The body lay broken, its limbs twisted at unnatural angles, its flesh torn and punctured by what could only be described as wooden spikes that had erupted from the earth itself. Sebastian knelt beside it, his yellow eyes scanning the wounds. The wooden vines were still visible, some of them slowly receding back into the soil, as if they were living things retreating from the light.
Sebastian raised his hand, and flame danced across his palm. He touched it to the retreating vines, and they withered instantly, curling into ash and cinder.
"A leshen," Sebastian said calmly. "Has to be."
Dandelion's face went pale. "Oh, not those..."
Sebastian nodded slowly, with a grim expression. "Yeah, you might want to go back. If it attacks this close to the village, it means this is part of its territory as well."
Zoltan's hand tightened on his axe. "So we have one fucked up monster on top of a curse..."
Sebastian shook his head slowly. "Not quite."
Zoltan's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Sebastian rose, brushing the dirt from his knees. His eyes were fixed on the distant treeline.
"I believe the leshen is the source of the curse," Sebastian said. "The crows on top of Estrid's house were a sign of that. I think it marked the village as its own territory and it marks individuals. The leshen is the source of all this misfortune."
"So if you kill it, all will be well?" Zoltan asked.
Dandelion's face lit up with relief. "Brilliant! Then we'll be on our way to Vizima. Oh, how I've missed the streets of.."
Sebastian cut him off. "I'm afraid it won't be that simple."
Dandelion's face fell. "What do you mean?"
Sebastian's voice was low, "Once leshens mark someone, they mark the land itself. Killing it will only do so temporarily. It will regenerate, as long as the marked person is alive, and even if you kill the marked person, the leshen will still be alive, if anything you are just making it more powerful and angry."
Zoltan and Dandelion exchanged glances, the color draining from their faces.
"Oh no," Dandelion breathed. "Since the crows were on top of that lass's house..."
Sebastian nodded slowly. "Yeah. Either she or her family members are marked. In any case, it's a shit situation for them."
Dandelion's voice was anguished. "No... why does it always have to be the innocent ones?"
Sebastian's expression was unreadable. "I'll try to help. We're deep in this anyway. Better go and make sure if Estrid is the one marked or someone else, so I'll know what to do."
He raised his hand, and a burst of flame erupted from his palm, consuming the body in a pillar of white-hot fire. The flames crackled and roared, and within moments, nothing remained but ash and the lingering scent of smoke.
Then he turned and walked back toward the village.
The village square was alive with activity when they returned. Villagers had emerged from their homes, their faces filled with curiosity and wariness. They had heard the scream, of course, everyone had heard the scream, but they seemed to have convinced themselves that everything was under control. The elder must have spread word that all was well.
Zoltan's voice was low. "That elder must have reassured them that everything is okay. Did they not hear the scream of that boy just now?!"
Sebastian's eyes swept the square, taking in the faces. "So it seems, or they just got used to this... possibly not the first time someone dies there." he said quietly.
And then he saw them, the crows.
They were still there, perched on the roof of Estrid's house, their black forms silhouetted against the grey sky. They had not moved and they had not left.
Sebastian's jaw tightened. "Yeah. It's absolutely marked.. I don't need any more confirmation. Though I have to make sure if she is the one or not."
He walked toward the house, his companions falling into step behind him. He knocked on the door, his fist hammering against the wood.
Dandelion's voice was low, wary. "I don't think that father of hers will be cooperative with us."
Sebastian's expression did not change. "I know what to say to him."
Zoltan laughed mischievously. "Ohohoho, I see where this is going."
The door opened a crack, and the face of Estrid's father appeared in the gap. He was an old man, his face weathered and suspicious, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of the witcher and his companions.
"Bloody hell!" the old man spat. "What in the name of.."
He tried to close the door, but Sebastian's hand shot out, his palm slamming against the wood with enough force to stop it in its tracks. The old man's eyes widened, his face flushing with anger.
"Begone!" he screamed. "We have no business with ye!"
Sebastian's voice was calm, "Calm down. We are trying to help here, we talked with the village elder, and he said that the village is plagued with a curse by a witch, one that you guys got rid of, but it kept going."
The old man's expression shifted. The suspicion faded, he was simple, uneducated, easily swayed by the words of those he trusted, in this case, someone the elder trusted.
"The elder did?" the old man said slowly. "Course he did." He glanced behind him, his eyes checking that his daughter was not in hearing range. "Aye, Master Witcher. 'Tis true. Killing the witch only made it worse.. The place got even worse."
Dandelion and Zoltan exchanged glances. Their expressions were carefully neutral, but Sebastian could see the anger burning in their eyes. This man had just confirmed that he had participated in killing Marian.
Sebastian's voice remained calm. "I can help. But I believe that this place is really cursed by a very powerful evil charm. Every house in this village is, I can expel the wraiths that plague this place, but you need to step outside of the house. Only one person needs to remain inside, your daughter, for example, if you value her life more than yours, I can start with her."
The old man's brow furrowed. "If the elder desires so... I can only agree to his words."
He stepped out of the house, calling for his wife to follow. They stood in the square, their faces wary, their hands clasped nervously.
The old man's voice was uncertain. "Master Witcher, can ye explain to me why only my Estrid needs to stay there?"
Sebastian's expression was unreadable. "Witcher stuff. Hard to explain, but I need one family member to remain in the household for the job."
The old man nodded slowly. "Aye..."
Dandelion leaned toward Zoltan, his voice a whisper. "What a simpleton."
Zoltan's voice was equally low. "I can't believe how easily.."
Sebastian stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him.
The interior of the house was dark and quiet, the only light coming from a small fire that flickered in the hearth. Estrid lay on a narrow bed near the corner, her face peaceful, her breathing slow and even. She was asleep, unaware.
Sebastian stood in the center of the room, his eyes closed, his senses reaching out. He did not need to see the crows, he could still hear them, their harsh caws cutting through the stillness of the village. They were still there, on the roof.
He sighed.
"Of course," Sebastian said quietly. "Malevolent monsters always target the innocent to torment the guilty.. She is the marked one. And to the eyes of the villagers, she is the 'new witch.'"
He looked at Estrid, her face peaceful in sleep. She was innocent, caught in a web of superstition and dark magic that she had never asked to be part of.
Sebastian turned and walked toward the door. His hand rested on the handle, but he paused, his voice low and determined.
"The way to kill this leshen will be hard," Sebastian said to himself. "It seems very ancient and very powerful magically... thanks to these idiotic people. They already killed a marked one, which made it even more hostile and powerful. But I will try to save you without you dying. Of that I promise you."
He stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him.
Dandelion and Zoltan were waiting, their faces had that same grim expression, they had seen the crows still on the roof. And based on what Sebastian explained to them, they knew what it meant.
Estrid's father stepped forward, his face anxious. "So, Master Witcher, did ye perform your exorcism?"
Sebastian ignored him. His eyes met Dandelion's, then Zoltan's.
Dandelion's voice was quiet, serious. "You're going to save her, right?"
Sebastian's expression was unreadable. "I'll try."
/-\
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