《The Witch and The Warlock》


 Prologue

    ¡°Hey, it seems like today¡¯s rations are even less than before, huh? There¡¯s barely even any meat this time¡­¡±


    A woman sighed helplessly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. The garrison has too many mouths to feed and not enough supplies to provide.¡±


    Another sigh. ¡°They barely managed to scrape out enough for this week. I don¡¯t even know how we¡¯re going to get past the month at this rate¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    A man took his bowl of stew and walked towards a campfire surrounded by their makeshift log benches. Another person stepped forward to grab his own bowl as the queue moved forward.


    A heavy silence hovered in the air despite the number of soldiers. Besides the crackling of the flames and the muffled sound of boots, the only other sound was that of spoons scraping against bowls.


    Step by step, the line moved forward.


    Ladle by ladle, the pots were emptied.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    By the time all the soldiers had gotten their meals, there was nearly nothing left in the pots. The rest would be shared among the cooks.


    As the flames crackled, the shadows cast by the soldiers swayed from side to side. As bowls emptied, some started conversing. Although soft, the occasional murmur was uttered loud enough to be heard.


    Whispers and rumors, here and there, permeated the air briefly before floating away along with the smoke.


    Have you heard? The witch planted a whole bunch of mushrooms by the forest near Erkton.


    The earl of Fernwood¡¯s fallen ill. People say it¡¯s because of the witch.


    Khares¡¯ harvest this year was spoiled by the witch they claim. Less than half of it¡¯s edible.


    A lot of people in Grolmhelm have been getting sick lately, the doctors are saying its the witch¡¯s curse.


    The well in my town dried up again. It¡¯s the third one we¡¯ve dug this year. The witch probably did something.


    The witch poisoned my uncle¡¯s livestock the other week, over a third of them died.


    They say some of the supplies in our garrison was stolen by the witch.


    The witch, the witch, the witch.


    ¡­


    Gazing upwards at the flowering night and the blooming stars.


    The Witch replied,


    ¡°What a perfect moon we¡¯ve been graced with tonight. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

 Ch 1: The City of Venefica 1

    One thing that I used to love about large cities when I was a child were the marketplaces. I would walk around the streets and stalls and splurge whatever money I had. Even if I didn¡¯t have any money, I would still go and enjoy seeing the colorful things that were on sale.


    Buying fruit and sweets impulsively. Sometimes with friends, sometimes by myself.


    Amidst my boring and idle childhood, that''s what I remembered most vividly.


    Nowadays though, you¡¯re lucky if you can buy a loaf of bread without being swindled. Fruits and sweets have gone from being snacks to rare luxuries. Now, you have to spend a stupid amount of time and money to get something even as simple as salt.


    ¡°Twenty-four silver coins, that¡¯s as low as it''s gonna get.¡±


    ¡°As if. The quality and color¡¯s so bad, you¡¯d be lucky to get even seventeen.¡±


    ¡°Well lad, I must say I am feeling exceptionally lucky today.¡± The merchant shrugs and laughs. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to buy, then you don¡¯t have to. No one¡¯s forcing you.¡±


    Scoffing, I turned away and kept on heading down the stone avenue. Up in the sky, the sun, like any other valuable, was hidden away and obscured by darkened clouds. Once again looking at the sparse number of stalls inhabiting the street, I sighed.


    A long time ago, when I visited Venefica, my impression of this place was that it used to be quite the bustling shopping district. I had heard that the city wasn¡¯t doing so well. But to disappear so quickly¡­ it really was quite-


    ¡°Sad. Huh?¡±


    A withered lady wrapped in a shawl and a cloak spoke as I passed in front of her.


    ¡°This street used to be so much busier.¡± She continued. ¡°Now, well. You can see what it is now.¡±


    Looking over her, I turned and said, ¡°A tragedy, it seems. But if I may ask, who might you be?¡±


    ¡°Just another old lady trying to make a living by selling things that nobody wants.¡± She laughs, albeit self-derogatorily while flashing a ring on her right hand.


    A plain and dull iron ring with a barely legible name scrawled on it. A widow¡¯s ring. A ring commonly wore by those who¡¯ve been forced to sell their wedding rings but still wish to have a memento in memory of their lover.


    ¡°I see... I truly am sorry for your loss.¡±


    Without blinking she continued from her seat, ¡°Child, how about buying a thing or two from me if you¡¯re so sorry then? Help an old lady out.¡±


    ...How shameless. Shaking my head, I walked closer to her wooden stall.


