Brekan and Vikona followed the path down on the side of the mountain. The flowers and herbs the Inquisitor could find on the sides were like no plant he had ever seen before. Not only did they look sickly and void of any color any than shades of gray and a lot of black, but they also had forms he never saw before. Some of them had four stems that all reached a single blossom. Some of the bushes had branches that seemed to strangle each other. The gras coming out between the rocks at his feet split into three or five tips with hard edges. What he also found were more of those glowing plants like in the old city.
“Where is this place”, Brekan asked looking at the sky.
“I’m not quite sure”, Vikona said. “I have obviously never been here, but I heard this is the Witch Realm. A lonely island in a dark Ocean deep within the earth. Only Witches and their consorts are allowed here. No normal cultist.”
“Consorts”, Brekan repeated and looked a Vikona which couldn’t hide a her grin. He ignored it and asked: “That means we will only ever meet Witches here?”
“Well,” the Witch answered, “judging by the vegetation, maybe some wild animals? Maybe Witch Beasts? I don’t know.”
No wonder the agents couldn’t eradicate the Witches, Brekan thought, I doubt they even know that this place exists.
Their path took them through a desolate thicket of thorn-covered vines that seemed to writhe and reach for them as they passed. Brekan used his Witch Power to create a protective barrier around them, preventing the menacing vines from piercing their flesh. The thick, noxious clouds of gray pollen that emanated from the thorns filled the air, making every breath a struggle. Brekan noted mentally that they were able to pass his barrier. Confirming that it was not impenetrable.
Further along the path, they encountered a series of chasms that seemed to stretch endlessly into the earth. Each gap was bridged by narrow stone walkways that wobbled and shifted with each step. The chasms below were filled with swirling, fiery mists that rose like ghostly tendrils, threatening to envelop anyone who lost their footing.
Brekan led the way, using his balance and agility to navigate the precarious bridges. Vikona followed closely, her eyes fixed on his every move. With each step, they could smell the alluring sweetness rising from below, and the mists seemed to whisper haunting secrets.
They reached a small mesa. All over it statues were scattered across the gras.
“Is this another Trial”, Brekan asked. He was prepared for the worst and already expected for the Statues to come alive. As he got closer he could already see, that they were meant to represent different animals. The biggest in the middle of the Mesa was a big bird.
“This is the Trial of Transformation”, Vikona said. You have seen how the Witch turned into a swarm of birds right? Some of them are able to transform.”
Brekan drew his sword and looked at her. “Well… I’m ready.”
Vikona nodded and approached the first statue. It was a sitting cat. The stone it was made out of was overgrown with weeds and moss. Rain and wind made it look very weathered and old.
Vikona said: “I am trying to transform now. If I can’t do it, it will try to kill me.”
Brekan lifted his sword and looked at it. Never was he let down by it in his work as Inquisitor. But this was not the job for an Inquisitor. Not anymore. He let the blade fall out of his hand. Tip first. It stuck itself into the grass and stood there.
This blade will no longer strike for me, he thought. The enemies I am now facing can’t be struck down with simple swords anymore.
Without the weapon of the Inquisitors he felt a little relieved. It felt like a part of his past peeled off of his mind.
Brekan watched as Vikona sat down in front of the statue. It had the shape of a sitting big cat, and moss with blue glowing pearls grew on top of it. Rain and wind had weathered it, making it appear ancient and enigmatic.
Brekan stood a few paces away, his gaze locked on Vikona. The wind swirled around her, rustling her brown hair as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Brekan couldn't help but admire her bravery. She was about to attempt the Trial of Transformation, an ordeal that might lead to her demise if she failed.
The world around them fell silent, and for the first time in a long while, Brekan felt a sense of freedom from the burdens of his past. No laws, no rules, and no obligations weighed on his mind, at least in this singular moment.
However, the tranquility was abruptly shattered by a feline hiss that sent a shiver down Brekan's spine. He snapped back to reality, his senses on high alert. From the shadow of the statue crawled a fearsome creature made of solidified darkness. It wasn't a mere cat but a Witch Beast, composed of spiky black energy with piercing red eyes.
