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Katsuki squinted, eyes scanning over the shadows between the trees. He wouldn't admit that he was a little nervous, but... Investigating missing children on Halloween evening wasn't exactly the most ideal situation. Or to be more exact, it wasn't ideal in the least. However, Katsuki had never been one to give up easy, and there was no other option for him now. At least, not a good one.
Katsuki shuddered, wishing that he had just stayed at home for a moment. The woods looked so dark and uninviting, but he doubted that anything would be done about the disappearances if he left now. He had never heard of anything like this happening before, so there wasn't any reliable information to go off of. Perhaps now he could find out what had happened to these poor kids.
He ducked under the tree branches and stepped out into the forest. Katsuki cleared his throat. "I'm not here to hurt anyone" He said, speaking to the empty air around him.
Katsuki didn't believe in fairytales, but he did believe in the legend of the Woodland Witch.
"I'm Katsuki, and I'm just trying to find the missing kids. Even if... Even if they're dead"
The wind picked up, pulling him further into the forest. Leaves swirled around him, flashing beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows.
He looked up, eyes narrowed and observant. That wasn't natural in the least. He was now very glad he's done the proper procedure of giving his name and business.
It was frowned on to give one's name out so easily, but he'd rather take that risk instead of possibly angering the Witch.
Katsuki frowned, and tentatively asked, "Is there any way you could direct me to where I need to go?"
"Not yet" The wind seemed to whisper. "Find her first"
Katsuki was about to respond but all of his surroundings went dead silent. No birds, no rustling of the leaves. Nothing except his own footsteps graced his ears.
Katsuki felt like something just wasn't right about the situation. He didn't like the idea of someone being in such a vulnerable area. And to make it worse, he still couldn't get a read on the Witch. Was she luring him to his death like the other missing children or was she going to help?
While others were getting their costumes ready or preparing for a party, he was here in these dark woods. Even though it was barely five, the forest was impossibly dark. The only light coming from the full moon.
The contrast between the colours in this environment was like nothing Katsuki had seen before, nor even knew existed. The trees were blackened, almost to the point where it was difficult to determine the individual trunks, and the dark forest floor was more dirt than anything else.
The only colours were the bright leaves occasionally falling. They seemed to disappear before hitting the ground, however.
Shrugging, Katsuki adjusted his backpack straps. He had a camera and various survival gear. Just in case he were to get lost. Nothing a compass and his phone couldn't fix.
Besides, the Halloween party would be soon. The party meant that a bunch of people would be awake late into the night. Well, that and a bunch of people who would probably be dressed up. Ugh, imagine needing to be helped and someone showing up in some weird costume. Well, that was the kind of problem that he could worry about later.
The sound of a twig snapping filled Katsuki's ears, making him whip around the find the source of the sound.
The noise came from the distance, and Katsuki couldn't figure out exactly where it was coming from. But as the sound of the was moving closer, Katsuki suddenly realized what it was.
A deer.
Katsuki was slightly disappointed by the sudden realization, and not only because it was just a dear, but because that meant he wasn't any closer to finding the Witch. He had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do with a deer in forest. It might try and go running into him, but that didn't seem very likely. He could avoid it anyway.
The deer came into view as it ran past; no real fear or rush to it. It didn't look like it was afraid at all, and was moving swiftly through the trees with grace.
The deer continued going, and Katsuki found himself following it. He was walking normally, yet the fast deer never seemed to stray out of his sight. Either way he knew he needed to be careful, these were the Witch's woods afterall.
The deer stopped and stared at him. Katsuki froze, as he realized that the animal's dark eyes seemed a little too human.
A chill ran down his spine at the image.
But Katsuki tried not think of that. This deer wasn't going to kill him. And it couldn't do it alone anyways. Even if this was the Witch's woods, this was just a deer.
Katsuki stared at it as it made a strange coughing noise. Suddenly started lurching around wildly, almost as if it were about to combust. Then, it was gone, becoming one with the shadowy forest.
Katsuki was confused and highly disturbed. He really didn't want to stick around here, if all of the lifeforms were like this... He needed to finish his mission and get out of here as soon as possible.