    ¡°It really depends on what you¡¯re selling though. I must admit I don¡¯t have much to squander on unnecessary things.¡±


    She picked up a cloth-covered box from the floor and placed it in front of her with a soft thud. After removing the cloth, she started fiddling around with what I assumed to be a lock. The box was rectangular in shape and made of oak. After she finished and popped open the lid, I looked at the items inside.


    There wasn¡¯t much. A colorful rock, an ebony comb, and a satchel of what smelled like herbs. A copper mirror, a thin journal, and a dagger made out of a black stone.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°What¡¯s in here?¡± I asked, pointing at the small pouch.


    The lady loosed the drawstring and tenderly opened it up, the scent from before growing even stronger. ¡°Glad you asked, these are some genuine frostblossom leaves. Picked them myself a while back.¡±


    "Oh?" It¡¯s been quite a while since I¡¯ve seen these kinds of leaves. Peering closer at the curled up leaves, I question. "How old exactly are these? If I remember correctly, they only last for a year so, no?"


    Looking back up at the lady, I was met with a look that showed I had piqued her interest.


    ¡°If you don''t store it properly then yes, they''ll spoil after a year. If they''re taken care of though, they''ll retain their medicinal properties for three times that length. These ones are only a few months old though.¡± Glancing over me once again, she kept talking.


    ¡°You know, I used to own a small clinic as an herbalist. I was a pretty damn good one too. Then the witch appeared. Went from treating a dozen people a day down to a dozen a month.¡± She sighed regretfully. "Sixteen silvers."


    I couldn¡¯t tell if she was serious or if she was still trying to pull on heartstrings. Either way, I didn''t really need medicine nor did I have the money for it.


    ¡°What¡¯s in here then?¡± I say, this time pointing to the leatherbound book.


    ¡°This and that. Think of it as my personal journal of herbs I found and their uses. If you ever run out of food or get injured in the woods, I guarantee that it¡¯ll help.¡± She quickly flipped through its yellowing pages. ¡°So, how about it? Twenty-five silvers.¡±


    That''s¡­ really expensive. Even if I had the money for something like that, I would much rather buy something more useful and practical.


    I shake my head. ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s not something I need. How about the blade?¡±


    ¡°This?¡± The lady held up the dagger by the tip between her fingers. ¡°Not the sharpest knife you¡¯ll find, but it¡¯s lasted for a good ten years. If you take care of it, I reckon it¡¯ll last at least another seven. Fifteen silvers.¡±


    Lady, there¡¯s no way that old thing¡¯s worth more than ten silvers¡­


    ¡°Eight silvers,¡± I shoot back instantly, ¡°It¡¯s not even metal.¡±


    ¡°Kid, if I sold stuff at prices that low, I¡¯d have starved to death by now. Thirteen and a half, that''s the lowest I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Eventually, after haggling for a short while, I purchased it for twelve silvers and fifty coppers.


    Perhaps since the lady knew it was a tad overpriced, she also gave me a worn leather sheath to go with it, claiming that she ¡®had no use for it any longer.¡¯ What a funny person. Still, I wish there were more people like her.


    ¡­


    A few hours later, while I was finishing up buying the rest of the supplies that I needed, it started to rain. At first, it was just a light drizzle and then a sprinkle. Now though, it was an all-out downpour that soaked the hood and cloak I had put on over my head.


    Originally I had wanted to leave and continue traveling after I finished shopping. Unfortunately, the weather today seemed to be rather uncooperative. So, I decided to stay once more at the inn I had slept in last night.


    On the way back though, I happened across two people in the rain, arguing vehemently with each other. From across the street, I could already tell they were ready to start fighting. Of course, I wanted to avoid them as much as possible, but¡­


    That¡¯s the alleyway the inn¡¯s located in¡­


    So, being a sensible person, I tried doing what any other normal human would have done.


    Walk right past them while pretending to be invisible and hope that they wouldn¡¯t notice me because it¡¯s raining and dark and I¡¯m wearing a cloak.


    Sometimes things are destined to go wrong, while other times things fail due to bad lack. I¡¯m inclined to think the latter was the cause.


    One of them, which I realized was a girl, turned around and ran up to me as I tried to walk past.


    ¡°Big brother! This man tried to molest me and now he won¡¯t stop following! Please help!¡± She begged while wrapping her hands around my wrist.


