As if jolted awake by the sheer force of Lila’s resolve, a blinding flash erupted from Sarah’s forehead, illuminating the darkened woods in an ethereal glow. The trees trembled as the light poured outwards, pushing back the shadows that clung to their roots like parasites. Tabitha’s grip on Sarah faltered for just a moment, revealing a glimpse of the woman she used to be - vibrant and alive, with a spirit unbroken by the vile touch of evil.
“NO!” Tabitha screeched, using Sarah’s voice, her fury splintering the air like shattering glass. “You think you can get rid of me? I have taken centuries to cultivate this power! You are nothing but a child playing with forces you cannot comprehend!”
“Begone! You won’t hurt her again!” Lila spat. An unyielding strength surged within her, ignited by the bond between mother and daughter - a radiant connection that could even light up the darkest pits of Hell.
The brilliance continued to explode outward, cleansing the area of the evil witch’s influence and the black ichor she commanded. At last, overcome by exhaustion, Lila fell next to her mother, sunken eyes staring at the cloudless sky. She had done it! The sign of evil on her skin and mind was no more.
The air hummed with electric energy, suffused with the echoes of Sarah’s struggle, and as the last wisps of darkness dissipated like fog retreating from the dawn, a profound stillness settled over the glade. Lila’s heart raced as she lay there, breathless yet hopeful, her body still tingling from the remnants of magic that sparkled around them like tiny stars.
Then Sarah’s eyelids fluttered open. The light in her gaze was tentative at first, hesitant as if awakening from a deep slumber fraught with nightmares. But then recognition blossomed - a radiant smile ignited across her face, illuminating her features like sunshine breaking through storm clouds. Color returned to her cheeks, a rosy blush dispelling the pallor of despair.
“Lila…?” Her voice trembled; it was softer than before, but it held a warmth and strength that sent good vibrations rippling through the good witch’s heart.
“Mom!” Lila gasped, scrambling to her feet as if pulled by an invisible thread woven by the Fates themselves. 
Sarah sat up, the darkness in her consciousness fading into nothingness. The glade thrummed with life, birds chirping their triumphant songs and flowers blooming as if acknowledging her return to the world of light. Without a moment’s hesitation, she extended her arms, her heart pounding like the wings of a thousand butterflies.
She enveloped her daughter in a fierce embrace, the warmth of Lila’s body anchoring her to reality, grounding her amidst the dizzying aftermath of the spell. Tears streamed down Sarah’s cheeks and kissed the ground.
“You did it!” she cried, breath hitching between sobs. “Oh my God, Lila, I’m so sorry!” Each word spilled forth as if breaking free from chains that had held them captive for far too long. “I tried to resist, but…”
Lila tightened her arms around Sarah, feeling every shudder of relief reverberate through them both. “Shh, I know. It’s not your fault.”
“You saved me!”
“You did it first when you surrendered yourself to the enemy to give me a chance to escape. You’re too brave, Mom. Braver than I’ll ever be.”
Their embrace lingered, a cocoon of warmth amidst the decaying chaos that had once threatened to tear them apart. Around them, the magical battle was over. Most of Tabitha’s forces had been destroyed, with the few remaining soldiers lying unconscious on the ground, their once-menacing forms now mere shadows of the destruction they had wrought.
Sarah pulled back from Lila’s embrace, wiping her tears with trembling hands. She gazed into her daughter’s eyes, flooded with affection and admiration. “Together, we are stronger than she ever could have imagined,” she whispered, her voice steadying with every word.
Just as the last vestiges of silence enveloped them, a piercing cry shattered the tranquil moment that had stretched like a dream. Alondra, breathless and disheveled, burst into the glade, her dark hair wild and eyes wide with panic. The air around her crackled with urgency.
“Lila! Sarah!” she shouted, skidding to a halt before them, her usual composure frayed. “We have a problem!”
“What is it?” Lila’s heart plunged at the sight of her friend’s distress. She released her grip on her mother, standing between them.
“The Resistance base - it’s being attacked! Tabitha’s remaining forces are converging on our hideout; they’ve tracked us here!” Alondra’s voice trembled with fear.
“But how?”
“I’m afraid that’s on me…” Sarah sighed, the dark memory of what she had done coming back to haunt her.
“But how?”
“I tracked your signal when we talked. That was always the plan: to lure you out and pinpoint the location of the base. Tabitha won’t stop until every single soul opposing her is either converted or put to the ground.”
