Meeting with Stanley is something I always look forward to, and what I learned about Queen Amanda was surprising. I have been on the edge ever since I heard the story and the dark powers. Something inside me stirred up, and I had this unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach like something was going to happen very soon. I let out a quiet sigh, shaking my head. My fingers traced the carvings on the pendant absentmindedly, feeling the edges that adorned it beautifully. It was pretty, and it reminded me of something that is unclear. I felt like I remembered, or rather saw, something, but I can't figure out what the memory was about. So I tried to focus harder on the pendant. I must learn about the powers possed by Queen Amanda and I must find out what the powers got to do with mine. I took a deep breath and held the pendant in my palm."I call you, Queen Amanda. I call on you now, maiden, in your unbounded potential. I call on you, mother, in all your divine power. I call on you, crone, in your arcane wisdom. I am the bearer of all the powers passed down by the greatest witches. And so, when I call on the powers of the stone, I call on all witches stretching back from the beginning of time to the end of days. I call on the powers that have been denied to me. Imbue me with them, Queen Amanda, and I shall pray to your spirit to come forth and show me what needs to be seen. Queen of Vampires and Witches, keeper of the key to the door between powers, I summon thee. Return to the realm of the living, and show me the powers."The room started to vibrate as I finished the spell. I was a bit scared to do something so reckless. Linda warned me several times that the pendant possesses dark powers and shouldn't be summoned at any cost without proper practice. But I felt the urge to know what happened with Queen Amanda and learning about her powers excited me. I didn't expect anything at first, but as minutes passed, the vibration became stronger, like there is an earthquake. I stood at the centre of the room and clutched the pendant in my palm tightly. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the powers which now surrounded me like a blanket, It didn't fear me rather I felt happy to be engulfed by such superior powers and at the same time little nervous about what I might see.My heart started racing, and the moment I opened my eyes, a bright white light erupted from the pendant and blinded my eyes. It was something majestic yet terrifying and within a blink of an eye I was sucked inside the pendant when I opened my eyes I was in the Castle once again.The castle was chaotic with people running around as if a war broke out. Some even bumped into me but they passed right through me like passing through a fog. It took a minute for me to realize I was in the past, the pendant or Queen Amanda is showing me the past. I walked towards the middle of the corridor and realized that I was in front of my old room and looked down from the second floor. I was right the castle was under attack.A dozen of witches walked inside the castle gracefully with their hands raised to the side. Their palms were covered with blue flames and their eyes were golden like fireballs. From the look of it, they did not fear the vampires and once they walked inside the gates they sealed it from the inside trapping all the vampires. I was a bit stunned to watch the confidence. Vampires are deadly creatures and it is true that the witches will be greatly outnumbered by the soldiers but how did they pass through the main guards and made it to the castle without a scratch they even sealed the doors like they had a death wish. I was concerned for the witches and was ready to jump in if they needed help. I followed the witches as they made their way to the courtroom and when they opened the doors I saw King Edmund fighting off some of the witches along with his soldiers. He was having a hard time moving from his place to attack and the witches were burying whoever came in their way with their blue flame. I was impressed by their powers, but within a second, I sensed a greater power coming from the other side of the room. I couldn't see the person, but I could feel the power, and I definitely know who those powers belong to. It was none other than Queen Amanda who walked towards the witch, who tried to attack the King in fury. She appeared enraged as if she would kill anyone who got in her way.She also summoned a blue flame in her palm and threw it towards the witch, who tried to attack the King from behind. The witch fell on her side, and within one swift movement, she was gone. I couldn't follow how the Queen managed to make the witch vanish into thin air.The witches used their spells to seal the castle. The king and the other soldiers who were inside were fighting them off. He might be a powerful vampire, but