    I looked up and glanced at the man questioningly. He scowled, obviously displeased at the person that was now hiding behind me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to pretend you didn¡¯t do anything! You obviously knew that potion was a scam when you sold it!¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t! I even made it in front of you! You believe me, right sir?¡± She pleaded while trembling. "I really didn''t do anything!"


    ... Oi. Whatever happened to you being molested? And besides, aren¡¯t you getting way too close to a complete stranger? Hey. Hey!


    Shaking off the girl¡¯s hand that was trying to sneak into my cloak, I ran a few steps away before turning and yelling over the rain. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me! Go find a soldier or something!¡± I could already somewhat tell what had occurred between these two and had no wish to get involved.


    But,


    ¡°Find me for what?¡± Unbeknownst to us, another figure had also turned into the alley at some point. With an insignia of dual torches on their chestplate and an iron helmet, the person took another step forward and questioned, ¡°What seems to be happening here?¡±

 Ch 2: The City of Venefica 2

    As a person who was ¡®involved¡¯ in the incident, it ended up with me having to stand in the rain for another half hour. And although I was asked a few questions here and there, most of the arguing came from the man and the girl. I was tempted to leave and just sneak away quite a few times. But seeing the patrolman listening diligently, I decided to help him out and oblige him.


    Of course, it might also have been due to the fact that he was standing next to me the whole time with his hand on his blade. When it was over, the girl ended up reluctantly paying a small fine before we all parted ways.


    Entering the inn, I sighed in relief before taking off my cloak and wringing the excess water out the door. There weren¡¯t too many people inside, so my entry was soon noticed. A young woman walked up to me and bowed. ¡°Hello. Welcome back, sir.¡± She said while smiling, apparently recognizing me from when I left earlier today. ¡°Will you be staying with us today as well?¡±


    I smiled kindly back at her. ¡°Yes. It seems like the rain will last for quite a while. Hopefully it¡¯ll clear up by tomorrow. May I ask if you are still serving meals at this time?¡±


    She laughed and guided me over to one of the open chairs at the counter. ¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯ll bring out some bread and soup from the kitchen. I¡¯ll be back in a bit, okay?¡± She said before disappearing into an open doorway.


    Settling down in my seat, I looked at the other people in the room. Including me, there was a total of seven people. Considering the fact that very few people besides traders traveled about anymore, the inn¡¯s business seemed to be doing alright. None of them were particularly eye-catching, and it¡¯s likely they viewed me in the same light. Besides giving me a few short glances, everyone soon went back to either eating or drinking.


    After a minute, the girl came back with a bowl of stew and a loaf of bread. ¡°Here you go, sir. Your room will be the same as last time. If you need anything else, just ask, okay?¡± After placing them on the counter, she smiled and excused herself.


    A warm bowl of soup and a loaf of bread. Simple food, but good nevertheless. When I was finished, I stood up and headed to my room after leaving behind six silvers as payment.


    Laying down on the bed, I stared up at the wooden ceiling. Inadvertently, I let out a sigh, and my emotions came tumbling out. The stress, the annoyance, the frustration, and above all, a faint and constant sense of disappointment that simply refused to go away.


    Sad, huh?


    That woman really did hit the mark on that one.


    After moping around for a bit, I decided to sit up and count how many coins I still had remaining. Exactly twenty-seven silvers and sixty coppers left. Considering I had spent over fifty in a day on supplies, it wasn¡¯t very heartening.


    At least I had enough provisions to last for quite a while, I thought, consoling myself. If worst came to worst, I could just hunt a bit of forest game.


    At the moment, I was on my way to a remote, unnamed village. There had been complaints about a few wolves attacking livestock, and the surrounding cities weren¡¯t willing to send soldiers to take care of it. Thus the request ended up being forwarded to the Adventurer¡¯s guild and I happened to accept the task. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the easiest job nor was the pay particularly high. It was just that all the other good jobs were taken.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Glancing down at the sheathed dagger in my belt, I felt a little more secure. A few days prior to my arrival, I had lost my previous one. It got stuck in the hide of a particularly large tree mole I was trying to catch which ended up running away. Even now thinking of it made me remorseful.


    With those slightly melancholic thoughts and the lulling murmur of raindrops, the night passed peacefully over the city of Venefica.


