Rain poured onto the tavern roof with no remorse. Heavy thunder shook the ground while lighting illuminated up the night sky. Mid April was known for it's torrential down pour, however the wet season had hit the small town harder than the year before, drowning all the crops that were depended on to support the majority of the town. The stench of disrepair reeked off of those who choose to seek out alcohol to ease their worries causing the air within to have a heavy, mugging feeling that consumed all. With poverty came disease, terrible ravening disease that took the lives of many across the land. Death was not uncommon for most, and even at that time the common folk were lucky to live past their middle age. However the increased rate of the dead had most convinced that there was something to blame. Or rather someone to blame.
The door to the wood tavern opened with the ring of the bell. A hooded figure entered the threshold with a sigh and a small grunt. With one quick motion the man threw his back his hood and inhaled the smell of within. His golden locks were plastered to his face while his endless green eyes scanned for the appropriate place to bare his presence. With a small smirk he chose a small stool that sat just in fornt of the bar.
The tavern wench greeted the man with a small apologetic smile as she said, "Good evening Mr. Logan. Normal I assume?"
"Hello Kole, yes please." He replied politely, scanning the tavern to inspect it's occupants. To his relief the one who needed his presence most was not to be seen, however that did not mean he was clear of any danger danger.
"Malchior is not here." the woman behind the counter announced placing the beer in front of her regular with a small thud.
"I don't know what your talking about." he bit. The woman was taken aback slightly from his forcefulness causing her blue eyes to drop form his gaze. Instantly his heart sank once his brain realized his mistake. "Sorry Kole." he whispered, running his fingers through his damp hair. "I'm just really behind in my payments and-"
"I understand." she replied kindly placing her small hand on top of his rough palms, "Most around here are in debt, and after the death of your parents the responsibility that was thrown on you was unrealistic. If you weren't struggling I would be worried."
Garfield met her kind eyes and couldn't help the small smile that formed on his lips. "What do I owe ya?" he asked, removing his hand from hers and pulled up his almost empty sachael.
"Nothing." she replied quickly. Garfield's eyebrows furrowed in confusion causing her to explain her actions. "Jericho and I don't expect anything from you. You are our friend."
A warmth began to spread through his cold heart melting away whatever troubles he had brought into the tavern with him. Life had been hard for the poor farmer lately, his parents had only perished recently leaving their mound of debt on his shoulders. The local debt collector was ruthless, demanding the payment in full within the month. It was not that he had not tired to raise the money, however the town had dried up long ago leaving the residents poor and near their breaking point. The normally hopeful and bright farmer had found himself in a hole, a hole with no way out. "Give your husband my thanks. I will pay you two back, I give you my word."
"Of course." she whispered. With a small nod she turned heel and tended those who were now in need for her attention leaving him to his own sorrows. Before too much time passed the doors opened to the tavern with a large bang, earning the attention from all within. Within moments the door way was filled with the local crack doctor, his form shaking and eyes wide in surprise.
"Help me." he whined like the pathetic dog he was. "The dark, take away the dark!"
"Doctor Light, please calm down." Kole said smoothly as she moved to meet the frantic man. "You are scaring my guests."
The thin man reached out, grabbing the small woman's shoulders with a bit of force causing a small squeak to escape her lips. His eyes scanned over her body, taking in her medieval clothes with ease. "The witch." he whispered as his eyes darted to those around him. "The witch she-she conjured the dark. She will end us all!"
"You are hurting me!" Kole whimpered from under his strong grip.
Before another thought could cross Garfield's mind he was out of his stool and neared the scene quickly. With an animistic growl his hands gripped the Doctors and with one strong motion he ripped them from her shoulders. "Enough." he hissed putting space between the two. His bulk form shielded the small woman's frail body protectively and his mouth formed a permeate scowl.
"The witch!" Doctor light cried, leaping for the farmer with one long stride. His fingertips reached for him however failed to meet it's target as Garfield moved just in time from the man to plummet towards the floor. His face made contact with the wood first causing a loud thud to echo through the now quiet tavern. "Mommy" the Doctor whined as he brought his knees to his chest, curling up into a small ball on the cold ground. "Help me Mommy, don't let the dark get me."
"Okay that's enough. Time to go." A stern voice announced from behind. Emerging from seemingly nothing a large from bearing the mark of the crown came forth pulling Doctor Light from the floor and forcing him towards the door. With one harsh throw the man expelled the problem from the tavern and into the pouring rain. "Go get some sleep." he commanded to the darkness and slammed the door shut creating a barrier from him and the outside world.
