Chapter 143 Burning Iron And Boiling Blood

"I am sorry for calling you a cheater. I just got so worked up because, once again, you were able to do it without much trouble," Senna said, and I nodded.

"Don't compare yourself to me. I have a solution for every problem in my head from all my experience. Still, you are much more formidable than I had thought. My choice to suggest you be the one left in charge after we leave seems to be well placed," I said, and Senna blinked at me.

"Me? In charge? Why would you or Eliza pick me?!" Senna exclaimed, and I smiled.

"Because you know the city the best, and you are the closest to everything that has happened... Do you smell that?"

I had been about to talk about how even though she was close to Lady Katarina, I still trusted her, but a pungent smell hit my nose. It was the smell of burning iron and boiling blood, sending a chill through my body but fire through my veins. I knew with every fiber of my being that this smell was.

Blood Witch.

"In the house! NOW!" I roared, and Senna didn't waste any time as I called the magic that filled them to me in droves.

"You have a very good memory, Ophiuchus. To think that I have been waiting all this time, and you are finally here. Nemoria sends her regards."

A robed small humped figure stood at the manor's gate. That was where the bone-chilling voice came from, but I ignored it.

I cast layer after layer of protection spells and infused them with Positive Energy for what good they would do against this creature. I could not even see what she looked like, but this thing knew me, meaning we must have clashed before.

"What do you want, Blood Witch? Are you here to relinquish your control over Morgana?" I asked, trying to buy myself every second that I could. This would be about the time that I could use some help from...

"I am here," Tallia said as she stepped from a portal besides me. This time I was thankful that she was listening.

"Oh, now this is just precious! Star-crossed lovers, yet two strangers stand side by side! No wonder she hates you both so much! Free my little puppet? Not likely! I am only here to let you know what you already do. This is your last life, and after chasing us for four hundred and ninety-nine other lives, it is your turn to pay the piper, Galio!"

Every word was like ice, but I didn't let it phase me. This was what these creatures did. Instill fear and feed off it, but I would not be shaken.

"Isn't that cute? You know, you sure seem concerned for a group of stinking piles of hot garbage. Did you think that that Undead Riftwalker was going to stop me? I fought the damn thing with a metal sword that was nothing more than heavy. Now you show up. Needing to tell me that I am going to be wiped from existence. Am I the only one with their life on the line? What of you and the rest of your stinking kin? How many more lives do you have left?" I returned, standing tall and puffing out my chest while drenching the area in my Positive aura like never before.

Tallia could handle it because she was Positive Energy incarnate, even if she was a bit of a twat most of the time.

"You have no idea who I am, do you? The Guides stripped you of everything for their own gains! Look what they have done to your beloved! Finally, given a chance, she now regards you as nothing more than dirt! All the Guides do, while Kaedon sits back and watches. Nemoria takes steps to reunite us, but she is always in the way! Tallia is only holding your heart back!"

"Who are you?!" I demanded, stretching an arm out and pushing Tallia back.

"I don't need your protection!" Tallia tried to say but closed her mouth when I turned to her with burning eyes.

"This is not the time," I said and turned my burning gaze on the Blood Witch. "Try to come any closer, and I will wipe you from existence. Thanks to this little visit, I have that power now, but now I think it is time to end this. I have decided that I don't care who you are, but I will kill you if you get any closer."

Double Negative. The ability to curve any Negative Energy into itself, resulting in all negative being converted into positive. There was an arm's length of restrictions, but I had to get in range to make physical contact. There was also the silly fact that it just didn't work on being made from Negative Energy like the Riftwalkers, but the witches could be converted.

"My name is Xena, and we have a jaded history. I will change that or take everything from you again. You have no idea what I have given up to get close to you!" The Blood Witch snapped, and I reached my hand to Tallia.

Instantly, she was a golden assault rifle that I flipped up and started to pulse the three-shot burst. Xena dodged the golden bullets like the creature was water, its movement so fluid, but I didn't let up as I advanced forward.

"I will make you love me, Galio! Even if it is the last thing I do, and I have to make this world burn to get what I want!" Xena screamed and then screamed louder as three shots tore her right arm off.

I had caught Xena with her mouth open, but the shot was non-lethal. It would take the creature a long time to grow back, but the arm would return.

Black blood sprayed from the shoulder, but a black portal opened, and the robbed creature jumped through. I continued to fire bullets until the portal closed.

Tallia transformed back into my arms, and I set her down, but she stayed close to me.

"Why does she know so much about us?" Tallia asked me, but I didn't have the answer.