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deviljayman · 17 days

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Darksider - Vampire Fantasy Novel (WIP) Chapter 5 - The Witch (Draft 2)

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“Thought you’d get away with it, huh?” The guard snarled. “No one steals in my town and gets away with it.”

She was surrounded; one guard held her up by her arm, and the second stood behind her, brandishing his dagger. All around her were the townspeople, a dense crowd that formed into a mass of vitriol and curses.

“Witch!”

“Thief!”

“Beast!”

They continued to curse her out, each cry a knife against her throat. It didn’t stop there, one person decided to cast a rock at her which just barely passed over her head. The others took this as a sign and as well started to throw stones at her. She tried to shield herself, some of the rocks missing but others leaving their mark as they clashed against her exposed skin. Arlin and Leon hid near the entrance to the alley as they looked on helplessly.

“A horned child.” Leon whispered.

“A what?” Arlin asked.

“They are a group of monsters born with distinct bark-like horns, unfortunately, they are not trusted by the public. As you can see now.”

“But why?”

“I, am unsure, actually.” Leon said, his usual confidence dropping for a moment.

“What? If you don’t know, then what are the chances they do?”

Leon sighed. “Sometimes the reasons created for belief vanish, unquestioned and simply accepted as fact.”

The thought stayed with Arlin for a moment, an uncomfortable weight laying inside him. He didn’t like not knowing the reason and even less just accepting things for how they were. Why did they hate her? What in the world could she have possibly done to them? He knew that he needed to run, to just escape amongst the commotion and find a better place to hide. But the way she looked at him, the way he could see the desperation in her eyes. He knew he couldn’t just leave.

“We need to help her.” Arlin said.

“I do not believe that would be wise.” Leon said. “Getting involved could put you in danger, if you are seen by the Coven Guard they will know where you are and come for you.”

“But she needs help, if we don’t do something no one will. I’m not going to run off again, but I want to help her.”

Leon seemed apprehensive, it was clear he didn’t want Arlin to go out and get into trouble especially after what they had just gone through. But the look in the young vampire’s eyes told him that regardless of his answer, Arlin had already made up his mind.

“Alright.” Leon relented. “But I must stress to you how important it is to hide your appearance, we can not let the Coven Guard see you.”

“I understand. So, how do we help her?” Arlin asked.

“Did you not think of how you would help her before making up your mind?”

“I- Maybe…” Arlin got a bit red.

Leon once again sighed. “We will talk about that later, but for now let us think of a plan. Do you have any ideas?”

“Well, the biggest problem is the Coven Guard. I could never beat any of them during sparring, they’re crazy strong.”

“Then how do you think they should be dealt with?”

Arlin thought for a few moments. “I could distract them with something, maybe I could try throwing dirt in their eyes. They can’t fight if they’re blind.”

“That will do. Now, let us approach and wait for an opportunity.”

With their hoods drawn low, the two slinked into the crowd, blending in with the angered masses. The townsfolk hadn’t gotten any calmer, they were still calling out insults and casting stones. The horned girl tried to struggle out of the guard’s grip but she couldn’t muster up the strength she needed. With his free arm, the guard put his hand up and silenced the crowd with nothing but a gesture. It was a nauseating contrast, to go from all the screaming to now being so quiet Arlin could hear his own heart beat.

“People of Silvala!” The guard yelled. “Today we have found not only a witch, not only a horned child, but a thief. It’s not enough that she endangers us all with her mere presence, but she seeks to upend the very laws that keep us all safe. Does she not deserve to be punished?”

The crowd erupted in agreement, the guard’s word had a large sway on everyone here. Being in the middle of it was frightening, Arlin just wanted to slink back and be nowhere near here. But he noticed something while he was there, something he hadn’t seen when he was looking from afar. Not everyone was screaming and yelling at the girl, some, like him, were just trying to hide amongst the crowd. Many held their heads down, not wanting to be noticed by anyone around them. It was clear that they didn’t like this anymore than he did. He didn’t understand, why would they just stand by and watch if they didn’t want this to happen?

Hearing the people’s desires, the guard nodded, a sick smile coming across his face.

“Then the punishment will fit the crime! You used your hands against us, so now you will lose them.”

He took out his knife, raising it up to strike down on her hands.

“You deserve this, witch.” he spat out, as if the word ‘witch’ were toxic on his lips.

He began to bring down his dagger, the girl closing her eyes and bracing for the pain. At that moment Arlin ran forward, going low to the ground as he pushed through the crowd. His small size was actually a benefit here, he was able to push through the crowd and wasn’t noticed by the guards for just a moment. When the guards actually noticed him, it was too late for them to do anything about his attack.

“Who the hell?” the guard yelled.

Arlin threw a handful of dust and dirt into the guards eyes, covering his face and blinding him.

