Meanwhile in Luminarin, Our princesses are here!" a villager shouted triumphantly, his voice ringing through the chaos. "They've come to save us! They'll defeat the witch!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, their terror momentarily replaced by a wave of desperate hope. Mothers clutched their children, villagers stood taller, emboldened by the sight of their supposed saviors.
Starlet's heart sank. "Oh no..."
Alexandra's eyes widened. "They've just painted targets on our backs."
Above them, the witch's gaze snapped to the source of the commotion. Her blazing eyes locked onto Starlet and Alexandra like a predator zeroing in on prey.
"So... there you are," the witch hissed, her voice venomous.
The shadows around her thickened, swirling like a tempest of pure malice. She raised her staff, dark magic crackling at its tip. "You think *children* can defeat me? Pathetic!"
Starlet grabbed Alexandra's hand. "Run!"
Without hesitation, they sprinted away as a surge of black energy exploded behind them, shattering the rock into jagged shards. Dust and debris filled the air, but the sisters didn't stop.
The cheers of the villagers faded into the distance as they raced toward the edge of the meadow, hearts pounding with fear and determination.
"We can't keep running forever," Alexandra panted.
Starlet's jaw clenched. "Then we have to find a way to fight."
"But how?"
Starlet glanced at her hands, where faint golden sparks still flickered from earlier.
"Maybe the Luminarin gave us is stronger than we think," she said, her voice steadier now.
Alexandra nodded, determination hardening her expression. "Then let's find out."
As they disappeared into the depths of the enchanted forest, the witch's furious shriek echoed behind them.
The battle for Luminarin had only just begun.
The witch's furious cackle echoed through the air. "Then I shall kill you first!" she shrieked, her voice dripping with hatred.
With a flick of her twisted staff, a blazing fireball erupted from its tip, hurtling toward the sisters like a comet of destruction.
"Run!" Starlet cried, grabbing Alexandra's hand as they sprinted across the meadow.
Heat seared their backs as the fireball exploded behind them, scorching the earth and sending plumes of smoke spiraling into the sky. The ground trembled beneath their feet, but they didn't dare look back.
"She's not going to stop!" Alexandra gasped, her voice shaking with fear.
"I know," Starlet said through gritted teeth. "We just need to keep moving!"
The witch soared above them, her cloak billowing like a storm cloud.
Dark magic crackled around her, twisting the air with ominous energy.
"You can't escape me, little princesses!" she taunted, her voice dripping with cruelty.
Another surge of dark energy shot from her staff, creating jagged fissures in the ground. Trees splintered and fell, blocking paths as the sisters dodged and darted through the chaos.
Starlet's mind raced. Think, Starlet, think! They couldn't keep running forever. They needed a plan.
"There!" Alexandra pointed to a narrow pathway leading deeper into the enchanted forest. The dense canopy shimmered faintly, as if infused with ancient magic.
"Head for the forest!" Starlet commanded.
With every ounce of strength, they dashed toward the shimmering trees, their legs burning from the effort.
The witch's magic crackled dangerously close, but the sisters didn't waver.
As they crossed the threshold of the forest, a strange sensation washed over them—a protective warmth, like invisible arms wrapping around them.
The witch screeched in fury, her magic deflecting off the shimmering barrier. "You cannot hide forever!" she bellowed.
But for now, the forest had granted them sanctuary.
Breathless and trembling, Starlet and Alexandra leaned against a towering tree, their hearts racing.
"That was too close," Alexandra panted.
Starlet nodded, still catching her breath.
"But we made it... and I think this forest might be more than just a hiding place."
Alexandra looked around, noticing the faint glimmers of light dancing among the ancient trees. "You think it's magical?"
"Definitely."
Starlet's gaze hardened. "And if we're going to defeat that witch, we need to learn everything we can from this place."
The witch's screech of fury shattered the forest's fragile tranquility. She raised her staff once more, dark energy swirling ominously around her.
This time, the air turned bitterly cold as a sharp spear of ice formed at the staff's tip. The witch's eyes gleamed with malevolence as she unleashed the spear, sending it hurtling through the air with deadly precision.
"Alexandra, watch out!" Starlet shouted.
Starlet managed to leap aside, her heart racing. But Alexandra wasn't fast enough.
The spear struck her square in the chest.
A gasp of pain escaped her lips as a sharp, searing cold spread through her body. Her eyes widened in shock as she staggered, her legs giving way beneath her.
"Alexandra!" Starlet screamed, dropping to her knees beside her sister.
Alexandra's face had gone pale, and her breathing was shallow. Ice crystals glimmered on her gown, spreading outward from the wound.
"No, no, no…" Starlet whispered frantically, tears stinging her eyes. She pressed her trembling hands against the ice, desperate to stop it from spreading.
The witch cackled triumphantly, hovering above them. "Pitiful. One down, one to go."
Starlet's grief twisted into raw fury. Her hands began to glow with a brilliant golden light, the warmth radiating against the encroaching cold.
"I won't let you take her!" Starlet shouted, her voice trembling with defiance.
The witch landed gracefully, her dark cloak billowing as she approached.
"Oh… how you two have grown," she mused, tilting her head as she studied them. "The last time 1 saw you, you were just helpless babies."
Starlet's heart pounded.
"What…?"
The witch smirked, bending slightly as if to whisper a dark secret. "Yes… 1 have waited for this moment. And now, I shall end your lives… just like 1 did to your mother."
"Mother?"
The word left their lips in unison.
The witch's smirk deepened.
"Ah… so you never knew the truth… how amusing."
A chilling silence fell between them as a long-buried secret was about to be revealed.
To be Continued...