Burn the Witch - Castlevania

Chapter three - The castle in the woods

About a week had passed since Adelaida had seen the mysterious stranger. She never saw him again at the lake side, and never again in the city - it was like he had completely vanished. Adelaida mourned the loss of her new found 'friend ', her mind wandering as to where he may be and what he was doing - perhaps he was in the 'castle in the woods ' he spoke of. In the end, she was unsure, sad to have not seen him in so long. She knew that people like that were rare in a time like this, and that the chance of her seeing him ever again was basically zero, but she would cherish those memories of a stranger protecting her forever. How could she forget those eyes? So mournful and yet so hauntingly beautiful - she would even see them in her dreams. Sometimes she even felt him standing there by her at the lake but, when she turned no-one was ever there. Adelaida wished she hadn't become as mentally attached to the stranger but, she just couldn't help herself. She knew he would haunt her forever. Some days she would think of seeking out the castle he spoke of, but every time she tried to venture into the woods to find it, she saw nothing. Adelaida wanted to believe that the man didn't lie to her but, her eyes told her that perhaps he did, perhaps giving her false hope as to let her feel better - she wasn't sure. She just hoped that if one day like he said if she was ever in 'true danger' she could find him there. 

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"Witch! Catch the witch!" 

Screams from the inner city followed Adelaida as she ran as her life depended on it, passing underneath the city's gates once more and into the forest, her eyes wide and wild as a mob of at least 20 people chased her down with torches and swords. The girl was unsure what had pushed the town over the line, but after her 7th consecutive day of stealing food, she was sure that was enough to make the people wish for her head. She had been reckless this week, stealing from the same place more than once and walking more in the open - everything had lead to this very moment. Adelaida had always known that sooner or later the group of people chasing her would become more than she could handle and that the cries for her death would become louder - but she hadn't thought it would happen anytime soon. It was early evening when they began to take chase, Adelaida having just stole more food to eat - it seemed this time the whole city had just had enough. Calls for her burning sounded into the night as she was chased the length of the city, always having a slight upper hand due to her knowledge of back streets and alleyway, but in the forest, it was a different game. 

Unsure of where to turn, she stood at a crossroads - go to the part of the forest she knew or go deeper. Of course, going deeper could get her lost and she could easily die of exposure, but going the way she knew could lead others to her safe haven if they truly did continue to give chase, and thus, she chose to go deeper to perhaps escape the persecution of the law. As she ran, grey hair flying in the night wind, memories of her life flooded past her. Her mother, her siblings, the hate from the locals, the man by the lake. She couldn't help but feel a tear run down her face as she recalled her unfortunate life, the sound of people screaming to have her killed following close behind. She never once thought her life would come to such sadness. 

Running and ready to collapse, a large structure suddenly came into sight that almost made her stop in her tracks - a castle. 'The castle in the woods '. It was real. The structure was large unlike anything she'd ever seen, her eyes gazing up in awe at the sheer size of the place. It looked old, much older than anything she had seen in her life, and it almost looked as if it was... misplaced. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it seemed wrong that it was in the woods in such a way - but regardless, there was no more time for thinking. She could ponder the castle later, but for now, she had to get inside. He was in there. He could help her. 

Basically throwing herself at the horrifically large front doors, they flew open into a large foyer, Adelaida taking but a moment to observe the sheer size and beauty of the place. She couldn't believe a place like this existed in the woods, basically open for anyone to walk into. It was simply break taking, but before she could think anymore, she hid behind a large pillar, gripping her hand over her mouth as to not make a sound. Mere seconds later the mob entered, they too having a very similar reaction as Adelaida at first before they began screaming and shouting for Adelaida to show herself, the young woman shaking hysterically at the thought she would die here. She began to very quickly give up hope that the stranger from before was here, or that he could possibly help her in such a dire situation, she had accepted her death. Until, she heard it. 

"Who? Who enters now ?" 

Unlike before, his voice rung like thunder in the large room, the crowd all turning to look at the man who had emerged at the top of the staircase. Adelaida stared on in horror from her hiding spot that he was very clearly ready to take on so many people at once. She was unsure how he could manage such a thing, or how he was so willing to do so without question - but she couldn't complain. Regardless, she worried for the strangers safety. His face was like stone as he looked out to the crowd who seemed just as shocked as she, and with a swift movement of his arm, he unsheathed a sword.

"You should know by now that visitors aren't welcome! How many more of you do I have to kill before you finally learn? Or do you think you're better  than the last that came?" In seconds, the man had went from the top of the staircase to being in the center of the mob, swiping his sword in a large motion as he took out several people at once, all in a flash of red light - Adelaida had never seen something like that before. One by one, he moved swiftly, in almost a dancing pattern, taking out each person one by one in flurries of light and slashes. Before long, everyone who had hunted Adelaida was dead - but even so, the stranger still stalked the hall with a look of pure malice on his face - she wondered what or who he looking for, but she very quickly realised that it was her. 

"One more left. Where are you hiding?" The voice of the man she had came to for protection, for the first time, was frightening her. Her body shaking as she attempted to use her voice as to flag him down and tell him it was only her, but she knew she could never use her voice whilst so frightened. And as suspected, a mere whimper left her lips, which instead of calling the man to who she was, more so seemed to tick off his natural instincts that an 'enemy' was nearby.

"There," In a flash of light, Adelaida felt a weight throw her back against the back wall, her body slamming hard into the concrete, the man who was just across the room now pinning her to the wall with what felt like the strength of ten men. His face was strained with anger, his face close to her neck as he breathed his final words upon her. "Found you." 

The moment the words had left his mouth, the stranger suddenly looked shocked, stepping back from Adelaida as she slowly sunk down to her knees, holding her chest as she breathed heavily. She had thought at first that he had frightened her so badly that she was having a heart attack, but that thought very quickly subsided. Her mind reeled as the stranger now, for once, continued to look genuinely concerned for her, his sword clanking to the floor as he let it go, the sound awakening Adelaida from her trance like state of fear.

"Oh, I-... Sorry, I was caught up in-... Never mind that, are you okay?" Coming down to the level of Adelaida and putting his hand out to her, she slowly reached forth as to take it, but suddenly retracted on feeling how deathly cold he was, her eyes flashing up to him in concern for a moment before remembering what she had just seen. She assumed that for whatever he was, this must've been normal. Adelaida could only offer the man a nod as she once more took his hand, the gentleman helping her stand as she suddenly swayed and feel back into his arms, the man simply sighing in concern for her. He knew that at this point talking was useless as she was weak and he'd clearly scared her beyond speaking - thus, he simply helped her walk, moving with her forwards into the castle, his golden eyes watching her with intent as they moved.