“Agh!” he yelled out, grabbing his eyes in pain.

His grip loosened, giving the girl the chance to slip out. She fell down and ran to get behind Arlin. At this point the crowd began to back up, retreating from the fight that had now broken out. The other guard sprang into action, trying to stab Arlin with his dagger. Arlin managed to move to the side, the knife stabbing through his cloak instead of his stomach. The two of them stumbled back, now gaining some distance from the guards.

“Took you long enough.” the girl said snidely.

“Sorry.” Arlin said. “I’m not really a quick thinker.”

In that moment the first guard had just managed to brush away the dirt from his eyes, his sight now clear as he glared straight at Arlin and the girl, his orange eyes flaring.

“You’ll pay for that boy!” the guard cried. “I’ll skin you both alive!”

He ran at the pair, taking his knife and planning to make good on his promise. Arlin put his hand to the ground, trying to summon shadows to defend himself. The shadows of the people all around them moved and flowed to Arlin’s hand, it started to take form into something big. But just as it started to take the form of a wolf, it sputtered out and dissipated, almost blowing up in Arlin’s face. His magic had failed.

“What?!” Arlin yelled.

He thought back to what Leon had told him in his lesson.

‘Magic is quite a powerful thing, it can shape the world around us and even ourselves. However I would refrain from overusing it, as you saw when you summoned that falcon, it can be taxing on your body if used too much.’

This is what he was referring to, Arlin had just hit the limit of his magic. He cursed himself, he didn’t expect for this to happen so soon and now of all times. The guard was running toward him, ready to make due on his promise. The dagger swung down to gut him, but just before the attack landed the girl tackled him and pushed the two of them out of the way. The guard’s blade slammed into the stone street, part of the blade chipping off upon impact.

“Now’s not the time to space out!” the girl yelled.

She reached for a belt around her waist, along it were several glass bottles filled with various herbs and liquids. Some were filled with twigs and leaves, some had strange concoctions that seemed to glow, others had a mix of both. Placed on the third loop to her right was a vial filled with a deep forest green liquid. Quickly, she took out the potion and slammed it into the ground. The bottle didn’t shatter and instead bounced, the potion changed from the dark green to a vibrant orange before exploding into a cloud of smoke. The crowd scattered even further, backing away from the strange smoke that was spreading through the square.

Arlin stood up, trying to orient himself with his sight obscured. He felt something grab on to his shirt and start dragging him through the smoke. Once his vision returned, he saw it was the girl.

“Come on!” she cried. “Let’s get out of here!”

Just as she was about to take off, a spear slammed into the ground right in front of her. She looked around her and saw a number of Coven Guard had appeared all around them, most likely drawn by the commotion they caused.

“Halt!” one guard commanded. “By order of the High Coven, you are charged with assault of a Coven Guard! Your punishment, death!”

“Death!?” Arlin yelled. “Just for throwing dirt at that jerk!?”

Despite Arlin’s claim of how ridiculous the punishment was, the guards were set on carrying it out. They were surrounded on all sides, being backed against a building they had no hope of scaling. But just when they felt they’d lost hope, a blur jumped over the line of guards and raced over toward. Before they could realize who it was, both Arlin and the girl were picked up as the man started to scale the building. Arlin looked up to see who it was and saw Leon in his wolf form, he was holding on to Arlin by the back of his shirt and had put the girl under his arm.

“Quickly!” Leon almost snarled. “Let us depart!”

Leon had reached the top of the building, quickly getting low as the guards flinged their spears at the werewolf. Most of the spears smashed against the building’s shingles but two ended up grazing Leon, one slashing his lower arm and the other his shoulder.

However, the guards couldn’t keep up with the lycanthrope, his speed far superior to theirs. He tried to put as much distance between them and the guards as possible, leaping between the city’s uneven buildings. They had escaped from the Coven Guard, but they weren’t sure for how long.

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Leon had been running for about a minute, doing his best to obscure himself as he scaled across the rooftops. When he felt he had gained enough distance between them and the guards, he dived into an alleyway with Arlin and the girl. It was quiet there, they could have some privacy for the moment. As soon as Arlin was put down, he immediately went up to check on Leon.

“Are you alright, Leon?”

“Do not worry, the spears did not pierce too deeply. They just grazed me.”

As he said this, the small cuts on his arm and shoulder began to slowly heal, Leon expending a small amount of magic doing so. There was a small pang in Arlin's chest as he watched it, a near envy for how he could control his magic.

“Uh, hello?” the girl said, waving her hand to signal that she was still there.

“Oh! Right, sorry.” Arlin apologized.

The girl snickered before approaching the two of them, putting her hand out for them to shake. She gave the two of them a smile.

“Name’s Erica, thanks for giving me a hand.”

