Chapter 88: The Witch Cries 3

On a hipped roof house with clay tiles and walls built of cobblestone lives Lafiel. When things get hot she would shelter herself in this house that was provided by the Sun’s Crown for her. The place had a simple bed, table, char, a kitchen, a hearth, and a bathroom where she can take care of herself.

She was never used to a house. And even though the house is isolated in a forest protected by the sun’s crown. She still finds herself uncomfortable simply because she was someone who was raised in an environment where she was told to fend for herself and hunt for herself.

So having a house while staying in one place bothers her greatly, around her she could see her worn robe, the coil root staff and the mask she wears in her nightly escapades. Mostly her escapades consist of killing guards and scaring fiefs into submission. Every location she goes to are pre-prepared by the Sun’s Crown. Meaning to say, she never targets any village by choice. She is told by a simple columniation device that writes a letter to her. This device or tool uses a skeleton hand attached to a round mechanism that controls the hand.

It worked by the skeleton hand taking some ink. Then writing the objectives that she needs to fulfill and do so. The sun’s crown has ordered her cruel things. But at the same time, they honor their own deals. She gets news of her tribe and their safety. And even if they are far away, just by working with the sun’s crown that she is still able to protect them. There is no greater pleasure for her other than serving her tribe. She was and still is their long-eared guardian that protects them.

She should be happy. Yet here she is in this room, making a sour face as she holds the new letter that was written by the skeleton hand. The bird’s chirps on the background, the trees were rustling as she stares eyes round beautiful eyes at the piece of parchment. A look of bitterness enveloped Lafiel as she stares at her new work that needs to be done.

How many villages and fiefs did she ruin? She couldn’t anymore. Even though she is doing this to protect her tribe, she still feels like her heart would break in any second. Lafiel is a kind girl. She was someone raised with love by the tribe mother and she grew up as a kind guarding that wants nothing but to protect her tribe.

She feels no guilt when it comes to killing bandits who dare to harm her tribe. Or monsters that dare to bare their fangs. Yet, the people she is ruining and the homes she is breaking bothers her. She was not evil. She never wanted to do evil yet here she is, holding her heart from something.

Lafiel is a girl forced into the role of a villain. The role of a blue witch that scares the fiefs into accepting the threat that is the northern continent of old demi-humans, making them believe and reconsider there wanting to revolt. So far she has done so and she received good word that the fiefs are starting to think about not revolting.

She’s glad that her attacks have been working. But somehow deep inside she could see the faces of those who she killed and scared. Her role was atrocious and downright malicious. The priest who explained her role says it is not evil but that was a lie. Her role in all of this was evil. There is evil that is to be found her ways. She knew it and even if the priest was making her less worry about what she does. It doesn’t work. She will always think of herself as someone who ruins.

The wind caressed her, yet she could find joy in it. Her heart was like a void of darkness. So empty and somehow she felt like she wants to find something that would ease the pain in the heart. She is a girl, a woman, a kind lady that wants nothing but to protect her tribe. That was all she can think even as she broods in this house of hers that is located in the middle of nowhere.

This place is her witch’s hut. And here she was alone. The birds could not talk. The flowers and trees are the same. She was alone in this place and the deafening silence of the forest was something disturbing to her. She was used to living alone in a tent, but knowing that her tribe was nearby she doesn’t feel alone. But now she feels so lonesome. Her heart was so heavy that despite many minutes that had passed she still looks at the parchment in her hand.

A chirp, the rustle of leaves, the sounds of crickets, the crows crowing, the winds blasting the dirt, the sound of swaying grass, and the small chitter of animals enter her ears. She tried to move her eyes away from the letter. Her eyes feel heavy. She was feeling gloomy. She thought that she doesn't want to go. But the image of her tribe would appear her head. That would result to two sides of her heart bickering loudly.

One side represents her head and the other side represents her heart. Her head told her to go while her heart told her to stop. She listened to her head for a while before turning to her heart. Her heart made a heartfelt ode, an ode that would convince her to stop her actions. Yet her head simply then revealed the truth that is present. This resulted to the heart instantly losing.

Thus she chooses to follow her head yet again. She finally stood up from her seat. She put the letter down on the table. She unclothed herself, revealed her smooth beautiful skin, took her robe and wore it. She then looked for her coiled staff, she taps it on the ground, saw the mana coming out and then went to her mask. She put the mask around her eyes.

She then looked at the round mirror mounted on the wall and nodded to reflection. I can do this, for my tribe I will do anything. She thought. As long as they are safe from harm it doesn’t matter. She tried to convince herself. As long as they are safe then why should I worry about strangers? She coaxed herself in a delusional trace. Her eyes went hazy and with the twisted belief she is doing the right thing. She went out of her house and head to the place where she will do her job.