In the Briar, six days had passed since Ashlynn and Amahle bestowed the seed of witchcraft on Heila, and still, she showed no signs of waking up. Her body lay still within the stone circle on the barren island, though Ashlynn had covered her with a soft blanket and placed a pillow beneath her horned head.
-BOOM- -CRACK- The sounds of a fierce confrontation filled the air as magical energy flared, casting its flickering light across the island and adding a variety of hues to the diffuse light that filled the Briar.
At the opposite side of the narrow island, Ashlynn stood panting, her hands balled into fists and her arms raised before her in a defensive posture to guard her head and body. Facing her, Jacques stood in a similar pose, flexing his clawed hands as if he'd just struck something painfully solid. Around his hands, a flickering orange glow danced between his fingers, ready to explode again in an instant.
