Ch7 - The Witch

With great power, comes the ultimate trap.

A home with a tall tower sat in a clearing surrounded by trees.

The home seemed to be faltering, vines grew along on side.

The walls seemed to be falling apart.

The entire house looked in shambles.

It could have been centuries old, or just a few decades.

It was impossible to tell, given it's condition.

Standing hidden in the tree canopy was Purpura.

He was examining the home, but made no movement towards the house.
A dark portal opened next to him, and Black stepped thru.

Purpura didn't acknowledge the male's entrance.

Black stood on the tree branch next to Purpura.

"Any movement?" He asked, his voice distorted by the metallic mask.

Purpura shook his head no.

"Are we even sure she's in there?" he asked.

Purpura shrugged, he hear many heartbeats inside.

Witches were known to keep various creatures, to collect ingredients for potions.

Plus some witches were summoners.

The contract had no specifics on what this witch's specialty was.

Generally witches were demons with low natural demonic ability themselves.

So, they found great power in magic.

Some theorized that certain witches or wizards, were actually humans.
Being many millennium old, sustained thru magic.

Purpura felt that was bogus, he was well read on history.

There was no way pure humans had survived to this era, even with magic.

Even the longest lived demons didn't past three thousand years.

Black examined the estate, "Let's just storm it, and see what happens."

Purpura looked to him, clearly Black was itching for some action.

Black was normally the plan person, long schemes, and convoluted strategies.

Black's gaze on the estate said he didn't intend to make a plan.

Purpura wanted to object, going after a witch without a plan was risky.

However, before he could offer any sort of protest, Black leapt away.

Purpura sighed, and hurried after.

Black slowed as he closed in on the house.

Purpura was behind him, as the two crept closer.

Suddenly a large flock of crows burst from the tower, swarming them.

Black quickly formed a shadow shield, but the crows flew thru not at all bothered by it's presence.

Purpura formed a shield of blood simply to block the closest crow.

The instant it touched his shield is dissolved.

Black was trying to fight off the crows, but all his shadow attacks were worthless.

Purpura quickly shot out blood needles, the instant a crow was touched by the blood it dissolved.

Black looked back, before darting towards the door.

Purpura felt himself grumble as more crows kept coming.

He sprinted and hurried into the house after Black, who had simply busted the door down.

Purpura formed a new 'door' out of blood to stop the crows from following them inside.

Black looked about, the inside was just as decrepit as the outside.

Black picked up the door and lifted it back into place.

Purpura pulled the blood, as the door was put back.

The inside was quiet, much too quiet for Purpura's liking.

"Did you hear that?" Black asked.

Purpura looked about, he hadn't heard anything at all, so he shook his head no.

Black seemed to examine wherever the noise he'd heard came from.

He approached a door, and reached for it.

Purpura was looking about, before a dusty mirror caught his attention.

Instead of his reflection, he saw a Black opening the door only for a hell demon to attack him.

Purpura looked to Black and reached to stop him, but Black opened the door.

Instead of a hell demon though, a shadow burst thru and simply past thru Black.

Purpura jumped back avoiding the shadow.

Black watched it dissolve the instant light from the window touched it.

"Shadow ghosts, no wonder you didn't hear it." Black said, almost laughing.

Purpura felt unconvinced, this house was unsettling.

Purpura looked back to the mirror, but it was so dusty he couldn't see anything.

"She's likely higher up, stay alert." Black said

Purpura rolled his eyes, he felt Black was the one who needed to be on alert.

Black went to a circular area, the base of the tower most likely.

He looked about, "No stairs here." he said and exited looking for stairs.

Purpura looked at him perplexed, before looking where Black had been.

He saw stairs spiraling up inside the tower.

The stairs were obvious to him, why weren't they obvious to Black?

He looked to Black before motioning for Black to follow.

"There's no stairs." he stated sternly.

Purpura stepped up on the step, but Black went wide eyed.

He ran forward, "Purpura!" he shouted looking around.

Purpura stepped down, and Black looked to him startled.

"How did you? your entire presence vanished."

Purpura grabbed Black's arm and pulled him onto the steps.

Black followed with a lot of hesitation and resistance.

Purpura kept pulling him up the stairs.

"I'm going to be honest, this is weirding me out.

I can feel you pulling me, but cannot otherwise sense you...

Or the stairs. It's really unsettling."

Purpura pulled him along, until they reached a door.
It was above them, so Purpura pushed at it.

Black watched a moment, and saw the ceiling seem to move slightly.

He moved up, steadily, before helping push the door open.

Purpura climbed up, and Black followed.

Black seemed to sigh in relief.

Purpura looked about, before spotting a woman.

She was sitting, leaning to her left.

The chair had a rather imposing tall back.

She had long dark brown hair, pulled back into a pony-tail.

The pony tail decorated with some beast's skull.

He skin was naturally tanned, and covered in various red artistic markings.

She had brightly colored feathers decorating her necklace, and part of her belt.

She was sparsely dressed, leaving little to the imagination.

He ears were tall, pointed, and her face's shape was softly petite, but her eyes were striking green.

Purpura stared, baffled.

That wasn't the woman from the picture.

Black looked to her, before his eyes became angry, "Kelpshin!"

The woman chuckled, before standing.
"Yes, little prince. A Kelpshin, what do you intend to do about it?"

Black charged her, before slicing at her.

Yet no shadow appeared to attack her.

Before he could stop, she spun and kicked him sending him flying past Purpura.

Purpura suddenly felt conflicted, and confused.

Why hadn't the shadow appeared?

And this would likely be a very different moment if Black had read the scroll regarding his heritage.

Black got up quickly, before attempting to summon more shadows.

Yet, none appeared.

