Ghoul

Unwanted. That’s what he was.
His father was cruel but he figured his mother was crueler. How could someone be crueler than a Shade-touched???

Easy.

Abandoned at the hands of their father. Ghoul sacrificed himself to protect his sisters. His half-siblings didn’t make it easy either. They taunted him, beat him. He was a weak. They were bred for the Shade. Their father and his wife who was also Shade-Touched. It didn’t help that he was smaller than the rest of his half-siblings.

Ghoul wasn’t even given a proper name. His half-siblings called him Ghoul for resembling some of the ghouls that followed the Necromancers around. He worked hard to prove himself but he knew he had to get away.
But the voices wouldn’t leave him alone.

He was constantly on his guard but one day he was cornered by one of the youngest siblings; Varda. She allied herself with a cult. The voices in his head keep saying Child-Eaters over and over. He vaguely recalls the call to burn witches, these Child-Eaters, but he also heard of a family calling themselves Witchborne coming around to get rid of these evil witches.

Varda had asked him to join her. This can’t be good but she didn’t leave him much choice. She had his blood sisters with her, Varda promised them acceptance within the “pure” family. Ghoul agreed but he had a bad feeling.

He was right...

---

Darkness...

Inky blackness weighed heavily upon him, it was hard to breath, hard to open his eyes, harder to move. What happened? The voices are gone and yet pain radiates from his entire body. Finally he was able to force himself up off the cold ground. There was weird ashen powder around him. He looked around to find no one around. He was cautious to call out to Varda but when she didn’t answer, he began to call out to his sisters.

No one.

He brushed himself off when he noticed something off about this dirt. It was grey...like ashes. Ignoring the pain he raced around calling for his sisters. No one was around and this building is basically a hut but he stumbled upon some papers. Fear gripped him, rushing to where he awoken. The dirt...was not dirt...ashes. Anger...stronger than he has ever felt filled him. Hot burning rage as blue flames erupted from his claws as he screamed out of pain, guilt, anger.

It was then he saw some broken mirrors and he saw himself for the first time. He wasn’t himself. What once was vibrant red was now dull and grey. How did he survive this cursed ritual. How could his life not be absorbed by Varda and her cult?

---

He’s been traveling for so long. He had became a mercenary to survive...hunted his lineage to protect the innocent. He ended up taking a job about a massive beast lurking in a forest that was terrifying travelers. They said that it was a massive black dog, black wolf, a Shadow wolf; these travelers are so skittish but they paid heavily.

He entered the forest. It sure was dark. There was a hazy through the trees and a charge in the air. So far he only saw the natural wildlife but he knew he was being watched. From the corner of his eye he could see a large black shape slip between the trees and yet it’s size doesn’t make sense. The shadow is huge and yet it can hide behind the thinnest trees. He followed it, determined to find what it is.

It lead him to a clearing and off in the distance was a tavern. This place was not on his maps that he had acquired from his travels.

The Hidden Lantern and the sound of the ocean in the background. He’s never been to the water territory before. There was something different about this place. The telltale signs of magic and the supernatural came from this place and yet not like he’s experienced before. Almost ancient?

Entering the building, it was very homely. It was warm and lively, but was easy to see that they don’t receive newcomers. The two behind the bar; obvious the owners and couple watched him. The female smiled warmly and asked him if he needed a room, maybe a warm meal. Ghoul wasn’t used to kindness, especially from a witch and he knew that she knew that he knew what she was. And from the few stares, he had a feeling that they knew what/who he was. A Witch slayer, a mercenary, descendent of the Shade-touched. And yet this owner; Umbra, warmly ushered him up the stairs to show him his room and followed with a warm meal. He wasn’t sure what to say and she made it clear for him to rest. But before she left, she said something that he wasn’t quite sure what it meant,

“It’s very rare for Hide to bring strangers home.”

He wanted to know what she meant and yet he never asked...

