The Lightning Witch

by Natalie Goertzen

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  I remembered then my teachings from the trio—remembered my dream walk by the fire with Lupa and Laura when she’d took me to hell to meet with Lou in a vision. I accepted my anger I was feeling, but I also took control of it. I could close my eyes and picture Laura’s, Katerina’s, and Anna Belle’s knowing faces as if they were here by my side right now. I heard their advice and felt their love.

  I wish you three were here with me right now.

  Then I heard their voices in my ears. We are, darling. We always will be. Don’t forget who you truly are.

  My thoughts went for a walk. I thought about the day with Agnes, the tree, the vision of the battle from so many years ago between Lou and the—

  Then it dawned on me.

  Lou did have no idea what I was—what I had become. If he did he certainly would have mentioned it or attacked me by now! He knew, after all, that his only demise is from the White Witch, the one who could control all of the elements and the skies.

  Laura was right! I had a new element here! The element of surprise.

  I said a silent prayer while Lou bantered on about nothing important: mere bull shit and nothing else. I opened my eyes to stare down Lou with the confidence and determination of a woman on fire.

  I found my calm voice. I spoke from the strong, peaceful center of my being that I had almost died to retrieve after Lou had almost successfully conquered it. Enough of this charade. Lou could not have any more of my precious time. I knew who I was. I knew what I was doing and how to handle my magic.

  “Lou, we aren’t here to talk about me. We are here to talk about you. You who have caused enough destruction and have poisoned enough people.” I stepped closer to him. Now it was my turn to point an accusatory finger. “I know what it is you want, and I’m telling you, you cannot have it. Nor will you ever have it. Your time here is done.”

  He shook his head and looked at the ground, pondering what he thought was my idiocy. He took one step closer as well. I could hear Hunter growl quietly in warning.

  “What is it you think I want, Nic?” He tsked as he looked back at me, taking another step forward. “You? You think I want you? No. I’ve had enough of you.” He tried to sound disgusted, but I could hear the curiosity in his voice.

  I decided to play part of my hand. “I know you want the elements. You thought you stole Earth from me, and you need us for the rest. I know why you want Jasper.”

  He looked shocked at my knowledge for a split second, then quickly rage stole over his face. Typical. Tell a man no, that he can’t have something, and then he reverts back to a child having a temper tantrum.

  But this was no man, I told myself. This was a demon.

  He seemed to have thought better of having an outburst and calmed himself somewhat. “And if I do? Nicole, you and your people cannot stop me from pissing on this tree, let alone stop me from anything else I want.” He side-kicked the tree to prove his point, and the wood splintered as the tree slanted sideways. He squinted at me with audacity. “What’s the tree have to say about that?”

  I rolled my eyes and sighed, trying to seem bored.

  He stepped closer with a finger pointed at me. “I know you don’t want to stop me. I felt your need of me that day by the river. That cannot be faked.” He had one hand in his pocket now as he strolled around the perimeter of where I’d warned him to stay. The other hand pointed to the sky and flapped around, accentuating each word he spoke.

  I felt a wave of nausea when he brought up that day. “Lou, you had me under a spell that day. I wouldn’t call that consent.” I hated thinking of that day, let alone talking about it. He was trying to irritate me, and it was working.

  “This was always our journey, our quest. You were going to be my queen! I realize what a poor influence you are under here with these lesser people—people who would never understand our kind of power! This is why I tried so hard to separate you from their grasp before. But I have thought about it since I last saw you, and…” He was using his hands like the scales of justice, weighing his decision. Then he clapped his hands together. “You know what? I am willing to forgive you for running off and right back to them. I will let all of this bullshit go.” He stopped strolling and smiled at me, showing yellow teeth. “Cause that’s just the kind of guy I am.”

