Chapter Text
“witch!”
“wretched thing!”
“off with her head!”
“she’s gonna be the end of us!”
for a kid who holds no power against the world, such words could only be welcomed without any fight to behold. judgment and accusations were fallen upon her by the people at the village, akin like a scapegoat for every misfortune that lands on the small community. what was it that caused such a girl to be cursed like that? one would think she has done an unimaginable treason, a massacre perhaps. yet mankind was never a pack of beings with love.
they hate, they curse, at what they deem as different from normalcy. the slightest difference would often cost someone their life. unproven accusations are thrown at the scapegoats, yet others will believe in those lies. as far as it satisfy the twisted needs within tĥem to watch another suffer to make themselves feel better.
“thank god she wasn’t my daughter!”
“i wouldn’t even think of taking care of her!”
“all witches should burn!”
“they don’t deserve to live!”
it would have been easier if she was brave enough to take her own life. unfortunately, being in the hands of thanatos has yet to be something the girl desires. instead of a pitiful death, she chose to lead a pitiful life instead in hopes of getting out of the small town one day and work somewhere instead in the city. her pathetic little hope, alongside the torture she must endure were not left unnoticed by the god.
… is it a god, or a witch?
she doesn’t know his name, but it didn’t take her long to notice a boy— around her age if she must assume— whenever the villagers begin their daily torture on the feeble scapegoat, he would only watch. his mouth does not open to spout things that should be inadequate for a girl to hear, nor does it open to give out words contradicting another accusation of the day. he looked at her… in a gaze she feels familiar with, yet seldom sees.
it’s pity, she noted. the slightest frown and the way his lips twitched down gave her enough signals. enough for her to not hope for anything that she never would dare to.
it is close to tax day, where the villagers must pay taxes to the nobles in order to continue to live there. there could never be a day better than today for god to cast their misfortune upon the oppresseds. “you witch! you must have done this!” a man yelled, pointing his rusty finger at her. “godness! isn't it enough that she still continues to live among us?!” another spoke, causing more and more people to roar their train of thoughts to the air,
she could only watch and listen cowardly as blame was put upon her once more.
“it wasn’t her!” a kid went through the sea of people, standing in front of her, “she didn’t break anything!” he spoke once more, an arm extended in front of her as if he was shielding her. “it’s the boys there!” he shouted, eyes moving towards a group of boys whose age wasn’t far off from him. “they broke it!”
he has always been rather peculiar among his peers, though all witches are… far from what would be deemed as normal in society. magic, spells, contracts… none which humans possess. none which humans could take over. witches and humans have never had a good relationship. one hunts, one stills akin to a prey before striking.
men have never bore a chance against witches. with their feeble lives, body that does not possess any kind of regeneration nor strength enhancement, and their minds, they barely could fight one before they meet their ends in a witch’s hands.
witches themselves never bother to blend with humans. although their physical appearances share the same features, there are distinct differences. witches are never fond of humans— at least most of them. phainon khaslana is not one of them.
watching from afar, most often sat up on a tree branch while munching on a pastry made by his friend— mydeimos, he watches. it isn’t hard for witches to actually blend into human society; as long as they don’t show any magic (either that, or let witnesses live to tell the tale), and phainon is good at keeping himself at bay.
along with bubbles— a little chimera that is in a contract with him, he watches how the human society operates in a day. he could go anywhere he wants; the downtown, uppertown, or a secluded village in the woods. anywhere, and everywhere to his heart’s content. it just so happens today he chose a rather reclusive village.
with a half eaten apple pie, and a tree that is tall enough for him to sit on, he watches the buzzling live of the villagers. some farm, some make what their hands could— trinkets, ornaments, candles. whatever it is that makes enough money for them to live the next day and so on. it was a peaceful view until a yell shattered the fragile moment.
“you stole my tomatoes!” an elderly woman yelled, “look at the mess you’ve done!” a wooden door has splotches of red, while on the ground lays the messy and thrown tomatoes. “screw you! can’t you just disappear?! why do you keep bringing mishap to the village?!” the girl only cowards in fear, as eyes start to gather to look at her with judgmental gazes. “it— it wasn’t me! i swear!” yet no one believes her. instead, they continue to belittle her.
that day, the witch goes home in a daze.
“humans are like that, hks.” all of them? he could only frown upon hearing his companion’s reply after he told the story of the unfortunate girl. “how come you never realize that?” mydei spoke— asked, but rather accusingly for the lack of words. “de! don’t be like that to snowy!” another figure spoke out, “but, well… de isn’t exactly wrong either, snowy.” a girl in red, with strands of her hair braided said.
“is that not the reason why we don’t meddle well with humans?” a sophisticated figure said, saying it without much emotion etched on her words. a woman with golden hair, eyes akin to a painting of splotches of blue and yellow that one couldn’t quite decipher. “they’re barbarians. one eccentricity, and you’re deemed unfit to be treated with kindship.” she picks up a cup of tea, sipping it after throwing a coin of her thought to the table.
“you watch them a lot, don’t you?” another stumbled in, “have you never seen them act like that before? or do your eyes only capture what seems to be the good side of humans?” his lips formed into a slight pout, “but that was.., different! they just grouped up on her like that without asking if anybody else did it!”
“well i doubt they will tell the truth, phainon. that’s just how they are.”
“there isn’t much you can do for her. you’re better off casting your eyes away, and be ignorant of what is happening.” but that isn’t what he wants. he can’t just sit still and watch her being treated unjustly. a single look at his silence, and his companions know he will do the exact opposite. that’s just how he is, unfortunately.
“... whatever is on your mind, you better don’t act hastily.”
“uh oh… snowy got something on his mind!”
“hks.”
“keep in mind that they most likely would not welcome your presence.”
“phainon…!”
the words that spill from his mouth as an answer to their concerns and warnings made their jaws drop (imaginatively).
“then i just have to not be a witch, right?”