Marvela and Curious returned the salamander to his aquarium. There was nothing left they could do for Freckle besides whisper more apologies and a promise to avenge his witch. Freckle had blown a bubble at them in return. There was no hint of a blue shimmer in the bubble anymore. Already his magic had faded. The little salamander slunk back into hiding amongst his underwater plants.

The kitten's tail dragged along the ground as she and her rat left Phoebe's street, leaving her confused and disoriented neighbors behind.

Since Asra had flown off, the vanishing of Marvela's witch played over and over again in her mind. The fire slowly drained from her heavy heart.

"What do we do, Curious?" Marvela mewed, staring at her paws on the ground as the two of them trudged along. "Slight will rise tomorrow night."

The rat stopped short beside her and gave the pendant around her neck a flick. "What do we do?" he repeated. "We stop moping and keep searching for one! And you heard what Asra said, right? About how there seemed to be fewer witches in Vigilance than she thought? It sounds like some witches must've heeded our warning online and bailed! There's got to be a few more witches left that Asra hasn't found."

No sooner had the words left Curious' mouth did the vial begin to glow again. Marvela took a deep breath. She squared her shoulders. "You're right. As usual," she said to her friend. "Let's get going! We don't have time to waste!"

After the rat had climbed aboard, the kitten took off running down the street. Overhead, the moon began its fall from the purple star-strewn sky.

The next witch was thankfully only a few blocks away. Without pause, Marvela and her familiar barged forth through the front door of a house that looked about as old as Vigilance itself. The old woman inside was still awake even at that late hour, busily pruning an impressive collection of succulents and plants that decorated nearly every inch of the house. The witch paused mid-snip at her unexpected visitors.

The kitten had no time to waste. She sucked in a huge gulp of air. "Hi! My name's Marvela and I'm a witch and I know that's weird but hear me out because you're in danger!"

The thick-framed glasses the old witch wore magnified her pale eyes as they widened. She set her trimmers aside and cupped a hand to one of her ears in Marvela's direction. "Eh?" the woman squawked. "What's that? Sorry, my hearin' ain't what it used to be."

The kitten sighed. Slow way it is, then. Again.

After Marvela and Curious finished recounting the events of the past two days to her, the old witch bundled her crocheted shawl decorated with googly-eyed spiders made from pom-poms tighter around herself from where she sat in a plump armchair. She picked traces of green leaves from her wiry gray hair as she stared down at the cat on the floor before her.

"So I'm in danger, huh?" the witch finally said, chuckling. "Oh hon, I've been around since they used to burn us witches. There's no danger these days anymore as long as we witch-folk keep our noses down." She raised a finger, and a tin watering can perched on the end table beside her took flight. It sprinkled water over a wilting potted sapling. "Cheer up there, old sprout. That's better," she said as the sapling instantly rejuvenated in a cloud of sparkling mist.

Marvela's eyes followed the watering can as it returned to its spot on the table. Then she blinked. Maybe her tired eyes were playing tricks on her, but it looked like the surface of the table was... moving? The floor around her seemed to be moving as well. In fact, every negative space between each potted plant was trembling. The old witch seemed unbothered by all the squirming surfaces. She kicked up her cracking legs on a tasseled footstool with her hands folded comfortably in her lap. "So tell me... Who's this hot-shot witch that thinks she's gonna put an end to ol' Olive, huh?"

"Asra," Marvela answered, still transfixed by the curious vibrations. "She's—"

Olive's misty eyes widened. Her spectacles almost slid off her face as she lurched in her chair. "Asra?" the old woman repeated. "Asra! Ha! That old bat's still kickin' too, huh? Funny. Coulda sworn she had gone up in smoke long ago."

"Well, she did. Multiple times, apparently. But she—"

Olive held out a wrinkled, age-spotted hand to stop her. "Let me guess. She made a deal with a spirit to revive her, and now that spirit's finally comin' to collect. Pah! Yeah, that sounds just like Asra. Would be a real shame to see her get dragged down to the Spirit Realm. That woman never returned my potion ladle I lent her centuries ago."

Marvela swished her tail across the floor. She swore it felt like it brushed against something. Or... somethings. "That's why she's destroying other witches. So she can—"

"Ah! Again, let me guess. So she can stand up to that spirit and avoid paying her dues. That right?"

"Pretty much, yeah. So you need to—"

There was a squelching crunch. All eyes in the room went to Curious on the floor next to Marvela. The rat raised a foot. Stuck to the underside of it was a flattened black fuzzy spider. "Ah! So sorry!" he squealed, peeling off the spider. With an irritable shake of its tiny body, the spider scurried away.

