All The Stars In The Sky

Hecate

She'd missed the last train, and there was only one person she was thinking of while she stood next to the platform, watching the silver blur disappear into the overgrown tunnel: Miv. Miv was going to be worried.

Stalwart wasn't exactly a safe plant to hunt, with its market prices paid in casualties, and she knew that Mivana knew that, even if she tried to downplay the dangers of being a Witch.

Streaks of dark blue clouds were beginning to set into the pink sky, but the light hadn't faded completely yet. Sighing, she began her walk to the main street.

As she crossed the intersection, a couple of golden leaves chased each other across the wind, and she couldn't help but feel the urge to keep looking, because she was so close to finding it. She could almost smell it. Maybe a few more minutes of searching wouldn't hurt.

The urge to pursue her temptations were quelled by the muffled ringtone of Don't Let It Break Your Heart, and she paused to dig the cell phone out of her bermuda shorts.

Caller ID: Mivana.

Oh, shit.

She allowed it to ring for a couple of seconds, and then she muted it, her resolve strengthening. One way or another, she was going to find the stalwart tonight. Secure the potion. Then she would win the Hecate title, and she would go home and everything would be ok.

Still, she couldn't help but play the voicemail.

Hey, Kyo. Get home soon, ok? Stay safe, all that shit... I know it's dangerous. We've got dumplings for dinner, your favorite. I'll eat them all if you're late.

Facial muscles twitching in an attempt to conceal her smile, she stowed the device into her backpack and unclipped the pendant from her neck. Huer Town next. With a flash, she disappeared.

Huer Town was exactly the opposite of its name: Dark and desolate, there was no evidence of any color whatsoever in the bleach gray brick walls and inky alleys. And she could feel magic, tugging at her navel, guiding her straight into the mouth of a lightless street.

Kyovi was not afraid of the dark. Witches never were. But as she stepped into the gloom, she could sense danger. Shuffling, rough whispers, and an unsettling shlink that hinted at a blade being readjusted.

She'd have to make this quick, then.

Her silent footsteps and gut instinct led her right to a dead end, and a couple of leering goons, holding up a glass bottle filled to the brim with the luminescent plant - Stalwart. How ironic that in all the places, the brightest shrubs resided in the darkest, stalest, city.

"Looking for this?" The rough voice spoke, sharp cut features illuminated through the glow of the plant.

"Yeah." Kyo backed away, little by little, hoping they couldn't see her in the gloom. "So if you could just give it to me, that'd be great, y'know, I'm sort of pressed for time-"

A hand shot out, roughly catching her by the forearm before she could take another step back. "Ah, but you see, little girl," the second face was right next to hers now, and she could smell the stink of cigarette ash on his clothes. "- the Witches want to capture this rarity - what do you call it? Stalwart. And we want to capture the witches. For questioning, you know, magic is hard to come by these days."

Before Kyovi could think better, her fist connected with his nose, spurting blood. The witch hunter yelped, stumbling backward, and she made a wild grab at the swinging bottle of brightness. No avail, of course- the bottle danced out of her reach, and she narrowly avoided tripping over the curb of the alley as the second hunter zeroed in, howling with rage.