Author's Note:
Hello everyone! I'm back from my two week vacation and I'm ready to write some more chapters. I would like to thank ayannamichaeli and DC Chroma for posting a review last chapter. I really appreciate it! Also, I replaced the poems with something else instead, you'll find it at the end of the chapter. With that, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 11: The Cauldron Witch
Xander's Perspective:
Upon hearing the guards' explanation of the current situation, my heart began to race. For some reason, I felt scared and it was not like the other times. As a guard, it is our duty to protect others from the dangers of the world. But as humans, we too are afraid of what's to come. And yet, we still do our job for the sake of others.
I too am the same because I too am human. But unlike the mobs and criminals, I faced, just hearing her name made me shiver. The same goes for the name, Herobrine. Just hearing those names is enough for me to chicken out. But, I can't just simply run away, that would be an embarrassment to my uncle.
I had to think whether or not I should help, but the dread I am feeling was hindering me of my decision. Oddly enough, I had the feeling that I should help them no matter what. Then, I snapped out of it when Chrome spoke up, "Seems like you people could use some help. I really don't think a few guards are enough to beat one of Herobrine's lackeys."
"Right, Xander?" Chrome asked as he looked right at me. "Y-yeah. You could use all the help you can get." I stammered. "What's wrong, Xander? You don't sound confident at all." Chrome pointed out. "I-it's nothing. I was just thinking, that's all." I replied. He stares at me first before turning to face the guards, "Give me a while. I'll need to prepare." he said.
I sighed, I needed to shake this feeling off of me since it's wearing me down. I already agreed to join them in subduing the enemy out of peer pressure but I still was not ready. My hands were shaking from the thought of encountering the witch and fighting her. I had to stop so I went behind the carriage and smacked myself to calm down. It failed.
I looked down, my hands were still trembling, not only that but my breathing was getting uneven, I could also feel my heart racing, I was definitely scared, but why? Why was I so afraid? This was my first time experiencing such emotion. I looked at my trembling hands and slowly tried to curl it into a fist but I couldn't do so.
I reopened it once more, hoping that I could close it properly again. But when I did, two hands gently grasped mine. This surprised me and so I looked up to see a familiar face smiling at me. It was Cupa, she must have noticed me struggling by the side of the carriage.
"You're going to be okay." Cupa reassured me as she grasped both my hands. "W-what are you talking about?" I asked, trying to hide the fact I was scared. "I'm not entirely sure but you looked like you needed some help." she said. "Well, I don't know about that..." I muttered.
"What are you talking about? You looked like you were about to faint. I couldn't just sit pretty while you're struggling to even stand." Cupa stated. "You could tell?" I asked. She nodded, "Who wouldn't? Your knees were literally shaking!" she exclaimed, looking at my knees, "Yup! They still are!" she confirmed her statement.
"I guess there's no hiding it then..." I muttered. "Hey... Want to tell me what's wrong?" Cupa asked me. "I don't know... I'm not entirely sure the reason. It might just sound weird to you." I told her while stretching the back of my head. She held my hands tighter, "Doesn't matter! Just spit it out! I did the same to you so you do the same to me." she declared.
I chuckled at her remark, "I beg you rephrase that, princess." I told her. Cupa paused to think for a while and then gave an awkward smile upon realizing what she had just said. "Oops! I worded that wrong." she confessed. "You sure did but..." I paused, "That slight giggle you made me do kinda helped." I continued.
"Really? Then that's good to hear." Cupa said, "Though there's still one more thing I have to do that will definitely make you feel better!" she added. "What is it?" I asked. She then smiled and leaped towards me, wrapping her arms around me, as her body pressed against mine. At that moment, I felt a surge of emotions that helped comfort me.
And when the sense of dread left me, I snapped back to reality. Cupa was still hugging me tightly, I presume she's enjoying the softness of my fat. Which I should say is high quality. Anyway, I now felt better than a few moments ago so I tapped Cupa on her shoulder, indicating her to let go.
"Give me one more minute. It's been a while since the last time you hugged me." Cupa explained. I smiled and allowed her to hug me for another minute. When it was time, I tapped her again, this time she let go. Looking at her, she looks a bit brighter than before, I guess hugs can do wonders as well.
