SACRIFICIAL WITCH // 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

[Prologue] Eternal Slumber

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬʸᴵᴺᴳ : "Bloody Mary"
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ : ▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▯▯

"Burn her!"

"Sinner! You deserve to go to hell!"

"Witch! Witch!"

"You've brought destruction to our village! May you rot in hell!"

The loud chants and chattering of those in the crowd made the accused witch's stomach churn.

It's been a few days since you've had a proper meal. The fatigue has made its way deep into your bones and into your eyes, making it seem as if sand thrown into your face, it was hard to keep your eyes open.

How... how did it come to this?

You've done nothing wrong.

It was the drought that led to the first wave of death. The lack of proper disposal of bodies also meant that the decomposing bodies would eventually stain the land they lay in, bringing in vectors of disease, spreading it to those that came near it.

You were no doctor, you didn't saunter around like them; with a plague mask and covered head to toe with dark garments to protect yourself. However, that didn't mean that you were going to sit still and do nothing.

You, the daughter of the village leader, were an anomaly compared to the others in the small community. As the daughter of the mayor it made sense for you to get an education. It wasn't as sophisticated as far as education got in the kingdom nearby, but it was enough to allow you to indulge in books that took shelter in the small library your father had in the house.

Your family weren't farmers, which meant a much more relaxed schedule compared to those who worked on the farm—who'd rise before the sun to tend to all the tasks that needed their attention everyday.

Though you didn't spend your days mindlessly—even if you wished to—your mother was a talented seamstress, and your schedule revolved around that and your father, who believed his little girl was smart enough to one day take over his position as mayor.

They'd often bicker over who you'd take over, it used to make you laugh at their antics.

But now... you weren't sure if they even cared about you.

It's as if you'd been thrown away, like a person on fire ripping the shirt off their back in order to prevent the fire spreading onto their skin, burning them.

When the plague tore throughout the land your village was in the crossfire of it. Your father became stressed, everything the villagers tried failed miserably.

They were up against a faceless foe, swords and shields could not stop it. Nor could an army.

Then...

A miracle came.

Word began to spread that the plague was the result of witches. The Hexenzirkel, a powerful organization created by witches.

To stop the plague meant to kill members of Hexenzirkel. Kill the witches by burning them at the stake.

The rumor said that there were at least a few witches stationed at each village that were infected by the plague.

Fear weakens the ability to think clearly.

And so whoever seemed suspicious, whoever stuck out from the rest, whoever was an anomaly, they were a witch—according to the terrified villagers.

A rumor.

So powerful...

That it ended the lives of hundreds.