Chapter

Igasped, my heart suddenly beating as a sudden burst of life returned to my being. My head bobbed, my hair hanging in front of my face, drenched in my blood and rain. My skin was charred, covered in burns and ash. I reached my arm out, clawing at the muddy earth, my nails digging into the dirt, dragging my limp, injured body away from the remnants of the burned cross.

My hand reached, grabbing onto something hard and odd. I felt the material, unsure of what it was, and groaning as I raised my head to see a woman standing before me, my fingers curled around her boot. She stared down at me, her dual-colored eyes glowing, her pitch-black hair blowing in the wind as she tilted her head.

I opened my mouth, words failing me as the internal structure of my body burned, causing me to choke, gagging on my own spit and flesh. Help me!

The woman leaned down, carefully gripping my shriveled, flaky arms, helping me to my feet, my broken ankle screaming in pain as I trembled. "Careful." She draped my arm over her shoulder, helping me stand as a second woman approached us.

The second woman was dressed in leather pants and a corset top, much like the first, only she wore a faded blue cape, the hood covering part of her face. Their outfits seemed peculiar, as if from another time and place. She lowered the hood, revealing herself as her navy-blue eyes slowly began to glow, shifting from human to that of a witch, something I had never seen before. She smiled, loose strands of her styled, dirty blonde hair swaying in the wind.

"Hello, Ruby. My name is Tempest." Her voice was soothing, her accent foreign. It startled me that she knew my name, my body shaking from the immense trauma. "Do not fear, sweet child." She raised her hand, a deep blue fire forming within her palm. "We have been looking for you." Looking for me?

A man, one of the remaining members of the Triad, yelled, rushing to us with a raised gun. "Who are you?" he spat, bloodied and exhausted.

"Casper," she addressed the other woman. "Take care of that now, will you?"

Casper carefully placed my body in Tempest's arms, stepping past us towards the man. He stopped at the sight of her power, one hand glowing violet, the other vermillion. How is that possible? She raised her hands, bending her elbows, smiling as she tilted her head.

"Tick-tock." The woman snapped her fingers, the man vanishing into nothing but dust.