"So? Do you feel better now?" Cupa asked. I nodded, "I certainly feel a lot better. Thanks." I told her. She grinned happily, "No problem! It's the least I can do for you." she explained. "What do you mean?" I asked. "You did hug me back when I was an emotional mess. So I figured it would be my turn to return the favor!" she stated. "Oh! That time. You really didn't have to return the favor." I said.
"But I did and it made you feel better! So it was worth returning it." Cupa said, smiling. I sighed happily, "I guess you're right..." I agreed. "I never knew hugging could feel this good. Maybe I should hug you more often?" she thought aloud. I chuckled, "Maybe you should." I replied without thinking things through.
At that moment, I realized what I had just said. I looked at Cupa who was clearly staring at me with sparkling, "W-what?" I asked, nervously. "Did you just give me permission to hug you?!" she asked, excitedly. "N-no, w-wait! I can explain-!" I replied. She placed her index finger on my lips, "No explanations needed. I understand how you feel." she said. "Y-you do?" I asked. She nodded with a smile, "Yup! You just wanted a hug buddy!" she exclaimed.
Just when I thought things were getting dicey, for once in my life I was saved from this kind of situation. How? Well, Chrome started calling out for me. "Xander! It's about time we left!" he announced. "Left? Where are you guys going?" Cupa asked me. "We're out to burn a witch." Chrome nonchalantly replied.
This piqued Cupa's attention whatsoever, again. "Oh! That sounds like fun! Can I come?" she asked. "I don't know about that. You better asked you're guardian first." Chrome told her as he pointed at me. With glimmering like the stars, she looked at me, expectingly. I sighed, "I'm sorry but you know my answer..." I apologized. She puffed out her cheeks, "Party pooper!" she declared.
"Oof!" Chrome commented. "Call me what you want, I won't allow you to accompany us into dangerous territory. Especially this time around." I sternly told her. "C'mon! Chrome persuade him so I can tag along!" she ordered Chrome. "Sorry, princess. But I'm with Xander on this one. The risk is way higher than before." he explained.
It looked like Cupa still wanted to argue and tag along but ended up giving in. She sighed, "It looks like both of you disapprove of me tagging along." she muttered. "Can't be helped, you are still a princess. If you were to be injured badly it would mean big trouble for us." I explained. "Not to mention that you could be held hostage by Herobrine's associate, that would cause a major crisis." Chrome added. Her eyes suddenly widened, "You do have a point..." she agreed.
Suddenly, a loud blast was heard from inside the swamp. The three of us rushed to the side where the guards were waiting. "What was that?!" I asked. "It seems like an explosion was set off." one of them replied. "That must be the Commander!" another one stated. "They must be fighting already! We better go help them quickly!" the next one exclaimed.
Chrome and I looked at each other and nodded, understanding the situation. "It's high time we go! The sooner we get there, the better." I said aloud, "Cupa we want you to stay here. Understand?" I told her. She nodded, "I know. You better come back safely." she told me. I nodded, "Don't worry, we will. Chrome has Zoey protect Cupa while we're gone." I told him. He nodded, "Sure thing, boss." he said.
Chrome then placed his tiny canine friend on Cupa's shoulder, "Protect her no matter what, okay?" he ordered Zoey. The tiny canine barked in agreement as he petted her, "Good girl!" he complimented. "Well then, we'll be leaving now. If worse comes to worst don't hesitate to fight back, Cupa." I told her. She nodded and gave a thumbs-up, "Zoey and I can both hold our round pretty well so don't you worry about us!" she exclaimed. I smiled, "We'll be back soon so hang in there, Cupa." I told her before we ran into the dense marsh.
Narrator's Perspective:
With Cupa staying behind along with Zoey, her protector, Chrome, Xander and the rest of the guards headed deep into the swamp. On their way, scattered bodies and undead corpses littered the bog around them. Obviously, a fight had occurred within the area, and judging from the surrounding damage, the group could tell it didn't occur too long.
They continued to venture deeper into the wetland and as they did, the once drizzle of rain turns into a downpour. Accompanied by thunder and lightning, the weather grew restless. Heavy winds shook the leaves of the trees and the sky turned dark as if it was night. This caused hostile mobs to spawn nearby and attack them.
