Danger In The Witches Wood

## Send The Huntsman

As per usual, Eris Deerwoods foot swayed in the air, her legs crossed and arms resting on the arms of a far too luxurious throne. A plump large woman kneeled in front of her, a large furry black dress splayed across the floor, begging for as much mercy as the woman who wore it. Though a black hat created a shade which hid most of her facial features, tears could be seen dripping from her fat face. "My-my-my majesty!!" She screamed and whined, the back of her hand reaching her forehead as her back toppled to the floor. "I have failed you my mistress! Please forgive me!" Eris didn't like these games, the theatrics... her fingers tightened with annoyance.

"West..." She hummed, dragging out the a. "Now how have you failed me this time?" Her teeth grinded together in agony as she stared down at the wretched beggar before her. The woman tried to muster the courage to speak, her watery eyes creating puddles on the floor as she flayed about in her black gown. "My queen... my queen!" She knew what was coming. "You sobbing buffoon, OUT WITH IT." Just like that, the tears stopped and were replaced by words filled with regret and sadness.

"She escaped! The girl! I went down to the dungeon to feed her as you requested but I opened the cage and... she was gone!" Bastinda had gathered herself off the floor, wobbling her weak but meaty arms as she pulled herself together. The queen crossed her legs, her head tilted. "So let me get this right..." Her finger traced her chin, as if it too were thinking. "You've come to me sulking about a problem you created, expecting ME to fix it." The queen laughed. "It's good to know that people really don't change. You are still as useless as you were when you started. Very well." Looked up, their eyes locked. West, or Bastinda as her true name was, gulped. "GO. CLEAN. UP. YOUR. MESS. OUT WITH YOU!" The witch queens grimoire filled the room with a vibrant light, her hand extending as a wind so strong and so powerful was released from her palm, sending the witch through the doors of the throne room and causing her to crash into a nearby wall, leaving a Bastinda shaped imprint in the reinforced brick.

"Your majesty you don't underst-" As soon as she spoke, the very doors she was flung out of slammed themselves shut. Bastinda huffed, readjusting her hat and brushing the dirt and dust from her gown. "Very well then, I will clean up this mess and show her. Hmph." With her hands on her hips, a broomstick sprung from her grimoire as she walked to a window and took to the sky. A crystal ball floated above her palm, showing her a very young girl running for her life. "That stupid girl has already made it to the edge of the forest!?!?" Sweat poured down her forehead as she poured more and more magic into her broom, racing towards the treeline.

Unfortunately by the time she got there, it was far too late. "Where the hell could she have went!" The witch screamed, throwing her arm about with rage, shaking the excess fat on her entire stocky body. Her lips seemed to fight each other as she thought of what to do next and just like that it pierced her head, the queens voice. "Fix it." Pulling at the brim of her hat, she looked down at the crystal ball, seeing the girl skipping into a nearby town. Bastinda smiled. "Oh deary.. what a mistake you've made." Cackling, she flew at the speed of light and it wasn't long before she arrived at a town which would soon be haunted forever.

Flying over the small village, she cast a large shadow, her eyes in search of the girl.

In the small village a young blonde man was seen walling down the road, wearing a black cloak adorned with gold chains and other medals. Despite being in the foresake realm, on the edge of the clover kingdom border, he wore a clean suit under. His eyes while sharp we're warm and inviting. It was the Vice Captain of the Black Bulls, Kai Elio.

As he walled many children and young teens ran over to him, excitedly calling for him and tugging on his cloak. He couldn't help but smile and look over to them, "now, now. I need to drop off the money I brought to the church." He spoke, his words both warm and friendly.

This was one of the small towns and villages Kai visits and donates a large portion of his pay towards. The children and young teens always admiring Kai both for his kindness and his strength, many cheering for him once he arrived.

