The Price of Meddling

I wanted to reduce this place to ashes. Every fiber of my being burned with the urge. But I couldn't. Not yet. Elara and the others were still inside. My magma magic could hurt them.

I strode toward the base, my steps firm. Alex and his guards hesitated behind me.

“Valkyrie! You’re being reckless!” Alex caught my right hand, his grip tight.

“Let go!” I snapped.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed? I just found you again, and now you—”

I silenced him with a glare. My voice was ice. “I am not your subject anymore, nor your sheltered little crown princess.” I shook his hand away.

“Your Highness—” one of his guards began, but Alex exhaled sharply, already knowing it was useless to argue. He stepped back, silent, watching as I walked away without hesitation.

Mana surged through me like a gathering storm, thick and crackling with power. The wind howled in response, sending dust spiraling into the air, while the ground trembled beneath my feet as if it, too, could feel my fury. This was my message, my signal. Elara. Magnus. I’m here.

Then, the door loomed ahead. Armed men rushed at me, weapons raised.

“You—! You’re the witch who got away earlier!”

I smiled. So you remember me? Good.

I raised my wand, feeling the pulse of magic flow through me. With a steady breath, I chanted, "Αγκάθια της φύσης, δέστε τους!"

The ground trembled as vines shot up, twisting and curling like hungry serpents. Their thorns gleamed under the dim light, ready to strike.

One of the enemies stumbled back, eyes wide. “What the—?!”

Before they could react, the vines lashed out, wrapping tightly around their limbs. The more they struggled, the deeper the thorns dug into their skin and armor. Cries of pain filled the air as the spell took hold, leaving them trapped.

Another opponent tried to slash through them with a dagger. “Cut them down!” he shouted.

I narrowed my eyes as they slashed at the vines, cutting through some of them. But it was useless. The moment a vine was severed, new ones sprouted in its place, growing back twice as thick and strong.

One of the trapped enemies let out a frustrated cry. “Why won’t they break?!”

I raised my wand again, my voice steady as I reinforced the spell.

"Αγκάθια της φύσης, δέστε τους!"

The vines pulsed with renewed energy, twisting tighter around their limbs. Thorns dug deeper, drawing small rivulets of blood where they touched bare skin.

The man with the dagger tried again, slashing wildly, but the vines wrapped around his wrist, yanking the weapon from his grasp. “No—!” he gasped as the thorns coiled around his arms, pinning them to his sides.

Another fighter gritted his teeth, straining against the restraints. “Damn it! There has to be a way out!”

I took a slow step forward, my wand still raised. “There isn’t.” My voice was calm, unwavering. “You can cut, burn, or fight all you want. These vines will always grow back. The more you resist, the tighter they hold.”

One by one, their struggles weakened as realization sank in. Their breaths came heavy, their movements slowed.

A defeated voice finally broke the silence. “We... we surrender.”

I stepped closer, my gaze sharp as I studied their faces. “Then answer me.” My voice dropped into a cold whisper. “Were you also the ones who kidnapped the fairies and elves from the Enchanted Forest?”

The men froze. One of them averted his gaze, while another swallowed hard. Their silence was answer enough.

I tightened my grip on my wand. “Speak! Who gave you those magic-restrained chains?” I commanded, my tone leaving no room for defiance. “Where are they?”

Before any of them could answer, a loud whistle pierced the air. I snapped my head toward the sound just as reinforcements burst into the clearing, emerging from the shadows and rooftops. Arrows whistled through the air, blades gleamed under the moonlight, and war cries echoed as they charged from all directions.

I barely had time to react before they struck. I raised my wand, summoning a wall of thorns just in time to block a wave of arrows. Sparks flew as blades clashed against my defenses.

I gritted my teeth. “Tch. So they had backup.”

Slamming my palm against the ground, I bit the inside of my cheek, drawing blood. As it dripped onto the dirt, I focused my mana, tracing a glowing pattern into the earth.

"Έλα, Ριρί!"

The magic circle pulsed with energy, golden and emerald light spiraling outward. A gust of wind burst from the center, scattering leaves and dust into the air.

Then, with a low, menacing growl, he emerged.

Riri stepped forth, towering over the battlefield. His sleek black fur gleamed under the moonlight, his muscular frame radiating power. His mismatched eyes—one emerald, one gold—glowed like burning embers in the dark.

The reinforcements hesitated, their charge faltering as they took in the beast before them. Some stumbled back in fear, gripping their weapons tighter.

"H-He’s huge…” one of them stammered.

Another took a shaky step back. “That’s no ordinary familiar…”

Riri let out a deep, rumbling growl that sent a shiver down their spines. His tail lashed behind him, claws scraping against the ground.

I wiped the blood from my lips and stood tall. “Riri,” I said, my voice calm but commanding. “Hunt.”

With a powerful leap, Riri lunged forward, claws unsheathing as he crashed into the nearest enemy.

“Ahh!” A scream tore through the air as he knocked the man off his feet.

The man trembled beneath my gaze, his breath shallow, his eyes darting between me and Riri, who prowled just a few feet away. Riri’s growl rumbled like distant thunder, his claws dragging across the ground, leaving deep marks in the dirt.

I took a slow step closer, tilting my head as if studying prey. “You were about to answer me,” I reminded him, my voice dangerously calm. “So go on—where are the fairies and elves? And tell me—how did you know we are witches?”

He swallowed hard, his face pale. “I—I don’t know everything,” he stammered. “We were just following orders!”

“Orders from whom?” I pressed, my patience thinning.

Before he could respond, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

My eyes widened.

A glint of steel flashed toward him.

Thud.

The man gasped, his body jerking as an arrow pierced his throat. His lips moved soundlessly, blood trickling down his chin before he collapsed to the ground.

More arrows rained down, striking the other captives before they could utter a word.

I clenched my fists. “Tch.”

From the shadows, figures emerged—silent, swift, and deadly. Unlike the panicked reinforcements before, these were trained assassins.

One of them, a masked figure wielding twin daggers, stepped forward. “You ask too many questions, witch,” he sneered. “Your kind should have never meddled in this.”

I let out a cold chuckle, my smirk sharp as a blade. “Oh, that’s rich,” I shot back, eyes gleaming with defiance. “You don’t want a witch meddling, yet you had no problem kidnapping one? That’s some next-level hypocrisy, you fuckin’ psychopath.”