  I shook my head in disbelief and weariness. I felt the words of repulsion rise in my throat, and they spewed forth in a different voice. “Lou, you are crazy. You are deluded, and you are an evil pest. The only reason I am here tonight is to put a stop to you once and for all. I want you to go back to where you came from and rot or burn or whatever it is that will end your existence. I never loved you, never needed you; you forced whatever need I had. You forced everything. Your presence in my life almost destroyed me! Almost destroyed the people I love! You are a disgusting, vile, worthless thing that shouldn’t even be allowed to breathe the same air as anything living or good. I detest you.” I took a long breath and spoke lowly, my skin visibly glowing, thunder crackling hard and closer. “I will break you far worse than you have ever broken me.”

  He gawked at me glowing from head to toe. He was surprised for a moment. Then the half-humorous expression he wore left his mouth, and his anger completely changed his face. There would be no going back now. I had poked the bear; I had slammed a bat into the beehive. This battle would happen, and one of us would die here tonight.

  Both of us would die here tonight.

  “You think you can destroy me?” His voice grew deeper than any human vocal cords could produce. The sound was painful to hear, and it shook me to my core. “You have no idea what I am capable of. I have watched you since you were a child in your mother’s arms. I have studied you, and I have even converted you to frolic in the dark.” His sick grin bared growing fangs as his words spit through the bubbling saliva. I winced. “I know all that you are, and I know what your limitations are! You are the one who is worth nothing! You could have had all of the power in the universe if you had stayed with me, but instead you chose to be my enemy! You are too weak—too weak to even bear a child! You are worth nothing to me now!”

  Well, thank God for free will.

  His skin turned the colour of red lobsters after a boil as he rose a few feet off of the ground. Steam began coiling up off his shoulders, and creaking sounds like bones breaking emitted from his arms and legs as he flexed around inside his shell.

  He had watched me since a child? He couldn’t have known I would become the next Lightning Witch, so why would he? It was almost like he had been drawn to me somehow, then.

  “Nicole Weston, Earth Witch with no Earth, Wind and Water Witch without breath and flow. You have it all wrong.” I didn’t recognize his voice now—it was absolutely horrifying. “It is I who will destroy you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Lou came soaring over to me shrieking like a monstrous bird.

  I sent out a series of fireballs at him, which he knocked out of his way with ease.

  “Learned a new trick did we?” Lou hadn’t seen me use fire before, he seemed startled at first but kept coming. I thought the fire from myself would be more of a shocker to him but no.

  Thick-barrelled trees began thrusting out of the earth all around us. I lost my balance and was curtailed this way and that until I finally landed on my butt, hard. The ground was shaking with his violent misuse of the element. I struggled to get up but was unable to rise.

  Lou flung himself at me so fast I could barely see it coming. All I could do was crouch lower and cover my head.

  Now, Hunter!

  Hunter lunged at him over my head and met him midair just in front of me. Hunter latched onto his scaly arm with his teeth. Lou fell in surprise, and the two of them rolled around until Hunter ended up on top of him. Lou waved his arm around, trying to loosen Hunter’s grip. Hunter wasn’t giving in that easily. He growled and hung on with all of his might as he used his other paw to sink his claws deep into Lou’s ches
t. Lou howled in pain.

  Hunter’s claws were coated in a metal alloy, courtesy of Theo.

  With Lou so distracted, the ground rested, and I was able to get up. I stood and walked over to them.

  Hunter was not letting Lou move a muscle.

  “You don’t know who I am, Lou, or what I am capable of. You never will. You say you stalked me from the shadows when I was a child?” I kicked him. “You sick bastard.” I had to raise my voice over the growling Hunter. Lou was trying to keep his attention on me but was too busy trying to fend off Hunter and suffering in pain from the nickel entering his blood. “And this?” I showed him the seeds of the earth I’d pulled from my pocket. “This never belonged to you.” I sent the seeds off into the breeze, and they were carried away into the trees that bent down, stabbing their limbs all around him in a makeshift cage.

  I knelt down and began gathering the earth around him. I let him sink deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. I chanted, “I wish you far away from us.” I began getting lost in my task when Lou suddenly realized what was happening. Soon it would be too late for him. The element was mine again. The elements had always made him weak and vulnerable when used against him.

