The World in Dissonance (Volume 1)

Chapter 1: The Other side of the coin ~ Burn the Witch

Part 1

Sonya and Alyss,

They were on a train in direction to Lancaster.

Sitting in front of each other in a compartment, they didn't bring much luggage, only the necessary.

"This is a serious matter that we can't overlook.", said Alyss as she was looking outside the windows."If we leave everything the way they are, this would create a big mess."

"Do you think it's a coincidence that it happened in Lancaster?", asked Sonya as she looked concerned. "I am wondering if it has a connection to Pendle Hill's witchcraft history."

"We can't jump into a conclusion yet.Not till we have more details "

"Yeah, witches may exist but we can't tell this time if it's the truth or just some lies that could end in mass hysteria."

As the two maiden were discussing, a ticket inspector opened the compartment they were in. They changed the subject of their conversation right when the said inspector showed up.

"Your tickets, please!!", asked the gentleman in uniform.

In most cases, the young generation didn't care much about adults hearing their conversation, but it seemed the discussion Alyss and Sonya had was taboo.

Britain had its share of stories when it came to witchcraft, and the citizens of the country were all moving past that dark side of their history. So it was nothing but normal to avoid discussing that kind of subject in a public place.

As the saying goes: 'Walls have ears'.

Once the ticket inspector left, Alyss gave herself to Lord Morpheus's Land of dreams. She most likely had a sleepless night, which would explain why she looked so tired. And in front of her, Sonya just decided to let it slide and admired the landscape through the window.

.

..

...

North of Lancaster,

Carnforth,

The train finally arrived at its destination and the two young girls disembarked. Ironically, the train station was deserted, in contrast to what they expected regarding the current situation in the city. Both girls had thought there would be tons of paparazzi or occult fanatics that would pay a visit to Lancaster due to the Witch Trials movement that happened recently in the city.

First thing first, Sonya took a map from inside her bag and looked for the closest hotel they could stay at. They didn't know for how long they would stay in the county and they needed to establish a place to rest.

As they were moving toward the town, they noticed that the supposedly lively town of Carnforth was more like a ghost town. According to the details in the newspaper, Carnforth was the town where the Witch Hunt was actually happening, so they were not in the wrong place. Time didn't pass that much, yet there were no living beings at all on the horizon. It would have been fine if it only concerned the adults, but even the children were nowhere to be seen.

"Is it me or this place looks weirdly like a ghost city. It's like there is no living soul here. And it's not evening yet.", declared Sonya as she was looking all around.

"Yeah, I see what you mean. But it seems like we are in the right place tho... It's to good to be true, I can't help but start doubting those news. Well, in any case, let's be vigilant and keep an eye on any possible keys."

"It's not like there would be much to see in an open road, but why not. Even the smallest details matter."

"If she was here, she would spill out some line like: 'But appearances are often deceptive'. Then she would go on a long and useless explanation."

"She is that kind of person. She can be such a pain in the ass but she knows what she is speaking of."

Alyss and Sonya continued their descent to town while observing in detail their surroundings. It may have seemed like a meaningless act but that was how they usually proceed. Not so long after they walked down the streets of Carnforth, they arrived at the town center, the Market Street. Most of the houses were old fashioned British houses, some shops had wooden plates on which their names were engraved. And curiously, most of the shops in that place were currently closed for only God knew why. The two young girls were cautiously observing all their surroundings.

In a small lapse of time, they noticed some children in different houses. They were watching the two girls through the window of their room, while some were gazing through that of the living room. And the moment either one of Sonya or Alyss looked back at them, they closed the curtains right away, acting somehow as if they were some kind of spy that tried to avoid being caught.

"This vibe is killing me.", said Sonya while making a comparison with what she would label funny. "Seems like we are in some kind of horror movie."

"This is the prologue of the story. And only one of us will survive in the end.", answered Alyss to Sonya's statement. "This is the story of the cursed town of Carnforth in Lancaster. People in the town were sacrificing travelers to their local deity. But rare were the people that still came to visit this place..."

"Yeah yeah, keep on that nonsense. Your sister’s behavior has infected your brain and rotten it to its core."

"Rare were the people that still came to visit this place, so the citizens started to kill each others and gave their own kin as a sacrifice."

Sonya was walking a few steps ahead of Alyss. So the young girl with a chignon made her move. She let her hand off her luggage for a moment then discretely moved behind her friend in glasses. Alyss then grabbed Sonya's chest from behind.

