Chapter 31

In the far eastern corner of the continent, creatures and critters, long forgotten, voiced their eerie chirps among the shadows. The wind whistled and howled far beyond where the gentle light of torches could reach. Around them, remained the skeleton of a once thriving city from an age long passed. The four trod the asphalt roads cautiously, for the darkness was always watching.

“That noise… did you hear it?” One of the robed men uttered. “I feel eyes upon me, and it unsettles me.”

“Do not fret, disciple. It is but the wind,” another said. Out of the four that journeyed together, only he abstained from the redded cloak and robe. Instead, he was fitted with a thick brown overcoat that reached down to his ankles. The coat was not buttoned, revealing a one-piece chestplate which wrapped itself tightly over the light-colored tunic underneath. On his head was a flat-topped hat with edges extending past the nose. While the other three brandished rifles, he was endowed with a pistol and handheld weapons of fire.

“My apologies, Witch Hunter,” the same robed man uttered. “I did not mean to show cowardice.” His arms faintly trembled as he quickly glanced at the various directions from where noises were heard. “The followers, their disappearance worries me… I believed these lands to be purified, yet…”

“You think the demons may have returned?” Another scoffed, “the Witch is dead and her domain was cleansed by our righteousness. There is nothing to fear. At times, men can seem no different than beasts.”

“Bandits?! You think this to be the work of bandits?” The man stopped his jitters as anger filled his throat. “Bandits do not make off with the corpses! Bandits do not leave valuables untouched! You are a fool to believe this to be the work of mortals!”

“I may be a fool, but a fool with a spine.”

“You-”

“Cease your senseless chatter,” the witch hunter spoke, silencing everyone. “We must remain vigilant, brothers. Even the strongest of warriors may slip and fall, if not cautious.”

“M-My apologies… I had lost my composure…” Both men bowed their heads. Then, they straightened their backs. One remained silent while the other continued to express his concerns. “The failure of the northern crusade, the fast-approaching winter, and now our missionaries are vanishing without a trace… I cannot dispel the worries that continue to plague my heart… And the-” The man hesitated, biting his lips as he arranged his thoughts. “And the rumors... about the Second Witch… Do you think those rumors may be true?”

“Rumors are just rumors,” the disgruntled man dismissed mockingly. “They even claim the Witch to be a child, how preposterous. And I suppose this child bested our Purifiers? Slaughtered our mission in the Dark Lands?”

“They say she summoned demons…” The third robed individual muttered meekly with her soft and feminine voice. “They also say these demons are like none ever seen before... colluding together like one... I, too, am worried… What if… what if it’s true?” The young woman tightened her grip around her weapon. “Might it be the First Witch?! What if it’s the First Witch? What if she’s still alive?”

“Our valiant brothers and sisters purged the Witch from existence, desecrated her corpse and burned her followers into ash.” The dismissive man snorted, “the Witch is long dead. Those rumors are nothing but the lies of a desperate coward, wanting to escape retribution. And besides, the Witch births demons, not summons them.”

“How is that any better?” The woman mumbled.

“What says you, Witch Hunter? Do the rumors worry you?”

The witch hunter gave a quick glance at the three behind him. “It is not my duty to question the existence of the Witch but to purge them when the time comes. Whether it’s the truth or just a mere deception, it does not matter. All the same when scorched to dust”

“Well said, Witch Hunter.” The robed man then gently nudged distressed woman. “See, there is nothing worthy of your worry. Even if the rumors were true, we will find this little witch and absolve her of her rancid existence.”

“But-”

Woosh-SPLATTER!

The woman stared blankly at the bloody stump of the man’s neck who had just nudged her. His head, ripped from his body, was nowhere to be seen. As if finally realizing its own demise, his body collapsed to the ground. The unpleasant metallic scent of blood reached her nose, causing her stomach to turn. She wanted to look away but could not, for the shock rendered her stiff.

When she was finally able to move, the woman fell back and screamed while her body trembled in terror.

The other robed man remained standing but unable to act. His eyes gaped open as his teeth clattered together, staring at the carcass of the man that was just carefree moments ago.

“Ready your weapons!” The witch hunter commanded. “SHOW YOURSELF!” With a pistol in one hand and the flamethrower in another, the witch hunter prepared himself for retaliation.

The robed man nervously scanned the area while the woman remained frozen, staring at the corpse.

“I do not see him, where-”

Woosh-SPLAT!

