Witchhunt

Teyha laughed softly. "Being a warder isn't a bad thing..." She told him, leaning into his rubbing. For such an aggravating man he was a wonder with his touches, and she sighed, actually enjoying the tender touches. 'I can forgive him this time'. Teyha considered, and closed her eyes.

She was just starting to unwind when Conner stiffened, and spoke loudly to the trees around them. "What?" Teyha asked, and looked around, her eyes settling on a man as he leaped from the cover of the trees. She pale, and gripped Conner, unsure if she was seeking his protection, or trying to keep him out of her way in case she forced to cast a spell. "Who are you?" She asked hoarsely, looking between him and Conner. "Another hunter?" She asked her husband dryly. "A friend of yours, love?"

Conner placed a hand on Teyha's shoulder, signaling her to stand down. He raised himself off the ground and dusted himself off. "Not much of a friend, more of a co-worker I guess." He said with a smirk. "So, word has just spread to the council? Figure they would have already known by now. The must really be getting rusty with old age." The man scowled at Conner. "Just like you to be making jokes in such a serious situation. The elders have declared you rouge and have put a hefty price on your head and the witch you follow! Don't tell me you turned your back on the Hunter Association to beg some slag!" Conner smirked "No, I left the Hunter Association just to see the pissed off look on everyone of your faces. By the way, calling my wife and mother of my child a slag tis not be the right choice of words for ya." Conner said with a slight seriousness.

Conner looked over at Teyha and back at the man. "This be Virgil, one of the best witch hunters in the business...well, only fifth best. Which begs me to question, why would they send the fifth best hunter to try and take down THE best hunter. The elders must really be getting senile." Conner chuckled out. "Shut it!" Virgil snapped as he took out his whip and cracked it. The sound echoing through the dense forest. "I'll have your head and the head of the slag witch. The elders will be furious once they find out you impregnated a witch." "Conner smiled "Aye, but whose going to tell them? Only other who knows is you and your going to be dead in a few minutes." Conner retorted as he took out his dagger.

It was clear from the exchange that this was not going to be a friendly encounter. Teyha stiffened considerably when she found herself labeled as the cause of the rift between Conner and the council. "Calm!" She snapped, her eyes landing on Conner. She bolted to her feet, thinking to put herself between Conner and his former comrade, but a wave of dizziness hit her and she plopped down once more. "Ugh..." She groaned in discontent, turning an annoyed eye at Conner as she tried to stand again, slower.

When she finally got to her feet she glared irritably at the other witch-hunter. "I'm a slag?" She demanded loudly. "I was untouched before your friend put that damn collar on me and forced me to sleep with him!" She corrected, and turned to face Conner, her hands on her hips, and her lips turned down into a frown. "And you! I am getting sick of you letting everyone believe I am a whore! First the villagers with that ridiculous tale, and now a former ally. Why is it impossible for you to mention that You're the friend in this relationship?" She demanded, only half playfully. Even she could recognise how ridiculous the situation was. Her husband was defending her, protecting her from a man who would kill her without a second thought... And she was scolding him over his sexual practices. It was senseless, irrational, but she couldn't help but to make that point.

She turned back to Virgil, her eyes darting from his whip to his face. "I have done no harm." She told him in her most reasonable voice. "Conner is using me to lead him to a larger prize... A powerful warlock that tops your wanted list. We mean to capture him before he can cause more harm, and he cannot do it without me. I am bound by his order, and so even if I was inclines to harm mortals -and I am not- I could not do so against his word. You may take that message to the council."

Conner looked at Teyha and sighed. "Lass, take a seat....and ya might wanna cover your ears because-" Conner was cut short by Virgil. "How dare you speak to a witch hunter with such audacity! You witches are all the same. Nothing but scum of the earth that needs to be purged!" He pointed an accusing finger at Teyha and continued his outburst. "You witches think you rule the earth but believe me deary, I will murder every last one of you until you are extinct. Helping catch a bigger prize? You are mad to think that we would even consider the help from a slag witch like you! I say it's about time that fuck head used the collar for some good use! The only thing he fucked up on was not killing you immediately after he had his fill with your loose cu-" This time Virgil was cut short by Conner punching him squarely in the mouth.