---

He’s been living here within the Gemini Clan for a long time. For once, he has found some form of peace. He became good friends with Lucian, a former soldier himself. Lucian helped him become acquainted with the clan. He didn’t have to kill anymore. It was nice.

Until one day, he was walking up to his room. He bumped into someone. It’s unusual for someone to stumble into the clan’s territory. He turned to apologize and froze for a second. A cloaked figure, but those eyes...he knows those eyes. They looked at him like he was a ghost. He saw them bow with an apology and continued walking down the stairs before he could respond.

He stood there for who knows how long, until Umbra and Lucian found him, still frozen in place. He looked to them,
“Danger has entered the clan.” He had to alert the Witchbornes but Umbra already had her own plans. Their clan doesn’t fall prey to anything.

He heard the Barghests that night. Usually quiet beasts now released to a real hunt. Umbra mentioned bringing the cloaked being back alive. But the howls and hyena laughter kept him up. Then there was silence. It was unnatural and heavy, like fear had gripped upon his being while he held his breath in anticipation. Then there was a scream...off in the distance.

Ghoul sat by his window when his friends Lucien and Shiho came to tell him that a strange Shade-touched witch has been captured. Ghoul knew who she was. Now he’s going to find out why she came as he got up to leave his room leaving his friends to follow him towards the square.

---

There she was, bound to a pole. Umbra looked as calm as ever but a quick glance around the other witches with the Witchbornes were very unpleased. The Barghests were on watch, but two stayed by the intruder. A small crowd circled Umbra, the intruder and 2 guards, Blackmore and Baskerville. Ghoul stayed towards the back but the intruder’s eyes instantly locked eyes with his.

“Hello, brother. Come to watch me burn?” Some of the Witches and others in the group turned to look at him; some glared, some backed away. Ghoul sneered at her but felt the hands of Lucian and Shiho on his shoulders. He calmed down before responding,

“Half-brother...” Varda laughed,

“Yet you somehow survived. Intriguing really, as if your power has completely zapped from you weak body and turned you grey.” Umbra was the one to clear her throat, gathering all attention.

“You madam, have been caught practicing the forbidden magics, Shade.” The Witches and Witchborne-kin chattered demanding punishment, questioning what is to be done, questioning Ghoul’s loyalty to the clan.

“Enough.” Silence. Umbra stood firm as she spoke once more, “Ghoul’s loyalty is not to be questioned. Though they may be kin, that hasn’t stopped us from accepting those in need of shelter. Let us not forget that our own protectors; Arch and Nemesis are also of similar kin and yet we trust them full-heartedly. They were the ones to sense and capture this intruder.” Silence befell the group.

Ghoul stepped forward, “So what are we going to do then?” Varda laughed, but Umbra was calm.

“We wait for word from Father Mímir. He has seen many cases such as this.” As if summoned, he arrived, in his hands were chains. His voice was low,

“‘We do not burn witches like others. Persecution goes nowhere and seems unnatural for a clan with many witches. This dark witch hunt is resemblance that has effected those who are innocent, those of the Witchborne kin and even created the Barghest kins.” There was an uproar from the Zodiac witches on how Varda was not innocent and deserves punishment for victimizing those who are innocent. Father Mímir looked towards Blackmore with a slight nod. Instantly, a loud howl disrupted the chatter.

“Thank you, Blackmore. As I was saying, I had Krykogrim make me these chains, similar to Grimm’s. These will render this Shade user powerless, only magic allow are the mundane, the limitations created by Mother Umbra herself. She will also be watched until deemed harmless. These chains are also enchanted so that she can do no harm to anyone as well as unable to leave the territory.” Mother Umbra assisted him with placing the chains around his sister.

---

It was a long evening, Ghoul collapsed onto his bed. Why did Varda come here of all places? He was thankful that Umbra didn’t ask him to keep watch on Varda. He knows that his temper would get the better of him and he wouldn’t control himself to slaughter her for killing his blood-sisters. However, if for whatever reason, Varda steps out of line and needed to be put down; he will not hesitate to end her.

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