So he started walking forward, going around a broken tree trunk and surrounded by a puddle of almost glowing water. Katsuki didn't want to take the chance of touching it. He really wanted to get out of here before he was poisoned. Or worse.
He continued, not even pausing for a moment as he wandered further into the forest. He had to find the Witch, then those kids. It was getting darker and darker and Katsuki was getting a little scared.
He was now a few feet away from a clearing, and so wouldn't have to avoid any bushes or branches soon; but he was still in the dark forest and so he didn't know what was out here.
He came to the clearing and paused. He wasn't sure which way to go, and so he turned around in a slow circle. But as soon as he began turning, he heard something. It sounded like coughing. Katsuki immediately backed away so few steps, clenching his fists. He'd rather be cautious, and rather than move forwards, he'd rather take his time and wait.
He didn't want to alert the figure of his presence.
Katsuki wasn't really afraid of any particular animal. The deer had run away from him, and his quirk was plenty enough to fend off anything else.
The noise of coughing sounded again, and he could hear it reverberating off the trees. He wasn't exactly sure where it was coming from, but he knew it was somewhere in front of him.
As he crept closer, he saw a large tree that was probably more than a hundred years old. And laying in front of it, was the deer.
It was hunched over and coughing up a glowing liquid. The same as the puddle earlier. He hadn't looked sick, or anything like that before. In fact, Katsuki would have guessed it had looked quite healthy. It had coughed earlier, but not enough to seem I'll.
The deer looked up as Katsuki approached, and tilted it's head at him. He gave a nervous smile, the eyes creeped him out.
Katsuki raised an eyebrow when it seemed to beckon him closer. He frowned even more when he realized that the sudden breeze also drew him closer. That meant that it wanted Katsuki to go to the animal.
But he had no idea what he could do.
"Can I help you?" Katsuki asked.
"Sorry," Katsuki said immediately after, shrugging. "Dumb question" The deer looked amused. He shrugged again to himself.
"Let's see... glowing liquid, Witch's territory, only living thing around... Sounds like you're screwed." He murmured to it as he neared, kneeling down next to the animal. "Don't worry, it'll be okay. It won't hurt soon. Ugh, why did you have to come into these woods? Can't you tell that it's dangerous?"
The deer lay on his lap, eyes staring into his. The blue glow seemed to emanate from its eyes now, seeping into its veins. Katsuki set his backpack down on the ground nearby before petting the deer.
"Why do you have to die? Damn deer, you're probably the last living thing here. If you're that lonely then I'll visit. Don't give up now"
Words then rang out, echoing through the trees and making him shudder.
"When a soft touch heals a bleeding heart, the elder one shall restore life and bring an end to enemies"
The animal in his grasp gave one more cough before raising up. As it stood, leaves began to swirl around it. Soon, his vision was completely blocked.
At some point, Katsuki had stood, backing away by a few steps.
When the tunnel of leaves finally stopped, floating back to the ground, he gasped, immediately covering his eyes.
"Greetings" A smooth voice said, the sound itself forcing his body to relax. "You are Katsuki, yes?"
He nodded, the hand over his eyes following the motion. "I... You... Uhm... Clothes. Could... Could you put some clothes on"
Laughter was his only response for a moment before a 'swish' sound met his ears.
"You may look now"
Katsuki uncovered his eyes, quickly adverting his eyes, focusing as best he could on her face.
She wasn't naked, per se, but she'd clothed herself in a two piece fern dress. Her whole stomach was out, dark caramel skin showcased brilliantly. Even though he tried to control his eyes, he fully took in her body.
She had some sort of combination of fern leaves and pale yellow flowers woven together over her breasts, although it didn't fully cover her, it crept around her, covering and cupping her skin everywhere except in between her ribs.
A flowy skirt fell far past her feet, gracefully sitting on the ground below her. It was completely made of ferns and even though they seemed layered, he could see her skin peeking out when he glanced down at her legs. A few more of the pale flowers were spread around the skirt.
She smiled warmly at him. "I am Salaphaeia, please don't use my name lightly, it carries quite a bit of power with it" —He nodded— "Thank you for freeing me from my curse. I will help you along with your quest"
He grinned. "You're the witch?"
