Chapter 2 – Persona In Tenebris
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It was a free village. As free as man can be, and it was just man now. The witch hunts had begun and the world would never quite be the same. Even in a free imperial village, some of the most emancipated territory one could live in, the women had begun to practice caution and temperance. A pragmatic choice, a man in this new societal order could offer a great degree of safety from the stake.

Medicines once known now hidden away for fear of accusatory glares, magic once enjoyed as a type of wisdom would now bring about your own death at the hands of the zealous.

And so in this simple village life went on as it did.

But the beast had already arrived.

As the sun began setting on that day, most of the men were gathered around the tavern, some laughing the last evening hours away, others planning a trading trip to the city.

And the beast observed.

One of the boys in the tavern sat alone, enjoying the bulky music machine's small but catchy selection of tracks. Entirely unremarkable in appearance, this boy was one of the new generation that were mandated to receive training in the Fundamentals of Natural Philosophy, Metallurgy, and Engineering by Imperial Edict, as such he was also one of the few people in the village who had a good grasp on operating the new technologies and tools they would trade for in the city.

And the beast listened.

"Mikael! You're coming right?" shouted a gregarious and inebriated man from the other side of the tavern, the sloppily quaffed beer's remnants dripping from his winding beard.

Mikael was 16 tomorrow, but he hadn't been to the city before. He didn't respond with a word, but made the mistake of acknowledging the man with a glance. As the man rose to his feet on the unsteady ground of a drunk man's world and began making his way across the tables, Mikael prepared himself.

"Mikael!" repeated the man as he leant down to Mikael's table with the knowing smile of an overfond uncle and attempted a drunk man's whisper, "Now don't tell your mother but I've stashed away some extra thaler for the stuff you like to build."

The man winked at Mikael and, in turn, Mikael couldn't resist returning a fond smile of appreciation.

"And what did you want me to do for you in return?" Mikael replied, already knowing the answer.

They both shared a laugh and the man gave Mikael a pat on the shoulder.

"You're a good lad. The trip to the city would be more relaxing with something to smoke, wouldn't it? It's not just for me, it's for all of us, but you don't have to do anything at all!"

"I'll see what I can do."

Mikael took a gulp of his milk.

And the beast understood.

With wide eyes, it waited for a chance. It had such a hunger, such a thirst.

The tavern keeper, as he was locking up for the night heard such strange sounds outside. Was there a cat? It was like a purring noise, but one he couldn't quite find. He must have thought to himself that whatever the animal was, best not to involve himself, or he might incur the wrath of a witch. There must still be a witch in town, after all. It must be so.

And the beast ate.

Overnight, every last morsel, every leftover, every barrel, every drop of beer, wedge of cheese, every slice of ham and loaf of bread was devoured. Not a single carrot was spared, if it could be eaten by man, it was eaten. Of the pigs kept out behind the tavern, there were only bare-boned carcasses and blood-stained muck remaining.

And the beast slept.

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