The hit sent Virgil staggering back, clutching his bleeding mouth. Conner shook off his hand and looked at Teyha. "Like I was saying, He's a bigger dick than I am. Though it felt good shutting him up for once." He smirked and looked back at Virgil. "Now then boyo, I've had enough of your slanderous words about me wife. I think you owe her an apology or else I'll have to kill you for your rudeness." He said calmly. Virgil spat blood and teeth at Conner's feet. "Go to hell!" He shouted as he clutched his whip. Conner smiled and cracked his knuckles. "Aye, I was hoping you'd say that."

The situation was quickly dissolving to violence, no matter how Teyha tried to hold it back. Her cheeks heated at Virgil's insults, her jaw working as she struggled to understand what he was suggesting. It was a good thing that Conner used the collar to rape her? The complete audacity of the statement made her want to draw her hand across his face, but Conner reached the man first, punching him so powerfully that Teyha heard the sickening crack of his teeth breaking.

"Stop it!" Teyha shouted again, grabbing Conner's arm tightly. "Both of you. You know what I am Conner, I cannot stand idly by and watch you kill over something so trivial as my honor... And you!" She snapped, glaring at Virgil. "My biggest sin was being born, born to a witch and cursed with the ability to follow her footsteps. But I am a white, the same as the witches of old that helped pull black witches from their seats of power, who struggled to aid humans when they controlled the land. I mean no harm to you, my husband, nor anyone I meet. Now please, I don't wish to be the cause of violence, so before anyone acts a fool let's settle our tempers and be on our way."

"Don't be so self-absorb to think that this is solely about you, witch!" Virgil spat out, his glare not leaving Conner. "This goes beyond what your little mind can comprehend." He said. Conner let out a small laugh and smirked at Virgil. "Aye, don't pay him no mind. He's just jealous that I bent his mother over a table and gave her what his pa never could." Conner smiled as a vein could be seen throbbing on Virgil's forehead. "Always with the stupid fucking jokes Conner!" "Aye, whose joking?" Conner smiled. He looked over at Teyha, "I advise you stop with the act of trying to make peace, we hunters aren't known for settling our quarrels with words." He told her.

Virgil gripped the handle of the whip so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Always the careless one, always the funny one. You are a disgrace to the dignity and properness the Hunter Association are known for. If you weren't so good at killing we would have abandoned you long ago." Virgil said. "Aye, well too bad for you that I'm really good at killing. Your going to find that out first hand boyo." Conner taunted. "Enough! This ends now!" Virgil shouted as he lifted his whip and snapped it in Conner's direction.

Teyha crossed her arms and glared irritably at the witch hunter. "My husband retired to spend the remainder of his life with me. I am at least mostly responsible for this quarrel." She mused out loud. Neither hunter seemed to hear her mumbling, and they continued forward towards their confrontation.

Teyha rolled her eyes, and embraced the source, her wedding ring positively glowing white as she shot out the waves to meet Virgil's whip. Hard leather came down, and was met by an invisible but sharp as razorwire whip of her own. Her magic would split the whip in two, if she was able. If not she would wind the magic along it's length, and pin it to the ground. She was doing similar with both men's feet. The hard ground supporting them rose in thin tendrils, lacing it's way up across their calves. Admittingly, she was exerting far more power into holding Virgil in place than Conner, but that hunter at least earned some of her trust. "Virgil, hunter." She snapped, taking her place beside her man. "I can't see a shred of dignity or valor in this. Nor any common sense. You'll fight the first most powerful Witchhunter...." She faltered for a moment, and her eyes flickered to Conner, wondering if she should reveal the rest of her statement. He'd learn sooner or later, either way, so she sighed and gave in. "With the seventh most powerful witch born in nearly a thousand years looking on... And he first most powerful White witch born in that time to boot. You haven't a chance."

