Chapter 3:
The Manic Mage and the Would-Be Demon Lord
Just as that crazy Agnar directed, there was indeed a village on the other side of the trees from the ruins. There were remnants of what was once a path leading to it from the shrine, but the years of disrepair had allowed nature to start to reclaim it, too. It was obvious that I was the only one who had walked down this path in a very long time. I was starting to get nervous about the truth of his words until the trees started to thin. The village that drifted into place was clearly still very much full of life.
I let go of the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. I could see the dark figures moving about and the sounds and smells of the village slowly wafted towards me the closer I moved towards it. My heart was thumping in my chest. The fatigue and pain I felt before were briefly forgotten. I almost ran to close the rest of the distance (but my throat and feet protested against it, so I just had to settle for a brisk walking pace instead).
I paused a few hundred feet off to rest my hands against my knees and catch my breath. I already looked a mess, I didn’t need them to think I was creepier by approaching while panting. When I straightened up, I gave myself a quick pat down, knocking any leaves and twigs that stuck to me free. I ran a hand through my hair and instantly caught on tangles. I cursed under my breath as I used my fingers to deftly undo them without yanking out too many of the red strands. When I looked as presentable as I could at the moment, I finally closed the remaining gap between myself and the village.
The villagers spotted me pretty quickly. They started to gather together on the nearest side of the village, watching me as I approached. It was actually pretty creepy to see them just standing there waiting and staring, some of them still wielding farming tools and other dangerous-looking equipment. I slowed as I got into earshot of them and came to a halt when I could speak to them without screaming (my throat couldn’t have handled a shouting match right now).
“H-hey…” My voice trailed off. The hardened looks on their faces made me squirm beneath their gazes. They were glaring at me with sharp, pointed stares. I hoped they didn’t try to attack me right off; they looked about to lunge from any sudden movement. At least let me say something first!
One of the men passed the pitchfork he was holding to another man and whispered something. The second man solemnly nodded, but he didn’t look happy about whatever they discussed. Still, he accepted the pitchfork and remained where he was. The first man took a few steps forward, arms upraised.
“Greetings! I’m sorry if we startled you! We don’t get visitors much around these parts, especially coming from the forest.” His voice was calm and gentle, but his jaw was taut. The faux friendliness he was oozing out made me actually angry. I felt that fire inside of me burning, but I pushed it back down. For now, I had to play nice. I wanted to at least get some information, and hopefully food and water, too. Maybe I could even push it as far as a bath.
“It’s alright,” I assured him, “I’ve taken quite a few tumbles getting here. I must look quite a fright. I’m lost and not sure where I am or where I’m going. I just want to get a proper rest and meal, maybe wash up, too?”
The man looked me up and down, taking me all in. “Hm, you do look like you’ve been through quite an ordeal. Well, for now, come in. Let us hear your tale while you eat. You can wash up while we prepare a meal for you.”
I giddily skipped over to the older man. He put his hand on my shoulder and guided me towards the village. The other villagers gathered to watch me parted as we neared, still staring with wide eyes even as we passed them. I tried not to overtly roll my eyes. So sorry for the disturbance, you weirdos.
At least the hospitality was decent. I was led to a rather large building that appeared to be an inn (which was strange considering they weren’t used to travelers). I was ushered into a room that was right out of a fantasy novel- the cliches of a large bed, an end table, and even a basin. There was no actual bath or shower, but I had a rag, soap, and water. It wasn’t ideal, but I was able to wash without too much hassle. They left me with a change of clothing: a simple tan tunic and a brown belt. I found an ivory comb beside it and was able to use it to get rid of most of my tangles. They even left me a ribbon to tie my hair back with. I was grateful to pull it back while it dried.
I was feeling pretty refreshed by the time there was a quiet rapping on the door. I quickly answered it to find a young girl outside, her head bowed with averted eyes. Gee, I could feel the love just pouring out of her. I tried not to scoff.
“We have a meal ready for you, dear traveler,” she barely managed to squeak out. She squeezed her hands together as she spoke. Then she hurriedly moved away from the door to allow me to exit.
“…thanks.”
Guess she wasn’t the friendly type, at least not with me. Was she that wary of strangers, or was there something more to it? I started to ponder it, but the painful growl in my stomach quickly chased the thought away. Whatever, she was still leading me to food. That was enough for me.
She kept her distance from me but at least led me to the dining hall downstairs. She scurried away with a murmured “good day” almost instantly as we entered. Such welcoming hospitality. I hoped that was the last I’d see of her.
At least I saw a familiar face. The man who first greeted me was seated at a table in the center of the room. Before I even saw the food spread before him, I smelled it. My mouth watered from the delicious scents wafting towards me. I quickly hurried over to the table and took it all in. It was filled to the brim with bread, meats, and cheeses. There was even a bowl of fruits that looked similar to apples and grapes. A bowl of some sort of soup was placed just off to the side of the empty plate. I could still see the steam dancing off of it.
I sat down in front of my host and caught sight of a large wooden mug. I snatched it up before he could even get a word in. I gave it a quick whiff to confirm it was what I thought it was, and then I gulped the fresh water down. I drained the mug before I set it down, my throat grateful for some moisture. Damn, I needed that.
My host chuckled softly. “It seems you are very thirsty. Let me get you a refill.”
He raised his hand and waved someone over. I didn’t pay much attention to the man who ran over, but I was grateful they refilled the mug so quickly from a pitcher. I took another deep gulp before starting into the food. He refilled the mug again to the brim while I partook of the feast.
“Please eat while I give you a brief introduction to our village. My name is Ethan, and I am the current village head. It is my job to welcome those to our village and learn their stories. I’m sure you noticed that everyone here is a little on edge. I apologize for our behavior.”
