My Long Lost Mate

"They're looking for the black orbs!" I blurted, flipping the map over again. "You told me that only white witches knew where the black orbs were kept, right?" I pointed to all of the x's spread throughout the map, "Because the black witches didn't know where they were, they started to search all of the regions for them. These x's had to be the part where they looked for the black orbs, leaving the uncrossed ones to be explored." 

Hearing it, Luke fell into deep thought, seemingly to have made some sense out of the idea I'd come up with. "Are you saying that they want to retrieve the sealed black magic?" I nodded. "But that should be impossible. The white witches had made it in such a way that the black witches would never be able to locate the black orbs, much less recover the sealed magic."​​

"And what if they've found a way to do that?" Given that the Great Axthrone War happened over a century ago, they had plenty of time to figure out a way to get their magic back. 

"Then another war is bound to happen," his red eyes met mine, clearly conflicted. "If what you said is true, the day they were talking about could either be the day they recovered their magic—or the day another war would break out. And somehow, you're a part of their plan." 

Both of us couldn't hide the grim expression on our faces, wondering why I was involved in their scheme. I was only a white witch, and my ability was no more than a newborn witch's ability. There was no way that I could be of help to their plan. 

"If war was what they wanted, these villages must have something to do with it." I flipped the map again, showing the circled villages. Luke stayed silent, absorbed in his own thoughts to the point where the stench was no longer an issue for him. I couldn't say the same about myself. 

"To win a war, they will need force," Luke said, breaking the silence. "And the black witches had lost a great number of allies since their loss in the last war. Don't you think there has to be something to do with it?"

Thinking about his words, I finally realized what he truly meant. The villagers were under control. Whoever was controlling them could do anything with them—including using those people to make an army. 

"The villagers will be their force," I said, and he quickly nodded.

I observed the circles, seeing how the circle in this village was full, while the one in the next village was empty. Having visited the two villages, the only difference between the two was the villagers. One was under control, while the other was not. Then that only means one thing. 

Before I could voice my ȧssumption, Luke beat me to it. 

"The full circle represents a village that is under control, whereas the empty circle represents a village that is not yet under control—but soon will be."

We went over the papers once more, hoping to find something useful to help the people, but there was nothing. We couldn't even figure out what the black witch had done to the villagers to cause them to behave in this manner.

Luke folded the map into his pocket, being very careful not to rip it apart. Since there was nothing more that could be of help to us, we decided to leave. Another reason was that Luke didn't want me to pass out from the stench. 

Before leaving, Luke glanced at the box containing the hearts, then decided to take them back with us. He said he didn't have the heart to leave them here. At the very least, they deserve a proper burial. He couldn't save their lives, so this was the least that he could do for them. 

"Let me carry the box," I offered, but he quickly dismissed my offer with a hush.

"Don't mind me," he shook his head, smiling. "A gentleman should never allow a lady to carry something so heavy."

"But you're hurt," I frowned. "Even a gentleman should accept a lady's help when needed."

"It's nothing more than a scratch, rabbit," he raised his wounded arm, then moved it up and down to show me that he was feeling fine. "See? It doesn't hurt anymore." 

Knowing that he wouldn't accept my help, I sighed. "If you say so." 

Walking up the stairs, we noticed that the wall had been closed. This made us come to a halt since we didn't even realize the wall had closed on its own for some time. With the hope that the same words would open the wall, I said the magic words.

"Hail all witches?" But the wall remained still. 

"Oh, hell no." Luke set the box on the ground, preparing to break down the wall. "Whatever it takes, we're getting out of here. I don't want to impair my sense of smell—or yours." Being too focused on solving the puzzles, I'd forgotten about the smell, but now I was suddenly reminded again. 

Luke stretched his arm and balled his fist, ready to smash through the wall. But, as if it sensed what was going to happen, the wall finally slid open.

Relaxing his fist, he remarked to the wall, "Wise choice." 

...

Even after leaving the underground room, the unpleasant smell still lingered in our noses. It didn't seem to move away, and I must say I was on the verge of puking. I've been holding it for way too long. 

"Do you think we'll get into trouble if you puke in front of the queen?" He chuckled, pointing at the statue before us, which appeared to be the snake-haired queen. We made a quick stop after leaving the underground room as I was getting more and more nauseous. 

"Do you think we will?" 

He gently patted my back, saying, "Well, even if we will, you have me with you. You can puke on her head if you want." 

I glanced up from my hunched position, seeing the queen's sinister smile. Though that sounded tempting to do, I didn't want to add a new stench to what already roamed in the air with my vomit. 

"I'll hold—" I gagged, "—it in."

I put one hand over my mouth and the other on his shoulder, frantically tapping on it to warn him that we needed to get out of here as soon as possible. Though he was also bothered by the stench, he seemed to be much better at retaining his own vomit than I was.

Upon arriving at the front door, someone's voice—shout—made us come to a halt. It was the same shout that we'd heard the first time we came here.

"LEAVEEEEEE!!!!" 

And by the sound of it, there was more than one person out there. 

I quickly glanced at Luke, alarmed, but he remained calm. "What do we do?" I asked, but he acted as if it were a rhetorical question.

"What else?" Before I could stop him, he pulled open the door. I held my breath. 

"I'm a meticulous man, rabbit," he winked. "Of course, I'd requested several warriors to keep these people at bay, knowing full well that they'd go insane if anyone entered the church."

I finally exhaled my breath. I thought he was trying to brag about his strength—again—by opening the door despite knowing numerous people were waiting outside with crazy murderous intent. I'm glad he was not like that most of the time. 

"Zeke!" Luke shouted, drawing the attention of the brown-haired man who was busy detaining two young men. Even when holding the two men, Zeke kept a blank expression on his face, but I could tell that he was dying to go home. "Burn the whole place down when you're finished." Zeke nodded to his order. 

"Why?" I asked.

"To get rid of everything that they've been working on inside that church," he replied nonchalantly. "And of course, it's because I don't want to let them have this place all to themselves. If they want to use this place, they should at least pay a tax."

Luke led me back to the village, away from the villagers and the warriors. When we passed by, I noticed a few warriors with jealousy heavily painted on their faces as they watched us leave. They had to stay behind to hold the villagers, but they were not allowed to harm them. Although knocking them out may appear to be a more effective and efficient way to stop them, we couldn't risk causing further harm to the villagers, which was why Luke forbade them from doing so. 

With the hearts in his hands, we returned home.