he can't fight witch powers. "Are you ready for your throat to get ripped out?" The king snarled at the witch as he showed his sharp teeth."The only people that are going to die here are you and your half-bred queen." The witch spoke smugly. Just as she was about to attack, I saw the queen running towards the throne room and stopping when she saw the king ripping the witch's heart out. There were too many of them to handle. I have to call on my powers in order to win this battle. She thought. And it was strange when I heard her thoughts. I hid behind a pillar and watched."Edmond!" she screamed when a witch was ready to attack from behind with a red flame, which once again I never saw. She ran towards him with wild fury to protect him. She lifted the witch and threw her into the far corner of the room."What are you doing here?" Edmond asked in an angry tone.She rolled her eyes and said, "I am here to protect you." "I don't need your protection, darling; it is my job to protect you, remember!" He said and smiled at her while fighting off the witches. They knew that the king would try to rip their hearts out, so they placed a protection spell against their chests, which made it impossible for him to pull their hearts out.A witch jumped over him, trying to choke him with her nails. Witches are not physically strong compared to vampires. But this one had the nerve to touch him. she thought, grabbed her by the hair, dragged her away from him, and burned her with the red flame. The witches were no match for the queen, as she was a half-vampire as well. She was fast like the wind, and they had a hard time fighting her."Phasmatos Incendia," she recited the spell, and a red flame consumed her body, preparing her to unleash the powers. When she opened her eyes, the entire room filled with witches began to burn on flames.Everyone in the room was terrified. She could feel the turmoil being affected by their fear, which brought a smile to her face. Of course, they should fear me, as I'm superior to all of these lowly witches. She was thinking with an evil smile on her lips. The look on her face sent a chill down my spine. She was consumed by her vampire instinct and started using her power recklessly.The eyes of the witches filled with horror and shock when they realized that they were losing the battle.The supernatural council made a law that stated one supernatural community should not attack the other or have any direct dealings; violation of the law would lead to masquerade death and war. Now they have broken the rule and written their own death wish. The queen thought."Queen Amanda, stop fighting and come with us." We are here to save you and your son from these monsters. "Please stop this madness." One of the witches said Queen Amanda laughed and said, "Who needs your saving?" Why do you have to save me from my own husband? Do you still think that I am a naive princess who will believe whatever you say? "Do you think I am unaware of your intentions?""Do yourself a favour and leave my palace in this instance with these bitches; if not, I will show no mercy." This is my last warning. She said."You were under the impression that my witch powers were gone once I turned into a vampire, right?" I kept it that way for the safety of my people. She says this while looking at the soldiers."Are you out of your mind, Princess?" These low-life creatures tricked you and brought you here. You don't know the truth. Come with us, and we will show you. "You are not safe here." The witch tried again to convince the queen. Edmond was feeling restless next to the Queen. He looked like he feared what they were going to say next."Protego Horribilis"...The queen cast a safety spell on him. He could sustain a physical injury but not die. It was a smart move for his safety. She then started to attack the witches. They started to retreat from the room and headed outside the castle in an attempt to escape her wrath. "I can't let them live, I have to kill every single rebel witch who tried to attack my family." She thought.I followed them outside the castle and saw her burning every single witch on the way. She spotted a man fighting and beheading a bunch of rebels."Brother!" she yelled. Close the castle gates. "I want to kill all of those bitches in front of our people."I looked closer at the man she called her brother. I saw a strain on his face; his mouth tightened, and I guess his eyes were filled with guilt.He simply nodded and rushed towards the main gate to close it. Queen Amanda took a few steady steps with an evil smile on her face, enjoying the victory. She stumbled upon a dead body and stopped. Her posture changed. A 5-year-old boy was lying face down in a pool of blood around his body. She took several steps back as if she recognized the boy. She looked terrified, and she screamed William's name when she flipped