Korlin trots amidst the sea of people.
He hunts for any trace of magic he can find. He pokes his head into buildings, trying to see if any magical items are for sale. To his own misfortune, he finds nothing.
-Magic... Magic... Where can I find a mage? Oh! I wonder if there is an adventurers' guild around here... They'd have mages... And I could join and start leveling up...
Eager to find out, he starts searching for someone who would know.
He happens upon a trio of people with animal heads.
One has the head of a duck, one of a bull, and one a frog. Thin capes snake around their necks. Sheathed blades rest on their hips.
-These guys look cool and mysterious. They've got to be adventurers.
He prances over to the three men.
"Yo! Do you guys know if there's an adventurers' guild around here?"
They stop their conversation and turn their attention to the vigorous boy.
"A what?" the one with the duck face asks.
"An adventurers' guild! Like where you can accept commissions for money and all that. You form a party, complete tasks and level up, slowly trying to reach S rank..."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I guess those don't exist, huh... Damn it... There goes that dream..." He ponders what else to ask the beast people. "Are you guys like demi-humans?"
The one with the bull face stiffens.
"What did you call us?" His complexion matches his stern tone.
"You know... like half animal, half human?"
The three of them grimace in ways animals' faces shouldn't.
"I'm not sure who you think you are," Bull Face gets in Korlin's face. "But don't even think of roping us in with those bastard witches' children."
Korlin hadn't anticipated this sort of reaction.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it! I'm not from around here, so I've never seen anyone look like... you guys."
...
-WHAT AM I SAYING?!
"Are you making fun of us?"
The frog is speaking, their voice is hardly deep enough to take seriously. They place their hand on the sheathed weapon.
Korlin's stiffly shakes his head no. He waves his hands side to side.
"Of course not! I was just curious!" He gives them a forceful smile. The group marches forward, clearly, they don't buy his remarks.
"You should learn to watch your tongue, boy."
-Shit shit shit shit shit! I'm about to get jumped, aren't I??
"Uhhh- Sorry!"
All he can think to do is run. So that's what he does. He darts off away from the beast-face people.
"Hey! Get back here!"
The three make chase to the skinny, scampering boy. Korlin races through Auretta's streets, pushing past people and apologizing immediately after. He doesn't stop his sprint.
The pursuers gradually gain their distance. Korlin can't help but carry an animated smile.
-This is awesome!
Korlin escapes into a narrow alley. The buildings' shadows absorb the slim space.
Sprinting through, he whips his head behind him. No one is there.
-I think I've lost th-
Thud
Korlin's body collides with someone, toppling him to the ground.
Fearing it to be one of the beast heads, he anxiously raises his head.
Thankfully, it isn't one of them.
It's an older gentleman.
The man dons an ornate black suit with blue buttons and silver cufflinks. Black leather dress shoes and perfectly tailored pants tower over the fallen boy.
The well-dressed man adjusts his bowtie and clears his throat.
"Are you alright, sir?" He extends a lengthy arm and offers it to the boy.
-NPC encounter!!
"Y-Yeah... Thank you," Korlin grabs the man's ring-bearing hand.
The man lifts the boy eye level and grants him a gentle smile.
"Do not mention it."
The man looks great for his age. His thick, white hair is thrown into a bun, and his eyelashes are fairly long. Hardly any wrinkles appear on his aged face. Kind, hazel eyes stare into the boy's.
"Sorry for running into you, I was just-"
"There you are!"
The bull-faced man stands in the light outside the alley. He signals with his hands to someone and enters the passage. His broad shoulders barely fit in the thin alley.
The duck and frog step into view.
"Hey old guy, do us a favor and pin him down, will ya?"
They snicker amongst themselves.
"Unfortunately," the man steps in front of Korlin, holding his arm out in front of the boy. "I am not obligated to accept your request." The man's words are firm and without hesitation.
"That kid called us part human. I don't know about you, but I personally don't take kindly to being associated with the witch."
The old man's eyes glance at the boy.
"I didn't mean anything bad by it!" Korlin assures, meeting the man's gaze.
The old man studies the boy's face. After a moment, he turns to the group of beast faces. The duck and frog hold thick blades in their palms. The bull cracks its knuckles.
"I ask you sheathe your metal. I wouldn't want to harm any of you."
Bull Face is impatient. He snaps his fingers.
Instantly, the duck's arm launches its curved blade from over the bull's shoulder. The blade zips through the air, rapidly rotating like a circular saw.
Korlin ducks and covers his head with his arms.
The old man doesn't move in the slightest. The weapon whizzes past his unfazed head. And then, as if a boomerang, the blade arches its path back towards the boy.
Unable to react, Korlin braces for the blade's impact.
Tink
The blade's sound suddenly comes to a cease.
