A Witch's Curse

[Sairen]

A new dawn has come as the early sun shine filled the deep forest she lived in. Her room filled up with light revealing the clutter of books, papers and small trinkets she had made through the years. All that training never went to waste as she continued to practice it. Viola was gathering all the medicine, salves and teas she had made the day before. She had regular customers who were brave enough to buy medicine from her. But there were others who still look down at her. Some were suspicious and others down right hated her and her mother. In the end no one could do anything against. Not since the stories of the cursed ones still linger. It was like a shadow that had its own life as people continued to talk about it. Viola knew that fear drove those villagers to attack them and she used it to her advantage. Her red hood was a staple reminder for those to rethink ill thoughts.

"I'm off to town. See ya when I get back for dinner." She called as he mother worked in the garden.

"Take your time. I don't want you hurrying back and forgetting to buy bread." Her mother waved goodbye as her little girl walked down the trail.

It was a long walk through forest as the morning fog hung low. The soft sounds of birds in the trees and the crunching of dead leaved under her feet greeted lovingly. The serenity of nature would soon be interrupted by the loud orchestra of Eddlestone. The click clacks of horseshoes beating on the cobblestone roads and the chatters of people filled most of the air. The occasional patter of running feet with children laughing chimed in as the streets bustled with life. With soft steps she walked down the street as people moved out of her way. What people may think of her never bothered her. It was their actions that called for attention. Viola and her mother were well aware not everyone in town liked their presence. Many of the town meeting always had the complaints of witches living near their town. It could look like an invitation for a whole clan to live nearby. Yet in the twenty years that she had lived near this town no other witch had ever showed themselves.

Viola went door to door giving the usual medicines and teas to her customers. That was the easy part; the second half was to wait for anyone who was desperate or brave enough to come to her for help. It would take time but at this point time was all she had. The best place to wait for people was the town square. It was the central hub of the entire town. All walks of life could be found and it also meant all walks of need would be drawn to her.

Viola slipped past people and horses as she reached the town's center. A large fountain sat in the center of it all with several statues of ladies pouring water out of vase as the center piece. Surrounding the outskirts of the fountain was people enjoying themselves and even more people selling their wares. The young lady took her spot by the fountain's edge. It was her favorite spot and it wouldn't be long before new customers would find her. Of course there was nothing wrong with having a little fun. Kids were curious and challenged danger and it's boundries.

A couple of kids watched her from the other side of the fountain. She could hear them, it wasn't hard since they were arguing among each other.

"I betcha she isn't a real witch. They're supposed to be ugly and scary." One kid tried to say in a hushed voice.

"My mom said that's not true. They look like us but they're just evil." A little girl tried to say. "ou know we're not even allowed to be this close to her. She could curse us." Those words made the other kids shiver at the thought.

"Or you could just talk to me." Viola chimed in. The kids jumped at her voice but the young women tried to hold in a laugh. "Did I scare ya?" She asked, sounding a little too excited at the idea.

"N-No you didn't!" A boy, smallest one of the bunch tried to say with his chest puffed up.

"Hey, take it easy. I'm not here to hurt anyone or curse anyone. I'm just here out of curiosity. Its rude to talk about someone behind their backs ya know." Viola enjoyed their reactions as the kids tried to put on their bravest of faces.

"Its not like you're a real witch… Are you?" All the kids were thinking it and all of them looked at her with wide eyes. They all wanted an answer and some were leaning in a little closer. Viola smiled at them and looked over that the fountain. She reached down into the water and with one finger touch the surface. Slowly the surface of the water turned into ice and the children were speechless.

"Not all witches are evil, or ugly. We look like you, have families and enjoy life. We just use magic." In that moment the kids had smiles and weren't afraid of her. Viola never knew how good it would feel just to have people look at her with kind eyes. It warmed her to know there was a chance people would one day not fear her. It all ended when an old women came up to them panic stricken and angry.

"Back away from her, she's dangerous!" She screamed in panic. "Stay away from these children! They will not be swayed by your sorcery!" She yelled angrily as spit flew from her mouth. The old women pushed the small kids away telling them to stay away from her. A good feeling was now burned away as they were forced away from her. Maybe being respected was merely a dream.

 

[Necrowmancer]

The sounds of birds were the first thing to register in Lerok's mind, followed by the usual bright sunlight of morning. Leaves rustled overhead with a gentle breeze, and a handful of robins hopped through the bushes until at last the man shifted. The birds left with a chorus of alarm calls, which made Lerok grimace. Soft moss dipped as he pushed himself up off of his side, squinting as he allowed his eyes to adjust to seeing again. The brightness of light made him close them again for a second, until at last he pushed himself into a sitting position. Blindly, he groped around his side for his bag until at last his dirt-covered fingers found the thick, worn leather strap of mail bag. He pulled it to himself with a soft sigh, squinting again until he could at last fully open his eyes.

Traveling had not been as fun as he had imagined it would be. It involved a lot of hiding, being awake during the day, and hiding during the night. It meant being polite and learning a different way of behaving, meant interacting with many different people who could be dangerous, and trying not to be suspicious. Which he knew was impossible for him.

Lerok unscrewed the cap on his water skin, surveying the area he'd fallen asleep in as he brought the bag to his lips. It looked hidden enough, though he couldn't fully recall how he'd gotten there or where exactly he was. He never did; his life during the day and the night passed through the mind of the other like a dream. He could recall most of it, and he knew it was him, but the details weren't always clear or came and went in a blur. What mattered was that he was safe.

After a few more minutes of taking in his surroundings, Lerok pushed himself to his feet so he could change into a pair of beaten pants and an equally tattered shirt. He laced a length of rope to keep his pants over his thin hips, before he slung his bag over his shoulder. A poor farm boy. That was the best he could pretend he was, which he supposed he didn't look too far from. His clothing was dirty and ill-fit to his lanky, thin frame, dirt was always caked under his nails, and he never looked better then worse for wear. He supposed he could wear shoes though, but he abhorred the idea of it. He enjoyed the feeling of moss between his toes and warm rocks under his feet to shoes.

Lerok spent the journey back into town picking bits and pieces of sticks and lichen out of his long hair. It felt strange to him to care more about his human form then it did his other one, but he had chosen to come out there for his people. It would mean changing and adjusting, for the better. And he knew the price if he wasn't human enough, and the thought made the man shudder. Already he'd come too close to scrapes with hunters or people out at night to last him the rest of his life, even though he knew it'd certainly happen again if he had to continue to linger so close to town.

If he didn't have any luck by the end of the next week, he was going to give up and look for new leads. He'd spent a few days hanging around town and carefully combing for details of where the witch might be without drawing attention to himself, but all the leads had turned up dead. He wasn't sure if he'd just misunderstood them, missed her, or if they were simply untrue. It was frustrating to him, and he wouldn't pretend that all of the social interactions with people from the outside weren't stressing him out. His mannerisms were a tad odd and off, and he could see people whispering and eyeing him. Unhappy. Weary. Mistrust. The eyes and looks of people who could see through his disguise, the eyes of sheep watching a wolf.

