How long has it been since we left our home behind?

My older sister was trying to teach me how to make a cloud potion while our mother was outside taking care of the garden when everything happened.

"Now you add a bit of boiled rafflesia to the mix until it turns red."

"You make it sound so much easier than it is..."

I start carefully pouring the bright red liquid from the glass bottle into the small cauldron.

"Slowly... Slowly..."

I keep pouring the liquid until the solution in the cauldron gains a crimson tone.

"That's it. Good job!" Says my sister while I put the bottle down with a heavy sigh.

"It wasn't that hard right?"

"Now what?" I question.

"Now if you didn't do anything wrong before it should be-"

She didn't even have time to finish her sentence before the liquid in the cauldron exploded into a thick red cloud covering the entire house.

"Cough cough, why did it, cough, exploded this time?!" I ask full of confusion.

"Cough, how many ivy leaves did you used?"

"About... seven I think."

"And why did you used that much if I told you to not put too many leaves?!"

"Well, I was thinking that if I add a little bit more it would make the cloud stronger or something..."

"Well, as you can see, it DID make it stronger"

The cloud showed no signs of dissipating.

"And this is your fault too! You could at least give a solid number."

We both get out to the garden where our mother was.

"What did you two do this time?" Says our mom with an angry voice.

"I was trying to teach Alice how to make a cloud potion and as always she messed up the formula."

Our mother lets out a heavy sigh.

"You know how many times I had to clean up your mess this month young lady?"

"But it's not my fault if Stella is a bad teacher," I reply while pointing at the bad teacher in question.

"And it also is not my fault that you can't follow the instructions correctly..." Stella responds with a reprehensive look.

"But-" As soon as I try to respond, mom interrupts me.

"That's enough! You too go clean that mess inside the house." She says with a very angry voice.

My sister was ready to complain and mom instantly gave her what we use to call a 'death gaze'. Which means 'you better do what I say or else...'

Our mom usually is a very sweet person, but when she gets angry is better for you to do what she says.

"This kind of things wouldn't keep happening if only you taught me how to make potions"

"A true Arkadia doesn't need to be taught how to make potions"

Our family always preferred using potions. Unlike the other witches who prefer using magic and such.

From what my mom told me, it didn't use to be the case back in the day, but now she tells me it's more 'subtle'. Why can't we use our magic like the others?

I and my sister start to blow the smoke out of the house using rags while our mom goes back to attend to the plants and herbs in our backyard.

But then she suddenly stops. Standing there as if she was trying to hear something.

I notice it and question her.

"What's wrong mom?"

She doesn't respond.

"Mom?"

"Lock the house." She says.

"What?"

"LOCK THE HOU-"

Before she could finish an arrow goes through her right leg.

"Mom!" I scream in panic.

She falls on one of her knees and screams again.

"Get your sister and lock the house!"

Suddenly a man wearing iron armor wielding a long sword comes running out of the trees towards her. Ready to finish her.

He swings his sword down but the blade is stopped by a monstrous hand covered in fur.

The woman then turns into an enormous humanoid bear towering over the man. She hits him with her other claw pushing him back.

While all that happens, I start doing as she said locking every door and window.

"Alice! What happened?" Stella comes from the other side of the house confused with my screams.

I explain to her what just happened.

She immediately grabs my hand and pulls me over to her bedroom locking the door behind her.

Back in the garden, the man stands up again and picks up his sword

"Looks like you won't go down without a fight huh..." He says in a strangely calm tone considering the situation.

He then lifts his sword above his head.

"Fernis, give me the power to purify this cursed being"

After his prayer, the blade of the sword gets engulfed in crimson fire.

The bear-woman then lets out a mighty roar and they both charge at each other.