And joined the rest of the thousands of black spiders that skittered about around them all.

The kitten laughed as a realization hit her. Spiders. That's why everything seemed to be moving; it was covered in tiny spiders.

All around the house, spiders traveled via an intricate network of webs. They worked together to nurse the numerous potted plants to perfect health, nipping off any browned leaves and using their webbing to support any drooping stems. Those that weren't hard at work were nestled together amongst the leaves of Olive's plants, sipping on droplets of dew as they conversed in their silent spider language.

Marvela had a soft spot for things that were tiny and fuzzy. She smiled at Olive's spiders before dipping her head apologetically to the old witch. "Sorry! My familiar accidentally stepped on one of your, uh... familiars?"

"My familiars?" said the witch. She scooped up a handful of spiders and caressed them lovingly with a finger. Marvela's sensitive ears could barely pick up the nearly inaudible appreciative squeaks of the spiders. "Pah! Oh, kitty, ol' Olive hasn't had a familiar in a long time. I just like to keep these little fellows around 'cause they keep all the bugs away. And in return, I give them a place to live where people won't squash them." She side-eyed the rat, and he rushed to hide behind Marvela.

The kitten tilted her head to the side at Olive's words. "No familiar? But... how do you manage your magic without someone to assist you?"

The old woman released her spiders with a sigh. "I get by. When you live as long as I have, you see a lot of people come and go from your life. It got so tiring to say goodbye to all the familiars I've cherished over the years. That's the true curse of this world; that animals don't live as long as people, let alone witches, do. Even the ones we give our magic to. Even the ones we love."

Olive watched the spiders rejoin their friends amongst the plants, her eyes welling with love behind her spectacles. Marvela watched them for a moment too. A hollow feeling grew inside her.

"Olive," the kitten said. "I'm sorry, but you need to take what you can and leave—"

The witch snorted a laugh. "Leave? Oh, little kitty. I ain't leavin'. Like I said. I'm tired. Too tired to run. If Asra wants me, she'll catch me no matter what."

Even the spiders seemed to be laughing at Marvela's request. The teeming colony grew more restless.

Then every single spider went still.

The fur down Marvela's spine rose as the spiders began retreating into the shadowy nooks and crannies of the room. She thrashed her poofy tail. Something was wrong.

The house shook. Pots and plants fell from shelves and tables and shattered onto the floor. Curious and Marvela huddled close to each other, eyes stretched wide. Olive never moved from her chair. She once again folded her hands neatly in front of her.

Smoke seeped through every crack in the floorboards, gathering and congealing into a single mass in the center of the room. The house ceased its shaking. The smoke evaporated. In its place stood a smiling emerald-eyed and fiery-haired witch.

"Asra," said Olive, pushing up her glasses.

"Olive," said Asra. "Pleasure as always."

Olive eyed the younger-looking witch up and down. "Enough with the pleasantries. I've already been filled in on your plan. Let's get this over with."

Asra clucked her tongue. "As hasty as ever. Very well then." She raised her hand to Olive. "The last witch in Vigilance stands before me. Don't worry, old friend. I'll make good use of your magic."

"Sure you will, Asra. Just like my favorite ladle you stole," retorted the old witch. She made no move to stand up from her chair to defend herself.

Sparks of lightning flew from Asra's outstretched hand.

Marvela couldn't stand to watch. "No!" she yowled, leaping forward to stand between the dueling witches. "I won't let this happen!"

The sparks swelled. The air buzzed with electricity. Asra's smile never faded. And Marvela stood rooted to the ground like one of Olive's many plants.

Something slammed against her ribs, knocking her aside. The kitten had just enough time to gather her senses and roll over to see Olive standing before Asra, right where Marvela had been. The old witch had kicked her out of the way.

Just in time for the explosion.

And then Olive, too, was gone.

Marvela's heartbeat was the only sound she could hear as the dust settled. Asra stood tall in the middle of the upended living room, savoring her newly acquired power. Her skin looked even more like polished stone. Her luscious locks of hair danced in a breeze that didn't exist. Still smiling to herself, the witch turned to depart. Marvela pounced on the hem of her dress.

"You're wrong, Asra!" she hissed up at the witch. "There's still one witch left in Vigilance!"

Curious peeked at from behind a table leg. Countless tiny spiders clung to him in fear. The rat shook his head at the kitten. "Marvela, don't—!"

