Chapter 20
Meredith And The Cave
Dark, familiar auras washed across Meredith. She felt groggy and strange as she slowly regained consciousness. She simply existed, unmoving, while her senses gradually returned to her.
Meredith slowly became aware of her limp, dangling head. She felt her arms stretched overhead; metal cuffs strangled her wrists as they held up her body weight. An ache in her shoulders roused her more. Meredith’s back was stretched taut, arched to support her sagging hips. She could feel her limp legs behind her, providing minimal support on the hard surface beneath her slumped body.
‘Where am I?’ Meredith thought through her muddled mind. She could hardly think, let alone open her heavy eyes. Her entire body felt numb, save for the ache of hanging for who knew how long.
A slight rush filled her ears before the sounds of a heated discussion could be made out.
“Ohohohoho!” a wretched voice cackled. “Wallace will be quite angry that you two didn’t follow his directions! Tut tut!” Meredith instantly recognized the voice. It belonged to Auntie Edna, the bog hag!
Dread rose within her, and Meredith immediately became alert and gained control of her body. She calmed herself and didn’t let on that she was conscious, ignoring the pain in her shoulders as she continued to dangle.
“Quiet hag!” A sharp, eloquent male voice retorted. “The result is the same, isn’t it? We captured the girl!”
Meredith searched her memory. The voice assuredly belonged to the vampire, whom Meredith surmised had attacked her twice.
The hag cackled again.
“You two thought to use the girl to get the toad for Wallace, but he said he only wanted the girl! You two conspired together—oh yes, don’t think I don’t know—to cut me out of the deal! But I won’t be outdone so easily!”
“We weren’t trying to—" A slight, tremorous voice started. Meredith knew that voice too; the enchantress!
“Hush, squalid bewitcher!” The hag interrupted. “Nary a word you speak be true! Why, if it weren’t our deals with Wallace, you’d both be watching as I stirred your entrails in my evening stew.”
Meredith listened intently as the vampire and hag continued to bicker while the enchantress remained silent.
They all had dealings with the devil, Wallace. Meredith wondered about her role in all of it but persisted in feigning unconscious as she gathered herself and information. She could sense the topaz power gem in her pocket and slowly drew from it. Meredith felt the pressure of her belt pressed against her side; The fools had left her wand holstered.
“Shouldn’t the girl-witch be awake by now?” The vampire declared. “How do we know she’s still alive? Your gas could’ve killed her!”
The vampire stamped toward Meredith, his footsteps echoing. Only then did Meredith realize how damp and chilly it felt. A faint dripping reverberated throughout…wherever they were. Were they in a cave? Meredith could hear the faint flickering of lit torches, whose heat did not reach her.
The vampire placed his cold, dead fingers against Meredith’s neck. She resisted the urge to flinch and remained calm.
“By the gods,” he muttered breathily. “I can’t wait to chew into her neck.”
Meredith stiffened and repressed the chill that ran up and down her spine.
“She’s alive,” the vampire announced as he dropped his hand and clomped away to return to his cohort.
“Of course she is,” the bog hag retorted.
“I can’t wait to drink her blood,” the vampire mused. “Missing a mark only heightens the hunger for both the hunt and the blood. The taste from her clone…Oh!” The vampire exclaimed in ecstasy. “It took everything I had not to bleed her dry.”
“You’ll be lucky to get even a drop once I’m done with her,” the hag grumbled haughtily. “I captured her, so she’s going straight into my cauldron once Wallace is done with her. She deserves it after torching my skin!”
“He’s coming,” the enchantress murmured. A slight odor of sulfur grew from seemingly nowhere.
Meredith recognized the scent from her first day working in the shop by herself. She winced as a wave of heat splashed across her. She dared open her eyes and glanced upwards. A thick tower of hellfire spun into existence then quickly disappeared, revealing Wallace. He stood before her captors, wings and tail poking out from his black blouse and trousers, respectively, and his twisted horns arched high.
Meredith had been right; they were in a cave with a handful of torches holstered on the walls and puddles across the uneven floor. But where were they? She knew she needed to devise a plan of escape. She could teleport out of the chains; of that, she was not worried. But where would she go afterward?
