Chapter Fourteen
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Chapter Fourteen
Behind the Unquiet Forest's Edge, Arborview - October 5, 6:38 p.m.
Outside of the run-down Unquiet Forest's Edge, the ginger-haired girl stopped once they reached a patch of wild hydrangea. The sun sparkled onto the green leaves, not yet changed by the autumn season.
"Hey, so what's the big idea of dragging me out here?"
"I should ask you the same thing about bringing up Arborview's cult in public," she placed her arms on her hips and looked at him with skepticism.
Orin fought the drunkenness and tried to explain, "Sorry, I just wanted to learn more about the Dark Council, if they're in Arborview. It's not everyday you travel to a town with a cult infamous in our history books."
She digested his every word, nodding to herself and then let out a small, crooked smile. "It's just so strange that you would be so apt to mention Arborview's little-known cult. If only you knew my identity…"
Orin stared her over. Alright autumn tree-looking girl, tell me who you are. "What do you mean 'if only you knew my identity?' Who are you, anyway?"
The cat-like smile didn't fade, her tiger gem eyes glowed. "I'm Lariska Alard, I happen to be a witch hunter, and the Dark Council is the sole reason as to why I stay in Arborview. I don't know, but I feel like I can trust you, traveler..."
A witch hunter was a profession that Orin never encountered before, there was no need for a witch hunter in Eastvale. To see this lanky girl in front of him as a witch hunter intrigued him as she could potentially share useful information about the Dark Council.
"I never would have guessed that you are a witch hunter, Lariska! That's pretty cool actually. So that means the Dark Council must be in Arborview for sure and it's not just mere speculation or rumor. I guess you study the sorcerers first-hand, then?" He tried to keep the conversation flowing, he wanted to appear interested but not overly so.
Lariska examined this stranger, her bare feet touching the dirt path mixed with stones below. She spoke firmly. "I've studied this cult from their days in Eastvale and know exactly what they're like. I took on the witch hunting profession in hopes of building a case to address Arborview's local government, I wish for the Dark Council to be abolished from our quaint town," she sighed, "Arborview has enough troubles as it is and a sorcerous cult shouldn't be one of them."
"That's incredibly noble of you, Lariska. Arborview would be proud to know that there's a witch hunter watching over the well-being of the town and its people," Orin cracked a smile to spite the winged fowl chirping in a treetop above, it annoyed him.
"And what about you? Where are you from that brought you here with such a great curiosity about the cult?" She shrugged her arms up in the air. "I don't understand what sort of individual would actually be enticed enough to travel to our humble town, it is quite rare we receive visitors."
"Oh, uh, I'm from a more busy place than here, that's for sure."
"You could be more specific." Her voice remained unrelenting.
Ugh. Think, Orin, think. Where am I from and what am I really doing here? Considering how to answer her inquiry wasn't something that he felt confident about on the spot but attempted nonetheless.
"Please keep this information to yourself, Lariska, but I've traveled all the way from the humble Township of Greenmill," he lied. He felt fortunate in knowing the map of the main continent so well.
Lariska stepped toward the shade. "Ah, Greenmill. I can't say I've ever traversed there before, little peaceful town without any need for witch hunters," she grinned and Orin nodded silently. "Could I trouble you for your name as well, traveler?"
Are you serious? Think quick! He hadn't prepared himself for masking his identity with a false alias, especially not to this adamant Lariska.
"Well, I'm…" A spark flickered in his sobering mind, "…I go by Edward Quillard, apprentice historian of the Township of Greenmill. I've come here to research the cult." And with that, he stood up straighter and bowed in the most refined manner he could, to look prim and proper as an Eastvale historian may. He always loathed those types.
She moved a step closer to him, "Edward, I must say, it's such an amazing coincidence that we ended up seated at the very same table together, as I could literally be one of the few who could help you on your conquest for knowledge and preservation of history."
Orin couldn't believe it! This girl would willingly assist him? It was like he hit the jackpot and his troubles were over. Traveling to Arborview and completing this task for Minette and the queen didn't seem so daunting after all. He felt like he had misjudged the locals. "You…would be willing to help me?"
"I don't see why not. After all, we trusted each other with our full identities. And like I said, as an Arborview local myself, born and raised here, I'd gladly help you showcase both the good and bad of our town to help me build this case. Maybe even get these sorcerous fanatics noticed by the rest of the continent and get Arborview some national help…"
He recognized the evanescent afternoon waning and thought quickly about how to ask his question. "I don't know if you could help me. You see, I wanted to locate some of these cult members for an interview but I don't think that they'd cooperate."