The beast locked onto Vikona, its predatory instincts taking over. With astonishing agility, it lunged at her. Brekan, driven by instinct and determination, was faster. He interposed himself between the beast and the witch, delivering a powerful punch that sent the creature sprawling into the statue, causing it to topple over.
The Witch Beast swiftly regained its footing, emitting a menacing hiss that seemed to echo through the desolate landscape. Brekan adopted a fighting stance, ready to grapple with the formidable foe. But instead of attacking him again, the creature turned its attention to another statue, leaping into its shadow and disappearing from view.
Vikona's voice reached Brekan, breaking the eerie silence. "Your shadow! It's in the shadow!"
Brekan scanned the ground and saw a pair of glowing red eyes staring back at him from the shadow of a nearby rock. The Witch Beast had become a part of the darkness, and it wasn't going to make this battle easy.
Brekan tightened his focus and summoned his Witch Power, willing the orange energy to envelop him. He formed a blade of pure energy in his hand, the energy crackling and humming with power. The Witch Beast launched itself from the shadow, teeth bared and claws extended.
Brekan swung the energy blade with precision, meeting the beast head-on. It collided with the blade, its form momentarily merging with the fiery orange aura.
Brekan gritted his teeth, pouring all his energy into the blade as he pushed back against the relentless force of the Witch Beast. He could feel the creature's malevolent intent, its desire to consume his Witch Power and extinguish his life.
With a surge of willpower, he unleashed a burst of energy, exploding its form into the air. It let out a spine-chilling wail before vanishing.
Brekan lowered the energy blade. He glanced at Vikona, her expression a mix of awe and admiration. "Let's continue," he said, conviction burning in his soul.
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Vikona didn't hesitate as she moved toward the next statue, which featured two menacing canine Witch Beasts. They bore a striking resemblance to the ones Brekan had encountered in the ruined city. Back then, he hadn't anticipated having to confront and kill these creatures, let alone two of them simultaneously.
“Wait a moment,” Brekan said. "Are you sure about this?" he asked. "I mean, what if you can't awaken your power? What if we have to face all of these creatures?" He made a gesture towards all the other statues over the mesa.
Vikona turned to face him. "I have to try," she said. "This is the only way to become a Witch."
Brekan knew she was right, but he couldn't help but worry. He had already experienced the power of the Witch Beasts firsthand, killing the feline one, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to handle whatever Beast came next all on his own. He was an Inquisitor, not an Agent or Templar, even with his new power.
"But what if you can't?" he persisted. "What if I'm not strong enough to protect you?"
She came back over and placed her hand on his arm.“I believe in you," she said. "And even if you can't protect me, I'll have to protect myself. Or die trying, as is the way of the Witch Trial."
"All right," he said. "I'll protect you."
Vikona smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I know I can count on you."
She turned back to the statues and started walking up to them. Brekan still felt a knot of dread in his stomach, but he knew that he had to be strong for Vikona. He had to help her awaken her power and become a witch, so he could get closer to the Witch Queen and kill her.
As he watched her walk over, Brekan thought about what Vikona had said. If the trials were easy, only bad witches would make it. That meant that he was up for the challenge. He was strong, and he was good. He would defeat the Witch Beasts, no matter what.
Brekan took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He was ready for whatever came next.
This time, there was no eerie awakening; the Witch Beasts emerged from their stone prisons without warning. Brekan's instincts immediately told him that this battle would be far more formidable if he hoped to protect Vikona. With two agile adversaries to contend with, he needed a plan. He had learned how to strategize and deal with threats during his training as an Inquisitor, but it had primarily involved human opponents. The stakes were now higher.
As he pondered the possibilities, an idea began to form. Could his Witch Power extend this far? Brekan wasn't certain, but he decided to try. He placed his hand on Vikona's shoulder, allowing some of his energy to flow over her body.
The two wolves circled Brekan and Vikona, their eyes glowing red in the darkness. Brekan could feel their hot breath on his skin. He knew he had to be quick and decisive.