“Well done, my dear,” Wallace said salaciously as he strode towards the hag, his massive boots clomping against the floor. He playfully tapped her nose, eliciting a repulsive giggle.
Meredith noted the pink burns across the hag's green, mottled forearms.
“You have done wonderfully. You’ll be properly rewarded, of course.”
“Thank you, Milord.” The hag wrung her scarred hands nervously, and a sick smile contorted her stretched face.
Meanwhile, Meredith lifted her head and slowly rose to her feet, careful not to jingle the chains holding her up. Determination and anger filled her chest as she continued to siphon the power gem into herself.
“But you two!”
The vampire and enchantress shirked from Wallace as he turned on his heel and glared at the pair. He raised an accusatory finger at them while his tail flicked under the hag’s coy grin.
“You two nearly botched my entire plan! If I wanted you to enthrall the girl, I would’ve told you to!” Wallace’s voice steadily rose as the vampire and enchantress cowered.
“We didn’t—" the enchantress started.
“Follow directions!” Wallace spat. “Your contracts state that you will obey me unconditionally! I let you keep your free will, and this is how you repay me? Unfortunately, I still require your services, and you must fulfill your duties. Otherwise, you’ll be in hell scrubbing my chamber pot for all eternity!” Wallace lowered his voice and smiled as the hag sneered over his shoulder. “So do be more mindful.”
Before they could respond, Wallace turned to Meredith and spread his arms wide.
“Please,” Wallace said. “Do excuse me. I did not mean to ignore my most auspicious guest.”
‘Shit,’ Meredith thought. He must’ve heard her.
Meredith glared at the devil and remained silent, though her heart hammered in her chest in fear and excitement as she continued to absorb more power from her gem and formulate a plan.
“I do wish we could’ve gathered here under better circumstances,” Wallace said with a smile as he stepped before Meredith, towering over her. His face glimmered in the torchlight, and his folded wings obscured the trio behind him. “Don’t you agree? If only you had given me the toad.”
The devil held a long black nail under Meredith’s chin, indenting the skin and forcing her to look into his remaining scarlet eye.
Fury rippled within Meredith’s chest. She had half a mind to teleport out of the chains and blast him but remained patient. She needed more power.
“You still have a chance to give him to me. Before things take a turn for the worse for you.”
“Never,” Meredith growled.
“Just like your ancestors.” Wallace sighed as he dropped his claw and returned to his full height.
“We’ll see if you change your mind after a few days without food. Maybe I’ll leave you in this cave alone, too. In the dark, of course. Or would you rather they stay here?” He thumbed over his shoulder at the trio behind. “I’m sure they would take great care of you.”
Meredith scowled. She refused to let herself show fear, though her body ached to tremble. She could escape from the chains, but a four-on-one battle didn’t seem winnable to her, at least not yet. She tried to calm herself as she continued to steadily siphon more power.
“Still nothing? No matter, I’m immortal. I’ve got all of eternity to work on you. How long do you think you’ll last until you break? And don’t think yourself important, my dear. You’re merely a pet project, a hobby, a small blip in my eternal lifespan. I’ve other things to do than bother with you, silly little witch.
“You’re not some great hero withholding vital information. You’re a hopeless little girl who has something I want but refuses to give. Nobody is coming to save you. You’re mine for the rest of your mortal life; unless you give me the toad, that is.”
Wallace finished with a tone of finality and leered down his nose at her.
Meredith remained silent and stared through the devil. Her fear melted away as her power gem revitalized her.
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“Oh, dear Meredith.” The fiend sighed. “You don’t realize how in over your head you are. Patience is a virtue to which we devils are highly attuned. I’ve had eyes on you since you first refused me, watching, waiting. I’ve been placing my pieces on the chessboard while you busied yourself with your little village, unsuspecting of the noose slowly tightening around your neck. Everywhere you went, one of my pawns was ready to receive you.” He lifted his chin toward the hag, vampire, and enchantress.
Realization dawned on Meredith. It was Wallace! He had stationed his people around her! That’s why she was constantly attacked! The bastard!
