Darkness, Flames and Hopes Ch. 06

"Ambryn?"

Minerva left the wound that stopped bleeding with slow movements, wiped her hand with her skirt, pressed her palms to her face, and shook her head. How did the dark wizards find them so fast? Why did they not hear anything!

"Damn it, Minerva! Why didn't we notice anything!"

The sorceress lowered her hands, turned her blue eyes, full of disgust and despair, to Dimana.

"How many have you seen?"

Two humans she killed after jumping through the window. Three other brutally burned in the basement. She pointed the fingers of one hand to Minerva.

"Five. Killed them all."

"Eight people attacked. They must have used sound spells before they took action. Must have set up some kind of chain between them, but... They were all children. Ambryn... Something else happened to her."

"Someone said something... Master. Master is waiting. I killed them but... It was a mistake."

It was. She should have followed them. Whoever the Master was, he must have kidnapped Ambryn. Minerva shook her head, clenched her teeth, slowly standing up, holding her waist.

"We... We have to go. All will follow us."

Dimana stayed on the ground, frowned, shook her head slowly.

"What about Ambryn?"

The sorceress slowly turned away, peering into the dark forest.

"Probably dead."

"Then why didn't they? Why did they kidnapped?"

"To prove they killed her."

Still, it wasn't a logical explanation, and the insecure voice of the sorceress revealed that she also knew it was unreasonable. They could cut off her head. No, they would question her. They would try to find out what she knew and to whom she had told. But how could Ambryn had become so desperate? The damn witch had smashed a whole hill last night! There was only one explanation. The Master. Powerful than Ambryn. He's probably more powerful than the sorceress too. Dimana took a deep breath and stood up.

"Nonsense. You know it."

Minerva didn't answer, she waited still for a while, then wore her hood and started walking into the woods.

"Minerva!"

The sorceress glanced over her shoulder with her tired eyes.

"I don't need her anymore, Dimana. Sebra probably died a long time ago. Seven Will appeared more angry than I expected and... I never trusted that woman."

Dimana grinded her teeth, quickly ran in front of the woman and prevented her from getting further away. There was no surprise in Minerva's eyes, barked before the succubus opened her mouth.

"She knew what was going to happen! She gambled, she lost!"

"She trusted you!"

The sorceress closed her eyes, straightened her cloak with one hand, shook her head.

"Doesn't matter. It's over, Dimana. We lost... I lost again."

When she desperately lowered her head down, Dimana slowly approached her, wanted to stretch out her hands to a hug, but Minerva sensed what she was thinking, turned away.

"You... We don't have to. It's not too late, Minerva. If she's still alive... We can find her! If we hurry... If she's not dead... They can't be too far away. She's still here! She... She's like you! Like me! She's upset too. Sad. Alone! We... We can't let her down! "

Minerva didn't respond to the succubus' emotional words. Dimana refused to dive in her bloody thoughts again. For a moment she found comfort in acting like a human, talking like a human. Ambryn was undoubtedly a great force that didn't deserve to be left behind. She could help both the sorceress and her poor life, but that was not the only reason. She was more knowledgeable, more understanding than any human she knew except Minerva, and every damn human she met made the witch and the sorceress even more valuable to her. At least they were her only relatives who didn't attack her red skin, tail and eyes as soon as they saw them, and Dimana didn't want to lose any of them. At least until she left the cursed earth and return home. She shook her head again and scattered her thoughts. While Dimana's enchanted earring was warming up, Minerva was oddly standing still.

"Minerva? Are you-"

When the sorceress turned to her, she forgot her words, quietly moaned. Minerva's burgundy left eye glowed beside her right blue eye. It was her eye! The sorceress spoke with a strong voice before Dimana could ask how.

"Run north, Dimana. I'll come behind you. If you see anything, don't act alone! Just stay there and wait for me. I'll watch you constantly."

Dimana nodded, but her eyes were still staring at the burgundy eye. When her curious gaze took longer than necessary, Minerva got angry, closed that eye, and barked.

"Go!"

"Oh! Y-yes!"

She quickly ran a few steps into the dark forest, but suddenly she stopped like she remembered something very important, turned away. She ran to Minerva as she frowned in surprise, grabbed her shoulders firmly without giving an opportunity to the sorceress, kissed her lips for a few seconds. It undoubtedly had a calming and strengthening effect. Minerva groaned, raised her hands, but didn't need to intervene. Dimana turned around smiled wide at her for the last time and ran to the forest.

"D-damn you!"

Dimana grinned, raised her hand up and waved at her, without looking behind.

"I will find her!"