the body and held it in her arms. My heart stopped at that sight. I couldn't understand what was going on. Is that boy really William? I came out of my hiding place and ran towards the boy. I stopped a few feet away when something didn't feel right.This can't happen. My protection spell on him cannot be broken. My son can't be dead. She pondered in her mind."William! William, open your eyes. "You can't die; look at me." She cried, but the boy did not wake up."Protego. Protego" She recited the protection spell, but it was of no use.William was gone. I couldn't protect my son. They killed my only son, and she stood up in rage. Her eyes were red once again, her fangs elongated like a predator. She turned her palms upward, and a red flame erupted. She summoned a sword, and the red flame covered it like a flaming sword.A women with white hair walked towards her elegantly, I had a familiar feeling when the saw the women's crown. a white tiara covered with gemstones and diamonds that matched her perfect white hair. There is only one person who can be the owner of the crown she was wearing. Queen Irna.She stopped a foot away from Queen Amanda, and I was standing just beside them, so I took a few cautious steps backwards and went to my hiding place. Amanda, you and Stanley are not safe here. You must come with us. Edmond is not who you think he is. "You are not telling the truth."Queen Irna said and smiled. Queen Amanda laughed manically while her whole face was filled with rage. She swung her sword at her own mother with rage and a red fireball slammed on Queen Irna and threw her a few feet farther. I heard the sound of bones breaking from the impact but Queen Irna quickly recovered and stood up on her feet. She was not mad at her daughter, she was just concerned.Queen Amanda's eyes were bloodshot red with anger, glaring furiously at the woman who dared to hurt her son. "How dare you hurt my son?" "Did I ask for your help?""Do I look like I have the need to be saved?" "I know you do not like Edmond and the vampire race, but they are my people now, and I am their queen.""You didn't come for me; you came to show your superiority and harm my people.""You just want to dominate my people and kill the innocents, and you dared to kill my son just because he is a born vampire." How can you be so cruel? "What did the little child do to you?""Amanda, you are just seeing things; we did not harm William." "You should trust me." She spoke calmly, like the queen she is."My child is dead; he is right in front of me," she said, looking at her hand, but there was nothing. She looked around for the dead body of her son, but it was nowhere to be found."You evil witch, what did you do to my son?" Not concealing her fury any longer, Amanda unleashed her flames in both her hands. The flames crawled up to her elbows, covering her arms and her whole body. She looked like she was getting burned alive, but the fire did not harm her. The flame was scorching red hot; even the air around us was sweltering, but it didn't burn her at all. The flame was ready to burn and devour. Looking at her daughter, Queen Irna's eyes widened."How dare you summon dark magic?" Queen Irna spoke in a shaken voice. Queen Amanda couldn't think straight; she knew she could burn the entire nation with her flame if she wanted to, and no magic—not even her own mother's—could stop her. Amanda placed the tip of the sword on the ground, setting its path on fire as it travelled towards Queen Irna, and then the path took on the form of tree branches and moved towards the witches who were fighting off the vampires. The flame encircled Queen Irna before igniting into a several-meter-high flame, trapping her inside.I gasped in shock and shut my mouth with my palm. "You are a traitor; you betrayed your own daughter and waged war against me and my kingdom." Amanda clenched her fist and made the flame move faster toward the other witches; some of them were already burned beyond recognition, and as her rage started to increase, the fire started to capture the vampires as well. She lost control of her powers. The look on her face proved that she was enjoying the destruction she was causing.The first time I saw the flame was when I summoned it in the vampire kingdom, and my flame was white. I've never seen such a powerful red flame, let alone one as fierce as this. It made me wonder how powerful Queen Amanda was.I saw a swirling flame in her eyes, like lava ready to burst. The vampires froze in their place when the flame captured them, and the witches started to retreat when they saw Queen Amanda using her dark powers.I looked at Queen Irna, and just like Queen Amanda, the fire did not harm her; it was just trapping her and restricting her from moving. She just stood in the middle of the fire circle, and her eyes never left her daughter.Amanda, you must stop