“If only you’d make the deal. You’d be so much more comfortable right now.”
Despite the hatred coursing through her, Meredith maintained her composure.
“That’s a lot of work for little ol’ me,” she said, stone-faced.
“Oh, Meredith.” the devil tutted. “You think you’re so cute. You know, I’ve been in the torture business for centuries. Do you really think you can resist me? I’m sure you can for a short while, but everybody breaks eventually. Why don’t you spare yourself the pain and anguish?”
The young witch bravely remained silent, unperturbed by Wallace’s claims.
“Very well.” He turned and walked towards his cronies. “Have fun with your new toy,” he said. “Don’t kill her, though. I’ll be back in three days.”
“Yes, your devilishness.” The hag bowed crookedly. “I’ll enjoy this.”
Meredith was brimming with energy. She felt amazing! And the devil had turned his back on her! Meredith recalled Thomas’ advice. Strike first! She decided it was time. She squashed the fear in her gut with fierce determination.
Meredith took a steadying breath and focused as Wallace spat orders at his soul-slaves. The devil’s pointed ears perked up as she muttered in her incantation.
CRACK!
Meredith lurched out of her chains and slammed into Wallace’s back. They crashed forward, taking the vampire, hag, and enchantress to the cave floor with them. Meredith lay sprawled atop them, but Wallace quickly bucked her off, sending her tumbling across the cold floor. She swiftly got to her feet and ripped her wand out, searching for an escape route. The cave had two dark corridors stemming from it. Which way to escape?
“Get her!” Wallace screamed as he and his cronies scrambled to their feet.
Meredith’s ring vibrated violently on her finger. The enchantress scampered forward, fear splayed across her face and her eyes strangely aglow. Meredith felt a chill creep up her spine as she met the frail woman’s stunning gaze.
Wooziness settled upon her as her vision grew blurry. Meredith struggled but somehow tore herself away. She flung her wand forward, avoiding the enchantress’ eyes, and blasted her. The woman screamed as she crashed into the cave wall and crumpled onto the floor.
Meanwhile, Auntie Edna lifted herself to her feet, brandishing a wand as crooked as her. She twirled it, and a thick vine erupted from the cave floor and wrapped around Meredith, pinning her arms against her. She felt the vampire’s bloodlust as he dashed toward her, his claws outstretched and fangs bared.
CRACK!
Meredith teleported a short distance away and quickly turned. She blasted the vampire in the back, sending him sprawling. Meredith turned to the bog hag, hatred blossoming within her chest, and blasted. The wicked creature deflected it into the cave wall, eliciting an echoing boom.
The pair dueled, their wands flashing. Back and forth they went, blasting and deflecting. Again and again, the hag’s spells glanced off Meredith’s translucent ward and exploded against the walls, leaving behind a patch of moss or mushrooms. The vampire would rush Meredith, but she’d blast him away and return fire against the hag. Wallace backed away and stood by, watching from the safety of the adjoining tunnel.
Slowly, the cavern was filled with magical, swampy flora. Meredith dodged a spell and slipped behind a massive, twisted weeping willow that had sprouted out of the floor, her warning ring shaking all the while.
The torchlight sent flickering shadows across the mass of vegetation. It was hard for Meredith to see, but thankfully, the vampire’s bloodlust gave him away.
CRACK!
Meredith deposited herself a few feet away; she couldn’t see very far through the thickening foliage. The vampire had lunged from his hiding place, landing where she had been. He swiftly turned and bounded toward her, his face twisted in glee and murder in his eyes.
As he neared, Meredith ripped her wand forward and summoned another ward.
THUNK!
The vampire smashed into the ward and bounced away, falling into the brush, his face pinched in pain. Meredith trotted after him, holding her wand before her and ready to strike, but he was gone!
A strange mixture of unease and confidence flowed through Meredith. She took a steadying breath and warily scanned her surroundings. Where was the bastard? She was holding her own against her captors but wasn’t dominating. She needed to escape. First, she needed to think.
