Chapter 99: The Witch’s Abode

The moment he woke up Arden went down the Inn. He paced out of the building, mounted his saddle and then kicks his horse towards the gates of the town with a mission in mind. But before going to the gate he went and bought a new dagger. He’s going to need it.

He bought new and loved it. It was clean and simple and was good enough for him. He hung it on his belt and sticks it close to his leather straps in order to pull it when he needs it. His head was filled with only the witch. It became an obsession that he almost finds himself unable to think of anything else.

He went out of the gates of the town. The guards checked up his face, his horse and then let him go. His galloped out of the gates, it faced the winding roads of the overworld. He was facing the road, the rain was still falling, and he thought that it would be a long slow road towards the fief where the Witch is homed to.

He kicks his horse. He felt the wind as his eyes focus, widened to the point he looked like mad. The witch’s location was near one of the fiefs, a forbidden forest owned by the sun’s crown itself. Invading the area and then killing the witch would be hard. Arden has assumed that it will be hard considering that the witch is a pawn of the Sun’s Crown.

The Sun’s Crown was insane. He could not believe that they could do something absurd. Sacrificing people? That was something he could not understand. He knew that there are revolters now, trying to make chaos but he thinks that the sun’s crown is just taking the easy way. Arden does not think he was right. He merely feels that they should strive harder.

Arden believes that there will always be other options. That is why he could not swallow the words that the priest was saying to him. It felt like accepting the necessity and reasoning of that black robed priest would defeat Arden. He’d rather not admit it so he that is why he going to the place where the witch is. He plans to end the witch’s threat and if the black robed priest said was true. Then he needs to keep doing it until all those scapegoats would dry out.

It was a maddened plan but Arden thinks that it will be necessary. He sees no good in the way they do it. And that is why he plans to kill the Witch and end all of the destruction and chaos that it is happening on the fiefs around the area.

Arden doesn’t know the consequences, for what matters to him at the moment was the moment. Kill the witch, bring back peace. It was simple like that. It doesn’t need to be complicated. And if other Witches arise, then he would just have to kill them too.

...

Arden spent hours on the road. He arrived on the fief and found a virgin forest. The forest was foggy. There were multiple barriers and layers that would fog the way. He could also sense traps and the likes that would detect him.

But somehow there was something odd about the forest. He felt like it was familiar but knowing her, he could only shake his head and continue to the forest. He tied his horse on one of the lone trees. He then proceeded inside the forest while keeping his mana in check.

While proceeding he felt various eyes looked at him. He felt something familiar yet he refuses to acknowledge it. He went and paced forward. He saw rows of trees, bushes and odd plants that wrap around the forest. He could not see the light due to the clouds around the place. He wondered if it was night already. But it didn’t matter for he could not even see light. He relied on his eyes to see through the dark. He passed by paths and along the way the feeling of the barrier was getting eerily familiar.

He didn’t want to believe it for some reason. He ignored it, kept a hope that the Witch that he chases will not be her. He believed that, and he kept on going knowing that his assumptions must be wrong. It was heavily weighing on him, and his pace was getting slower as he follows the path that was instructed by the priest.

His soul stirred, his head was in turmoil. He trotted to the world of trees and felt the wind’s coldness. He could hear the trees. There were animals nearby and he was getting cautious of them. He paces on forward. The moment he did so he saw a place where it looked like the witch will be.

It was a house located in the middle of the forest. He saw that there was a smoke coming out from the chimney. He approached the house slowly. His hand held the dagger. There was light inside the house. He could see a vague figure that he assumes as the Witch.

He neared the door, he keeps his breath steady, put strength on the door knob and then slowly opened the door. He then stepped, and then slowly he embarks his eyes at the figure.

She wore a fine silk robe, her blue hair was glistening and her pale snow nape was seen. She was facing the fireplace and seeing that she was not alarmed despite the noise he made. Arden assumed that the Witch was either confident or she knew he was coming.

But that was not the case. The Witch turned her eyes and her and with a rather sweet smile befitting her smoky and languid voice, she greeted Arden.

“I didn’t expect to see you again...”

Hearing the familiar voice, and seeing her beautiful round eyes filled with blue. Arden can only tremble, his soul faltered and he could only feel his hands let go of the dagger he was holding.

Despair filled him.