The night was unnaturally still as we waited in the shadows, each of us gripping onto whatever strength we could muster. Ava was tense beside me, her gaze fixed on the ritual site below. Emily and Seraphina remained focused, too, silent as they awaited the arrival of Emily's parents.
The air thickened as the moon crept higher in the sky, deepening its crimson hue. The Blood Moon's glow bathed the clearing, casting an eerie light on the ancient stone altar where the ritual would take place. In the stillness, the distant rustling of leaves and the snap of branches announced their arrival.
Emily's parents stepped into the clearing, their movements slow and deliberate. Their eyes were sharp, calculating. But then I noticed something odd. They were alone. The alternative they should've had because I was no longer interested in being their sacrificial lamb was nowhere to be seen. Could they have found a different material that can withstand the amount of power that the Heartstone radiates? Well, since Seraphina and Emily aren't worried about this being a trap or anything like that then maybe I shouldn't be too.
"So what's the plan?" Ava asked, her voice barely audible.
"They must have found another way," I whispered back. "Seeing that they're still here even without having a substitute present..."
Seraphina tightened her grip on her staff. "I don't understand. It's not possible. There's no material known that can withstand the power of the heartstone except specific immortal beings. Any other thing they attempt to use will melt before thirty seconds."
"Do you really want to wait here and see if whatever they are planning to use will melt after thirty seconds or will you try to stop them from attempting to use it?" Emily asked, eyes narrowed. "There are many substances in the world that even you don't know about. They could have gotten one of those. We have to stop them before it's too late."
"I suppose you're right." Seraphina said. "I might be all powerful but I'm definitely not all knowing. We proceed according to plan at my signal."
We closed in fast, and just as we were close enough to stop them, Emily's parents noticed our movements and sent a spell our way.
Before I could react, an invisible force surrounded us. A barrier shot up, trapping us in place. I tried to push against it, but it was impenetrable. My heart pounded as I looked at Emily and Seraphina. Ava and I were trapped in place but Seraphina and Emily managed to get out of the way, witches' reflexes I guess.
"What is this?" I asked. "Why can't I move?"
"It's an immobility spell." Seraphina said. "Come on Emily, let's help them out. We're going to need all the help we can get to take down your parents."
"Why would I want to stop my parents?" Emily asked, smiling devilishly. "They're not wrong in what they're planning to do. A utopia for all of our kind doesn't seem so bad. Ava said so herself."
"I should've known you were working for your parents.." Seraphina said whilst raising her staff to strike but before she could get any spells out, Emily's mom sent a lightning bolt which knocked her off her feet.
"Working for my parents? That's funny. They're the ones working for me, being the most powerful in your kind has it's perks. I was actually nervous about coming in through your barrier." Emily started, looking at Seraphina who was now on the floor staring up at her with disgust. "But your unconditional trust in me because I was once your student was just the edge I needed to get past the barrier unharmed."
"You're planning to enslave the world. Either they serve you or they die. How's that a perfect world?"
"Emily, what's going on?" Ethan asked. "Are you actually going to kill me?"
"Whoops, someone's scared."
"You would be if you were stuck in a cage until the day of the slaughter."
"The day of the slaughter is today so there wouldn't be much waiting don't worry." Emily chuckled.
"I can't believe I was actually falling for you."
"Who could blame you? If I were you I would fall for me too. Like come on, who wouldn't fall in love with this face?"
"So the escape was planned? Us getting stranded in the forest was also part of the plan?"
"Well getting stuck in the forest was not part of the plan initially, I just did that so you guys would trust me more... and it worked." Emily started. "But the escape? Yeah it was planned. Come on, you can't really think that highly trained kidnappers would leave their victims alone in a room to go and do what? drink tea? Come on, that's silly. We knew about the heartstone and about the importance of your blood but had no way to access either so we decided to let our prey come to us. We let you go with the knowledge of our plan so you would go off trying to find the heartstone first in a futile attempt to keep it from us. We would've never found the heartstone on our own if you didn't go out to search for it for us."
"What about Seraphina?" I asked. "How did you know she'd know where to find the heartstone?"
"She's one of the most powerful witches in the world. If anyone knew where to find the heartstone, she would. I couldn't find a good enough reason to get her to help me find the heartstone without giving myself away so I created villains that she would need to find the heartstone to help stop." Emily replied. "And it worked. Hope you know I'm just stalling till the blood moon reaches it's peak."
"Whether it reaches it's peak or not changes nothing." Seraphina replied. "You don't have the heartstone."
"That's where you're wrong." Emily said. "You told us exactly who the guardian of the heartstone was and so I sent someone to go retrieve it."
As soon as Emily finished her sentence, two witches appeared with the heartstone in their hands.
"We got it."
"You were saying?" Emily laughed while Seraphina seemed to be mumbling something under her breath. "What are you saying? Are you actually casting a spell? You can't really expect to be able to take us all down, are you?"
"I might not be able to take you down..." Seraphina said. "But it doesn't mean no one will be able to... Evaporare Umbra!"
With that word Seraphina said, there was a bright light that made everyone shield their eyes, when the light dissapitated, Seraphina was gone.
"Well, she's gone."
"It doesn't matter. We have what we need."
"Splendid."