The first wolf lunged, its jaws snapping at Brekan's throat. Brekan dodged just in time, and the wolf's teeth sank into the air. He swung his energy blade at the wolf, but the creature intercepted it with its powerful jaws.
The second shadow wolf leaped at Brekan, tackling him to the ground. Brekan rolled over, trying to shake it off, but the wolf held on tight. He could feel its sharp teeth digging into his shoulder.
When the second wolf landed, it began to violently shake Brekan back and forth. Determined to fend off the assault, the Inquisitor clawed at the wolf's head, attempting to inflict any damage or halt the relentless attack. Before significant harm could be done, the beast flung him away.
Brekan rolled across the grass before coming to a stop. As he struggled to regain his bearings, he forced his blurred and spinning vision to focus on the statue of the wolf. He hoped to see if his protection for Vikona had held, but his disoriented state made it impossible to discern anything clearly.
Brekan's heavy breathing filled the air, and he knew that losing consciousness at this moment would be disastrous. He battled against his trembling legs and the sudden wave of nausea that washed over him as he struggled to his feet.
Glancing toward the two wolves, who were occupied with biting down on Vikona, he called out, "Vikona, I hope it worked."
However, he couldn't risk approaching her just yet. The danger of being grabbed and shaken again was all too real, and he couldn't afford to lose consciousness now. He needed to believe that if his plan for Vikona had succeeded.
Brekan extended his finger toward one of the wolves and summoned his energy. A small energy ball shot forth, as swift as an arrow, and found its mark in the chest of the Witch Beast. The creature let out a yowl and fell to its side, incapacitated.
The other wolf, witnessing its companion's distress, charged toward Brekan. In response, he shot another energy ball, this time straight through the wolf's head. The beast collapsed in mid-leap, vanishing into the shadows.
Without hesitation, Brekan rushed to Vikona's side, finding her on the ground with her hands protectively over her head, surrounded by an orange energy aura. His hand lightly touched her head, allowing the orange energy to flow back into him, replenishing his strength. Because of this, it became apparent to him, that this power had limitations.
Vikona gazed up at him, her curiosity overshadowing any fear. "You did it again," she noted.
Brekan sighed, exhaustion washing over him. "Do we really have to do this for every statue?" he asked, glancing across the mesa at the remaining statues.
Vikona nodded solemnly. "Without awakening my power, I won't consider myself worthy to face the Witch Queen. And I'm not sure she would even allow me."
Brekan blew out a heavy breath. "At least give me a break."
As he stood amidst the statues, fatigue settled over him, reinforcing the realization that his journey through the Witch Realm would be fraught with challenge and pain.
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The next statue Vikona tackled was the one of a bunny with a horn on its forehead.
It looks almost cute, Brekan thought while looking at it. He had never seen a bunny like it. The ones he knew from the books of his childhood all had the typical back crest and ears with blue tips.
The statue depicted the animal mid jump, its body extended. Brekan thought about what to expect. It would probably jump at him and run around. He thought about how to handle it. Shoot it, he concluded.
Again he gave some of the energy to Vikona to protect her and prepared himself when she sat down.
Brekan realized it started when Vikona was thrown to her side with a surprised scream. He saw a small shadow rush over the gras. It blitzed at him and dodged a shot he aimed at it. It crashed on his chest with power. The strength surprised Brekan and made him fall backwards. Even with his shield it felt like an actual hit and punched the air out of his lungs. Before he could get up again it banged into his head. For a moment Brekan saw black. This time he rushed up as fast as he could aiming at the bunny Witch Beast and shot. But he missed again. He blocked the next attack with his arm, but still felt the impact and pain. He tried to grab it but, again, it was too nimble. Brekan had to parry more attacks which all hurt him. He tried to slash at it with an energy sword but it was still too slow. He formed an energy shield in the form of a real shield like soldiers were using it. At least that mitigated some of the damage. He hoped maybe the Witch Beast would get tired, but it didn’t. It whizzed all over the mesa, not bound by any shackles or confinement.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
I just have to make one, Brekan thought while blocking another leap. From the middle of his shield he shot another energy ball. But he didn’t aim at the Witch beast. It got stuck in the grass and turned into an energy pole. When the bunny attacked from another side he did it again. After a few attacks Brekan was surrounded by those small pillars. Then he created a last one from his feet. He stepped back and it grew above his head. Slightly bigger than the other ones.
