The woman''s desires and hopes were meaningless to Priscilla; she didn''t know they existed, and they didn''t offer her any solace in her pain. It was her hopes that fueled her struggles. She wanted to believe that there was a reason she didn''t simply pass on to the afterlife but was stuck here instead. Priscilla was strong, unquestionably so. Her willpower surged, unnaturally fierce against the torment as the desire to survive overpowered the fear within. Her subconscious burned with fury that empowered her struggle, all in an attempt to offer her a thread to hold onto.


    "Damn it all to hell!" Priscilla cursed as her eyes burned, "I won''t submit, I won''t give in to this damned place. Mark my words!" She cried out in angry frustration. No matter how the torment stabbed at her flesh and her mind, she resisted and fought against it. Her wrists bled from the strained tugs against the chains that bound them, but it was mild compared to the pain she believed she would feel if she gave up. "You all wanted a witch; pray that you never meet a true witch!" She muttered through clenched teeth, uttering the words repeatedly in an attempt to spite Valentine and the others who framed her.


    When the woman witnessed Priscilla''s curses and spite— a broad grin smeared across her face, her eyes brimming with delight. ''Yes, child. That''s the spirit we all desperately need!'' The woman thought, an uncontrollable laugh escaping from her lips. ''Do you truly want them to meet a true witch? I wonder if you know the weight of that belief.''


    A thousand years ago, they called her a witch just the same— Zae-Rin the Demon Incarnate, the Mother of Witches, they said. A crescent-eyed smile plastered her face as she thought of those torturous days. Back in those long-passed days, there was a magnitude of mystical things, and now it was time for them to return. "Child, do you wish to become that which they fear?" She spoke, her voice drifting through the void and piercing into Priscilla''s thoughts. "Can you handle the consequences of that choice? Can you endure the pain of Divinity surging uncontrollably through your body, conforming you into a suitable host for its might?"


    Priscilla''s eyes fluttered rapidly, disbelief painting her face. She thought she was going insane, voices ringing in her mind. ''No, I can''t go insane! Not yet! Come on, Priscilla. You can do this!'' She thought, pumping herself up with belief in herself.


    Zae-Rin didn''t mind that Priscilla ignored her; she merely continued, "Child, answer me. Do you wish for the power to change your fate? Can you endure being brandished a witch in life, death, and beyond?" Zae-Rin asked, her questions burrowing deep into Priscilla''s mind.


    Priscilla couldn''t comprehend; Zae-Rin''s voice spoke directly in her mind, tickling the softest parts of her soul that remained untouched by purgatory''s torture. The thought of whether she should reply or not swam inside her, ''Would something go wrong if I replied?'' She questioned, her eyes darting through the confining space that lacked any semblance of life beside her.


    ''No...'' Her determination flared, "I WANT POWER!" She roared with a heart full of emotion, "I don''t care what they may brandish me as; I will fight for my life and survival! I need the strength to do so; please help me!" She cried out, her earnest desires pouring out from her. "If I must become a witch— then so be it!"


    This wish— this resonance, pure and powerful swelled through purgatory''s abyss-like void. Zae-Rin beamed with glee, "Good, child! That''s the spirit. You must face life''s challenges with a steely will and a resolute heart. Embrace the power, harness it for yourself, and brace your body for the impact." She laughed, and her eyes began to glow with thunderous sparks of green that irradiated outward. "The body is the temple, the heart is the furnace, and the soul is the kindling force that ignites the night''s sky with warmth."


    Zae-Rin chanted as the distant void she resided in pulsed vigorously, her power slamming against it, forming cracks along the ethereal facade of purgatory. "Power of one begets into two. There is no limitation without inhibition. There is no control or creation that we can''t hold with our authority. I will reality, break through the falsity, and become the truth." Zae-Rin''s chants pulsed through the void, unseen but heard. They broke past the pillars of flame that swirled around Priscilla, onto the mound that ensnared her, and directly into her ears. Power swelled within Priscilla nearly instantaneously. It was a minute strand at first, something negligibly insignificant, but it grew along her warm, beating heart.


    Priscilla''s mind opened up, and the world at large reflected onto her gaze as ethereal mists swirled in her cerulean blue eyes. The words Zae-Rin spoke and the chants she uttered— they latched onto Priscilla, their resonance growing strong as the power burrowed into Priscilla''s heart. The words marked her— they spread like gospel, gathering at the crown of her head and gravitating across her flesh; they swirled in emblazoned patterns brimming with the power of the Old World, a language long-forgotten and wiped out from the history books.


    Priscilla felt an electrifying sensation in her body; it surged through her cells, a torrential flood of power that came— ever so close to drowning her in its embrace. Her eyes burst open with an intense cerulean glow that drowned out the crimson flames, forcing them to retreat. "I can feel it..." She mumbled as she craned her neck from side to side, "Can there be such beauty even after death?" She questioned, as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Purgatory reflected in her gaze, an empty nightmare of hollow souls floating on tiny rafts of land, but among them was an innocence. Something beautiful that ferried them from one life to another. Priscilla laughed, her arms pulled at the chains that wrapped around her wrists. Tugging with an intensity she never could have imagined before Zae-Rin got involved. Priscilla grappled with them, moments that couldn''t last as the chains and bones crumbled into dust, drifting away freely.


    Fortunately for Priscilla, purgatory was just— her suffering had to come to an end— and end it did. The floods may pour in, but the rains will inevitably stop, for the looming starshine of dawn shall always illuminate the night''s sky.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    <hr>


    Priscilla heaved a sigh of relief as she sat on that floating mass of land— silent comfort blanketing her. Darkness once more became the predominant color that stretched as far as the eye could see, like winter''s first snow. She clenched her fists in front of her eyes, indulging in the sensation of having her body under her control again. She rubbed her hands against her cheeks, testing to see whether everything was unquestionably— as tangible as she had hoped.


