OVERCAST CLOUDS CAST a pall on Wardland Square, adding to the already darkened landscape. The cobblestone square was flanked by handsome homes on all sides while, rising into the sky, Castle Wardland with its prominent keep, dominated the skyline. A slight breeze blew on the decorative trees atop marble planters. Knight Master Ward waited, the shadows of dusk all around him.

His guest hadn’t arrived yet, but he knew she would come. He had on his iron armor along with his black cape. His sword was at his side, not yet drawn but ready for battle. Under the iron helm, he scanned the area until, finally, a figure appeared in the empty square . . . .

An old woman in dark rags and pointy hat hobbled into the square. Hunched down, she still didn’t seem to be as weak as her age would belie.

“I knew you would come,” Knight Master Ward said aloud. His “guest” was the witch, and he was not disappointed. He had put up wanted posters with her ugly mugshot infamously on display around Wardland. On the wanted posters, he had made an offer she couldn’t refuse.

At last, the old woman removed the outer layer of her rags, revealing herself to be the witch. Under her pointy hat, her old and haggard face contorted maliciously. “Your terms,” she said across the square from Knight Master Ward. The air seemed colder than usual on this cool summer night.

“I give you my word,” Knight Master Ward said. He still had not reached for his sword, but he was trained enough to reach for it at a moment’s notice. “If you beat me one-on-one, you will gain safe passage out of Wardland.”

Upon hearing the words, the witch gave out a laugh so derisive it seemed she had lost her mind completely. “With pleasure!”

Suddenly, after saying the words, the witch levitated into the air with both arms extended to each side of her. More ominously, fireballs began to form in both of her decrepit hands. A maniacal scream erupted from her, and once the fireballs were fully formed, she threw them straight at Knight Master Ward.

The fireballs sped towards him, even catching some of the trees and tree leaf blocks on fire as they went on their deadly trajectory, but just in time, he dodged the sudden attack. The fireballs boomed, causing dark gashes on the cobblestone square. A crackling sound came from the burning tree leaf blocks.

Knight Master Ward picked himself back up and took in his breath. He wasn’t expecting such an attack, and with the witch in the air, he didn’t know how he was going to get her with just a sword.

Still, he had to try. He drew his sword and readied for battle. He had to find an opening!

The witch laughed again maniacally as she flew around to get a better vantage point. Up in the air, she spotted her target and threw another giant fireball. The flaming ball whooshed once more, and Knight Master Ward dodged again by lunging away.

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“Hahahahaha,” the witch cackled. “How can you hope to defeat me!”

She threw another round of fireballs, this time too many to count. Knight Master Ward tensed up upon seeing them and took cover behind a decorative tree. The fireballs landed around him and on the tree itself, leaving destruction and flames in its wake. Smoke rose up and the acrid smell of smoke and fire was everywhere.

He chided himself at the turn of events. He had to do something. Then, suddenly, he got an idea. Sword in hand, he ran to an open area of the square and stood there, making himself an open target. “Come at me, witch!” he taunted.

Anger contorted the witch’s face as she hovered in the air, and she acquiesced to his demand. She gathered both of her hands together and made a fireball, bigger than the rest. The fireball grew in size, and threw it at the Knight of Wardland.

Knight Master Ward saw his chance. He needed pinpoint timing . . . .

The fireball whooshed straight at him, but when it seemed he was about to be engulfed into flames, Knight Master Ward blocked the fireball with his sword. The fireball bounced back, and this time whooshed straight back at the witch!

Seeing the incoming fireball, the witch’s jaw slackened. She screamed as the fireball made its mark and damaged her. She fell straight to the ground, and her body thudded on the cobblestone.

Knight Master Ward caught his breath and awaited the next attack, but the witch didn’t move. She lay inert across from him, her body limp in the dark.

With measured steps, he went over to the witch’s body with his sword pointed at her. He knew what he had to do. He had to make sure he finished her. He had to end it now.

Finally, he was before her. Smoke rose from her inert rag-covered body. “I will end your wretched life, WITCH!”

Knight Master Ward screamed a bloody war cry and prepared to plunge his sword deep into the witch, but before he could, as his sword was raised up in the air, the witch, who had once seemed lifeless, was now not so. She suddenly threw something at the unsuspecting knight.

It went straight for him. A deadly potion.

***

Outside the walls of Wardland, Knight Steve rode through the nighttime forest with blinding speed. Durandal’s hooves kicked up dirt as it sped onwards as fast as it seemed possible. Trees and tree leaf blocks whipped by him, but he didn’t pay any attention to any of that.

Open me . . . Open me . . . .

The voice now accompanied his every waking moment, and he goaded Durandal to go even faster. He was almost home.

Ahead in the distance, the walls came mercifully into view. “Raise the gates!” he yelled out. “Raise the gates!”

The knights up on the ramparts of the wall, illuminated only by torchlight, heard him, and heeding his command, hurried to the crank. The first knight turned the crank handle and wheeled it round and round, causing the portcullis gate below to rise up. It rumbled as it continued to be raised.

Knight Steve didn’t even stop to wait. His horse went even faster and, apparently with enough space, sped right under the rising portcullis gate. Not skipping a beat, he continued on past the gate and into the city streets, not even thanking his fellow knights who, at the ramparts, watched the spectacle and gave each other confused glances.

With the darkened clouds above, Castle Wardland rose prominently into the skyline and Knight Steve never once turned his gaze away from it. He knew precisely what was inside that keep and those towers.

Open me . . . Open me . . . .

Not too long now. He was paler than he had ever been. His eyes cast hungrily on his room up in the keep. It seemed there was special light there, burning just for him. He knew now what awaited him. He didn’t know how, but he knew what it was.

The Diary of Lost Souls!