When mother and daughter arrived at the Resistance’s headquarters, the world was on fire. Tabitha’s minions were everywhere like a swarm of deadly locusts hellbent on destroying everything in their passage. Besides a battalion of witches and warlocks, she had conjured dark elemental and shadow demons from the nether regions of the underworld. Driven purely by hate, they were terrifyingly strong, and a menace like no other.

“Oh, this is bad!” Lila exclaimed as she watched the chaos unfold around her.

The entire base was under siege with the cavernous walls cracking and crumbling under the relentless onslaught. All protective wards were either gone or fading, and smoke and sulfur filled the air. Above their heads, a gaping hole had been opened that allowed for a glimpse of the sky. It was now a churning mass of dark clouds, illuminated by red lightning, and the silhouettes of more enemies rushing in.

Not far from where they had materialized, there was another hole, this one connecting to the bowels of the Earth. It was a two-pronged attack, with the demonic entities clawing upward and the mind-controlled zealots raining hell from above.

To their left, a group of shadow demons scaled the walls, phasing in and out of existence as they drew closer to their prey. They didn’t have physical bodies per se but could mimic anything they wanted to because of their writhing nature. Whatever the form they assumed, it was always monstrous, contorting in ways that defied Logic and Reason. Lila saw a nightmare of mouths and claws that were pure malice, slicing through armor and flesh alike with unsurprising ease.

On the opposite side of the battlefield, a group of warlocks led by a balding menace with slithering black tattoos all over his body were unleashing devastating blasts of dark magic. They rained down like missiles, each one exploding with a deafening roar. The ground cratered under the force of their attacks, sending chunks of molten rock flying in every direction. Lila could feel their malevolent influence spreading, and it was as infuriating as nauseating.

The Resistance fighters, though brave and unyielding, were outnumbered. They held their ground the best they could, firing volleys of earth, water, and fire magic, but they were faltering. The dark elementals swept them off their feet, their hulking forms making mincemeat of flesh and bones. It was a massacre.

“Jesus!” Sarah gasped, her eyes swelling with tears. “I did this!” 

In the distance, Lila glimpsed a handful of cloaked figures surrounding a purple orb suspended in the air. Tabitha’s voice echoed from within, amplified by the strength of the destruction all around. Her laughter was filled with cruel delight. “Break their will!” she commanded. “Destroy them all!”

“Not if I can help it!” Lila cracked her knuckles, ready to get back into the fray. “Stay behind me, Mom. I’ll keep you safe!”

As Sarah opened her mouth to respond, the ground trembled beneath her feet. A shadow demon leaped from the ruins of a nearby wall, its twisted claws aimed at her head. She barely had time to raise her hands to protect herself before a burst of light shot from her daughter’s fingers, obliterating the entity in mid-air. Its remains scattered across the ground like black pus sizzling and bubbling as if there was still some semblance of life in it.

“We need to find Fiadh!” Sarah declared. “In the meantime, give them no quarters because they won’t spare you either.”

Together, they plunged into the heart of the madness, the world around them spiraling into an abyss of shadow and flame.

The air grew heavier as they pushed through the relentless chaos. Lila and Sarah synchronized their movements to carve a path through the carnage, with the younger witch commanding all the light energy at her disposal and absorbing the strength of fallen foes. No matter how ferocious they were, no demon stood a chance against her growing fury.

As they navigated through the rubble-strewn terrain, Sarah’s weary gaze lingered on a pile of smoking debris. Beneath the twisted layers of molten rock, she could sense a faint trace of magic. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the unmistakable radiance of young witches’ auras. Without hesitation, she veered towards the rubble, never looking back.

“Mom, what are you doing?” Lila called out as she cast a protective bubble around her.

Sarah didn’t answer. She dropped to her knees beside the debris, channeling a soft white light through her arms, wrists, and fingers. The rubble began to lift, floating in the air as she pulled it away. Beneath the wreckage, three girls between the ages of twelve and fourteen lay trapped, their small bodies battered but alive. Their eyes fluttered open as Sarah’s light enveloped them, offering what little comfort it could.

Lila positioned herself between her mother and the battlefield, her smoke-filled eyes darting back and forth as she fended off approaching enemies. “Hurry, Mom! We can’t stay here for long!”

Sarah nodded, her hands moving with renewed urgency. As she freed the last youngster, another shadow demon lunged from the smoke, but Lila met it head-on, her magic exploding in a brilliant flash that sent the foul creature scattering into nothingness.

The young witches, now freed, clung to Sarah, their dirty faces streaked with tears. She smiled and said, “You’re safe now. Stay close and we’ll get you out of here.”

