"Well?" Alannah fumed while holding tiny Aaron in her clenched fist. Keeping him in front of her narrowed eyes, Alannah awaited impatiently for what Aaron has to say. She grew him a bit – to action figure size – so it was easier to understand his pitiful squeaks.

"Perhaps you shouldn't squeeze so hard," Tinsley carefully said when she noticed Aaron's pea-sized head becoming gradually purple. "I think he has a little trouble breathing."

"I do not squeeze!" Alannah snapped back.

Either way, Alannah loosened the grip of her youthful fist to grant Aaron a breather. He gasped heavily as his lungs eagerly pumped themselves up with fresh air – richly filled with highly needed oxygen.

"Speak now, brother. Or end up as a microbe on my big toenail – for always unfindable for mother." Alannah said as her billboard-sized countenance looked down upon a squiggly little Aaron lying in her cupped hand. She was serious now, and her patience was running out.

"A Goddess," Aaron staggered back on his feet. "you ever heard of it?"

Alannah hummed her acknowledgment.

"You know what it is? What it can do? What SHE can do?"

"I have a vague inkling," Alannah answered dryly.

"Its power, Alannah. Boundless power. And freedom, far beyond the meaning a mere human can give to those words."

Alannah shrugged. "Yes, and this is relevant because?"

Aaron gave a sly smirk. "I know how to become one. Or better said, I know how YOU can become one – both of you." He eyed Tinsley, too who stood listening next to her sister.

Alannah chuckled. "Your mouth is filled with even more crap than I already thought."

"Listen, Alannah. I know you. I know you even better than you know yourself. This is exactly what you want. I see the keenness in your eyes. Think about all the things you'll be able to do once that scrawny body of yours transforms into one uber-appealing, unstoppable Goddess. No one. I repeat, no one will be able to oppose your will. Not even mom. You'll be able to do virtually everything to everyone."

It satisfied Aaron to see that his words were striking the right chords. He could see it in Alannah's eyes. She does not trust him, but if there is even a slight opportunity for her to fulfill her dream of gaining ultimate power, she will take it.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Alannah eyed him suspiciously. "what will you gain in all of this?"

Aaron sighed. "I'm tired, Alannah. I want rest. Peace. Peace with you. With both of you." He eyed Tinsley also.

Alannah cocked her brow. "And I'm going to give you that?"

"Yes, you will. I hope. In exchange for some crucial information needed to perform the ritual."

"Ritual?!" Alannah's eyes fluttered.

"Yes, I'll call a spade to spade. It won't be pleasant. Pretty painful, actually."

"What do you know about rituals anyway? And witches?"

Aaron rolled his eyes like Alannah was asking the dumbest question ever. "Seriously, Alannah? Look around you. I grew up with witches. Have even been raised by one. I know a lot more about witchery than you can imagine. It might surprise you, but I read, you know... A lot."

Alannah narrowed her eyes. "This better be not some kind of trick."

"Hey, why should I?" Aaron spread his arms while giving a rueful smile. "you'll only make my life even more worse than it already is. It's a win-win this way. You your power and me my peace."

Aaron saw his kid sister contemplating his words. Tinsley merely gaped at her bigger sister – awaiting her response.

"What makes you so sure I will hold up my end of the deal? When I'm all-powerful and unstoppable, as you say. There will be no one to reign me in."

"I trust in the honor of a sworn oath between a brother and a sister." Aaron placed his hand on his heart as he gave a sincere smile – which looked rather creepy due to the burn mark on his cheek.

Alannah looked at him – thoughtfully.

Aaron shrieked when Alannah's humongous fingers folded inwards – trapping him within her fist.

Balled up in pitch dark and without disorientation, Aaron felt sensations in his body, implying that he was traveling. Alannah's hand spat his body out a moment later and threw it back in the cardboard box.

Shaking his head, Aaron looked up and saw both Alannah and Tinsley's impressive torsos looming above his prison as they looked down upon him.

"Serve out your punishment. I'll see you later." Alannah said before walking off. Tinsley took one more glance at her older brother before following suit.

"Does that mean we have a deal? Hello? Alannah? Tinsley? Anyone?"