"That'd be me. The very scary and ugly Woodland Witch"
Katsuki snorted, taking her hand as she offered it. As she walked, the forest around her seemed to spring to life. Strange vines and plants grew before his eyes. The trees tinted a deep purple, teeming with the brightly coloured Fall leaves. and the plain dirt beneath his feet turned to thick moss.
Was this what the forest had actually looked like? It was beautiful. Mystical and magical, Katsuki wanted to stay here forever. It was so calm, almost forcing him to relax.
"Are you actually a witch or do you just have a weird quirk?"
She laughed. "Young boy, I've lived before quirks were a thing"
"So you're an ancient old hag..." He unconsciously mumbled. She laughed again, squeezing his hand lightly.
"You could say so"
Katsuki blushed, he hadn't meant to say that out loud, nevermind her hearing it.
The forest around them was almost completely back to life, he couldn't see any of the darkness unless he squinted into the distance. Mushroom lights glowed around the trees, giving a pleasant atmosphere.
Scanning the area, Katsuki spotted a structure. A small cottage of sorts. "Is that...?"
"What you were looking for, yes. The wretched man that ruined my forest and placed the curse is there. Your missing children too, I'd presume"
"Wait..." Katsuki said, turning away from the spooky cottage to face the witch. "A man did this? Like... A human?"
She only hummed and continued leading him to the cottage.
She pulled him along, holding his hand. He watched from behind as her ash brown hair seemed to bounce with each step, soft curls enticing his touch. The witch was gorgeous, in a word. His mother would have a field day with her as a model.
From the outside it of the cottage,it looked warm and inviting. Bricks and thick wooden beams made up most of the building's outer structure. It was nearly impossible to see through the large, stained glass windows, but even so, something didn't sit right. Something about the place made him uneasy.
The witch squeezed his hand. "Let's go, then"
Katsuki could hear the wavering nervousness in her voice, yet just by looking at her, she seemed confident.
She gestured for Katsuki to open the door; it was entirely a thick metal. A green glow emanated from her fingertips, looking like a sparking mist.
The door swung open, revealing a bright interior. Inside wasn't a house. Almost as if it were a portal, Katsuki found himself in front of a vast, beckoning meadow. There were countless flowers covering the landscape all around, broken up by a river flowing past and into the distance. Enticed by their floral scents, the flowers attracted countless butterflies and beetles big and small. High above them birds played and sang.
"Woah" Katsuki breathed. "Where are we?"
"Aenneaven" Came his quiet reply.
As soon as the name was spoken, thick, dark clouds began rolling in, blocking out any light from above and covering the land in shadows. The witch then chanted a few words and cast out her arms. The green magic from earlier spreading and seeping into the ground.
With a shaking rumble that had Katsuki clutching Salaphaeia, a hauntingly majestic silhouette rose. The castle, definitely once a symbol of grandeur and power, now a ruined mess. Its crumbling walls once held intricate carvings and ivy tendrils, now only old whispering tales of ancient secrets.
Katsuki swallowed, suddenly feeling nervous. The witch scowled at the state of the building. She shook in anger.
"Despicable man, how dare you ruin my home"
Despite what she said, the stone building began repairing itself, slowly being returned to its former glory.
She sighed, looking to Katsuki. "Come, we must prepare for battle"
He almost asked about what she meant but a bright green surrounded them, a sudden motion sickness taking over him. When the mist dissipated, they were in the castle.
The witch grinned, gesturing around. "Isn't it grand?" She clapped her hands together. "My marvelous home"
"Is this the tour?" Katsuki joked. "I figured the castle would be much bigger."
"Oh, I'm sorry." She laughed, gesturing to the stairs behind her. "I'd forgotten that you're new"
"Oh... Are there more old people you're trying to hide?"
The witch laughed again although it quickly faded into a sad silence. "No. It's not completely as it should be. My knights are missing... Even Getrux..."
Katsuki looked around, taking in the details. As he tried not to bring attention to the despair in her tone.
"Getrux?" he asked.
"She took my heart" The witch's voice dropped, as if she were talking to herself. "I'm going to make that man pay for all he's done."
Katsuki frowned.
"I wonder how she's doing" The witch mused.