    Before Priscilla could adjust to her newfound feeling of power coursing through her, a path of light wove itself from afar, stopping directly in front of her. The surging waves of power pushed the darkness away, forming a traversable path, where a bare-footed woman walked towards Priscilla. Zae-Rin''s long raven-black hair swept around her, overwhelming the darkness enveloping the two women; her steps were soft and regal— inherently deliberate. With every step she took, a trail of grass and flowers formed behind her, covering the construct of light with vibrant vitality. Priscilla gawked when she saw Zae-Rin; the woman was so mystical— so inherently magical. Priscilla''s fingertips trembled; her eyes darted, but not out of fear— but of a connection.


    When Zae-Rin reached the girl, she bowed slightly to Priscilla, lifting her long and flowy gown of cyan with its golden accents slightly. "We finally meet face to face, child," Zae-Rin said sweetly with a smile, her ethereal presence illuminating the void tremendously.


    "You— You''re the one that spoke to me!" Priscilla gasped, taking a step back instinctively before stopping herself. "Thank you for your help! I don''t know how I''ll ever repay you..." Priscilla said with mixed emotions.


    Zae-Rin laughed, witnessing the girl''s apprehensions. But she knew that it was normal for such a young and tormented soul after obtaining release from purgatory— wariness was expected. "Fear not, child. You''ll repay me someday, far into the future." Zae-Rin said while walking up to Priscilla; she placed her hand gently on her shoulder. "My name is Zae-Rin, child. Over the years, I''ve been called by many names— a demon, a witch, a deity, but you, child, can simply call me Rin."


    "Okay, Rin. Thank you for helping me still!" Priscilla said nervously. The girl was confused; Priscilla was drawn to Zae-Rin and wanted to be in her presence. But her instincts guarded against Zae-Rin and yearned to pull away.


    "Oh, child! Fret not; take your time. Purgatory is not something you can merely adapt to without some consequence. For now, come with me. A good rest will do wonders for your body, mind, and soul." Zae-Rin said with fondness, comforting Priscilla and her displays of vigilance and wariness.


    Priscilla breathed out, gathering her wits. There was nowhere to go in this space, and there was no point in struggling against a woman who had helped her. Zae-Rin smiled and turned away, leaving on the path of verdant nature and life with Priscilla behind her. Priscilla walked for hours unbeknownst to her; the void was a behemoth space that stretched vastly.


    Zae-Rin led her to an area that was an enigmatic oasis amidst the darkness of purgatory. Sprawling gardens of multi-colored flowers spread as far as Priscilla''s sight could extend; at the center of it stood a lavish marbled gazebo, with its thatched roof and embellished ornamental carvings that decorated it. Within sat a table with two reclined chairs with padded cushions. Atop it was a pitcher of wine and two goblets on both sides of the table, along with several fruit bowls and pastries Priscilla had never seen before.


    "Take a seat, child, and relax." Zae-Rin gestured to the seat before taking a seat herself. "It must feel strange seeing such a thing in this purgatory; you can''t tell if it is real or an illusion. But I can assure you they''re all tangible in this moment." The woman smiled as she filled a goblet and took a swig of the dark burgundy wine.


    Priscilla gawked in bewilderment as she sat down across from Zae-Rin, curiosity overtaking her as she picked up one of the pastries before biting into it. The flaky crust broke apart with practiced ease as a cream filling coated her tastebuds. Priscilla''s eyes widened blissfully, "What is this? It''s unreal! Am I dreaming?" She questioned with her mouth full.


    "It''s a pastry from my hometown, in your world... long-forgotten, I''m sure," Zae-Rin replied, her voice tinged with subtle melancholy. "We call it a noon-khamei."


    "It''s incredible!" Priscilla answered earnestly, her wariness melting away as she relaxed in Zae-Rin''s presence, "But what do you mean long-forgotten?" Priscilla questioned, craning her head slightly to the side.


    "I''ve been in here a thousand years, child. Would you not be forgotten by then or forget everything by then?" Zae-Rin giggled, swirling the wine in her goblet before taking another sip.


    Priscilla remained seated in silent contemplation before finally questioning Zae-Rin, "So, what is this place then? How did you discover it?"


    "It''s incredible and different, more surreal than anything. I only found darkness and silence and then the flames and torture that followed. I can''t comprehend this place in comparison; it just seems too strange." Priscilla added, fiddling with her hands in her lap.


    "Everyone has their nightmare, child. In this place, your inner world is reflected onto the landscape of purgatory, a means to an end to unchain your attachments to life. However, after a thousand years, one can definitely shift what is perceived and make the world their own. It won''t be something you need, however. You want to get out of here after all, right?" Zae-Rin spoke with calm intent, her finger tracing the rim of the goblet.


    "What? Get out...?" Priscilla gasped, her eyes widening with shocked suspense and eagerness. "Is it true? Can I leave this place? But how can that be? I died..." The girl''s eyes glowed with desire, "Do you mean it?"


    "Yes, child. Now— anything is possible for you. If you wish it." Zae-Rin replied with a sweet, reassuring smile.


    Tears streamed down Priscilla''s face, a weight crumbling off her shoulders. "Yes!" She whimpered loudly, "I want to live! I want to go back!"


    Bonus Image of Priscilla resonating with her powers. Ft. Midjourney