Lila cast a new teleportation spell and rode the flow of magic to the new meeting place. Passing through an elaborate perception filter, she emerged on the other end of the world, back to where her tribulations had started.
The new Resistance’s base was hidden under the city in a vast labyrinth of caves sculpted by magic. As the young witch phased in, she found herself in a large circular chamber illuminated by glowing crystals embedded into the jagged walls. The air was crisp and cool, tinged with a hint of earth and moss.
The main chamber was bustling with activity with witches and warlocks from all races and backgrounds working together to prepare for the battles to come. Some were tinkering with enchanted devices, while others were practicing combat drills in designated training areas. The sound of enchanted hammers and drills rang out as specialized construction crews worked on expanding the space available, carving out new passageways and living quarters from the solid rock.
Magical protections were woven seamlessly into the base's design, warding off any unwanted intruders and shielding its inhabitants from prying eyes. Runes glowed softly along the walls, pulsing with protective energy that hummed through the air. Enchanted barriers shimmered in strategic locations, creating invisible barriers that only allowed those with the proper clearance to pass through.
Lila moved through the bustling chamber, her eyes wide with wonder at the sheer scope of the underground base. She passed by a group of earth elementals working together to reinforce the walls with their magic, their hands aglow with golden light as they manipulated the very stone itself. Further down, a team of air witches floated effortlessly in the air, directing gusts of wind to aid in the construction efforts.
She recognized a lot of faces from the submarine but there were also many others that were brand new to her. It seemed Fiadh had reached out to other circles and was already amassing a force to be reckoned with. Whatever she was planning, it was bound to be big.
After passing through winding tunnels and descending further into the depths of the underground base, Lila finally reached the heart of the Resistance's headquarters. A grand hall awaited her, bathed in warm hues of flickering firelight that danced around her. Fiadh stood at its center, accompanied by Derek and a group of advisors deep in discussion.
Fiadh turned as she sensed Lila's presence, her piercing gaze locking onto hers. There was a brief moment of recognition before a warm smile spread across her face, crinkling the corners of her eyes. Without a word, she approached her with purposeful strides, her cloak billowing behind her.
“Lila, you’ve made it!” she said, moving in for a hug. “You didn’t encounter any more difficulties, I hope.”
“I’m fine, Fiadh, but I’m also more pissed than ever,” Lila replied. “I need you to tell me everything you found out when you examined me. No more secrets, okay? My mother sacrificed herself to protect me. What did she mean when she said I’m more important than I know?”
“If we’re going to discuss this now, perhaps it would be wise to clear the room first,” Derek suggested.
“You’re right,” Fiadh nodded.
Fiadh turned to her advisors, a determined glint in her eyes. "I appreciate your counsel, but for now, I need a private moment with Lila. Please give us some space," she requested with a firm tone that brooked no arguments.
The advisors exchanged hesitant looks but ultimately bowed respectfully before exiting the grand hall, leaving Fiadh, her husband, and Lila alone in the warm glow of a flickering firelight. The crackling of the flames provided a comforting background noise as Fiadh gestured for Lila to take a seat on a plush velvet couch nearby.
"Come, let's sit down and talk," Fiadh said gently, pouring three crystal glasses of shimmering golden liquid from a decanter on a nearby table. The drink emitted a faint floral fragrance that filled the air as she handed one glass to Lila.
“What is this?” Lila asked, not recognizing the scent.
"This is a special blend of moon nectar and starlight essence," Fiadh explained as she settled onto the couch beside Lila. "You won’t find a better concoction to soothe your nerves anywhere else.”
“She’s right,” Derek said, standing behind them. “Drink carefully though. It has a bit of kick.”
Lila hesitated for a moment, eyeing the shimmering liquid warily before finally bringing the glass to her lips. The first sip was like a burst of stardust on her tongue, a dazzling array of flavors dancing across her palate. But as the drink slid down her throat, a sudden wave of bitterness hit her taste buds. 