Lerok hated it.

He had not gone far that morning when commotion in the town plaza caught his attention. In the middle of eating a stale piece of bread in the shadow of a building, the piercing shriek of someone screaming made him instinctively jump to his feet. He hesitated for a moment, realizing that it had nothing to do with him before curiosity got the better of him. He carefully shifted past the usual morning hubbub until he could see what was happening. His eyes shifted from the crone, to the children, to the woman she was screaming at. And his eyes widened.

A red hood…? Could it be?

Stay away from these children! They will not be swayed by your sorcery!

Unlike probably most of the people around him, those words made him nearly want to jump with joy. Was that young woman the witch he'd heard people talk about? Was she really a red hood? Was she… someone could break the curse on his people? Based off of the ice that filled part of the fountain, it was at least certain that she was some sort of magic user.

It took all of his strength not to just bolt over to her. Instead, he very gingerly stepped forward through the crowd to stand just a few feet in front of the old woman.

"Is there something wrong, mam?" He spoke calmly, tilting his head at the crone. "I do not believe this young woman has done anything wrong to deserve such a berating. If anything, I think her little show is quite fascinating."

He turned his head to glance at Viola, giving her a friendly albeit sharp-toothed smile. He prayed she didn't take off, so he at least had a chance to talk to her. He turned his attention back to the old lady, giving her a rather off-kilter wave of dismissal.

"It doesn't seem like anyone is hurt, so I don't understand the fuss."

 

[Sairen]

Viola had a choice. She had magic on her side and could honestly do a lot to the old women. Having her hand still on the water's surface lends itself as a weapon but too many things told her no. There were children, men watching her every move and women who were holding their breath. All of this, if it went downhill, would mean Viola and her mother would have to move far away because of her actions. She couldn't do that to her. Not after all the woman went through to find a town that was able to tolerate a pair of witches.

"Is there something wrong, mam?"

A voice, calm and steady came out from the crowd. He was merely a few feet away from her and the old hag. The old woman turned her sharp gaze to man. He was lanky and even his clothes barely sat on his thin form. Viola couldn't tell if he was a farmer boy from the deep country side or if he was nomad making his way through town. Just the way he stepped in when no one else would certainly told how strange he was.

The wrinkles on that decrepit face multiplied as she looked at him with disapproving eyes. "Fascinating?" The old woman yelped in confusion. "I don't know where you came from but witches aren't too be trusted. They've merely made deals with demons... Borrowing powers beyond mortal control, Its evil." She warned.

Viola took her hand out of the water to keep herself from doing anything irreversible. "You know not of what you speak. My family's power and ability is natural. We are born with it and those who borrow from evil will get their end just as dark as the source." She knew people had learned how to borrow magic but that was a dangerous business to get into. It was passed down in the family as a rule to never borrow from an evil or malicious spirit.

It was obvious their scene had garnered much attention and turned the ordeal into a spectacle. The old women stood tall and pointed her bony pale finger at the newcomer. "Be wary of your fascination." The old woman warned before shoving the children down the street.

At first all that could be heard was the clicking of her heels but soon the steps of others chimed. The voices crept up louder as people went on with their day. Viola sighed a little as she regained much of her composure. What didn't help was the stranger than now stood before her. She gave a look over one more time before trying to say anything.

"You're certainly not from around here. People don't just up and defend witches... but I should use my manners and thank you. All of that could have turned ugly." She would always keep the dream, the idea that one day she could be accepted. To be scene as someone who could help rather than someone who could harm. Still it was just a dream.

 

[Necrowmancer]

People were uncomfortable and unhappy, and it took all of Lerok's strength to keep the smile on his face. The many eyes that were suddenly on him made him want to turn and hide, but he stood tall and held a steady gaze on the old lady. He rested one hand on the strap of his bag, running his fingers over the soft leather of the bag as he awaited a response. It gave him something to focus on.

Lerok tilted his head, before he glanced around them. He hummed, before raising a hand to the fountain. "That is beyond mortal control, isn't it? Man has diverted water to turn it into a joyful display. I think you are too quick to judge," he responded simply, glancing back at Viola. He made a sort of gesture as if to say 'see?' to what she said, but his smile faltered at the woman's glare. He swallowed stiffly, Adam's apple clearly bobbing at the motion.

Everyone else was watching as well. His grip tightened on his bag, until at last the woman hurried on her way. There was a moment of awkward silence broken only by the woman's shoes, before at last people went back to what they were doing. Lerok let out a loud sigh of relief, slouching forward a bit when at last the many prying eyes left him. Tensions died down, and he felt less uncomfortable. Nobody had attacked him either, and that was certainly a relief.

Lerok turned on his bare heels, his smile jumping back onto his face in tenfold. His eyes lit up, and quickly closed what little gap remained between himself and Viola. He could hardly contain his excitement. The prospect of finally finding a witch, the right kind of witch, after so many generations was exhilarating. The proper response to what she said cycled through his mind, but his excitement got the best of him

"So you're really a witch?" he ask, leaning in what was probably uncomfortably close. His smile widened, showing off his far too sharp teeth. "I guess they wouldn't, but I'm in need of a witch actually. So it'd be really unfortunate if something were to happen to you."

Lerok leaned back, beaming. He glanced around. Too many people were passing by the fountain, and too many people had been watching them for his liking. Openly admitting that he was a monster in front of her in the middle of a busy square after causing a commotion was probably a foolish idea.

"I need to talk to you, but I can't talk to you here. Too many people. Do you think you could meet me on the edge of town?" he questioned, tilting his head again. He paused, before realizing how weird that probably sounded. "You can bring whoever or whatever you want! Just as long as you trust them. I've been looking for you for awhile, or someone like you at least, but I can't tell you what I need you for here. I'm sure you can understand that…?"

Hopefully that didn't sound too odd. He watched her carefully for any sign of discomfort, though he was probably staring too intently at her.

 

[Sairen]

In a matter of seconds the young man was but a few feet away. His eyes were bright along with his smile, a strange smiled he owned. His teeth were awfully sharp to be human but he looked human. It shouldn't surprise a witch that other creatures could be looking for them, but Viola never had any unusual visitors. That could change with such an odd man.

"I am a witch, there's plenty of truth behind that." She said while stifling her smile, she couldn't be too eager. If he was a creature then it could spell trouble for her later. The town was trying to tolerate a witch. Having creatures storm the woods for her help wouldn't sit well with the town. Even with the negative thoughts swirling her heads it was the first time to see someone enthusiastic about a witch. The only times need and witch was wrapped in a sentence had the word kill tying it all together.

The young man stood up straighter; probably felt her discomfort and took a necessary step back. After glancing around the amount of traffic was still high. People walked by, others were still eyeing the two as they talked by the fountain. It was too much for the newcomer and privacy was needed. Viola understood this all too well. She had customers who have asked to only meet at certain places or to appear at their doors at certain times. Too many prying eyes can cause many problems for the simple townspeople who only needed help.