As they rejoined the fight, the three girls huddled behind them. Their training was basic, amounting to little more than individual protective shields and low-energy healing spells. Lila extended the coverage of their bubble to keep them as secure as possible, but her powers weren’t limitless. Even as she absorbed and purified the dark essence of those fallen in battle, she could sense her power flickering. She would have to be strategic in its use to ensure her mother’s promise was kept.

A group of mind-controlled zealots charged at them, their eyes vacant, ensnared by the sign of evil. They were like zombies, their movements jerky and unnatural. Changing the pace, Lila sent a wave of fire hurling toward them, the bright yellow and orange flames burning their twisted forms until they crumbled into ash. Sarah followed suit with a burst of ice, encasing a shadow demon in a tomb of glittering frost before it could attack.

“Fiadh!” Lila shouted above the din, her voice hoarse from the smoke. “Fiadh, can you hear me?”

The faintest glimmer of a familiar aura trembled a few feet ahead, almost imperceptible through the cacophony of light and shadow. Lila held her breath as she tried to pinpoint the source. “Fiadh!” she shouted again, her voice raw and desperate. 

As Lila’s voice echoed through the smoky air, a faint, familiar tone responded inside her mind, weak but understandable. “Lila… Sarah… Over here.”

A river of magical fire snaked behind them as they approached a crumbling structure, the rocks charred and tinged with dark magic. Fiadh’s voice grew louder, guiding them through the ruins.

As they turned a corner, the leader of the Resistance came into view, her robes torn and bloodied, and her face splattered with dirt and ash. Fiadh leaned against a shattered pillar, partially immobilized by a powerful numbing spell that was beginning to spread to the rest of her body. Beside her stood Alondra, she too in poor condition after battling wave after wave of brainwashed witches, some of which used to be her friends.

“Fiadh!” Lila exclaimed, rushing toward her friend. Sarah followed close behind, never letting her guard down. The three young witches they had rescued earlier followed a flight of stairs to hide deeper underground as far away as possible from the screams of battle. Their wide eyes reflected the horror around them, something they would never forget for as long as they lived.

Alondra greeted the newcomers with a hint of hope in her tired eyes. “Thank the gods you’ve arrived,” she said. “We’ve been holding on, but we can’t stay here much longer. They’re closing in from all sides.”

Fiadh managed a weak smile as Lila grabbed her other hand. “I knew you’d come. Derek, they… I think they took him from me.”

“Is he dead?” Lila asked.

“He’s going to wish he were if they try to convert him,” Sarah replied.

“You saved her…” Fiadh exhaled, her strength leaving her. “You purged the sign of evil.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Now that we know it’s possible, your survival is even more imperative,” Fiadh muttered, “but first, I need your help.”

“Of course, what can I do?”

“Do you think you can cleanse this? I’ve tried but I’m too weak. If the magic reaches my brain…”

Fiadh sobbed as she guided Lila’s hand to the root of the evil spreading through her. Her right arm hung limp, the skin tinged with an unnatural pallor. The numbness was creeping upward, a cold, relentless tide threatening to engulf her entire being. In contrast, Lila’s touch was warm, a much-needed soothing force to counter the icy grip of the spell.

As Lila’s fingers brushed against Fiadh’s skin, a faint glow emanated from her palms. It was soft at first, a gentle pulse that grew in intensity as she focused her magic. She could sense the darkness within Fiadh, tendrils of magic that writhed like snakes. With a deep breath, Lila reached out with her mind, connecting her thoughts with the shadows.

Everyone fell silent as Lila began to pull the darkness out. Fiadh’s eyes locked onto hers. The process was agonizing as if she were ripping threads from the very fabric of Fiadh’s soul. Her body convulsed, muscles taut with agony, her jaw set in a rigid clench to stifle the cries of pain, yet she remained steadfast.

Sarah and Alondra stood watch, their eyes peering at the darkness around them. The sounds of battle continued to echo above - spell after spell after spell, like deadly fireworks that refused to relent.

As the darkness began to recede, Fiadh’s breathing steadied. A splash of color returned to her cheeks, and her arm, once cold and lifeless, now warmed under Lila’s touch. The numbness retreated, replaced by a tingling sensation. Fiadh flexed her fingers, a small smile of relief playing on her lips.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“No problem. Now, what’s the status of our forces?”

“They’re wiping us out, Lila. I had no idea Tabitha’s numbers had grown so strong. We need to retreat and regroup again, there’s no other way.”