  Lou used a force full of energy and threw Hunter off him and sent me flying back to the ground. My polar bear flew back-first into a thick standing tree with jagged bark. He let out a pained yelp and fell in a giant white heap on the ground.

  I gasped. “Hunter!”

  He didn’t move.

  Lou was already breaking free of his cage.

  I knew if I went to Hunter, Lou would have his chance to get me, so as much as it tore at my heart, I had to stay put.

  I looked back at Lou with a renewed vengeance. I’d sworn I wouldn’t let him hurt anyone I loved, and I had underestimated Lou in one moment and had let just that happen. My heart grew strong, and I stood with the elements ready at my whim.

  I asked for the wind to come, eddies of air whipping around Lou as he clawed his way out of the dirt. He was struggling, but not suppressed.

  We needed something big to keep him stationary before I could use the Lightning.

  Hunter suddenly threw his head back, howling into the night. We heard crashing and the breaking of wood and glass behind us. I knew what was coming. I didn’t need to turn to verify. The ground shook under heavy steps.

  Hunter had called another member of our pack.

  Betty had circled around me and came up in front, slowly stalking, then standing between myself and Lou. Betty was now a grizzly bear and rose up on her back haunches. She began pawing with gnarly claws at Lou. Her teeth gnashed and bared as she growled loudly, her mouth a gigantic cave.

  Hunter had managed to get up and come to stand beside her. He was bent low to the ground in a ready stance, with a deep growl emanating from him. Hunter was in severe pain; I could tell he’d been injured by the swipe of deep red blood on his coat and the sight of his legs shaking from the use. Clear drool dripped slightly from his jowls.

  Hunter was letting Lou know he would taste his flesh again. Lou had managed to climb out of the hole I’d dug for him, and he then took a slow step back and held out a hand, which was pathetic for defense.

  Betty charged him first.

  They tumbled through the greens as she constantly threw her weight on him, trying to crush him in the struggle. Her claws sought purchase and dug deep into his thigh. Lou wailed from under her, but then she shot off him like a bolt. She held one paw at her stomach and hobbled away for her life. Lou was injured, but unfortunately would live. He took some time standing up and checking his leg for weight capability. I looked back at the house to Hayden, who was already assessing the shrinking Betty for wounds. I could not figure out at that moment the extent of her injuries or how Lou had hurt her. I was seething.

  Hunter seized another opportunity while Lou was perhaps vulnerable in getting up from his attack from Betty. He charged the creature with all of his might. Lou side-swiped him, and Hunter was thrown into the stone fireplace this time. He made a sickening thud as he crumpled to the ground. A small whine escaped his lips.

  Then…nothing.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Hunter could do no more here.

  I met Hunter’s eyes. My heart broke, and I stepped toward him, but his look told me no. He glanced in Lou’s direction and then back at me.

  My sweet Hunter. Tears filled my eyes. I longed to go to him but knew he was right. I couldn’t let my guard down. Lou was scrambling around in the dirt. I felt Hunter’s love reach out to me and push me forward. I grasped it with both hands and buried it inside of me, where all sacred things were kept: in the heart. I sent my love right back to him.

  You rest now. It’s okay, buddy. I’ve got this, I promise. Get to Hayden when Lou isn’t watching.

  I turned back towards Lou. This was now or never. I was not going to let him win. I would die first.

  I think I would end my own life before I let anything happen to someone I loved.

  Tracey’s words came to my mind. I forced myself to face Lou—or whatever he now was—head on. His lips curled into a steady smile, his eyebrows lifting so I could see the black, bottomless, beady eyes. I wanted to kick myself for the thousandth time since I’d come to my senses for letting this vile creature so close to our lives.

  Into my family members’ lives.

  It was unacceptable—unforgivable! But I was really hoping to get the chance to spend my life making it up to all of them. They had forgiven me, and I need to forgive myself one day. The only way any of this would come to atonement was my life sacrifice. Redemption was my key.

  We would fight to the death, because I wouldn’t be going alone.