"You don't know until you try," she smiled, "If you came all this way to find witches and warlocks, surely you wouldn't mind the risk of your own life to acquire this information. Greenmill is quite a ways away, to say the least. That alone indicates your determination."
"Yes, you're absolutely right, Lariska. I would risk my life in the name of educating our future by documenting the present!" Orin nodded and tried to make himself seem like more of a historian despite his rugged outward appearance. I hate those self-righteous historians, he almost enjoyed mocking them through his act. "As a witch hunter, would you know of a common area where the witches may congregate? I would like to study that area in specific."
"Oh, I know of plenty of them, Edward. I'll tell you that very, very exclusive information for a price though. The commonplace for this cult isn't exactly information I'd feel comfortable just handing out to anyone, the commonplace is the most valuable area. A deal will need to be struck."
He squinted his eyes at Lariska, "A deal?"
"Take the man's word and marry his daughter when you're finished here in Arborview. Provide for her with a happier life in Greenmill, she's a kind girl and quite helpful around the home. His fallen wife, her mother, was a close friend of mine and I know she'd love for her daughter to be happier outside of Arborview. Essie seems to have a shy fondness for you."
"Whoa whoa whoa. Are you joking?!" He let out laughter filled with uneasiness only to be met with the austere disposition of the woman in front of him.
Was she fucking kidding him? Marry some pigtailed peasant in Arborview who he spoke only a few words to, and had an urge to rage at? Backwater idiots. But he'd do whatever it took to obtain this information, and where else in town could he barter with a witch hunter for the Dark Council's common area? It's not like he'd have to fulfill this agreement if he left town without notice.
"I accept your price and will marry her once my studies here are finished."
"It is settled then."
Weeping willows grabbed at the girl in the gust, dozens of arms extending out in worship of the witch hunter. "I expect you to stop by here before you leave town to retrieve your bride and her belongings, and to hold a small ceremony. Take as much time as you need examining this cult and please be careful, even I wouldn't enter their common area in any way on my own."
Orin flailed his upper body like a history fanatic he had once seen in the palace. "You'd be surprised how compelling the preservation of history is to a man and how far he'll strive to obtain further knowledge!" I sound like such a phony. "So, where is this place anyway?"
She responded, "It's actually not terribly far as there are several entrances so that all of the dark magic-users in Arborview may access it. The closest is a mere half an acre away if you keep heading northeast, toward an outhouse that isn't an outhouse at all. You can't miss it, if you look hard for it."
How am I going to simply find it by going northeast? Still, her arms in motion, Lariska's finger pointing at the fading afternoon sky, "It's not that daunting, Mister Quillard. If it gets too dark, follow the python constellation Veneficus in the evening sky and it'll guide you there through its scaly, star-ridden coils."
He was fortunate to know of the constellations, knights followed constellations during the darkest hours of the eventide to guide themselves back home if they traversed too far. The starry snake hung above his head.
"Well, thank you Lariska. I can truly see the hospitality Arborview offers unlike any other town I've traveled to through my studies," Orin tried to speak more properly than normal, he wanted anything but for the witch hunter's suspicions to be raised and to stalk him while he tried to find the shadow elemental. If she could stalk witches successfully, then following him would be nothing short of a simple task.
That comment made Lariska smile. "What a meaningful thing to say. But, you should be off now, historian, for now is the most opportune time to visit the common area in peace. I will go inside and pay that tab of yours and tell Geor that you have every intention of marrying his daughter. And thank you for that, it'll truly make my friend proud to send his daughter off to Greenmill." Yeah, right.
Orin glanced up at the azure of the fading sky with nocturnal stars scintillating faintly. He bullshitted some more, "Yes indeed, you are correct! I need to be off, I'm so energized over the concept of delving into the cult's history in all facets unlike my historian predecessors!" I'm acting so stupid, but I hope she is buying every second of it.
The heavens eclipsed into late evening, Veneficus slithered into view beyond the forest's trees.
With that, the girl and her mop of ginger hair turned away and headed back toward the tavern - if you even wanted to deem that tattered building a tavern, and Orin headed in the direction of the Veneficus constellation, guiding him through the skies. Northeast.
Continue to Chapter Fifteen
Return to Chapter Thirteen
Note: In case there's any confusion for early readers - initially chapters 13, 14, and 15 were combined into a giant chapter 13 and have since been split up. :) I know that I prefer shorter chapters and hope that the feeling is mutual.
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