The distance between Sentry and Slazgo was fairly short, two days on horseback was all it took to reach the small town. And all the while, everything was peaceful as they traveled along the seemingly endless road of dust, tree line, and vacant meadows of lush grass and summer heat.
The peace, however, brings more unease than comfort for Darius at least. It was something he was not accustomed to. Because more often than not, there would be monsters at night. Even if they would not attack, the creature would linger in the dark, hiding among the trees as they watches carefully.
Observing. Waiting.
Yet the monsters seem to have chosen to keep a great distance, away from his eyes.
But more than that, there was silence inside his head. A month-long silence.
Not once after the battle with the Dearg Due did Ravana speak to him. She just… vanished.
Not a word, just gone. Like the mist in the air.
This action worries him, while Ravana could be vexing. She's a valuable source of information, she's like a guide.
"Ah, there it is!" Brennan exclaimed kicked his horse to go faster, like a child seeing a manor for the first time.
Darius stared at the manor, it was standing tall behind the brick fences and silver metal gates. Surrounded by the vast open field and well-kept bushes and flowers. The walls of the manor are painted with the color of cashews...
What is the word?
Ah yes, beige.
Clear glass windows decorated the walls of the manor, while gray tiles roof topped the structure.
It was magnificent in did, such a wealthy family. Darius thought to himself.
Darius commanded the horse to stop upon reaching the gates, where Brennan awaits him.
"May I help you?" An old man appeared near the gate, his graying hair was pushed back, tired black eyes staring at them soullessly. As if he wasn't given the chance to sleep in the past few days.
"We were sent here by Oraculi Evans to take over the… situation" Darius explained. But upon hearing their mentor's name, the old gatekeeper immediately opened the metal gates.
The metal scraped against one another with a loud shriek.
"Please, good sir go ahead. The butler will meet you at the front door, we badly need your help. The mistress-" he stopped upon realizing his overstepping his bounds.
"We understand, thank you. We will do what we can." Brennan reassured the old man before following behind Darius who, as he was not good with pleasantries already went ahead.
"That was quite rude you know," Brennan noted.
"Well, I'm not good with people… I… don't have much experience," Darius explained. Of course, he doesn't. After all, he was the witch's slave.
As a child, everything single person who knows him will hurl a stone at him. The villagers despise him and his entire family, that's why they are cast aside. Forces to live in the outskirts of the village.
Because of that, Darius just grew without any friends. Well, it's not like he needed them.
Silence filled the air, as the horse walked along the paved path. Lush grass and daisies surrounded the estate, like a picture cut out from a fairytale.
"Ah you must be the master's guess," the butler greeted with a nervous smile. Behind him is a young boy and a woman, both dressed as servants.
Guess? Perhaps mercenaries will be more fitting, Darius thought. However, he realized that someone could be listening. They must be fearing the witch's rage if it found out that they called for help.
Darius dismounted the horse, immediately the young boy about the age of twelve came forward. He took the reign from Darius, "Allow me to take care of your horses for the time being Sir." He politely stated, before turning to Brennan's horse.
"Please come in," the butler said, holding the door open for the young men.
As soon as they entered the manor, the perfect scenery portrayed by the open field and warm sun vanished away. As a loud scream echoed throughout the manor, it was so loud the walls vibrated ever so slightly.
"Let me go!" the female voice screamed.
"Miss please!" the maids begged.
"Can we see her now?" Darius asked deciding to deal with the problem as quickly as he can.
"Of course" the butler nodded. "Anne please guide them" he commanded.
With a small nod, the maid led the way. "Please follow me."
"When did this started?" Brennan asked, cringing as another scream was heard.
"A-about a month ago, a week after the mistress gave birth. It was quite peculiar because everything was perfect before that horrible morning. Then she started saying that she can see her in her sleep, watching closely." Anne shook her head, keeping her solemn gaze on the marble floor.
"We already asked the doctors but none of them managed to help."
Anne opened the door, revealing a sight that could haunt one's dream. In the bed, a thin woman struggles to free herself from the three maids who are wrestling her. She has a sunken pale face, dry almost gray lips, dark circles in her eyes, and messy blonde hair.
The woman wears a white nightgown, its sleeves were stained with her own blood. Darius reckoned she has wounds in her arms. Especially with the sight of rope in the head of the bed.
"Let go!" she screamed, almost ripping her own throat.
"Sir! Help me! Please help me!" she begged.
Darius looked around, usually, there was a particular feeling when a witch is around. A heavy and dark feeling, accompanied by a putrid smell. Darius couldn't explain or compare that smell but it was recognizable.
"You should put her to sleep" Darius instructed with a chilling apathetic voice.
"Anne" Darius called the maid, her azure orbs gawking at the taller male. He gestured his head for them to leave the room for a moment.
She nodded in agreement, stepping out just after Darius and Brennan left the room.
"Anne, did your mistress ever say anything strange?" he asked.
"Hmm… I believe so, there was a time when she said they were watching from the window. But nobody knows what she meant. Then there are times when she wanted to kill the baby, it was saddening... truly" she said not meeting his eyes.
"What about wounds that just pop out of nowhere? Or incoherent muttering?"
"No… I don't think there was any…" she muttered while knitting her brows.
Darius nodded, it seems like a case of witching but something is missing… an important piece of evidence that he can't point out.
"Brennan, how do you like watching young women strip?" Darius turned to Brennan, who just exited the room.
"What the!" Brennan exclaimed, making Darius chuckle a little.
"I mean someone has to look for the devil's mark. I know I won't be doing it so you have to." The older male explained.
"I don't want to!" Brennan said between gritted teeth, his face as red as a ripe tomato.
"Let's just make them invoke bible passages…" Brennan suggested.
There are two easy ways to identify a witch, first is by looking for the devil's mark. After making a contract with the devil, a symbol will appear on the skin of a witch. It will be the sign of the contract, and it cannot be removed no matter how hard a person tries. Because the mark is engraved down to the very soul.
The second was to make a witch invoke passages from the bible. It was believed that witches cannot speak holy passages, therefore if one tries they will retch.
"Anne, could you please tell the butler to gather all servants in the Wilson manor. We will need to search for the witch." Brennan instructed.
Bite her lower lip before nodding, "I understand." She said before running off to the lower floor.
By the time the servant were gathered, the sun was already approaching the horizon. The sky became tainted by the color of purple, blue, and orange.
In the drawing-room, all the servants stood in two perfect lines. One for the women, the other for men. Among the crowd, Darius spotted the old man from the gate, the boy that took the horses, Anne, and the other maids from the room.
As they approached the butler stepped forward, "Sir may I ask why you gathered us here?"
"We will search for the witch," Darius bluntly replied. His cold words sent shivers to the servants' backs.
Low whispers echoed in the room, some shook from fear as the tension rose and suspicions were heard.
Each and every one of them has an eye for a culprit.
"Let's begin," Darius stated and with a determined nod, the butler went back in line.
There were about twenty people in the drawing-room, excluding Darius and Brennan. All of them standing in two neat lines, facing one another. A space between wide enough for the young men to pass, just like when welcoming a guess.
"Please invoke hail Mary," Brennan asked.
And upon hearing his request the servants started the prayer.
Everything was normal, they were reciting the prayer-like any other person… until.
"Ugh!" someone retched.
Gasped erupted from the servants, followed by the whispers and accusations.
Every person in the room was scared.
Darius immediately went to the person who was standing at the end of the line…
His purple eyes met their own, the two colors clashing together in horror.