The fire flames crackled as they consumed the fragrant leaves of Rosemary. Hagatha’s fingers toyed with the red flames of magic that danced through them. She was completely focused on her spells.
“Brennus!” she called out, summoning him. He flew over, handing her the exact potion needed to complete her incantation.
A droplet of the potion fell into the fire. The flames spiraled wildly, with an explosion in the air. A triangular shape with eyes in it began to take form within the fire. A devilish visage was etched into its sockets.
“I knew it!” She muttered, irritation flashing by the centurial mark set in the air.
“I need to leave again. This place was such a good hideout. Why can’t they just stop hunting me?” She grumbled, hastily stowing her potions into an old weathered suitcase.
A crow with crimson feathers landed at her window with a message clasped in his mouth. She stared at it, recognizing the devil mother’s crow. She remembered it vividly—how could she forget her own mother?
With slow, deliberate steps, she approached the window and took the note from the crow. He flew off immediately after she took the note. She looked around, letting out a heavy sigh.
She opened the note. “I’ll keep pursuing you until there’s no place left for you to hide. That is, unless someone else finds you first.”
The note ended with a clear warning. She rolled her eyes. “No one but the devil mother can touch me.” She left her coven to rise above even the devil mother.
She craved invincibility. She wanted to dominate the world by eradicating each and every other creature —werewolves, vampires, all of them—that lay beneath the realms of hell.
But to achieve her dream, she would need to defeat The supreme devil mother.
“And for that, I need Ashlee,” Hagatha whispered, aware Ashlee is the key to her power. Only Ashlee could either stop her or give her what she craved.
The Azure Coven had been searching for Hagatha for decades. They never cared that she didn’t want to be one of them, by following their rules and restrictions. Since the day she left, everything was quiet until one day news of drought and massacres arose in the nearby regions.
It was confirmed that Hagatha had begun to practice forbidden magic to fuel her rage against every living being but her. The devil mother who taught her magic and raised her by her own hands felt utterly ashamed.
She swore an oath by Lilith, the mother of hell, that she would stop Hagatha and her malevolent practices, then restore the world to its original order.
“Mother, she’s gone.” One of her disciples arrived, out of breath after searching the wretched home of Hagatha. There was no sign of her remaining. She had erased every trace before running away.
“Don’t worry, my child. A criminal always leaves a tiny bit of evidence behind.” The devil mother replied, gazing at the wet woods where Hagatha had cast her spell to see who was pursuing her.
“But what can we even find in that? Isn’t it all just burnt wood now?” the disciple asked, frowning in confusion.
“You are still young.” The devil mother said, raising the woods in the air by her own magical powers. She closed her eyes and whispered,
“Fateor!” She shouted after murmuring in an undefined language.
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The wood began dripping a green, jelly-like liquid. The potion pooled on the ground, creating a map of a forest and an old tree.
“What does this mean?” the disciple asked, examining the image but unable to understand.
“We can find our dear Hagatha in that place.” The devil mother smiled softly, her red-furred crow calmly perched on her shoulder, cawing in agreement as though he had already traced Hagatha’s path.
“Good job, Sicius.” The devil mother praised him. He blinked in response, showing his gratitude.
They walked through the forest and stopped before a mansion. The werewolf mansion. The devil mother’s eyes swept over the werewolves and came to rest on a fair girl.
Mother could guess they were training for difficult times, but she was intrigued by the fair girl training with the Alpha. She knew Kyle and his family well.
“Who is that girl?” She asked one of the young witches she brought with her.
“She is known as Alpha Kyle’s mate,” one of her long-serving witches responded.
“His mate?” The devil mother frowned slightly. She sensed something wasn’t right.
“What is it, mother?” a young disciple asked, stepping forward.
“We’ll need to pay a visit to Warbiters.” The devil mother said, wanting to confirm her suspicions.
“What about Hagatha?” the witch asked.
“Perhaps, we’ll find a reason she hasn’t left the forest here.” The devil mother replied calmly, moving toward the mansion gates.
She cast an invisible veil as they moved, silently confirming her suspicions. Everyone watched her intently, eager to learn from her.
“Hmm..” The devil mother murmured, gazing into the sky. She caught a faint trace of a spell cast over this place.
“We’ll definitely discover something.” She added and stepped inside the mansion. The guards didn’t stop her. Everyone knew her except for Ashlee.
“I’m a lot stronger, but I’ll go easy on you.” Ashlee joked, tickling Kyle. He chuckled, attempting to grab her arms.
“What a pleasant day, isn’t it?” The devil mother spoke from behind, smiling gently. Her crow rested on her shoulder. Her attire looked unusual yet similar to that of her disciples.
“Devil mother.” Kyle breathed, surprised by her presence.
“I hope my unexpected visit hasn’t troubled you.” She said, her smile never wavering.
“No, of course not. Why would you think that?” he said, immediately assuring.
Ashlee stood beside him, her eyes wide, as she took in the intimidating witches around her. She tugged nervously at Kyle’s shirt.
“I heard you’ve found a mate.” The devil mother continued, stepping closer to Ashlee. Ashlee took a sudden step back, startled.
“Yeah. This is my mate, Ashlee.” Kyle placed a reassuring hand on her shoulders.
“She is such a beautiful soul.” The devil mother looked into Ashlee’s eyes. Ashlee swallowed, gripping Kyle’s shirt tighter.
“Uh.. hello.” She stammered, greeting the devil mother.
“Her eyes are striking.” The devil mother’s smile faded as she studied Ashlee. She stepped back abruptly.
“What? What’s wrong?” Kyle asked, worried that they had offended her.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Let me place my hand on your head.” The devil mother immediately wanted to reveal that Ashlee wasn’t truly Kyle’s mate.
Cassandra entered suddenly, bowing deeply to the devil mother.
“Greetings to you as well, my child.” She acknowledged Cassandra with a polite nod.
“I see you have already met Kyle’s mate.” Cassandra grinned, visibly excited to hear the mother’s blessing for Kyle and Ashlee.
“Yes, I am acquainted with this young child.” The mother’s smile softened slightly as she glanced at Ashlee.
Kyle sensed something off, as did Ashlee. But Ashlee was overwhelmed with curiosity about this mysterious group. She held back the urge to ask a flurry of questions.
“She is a witch,” Kyle explained, noticing Ashlee’s confusion. Once Cassandra led them inside for refreshments, he clarified.
“A… what?” Ashlee’s eyes almost popped out. “I always thought they were non-existent. I can’t believe I just met a witch. A real witch. God, this is huge.” She jumped up hearing that with excitement.
“Wait a moment.” Kyle narrowed his eyes at her, “You can easily believe the words for a witch but not Alphas and werewolves?”
“Obviously, because they don’t turn into stupid big ass animals. On the plus side, they don’t name themselves as radioactive material.” Ashlee folded her arms, forming a thin smile on her face.
“Mother, how did you like our Luna?” Cassandra was so excited that she even rested on the floor, near the devil mother’s feet.
Mother sighed, “Do you want to hear the truth?” She asked, implying the warnings for Cassandra to cautiously think about her answer. Cassandra nodded without taking the hint.
“This fair child…” Mother sensed the worried look on everyone’s face. She knew one day the secret would be disclosed but maybe today is not the day, “She can be the vital core for the succession of Warbiters or she can be the pure misery of the whole underworld.”
Gasps filled her ears. The heartbeats were raised with suspicion and worry.
“But the choice lies within her.” She ended by setting her eyes on Ashlee.