"*You really are something aren't you Kid?*" Azoth spoke directly to Kai through their magic power connected to one another. As the Sun Spirit it has fused itself with Kai's grimoire, allowing the two to be in constant sync. "*You come from nothing, you were stripped of everything in life, yet all you do is work for others, do what you can for others. I truly did the best choice picking you over, **him**.*"

"It's nothing really." Kai replies out loud now walking back from dropping the money off at the church. "I would rather the people here had all the help possible. Especially because I know the kingdom are "too busy" to help them. Someone has to do something." He said before his eyes darted toward the left. "*Hm? That much magic power around here?*" Kai thought as he surveyed his surroundings.

"*Azoth, go check.*" He ordered through his thoughts before opening his grimoire and a small flock of small pheasants made of flames flew around the the village. "*it feels odd...what is it that's bothering me?*"

"*I'll keep a lookout. You could just be imagining things Kai, maybe just take a break for once. I mean this is your day off after all." The spirit recommended as it's many flaming bird's spread through the village and to nearby woods. "*you've been on edge since you found out about Ragnarok. You cant keep all that weight on your shoulders.*"*

Kai places his right palm on the back of his neck and cracked it before taking a breath in. "Maybe you're right. Please just keep me informed if something happens or you find someone." While feint on the back of his mind he could feel a magic power, something nearby, somewhere.

He then went over to a nearby Park and met up with some of the children there. Quickly and for a while actually Kai began giving them lessons in self defense. This went on for a few hours, Kai doing his best to motivate them and teach what he could.

Bastinda could feel an influx of magical energy, but she was blinded by her goal. The young witch was out off breathe, running into town she decided it was best to slip into a nearby alleyway, concealing herself in the shadows. To anyone else, this may have been a smart idea. A clever way for prey to hide from predator, unfortunately she had simply wondered into Bastinda's environment.

The witch cackled as she descended onto the pavement of the town, no one seemed to bat an eye or care. Mostly everyone seemed to be in another part of town, where all that magic was gathered. It was a perfect opportunity. "Come out come out wherever you are~" The woman teased, licking her lips as she stepped into the alleway, her black pumps clacking on the ground.

"Please! What do you want with me!" The girl cried, tripping as she looked back to see the witch and using her energy in an attempt to crawl away. Bastinda laughed. "It's not what I want with you dear, I could care less what happens to you... if you live or you die. Unfortunately, you've been convicted as guilty in the eyes of the queen. Do you know what that means? You aren't a witch in her eyes. You're a filthy human." The witch huffed, nearing closer and closer to the defenseless little girl who had now bursted into tears.

Her grimoire began to shine, a radiant purple and black light which would release a large wave of magic energy, enough to attract anyone with the ability to sense it. Captain level magical strength. Several shady hands emerged from the pages of the book and began to grab at the girl, restraining her. "Just let me go! What crime did I commit!" She begged and pleaded but Bastinda laughed.

"You had your chance. To live out your sentence in the dungeon and regain your freedom! NOW THE OFFER IS OFF THE TABLE! So be a good little witch... and come with ME." The arms slowly started pulling her into the shadowy depths of the alley way, no doubt a shadow transportation spell... who could save her now!

Just before the hands could fully drag her on a golden pheasant dived down and erupted in flames! Thus it created a light to eliminate the shadows! Quickly a swarm of pheasants began to gather overhead and assembled into a massive Phoenix!

"Such foul magic." A deathly calm voice was heard from the Phoenix as a humanoid figure emerged from it, doning a long black cloak and stepped forward. "I may not know what's going on completely. But someone with such magic picking on a young child, well someone like that can't be any good." It was Kai Elio, the Vice captain of the Black Bulls Magic Squad. He stepped off and landed down between the two.

"*This Magic amount alone is captain level.*" Kai thought as his black grimoire, covered with golden yellow design flew in front of him, radiating a golden light. "So do me a favor and save me the trouble. Turn around and leave, don't make me have to waste so much magic power." Kai spoke both confidently yet deathly calm. "*She's tough, magic power alone will be a challenge. But to fight her in the village is a test in itself.*" He thought as he took a stance to defend himself.