* * *


    Feigned a concern, El inquired, "What is the matter, sir? Is something wrong in there?"


    "… nothing," the man replied. His expression was barely visible under the dim light of the candle. This was the case for most of the time – if El had been a normal kid. But he wasn’t. He could clearly see the former''s grim eyes.


    "I''m here to tell you something kid. I''m leaving…"


    "What? Leaving? Where?" El asked, feeling flustered. He never knew the impact of <i>''the man''</i> spending time on his side for just a single day could bother him this much.


    "I have some trouble at my job. I''ll be leaving first thing in the morning," the man said. El couldn''t discern any other emotion from his tone. And the feeling he gave also didn''t make much sense to him. As if, the man was in a hurry about something. <i>''Hurry for what exactly?'' – </i>he didn''t know.


    "I see. Alright. Is it far?" El asked. Quite concerned for it seemed like, the man had come to a change of decision upon noticing the claw mark on the ceiling. It was a huge claw mark with three distinct lines, scratching the surface of the wood. El wonders if it had something to do with it.


    "Not really. I''ll be away, for, maybe a day or two. The longest will be, for the whole three days," while saying that, the man reaches out to his pants right pocket, which had a noticeable bulge. "Here is some money for you. It''ll be enough for three days, even if you choose to splurge on it."


    The man handed El a small pouch filled with silver coins, which were used throughout the territory of the Eschaton Empire as the basic monetary unit and the only valid medium of exchange within the empire. The coin itself was known in the empire as <i>''Riel''</i>, a name derived from a plant called <i>rye</i>, also referred to as, <i>the black wheat</i>. The name itself was steeped in history, and El knew about it from a few books he had read back in the village.


    "Remember this carefully, boy! Do not ever open the door no matter who you hear from, except if it is from me. Hold on a second; we might need some code or password that only both of us will know about. Follow me!" Taking the burning candle that was attached to a small white ceramic plate on the table, the man hurriedly walked outside, followed by El, who stayed in close proximity to him. A bit too close, actually, making the man raise his eyebrows in confusion when he found out that El was almost glued to his leg.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ‘I’m not scared. Just… a bit wary if something weird happens again.’ El reasoned inside his mind.


    Then, they arrived at one of the sections in the small house, in an equally small-sized, dusty kitchen that, <i>dear God</i>, seemed to have never been used for years. Drawing closer to one of the kitchen tables, the man approached a peculiar drawer. Its handle, oddly reminiscent of a bag lock, was oval-shaped, akin to an egg. He twisted the handle nine times, the mechanism clicking softly with each rotation. With a deft motion, he pushed left twice and right four times until a satisfying click signaled that the handle had disengaged from the drawer''s surface.


    Meanwhile, the man had to open it by grasping the dent on top of the drawer. He leaned in, a candle flickering in the dim light, casting shadows that danced across the walls. El watched awkwardly as the man feigned difficulty in the darkness, his movements exaggerated – as if to draw El''s attention to his struggle. The man rummaged through the drawer, his fingers brushing past many objects until it finally stilled. He withdrew a peculiar glass vial, its triangular shape catching the candlelight in sharp, angular reflections. A small cork sealed its mouth, and within it, a viscous liquid swirled – it was a shade so dark it teetered between black and the deepest crimson. El squinted, unsure if it was the light playing tricks on his eyes or if the substance itself defied an easy description.


    The man held the vial up close, his gaze narrowing as he studied it with an intensity that bordered on being pensive and dreary. Then, with a sudden, almost careless motion, he gave the vial a few brisk shakes that were <i>''not so gentle in a way.''</i> As the liquid inside sloshed against the glass, El''s heart began to jump in his throat as he felt uneasy about what the man had done. He didn’t know why, but El had an inkling, that the liquid was awfully dangerous. On the other hand, a satisfied grin then tugged at the corners of the man''s lips.


    "Ah, this will do nicely," the man murmured, his tone laced with quiet triumph. Moreover, his manner of speaking was distinct from how he had talked beforehand, as though a sense of melancholy lurked in the present situation.


    "What is it, sir?"


    "This is something that Witches created to expel <i>''Creatures of the Darkness.''</i> How is it? Are you curious?" the man stated with playful intonation, causing El''s interest to grow beyond his comfort zone. The manner in which the man spoke also reverted back to how he used to be.


    "Witches? So, they are real. I thought it was just a fairytale passed in talk and gossip to scare children," El replied, feeling a bit surreal and mystified at the moment. Even though he once also heard from the man who kidnapped him that night, alongside many books he had read with themes such as children''s <i>''fairytales''</i> about magic, he simply thought the word <i>''Witch''</i> was just some kind of lame metaphor to quip about someone behind their back.


    "Oh, it was surprising for you to think like that. Anyway, let''s get back to your bedroom!"


    * * *