Katsuki looked up. "Are you sure she isn't dead?"
"How should I know?" She snapped. "Even if she's alive, that man will ruin everything I've loved about Getrux!"
Katsuki felt himself stiffen. He felt the familiar fear clawing at his stomach.
"I can't let that happen" She muttered, eyes glowing a bright green with anger. "I can't let him get away with his life after everything" The witch stopped talking, like a deer frozen in the headlights.
"No..." Katsuki whispered, his heart beating so fast that it hurt.
"... Yes" The witch replied, her voice wavering. "He's going to die at my hands"
"Die?" Katsuki repeated. "Are you sure you want to kill him? You know you shouldn't do that, right?"
"Foolish boy, human laws are nothing to us creatures. Getrux should be avenged, my people should be avenged... I don't care what that man's reasons are, he must die!" Katsuki looked up, to the witch's eyes. They were burning with hatred.
"He cursed my forest, destroyed my home, stole my people. Human punishments cannot possibly compare to what needs to be done"
Salaphaeia was wild, making his head spin. She switched emotions so quickly and her anger was nothing short of terrifying. He was very glad he wasn't on the receiving end of it.
"Anyways!" She patted his head. "Let's get ready"
Katsuki blinked, his mouth seemingly glued shut after her outburst earlier. She'd been so calm and kind earlier, it was almost as if a switch had been flipped. She now matched the stories about her personality.
He hoped being in close proximity with her wasn't going to have some sort of negative effect on him.
She gestured for him to sit down in a dining room before hurrying up the grand staircase.
She returned quickly after, her hair half up in a bun and a few bracelets clinking around her wrists. Quiet jingles let him know she also had anklets on. A crown lay on her head, a deep black with a silver band along the bottom. Emeralds decorated it.
She had changed into a different outfit as well. Her attire was shorter, much shorter. The revealing dress only reached her mid thighs. It had a layered skirt with leather corset. The a wide sleeves were somehow longer than the dress itself. It all went beautifully with her crown.
"You the witch queen or something?"
She grinned at him, "Would you rather I wear one of those ridiculous hats?"
The image of one of those obscenely large and pointy hats on her made him shiver. He shook his head. That wouldn't go with her looks at all.
Salaphaeia held out a hand and he took it, swallowing reflexively when the green magic surrounded them. And he was nauseous again...
They appeared in front of a dungeon looking building. Before he could really take the sight in, the witch pushed him behind her.
"Vile man" She murmured. Katsuki looked forward to find some regular looking guy. Nothing special or dangerous at first glance. Or second, for that matter. The guy looked harmless.
He grinned widely and pulled a bunch of guns out of his pockets. That must be his quirk. A chill ran down Katsuki's spine. That was dangerous.
The battle between the man and the witch was legendary. Salaphaeia was a powerful witch, but the man had the aid of firearms.
Katsuki watched in a fearful awe as the witch sent a blast of green shot at the man. The resulting explosion hit the man's face, and he was launched backwards through the air.
The man landed near the remains of a well, and gasped for air. He began to stand back up, clenching his fists.
"That's it!" Katsuki cheered to the witch. "Get him!"
Another blast of green shot out from the witch, striking him on the side, making him collapsed back to the ground, bleeding profusely.
The man continued to fire his gun, however. His fingers were covered in blood and he gave a crazed grin.
Eyes landed on him and katsuki could only watch as a bullet headed straight for him. He rolled out of the way and stared with wide eyes as a wall of green stopped the bullet, protecting him. He watched as the witch sent another blast of green shot at the man.
Shrieking, the man turned to the witch, as a blast of green shot out at him. He was hit in the shoulder, and his right arm went limp, his entire body crumbling to the ground. He had been saved by mere seconds, yet katsuki could sense that the battle was almost over.
Katsuki's breathing was shaky as he saw the man slowly stand up again. It was nearly over and yet, the man was still trying to win.
"Give up" Salaphaeia instructed, and the man ignored her.
"You can't stop me, little witch! Your weak magic can't stop modern power!" The man shouted. "See how I've twisted this world? My spell just made the entire forest a beautiful wasteland! A city of darkness is soon to come and I shall be it's God!"
