30 Gate Opened

Have you ever been in a situation where you messed up and all you can think about is wishing the ground to crumble under you, and take you away?

Well, that was how Roland felt.

'I want to die'

After an intense internal battle, Roland was able to muster up enough strength to remove his hand. It felt like a weight was removed from his shoulders and he let out a sigh of relief.

He tore his eyes away from her figure, face flushed.

"You can look now" a soft voice echoed in his ear.

Though a bit reluctant, he turned his gaze to her once more.

She was fully dressed, from head to toe and while analyzing her he couldn't help but be reminded of a manga character; Triela from 'Gunslinger Girl'. The main reason her style of dressing. She was dressed in a long sleeved, button down shirt, khaki pants, a waistcoat, a tan-coloured tie, and a trench coat.

The difference between the two, being that the woman before him had short, black hair, which flowed down to the nape of her neck, was mature in body, taller and advanced in age.

"I didn't think that I'd ever be in this form again. Tch..."

Her flustered self gone, she eyed Roland up and down, her eyes cold.

'This change….'

He shook his head and spoke what was on his mind.

"How….." he trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

Understanding what Roland was referring to, she said,

"None of your business" obviously not wanting to say anything else, she turned her back on him.

"She's an old witch" Roland's ears perked up at the sound of Calcifer.

Upon hearing his voice 'the old witch' spun on her heels and shot Calcifer that was flickering on the candle a cold look as though threatening it.

It ignored her and rambled on;

"I don't know where she's from, but I know that she's a witch and I think she did something bad and ended up as an altar. She -"

Before Calcifer finished speaking, a bucket of water appeared above its head. Seeing the danger hovering over its head, it closed its mouth and stopped flickering.

Roland's eye twitched.

"Enough fooling around" she seemed pissed.

"O….k…."

"Don't bother with things that are not of your concern" she huffed and stooped down.

Roland watched on from behind as she felt around with her right hand on the ground.

'What is she doing?' he wondered, curiosity ignited.

A couple seconds passed and click reached Roland's ear. He watched as her hand sank into the ground and mold into the shape of her hand. She removed her hand, got up and took a few steps back.

The depression on the ground lit up. The light travelled towards the walls and ancient symbols covered every inch.

Roland was awed by the sight.

The 'old witch' gave him a side glance and smirked, but it lasted a split second.

"The gate is open"

'Huh? Where is it?'

With a brow raised, he looked on and questioned whether or not he was blind.

The 'old witch' walked forward towards the wall and placed her hand on the wall, or rather, through the wall.

Roland's mouth curved into an 'o' upon realization.

"Time to choose where your journey begins"