The Devil's Guardian

"What's wrong with Gregor, Nicandra? He is a nice witch! He will serve you forever!" "He is not manly enough if he can only serve me," Nyx replied in bored tone. "Then, consider Kallikrates. He is so manly and virile!" "Well, he is too domineering!" Nyx exclaimed and stood up to walk away. "Don't you dare! I'm not done, Nicandra!" Willow nagged her daughter. "Mother, I'm just thirsty! Can't I get myself a glass of water?" Nyx made a show-off of glugging a full glass of water. "Now, let's get down to your list! Giles? He's skittish! Wilmot! Too forgettable--I cannot remember him! Maleficus? He's e--" "Don't!" Willow screamed. She held up her hands. "Stop the insults! Now!" "Evil! And I am not insulting them! I'm just telling you my first impressions of these men!" "You mean--you're not impressed?" "I am not! Now, if you're done, I have to go to the sauna!" Nyx went to her room while speaking. She took her magic broom and her sling bag. She was a girl with medium height and very slim figure. She was graceful and could move like the wind. Her steps created no sound but she could reach the place she aimed with speed. "What are you going to do in the sauna?" Willow asked while following her daughter.  "I'll meet Shimermoon there." Nyx was gone! "Zephyr!" Willow shouted with frustration. "What is it, my dear?" The king of the fairies from the Land of Tralala appeared. "You called my name?" He smiled gently as he asked. Zephyr was tall and muscular. He had languorous eyes and plump lips that Nyx had inherited. The women in his land often swooned whenever he glanced at them. They thought he was cute! "Your daughter has escaped again! You call Shimermoon right at this moment!" Willow ordered angrily although her heart thumped with reaction. She cursed her weakness to the man. Willow's slender body was clothed in a tasteful black dress. She had white and smooth skin. She lived in a sophisticated house where everything had its place. She was a strict and serious individual. Her soft-hearted character was hidden. "Okay." Zephyr clicked his fingers. Shimermoon appeared yawning. "What's up, King Zephyr? Oh! Willow! Where am I?" she glanced about the elegant room. "I'm sorry! Have I slept in your living room, Willow?" "Where is Nicandra?" Willow interrogated her. "Nyx? She is here. She told me you, er, summoned her!" Shimermoon got up slowly from the long and padded bench. She surreptitiously wiped the drool and glanced down on her pillow. As usual, there was a stain on the pink pillow that she embraced while sleeping! "Nicandra said she will meet you at the sauna!" "Sauna?" Both Zephyr and Shimermoon exclaimed the word. "Yes! Sauna, she said! What's the matter?" Zephyr's gentle expression hardened. "Didn't you know that the whole community of witches has voted affirmatively for the place to be excavated?" "What? Why are they excavating the place?" Willow wailed. "They believed the sauna is the entrance to hell! Shimermoon, go to the sauna!" "Oh, my daughter!" Willow sat on a chair. Her strong front melted suddenly. "What happened, Willow?" Zephyr sat on the chair and held her cold hand. "I nagged her because I want her to have a husband!" she told him honestly. "It is dangerous for a woman of her age still unmarried!" "Why?" "Why? I didn't want her to end up like me! I'm a kept woman of the king!" she snapped at him bitterly. "Kept woman! I wanted to marry you but you refused! You know that it is a law. A king should marry until he reached the age of two-hundred-eight! Otherwise, the throne is given to the next of kin! And I don't want to give it to my cousin!" Zephyr's cousin and rival, Drudener, would lead wars against their neighbors. He could not bear to watch his cousin destroy the peaceful relationship he had nurtured through the centuries! Willow covered her beautiful face with her hands. "You know that it was impossible! I am a high-leveled white witch!" she sobbed with regret. "Yes!" Zephyr sighed heavily. "You are the remaining white witch!" "Don't forget Nicandra! She inherited my powers last year!" She cried more. "She inherited mine when she was born," Zephyr said sadly. "Oh! My daughter is cursed to live her life alone! She has two powerful parents!" Zephyr cuddled Willow in his arms. He let her cry on his chest. "Don't be pessimistic, Willow!" he chided her. "Nyx knows what she wanted in life. She will pursue those goals! We better trust in her!" His statements made Willow wept harder. *     *     * "Maleficus, are you sure Nicandra will appear?" Giles asked for the umpteenth time. "You are nervous! Drink this!" Maleficus gave the flask to his fellow witch. Giles swigged down the strong liquor. He coughed aloud. "What is this? I thought I swallowed fire!" "Maleficus! Do you know where are my eyeglasses?" Wilmot asked. "It's on your head, moron!" Maleficus said while asking himself where did he find such fools--but he had no choice! Kallikrates laughed maliciously after he read Maleficus' mind. "I am not one of your team members! I'm just here to help you because we have one target--and that is Nicandra!" "After that, I don't want to see you again, Kallikrates!" Maleficus' voice boomed furiously. "G-gentlemen, I hear her footsteps!" Gregor warned them agitatedly. "Let's go to our places!" Kallikrates ordered them. Maleficus was disgusted. He promised to himself that he would corner Kallikrates and would teach a lesson not to order him around! Nyx appeared after a few seconds. She was alone--as expected. Maleficus gave an evil smile. He had imitated Shimermoon's way of inviting Nyx. She would send a missive that was written in the moon's beams. He stole Shimermoon's pen while she was having a slumber on her favorite mushroom. He wrote the short message. 'Let's have a pampering afternoon at the sauna! Shimermoon.' Maleficus returned the pen to its owner. He sent Giles to slip the message in between her pillows. Nyx was fond of pillows on her bed. "Did you make sure that Nicandra will find it?" "Yes! The message was folded with Shimermoon's signature!" "Good!" And now, their revenge would begin!