Release That Witch

On the third day, the assembly of a large hot air balloon was completed, and it was time to explore the ruin.     

The new hot air balloon was called the Farsight. Its huge basket could accommodate more witches and was surrounded by a canvas so that it could resist the cold wind and heavy snow.     

As the earlier they carried out the mission, the safer it was, the witches bade a simple farewell to Roland and stepped onto the hot air balloon. They took off from the castle backyard and headed for the stone tower.     

In order to land quickly and fight enemies as soon as they appeared, the Farsight flew at a very low altitude, almost as low as the rooftops of the town houses. Most of the subjects witnessed this "miraculous view". Some of them froze in place, while others shouted "Long live His Highness Roland"—in their eyes, such a miracle could only be created by the Lord of Border Town. When the hot air balloon flew over the West Wall, the soldiers of the First Army all saluted it. Both Lightning and Maggie, who were flying to escort the balloon, were no strangers to them. The little girl Lightning, who used to guide the Artillery Squad's shooting directions, aroused especially enthusiastic cheers among the soldiers.     

Soon, through the flying snow, Farsight left the town behind and entered the Misty Forest.     

Tilly stood at the edge of the basket, overlooking this boundless forest.     

The snow season during the Months of Demons turned the whole world white. The top branches of gigantic trees were all covered by thick snow, which looked like high and broad platforms above the ground at first sight. On the other side of their view were layers of mountains, casting a shade of gray in the obscure mist. As the feet of the mountains weren't visible, they looked as if they were floating in the air.     

"Beautiful scenery." Shavi sighed. "This is the first time I see a snow-covered Western Region."     

"Are you a witch from the Western Region?" Wendy asked curiously.     

"I used to live in Fallen Dragon Ridge. It was close to the south, so it rarely snowed in the winter. Later, I heard that Lady Tilly was exploring Sleeping Island, so I secretly travelled to the Port of Clearwater by boat to meet the other witches."     

"I see," said Wendy, shaking her head with a smile. "His Highness had been complaining about the lack of new witches even after spreading the rumor of the Witch Cooperation Association in Border Town... it seems that he was one step later than Tilly."     

"Did you also spread messages to attract witches?"     

"They did, but the person they sent wasn't very skillful. I kept my eyes on him the moment he reached Fallen Dragon Ridge," Ashes said with satisfaction. "and I caught him at Silver City. Was his name Theo?     

"You were also a witch. Of course you would notice this strange rumor." Andrea twitched her mouth. "If you didn't run into Lady Tilly, you would probably have gone to Border Town."     

"I'm not His Highness..."     

"Oh," Andrea said, mocking Ashes' voice, "His Highness ... You're quite good at saying it."     

"Ha-ha," Tilly couldn't help but laugh. Yesterday, Andrea seemed depressed about something, but today, she seemed to be herself again. On Sleeping Island, Andrea, born to a noble family, was the only one who dared to pick on Ashes. Tilly said, "No matter where we are from, Sleeping Island or Border Town, we're of a family, so let's make no distinction between witches."     

She turned around and looked at the witches one by one.     

Before leaving, they had introduced their own abilities to one another so that they could cooperate well while fighting against enemies. There weren't as many combat witches in Border Town as there were on Sleeping Island, and most of the former ones weren't fit for combats. However, thanks to their tireless efforts, the town was turned into the way it was today.     

Tilly focused her gaze on Anna. If she had to choose a witch who impressed her the most, it would be this woman, who had her awakening in this desolate place and made a profound impact on Roland.     

Every time she stood beside Anna, she felt an indescribable decorum and peacefulness, which was a new feeling to her. If she had to put it into words, it was like the feeling of laying on a broad field, with the soft but firm ground on your back making you feel at ease.     

Anna didn't talk much to anyone but Roland, and her facial expressions didn't change much, either. However, as long as she stood among the witches, she was hard to ignore.     

Sylvie told her that Anna was the first witch who evolved in Border Town and had astonishingly great magic power as her Blackfire was extremely powerful and malleable. Besides, she was the first witch who read through Natural Science Theoretical Foundation, a fact which made Tilly feel closer to her.     

"In this winter, if only I could sit with Anna beside the fireplace and have a good discussion about books. I'm more than willing to do that." Tilly thought silently and was looking forward to it.     

Princess Tilly then moved her gaze to Lightning, who was flying beside the basket. As the daughter of Thunder, Anna had a lot in common with her father, the number one explorer in Fjords. She was lively, curious, and a girl of action. "She is cut out for flying." Tilly thought. "Only the endless sky could accommodate her adventurous heart." Although Thunder wanted his daughter to live a peaceful life, Tilly knew Lightning was bound to be an explorer as soon as she saw her, and maybe even a more successful one than her father.     

All she could do was try her best to protect Lightning.     

"We're almost there." Tilly's thought was interrupted by Lightning, who came near the basket to inform everybody.     

"Come inside and rest," said Wendy concernedly. "Your lips are frozen white."     

"I'm OK. My face is just a little numb." She patted her rosy cheeks. "Fortunately, I have the scarf from His Highness with me, so my ears aren't cold at all."     

They didn't encounter ferocious demons along the journey. The demonic beasts crawling through the forests occasionally roared once or twice towards them, but they obviously didn't have the ability to attack a hot air balloon on the sky, so the first half of the journey was fairly smooth. However, when the Farsight arrived above their destination, everyone was shocked by the sight down below.     

The forest seemed to have been swept through by something huge. Broken trunks and branches were scattered everywhere, and the snow on the ground was totally turned over and mixed together with mud, forming a very messy scene.     

"Where is the Stone Tower?" Ashes asked.     

"It used to be there." Lightning pointed at the open space under them, her tone full of disbelief. "It's... gone."     

Tilly looked in the direction that Lightning was pointing at. On the brown-and-white ground, there was a huge hole. It was so black that its bottom remained invisible, and it looked as if someone had dug a tunnel toward an abyss. However, according to the size of the hole entrance, whoever created this hole must be extremely huge.     

"Sylvie, come and see what's inside the hole."     

Sylvie quickly frowned and her expression grew ugly. "A... A worm-like monster. It's moving northwest. Wait a moment, the ruin is in its stomach!"     

"What? In its stomach?" Ashes said surprisingly.     

"That's right. I see the stone tower... and the Frozen Coffin you talked about," she said carefully. "God. It swallowed the whole ruin!"     

What to do next? Everyone looked at Tilly.     

"Is there anything else other than the worm?" Princess Tilly asked in a deep voice, "especially demons."     

"Hmm... there are some demonic beasts, but all in the worm's stomach. I think they are dead." Sylvie watched for a while and shook her head.     

Tilly thought for a moment and said decisively, "Let's land. Several of you keep watch outside, and the others should follow me into the hole, kill the huge beast, and retrieve the Frozen Coffin."