"I will meet you by the north gate, but it might be a little late." She warned. There was still work to do around town and it was hard to gauge when she would be leaving. "Its not uncommon for me to meet anyone outside of town but I still have work to do here." With that Viola got up and dusted off her clothes.

"Mind if I have your name? I'm Viola, Viola Rehnquist. I'll do my best to meet you as soon as possible." Viola gave a smile before picking up her basket and making her way through the crowd.

 

[Necrowmancer]

Lerok was absolutely beaming. He'd finally done it! He'd found a witch, maybe even the witch he was looking for. Someone how might have an idea of how to help his people, or at least might know someone who did. He wasn't going to be picky honestly, and she was a better start then anyone in his village had.

"Wonderful, I was starting to think I might not find anyone like you," he chirped. Was he being too eager? Energetic? Maybe he was, because she didn't seem particularly happy about how excited he was. Not mad or upset, but perhaps he was crossing the line. His fingers fidgeted with the strap of the bag, teasing a piece of tattered leather off of it before he flicked it to the ground.

He had already pulled too much attention to himself before he'd even met the witch, between his odd mannerisms, his looks, the fact that he wasn't actually staying in town and a few too many close calls and run-ins with locals as a lumbering 10-foot-tall monster. That hadn't even included the fact that he'd defended her in the middle of the town square, and now was looking for her help. He felt lucky nothing had happened to him yet and nobody had outright attacked him, but he knew he was pushing his luck. He couldn't help his village if he was dead.

A little late? Lerok's giant grin visibly faltered, though he battled to keep it up and not express his very obvious and sudden worry. Late as in how late? "The north gate? I can do that, I just ask uh- if you could be there before sundown? I uh-" What was his excuse for this? He felt himself panic, scrambling for answers. "Don't like to be out too long after dark, I'm sure you can understand that yeah?" Sure, that was reasonable right?

Lerok felt like he was glued in place. "Oh, names. Right. My name is Lerok. Uh… Lerok Arany. Thank you! I hope to see you before… sundown…" He replied back quickly, his sentence trailing as she disappeared back into the swarm of people and disappeared out of his sight. Lerok pursed his lips tightly, taking a deep inhale. Oh he prayed she'd be there before sundown. The last thing he needed was to turn into a monster right next to the town. It wouldn't give him a lot of room to run and not get caught. He could care less if she saw- that was all part of what he was going to tell her in the first place- but a monster and a witch having a conversation at the town gate was probably not going to bode well for either of them.

He wasted no time in heading to the north gate, trying to stay low so he wouldn't draw attention to himself. He'd already been shooed away by people because of his loitering, and he didn't need that here too.

 

[Sairen]

Viola walked through the path people were already creating. They'd quiet their voices as they moved aside. The commotion from earlier was already spreading and it felt as if that was all they wanted to talk about. This wasn't always good for business. People who weren't regulars needed to find a lot of courage to go to a witch. Hearing something happened between the townsfolk and her discouraged many from coming to her. She only hoped her usual spots would prove to yield some kind of profit.

The medicine she sold never had a large price tag. She only asked to be paid with how much they can afford. This was only because the poor and homeless came to her for medicine. Sparing a few coins was all they could do or in some cases a trade was made. Viola only needed enough to buy certain food they didn't grow or make at home. The rest was saved just in case the two were ran out of town. That was a fear they'll always keep as long as they were hated.

Five stops were made and still nothing. Each corner she stayed at gave her nothing but stares. Mothers gripped their children's arms as tightly as they could when they passed her. Men walked slower, eyeing her, sizing her up just to see if they could take her down. Viola kept her brave face. She didn't need them to see how much it might have hurt her. They didn't need to take it as a weakness. Viola would eventually leave on her own or a store clerk would try to ask her nice enough to leave.

The last stop was a bakery near the north side. A man owned it along with his family and they've allowed her to buy a few items when she needed. They never had any problems with her since her medicine worked. There wasn't a drawback to her items and they were thankful they had a kind witch. Viola walked in and up to the counter. The sweet smell of cakes, pies and other decadent desserts was all she could smell. Mr. Abernackle came up to the counter and noticed her disgruntled look.

"What's with the long face?" He asked.

"This day is just going downhill." She said as she walked up to the counter.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I guess the old woman was a little too loud in the square." He said as he picked up two boxes from under the counter.

"You've heard about it!?" She shrieked but quickly took a sharp inhaled and letting out a deep sigh. Her head laid on the counter as she mumbled out a few words. "Word travels too fast around here."

Mr. Abernackle chuckled a little as he filled the boxes with her usual order. "I guess that's true but tomorrow is a new day and people will have the courage to buy your medicine. I've had people ask me if they worked today. Tomorrow they'll find you." He assured before pushing two boxes towards her. "Look on the bright side, you'll actually have daylight on your way home." He pointed out. It was late afternoon and the sun wasn't going to stay up forever. Viola popped her head up and looked outside. It was almost sunset and she still had one more customer.

"I have to go, I still have one more customer before sunset." Viola quickly stuffed her basket with the boxes and paid for her food.

"Be Safe!" He called. The last thing Viola heard before she started running down the streets. How could she forget! Lerok saved her ass out there that afternoon and his only request was to be there before sunset. She tried to think of other ways things could be worse but she couldn't. He was awfully kind and defended her. He traveled a long way just to find her and this is how she repays him.

Viola didn't stop for anything. People were caught off guard by her as she ran through them. She squeezed between burly men, skittered around playing children and slid past crowds of women as they walk down the streets. After all that running she had finally made it to the north gate with some time to spare. She placed her basket down and stayed hunched over with her hands on her knees to keep her up. Viola only had to run when there was trouble but that was during her father's thieving days. Since then she didn't have much reason to run.

"Lerok!" She tried to shout but it was of an exhausted call. Viola stood up to get a good look around her surroundings. At first she didn't really see him and thought he might have left. She wasn't leaving until she was sure he was actually gone.

 

[Necrowmancer]

Lerok skirted towards the gate until he was close enough to see most of it, before he found a quiet wall to slump down against. The man let himself slide down the wall, letting out a gentle sigh as he removed the leather strap from his shoulder. Step one was done. He'd found a witch, and the witch was willing to help him. That lifted a weight from his shoulders, but paranoia was still gnawing at the edges of his mind. The man pushed back some of his long brown hair, scanning the gate and its surroundings for anyone who could spell out trouble. A few guards and civilians went about their day, but paid Lerok no mind.

He just had to hope Viola arrived by sunset.