It would have taken a while to beat several mobs but with Chrome and Xander, it was a walk in the park, or should it be swamp? Nevertheless, the group swept right to pass the mobs and arrived just in time at the battleground. Numerous guards were currently fighting hordes of mobs, the guards who saw this immediately ran into the fight to help their comrades.
The two travelers looked at the current scenario and decided to help lessen the guards' burden while they went to look for the real threat. From their spot, Chrome spotted to his left, a guard pinned down by a zombie and was struggling to break free. So our trusty adventurer launched 'Oxymoron' at the mob and told Xander to take the right side. Understanding his initiative, Xander nodded and went the other way.
With that being said and done, Chrome was currently weaving through the battlefield, knocking down zombie and skeletons aside as he made way towards the fallen guard. Upon arriving, he handed the guard a potion and yoinked his weapon out of the zombies' corpse.
As soon as he did, several zombies came charging at him from all angles. He told the guard to get down as he attacked, "Crescent Sweep!" he shouted as he executed his foes in one fell swoop. Looking at the fully recovered guard, he handed him several potions and told him to use those on his buddies. The guard nodded and immediately ran towards his companions. With that, Chrome continued his way forward, beating down all that opposed him.
On the other hand, Xander was doing the same thing. Continuously dashing around, he decapitates his foes swiftly while gaining a little extra from each it kills. "I may need to sell all of this later..." he thought while looking at his slowly packing inventory. Other than killing the hostile mobs, he would activate his 'Guardian's Bubble' on the wounded and tired, giving them time to recover.
Both guys were slowly making there way past the hordes of enemies all the while easing the guards' burdens. With things going smoothly, it didn't take long for them to arrive at the main event. Before them stood a decent-looking shack that looked like it was being used. But the witch nor the group leader was nearby, taking this chance to inspect the place, they let themselves in.
Inside the shack, we're shelves lined with books related to magic and brewing. Barrels that contained brewing ingredients like nether warts, ghast tears, blaze powder, spider eyes, and sugar. There were cupboards full of empty potion bottles, water bottles, and potions of different variations. And to finish things off, a huge cauldron was in the center of it all.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary on the inside, no one was home as well. Taking this opportunity, Chrome gathered all the potions that could help the guards and discarded those that would hurt them. Xander questioned his companions' actions, "Don't worry! We're just confiscating the possessions the criminal has. Think of it as a certain kind of retribution." Chrome explained.
Seeing that Chrome has a point and that he can't be stopped, either way, Xander decided to browse through the dozens of bookshelves while his companion loots the place. One by one he read the titles of the books that are still readable: Brewing 101, The Wonders of Warts, Spell Casting for Dummies, and Master the Dark Arts by William Spookspere.
The chubby warrior blinked upon reading those titles and wondered whether they were really dealing with a threat. Continuing to skim the titles, he had noticed that the previous books we're for beginners while the complicated ones were on a different shelf. "Is she perhaps training other witches?!" he thought. That's when he noticed a candlelit table with an open book.
He approached the said table and saw that the book was actually a journal, an unfinished one that is, as it seems to the person who was in the middle of writing it had to stop. Curiosity kicked in as he reached out and grabbed the journal. He then skimmed through the pages and saw that it contained dozens of information. Immediately, he stashed it into his inventory for safekeeping.
As he did, Chrome had just finished looting the place and was about ready to head on out. So both of them exited the shack without anything exciting happening to them. Outside, several guards have just arrived at their current location. Several of them were tired while most of them were injured. With a proud smirk, he looked at Xander and said, "I told you so~."
Xander could just sigh as his companion hurriedly approached the guards and handed them the potions he 'confiscated' for them to use. The chubby warrior then followed Chrome so he can help apply first aid to those injured, all the while thinking something felt odd. It didn't take long for the other guards to catch up with the rest of the group. So in just a few minutes, the entire battalion was in tip-top shape once more.
With the orders given out to them by their leader, the entire group surrounded the witch hut, allowing nothing to enter or exit the area. But something was definitely odd about the current predicament since there was no sign nor sound of a battle occurring near the area. The other guards were getting worried about the whereabouts of their leader, but they swore that they saw him fighting Baba Naga.