"Are you okay Kole?" Garfield asked turning to her now shivering body. Her head bobbed indicating that she understood the question, however he needed to ask, "Did he hurt you?"
"No." she whispered, shaking her head side to side. "No, just scarred me is all."
From the corner of his eye he noticed a blond man nearing the two, concern filling his blue eyes. "Jericho." Garfield breathed as the tavern owner pulled Kole into his arms. "There you are." Jericho only nodded, turning towards the back room and guiding his wife towards the safety of their home. The farmer sighed as he took his place at the bar, continuing his drink and hoping for no more distractions.
To his dismay the man with the royal crest took a seat beside him with a small grunt. Garfield didn't bother to acknowledged his presence and waved for another drink from Jericho, who had taken over for his distraught wife. He nodded slightly as a form of appreciation and allowed the cool drink to touch his lips, the sensation danced with is tongue and he allowed it to dull his senses. "I'll have what he's having." the man beside him announced only receiving a nod as a response. As the beer met his hand he smiled and placed his payment on top of the counter. "How long has this place been here?" he asked in hopes to earn some kind of conversation. When nothing came the confusion on his face was almost infuriating.
"He is a mute." Garfield announced. Jericho nodded in appreciation as he tuned heel to continue his work.
"A mute as a tavern owner. I don't think I've ever seen something like that." the man said in a rather friendly tone.
For whatever reason the joyful comment began to crawl under Garfield's tan skin. Heat began to radiate off of him and he slammed his drink on the table with a rather loud bang. "What is that so unheard of in your glorified life in the castle?" Harsh, he knew but the sight of a member of the crown was almost unheard of in the small town. It was the common consistence that the Prince had turned his nose to those under him. Never sending help to the failing cities that occupied his land, allowing thousands to die from the disease that pledged these lands and yet here he was, smugness and all. "He is great at his job and has made one hell of a life for himself, I know it's unheard of from where you stand but-"
"Whoa there buddy." The man eased, holding his hands in defense. "I didn't mean to offend, it was just an observation."
That was when Garfield actually took a look at the man beside him. Dark skin and even darker hair, timidity radiated off of him as if his words hurt him more than he was willing to tell. He offered him a cheesy smile, taking another drink from his beer and brushing off his uncalled for harshness. His perfect clothes were painted green and red, the colors of the crown complete with the yellow crest on the left side of his chest. "I apologize for my intrusive attitude." The farmer nearly whispered, "It is just uncommon to see someone of your stature in a town like this."
"Don't worry, I get that a hostile response from those who just meet me.." he replied calmly, allowing relief to wash over both of them "My names Stone, Victor Stone." His hand extended to his and Garfield generally accepted the offer allowing a small smile to cross his face.
"Garfield Logan."
"Nice to meet ya." Victor replied with a small smile, taking another drink of his beer.
"So what's a knight like you doing in a place like this?"
Victor let out a small surprised chuckle "How do you know I'm a knight."
Garfield extended his finger pointing to the crest that he had planted on his chest, "That's the crowns mark, the shield beneath it shows your status."
"Courageous and smart." Victor replied with a playful push. A warmth began to grow within the farmer, something about this man just seemed...different. He didn't turn his nose towards him like those of the crown he had had the misfortune to actually meet. This man was kind, polite and did not admit the correct amount of smugness for his status.
"Ya ya." he replied as he tried to brush off the compliment like it was nothing. "You just caught me on a good night."
"Oh I would hate to see you on a bad night." he replied jokingly. The air in the room began to lighten up from just the mans presence, his brotherly essence admitted a steady flow of positive energy into the dead air around them. It was almost unheard of, like a unicorn or a dragon. "It looked like that witch did a number on you're towns doctor."
A scoff escaped Garfield's lips "Ya our crack Doctor." he joked poking fun of the ridiculous man that dared to call himself a healer. "That man can't even heal a scrape. He's pathetic and I doubt he actually saw a witch."
"Don't believe in witches?" Victor asked in a rather surprised tone.
A chuckle erupted through his chest, looking towards the noble knight he replied "Oh I do, but I doubt that a man as his stature has enough intelligence to find one, let alone flee away from one."