The boy slowly opens his eyes. The blade's tip is particles away from his face, staring at him. The woven grip of the weapon is grasped in the old man's palm.
He caught the blade.
With a deep grunt, Frog Face rockets a small knife towards the old man's head. In an instant, the man drops the curved weapon and deflects the miniature blade with nothing but his fingers. The dagger veers off and sprays sparks across the walls.
Without a second's delay, the man raises his other hand to the fiends and furrows his brows. From his firm palms, a brilliant blue glow emits. Instantly, the light solidifies into a thick orb of water. Then, as if firing a gun, the sphere morphs into a surge of boiling water. The stream splits off into three separate paths, jetting into each of the fiends' faces.
Their cries of agony echo through the alleyway. Steam hovers above each of their hand-covered heads. They throw their bodies against the walls, unable to keep themselves upright. They each trip over themselves, desperately trying to flee the narrow. Blood leaks from where the streams hit; they had even pierced skin, staining their scales and fur.
Eventually, the beast-faces stumble out of the alley with their pride in shambles.
Korlin had barely managed to get a glimpse of the attack, but what he did see thrills him to no end. His mouth is agape, and he's forgotten he was almost just killed.
"Are you alright, sir?" The man once again offers Korlin his hand.
"That was amazing!" Korlin accepts his hand and springs himself upward. "That was magic, right!? How did you do that!?"
The old man relaxes his image.
"Have you not seen a blessing in action before?"
"A blessing..." Korlin enters a state of wonder. "No, what is a blessing? It's magic, right?!"
The old man scratches the back of his neck, unsure of how to answer the boy's question.
"Put simply, blessings are temporary abilities granted to an individual."
"Temporary...? How do you get blessings?"
"Well... one can either bless themselves with an incantation or have someone else apply them. Some objects can also be used to grant blessings, though they are less common... Blessings are temporary in the sense that depending on your person, the blessing's effect will either last longer or shorter. How long it lasts can also depend on the strength of the incantation... Does that... answer your question?"
Korlin's face has never beamed brighter. He looks like he could faint at any second.
"Yes. Yes, it does..."
The old man cedes him another smile.
"Well then, I should be off."
"Wait- Thank you for saving me! Also, how do I get an incantation!?"
"Boy," the man speaks firmly. "Please, do not go around dubbing people Witch Spawn. While some wouldn't pay it mind, others take grave offense to the claim. Do be careful."
"What is a Witch Spawn anyway?"
"...You don't even know what they are and yet you call someone one?" The man is strained with disappointment.
"No... And I asked if they were part human! Not Witch Spawns! Are humans... called Witch Spawns?"
"You... really don't know... do you?" The man studies Korlin's face. He can't detect a lie. "In brief, while some may consider it a folktale, it is fact that there are three witches. The other two witches are praised and loved by the world, while the one relating to Witch Spawns is despised."
"Despised...?"
The man looks down at his ring.
"The Witch of Death... said to be the end-bringer of all life. It is said she kills as she pleases, taking the lives of loved ones without reason... But, if such a being truly does exist... I wonder why we don't pray for its mercy."
The boy bathes with intrigue and an inkling of fear.
"What does that have to do with humans?"
"Humans, or Witch Spawns... are said to be made of the witch. Some say she uses the lives of those she cuts short to sculpt her own life. That being Witch Spawns."
"..."
"Of course, that is merely a rumor. Still, over time, people have come to discriminate against their kind, even though... most are unable to recognize one. To me, it feels more like an excuse to blame someone, rather than nature for death... Mindless hatred."
"Do you... hate Witch Spawns?"
"I hold no grudge against them. There is no proof they are taken souls. And even if they are, they wouldn't know it. Their birth is no more a crime than any other creature."
"You're so cool..." It slips out of his mouth. He shakes it off, "Sorry, about the ble-"
"Apologies, I must be going. I need return to my lord's candidate. It has been well chatting with you, Witch Spawn."
The well-dressed man walks toward the light of town.
-So, he knew...
"Wait! I didn't even catch your name!" The man's advance does not waver. "Or how to get magic..."
Defeated, he sinks his head.
-That guy was so cool and mysterious...
After processing everything, he claps his hands together. And, in a state of bliss, he sets off to gain more information.
Walking back into the streets, the sun is swallowed behind gray clouds.
-How am I supposed to know when noon is now? I've got to tell Sirius about the witch. This lore is insane!!
He decides to head back to find Sirius. There is only one slight problem...
He's lost.
*****
Sirius waits where the two departed, scribbling sketches of items he had seen in the market. He jots down the prices of each object beneath its image.
He sits on the edge of a wall carved out by a tall stairwell; his feet dangle over people walking underneath. His back rests against a stocky bush, small white flowers poking out into the world. The flowers here are strange, intricate, and yet still clearly a flower... They also smell nice.
shff shff
The sound of feet shuffling across stone.
