Chapter 34

This was the first time I was this scared, but I didn’t let it distract me from what I had to do. Like an innate instinct, I used my powers to heal Marcus' wounds which were long and deep. He was losing too much blood already and my hands were shaking just seeing the deep, dark red coming out of his wounds. But because I tended Marcus' injuries I also dropped my guard down. The man behind me took the chance and tried to attack me, but thankfully Darren blocked him.

"You coward!" I heard Darren shout at the man I remembered was called Malcolm. "You dare attack a woman who's back is already facing you? Have you no shame?"

"Like you're one to talk, Exodus!" Malcolm shot back. He was an ugly-looking man to begin with but now he looked much uglier in my eyes because of what he did to Marcus. "Didn't you kill Esme even after she surrendered?"

"Well yes, because she poisoned me you fool!"

The two battled fiercely behind me while I casted the incantation on Marcus, who already passed out from losing so much blood. I was scared because the incantation was longer than usual, and it had to be uttered just like a song so I needed to have the best concentration for this. Luckily, I was able to finish the incantation correctly and saw his wound start to close. But I also felt my body get weak as soon as I finished healing Marcus, something that I had already anticipated.

I wanted to escape from this place while Malcolm was still busy with Darren, but I had no more strength in me to carry Darren. I couldn't even get up anymore from the fatigue. Marcus and I were sitting ducks at the moment, so if by chance another enemy came in here we would definitely get caught or killed. My mind went to Zenith, who was probably asleep by now and wasn't even aware that his parents were in big trouble.

My fear suddenly materialized when a person came into the hall and saw the commotion that was happening. "What the hell is this? Why are the captives here?" asked the woman. She was wearing full-body armor so I couldn't see her face but her voice was definitely feminine. "They got past my sleeping gas?"

"The woman is a witch," said Malcolm to the woman who I now knew as the woman Darren called by the alias Nightshade. Her armor was intriguing because it looked like it was made from pure gold. "I'll leave her to you, Nightshade, while I deal with Exodus right here."

Nightshade was now looking at me intently. "Very well. Hey, girl, is it true that you’re a witch? How did you get past my sleeping gas? That whole section of that wing was filled with my gas!”

I didn’t respond but Darren did. “Don’t you lay a hand on her!”

“Oh, Exodus! So you know this woman? But if she's a witch, then she's very, very valuable. We can sell her for a hundred times the initial price we put on her. Right, Madman?"

"Exactly! Make sure you won't kill her!" jeered Malcolm.

"Of course, I won't! I'm the perfect Blackhole for this woman as I only need my sleeping gas to capture her."

"N-No... No..." I was now panicking because I knew what was about to happen. We couldn't allow ourselves to inhale the sleeping gas again or else it'll be over! But fate seemed to be not on my side right now because I already saw Nightshade walking to me. She was holding something spherical on her right hand and smoke was coming from it. That must have been the source of the sleeping gas, so I held my breath.

Nightshade noticed what I did, making her laugh. "You really think you can hold your breath forever, witch girl? What if I do this?" She suddenly kicked me in my stomach and that did it. And just seconds later I could already feel my head getting lighter, a sign that I was getting sleepy. Even Darren had already fallen to his knees and was now getting slaughtered by Malcolm, who was wearing a gas mask for his protection.

Darren was right when he said that they must have always been prepared for times like this. And Nightshade was indeed the perfect person in this business as they couldn't hurt their valuable victims, so she used her sleeping gas instead. Everything wasn't in our favor so if I don't do anything this might be the last time that we'd be alive. I couldn't fight anymore, so I had no choice but to use the only thing that I had. I was supposed to use this when I needed help the most because I could only use it once, but I thought this was the right time. With my fading strength, I scooped blood from the floor and spread it over the Rune on my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" She must have realized that I still have some tricks up on my sleeve even in my current condition, and she was right. For the last five years, I'd spent a lot of time trying to find out how to use the Rune Lilith put on me. And one time I accidentally discovered how. It turned out I needed to cover the Rune with blood, and not just blood from anyone, but from the people important to me. It was like an offering or a tribute, and then I could finally summon the witch that I'd helped back then.

Lilith appeared in front of me like she was a phantom. I could tell that she wasn't physically here with me, but was more like a specter. When she saw me she looked pleased but also got worried that I was lying on the floor beside Marcus, who was still drenched in his own blood. "You called me Milena," she said, but only in my head. "What can I do for you?"

"Lilith, please help us escape from here," I pleaded with her. "Please..."

"I can do that, Milena. But remember, this will use up the Rune I gave you. You will no longer be able to contact me after this."

"That's fine with me," I told her. "Just help us escape from here. Me, Marcus, and Darren."

"As you wish," Lilith replied and then she turned into silver smoke.

"What is happening?" said Nightshade, who was stunned by what she saw. "W-Who was that?" she stuttered when the silver smoke spread all over us. As I got engulfed in that smoke, I felt weird, like I was being pulled down by gravity. Like that odd feeling someone gets when they're asleep, where they feel like they are falling down and then they wake up. I was falling too, and then I woke up confused.

But that only lasted for ten seconds, because I was more concerned about what I was seeing in front of me right now. I couldn't believe it, so I slapped myself thinking that this was still a dream. But I wasn't dreaming. Lilith really did send me there. "H-How is this possible?" I said as goosebumps erupted on my body because I was suddenly back here at my old place. Darren was there too. He was still unconscious on the ground, and I panicked when I looked around and couldn't see Marcus anywhere!