A frown tugged on his cheeks as he pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his head on the top of his knees as he kept an eye out for any sign of the witch. On one hand, he was relieved to have found a witch. For generations, his people had needed help. They had been turned into monsters, and while Lerok didn't doubt that they deserved it to some degree, it meant that every subsequent generation was trapped in the same nightmare. Nobody he knew had been there that night their legends spoke of, when his ancestors had killed the witches. But there he was, eyeing the sun wearily as it slowly marched closer to the horizon. Most of his people hated it, and he could not blame them. Even if they'd been like that their whole life too, there was another world out there they could hardly participate in without the same oppressive fear that sat in his gut like a rock at that very moment. He was a monster. His people were monsters. People hunted them and slayed them like they did to wolves. They were the terrifying tale mothers told their children before they went to bed. They were the reason people feared to stray out at night. He did not blame them for wanting the curse lifted, so they could be just people.

But for him, it was a future that was terrifying for him to face. He'd always been a monster. Ever since he was born, ever since he'd been born a human and only minutes later had turned into a writhing monster in his unsuspecting mother's arms. He'd always been something people wanted to kill, since his mother had tried to bring a knife down on him and had only been saved by his father's intervention. But that had always been him. Every evening, as long as he could remember, he'd lost his sight and turned into a strange beast. He'd run free in the woods, inhumanly fast and strong, with others like him. He'd always accepted that side of him more, if anything. He'd dedicated his sleep schedule around sleeping during the day so he'd have more energy at night. He had always been a monster.

He'd pushed it out of his mind as much as he could, but he knew he'd have to face the reality of what he was doing. If his task succeeded, and his people were freed from the curse, then so would he. And that part of him would be gone. Half of his life, his way of life, would simply vanish he assumed. And that was honestly a little terrifying.

Lerok's gaze carefully watched the sun, watching its path travel across the sky slowly. Shadows lengthened, the crowed of people fluxed. Even with all the fear about the sunset now, about people finding out what he was, he would ultimately miss being the creature that he turned into at night. He would do it, to help his people, but he'd be lying if he said that doing it wouldn't bring him pain. He knew some others from his village felt the same, but if it was for the greater good then he would do it. It hurt him to see them in pain, to see the colors they flashed when they turned into monsters.

He brought his hands up to his eyes, rubbing them roughly with his worn palms as he tried to get the thoughts out of his mind. There was no use worrying now. He'd found the witch, and he had to keep going now. If he'd wanted to back out, he could have done it before. It was too late now.

The sun continued to set, and Viola was nowhere to be seen. Lerok sighed, brows knitting and frown dragging at the corners of his face. Was she going to show up? Or had she just told him that to get him to leave her alone? The possibilities danced in his mind as he anxiously picked at loose strands of his shirt, unraveling part of the hem more and more as the afternoon progressed. At last, Lerok resigned and stood up. She wasn't going to make it in time. With eyes cast forlornly to the ground, he donned his bag again and carefully shuffled out of the gate, ignoring the usual glances he'd been getting from people passing by.

He hadn't gotten far when he heard his voice. His eyes snapped back up, before he quickly turned back towards the gate. Sure enough, there the witch was. His smile immediately reformed on his face as a big, stupid grin. He hurried back, letting out a sigh of relief.

"You made it! I was just about to leave- I didn't think you were going to actually show up- I thought you might have changed your mind or not trusted me," he exclaimed. His gaze shifted past her to the guards at the gate, then back to the witch. He swung his arm out to the road ahead of him in an exaggerated gesture. "Care to join me for a walk I guess? It'd be easier yeah? Where birds might not carry messages around," he added, shifting his gaze wearily back to anyone who might have been in earshot of them.

 

[Sairen]

The young witch looked up to see the tall lanky man from earlier. His smile was wide and his eyes bright with excitement as before. All of it never ceased to amaze her that someone was happy to see a witch. "I didn't forget, time just got away from me." She said with a chuckle. Viola picked up her basket and straightened herself out seeing that her newest customer would rather have a very private conversation. It wasn't odd for someone to go to extreme lengths to ask for her help in private. The problem was trusting a seemingly harmless man.

People have played this tune many times. They would ask for a private meeting only to turn it around as an ambush. When she was a child it was a scary thought. The idea of being so hated that people would want to wipe out your existence, but she wasn't a tiny little girl. She was old enough and strong enough to defend herself. Men can appear lanky and weak but their physical strength wasn't something to laugh at. For a lady only standing above five feet a man can still over power her.

Lerok didn't come off as the type to attack her, at least so far. His mannerism were off and he carried himself in a strange way. It was hard to pin point what it was he wanted but the only way to find out would be to go along for the ride. "Word travels too fast around here. I don't need people to out right attack you just because of what you ask." She said.

The path in front of them hasn't been used by carriages in ages. Not since her mother had moved in. The grass had taken back much of its territory but only the center of the path was left alone. It was still hard after all the years of her small family walked along the path. The town use to mine the mountains of the north but men were too afraid of walking into a witches lair. Even thought their home wasn't a lair. It was just a cottage with a garden and a few animals to take sustain them. People had the wrong idea about their lovely home but it did keep the woods quiet.

"I hope you don't mind me being so forward, but what is that is ailing you?" Viola asked. She was more than curious, she was dying to know what was so important and personal that this man really needed her. "You seem fine, healthy even. Is it for a family member? A partner of yours?" She asked. Viola couldn't stop herself as more ideas vomited out of her mouth. "An animal? I can't bring back the dead... I don't make love potions if thats what you need. You have no idea how many people ask for that. I don't do hexes, curses, or bring bad fortune on others. My mother told me it would just come back to me if I did it to someone else."

 

[Necrowmancer]

"You must have been busy then," he said optimistically. "I'm sorry for calling on you in such short notice then. I just was excited to finally find someone who might be able to help. I've been looking all over the country for someone like you, and I didn't really think I'd ever be able to find anyone," he explained, swaying a bit on his feet as he waited for Viola to join him on the road.

Lerok hoped that he didn't seem too intimidating or threatening, but he knew that no matter how happy he seemed he still was. He towered almost a full foot over the woman, and even in his human form his strength was something to boast about even if his body certainly didn't look like he could do much. He just hoped that she understood that he truly meant no harm.

Lerok's smile faltered a tad bit again, but he chuckled. "I don't think what I ask of you will be the reason people would attack me," he replied simply, giving the town an uneasy glance over his shoulder. "What I'm asking is the least of my problems."

He paced down the path, grateful to feel the grass under his bare feet again. He tilted his head towards her, rather surprised at the sudden assault of questions. He held his hands up, waving them a tad awkwardly in front of his chest. "Ah, um… it's… complicated. Well…" He double checked how far they were from the city, before he carefully scanned their surroundings. Once he was sure nobody was around, he turned his attention back to Viola.

"It's a bit of most of those things, really. It's something that is affecting my family, my whole village really. Me included, but…" he shook his head quickly, dismissing that. "You must have heard of the legend of the red hoods, right? How the red hoods were attacked by the village they helped, and in revenge the witches cursed the villagers into monsters, right?"

