emitted that glow, and pressure, Abyzou?”

“Samantha… don’t call me that right now, please.”

“I don’t care, just answer the question.”

Samantha sipped her coffee, and brought her eyes to her husband that loathed her presence.

“You’ll know the answer to that—very soon.”

Leon muffling chuckled, “very soon? Why not now? Time’s not on either of our side, woman.”

“I rather you see it, and for me to display it when the time is ripe. As I stated, for once, trust my word.”

Leon rubbed his head aggressively and shook it as his gaze was brought to the ground between his spread legs.

“Fuck that…” he muttered.

“Please, just this once. I swear to you, all of your suspicions, along with everyone else's will be answered in that moment I’ve dreamt of.”

Leon brought his head back up, and had a sarcastic grin.

“You’re so full of shit.”

“Leon, please. I’m… I’m begging you.”

“Huh?”

Leon could see her body gesture weakened, and she actually was genuine. This was a first and he couldn’t believe his eyes. Seeing her vulnerable, it awakened something inside of him, and there was nothing more than he wanted to do than comfort her. But given the fact that she is the embodiment of evil, he fought his emotions and kept his poker face.

“I don’t know if I can, but only this time, I’ll see where it goes. If I even find out that you’re just delaying the inevitable, then I’ll be glad to try and take your life.”

Samantha lightly grinned, and took another sip.

“Furthermore, I’d like to add on how my daughter was created. Or is that something I’ll find out too on this ‘very soon’ answer?”

Samantha nodded and sat silently, staring down at her cup of coffee. Leon brought his pupils to the cup, and couldn’t resist. He grabbed it, and drank some, and it made him feel fuzzy inside.

“It-It can’t… be?”

He slowly brought the cup of coffee down, and hovered it near his jaw. He watched the changing colours, the steam going into his nostrils, reminding him of the gentle yet chaotic past.

“It’s exactly the way I love it, for real this time.” he muttered.

He gently lowered the cup further down, and saw Samantha staring at him, and it reminded him of their second coffee date. His brain rewinded time, and flashed that scene the aruoma reminded him of.

It was a nice afternoon, the air was chilly, the two were making their way to the cafeteria and got two black coffees along with a whole assement of condiments. They walked to an outside seating area, and placed everything down. Witches, transferred espers looked at them, and couldn’t believe their eyes. They whispered, some thought it was impossible to tame a beast like Leon, while others thought it was impossible to go out with the most beautiful woman in the world. Despite the quiet gossip, people congratulated them in silence, many envied both, and others despised seeing this wholesome sight.

As the two were arranging their assortment of condiments, Samantha was the first to make hers, and offered Leon a taste.

“Here, I think you might like it. I poured four sugar cubes, a dash of this creamer my guardian imports from Norway, and a smidge of cocoa.”

Seeing her movements as she explained and demonstrated each condiment made Leon lightly grin.

“Sure, give it here.”

She handed him his cup, and he took a sip. He smacked his lips, and gave it back to her.

“Not bad, but I think mine will top yours.”

“Oh? Alright then shy guy, show me whatcha got? Hehe.”

Leon poured two sugar cubes, his own packets of creamer, a hint of milk, a tiny drop of cocoa, and one more cube to finish it. Afterwards he pinched a secret sweetener. Seeing him create his magic made Samantha’s eyes bright up. Leon mixed it all up, and handed it first to her.

“You take the first sip, and you let me know if it's’ up to your standards.”

Samantha gave him a sassy head wobble, grinning and took the first sip. Her eyes exploded with taste and satisfaction.

“Oh my god, that’s good! But you did wrong by handing me your drink.”

“Why’s that?”

She smacked her lips, and took another sip.

“It’s mine now, honey.”

Leon lightly chuckled. “You can have it. I don’t mind drinking yours. As long as you're satisf—I mean whatever, it’s yours.”

Seeing him revert back to his shy tough guy personality made her giggle. Seeing his crush enjoy his creation made him blush, and smile. She shivered and got up, sitting next to him to lean herself on himvto share their warmth. He didn’t know how to react, but allowed it. Her scent was captivating despite the cold air around them. He couldn’t contain himself, and put his arm around her tiny shoulders as she drank his coffee.

She then stopped, and jammed it at his lips.

“Drink some too, you’ll freeze to death silly.”

He did, and tasted not only the coffee, but her lips too. He couldn't contain his smile and held her tightly. She also had a big smile and embellished the moment.

“You know, Leon, I was a little hesitant that you were willing to go on a second date with me.”

“Mm, why’s that?”

She brought her eyes up to him, and he got to take a fantastic look at her unique crimson eyes.

“Because I thought you’d cower away and would be scared of me like so many whom I rejected.”

Leon eased in towards her face. Their chilled breaths showed their relaxed breathing, their comfort, and Leon for once expressed a smile she thought she’d never see from a guy like him.