And then the time came. The bunny attacked him and at once the energy pillars connected to each other and turned into a closed wall. At the same time their roofs grew to the middle pillar and sealed the enclosure off.
The Witch Beast realized what had happened and rammed into one of the walls. Then into another. Brekan backed up, not leaving the Beast out of sight, until he stepped backward through his wall into the outside.
Brekan noticed the Beast got visibly angry, jumping from wall to wall and the roof.
Brekan started shrinking the energy prison. He watched as the Witch Beast increased its attacks, but still couldn’t get out. When it got too tight to run around it sat in the middle and looked at him. Then, from the walls around it, blades grew. Brekan didn’t hesitate. He let the energy swords shoot forward and impaled the Witch Beast. It turned to shadow and disappeared.
“You are getting quite proficient”, Vikona said.
Brekan nodded. While the powers might have been something new and unusual, he was still a trained warrior and fighter. He went through elite practices and routines at the Inquisitor academy. For mental and physical mastery. But of course he couldn’t tell Vikona. “Maybe I have a talent for it”, he said.
But they were still not done. There were three statues left. The next one was a big, fat rat.
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Time to get my feet bitten off, he thought. “Do you think you will pass the Trial of any of those animals?”
Vikona looked at him and said: “I hope so.”
Brekan could hear the doubt in her voice and read it in her eyes. As soon as Vikona sat down, Brekan could hear the rumble. Out of the earth, everywhere around him, burrowed countless rats. The whole mesa seemed to become alive.
Vikona jumped up and climbed upon the rat statue. “I really hate rats”, she said.
“Then why even try to transform into one”, Brekan shouted.
But there was no time for her to answer.
The swarm scurried at him. He shot some and he slashed some but their numbers were too great. They hissed and bit and climbed up his energy barrier. He grew blades out of it and killed several rats with it, but they were promptly replaced by others. He created whips in his hands and spiraled around, throwing several of them off. But again, new ones took the dead ones place.
Brekan tried it with energy beacons again, although not to trap them. He knew it was just too many. Instead he let the pillars explode, killing hundreds of the Witch Beasts in the process. But it was still not enough.
Too many, Brekan thought. He had an idea at how he could certainly kill most of them but it would leave him powerless. It would also mean leaving him and Vikona unprotected afterwards. Additionally, Brekan didn’t know how long it would take to regenerate. He was new to this power. And while for the moment his barrier protected them, he also didn’t know for how long he would be able to keep it up. At one point they were going to get to them.
Brekan thought back to the rabbit. An idea popped into his head. It required a high amount of focus but it could work. Between his hands he concentrated a huge amount of his energy. He felt the shield around him becoming thinner and it shrank tighter around his body. He could even feel the crawling of the vermin on his skin. A lot of them tried to bite him and he sensed their teeth, but still none of them could penetrate.
Brekan hoped it was enough and flipped the energy ball high into the air above him. He let it explode. As he envisioned it, an innumerable amount of tiny energy needles rained down at the mesa and impaled the rats.
It became silent over the field of dead vermin. Brekan called all the energy back to him. In thin strings dancing through the air, it returned.
Some of the surviving rats rushed at him but he smashed them with an energy hammer.
A proud smile appeared on his lips for a moment.
“Two statues left,” Vikona said. “Then it’s over.”
Brekan was sure it wasn’t. He looked over to the palace in the distance. Far from it.
“Go on then”, he said.
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They moved up to the one depicting a boar, armored with plates over his body like a tortoise. Despite its tusks it also had bowed horns protruding from the sides of its head.
Brekan knew how hunters kill boars. With spears and lances. So maybe that would be his best bet.
