Way of the Knights

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The death of the Forest Witch was silent but it's effects are not. 

With her gone, the malicious air within the swamp was halved, the only remaining one was that of Wendy's. 

Along with the rotting of the Forest Witch's body thanks to Wendy's string of curses and hexes, the Great Tree that gave birth to the forest witch withered at a speed visible to the naked eye. 

Though she came out as the winner of this battle, Wendy was exhausted. Her energy was drained, she could only stare as the Great Tree withered, holding her sister's body close in her best attempt to prevent her sister's body from withering as well. 

Wendy's eyes were dull, she was truly exhausted. In the end, she managed to beat the odds and kill her worst enemy - the Forest Witch. Unfortunately, it would seem that she still failed to achieve her goal of saving her sister. 

"This is what you wanted right? I've done it. I killed her." Wendy uttered softly. She didn't have to speak loud since she knows that the human could hear her. "With my current state, I'm no longer a threat to you or your kind. Please, just give her back. She suffered enough." 

Moments later, she heard a movement behind her. Wendy didn't need to look back to know who it is. She knows that it was the human boy who used her. 

That's right. Wendy knew all along. No, Vendrick never told her the truth, she just realized it on her own. Yet she still went along with his plans. She allowed herself to be used, even at the slightest. Why did she do it? It's simple really. 

Even though this human used her, she knew that he's more trustworthy compared to the Forest Witch. Wendy would rather throw her lot to him rather than that witch. 

"..." 

From the moment Vendrick stepped out of his base, he didn't say a word. There was no need to for now. His face was expressionless, it's hard to tell what exactly he was thinking. 

Vendrick remained quiet. Wendy finally looked back and saw that he was holding something. It looked like a lantern that's lit up with blue flames. The moment Wendy saw that blue flame, she could no longer pay any attention to anything else. 

Under her gaze, Vendrick lifted the lantern and slowly opened it. The moment he does, the blue flame grew larger, forming a silhouette that Wendy was oh so familiar with. 

"Big Sis." Maria wept. 

"Ah! Come, come. Let me see you." Wendy was weeping as well. 

Finally, after all this time. Wendy was finally reunited with her sister. Granted that it wasn't the most optimal state, Wendy still wept tears of joy and relief. Maria was alive, that's what's important. She could hear her voice, her memories are intact, and she could see her clearly. She's there. That's enough. 

"It's been hard on you throughout all these years. I'm sorry for being such a burden." Maria wept, feeling heartbroken upon seeing what Wendy became just to help her. Nobody knows how many nights Maria blamed herself for this situation. 

"Shh. It's not your fault. It's not your fault. You're here, alive. That's all that's important." Wendy said, she wanted to touch Maria but unfortunately she can't. Maria is in her spirit form and Wendy's body wrapped in hexes. 

Wendy was afraid that she would hurt Maria so she didn't want to touch her. It was fine like this anyway. So long as she could see her, that's enough.

"...cleaning up this place is going to take a long time. Geez." 

Their little reunion was interrupted by a sudden comment from Vendrick. They both looked at him and saw that he was looking around the swamp with an already exhausted expression. He then looked at them, more specifically, he looked at Wendy. 

In the end, he sighed and a bolt of lightning streaked from his finger, piercing Wendy's chest much to the utter horror of Maria. 

"W-what..." Maria blanked out. She stared at Wendy's body who's dissipating in ashes. Despair overcome her heart as she cried. "That was cruel. Can't you have just given us a little more time?"

"Calm down, woman. I didn't kill her. At least not yet." Vendrick snorted, "I just made her like you." 

"E-eh!? What do you..."

"W-what's going on?" 

It wan Wendy's voice that interrupted her. Maria turned around and saw something shocked her. 

Indeed, Vendrick hadn't killed Wendy yet. He just destroyed her body but spared her spirit, making her the same as Maria. Wendy's body was on the verge of collapsing anyways, believe it or not, wielding the power of hexes is more taxing than what it looks like. Vendrick just helped in expediting that process but he also made sure that Wendy's spirit won't be affected by the collapse of her physical form. 

"Now, you're just as powerless as her." Vendrick stated. "There are no hexes on you anymore so feel free to have your own little reunion and stay there. I'll come back for the two of you." 

After saying that, Vendrick no longer paid attention to them and started manually cleaning the whole swamp using lighting and thunder. 

Wendy was confused, Maria on the other hand was numbed at this point. 

"Who is he?" Wendy couldn't help but ask Maria, unable to hold her curiosity. 

"Well, I don't know his name since he never introduced himself to me." Maria smiled wryly. "All I know is that human is very strange. Don't worry, he's true to his words. He'll give us time, but he'll probably kill us afterwards." 

"...is that so?" Wendy calmed down. 

She wasn't shocked. Wendy never dreamt of living any longer anyways so she could accept this arrangement. Additionally, Maria looked like she already accepted her fate so there's no need to hold on to a silly hope. 

Come to think of it, this might just be the best for the both of them. The sisters had lived for far too long. They held on to dear life just to grasp a chance of being reunited. For what exactly? For closure? Maybe.

Both of them died a long time ago. Whatever happened after that hardly count as 'living' for the both of them. 

Therefore they grasped this chance. This might be the last time that they'll see each other. Neither of them had any desire to escape fate anymore. Wendy's exhausted, Maria too. They're already glad that they were given a chance to converse properly before they let go of everything. 

As the two of them talked to each other and settled their regrets, Vendrick was busy cleansing the swamp.

Well, this is certainly easier than dealing with two monsters at the same time so he should be thankful that all he needed to do was a clean-up. Still though, Wendy and the Forest Witch made a total mess out of this place. 

If he left this like this, not even Demonic Beasts would want to live in here. As he has grand plans for the tribe in the future, he might as well lay down the ground work which would make things easier for them in the future. After all, he wouldn't be around for them forever. 

Several hours later and Vendrick was done. He wiped the sweat from his face and walked towards the sisters. The two saw him approaching as well and readied themselves. 

From a single glance, Vendrick could no longer feel any resentment from the both of them. They were free and ready to go. They already let go of any sentiments they have on the mortal world. 

"This is it you two." Vendrick declared with a calm face. "Time to die." 

"Indeed." Wendy nodded with a smile. Maria did so too. "Thank you, for giving us this final chance." 

"You're welcome." Vendrick nodded. "I'll send you on your way then." 

Saying that, Vendrick's body released a brilliance that blinded the both of them. To their eyes, this brilliance was the light that will lead them to afterlife. 

Wendy grasped Maria's hand and smiled at her. They closed their eyes and felt the warmth that's enveloping their bodies. 

Unbeknownst to them, a seal appeared on their bodies just before the two of them dissipated. There was no screams, no sound at all. They just passed on quietly and peacefully. 

"...the Seal of Reincarnation. With it, you two will be reincarnated at a later time with no memories of your past lives, under a peaceful era where you two will be sisters and shall live a lifetime of bountiful peace and prosperity." 

That's right, Vendrick didn't kill them just like he told them. He just sent them on their way to reincarnation. He sent them to a time where they will live a peaceful life filled with happiness and peace. Hopefully, none of them knew of this since that will be for the best. Without remembering their painful life, they focus on their new one with a smile on their faces. 

"...a small present to offset the bad luck of this lifetime. Use it well you two." 

Just like that, Vendrick turned around and made his way back to the Blue Mountain Tribe.