Arlin was a bit apprehensive at first, but shook her hand. Managing to muster up a smile of his own. It was the first time he actually got a good look at her, the whole time he was so busy trying not to get stabbed that only now was he able to process her features.

She was a fair skinned woman, taller than Arlin but not nearly as big as Leon. Her hair was a bright red, almost matching Arlin’s eyes. It was short, shaggy and messy with several twigs and leaves being stuck in it. Perhaps Erica just didn’t bother to take them out or maybe she just liked it this way. Aside from her red hair, her most eye-catching feature were her horns. They looked like bark and bramble, it seemed to go around her head like a crown until pointing out into two small pointed horns.

But the thing that Arlin noticed most about her was her face, each little feature sticking out to him. Her eyes were a sage green, they didn’t glow like his but they had a depth he couldn’t quite put into words. She had freckles that danced from her cheeks across the bridge of her nose. And the thing that drew Arlin’s attention the most, she had a small gap between her front teeth.

“So, can I get your name?” Erica asked.

Arlin paused for a moment before saying. “Arlin, my name is Arlin. It’s nice to meet you.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Arlin. Who’s your friend?”

Leon stepped forward. “I am Leon, and I would like to ask you some questions.”

“I was going to say the same thing, Leon.” she replied. “It’s not everyday people stick up for me, so I want to know who did it, and why.”

“I see nothing wrong with that, although there may be questions we will not be able to answer.”

“Understandable. I don’t need your life story, I just want a good impression of you both.”

“What do you want to ask?” Arlin questioned.

Erica hopped up on a crate in the alley, sitting down with her legs crossed. She seemed to situate herself before looking to Arlin.

“Well, the first question on my mind is, why?” Erica started. “Why did you save me? You’re a vampire, you didn’t need to stick your neck out for me. You don’t benefit from it, so, why’d you do it?

Leon simply looked to Arlin, the only person in this moment who could actually answer the question. In the moment, he didn’t actually know why he did it, why he had put himself at risk to help her. It was all spontaneous, he didn’t really think why he should, he just did it.

“Honestly, I don’t really know why I wanted to help you.” Arlin stated. “I just didn’t like how they were treating you, it wasn’t fair. No one was sticking up for you so, I thought I needed to.”

Erica considered Arlin for a moment, trying to judge his intentions from his body language. Arlin himself could see her judgment, although it was not as aggressive or cruel as the judgment his caretakers often target him with. She was inquisitive, not trying to find his flaws but instead trying to judge his character, to figure out just who this young vampire was.

“If that answer was sufficient.” Leon interjected. “I would like to ask you a question.”

“Go right ahead.” Erica replied.

“The guards mentioned you stole something, can you tell me what actually happened to get you captured by the Coven Guard?”

She chucked. “Do you think I’m a thief?” her tone seemed more serious than before, but still inquisitive as always.

“I do not know what to think of you, just like you I wish to get a better grasp of you as an individual. That includes how you got into this mess, I think that it is a reasonable question.”

She looked up at him, matching his stoic demeanor before smiling.

“You’re right! That’s a fair question, I can tell you what happened.”

“Did you really steal from them?” Alrin asked.

“I did, but only cause they stole first.” Erica explained. “I was helping a family get out of the city. I was making sure they had everything they needed for the journey, but the kid said that the Coven Guard took her doll. I couldn’t just let that slide, so I went over to get it back for her. Thing is, I’m a pretty good pickpocket. For instance, Arlin, I don’t think you noticed that I snatched that box from you when we were on the way here.”

Arlin for a moment was confused before realizing what she meant. He frantically patted down his pockets and found nothing. Just when he was going to start looking around the alley, Erica took out the candle box and waved it in front of him. He exhaled in relief, his anxiety dispelling once he saw that she had it. She ruffled his hair before handing it back to him.

“Bit of an odd thing to be carrying around.” Erica said. “Is it important to you?”

Arlin nodded. “It’s very important, I got it from…I-”

When he actually started to think about it, he didn’t remember where he got it from. For as long as he could remember he had it, and every year he’d light it. Where did it come from? Did someone give it to him?

Arlin felt a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

He looked up, Leon had walked up to him and was looking at him concerned. Erica as well seemed confused and a bit worried.

Arlin shook himself out of it. “I’m alright!” he managed to say with a smile. “Just got lost in thought is all.”

After thinking about it, his head started to hurt. Perhaps it would be for the best to not think about this for the time being.

As soon as Arlin seemed fine, Leon resumed his questioning. “If you were caught, I assume your retrieval of the doll was unsuccessful.”

“You’d be right.” Erica confirmed. “I got sloppy and they caught him, it’s a bit embarrassing honestly. But hey, you two came in and helped me out, so thanks for that again.”

Erica gave Arlin a smile and he smiled back, it helped him to reorient himself in all of this.

