The crimson witch groaned, already regretting not setting up a barrier to keep nosy intruders out. "I don't recall inviting you, Viola," she muttered, crossing her arms.
Viola's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she twirled a strand of her deep purple hair around her finger. "Oh, you wound me. Do I need an invitation to check up on my dear sister?" She placed a delicate hand on her cheek, feigning innocence. "Besides, I couldn't resist. When I heard that you, of all people, were voluntarily leaving the comfort of your spell-lined walls, I simply had to see it with my own eyes."
From her spot on the grass, the white-haired catgirl stirred, cracking open one lazy eye to take in the scene. "Oh great, another witch," she mumbled, rolling onto her side. "Is sarcasm a family trait, or is it just you two?"
Viola let out a soft chuckle. "And who is this adorable little kitten? A familiar? A stray?" Her gaze flickered with interest as she studied the lounging catgirl.
The crimson witch sighed. "Unfortunately, she's neither. Just an unwanted nuisance."
"Rude," the catgirl muttered, flicking her tail.
Viola smirked. "I see. Well, this is turning out to be quite the interesting little gathering." She clasped her hands together, her expression shifting to something far more curious. "Now then, tell me, dear sister. What exactly are you doing all the way out here?"
The crimson witch's gaze remained wary as she crossed her arms. "That's my line. How did you find this shrine?" She narrowed her eyes. "It was hidden when we entered it by accident."
Viola gave a knowing hum, tapping a gloved finger against her cheek. "Accident, you say? How interesting." She glanced around, her expression unreadable as she took in the shrine's worn pillars, the lingering traces of ancient magic in the air, and the faint, flickering glow of the corruption interface still hovering nearby. "I must say, you've always had a peculiar talent for stumbling upon the most… fascinating places."
She took another step forward, placing a delicate hand against one of the shrine's aged wooden beams. A faint ripple of energy pulsed outward from her touch, and for a brief moment, something like recognition flickered across her face. "A hidden shrine, nearly swallowed by corruption, yet still clinging to existence. Very interesting indeed."
The crimson witch clenched her jaw. She hated it when Viola did this. Spoke in riddles, as if she always knew more than she let on. "You didn't answer my question," she said flatly.
Viola let out a soft, amused sigh, as if indulging a stubborn child. "Oh, dear sister, did you really think I wouldn't notice when a disturbance of this magnitude occurred?" She turned, folding her hands neatly in front of her.
The crimson witch's grip on her staff tightened, her fingers digging into the smooth wood as she took a step forward. "Liar," she said coldly. "How did you know it was corrupted in the first place?" Her crimson eyes burned with suspicion, the flickering light of the shrine casting sharp shadows across her face.
Viola merely raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into an amused smile. "Oh dear, accusing me so quickly? How unlike you, sister."
The crimson witch's stance remained firm, her knuckles white against her staff. "Unless, of course, you're the one who caused it."
At this, Viola let out a soft, melodic chuckle, tilting her head slightly. "Now that is an interesting accusation," she mused, her golden eyes glinting like polished amber. "Or perhaps it's simply been too long since you last stepped out of your little hideaway. Maybe, just maybe," she took a graceful step forward, lowering her voice into something almost teasing, "You're just surprised by my growth."
The crimson witch's jaw clenched. Viola had always been like this, always acting as if she was one step ahead, as if nothing could rattle her. But that smug, infuriating confidence only made the crimson witch more certain. Viola knew something. Whether she was directly responsible or not, she wasn't just here by coincidence.
The air between them crackled with tension, the unspoken challenge hanging heavy. The crimson witch could feel it, the way magic thrummed faintly in the air around Viola, coiling like a hidden serpent, waiting.
"You're deflecting," the crimson witch said sharply. "Typical."
Viola placed a hand over her chest in mock offense. "Deflecting? My, my, how harsh. I came all this way to visit my dear sister, and this is the welcome I receive?" She let out an exaggerated sigh before giving the crimson witch a sidelong glance, her smile never faltering. "But if you really believe I had a hand in this, then by all means. Why not prove it?"
She spread her arms as if inviting an attack. "Go on, dear sister. Show me how much you really think I'm capable of."
"Fine." The crimson witch lifted her staff and pointed it directly at Viola, her crimson eyes gleaming with unwavering determination. "It's not like I spent three hundred years just lazing around, you know." Her voice carried a firm edge, the weight of centuries behind her words.
Viola's smirk never wavered. If anything, her amusement only deepened as she tilted her head slightly, watching her sister's stance with a glimmer of anticipation. "Oh? Then by all means, dear sister, show me what those years have amounted to."