Despite their distress and doubt, they maintained their formation as they were told. Chrome and Xander, on the other hand, didn't like how things were and decided to do something about it.
"But how are we supposed to do this? I couldn't possibly do anything here." Xander confessed. "What about that Keen Sense ability thing you have? Can't that help?" Chrome asked. The chubby one shook his head, "Sorry but that's not how it works. It only helps increase my reaction time and reflexes." he explained. "Useless!" his companion joked. "What? Are you not the same?" Xander asked. Chrome smirked, "Nope! I, on the other hand, have something up my sleeve." he stated.
Not wanting to deal with a purposeless argument, Xander sighed and allowed his friend to his thing. Cracking his knuckles he announced, "Watch and learn, cherry boy! and placed his hand on the ground. "Energy Perception." he thought. To Xander, it looked like his companion was simply touching the ground, but to Chrome, it changed his perception of the world, literally.
Think of it like Infrared vision, Chrome could see the different types of energy the flowed in and out of the area, whether it was visible or not. Now as he looked around, he noticed a massive amount of magical energy floating right above them. Judging from the looks of it, the magic being used is a field spell. Meaning that it will remain active for as long as its anchor remains undisturbed. An anchor refers to an object/item where the spell is connected to.
Seeing all of this, Chrome now understands why there was no sign of battle in the area. Looking to where the spell is anchored to, he then deactivated his ability and walked towards a wooden slab near the hut. "Did you find something, detective?" Xander asked. Chrome smiled, "Indeed I have, Watson!" he replied.
Xander then approached his companion and looked at what he was looking at. "A wooden...slab?" he asked. Chrome nodded, "Indeed! A wooden slab." he agreed. "What do we do with it? Do we return the slab or something?" the chubby one asked. "Nope!" Chrome refuted, slashing the slap in half, "We burn it!" he added, flicking his finger which caused the slab to be set ablaze until all that was left of it was ashes.
And when the fire dispersed, the air around them rumbled as Chrome announced, "Everyone! Be on your guard. The real fight is about to begin!" as soon as he said that, a cloud of black mist emerged from above. The mist swirled around violently for a few seconds before it slowly vanished, revealing two people inside of it. And when the mist had vanished entirely, both figures dropped down.
One dropped close to the guards while the other on the roof of the hut. Quickly, the two warriors approached the guards and saw that the one that had dropped near them was the squad leader, recognizable by his badge of honor. The man looked pretty beat-up, he had bruises, cuts, and wounds everywhere, and yet he stood firmly.
"Commander Reynold Sherfield!" the guards call out in shock. "YES! I AM!" he proudly replied. "Reynold Sherfield? Wait! Do they mean-?!" Xander exclaimed. "What? Do you know the guy?" Chrome asked. "Yeah, I do. I've worked with him on several occasions. So, I know him quite a bit." the chubby one replied. "Good for you." the thinner one said. Xander nodded, "Indeed! It is good for us. Reynold is an exceptional fighter, say the least." he explained.
Reynold then turned his attention to the other two who weren't part of his squadron. "May I asked who might you two gentlemen be?" the commander asked them. "This scary looking guy is Chrome, a top A-Rank adventurer. As for me, I'm not sure if you remember but it is I, Xander." he pointed out. Squinting his eyes, he looked carefully at him before smiling. "Well, if it isn't Xanderino. What are you doing here?" he asked.
And so Xander explained to him what had happened during his absence as quickly and simply as possible while Reynold did the same. Understanding the situation, Commander Reynold nodded and instigated an order to his men. "Everyone, listen up! I want half of the troops out of the swamp as soon as possible while the rest remain with me. Those who will be leaving are tasked to protect the carriage that belongs to these gentlemen. Go!" Reynold announced.
Immediately, half the guards left the perimeter and we're on their way out. But before all of them could leave, a black mist emerged in between them, blocking their way. Seeing this, the commander immediately looked towards the hut and saw that Baba Naga was floating in mid-air. "I won't be allowing anyone else to leave this place. Allowing you to live is unforgivable! Nuisance such as yourselves will only hinder Lord Herobrine's plans!" she furiously exclaimed.