“No!” Lila threw a fist against the wall. The sound echoed through the damp chamber, reverberating off the cold stone walls and her eyes blazed with a scorching fire that rivaled the pits of Hell. “We ran before and look what that brought us. We can’t keep hiding. If we retreat, we’ll just be delaying the inevitable. They’ll gain more ground, corrupt more minds and find us again to finish the job. If we don’t stand now, there’ll be nothing left to fight for.”

“I admire your courage, girl,” Alondra intervened, “but we no longer have the numbers for a full-frontal assault.”

“She’s right,” Fiadh said, still recovering. “The moment they got inside, we were doomed. I hate to do this again, Lila, but I can’t let everyone die or be enslaved.”

“Then don’t. I have an idea. I know how we can end this once and for all.”

“How?” Sarah asked even though she was afraid of the answer.

“I give Tabitha what she wants. I surrender to her in exchange for calling off the attack.”

“What? That’s insanity!” Sarah revolted. “No. I won’t allow it!”

“Mother… listen. When the time came for you to protect me, you didn’t hesitate. You allowed yourself to be taken so I could escape. Why can’t I do the same now?”

“Because your powers make you an asset we can’t afford to lose. If she extinguishes your light, then who’s going to stop her from controlling everything and everyone? We don’t need a martyr, but a general!”

“I have no intention of being a martyr, and I’m not a leader. I know my plan is risky, but it’s also our best shot.”

“And what is your plan, other than giving yourself up to the enemy?” Alondra queried, more confused than anything.

“We use the same strategy she used. I’ll be the bait but also the beacon?”

“Beacon? You mean…?”

“Yes, I do. The only way we’re going to win this is by cutting off the snake’s head, and we can’t do that if the snake is not around,” Lila replied. “I need to get close to her and the best way is to let her believe she won and then, when she least expects it, we finish the job.”

“A surprise attack…” Alondra muttered, the gears in her brain starting to turn again. “Right when she’s most vulnerable.”

“Yes,” Lila crossed her arms. “She’ll want to brand me herself and to turn my magic into another extension of her will. That’s when we deal the final blow.”

“You can’t let her taint you!” Sarah declared, every fiber of her being opposing her daughter’s reckless plan.

“Why not? I can absorb the magic as she’s using it, draining her in the process. The more she tries to push it the more she’ll lose, leaving her vulnerable. It’s the perfect weapon against her arrogance, Mom.”

“Then why not lure her here instead of sending you deep into the enemy’s quarters?”

“You’ve met her. Do you think she’ll take the bait that way? No, she won’t. Why risk a confrontation in the open? She’ll feel more safe in her domains and lower her guard more easily that way. It makes sense!”

“I agree…” Alondra nodded. “Yes, it’s a hell of a gambit, but I believe she can pull it off.”

“I’m sure I can!” Lila said with unwavering resolve. “We’ve lost too much already. This needs to end now.”

Sarah’s hands trembled, her breath shallow as she fought the torment in her mind. She had always been the protector, the one who stood between Lila and the darkness of the world. But now her daughter was one step away from sacrificing herself for the greater good, and she couldn’t stop her. 

The weight of that realization sunk into her heart, making it hard to breathe. Sarah wanted to scream, to grab Lila and run, to hide her away where no one could ever find her again. However, she knew it was too late for that. The world was burning, and Lila was the only one who could put out the flames.

Sensing her mother’s turmoil, Lila looked at her. For a moment, they just stared at one another, the compromising silence telling them everything they needed to know. Then, the young witch took a deep breath and said,

“You need to let me go. Let me save you like you saved me.”

“Don’t you dare die out there, you hear? Don’t you fucking dare!” Sarah replied.

“It’ll be okay, Mom. I promise you.”

“That’s not a promise you can make.”

“Lila, are you sure this is what you want?” Fiadh asked. “If things go sideways before we get there… Is there anything I can say or do to make you change your mind?”

“No, not this time. You’ve all done enough already. Now, it’s my turn.”

“Good luck then, and may everything good and sacred in this world protect you. We’ll be ready.”

Without another word, Lila turned and walked away, finding her way out of the crumbling structure. 

Tabitha’s forces stirred at the sight of her, all eyes fixed on her beautiful radiance. She was a lighthouse in the dark, the last hope against total annihilation. She floated above the battlefield, pointing at the orb from which Tabitha’s voice continued to pour, and screamed,

“TABITHA! If you want me, here I am. Call off the attack and I’ll go quietly. You can do whatever you want with me, but leave the innocents be. You say we are superior to men. Stop spilling superior blood, then. Take me, I’m ready.”

((to be continued))