“Why would I be scared of someone that I adore?”

His answer made her face turn red, and giggle. They nudged each other's noses, and she put her hands on his face as the two kept expressing their joy and presence.

Remembering that day made Leon lightly grit his teeth, crush his eyelids shut for a moment. Leon put the mug down, and appeared angry, yet sad.

“You really are… a Witch,” he said.

Samantha put her coffee down as well.

“I-I didn’t mean harm when I made it again. I just wanted to show that I still cared.”

Leon abruptly stood up, and jammed his finger in her direction.

“Still cared, still cared?! Twenty fucking years of torment from you, and now you want to suddenly show that you still care?!”

He ground his teeth, and dropped his hand.

“If you really actually cared… then you’d free me of our contract, and set me free.”

Samantha shook her head. “I can’t do that.”

“Point proven…” Leon said, and began to walk out until Samantha slammed her palms on the table.

He paused, and clenched a fist, ready for his final battle. She had her teeth grit, and appeared to be fighting her emotions. Once she settled down, she turned to him.

“What if I did? Then what? You’ll find another woman?”

Leon didn’t reply, and unclenched his fist.

“Why would you care about that when you never loved me in the first place.”

Samantha quietly gasped, and her eyes grew wide.

“Huh?”

Leon turned around to face her, and she could see a tear forming at the edge of one of his eyes.

“Compared to you… I at least did. I loved you with all my heart, and gave you my all. And what did you do? You broke me, and turned me into the depressed man that I am today.”

Leon wiped his eye, and frowned while taking a breath.

“Even if you wanted to change that, though I doubt you’ll ever change, it’s too late.”

Samantha’s eyes shook, and she held her chest.

“Nothing will ever convince me to ever love you again. To a man, there’s nothing worse than not only using him, believing you loved him, but knowing you fooled him, and shattered his heart. That is the worst a man can experience in life, and that’s a broken heart, Samantha, Abyzou, whatever you are!”

Samantha took a step towards him, and her eyes began to glisten.

“And yes, I would find another woman that not only loves me, but actually gives a damn to what I have to say and do for the family he protects.”

“No…” she murmured.

“And I think I already found one.”

“No.” she said.

“Because after tomorrow, if you do choose to kill me, I don’t care because Samantha—!”

“Leon!”

“I’m—leaving you!”

Samantha leaped to him, and clung on, and Leon trembled with fear and anger. His eyes were so wide and his teeth were so ground he thought he was about to have a mental breakdown until he heard a soft whimper coming from her. This calmed him down despite his hatred towards her.

“Please… don’t leave me.” she muttered. “Please.”

Leon fought his tears, and stayed strong, pulling her off of him. He had her arms in his clutch, and she had her head down. In over twenty years, he had not grabbed her this much. He kept his calm poker face, and gently let go.

“Goodbye, Samantha.”

Leon began to walk away, until he felt something sprung out of him that dropped him to his knees. He gagged, and coughed, getting on all fours, and felt his sadness being lifted off his shoulders. He couldn’t believe it, and realised what just happened.

“I’ve been freed?” he murmured.

He couldn’t contain his happiness, and brokenly chuckled for a moment. He got up, and turned to Samantha who was looking at him with a gentle broken smile. Her eyes were watery, and she held one of her arms.

“I guess it can’t be helped. But could we at least have one last moment together, and then we can go our separate ways.”

“I-I don’t understand… why’d you free me without taking my life as you said.”

Samantha gave a look that would swoon any man into a state of love and transparency. This made his heart beat faster and nervously waited for her response.

“I did it for Sarah and it isn’t fair to do that to someone who’s related to my precious child.”

Leon couldn’t contain a tear and let it slip out.

“You do your part to take care of her. But I thank you for being in her presence for the past eighteen years. From here on out, just support her as she grows more into a beautiful woman.”

Leon covered his eyes with his sleeve for a moment, and wiped his eyes.

“I was going to do that regardless without your consent,” he replied.

Samantha giggled, and expressed an adoring smile towards him.

“Let's have a picnic tomorrow, and then you can move on with your life, h-o-n-e-y.”

Leon smacked his gums, and nodded, and left without saying another word. He went upstairs and proceeded to start packing. Meanwhile, downstairs, Samantha was still standing in her same spot, smiling. Then, her smile turned upside down, and her eyes flooded. She collapsed to her knees, and covered her face, dropping her head on the ground and crying silently. Once she had finished letting out her emotions, she eerily raised her head, and as the tears flowed down her face, again, her eyes changed back to crimson.

A deep wrinkled had formed between her eyes, and her tears began to change to blood. Her heart ached, her soul felt broken, and there was only one person to blame for all this in her raging mind.

“No one will take you from me, Leon, and ruin my dream, my—family!"

Abyzou sunk her eyes and her hair began to float and flickered from black to red.

"And Mandy, I’ll be seeing you soon, you wretched whore.”