"Who goes there?" A feminine voice rang out through the forest. The path, strewn with leaves, was illuminated with blue light when the witch called upon her magic. Her blue cloak swept the path, and she was shivering, as small snowflakes rained upon her. A lone owl called out in the night, announcing its presence. The witch slowly pivoted, looking for the source of her uneasiness. Her tall, graceful, young form was draped within the glow of her magic and the moon's light. She heard a rustling in the leaves, and she whirled towards the sound, shooting out beams of blue energy from her gloved hands.

"Relax, Azura. It's only me," assured a voice dripping with a doctored sweetness.

"Malia?" Azura's hands were clenched into fists at her sides. "Why are you here?" she snapped.

"I was simply dropping by for a visit," crooned the second witch. A green glow joined with that of Azura's, creating a cold light, which Malia stepped into as if it were a spotlight. Her green cloak swirled around her, outlining her thin figure. "It looks as if you need some help." She raised one thin eyebrow, daring Azura to speak.

"This forest is swarming with Brecchius's magic. We need to leave. Or should I say, I need to leave. I'm sure you'll be comfortable with staying behind for him." Azura tried to throw as much sarcasm into her words as she could. As much as she tried, Malia always managed to get the upper hand.

Malia's expression hardened. "I almost died," she spat. "I wouldn't go back to him for the world. As much as I despise you, he disgusts me more."

For as long as they had been sisters, Azura and Malia had also been enemies. Azura hated the way Malia treated her, as if she would always be inferior because she was younger. Malia hated the way Azura looked at her, as if she would never respect her because she was older.

Of course, they were also rivals because of Avalonia. The realm they grew up in had been a haven for all seeking peace, but especially for Azura and Malia. The two had been close as children, always exploring and sparking the curiosity they both possessed. But when their parents, King Calcius and Queen Aragona, passed away after long lives, it drove a wedge into Azura and Malia's sistership. Which one of them would inherit the throne? The king had proclaimed that whoever married first would become the heir. Immediately, Malia was courted by dozens of suitors, while Azura was approached by few and courted by even less.

Brecchius, a wizard and one of Malia's suitors, had devised a plan to win over her affections and use her to get to the throne. Through romantic gestures, he eventually won over her heart, and the two became King and Queen. However, sharing joint power was not enough for Brecchius. He wanted to be the only ruler of Avalonia. One evening, as Malia was eating dinner, he slipped a sleeping pill into her drink. Later that night, he began to suffocate her, pressing a pillow over her mouth and nose. She would have died, had it not been for a mystery vigilante who attacked Brecchius, alerted guards, and brought Malia to a healer.

Soon after that, Brecchius was exiled from Avalonia. He continued to seek vengeance, living in the forest outside of the realm. Queen Malia became the sole ruler of Avalonia, and Azura secretly resented her for using her former marriage to stay in power. The way she saw it, she should have had an equal chance to become queen after Brecchius was exiled. Though Malia was a fair ruler, she tended to hold her place of power above Azura, much like she was doing now, on the outskirts of Avalonia.

"Why have I found you here, anyway?" asked Malia, smirking. "Trading with the goblins?" In Avalonia, goblins were often known for making illegal deals.

"No," said Azura, rolling her eyes. "I wanted to visit... you know."

"Selenia?" Malia's eyes widened. "But- she's gone crazy!" Selenia was an old friend of the former king and queen, and before she (oddly, yet voluntarily) moved from Avalonia, Azura used to listen to her stories of the old days, before Calcius and Aragona ruled. Selenia had always been a bit batty, but listening to her stories was worth the way she went off on tangents. How she described the kingdom in all its splendor made Azura want to go back in time just so she could live in the so-called "Golden Age."

"She is not crazy," Azura responded indignantly. "And even if she is, I happen to love listening to her stories."

Malia was about to respond, a sneer forming on her face, when a series of booming noises shook the forest. A few snow-covered leaves fell to the ground. Azura and Malia looked at each other.

"Brecchius," they said in unison. "Show yourself!" The two cast a spell at the same time, the blue and green beams intertwining to create a turquoise burst of color. The magic reached a point in the dark sky, then exploded, raining blue and green sparkles that winked out along with the snowflakes.

From behind Azura and Malia, someone appeared. They turned around, hands outstretched to fire any spells needed.

Illuminated in a red glow, a man appeared. He looked as if he had been sculpted out of pure marble, with a sharp jawline, handsome features, and blue eyes that could have been the ocean itself. Looks aren't everything, though. This was Brecchius.

"Hello, ladies," he sneered. "Come crawling back to me since you haven't found a new king?" He sauntered forward, eyeing Malia.

"I chose to remain without unwed because of you," she said, her voice pure poison.

Brecchius laughed, the sound filling up the air. Azura desperately wished to hear anything else.

"Why are you here, talking to us?" she demanded, stepping closer to him, daring him to make one wrong move towards her or her sister.

Brecchius's face suddenly grew cold. "I want my kingdom back!" he shouted, voice on the edge of insanity. "I want to be the ruler of Avalonia and YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM ME!" he screamed, spit flying from his mouth. "You don't understand, you'll never understand how it feels to have a chance at power and have it all be ruined!"

Azura rolled her eyes. She knew how it felt plenty, but she could manage to keep it inside, unlike the monster in front of her. Brecchius stepped closer to the sisters, rage emanating from him, which was evident in the pulsing, fiery glow surrounding him again. His hands were clenched into fists, and she could see his fingernails digging into his palms, blood welling up.

In one quick motion, Brecchius struck out his hands, bloody palms facing Malia. Before anyone could do anything, a red light shot out from his hands, striking her in the heart. She collapsed. Brecchius and Azura were silent for a moment, watching her. She struggled to breathe, and her expression was pained.

Eyes turned towards Azura, she exhaled. "Azura, thank you for being my sister. No matter how much we claim we are enemies, we are tied together with blood." She reached out her hand towards Azura's and clasped it. Azura smiled, tears collecting in her eyes. Then Malia let go, a murderous expression in her eyes.

She looked at Brecchius and said, "You deserve no less than an eternity in hell for what you have done. I'm sure it'll be nice returning home, anyhow."

With that, she closed her eyes, and her chest stilled.

Azura turned towards Brecchius. Inside her mind, a feral monster had been released, and it wanted blood. She charged while he was still staring at Malia, kicking him in the chest and knocking him to the ground. He tried to get up, but could not speak, for Azura was standing on his chest. She leaned close to him, her palms sparking with blue electric charges. This many volts to the heart and he would be dead in an instant.

Azura had made a mistake. She was so concentrated on killing Brecchius that she didn't realize his hands were full of fire. As soon as she touched her electricity to his heart, his fire engulfed her.

Their screams were a symphony of despair. Azura had lost her sister, her childhood, her semblance of power as a princess. Brecchius had lost his kingdom, the only love he ever had.

Minutes later, the dark forest was quiet. A lone owl hooted, comfortable inside a tree. Hundreds of snowflakes fell, covering the bodies of a queen, a princess, and a monster.

But those bodies belonged not only to a queen, a princess, and a monster. They belonged to two witches and a wizard, which could mean only one thing.

Their story was not over yet.