    ¡­


    When I woke up, it was to the sound of people clamoring incessantly. Upon going out to see what was happening, I was greeted by the sight of the girl from before, five uniformed men, and a few grumbling people who I assumed were the other customers. The girl, upon noticing my approaching figure, hurried over to explain what was happening.


    ¡°They¡¯re soldiers from the garrison. They claim that the witch has snuck into the city, so they¡¯re searching for suspects.¡± The girl grimaced and whispered in a softer voice. ¡°They¡¯re checking all the inns, but for now, the gates are closed.¡±


    Oh.


    Internally I rolled my eyes. To the girl though, I simply smiled wistfully. ¡°I see. I don¡¯t suppose you still have any food left? I am a bit famished.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my parents are making today¡¯s breakfast right now. It should be done soon, so please take a seat. Sorry for the inconvenience.¡±


    She bowed lightly to apologize as if she was responsible for the delays. Of course, even if I was a bit irritated at the events, there was no reason for me to find fault with her.


    ¡°No need, no need.¡± I shook my head while smiling. ¡°I¡¯m not in any rush to leave, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    After exchanging a few more words, she went to the back to check on the food. I, on the other hand, started letting my gaze wander. In one corner, a bald man was complaining to one of the soldiers in a hushed tone. In another, a person with a hawkish nose was whittling away at a piece of wood. Overall, everyone in the room, including the soldiers, had the same, annoyed look on their faces.


    I suppose that the residents of this city had been through this more than just a few times. If so, then hopefully this would resolve itself quickly enough.


    I wasn¡¯t wrong. After half an hour, the guards received a notice from a messenger. They left shortly after, the thudding of boots slowly fading into the distance.


    Despite that, I stayed for a little longer chatting with the girl whose name I learned was Elizabeth. Talking about food, about the weather, about friends, about our wishes. Just talking and having a normal conversation. When I finished eating and stood up to pay, she refused it with a gentle smile.


    ¡®This meal''s free. Instead, please let people know about us.¡¯ She had said. ¡®And of course, please come by again. Consistent business is much more valuable to us than a coin or two.¡¯


    So, on a hopeful new day, underneath the clear skies, and being sent off by a cute girl, I departed the city of Venefica.


    The next time I came back would be years later, far into the future.


    ¡­


    At the governor''s residence in the center of the city, two people were in a study. One was an older man sitting rigidly at his desk. Across from him sat a figure draped in white. Aside from the breeze blowing in through an open window, all in the room was still and silent.


    Abruptly, a knocking came from outside the wooden door. The man¡¯s eyes flitted to the door nervously. When the figure in front of him showed no reaction, he coughed lightly. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door opened, and a soldier stepped into the room and saluted respectfully.


    ¡°Right after the gates were opened, thirteen people left. Five from the northern gate, and four each from the southwest and southeast gates. Even including the people in the inns, none of them matched the description provided.¡±


    After finishing his report, the soldier bowed and left the room.


    A few taut seconds passed before the person spoke. ¡°Many thanks for your cooperation, governor.¡±


    The man smiled stiffly. ¡°But of course. Anything in my power to help you, Miss Veronica. Now that that¡¯s finished, how-¡±


    Suddenly, the figure closed its eyes and tilted their head sideways, as if listening to something. A minute passed in an awkward silence before the figure turned back.


    ¡°Anything in your power, you say? In that case, please close the gates for the rest of today and tomorrow.¡±


    The man froze. ¡°P-Pardon? Is that not a bit too exce-.¡±


    ¡°Governor,¡± the figure interrupted curtly, ¡°Surely you are aware, no? The ease of how the witch can disguise itself as anyone? Simply do your job, and I will do the rest.¡±


    The man opened his mouth to respond but faltered. A pair of sharp blue eyes pierced through his own. Unwittingly, sweat started to form on his nape and he meekly nodded while averting his gaze.


    ¡°Do not fret, governor.¡± The figure spoke while getting up and turning around. Without looking back the figure opened the door. ¡°The Light does not lie. The witch is nearby.¡±


    The entrance slammed shut, leaving the man alone in the study.


    Outside the figure murmured softly towards the shadows. ¡°Each person that left today. Dispose of them. Then search the city again. The witch is most definitely here.¡± The shadow below the figure, which was a shade darker than the rest around it, pulsed once before changing into the same color as those around it.


    Clutching a silver, four-pointed star in her hand, the figure muttered to itself.