Conner tugged at the magic keeping his feet on the ground. He looked over to see Virgil trying his hardest to break free. He could see the strain on Teyha's face as she tried to hold him in place. "Fuck you whore! I don't give a fuck WHO you are, I will not be subdued by a stupid fucking witch!" Virgil shouted as he fought back against the magic. Conner merely sighed and took out a cigarette from his pack. he took out his light and lit it while looking over at Teyha.

"Shocking revalidation love, but I'm afraid that all this stress ain't good for the little one. You going to have to sit this one out for now." He said calmly as he took a long drag and blew it at Teyha. The smoke circling around her head before invading her mouth and nose. The magic chemicals overtook her and put her to sleep. Her magics all gone, Conner was able to move to catch her. He set her against a tree and turned to Virgil. "Now then, where were we?"

If Teyha were to pick the most inappropriate time to smoke, it would easily be this moment. Teyha struggled to hold her bonds, knowing that however powerful she was Earth was still her second weakest element and she could not hold up with this treatment long. She glanced over at Conner in confusion, but he only blew the smoke into her face. She opened her mouth to snap that smoke wasn't particularly good for their child either, but her body felt weighed down by down.

She saw the rush flash before her eyes before she actually felt herself falling. Her last conscious thought was that Conner had better be glad she didn't tie off her weaves, had he failed to catch her she would kill him herself when she woke.

Virgil ran at Conner and slashed with his whip. It cut through the air as Conner jumped up to dodge it. The whip cracked on the ground sending dirt and grass into the air. Conner landed and rolled to the right as Virgil whipped at him again with amazing speed. Conner tried to get in close but Virgil kept him at a distance every time he came in. "Shit." Conner muttered under his breath. Virgil definatley had more reach than he did. "Whats wrong Conner? Now so tough now are ya?" Virgil mocked as he whipped furiously at Conner.

Conner was able to dodge and move out the way of Virgil's attacks, but he knew without offence he would surely loose this battle. "Ah pipe down ya nancy. You'll be in yer grave soon enough." Conner retorted as he tried to formulate a plan. Virgil whipped again as Conner lept high into the air. Suddenly he heard a disgruntled groan. His eyes flashed to Teyha, she was tossing and turning in her rest. The distraction was enough for Virgil to wrap his whip around Conner's foot and slam him to the ground with bone crushing force.

Teyha groaned and twisted in her sleep, her mind filled with dark thoughts and nightmares. In the drugged state she couldn't wake herself, couldn't seek refuge in the sweet world of the living conscious. Her distress distracted Conner long enough for Virgil to gain brief hold over him.

The powder forced her past normal dreaming and into a world forged of dreams and experiences. "Shit..." She whispered to herself when she realized where she was. She found herself standing in the center of a grand city, the ghost figures of those who dreamed normally moving past her harmlessly. She stood motionless, her eyes scanning blank faces and signs, trying to understand where she was taken to. "Eighbrough." She said, her sleeping body echoing the location. Slowly she moved forward, ignoring how the ghostly figures passed though her without thought, seeking somewhere to hide.

"You're a new one." A low voice called, and Teyha spun, spotting a tall black cloaked man cutting across the crowd towards her. She took a few involuntary steps backwards, only to feel herself bump into an all too solid body behind her. The second man grabbed hold of her arms, holding her firmly still. "Don't move." The tall man ordered. "Your magic wont work here, you're only half here... a hunter trick." He told her in an only too comforting tone. He reached out slowly, and grasped her chin, his fingers digging sharply into her skin to leave dark bruises. Bruises that seemed to appear by magic on Teyha's sleeping body in the real world.

"Interesting..." The man whispered, leaning in close to peer into Teyha's eyes, to view what was happening in the waking world through her. "Now why are two hunters fighting before you, little witch?"

