Mia's POV:
After tying my injured limbs with a few roots, I watched the fight in awe.
- …it really was tough, tougher than I expected.
As I watch the scene through the evil eye I planted near him, the battle seems to be coming to an end. The huge hand made of brambles is approaching him at a dizzying speed. Even if he dodges it and cuts off its stem, my masterpiece won't stop. Since the actual plant that makes that bramble grow is at the center of the hand, as long as he doesn't cut off its core, it won't stop.
- Fighting to the death is really the best way to develop your powers. One comes up with the best ideas during a good fight.
As I watched him finally get caught, I couldn't help but get excited. Keir's skills would be a great acquisition for me. Even now I'm absorbing the blood he had planted inside me with the help of some roots. As I was thinking whether I should approach him or not, a huge screech sounded next to me. It was so loud and shrill that I almost fainted from the shock. When I looked back at its source, something resembling a drop of blood was floating a few meters away from me. Although I didn't know what it was exactly, I knew it was bad news for me.
- Could it be?
When I focused again to observe Keir, he was no longer there, only my shattered hand remained. A cold sweat ran down my back as I searched eye to eye if I could spot Keir in any of them. I finally found him, he was lunging at me with 3 blood swords and 2 daggers accompanying him. He had launched himself at me from my blind spot while holding a long red sword in his hands. I quickly jumped out of the tree with the help of my plants. Keir, without wasting a moment, launched himself in pursuit, but managed to put a wall of plants between us.
- Phew, that was close young man.
As I say this, a sharp pain suddenly surges through my chest. I feel dizzy and almost fall to the ground, but I manage to compose myself and get away from Keir's follow-up attack.
"As I expected, the wall didn't hold up much."
I desperately try to put some distance between us, but Keir pursues me tenaciously. Even though I use the surrounding plants to slow him down, he cuts through every obstacle I put up and immediately starts chasing me. With my body in the shape it is, both injured and small, I can't lose sight of him again. The pain in my chest also grows deeper and deeper. As I continue running, I accidentally stumble upon a small clearing in the forest where I stop, almost out of breath and with sore limbs, to face Keir. Shortly after, he catches up with me and stops a few meters away from me, staring at me.
- That last coagulation must have killed you, how the hell are you still alive?
Eyes filled with hate stared at me as his swords moved away from him.
- How was it? Who knows?
I raise my shoulders with apparent apathy as I desperately grow the plants around us. In a few seconds, several brambles surround the clearing where we are. We both seem ready to resume combat, but he looks at me and says.
- Who is the current plant witch?
- Plant witch? What is that?
- Don't play dumb, I know very well how your powers work. That form you have right now is what gives you the power to control them.
- I'm sorry, but I'm afraid my dear pupil has already died a long time ago. I can't introduce her to you, even if I wanted to.
- Do you underestimate how famous you are? There are hundreds of writings that speak of the great disasters you have caused throughout history. None of them mention this type of ability.
- Oh, but isn't that something you should be celebrating? You've forced me, the legendary witch of deception, to use a power I've never used against anyone. Congratulations brat, you've cornered the legendary witch of deception!
- ….
His skeptical face clearly shows that he doesn't believe a single word I say. He stares at me hard for a moment before sighing and raising his sword.
- It's fine if you don't want to tell me, if she really is your pupil, then she will definitely come to exact revenge. And when she does, I'll be ready to let her follow the path of her master.
That comment made my blood boil. He's going to touch a single hair on my dear pupil's head?
"Not in this lifetime!"
With that thought, the battle resumed. The swords that were in my blind spot rush towards me, but they were all blocked by a thorny bramble that came out from behind me. Keir's frontal attack was also blocked by it, but Keir was quick to destroy the bramble and launch himself at me again. But unlike other times, I didn't retreat this time. I also launched myself at the hero of blood. The swords that had collided with the bramble regain their momentum trying to hit me from behind in a pincer attack that I can see thanks to the evil eye. But moments before the collision, I transform back into Cassandra, with which I manage to repel almost all the swords that were launched at me. The sword that Keir had in his hands digs into my shoulder as I can't completely neutralize it.
- I have you.
With my free hand I grab Keir and slam him against the ground. A dry thud and a group of cracks sound from the impact. Despite having fallen, their swords continue to pursue me relentlessly. Not knowing how to stop them, I stomp hard on the ground where Keir is, after a few blows, the swords turn back into blood and fall innocently to the ground. I quickly take the form of Natasha and with the plants that are there, I suck all the blood from the roots to prevent them from forming again. When I try to get some air from all the sudden movement, finally giving up the battle, I take a long breath.
A large current of air hits me from the side and throws me against the trees at a dizzying speed. Although I manage to avoid the direct hit thanks to the flowers that were there, the blow causes all the air in my lungs to suddenly leave and Keir's sword to embed itself deeper into my shoulder until my entire arm falls off. An unbearable pain hits my side as I search for air to stay conscious. Pain burns through my now missing arm as I try to breathe properly only to get short bursts of breath choked by my own sobs.
- Excellent work Keir, you really managed to do mortal damage to the Witch of Deception. It's fascinating how a weakling and coward like you managed to get this far. You can die knowing that the great me will take all the fruits of your labor.
With a selfless grimace, he crushes Keir's head like a watermelon. After that, the sword that had been stuck in my side begins to fade into particles of light until there's nothing left. He looks at Keir's corpse in disgust for a few moments before turning to me. After a few moments of composing myself, I was able to normalize my breathing and understand what had happened, even though the pain continues to threaten to take away my consciousness, I manage to stand firm as he approaches me.
- Who the hell are you, hero killer?
- Hero killer? Are you by any chance referring to me?
- Who else would I be referring to, scum?
A grimace transforms his face at my words. He looks at me irritatedly and then sighs.
- I guess it's because I haven't introduced myself. I'm Kliff, the best hero of the 7 heroes, the legendary hero who defeated the witch of deception, I'm the hero of the storm.