    ¡°I am the one who will find the witch.¡±


    ¡°And I will be the one to kill it.¡±

 Ch 3: A Fateful Encounter 1

    The sight of the city walls and the farmlands receded, gradually being replaced by tall grasslands. Eventually, the city disappeared and I was left alone amidst a sea of yellow and green covered in last night''s dew. With clear skies overhead and a cool breeze blowing into my face, I sighed contently and walked down the dirt road.


    There were so many people who rushed through life hectically, never stopping to enjoy it. Although there wasn¡¯t actually anything wrong with that, it was my firm belief that people who do so are more often unhappy than not.


    For example, take my father.


    A noble, a businessman, a scholar. It was under his conduct and administration that our fief grew successful and prospered. No matter how you looked at it, he was an inspiring and respected figure.


    But, if I was asked, I could honestly say,


    He was not a man happy with his life.


    He neither enjoyed his days or seemed to even want to.


    He was a man who saw everything as a job, as work. His responsibilities, his family, his hobbies. To him, it was simply something to be taken care of, not something to take joy in.


    Of course, I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s wrong. He was successful in his life, impressively so. His goal, which could be said was to become a person whom others admired, was achieved at least twice over. As a human being, he was able to have a family and children and pass down wealth to the next generation. So as a human, he was also successful.


    But, as a person.


    I consider him to have fallen short.


    It is a standard knowledge that the common goal of all people is to be happy. So, in that regard, I consider him to have failed.


    That¡¯s not too big of an issue though. Many people fail in their quest to finding happiness. So I suppose despite whatever I say, in the end, he really was successful.


    Now that I think about it, wasn¡¯t it a tragedy? We all wish to believe that hard work will be rewarded with happiness. We all wish to believe that hard work can accomplish our goals.


    My father had certainly worked hard, yet he was unable to find joy in his life. At the very least, someone as hardworking as him deserved to enjoy his later days.


    Of course, not everyone is like my father.


    There are many people out there, some kind, but most not. Growing up in the conditions I did, I had quite a few encounters with some of the more unpleasant ones. Unreasonable nobles and arrogant brats.


    People who made up pretexts without a second thought, laughing off the efforts of others.


    Ha! If I wanted to, I could do better than that.


    Something that easy, why should I bother?Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Of course, wasn¡¯t it obvious? I wasn¡¯t trying.


    Those humans who desperately keep up their images of superiority and talent.


    In the end, all their mockeries are excuses.


    Excuses to hide their inabilities. Excuses to hide their insecurities. Excuses to avoid confronting their own inadequacy.


    In fact, are they themselves naught but a poor excuse for a human?


    I blink.


    Alas, it seems my mind has drifted off once again. In these times, out on the open fields, when there¡¯s nothing to keep my thoughts hinged to this world, there''s nothing to keep me occupied. Even I get caught up in my own wishful thoughts now and then.


    How lonely. How boring.


    A sudden cold wind made me shiver. I shake my head, letting the crisp air clear away the last remnants of lethargy.


    ¡­


    Some hours later, the sun was setting and the sky was darkening above me. It¡¯s strange how fast the hours go by sometimes. I decided to camp underneath a tree a little off the side of the road for the night. I spent a few minutes flattening out the area before there was enough room for me to sit down.


    While eating, I tried to figure out how much farther the village was. When I accepted the request, I was informed that the journey would take a little over a day by horseback. Assuming that, the travel by foot should take a little over two and a half days.


    I had already bought the supplies I needed to hunt down a wolf or two yesterday. With a metal snare and some sedatives, I was sure I could lure it into a trap. Of course, I would need some animal meat to attract it into the snare, but I had enough confidence in my ability to hunt a squirrel or two.


    I looked up. Looking down at me was a silver orb in the sky, a perfect sphere. It seems like it¡¯ll be a full moon tonight. I remember that the last time it was a full moon I was also traveling around like this, camping out in the open.


    With any luck, I would be able to finish this task quickly and collect my payment. Winter was coming in a few months, and during the snowing season, there were very few people still sending out requests. During that period, although some adventurers would turn to manual labor for work, there was never a lack of people that turned to thievery and pillaging.


    That¡¯s just the kind of people the Adventurer¡¯s guild was made up of. Not exactly the most desirable of people. Everyone else who was able to fight joined the army and militia to become soldiers. Although it wasn¡¯t necessarily a better job, being in the army meant having a far more stable income than being an adventurer. Adventurer. Even the name was a euphemism. Calling them mercenaries would be far more fitting than calling them adventurers.


