The moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow across the forest. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the faint whisper of wind between the trees. Dakota and Henry walked side by side, their boots crunching the leaves beneath them as they moved with purpose. Their recent battle still weighed heavily on them, and the air felt charged with a sense of impending danger. Dakota, however, couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something—or someone—was waiting for them ahead.
Henry: (breaking the silence) "You sure about this? You think we're gonna find any answers here?"
Dakota: (his gaze fixed forward, voice quiet) "I have to. The witch might know something we missed. She's… not like others."
Henry frowned, looking at Dakota with a mix of confusion and concern, but said nothing more. He knew better than to push his friend when he was set on something. As they approached a clearing, they reached the base of a gnarled old tree. It was ancient, its roots spreading across the ground like twisted fingers. A small cottage sat nestled beneath its shadow, its windows dark, but there was an undeniable aura around it, one that made the air feel thicker as they drew near.
Without a word, Dakota walked up to the door, his hand lingering above the doorknob before he turned it. It creaked open, and the scent of old herbs and burning incense wafted into the cool night air. Inside, the flickering light of candles cast long shadows on the walls, illuminating the various arcane symbols scribbled across the surfaces. In the center of the room, a figure cloaked in deep crimson robes sat at a table covered with scattered books and scrolls. She didn't look up immediately but instead slowly turned a page, as if expecting them.
Dakota: (softly) "We're looking for answers."
The woman raised her head, revealing striking features—a face both young and ancient, with piercing green eyes that seemed to see far beyond what was before her. She didn't speak right away, instead studying Dakota and Henry with an intensity that made even the air around them feel still. Her gaze lingered on Dakota for a moment longer, almost as if searching him for something.
Witch: (calmly) "I know why you've come."
Henry took a step back, uncomfortable under the weight of her stare, but Dakota held his ground. He had met many people over the years, but something about her presence felt different—almost as though their fates had somehow crossed paths long before this meeting.
In truth, this was the first time Dakota had ever laid eyes on her, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity. She was a figure in his past—no, not his past, but a past he had yet to experience. A character in his novel, a witch who was bound to play a role, though he had never intended to meet her like this. It was almost as if she was meant to be here in his life, woven into the fabric of his story, a story that seemed to be shifting, growing with every decision he made.
He pushed the thought away, focusing on the present. There was no time for second-guessing. The witch's knowledge was something they needed.
Dakota: (steadily) "I need your help. We're facing something… dangerous. Something we don't fully understand."
The witch studied him silently for a moment longer, as though contemplating his words. She flicked her fingers in a small gesture, and the candles around the room flared brightly for a moment before settling back down, the shadows in the room seeming to deepen as if responding to her power.
Witch: "Dangerous, yes. But you are more aware than most. The Unseen One stirs. A force older than time, lurking in the shadows of this world. And you, boy, are tangled in its web."
Her words were cryptic, yet filled with a weight that made the hairs on the back of Dakota's neck stand up. He could feel Henry's unease beside him, but Dakota's mind raced. He'd heard whispers of such a force before, but the Unseen One was a name wrapped in myths, something that few even dared to speak of.
The witch leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied Dakota more intently. Her voice was low and soft, like a breeze passing through an ancient tree.
Witch: "You think you've come here by choice. But the paths of fate are not as clear as you might hope. You walk a fine line between this world and the next, between what is and what might be."
Dakota's thoughts clouded with confusion. He'd felt something shifting in his life ever since he arrived in this world, ever since he started making choices that seemed to align with an invisible force. It wasn't just the battles, the people he'd met, or the path that had been set before him—it was something else. Something much older than even he could comprehend.
The witch's voice cut through his thoughts.
Witch: "You've been here before, though not in this form. You carry the echoes of another life, another time."
Dakota froze for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he tried to make sense of her words. She couldn't know that—could she? The past he kept buried, the life of Michael Leal—his previous self, the one who had created the Blazers organization, the one who had made countless mistakes. But this witch… she wasn't supposed to know that. She shouldn't have known any of that.
But somehow, she did. He felt the weight of her words pressing into him, and he knew that her knowledge went far beyond the ordinary. This wasn't just a random encounter. This was part of something far larger, something he couldn't escape.
Dakota: (his voice hard) "What do you want from me?"
The witch's lips curled into a small smile, one that was more knowing than kind.
Witch: "Nothing. I seek only to warn you. The Unseen One grows stronger, and soon, even the shadows will no longer hide you."
Dakota's mind raced. This witch—her role in his story was growing more complex by the second. She was a figure he had written into existence, but now she was real, here, before him. It felt like the line between fiction and reality was blurring, and Dakota had no idea how to handle it. Could he trust her? Could he trust anyone at this point?
Before he could speak, Henry spoke up, his voice laced with suspicion.
Henry: (sharply) "Why help us now? What's in this for you?"
The witch tilted her head, her eyes glinting with amusement at the question.
Witch: "Your friend is cautious. Good. But I have no interest in 'helping' you in the way you think. I am not your ally, not your enemy. I merely offer what little I know, for the price of nothing more than your awareness."
Dakota: (softly) "What's the catch?"
The witch stood, her robes flowing behind her as she moved to a nearby shelf filled with scrolls and books. She picked up an ancient tome and held it up to Dakota. The pages were yellowed with age, the text written in a language Dakota didn't recognize.
Witch: "There is no catch, but there is a price. The path ahead will test you, and you will need all the knowledge you can gather. This book holds answers. If you dare to read it."
She handed the tome to Dakota, her fingers brushing against his for a brief moment, a spark of magic pulsing between them. Dakota hesitated for a moment before taking the book from her. The moment his fingers touched the pages, he could feel the weight of it, as if the knowledge contained within was pressing down on him, begging to be discovered.
But he was no fool. He had learned that some knowledge came at a heavy cost, and the last thing he wanted was to be overwhelmed again.
Dakota: (hesitant) "I'll take it. But I'm not making any promises."
The witch nodded slowly, as if she had expected nothing less. Then, she turned away, retreating into the shadows of her cottage. Without another word, she vanished into the darkness, leaving Dakota and Henry standing in the room alone, the heavy tome in Dakota's hands.
As they left the cottage and the witch's presence faded behind them, Dakota couldn't shake the feeling that everything was changing. They had come for answers, but what they had found was only more questions—and a powerful force lurking just beyond their reach.
The witch had given them a glimpse into the darkness, and now, it was up to Dakota to decide how far he would go to stop it.