The vampire was easy enough to sense and thwart; the enchantress was indisposed, and the wretched hag…Meredith needed to figure out how to beat; blasting at her wasn’t working. She needed to get creative. And what was Wallace up to? Meredith needed to keep an eye on him.
The weeping willow behind her groaned as its branches reached for Meredith, wrapping their tendrils around her limbs.
CRACK!
Meredith gathered herself. She caught a glimpse of Auntie Edna through the vegetation, desperately searching for the young witch. Meredith’s confidence grew as the hag’s face grew increasingly more panicked.
Meredith crouched and snuck closer, revenge on her mind. She stayed in the shadows and avoided brushing against the foliage. She readied herself as she neared, then stood up.
Auntie Edna reared back in shock at Meredith’s sudden appearance.
CRACK!
Meredith lurched forward and smashed her first into Auntie Edna’s crooked face, launching the hag onto her back, unconscious. The young witch staggered forward, victorious over the limp, splayed wretch.
A blood-curdling aura washed over Meredith. She spun around to see the vampire emerge from behind a mass of glowing fungi and rush toward her. Meredith flicked her wand and transfigured a thin layer of ice atop the cavern floor. The night beast hissed as he slipped and fell awkwardly onto his hip; pain splayed across his face.
Cold fingers clasped over Meredith’s eyes and mouth, and thin limbs wrapped around her waist.
“I’ve got her!” The enchantress cried out.
Meredith tottered backward as she instinctively reached for the enchantress’ hands, but the woman only pressed harder into Meredith’s face. Another set of cold hands grabbed her arms.
A deep, guttural roar ripped out from beneath the enchantress’ grasp as fear and anger twisted within Meredith’s chest, fueling the white lunar flames that exploded from her.
FWOOSH!
Her assailants wailed as they were flung away, awash in flame. They tumbled into the foliage, writhing, and disappeared. Fury, magic, and confidence surged through Meredith, threatening to overwhelm her. She bellowed in rage, beckoning her flames outward, creating an inferno that burned with her at the center.
Auntie Edna’s makeshift swamp turned to cinders as Meredith pushed her blaze further and further, eventually revealing the hag, vampire, and enchantress retreating from the encroaching fire.
The cacophonous din of lashing of flames echoed throughout the cave. Wallace and his accomplices watched in shock and cautiously stepped back, fearful of the inferno, as the flames licked closer and closer.
Meredith felt incredible. She had never had so much wild power flowing through her. The look of fear on her subjugators fed the young witch’s fury. But the lunar flames took their toll. She winced as a sharp knot formed in her gut. Meredith strained as she stretched her fiery shield, pushing her captors back and pinning them against the cave walls mere yards away from her rippling blaze.
“You let some tricksome witch get the better of you?” He roared from within the safety of one of the branching tunnels. “What use are you?”
Meredith took a steadying breath, focused her magic, and tried to push her inferno further—but couldn’t! Her stomach twisted in agony, and her body trembled under the strain of maintaining the lunar flames.
‘Shit!’ Meredith winced. She had pushed herself too far. She needed to escape, and quickly! But where to? Wallace was blocking one of the tunnels, and Meredith didn’t know if it was an exit. She maintained her blaze, unsure of what to do. Desperation slowly took hold of her.
THOOM!
Meredith flinched away and shielded her eyes as a blinding white light erupted inside the cave. The crackle of electricity and startled cries joined the furor of snapping flame.
All-encompassing white marred Meredith’s vision, but she ignored the stinging pain in her eyes and maintained her focus on her flame shield, though it had much retreated closer to her. Meredith straightened up as her vision slowly returned. A familiar figure stood before her, safe just outside her cocoon of white flames.
“Grandma!” Meredith exclaimed. “How did you—"
“Are you alright, dear?” Grandma asked tersely without turning to face her.
“I’m fine,” Meredith replied confidently. “Let’s kick their asses!”
“What a touching reunion,” Wallace interjected. “But I really must be off. My friends here will keep you company in my absence. He gestured towards the panic-stricken hag, enchantress, and vampire pressed against the far wall, cradling their burns.