before the dark magic takes over you. Queen Irna warned her daughter."Do you think you have the power to stop me?" Queen Amanda asked in a venomous tone."Expulsions" She summoned her dark powers once again, and her eyes turned black. A blinding red flame swirled around her body. The flames started to cover the entire land, and whoever made contact with them disappeared in the form of dust. Queen Irna looked at the figure approaching Amanda, and she nodded at him."Renold, do what you must do." Queen Irna said this before stepping out of the fire that had trapped her and walking away without looking back. I couldn't understand why she didn't do anything to protect her daughter; she is a powerful queen. Queen Irna stopped in her tracks and looked back at her daughter one last time before leaving. She summoned her white powers and stopped the destruction the Queen caused to the witches; she let the vampires burn and protected her own people.From the corner of her eyes, Queen Amanda saw her brother. He wrapped his hands around her eyes and brought her right hand behind her and held it tight; it made her loosen her grip on the sword, and the flames started to diminish just a bit. She struggled to fight him off, but he was stronger than her."Calm down, Amanda." William is okay. You just saw an illusion caused by a witch. "Snap out of the rage and see the truth; you protected your son; he is in his room; try to feel his heart." He said so and tried to calm her down. "Release me before I kill you, brother." She said that, and her flame started to engulf him."My mother tricked me and killed my son." I will not spare anyone. Raymond was able to protect himself from her flames, but he did not know how to make her stop. She was killing the land and every living being in it. The flames have almost reached the castle, and if they're stopped, they will enter the castle and kill everyone in it. He saw Edmond trying to save himself and other vampires from the flames. He is unaware that his wife is causiShe broke free from her brother's grip, stretched her hand to her chest, and created a massive ball of flame. Her brother realized that her powers had consumed her totally and that there was no way to bring her back. She has turned evil and lost all her senses. "Sister, please don't make me do this." You are going to kill everyone if you do not stop. The witches are gone, you are killing the vampires with your flames, and you are killing those whom you promised to protect. "Stop it, please." He begged her.When she got ready to throw the fireball at the castle, her brother summoned a dagger-like weapon and stabbed her in the chest. Her scream echoed across the ground, and the dagger emitted a blue flame that began to cool the red flame. Queen Amanda was losing her power as the dagger sucked all her powers into it. "I am sorry, sister; you do not deserve this, but you must know there is no other way."Edmond spotted Amanda, saw a dagger piercing her chest, and ran towards her. He collapsed to his knees and gathered her in his arms. "No, no, no, this can't be happening."Amanda, don't you dare die on me. You can't just leave me like this. Please... he screamed, biting his hand and dripping blood into her mouth. "Edmond, it's ok." She coughed, and blood started to ooze out of her mouth. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled as she groaned in pain."Just hang in there, Amanda." I'll save you. Please, I beg you, don't leave me. "I cannot live without you, please." He cried his heart out, which made me feel sad for him. Even though he is evil, he loves his wife dearly.It was too late to save her. With a small smile, she turned around and looked in my direction before the light in her eyes was gone. Yet he held on to her and cried for what seemed like hours."Who did this to my queen?" King Edmond screamed in rage. His body trembled in grief and fury at seeing his beloved wife dead on the ground. Rage was not enough to describe what he was feeling. "Find the bitch Irna; I will kill her." There was only revenge in Edmond's mind. He wanted nothing else at that moment but the blood of Queen Irna, who killed his wife. He ordered his soldiers to encircle the castle so the witches couldn't escape. "Attack them," the king shouted in rage from the top of his lungs, ordering his soldiers. "Kill them all! Venge my wife!Suddenly, a white light flashed in front of me as it collided with my body. The ground opened underneath me, and I fell right through it into an endless abyss. I found myself screaming as I kept falling deeper into the dark pit. Just as I closed my eyes and let go of my body, I heard a voice in the distance. It was muffled, but I heard it. I felt my body shaking as the voice grew clearer and louder. I heard my name being called several times, and the shaking increased, but I couldn't respond.