Lerok took a few more steps forward, glancing at the sun before he stopped and fully turned to face the young witch. "Those people- the people cursed to turned into monsters after sunset- I'm one of them. So are the rest of my people. We've been searching for years to find someone who might be able to free us from the curse, but nobody's been able to succeed. It's hard enough just to get around when you're like us. So I came to find you because I want to break the curse and set my people free. They're all so unhappy- we've lived like this our whole lives, but most of us can't ever leave our village because we know people will kill us out here. I need your help breaking the curse, or help me find someone who can."

He fell silent, a frown and worry overtaking his features. His brow furrowed, and he tensed in anticipation for whatever sort of answer the witch might give him. He glanced at the sun again. "I wanted to meet you out here before sunset so I wouldn't get caught. If you don't believe me, then you don't have long to wait to see for yourself. I promise I won't hurt you though."

 

[Sairen]

The two had made it down the path far enough to be out of the guards view. No one would dare go north anyways. The guards won't admit it but they were afraid of what two witches could do. They didn't fully understand what they did out in those woods and didn't want to bother their curiosity to find out. Viola didn't mind, it kept the forest quiet and kept people from hunting.

Viola listened to him find the words he needed. It was difficult at first but once he was able to take a careful look of their surroundings the words came easily. As he explained Viola nodded at first but slowly her stride became shorter, her feet became slower and soon she had stopped. Lerok wasn't just an ordinary sick person, he was cursed. The bloodline still existed and hadn't died out like her mother had previously thought.

Viola's eyes grew wide with amazement, curiosity and worry. "I can't believe it. Your people still exist out there..." She finally whispered as she just stared at him. So much was running through her mind that she finally had to take a seat on a rock. His family, that entire village was still looking for them to break the curse. All these years the Red Hoods were mostly afraid of being killed off by them, but really it wasn't their plan. They just wanted to be normal. There was just a slight problem; Viola didn't know how to break the curse. She wasn't sure her mother even knew how to break it.

The bright yellows turned into soft oranges as the sun dwindled further behind the tree line. Sunset had made its mark and Viola expected a monster, just not one as big as Lerok became. For a moment she was speechless. He was pale, had no eyes but his teeth were just as sharp as she would imagine. Viola had never seen any creature as big as he was, maybe a bear but most bears lived on the other mountain side. Seeing what he turned into sadden her. Viola's family did this out of spite and could accept that it happened. Seeing someone who didn't deserve this was the hard part, but she didn't know much about the curse.

Viola knew she would have to break it to him. "I don't know if there's anyone in my family who knows how to break the curse." She said, not wanting to break the man's spirit but it was the truth. It had been decades and anyone who knew of the curse's properties were long gone. With a heavy sigh, she gave him one last look. "But I'll see if there's a way to break the curse. There has to be a way to do it right? You can hid out in these woods for the night and I'll look through my mother's spell book for clues." Viola was going to try but there wasn't a guarantee.

The young witch picked herself up and led the way back to her little cottage. It wasn't scary or ominous as people would think. It was surrounded by lush grass, rolling hills, and tall trees. The garden sat out right in front on the house guarded by a fence, but her mother wasn't outside at all. That was the good part. She didn't know how her mother would take it if she saw Lerok like this. "I'll find you tonight, so don't go too far." She said and gave him the ok to leave. Now to get her hands on that book and maybe find a way to break the curse; if there was a way.

 

[Necrowmancer]

Lerok half expected some sort of negative response. His face looked worried as she slowed to a stop as well. Would she reject it? Would she be afraid of him? Angry at him? He didn't know what to expect. It was not information he'd ever shared with anyone outside of his village, and he wasn't sure what to anticipate beyond probably something bad. He watched her eyes go wide, and his breath hitched in his throat.

Slowly, Lerok nodded in response. "We've… been looking for someone for years. We've just… never made it far," he whispered. She didn't seem… mad though. Certianly, Lerok was sure some of them wanted their revenge, but most just simply seemed to want to be free. It was why he took up the task himself.

Silence fell between them, and Lerok turned his attention to the setting sun. The man backed away from her with a dip of his head, pulling his shirt and bag off over his head. He closed his eyes, a slight frown of pain tugging at his features before his body shifted. It was not pleasant to watch, that much was for certain, but it did not seem to bother Lerok as he transformed into a hulking beast. Limbs elongated, shifted, and his sight turned into darkness, and then into a sea of strange colors and sensations that he could not even fully describe. As his sightless face turned to face the bright auras that made up Viola's form, he expected to see her fleeing or preparing to attack him.

To his relief, she didn't. The monster stood there, resting his knuckles against the ground as he crouched before her. He was still beyond the soft rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed, allowing the witch to take in his form. She was unlike anything he'd seen before either, and he was enraptured by what she looked like. Similar, but different to how his kin looked. It was fascinating. He could see that there was worry, but there was also amazement, sadness, interest. An interesting and not all bad mixture of emotions.

Her words sent a cold chill through his heart. His shoulders slouched a bit, and the monster gave a long sigh. He turned his head to face the ground, before he straightened himself into a standing position. "It… was a try," he spoke, his voice now a low rumble. "I wouldn't know. Many people in my village doubted that there was," he admitted, feeling doubt start to grip him. He was silent again, tail coiling around his feet. After a moment, he nodded. "…Even if you cannot find a way for this to be fixed, I… thank you for trying. At least I will be able to give my people an answer." His voice was heavy and barely above a whisper, a surprisingly quite noise for a creature his size.

Lerok carefully scooped up his bag with a claw, holding it as he followed Viola further into the woods. The cabin rolled into view, though Lerok could only perceive it as some sort of solid, nonliving object in front of him. He dipped his head again to Viola, turning to the woods. "I won't be far. Thank you again… for trying," he replied, before bounding off into the woods with surprising grace and quietness. It would give him a chance to try to stomach the idea that there might not be an answer, and that he'd have to return to his people with the worst news of failure that he could imagine. He always knew it was a possibility, but until then he'd managed to push off thinking about it.

 

[Sairen]

Lerok may have been a towering monster but his mannerisms didn't come across as such. His voice was low like a whispers making Viola listen intently to his words. It felt as if his words could have been carried away by a small breeze but the heaviness in his tone kept them grounded. Just seeing the large monster gracefully take a bound into the distance was amazing. For a large beast he knew how to walk through a woods unseen.

With her new companion away from the house Viola opened the gate and walked through. She closed the gate and took a moment to think about what to say to her mother. She wasn't going to agree with helping Lerok or any of those who were cursed. Her family will always hold a grudge or at least those who were directly affected by the fire. Viola wasn't born then and had no real quarrel with that village. What they did was horrible and needed a price to pay but for a whole bloodline to be cursed sounded harsh.

All of her thoughts were collected by time she had reached the door. She could smell soup with herbs and some of her favorite vegetables simmering in a pot. Dinner was almost ready but now wasn't the time to think of dinner and all of its ingredients. She opened the door and walked inside. It was lit with candles and a fireplace giving a soft glow of warm orange. She took off her cloak and hung it on a hook before walking to the table and placing the basket down. Viola wasn't trying to sneak her way in and with all the commotion she created her mother came from her room.