“I do have another question.” she started. “What are the two of you doing out here? No offense but people like you don’t exactly need to wear hoods and hide in alleyways.”

“Actually, my next question was related to that.” Leon said.

“Really?”

“Yes. You are a witch, correct?”

“I am yes, I’m sure the potions and pretty face gave it away.” Erica placed her finger on his cheek and looked very smug.

Leon completely ignored this. “If you are then I would like to ask about your knowledge of secret paths and safe havens. We are in need of that skill.”

“Ah, I see.” she said. “I’m guessing you’re on the run from some people and need somewhere to hide out. Just who are you hiding from anyway?”

Leon looked to Arlin for a moment before saying. “Currently we’re being pursued by the High Coven, Arlin here is their primary target. We tried to get help in hiding from them elsewhere but were unable to.”

Erica seemed taken aback by the information. “Wow, you two are in some real trouble.” She looked to Arlin. “Who are you to get them chasing after you?”

“Oh.. Well I-” Arlin stuttered out. “We would like to keep the reasons for them pursuing us to ourselves, it is a personal matter.”

Arlin seemed relieved at the interjection, if he had let him go on any longer he was sure that he might have just yelled out ‘I’m the Shade Lord!’ with how poorly he did under pressure.

She seemed to consider the two of them, clearly deciding whether or not to clue them into things she knew. After a minute, it seemed she made up her mind.

“I do know somewhere that could work.” she admitted. “But as of now, I can’t say I trust you enough to tell you about it.”

“What?!” Arlin yelled. “But why?!”

“I’ve only just met you both, you helped me get away from those guards and I thank you for that but this is greater than myself. If I can’t know why you’re running from the High Coven then I really can’t help you. I just met you both, I can’t just trust you for one thing you did.”

He wanted to argue against it, to scream all the reasons why she could trust him and how much he needed this. But he couldn’t argue against her. She was right, she had no reason to trust them, especially not him. He needed this, he wanted to be free more than anything.

“Is there no way for us to earn your trust?” Leon asked.

“This isn’t something as simple as that, I can’t just tell anyone.”

Arlin shook his head, trying to get himself out of his spiral. He stood up straight, putting on the bravest face he could muster.

“Please.” he said to Erica. “I don’t know what I need to do to earn your trust, but please just give me a chance. I need this, so whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it!”

Leon stepped forward. “I don’t believe that is necessar-”

“It’s okay.” Arlin interrupted. “I want to do this, I can’t just have you solve all my problems.”

Leon’s face was mixed, a combination of pride and apprehension. He wanted to stop this, but he trusted Arlin so he stepped back and let him continue. Erica seemed to consider Arlin once again, trying to see if she misjudged the boy.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “I’m not gonna hold back on you, I need to know for absolute certain I can trust you.”

“I’m sure.” he said simply.

She nodded, reaching into her bag for something. He heard the sound of glasses clinking together until she pulled out a small vile. It was filled with a dark gray liquid and had what looked to be a small root in the center.

“This is Truth Root, if you drink it and have lied or withheld information from me, it will cause you incredible pain. Are you still sure you want to do this?”

He took the potion. “If I drink this, will you help us?”

“I will.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.”

Just as he said that, he drank it. Both Erica and Leon looked surprised, it seemed they weren’t expecting him to actually go through with it. For a moment nothing happened, Arlin bracing for any pain that might come to him. Just when he thought he passed it, he felt something. A scent hit his nose, it sent shivers through his body. His eyes started to water, he curled up in on himself as this terrible sensation went through him.

“Arlin!” Leon yelled, running up to him.

He went silent for a moment, Leon and Erica holding their breaths as they waited to see what was happening. Another moment passed, and Arlin coughed. He spat on the ground and stuck out his tongue.

“Yuck!” he said. “What was that?!”

“Ginger and peppermint, it’s supposed to help with stomach aches.” Erica explained.

“Ginger?! I hate ginger!”

“You do?” Leon asked.

“Yeah! It smells weird and gives me shivers! It’s the worst!”

Erica snickered, before breaking into a laugh. She cackled, tears and snot started to run from her face as she couldn’t control her own laughter. Arlin and Leon both looked at her confused, not sure what to say.

“So uh…” Arlin started. “Did I pass the test?”

She managed to stop herself from laughing. “Oh night sky, yes! You pass the test.”

“What about the Truth Root?” Leon asked.

“There’s no such thing, I lied about it to try to scare you off. But, I guess it didn’t work cause he’s so brave.” she said, pointing to Arlin. “Well, brave or a little dumb. Could be both honestly.”

That last comment made Arlin giggle, and as soon as Leon saw that Arlin was alright, he smiled. Erica took the bottle that Arlin drank from, placing it back in her bag before closing it.

“So.” Leon started. “Will you tell us about the safehaven?”

“A deal’s a deal, I’ll help you two.”

