1 P1: The Clash

"Iranol! Iranol!!"

The desperate cry of a woman echoed through the vast castle hall. The voice reverberated against the stone walls and grand tapestries that adorned the space.

It was an urgent and anxious call, directed towards someone well-known within the castle.

Iranol, the royal maid of Wiccaland, hastened her steps towards the distressed voice. Her elegant attire flowed behind her as she moved with a sense of purpose.

When she arrived before Lady Hunith, the elder sister of the Witch Queen, she respectfully bowed to acknowledge her presence.

"Yes, my lady. I'm here," Iranol spoke, her voice tinged with a mix of concern and respect.

The hall in which they stood was a magnificent chamber within the castle, adorned with intricate carvings and shimmering chandeliers that cast an ethereal glow over them.

The air hummed with an undercurrent of power, for this was a place of witches and their magic. Here, alliances were forged and destinies intertwined.

Lady Hunith's piercing gaze scanned Iranol's face, seeking answers without the need for words. Iranol averted her eyes, unable to meet her superior lady's gaze directly. She was really troubled, standing before this witch.

"Take me to the midwife's quarters. I need to be with my sister as she gives birth to the future heir of Wiccaland," declared Lady Hunith. Her voice was firm yet it was tinged with unease.

Iranol's expression subtly twisted, betraying her reluctance to comply with Lady Hunith's request.

She knew the consequences that awaited the queen if her sister were to witness the birth, she had sensed a conspiracy earlier. But what can she do in this situation? Can she just deny the request of the revered sister of their queen?

A silent sigh escaped Iranol's lips as she struggled with the weight of her responsibility.

"Lady Hunith, I understand your concern, but..." Iranol began, her voice trailing off.

"No 'buts'!" Lady Hunith interjected. Her impatience was as evident as a day. "Lead the way."

With a resigned nod, Iranol gestured for Lady Hunith to follow her. Together, they walked through the labyrinthine corridors of the castle. Their footsteps echoed in unison with the whispered secrets that reverberated within the walls.

No more words were said as both were drowned in their own thoughts.

***

They have arrived.

The door to the midwife's quarters creaked open as Iranol pushed it wide, allowing Lady Hunith to catch a glimpse of the interior.

The room is exquisite and spacious enough to accommodate up to ten women who require midwifery services.

Inside the room, there were several beds, each accompanied by a side table containing materials used by the midwife of Wiccaland. Some of these materials were magical, while others were not.

In the inner part of the room, next to a large cabinet filled with shelves that store midwifery materials and tools, stood the largest bed.

A woman who is currently in labor is lying on the bed, while another one was standing by her side. This other woman is the midwife, Joanna, who was attending to Queen Leviathan.

"We have arrived, my lady. Shall I inquire if you may enter?" Iranol asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No need. I'm already here." Lady Hunith replied with a voice laced with momentary hesitation.

Lady Hunith entered the room with a commanding yet restrained presence as if she were trying to avoid drawing her sister's attention.

The midwife, a crucial figure at this pivotal moment, stood by the queen's side, offering words of encouragement amidst her painful groans.

The queen's face contorted with effort as she prepared for the final push. Her grip on the bedstead was white-knuckled and determined. Sweat glistened on her forehead, a testament to the intensity of the moment.

"ARGH!" The queen's cry pierced the air, her eyes turning into pools of endless darkness, while her face turned ashen as if drained of life itself.

Hunith, who was a few distance away from the queen's bed, murmured a chant under her breath. She was communicating telepathically with an unseen presence.

Her eyes turned pitch black at that moment and the atmosphere grew heavy as the room seemed to darken.

Out of thin air, five figures appeared and joined Lady Hunith in a circle just before the queen's bed. They were two female witches and three male witches. Led by Hunith herself, they make up the six members of the Devil Coven.

Their eyes blazed with an unsettling shade of blood-red, and their hair stood on end in a haunting display of otherworldly power. A sense of imminent danger permeated the air, filling the room with an aura of malevolence.

The queen didn't look astonished. It seemed as though she had anticipated all of this before. And now, the baby's head was already popping out down below.

With trembling hands, the midwife guided the birth, bringing the baby into the world. In that instant, the room seemed to hold its breath, for this was not merely a birth - it was the convergence of destinies, a birth of the heiress of Wiccaland.

The queen's gaze shifted to the midwife, silently conveying her trust in the midwife's abilities. With deft precision, the midwife severed the umbilical cord. Her skillful hands worked like magic, mending the wound with a speed that defied comprehension.

Sensing the impending threat, she quickly wrapped the baby girl in a cloak and handed her to the queen. Her movements were characterized by a sense of urgency.

Joanna drew closer to Iranol, and they joined hands, their fingers entwined in a shared enchantment. As they began to chant, an invisible barrier materialized, cocooning the queen and her newborn in a shield of protection.

Simultaneously, the six witches in the circle completed their incantation and out of thin air, a black crystal was conjured at the center of their circle.

The aura emanating from the crystal was chilling, permeating the entire room and seeping into the very fabric of reality. The queen's expression morphed from indifference to shock this time, her fear concealed beneath a facade of strength.

"Leviathan, my dear sister, it seems that the Black Witch Crystal was not part of your calculations," taunted Hunith with a smirk on her face.

"You see, today you have no opportunity to escape from me.

"Surrender the throne and your child, and perhaps I will consider sparing your life," demanded Hunith, her voice dripping with malice.

A defiant chuckle escaped the queen's lips, echoing with resolute determination. "Do you truly believe that negating my dragon bloodline abilities with that black crystal can render me at your mercy? Ha ha ha... Dream on!" The queen retorted.

