There was once a powerful witch who ruled the lands. At first, she was neither cruel nor kind. Her philosophy was simple: if you give her what she wanted, she would give you something in return. What the witch wanted was not riches or more land, but mana - the source of power for all witches and wizards' spells. She had the ability to suck the mana out of another person's body, thus increasing and restoring her own mana pool and making her spells even more potent. In return, she would allow those she had bitten to bite her in turn, restoring their life force.
2 Years from the Present
"Good morning, Lady Emily. It's time to wake up," May said.
I yawned and smiled at May, feeling the warmth of our friendship.
"Good morning, May. I asked you to just call me Emily when we are alone."
"Ah, sorry Emily. I still get a little nervous calling you by just your name," May replied.
"It's no problem, May. I understand. How is my mother doing?" I asked, concern filling my voice.
"Not well, I'm afraid. From what my father and mother told me, they did find the last special ingredient you said you needed in order to save your mother, but..." May trailed off, her voice laced with worry.
"They found it? What's the problem? What is it?" I asked anxiously, eager to hear the news.
May hesitated for a moment before continuing. "The area is surrounded by a group of powerful witches and wizards in a cult that are after you and your mother. The academy sent several powerful adventurers to retrieve it, but they either came back extremely injured or not at all," she explained.
My heart sank at the thought of more innocent lives being endangered because of our situation. Determination welled up inside me. "Those poor people. I don't want any more innocent lives to be lost. I will take care of this myself. Where is the area?" I declared, my voice resolute.
"In the highlands, about 30 miles from here, surprisingly. Here is the exact longitude and latitude and distance," May said, pointing out the location on the map.
As May showed me the map, an idea sparked in my mind. Given the distance, I realized I could try a new spell I had been developing. It would save time and conserve my mana. I made up my mind.
"Okay, I'm heading out for a bit," I announced, ready to embark on this mission.
"Wait, I don't think you should go alone. It's very dangerous. I know you're strong and the Witch of Legend, but still," May interjected, concern etched on her face.
I appreciated May's concern, but I couldn't bear the thought of her getting hurt. "May, I understand how you feel, but I don't want you going and getting hurt. I care about you. Now please stand back," I urged, my voice gentle yet firm.
After May reluctantly stepped back, I took a deep breath and began chanting the teleportation spell I had devised, visualizing the destination clearly in my mind.
"Oh, space that which we dwell in, oh time that which we pass in, come together so that we can reach our destination that much quicker. Telepor..." I started.
"Ehh! I'm coming too!" May's voice interrupted my incantation, surprising me.
"...tation..." I finished, slightly thrown off by May's interruption. But deep down, her words touched my heart.
"We arrived. Hah... Why, May? Why did you decide to jump in at the very last second?" I asked, my voice filled with both curiosity and concern.
"Because, I lov... was worried about you." May's face turned bright red, and I could sense a different word about to leave her lips. I quickly spoke up, wanting to address it later. "We will talk about what I think I just heard later, because if it was what I thought it was, I think I feel the same way. Deal?"
Her face lit up with a smile. "Deal. Hehe."
"Now, let's find that ingredient and try to sneak around so we don't get caught. I will use the basic search spell now," I said, refocusing on the task at hand.
Drawing upon my magical abilities, I chanted, "Oh, spirits guide me to what I seek, search the herb, ingenia."
"Did you find it?" May asked eagerly, her eyes reflecting hope.
"Yes, I did. Let's head over there now. Follow me," I instructed, taking the lead.
"Very well, I'm right behind you," May replied, her voice filled with determination.
As we made our way towards the precious ingredient that held the key to saving my mother, May volunteered to keep watch while I retrieved the herb. Her concern for my safety touched my heart.
"I'll keep watch. You run and get the herb. Hurry," May said, her voice urging me forward.
"Thank you, I will hurry," I expressed my gratitude before rushing towards the herb, my mind focused on the task at hand.
Suddenly, a piercing scream and a loud crash shattered the tranquility of the surroundings. "Aaaaaaghh!!!!" The agonized cry echoed through the air, making my blood run cold.
Fear gripped me as I turned around, only to find May lying on the ground, coughing up blood. Anger surged within me, mingling with the concern for May's well-being.
"May!" I exclaimed; my voice filled with desperation, as I saw a hulking brute of a wizard using physical enhancement magic standing near May.