"No, we will wait."
Those cold words made Brennan tremble ever so slightly, while he understand that Darius may be thinking of a plan. Brennan couldn't help but shudder at his cold voice, it was so deep, so dull, and so indifferent, with a subtle lace of burning anger that could be felt in each syllable.
In his ears, Darius almost sounded like another person.
"Why…" Brennan muttered under his breathe.
"Because if we fight her here, she will have the entire forest to her advantage. From my experience the last time, that damned witch is quick. She even has the ability to conceal herself, the sound of her own movements. Now imagine fighting her in this dark forest… we will be as good as dead. She will pick on us one by one – like fishes in a barrel." Darius explained, his eyes never leaving Black Annis.
There was another reason Darius didn't want to attack just yet and that's the witch was yet to reveal its hiding place.
He's not stupid, he knew that there's a chance that they will fail. And as much as he wants to save the little girl, he needs a backup plan. A middle ground to save them from falling to failure.
And that is why they have to know where she's hiding before making a move.
Because if they failed, they will know where to find her. They will know where she will retreat.
Besides that, there is a chance to corner Black Annis inside her own hiding place. Which in turn can give them enough advantage to succeed.
It was difficult to find her and so Darius is determined not to lose her.
He must kill the witch no matter what and for that reason alone, he must consider all possibilities – even if that means ignoring moral dilemmas.
Call him cruel, call him heartless. He does not care, because he knew that to achieve victory… sacrifices must be made.
It was just unfortunate that this time, a little girl is on the sacrificial table.
"Let's go, we have to follow them," Darius lightly pat his companion's shoulder. Before standing up to follow Black Annis.
Swiftly they followed the witch, while not making any noise.
Hiding behind trees and bushes for cover, anything to prevent the witch from seeing them.
Eventually, the witch entered a cave with a great oak tree near the entrance.
In the faint moonlight, Darius could make out a few pieces of clothing hanging from the tree.
'Must be from the victims.' He thought.
Once they reach the entrance, Darius peeked first to make sure that the coast is clear.
'The opening wasn't big, just about a meter high and less than a meter wide. No wonder it wasn't easy to find – especially when it was so deep inside the forest and the oak tree covering it.'
The inside looks normal enough with a few torches that light the place and some stone and wooden tools, which Darius doesn't know what are for.
The young man also noted the leathers and sheep wools that are scattered all over the place.
'Odd,' that was the only word he could describe it. But then he shook it off, 'It's not like you can expect much from a witch that lives in the forest.'
'No, the stronger once lives lavishly, like nobles in castles and cities. Some are hiding in plain sight while others strike fear into the people, ruling over a piece of land without anyone questioning them, just like Ravana did years ago.'
As they entered the cave, Darius stopped abruptly.
"Brennan, let's end this today." His eyes glimmered in the light of the fire. The purple shade of his orbs mixing with the red color of the fire.
The color was so deep that his eyes almost looked like shining rubies in a jewelry store.
His orbs were so compelling Brennan could only nod.
"Do or die, whether we succeed or we fail."
"We can't let her escape, so use one of your exploding arrows to make the entrance collapse," Darius instructed.
"W-wait what? But how will we leave after we defeated the witch?" Brennan asks his brows knitted together.
"Don't worry about that, we can just remove the rumble afterward. It will take some time, but we can assure you that the witch can't escape. The entrance was quite small so don't worry." Darius reassured him.
"Alright then, I'll trust you," Brennan replied as he took his bow.
"Thank you," Darius mumbled before turning to the other direction as Brennan took his aim.
Taking the sword out, Darius prepared for any attack.
Behind him Darius heard the explosion, a strong burst of wind blew on his back. Followed by the sound of falling rocks, it was done.
They had cut off their escape route… and so as the witch's possibility of running away.
'If this cave has a different entrance you just wasted ammunition.' Ravana's voice echoed inside his head.
'I know, so better pray to the fates that it doesn't.' He replied.
The sound of sobbing filled the air, calling the attention of the young travelers.
"Should we get going?" Brennan asked.
"Hmm…" Darius nodded, his hand unconsciously holding his sword a little tighter.
This is a gamble that he decided to take, therefore, retreat is not an option.
The sound of the explosion sent a wave of panic to the witch, after her encounter with Darius. She became more alarmed, deciding not to go inside the city for her own safety.
After all, that purple lightning was far too familiar.
And if she was right then, she could be in a whole new world of pain.
Ravana was one of the strongest witches during her prime, which made her famous – both revered and feared by the low-ranking witches. She was even fond by the coven leader that she was so close to becoming the next leader.
But after the white crow took over the coven but force, Ravana fought her in a battle. Where she suffered a humiliating defeat. She was vanished right after, stripped of all of her honor, and sent away to rot like a sewer rat.
Footsteps echoed inside the cave, making her heart pound even quicker.
Cowardice taking over her mind, the witch grabbed the sobbing child. Her hands firmly pulling on her hair.
'I can use the child as a shield.' The witch thought.
"Let the child go," Darius commanded. His voice was followed by an arrow, it was so fast she didn't even have the chance to react.
The arrow embedded itself in her palm, forcing Black Annis to let go of the child.
Who had taken the chance to away run from her grasp.
The child quickly runs towards Darius, her delicate hands grabbing into his leg as tightly as she can.
Darius placed a hand over her head, thinking how badly the poor thing was shaking.
The witch pulled out the arrow from her hand, and as she did her blood started dripping to the floor.
"You pesky bastard!" she shouted out of pure rage.
She had been living her best life, picking people one after the other. Like a farmer harvesting their crops. Yet this bastard decided to show up and ruin everything.
In a snap of a finger, Black Annis vanished from their view, making the young men tense up.
Both are alarmed and ready to counterattack.
"Listen to me, you have to run to the entrance. It's close right now but it's safer for you to be there, understand?" Darius mustered the gentlest voice he could, even if he denies it. He didn't want the child to suffer any more than she had to.
"GO, run as fast as you can." He ordered.
And with a determined nod, the child run to the entrance.
A sudden breeze passed them by, followed by the scent of rotting meat and moldy cheese. A familiar sense that indicates Annis's movement.
She was after the child.
"Oh no, you don't." Darius hissed, as he turned he noticed something.
Something that he did not the night before.
Even after concealing herself, Black Annis has a shadow.
There it was, painted over the rough cave floor was her black hooded figure.
Her fatal flaw had finally shown itself.
Darius swung his sword to cut the witch's head. But before the blade could even touch Annis, she blocked the attack with her iron claws.
CLINK!
The sound of metal hitting metal echoed within the cave walls, sending waves of fear…
And oddly enough, it creates thrills and excitement in Darius's heart.
It was just like in the Wilson manor once again, as if he was made to do this. Born to fight, raised for war.
When the sword hit the witch's claw the witch reappeared.
Darius smiled, "It would seem that your trick wears off once you are touched." He noted a sly smirk presented on his lips.
"Like that will do you any good," the witch rebutted as she pushed the sword away.
In a fragment of a second, the witch once again vanished into thin air, successfully hiding from the young men.
The flicker of torches indicated the movement of the witches.
'Behind.' Darius noted before roughly turning to the other side.