The disciple's head popped, leaving only his lower jaw intact. His body soon succumbed lifelessly to the ground. Already at the edge of her sanity, the woman screamed again upon sighting the body. Hastily, she scurried away from her former comrades on all fours.

Having seen the fist-sized projectile, the witch hunter quickly aimed his pistol in the direction from where they came and fired off a burst of rounds. None of which seemed to collide with their intended target.

“Ha… ha…” A deep and ominous voice chuckled from the darkness. “Very good… Witch Hunter…You are... not as blind as you seem...”

The witch hunter reloaded his pistol with one hand while his other pointed the flamethrower directly at the voice. “Show yourself!”

Slowly, a large and muscular creature appeared. It walked on its legs and knuckles unwaveringly as it approached the armed man. Massive blades attached themselves along the length of its arm. In its hand, it held a misshapen chunk of debris. “I am here…” The creature scoffed, “such fragile being… to be shattered by a mere pebble…” It then ceased its movement as its four-eyed head came into light. “You are far from home… Witch Hunter… Tell me… why are you here…?”

For the first time in years, the man felt fear. Cold sweat exited his pores as his arms began to quiver.

“The demon… it speaks… Quickly!” He commanded. “Inform the others, I shall deal with this atrocity myself.”

The woman, whose focus had been on the creature until now, gazed at the seemingly unperturbed man.

“ARE YOU DEAF?! I COMMAND YOU TO GO!”

Using what strength she could muster, the woman forced her weakened limbs into action and dashed off.

“How admirable… to face me alone...” The creature widened its smiled, which stretched to the side of its face, exposing its rows of sharp fangs. “I can smell your fear… Witch Hunter... why do you not run as well…?”

Hmph! “I am Aelius, pride of Ember-Ridge, Witch Hunter of his Lord Bishop Decimus. In the name of Solis, I shall purge you from these lands.” He aimed both weapons at the creature. “Like we had with your treacherous Witch.”

Its smirk vanished, instead replaced with a displeased frown as it growled. “Your impudence… It knows no bounds… To soil Mother’s name... You shall atone in blood...”

The witch hunter took the initiative and fired his gun. His aim held true and every shot landed on their target, punching straight into the beast’s muscular flesh. However, the creature did not flinch, and instead, the bullets slowly ejected themselves from its body. Suddenly, the beast charged, its limbs smashed against the solid ground as it dashed toward the witch hunter. It then leaped ten feet into the air and primed its massive bladed arms toward the witch hunter.

Barely given enough time to react, the witch hunter immediately leaped sideways and escaped the devastating strike with only a small lesion on the side of his face. He raised his flamethrower and unleashed it at the monster, searing its skin and forcing the creature to retreat.

“Nothing can escape our purifying flame!” He yelled with fervor. The witch hunter charged at the beast with amazing speed, all the while firing his pistol. “Your putrid presence defiles this world. Accept your fate and my mercy shall make it quick.”

The creature made a tall leap backward, seeping in the shadows casted by the witch hunter’s flame.

“SPINELESS COWARD! RETURN AND FACE ME!” The man screamed at the darkness, raising his weapon at the slightest of sounds.

“You… are mistaken… human…” Hearing the creature’s voice, the man pointed both weapons at its source. “It is not us… who defiles this world… but you…” The voice now echoed from behind him. When he turned around, however, nothing could be seen.

“Blasphemy! The scriptures spoke of your kind’s deceptive words. Show yourself!”

“You are a disease… persistent and fatal… multiplying unwelcomely like rats…”

Sweat began to pour down the man’s face, for he could not determine with certainty where the creature was hiding.

“WE ARE THE CURE THAT WILL BRING SOLACE BACK INTO THIS DESOLATE WORLD!” He speedily withdrew a flare from under his coat. “The light will return once Solis has acknowledged our devotion. As the scripture foretold.”

“You have not seen… what Mother had shown us… You have not felt her pain… hear her cries… You do not understand...”

The witch hunter ignited the flare and tossed it into the air. The bright orange light illuminated the surrounding area, revealing an irregularly shaped figure. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the outline and pointed both weapons at his target, discharging a fury of flame and metal. Like a mirage, the shadow vanished, leaving nothing but the scent of unburnt gas behind.

“Curse it, where are you!?”

Woosh-CRACK!

GAAAAAAA! The man fell to the ground in agony. An extreme pain paralyzed him from the side of his waist. His hand touched the wound but found nothing there. It was then he realized, the entire side of his lower torso was torn away.