With that, she cast another field spell which was bigger than the last, trapping all but those who were out of her range. "I thought you knocked her out?!" Chrome asked. "That's what I thought as well..." Reynold replied worriedly. "Everyone! Stand your ground and be ready!" he added quickly. "This doesn't look good..." Xander muttered as he watched the black mist swirl violently around all of them.
"I was sure that I hit your vitals! How are you still conscious?!" Reynold asked. Baba Naga cackled like the witch she was, "Did you honestly think that hitting my vitals was enough to knock me out? Think again!" she exclaimed. "Although, I'll admit that you stood your ground pretty well. Sadly, you won't be standing on it any longer since you'll be ten feet under!" she added before chanting once more.
"Shoot her down!" The commander ordered. All of the troops pulled out their bows and began letting loose a barrage of arrows, an attack that was completely blocked by a barrier that surrounded their target. Baba Naga cackled as she watched their arrows bounce off. Chrome joined in and hurled his weapon at the old hag, managing to crack her barrier in one throw.
This, however, didn't stop Baba Naga from casting her spell. The old hag didn't even bother fighting back and just kept mending the damages inflicted upon her barrier. Soon enough, dozens of skeletal horses arose from the ground and were struck by lightning, turning them into skeleton riders. Holding their formation, the guards steeled their resolve for the upcoming battle.
With one last cackle, Baba Naga declared, "This swamp shall be your resting place, impudent fools!" before pulling out of her sleeve a potion and chugging it down. She then threw away the bottle and suddenly the air around her felt different. Worried about that potion she drank, Chrome activated 'Energy Perception' and saw that the magical energy and mana reserve inside the old lady has been amplified.
"This doesn't look good..." Chrome muttered. "Why? What is it?" Reynold asked Chrome. "I'm seeing huge amounts of magical energy emanating from her. And it doesn't look like it's stopping any time soon..." he replied. "But how?! Her mana reserve should have been dry by now!" the commander exclaimed, looking distressed.
Xander all throughout the process, couldn't even move his muscles, the sight of Baba Naga sent shivers down his spine. Not just because she looks hideous, but because his instinct is screaming out for him to run. The only thing that's preventing him from doing so is the fact that he'll be a major embarrassment to his uncle and as a guard, if he flees as well as his resolve to protect his hometown from danger.
With those conflicting feelings welling up inside of him, all his body could do is stay put. However, despite this, Xander is still keeping a cool head and thinking of what's happening. Knowing that they'll end up fighting her, he steeled his resolve just like the rest of the guards. "Haven't I seen this before?" he thought. With Baba Naga's power growing stronger after drinking a potion, the only thing that popped in Xander's head was the bandit boss.
"Wait... Don't tell me that-?!" Xander thought. Realizing what their enemy might have drunk, Xander looked worried as their enemies increased in numbers. To make matters worse, Baba Naga threw several splash potions at her undead army. With all her preparations complete, she took the initiative and attacked first.
The skeleton riders charged forward, swiftly and violently. The guards, on the other hand, marched forward in a cool and calm manner, waiting for the riders to approach them first. And when they did, the guards blocked the riders attacked and tripped their horses, some of them manage to avoid tripping while the others stumbled to the ground. With that, the battle properly began.
Skeleton archers fired arrows from the backline, the riders kept moving around and attacking unsuspecting guards, while the melee fighters fought in the front line. The undead army was fighting in a coordinated manner like that of the living. Surely, it made things harder, but not impossible to conquer. With those thoughts in the minds of the guards, they continued to fight the undead army with all their might. They are putting all their trust to the three men who can stand a chance against a magical fiend.
Looking at the battlefield, Baba Naga looked amused by their efforts. "I'm assuming this will be a three on one fight, is it not?" she asked her opponents. "What made you say that, old lady?" Chrome asked back. With that last phrase, all hell broke loose as the witch fired off several energy balls at them.
The impact from her attack caused a small explosion that sent the guards and her undead army flying backward. A cloud of dust covered the blast zone as Baba Naga cackled from delight upon seeing the power she could muster. "It seems like this potion I've perfected can really access a person's untapped power. And when I get my hands on that spring, who knows how potent this potion will end up becoming." she muttered. Imagining the fact, she cackled again, "Utter fools! Hellbent's knowledge of brewing is the best in the world!" she proudly declared.