"Hey you're back, dinner almost ready and I even made your favorite-" Her mother stopped for a moment as she was able to get a good look of Viola's face. "Whats wrong? You're usually lively when you come home." She asked.

Viola took a seat at the table and slouched in her chair. "I did my usual rounds and just as I was taking in the early lunch rush it went south." She sighed as she looked towards the ceiling. Days like these rarely came about but when they happened it takes a lot out of her.

"For once I got see that innocence from kids. They were afraid but so curious that they used their bravery to even come close to me. When I showed them the sweet beauty of magic their eyes lit up and everything they've heard about witches disappeared. For once I wasn't a monster." Viola could see the parallels between the witches and the cursed being that hid from the world. They turned them into something that people saw witches to be, a monster. "That changed when an old lady started yelling at me, causing this scene to play out as she snatched the children away from me.. If it wasn't for my new customer all of that could have been uglier."

"It'll get better. With each generation it'll get better." Her mother tried to soften the blow. It was obvious the whole ordeal took a toll of her baby girl. In many ways she wished she could have been there to protect Viola a little better.

"So I have to wait until my great great great granddaughter will be see as a person. Thats real encouraging... Days like these make me wish I wasn't a witch, that I wasn't a red hood to begin with." Life would have been so much easier if she wasn't a witch. She could live in a town and actually be around people, but she wouldn't be unique. She would have the childhood she had if she was normal.

Her mother listened intently as she placed the few items in the basket away. It pained her to hear how her own child wishing she was never a witch, never a red hood. She enjoyed every bit of having Viola as a daughter but it was hard being a witch in the world they lived in. The only way to remedy this was magic. "Why don't you take the book and go practice for awhile. I bet a little magic training will put things in perspective for you." Her mother went back to her room and pulled out a large book. The cover was black with red lettering that seemed ancient. The pages had turned a yellowish brown due to age and some of them were slightly burned from the fire.

Seeing that book placed in front of her made her lips curl into a smile. Eyes were bright and the love of what she could do never vanquished. Not even an old unforgiving hag could douse her love of magic. "I'll try not to stay out of so late." She said excitedly before kissing her mother's cheek and going out the back door.

From there she passed the few farm animals they had and headed off into the woods. "Lerok... " She called once she was far enough from her home. He said he wouldn't be too far and wondered how far he had gone. Either way there was one place she wanted to go, the only place where she felt completely safe. When he finally appeared she had a smile on her face, "I got my family's spell book. It has to have something in there about lifting curses. We can sit in my practice spot." She said and led the way to her special space. It was large patch of grass that wasn't green but blue and had a radius of fifty feet. This area of land too years of time and energy to create but it was perfect to her. There wasn't a single tree within the circle, they all stayed along the outline. The trees were tall but their long limbs and branches helped create the dome like canopy.

Viola went to one of the trees and laid her hand against the large trunk. "Caelum illustrant..." She spoke and a bright blue light filled the vines that wrapped itself on the tree and lit the flowers that grew from the branches. "Now lets get started. Is there anything your family know about the curse? Maybe old words from it? I could narrow the curse down." She started to flip through the pages of the book, looking for the section with curses and hexes. Most of them were for small things but nothing as big as the curse Lerok had.

 

[Necrowmancer]

He had to learn how to be silent, how to move and not be seen. He had been taught all his life that if people as much as glimpsed him, they would hunt and kill him. He had to be quiet, quick, and move like a ghost through the woods. Especially now that he had left the relative safety of the woods that surrounded his village to the lands beyond, where normal people lived. Where he was now an anomaly instead of the norm.

Lerok did not go far. He carefully maneuvered through the underbrush until the cottage was out of sight, before he slowed down. He sat down on his haunches, staying low in the plant life just in case. He trusted Viola not to be lying to him, but he wasn't about to take the risk. For all he knew, she was getting people to hunt and kill him, or something equally unpleasant. He waited, wrapping his tail around himself as he listened to the sound of the woods. Crickets chirping, the distant sound of an owl… It gave his mind something to focus on.

Over the potential of crushing failure. He could not blame Viola if she didn't know how to fix it. He couldn't blame anyone, honestly. She was just as disconnected from the start of the curse as he was. But he wasn't sure what to do if she couldn't fix it. His claws dug into the dirt nervously, finally resigning to flopping on his stomach as he waited. Would he go back and tell his people that there was no hope? Was it better to just tell them the truth? Or would it be better to never go back at all, so they still believed that something could be done about their situation?

His teeth gritted together, nervously shifting under the plants as he anxiously awaited the witch's return. For now, all he could do was wait.

He heard the sound of leaves rustling, before the bright aura of Viola came back into view. His head peered up from above the undergrowth, extending his neck from where he lay on the ground. He got back to his feet, dropping to walk on his knuckles as he followed after her. "I… I hope so," he admitted as he moved to join her, before letting out a long sigh. "But if there is not anything, then I thank you still for trying. It's… at least I will be able to give my people a closure on the matter, one way or another." His tone was heavy, and his tail dragged along the ground as they made their way through the woods.

As they reached the clearing, Lerok examined it with quite awe. He'd never seen anything so… peculiar. He hesitated at the edge of the grove, pacing along the edge like a dog. He could see that there was a change in there, something that wasn't normal. It didn't look like the rest of the plants and the world, and he hesitated to cross the line of it until Viola had. Reluctantly, he stepped in to sit beside her, stretching his neck as he watched the magic flicker through the world around him.

"The said it was a long curse, with harsh words. None of my people know the exact words anymore though, or if they have they won't speak them," he said, before sighing. The creature flopped down next to her, resting his head against the ground. "It's... unhelpful, I know. If any of my elders knew more, they never told me. I suppose I had just figured witches might know it," he murmured. He swished his tail through the grass, thinking.

 

[Sairen]

Viola could see this curse was proving to have more tricks up its sleeve than before. The last surviving Elders of that village could not remember what was spoken over them. Even if they did, they were too afraid to speak out its words fearing something more sinister could come from it. None of that diminished her spirit and determination. All it meant was for her to work a little harder to find the answers.

The young witch sat down in the grass seeing the beast beside her taking some form of comfort next to her. "Even if they don't know the words there's usually a way to break the curse." She explained as she flipped through the book. "For example, if I curse someone to be an animal the only way to break it is to spill the blood of that animal to be human again. Just that there isn't an animal or creature like you. Maybe we'll need a magical item. Thats usual when breaking a curse but what kind of magical item. It could be a potion of sorts, but what would be needed? Its really easy to screw up a potion and give you something worse." She furrowed her brows a bit as she pondered. There wasn't anything in the book that talked about a way to break the curse. It was infuriating to think the family had a curse that didn't contain a cure. Every curse has a cure, it was a guarantee of sorts.

