Smoke billowed from a log cabin far in the middle of a tall grassy meadow, a man in black robes came slowly, climbed up the wooden ledges with a creaking sound, knocked briefly, and then opened the door wide.
"You come?" A soft voice greeted the man, a woman with long, wavy curls of hair stood with her back to him.
The woman's delicate hands were busy, stirring something in a large crater filled with green liquid that erupted with the size of the fire below.
"Did you hear it?" The man took off his robes, sat on a wooden chair by the wide-open window, enjoying the breeze.
The woman in front of the crater did not answer, busy stirring.
"The death case in the Northern village, it's not the work of ordinary Witches," the man continued.
"I know, Gail." After a long silence, the woman replied.
"Is She?" Gail ran a hand through her golden hair, glistening in the sun.
"Yeah, She's back."
"The Witch who made you lose your left hand?" Gail asked again to be sure, glancing at the woman's hand that was buried in the hot liquid in the crater.
They fell into silence, only the sound of popping and the sound of wood being engulfed in flames.
"Sarah?" Gail called out, between worry and impatience.
The woman, Sarah, tugged at her hand which was covered in smoky green slime, grabbing a cloth to wipe her hands.
Gail saw that Sarah could only keep his mouth shut, afraid of throwing up. He never liked seeing witches stir potions, they put in disgusting things that made his stomach churn with nausea.
"Yes." Sarah turned around, looking at Gail, who was still sitting in his chair, and said, "I can't wait to see her again, Amara Iris."
Sarah took her left hand out of the cloth, showing Gail that her hand was intact again.
"I'll make sure he'll die in my hands," Sarah said with a smirk, Gail who was staring at it just shuddered in horror. In his memory, she was remembering who the person who made his beloved friend have a grudge to take root like this.
Amara Iris is an unknown Witch from which family, her name is unclear. The power is very strange.
"She's not that dangerous anymore, is she?" Gail asked. Remembering Iris' wand was in Sarah's hand.
Sarah glanced at the wand locked up in a glass jar, like a treasure side by side with human eyes and fingernails fermented in water.
"I used to be too weak and naive." Sarah sat across from Gail, carrying a pitcher of water, pouring it into a cup, "But now I know."
"She's a sly woman. Taking her wand doesn't mean anything."
"How is that possible? A wand is the most important thing for a Witch." Gail lowered her voice, remembering something else, "Only a great White Wizard can bewitch someone without a wand."
"I know. But I've been examining Iris' wand for years and it's nothing. It's just an ordinary wooden wand."
Gail opened his mouth to speak but was held back.
"I wonder who she is."
Sarah moved her newly formed left hand from the potion she made, smiling with satisfaction.
She couldn't remember the first time she met Iris. What she remembered was that they never got along, they always competed in everything, as if they were destined to be eternal enemies, Sarah was one of the top tier witches, she was famous for her skill in concocting magic potions, and Iris was a nobody in the beginning, but became a persona. what Sarah hated the most was when Iris managed to concoct the elixir of life.
The potion was forbidden, even for a great Witch like the White Wizard. Iris managed to make it, and she got more attention than other Witches, she became feared.
Feared by other races but adored by the Witches race, Iris is treated like a god. Sarah became jealous.
Every time they meet, fights between them always occur, who knows who started it in the beginning, their relationship is getting worse day by day.
And the last time they fought to the death, Sarah lost her left hand and Iris disappeared.
"Why are you still after her? It's been a long time, maybe she's forgotten about you."
Gail stared out the window, trying to think logically, he didn't want to interfere in Sarah's matters, he just wanted to live and enjoy how the weeds swayed in the wind, enjoying the hot sun out there.
"Even if she forgets, I'll make her remember." Sarah also looked at the swaying weeds.
Gail chuckled, not knowing what to say. This friend hadn't changed, always obsessed with Iris.
"If my guess is correct, she's no ordinary magician."
"Then who is she?" Gail asked, not interested actually.
"I'm still guessing she could be one of these."
Sarah opened a book whose cover was partly torn off, Gail snorted, seeing Sarah's hand pointing at a painting with three color stripes, red, black, and white.
"Red?" Gail mumbled, not understanding, he was a knight, not a Witch, and just looking at the lines of color and writing like grass would not make him understand, even if he had glared at hundreds of times.
"Who is the great Wizard you know?" Sarah asked back, her black eyes gleaming with high enthusiasm.
Gail scratched the back of his head in confusion, Sarah was too convoluted.
"Of course, a White Wizard," Gail replied curtly.
"That's now. But there used to be three great wizard."
"Eh? Was it before I was born?"
Sarah chuckled. After all, Gail is human, his age is different, she just nodded at Gail's innocent face.
"Not only White Wizard but Black Witch and Red Witch."
"Hah?"
"While White Wizard are known for their curses, then Black Witch are known for their physical strength, while Red Witch ...." Sarah pointed to a red line that ran longer than the others.
"They are known for their sadism."
"Did they kill?" Gail felt sudden goosebumps, Sarah nodded faintly.
"Cruel and brutal."
"Then what does that have to do with Iris? Why are there only White Wizard now? I don't understand."
"They're not like White Wizard who are obedient to the queen, causing a lot of chaos everywhere, forcing the queen to issue restraining orders, but behind all that they're both competing with each other. Who do you think Gail looks like?"
"You and Iris?" Gail was moving restlessly, Sarah had never spoken this much. Usually, this curly woman only spoke a few words when he came in, did Iris get her so excited?
"Exactly. I'm a descendant of a Black Witch and I suspect Iris is Red Witch."
"Wow, that's impressive." Gail commented, after being with her for so long, it was only now that he heard Sarah reveal her true self, "Then you want to duel her again?"
"Yes. I will not let his nemesis live in peace, I will seek her to the ends of the earth."
Gail took a deep breath, he had expected this to happen when it came to her mortal enemy Sarah. He had taken into account the woman's reaction.
"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go after your mortal enemy."
Sarah smiled with satisfaction, stroking Gail's golden hair while licking her lips, she couldn't wait to meet Iris, her blood was boiling with burning enthusiasm.