Eighteen years had passed since that horrific incident that took the world by surprise.
Elrick and his men, alongside the Sealweaver dynasty, continued waging war against other kingdoms, marking this entire era as The Kingdoms' Doom.
But in a hidden corner of the world, deep within a vast forest nearly as large as the Dark Forest, lay a secret refuge for witches.
The witches were once ordinary humans. Centuries ago, they were a powerful clan that did not rely much on Creation. Instead, they focused on technological advancements. However, their superiority placed the other kingdoms at a massive disadvantage, forcing them to unite against the clan. Branded as witches, they became the enemy.
A brutal war followed. Though the witches fought fiercely, their resources and manpower dwindled daily. Eventually, the combined forces of the kingdoms emerged victorious, slaughtering countless witches. Yet, as always, some survived.
The survivors knew they could not rebuild their civilization as before. Instead, they chose to continue their legacy in secrecy, hiding in remote corners of the world—places where no one would think to look.
This particular clan found refuge deep in a massive forest. From the outside, it appeared dark and menacing, deterring any who dared approach. But within, it flourished as a well-structured community, divided into four main section .
The East Side: Hidden deep within the forest, where they built a village for daily activities.•
The West Side: A farm where they cultivated vegetables, fruits, and livestock to sustain themselves.
• The South Side: A training ground for combat and witchcraft, where they tested their new advancements.
• The North Side: The only area where humans sometimes wandered close. To keep them away, this section was left untouched—home to wild animals and beasts.
Even before the witches arrived, this land belonged to the creatures, and rather than driving them out, they chose to coexist.
However, problems occasionally arose—especially in the West Side, where the farm was located.
A young boy with white hair and blue eyes sat perched on a tree branch, a black-rope ring hanging from his neck. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rock.Below, near the vegetable patch, soft digging sounds echoed through the soil.
He steadied his aim, waiting.From the earth, a small figure emerged—a woodchuck.
The rodent looked around cautiously before scurrying toward a carrot patch. Thinking the coast was clear, it began to dig one up. Just as it was about to take a bite...
THUD!
A rock struck its head.
The woodchuck froze. Its tiny body trembled as it slowly turned toward the tree.
Standing there, furious, was the boy.
"I KNEW IT WAS YOU!" he shouted.
Panicked, the woodchuck flung the carrot to the ground and bolted.
"WAIT RIGHT THERE!" the boy yelled. "I knew it was you stealing the carrots, you little—!"
He grabbed more rocks, hurling them as the woodchuck screamed in terror.
Then—silence.
Both boy and rodent stopped.
Dig dig dig…
The woodchuck burrowed underground.
The boy lunged forward, trying to catch it, but it was too late. The thief had escaped yet again.
"Yo, Menma!" a voice called.
A young girl with long purple hair, wearing a black witch hat, approached.
"Come on, Mother is calling you!"
Menma, still frustrated, sighed and hopped down from the tree.
The girl chuckled. "Couldn't catch the woodchuck again, huh?"
"Yeah, yeah," Menma muttered. "But he won't be coming back again."
She smirked. "I doubt that." Then, her expression turned curious. "Why do you think Mother called us? Is she sending us to Purgatory again?"
At that, Menma's mood lifted. He loved fighting skeletons. As they walked, they playfully argued over who had more kills.
The village soon came into view.
Made entirely of wood, most houses stood one or two stories tall. At the center stood a school where young witches learned about Creation and technology.
Their studies included potion-making—crafting potions for strength, speed, durability, and stamina, all with temporary effects and no drawbacks.
Other key buildings included the healing house, the meeting hall, and various shops, forming a self-sufficient community.
At the very top of the village stood the Queen's residence—a grand two-story house where both Menma and Lunara lived.
As they walked through the village, witches of all ages carried out their daily tasks. Some were elders, others mere children, but all wore the signature witch hat.
Despite being human, Menma was never treated as an outsider.
After all, he had lived here for eighteen years. He was as much a part of the clan as anyone else.
But it hadn't always been that way…
Eighteen years ago.
A baby had been left alone in the forest—abandoned.
Until Annie, Queen of the Witches, found him.
"A HUMAN BABY?! Annie, what are you thinking? This has to be a trap!" one witch exclaimed.
"Yeah! The humans must have left him there, hoping we'd take him in. If we do, they'll track him back to our village and wipe us out!" another added, her voice shaking with fear.
Annie stood firm. "I searched the entire area. There was no one else there. We can't just leave him to die."
A witch spat, "If humans found a baby witch, they'd kill it in the most horrific way possible! Did you forget? They are the reason our clan was annihilated! They slaughtered our families! And now you want to raise one of their children?!"
Annie clenched her fists. "Yes, the humans killed our ancestors. Yes, they forced us into hiding. And yes, we live in constant fear because of them! But…"
Her voice softened. "This is just a child. No matter what he is—a demon, a purgatorist—I would still raise him. And I will raise him alongside my own daughter."
Many witches protested, but after much arguing, Annie convinced them.
Thus, the baby boy—Menma—was raised as one of their own.
At first, the witches were wary of him. But as he grew, he proved to be a source of joy.
Alongside Lunara, he caused plenty of trouble in the village.
Now, as young adults, their playful rivalry continued, but they also contributed to the community in meaningful ways.
Inside the Queen's house, Annie tapped her forehead in frustration. "You're still having problems with that woodchuck?"
Menma crossed his arms. "I don't want to kill him, just scare him off. But he keeps coming back."
Annie sighed. "Well, we have bigger problems now."
She turned serious. "One of the key ingredients in our potions is skeleton bones. And as you know, skeletons only exist in Purgatory.
(Purgatory is a dangerous dimension filled with hostile creatures: skeletons, werewolves, goblins… and worst of all, the Purgatorists.)
Lunara frowned. "So how many people are going?"
"I'm sending you two," Annie said, "along with the new guardians."
The three newly chosen witches stepped forward—Saphira, Sybil, and Sylvara.
Together, they approached the large, circular portal glowing with a deep red hue—the gateway to Purgatory.
And their next trial.