Mallow's POV
I passed out to relax, and woke up within the walls of Necropolis, not too surprising; With the Witch planning an all-out assault, it wasn't surprising I'd find myself within her walls, what was surprising was that even with my presence, she didn't move an inch. She was deep in a meditative trance, and as she muttered ancient words, her army grew; She was determined, I'd give her that much, but she would not win this war. I willed my being to a black mist and floated threw the air to get a better vantage point, only to hear her voice within my own head.
"Why do you hide, child? Are you scared of the dark? Or is there something more to your fears?"
I didn't answer, she wasn't worth my time, but I continued moving around; Her army was growing at a rate I couldn't understand, how was she able to rise such soldiers so quickly? What was her angle? I didn't understand, and that troubled me. There was a burning hatred and desire to destroy Jacke, but why?
"You're curious as to what that little monster did to deserve this, aren't you?"
"Don't play coy, Bruja. You are most wise, yet lack discipline in your actions."
"Discipline is for the weak, I have the powers at be to create an army of the damned, and they follow my orders to a T. You, on the other hand, are truly unique, you're a new factor; That troubles me, why would you fight for a cause you know nothing about?"
"Why do you fight against him? What crime could he have committed that enacts such a genocide?"
"We were once a lovely couple, and he decided he wanted to try a non-monogamous relationship, I knew nothing of what it was nor what it meant; So, I agreed and welcomed a friend of mine into the fold, leading to the end of the three of us altogether. I lost him as a lover, and my friend entirely, we never spoke again, and now he's moved on to another. I refuse to let him hurt another as he hurt me."
"While a valid pain, that doesn't justify your actions. You would destroy him as he destroyed you, simply because of your pain, instead of trying to heal, you let that pain rule over you. Now, you seek to use that pain against him, do you really think that will work?"
"You speak as if you know the pain yourself as if you know my struggles, my past. What are you?!"
That was my queue to do something, either I left and let that fear in her tone ruin her machine, or I strike and cause more damage to her war machine. She knew I was here, she knew I existed, but didn't know me. I was a nobody, from nowhere.
"Nobody," I said as I descended in front of her, she looked down from her trance and her pain was intense, I dared not mock it, it wasn't my way.
"Nobody? You're nobody?! Is this some kind of game to you?!"
"No, but it seems that it is to you, and I'd dare say that war is no game. You care not for your soldiers, they're simply a means to an end to you. You have a blatant weakness, dear Bruja, a weakness to be exploited by your betters. Stop this game, before it is too late."
As she went to speak, I disappeared and woke back up in the warehouse, Jacke was sitting in front of me, with Jameson and Damien on either side of him.
"What happened? I've never seen that look on you before," Jacke said, worry in his eyes, this was pain all too real to them.
"La Bruja has been warned, this war is no game to you all, she sees her soldiers as toys, a means to an end. They're not, and this war has already been won. Let's get going," I said before signaling for them to follow me, Jacke got the rest of the crowd behind us as we walked out of the double doors, and into the trucks.
Jacke's POV
To say I was anxious would be a massive understatement, he seemed so calm and so sure about this, how could he know that this war was won? I didn't question him, I just didn't, but the "What if's" started building up, and I was losing focus from the racing questions before I got a call from none other than Alex.
"Hey Pup, you okay?"
"Anxious, I'm heading back home, do you know how long until you guys get done there?"
"We're already done, your boys got everything loaded up, and now we're heading your way. Anything I should know?"
"Let my boys in blue know they cannot let their guard down, and if something feels off, let me know ASAP."
"Something happened, didn't it?"
"We met someone, they're a new ally, but they know us almost as well as we do. It's concerning, to say the least, just get home safe, we'll talk to them together."
"Okay Love, stay safe, I'll see you soon."
We hung up, and Damien could tell I was nervous, could you blame me? All-out war against La Bruja, the source of my greatest fears, and anxieties. She scared me, but not as much as Alex did if I didn't come back to her in one piece, so I considered myself lucky. I had her, and she had my back when no one else could. She inspired me at my darkest, and in return, she expected nothing short of being hers.
"You know, I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified of how this is going to pan out. La Bruja has an army of autonomous war machines at her back, but we've got us, our people, and now, someone new. What do you make of it, Damien?"
"I think you're getting stage fright. The Heebie Jeebies, you know, you know you can do this but you're scared of failing us. I can tell you this with certainty, you won't. We will win this war, period."
That was the one thing about Damien I could always appreciate, he knew how to give me the facts of any given situation, no sugar coating; Yet it always helped me feel better, regardless of how brutally honest he was. M could learn a thing or two about delivery from him.