Her eyes widened in shock as she recoiled from the glass, coughing slightly as the powerful concoction threatened to overwhelm her senses. It felt as though tendrils of icy coldness were snaking through her veins, leaving a trail of discomfort in their wake.
She swallowed hard, trying to mask her discomfort as she set the glass down on the table. Fiadh and Derek watched her closely, concern flickering in their eyes. Lila fought to regain her composure, blinking away tears that threatened to spill over.
“You weren’t kidding about the kick… Jesus! Please tell me you don’t drink this often.”
“Only when the occasion calls for it,” Fiadh replied. “We’re on the verge of something extraordinary, Lila, and we have you to thank for it.”
“Why? When did I become so important? What the fuck is going on?”
“The tests revealed something believed to be impossible. Inside you, there’s a weapon that can put an end to this nightmare once and for all.”
“What sort of weapon?”
“You have a mutation that alters the flow of magic. Not only do you have an uncanny resistance to dark incantations, but you can also absorb and change them. You can turn darkness into light, Lila, and that makes you virtually immune to the sign of evil.”
“But how is that even possible?”
“That’s something we haven’t been able to determine yet,” Derek said. “For now, the working theory is that the ability was dormant inside your genes. When Tabitha attacked you the first time, it set off a massive chain reaction that’s been growing ever since.”
Lila's mind reeled at the revelation. Her hands trembled as she tried to process the magnitude of what Fiadh and Derek were telling her. Turning darkness into light? Absorbing and changing dark magic? It all sounded like a fantastic dream, one that she was certain she would wake up from any moment now.
"No, that can't be right!" Lila protested, her voice laced with disbelief. She felt a surge of conflicting emotions bubbling inside her - fear, confusion, but also a flicker of something else. Could it be hope? “I’m not special.”
Fiadh placed a comforting hand on Lila's shoulder, her touch warm and reassuring. "I understand this is a lot to take in, my dear. But you must believe us when we say that you possess a power unlike anything we have ever seen before. If you’re able to harness it fully, you can bring down that evil bitch once and for all.”
Lila's head spun with the weight of her newfound destiny. The room seemed to blur around her, the walls closing in as if to swallow her whole. Despite being born into a world of magic, she had always considered herself ordinary, a regular woman trying to make her way in the world. But now, faced with the truth of her extraordinary abilities, she felt like a character in a novel and not a real person.
“And you’re absolutely sure about this?” she asked, biting her lower lip.
“We would never put such a heavy burden on your shoulders if we weren’t,” Derek said. “We were already going to train you but this discovery changes things.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
“An intensive regime specifically tailored to your abilities. We want to bombard you with as much dark magic as possible to strengthen your natural defenses so that when we take the fight to Tabitha you’re ready to counter everything she throws at you. You will be our cannon and our shield and once we neutralize her, we can put all of this behind us.”
“I like the idea of going on the offensive as much as anyone else, but we don’t even know where she is or where she took my mother and Penelope.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Derek retorted. “We know she has spies in the Congregatio’s Headquarters. We’re going to find one and extract the information we need just like what they’re doing to Sarah right now.”
“You mean torture? How does that makes us any better than her then? If they’ve been mindfucked and enslaved, it’s not their fault.”
“That’s true, but without a show of strength, we’re putting more people at risk. The more souls she corrupts the more powerful she becomes. But if we’re right about you, we won’t need torture at all.”
“You think I can reverse the effects of the spell?”
“Yes,” Fiadh said. “And so does your mother. The sign of evil is like a poison, and your powers are the antidote. We will purge it out of the spy’s mind and turn the tables on Tabitha. I bet she won’t see it coming and that’s exactly what we want.”
“It sounds risky… especially because you’re putting so much faith in me…” Lila said. “What if I can’t do it? What then?”
“We believe you can but if the worst comes to pass, we’ll figure something out. What matters now is that we mobilize for what’s coming because she’s not going to stop. If she controls the entire Council, then it’s not just our world that falls. She’ll destroy all humans as well and we can’t let that happen. Have faith, Lila. Trust in us like we trust in you.”