She waved her hands, a trait of spectral leaves traced the path they carved. With this magic she created a symbol in the air, and with a push of her palm, the spell disbursed. For a moment it seemed nothing had happened, but soon the effect was clear. The sounds of the city faded away, now being replaced by the sounds of the forest.

She smiled. “Let me tell you about Mother Lileas and the Silent Sanctuary.”

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deviljayman · 2 months

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Darksider - Vampire Fantasy Novel (WIP) Chapter 4: The Witch

Read and comment on the full story here! <- <- <-

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Arlin’s sleep was restful but strange; he spent most of it drifting between a state of unconsciousness and waking. He caught glimpses of their travel, the snow beginning to fade and trees gaining their leaves as they traveled further down the mountain. That freezing chill shifted to something more comfortable, still cold but no longer hostile.

He hadn’t realized it, but there was a point where they had stopped moving. He felt something solid supporting his head and something soft keeping him warm. In the moment where Arlin recognized this change, he felt himself being gently shaken.

“Awaken now, little one; it is time to get up.” Leon whispered.

Arlin groaned slightly, clearly wanting to sleep more but forcing himself awake. He opened his mouth wide to yawn, shaking his head after to dispel his sleepiness. Opening his eyes, he looked around to see his new surroundings.

To start, he was resting against a tree while covered by a warm blanket, most likely something Leon brought with him. They were resting on a hill; to Arlin’s right was the forest they’d just come out of, the snow still visible just past the treeline. To his left was a new sight to him; a small township was located just at the bottom of the hill.

“Good, you are awake. Did you rest well?” Leon asked, seeing Arlin looking around.

Arlin yawned once more before replying. “Yeah, it was good. Probably some of the best sleep I’ve had in a while.”

“That is good to hear.” Leon looked tired, to be expected from spending the night running and not sleeping. He was no longer in his wolf form and was now taking a sip from a tea cup. Looking to his side, Arlin noticed there was a cup for him as well.

“The town just down the hill is called Silvala.” Leon stated. “It is a small village; we can stop there for supplies and perhaps find some place to keep you safe.”

Arlin nodded, picking up the cup of tea to his side and taking a sip. It was a bit bitter, it seemed Leon had added some sugar to offset the pungent flavor. Regardless of the taste, it was warm; it was just what Arlin needed.

“Is your arm okay?” he asked.

Leon gave a comforting smile. “My arm is just fine, there is no need to worry yourself.”

“I still don’t really understand how it healed, could you tell me how?”

“Of course I can.” Leon assured. “What do you know about the anatomy of Monsters? How our bodies function.”

Arlin thought for a moment, trying to think back to the books he was made to read; most of the knowledge having been forgotten. “Well I know that we’re made of magic, but I don’t really know what that means.”

“That is correct, how much do you know about magic?”

“My caretakers always described it as ‘the ability to impose one’s will on the world’, it always sounded cruel.”

“I think there are better ways to explain it to you.” Leon stated, clearly unhappy with the education Arlin received. “Magic is a force, one that makes up our bodies and can be shaped and formed. That is how we exist. Magic is malleable, it can be changed and influenced.”

Putting his arm out, it shifted and changed into a wolf-like claw.

“Because we are composed of magic, we can shape our bodies. That is how I can change into my lycanthrope form, and it is how I healed my arm.”

“So we can just change our bodies in any way we want?” Arlin asked.

“Not exactly. Our bodies are still concret, they have form. If we were able to freely change our bodies at will, we would be at risk of losing our physical form. That is what our skeletons are for, they act as anchors to prevent us from losing control of ourselves.”

“So I couldn’t transform into a werewolf like you?”

“You could not.”

Arlin looked a little disappointed. “Why not?”

“The capabilities of our magic is dependent on our heritage, from what we are born of. You are born of darkness so you can command shadows, I am born of blood which allows me to transform. Does that make sense?”

Arlin nods. “Sorry, I’m just a little bummed I can’t turn into a werewolf.”

“Well, I can not create animals of shadow to aid me. We all have our strength, it is important to have pride in them.”

“They are pretty cool.” Arlin summons a small bird which nuzzles up to him and nests in his hair.

“Magic is quite a powerful thing, it can shape the world around us and even ourselves. However I would refrain from overusing it, as you saw when you summoned that falcon, it can be taxing on your body if used too much.”

“I wish I could do more with my magic, I can’t just be collapsing after summoning one animal.”

“There will come time to practice and learn, however now we must head into the city. First Night is young, let us try to find a place for you to be safe.”

Leon walked over, finishing his tea and extending a hand to help Arlin stand. His body was still a bit stiff from sleeping but he stretched and rose with Leon. The city was just below, and seemed to be quite lively as the day had just begun.

