The Witch

Geoffrey personally dragged a chair for Noah to sit on while ordering several servants to haul the unconscious assistant cleric over. They slapped his face and doused him with seawater, but to no avail, he wouldn't wake up.

Noah waited for the captive to regain consciousness, his gaze drifting to the young witch who was being consoled in hushed tones by the villagers, a sign of their familiarity with her.

"The little witch?" Noah inquired, "Has she always lived in the village? What's her name?"

"She's Sara, the granddaughter of the witch, a Tidecaller capable of summoning thunder and lightning," Geoffrey explained. "Sara helps us predict the tides, informing everyone about the fishing seasons. The whole village depends on her. Everyone would rather face the temple's wrath than let her be captured."

Witches could do so much? Noah found it intriguing.

"If you hadn't roused everyone to resist, she would have been taken by the temple by now," he pointed out.

"Stop blaming me, 'stranger'," Geoffrey sighed. "You want the truth? I no longer need to fish! But now, it's better this way. Had we just watched her be taken, the village would have lived with guilt forever."

"That won't last forever," Gladius remarked.

Maden was greeting his kin, smiling and waving at familiar faces, skillfully dodging questions about his whereabouts since leaving the village, heeding Noah's advice not to mention his current service to the Hunter's Temple.

Sara approached Maden with a solemn expression of gratitude. "Thank you for your help."

"Oh, this…" Maden, wary of witches, glanced back at Noah for guidance.

Noah waved him off, signaling him to handle it, remaining focused on the temple captive. Why the contradiction within the temple? Corrupt themselves, yet hunting witches under the guise of the Lorman gods?

What exactly are gods? Noah pondered. Are they just powerful beings masquerading, or are they emotionless supernatural forces?

The assistant cleric's eyes flickered to life, reminding Noah of a dead fish.

"Wake up," Noah said.

"Ah—ah—" The cleric's raspy voice broke the silence. "Don't kill me."

"No one wants to kill you. Not yet," Noah reassured, bending down. "Are you lucid?"

The cleric gaped, clearly still overwhelmed.

"He's lost his mind; throw him back into the sea, the temple won't want him," Noah suggested to Geoffrey.

"If you say so," Geoffrey agreed, playing along to intimidate the captive.

"Don't, don't kill me," the assistant cleric pleaded, scrambling to his feet.

"What's your name?"

"I am Carpenter from Greytree Hall, an assistant cleric, a deputy priest… What do you want from me?" he quickly regained composure, cautiously sizing up his surroundings, a man clearly accustomed to survival.

"Demons…" Noah began, only to be interrupted by the witch's voice.

"We must hurry to save Grandmother!" She spoke to Maden with urgency. "Let's go."

"Yes, Dame Delish…" Maden sought Noah's stance, looking for his approval.

"Hold on, this will be over in a moment," Noah indicated they wait, turning back to Carpenter. "Answer a few questions. First, are there big dogs in the temple? With many eyes, teeth like steel, fiery breath?"

Carpenter paled at the question.

"Speaking won't harm you; no one will know it was you."

He resigned himself with a nod.

"Good." Demonic beasts indeed lurked in the temple. "Second, who gave you the audacity to cause trouble in the village?"

"High Priest Chaval," Carpenter revealed.

A convenient scapegoat? Noah wondered. The High Priest held the highest temple authority in the region.

"One last question. Are there witches among you?"

Carpenter stared hard at Noah. "Who are you?"

"That's enough. You conspire with demons; you all deserve death," Noah muttered.

"What are you going to do?" Carpenter panicked. "Don't do anything rash! It's all High Priest Chaval's orders; we couldn't defy him."

"Take care of him until I return, uncle," Noah addressed Geoffrey.

"Hey, I don't trust you!" Geoffrey protested.

"I know, but still, keep him; he's useful. For intelligence, and if the temple comes looking, he can be a hostage." Noah waved off Geoffrey's concerns.

"That makes sense." Geoffrey patted Carpenter reassuringly. "Enjoy your stay in Threetail Bay."

Noah caught up with Maden and Sara.

She was growing impatient with Noah's delay. "We should get going. Maden, who is this?"

"This is…" Maden considered his words, "my good friend, Mr. Noah."

"Greetings," Noah observed her. Beneath the unkempt hair, a youthful face hinted at beauty.

She had little interest in Noah.

They hurried away from Threetail Bay, towards the coastal cliffs where the land gave way to mudflats. The tide had yet to rise, leaving a chaotic trail of footprints leading into the heart of the cove. It was clear that High Priest Chaval had come prepared, intent on eradicating the witch problem. Noah had no doubts that conflict loomed, prompting extra caution.

Noah had never seen the sea before. The ocean, a darling of poetry, an omnipresent metaphor, had become a cliché in the mouths of bards. Now, witnessing it firsthand, the sea appeared dark and profound, nothing like the azure splendor poets praised, its brine-tinged wind a faint whisper.

"Don't get distracted, look there," Sara said, bending slightly.

Noah followed her gaze to see two guards in purple cloaks idly chatting by the rocks.

"We need to take them out," Sara peeked from behind a monolith, surveying the situation as the lazy tide lapped the shore.

The idea was tempting to Noah, a swift assault could take down a few, but beyond that was uncertain. Any mishap could trigger alarms, summoning reinforcements, and escalating dangers.

Maden had somehow procured another fish spear, deadly with its triple prongs.

"You take one with the spear, I'll handle the other with lightning," Sara assessed the scene. "We strike now."

"Ready," Maden emerged just as the guards turned their way, their surprise kicking them into action.

"I saw someone there!" they cried out.

Noah listened for the approaching footsteps of temple guards, his hand on his gray knife, ready for confrontation, even relishing the prospect of battle.

Maden retreated behind the rock, gripping his spear.

"We've been spotted," he whispered.

Sara was silent, murmuring incantations, electricity crackling to life in her palms. Noah watched the witchcraft, a dangerous orb of energy forming, ready to launch.

"Who's there! Show yourself!"

"Come out! Quickly, now!"

Springing into action, Sara hurled thunderbolts from her hands. Noah was taken aback by her haste but followed suit, lunging forward, his blade in hand. The guard, caught off guard by the sudden strike, tried to parry with his spear. It snapped under the force, allowing Noah to plunge his knife into the guard's chest, blood splattering with the withdrawal.

The other guard, struck by lightning, charred black, convulsed in agony before collapsing onto the sands. Noah ended his screams with a swift knife to the head.

"Let's go," Noah eyed the end of the mudflats, where silhouettes hurried towards the commotion.

Sara, troubled, glanced at the scorched body and then at Noah's knife before turning to leave.

They climbed the adjacent hillside, the sudden elevation slick with ice and difficult terrain.

"We have to… we have to hurry…" Sara stuttered, "Or else, Grandmother…"

Noah saw temple guards converging on the scene below, inspecting the remains of their fallen. There would be more searching for the old witch.

"Is there another way to reach your grandmother? Any path, risky is fine," Noah asked.

Sara pressed her forehead, fighting tears.

"I know a cave, but we can't go," she knelt down, pulling at her hair, her voice breaking, "but we… we can't get in there."

"Why not?"

"Monsters, there are drakes…" Sara wiped her tears, trying to hide her crying, but the more she rubbed, the redder her eyes.

"I can handle monsters," Noah said, "Let's go."

"No, you can't, you have no idea who you're dealing with," Sara despaired, her weeping intensifying, her clothes dampening.

"I can do it," Noah repeated, squatting in front of her, meeting her gaze. "Trust me! I can do it!"

Sara lifted her face, her eyes swimming with tears as she looked at Noah.

"Really?"