Chapter 260: Chapter 260 For the Greater Evil
The Bone Witch gasped, her white eyes widening as the nails drove deeper into her chest. Black blood spilled down her gown, dripping down into the earth. She raised her staff to fight, but had no strength left.
She held the Derailed witch hand... "Sister, why?" Blood trickled down the side of her lips
The Derailed witch leaned closer, her lips curling into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Sister? How could you call me that, after lying to me all this time?" She growled with anger.
"Lie?" The Bone witch leaned closer, their forehead touching.
"You knew about the Chosen... you knew about the Lycan King’s magical heart, but you lied to me, even when you were going to attack them, you didn’t bring me along." The derailed witch’s expression changed to one of pain and betrayal.
"I kept it from you, but I never lied to you... I wanted to take the risk for us, one hidden and one seen, the world would not know about our plan. And in case anything happens to me, you can carry on." The Bone Witch rushed to clear the misunderstanding.
"I don’t believe you. You wanted the power for yourself, and never intended to share with me!" She screeched, her nails drove deeper, piercing her heart.
"Morgan..." The Bone Witch’s word was cut off by a snarl.
"Don’t call me that!" The derailed witch slammed Bone Witch against a nearby tree. "I’m Derailed."
"Do you forget why we decided to break from the other witches, why we were called the defectors? It was for us sisters to become the leaders of the witches... to take over the world. Alpha Lucas is already in my palm, once we remove the Lycan King, the world will be ours." The Bone coughed out more blood.
"So you didn’t lie to me?" She tilted her head, the memories of when they were young flickered through her head, they were once considered good witches... that was until they had their families killed by the Queen.
Emotions flickered through her eyes. "But you are dying... You are only saying this so I’ll pity you." The Derailed witch muttered.
"No, I’m not. I know how much you hate lies, but I just didn’t tell you. I’m the only family you have left Derailed... don’t kill me." The Bone Witch pleaded.
The Derailed witch’s hand trembled as they pierced the Bone Witch’s chest. Her lips pressed together, and for a heartbeat, her fury faltered. The sound of her sister’s labored breathing stirred something that had not been there for years... hesitation.
"How do I help you?" she asked at last, her voice stripped of mockery.
The Bone Witch leaned heavily against the tree, her body swaying. Every word came out jagged, broken by coughs. "You can’t... my body is already dead. I walk only because of a short spell, and it will not hold for long."
The Derailed witch’s brows furrowed, her golden-slit eyes narrowing. Her claws retracted free from her chest, her fingers were covered with blood, and she stared at the black stains on her fingers. "Then what? You want me to stand here and watch you die?"
"No." The Bone Witch’s eyes flashed with resolution even through the pain. She pushed herself upright with the last dregs of her strength. "We can both share your body. We don’t have to fight anymore... We can be one."
The Derailed witch stilled, her breath caught. "Share my body?"
"Yes. Your body is the only thing that can contain my soul, " The Bone Witch coughed, blood bubbling against her lips, but her tone carried weight. "Together, we will become stronger. We will not be able to lie to each other or hide secrets. We will live forever, we will no longer be two... but one."
The forest around them seemed to hold its breath.
The Derailed witch’s gaze flickered with doubt, then narrowed with something sharper. She knew the rules of such rituals, only the stronger soul would control the body. The weaker would sink into the abyss, nothing but a voice in the dark.
A smile tugged her lips, it was cruel and confident. She was stronger... She had always been stronger. Sharing was only a word, when the ritual ended, the body would be hers alone, but with twice the power.
"Fine," she said at last. "I accept... For the greater evil."
The Bone Witch exhaled, her shoulders slumping as though a burden had lifted. "Then we must prepare now." She smiled faintly. "For the greater evil." She added.
They knelt together, drawing runes into the soil with their bloodied fingers.
After they were done, they cut their flesh, and the ground hissed as their blood seeped into the dirt, steaming in the night air. The symbols glowed faintly red, then black, before pulsing like veins across the earth.
The crooked staff was placed in the middle of the rune, it pulsed between them, its surface cracking, splinters falling away, yet it channeled the Bone Witch’s waning magic.
Both witches began to chant, their words were ancient, a heavy curse that pressed against their lungs. Their voices wove together, one rasping, the other sharp, echoing through the forest. The mist thickened, swallowing the trees into shadow.
When the last syllable left their lips, they pressed their foreheads together.
A red light erupted from between them. The Bone Witch’s body convulsed, then it collapsed into smoke, her soul screamed as it rushed like a dark wind into the Derailed witch’s chest.
The Derailed witch threw her head back, a scream ripping through her throat. Her arms jerked at unnatural angles, her back arched as the two souls collided inside her. The forest shook as the clash reverberated outward.
Her nails dug into her own flesh, carving lines into her skin. Growls and shrieks tore from her lips, changing into something not quite normal. Her body convulsed as the two souls clawed for dominance, one refusing to be erased, the other fighting to devour.
The air crackled, sparks bursting across the ground, running through the runes. The mist swirled in violent spirals, drawn toward her body.
Then, silence ensued.
Her head dropped forward, and her hair fell over her face. The forest quieted, not even the wind dared move.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
One of her eyes glowed white. The other shimmered gold and black, slit down the middle like a beast’s.
A smile curled across her lips. Her voice rumbled through the forest.
"For the greater evil."
The trees seemed to bow under the weight of the words, the air itself recoiled. What once had been a vow between sisters now sounded like a decree to the world.