I think... this was where it kind of got boring for me while I was writing up this book. I was kind of running out of ideas then so I wasn't even sure I was executing things properly
Prologue Chapter 1-1 Chapter 1-2 Chapter 2-1 Chapter 2-2 Chapter 3-1 Chapter 3-2 Chapter 4-1 Chapter 4-2 Chapter 5-1 Chapter 5-2 Chapter 6-1
“We just need to talk with you... so we would appreciate it if you listened” It was Cooper that spoke this time. He said firmly as he raised his hand to make the room freezing cold
“You don’t need to scare him like that,” Audrey prodded Cooper on his side. She again approached the leader who seemed more disoriented and frightened than he did when they brought him.
“What do you want anyway!” The leader was starting to grow furious now as he balled his hands into fists “And you, young lady! I promised your father I would look after you. Is this your way of tarnishing your father’s last wish?!”
“We just hope for a negotiation” Alden spoke up this time as she got out of her seat “You already know about the purist witch’s attack. We only tried to show you humans the purist witches’ barrier as a means of making you humans aware of their existence but the attack that followed… It wasn’t us anymore. We never anticipated any of that”
“So you were all responsible for this mess!” The leader all but growled as he shouted profanities at them “You put my people in danger! Some of them perished!”
“We didn’t know the purists would be watching!” Fleta spoke, outraged by the claims. Her eyes were already starting to glow a blinding white as she approached the leader “And who did you think had to rescue your weak people when the purist attacked?!”
“Calm down, Fleta… We’re trying to explain, not start a fight” Beverly had to hold onto Fleta’s hands to stop her from using her abilities “My apologies for their behaviour… as she was saying, when the purist attacked, we saved your people, and Alden here, healed those that were injured by the purist’s attack. Reviving those that were lost is beyond her abilities but we surely would have if we could. Hopefully with that knowledge in mind, we would appreciate it if you would listen to our small request in exchange for the help we provided. We did not harm any of your people when we led them to the barrier either. So your claims are a bit too harsh, leader Edric”
Everyone gazed down, especially the leader who had just been cursing at them since “I apologize. I just can’t stand my people suffering from those witches. Before you go about your negotiations, who are these purists you keep talking about?”
“The purists are the pure witches… The ones that are loyal to the shadow king… Perhaps it would be better to show you” Cooper tried to explain but when he saw the confused look of the leader, he simply scratched his head and looked to Audrey “Do you still have the scroll, Dree?”
“I have something better” Audrey looked into her bag, pulling out a small box which projected a large image of the scroll on the wall. She grinned proudly while everyone else was in awe at her new creation, even the leader who has never seen the technology before.
“Anyways…” Despite his amazement, Cooper cleared his throat and gestured to the projection on the wall. “The history you know is quite different from what it really is” He motioned to the black figure at the top of the scroll “We believe the shadow king may have altered the memories of your ancestors some 300 years ago. The king made humans believe that your enemy was us, the weaker witches. It was… a way to get back at us for choosing humans over him, or so we believe. And some of us weak witches are part human to begin with so some of us had no intentions to harm your kind. If anything, we’ve been trying to protect your kind from those purists whenever they would try to attack. You’ve been battling with the wrong enemy all this time, sir”
The leader looked incredulously at Cooper and the rest of the weak witches that could only nod in affirmation to the story “I- then why didn’t any of them try to reach out to us? Why was there no attempt to communicate before all this?”
“We have… for the past 300 years. Yet each time, our kind would be prosecuted simply when you humans found out we were witches. A number of us made attempts to send an envoy through the years but none returned to us” Camdyn spoke, his tone sounded somber
“What negotiation can be done to at least make up for what our kind has done to you?” The leader’s gaze became downcasted as he listened to all the tragic things their kind has done to the weak witches.
“We only seek cooperation. Our elders have forbade us from harming humans since it was in the doctrine our ancestors passed onto us…” Cooper again spoke with a somber tone “But the yearly attacks when we’re at our weakest… it’s getting harder and harder for us to defend ourselves when your technology has become this destructive” He heaved a deep sigh as he remembered the things he saw at the riots and with the attacks he witnessed while growing up.