"What did you do, witch?!" Black shouted.

She chuckled, "I have dedicated any of my free time the last few decades to enchanting this place to neutralize shadow demons.

I had heard about your little adventures out of the castle.

What better way to eliminate the heir apparent than to lure him out with a false contract?"

Black looked to Purpura, who was looking at the witch.

Black spoke, "But you didn't send the contract to me, you sent it to him."

She gave a frown, "I'll be honest, I had trouble finding contacts that could get me directly to you. But I learned that you two often work together.

So, I came up with a case that would entice both of you."

Purpura felt annoyed, at being used.

He had thought it felt like to good of a case, it seemed just challenging enough for the two of them to work together.

Yet, not so challenging as to put a full plan of attack together before coming.

"Even without my shadows, I can easily take you down." Black said sternly, as he charged her.

The woman chuckled, "Just try it."

The two then engaged in hand to hand combat.

They seemed evenly matched, but Purpura could tell the woman's heart beat wasn't elevated.

She wasn't trying, she was toying with him.

Purpura moved in to assist.

Suddenly the woman grabbed Black's face with her hand.

She muttered something, it was in Kelpshin, but seemed an ancient dialect.

Suddenly Black went limp, and she tossed him aside.

Purpura threw a barrage of blood needles.

She jumped out of the way, and looked to him.

"Now you, Purpura, I believe.

I was vexed to see how little info there is available on you."

Purpura attacked quickly, forcing her to stay on the defensive.

He moved himself so he was positioned between her and Black.

Once there he quickly formed a shield over Black.

He couldn't tell if Black was dead or alive, lack of any type of heartbeat made that determination impossible.

But he knew shadow demons were near impossible to kill, so he would simply assume Black was alive.

She charged on the attack, and Purpura quickly formed a shield blocking a bone dagger she had pulled.

As she stepped back for the next attack she examined the blade.

"Blood- You are a blood demon!"

Purpura quickly sliced at her, and she jumped back.

"Oh, that is pathetic.

A blood demon is defending a shadow demon.

Do you have any idea what his linage has done to blood demons?"

Purpura was ignoring her words, mainly cause he did know, so it didn't bother him.

"Shadow demons make games out of killing blood demons!

Hunt them until the blood demon is nearly dead from exhaustion."

As she spoke she managed to put him on the defensive with her attacks.

"And then, just to be cruel, they rip their heart out!" she said, her dagger barely making contact with Purpura's chest plate.

Purpura's eyes widened, and he panicked.

He shot out a force of blood just to get her away.

She watched him a moment, "Tell me, Purpura, why do you fight with a blood demon?"

Purpura regained his composure, and readied himself for her to attack.

Behind him was a grunt, so Purpura glanced to see.

Black was slowly getting up, the woman looked perplexed.

"You are stronger than I believed to get up so quick." She said, mockingly.

Black managed to stand and readied himself to fight.

Purpura smiled, many people underestimated Black's power.

"Perhaps you will tell me, little prince, why does this blood demon choose to fight with you?"

"Stop calling me little prince!" Black demanded, before he charged her.

Purpura charged as well, a two-on-one fight would be easier to win.

She easily parried their attacks, before grabbing the metallic mask Black was wearing to hold him still.

She then paused as she stared at him, "You have green eyes." she stated, it was somehow a question, a statement, and a sentiment.

Purpura hit her arm, forcing her to release Black.

She jumped back, "Shadow demons have black eyes, why are your's green?"

Black growled, "How should I know?! No one will tell me!" he said, as he charged again.

Purpura was paused, feeling a tinge of guilt as a thought occurred to him.

This Kelpshin had green eyes, she was part of the royal family.

Given her age, she was likely a child of the current king.

Black was essentially fighting his half-sister, and had no idea.

Her gaze had caught Purpura look of guilt.

She tossed Black back, before pointing to Purpura.

"He knows." she said, a bit mockingly.

Black glanced to Purpura, then her, then Purpura.

"Do you know?" Black asked, his tone was fierce.

Purpura stepped back, before Black tackled him.

Black pinned him, "Spill!

I know you can talk, I saw the tear was missing!

You're the only one who would have stolen it!"

Purpura threw Black off, before jumping up.

Without the shadows Black was a much easier opponent to face.

Purpura pointed to the woman, Black looked to her.

"Fine, but you will tell me, when we're done!"

Black charged her, before Purpura felt his eyes roll.

"Oh, no. I think you two should have this talk now."

Suddenly the woman's form shifted to that of a large panther, but it retained the red decorative markings she had had before.

Before either could attack she jumped thru a window.

Black and Purpura ran to the window.

Once in the air, her form shifted to an eagle and she flew away.

The two watched her fly away.

They were silent, and Purpura quickly moved to leave.

Black quickly moved and grabbed Purpura's arm.

"Oh no you don't. What do you know?

Is this the secret you've been keeping for the last year?"

Purpura pulled his arm away and shook his head no.
"Damn it, Purpura. Tell me what you know!"

Purpura contemplated what to do, before sighing.

He pulled the scroll from his pocket and let Black have it.

Black read it, and Purpura was silent as he waited for Black to speak.

Black rolled the scroll back up, in silence.

"Do you think she knew?" he said, gesturing out the window.

Purpura shook his head no, Black sighed.

"I have to confront my mother about this." he said determined.

Purpura put his hand on Black's shoulder, and shook his head no.

"Why shouldn't I confront her?!

She needs to give me answers."

Purpura just shook his head again, before walking away and motioning for Black to follow.

Black followed, but spoke, "I'm only following because I can't summon a portal...
Or see the stupid stairs."

Purpura chuckled, as he went to the opening so they could leave.