Katsuki took a step backwards. This guy was somehow worse than the League of Villains. Perhaps it was because of the sheer destruction caused by one singular man, but it made Katsuki scared.
"What a pathetic sight you are, allowing your own life to be taken away by the very one you longed to ruin. But I've never been cruel, yet I believe you deserve to feel the pain you caused"
Salaphaeia appeared behind the man, her eyes blazing with fury. She grabbed onto the man's head, a green glow emanating from her hands and eyes. Katsuki opened his mouth but she spoke first.
"I have seen much, young Katsuki, and this man... He is the cruelest. He deserves no pity"
The man began to scream, writhing under her grip. Katsuki covered his ears. He didn't want to watch, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the brutality in front of him.
Salaphaeia stared at the man for several minutes, speaking softly to him.
"Are you the one who will bring our world to an end?"
The man continued to scream in pain, yet still managed out a few garbled words. "I am!"
Salaphaeia sighed and let her hand slip off of the man's head. His screams quieted as he was snuffed out. Katsuki stood silently, watching as the man's body began to slump over.
"He's dead" The witch finally said to him. "We are safe now"
Katsuki stared at her for a few moments, speechless. He let out a small whimper and walked over to the witch. "I'm sorry"
"Why?" She asked, tilting her head softly. "I am the one who made you help me. It's fine to hate me now"
"He was a monster. I... It's not your fault"
She stepped towards him and opened her arms. He wasn't a big fan of hugs, but she needed it. Her whole life had been uprooted, her people gone and her home empty.
Shaking in his grip, the witch let out silent cries of relief and sorrow. "They're all gone" She wept. "My people, my family, he killed them"
Katsuki grit his teeth. This wasn't fair. She didn't deserve this.
When the witch had calmed, they went into the dungeon, hands tightly together.
The dungeon was terrifying and dark. Katsuki clutched the witch's hand and she lit the area with a glowing green orb.
"Where do you think the kids are?" Katsuki asked.
"Probably deeper in" Salaphaeia answered. "Ugh, I hate it in here. Too..." She waved a hand around, gesturing around. He nodded, though he didn't know exactly what she meant.
They continued walking along the dark, damp hallway, passing cells and rooms. Some were nearly empty, a few contained forever still bodies. The witch seemed to especially hate those, the glowing magic growing stronger whenever they passed one.
A little further up were the missing children. He could hear their cries echoing through the place.
Salaphaeia pointed down towards the noises, then proceeded to trudge down it. Katsuki followed, closing the small gap between them when she pulled him closer. They both wore regular clothes, of course, so they were pretty obvious. It wasn't that he didn't care, it was just that they seemed moree approachable compared to the battle gear the witch once wore.
When they reached the correct cells, katsuki gasped. The children looked terrible. Some of them looked confused, others frightened and more simply despaired. He wondered if they were already aware of what was going on.
"How do we get them out of here?" He whispered to Salaphaeia. She gave a small laugh, rubbing her hands together in excitement.
"It's simple, really. Let me show you" She grabbed one of the cell doors and a green mist enveloped it, melting it down. The children in the cell stared with wide eyes.
"You're safe now" Katsuki told them.
She smiled, giving a slight nod to the children in the cell before stepping back. "This will take a bit of magic and effort on my part, but it's quick. We will be able to open all these cells"
He nodded, watching as her magic flashed around her, green mist spreading out and taking hold of each door.
In moments, all the other cells opened, freeing all of the children. Katsuki stared in awe as each child came cautiously out. He shook his head, she was a witch, after all. Not even a hero could do something like this.
Salaphaeia released her magic and Katsuki immediately felt a weight on a shoulder. The witch was leaning on him, looking a little tired. He couldn't help but gawk as the kids stared at him, wide-eyed. Even with how badly their skin was damaged, their eyes were still filled with a hopeful relief
"We're... We're really safe now, aren't we?" A quiet whisper said.
She nodded. "Yes. You are all safe now. We will take you home" Katsuki didn't know how they were going to get back to Japan, but he'd learnt to trust Salaphaeia.
Katsuki blinked when that same green magic surrounded all of them. The queasy feeling returned as they were teleported, he knew the feeling by now, back to the castle.
