Zara

Leila set herself to work, there were twenty minutes left for the clock to struck twelve. Harry went back to his brooding state since we heard what the Wicked Witch said, and the fact that she was most probably telling the truth scared me as well. Although if we were able to save Aini tonight, which I'm sure we will, her life will be still a cliffhanger with no proper climax.

However, I'm sure that we will be able to find a solution, together! First, we just have to set ourselves to focus on finding Aini, and the rest will fall into its place accordingly.

The wicked witch helped Leila arrange the candles. Instructing to create a triangle instead of a circle, they poured the water on the pot resting in the middle of the triangle. Me, Leila, and the wicked witch sat at each intersection of the triangle. 

"What should I do?" Harry complained, he was always left out in the rituals like this. 

"Play statue," I laughed, he snorted but kept quiet.

"Harry, sit next to me, pass me each possession, one at a time, and please tell which is which." Leila directed, he sat with the satisfaction of doing something but he was still brooding. 

Since we stepped into the witch's house, we've been quiet, and it wasn't unnoticed by both the women. Leila was worried about our silence while the wicked witch sported secret smirks like she knew we were outside all along. 

Leila avoided eye contact with both of us until it was almost time for the ritual. When the clock struck eleven fifty-five we started the ritual, I was oblivious at first, and the witch asked to hold hands of the other, something changed when I took hold of the wicked witch's hand in mine, an electric spasm of energy passed through my body and I almost forget the hatred I had hoarded for the witch, her delicate hands creating pity for her in my heart. 

I didn't know what was happening, an unknown amount of pain hit like waves, rolling from her body to my heart and tear slipped from my eyes involuntarily, I didn't understand why I am feeling bad for the witch, I kept chanting inside my mind, 'she's the bad guy, she's the bad guy...' I had a feeling that the witch was messing with my mind but no, she was interacting with Leila, I ignored my emotions for the time being and listened to the witch's instruction.

"When the candles were lit, our minds will be joined as one. Call for the witch spirits, address them as our sister for we are daughters and granddaughters for most of them," we nodded at her.

She turned her attention to me and continued, "Zara, address them as guardians, apologize for intruding in a witch ritual and seek their help for entering the town. Your sole intention should be of your best friend." 

With that we set ourselves to work, it was sharp midnight. We joined our hands together, Harry sat with the pile of dresses. Our thoughts linked in a perpendicular action, it was the power of the witch, we could tell that. we closed our eyes and the words flowed through us automatically in unison.

"Sisters, we call upon you!" the candles lit on their own and we continued.

"Sisters, we call upon our bloodline, help us," we continued chanting the something for a while. 

Ten minutes passed, nothing happened. 

Twenty minutes.

Forty minutes.

An hour! Seriously though, the witch spirits were mini Hitlers in disguise. We waited along with closed eyes. 

"Let's offer the possessions," Leila suggested and we opened our eyes. 

First, she set fire to a picture of Aini, then she set fire to my t-shirt, the orange flames blazed more angrily, she added a piece of her cloth, the wicked witch's blouse, and finally Harry's hoodie. The candles flickered with it, the orange glow turning into red. the water on the pot flared up in fame shocking all of us. 

"It's working, ask again," the wicked witch urged, we all went back to our previous position with closed eyes, and interlinked hands, we chanted together.

"Sisters! we call upon you, arise upon us..."

They didn't show up, the wicked witch was definitely tricking us, this could be a trap but then we heard a bunch of voices speaking together, their voices a dull hue, an echoing halo. 

"Your favor is fulfilled Avyanna, we don't owe you anything anymore."

"But you do, to my daughter," Leila inserted quickly.

The voices roared in laughter, some snorted in anger, but one voice asked wisely, "and why do we?"

"When someone like Avyanna deserved a second chance, a favor from the bloodline, isn't my daughter a witch as well?" Leila interrogated.

"What do you know of Avyanna Leila? You know nothing when it comes to her," another voice snorted but the wise voice remained silent. 

 "It doesn't matter what we know about the witch," I let out, frustrated. if the witches keep fighting amongst themselves, we won't be able to communicate at all., I added.

"Guardians of the powers, saviors of the town, I sincerely apologize for intruding in the ritual," I addressed them, apologized like the witch asked, now it's about time we get back to business, Harry was staring blindly, I wondered if he could listen to the witches, or not.

"All of you protected the world but you spawned my best friend for your benefit, all of you used an innocent soul to fulfill your promise, if stealing a soul without a person's consent is considered okay, then do you still consider yourselves the guardians? isn't Aini's life your responsibility to guard as well?" I questioned.

"We have a reason for everything we do," the voices answered together.

"What reasons do you have for stealing a soul?" Leila inquired this time.

"Her soul is destined sister," they informed flatly.

"to steal?" I added quickly before they start to excuse themselves.

"For endless pain," came their echoing voices.

"Then don't you think it should be fulfilled? How can any of you steal her soul and take away the pain?" I inquired, getting angry each passing second but I should remain calm because they are powerful witches, we cant stand against ourselves without destroying ourselves. They are old and strong.

"She is suffering, this is a part of her trial," they informed, which made me angrier but it wasn't me who shouted.

"Who are you to tell? None of you have the right to create obstacles on my daughter's life, that power only belongs to nature and the curse," Leila screamed violently, she added, "you betrayed the cult by stealing one of our sister's soul, you deceived a sister."

They remained silent. I understood one thing from their conversation when one of their bloodlines spoke or demanded they remained quiet, nice even but one thing unsettled my mind. The wicked witch remained silent, she wasn't even arguing about the fact that we are practically blaming her as well.

"Now pay up!" I summed, we were greeted with silence.

I opened my mouth once again to speak but Leila shook her head, dismissing the idea. Their voices stilled for a long time, I wondered if they left, did I make them that mad? Then the wise voice spoke.

"We can't revive what we promised Avyanna," she paused for a moment, that was that I guess, there was no way we get to go but then the wise voice spoke again, "but, we grant you passage!"

That was it, we finally did it! I wanted to scream, shout and rejoice at the fact, Leila and Harry were happy as well. Avyanna however remained blank, one could never guess with her poker face.

"When the sunrise high on Friday night till midnight, we grant you passage into the town. Sisters, half of your powers will be stripped in the meantime, but we will guard you against the deceased spirits of the inmates but no longer than midnight."

Four more days! That was a long time, the witch spirits agreed to the fact that A was suffering and I couldn't let her suffer anymore. 

"Cant we go in the morning?" I hesitantly asked. None of them spoke against me, that was a huge sign of their support.

"Friday is the full moon, our powers will be increased. It's either Friday or no day," came their helpful option. 

"Friday will do," Harry replied to them for the first time.

"Sisters, we will guard only you three, the human is your responsibility," their voices enlightened together again. 

Rude! but we had no other option, harry will have to stay back. 

Harry knew what we were thinking, for he instantly added as a matter of fact, with no arguments tone he used at his employees, "I'm coming with you no matter what." 

Full stop, end of the matter. Leila wanted to argue but I informed the witches, "He is my responsibility."

"Avyanna, you know the consequences," the wise voice finally acknowledged the wicked witch and she nodded, with that being said, the voices vanished. 

The flame on the pot burnt down and the candles went off, the wicked witch snapped her fingers, and the lights from the bulb came on, that's some crazy sense technology.

"What should we do now?" Harry asked.

"We wait!" the wicked witch replied on behalf of us, and she continued, "is any of you staying the night?"

right! here we go with the nice guy play.

"No thanks witch, you've been a delight!" I replied and walked out of the door, with Harry and Leila on my trails.

1600 words

total word count - 50,040/-