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Ten minutes later, Hawk showered and changed into a Winnie the Pooh pajama set Gwen had bought him, came back downstairs.
The Hell Witch, still wreathed in blue flame, looked at him, her voice filled with gratitude.
"Thank you, Hawk. You're a good man."
"Yes. You're not like the men who burned us."
"No."
"You—"
"Stop." Hawk held up a hand, cutting her off. He didn't know why, but every time the other souls in her started talking, it felt like he was listening to a comedy routine.
He got straight to the point. "I thought all the dimensional pathways were supposed to be closed."
The Hell Witch nodded and explained. "The energy wave from the Convergence of the Nine Realms is strong enough to assimilate any dimension it touches. And since we are dimensional beings, it would have been fatal for us to be exposed. So we returned to Hell before the energy wave was released."
Hawk said. "So, the gates to Hell are open again?"
"No."
"Then how—"
"We sensed Carrie's magic awakening," she explained. "A witch's magic only awakens under extreme emotional distress. And if a newly awakened witch isn't guided, her own power can destroy her. If she survives, and if no one helps her, she'll suffer the same fate we did—burned as a heretic. Carrie is our descendant. We couldn't let that happen. So, one of us—Emma, sacrificed her own soul to open a temporary gateway."
Emma.
One of the souls within the Hell Witch. Her voice was always cool and detached.
No wonder he hadn't heard her. Hawk looked at the witch, at the swirling mass of souls, and saw that one of the entangled souls was missing.
"But why come to me? Wouldn't it have been faster to go directly to her?"
"We cannot leave New York City. Not as long as the Osborns are here."
"Why not?"
"When we first returned from Hell, the Sorcerer Supreme found us. I was once a Salem witch, and the Salem Dimension had dealings with Kamar-Taj. I had even spoken with the Ancient One herself. So, she granted us a special dispensation. We are allowed to remain in New York, but we cannot leave, and we cannot harm any humans… unless an Osborn leaves the city first."
Hawk understood.
The New York Sanctum was one of the three great pillars of Kamar-Taj. He had always wondered why they had allowed a demonic entity to openly curse one of the city's most prominent families right under their noses.
So this was it. A special, off-the-books arrangement. Even in the world of magic, it all came down to who you knew.
"So, do you know when the gates to Hell will reopen?"
The Hell Witch shook her head. "We don't know. But it should be soon. We could feel that the energy wave, while still present, has weakened. It can no longer harm us."
Hawk nodded. "I see."
Just then, the Hell Witch spoke again. "Hawk, when we were in Hell, we saw your sister."
Hawk's head snapped up.
"ANYA?"
"Yes."
"How is she?"
He didn't even realize his own voice was trembling.
The Hell Witch held out her hands, and a blue light flickered, coalescing into a spectral flame that formed the projected image of a young woman.
Hawk stared at the image.
There was no doubt. It was his sister.
But…
The trembling in his gaze slowly faded, replaced by a look of relief. "She's gotten taller. And her hair has grown out."
The Hell Witch lowered her hands. "Hell is the realm of the dead. But other than that, it is no different from Earth."
Hawk nodded.
He sank onto the sofa and rubbed his face, then looked back at the witch. "Where did you see her?"
"In the palace of the Lord of Hell. We had gone to ask Mephisto to open a gateway for us. He refused. As we were leaving, we saw her in one of the palace wings."
A wave of relief washed over Hawk. His sister was alive, safe, being looked after.
"Is she okay?"
"Why don't you ask her yourself?"
"..."
Hawk's pupils contracted.
The Hell Witch didn't speak. She began to chant, and as the incantation flowed from her lips, a strange energy began to fill the room. Hawk couldn't see it, but his Sixth Sense could—a dark, ominous gate was opening.
He could sense it, but he couldn't touch it, couldn't pinpoint its location.
Soon, the chanting stopped.
And then, A soul, confused and hesitant, stepping through the Gate of Hell.
She looked exactly as she had in the projection. Dressed in a simple white dress, her long hair falling in gentle waves—Anya looked around, and then her eyes met his.
The next second, he heard a voice he hadn't heard in years.
"Brother!"
Anya's eyes lit up. She ran toward him.
Hawk's arms opened, ready to embrace her.
But she stopped at the very edge of the gate, at the boundary between Hell and Earth. It was as if she could not take that final step.
In his senses, she was right there.
And yet, so far.
Hawk looked at the Hell Witch.
She explained, "This is only possible because of the residual energy from Emma's sacrifice. I'm sorry, I don't have the power to resurrect her. And she only has one minute. Before the gate closes, she must return to Hell. Otherwise, the spirits that linger outside will devour her."
Hawk nodded, a look of gratitude on his face. He turned back to his sister. "Anya, don't worry. Wait for me. I'm coming to get you. I'll be there soon to bring you home."
Anya had always been a good girl. She didn't cry, didn't argue. She just smiled, tears streaming down her face. "I know. The Lord of Hell told me. He said if he didn't take good care of me, my brother would rip his head off and turn it into a wine goblet. My brother is the strongest man in the world."
Tears welled in Hawk's own eyes. He smiled back. "Of course he is. So believe me, I will bring you home."
Anya nodded emphatically.
The next second, the minute was up. He could sense the gate beginning to close, and in the darkness beyond it, countless pairs of malevolent eyes turned toward Anya.
The Hell Witch didn't hesitate. In an instant, she had sent Anya back through the gate.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Gate of Hell slammed shut.
The moment it vanished, the Hell Witch swayed, the blue flames around her dimming as she nearly collapsed.
"I'm sorry. The energy from Emma's soul is gone."
"Thank you."
Hawk closed his eyes, took a deep steadying breath, and then looked at her. "I owe you one."
...
Just then, Carrie, freshly showered and dressed in a pair of Gwen's spare pajamas, came downstairs. Hawk looked at her, then back at the Hell Witch. "So, what's the plan for her?"
The Hell Witch began, "We were hoping—"
Hawk said. "Say no more. I'll take care of her."
It wasn't a refusal, it was an acceptance. After what the Hell Witch had just done for him, he would do more than just take care of Carrie.
The Hell Witch shook her head. "Thank you, but she can't stay here. She's newly awakened. She needs a teacher. If you could, we were hoping you could find a witch for her. We are bound to the Hell dimension now. We no longer know any others."
Hawk was taken aback for a second, then nodded.
"Of course. I'll find someone. Any requirements?"
"Just someone who can teach her the basics. Once her powers are stable, the knowledge of the Salem Dimension will awaken within her naturally."
"Understood."
"I'll take care of it."
"Thank you."
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If you're interested, you can read 40 advanced chapters:
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
~# Bonus Chapter every 300PS