The witch. Part 3

"You knew my father?"

Those were the first words he said to her ever since he came in. The old lady smiled and pointed to where he had been sitting, implying him to take a seat. After what she had said to him, Nolamine had no choice but to hear her out.

He went to sit and this time around his heart was calm together with his mind as he cast what thoughts he had away and he looked at the old lady with no fear. Hearing about his father threw any fear he had of her out the window. That and the fact that if she wanted to kill him or do harm to him, she would already have done so.

"Awe seems like you are really his son."

She said, looking at his change in nature.

"What do you mean deep-rooted curse, and how do you know my father?"

"Mmmm, so now you can even speak over me, interesting."

She said as she pulled out a hair from her skull, further lessening what little hair she had left.

"I am not here to talk about your father and I's adventures. Just know that we were just acquaintances. What I am here for is to let you know what happened to him and your mother, but in order to do that, you will need to want me to find it out for you."

She said as she put her hair in the turtle's shell.

"And what would you gain out of all this."

"Awe, those eyes of yours are troublesome."

She said with a smile.

"Let's just say it is in my best interest and others that you find out."

"Liar."

He said with a stern face.

The word turned her smile stone-cold, looking like she was a monster in sheep's clothing that had just shown itself. Fear climbed back up the window where he had thrown it and entered back into him.

"Then let's just say I am repaying a debt and I would also like to find out what happened to him."

Nolamine wanted to say something after hearing her reason, but she stopped him.

"I mean, I would like to know where he is and, if possible, what he is doing."

"Huh? So, is he alive?"

Nolamine was shocked.

"Well, let's find out, and just like I unraveled your fourth-rate curses, I can unravel the one deep-rooted in you."

She said as her evil smile returned. Nolamine did not know what to do. It was clear that the old lady had her own intention and allowing her to do as she wanted might be a mistake. But, finding out what happened to his mother and father and together with finding out about a curse even Pulchra who seemed strong could not sense was too good of a deal to pass.

He just hoped what she wanted to find out had no significance to anything grander. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Since you have the ability to speak, I need your verbal agreement, child."

All pretense was now gone from her, her nature had turned into one that was as cold as the room.

"I agree."

Nolamine said, sensing the change in her. Lightning truck, almost like it was sensing the change in her. The storm got severe again.

"In order for my power to open up to you, you need to please the dead. Give me something of value in exchange for what you shall ask. Be warned, this information is as valuable as your life."

Fear had brought a friend with it when it returned after having cast it out. It's friend took root in him and it was called terror. He did not have something as valuable as his life, infect he went there not knowing she would want such a thing.

Seeing how scared he was and wanting to move things along, she helped him and pointed to his pocket. It was where the brownish crystal was. Realizing that, he took it from his pocket as lightning truck again, sounding ever so closer. He gave it to her, not even sure such a thing could count as valuable as his life.

She took it and looked at it and nodded.

"It seems fate fervors you boy. I wonder how long it shall be by your side."

She said. She had sensed the crystal the very moment he got in and was surprised about which beast it was from and that he had survived such an encounter. It was unfortunate for her as she had told him that doing this would be beneficial to her too. If he had not found that out, she could have made him his slave after he had verbally agreed to the ritual without finding what was needed first.

As things were, he could have offered her anything and it would have surfaced, with the catch being that they would only get to see or find out what they wanted to the value of what he had offered. Such a crystal was more than enough.

She took it and put it in the turtle shell. She said an incantation and thick smoke started to flow out of the corners of her mouth. She blew into the shell and the smock came out, filling it to the brim. It was so thick it was almost tangible.

She did another incantation and exhaled at the space between them as she shook the shell, Nolamine hearing the contents inside it as she did so. The thick smock formed a layer over the mat.

She said another incarnation and when she spoke, it was of a language he did not recognize, but one thing was for sure, it was demonic. She brought the shell closer to her mouth as she chanted. She then held it by Nolamine's mouth and stopped her chant.

"Say your full name and what you want to see or find out."

She said. Nolamine was just taken by the whole display. He spoke after some seconds as he gathered himself.

"I am Nolamine Guzzler. I would like to find out the nature of my curse and anything to do with my parents' death."

With the lightning strike lighting the room again and it even closer, she poured the contents down on the floor with the smoke dispensing and then covering them again.

Nolamine saw many things he did not know what they were. He recognized a few which were a claw, the dice she was holding, and something he had only seen on the big screen, a wand that was broken into two.

"Since I already have some details regarding your father, as I was there when he was killed, things will be easier to explain."

She said as she sat back and looked at the smoke, now twirling around.

'killed? I thought she said he was alive?'

Nolamine asked himself. The old lady closed and opened her eyes. They turned completely grey and the smoke started to take shape. It was like something possessed her, but she was still herself.

Nolamine prepared himself and told himself that whatever he learned that night he would try to be calm and process it.