Release that Witch

...

”Did she... really say that at that time?” Wendy burst into a laugh after Leaf recounted Paper’s story. She asked, ”What about the young man called Snaketooth? Didn’t he say anything?”

”Just laughed like a child with her together,” Leaf said as she shook her head. ”He probably used up all the courage he could muster to communicate his feelings. It wasn’t an easy task after all.”

”I thought so too,” Wendy said, smiling even more broadly. ”It’s so good... to be young.”

”Is it OK to eavesdrop on our fellow witch though?” Leaf questioned as she transformed from a green shadow into her original appearance.

”We weren’t eavesdropping. We were simply doing what His Majesty told us to,” Wendy protested, swelling up dignifiedly. ”He asked us to have an eye on both of them, so obviously we should know about their topic of discussion, shouldn’t we?”

That sounded quite reasonable.

”Besides, would you choose not to listen to their conversation if His Majesty didn’t ask you to?” Wendy asked, staring at Leaf smilingly.

”Um...” Leaf said while clearing her throat. She curled up her lips and gave an affirmative answer, ”Yes, I still would.”

Both of them broke into laughter after exchanging a look with each other.

Leaf waved her hand. Soon, a giant vine rose from the ground and sent Wendy and her slowly to the treetops. Shortly afterwards, the dense branches and twigs below spread out, intertwined and converged again. A moment later, a balcony built with green leaves appeared.

An endless sea of trees and a vast meadow leading to the Dragonspine Mountains suddenly came into their views.

Leaf used to build similar tree cabins back in the Witch Cooperation Association to shelter the witches from pouring rain and muddy roads, but it used to take her a lot of time to create one. To save her magic power, the cabins were always the shabbiest, smallest of the kind, with the shape of a chrysalis, and they could not always accommodate everyone.

But now, she could not only build a balcony effortlessly but could also conjure recliners and a coffee table. She also conjured two cups of light golden flower tea, which sparkled in the sunlight on the coffee table.

”Did you make it?” Wendy asked as she sniffed the cups. The tea smelled good.

”Yes. I used morning dews, honey and sugarcane to make it, with some fresh jasmine flower buds as well,” Leaf answered while nodding. ”It isn’t as tasty as Chaos Drinks, but you can have as much tea as you want.”

”You’ve become stronger and stronger,” Wendy remarked impressively. ”People say Anna is a true genius of our century, but I think you’re just as powerful as her. Probably one day, you can control all the forests in the world and spread your mind throughout the whole continent, provided that you live long enough...”

”Based on my current status, I can’t do that,” Leaf said with a wave, smiling. ”It would take nearly ten years for me to merge with the entire Misty Forest. By the time I’m able to leave here, I’m probably an old witch.”

”Nobody knows,” Wendy said as she sipped the tea. ”Agatha told me that witches and their magic power are interdependent on each other. The more powerful a witch is, the longer lifespan she’ll have. The Transcendents might have still been alive if they weren’t killed in the war.” Wendy gazed up at the sky and said, ”You’re probably stronger than them. Perhaps, you can survive all of us.”

Leaf fell silent. There was a hint of melancholy in her eyes, which Wendy did not notice.

”Also, our appearances have something to do with our magic power too.” Wendy paused for a second and then continued, ”Pasha has confirmed that the legendary Queen of Starfall City, Alice, was divinely beautiful.” At these words, Wendy turned around and rested her eyes on Leaf. ”Right... you do look a bit different now. I mean... when you descended from the treetops, you looked like a goddess of forests for a moment. I’m envious.”

Leaf rolled her eyes and said, ”This doesn’t sound like something the kind, caring Wendy I know would say.”

”That’s because I didn’t really think about these problems before,” Wendy replied with a smile. ”I was too focused on our survival to reflect upon other trifles, such as what our magic power can achieve, what our future would become of, and how magic power would affect our physical appearances.”

”Makes sense,” Leaf agreed while twitching her lips. ”So now you’ve started to study the impact of magic power on your appearance. Let me guess... do you have a crush on someone?”

”That’s different. You’re just a little younger than me, aren’t you? Are you not worried that you’ll end up being all alone like me?”

”Forget about the age. I already have a forest. What else do I need? But I have my own way to know what you want. I supply all Honey’s animal messengers.”

”Unfortunately, as the superintendent of the Witch Union, I review every single article she writes.”

Time passed by quickly as the pair teased each other over the afternoon tea.

Leaf finally steered the subject to the business when the sun started to sink behind the mountain in the west. She asked, ”So, are you leaving soon?”

”Yes.” Wendy got to her feet and said, ”I have to escort Anna back. As the ’Seagull’ doesn’t work at night, we have to take off before four o’ clock.”

”You’ll miss Paper and her beau’s bonfire party then.”

Unlike other family members, Paper took a flight to the front instead of traveling by train. As the departure time of the glider was fixed and they certainly could not leave Paper at the front alone either, she had to get there right on time.

”I don’t have a choice,” Wendy said resignedly while spreading out her hands. ”We can’t afford to waste too much time on the commute. It isn’t safe and Neverwinter needs the glider.”

”I’ll let her know it’s time to go,” Leaf said as she transformed into the spirit form again.

”Thank you.”

Leaf submerged in the sea of trees and reappeared in front of Wendy a few seconds later.

”OK, done. She’ll meet you at the airport. I think she should be bidding farewell to her friend now. Let me transport you there.”

Wendy nodded and turned around to wait for the balcony to descend.

”By the way...”

Leaf suddenly spoke in a quiet voice.

”Yes?”

”Ah, no,” Leaf said hesitantly, ”nothing.”

Wendy took a breath, wheeled around and said gently, ”Speak out. I’m here to listen.”

”I’m just...”

”Just what?”

”Just a bit...” Leaf mumbled while clenching her fists. She suddenly, however, stood transfixed to the spot, looking over Wendy’s head and locked her eyes on the northern side of the forest.

Perceiving the shock and surprise on her face, Wendy also wheeled around to see what had happened.

Several tendrils of dark smoke curled up from the forest and spread out like a veil.

”Is the forest... on fire?”