“Come on, you coward!” Grandma bellowed. “It’s been years since we last danced! Let me get another crack at you! I want to see what you’re made of! You don’t get to whisk my granddaughter away and then run!”
Meredith had never seen her Grandma filled with such ferocious malice.
“Another time.” Wallace winked. “That’s a promise.” He disappeared in a rush of flames.
“You wretched milksop!” Grandma roared in frustration as the devil’s lackeys fearfully stepped towards her. “Here, take this.” Grandma turned and tossed a large iron key at Meredith.
“What’s this—" Meredith caught it and suddenly found herself standing in Grandma’s kitchen. “—for…”
“Meredith!” Cici cried out as he bounded towards her and jumped into her arms, passing harmlessly through Meredith’s lunar flame shield. “What the hell happened to you?” Cici shoved his head into her as she stroked his back.
Thomas appeared on the kitchen counter. Meredith ended her spell and ceased drawing on the power gem, though she still shook from the energy coursing through her. Her ring stopped vibrating.
“Hey, Cici.” Meredith sighed, exhausted. She let her shoulders droop and set the strange key on the kitchen counter. “Sorry for making you worry. What happened? How did I even get here?”
“We summoned Ethel,” Thomas croaked. “She gave you a teleportation object. It teleports the holder to a predetermined location.
“Hey.” Meredith’s final clone stepped into the kitchen. “Ready to be whole again?”
Meredith held out her hand and muttered the incantation as the clone stepped towards her. The two recombined, and new memories and experiences swam through her head. She felt whole again, but the power transfer left her even more shaky. She pulled out the power gem from her pocket while cradling Cici in one arm and deposited the excess energy. The topaz glowed brighter, and her jitters slowly ceased. Then, Meredith focused on her new memories.
Her clone had returned to the house in the morning after all the fires were out, shortly after Cici had witnessed Meredith’s abduction. She had nearly depleted her magic and muscles. She had been mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted upon speaking with a panicked Cici and stoic Thomas. With the toad’s help, she mustered enough strength to contact Grandma through the crystal ball, who immediately teleported home and scried Meredith in turn. Grandma left in a flash and sent Meredith home.
“Thank you for sending help,” Meredith said.
“Of course. Where is Ethel?” Thomas inquired.
“I don’t know.” Meredith shrugged. “She stayed behind. I’ve never seen her so…pissed.”
“I see,” the toad murmured. “Yes, well, hopefully you won’t again any time soon.”
“So, what happened out there?” Cici asked.
Racked by hunger, Meredith summoned jars of granola, apple chips, walnuts, and jerky from the kitchen pantry. She snacked as she recounted the night’s harrowing tale and how it had been an elaborate setup to acquire Thomas.
“That devil will stop at nothing.” Thomas sighed after Meredith concluded her tale. “My existence put you, Ethel, and the villagers in harm’s way. Tonight’s events are my fault, Meredith. I’m sorry.”
“It’s—" Meredith was going to say that it was okay, but thought of how many innocents Thomas consumed that, over the years, eventually caused Meredith’s situation. “It is what it is,” she concluded. “I’m not mad at you, Thomas. I can’t change the decisions of the past. And you can’t bear responsibility for Wallace’s actions.”
“Thank you.” Thomas nodded. “You’re a very wise young witch. I’m proud of how you handled yourself against your foes. You’ve become quite a powerful, but I hope you now realize the danger of splitting yourself too much.”
Meredith nodded.
“We should check on Grandma,” Cici interjected.
The three converged on the crystal ball in the living room. Meredith sat on the edge of the adjacent chair, with Thomas and Cici perched atop the armrests. She placed her hands on the ball and focused on Grandma, but it only showed a fine pink mist.
“She’s blocking us,” Thomas stated. “It’s safe to assume she’s fine.”
Meredith sighed as she collapsed on the cushioned chair, exhausted.
“I guess the only thing left to do is wait.” Meredith breathed heavily as the light from the morning sun peeked over the horizon and poured through the windows. Cici settled into her lap.
It wasn’t long before the warmth emanating from the sitting room’s fireplace and its low crackle lulled the fatigued witch to sleep.
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