The bitch

Mariana raised her wand and conjured an enormous tornado.

The wind tore across the battlefield with terrifying force, ripping soldiers from their positions and hurling them through the air like toys. Rowland and Sammy turned towards her as the tornado towered over the battlefield.

“Where is Sybill?” Sammy shouted.

Mariana smiled.

“Oh, she is gone.”

The tornado whirled around her as she swept her wand gracefully, sending another violent gust through the Etherian ranks.

“You won’t see her again.”

◆ ◆ ◆

Inside the Domain, Sybill regained control in mid-air and slowly righted herself. She floated gracefully above the Mana Drainers, observing the vast prison from above.

Her silver eyes travelled across the endless crabapple trees, searching the darkness surrounding the Domain for its weakest point. She raised her wand towards one section and concentrated.

Thin strands of silver magic appeared across the darkness.

Sybill moved her wand carefully, and the tightly woven magic began to unravel like threads being pulled from an enormous tapestry. One strand loosened, then another, until after nearly a minute, a tiny opening appeared.

Sybill stared at it.

She raised her wand once more. Silver light engulfed it as the wand vanished from her hand, and in its place appeared the same enormous heavenly sword she had once used to slay a dragon.

Sybill exhaled three times, each breath heavy and sharp, before tightening both hands around its hilt.

Then she swung.

The blade drove through the tiny opening and tore across the darkness, ripping the Domain open.

Sybill shot upwards with the intensity of a shooting star, silver light blazing around her as she flew through the widening tear.

For the first time in years, Sybill was truly angry.

◆ ◆ ◆

The opening tore across the sky, silver light spilling through it as Sybill emerged from the Domain.

Mariana’s tornado faltered.

Sybill descended to the battlefield and walked towards her.

Mariana slowly turned. The confidence vanished from her face, her golden eyes widening in horrified confusion as she stared at the woman she had been certain would never return.

Lightning blurred across the battlefield.

Sybill was already in front of her.

Mariana raised her wand, but Sybill reached her before she could cast. She seized the wand, wrenched it from Mariana’s hand and snapped it cleanly in half.

Crack.

Mariana stared at the broken pieces.

Sybill slapped her across the face, whipping her head sideways. Before Mariana could recover, Sybill grabbed a fistful of her long red hair and pulled her towards her.

The air behind them split open.

Sybill looked directly into Mariana’s eyes, then hurled her through the opening.

Crack!

Mariana vanished, only to burst through another opening with tremendous force, spinning helplessly through the darkness before another tear appeared directly in her path.

Crack and flash!

She was thrown through again, and then again. Every opening sent her hurtling in another direction, faster than she could regain control.

Her body struck the ground, bounced hard and rolled, only for another opening to swallow her before she could stop.

Sybill’s voice followed her through the darkness.

“You are the getting what you were giving, the bitch.”

Crack!

Mariana shot through one final opening and slammed into the ground.

Thud!

She bounced once, struck the earth again and rolled several times, each turn slower than the last until her remaining momentum finally carried her to a stop.

For several seconds, she did not move.

“Moo.”

Mariana’s eyes opened. A pair of hooves stood directly in front of her.

Her gaze slowly travelled upwards.

A pink Bulbous cow covered in white spots stared down at her.

Mariana stared back.

Then the floor beneath her began to change.

The colour drained away, replaced by a pale, milky pink that spread beneath her palms and continued in every direction.

Mariana pushed herself upright.

The walls began closing around her.

She spun around as the space contracted, thick glass-like surfaces curving towards her from every side. The open world disappeared behind them until Mariana stood enclosed within the strange pale-pink space.

Then the horizon darkened.

Black cascaded across it in a vast, flowing curtain, swallowing everything beyond the glass-like walls.

Mariana stopped moving.

The cascade of black shifted.

Parted.

Two enormous lilac eyes appeared.

Beautiful and haunting, they filled the horizon, impossibly vast against the pale world surrounding Mariana.

They were looking directly at her.

One blinked.

Mariana’s golden eyes widened until they could widen no further.

She did not blink.

Her breathing deteriorated into short, frantic gasps as she stumbled backwards and struck the glass-like wall. Her hands flew to her hair, fingers digging between the strands and clawing at her scalp.

She stared at the enormous lilac eyes.

Something in her expression broke.

“Witch of the Lilac…?”

The words barely escaped her.

The lavender eyes continued to watch her.

Mariana staggered backwards again, pressing herself against the wall as though she could somehow force her way through it. Her breathing came faster and faster.

Then she screamed.

“WITCH OF THE LILAC!”

She spun and pounded both fists against the glass-like wall.

“WITCH OF THE LILAC!”

Her fists struck it again and again. She clawed at the smooth surface, then at her own hair, digging her nails into the flesh of her face. She stumbled around desperately searching for an opening.

There was none.

“WITCH OF THE LILAC!”

Her scream cracked.

She kept pounding and screaming until her voice grew hoarse, but no sound echoed around her.

The colossal lilac eyes blinked again.