Conner grunted and moved his aching body. He sat up and noticed his dagger was thrown a few feet away. As he reached out it he felt a tug on his foot. Virgil''s whip was still around his ankle and with a sharp pull he sent Conner sailing into the trunk of a tree, bending Conner's body nearly in half. Conner let out a loud groan of pain as he fell to the ground. "Is this really what the best which hunter has to offer? I should have challenged you ages ago if I knew it would be this easy!" Virgil shouted as he drew back on the whip and sent Conner in an arch and slammed him into the ground. Virgil let out a sickening laugh as he tossed Conner about. "Whats wrong Conner? Not such a smart mouth now are ya?" He chuckled as he looked at Conner's crumpled body.

"Aye thats a handy weapon you got." Virgil heard Conner mutter out. "Time for me to give it a go." Conner said as he reached out and grabbed part of the whip. He stood and used his strength to swing Virgil. Virgil refused to let go of his weapon as he was thrown through the air and slammed into a tree. Conner then pulled hard on the whip, sending Virgil straight at him. He wound back and delivered a strong punch directly into Virgil's incoming jaw. Virgil landed on the ground clutching his face as Conner freed himself from the whip and walked over to his dagger.

"Stop it!" Teyha cried out in the dream world, jerking in the grasp of the large wizard behind her, but she was as helpless as any human woman. Stamping on feet and kicking shins didn't even earn her a grunt, and she found herself staring into the first man's eyes all the same, incapable of blinking. "Two of the best hunters, I know of them..." He whispered, a grin spreading across his face. "Now missy, you have nothing to fear, we'll send someone to take care of them."

"No!" Teyha shouted, but she could already see the blurs moving out the corner of her eyes, heading to the location where Conner and Victor fought, and she lay helpless on the ground. "Conner!" She cried, focusing to make sure her dream self echoed, "Dark witches... They're coming!" She warned.

Her short message to her lover earned her a vicious punch in the dream world, the wizard in front of her growling out loudly before yanking her head back by her hair, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Why are you helping them?" He demanded, his grip tightening until Teyha whimpered in pain. "They are murderers! Rapists! They slay our kind indiscriminately, why aid one of them?"

Virgil tired to push himself up but was forced back into the ground by Conner's foot. Virgil tried to reach for the whip but Conner simply kicked it away from his reach. He turned Virgil over and straddled his chest, keeping his arms to his side. Conner tossed the dagger from hand to hand in front of him. "Aye lad, seems today ain't your lucky day." Conner said as he raised the dagger above his head. Virgil spat at Conner in defiance, "Go to hell!" He shouted. "You first." Conner retorted with a smirk.

Conner was about to bring the dagger down when he felt the air around him rapidly heat up. He barely moved out the way before the air infront of him exploded in a fireball. The force cause him to roll of Virgil. He heard a loud yell and looked over and Virgil clutching his face and scream as blood oozed through his fingers. Conner stood up and looked around to see four black shadows circling him. Three men and a woman all seeming to be in their early twenties. All with jet black hair and red rings in their eyes that seemed to glisten and glow, contrasted by the black pools of their iris. Conner rolled his neck from side to side, letting out a few echoing cracks. "Black witches eh? Haven't killed one of ya in a long time." He said with a smirk as Virgil rolled on the ground still screaming and clutching his face.

"Please don't!" Teyha screamed in dream world, trying to get the attention of Conner or Virgil, to save them from the witches approach. "Run! Please!"

"Are you with child?" Whispered a voice in her ear, and Teyha froze, her eyes widening. "We can tell, by how solidly you're here... A human child I am guessing." He continued, as the man in front of him drew back, smirking. "The bastard child of one of the slayers?" Teyha tensed considerably, and the man in front of her let his punch fly, causing Teyha to scream in anticipation of the blow.

Instead his fist came down gently on her lower stomach, and Teyha stood panting, her entire body soaked in an icy sweat. Slowly she raised her eyes to those of the witch before her. "Your choice." he told her blankly. "Cry out for those hunters and you wont be a mother for long." He growled.

Teyha's jaw worked and her lips quivered, but she didn't dare say a word. 'Damnit Conner!' She thought furiously. 'I'm trusting you to beat them!'

