ToT: The Witch Burns You

"Boo!" Samara yelled in David's ear.

David didn't even flinch. "Yes, loudly announce our presence in the middle of a witch's territory. A witch that we happen to be hunting at the moment. Who may or may not be holding multiple children hostage."

Samara pouted. David could be such a drag sometimes. "Can't you at least pretend to be scared? We are in a place called Darkhowl Woods, after all. Let's get the full experience!"

David made a big show of looking around at what Samara had to admit was an ordinary, unassuming, distinctly nonthreatening stretch of woodland. Then he vaguely waved his arms in the air and said: "Oh man, I was so scared" in an utterly deadpan voice.

"Pro tip, David: when pretending to be scared, it helps to act as though you feel fear."

"Pro tip, Samara: when trying to scare someone in the woods, it helps to do it at midnight instead of midday." Samara smiled inwardly at that. Because of his characteristic bluntness and apparent tendency to solve problems with brute force, a few people initially- and mistakenly- wrote him off as a bit of an oaf- an "uncivilized peasant", as Prier had called him.

Something in a tree nearby caught her attention.

"You saw it too, yes?" She whispered to David.

David nodded. "There was another one a few minutes ago. They're more densely packed here. We're getting close."

Samara nodded. David wasn't exactly a genius, but he was still a lot smarter than some people gave him credit for. Take this job, for example.

The Trackers' Guild knew that Morgan lived somewhere in the area, and they knew she'd set traps all over her territory. That was all they knew, but, as David had pointed out, it was all they needed to know.

During Glenmark's botched invasion of Glory's Peak, the town's defenders had placed similar devices all over the mountainside, deathtraps that made Morgan's snares look like the amateur jobs they were. And, in one of the great facepalm-inducing moments of history, they had neglected to record where exactly all the traps were set, or even how many there were. As a result, many of them were still where they had been set- and still armed- fifteen years later. Natural selection dictated that the people of Glory's Peak learned to spot tripwires and concealed pressure plates in the wilderness.

The guild had known there would be traps. All David and Samara had to do was find them, and follow them to Morgan's lair.

David pointed at ahead. "I'm betting it's there."

Samara grimaced. Before them lay the most twisted, distorted tree they had ever seen. It was almost cartoonish, really. Was this what Madras had been talking about when she'd mentioned the corruption caused by magic?

She wouldn't know. Unlike most of the continent, Glory's Peak had never had to deal with magic. Witches lived in the wilderness, virtually without exception, and trying to live in the wilderness in Glory's Peak would be suicide. When on that mountain, one lived in or near the village, or not at all. Children there were not raised to fear witchcraft. Samara briefly wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Looking more closely, Samara noticed small windows, a chimney, and other things that confirmed that this was their target. Nodding to David, she crept up to the nearest window, peeked in, and saw an aging Vulpix shouting at a young Woobat. The Woobat was shiny and wore a bow. Four children (two Poochyenas, a Magby, and a Machop) were tied up against the back wall, near a large fireplace.

Having seen everything she needed to, Samara crept back to David.

"She's there" she said. "And so are a few of the kids. Four of them."

"Are the Plusle and Minun among them?" asked David.

Samara shook her head. "But I did also see a shiny Woobat with a bow."

David stared at the tree. "Two of our targets in one place. That's going to complicate things. We can't just charge in. They have hostages."

Samara considered for a moment, and then remembered where the children had been. "Did you pick up those magic seeds before we set off."

David tapped one of the pouches on his belt. "They're right here. You have something in mind?"

Samara explained the plan.

David stared at her. "You sure you'll fit?"

Samara glared at him. "Are you calling me fat?"

_____________________

"I'll try to be more careful next time, Miss Morgan" said Molly.

"You'll do better than try" snapped Morgan. The stupid little girl had been using up her potions faster than they could be replaced, and some of the ingredients were hard to find. Between replacing Molly's supplies and scrying for that poncy Braixen, Morgan had barely had time to prepare the children. "You're sure you weren't followed?"

"She didn't need to be" a third voice said. Morgan turned to look, and was suddenly face-down on the floor. She tasted blood.

_____________________

Samara could already hear the fighting as she climbed towards the chimney. She grinned. David knew how to control where the fight would go, and he was more than capable of keeping any of the attacks from hitting the kids.

She reached the chimney, and chuckled. It was clean, plenty big enough for her to fit, rough enough that climbing back up would be simple, and covered with a locked grate. Clearly, Morgan wasn't going to let it be that easy. Or at least, she was trying not to.

