"But why?" I asked Priestess Miyoko

"...however, I can take you...to her...then, you can talk to her..." she calmly replied.

The priestess took us inside the town once again till we reached a house that was far bigger than the previous house that we were in. She went up and knocked at the large door.

"Who is there?" A female voice came from inside.
"...it is me...Priestess Miyoko..."

The door creaked open and a woman came out of the house.

Priestess Miyoko turned towards the three of us,"...this is Hokuto...the Fire Witch..."

"Huh?" We were dumbfounded. We didn't expect to meet the Fire Witch so easily!

"Hush, keep your voice down. I am no longer the fire witch. I have retired from that position," Hokuto said.

"No, please...you have to help us. We need your powers to defeat Kiyomi!"

"Kiyomi?!" She gasped.
"Yes, so please, lend us your powers," I pleaded.

She frowned and then turned back. "Sorry, but I won't be of any help to you."

"No!" I grabbed her hand. "Leave me," Hokuto struggled to free her hand.

Then fire shot out from her hands.

"Ah!" I looked at my burned palms.
"Natsu! Why did you do that to her?"

Hokuto was taken aback. "I didn't mean to..."

Hotaru and Asuka rushed towards me. Priestess Miyoko stood there, astonished. A burning sensation spread throughout my hand.

But then a miracle happened...

My hands automatically healed itself. "Huh?" I looked at my previously burned palms. They looked normally fine.

Hokuto gasped. "You..."

"Natsu, are you okay now?" Asuka asked.
"Yeah, I am absolutely fine," I smiled.

Then Hokuto spoke up.

"Come with me inside."

We followed her inside the house. The huge house was well-decorated just like Sayuri's house. We passed by the long hallway till we reached a room. Hokuto pulled the sliding door to reveal a large hall-like room.

It seemed like a training room.

Hokuto moved to the centre of the room and turned towards us. "Come on, fight me!"
"What?"
"I said, come and fight me...if you defeat me, then I'll think about helping you."

I thought for a while. A fight with the fire witch? Will I be able to defeat her? No...I have to!

"Okay, I'll fight you."

And so the fight began...

I clasped my hands together and focused all my concentration on my palms. A bright light came from my hands. As I opened them, flower petals came out from my palms and transformed into sharp pink petals that attacked Hokuto.

She raised her hands. Fire suddenly surrounded her, blocking all my attacks.

"How about this?" I clasped my hands again. As I opened them, needle-like feathers appeared out of my palms.

"The witch snickered. "Too easy..."

She controlled the flames about her and directed them towards my incoming attack. The feathers fell on the wooden floor, burned.

I was shocked. None of my attacks worked on her!

Then I remembered something. I looked out of the window.

It was already nighttime and the moon was out. Yes, I could use the mirror that Tsukiko gave me...

I pulled out the mirror from my pocket and directed it towards the Fire Witch. The moon's light got reflected on the mirror and it glowed.

"The Moon Witch, please lend me your powers!"

A bright light came out of the mirror. It blinded the witch's sight and she raised her hands, covering her eyes.

The flame around her extinguished. Now is my chance.

I clasped my hands again and prayed,"Please help me to defeat Hokuto."

My body glowed. Then I was once again surrounded by spicky branches.

"Grab her!" I directed the branches. The branches shot towards the Fire Witch and enterwined around her, holding her in place.

Once again pink petals came out from my palms and attacked the witch.

"Aah!" Hokuto winced in pain.

Then as the branches holding her disappeared, she fell on the floor, defeated.

"Natsu, you defeated her!" Hotaru cried out.
"Yeah!" Asuka raised her fist in joy.

I can't believe it. I was able to defeat the Fire witch.! I was overjoyed. I went up to my friends and hugged them. The priestess who was seeing all of this from behind smiled at us.

"It seems that I have been defeated," Hokuto said as she stood up.

"Now please honour your promise."
"Yes, I will but..."
"But?"
Hokuto frowned. She looked down on the floor.

"I have pledged my loyalty to my Mistress. I can't help you if she doesn't allow me..."

"I see. But what if we talk to her? I'm sure she would understand," I said hopefully. The Witch thought for a while.

"Okay, let's talk to her."

"What do you want to talk about?" We heard a voice from behind. We turned around and saw...