A WHOLE NIGHT of studying a grimoire was a headache! Alinta could feel her eyes burning and her mind frying. The spell to vanquish Vasta was as difficult as she had imagined.
Cracking the codes, trying to pronounce the words correctly, and locating the components required to conduct the ritual--- she felt like giving up and staying here until death.
As if she had a choice.
This world would send her back to her own timeline. Once she had done so, she needed to make sure she had the necessary power to retaliate against Luna and Vasta. Otherwise, she and the others would perish. For real.
Heck! She didn't even know if they were still alive!
"You look pathetic."
Alinta turned to face the door. Her grandmother gave her a scornful look. Her lips twitched. "You're here," she said as she cleared her throat. "Can you help me with this spell?"
Atara approached the girl, stooped over to examine the spell, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "You're having problems with this one?" she mumbled. "This is as easy as eating a pie!"
"Perhaps for you," Alinta responded. "You're the one who made this spell."
Atara took the grimoire. "Darkness vs. Darkness," she said. "It would be nice to have a pure white witch on our side to fight against darkness, but since there isn't, I thought of creating a spell that a dark witch could use against his own kind." Back in the Hex Kingdom, the dark witches weren't just enemies with the white witches. There were also disputes among them. And because they might not be able to get help from people who considered themselves kind and compassionate, she made this magic.
"The ladies here are witches," Alinta frowned. "Aren't they distinguished between dark and white as well?"
"They are determined as witches. Nothing more." Atara put down the grimoire.
"How about Priestess Morrigan?"
"She's called that because she had the blood of all seven clans, not because she's a pure white witch. Her identity means she can shift into a werewolf, feed on blood, gracefulness and archery of the elves, fire breath of the dragons, the tail of the mermaids, the mechanical wittiness of the dwarves, and the magic power of the witches."
Alinta, stunned, couldn't help but exclaim, "Doesn't that mean she's so powerful!"
"Yes, ah. She was so powerful. So powerful--- she was defeated by truly yours."
"....." said Alinta.
"Anyway," Atara said, waving her hand. "This darkness vs. darkness spell I created needed to be performed by a dark witch," she said, her eyes squinting as she grinned ominously. "So no matter how much you practice, the spell will never succeed."
Alinta tensed.
"If you've not resolved your inner predicament yet, I advise you to do so now. Before this world returns you to your timeline, you should be done deciding," Atara said. "Being a dark witch isn't shameful. I don't know what's making you hesitate."
Alinta hesitated to look at her grandmother. "You're not a dark witch yourself, too."
Atara's expression clouded. "If you're my descendant, you probably know why my dark blood awakened."
That's right. Her grandma had murdered her own sister. Wouldn't that imply she returned to the Hex Kingdom? Atara would then murder her sister there.
But, looking at her grandma and hearing her remarks, Alinta realized she had planned to assassinate her sister from the start. Nieva and her were unaware of the conflict between the older generations. It piqued her interest.
Suddenly, there was a knock, interrupting their thoughts. They both looked towards the person who had knocked and noticed Pia with brilliant eyes staring at them.
"Milady!" exclaimed Pia. "Princess Luna is looking for you. She's waiting downstairs."
Atara snorted. "Tell her I don't have time for her ridiculousness," she said, waving with her palm. "Instead of looking for me, she should appease her parents and siblings."
Pia nodded obediently and walked away.
"Isn't Luna your half-disciple?" Alinta inquired. "You don't seem to think of her much."
"That girl always thinks of ways to use people for her own means," Atara explained. "I only accepted her as my half-disciple in the moment of weakness. I pitied her. But she never tried improving herself, always seeking shelter and assistance from those who were more powerful. Once she didn't get what she wanted, she would develop hatred towards those people. Luna thinks of herself as the pitiest, someone who should receive the help of others but never really did anything to improve." She pinched the middle of her eyebrows. "I tried to change that attitude of hers. Yet, based on your story, she didn't change at all."
"How did your grimoire end up with her then?"
Atara shrugged. "How should I know?"
After that, Atara left. Alinta, on the other hand, kept studying the spell. But this time, it was the magic that would assist Severino in his struggle. After a few hours, Alinta sighed and exited the room. She hid the grimoire in her consciousness and went in search of Severino.
They were both at the same temple. She'd have no trouble finding him. She merely had to ask one of the stationed guards. She was then warmly escorted to the study room.
Alinta knocked. "I'll go in."
She entered. And the first thing she saw was Severino, of course.
"You find a way to help me?"
"Of course," sneered Alinta. She sat down and proceeded, "But let me ask you, why is your wolf a different kind?" 
How could such a bloodthirsty wolf become part of Severino's?
Severino's gaze became darker.