With a flick of her wrist, the queen conjured a protective bubble-like barrier that enveloped herself, the baby, Iranol, and the midwife within its embrace. Also, Iranol and Joanna intensified their enchantments, fortifying the invisible barrier within the bubble-like barrier with every ounce of their combined power.

Unleashing their wrath, the six witches stretched out their hands, directing their malevolent intent towards the bubble barrier.

The black crystal swelled in size. The crystal unleashed a dense cloud of dark energy that surged forward, aimed at obliterating their adversaries.

The clash was inevitable - a collision of powers, a battle for supremacy. The energy attack from the crystal had the upper hand, bashing against the bubble-like barrier and destroying it.

Advancing further, it clashed against the invisible barrier, creating a cataclysmic ripple of energy that spread throughout the room.

To the astonishment of the six witches, the energy attack and the invisible barrier canceled each other out, dissipating into particles.

They couldn't discern how the two witches' barrier had managed to match the formidable power of their coven's attack. What a remarkable feat!

Unknown to them, the queen had tapped into an unfamiliar source of power and fortified the invisible barrier with an unseen force.

Although her witch powers were greatly weakened due to childbirth. Not to mention, they are currently dormant, overpowered by the chilling aura of the Black Witch Crystal - an ancient crystal that can only nullify the witch abilities of the dragon bloodline witches. She remained the Witch Queen, the most powerful witch in all of Wiccaland.

Hunith's expression soured, and her confidence waned with each passing moment. 'Leviathan, you are pushing me to reveal my last trick... Why must you always have whatever I desire? Our parents' love, the throne, power, and now even a baby? No way! Today will be your end, and your child will be taken by our lord' Her thoughts echoed with fervent determination.

Stepping out of the circle, Hunith raised her hand and invoked an incantation with conviction.

"Rivo lekah tibuskli."

In response to her command, a bow materialized in her grasp. Its presence is imbued with an aura of destruction. She pulled the bowstring tightly, and a fiery arrow took shape. The arrow of flames was enveloped in flames and imbued with the power of destruction. The purpose was clear: to end the life of the newborn.

In one swift motion, the arrow was shot forth, hurtling towards its intended target. The midwife, Joanna, moved on instinct to save the baby, leaping into its path. The arrow pierced her heart. Instantly, her body disintegrated into particles. She sacrificed herself to save the baby whom she just delivered.

But the arrow, relentless in its purpose, continued on its trajectory toward the defenseless baby.

But then, the queen's features began to change. Her eyes darkened, and two small protrusions, resembling horns, sprouted from her head. Her body transformed, becoming curvier and more voluptuous. In this form, anyone who beheld her will be dazed by its sensual allure.

With a gesture of her hand, the queen seized control of the arrow, altering its course as if puppeteering its path. The arrow reversed its trajectory and hurtled back towards Hunith. As the arrow was about to hit its target, the black crystal appeared before her, and using the condensed chilling aura it was emanating. The arrow has shattered the arrow into particles.

Seizing the opportunity, the queen swiftly carried her baby from the bed, and Iranol, the injured royal maid who had borne the brunt of the previous attack. While still dazed by the loss of her fellow witch, Iranol herself is pulled by the queen. She was still stunned and uncertain of what the queen was doing.

"We have to leave now! Iranol. Here, help me carry the baby," Queen Leviathan said, handing the baby to the stunned Iranol.

With the baby safe with Iranol, the queen stepped forward and summoned her strange power again. This time dark energy was lingering around her. It was as mysterious as it was potent.

She spoke these words.

[Succubus Devour activated... Absorb life force and mana!]

The tide seems to have turned this time. Energy flew out from the six witches, particularly the male ones, even from the black crystal, towards the queen. She absorbed all of them and with her other hand pointed behind Iranol, a circular distortion began to take shape.

The absorption continued as the witches grew weaker over time. Eventually, Hunith lost so much power that she was unable to wield the Destruction Bow anymore. The bow vanished into thin air just as it came.

"What is this? What kind of power is this? No witch has ever been recorded to have the ability to absorb others' power," Hunith panicked as she tried to resist whatever was draining her of her spiritual energy.

Suddenly, the absorption stopped, and the queen slumped to the ground, spitting out blood from her mouth. Using her enigmatic power like this has taken a huge toll on her.

Now, they could all see what she had been doing with the powers she had absorbed from them: creating a portal. It was now obvious what she wanted to do.

Leviathan looked behind her and pushed Iranol, who was carrying the baby, into the portal pulsing with spiritual energy.

"Go, I will meet you there."

"No, my queen...!" Iranol's voice trailed off as she and the baby disappeared from the room, swallowed by the portal.

"I told you," the queen said, turning to the powerless witches, "that damned crystal cannot kill me. We will meet again, Hunith."

"Don't ever let her escape. Use the last bit of your power if necessary. She must be exterminated today!" Hunith shouted as the circle of witches took their stance for the final strike.

With another chant, they launched another attack against Leviathan. Most of them fell to the ground afterward from exhaustion, with blood leaking from their noses, mouths, and ears.

In defense, the queen brought out a magical shield made of red dragon scales emitting a golden glow and blocked the attack.

Although she blocked the attack, she still took the full brunt of it, which yanked her into the already-shrinking portal. The queen and the portal had disappeared with no trace left.

"No!" Hunith screamed.

"What should I tell our lord? We can't fail this mission he entrusted to our coven.

"We must find them wherever they have gone!"

.....

The P1 in the name of the chapter is an acronym I coined for Prologue 1. That is to say that this is a Prologue Chapter👌.