Conner looked at the witches as the circled him like a pack of wolfs stalking their prey. He held the dagger in his hand tightly as he calculated his next move. He could kill a black witch no problem, but four at once? He had never been in such a situation. The witches eyed Conner with a blood thirsty look in their eyes. Each of them showing a sickening smile, indicating they not only wanted Conner dead, but they wanted him to suffer right until the end. "Aye, is it just me or do I feel some tension building?" Conner spoke as his gaze shifted to every witch so they wouldn't sneak up on him.

"Haha, do you think you even stand a chance hunter? You will die here today. You won't kill you right away, just cut off all your limbs and force you to watch as we rip your unborn child from your wife. Then if we feel merciful, we might kill you then." said one of the witches with an evil grin. "tch, Any one of you attempt to touch my wife and you'll be dead on the spot. I promise that." Conner retorted as his glance shifted to Teyha's sleeping body. He couldn't tell what she was dreaming about but she looked to be in pain. He had to end this so he could wake her up from her nightmare.

For the same of her child Teyha stayed perfectly still, trembling as the larger witch circled her, his fist balled in his threat. He paused after a moment, and with his other hand cupped her chin. "Maybe we'll let the child live." He considered, his tone so sickly sweet Teyha winced in response. "That witchhunter pig has some magic in him, and it's so hard for a witch and wizard to bear child." His hand dipped down, rubbing Teyha's still perfectly flat stomach. "But a halfbreed and a full blood... And one with as much power as you.... Oh this one will be powerful."

He nodded to the man behind Teyha, who loosened his grip, before his touch vanished altogether. "Since we know you wont run." The first Wizard chuckled, taking her arm in a faux tender move to lead her away with him. "Now follow close, you don't want to trip." He threatened, giving her arm a firm tug to solidify his threat.

In the real world the second Wizard appeared, eyes flashing as he eyed Conner. "Don't you make a move." He laughed at the hunter. "Unless you want to lose your pretty little family." He took a step boldly to Teyha, his eyes never leaving Conner. "You did us a favor sending her into the Dream world. You can't protect her there, hunter. And let this be your warning, any damage she feels there will come to pass on her body here. Now be a good boy and don't make a move, nothing you can do can save her now."

Conner looked at the witch with and irritated look. He knew if he made a move, what ever was happening to her in the dream world would surely injure or even kill her. Conner was in quite a predicament and let out a sigh. This day was getting worse by the minute and he just wanted everyone to leave...or die, Conner wasn't too picky. He put away his dagger and stood straight, looking at all of the witches. "Just letting you know, as soon as she wakes up. You are ALL dead." Conner said with complete seriousness.

"Your petty threats mean nothing to us hunter. Now prepare for your death!" One shouted as he charged for Conner. The witch reared his fist back and swung for Conner's head. Conner quickly side-stepped the witch and tripped him. "Aye, what was that? can't even hit a man who ain't fightin back?" He mocked. Soon the other witches joined in on the attack but Conner swiftly dodged all of their moves. "You know you witches aren't ment for physical battles, I don't see why you try." Conner told them. One of the witches let out a huff and stepped back. "Fine hunter, prepare to die by our magic!"

Teyha was pulled roughly by her arm to follow the hunter, but as she moved she began to feel a sickening weakness pass through her. Her vision grew slightly fuzzy and the corners of her vision grew dark. "Fuck!" Cried the wizard, and Teyha felt her arm pull free of his grip, as if she were slowly growing less solid. She stumbled backwards, the world spinning and dissolving around her. "I wont let you go back to him!" The wizard growled, and Teyha was all to aware of his fist flying towards her midsection. She cried out, and fell backwards, feeling the blow hit her full force, but far above where the man intended.

She jerked as she came to, crying out in pain as her hands moved to her ribs, clutching just under her bosom, where the attack had landed. Her eyes fluttered open and she panted, the wind knocked out of her, but alive, both her and the growing life inside her. "Fuck!" Cried the other wizard, and he lunged for Teyha, reaching out to grab her before Conner could think to protect the girl.