I swallowed a bite of food and nodded. “Yeah, sure, I get it. I’m the stranger here.”
He gave me a reassuring smile. It looked authentic this time. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.
“You see, this village lies on the precipice near a great evil. We are a sort of guardian, meant to guide the hero to defeat the Demon Lord. It only happens every few centuries, but it is a terrifying ordeal.”
I blinked at him. My mouth was full, but I managed out a couple words. “Hero? Demon Lord?”
He didn’t seem phased by my lack of etiquette. “Yes, a great magic hero will be summoned from another world to fight him. The Mage, if you would. The telltale sign is the fiery mane that dons their head.”
I swallowed again and almost gagged. “F-fiery mane? Like red hair?”
“Yes, just like yours. May I ask where you came from?”
“Ur….”
I wasn't sure what to tell him. Was this another world? Honestly, it made the most sense with all things considered. This place looked nothing like I'd ever seen, and the lack of technology and plumbing just drove it home. If this was another world, things started to click together. But there were still tons of variables I didn't understand. How did I come here and why did I wake up in some random ruin? If I was this so-called hero, why wasn't the shrine kept up? And if they had recognized me from my hair almost immediately, why did they act so scared of me? Generally, heroes were the good guys in stories, especially if I was to face a Demon Lord.
I frowned. “I'm not really sure, but I know this village, this place, is not my home. I woke up in some dilapidated ruins.”
The smile on Ethan's face faltered for a moment. There was definitely something more going on here. What was I missing? I knew he was holding something back. I somehow felt that he wasn’t going to be willing to tell me everything either.
I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back in my chair. “Can you explain to me what's going on? Tell me all about this legend and this supposed ‘hero.’ Things aren't adding up for me.”
He winced. “I-I’m sorry, this is a very difficult situation for us. The Mage awakens with insurmountable power, but they never learn to control it. In the end, it consumes the Mage as well as many lives from our village. Though the Demon Lord is always safely sealed away, it is still a disaster. None of us want to sacrifice ourselves for this pointless battle.”
I shot him a glare. “Great, so I'll die in the end? And what about the Demon Lord? Only sealed and not defeated?”
He gravely shook his head. “No, the Demon Lord is essentially immortal. We've prayed for his demise, but our prayers are never answered. In all the thousands of years this never-ending battle has continued, not once has the Demon Lord fallen. And the seal is always temporary, though it should still be in place. The timing of your appearance is a bit earlier than expected…”
“What does this Demon Lord look like anyways? And where is he sealed?”
“He's a cheeky man with purple hair and horns. Magical tattoos run up and down his body. He should be sealed in a shrine on the other side of the forest.”
Well, I didn't recall any tattoos on Agnar, but the rest of the description matched. So, if he was this Demon Lord they were so afraid of, then I was about to ruin their day. It made me feel a bit giddy. Maybe I really was a villain.
“Oh, if you are talking about Agnar, I already met him. Seems like an uncouth weirdo. No tattoos though.”
Ethan's face paled. I heard panicked whispers rise up around us. Yup, he was their guy alright. But what happened to his tattoos then?
“H-How can this be? It's far too early! What is happening?” One of the others gathered in the room let out a shout. Other voices echoed his concern.
Ethan stood up and raised his arms high above his head. “Now, now, I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation. Perhaps Miss Mage here can help us understand-”
It was too late though; the room erupted in a panic. The villagers shouted and cried out, demanding answers. I watched them for a moment before returning to my meal. After all, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. It was best I kept my mouth shut. Nothing I could say could do anything but add to the confusion.
Suddenly, one of the villagers grabbed my arm. He was a big burly guy with thick facial hair. He shouted in my face. “What the hell is going on, Mage!?”
I growled and tried to pull away. His grip was ridiculously strong. “How the hell should I know!? This is your world!”
“Don't lie! You know exactly why you're here! I'm onto you, Missy!”
“Let me go, you freaking oaf!”
As I snapped back, I felt the burning rage inside of me rising. This time though, I didn't hold it back. I was tired of these weirdos treating me like I was the strange one here. I let my anger out with a wild scream and it took form. A ball of fire burst from my hand, singing the man holding me and the table behind him. He cried out and stumbled back, gingerly blowing on his burnt fingers.
“Mage, you-”
Before he could say anymore, I flung out my hand and another ball of fire flew free. It scorched the floor just before his feet. Man, this was pretty fun. Maybe being the Mage wouldn’t be so bad after all (though the part about dying wasn’t great).
“Enough!” I shouted. “Just shut the hell up and settle down! You can't figure anything out while panicking! You’re just gonna give me a headache!”
I was seething; I could literally feel the heat emanating off my head. My hair flew around my face, as wild as my anger. I saw tendrils of smoke rise up around me. My vision turned red. The heat in the room was rising. Flames licked my arms and legs, threatening to strike out.
Ethan clapped his large hand on my shoulder. He winced from the heat, but the contact was enough to make me push that anger back down. I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to compose myself. He hadn’t done anything but treat me kindly, and I didn’t want to hurt him because I lost control.
I brushed Ethan's hand from my shoulder and ran the other hand through my hair.
“I don't know what's going on any more than you guys, but this behavior is crazy. I feel I've overstayed my welcome. Thank you for the meal and the bath.”
Ethan's face was grim. He was torn with the options, but I could tell he agreed my leaving was the right choice at this moment. There was no way he could ask me to stay after what happened. I was pretty sure most of the people in the room would be against it, too.
He let his arm drop in defeat. “I'm sorry, Mage. We will discuss this as a group, and I’ll call to you again. Please do not stray too far.”
I almost snorted. Like hell they could just treat me like this! I wasn’t just going to sit idly by and let them treat me like some servant. But whatever, I could feign playing nice.
I curtly nodded. “I'll be at the shrine.”
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