A few children hunched over and vomited at the feeling and he cringed, scrunching his nose in disgust. The mess was gone in an instant as Salaphaeia cleaned it. Magic was so useful.
Salaphaeia hummed lightly. "Let's wash up, okay?"
The children scrunched their noses and Katsuki snorted, earning a sharp look from the witch. She snapped her fingers and a bucket of steaming water sat in front of her a stack of washcloths next to it.
"Hands and faces" She ordered. They all scrambled to wash up. The splashes of the cloths in the bucket seemed to echo in the room.
Salaphaeia glanced down at the now dirty water and muttered, "This is going to take a lot of water"
Katsuki snorted and the witch shot him a glare. She stepped back to replace the bucket with a new clean one.
When the children were deemed clean enough, the witch led them all to a large dining room. The tables had fancy golden trim and there were a few bookshelves filled with ancient tomes. The floors were tiled aan all along the walls were red banners. A fire roared in the hearth at the end of the room.
The table was filled with all sorts of food; roasted chicken, loaves of bread, fruits of all kinds, cakes pitchers of drinks, and baskets full of candies. There was almost no empty place. Chairs surrounded the table, looking very comfortable. Salaphaeia sat down in one chair and gestured for him to sit as well.
"Join me, there's plenty" She told him.
Katsuki hesitated, staring at the spread of food in front of him. "Why?"
"What do you mean why? This is normal"
"Given the situation? I'd say not" He frowned.
"It's better to eat now, anyways. Who knows when these kids last ate" He blinked, he hadn't thought about that.
Sighing, he looked back at the small group of children behind him. "Fine. Go eat before we go back"
Cheers rang out as they charged towards the table fighting for seats. The witch smirked at him, clearly proud of her victory.
The room was filled with laughter, and as the children filled dishes and ate. Katsuki sat down, feeling a bit more tired than he had before. He'd probably be dead by tomorrow at this rate. As she sneakily swapped a child's bite of cake with some vegetable with magic, the witch leaned back in her chair, sighing softly.
"Its nice to have some company. It'll be pretty quiet when everyone leaves"
"I'll visit. Wait... Is it still Halloween?"
"Ah... Yes, time runs a bit slower here. It should be bout eleven back in Japan"
Taking a bite of some cake, and setting a very bad example, Katsuki nodded. She continued anyways, leaning back with a smirk. "If you don't return before midnight, I might live up to my name and turn you into rats"
Katsuki rolled his eyes as giggles came from the children. Most of their mouths were so stuffed with food that they couldn't get a noise through. He sighed, turning back to Salaphaeia. "That doesn't sound like much fun"
"Well, I may turn you into a rat for trying to sell your name. And it's definitely not that funny"
He grumbled under his breath, and slouched down in the large chair. She smiled at him before tearing a piece of bread off of a slice and popping it into her mouth.
Katsuki stuffed another mouthful of food in his mouth, frowning when one of the kids laughed at him. He looked around quickly to see why they were laughing, before seeing the witch with another piece of cake in hand.
His eyes widened, half shocked and half amused. She quickly shoved the cake in her mouth copying his look as the child laughed harder.
"Enjoying that?" He teased. She swallowed her mouthful and grinned at him.
"I'll show you how to enjoy it" She snickered, taking a very slow bite.
"What did you think?" She smiled happily, interacting the children. The witch was feeding a pale blue eyed boy with messy red hair.
The little boy beamed at her. "This's awesome!" A chorus of praises followed from around the table and Katsuki watched as her eyes softened.
After the dinner, and desserts, Salaphaeia took them back to the cottage, the children 'oo'ing and 'ah'ing at the weird portal back to Japan.
She followed them along, making sure no one got lost as they made their way back to the edge of the forest.
"Ah, um... Alright then. I'll see you around" He said, having stayed back to watch the children run home.
"Okay, see you then. Happy Halloween, Katsuki" She nodded, and kissed Katsuki on the cheek. The witch then retreated back into the forest. Katsuki watched her go for a moment before turning away and returning to his own home.
His cheek tingled all the way there.
Ah... He'd forgotten his backpack...