Marvela Mystic | ✔️

Chapter 14 ✨ Creatures of the Night

Marvela and Curious returned to a town teeming with activity. All around, children romped up and down the sidewalks while adults set out last minute decorations. Nightfall approached. Soon it would be Halloween night.

Yet Marvela didn't share the town's excitement. There was something else weighing down heavily on her—a different kind of anticipation.

Tonight would be the night the spirit, Slight, would rise into the mortal realm. And tonight would be the night Asra would seize control of the spirit's power and lay waste to the modern world. The magic-less people celebrating were completely unaware that their fates all lay with the tiny kitten slinking between their feet.

Somewhere on the outskirts of the city, Marvela could sense Asra. She could feel the snake-eyed witch's growing aura in the pads of her paws. The tingle of swelling magic in the air was like spiders crawling up her back.

Not cute and friendly spiders; the kind with enormous fangs and big, hairy legs.

It certainly wouldn't be hard to find the witch. All Marvela needed was the courage to take that first step in her direction.

The sun began setting in a sky dyed orange as the cat and her rat passed by the library that was now a jungle of vines and purple flowers. A crowd of costumed onlookers outside marveled at the building. Marvela caught snippets of puzzled conversation: that they people of Vigilance had neglected the library and its wonders inside for too long. Perhaps it was time they ventured back inside once again. Kitten and rat shouldered through the crowd, passing Agatha's, Phoebe's, and Olive's homes where the lights were all off. They padded beside the old fence surrounding the pumpkin patch and the alleyway where Marvela had first fallen into this strange, beautiful town.

Then they paused at the edge of the woods that lined Vigilance.

Curious fidgeted beside Marvela, trembling like a leaf. "Well, then. Ready to do this? Again?"

Marvela licked at her black fur to smooth it, attempting to hide the way it rose whenever she thought about what awaited them. "Yes," she found herself answering. She placed a paw on the spellbook on the ground beside her. She hoped that the book that had left home with her wouldn't let her down. She swallowed and held her chin high to the starry sky. "We can do this. The two of us."

There was a rustling behind them. Marvela flinched and whipped around, arching her back.

Curious, on the other hand, turned around to face the sound, sporting a broad toothy grin. "No. We're not alone!" he squeaked.

A white Persian cat strolled up to the black kitten and the rat. On the cat's head was a spotted salamander.

"Hello there, Marceline!" said Lolly, reaching out without hesitation to pull Marvela into another bone-crushing hug.

The kitten squealed and ducked away from her outstretched paws. "Hi, Lolly. And hi, Freckle!"

Freckle flicked out his tongue in greeting. There were no more sparkling bubbles from the salamander. Marvela could only sense the faintest traces of magic in the pair. Behind the cat and the salamander, other shapes detached themselves from the shadowed undergrowth. More cats, rodents, small reptiles and amphibians, and a whole horde of black fuzzy spiders revealed themselves.

Marvela let out a trembling exhale at their unexpected company. "Wha—? What are you all doing here?"

Lolly pointed a furry paw at the grinning rat next to Marvela. "It was that familiar of yours. He set up an online blog specifically for familiars and invited every familiar in town to join. He explained to us what the two of you were going to do." The cat's voice cracked. She swallowed before continuing, her huge eyes looking glassy in her flat face. "That you were going to avenge all our witches."