Alinta noticed his mood darkening and offered her hands in surrender. "I'm asking casually; no need to respond if you don't want to." She grinned as she tapped on the table. "I do have a guess, though. The Blood Clad Pack is known for their eccentric behaviour. They kill without remorse and think nothing of others. They had accumulated hatred and blood that bore a curse. That curse was, unfortunately, bestowed on you."
Severino remained silent.
"But other than your wolf being the most vicious, you can't also control it," said Alinta. It's no surprise she hadn't seen this man transform into a werewolf.
"Do you have a way to help me or not?"
Alinta tsked. She sighed and rolled her eyes. What a dull person to converse with.
"I told you I had a way," she said, blinking. "Sealing spell is as easy as eating a pie."
---
"Do you really want to do this?" Alinta double-checked. They returned to the pristine spring, and she was holding Severino's hand. While the man was submerged in the water, she drew something on his palm. She, on the other hand, sat on the ground. "Once we succeed, you won't be able to shift unless the seal is broken."
As Alinta wrote those strange letters on his palm, Severino felt a chill sink into his bones. "I am powerful without the wolf," he said.
Alinta rolled her eyes. She didn't care whether he was strong or weak. But a man and his wolf were one, after all. Missing the other would make the other feel uneasy. She was also concerned about the consequences of sealing the wolf.
"I think it's still better to inform your mother," she said. Then, a fierce glare was thrown at her. "I'm only afraid of the consequences of missing a wolf," she quickly explained.
"You have nothing to worry about," Severino said hoarsely. The cold was starting to affect him. "We are only sealing my wolf, not killing it."
Alright. Alinta should quit being concerned. He had been alive for thousands of years before meeting her. She had no idea what had happened to him over the years, but he should be fine.
The letter also had to be drawn to his body. So she told him to take off his clothes. Severino gave her a weird look before obeying her instructions.
Alinta gave this guy's body a mental thumbs up. Very well kept, and nothing but a bunch of muscles! But she kept her face stern so as not to show the man how fascinated she was.
When Alinta finished drawing the letters, it was well past noon. She rose up and wiped the sweat off her face. Drawing took a lot of her energy as well, especially the type of drawing used for sealing.
Severino stared at the woman in silence, waiting for her next move. Then, his eyes flashed in astonishment as Alinta took a deep breath and transformed into her actual form.
"I will begin."
Alinta closed her eyes and began to chant. The temperature dropped, the earth jolted, and natural energy began to draw closer to her. However, no one in the vicinity was aware of this phenomenon. Alinta had previously set up a barrier to avoid disturbing anyone once she began the procedure.
Regardless, Atara noticed the dramatic shift in the atmosphere. She stood up and gazed through the window, directly at Alinta and Severino's location.
"What is it?" Morrigan, who stood behind Atara, inquired curiously.
Atara frowned. Her descendant was currently engaged in a ritual. It was a sealing spell, not as difficult as the one that could defeat Vasta, but it would still take a lot of energy from the caster.
"Nothing," Atara responded, waving her hand. "Let's keep talking about that abominable man," she said as she returned to her seat.
Morrigan took a look outside before taking a seat in front of Atara. "As I've said, I've already stationed our men along the city's borders; every corner has my soldiers guarding it; do you think it's enough?" She drank more tea to calm herself down.
Oh, that Vladimir! Out of all the possible times to launch a war, he chose this very day!
"It's enough," Atara said, nodding. "I will handle the rest."
"Can you tell me about your plan?" Morrigan inquired. She had inquired several times, but Atara had not spilt a single drop of tea. Despite this, she would never give up! She'd ask it over and over!
Atara tsked. She didn't make any preparations. Instead, she and her coven would go with Morrigan's movements. In a nutshell, they'd blend in.
Seeing that Atara's lips were tight, Morrigan decided to ask the woman later. "After this, what should we do with Vlad?"
"Do you need to ask me that?" Atara raised an eyebrow. "What is the punishment for rebels?"
"Urk. Execution?"
"You seem to know."
"But the rest of the vampires," Morrigan groaned. "If we kill their king, they will harbour ill intentions toward us. This will be a never-ending cycle of hate and continuous rebellion from that clan."
"Should we wipe them out all at once?" Atara suggested earnestly. "I don't think we need some blood-suckers in this world, anyway."
"Then, the other clans would doubt our capability to rule! They would fear us. And it may lead to another rebellion!"
Atara became irritated. Rebels! Rebels! If that happens, she might as well murder everyone!
Morrigan felt a shudder run down her spine when she saw Atara's expression. This woman appeared to be planning a bloodbath!
"Think about today's problem," Atara replied, her face grim. "As for the future, think of that in the future!"