Samara flicked her wrists, and a couple of thin ice spikes appeared in her hand, harder and sharper than anything in nature.

Samara had learned years ago: Ice Shards could double as a very efficient set of lock-picks. It had been one of the best discoveries she had ever made.

Samara opened the grate, hopped down, and took in the scene at a glance. The Woobat was tied to the floor, struggling helplessly against the flowery weeds entangling her. David was bashing Morgan all over the room. The witch tried to throw potions at her attacker, but she never even got the chance to aim. David was a relentless fighter.

The children noticed her. Samara put a finger to her lips. The kids understood, and stayed quiet.

"You're going to escape up the chimney" she whispered. "When you get up there, stay on the roof until I get up there." She slashed their bonds, gave the Magby and Machop a boost up the chimney... and paused.

How were the two Poochyena going to get up? Paws did not lend themselves to rock-climbing. Samara had gotten around this problem with Penelope about a month ago, but there were no rope ladders here. She looked at the Poochyena. Both of them looked small enough for her to lift.

Carry them up one at a time, then.

Samara noticed that it had gone very quiet. She exhaled, and then turned around.

Morgan had finally managed to nail David with a potion vial. She'd followed up with a Flame Burst, and David was now lying on the ground, covered in burns. And Morgan was now looking straight at Samara.

The witch smiled. "Clever ones. Oh, I love it when the clever ones come after me. I didn't even notice you enter."

Samara remained silent.

"But I'm afraid your friend" she continued, stepping on one of David's burns and pressing- David gritted his teeth but refused to groan- "couldn't keep me distracted for long. And I do need those children." Morgan gestured at the two Poochyena, who stood in front of Samara and growled at their captor. Morgan glared. "You really shouldn't take what isn't yours."

Samara smiled. "Instead of pointing out the obvious hypocrisy in that statement, I will simply regretfully inform you that I never really managed to learn that lesson."

Morgan sneered. "I'd be happy to teach-"

With a flash of white light, the door was blasted off its hinges. A Bisharp strode in, gave the room a cursory glance, and aimed his arm at Morgan- who was right between him and the fireplace.

Samara grabbed the two remaining kids and dove to the side.

The Metal Burst hit Morgan dead on, blasting her back into the fireplace, and then through the wall. The witch lay outside in a pile of rubble. Getting to her feet, Morgan took one last look at the Bisharp, and then bolted into the woods.

"Be careful!" Samara yelled at the Bisharp while rushing towards David, Symbol of Charity in hand. "You could've hit the kids!"

"My employer ordered me to hunt down the witch" replied the Bisharp. His voice was a commanding baritone. "Hostages are not my concern." With that, he stepped through the hole in the wall and went after Morgan.

Samara looked after him for a solid minute. Who the hell was that guy?

"Samara?" David said weakly. "Any day now?"

"Oh- right!" Samara held the Symbol of Charity above David's forehead. "Er... how do you use this thing?"

David shrugged. Samara looked at it for a few seconds, and then smashed it into David's forehead.

There was a bright yellow flash, and David's burns disappeared. He staggered to his feet, rubbing his forehead.

"Ouch" he said.

_____________________

"Special delivery!" said the Mienfoo driving the cart. "It's either five children or four children and one really big hairy sushi roll. With Team Lancer's greetings!"

Resin, Vander, and Percy looked at the first four children and sighed with relief, recognizing them as four of the children who'd gone missing. Vander ordered Marble to go get the kids' families. Percy felt a bit worried that Handle and Griddle had not been among the children, but was still glad that these ones had been saved.

"Where are David and Samara?" asked Vander.

"On their way back" said the driver. "Said something about stopping in Rivercross Acres along the way."

"Ah, the bandit problem. Good." Vander turned to face the cart's final occupant. A young girl, a shiny Woobat with a bow on her head. At the moment, she was asleep, tied up with what looked like flowery weeds. He looked at Resin. "Is it her?"

"No doubt in my mind" said Resin. "We can put her in one of the cells. I'll talk to her tomorrow."

"Gunnar wasn't happy about this" said the driver. "He doesn't like us being used as prisoner transport."

"Tell him we appreciate it" said Vander. He and Resin started tugging at Molly's bonds.

The next morning, Resin came down to the girl's cell to find it empty. An empty potion vial lay on the floor.

As Resin ran off to sound the alarm, Molly was winging her way north, back towards the woods. Morgan was going to be really mad at her.