Raska Tales: The Risen Witch

"What in the Goddamn?!" he swore as a monstrous feline materialized in the middle of the bedroom, its tail tightening up around him before adjusting itself to cover his mouth.

"Jack!" Chaylee cried.

A second figure materialized from the smoke, her chest swelling as she took in the scent of the perfume still lingering from when the queen had applied it. Breathing out with a brief chuckle, the intruder dusted off the sleeves her leather armor and tightened the strings that secured her black cloak to her pauldrons.

Kicking off the heeled slippers she wore, the Queen squared off with the rogue and glanced to what weapons were available to her. This quick search stopped when the woman pulled her hood back, grinning at her while brushing the bangs of her lengthy, white hair back away from her face and freeing her ponytail from her collar.

"So this is how royalty lives," Haru said, looking about the bedroom with one hand resting lazily upon the hilt her blade and the other planted on her hip. "To think I had the fantasy once of trying to free you of your imprisonment. Seeing this, I'd have rather joined you."

"Who are you?" Chaylee asked, a furious glare staring bloody murder.

"A question I find to be passed around a lot recently," the witch replied rubbing her chin and looking to the ceiling. "One that has always seemed to warrant extreme reactions from all parties involved."

"Who. Are. You?" the Queen asked a second time.

The witch sighed and turned to face the royal with one arm across her chest to support her elbow as she struck a thoughtful pose. Tapping a finger to her chin, she said, "Last time we were together, we were perched by the front window, waiting for Papa to come home as a storm ravaged out home. All night we waited and when he finally returned..."

She drew her kopis as black flames erupted from her hair, shrouding her head with a fire that brought a cold chill to the room. Chaylee jumped back a step, her breath catching in her throat as the witch pointed the tip of her blade at the General wrapped in the Demon's tail.

"NO!" the Empress thundered, dashing forward only to find herself hitting the shimmering glow of a magic barrier.

"This animal came to us and murdered him and Mama. Left me to die when our home burned to the ground."

Dawson's eyes broadened with recognition as the witch seemed ready to sink her blade into him. "You know who I am, don't you General? The question is: should Xerivan's daughter take her revenge for her parents' deaths?"

"Ruya?" Chaylee questioned.

Haru stared into Jack's eyes with a placid expression, the warrior giving a sigh as he acceptingly closed his eyes.

"The answer is yes, I should. But the reality is no, I won't." She withdrew her kopis and slid it back into its sheath. Jack opened his eyes to see her tying her sheath's blade strings around the weapon's hilt into a peace-knot. "I won't assassinate you like you did my Papa. I won't cause my sister to endure the same pain twice."

The barrier keeping Chaylee at bay disappeared. For a moment it looked like she would rush over to Jack, but then she looked to the monster that still had its tail wrapped around him. So instead she faced the intruder and repeated her question, "Is that you Ruya?"

With her weapon secure, the witch turned her face to her. The black flames in her hair went out and she took a step toward the brunette with a smirk growing on her face. Spreading her arms, she answered, "Yes. Alive, in the flesh."

The older sibling stood in place for only moment before she took a hesitant step forward to hug her baby sister, "Ruya."

"It's me, Lee," Haru whispered, resting her cheek on top of her "big" sister's head. "The moon has set and the sun has risen, I never forgot and I still love you."

Chaylee took in sharp inhale at the phrase. A play on the words their mother had always whispered to them when she tucked them in at night. A simple phrase that none other in the world could have known since she had died, nor could have known. Unless they were there to hear it themselves.

"How did you survive?" the elder sibling asked with a sniffle and watering eyes.

"Magic."

The two sisters pulled apart, Chaylee now grinning as she looked her sister up and down less in fear and more in excitement. "You've changed. Your hair's white."

"You got shorter," Haru quipped in return.

A chuckle escaped the Empress, then she glanced back at the feline holding onto her general. "What is that thing? Will it release Jack now?"

"His name is Xerivan," Haru answered. "He's named after Papa, and he's a Demon I found when I was young. He only bites if I tell him to."

As though to prove her point, the witch turned to him and patted her shoulder as she ordered, "Xervy, put the General down."

With a growl and a sneer, the Demon dissolved into black smoke and snaked across the floor. Dawson landed on his feet, though he was still slack jawed at the fact that a witch stood beside his Empress. Especially one he thought had died two decades prior who now had a Demon in an eagle form perched on her shoulder that glowered at him with hateful, red eyes. The look was threatening enough it was as though it had a blood-grudge against him.

"It's unbelievable to see you, Ruya. To know you're alive..." Chaylee said, her sister wiping her face for her. "I want to know, though, why did you come now? Not before?"

Haru shrugged with a grin, "I didn't know where you were until word spread of Dawson's victory. I heard rumors of the 'New Empress Chaylee' while tracking the man that killed mother and m- made the attempt to kill me. Now that he's dead, I came here to make my final peace with my past."

"You killed Sarth?" Dawson interrupted.

"You want his head?" Haru asked, turning to him. "I have it, if you must verify the kill for my bounty."

Dawson frowned, noting the dead-seriousness of the witch's face before he shook his head. "No need."

"So you came to see your sister take her place in this world?" Chaylee asked, wiping her face of tears.

"I did indeed,'" Haru answered, her smile swiftly returning. "I had nightmares about what might have happened to you when you were taken. When I heard the war ended, with the tyrant slain and the 'true King's' long lost daughter Chaylee taking his throne, I knew I couldn't miss it."

"Are you staying at all? The people here in the Capital want to have a festival for me. I'm sure it will be a grand time and we could catch up on all our lost years."

"Tempting..." Haru said, rubbing her chin. "I can stay for that, but when the festivities end, I must go. I still have some... demons to chase. Leads to follow. Contracts to fill. Men to kill."

"You're a sellsword now?" Chaylee asked, and her sister nodded.

"I am. Currently gaining fame in the northern parts of Astiko, but towns are so scattered there it's hard to get common recognition. If word got around I played a body guard for the new Empress, I think the 'Skull Wraith' could become quite a famous name."

"Skull Wraith?" the new royal repeated, cocking an eyebrow with an unimpressed look.

The mercenary simply grinned with innocence. "It's different. It's fearsome. Better than the White-haired Witch."

Chaylee nodded in agreement and grinned. "Okay, Ruya. I'd be glad to hire your services for my first outing as Empress..." She chuckled. "It's good to have you back, Sister."

Haru looked to her Demon as it bared a sly look at her to match her own. "It's good to be back."