Chill-silk
Man and the kid arrived at the village, on the lands of Kaedween. They had little to them self. Man was tall, with skinny body time, all of his visible skin was covered in bruises and he looked like an ambassador of hell. Eyes of the cat were looking at the people that had furious faces, with anger and hate in their eyes.
Next to a man stood a boy, his eyes were beaming with colour of red as his face that cluelessly wondered around looking for at least one smiling face. But no matter for how long he was searching for, all he met, was anger and hate.
The crowd erupted in hurtful words
"Monsters! Don't come at our doorsteps closer than 100 cubits."
"Go back to a hell hole you all came from! This place does not welcome you"
"Spawns of demons! Better leave now or we will hang your monster's bodies on the willow branches."
Kid eyes looked at the direction of the older man. There you could see many questions that he wanted to ask, but he didn't dare to speak up, since he saw an ugly grin that was painted on his face.
Before long, villagers took stones and spoiled vegetables and thew them at a man and a kid.
Creating a sign with his hand, the man created a barrier that deflecting all projectiles that were flying their way. Not a single stone reached neither man nor child, not a single spoiled tomato.
Instead, stones were bouncing off the barrier, hitting those that were throwing them, creating even more angry shouts and original curses.
Turning around man helped the boy to climb on the horse and with a light whip they went away from the village, slowly getting further and further from hateful voices that soon disappeared into the distance.
August set behind Hans on the horse and sealed his mouth shut. For some reason he didn't dare to speak seeing the face of his teacher.
"Ask" spoke Hans. He said a single word, but with that single word he showed he knew what August wanted.
"Why?" Inquired August.
"What? Why?" replied Hans with a question.
"Don't play this game! Why do those people hate us? Why do they hate us so much? You taught me that we are the ones that fight monsters, defend those that are not capable and that we are those that do the job either good , or never do it at all. So why I saw such a hate in their eyes? What is the reason for them to hate us, to be so unwelcoming" August bombarded Hans with questions. His hands were gesturing widely as his face was changing colours from one to another.
Hans remained calm.
He listened to all August had to say, giving him time to let it all out, giving him time to express his view. His face didn't flinch, neither showed any sign of changing. When August was done speaking, Hans calmly replied, "They are humans"
"Huh, what does that even mean?" replied August.
"They are humans, therefore, they always try to put the blame for all of their sins and their failures on someone they can see, someone that is not them. They don't want to bear the consequences of their own actions, they want to burden their own sins on others, and who is better for that other than Witchers?" explained Hans.
"They what is a point of our job? Why we do all of this? Why do you and others doom them self on the job so unappreciated and hated? " continued August.
"Without us, those that lurk in the dark will show their fangs during the light. Without us, those that feat on the flesh are no more restricted. And this is our purpose, our …." replied Hans, he stopped without finishing his sentence.
August grew even more clueless and inquired, "Then what we are searching for?"
"You will see, when the need strikes, there will be no more stones, no more spoiled vegetables. There will be pleadings of those suffering, pleading to safe their flesh from the darkness that hung over their heads. They will change their behavior like switching their pants and they will do whatever it is required to make us do our job and kill the one that ruins their balance, ruins their style of life, before changing their pants back and continue their hateful play. When the need arises, they will better pray to their gobs and praise their priests, but all they will end up doing is hanging a poster and waiting for one of us to arrive and solve their issues."
August stayed silent. He didn't fully understand all of those fancy expressions that his teacher spoke, and it was hard for him to see the difference without witnessing it with his own eyes.
Like that, in silence they continued following a lone road from one forest to another, from one village to another, from one country to another…
…
Hans and August approached a village that August was born in.
On the wooden village gates they found a poster "In urgent need of a Witcher".
Village of Chillsilk.
August and Hans walked through the gates and immediately started to attract attention. People were gossiping between each other as soon as they saw swords on the man's back a sword that was on the back of a child .
"Mommy, are they those demons you read to me in the book about?" spoke small girl that was holding her mother's hand.
"Thsss" spoke mother, covering her child's mouth with her palm, she continued with a whisper "Don't talk about them in their presence, they might hear you."
"But why?" inquired the small girl.
"Emili!" spoke mother, she looked down on her child with a stern eyes "You do what I said! Is it clear enough?"
"Sorry mommy," spoke the little girl with her head lowered.
August could hear what the small girl and mother talked about, and his head automatically turned toward their voices. But the firm, powerful hand of his teacher didn't let him turn.
Hans spoke with a whisper, "Ignore, there is no use in listing to them."
August accepted that and followed behind his teacher closely. During their travels, August tried to speak to Hans a lot of times, but almost never it was done with success. No matter where they stopped, they never stopped training, and when August was too curious about things that Hans didn't like, it was always bringing a harsh training regiment or days without food. So right now, August didn't try his luck and followed whatever Hans told him.
Before long, they stood in front of a bigger house that was owned by the chief of the village.
Hans walked ahead and was about to knock on the door, when it snapped open revealing a man.
He had a long beard that was reaching his chest and brown eyes. Few wrinkles were displayed on his face, showing that he is past his prime. Hands without any calluses indicated only one thing: he didn't work in the field and was mainly doing something that didn't include any hard work.
"Oh travelers! I'm so glad to see you here tonight. Lets walk inside and talk away from praying eyes. In better words, in a more welcoming atmosphere." Spoke a man.
Hans nodded his head and walked inside of the house, dragging August along.