"Maybe she wanted to send him as a warning." The knight replied with a smirk, "You know the rumor is there's a witch that resides just outside this town, in the forest that runs between here and the castle. The legend is she killed her mother and drank her blood to gain her power. It's said she's unstoppable, that she's the one who released the pledge that's been causing all those deaths" A shiver ran down his spine at the thought. If the legend was true she would have to be one powerful witch and would have to wheeled a lot of dark magic to cause so much damage. "Hell there's even a bounty for her head."
"What?" the farmer asked out of surprise.
Victor raised an curious eyebrow at his enthusiasm. "A bounty. A nobleman's daughter died from the pledge and he is offering $20,000 for her head."
"$20,000?" he asked with a slight intake of air. His companion only nodded as his eyes narrowed out of enthusiasm. Garfield ignored the glare that was thrown toward him and allowed himself to live in the fantasy that had presented itself before him. 20,000. That was enough to pay his debt and buy him a castle, hell enough to make him a royal. Woman, stability and a life actually worth living began to flash before his eyes. Greed began to grow within his belly and he couldn't help the diabolical smirk that began to gown on his lips.
"Don't." Victor bit forcing him out of his idiotic fantasy. Garfield shot him a confused look before the knight took a long drink from his mug, finishing it off completely. "You don't want to become a witch hunter. Not only are witches absolutely dangerous, they can manipulate the strongest men into doing their bidding."
"How? Witches are notoriously hideous right? Dark magic makes you gruesome and-"
"Yes, it is true dark magic eats away beauty, however it has it's effects on the human minds." his words of wisdom did not fall on deaf ears as it seemed the whole tavern had tuned into the conversation at hand. "One moment. One moment of weakness and she will have you under her control like a puppet. It just takes a split second and you will find yourself killing children to drain them of their youth."
A cold sensation ran through Garfield as if winter himself was present in the tavern. The image of all of the children lost through the years were viable just through his thin eyelids, however he didn't give them the opportunity to take over his thoughts. "Then I won't loose focus."
"Oh yeah?" Victor cooed in a sly tone. "And how do you intend to do that?"
"I'd burn her before she gets the opportunity." he replied, almost surprised at how smoothly the comment had left his lips. Death and disparate was never easy for the young orphan, he wasn't even able to kill his farm animals let alone another human being. That was unthinkable, absolutely unthinkable. However...
"Oh yeah, and what if she pleads for you to stop. She begs and cries for you to stop her pain, then what?"
Garfield's gut hit the tavern floor with a loud thump. Begging? Do witches even beg? Yes, they would have to if their life depended on it. Killing something evil was a great fuel but hearing it's cries of pain was a whole other problem in itself. He was a humanist, how did he expect to inflict pain on another living thing. "I-" he started before meeting the knights eyes. No, this had to be done. Until now there had been no other way shown to him and this opportunity had been the ray of light he needed. This was the only path, no matter how gruesome it was. "I would deal with it." he finally answered to the waiting guest.
"Hmm." Victor hummed lightly. "Look you seem like a great guy and I can tell you are desperate for the money for whatever reason and I will not pry." His tone was genuine and the farmer could tell that that there was truth in his words. "So take this." Victor then pulled the bag that he had long forgotten on the floor and pulled out a small dagger compete with the crest of the crown. It's sliver shone in the dim light displaying the worth of it before his eyes. Hand made undoubtedly, expensive and only used for royalty.
Garfield offered the man a concerned look before taking the dagger into his hands. It felt foreign, almost off balanced. Deep in his chest he knew that he would never be worthy for this dagger, never worthy to wheeled it in battle. "I can't-"
"Yes you can." Victor corrected before standing from his stool. "It deflects magic, custom made by the royal healer. If you are going after that witch like I know you are, you are going to need something to cut off her head with."
Garfield shivered causing Victor to laugh hearty. "Yeah you're going to do so well." he mumbled under his breath before placing a brotherly hand on top of his seemingly small shoulder. "Be careful Garfield. Really, think on your feet and trust your gut. You are going to need your wits about you if half of the stories are correct. I want you to live, I really do."
"Thanks." the farmer managed to mummer under his breath.
Victor offered a genuine smile before moving just passed him. Before his form disappeared into the night air he turned and announced, "If you live and are in the area look me up."
"Okay." The farmer almost whispered to the now empty hall way. Turning back to his beer he contemplated his next form of action. In all honesty he had no idea where to start, the dawn grew near and he knew that with the light came the weight of his problems. If he was going to have any hope for a future he needed to do the unthinkable...
He needed to kill the witch.