With a sigh she laid back in the grass. Maybe she had bitten off more than she could chew. The book had nothing and she was sure her mother knew very little about the curse. She was young when all of it happened and it was traumatizing for her. The only real thing she could remember was sound of fighting and people dying. A very eerie memory but it was etched on her mother's soul. Something she will have to carry til she passes. "I can't say for certain there isn't a cure. A chance of it being possible is out there, just not in the book. Maybe this book was all that could be taken when she had to leave the house with my grandmother. They probably had to carry the only book that could help them survive out here." That sounded just about right. They had to think of survival and needed a book with most of the spells that can aid in that.

Viola sat straight up and looked down at her book. If this book contained the base of most spells there had to be other books that expanded on these topic. There could be dozens of books on specific lessons and there had to be a book for curses. "Well that does it. I'm left with one option and thats to go back to the old village where everything happened." Viola declared. There wasn't a definitive answer to Lerok's quest and she didn't have the heart to send him away. "If the house is still standing I might be able to find the book with the curse in it and from there we'll know if it could be broken." It was an idea to be excited about. To think an actual Red Hood would try to break a curse their family had placed upon people decades ago.

 

[Necrowmancer]

Lerok berated himself for not learning more about it. He should have asked about it more, snooped more, anything- more then what he had. Maybe if he'd known more she'd have an answer. Would this all be for nothing because he hadn't tried to learn more? The thought made him anxious, and the monster shifted restlessly at Viola's side. He focused his attention on what she was saying, trying his best to ease the pool of stress that was starting to well up in his chest.

The monster let out a low rumble, stilling his tail. "I imagine spilling the blood of any of my people won't work," he said with a long sigh, a frown pulling at the corners of his maw. If it did, he imagined their curse would have been broken a long time ago. He gave a low grunt. "I would rather think my people would be happier stuck with what they have then something potentially worse. We can at least still function like this, even if most others fear us," he admitted. "I think they'd rather be a monster half of the time, then be perhaps a slime all of the time." His voice tried to convey humor, but it was clear that he was still more worried than not. He fell silent though, resting his head on his claws in thought for a few moments.

"Truly, if you cannot find an answer…" he trailed off, shifting his head to look off into the trees absent-mindedly. "My people maybe can at least find peace knowing one of you tried." He didn't like the thought, and he'd rather find a real answer, but if that was all he had then so be it. He turned to look at Viola, sitting up as she flopped into the grass. His claws pulled at the grass nervously. "Are you sure it was ever in a book, and not something that they simply… made up?" Was that how magic even worked? Lerok had no idea. He may have been a magic-made monster, but he had absolutely no understanding of it himself. He coiled his tail around his feet, moving his hands to pick at some moss and branches that had gotten trapped in the fur. "So you think that the spell, if it is in a book, would have been left in the old house…"

Lerok jolted back with a bark of surprise at Viola's sudden movement, before he relaxed again. The monster's head recoiled back in bewilderment, before tilting to the side. "You want to go back to the village where this happened?" He hissed. "You'd be willing to travel out to somewhere like that for someone you just met?" Lerok hadn't been anticipating anything this drastic, but then again, he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting at all. The monster paced around Viola anxiously, propping himself up on his knuckles as he moved. The beast made a sort of whine as he thought. "Would your mother be alright with that? And are you sure that you would not be leaving too much to undertake that journey. I can protect you I'm sure, at least to the best of my abilities, but I wouldn't want to take you away from all of this for someone you've just met," he insisted nervously, keeping his massive head low. Traveling to the old village was asking a lot in his opinion, not from himself but from her… even if she was the one who came up with the idea.

 

[Sairen]

This whole curse was a lot to swallow and it obvious Lerok was trying to make it easier on her. She didn't have to do any of this. Looking through the book and giving Lerok a chance to gain an answer was all he was asking for. Of course he would love more than anything to break the curse, but seeing that the spellbook didn't have the answer left a lot to chance.

Viola froze a little after startling Lerok. It was something she had to consider, he was blind and many thing could easily scare or startle him. Once he was calm again she was able to breathe before speaking again. "Sorry for scaring you like that. When an idea hits me I tend to be energetic." She apologized before closing the book.

"Magic works both ways. A lot of spells can be made up but you have to learn the basic structure of spell and how to drive your power to do it. That's where books and teachers come in. The curse they created could just be an advanced version on a basic one. Sadly I don't have the basic curse." She explained. Viola knew what she was asking herself to do, leave home. She's never had to walk beyond the southern gate and never had to leave the city. To leave home and her mother was certainly a lot. Then to add on whether or not her mother approved was a different story all together.

It was hard to shake but drastic measures needed to be taken in order to break the curse. The issue was, Viola couldn't let this go unanswered. To be cursed in a way such as turning into a beast wasn't something to live with so easily. No one knew if there was a way to break the curse or if the curse was their definitive end. A true answer was the only way to for Lerok's people to gain some kind of closure. She couldn't let him leave with a form of cliffhanger that started this journey and she couldn't allow the curse to continue. Not when she desired a life that isn't chained down by what her family has done.

"You need a true answer to this. If the curse can't be broken at least you can tell your family the truth. They can accept their lives wholeheartedly and have closure. If the curse can be broken then your family can finally be normal but carry the lessons of the past." It was something that had to be done and something that needed to be finish.

"'I'll talk to my mother about it, but you needn't worry about the work I'm leaving behind. I merely deliver what my mother made. She'll simply go back to delivering like old times. It may be a fight to convince her but I've made up my mind about it." Viola did all she could to reassure Lerok about her duties. Having him worry would only become a hindrance to their journey. The young witch stood up and dusted herself off before picking up the book. She couldn't help but feel excited and anxious about all of this especially when she had to face her mother by tomorrow. "You should get some rest and when morning comes you try to make your way to the cottage. My mother isn't scary or anything, she just worries about my safety and well-being. She wouldn't hurt anyone. You can sleep here if you'd like, no one will bother you in here." Viola gave him a smile even though she knew he was blind in a sense, but she figured he would know. With that being said Viola started to make her way back home.

 

[Necrowmancer]

He knew that there might not be any way to break the curse. He'd accepted that before he'd even left. Plenty of people had left trying to find a way to break it and failed. As much as it hurt Lerok, he know he might not be any different. And if there fully wasn't a way to break it, Lerok would at least be glad to be able to tell his people that there was not way to break it with certainty, so they could accept what would become of their lives from there on out.

"It's fine," he said. He knew where she was, but small details were horribly hard for him to make out. He continued to pace, rocking his head from side to side anxiously as he moved. He gave another low rumble at her words, before finally resigning to flopping down in front of her. He let out a heavy sigh, making the grass bend in front of his jaws. "Do you think you can do it? I would not wish to put you in harm's way or to push you beyond what you're capable for the sake of people you don't know," he said in worry, turning his head towards the bright glow that he'd distinguished as Viola.