    Of course, there were some people like me as well, simply doing tasks as a side job for extra income. Taking on tasks for the chance to travel around while earning a few coins. Not many, but they did exist. I¡¯ve met a few here and there during group missions. Just a few though.


    I closed my eyes and sat down against the tree. All around me yellow stalks the height of men rose up from the ground. Although it obscured my vision of the road, it obscured others from being able to see me as well. The only creatures that I might encounter this close to the city were grass snakes which were basically harmless.


    So, wrapped up in my cloak underneath the branches of a tree, I let myself dream.


    ¡­


    It was still night when I was roused from my sleep. Being aware of threats around you is a vital skill when traveling around by yourself. After several years of traveling like I was now, it simply became second nature for me to notice the things around myself. And right now, it was telling me something was nearby.


    I sat perfectly still with my eyes closed while listening carefully to my surroundings. I¡¯m not sure when, but the wind had stopped blowing. The grass had also stopped waving, and everything was silent. I strained my ears, searching for the even the slightest noise.


    Seconds passed in tense silence. Seconds turned to minutes and yet the silence remained unbroken.


    I was beginning to doubt myself so I opened my eyes. It was only then I noticed there was something resting on the ground in front of me. A metal four-pointed star was quietly laying in the dirt. The silver moonlight reflected off the gleaming black object.


    I stared at it, breath catching in my throat.


    I could not take my eyes off it. My heart was racing, faster than it had ever been before. But even so, every muscle in my body was frozen in place. No matter how hard I urged them to move, my arms and legs did not respond.


    Even when the grass in front of me rustled and parted to reveal a person, I still could not break my gaze on that shining star. The figure, who was draped completely in gray, stood next to me and silently pressed a knife against my neck.


    A dull pain slowly spread out from my throat as warm blood seeped downwards into my clothes. Sweat gathered on my brow and stung my eyes. My hands, which I could not control, had begun to tremble unconsciously.


    At that time, I had thought to myself, I¡¯m going to die. Right here, I¡¯m going to be killed right here. In some unknown place, by some unknown person, for some unknown reason.


    I remember making a desperate, futile, hopeless wish.


    Please, not here! Please, just don¡¯t let me die here¡­


    At that time, a voice rang out. It was a voice I would never forget. It was sarcastic and brusque. It was cold and harsh, bitter and scathing. A voice that chilled your veins and made you uneasy. A voice that came from outside my vision. A voice that came from above.


    That flat, lifeless voice said,


    ¡°Aha. I found you, imperial dog. Now, please die.¡±

 A Fateful Encounter 2

    Before I knew what was happening, the figure beside me had already rolled to the side. Not even a second later, I felt something brush past my face and instinctively jerked my head back to avoid it. Right after that, there was a frightening boom as dirt and grass scattered into the air.


    With a start, I realized that I was able to control my body again and clambered up to my feet. Looking down, I saw the ground next to me was upturned and scarred as if someone had taken a sickle and gouged out the earth with it.


    My heart thudded in my chest. If I had been there instead of the other person, if that¡­thing had been aimed at me instead, I dreaded thinking about what would¡¯ve happened. I pressed myself as close to the tree as possible, sweat dampening my palms as I tried to figure out what had just occurred.


    It was then that the cloaked figure spoke. I twisted my head and looked sideways, careful to avoid making any abrupt movements. Although the figure seemed uninjured, the attack had still managed to do some damage, scraps of fabric lying on the ground as a testament. With large portions of its robe sliced apart, I could now tell that the person was an expressionless, pale man with a gaunt face. His sunken eyes turned downwards towards an object in his fist.


    ¡°...Witch. The witch is here. Requesting immediate assistance.¡± The man intoned while grasping a black star between his two palms.


    What? How did he-


    ¡°Witch? Ha, aha. Ahahah.¡±


    Sporadic, mocking laughter that sounded like choking resounded through the air. ¡°Me, a witch? How ignorant. How stupid. You truly are nothing but an imperial dog. ...Oh? You aren¡¯t even a dog. You¡¯re a dog of that dog. A dog¡¯s dog hm?¡± That peculiar laugh sounded out once again.


