Three Spheres

Chapter 69 - Mother

"Hm... What happened...?", little by little, Katia awakens from her painful sleep. Her vision remains blurred, as she tries to move. The tinkling of the chains that hold her to the ground draws the attention of the half-naked woman with long white hair. She leaves the pulsating green mass, in which she worked, to approach the human:

_ Well, you survived indeed. _ She says.

Katia is filled with a deep fear when her brown eyes collide with the colorless sockets of the other. 

_ Why... _ Katia forces the words out _ Why didn't you kill me...?

_ Oh, this is embarrassing... _ The woman moves away a few steps, with her crooked legs _ I think I'm lonely. The Banshees don't speak at all... And you're going to die anyway, so it's okay if we chat for a while, right? _ She smiles, like a child; Katia feels cold sweat running down her face _ It's rare to meet a human, especially one as scary as you! I was curious...

_ Me...? Scary ...?

_ Yes! _ The woman says, approaching Katia _ You chose to die for the sake of two people who are not your family... You mean nothing to them and... yet... _ She stops _ I can't understand. What are they for you...?

Katia hesitates. Lowering her face, she replies, not sure if that is the truth:

_ My friends...

_ "Friends"? Hm... I don't understand what a "friend" is. Witches don't have these... The only thing that matters is the family.

"She said it! She's really a Witch!", Katia thinks. The fear that consumes her is mixed with the desire to know more about that dangerous Fabulare. She swallows her tears and takes on her role as a Veneficus for the very last time. The chains around her arms prevent her from casting any magic, but she prays for the Goddesses for someone to find her corpse and evoke its memories:

_ D-Do you have a family...?

_ Oh, yes! _ She counts on her fingers _ There is Miriam that is working on Nigrum, Ayla that took part on the Ágora just recently, me, and Edisia... Heh, Edisia had some problems in her last mission. Ah, and there's Mommy of course.

"F-Five Witches?!", Katia feels her body get heavier.

_ By the way, my name is Leah. Since humans do not have names, I'll call you "doll". I don't think we can be "friends", but _ She sits on the floor, with her legs crossed _ let's talk a little...

"Is she really... really lonely...? Does Witches have this kind of emotion?", Katia thinks, looking at the excessively slender and gray figure in front of her. Biting her lips, she says, grindingly:

_ If you are lonely... why don't you go back to your family?

_ Why? Well, mommy sent me to research several important things... _ She turns to the pulsating mass that resembles an egg _ Immortality, for example! Everything for our plan.

_ P-Plan...? _ Katia frowns.

_ Yes. Mommy's plan to take revenge on humanity. _ The Witch takes Katia's face with one hand and presses her cheeks until blood oozes _ Humans have stolen everything from us. They killed most of our families... It is unforgivable. Humans are so, so, so cruel!

Katia deviates and growls:

_ It was the Witches who started the wars!

_ Well... Is that what they teach you...? _ Leah lowers her face _ It must be hard to have to believe on what others say about the past, without ever having seen it. How cruel. _ She jumps on Katia, pressing her against the floor _ Humans are awful... Very scary!