Chapter 39
WINDY
The morning sun filters through the ancient trees, casting dappled light across the forest floor. The battle is long over but not the war. I sit on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the valley below, the wind tugging at my hair, feeling the weight of everything that’s happened, of everything that’s yet to come. It’s been a journey I never expected, filled with danger, heartbreak, and impossible choices. But now, as I sit here, I know it’s time to make one last decision—the one that matters most.
Footsteps approach from behind, and I don’t need to turn around to know who it is. I can feel him. The air seems to crackle with his presence, charged with a familiar energy that sends a shiver down my spine.
“So, this is where you’re hiding,” Willow says, his voice smooth as ever, but there’s an edge to it, something vulnerable that he rarely shows.
I smile, though I keep my gaze fixed on the horizon. “I’m not hiding. Just thinking.”
“Thinking, huh?” He steps closer, dropping down to sit beside me, his shoulder brushing against mine. “That’s always dangerous.”
“Funny, I thought the same thing about you,” I retort, glancing at him with a smirk.
His dark eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the world feels smaller, quieter—just the two of us.
“You’ve been through a lot,” Willow says, his voice softer now, more serious. “More than anyone should have to.”
“And you were there through it all,” I reply, my tone equally sincere. “Messing with my head, belonging to a Crimson Coven but never thought of hurting me, and yet...”
“Yet what?” he prompts, leaning in a little closer, his expression unreadable.
I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of everything that’s passed between us. “Yet, you were always there when it mattered. Even when I didn’t want you to be.”
He grins, a hint of that familiar cocky charm returning. “It’s my curse, I guess. Can’t seem to stay away from trouble.”
“Or from me,” I say quietly, my eyes locking onto his.
But before I can act on that impulse, more footsteps echo behind us, heavier and more deliberate. I turn to see Wallace and Warrick approaching, both of them wearing expressions that make it clear this conversation is far from over.
“Windy,” Wallace says, his voice warm but with a hint of that protective edge he always has. “We’ve been looking for you.”
“I wasn’t exactly hiding,” I say with a small laugh, trying to lighten the tension that’s building.
Warrick stops a few feet away, crossing his arms over his broad chest, his golden eyes sharp as they scan my face. “You’ve been quiet since the battle. We were worried.”
I raise an eyebrow at him, unable to resist the urge to tease. “You? Worried? That’s a first.”
He snorts, but there’s no mistaking the concern in his eyes. “Don’t get used to it.”
I stand, brushing the dirt from my hands as I face them all. This is it—the moment I’ve been avoiding, the decision I’ve been running from. I’ve fought monsters, faced down ancient magic, and survived more than I ever thought possible, but this...this might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
“I need to say something,” I begin, my voice trembling just a little. “To all of you.”
They’re silent, waiting, and it only makes my heart pound harder.
I’ve never been good at this—at choosing.
I meet Willow’s gaze first, his dark eyes intense as he watches me. “Willow, you’ve always been the wild card, the one who challenges me, and pushes me to think differently. You frustrate me to no end, but you also make me feel alive in a way I can’t explain.”
He opens his mouth to say something, but I hold up a hand, stopping him. “Let me finish.”
I turn to Wallace next, his brown eyes filled with an emotion I can’t quite name.
“Wallace, you’ve been my rock. You’ve always been there, steady and reliable, even when I wasn’t sure of myself. You’ve saved me more times than I can count, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
His lips twitch into a small, bittersweet smile, but he stays silent, letting me speak.
Finally, I look at Warrick, who stands apart from the others, his posture tense, like he’s preparing for the worst. “Warrick, you’re... well, you’re complicated,” I say with a wry grin, trying to ease the tension. “You challenge me, but in a different way. You make me question myself, but you also make me stronger. You’ve got this fire in you, this passion, and I’ve felt it every time we’ve clashed.”
He raises an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. “And?”
“And,” I continue, my heart racing, “you make me want to be better, to be stronger. But more than that, you make me want to...to feel.”
The silence that follows is thick, each of them waiting for what comes next.
I take a deep breath, my eyes scanning each of them. I care about all of them in different ways, but I know there’s only one choice I can make—the one that’s been in my heart all along, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
“I choose...Wallace,” I say, my voice steady as I meet his gaze.
His eyes widen in surprise, and for a moment, I think I’ve shocked him into silence.
But then, slowly, a grin spreads across his face—one of those rare, genuine smiles that makes him look younger, almost boyish.
“About time,” he says, stepping forward and pulling me into a fierce, almost desperate hug.
I laugh, feeling the tension drain out of me as I wrap my arms around him, breathing in the scent of him, the warmth of him. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“Yeah,” he replies, his voice rough with emotion as he holds me close. “But you wouldn’t want me any other way.”
Warrick and Willow both look disappointed.
“I also choose Willow.”
Looks of surprise appear on all their faces.
“And… I choose Warrick.”
“All three of us?” they ask at the same time.
“I accept this, we get along pretty well,” Wallace says.
Warrick just stares at me before finally nodding his head in agreement.
Willow just nods his head, a rueful smile playing on his lips. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.”
“You know, you’re going to have to put up with a lot of nonsense now,” Warrick mouths off.
I smirk, glancing up at him. “I’m counting on it.”
We all smile at each other before they each take a turn kissing me passionately, with no fighting amongst themselves on who would be first.
That’s a first!
***
“We have one final battle to do before this war is over. We must battle Willow's grandfather, George, the head of the Crimson Coven, in order to end this once and for all. Are you ready?”
“We are!” they all say at once.
“Grab each other’s hands and I’ll teleport us to him. Then we can finish this once and for all.”
I reached out, my slender fingers intertwining with Willow's on my left and Wallace's on my right. Willow grasped Warrick's hand, completing the circle. A shimmering aura of pink light began to emanate from my skin, pulsing with an otherworldly energy that spread through our connected hands like wildfire.
