Chapter 10 - Dull, lifeless eyes ~

Maids were trembling from fear and holding their breath in Jane's presence.
"Aish, why are you all still kneeling? Don't make me look bad in my guest's presence?" The coven vice leader rolled her eyes and chuckled. The guests were given a seat beside Jane.
Hearing the word, one of the maids stood. Her fellows tried to pull her back to kneel, she avoided them and stood still.
"Oh!! There is someone brave…girl, why don't you serve me? I like bold girls like you." a glint of evil was evident in the leader's eye. The maid won't know that she has dug a grave for herself.
"Everyone stand up and welcome my other guests, they will be here soon. Don't make them complain about my grandness…" Within an hour the hall was crowded and everyone seemed to be waiting for someone.
Soon, a group of witches led by a white haired woman entered the hall.
"Oh!! You guys are finally here. I waited for a long time with my guests. Let's not waste our time and bring the jade ball out, I would like to test my level once again." Jane spoke while sipping something from her glass.
The new arrival doubted the circumstances but eventually brought the jade ball out and began to chant some cleansing spells.
The white haired woman however spoke, "Vice-leader, are you sure about testing your level? You know that repeatedly testing will drain your—"
"Shut your mouth. Did I give you the permission to speak nonsense? Don't try to spoil my mood?" Throwing the glass in the ground, Jane stood.
Standing in the front of the ball, a drop of blood was dropped by Jane. The colour didn't change for a while then slowly reached red to blue and faintly changed to indigo but as eventually lowered to green and stopped changing.
"Vice-leader, you should accept it—"
"F**k off. Who are you to lecture me? Haha, even if you accept or not I am taking over the position of leader of Eastland. I am done with my act and patience, the position of leader was mine in the first place until that bi**h Irene came…I already have the authority of a leader, I just need you to perform the ritual for me ascending the throne and grant the power." Jane was laughing crazily.
"No, you can't." Some declined the announcement.
Winking her eyes, a witch near Jane opened her cloak and made a sarcastic remark, "Ahh!! Miss, there are still some left who could go against you. Don't worry, after some time no one will stay opposite to you…"
"Vice-leader…how…how could you…are…are you colliding with our betrayers?" Someone voiced out.
"It's late for you to notice." Turning to the masked men,"My guests, I-Jane, leader of the Eastland remain firm on my promise. The exchange is already ready, won't you help me to secure my throne first of all…"
"Sure…"
The situation was in chaos. Ceris had already left as the hall began to be crowded. No one noticed her absence.
Ceris used the chance to roam around the castle and place where she hadn't reached before. She had learned some light martial arts in Phoset, so was careful to erase her presence and hide in the surroundings. After, roundabout she couldn't find Ivy. Eri was deep asleep so raiding the castle alone was difficult.
Being tired, Ceris sat on the floor and leaned on a wall. Taking a deep breath, she stretched out her hand. Her left hand touched something on the wall and it moved. An open door came into Ceris's view. Looking around, she stepped one of the feet inside the door and observed carefully inside before entering. The wall was replaced in its original position as she entered. In a dim light, a corridor was only in view. Walking ahead, the path leads to underground of the castle.
Ceris was afraid but thinking that Ivy could be there, slowly she stepped forward. At the corner, a cell-like room was constructed, no one was inside so she moved forward.
"Pah…pah…" A sound of whip slashing, groaning and chattering was heard as Ceris walked ahead. Being alert and using the help of darkness, she reached the source of the sound.
Two people…no- no two witches were grabbing the arms and tied a woman on the wooden plank in the farthest cell. One had a whip and the other had a bucket of cold chilly water. The woman was drenched and wounded which was visible from her tattered clothes.
Besides grunting once in a while, the woman didn't scream or beg for mercy.
"Finally…finally that bastard is captured. If this oldey hadn't hid her, our miss would have already taken over Eastland. These rats, how could they try to go against our miss's order? I want to beat this b**ch to death…Pah…pah…" the witch with whip was burning in anger.
"Open her mouth. We need to make her lose her powers by making her drink these potions. No spell can harm her, only the physical pain will kill her slowly." Another witch sipped a black potion on the woman's mouth.
"This oldey was the bargaining chip to bring that bastard here. Now she is of no use, I don't know what our leader is thinking to keep this oldey alive. If ..." a witch snorted in disgust.
"Shh, don't let others hear your words. Don't think more and do as you are ordered." Another witch whispered slowly.
After a while, the woman tied on the plank, didn't move or even made a groaning sound.
"It's enough for today. My hand is hurting. Let's join the enjoyment for now and continue to torture her later." The witch who was whipping spoke.
"Umm, no one will come here. Okay, let's go " Unknown to them Ceris was already present and observing their actions. She wanted to help the tied woman but an invisible barrier held her out.
As those witches were about to disappear in the corner, Ceris once again tried to enter the cell and succeeded, the barrier disappeared with those witches.
No movement was made by the left one. Ceris was conflicted whether to reach the woman or not. Don't know what changed her mind, in the end Ceris approached and checked the breath.
Suddenly, the woman opened her dull, lifeless eyes and observed Ceris in daze. The light wasn't bright but Ceris noticed the feature of the woman and it was somehow similar to Ivy.