"Get away!" The smaller witch cried breathlessly, pushing herself against the tree in an attempt to flee the large man. She embraced her source before he could, and reacted quickly, acting purely on instinct as she reached out. He moved to grip her throat, and her fingers brushed against his forehead. The wizard jerked and spasmed, his body tensing before he grew entirely limp and crumbled at her feet. For a moment Teyha sat motionless, her hand still outstretched and eyes wide as the realization of what she'd done crashed around her. She scrambled away from the corpse, making it only a few feet before she collapsed, too weak from the lingering effects of Conner's power to go far.

Conner felt the air around him heat up again. He quickly jumped back before the large explosion happened. As soon as he landed he felt the air temperature rise again. he barely escaped the blast but landed right into a third one. He was flung a few feet away and his clothes were still burning. He patted out the flames but had to move swiftly as all four of them focused on trying to set him ablaze. Suddenly he heard a loud groan and looked over to see Teyha stirring and sitting up. Conner smirked as he saw her awake. One of the witches noticed this and tried to run towards Teyha. Before he got within a foot of her his skull was impaled by Conner's dagger. All the witches stopped their attack to look at him. He walked over to the body and pulled out his blade. He looked over at Teyha "Sorry bout the sleeping spell, didn't think it would send you into an evil dimension or where ever the hell you were." He said as he looked over at the remaining three.

Conner smiled wide as he tossed the dagger in his hand. "Alright boyos, funs over." He said as he raised his magic. A blue-ish aura began to cover his feet and calves. one witch began to cast a spell but Conner shot out with unmatched speed. He was instantly behind the witch and he swiftly slit his throat. The body crumpled to the ground, before it hit the dirt Conner had already flash stepped over to another witch and buried his dagger deep inside their gut. The witch screamed in pain and doubled over. Conner turned around to look at the last witch, a look of malice and vengeance in his eye.

Teyha rolled over, watching in horror as Conner killed the witches without a moments pause. A slit throat causes quite a splatter, and Teyha winced as the spray of blood shot across her, dampening her dress. She shuddered in horror and began to move, trying to escape the bloodbath. From the sharp pain in her chest she guessed the punch managed to at least crack her ribs, and she wasn't going to get far in this much pain. Stubbornness alone kept her crawling, her eyes locked onto the second witchhunter.

"It's okay." She whispered when she reached him, weaving threads of air to pull his hands away from his face and bind them at his side. She sat up awkwardly and pulled his head into her lap, smiling tenderly down at him as she began to work on the burns. "I'm sorry." She told him as she worked, numbing his pain before she tried to heal the wounds themselves. "Let me help you. We're on the same side here, against the black witches."

He walked up to the last witch with a scowl of utter pissed off. The witch visibly shook as her eyes widened and she stood there frozen by fear. The witch looked physically young, in her late teens or early twenties with long black hair and all black wardrobe. She trembled and felt her knees get weak as Conner strode over to her. He grabbed her by the throat and shoved her up against a tree with one hand and lifted her up. The bark raking against her back as the grip Conner had choked her. "Now lass, you've caught me in a mighty pissed off mood. I'd kill ya right now but I have a message for you to send to whoever sent ya." He pulled her down and stuck his face infront of hers. "If they ever try to fuck wit me OR my wife, I'll have their balls in a sling." He seethed as he threw the witch, sending her crashing into a tree.

The witch coughed as she gasped for the air she had been denied. She staggered up to her feet and sent Conner a deadly glare before vanishing in a cloud of smoke. Conner took a few deep breathes and looked over at Teyha who was cradling Virgil in her lap. He walked over to the pair and looked down at Virgil whose face had been all but nearly melted off. Teyha's magic only did so much and Virgil was left with a massively scarred face. "My, and I thought you were ugly before." Conner remarked. Virgil scowled and rose to his feet ready to attack Conner "YOU BASTARD!" He shouted but was stopped by Teyha who put herself between the two.