Time passed, and they reached in a village. It wasn’t very far as Roderick had expected. He was sure he would have ended up there, even if he had been walking all on his own.

First thing Roderick saw in the village was not pleasing. A mass cremation was going on there. Cause of deaths looked no different because all the corpses had red eyes.

Walking deeper inside the village, he heard women crying and bodies of children being carried out by their fathers. Roderick couldn’t remain unaffected by the sight. His lips trembled in sadness. He desired to get away from the village as quick as possible.

The village was not large, so they came to its end in a matter of few minutes. He was glad that he had left wailing women and innocent bodies behind.

“Do the devils annihilate this village?” Roderick questioned.

“No. They have never set foot in our village.” Ymbert gave him the answer.

Ymbert stretched his hand to stop Roderick. He pointed at giant footmarks. Roderick would have considered them as potholes if Ymbert didn’t tell him they were traces of the devil.

“This is Chopyk’s foot-marks.” Ymbert uttered, “Follow it and you will reach where he lives.”

“How far is it?”

“Not very far.”

“Why don’t you people migrate to somewhere else?” Roderick was hesitant to leave.

Ymbert gave him a stare. It didn’t intimidate Roderick but propelled him to follow the footprints.

Stupid villagers. He cursed them while he walked.