I got home and walked inside then made my way to the kitchen and noticed Verdi in there with a black cat on her shoulder. I set down my keys and looked at her, but she didn't even bat an eye at me. I cleared my throat and she set down her wand then looked at me.
"First off, what the hell are you doing and whose cat is that?" I asked.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm making potions but you literally have nothing I can use to make potions with except a few apples and flowers. I'm trying to get my Essence back and as for my cat, this is my Familiar. He helps me gather material for my potions as you know Potions are a great deal for witches. ALL witches need to learn how to make potions." Verdi explained.
"What that's cool whatever, but what was that big eyeball earlier? Explain that please." I said and crossed my arms.
"It's just one of the monsters from my dimension. When we traversed into this dimension on accident, a few of our enemies followed behind. It appears that I am not the only one who lost their power, as my sisters lost their powers as well. There's not enough Mana on Earth to properly produce the essence we are looking for. We can only drive off those creatures with what limited power we have." Verdi explained then grunted as a burst of black smoke came from the pot.
"Another failed experiment." The Black Cat said.
"It can talk?" I asked.
"All Familiars and Fairies can talk, and if you're gonna be helping my master, we have to get you a fairy as well. My name is Kuroi." Kuroi said and hopped off Verdi's shoulder then walked toward me.
I looked down at Kuroi and lowered my arms. "I'm not—"
"You have no choice, Weiss. You've seen my master at work. You can't escape this fate, so tonight we are going to gather materials and find you a familiar or a fairy." Kuroi said.
Verdi looked at me and placed her hands on the counter. "Look, I think we got off the wrong foot last night."
"You think?" I asked and crossed my arms again, looking at Verdi.
"Listen. I do need your help. I did some scouting around to learn about you and you're pretty smart. You can gather energy from the stars using your Stellar Generator. The stars can supply Mana for me so that I can make more powerful potions. Please, I want to go home and you will definitely want for these Monsters to get off your world." Verdi said.
I stared at Verdi and closed my eyes, letting out a soft sigh. "Alright, fine...but I need something from you and you, Kuroi."
"What is it?" Kuroi asked and jumped on the counter to meet my eyes.
"Yeah, what can we do so we can have your full cooperation?" Verdi asked.
"Until I find a way to give you Essence or whatever...I need you two to blend in with society. The Earth you probably know isn't the Earth you think it is. We actually have Rulers as well. You think you're stronger than us at your weakest, but you're wrong. I can't help you if you're captured." I said.
"That's fine." Verdi said. "Us Witches aren't easily caught though so don't worry."
"Right..." I said.
"We leave tonight for materials.." Kuroi said.
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...
The night fell and I led Verdi and Kuroi toward the forest. The ambiance was creepy and the wind was a bit cold. I always hated the forest because the trees would always cover the night sky, making it near impossible to view the stars.
"Alright...We are looking for Red Herbs, Yellow Herbs, and Blue Herbs." Verdi said.
"I'm sorry but that's literally impossible." I said.
"Red Herbs do exist, sorry if my master confuses you...but Red Herbs are called Red Sage on Earth." Kuroi explained.
"Okay, that doesn't make it better. That stuff literally only grows naturally in China and Japan. We are in America." I said.
"Blue Rosemaries?" Kuroi asked.
"Impossible for this time of season. It's ongoing Winter. They only grow during the Spring through Summer." I answered.
"Turmeric?" Kuroi asked.
"South Asia." I said and crossed my arms.
"Geez...Why is Earth so complicated? Back at home, these three herbs are so common." Verdi said.
"The three flowers and herbs you need are also common here...they just don't grow in certain locations." I said.
"Well, well~ What a pleasant surprise~ It would seem that Verdi has found a human. Care to explain who this person is?" A woman said.
I looked back and noticed a woman leaning against a tree. She had fair skin, long wavy blonde hair, and blue gray eyes. She had the same attractiveness as Verdi. She wore a witch's attire and twirled her wand around her fingers.
"Zumaina. I could tell it was you from a mile away...I was honestly wondering when you would show yourself." Verdi said.
"C'mon..~ Don't be like that, sister~ A gal like me also wants to return home...I couldn't help but follow you once I sensed this man with very powerful Essence...~" Zumaina said and licked her lips.
I could tell she was sadistic. Her cold eyes told it all. Even Verdi went on the defensive and grabbed my sleeve, pulling me behind her. I watched the two and noticed Kuroi hop upon my shoulder.
"Verdi has five other sisters. Each one, a Master of one specific element but not limited to that specific element. Verdi is the Master of the Earth Element while Zumaina is the Master of the Lightning Element. Verdi has the upperhand elemental wise, but when it comes down to witch fights, elemental advantages don't matter." Kuroi explained.
"Sharing is caring, my beloved Nature Lover..~ If you're the only one who keeps him, the rest of us are trapped on Earth...and I don't want that." Zumaina said and pointed her wand at Verdi.
"Tch...I found him, and already made my contract with him. If you want him, you'll need to kill me which I know you won't do." Verdi said, still not readying her wand.
