A Warlock's Tale

Prolouge

I sighed as I rolled my shoulders, plopping down on a stump. Too many hours spent walking. Too little breaks. I could see the rest of the troupe popping up the tent, unloading the tent. "Levi! Come help us!"

I groaned and stood, walking towards the nearby woods. "In a minute! I need to use the bathroom!"

Kenny, the ringmaster, sighed and waved me away. "Hurry up."

I shrugged as I made my way into the trees. I'd help if I made it back before they were finished, but gods was I tired. Just because he got to be in a cart all day doesn't mean the rest of us weren't tired.

I wandered for a while, enjoying the cool autumn air. The trees cast beautiful shadows across the ground, and the sun was at that point where the sky was turning a jaw dropping orange. It was beautiful. And then my foot stepped in air.

I yelped in fear as I slid down, tumbling into darkness. My side slammed into the ground and I gasped as the wind was knocked out of my chest.

I stayed on the ground for a moment, waiting for the air to come back to me. Once I was able, I sat up, trying to rub away the beginnings of my headache. I glanced up, staring at the hole I'd fallen into. The entrance was about twenty feet above me, nearly perfectly hidden by the flattened grass.

I moved to stand and felt something shift underneath me, and I glanced down. My fingers traced over a leather casing, and I picked it up. It seemed to be a longsword, if a bit on the lighter side. I couldn't make out much in the dim light, but it had a shoulder strap, so I slung it over my shoulder, staring up towards the opening.

With a grunt I jumped, grabbing at a few loose roots. I pulled myself up, huffing. I could already imagine Kevin's mocking, and while the frustration was certainly helping, it was not very fun. "That's what you get for slacking. Maybe next time you'll suck it up and do some actual work." I grunted as I climbed, clenching my teeth.

I pulled myself out of the hole, letting out a huff. The sun was starting to set as I stood, pulling the sword back around. The handle was a simple leather that had tufts of fur sticking from the top and bottom, and the pommel had a simple white gem sitting in the center.

I wrapped my hand around the leather, moving to draw the blade. As my fingers wrapped around the handle, searing pain shot through my body, and I fell to my knees. I tried to let go, but my hand tightened. My mouth was open in a silent scream as images filled my thoughts. At first it was billowing white sheets, and then they spread apart. Surrounded by white sheets and pillows, sat a woman. She had brown hair that fell in waves past her shoulders, and she was wearing a low-cut black dress. And as she turned to face me, a pair of striking violet eyes pierced into my soul.

She turned her head to the side, a subtle smirk forming on her lips. "Well, this is rather interesting." She approached, and as she did, the sheets faded, until the woods were in my vision again. She stood in front of me, leaning down. Her hand cupped my still open jaw as she hummed, examining my face. "Such a pretty little thing."

I couldn't move, despite the pain fading. Her hand closed my mouth as she turned my face to the side. "Oh, you'll do nicely. It's been so long since my last pet passed."

I couldn't do anything as she turned my face back to the front, a smile spreading across her lips. "I hope you'll enjoy this gift."

She pressed her lips against mine, and I melted against her. I felt a searing pain around my wrists and throat, and as my vision faded, the last thing I heard was a satisfied giggle.

-

"Levi. C'mon and wake up. C'mon. Please." I whined quietly as I sat up, rubbing at my temple. "Oh thank the gods."

Sadia was sitting next to me, rubbing her head in her hands. The minotaur strongwoman took up the majority of the tent, her horns gently scraping against the top of it. "W-what happened?"

She looked up from her hands, confusion spreading across her face. "We found you in the woods, completely out of it. You were clutching a sword and mumbling gibberish."

At the mention of the sword I turned, my eyes scanning the room. I didn't see it anywhere, but my eyes were drawn to the blade leaning against the wall. The handle and the pommel were different. The handle was still wrapped in leather, but now it was completely smooth, connecting the pommel to the rest of the blade with seemingly no seams. The white gem was gone, replaced by a smooth red gem. The blade as a whole had a much smoother view to it. As I stared at it, I could feel her lips on mine again. My wrists started to itch and I scratched at them, blinking rapidly. "H-how long was I out?"

"Almost a full day. Kevin's furious." She was eyeing me curiously, her brow furrowed in distress.
The itching was starting to intensify, and as I finally glanced down, my breath hitched in my throat. Wrapped around my wrists, like it was tattooed into my skin, was an inky black chain.

I scrambled off the bed, throwing open the chest that was sitting at the foot of it. I quickly pulled out the hand mirror, my chest tightening in fear. Wrapping around my throat was another chain, this one thicker and it almost felt heavier.

I stared at it for a moment before looking into my eyes. I hadn't expected a difference, but my heart froze as I realized what else was new. My emerald greens were gone, and staring back at me was a pair of striking purple eyes. I quickly skimmed the other features of my face, just to be safe. My hair was still the same short fluff of black it had always been, still contrasting to the pale skin underneath. Asides from the chains and my eyes, I was still the same.

I stared in horror, and then I felt a whisper against my ear, though no one joined me in the reflection. "Enjoy your gifts, my darling."