HA\LF: Dead nor Alive

“It’s impossible…” Archie said as he walked past the black-haired witch.

The black-haired witch smirked as her eyes kept following Archie. “It’s possible, you just have to unleash the power that you have.”

“Like what?” Archie asked as he turned around and looked at the witch. “I have been here for 2 days, and fought them ever since! I used everything that I have and it wasn’t enough.” Archie continued as he sighed.

“Give me your hand,” The witch said as she offered her hand at Archie.

Archie looked at her hand while he sighed then he offered his hand to her. The witch grabbed his hand and Archie was surprised when he felt it, he retracted his hand from the witch’s hand immediately.

The witch smiled as she raised her eyebrow. “Did you feel it?”

“What was that? Your hand, it doesn’t feel like a hand at all…” Archie asked with a confused expression.

The witch giggled mischievously. “Now you know, don’t you?”

Archie squinted his eyes and weirdly stared at her.

“This body…” The witch said as she stared at her own hand. “Isn’t made from flesh and bone anymore…” The witch flipped her hand and lifted it up. “My whole body has become one with the parasite that possessed my body and the reason why my hand is so cold and slimy is because of that.” The witch said as she looked at Archie.

Archie shook his head with confusion. “What are you trying to say?” Archie asked.

The witch smirked as she leaned her body forward. “Us, the sisters are not exactly the same as you are. Even if we are Drautnir, we are the first generation of it. We are not perfect like you, our existence is limited by this.” The witch said. “We seem strong because we know what we are capable of and know exactly what’s our limit since we have been living for centuries.” The witch sat down and leaned on the tree. “But you’re different, you have no limit to your power.” The witch continued as she pointed her finger at Archie.

Archie sighed. “Can you explain it to me simply so I can understand?”

The witch sighed as she closed her eyes. “When you became Drautnir for the very first time, were you able to kill the parasites?” The witch asked.

“I was but it was hard. I lost my arm and I felt like I was going to die at that moment.” Archie answered.

The witch hummed with understanding and then she opened her right eye to look at Archie. “What about now? I’m talking about you before you got that power from the laboratory.” The witch asked.

“It was way easier because I’m used to it,” Archie replied.

“Are you sure it’s just because you’re getting used to it?” The witch asked with her eyebrow raised. “I remember you said that it took you a day to regrow your arm, but now it only took hours.” The witch continued. “So, what does that mean?” The witch asked.

Archie looked at his hands and clenched them. “I’m getting stronger and because the parasite inside me is starting to become one with me…” Archie replied quietly.

“Wow, you’re so smart.” The witch said sarcastically. “But, you’re right about it because when I became like this, I suffocated myself and I couldn’t breathe because the parasite was slowly and painfully trying to adapt inside my body. It felt like I was drowning for decades.” The witch explained. “It was the same to my other sisters. The one that could control the trees and the roots was unable to move for decades and she had to feel the pain of being crushed and her whole body grew with itches all over her body.” The witch said as she looked at the tree behind her.

“So, the one with fire ability, she felt like she was burning for decades?” Archie asked.

“Yes.” The red-haired witch appeared from behind the tree. “My whole body melted before I became one with the parasite.” The red-haired witch explained.

“What about the one that became wind?” Archie asked both of them.

The wind blew and it whispered into Archie’s ear. “My body disintegrated and when it flew into the wind it was split into pieces and they flew around uncontrollably. It was painful whenever the wind splits because the more wind splits, I felt the pain on every part of my body.”

“So, all the witches from each continent felt the same thing?” Archie asked with his eyebrows furrowed.

“Yes, all of them,” The black-haired witch replied.

Archie raised his eyebrows with a surprised expression.

“I told you, we are not the same because you didn’t suffer like us, you were just being possessed, that’s all.” The black-haired witch said. “As I said, we are like the imperfect version of you because we can’t handle the parasite for decades and we can only have one parasite in our body while you on the other hand has no limit.” The black-haired witch explained.

Archie looked at his hand and then looked at the witches. “So, all I have to do to become strong is to keep fighting with this power that I have?”

Both of them smiled and nodded at him.

“There’s a saying that a broken bone will heal stronger. It’s not true but that’s a phrase to tell them that once you’re at your lowest, there’s nothing that can break you anymore.” The black-haired witch said as she smirked.

Archie slightly smiled and nodded in agreement.

“Alright, that’s enough of talking…” The black-haired witch said as she stood up. “It’s time for you to go down there and become strong.” The black-haired witch continued as she walked past Archie.

Archie followed her with the red-haired witch walking next to him.

They reached the edge of the cliff again, Archie looked down and looked at The Mother in the middle of the lake. “What is that thing, and why you called her The Mother?” Archie asked.

“We actually don’t know much about The Mother,” The black-haired witch replied. “But her calls affect us as well. Her calls always bring the parasite inside us and the rest of the parasites in this forest to heed her calls.” The black-haired witch explained as she crossed her arms.

Archie was surprised by her explanation.

The red-haired witch walked and stood next to Archie. “We believe that she has been here long before us because we can’t really resist her calls. That’s why we called that parasite The Mother and we are her children.”

“So, she’s basically the strongest parasite on this continent?” Archie asked as he kept staring at The Mother.

The black-haired witch didn’t say a word as she glanced at Archie with a smirk on her face while the red-haired witch just smiled at Archie and also didn’t say anything.

Archie knew that he wasn’t strong enough to take her and the parasites around her on, but he thought to himself that he could defeat all those parasites around the lake.

“Now, go down there and push yourself to the limit until you can see the death door in front of you.” The black-haired witch said.

Archie closed his eyes and took a deep breath then exhaled deeply. He opened his eyes and clenched his fist then jumped off of the cliff without hesitation.

Archie dove into the lake and immediately lifted his body out of the water with his fingers and claws extended. He glared at those parasites that started to approach him from all directions. He slowly backed away to the shore so he didn’t get surrounded from all directions.

The witches sat down on the edge as they watched Archie from above.

“I almost laughed at his statement earlier,” The black-haired witch said as she giggled.

The red-haired witch smiled. “It’s not time for him to know what’s below this continent and what kind of living nightmares reside inside it.” The red-haired said as she plucked the grass next to her with very long and thick roots.

Archie looked back and saw the wall was already on his back, he then looked at his left and right. Dozens of parasites were running toward him, he took a deep breath with a chill down his spine then started to run to his right to fight the easier parasites. He slashed and tear the parasites from left to the right with one objective to become strong in his mind.

“Archie!” The black-haired witch shouted at him.

Archie decapitated the parasite in front of him then he looked up to see the witches sitting on the edge of the cliff.

“Remember! Your power is limitless!” The black-haired witch shouted. “Keep that in mind and never forget that!” The black-haired continued.

“You should realize that already and you will start to be hungry for power and nothing will ever be enough!” The black-haired witch shouted with a smirk on her face.

Archie scoffed and smirked as he tear the head of the parasite. “You know that I know that already, so don’t bother me with that motivational speech…” Archie said quietly as he got fired up from her words.