Death. A concept recognized as an enemy undefeatable and unconquerable by any and all living under the skies. Facing it one may gain power, influence or knowledge that is expended to further lengthen the tiny miracle referred to as life.

“What this charade is supposed to be?” Asked the woman from the blade-wielding man before her.

Because she was a head taller, it appeared as if she was looking down at him with disinterest. Her thin arm reached to her neck and pushed her long golden hair to the back revealing thin, long ears that of a magical being. The attire she was wearing was a rose-colored silk, one-shoulder dress with only a few adornments gifted to her in the past.

“We have already warned you. You present a danger to our homeland.”

The man was wearing an iron chest plate and an officer’s cape over the generic military protection. His only weapon was a short-sword hanging from his side, but the danger he represented did not stop at himself. Hundreds of soldiers stood behind him, denying her any chance of escape from her own home. They have come to kill her regardless of her innocence or guilt.

“Why?” She asked genuine curiosity. “Why point your sword at one who helped you, gave you what you have and never demanded sacrifices in return?”

Word by word, the soldiers who could hear her felt cuts in their hearts with each letter. The truth they all know. She wasn’t an enemy yet, she has always helped them when they were in need, but she was no friend either. The compensations she asked for were nothing to them compared to the gains.

Regardless.

“Fear. We fear you, who have so much power that cannot be controlled. We fear you who can decide whether thousands live or die on a whim.

We are thankful, but we cannot live together. We are sorry. No. I am sorry.”

The man raised his blade slowly in front of him.

“Hand over the library and leave. I give my oath that you will not be harmed in any way.”

They stood in silence for minutes, looking at each other in a futile hope that this does not continue any longer.

“Lawrence.” -spoke the beauty upon the land.

“The first time I met you was when you were just 5 years old. You snuck out of the capital city to meet me, the witch living in the tree of knowledge. Every time you felt down, you made a mess looking around to find interesting books with a genuine curiosity for the unknown. To me, you were a precious friend.

What changed you?”

With a gentle swing of her arms, a chair appeared behind her from thin air. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world, she sat down gracefully, willfully ignoring the killing intent aimed at her. They were still inside her home, a giant tree much larger on the inside than reality permit. Around them, within the enormous room without ends they occupied were thousands of bookshelves reaching from ground to the ceiling so high it cannot be seen.

In this endless and infinite maze of books, they stood looking at each other wishing for the other to give up first.

The words she aimed at the man hurt him visibly, yet he did not falter. His eyes were burning with desire and ambition from the beginning, something she appreciated with a revering expression.

“I have grown up, El. You may not be able to understand what us mere mortals feel, but if you truly have any morality and kindness in you, give up and live. If you truly see me as a friend, please choose to live.” When his speech finished the woman responded with a kind, yet sad smile. She reached into the air and a small vial appeared in her hands.

“Very well. Pour this on the blade before you strike at me or else my death would be very slow and painful. I suppose this isn’t too much to ask for as my last wish? Even I detest pain.”

The thin and fragile hand held out the crystal-like bottle before her as she awaited her fate. As if she had expected such an outcome, she had prepared beforehand. As if she did not even once think of retaliating or defending herself.

“You…” The soldier was flabbergasted at her decision. “Why do you have to die! Why? Why can’t you-”

Before he could finish his sentence an arrow flew past his cheeks from behind and hit the heavenly woman before her in the chest, knocking the vial on the ground. He watched as it rolled a meter whilst pouring its contents all over the marble floor.

“Don’t let her talk, she is trying to control you. Do you really think she would just accept death? It might be poison to kill you and your family. Don’t trust her.”

Whilst the woman just kept looking at him with a smile distorted by agony, a second female voice spoke from behind him. Her voice was thin and powerful, albeit far from the strength of the others.

“Olivia! Why?” The man asked angrily.

“What, why, we came to kill her. We all knew she would never leave because she cannot leave! Your hesitation almost gave her a chance to kill you.”

The man called Lawrence was hit with a sudden realization. He slowly and quietly repeated in himself what her partner-in-crime said.

“She cannot leave.”

“You didn't tell me. Why did you not tell me?!” He demanded the answer, not knowing from which of them.

“See, how much she has brainwashed you? She is a god damn walking weapon that has to be destroyed no matter what. Look around you! Do you know how many people we will be able to help with all this knowledge she hid from us? She hid from you?”

The second woman pushed him out of the way and stood before the first. It was the first time the two saw each other as normally only those allowed inside could enter the library. This time the entrance was left wide open for them.

“So you are the one behind all this nonsense. I don’t care what your plan is, but it ends here.”

As she said that she reached forward and grabbed the arrow still inside the woman's chest. The wound was bleeding slowly already but she jerked it out in the most damaging way possible. With the large hole gaping open the blood started pouring forming a small crimson river, dripping down under her into a growing pool of vile.

Even though the woman was in pain, she kept her gentle smile as if the beauty of the world unfolded itself before her vision. This sight was too gruesome for the soldiers, they could only keep their eyes away in shame. Her killer wasn’t unaffected either, her hands shook as she watched her bleeding out for minutes.

“As I said, I also dislike pain. Could you end this please?” The magical being asked gently without any resentment in her voice.

The murderer took a look at the arrow in her hands and threw it away. She turned to look at the man who stood still with a horrified face. His body was still stuck in the same spot, incapable of moving so she grabbed his hand and took his sword.

“I know you want to take responsibility, but I do not allow my future husband to kill the woman he loves. I would rather you hate me than resent yourself.”

She stepped up again with the sword embedded with beautiful gems, gave one last look at the woman and stabbed her straight through the heart. She pulled the sword out slowly and carefully as the body fell to the side. However, unlike what she expected, the sound of a faint cry and whimpers came from the ground where only dead should lay.

She kept staring at the beast before her whimpering on the ground fatally wounded yet still refusing to die. No matter how much hate she harbored against it such a torture was disgusting for her. Not one but several soldiers threw up from listening to her choking continuously in her own blood whilst crying to herself.

“What are you?” The tormenter asked inaudibly whilst raising the sword high into the air.

She swung down in a wide arc with great power yet the shortsword simply wasn’t enough to kill the target in one strike, no matter how big the wound it caused was.

The sword clacked to the ground as the woman fell to her back in horror. The woman before her, her enemy simply refused to die as a human should.

No, she wasn’t human. That’s why. That's the reason why she was killed, wasn’t it? How could she forget?

She sat there and continued to stare at the misery she had caused for hours until the death throe finally ended and the monster gave out its final, last breath.

A moment later they found themselves in the village in the empty spot of where once the home of the immortal witch, known as the Tree of Knowledge once stood for thousands of years.