“We need to go now!” Alondra exclaimed. “Fiadh needs our help.”
“Go on ahead and I’ll join you as soon as I can,” Lila said. “Right now, I’m no condition to fight again.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Go, Alondra, and give them hell!”
“I’ll stay with her,” Sarah declared. “We won’t take long, I promise.”
“Okay.” Alondra nodded, the flicker of hope stoking her spirit like a well-tended fire. “I’ll gather the others,” she said, her voice cutting through the tension. She turned sharply on her heel and called the remaining witches and warlocks into battle again.
As Alondra and the others dashed back into harm’s way, determination fueling their steps, Lila sank back to the ground, breathless and trembling. The weight of solitude wrapped around her like a thick fog. The lingering adrenaline from their earlier confrontation began to evaporate, leaving only the remnants of tiredness that clawed at her limbs.
“Are you okay?” Sarah asked.
“Not really. It’s like I’ve been run over by a cargo train,” Lila replied.
“You absorbed and purified too much dark energy at once. It’s only natural it took a toll on you.” Sarah kneeled beside her, brushing aside a few errant strands of hair from Lila’s forehead. “Your strength will return sooner than you think. Just breathe.”
Lila inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the fresh, cool air that surrounded them. Each breath was a gentle reminder of life, albeit painfully slow to rejuvenate the energy that had been siphoned from her. The world around them grew muted again, as if all sound had been swallowed by an ethereal hush. As she exhaled, her energy waned further, like a flickering candle close to extinguishment.
“Why did it have to be like this?” Lila murmured. “Why can’t we just be normal? Go back to gardening and book clubs instead of being here fighting for our lives?”
Sarah smiled, but her eyes shimmered with unspoken truths. “Normal is a luxury we can’t afford, my dear, especially now.”
“Mom? Did you see Penelope? Is she still alive?”
“I’m sorry, dear, but I don’t know. I hope so but Tabitha won’t be pleased after what you just pulled off. I don’t see this ending well for her.”
“No! I refuse to believe that! I saved you! I’ll save her too, and you’re going to help me do that.”  
“I’ll help you in any way I can, but what are you thinking?”
“You were deep in the enemy’s counsel. You know where Tabitha is. We should bring the fight to her.”
“Just the two of us? That would be folly.”
“Not if it’s an infiltration mission. We go in and get her out of there before anyone sees us.”
“It’s too risky, Lila. Now that you’ve severed my connection to Tabitha, her base of operations will be on high alert. I have no way of getting us in and you’re not doing that on your own, either.”
“I need to do something! If she dies because of me…” Lila sobbed.
“Lila, listen to me,” Sarah said, her voice steady yet filled with warmth. “I know what you’re going through. The weight of responsibility can be unbearable, especially when we’re up against forces that seem insurmountable. But if you rush into this without a plan, it will not only endanger you but every one of us.”
Lila’s chest heaved as she struggled with the confusion of her emotions, fear and anger mingled with despair, swirling inside her like a tempest. She glanced up at her mother, whose eyes glinted with fierce resolve. “You taught me that in darkness, light still exists,” Lila whispered between gasps, the fervor of her conviction sparking anew.
“Yes, and sometimes that light takes the shape of patience,” Sarah replied. “Look at the big picture; we need to gather our strength before making such a bold move. The best thing we can do right now is to go help Fiadh. We can’t let the Resistance fall now. Not when we’re so close! How are your energy levels?”
“They’re not back yet. I don’t have the strength to fight.”
“Then take some of my magic.”
“What?”
“Trust me, Lila,” Sarah urged, her eyes locking onto her daughter’s with a fierce intensity that seemed to pierce through the haze of exhaustion enveloping them both. “It’s the fastest way to restore your strength and sharpen your senses. Take some of my essence and use it to replenish yourself.”
“But, Mom, it will weaken you! Then you’ll be the one vulnerable on the battlefield!”
“I am prepared to bear the consequences,” Sarah replied. “You are more important than any sacrifice I may have to make- I may be powerful, but your abilities are more important to the war efforts, anyway. Do it! You know as well as I do that it’s the most logical course of action right now.”
“I can’t… I won’t!”
“Lila, there’s no time! It’s either this or leaving our friends to fend off on their own! Do you want to leave them behind now that they need you more than ever?”