AHHHHHG-ACK-COUGH-COUGH!

“I am impressed… though the burn will heal… it was still painful…” It approached the dying man and gripped his head with its massive hands. “You will die here… Witch Hunter… Your corpse will rot in solitary… Your bones picked clean by the very rodents you’ve trampled…”

Gah-Cough… “You employed treachery” Cough-Cough. “Filthy demon…”

The creature smiled, flaunting its horrid teeth. “If using your head is treachery… then consider yourself a saint…”

“Soon!” Cough. “My brothers will avenge me!” Cough-Cough. “Laugh while you-” GAK!

The beast tightened its already intense grip, causing the man’s face to crumple and bleed.

“You think I let the female escape…? No… She will die… along with your compatriots… your children… the rest of your putrid kind… We will make the world pure… as it should be...”

CRUSH!

***

She huffed and heaved, her legs threatened to give out, but she pressed on. At every step, the desire for rest tempted her, yet she kept running. The woman’s hand gripped tightly onto her shoulder as she tried her best to endure the pain.

Shortly after departing, she was assaulted. By what she did not know, only that it still chased her. The continuous stream of tears blurred her vision; she wanted to wipe them away, but more would just take its place.

“I don’t want to die…”

Parts of the projectile still stuck out of her, but she was too afraid to pull it out. At first, the pain was numbing, now it was searing her insides.

The woman clenched her jaws and prayed. She was never truly religious, only doing what was required of her. But at this point, she was willing to devote herself to any deity willing break her free from this nightmare.

“Solis, please protect me! I know I may not have been the most faithful, but I swear to change! Just please!”

To her relief, torch fires of their camp appeared in her sight. Even if the walls were not made to last, at the very least, it would be safe. The woman quickened her pace however much she could, bearing the ever-growing pain until she had finally reached the gates.

Upon sighting her, the guards raised their weapons.

“HALT!” They demanded. “Where is the Witch Hunter?!”

“Please let me in!” She begged as her body waved and stumbled. “The demons from the scriptures have returned… Please let me in...”

The two guards glanced at each other as if to reassure that they were hearing the same thing.

“Are you sure of this?” One of the guards asked. “And where is the Witch Hunter?”

Her head felt light and her body weak.

“Please....” she gave a final plead.

Thump.

The woman collapsed onto the ground.

“Quicky, call for the Blood Priest!” The guard commanded. The man beside him nodded and ran off. The guard lowered himself to his knees and cradled the woman in his arms. “Stay strong, help will be with us soon!”

“Please…” The woman spoke, soft and weak. “I don’t want this… I never wanted this… I don’t want to die…”

“Cease your words and save your strength! You will not die!”

“...”

The woman had passed. With one hand, the man gently shut her eyes as he voiced a solemn sigh.

Rustle-Rustle.

“WHO GOES THERE?!” Without a moment of delay, the man grabbed his weapon and aimed it into the abyss.

Gruuuuu...

A few figures walked from the shadows.

“SPEAK OR I WILL FIRE!”

Grraaaaahhhh....

Even more of them exposed themselves. Fitted with a collection of different robes, they stumbled into sight. With pale skin, their faces were expressionless. They moaned and groaned, swaying back and forth with every step.

“Those robes… the lost followers… it cannot be…”

Out of the dark backdrop, a mutated atrocity slithered forward. It opened its featherless ‘wings’ to reveal the countless needles that were stashed away in its many vesicles. The man glanced at the woman’s shoulder, it was the very same thing that stuck out of her bloodstained clothing.

The monster had the lower body of a snake and the upper of a disfigured woman. It stretched its mouth open to an unnatural degree and hissed.

The guard’s arm shook as he aimed at the menacing being.

“S-Stay back!”

Uuuuggghhh…

His heart dropped as a chill went down his spine. Hesitantly, his eyes shifted downward.

“N-No…”

The woman’s eyes were open but lifeless, her mouth opened and closed rapidly as if was gnawing at something while her head jerked incoherently.

HISSSSSSSSSSSS!

Upon hearing the ear-shattering cry, the creatures all charged forward in unison. The guard attempted to fire his weapon, but the woman grabbed onto him tightly and bit into his flesh. He screamed and yelled, but his desperate pleas for help were drowned out by the surrounding gunfire. Eventually, all ended as it had begun, in silence.