Suddenly, shards of compressed water went flying out of the mist and towards Baba Naga. Not being able to react in time, several shards managed to scrape past her while the rest was blocked by a barrier. "Would you stop bragging already? It's quite sad seeing an old lady brag so much. Have you heard yourself brag?" Chrome mocked her.
It didn't take long for the mist to clear up and reveal that the three didn't have a single scratch on them. "That was a nice move, Xander!" Reynold complimented him. "Thanks." he replied. "Thanks to that move of yours, most of your undead army has been wiped out." Chrome pointed out.
Baba Naga looks around and saw that what Chrome said was true, most of her undead underlings have been taken down. "Looks like I was worried over nothing!" Chrome stated. Planning to cast another conjuring spell, she formed a quick barrier that was suddenly shattered by a pole-ax flying at Mach speed.
It was then followed by a barrage of punches coming from the commander himself. However, she managed to block every single blow but was slowly being pushed backed by the force of each punch. At the end of the barrage, Reynold performed a powerful dropkick that knocked the old hag down to the ground.
She immediately got up and was about to fly back up when Xander came rushing in to slash her before she could put up another barrier. His blade cut right through her but then she vanished into thin air. "W-where did she go?" Xander exclaimed as he looked around. He then felt a strong presence behind him and quickly activated his own barrier. Behind him, a strong blast of magical energy struck his barrier but for some reason, it didn't shatter.
When the attack stopped, Xander realized that his water-based barrier was now made of a thick layer of ice. "She froze it?!" Xander thought. "You didn't think that you'll get me twice with the same move, did you now?" Baba Naga said as she approached him. "Xander!" Both Chrome and Reynold cried out. "Well, that's one down. Two more to go." she muttered before firing another barrage of attacks at the remaining two.
Both of them dodge it but it put distance between them and Xander. From behind, some undead warriors attacked them, giving time for Baba Naga to render Xander immobile. "I hope you like nightmares~" the witch chimed as she cast a spell on the trapped individual. Instantly, Xander fell into a deep slumber inside his frozen prison. With Xander incapacitated, the witch now left him to be consumed by his fears, "Time to finish what I started..." she said so as she flew towards the two remaining threats.
Xander's Travel Journal:
Entry #1
So from now on, I'll be recording everything that has occurred during my travels. This journal that was given to me in the past by my Mella, I shall put it to good use. Although, honestly speaking I still have no idea what actually put in here. Should I record everything down to smallest detail, or perhaps just my view of things, maybe my what I feel? I don't know... I've never really written anything. Well, not until this day, that is.
Now let's see... This was my first time to go on a mission beyond borders. Seriously, I never like leaving the sanctuary of my home. I'm a homebody at heart and I don't like traveling a lot so what can I say? But, it is my duty as a guard to do what I'm told. I'm basically a guy with no initiative at all, I tend to not too much without any given orders. My uncle says that I need to loosen up and that this why he didn't want to become a guard. Too much work he says.
I can understand that but it's not much different from being an adventurer. Sure you get higher pays when taking up quest and such but it's not a steady job. Being a guard on the other hand was gives you a steady job with decent pay plus you get your own pension when you get old and healthcare privileges.
Anyway, I'm writing this at the inn I'm currently staying at. I was given the tasked to escort Princess Cupa Mishal of the Creeper Kingdom back to her homeland with the help of a Top tier A-ranked adventurer, Chrome Donovan. It's going to be a long and tiring journey for me, but I plan to accomplish it no matter what.
So as for what happened today, I can't say that it was a good experience. I mean seriously! We had just begun our journey and we were already attacked by a group of bandits! To make matters worse, I nearly died as well! It seems that this proves me having the worst luck whatsoever. Oh, how I wished things would have gone smoothly instead. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be better and that I don't have to fight another life-threatening battle.
Author's Note:
As usual, I would like to thank those who read my stories, your views and especially reviews mean a lot to me. I hope you continue to support the story until the end. And don't forget to leave a review if you liked the story since those are what really get me going. It can be anything from jokes, opinions, suggestions, or straight up criticism. With that said, I hope you have a wonderful day/night! Thank you as always! Take care and God bless! :)