"I found you..." a voice moans.
"I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure it's past noon."
Korlin drags his feet and collapses next to Sirius.
"Yeah, yeah, I got lost. Anyways, what's all that?"
"Journals. I picked them up at a bookstore. Here, I got you one too," Sirius hands Korlin his light blue book. The boy gladly accepts and starts flipping through.
"What about that thing? Is that like a bear claw or something?"
"It's one of those claws I told you about. It basically acts like a pen," Sirius showcases the claw by drawing a line.
"Woah! That's awesome!"
"It is pretty cool... Much better than your feather covered in shi-"
"Yeah, you don't have to keep bringing that up."
They share a chuckle together. "Man, I've never had this much fun learning before."
-He's right. I think I'm... having fun. For the first time in a long time, life isn't so dull...
"Yeah..." Sirius smiles faintly.
"If school was like this, I would've actually gone." Korlin stares up toward the gray sky.
"You didn't go to school?"
"Huh? Oh... I just didn't see the point in it anymore... So, I stopped going."
"What about your parents?" A hint of envy laces the words.
"My parents... They stopped caring about me a long time ago." While still retaining a smile, his eyes sadden. "I could do whatever I wanted... and yet..."
...
"...You alright?"
Korlin shakes his head as if waking from a trance. His enthusiasm reawakens as he claps his hands together.
"Ah, I'll tell you another time, it's nothing interesting really."
Sirius plays along.
"Alright... did you see any magic?"
The flickering candle lights ablaze.
"Yes!! I saw magic! Like even more real magic!" Korlin waves his hands around, trying to act out the story. "There was this old guy, and I almost died, but he was all like woosh and bam water splashed all over the duck."
"...Right, so maybe in a language I can understand this time?"
Korlin laughs and tells Sirius his story.
...
"The Witch of Death..." Sirius ponders. "Do you think the man who gave us the watches knows anything?"
"Oh, the Timekeeper? Probably, if we see him again, let's ask him."
"Timekeeper...?"
"Had to call him something... I think it fits well."
"Yeah... Sure... Anyway, I doubt we could find him even if we tried. This town is massive-"
"There he is!"
-No way.
Following the tip of Korlin's finger, Sirius spots the slightly hunched man in the distance.
The man is shuffling around on the other side of the trading hub. Korlin swings his legs over the edge and leaps off the wall.
"Let's go ask him!" Korlin prances off.
Sirius packs away his journal and mimics the boy's movements. They jog past a herd of manfis that look identical to Gary. The animal, Gary, that is.
They approach the man from behind.
"Hey there, old-timer!" Korlin slaps his hand down onto the man's shoulder.
"Ow..." The senior hunches over even more. Korlin instantly withdraws his hand.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"No, that's quite alright, I won't break so easily." The Timekeeper gives them a hearty smile. "You two seem to be doing well. How are you handling everything?"
"I think we're getting the hang of it," Sirius replies. "Just kind of exploring the town and learning some things. What are you up to?"
"I was just on my way home. But originally, I was searching for the two of you."
"For us? Why?"
He examines Sirius's face. It seems a bit brighter than before.
"Hmm, perhaps it's best not to tell you yet..." the man mutters to himself.
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing, I must be going... I can't be out past dusk."
"Wait, Timekeeper," Korlin blurts out.
"Timekeeper...?" The title disorients the man.
"Sorry, that's just what I figured to call you. What should I call you?"
The elder bellows a deep chuckle.
"Timekeeper is just fine."
Korlin smiles proudly.
"Anyways, we wanted to ask you something. Do you know anything about the Witch? Everyone we run into calls us Witch Spawns, and you called us that when we first woke up. So you have to know something, right?"
Timekeeper nods his head; he's been expecting this.
"All I can tell you is that she's the one who brought you to this world. I merely found you."
"You know, for a cool and mysterious old guy, you're not very wise..." Korlin seems genuinely disappointed.
"How did you know where we would wake up?" Sirius questions. "When I found you last, you were already waiting for him to wake up."
"I've been doing this a long time, boy. That witch loves to place humans in areas with lots of people. And I'm not sure why, but she seems to have a thing for dirt."
"You know, that was a really vague answer... And he woke up in an empty park..."
"Apologies, I really don't know much about the witch." He lowers his head and mutters to himself, "I could never reach her..."
"Then tell us this," Sirius locks eyes with the man. "What does this count down towards?"
Sirius displays his ticking watch to the man.
Timekeeper looks hesitant.
"Are you... sure you wish to know?"
Sirius looks to Korlin, who nods readily. Sirius faces the Timekeeper and nods.
The man closes his eyes and he takes a deep breath.
He straightens his posture with newfound resolve.
The Timekeeper's eyes meet the anxious boys...
...
The world seems to stop as he utters the words.
...
"Your memories."