To Bewitch a Devil

Chapter 7: Old Witch

Zavian sent the elders away as he sat on the throne, waiting for the witches he had summoned.

During the blood war, the witches were forced to divide into two. Those that supported the devil, and those that followed his son. After the devil was defeated, the ones who served him went into hiding while Zavian provided shelter and food for the witches who stood by his side.

The witches lived together, and any human who is discovered to possess magic abilities is taken to live with them. It was dangerous for witches to live among humans.

The doors to the throne hall pulled open and three witches walked in. An old witch who held onto a stick to help her walk, and two young ones who walked beside her. When she saw Zavian sitting on his throne, she smiled;

”Whenever you call me like this, I feel something is amiss, Your majesty. What is it this time?”

Zavian was quiet as he stared blankly, lost in thoughts. When he had banished his father and his followers, he had sealed the portal to the underworld, and no one could leave. So how were the soul eaters back?

”What happened, my king? Why are you solemn?” Eloise asked, drawing the king’s attention to her. Zavian blinked and looked at the old witch;

.....

”The soul eaters are here.”

The smile which was on Eloise’s face disappeared instantly, and the stick she held onto shook slightly. She had heard from her predecessors and read from their books what the soul eaters did to humans. They were the strongest immortals to exist after the demons. Even the witches were not spared from their wrath.

”I thought you banished them to the underworld. How are they here? ”

”That is what I need you to find out.” Zavian said as he stood up. They can only be killed by stronger demons, and normal humans can’t tell them apart from their fellow humans, so before long, many will be dead.”

The last time he warred against them, they had wiped almost half a city. They were hungry and insatiable beasts, and he needed to act fast.

”And we don’t have time. Three bodies have been found, and I’m sure more are going to be found tonight. ”

”We have to perform a ritual. We need three days,” Eloise said and Zavian frowned deeply;

”I do not have that much of a time. Gather all the witches in your coven and perform the ritual in a day. I need answers by this time tomorrow.”

Eloise gripped her stick. They could do the ritual in a day, but it would demand a lot of aurae, which would drain them tremendously. But seeing the king’s face, she knew she could not object.

”You may leave.”

Zavian commanded, and they bowed before they left his presence. After about thirty minutes, the doors opened again. Zavian looked up, and he sighed when he saw who it was. Azriel, his friend. Azriel had fought by his side during the war and had been by his side all these years. He had made him a general and the commander of the soldiers. Azriel walked to the throne where Zavian sat, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

”Brother, what troubles you?”

Azriel asked as he stood in front of Zavian.

”You must have heard?”

Azriel paused; ”I heard that corpses that looked like their souls had been drained from them were found in the woods. ”

”And we both know what that means, Azriel.”

Azriel was quiet. Although the soul eaters were the problem, they were not the main reason Zavian looked like that. It was the fact that they could escape the underworld. That meant that other evil beings would soon start returning to earth, and that did not exclude his father.

”Perhaps, some were not cast to the underworld, maybe they had stayed in hiding, and finally came out now.”

Azriel suggested, but deep down, he knew that was not true. They had made sure none of them remained in the eight kingdoms, and most of them willingly went to the underworld to avoid being killed.

As though Zavian already knew that he was just trying to make him feel better, he did not question what he said; standing up from the throne, he walked to Azriel;

”I’ve summoned the witches already. They would give me a reply tomorrow. Now, let’s go practice archery in the fields. ”

Zavian said as he patted Azriel on the shoulder, walking past him towards the door.

Azriel followed Zavian to the fields. He watched him pick the bow and arrow after the servant brought it to him.

”What do you want to do about the servant girl?” Azriel asked, changing the topic and easing the mood.

”Who? ” Zavian asked as he fired a shot. It did not hit on the center spot, but it was close. Azriel picked his bow;

”You know exactly who I am talking about, brother.”

Zavian chuckled; ”I want to get to know who she is. I cannot get over the fact that she looks exactly like Delilah. It is not what I can just ignore. I feel there is something more to her I don’t know yet. ”

Azriel was quiet for a bit; ”I think you should not get close to that woman. I have a feeling that there is something dangerous about her and it would be better you let her be or better still send her off to a faraway land.”

Zavian looked at his friend as though he were saying something stupid.

”what could be dangerous about a mere mortal?” Zavian laughed as he shook his head;

”In over a thousand years I’ve known you, this is the first time you’ve said something ridiculous. ”

Azriel frowned at his friend; ”How can you explain the fact that the soul eaters appeared after she came to the castle? And are you forgetting who killed Delilah?”

Zavian was quiet.

”So, are you saying that my father sent her to me?”

Azriel sighed; ”How could she look exactly like the only woman you could not resist? Exactly like your greatest weakness?”

Zavian dropped his bow; he had asked to practice archery to take his mind away from the troubles before him, but it seemed like Azriel just made it worse.

”My father does not have that kind of power, Azriel.”

”You really underestimate the power of the devil. ”