As Garrick stirred from his bed, feeling groggy and tired all over, as though his body was pinned by something and hit like a truck. His eyes struggle to open. The very first thing he noticed was that he was lying half naked, and the spot he had been pierced in was freshly bandaged. He was in someone’s house, a rickety one. He could hear a creak coming from the floorboards.

Strange vials and herbs rested along the wall on the opposite sides, things filled with things he couldn’t describe but definitely resembling what he would call alchemy. A massive eyeball, that seemed to be as large as the container that held it, a mandrake-looking plant, which was animated inside the jar, floating in a strange liquid its mouth moving. It horrified him.

There was a bird resting on a perch, near the window. A raven to be precise.

“Awake? Caw! Awake! Must call the witch, must call.”

“Witch, what are you talking about.”

As if things couldn’t get worse he found himself in a witch's hut, which explained all the strange stuff he saw hanging. If only this talking bird, kept his activity a secret.

“Shhh shut the fuck up!”

He tried getting, up but struggled, barely able to lift up his arms. His waist fell almost wholly paralyzed.

“Witch! Witch! Witch! Prey is awake. Prey–is–awake!”

“Fuck..”

He could hear soft footsteps approaching the room, the floor creaking as she walked. Then she appeared from around a corner, she was undeniably beautiful, white hair rested beneath her shoulders, there was a cloth in her face, her eyes were wrapped closed, and yet she seemed to have no trouble pathfinding.

Out of the Grubbub’s undeveloped memories, Garrick remembered the rumors that were thrown about in the mine. About the untouchables in goblin society. Powerful witches that served the goblin mandate. As she approached him, he felt a strange mix of fear and attraction, he realized he had long caught her gaze.

She sat next to him on the small bed, put her hands on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Her touch was calming almost motherly, he started breathing slower, and the sudden adrenalin he had in his system slowly dissipated. Did she put him under a spell?

“I know you’re alarmed, afraid even. But it’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”

She gets up and leaves again, and he lies in awe. There was a part of him that wanted to be coddled by her, taken into her caress and sleep. She put a small cup of tea next to him on a dresser, as well as food that consisted of puffy bread, cheese, and what looked like a mix of vegetables.

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“I don’t eat much, so I do not care for keeping large quantities of food. But please eat up, and drink the tea as well. It will make the curse sleep for a while.”

She knew about his curse. It seemed he had been diagnosed as he was sleeping. Questions started to arise and he was ready to jump to how he got out.

“Stop.” she insisted.”Please eat first.”

He does so, indulging in the food she offered, he was never a fan of vegetables but it was fresh and tasteful, no more mine grog soup, hopefully. She had watched him eat, refusing to move, a smile on her face, like she was watching a toddler eat. He found it eerily creepy and put him in an emotional conflict.

“There’s so much chaos outside, so much chaos and suffering. So much hurt. There are bandits burning what is left of the stronghold. The misguided ones are committing dark things, they may even come for me. They move closer to my cabin every day, they used to just fear me yesterday, and now today…”

It sounded to him like Anarchy descended on Kara-dum.

As he sipped on the tea, he felt a strange sensation–like his blood was trickling outside, like a dam had been cracked. He moves hoping to rid of the feeling.

“Please take it easy, You’ve been cursed by someone. You’re Mana needs to be fed and grown, if you do not use it properly and rest properly it will leak out. You will die. You need to learn how to cultivate mana.”

“Cultivate? What even is mana, and how do I fix this, miss…”

“You may call me Cidonia, and–you can’t as you are now.”

“What do you mean?”

“There are two ways to cure this type of curse, return it to sender or become so strong that it becomes insignificant.”

Garrick thought about the ‘hero’ that took the princess, he was in no shape to go after her nor did he have the ability to fight anyone. He was barely a fighter.

“That’s a pity.”

“Did you save me from the rubble, i remember the palace building collapsing.”

She winced.

“No…you’re friend brought you here, said you were special, that you needed help.”

“Was it a goblin.” he immediately thought about Ratchet and Wynald.

“No, it was the old one.”

“Old one?”

“The one who looms in the shadows.” her expression told him, she did not like speaking about this. He is expecting you, in a cave not too far from here.”

Garrick swallowed, if it was the same entity that had stalked him since he got here, he needed to be wary but he also wanted answers. He would go there then.

He tried getting up again. She tried holding him down, but he could feel in her hands and arms, that she may have even been weaker than he was now. She had a gentle touch.

“I beg you to rest for the moment. It will be a while before the medicine takes effect.”

He was wary of her attitude, if she was only caring for him because his mysterious benefactor took an interest in him, her intentions may not be so pure.

“Are you a witch?” he asked bluntly.

Her face saddened looking like she wanted to cry.

“I was called that by the goblins who ruled the stronghold, but there is no stronghold. Have dug my nails in you, turned you into a frog. If not yet, perhaps I will stuff you in one of those jars and use you for a potion.”

She was being sarcastic, he had been needlessly harsh.

“Still you needn’t be so gentle, I’m simply a goblin.”

“You are in fact not, I can see it clearly.” she smiled.

A part of him, the immature side blushed. It wasn’t often that he was in the company of a kind beautiful woman. The other side the Cynic, doubted her kindness. Fearing that she has some ulterior motive. Perhaps the shadow threatened her. Only time will tell. Sudden fatigue took hold of him, and he fell into a slumber once more.