Asra turned her attention to the black cat at her feet. "Oh? And who might that be—wait..." The witch's eyes narrowed. Something malevolent flashed within them. She knelt over the kitten. "Wait. I can sense her... My sister..."

Asra's face was so close that Marvela could see the way her pupils suddenly constricted into pinpricks. The witch's smile evaporated from her face.

"Now I understand. So that's why your magic hasn't faded. This is where Sable's power went!" Asra exclaimed. "It all went to you! How did she—?"

Marvela swallowed. The cat's out of the bag, she thought to herself. She wanted to turn tail and run, but her paws were frozen. She arched her back in a useless attempt to look larger. "Return the witches, Asra! Give up all the magic you stole! Or else—"

The witch stood to her full height. Her uproarious laughter made the spiders tremble. "Or else what?" she said. "Marvela, was it? Do you think you can stop me, Marvela? You've only been a witch for... what? Since only yesterday? I, on the other hand, was born a witch. I was hand-picked by the spirits. Though I'm sure the spirits will soon learn to regret that. All your magic is second-hand. Just someone else's hand-me-downs that you'll never grow into."

This time, there was no wind. There was no fire. There was no glorious show of power. All Asra did was stand in a dark room.

Yet Marvela found herself shrinking away from the witch all the same.

A dark feathered shape alighted on the other side of the window. The moonlight threw Branwenn's shadow across the two witches as the crow looked on in silence.

Asra ceased her laughter. When she spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper. "Give up, kitten. Your very existence is an affront to the craft." She crouched beside the pitiful little cat. "Unless you can prove me wrong," she murmured into Marvela's ear. "Go on. Prove to me and everyone in this room that you are worthy of the power you carry—that you are even a worthy adversary to me."

Marvela tore her orange eyes away from Asra's green. She stared at the floor. She couldn't feel her magic within her. All she could feel was her trembling paws on the dust-covered floor.

Asra reached out and stroked the kitten, making her flinch. "See, Marvela?" she continued. "You are no witch. You will never amount to anything more than a familiar. Just a tool. A slave to witches..." The witch smiled.

The kitten sat trembling, unable to bring herself to flee. "That's not true..." she finally managed to utter. "Familiars aren't slaves... They're... they're companions. They're friends. They're..."

Family?

Marvela chanced a glance at the crow in the window. The bird was as still as a stone gargoyle as she, too, listened to Asra's words.

Asra's eyes flicked to the window, then back to Marvela. "Branwenn is just one of many," she told the kitten. "She's served me well over the years, yes, but I've had plenty of familiars before she came along. I'll have plenty more after her too. Although, once I have Slight under my control, I don't think I'll have any use for any other familiars." She tapped a long fingernail to her chin beneath her sickly sweet smile. "Including her. Soon she'll be just another animal without magic."

There was a flutter of wings. The shadow disappeared from the window, freeing the moonlight to spill into the room.

Asra took no notice of her familiar's absence. She continued to run her fingers through the kitten's fur. "Our little feud has been entertaining, but now you're a bit of a nuisance. My big night is fast approaching. It's the night the world returns to the way things were... Back to when magic reigned over the fearful masses." There was a flash of green in the witch's eyes. "Everything must be perfect, so it's time for you to leave."

The hand that ran through Marvela's fur began glowing. But Marvela couldn't stop trembling. She couldn't look away from that face that lacked a flaw.

She couldn't look away from those glowing green eyes and the malevolence that writhed within them like an oncoming storm.

And Marvela recalled the story she told Curious of the First Witch. She also recalled Asra's words the night Sable was taken away from her.

Just as there was a First Witch, so shall there be a last...

The tiny kitten tried to swallow the lump that rose in her voice. Something in the witch's gleeful eyes told her there was more to Asra's plan than the sorceress had initially let on.

Taking out the witches of Vigilance and enslaving Slight was only the first part of the plan Asra was hatching.

A shrill battle cry released Marvela from her stupor. "Marvela, look out!" Curious shrieked. "Eat sparkles, witch!"

There was a blinding glittery flash, and Marvela felt tiny hands push her away from Asra. Side by side with Curious, the pair fled from Olive's house into the night.

The moon hung just over the horizon. In the east, the sky was turning pink. Tears stung Marvela's eyes and rained behind her as she followed Curious back to their library hideout.

The vial around her neck never glowed again.

The witches of Vigilance were no more.

And if Asra should succeed on Halloween night, so would all the other witches in the world.

And then Asra would have enough power to challenge the spirits in the Spirit Realm.