The air around us crackled with electricity, causing everyone’s hair to stand on end. A whirlwind of leaves and debris swirled around our feet, gaining speed and intensity with each passing second. The world began to blur and shift, colors melting into one another like watercolors on a rain-soaked canvas.
My eyes glowed with an ethereal light as I focused my powers, channeling the energies necessary for such a monumental teleportation. I knew the others felt a tugging sensation in their limbs as we suddenly appeared in a forest standing outside a cave.
As we materialized in the shadowy forest, the acrid scent of dark magic hung heavy in the air. Before we could catch our breath, a horde of red-eyed figures emerged from the cave's gaping maw, their faces contorted with rage and bloodlust.
The Crimson Coven had been waiting for us.
I reacted with lightning speed, my hands weaving intricate patterns in the air as I chanted in an ancient tongue. A shimmering dome of energy erupted around them just as the first wave of attackers crashed against it, their claws and fangs scrabbling uselessly against the magical barrier.
"I can't hold this forever," I gasped, sweat beading on my brow. "We need to break George's control over them!"
Wallace stepped forward, his emerald eyes blazing with determination.
"I've got this, you have so much power now, I can use yours to help more," Wallace said, his voice steady despite the chaos surrounding them. He closed his eyes, and I could feel him drawing upon the ancient earth magic that flowed through my veins. The ground beneath our feet began to tremble, and suddenly, thick vines burst from the soil, wrapping around the ankles of the Crimson Coven members.
As the vines tightened, a soft green glow emanated from them, spreading up the bodies of their attackers. One by one, the red gleam faded from their eyes, replaced by looks of confusion and fear.
"It's working!" Willow exclaimed, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword. "But where's my grandfather?"
A booming laugh echoed from deep within the cave, sending chills down their spines. "You foolish children," a gravelly voice called out. "Did you really think it would be that easy?”
The ground trembled as George, Willow's grandfather and the head of the Crimson Coven, emerged from the depths of the cave. He was a towering figure, his skin pale as moonlight and etched with arcane symbols that pulsed with an eerie red glow. His eyes, two pools of liquid obsidian, fixed upon the group with a mixture of contempt and amusement.
"You've grown strong, little witch," he sneered at me, his voice like gravel scraping against steel. "But you're still no match for centuries of dark magic."
With a flick of his gnarled fingers, George sent a torrent of shadows racing towards them. The inky tendrils writhed and twisted, threatening to engulf them in eternal darkness. But I stood my ground, I could feel my pink eyes blazing with newfound power.
"Now, Wallace!"
Wallace nodded, his face set with grim determination. He raised his hands, palms outward, and a brilliant green light erupted from them. The emerald energy collided with George's shadows mid-air, creating a dazzling display of light and darkness.
"Willow, Warrick! Now's your chance!" I shouted over the deafening clash of magic.
As the two warriors sprang into action, drawing their weapons as they charged towards George, I directed magic to their blades. Willow’s silver blade gleamed in the eerie light, while Warrick's twin daggers pulsed with an otherworldly energy.
“What do you think you are doing, child? You are mine to command! Not hers,” George snarled, his concentration split between maintaining his shadow assault and fending off the approaching fighters.
“Wrong, I am my own man. No one commands me. I choose to listen to Windy. I’ve finally seen the truth of the world and you need to be vanquished!”
With a guttural roar, George conjured a staff of crackling black energy, swinging it in a wide arc to keep Willow and Warrick at bay.
I seized the opportunity to thrust my magic towards him.
My pink energy surged forward, intertwining with Wallace's emerald magic to create a spiraling helix of power. The combined force slammed into George's chest, sending him staggering backward. His concentration broken, the shadow tendrils dissipated into wisps of smoke.
Willow and Warrick pressed their advantage, their enchanted weapons slicing through the air. George parried frantically, his movements growing more desperate with each passing second. The ancient warlock’s eyes widened with a hint of fear as he realized he was outmatched.
"You cannot defeat me!" George roared, his voice laced with panic. "I am eternal!"
I stepped forward, filled with determination. "No, George. Your reign of terror ends now."
I raised my hands, channeling every ounce of my power into one final spell.
The air crackled with energy as my magic surged forth, a blinding wave of pink light that engulfed George completely. The ancient warlock's screams were drowned out by the deafening roar of pure magical energy.
When the light faded, George stood frozen, his body encased in a crystalline prison. His eyes, wide with terror, darted frantically within their sockets - the only part of him still able to move.
"He's trapped in a timeless stasis. He'll never harm anyone again."
Willow and Warrick lowered their weapons, exchanging looks of relief and exhaustion. The forest around them grew quiet, the remaining members of the Crimson Coven having fled or been freed from George's control.
I swayed on my feet, worn out after the battle.
“Windy! Are you okay?”
“I’m just a bit worn out from all of the magic. We might have to rest before we can leave.”
I smiled weakly at my men. "I just need a moment to catch my breath," I assured them, but my knees buckled beneath me. Willow caught me before I could fall, scooping me up in his strong arms.
"We need to get her somewhere safe to rest," Wallace said, his brow furrowed with concern. He closed his eyes, reaching out with his earth magic to sense their surroundings. "There's a village about a mile to the east. I think I can manage a short-range teleportation to get us there."
Warrick nodded, keeping his daggers at the ready. "Do it. I'll keep watch in case any stragglers from the Crimson Coven decide to cause trouble."
Wallace took a deep breath, drawing upon the last reserves of his magical energy. The next thing they all knew, they were back in the inn at the village.
He carries me inside, ignoring everyone inside the inn, as the others follow us. I’m gently placed on my bed while they all spread out the room.
Looks like none of us are leaving each other alone tonight.