Before Catherine could respond, a panicked voice interrupted them.
"Wait, Catherine! Are you really going to fight?!" The white-haired catgirl, who had been lounging lazily mere moments ago, was now on high alert. Her snow-white eyes flickered with something beyond mere concern. Troubled, uncertain, as if she knew that this wasn't just a simple sibling spat. "How else do I sleep in peace if you start throwing magic around?!" She shot Catherine a desperate look, her fluffy ears twitching in distress.
Catherine barely spared her companion a glance. With a dismissive wave, she brushed aside the catgirl's words, focusing entirely on the incantation forming on her lips. The moment her spell took shape, the air shifted, the temperature plummeting as the world around them grew unnaturally still. A sudden whoosh filled the air, and in an instant, thousands of razor-sharp ice shards, each no bigger than a pen, materialized above them in a deadly array, their tips glinting ominously in the fading light.
Without hesitation, Catherine unleashed her attack. The shards shot forward, streaking through the air like a relentless winter storm, each one honed with precision, all aimed straight at Viola. Yet, as the icy barrage closed in, Catherine's voice cut through the magic-laden air, sharp and demanding.
"Tell me, Viola," she called, her voice carrying a raw intensity. "Why are you so obsessed with the fox-kin?"
Viola didn't move. She didn't flinch, didn't raise a hand in defense. Instead, she watched the incoming storm of ice shards with an almost detached curiosity, as if they were nothing more than a passing snowfall. Then, with a single flick of her wrist, the air around her warped. A pulse of violet energy rippled outward, distorting the space itself. In the next instant, the thousands of ice shards that had been hurtling toward her simply vanished.
Catherine's eyes widened, her grip on her staff tightening. "Spatial displacement," she muttered under her breath. "Tch."
Viola let out a soft, almost pitying laugh. "Oh, Catherine," she sighed, shaking her head. "Three hundred years, and this is what you throw at me? I expected a little more bite."
From the sidelines, the white-haired catgirl had flattened her ears against her head, clearly regretting all of her life choices that led her to this moment. "Okay, okay, I'm all for some dramatic sibling rivalry, but does this really have to happen right now? I haven't even had my afternoon nap yet!"
Catherine ignored her, pointing her staff directly at Viola once more. "Tell me, Viola. Why are you so obsessed with fox-kin?" Her voice was sharper now, filled with restrained fury. "What are you planning?"
Viola's eyes gleamed. She tilted her head slightly, a playful smirk gracing her lips. "Now, now, sister. Obsessed is such a strong word." She lifted a single finger, tracing lazy patterns in the air as violet light followed her movements. "I simply find them… fascinating."
Catherine narrowed her eyes. "That's not an answer."
Viola chuckled. "And yet, it's all you're getting."
The space around them tensed, the very air growing heavier. Magic coiled like a tightening noose, the atmosphere teetering on the edge of something dangerous.
Catherine exhaled slowly, bracing herself. "So be it."
Catherine barely had time to raise her staff before the wind attack crashed toward her like a razor-edged gale. She twisted her body, summoning a barrier of ice just in time to deflect the brunt of the force. Even so, the sheer pressure sent her skidding back several steps.
"Tch…" Catherine clicked her tongue in irritation. Viola was stronger than before, far stronger.
Viola hovered in the air, her violet robes billowing from the force of her own magic. "You were always so indifferent to everything, Catherine. So why now? Why bother fighting for some fox-kin? What makes this any different?"
Catherine gritted her teeth, the grip on her staff tightening. "You really don't get it, do you?"
Viola arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Enlighten me."
Catherine took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Her crimson hair swayed as the magic around her surged, flickering between ice and fire. She glanced at the white-haired catgirl, who was crouched behind a rock, pretending to be asleep but clearly listening intently.
"…I didn't care before," Catherine admitted. "Because I had nothing worth caring about." She lifted her gaze, her crimson eyes burning with quiet determination. "But things change."
Viola blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then, slowly, a knowing smirk curled at her lips.
"My, my," she mused, resting a hand on her chin. "So that's how it is. The great Crimson Witch has finally grown sentimental."
Catherine didn't deny it. Instead, she steadied her stance and raised her staff once more, her magic flaring brighter than before.
"Enough talk," she said. "If you want to keep threatening the fox-kin, you'll have to go through me."
Viola's smirk widened. "Oh, dear sister…" The air around her crackled with energy as her magic flared to match Catherine's. "I was hoping you'd say that."