The boar appeared without a big racket, right beside the statue. It immediately focused its gaze on Brekan. The Beast snorted and puffed and charged at him. Brekan thrusted his energy spear at its face but it didn’t penetrate. Instead Brekan was rammed by the skull and dragged along until he slid off and got trampled over. He levered himself up with his spear and saw the boar turn around. It eyed him again with its glowing eyes, before starting another charge. This time Brekan jumped on its head and leaped on the back of the Witch Beast. Again he tried to penetrate the boar. This time between the plates. But to his surprise even the skin was too thick.
Brekan began to slide as the boar started to roll on its back. The Inquisitor used the momentum and jumped far enough ahead to not be crushed beneath this meat colossus.
Well it’s not quite as easy as the hunters had it, he thought. He also remembered that the hunters usually hunt boars on Quiwenback, and not by foot.
While the boar got back up on his feet, Brekan formed his energy into that of a Quiven with him as the rider. The elegant mount with its two long horns slowly moved forward. It had no will and every movement was controlled by Brekan.
While the situation was clearly dangerous, Brekan was also a bit excited. He was surprised at what he could do with this Witch Power.
Brekan started to accelerate at the charging boar. Before it came to the impact he turned to the side and avoided a head on clash. While he rode he noticed that, if the boar didn’t run in a straight line, it had problems with its freedom of movement.
The Witch Beast turned clumsily and then charged again.
Brekan used his energy Quiven to avoid again. He turned around on the spot and charged against the flank of the boar with full speed. The hide was still thick but this time the tip of his lance penetrated. And that’s all he needed. He channeled more of his Power into the opening and turned his spear into roots inside the body of the Witch Beast. They drilled their way through its body until it slumped dead to the ground. It vanished into black dust, just like the others.
“Another one slain”, he said and looked for Vikona who smiled.
“Only one left,” the Witch added, looking at the biggest statue. The one of a big bird.
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Brekan's gaze wandered to the last Witch Beast statue. It was bigger than all the others, with broken feathers on its spread black wings and clumps of grass and moss growing out of its wide-open beak. The furrows in the stone were deeper, and a big crack ran up its chest to its throat.
Brekan got off his energy Quiven and waited for Vikona to join him in front of the statue.
“This is it then”, he asked.
"Yes," Vikona said. "This is the Dark Phoenix. It's actually one of the Witch Queen's powers and unique to her. No one else before or after was able to use this transformation."
“And you want to try anyway”, Brekan asked.
Vikona looked at him. "Everyone has to. There might be another one someday."
"Give me a moment to summon a plan in my mind," Brekan said, sitting down. He recalled the time in the Thorian Knot when one of the cultists turned into a bird monster. Now it makes sense, he thought. The reason the cultist spewed black fire at him.
But it contradicted what Vikona just said. That the Witch Queen was the only one who could transform into the phoenix. The same with the cultist attack on the Square of Heroes. And the witch in the cultist hideout also used birds.
That meant Brekan knew the phoenix could spit fire. And it could also fly, because of course it was obviously a bird.
I will need a shield, he thought. Maybe use the statues as cover if my barrier should fail me. I could try to shoot it out of the air. Use the needle tactic or try to trap it like the bunny. What if I could fly? If I could make myself a mount, why not turn myself into a bird?
Brekan grew some energy wings and started to flap. Slowly at first, then faster he ascended. He was surprised at how easy it was. From up there he could see more of the island. Behind the mountain with the Trial of Fire on top was a lagoon with purple sand, which led into a plain with soft hills. Brekan turned his head and looked at the palace again. If he wanted, he could just fly there. Right now.
He slowly sank back to the bottom and landed beside Vikona. "I'm ready," Brekan said.
The witch sat down and started meditating. Brekan looked around and up into the sky, waiting for the Dark Phoenix to strike. But it didn't come the way he expected.
At first he saw the darkness from the corner of his eye. As he looked, he saw black smoke wafting around Vikona.
Is she doing it? he wondered.
Brekan stepped back and watched as the witch's body changed. He saw feathers grow out of her arms and a beak protrude from her face. Suddenly, she screamed and held her head.