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They slipped into the city largely unnoticed, blending in with the large crowd populating the streets. It was the first time Arlin had ever been around so many people, he had been used to the wide open mountaintop with no one but the animals around. Here was different, he had to be careful not to bump into people as he walked, most people weren’t and ended up bumping into him. The whole situation was overwhelming to Arlin, it was all so much at once. Leon was holding his hand, making sure they didn’t get separated from each other.

The town was incredibly diverse, filled with people Arlin had never seen before. Like Leon there were people who had the features of animals, but more of a middle ground as opposed to Leon’s transformed state. Some looked like rabbits, other cats and some even looked like bears. There were other vampires as well, their vamperic features notably more pronounced than Arlin’s. He even saw what he thought to be a tree, but in reality was actually a person, their head looking like a tree trunk with its roots spreading across their body. It was all so, beautiful to Arlin.

Eventually the two broke through the crowd, heading into the heart of the city. In the center was a small market, different bits and bobbles displayed on wooden tables. Arlin’s gaze was fixated upon them, like a crow finding a shiny rock. He hadn’t noticed Leon kept walking till he felt a light tug that shook Arlin out of his embezzlement. Leon bought some fruit from one of the sellers, a small bunch of figs.

“Here.” Leon handed a couple figs to Arlin.

Arlin peeled the fruit before biting into the inside of the fresh fig. It was fresh, a distinct sweet and honey-like taste filled his senses as he partook in the delicious food.

“This is so good!” Arlin said, a bit of fig juice still on his face.

“I am glad you like it. We will be getting more food once we know where we are going.”

“Any ideas?” Arlin asked.

“Not just yet, but the city gives us more options. And more dangers.”

“Dangers?”

“Yes, the further we get into the Valley, the stronger the influence of the High Coven becomes.”

He held Arlin close to him as they moved, adjusting his hood to better mask his appearance.

“They are everywhere.” Leon whispered. “The High Coven likes to keep control over cities outside of the capital, the Coven Guards are an extension of their will.”

Looking around they were apparent to see, the Coven Guards were patrolling the area. They were scanning the street, searching for any activity that went against the will of the High Coven. It seemed like the people were used to it, none of them looked in the direction of the guards. Once Arlin noticed, he stopped looking as well.

“Are they after us?” he asked.

“I am not sure.” Leon replied. “Word of your departure may have spread quickly, it is better to not draw their attention to us.”

The two of them walked around the market, keeping an ear out for any leads on where they might be able to go. They didn’t get much, the conversations they listened to were a bit dull all things considered. People were mainly talking about the recent harvest, it seemed that they were worried about having enough for the city and for the High Coven.

“The High Coven will be taking their cut.” a farmer said. “Whether there’s enough for us or not!”

“Quiet down!” his wife told him. “Don’t give them a reason to give us trouble.”

The farmer quickly shut himself up, jogging out of the market with his wife as fast as he could without drawing attention. With their departure, the market fell quiet once again, nothing but the sounds of boots clicking against the cobblestone street.

“Is no one gonna do anything about them?” Arlin asked, a spike of frustration in his voice.

“There is not much we can do.” Leon explained. “The Coven Guard are law here, any aggression against them comes with great consequences.”

Arlin scowled, he hated not being able to do anything, especially against jerks like the Coven Guards. They were just out of the market when they heard a yell from behind them.

“Hey! Let me go!”

Arlin turned around and saw it first, the Coven Guards were holding up a woman by her arm. She was a little older than Arlin, her hair was a bright red that stuck out against her fair skin. She had freckles that crossed over the bridge of her nose but the most odd thing about her were the small pair of horns that poked out of her head.

“Don’t resist!” The guard holding her yelled. “We know you stole from us, Witch!”

“I didn’t do anything! Don’t blame me for your incompetence!”

“Silence! You!” He pointed toward a random person at the market. “You saw what she did didn’t you?”

The person froze, unsure what to say.

“Well go on then, tell us what you saw!”

“I…it was her!” they blurted out. “I saw her do it, she’s guilty!”

The crowd seemed to agree, calling out to scorn and accuse the girl.

“The people have spoken!” The guard said. “And I’m sure you know the punishment for theft.”

He began to draw a dagger, planning to make good on his threat. The girl struggled, trying to break out of his grip but with no luck; she was trapped. Arlin was infuriated, the shadows of the area becoming darker and darker.

“Arlin.” Leon whispered. “You need to calm down, we can not let you be seen by the Coven Guard. I know it is hard, but your safety is the priority.”

“No! I can’t just stand by, I need to stop this!” Arlin cried, rushing forward.

“Arlin! No!”

He ran forward, the shadows rising behind him forming into ravens that flew straight toward the guard. Just as they were about to strike the young girl, they were pleated and picked by the unkindness Arlin had called forth.

“What is this!? Who dares!?” The guard yelled.