    When I looked up towards the source, I saw a lady garbed in a midnight black coat. Sitting atop a tree branch with legs folded atop each other, she gazed down haughtily at the mumbling figure. Slowly raising her arm, she pointed a finger at the man with a cold smile.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    A dark blur shot through the air faster than I could track, sending up another cloud of dirt and debris as the man twisted towards one side to avoid it. With a flick of her wrist, numerous more of those dark blurs launched themselves toward the man.


    Barrage after barrage sent soil and plants scattering into the air before raining back down. Dust and sand filled the air, making it difficult to see and breathe. Through the rumbling explosions, I faintly noticed the smell of something burning.


    I couldn¡¯t see anything in the flurry of falling rubble. I couldn¡¯t hear anything over the sound of roaring. I was afraid to move, afraid to run. I was afraid that I was going to die.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Clutching my ears and shutting my eyes while crouching down, I waited for seemed like forever. Each minute in this hellish situation felt like an hour. My heart clamored, limbs and body shaking as I waited for it to stop. Dirt rained down and explosions thundered across the sky. The tree trembled along with my chest, the ground shook along with my legs.


    I was truly afraid that it would only cease when I was killed.


    However, as the ringing in my ears stopped and the haze slowly drifted away, I tentatively realized I was still alive. Moving was painful, and blood seeped from various cuts on my arms, but I was alive. Wobbling to my feet, I rubbed my eyes uncertainly.


    When I saw what was left over, I took in a sharp breath. The entire area was flattened and overturned. All the way to the road, hundreds upon thousands of scars marred the ground. Grass fluttered in the air, entire swaths mowed down and blown away. Dirt and soil were blasted far away by the explosions, craters covering the earth like the holes in ragged clothing.


    I looked around carefully. Both the man and the woman were gone and nowhere to be seen. I took a breath and was about to sprint to the road when a shadow fell over me.


    Something dropped to the floor with a loud thud, messy and oozing out blood.


    It rolled slowly. Once, twice. Then it stopped, a bloody skull covered in tattered flaps of flesh. Two empty holes, once eyesockets, gazed out, staring at me. I was faintly conscious of the sound of dripping.


    I looked up. And recoiled backward as a bloody heap came crashing down from the tree. A lump of flesh lay on the floor, scarlet rivulets flowing down into the dirt. If not for the deformed chunk of black metal laying atop it, it would have been unidentifiable.


    Slowly, I turned my eyes. I met the face of the lady, smiling as if she had just played a funny prank on a close friend. The once green leaves of the tree were now coated a bright crimson, reflecting back the light of the moon. I tasted iron in my mouth.


    I, who was afraid of breaking the silence, and she, who looked down at me with amused eyes and curved lips. Neither of us spoke. Neither of us moved.


    However, in the end, I was the first to take an action. I smiled despite my shaking heart and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Miss seems to be quite talented at magic,¡± I said smoothly. ¡°Is perhaps this young lady perchance a¡­ Warlock?¡±


    Magic. It was something most humans would die without witnessing. Even for those who did have magical capabilities, it was usually quite pathetic and amounted to nothing more than street tricks.


    However, there were fantastical stories about other magical beings, of elves and lizan, changelings and halflings, of incredible species out there. Even demons and spirits.


    I opened my mouth to continue speaking, but a slight pressure on my forehead stopped me.


    Suddenly, a single slim finger pressed between my eyes, the lady in front of me smiling with curled lips.


    My voice faltered.


    A pair of thin, bloodred lips whispered.


    ¡°Pardon me, but this lady does not know who you are. May this lady inquire as to who is presumptuous enough to talk to this one? May this lady be given a reason not to split open your skull? May this lady be given a reason to not dissect your internals? May this lady be given even a single, valid reason as to why this lady should not give the vultures an even grander feast tonight?¡±


    My throat moved up and down several times before I found my voice.


    Slowly, I reached up and remove the hand placed against my forehead. I tilted my head and grinned, the lady¡¯s hand clasped between mine.


    ¡°What a perfect moon we¡¯ve been graced with tonight. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Does Miss know of the one single thing that must never, ever be done underneath a full moon?¡±


    ¡°You must never look into the eyes of a person hated by all during a full moon, lest you become cursed for the rest of your days.¡±


    My grin grows wider.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself. My name is Altair.¡±


    I turn around and look at the moon, quietly taking a vial from my bag in one hand.


    ¡°And I have oftentimes been called and cursed as,¡±


    I swing around and shatter the vial against the tree before finishing,


    ¡°Altair the Witch.¡±