“How do you hope to reach cooperation? Does your elder have an idea what you have been doing?” The leader spoke in a softer tone now that he had a better image of what was going on.
“It will be easier to talk things out with her. She’s not someone who would be swayed by trivialities… and false information” Fleta said bluntly, almost in an offensive manner.
With those final words, The leader nodded, and they all asked Winthrop to remove the vines so that the leader wouldn’t feel so threatened anymore.
“Will you come to our territory to show your willingness to cooperate, sir?” Alden soon approached him as she checked the leader’s arms for any sort of injuries or cuts he may have gotten from Winthrop’s vines.
He simply answered with a nod and got up from his seat “I will, but before that, the citizens must be made aware about this. We should inform them immediately”
“We already have a plan for that, leader” Audrey spoke again as she carefully placed her projection box back into her bag “We thought it would be good to tear down the walls and have everyone work together” She said with a wide grin on her lips
Before he could say anything about the plan, Fleta already blew the furniture barricade away so that they could open the door
“We mustn't waste time now. We should head to our elder’s home as soon as we can” Beverly said enthusiastically as she called out a few creatures they could use to get to their territory faster. In a matter of minutes, neighing and wheezing could be heard, as well as the clack of hooves on wood. Horses came in an instant.
They wasted no time in boarding the horses and dashing out onto the streets. They made sure that nobody followed. Luckily Fleta was able to create a wind barrier around them until they reached Uscad, the weaker witches’ territory. This time, no incantations were needed. They didn’t need to hide Audrey’s nor the leader’s presence. If negotiations would be made, why would they need to sneak in anymore.
The witches gazed at the leader and Audrey as soon as they passed by, some of them even hid, thinking that humans came into Uscad to attack them again. But when they saw that they were headed to their elder’s home, they prepared themselves to attack. If Fleta and Beverly hadn’t stopped to explain to them what they were planning, the weak witches would have attacked right then and there.
As soon as they arrived at the elder’s doorstep, they asked the guards for an audience with the elder, which they were granted immediately when they showed them that the human leader was with them to make negotiations.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of having humans in my humble abode” Was what the elder said as she welcomed them into her office.
“I come to negotiate with you, dear elder. As a fellow leader, I hope you would hear me out” Leader Edric knelt before the elder, as did Audrey and the others.
“Very well, what do the humans want?” She spoke in an uninterested tone as she took a seat behind her desk. With a flick of her fingers, the door shut tight and seats were pulled forward.
“Wind manipulation” Fleta assured the leader who seemed to be surprised with objects moving on their own
“I wish to cooperate with you. My kind has wronged your kind for so long. After talking to these young ones” The leader paused and gestured to the young witches that stood behind him “I came to understand that your kind has shouldered so much and has been attacked by both factions for so long. I know this cooperation cannot make up for the past 300 years of warfare, but it would be a good start for the future of both our nations”
The elder looked skeptically at the leader, and at Audrey “If you wish to cooperate, what can you humans offer us that we don’t already have? What can you give us that would help each of us without causing more harm? We are simple people that can live with nature. Why would we need your destructive contraptions?”
“If I may speak, elder?” It was Audrey that spoke up.
Luckily, the elder gave her a nod of affirmation “Go ahead and speak. Human child”
“We don’t have much to offer but we can help improve your abilities with our technology” Audrey gestured to the amplifier helmet she’s made for them and even asked Cooper if he could demonstrate his abilities with and without the helmet. Both leaders were astounded with the difference “I can also teach our technology to your people. It would be a good precaution after having seen what a purist witch can do”
Upon the mention of a purist, the elder’s eyes widened with shock “You’ve encountered one?!? When did this happen?!”
“We have, elder” Beverly rose up and gestured to all of them “We didn’t expect to come face to face with one… but with this technology, we stood a chance against him.”
The rest of them didn’t need to speak, the elder came closer and gave them all a pat on the back “You children did amazing to come face to face with them and to come back unharmed. I’m thankful our ancestors have guided you” She then turned to face Audrey “And I thank you for helping them improve their abilities. Very well, I will have my people cooperate with your kind. What is it you have in mind, young one?”
With the affirmation the elder gave them, Audrey began discussing her plans that will immediately be executed on the following day.