His grip loosened just slightly, enough for the girl to slip out during all the chaos. She jumped back, behind Arlin who was quickly becoming the center of attention. The crowd was still around them speaking, trying to figure out who this boy surrounded by shadow was.

“Identify yourself!” The guard commanded, swatting away the ravens who continued to attack him. “Who are you to interfere with the will of the High Coven.”

Arlin couldn’t help himself, so he decided to have some fun.

“I’m the Beast King, and you’ve angered me and nature with your actions! Cease this at once or suffer a thousand curses!”

“What utter nonsense, the Coven Guard fears no Beast!” “We’ll see about that.”

Arlin moved his hand, the shadows from underneath them twisted and coiled into serpents that began to crawl up their legs. They stumbled backward at the sudden sensation, trying to shake off the snakes and regain their composure.

“Why you!”

The guard tried to strike down with his dagger at the snake, but it shifted around the attack and bit his hand. He cried out in pain as the snakes began to strike the guards all over, the guards racing to remove them. The crowd gasped in shock as they watched the guards begin to retreat, moving away from Arlin and the girl.

“You’ll pay for this!” one guard cried out. “The Coven Guard will not take this slight against us lightly!”

And with that, they were gone, off to lick their wounds and remove all the snakes that had been placed on them. The crowd at this point were stunned, whispering amongst each other to try to make sense of what just happened.

“We’d better get going.” Arlin whispered to the girl.

“Way ahead of you.”

She reached into her bag, pulling out a glass vile of what looked to be a moss green liquid. Raising it into the air, she threw it down with tremendous force, the liquid shifting to an orange before shattering into a cloud of mist the same color. The crowd panicked, backing away as the mist spread.

Arlin felt someone grab him, he was pulled out of the cloud to see Leon had grabbed both him and the girl and was racing away from the crowd to cover.

“Come on, we need to hide.” Leon said.

They all raced off, heading deeper into the city and away from the commotion they just caused.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They all ran for what felt like hours, just rushing down streets and alleyways to make sure they were as far away from the Coven Guards as they could. Eventually, they felt like they put enough distance between themselves and the threat, ending up in an alleyway gasping for breath.

“I think we lost them.” the girl said.

“Are you both okay?” Leon asked.

Arlin nodded. “I’m fine, just a bit tired. I overdid it with my magic again.”

“I’m just fine.” The girl said, slowly backing away from the two of them. “But I gotta know, who are you two?”

“I am Leon, I apologize for us meeting like this, I would have hoped for better circumstances.”

“And you, Beast King?” she asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed of his show. “I was just having a bit of fun with that, my name is Arlin, what’s your name?”

"I’ll tell you that at least, my name is Erica. Nice to meet you.”

“I would like if you told us a bit more.” Leon stated. “The guards mentioned you stole something, is that true?”

“Yeah, you didn’t do it right?” Arlin asked.

Erica thought for a moment. “Hm alright, you two helped me out so I guess I can answer your question. To tell you the truth, I did steal from them, but it was for a good reason!”

“Why did you do it?”

“They stole from me first! I was passing through here and they ended up taking something of mine. I was only trying to get it back but I guess my pickpocketing is getting sloppy.”

“What did they take from you?” Leon asked.

“Sorry big guy, that’s personal. I’ll answer some of your questions but not all of them, a girl has got to have her privacy.” she gave a coy smile.

“I see, well then I have a different question for you. They said you were a Witch, is that true?”

“That I am, and a good one at that.”

“A Witch?” Arlin asked.

“Have you not heard of Witches, Arlin?” Leon questioned.

“Only in some of my lectures, they didn’t mention much that sounded true.”

“And what did they say?”

“That Witches are traitorous spies, who lie, con, and steal from anyone they come across. Again, nothing that sounded true.”

“Nope, not exactly true.” Erica confirmed. “I only lie, con and steal from people I don’t like!”

Arlin laughed a bit. “So what do Witches actually do?”

“We’re herbalists by trade, we usually make herbal remedies with a dash of magic to help with everyday stuff like colds or pain. That and we specialize in hidden travel ways and safe havens, for others’ sake and our own.”

Arlin perked up at the mention of safe havens. “You know safe places?! Do you know anywhere we could hide from the High Coven?!”

“Woah! Hold on, slow down!” Erica said, taken aback by Arlin’s sudden questions.

“Sorry…I just-”

“Hold on.” Leon interjected. “Arlin, may I have a word with you in private?”

“Oh, okay.”

“Apologies Erica, could you give us a moment?”

“Sure? Take all the time you need.” Erica said, confused by all of this.

Leon took Arlin aside, positioning himself between the Witch and the young vampire.

“What is it Leon?” Arlin asked.

“Do you not think you are rushing into things?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“We have only just met this woman, we do not know her intentions or her allegiances. I am not saying we should distrust her, but I do not think she has our trust.”

