Tafel had a frown on her face as she stared up at the moon. It was different from the moon back at ho, a bit smaller. The stars in the sky were shining, but none of the familiar constellations could be seen. She sighed and rolled over onto her side. Currently, she was camping out in the open next to the river. There were a few curtains underneath her that she had liberated from the church. The church had blankets, but they were dirtier than the curtains, so the choice was obvious. Nearby, there was a woman sitting on a tree stump. She was staring into the campfire in front of herself, occasionally nudging it with a stick. The woman sighed and looked towards Tafel. Are you awake?
Whats up? Tafel asked and yawned.
I just. The woman pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. Whats going to happen to now?
Im not going to eat you or steal your soul, okay? Tafel asked. Havent I already told you this?
No, no, I know, the woman said. But, I cant go ho now. Everyone will think Im a witch even if Im not. The church will definitely hear about this, and theyll send people to capture .
Tafel frowned. You dont have anywhere else to go? A distant cousin or sothing?
No, the woman shook her head. Im a widow with no relatives. Thats why I was accused of being a witch in the first place. I have no one I can rely on.
Tafel sat up and sighed. It seed like saving this woman was going to be trickier than she thought. Even if the woman was pulled out of the imdiate danger, wouldnt it be pointless if she went back and died? Threaten everyone in the village? That might work temporarily, but once she left the woman alone, the villagers would take action then. Kill everyone? Tafel shook her head. She wasnt evil. Destroy the church? That was a possibility. Destroying it would probably do good for the world considering how corrupt it seed. They were picking on a widow for goodness sake. But did she have ti to do that? She already had her own mission, which was to find everyone, and the world actually seed pretty darn large. However, she couldnt leave this woman to die, and it wouldnt be right to drag her around while looking for Vur and them. Tafel scratched her head. How about other witches?
Other witches? What do you an? the woman asked.
Witches are being persecuted for a reason, right? Tafel asked. Since youre now a witch, even though you actually arent, why dont you seek shelter from other witches? Isnt there a main witch organization that counters the church or sothing along those lines?
The woman furrowed her brow. Witches dont actually exist. The womans sentence trailed off as she stared at Tafel. Maybe they did exist? Everyone around her was certain people were only falsely accused of being witches by vengeful neighbors and the greedy church. After all, wouldnt it be super obvious if the churchs propaganda was true? No one in the community gathered together and recited verses praising Satan in the dark of night. Itd be impossible to keep a group like that a secret, not with how gossipy everyone was. If one asked around enough, they could figure out what color underwear the local priest wore three nights ago. Everyones lips were too loose for a major organization of witches to exist in secret! However, there was a literal demon in front of her. If a demon could exist, why couldnt there be a secret organization of mute witches? Do you know where the other witches are?
Err, no, Tafel said. I just arrived here. I really dont know much about how this world works.
Then who summoned you? the woman asked.
Tafel thought back to the lonely red dragon that was too eager for a mate to listen to instructions. Its a long story, but I basically ca here of my own volition. Tafel nodded. Oh, that reminds , she said. Ive been aning to ask, but how strong is the strongest human?
The woman tilted her head. Strong? What do you an by strongest human? Ive seen soone walking around with four logs of wood on his shoulders before.
No, not like that, Tafel said. Combat wise, like, um, can anyone slay a dragon?
Dragons arent real. The woman stared at Tafel again as her sentence trailed off. Maybe dragons were real? Were the legends and stories not actually stories but history instead? If that was the case, then she didnt know much about myths, but she did know a lot about the bible. There was a man nad Samson. He tore apart a young lion with his bare hands.
A lion, Tafel said. A normal lion?
The woman pursed her lips. Whats an example of an abnormal lion?
Shoots electricity out of its fangs? Tafel asked. Generates wind blades that can cut through rock when it swings its paws?
I, I think it was a normal lion, the woman said. We, uh, dont have any of those abnormal lions here.
Oh. Tafel nodded. Wait. Does that an the lion is the most dangerous beast you know?
Personally, the scariest thing Ive seen was a particularly large dog. The woman sighed. It was almost as tall as my waist.
Tafel scratched her head. How about magic? Whats the strongest magic spell youve ever seen?
The woman shook her head. Ive seen a wandering monk bless an ill person once.
Oh? Healing magic, is it? Tafel nodded. How strong was it? Was the ill person instantly healed?
The woman blushed. He passed away three days later.
Uh. Tafels brow furrowed. Were the people here unbelievably weak? That Samson guy, just one lion?
The woman cleared her throat. Humans might be weak, but were intelligent. Take the story of David and Goliath for example. Goliath was a giant man with a sword and spear while David was a young boy with a sling. The two fought, but David won by stunning Goliath with a rock using his sling. He took Goliaths sword and cut the giants head off. Its not always about stature and strength that determines who wins and who loses.
Tafel frowned. Isnt that just a mismatch of weapons? If Goliath had the sling while David had the sword and spear, I bet Goliath couldve killed David instantly with a rock instead of just stunning him.
T-thats not the point of the story.
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