+++

Alannah lay leisurely on her bed with her arms crossed behind her head – observing the stars through the panoramic sight of the attic window. One blinking star – the brightest of them all, radiating with the intensity of an attention-seeking kid in class shouting "pick me, pick me!" – sucked up Alannah's focus as her gaze rested upon it. It reminded her of her mother.

The brightest of them all. Alannah sighed.

Her mom's potency was unmatched among the scarce population of witches throughout the world. Alannah could still conjure vivid images of her mother facing the disreputable armies of Uglya roughly seven years ago. It was headline news at that time. A witch, a lonesome witch, would go up against a professionally trained army – containing modernized weaponry, tanks and artillery. Most strongly advised against it – even among the community of witches. Her mother remained committed, though – stubborn as she was. Like mother, like daughter.

"Someone has to hold them accountable for their actions," Dalary stated viciously in front of the cameras during a press conference. "If it's not me, then who is it?"

It remained silent after that. And so, Alannah's mother went on her way to the frontlines – to face one of the world's most dangerous armies.

Alannah recalled that she sat on her father's lap – gaping at the television – as Uglya's army closed in a single woman standing there forlorn in the dessert. A warning was given. And when Dalary refused to step aside, they opened fire. First, a single bullet – right in the chest. Then, a second when Dalary just kept standing there, unscathed. Then, a rain of bullets followed – accompanied by bursting tank shells and loud roars of artillery – all aimed at Alannah's mother.

Alannah shrieked and dug her head against her father's chest – not wanting to see her mother blasted to smithereens. No one would survive such an ordeal, right?

"Sweet mother of holy Moses," Were Alannah's father's words as he gaped at the television. Peeling one eye open and then the other – Alannah stared with bewilderment at the screen. Her mother was still alive, and not only that – she was completely unharmed. She just stood there with her hands on her hips as a barrage of bullets and explosions rained down upon her. Barely thawed from witnessing such a supernatural event whereby a single being bore the full brunt of a modernized army, Alannah's eyes fluttered with shock when some other astonishing thing happened. Her mother's body started floating, ascending higher – soaring in midair.

Fly?! Was her mother able to fly?!

Then her mother started laughing – loud and delightfully amused – by the army's pitiful attempts to harm her while looking down upon them.

Seeing the futileness of their effort, the army ceased fire. Now it was Dalary's turn. She waved her hand and the whole battalion of tanks started to shrink down to the pathetic size of a dinky toy. It did not take long before a few soldiers dropped their guns and ran off – trampling many of their now shrunken comrades. More followed. And before Dalary knew it, the entire army retreated from her like a disorganized flock of hounded cattle.

Shortly thereafter, a message was received from the supreme commander himself – announcing their country's capitulation.

Witches were greatly feared after Dalary's display of almightiness. So it was inevitable that questions were being asked by the public.

'What more is a witch capable of doing?'

And

'Will the government be able to protect them against a rogue witch with vile intentions?'

Although Dalary's performance while fighting the military made it look like she was near-invincible, the truth was somewhat different. The hard fact is that Dalary rolled a huge dice while dealing with Uglya's finest.

True, her magical prowess allowed her to withstand the rain of doom unleashed by Uglya's armies – but only for a short amount of time.

Luckily for her, the armies did not know that. And when they ceased fire, Dalary used the last shred of her powers to shrink down a good portion of their army. She was just as vulnerable as every other human being after that. A single well-aimed bullet would have ended her life – but, once again, the army did not know that. Profoundly convinced of Dalary's invulnerability and almightiness, the military chooses to go on the lam instead.

The first thought that seeped into young Alannah's head after seeing her mother's performance was, I HAVE to experience that too!

Luckily for Alannah, she was gifted with her mother's talents – unlike her older sister, Kiara, who remained just as ordinary as every other human.

And not only that. Alannah was a natural prodigy. Her potential was phenomenal. It soon became apparent that it was just a matter of time before both Alannah and Tinsley would surpass their mother on the field of magical potency.

But this would never be enough for Alannah, though. Her capabilities would always be confined by boundaries. She wanted to be free. She wanted to become the one thing that knew no boundaries. She wanted to become the brightest of them all – a Goddess. And now, the opportunity to become one stood right in front of her.