Three Spheres

Chapter 116 - Theater

The voodoos run weirdly and jump at Johan. He dodges, sliding over the smooth stone. The Drekavacs, on the other hand, chew and crush the puppets as if they were mere toys. The biggest voodoo leans towards the boy, and he holds it by the head with his left hand. He makes a small test... "So, I can absorb the energy that keeps them going", he concludes, satisfied. The now empty fabric floats to the ground.

With kicks and stomps, he defeats a few more puppets, while getting more and more impatient. Suddenly, a part of the yellow-eyed mist disappears, creating the silhouette of a door. Johan steadies his feet. The crimson veins in his arm pulse. He smells her.

_ What is this? _ A woman's voice echoes _ Unsatisfied with being hunted by the Ecclesia, you decide to enter my domain with a target painted on your chest, abomination?

The Witch presents herself at the top of the stairs. Her hair, darker than Johan's, is pulled back into a gigantic ponytail, and she wears a white dress made entirely of semi-transparent laces. Her bare feet don't seem to touch the ground. Her eyes are blue. Completely blue.

In response to the question, Johan holds up his red shirt, showing the sigil of an "Aggro's Drain" that glows brightly.

"If there's one thing Aunt Eve taught me, it's that Witches are easy to tease. Get ready to repeat what I say", Keisha's voice interrupts the flashing stares. John growls:

_ Since you're a coward, I thought this thing would guarantee me a good fight. _ He kicks one of the voodoos _ I guess I was wrong... Witch.

_ You came prepared to offend me, I see. _ She starts to go down the stairs _ It seems that this piece of knowledge the humans have transmitted well to...-

She is interrupted by one of the daggers flying towards her. She holds it between her fingers with a serious gaze. Johan cracks his neck then, saying:

_ Choose right what you're gonna say next, Witch. Could be your last words.

"How annoying... She should have attacked already! Ain't ya' gonna fight back?!", Keisha thinks as she watches the gray woman's snobbish walk through Sayuri's butterflies. The provocations continue:

_ The only thing I'd be happy to hear from your mouth, Witch, is your name...! I already know Ayla, Edisia... _ Johan draws the other dagger _ Did Godeve discover the name of your other dead slave? _ She remains silent; the fog dissipates _ Tsk...! If you don't wanna tell me your title of great Witch, at least say your small Witch name. I want it to look nice on your grav...-

The Witch closes her eyes and raises her arms. No less than a hundred needles materialize at once, transfixing Johan's body in all directions; except for the head... The Drekavacs, terrified, flee far into the castle.

Dijana can't contain her smile; Keisha feels a sweat drop trickle down her face. "Now our punching bag will have to endure a lil' beatin'. Ready for the broken-phone game, Paladin?", she says; Dijana nods and leaves her hiding place...

_ Daemon Cordis, the "Demon Heart". Such is my name, abomination. _ She removes some of the needles, slowly _ Satisfied?

With the snap of fingers, all the needles vanish. Johan falls to the ground... unharmed?! There was no real injuries. "It was pure spiritual energy? So another torture spell...?", he asks himself, rising from the floor, still feeling his body sore.

_ I am not satisfied yet. _ The Witch says, holding his face with one hand _ You are being so problematic to me that it would be an outrage to kill you without making you suffer beforehand. _ She smiles _ For better and for worse, I am still a vengeful Witch.