His tail nervously swished back and forth again, almost watching her though he couldn't see any sort of true expression she made. He could tell that she was a little worried, but determined. As much as Lerok wanted to free his people, he didn't like to make other people suffer either. Her worry made him worry more, and finally he turned his head to stare into the vaguely speckled darkness ahead of him that made up the rest of the forest.

"You are doing a lot to help us. I thank you for even trying. Regardless of the outcome, my life will be forever in debt to you for trying your best. At this point, any answer is better then none," he admitted with a rumble, resting his head on his hands. His body shuddered. Even if they failed, it was something.

Her mix of emotions was interesting, but Lerok could tell there'd be no way to deter her from her goal now. Which was exciting to him as well, even with the guilty. He lifted his head, face turned in her general direction. "If there is anything in the world that I can repay you with, you simply need to ask. I and my village are not rich, but anything that we can offer you is yours. It all pales in comparison to what you are going to give up and all the effort that you put into this, but it is the least we can do for trying to free us from this curse."

Especially a curse that his ancestors had brought on themselves. By no means did Lerok believe that his ancestors didn't deserve to be cursed, but he did wish that it didn't roll down to him and his village as well. What had happened was only a vague cautionary tale that he was told as a child. The witches his ancestors had wronged had seemed like a fantasy themselves until he met Viola.

"I will make my way over once the sun is up and i'm human again. I would not wish to make your mother worry about who you plan on traveling with," he relaxed against the grass, trying to settle down to rest. He wasn't used to sleeping as a monster, but he needed to travel by day now. Before Viola left his line of sight, he lifted his head one last time. "Thank you again, Viola... No amount of words can describe how much it means that you are willing to help me, after all that my ancestors did."

 

[Sairen]

Step by step the young witch thought about the journey she was about to take. As exciting as it may be there was also dangers she knew she had to face. Right now the town of Eddlestone was the safest type of town for a Red Hood to be in. People didn't try to attack her or even tried to cross her. Many were too afraid to see what would come because of the rumors. Viola knew the rumors are what kept her safe in that town. To walk out of that comfort zone was something to consider. Many have never seen a real Red Hood walk through their streets. It can come as a shock and incite fear or anger in others. If they are hostile then there is no need to stick around. They would have to keep moving forward even if their weary feet told them to stop.

Deep her thoughts she continued before reaching her home. Her mother was sitting on the porch waiting for her returned and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Whats the matter honey? You look awfully conflicted." The worried mother asked. Viola stopped in her tracks and stiffened before sighing and breath of relief.

"Don't scare me like that. I was thinking, nothing to worry yourself over." Viola replied as she walked up to the porch. She took a seat next to her mother on the bench and sat the book down to the side.

After all that had happened that day it concerned her mother. It seemed as if it was infecting Viola's mind all evening. "What were you thinking about?" She asked.

Viola glanced over at her mother and figured out how worried she was. She couldn't lie to her as it would break an old promise she made to her parents ages ago about honesty. To always be honest with them. Such an innocent promise only complicated things in the future.

"I thought, maybe, I could break the curse. Most of those involved were Nana's age. They deserved the punishment for what they had done. Those old enough to commit the crime have already died off. The ones left behind now have to pay for something they didn't even do." Viola hoped it would appeal to her mother but it wasn't working as she planned.

"They do deserve this." She said coldly. Hearing the tone alone made Viola shiver and cast her gaze at the ground. "They killed our family. I can't bring them back and I know many who still walk the plains still wish they could. This is the only way they can repay us by being in pain."

"So the grandchildren and the great grandchildren get to grow up cursed. Live in an isolated village away from everyone for something they didn't commit. Is that fair?" Viola knew her mother can be understanding at times. When it came to the curse she was someone completely different.

Viola's mother clenched her fists. She didn't understand where any of this came from but wished she would let it go. "I never said it was fair!" With those words came pain. Her mother knew it wasn't fair but she still remembered the day that fire happened. The sounds of screams, the chanting from the mob, children screaming. It haunted her for years and nothing was the same since then.

"As long as those villagers are cursed so am I." Viola slipped out. "Ending the curse won't change all of their minds… but with every new generation they'll look down on us less. we could rebuild the family like it once was. I'm sure Nana would love that." With quiet words she decided to leave the conversation as it was. Viola gave the book back seeing that her mother wasn't going to change her mind and slipped back into the house.

Viola took off her hood and pulled off her boots before laying in bed. She never had to argued with her mother, not like this, and it pained her heart. She couldn't see what was wrong about keeping the curse only because she couldn't forgive and let the wound heal. With those thoughts she hugged her pillow and went to sleep.

Morning came all too soon. Viola opened her eyes and saw the light beginning to flood her room. In that instant the argument from the night before washed over her and the pain filled her chest again. Viola had already came to her decision about the curse after speaking to Lerok. She was going to break the curse whether or not her mother blessed the journey. With that in mind the young witch started to pack a few of her belongings and tried to figure out how to tell her mother.

 

[Necrowmancer]

Lerok lay in the grass, trying to pass the night. Being asleep during the night still felt wrong and strange to him, but he tried his best not to stay up. He'd spent his whole life living by night and sleeping by day that this whole journey had felt wrong and unusual. The beast shifted on the grass, exhaling harshly so that the grass in front of his maw flattened out. And being so close to a human settlement made him all the more uneasy. Every soft snap of a twig in the woods woke him up again, half expecting to see people there ready to hunt him.

And while he trusted the young witch, a subtle paranoia made him wonder if she was going to be the one to hunt him down. After all, his family and her's didn't exactly have a wonderful standing relationship. For all he knew, she could be getting the rest of her kin together to put an end to him, or to track down the rest of his people to exact their final revenge. Lerok whined softly, swishing his tail before rolling onto his side. And if she wasn't going to kill him, he was bringing this young girl out on an exploration to a cursed place.

Slowly, Lerok brought his claws over his face plate. What had he gotten them into? Why had he signed up for this? Well, he knew why. But it was always looking more and more daunting. He just hoped he'd be able to protect her on their journey, though he knew he wasn't the best fighter... especially as a human. Maybe he could convince her travel by night.

The monster finally let himself fall asleep, letting out one more exhale before sleep really took over again. He would discuss it with her tomorrow, presuming he woke up at all or she wasn't going to try to kill him or something. He groaned. He'd deal with that when it came, if it came.

When morning rose and Lerok had once more felt himself return to his human form, the man got up and put on his clothing again, before shuffling back in the direction of Viola's little house. He peered at it from the bushes, trying to gather up the guts to actually go knock on the door. What if her mother found him suspicious? What if something bad had happened? Lerok's brow furrowed, before he took a deep breath. There was no use worrying. If he'd worried that much in his village, he would never have left. The man moved to the path that lead up to the house so it wouldn't appear like he just wandered out of the forest, before making his way to the cottage's front door. Adjusting his clothing and his bag to make sure he looked at least somewhat presentable, Lerok knocked carefully on the door.