WitchHunter ✔️

A City Ablaze

The noise wakes me from a dead sleep, and I jerk upright. War drums? Gunshots? I'm wide awake in an instant, my heart pounding violently. The sky is dark and I can make out stars through the canopy of trees above me.

"Damn, you slept for a long time." Cozen's voice says, and that's when I recognize the sound: metal pans.

During the Cleansing Festival, civilians bang on their metal pots and pans along with the beat of the near constant music. The harsh metallic sound carries farther than the wind and string instruments of the band. I let out a breath. I haven't slept that hard in a long time. I have to get resituated with being among the living. I lean back and my spine lets out a sickening series of pops. Sleeping on horseback isn't the best for your posture.

"Just in time." Hale comments as the trees part in front of us and the city comes into view. Red, orange, and gold flags are strewn up, illuminated by the flickering flames alight in lanterns hanging from every gutter. The city on the ridge appears to be engulfed in the flames.

The streets are crowded with people, many of whom cheer when they see us. I keep my hood up and head down, eyes on the three men waving in front of me. I prop my right leg under me, kneeling on Crow's back, ready in case anything were to happen. Nothing does, however, and we are able to drop our horses off at the stables with no issue. "Our story," Hale says as we exit the stables. "Let me do the talking. If he asks, it was a Cinderous lochri, and when we finally cornered him, he burned himself up, along with the Northern Forest. No mention of the aquaous, understand?"

"Yes, Sir." The twins answer.

"Yes, My Lord."

Fortress is busier than I'd seen it in a long time, people piling out the doors and down toward town. Light spills out onto the grass along with drunk, broke patrons, having spent the last of their coin on thickened whiskey or a hand of poker.

One stumbles toward me and a hand yanks me out of the way at the last moment.

"Watch where you're going, Bastard." Cozen calls after the man.

"I would have just knocked him over." I tell him.

"He was the size of me." Cozen chuckles down at me and I return it with a small smile of my own.

"I've killed men the size of you."

He chuckles once again. "I'll take that as a threat."

"Well I'm sorry to hear about the Northern Forest, but at least the problem has been taken care of. Thank you, Hale, for bringing the Komorebi to my attention. Now, the three of you go enjoy the festival. Ace, stay vigilant."

"Yes, WitchMaster."

"Yes, My Lord."

Velius looks younger today. Something about the festival has revitalized him. It's kind of nice to see. Hale's return started it, and the festival has brought it out even more. He is as close to a father as I have, excluding maybe Master Niran, so it's nice to see him excited about things.

"Right, come on then." Hale beckons, his excitement written on his face.

I begin to follow them when Velius stops me. "My Ace."

I stop, turning so my eyes meet his. "Yes, My Lord?"

He folds his arms over his chest, his long purple sleeves hanging gently to his knees. He waits for the boys to leave before speaking. "I'm thrilled to have Hale back for the festival, but I don't need to tell you that the next few days are extremely high risk."

I nod. The festival has, in the past, been a magnet for lochri terrorism. More often than not, two or three lochri will attend and use their curse to destroy something before the Hunters can stop them. "I'll keep close."

"And stay vigilant. They've organized now, which means they're capable of more."

"Yes, My Lord."

He nods. "Go."

I scamper out of the room, through the hall, and squeeze unnoticed through the crowded lobby, out into the cold night.The lantern smoke mingles with the smell of frying meats and breads, and just down the hill, the town of Kindleridge sparkles and wavers in the firelight. A city on fire.