  Lou ran at me, and I heaved a wave of soil and rock in his path. He came barreling through, and I brought forth the waters from the fountains and ponds.

  He was still getting closer.

  I gave an extra push to the elements to keep him back.

  It wasn’t enough.

  Lou grabbed hold of me and threw me into the stone fireplace. It crumbled down with me as I fell. He began to walk toward me. “I told you this would be easy.”

  Everything ached. I could see stars, and I kept blinking to clear my vision. I scarcely felt the heartstring quivering.

  No, my love. Don’t ever come out, especially if he kills me.

  Joel came out from a hidden pathway behind the statue of Emilia of the Falls. His beautiful sword was unsheathed and gleaming in the moonlight.

  Let the moon bear witness here.

  He had a crouched walk, sidestepping quickly, legs wide, both hands on the sword. I was silently relieved he was coming to my aid, but I kept my eyes on Lou so as to not give Joel’s attempted assault away.

  It didn’t help.

  Either Lou sensed Joel’s approach or he saw the gleam of the sword’s fine and marvelous shine in my eyes. Maybe he sensed the metal it was made of: again nickel. The coin that had always agitated him in the past, now burning him from Hunter’s claws, now coming at him from a sword.

  Lou turned at the last minute, a step in front of me as Joel was bringing down the sword on him. At lightning speed Lou was behind Joel, but the sword was able to slice Lou’s scaly arm. Lou shrieked in pain as I slowly got up, taking a check of injuries. I would be bruised badly, but nothing was broken. Now Lou was even angrier than before as the flesh sizzled and smoked on his arm.

  Lou grabbed Joel’s neck and had him dropped to his knees, a look of utter surprise on Joel’s face. I got up and began gathering the wind to me, the heat in my body rising again.

  Joel’s face turned to horror.

  Don’t worry, Joel.

  Lou stood behind him still, with his hands on Joel’s vulnerable neck. Lou smiled a vicious smile, glaring at me with evil eyes.

  I forced the wind to him, and they both were pushed back several feet. Tracey came running out from another hidden pathway behind me and began sending strands to Joel to hang onto, to pull him
self away from the strong grasp of Lou. My heartstring shuddered, as Jasper wanted to come out now, too. I silently forbade him to. We didn’t have a hold on the situation. We couldn’t risk Lou capturing Jasper. Jasper’s Fire was to be a last resort. I had used mine, but the Fire power I had was nothing compared to Jasper’s. We had all decided this before.

  Joel grabbed onto Tracey’s strands and began pulling himself forward as Lou lost his grip on Joel’s body and the ground with the force of the winds.

  Joel gave Tracey a wink as he crept closer to us and farther from Lou. Lou was fighting with everything he had, it seemed, his face all screwed up in exertion.

  Okay, we are going to be okay—

  Just then, Joel’s face dropped.

  Lou had reached for him in one seamless motion and pulled Joel back to him by his foot. Lou had his arms wrapped around Joel’s body now, both of them kneeling on the ground. Joel struggled as the sliced arm of Lou bubbled in front of him. Joel looked to me.

  No.

  I heaved rocks and broke down trees all around them to make him let Joel go. The earth was chaos now; there was no firm purchase. We all rocked with the earthquake. I whipped fireballs at him, which sizzled out into cigarette-shaped burns on his scaly hide.

  Lou still held on.

  Tracey threw out more strands like golden ropes, almost reaching Joel’s outstretched hand, but not close enough to grab.

  He stopped trying and looked at Tracey, who was screaming at him to take the rope. His eyes were sad. “I love you, Tracey.”

  No.

  This was going to be okay. Joel would not get hurt! This would work! Lightning! I needed Lightning! I began concentrating on bringing the sky down, but before I could, Lou spoke with a voice coated in murder.

  “I told you I would make you watch all of your loved ones die.”

  Lou squeezed Joel like a python. Joel’s screams broke the night apart as his bones cracked under the pressure. Joel went silent, and his head hung on his chest. Then, finally, Lou let go of him.

  Chapter Thirty-Five