Lila took a moment, the weight of those words sinking deep into her mind. Abandoning them was a betrayal.
“Okay,” she breathed, her voice trembling yet resolute. “I’ll do it.”
Sarah smiled, a bittersweet expression that held both pride and sorrow. “Good. Stand close to me.” She extended her hand, palm upturned, the air around them shimmering with their combined power. Lila stepped forward, accepting the warmth emanating from her mother’s palm, a flame beckoning through the cold of uncertainty.
“Close your eyes,” Sarah instructed. “Breathe in and feel my magic weave through you as I channel it. The moment your strength returns, we go back to the Resistance together.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Lila squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the rhythmic pulse of her mother’s magic. It began as a whisper against her skin, a gentle caress that soon transformed into an embrace, enveloping her in warmth and light. As Sarah channeled her essence, it coursed through her daughter’s veins, sending ripples of pleasure across her senses.
“Feel it, Lila,” Sarah’s voice floated to her, soft yet firm. “Let it blend with your power. We are one, now and always.”
With each breath, Lila drew in more of her mother’s magic, envisioning it as threads of golden light weaving through her being. It filled the emptiness within her like spring rain soaking dry earth - revitalizing, energizing, transforming the very core of who she was. The power swirled around her heart, illuminating the darkest corners where doubt had taken root.
“Let it flow into you,” Sarah urged, her voice resonating like a distant thunderstorm yet soothing like a lullaby. “You are strong, and no one can take that away from you.”
Lila focused on the ecstatic sensation, allowing the magic to seep into every pore of her being until she was like a star reborn, flaring brightly against the backdrop of a night sky. The energy twisted and twirled within her, igniting a fire she had long forgotten. Colors burst to life behind her eyelids—vivid greens and vibrant blues that danced like leaves in the wind. The world around them seemed to dissolve, leaving only the sacred connection between mother and daughter, magic weaving their fates tighter together.
“More,” Lila whispered, craving the luminescence, her spirit soaring with each surge of strength. “I need more.”
“Not too much, dear,” Sarah cautioned. “Don’t let it intoxicate you now.”
But Lila was past caution now; she wanted to drink deep from the wellspring of her mother’s power. It flowed into her like an ancient river bursting its banks after a long drought, rejuvenating every part of her body. The power was overwhelming, beautiful and dangerous at the same time.
As the connection deepened, Lila felt herself teetering on the precipice of euphoria and fear. Each pulse of magic was like an electric current, charging her body and mind. The air sparkled with iridescent motes, swirling around like fireflies caught in a midsummer reverie.
“Lila,” Sarah’s voice echoed around her, a tether pulling her back from the dizzying heights of bliss. “Listen to me.”
But Lila couldn’t focus on her mother’s words; she was drawn into the kaleidoscope of colors swirling behind her closed eyelids. Wisps of golden light curled around her fingers, and the outlines stretched and bent, making her stronger passing with every second.
“Lila, stop! That’s enough!” Sarah cried out.
But Lila remained suspended in her otherworldly euphoria as if she were floating through a celestial expanse of stars and magic. The colors intensified, spiraling around her in an intricate dance that defied gravity and imagination.
“Lila!” Sarah’s voice broke through the shimmering haze, laced with urgency. “You must…”
A jolt shot through Lila’s heart, puncturing the luminescence and sending shockwaves through her body. The connection trembled, a golden thread straining against the weight of her greed. Panic surged within her; she had taken too much. The warmth began to feel more like a shackle than an embrace, wrapping around her tighter as it strove to protect its source.
With a sudden clarity that sliced through the fog of exhilaration, Lila opened her eyes, and the flow of magic stopped as Sarah fell backward and hit her head on the ground. “Mom!” Lila screamed. “I’m sorry.”
She kneeled beside Sarah, cradling her head in her lap. The last vestiges of their connection, once so empowering and invigorating, now echoed like a distant memory.
“Lila,” she murmured. “You almost…”
“I know.”
“That’s okay, but you need to be more careful next time. Your power is also a great burden. You can’t take more than you can handle.”
“You better sit this one out, then.”
“No! I trust you’ll protect me with your magic when we get there. Now that we’re back together again, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Fair enough. Stay next to me at all times and let’s do this.”
“Lead the way.”
Lila helped her mother get up and focused her thoughts on the underground base. Round two of the battle of their lives was getting started.

((to be continued))