Chapter 2 : decision

"Wait, what do you mean wiped out, like there's nobody left." Sera looked at Clementine attentively. She couldn't believe what she said.

"I don't really know if there are others that survived because it happened so fast."

Sera pursed her lips and pulled her head away. "Why should I believe you? From my point of view, you could be lying."

Clementine then showed Sera a burned sigil sign on her left hand. "Here, do you believe me now."

Sera watched Clementine's hand closely. She noticed the sigil sign was a bit different, like it was made in a rush, and there was some part of the sigil sign that was missing.

Sera furrowed her brows. "Alright, I believe you, Clementine."

"Really, so will you be my spellmother." Clementine beckoned closer to Sera.

Sera backed away. "Woah, hold on, why would I be your spellmother now."

"Huh, isn't that the tradition in the coven? You're mentored by someone, then you become the mentor, like how the saying goes, 'The student who learns beneath a witch's wing will one day spread her own.'"

Sera couldn't believe what Clementine said. It's the world she'd been avoiding ever since she decided to retire, believing her role was done and she could live freely, but now it seemed she'd been dragged back to the lore she now hated.

"Well, for now, how about you uhh wander around town, I need some time to think."

"Ok, I'll give you some time, but please don't run away, Miss Sera."

Clementine then left the tavern through the main door.

For a while, Sera just sat idly, still thinking about Clementine's words. Be a spellmaster, the role she avoided after knowing the truth about her origin and the coven. She was conflicted between returning to the lore she once loved or continuing to be miserable, drinking away her worries and pained memories.

Sera took a deep breath. She tried to remember the good memories, like being part of a hero party, her first quest completed, and the smiles the people made when she helped them, that happened, and the bad memories, how there was a conflict that couldn't be resolved, or how a village got wiped out by bandits, and the destruction of a peaceful forest due to the insatiable rage of one person.

Eventually, though, the good memories overwhelmed the bad ones. Sera stood from the stool, determined to be a spellmaster. She didn't know how to be a good spellmaster, but she decided to accept her role. It's not because she owed the coven, or a sense of duty, but because she felt she wanted it. After all, there hasn't been any problem that she couldn't handle.

"Alright, time to find Clementine!" Sera raised her fist to the sky and started to exit the tavern.

But just a few steps after she left the tavern, her stomach grumbled.

"Ah, I realized I haven't had breakfast. Ok, a bit of brunch, and after that, find Clementine."

Sera quickly went to all of her favorite food places, because she was probably going to be away for quite a long time.

To be continued.