Zumaina smiled a condescending smile and giggled softly. She pointed her wand at me. "You're right, I can't kill you... because there will be no one to revive you...but this human can die as many time as needed."
"Wait what?" I asked.
"You have a lot of Essence, Human. A LOT of it. You should feel that Energy coursing through your body..." Zumaina said and her wand shined yellow.
"Verdi, what the hell is she talking about?" I asked.
Verdi looked back at me then looked at Zumaina. "When I revived you, I awakened your Energy Points. Because of that you have major amounts of Essence within you. The problem is I don't know how to bring it out of you without harming you because I need you alive.."
"I can make usage of him..~ Hand him over and I promise to treat him nicely..~ Refuse and he dies." Zumaina said.
"Zuma—"
She fired a large bolt of lightning at me and it went straight through my chest. My eyes widened then I fell onto my knees. I coughed a bit of blood and placed my hands on the ground.
"I didn't hit a vital organ...but that was just a warning." Zumaina smirked.
"What are you doing?! We need him!" Verdi yelled.
"YOU need him. I WANT him. Our goals align, but our Sources are limited. He's the only source of power we have...so that means only one of us can leave at a time and I'm not staying on Earth for much longer than I have to. With that said, if I don't hear cooperation, I'm blasting his head off." Zumaina said.
Verdi walked in front of me and held up her wand. "You're not getting him. You'll need to kill me if you really want him." Verdi said.
"Oh I love a good fight..~" Zumaina said then pointed her wand at Verdi.
Zumaina immediately fired bolts of lightning at Verdi, but Verdi dodged each bolt and dashed toward Zumaina. She twirled around, surrounding her wand with wind energy then slashed at her. Zumaina parried her attack then kneed her stomach. Verdi coughed then stumbled backwards then grunted as she was hit with an open palm strike.
Verdi pointed her wand at Zumaina then vines rushed toward Zumaina. Zumaina giggled and twirled her want then swiped her arm, creating a wall of flames to incinerate the vines.
"What..? Where did you find enough Essence to use for other Elements?!" Verdi asked in shock.
"Killing humans releases Life Force which can be used for Essence..~ That attack earlier in the day left behind a lot of Essence...but not enough for me to spam my most notorious spells like Wind Wrath!" Zumaina said then held her wand to the sky and summoned a tornado around herself.
Verdi grunted as she was being pulled into the tornado's current. She used the roots from underground to ground herself. The tornado's current grew stronger and she couldn't keep herself grounded for too much longer. She was about to go flying, but I grabbed her wrist. She looked down and looked at me surprised.
"Weiss..." Verdi said in complete shock.
I pulled her toward me and struggled to break her out of the tornado's current. Kuroi meowed loudly as he pinned my shadow to the ground, keeping me grounded for as long as he could.
"If my master dies, I die as well! I'm not letting that happen! Keep pulling her!" Kuroi yelled.
I groaned loudly as I kept pulling. Verdi watched our teamwork and then looked at the sky and pointed her wand in the air. Her wand shined then she cast a spell which caused the trees to shake around then the leaves came off and shined a light green.
"Chlorostorm!" She casted then the leaves flew in the air and came down the middle of the tornado.
Zumaina looked up and grunted then groaned loudly as she leaves struck her. Verdi's attack ended and so did the tornado. Zumaina panted softly as she took big damage from Verdi's spell.
I pulled Verdi toward me and took her wand out of her hand. "You want me..? Well due to your actions, I can't comply with that request!"
"Wait—Not this again!" Verdi said.
I pointed the wand at Zumaina. "Maybe some time in the future...right now, I have no reason to work with you.."
Zumaina looked up at me with puppy eyes. "Please don't hurt me, you wouldn't hit a defenseless lady would you..?"
I hesitated and grunted as I looked at her. Zumaina smirked and pointed her wand at me then fired a bolt of lightning at me. Kuroi meowed and a wall of shadows blocked the attack then he engulfed us with shadows and warped us back home.
Zumaina stood up and grunted softly. "Damn Familiar...No worries...I'll get him, one way or another.."
She warped away as well.
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...
We landed in the living room and Verdi caught Kuroi. She smiled at him then looked at me.
"How are you still alive exactly?" Verdi asked.
"Kuroi healed me." I said.
"Don't mention it. If you would have died to blood loss, Verdi would lose you as her Apprentice Wizard. You see, because of your Rebirth, your Energy Points have been awakened which allows you to supply Verdi with Essence." Kuroi explained.
"And how do I supply her?" I asked.
"How it's done in our home world. Physical interaction such as a kiss or even sex if you want to supply a lot of Essence to a desired Witch." Kuroi explained.
"Yeah, sorry. It looks like we're going to find another way." I said.
"Wha—Why?!" Verdi asked.
"I don't feel right kissing someone who tried to kill me last night and trapped me. Plus now I'm possibly being hunted by your sisters? I only saved you because I need you to survive. Anything more is out of the question until we find common ground." I said.
"So you're up for kissing?" Verdi asked.
I sighed and walked off. "I'm going to bed."
Verdi watched me and looked at Kuroi. Kuroi yawned and curled up in Verdi's arms.
"Maybe another day." Kuroi said.