"Vikona", Brekan shouted.
The Dark Phoenix peeled itself off of her and floated above the Witch. It rose into the sky with rhythmic wing strokes that caused gusts of wind to rush over the mesa.
Its burning ruby eyes locked onto Brekan. Then, it opened its beak and breathed black fire down at him.
Brekan focused his energy, creating a protective shield before him. As the Dark Phoenix unleashed its black fire, the shield held for a moment before Brekan's vision blurred with strain. He watched in growing alarm as the fire consumed his protective barrier. It was as if the flames were not just fire but a relentless force that erased his energy.
He tried to send more power into the shield, but the pressure increased, and the fire condensed into a searing beam. Brekan gritted his teeth, feeling his arm tremble under the tremendous heat. His energy seemed to wither away with each passing second.
He saw every layer of his energy dissipate like leaves in a firestorm. The weakening shield struggled to hold back the torrential assault of the Phoenix's fire. Brekan desperately sent more energy to replace what was lost, but it was a losing battle.
Brekan recalled his energy and grabbed Vikona's hand. "Let's go," he said, pulling her behind the statue of the phoenix.
"What's wrong?" Vikona asked.
"My power is useless," Brekan said, his mood grim. "The black fire burns away my energy."
The fire stopped, and Brekan peeked out from behind the statue. The phoenix stared down at him with its burning ruby eyes.
"Stay here," Brekan said to Vikona. He mounted a Quiven and started galloping over the mesa, the black bird raining fire down upon him. With the Quiven's superior speed, Brekan was able to dodge the flames.
He contemplated flying up to fight the phoenix, but he didn't want to plummet to his death if the fire caught him and burned away his wings.
His reach down here might be limited, but he was safer.
Brekan decided to shoot at the phoenix, but his energy balls just evaporated in the fire burning on its body. He was sure any other form of his Witch Power would also burn away as soon as it touched the Witch Beast. It seemed like the Dark Phoenix had even less of a body than other Witch Beasts.
The phoenix is pure black fire, Brekan thought.
He dismounted and stopped moving. He whispered: “Well if it’s like this, then let’s see who has more staying power.”
Brekan dismounted and came to a halt. He raised his right arm and formed a small protective shield. The Witch Beast didn't wait and unleashed a torrent of black fire. Brekan blocked, but his shield flickered under the pressure.
"Well, if it's like this, then let's see who has more staying power," he whispered.
If this doesn’t work, I’m gonna burn alive, he thought. The heat was intense, but Brekan held firm. He channeled all his energy into the shield, knowing that if it failed, he would be consumed by the black flames.
Brekan grounded himself, kneeling on one leg now. His blocking arm started to shake from weakness. When he caught a glimpse of his enemy through the flames, he saw the creature dripping. Its body was disintegrating slowly, putting all its energy into the black fire.
“Keep going”, shouted Vikona.
With a final surge of determination, he opened his eyes and felt an unexpected rush of energy. It surged from his fingertips and pierced the chest of the Dark Phoenix. The bird staggered and swayed, its fire uncontrollable and chaotic.
As Brekan lay there, his strength depleted, he couldn't help but think of Sari, the memories of their time together flooding his mind. He remembered the warmth of her presence, the way her muse power had once enveloped him in happiness. It was a feeling he had longed for during this grueling battle.
Exhaustion forced Brekan on his fours. With fuzzy vision, he watched as the Phoenix slowly dissolved from the bottom. It looked like the black flames were eating the beast up.
Exhausted and victorious, Brekan lay on his back, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath. The once-formidable Dark Phoenix was now nothing more than dissipating embers. The black flames were consuming the last remnants of the beast.
Beside him, Vikona's voice called out, but it felt distant, as if coming from another world. Brekan's body felt heavy, and his mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He had vanquished the Dark Phoenix, yet, the cost had been immense.
As the adrenaline of battle ebbed away, Brekan's thoughts turned to the consequences of wielding such formidable magic. He couldn't help but wonder about the toll it had taken on him.
He felt his eyes closing against his will and his thoughts dissolved into comforting darkness.