The Tiger Prince's Witch
Chapter 75 - The Gifts

Everyone gasped with fear at the sight of Satan. Anna quickly reassured them.

"It's alright. Satan isn't here to do us harm." She turned back to the devil, who was smirking at her.

"Anna, my dear witch. You have been the pride of all worlds that everyone has been waiting for. Your natural leadership abilities have far exceeded everyone's expectations." Kamryn walked over to his mate and daughter. He knew what she'd said about Satan, but that didn't mean he was comfortable with the devil being so close to her. When the red eyes turned toward him with a knowing smile, Kamryn couldn't help but relax. His eyes were actually kind despite the glowing red. "Ah, the mighty tiger Kamryn. You have proven yourself worthy of Anna's mate in many ways. You both have much to conquer together, and I can't wait to watch from the sidelines." Kamryn was utterly confused by Satan's words. When he thought of the devil, this interaction would have been the furthest from his mind. Satan turned toward everyone and spoke in a deep voice that almost felt like a warm blanket being draped over them.

"I want to apologize to you all for the deeds of Astaroth. I never thought he would take it this far. I'd been watching him for a while but knew I couldn't interfere. The power of six was the only way to end his terror. Together they are even more powerful than I am. The loss of life should not have been this great. It was increased due to the good intentions of others, so I am going to grant you all a gift. Your loss is not as it seems. The souls of those who died will be returned to them so they can live out their lives as destined."

Everyone watched in astonishment as Satan raised one of his large hands and blew a red dust that covered all of the palace grounds. One by one, those that had been lifeless rose to their feet. Anna didn't expect her father to be granted his life back because he died at the hand of Astaroth, not from Santi's mistake. However, when Satan winked at her, he blew out a big puff of gold dust that went straight to her father. He sat up, looking around, pulling Caprice into his arms as they cried.

"Thank you. I know you didn't have to do this, but I really appreciate it." Anna's tears flowed with happiness as those who now had life joined her and Kamryn beside Satan. Santi's broken body had been restored as he held on to weeping Maxie, sobbing. Anna was thrilled that he was giving everyone a second chance.

"You all have shown that good shall overcome evil. No matter how small the package, the heart of one witch has touched you all. I can see the impact she had on everyone here. So before I go, I will give you one last parting gift. A glimpse of the future. Liana, Zack, Sean, and Sasha have all been gifted with rare abilities that make them the most powerful beings to walk the earth. This was done because something even more sinister than Astaroth will be coming. They will be successful, but I'm going to give them a touch of magic to help. Please bring the children to me." Anna, Jaz, Marcella, and Shila held their little ones in front of Satan. Remarkably the little ones stopped moving as they stared at him. He beamed down at them with such pride he looked like a proud grandparent.

"You four are wise beyond your years. Remember the lessons you have learned along the way when the time comes. You already have such amazing gifts, but I will give you another. With this magic, you will be able to freeze time for the length of one minute, Liana. You'll know when it's needed." He blew blue dust over her before turning to Zack.

"Zack, your gift will be in the form of speed. When the time comes, you will use this speed to confuse your opponent." He blew green dust over him.

"Sasha, as Zack's mate, you have been given the gift to slow time. It will affect everyone except Zack, Liana, and Sean. Together you and Zack will be able to prepare for the last step." Satan blew yellow dust on Sasha and turned toward Sean. "Sean, you have the most important job of all. While Zack and Sasha confuse the attacker, Liana will freeze time so you can use your magic of electric shock. One touch of your hand at the right moment will be all it takes to end them." He blew purple dust over Sean.

"It's essential you do the steps exactly as I've described to be successful. I know you all will make everyone proud. I have confidence that you'll prevail and exceed our expectations." Anna hugged her daughter to her as she stared at the devil. "Thank you for everything." She smiled at him as he nodded.

"You're most welcome, my dear. I bid you all goodbye." With that, he disappeared just as quickly as he'd appeared. The hole he came out of closed as though nothing had ever been there.

"Anna, how did you know he wasn't here to hurt us?" Kamryn asked, still trying to wrap his head around what he had just witnessed.

"Satan has a bad reputation for being the ruler of hell, but in truth, he is embracing the role he was given. He doesn't set out to do evil. He only takes the souls of those who are already evil. Satan has a special connection with witches, no matter what type of magic they practice. He understands us and respects us. When I saw him, I knew he wouldn't harm us. That's not what he does." Everyone was so quiet while she spoke as they looked at her with awe. Satan was enormous even though he hadn't entirely left the hole. Anna appeared even smaller in comparison, but it had been clear to see how he felt about her. It was as though he loved her like a daughter.

"That's incredible. I think we all need to rest, but in two days, we will have the crowning. It's time to make it official for our new king and queen." Randal spoke loudly as Anna giggled with joy. She wasn't giddy about becoming queen; she didn't care about that. Her happiness came from seeing everyone she loved living and breathing again.

Everyone hugged their loved ones in relief that no lives were lost, thanks to Satan. As they all returned to the palace and went to their separate quarters, there was an overwhelming sense of happiness in the air. After every battle, there is always a lesson to be learned.

It could be a lesson on how to defeat the next opponent or what not to do the next time. Lessons of forgiveness and love can also be learned. In this instance, the lesson was that a book can't always be judged by its cover. Many had assumed Satan was pure evil that rained terror on those he came in contact with. When they were shown that they couldn't be further from the truth, it was eye-opening in more ways than one. We all need to give people a chance to show their intentions before judging them. Rumors can cause destruction, death, and unnecessary hurt. Trust your instincts and show love and kindness rather than hate.

Everyone that was part of the battle now understood the truth about Satan and would share their newfound knowledge. It may not be accepted well, but it would open minds to the possibilities of what may lie ahead.

Anna and Kamryn will soon be pronounced king and queen. They know there are many watching them to see how they rule. They also know they have support from multiple kingdoms and allies to help with anything that comes their way.