Lila took a deep breath. She glanced at Fiadh and Derek. Their unwavering belief in her even though they had just met was both a comfort and a burden. The idea that she alone held the key to defeat the malevolent force that threatened everything she held dear seemed too fantastical to be real.
"I think I need a moment," Lila finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Alone."
“I understand,” Fiadh said. “but don’t take too long. The sooner we get things rolling the better. Every moment counts in this fight, Lila.
Fiadh and Derek left the room, and the young witch sighed. Everything had changed again, a constant ever since she was thrust into this dangerous reality. She had lost so much already, and the stakes were now higher than ever. How much more could she handle before her mind started to crack?
Her thoughts turned to Penelope screaming before having her free will taken away from her. She imagined kneeling before Tabitha, repeating mindless mantras of obedience. Then, she saw her mother, her gentle features distorted by forced submission. Darkness festered and consumed it all, filling her with both dread and untamed fury.
Alone with her thoughts, she didn’t notice the shadow of a woman phasing in until it was right next to her, smiling.
“We meet again, Lila,” she said. “I didn’t expect it to be so soon but here we are.”
Lila looked to her right, her eyes lighting up when she recognized who was there with her.
“Alondra?” she muttered. “Are you really here?”
“I’m afraid so, dear,” the older witch replied. She was dressed in deep red, her clothes covered in ash. “Not by choice, though.”
“What happened?”
“They came for me again after you and your mom dropped by for a visit. I tried to reason with them but this time they wanted blood. They torched the island, Lila.”
“And the people that were at your party?” Lila gasped. “Did they…?”
“I was able to save a few but the rest were taken away. They should all be thralls by now.”
Lila's heart constricted at Alondra's words, guilt and sorrow enveloping her as she realized the repercussions of her visit to the island. She reached out and grasped Alondra's hands, feeling the warmth and strength emanating from the older witch.
“I’m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“It’s not your fault, dear. I wanted to stay neutral, but that ship has sailed now.”
“How did you escape?”
“I warped out when things got too dicey. I’m not easy to tame, Lila, and neither are you. I contacted Fiadh after the attack and here I am.”
“I’m glad you made it out,” Lila said. “Have you been listening for long?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. What do you think?”
“About your mutation?” Alondra clenched her teeth. “I’m as surprised as you are. I knew you had spunk, but this is something else. I like it, though. It means I can go as hard as I want next time.”
“Next time? Does that mean…?”
“Yes, Lila. If you agree to the training program Fiadh and Derek suggested, I’ll be one of your mentors, and I promise to kick your ass until you’re ready. How does that sound?”
“So you've officially joined the Resistance, huh?” Lila asked, a note of admiration in her voice.
Alondra chuckled. “You can say that, yes. It’s funny how things change so quickly, isn’t it?”
“Nothing about my life has been funny since this started,” Lila said. “It just keeps getting worse and worse.”
“The more reason for you to change the tune then and take control of your own destiny. Be the bigger bitch and watch everything fall into place.”
“You know, I kind of like the sound of that…”
“Yeah, I knew you would say that. Can we put all doubts behind us now? I want to get shit done!”
“Still not mincing words, I see.”
“There’s no point to that,” Alondra declared. “Why be polite when you can be efficient? Even though we don’t see eye to eye in many things, this is our chance to set things right.”
“So you’re willing to put yourself in danger to help humans after all?”
“I’m not doing this for them. The bitch attacked me first. This is payback, pure and simple. Revenge is a powerful weapon too.”
Lila nodded. Yes, it was. Not the noblest one and there was a lot to be said about letting things get carried away, but she could see both sides now, the good, and the bad. As long as she remembered who she was, playing a little dirty wasn’t the end of the world.
“Okay,” the young witch said, looking at her hands. “If that’s the way to go, we should start right away.”
“That’s all I wanted to hear. Follow me, Lila. You’re going to love this.”
Lila and Alondra left the room, united in a single thought. Whatever came to pass, Tabitha and her minions were going down.

((to be continued))