She scoffs.
"Hear yourself, child. You're talking about a thousand-year-old curse. Do you think you're the first one to try? Or is it because you won a battle, you think you can win this war?"
"It would already be easier if you stopped acting like a conceited bitch and gave me some actual answers!" I shout, getting seriously annoyed at her attitude.
"...Let's see if the child can beat it."
I freeze and glance to the side just as Liam begins growling furiously.
Another witch appeared. The Fire Witch.
I increase the flames in my hands. She isn't like Ravena, this one is definitely stronger. She's already looking dead serious too, and quite intimidating at that. She's surprisingly young too. I had imagined her to be older, but she looks like she could be my age, definitely no older than thirty, unless she's using magic or something.
She's wearing a thick but cropped fur coat, and flashy clothes that show off her curves. Her hair is split into dozens of small little multicolored braids, and her skin is as dark as it can be. She looks like she just walked out of some fancy rapper music video, but from the mud on her shoes, probably not...
"A Fire Witch," she chuckles. "It's been a while since I have fought one of my peers..."
So she fights other witches for sport? What the hell? I steal a glance toward Ravena, but from her expression, she isn't fond of that woman either. She stepped farther away, and I can't blame her. Not only does the new one look really strong, but with two Fire Witches in the forest, this is not looking good at all...
“Maybe now would be time to call reinforcements…” mutters Liam in my head.
“Not yet. If more people get involved between us, it will make things worse. Ask them to wait nearby, but no one should approach, Liam.”
This is definitely about to get nasty. I wish I could tell whether the new witch is friendly and very willing to talk, but just like me, she immediately lights up her fire. Hers is strangely purple-ish, and from the way she's moving it around her fingers, she definitely knows how to wield it...
“Liam, stay behind me.”
"I don't think we've been introduced yet," I tell her loudly.
"I'm Ayesha," she scoffs. "I don't really care about your name, though."
"...What is it you want, then?"
She smiles.
"Just a bit of fun. And to teach you manners as well. After that, I'll happily train your dog too. He looks rather cute to me, he could be my new toy..."
Liam and I furiously growl in unison. Who the hell does that bitch think she is?! As if I was going to let her lay a single finger on my mate! I know she's deliberately trying to provoke me, but Moon Goddess, she succeeded! I increase the fire from my fists, and she raises a thin eyebrow.
"Oh, someone wants to play with fire. Feisty, of course. That's a Fire Witch thing..."
"Rather than trying so hard to piss me off, you could get the fuck away from here," I hiss.
"I don't think so. See, that old hag here isn't the only one interested in Silver City... I could use a new place to settle too. I don't think a little girl like you can really stop me, either, so I'll just..."
She steps forward, but this time, I'm not playing anymore. I increase the fire in my hands, and throw one fireball right to her face. I didn't curve it or anything, it flies in a straight arrow toward her.
However, she stops it. It happens so fast, I don't even breathe. She extends her hand, and opens it, as if she was receiving a mere ball. She chuckles at my baffled expression, and closes her fist, making my fireball vanish. That easily. Oh, Moon Goddess, that can't be easy...
"Here comes a little witch who knows nothing about fights between witches," she laughs. "Really? Attacking me with a simple fireball? What is this, kindergarten?"
"You should go easy on her," says Ravena. "She's basically self-taught..."
To my surprise, Ayesha glares at her.
"I don't like you either, old hag. You should just fuck off before I get on your case!"
So they don't work together... no, more than that, they don't get along. Ravena had mentioned the other two witches were probably not going to be as "nice" as she was, but I didn't suspect they would actually hate her as well... That's good to know, though. I turn to Ayesha.