“I know but, what other options do we have? We don’t know anywhere else to go and she does. Besides, she’s not with the High Coven which is what matters, I think we can trust her.”

Leon seemed to think for a moment, considering the options the two of them had. The conclusion was clear, Arlin was right, they didn’t have many options outside of Erica. It was a risk they’d have to take.

“Alright.” Leon relented. “I may not trust her, but I do trust you Arlin.”

Arlin chuckled softly. “Thank you Leon.”

The two of them walked back over to Erica, Arlin now leading the way.

“So, you two sort everything out?” Erica asked.

“We did, and we’ve got something to ask you. We need your help.” Arlin said.

“I see, is that what you were on about before?”

“Yes, we’re trying to find a place where the High Coven won’t find us. Please, we’re really at our wits ends here.”

“The High Coven huh? They don’t usually go after individuals very often, what the hell did you two do to get them on your tail?”

Arlin froze for a moment, unsure if he should say the real reason. Before he could answer, Leon stepped in.

“Just as you have your secrets, we have ours. We would rather not say why.”

“Fair enough, I’m sure you have your reasons.”

“So do you know a place?” Arlin asked.

“I might, but I’m not sure if I trust you enough.”

“What?! Why not?!”

“I just met you two, for all I know you could be High Coven agents in disguise.”

“But I helped you! I hate the High Coven, I’d never work for those guys!”

“That doesn’t prove anything, just shows you don’t think before you act. I don’t have any reason to trust you, no offense but I don’t have the luxury to blindly trust a vampire.”

Arlin was shocked for a moment, but not for long. She was right, he had given her no reason to trust him and he knew it. Vampires had always been on top, Arlin had experienced it first hand, he’d seen how they abused their positions to take advantage of others. He saw it today with Erica, and he had seen it his whole life with his caretakers.

“I know you don’t trust me.” Arlin said. “I don’t blame you, but I really need your help. Is there any way for me to earn your trust?”

Erica seemed to consider for a moment, processing and regarding his question.

“What are you willing to do to earn my trust?” Erica asked.

“Whatever you need of me.”

Erica seemed shocked, Arlin’s answer was clearly unexpected and she was trying to think of what to do next. She pulled out a small black potion with small bits of orange swirling around it. Popping the cork off released an acrid, pungent smell, like overripe fruit.

She held it out to Arlin. “This is a Trust Elixir, if you’re telling the truth and don’t mean any harm you’ll be fine.” She explained. “But if you’re lying to me, you’ll be in for a lot of pain.”

Leon stepped in. “He does not need to take that, he has done more than enough to prove his honesty.”

“Leon.” Arlin chimed. “It’s okay, I’ll do it.”

“But-”

“I want to prove myself. If this is what I need to do, I’ll do it.”

He took the potion and in one swift motion, drank it all at once. For a moment all was quiet, each party anticipating the effect the elixir would have. Arlin felt nothing for a second, but in an instant a horrible flavor shot through his senses. He grabbed his mouth, sure he was going to throw up his insides and die on the spot.

“Arlin!” Leon yelled, rushing to the young vampire’s side.

For a few moments more Arlin seemed to shiver, the sensation flowing through his body in horrible waves. Until all of sudden, it stopped, with Arlin being left motionless.

“Arlin! Arlin, are you alright!” Leon asked, an uncommon panic coming over his voice.

He opened his eyes, uncovering his mouth as he let out a very interesting sound.

“Bleh!” Arlin spat. “That was so bitter! What was that?!”

Erica smiled. “Oh that? It was just a mix of vinegar and ginger, it’s good for blood flow and stomach pain.”

“Huh?! So it wasn’t a Truth Elixir?”

“No! Those things aren’t real.”

Leon glared at Erica. “Did you really need to cause that much of a scare?”

“Sorry! I didn’t think he’d have such a big reaction to it, do you not like bitter stuff?”

Arlin took out his water skin and began chugging it to wash the taste out. “I hate ginger! It’s really gross and gives me shivers.”

“Sorry Arlin. But hey, at least it’s better than immense pain.”

“I guess it is… Hey wait a minute, was this all you wanted?”

“Yep, I just needed to see if you were really willing to go through with it even at risk to yourself. Hurting you wasn’t the point and not something I wanted to do; although the ginger might have done that a little bit.”

Arlin laughed a bit and so did Erica, it was all so funny that they had to laugh it off. Leon was on edge but once he saw that Arlin was in no danger he calmed down and smiled. They trailed off, getting all the giggles they had out of their system.

“So.” Arlin asked. “Think you could help us now?”

“Gladly.” Erica replied. “Lucky for you two, I know the perfect place.”

“What is it?” Leon asked.”

“It’s called the Silent Sanctuary. Let me tell you about it.”

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