"Nyahahaha~ Letting down your guard easily like this... The witches will eat you a whole. And this is how they would lay their hands on the cute Sonya.", said Alyss with a mischievous smile on her face. "The End!!!"

And as she said those words, she was fondling Sonya's delicate chest like if she was giving them a massage.

Sonya stopped moving...

Alyss knew what would come next. She was prepared. And as she let Sonya's chest off, the young girl in glasses turned back and swung her bag in an attempt to hit her friend's head with it.

Alyss managed to avoid it and ran away from Sonya who pursued her. They were running in circle around Alyss's luggage and made some random patterns by running there and there.

A few moments later, they tired themselves out so Alyss gave up on running and accepted her fate.

"Enough playing around, I can see the hotel is not far from where we stand now.", declared Sonya after she bonked Alyss's head with her bag.

"Hope it won't be closed like most of the shops we saw earlier."

The two girls continued to walk along the road then after dozens of hundreds of meters, they arrived at a hotel.

The hotel itself stood like a relic from another time, its stone facade weathered by centuries of wind and rain. Ivy crawled up the walls, its tendrils clinging to the timeworn brick as if seeking to hold together the memories it had witnessed. Tall, arched windows framed with delicate ironwork peered out like tired eyes, gazing over the cobblestone courtyard where the echoes of carriage wheels could still be imagined.

Fortune smiled at the two girls. The hotel was still open so they set their feet inside.

Inside, the air carried a faint scent of polished wood and age-old fires. The grand lobby, with its high, vaulted ceiling, was dimly lit by crystal chandeliers whose glimmer had faded with the passing years. Plush, velvet armchairs gathered in corners, their fabric frayed but regal, inviting whispers of forgotten conversations. The oak-paneled walls, once dark and rich, were now softened to a muted amber, bearing the scars of countless generations.

A sweeping staircase spiraled upwards, its bannisters smoothed by thousands of hands, leading to narrow hallways where shadows pooled and faded portraits lined the walls. The creak of the floorboards beneath each step seemed to echo the secrets held within its walls—stories of travelers, lovers, and strangers, all leaving behind a trace of their presence. At night, when the wind howled through the surrounding moors, the hotel seemed to breathe, its very essence steeped in the history of a bygone era.

Some middle-aged employees could be seen standing in some corners of the lobby. At the reception, an old gentleman was sitting, enjoying the calm atmosphere. And at the view of the young girls, he gave a pleasant smile as a token of a warm welcome.

"Welcome to the Regency Manor, Miladies. How can this old man be of assistance to you?"

Sonya got closer and replied to him.

"Greetings Sir!! We'd like a room for two, if you please."

"Did miladies book a room in advance?"

"Unfortunately no"

"If so, allow this old man to verify if there is still a vacant room."

The gentleman opened a book that contained the whole registry of the hotel. While he was verifying, Alyss was walking a few steps in the lobby, turning on herself and admiring the view.

"Miladies are favored by the stars, we still have some rooms at your disposition. May I have your ID?"

"That's a relief. You have our gratitude.", replied both of them as they showed him their ID card.

"Will miladies stay only for the night, or for a longer period?"

"For an indefinite period... it's unsure so we can't say for how long."

The receptionist seemed to be someone easy to talk with, so Alyss and Sonya didn't have much difficulty getting themselves a room in the hotel. Everything went smoothly, and they received the key of their room from the old man at the reception table.

And without a delay, they made their way to the staircase.

"I almost forgot.", said Alyss before making another step. "Do you know why most of the shops in the village are closed? It's not that late yet."

"Also, why are there almost no adults around?", added the young girl before the receptionist could answer her first question.

"Oh~, I guess miladies are not from around the city.", replied the receptionist. "You may not be aware of the witch hunt going on in town."

The words 'Witch Hunt' ringed a bell in both girls minds.

"Can you tell us more?"

"Recently, a ritual circle was found in the Lord's Lot forest. Local citizens found some occult instruments such as voodoo dolls, pentacles and blood stains as well. That is the origin of the witch hunt movement that was presented in many newspapers recently."

"I see.", answered Alyss with a dumbfounded look.

"You really seem not to be aware of that, miladies. And to answer your second question, since the witch hunt movement started, most of the adults in the city are going in the forest everyday to search for witches and bring them onto trials."

"I understand it better now. You have our gratitude for those explanations."

.

..

...

It was evening,

Around 6 pm the same day

Sonya Neville and Alyss Liddel were in their room. The room exuded a timeless charm, its soft, amber lighting casting a warm glow over the vintage decor. Two beds, with wooden frames and plush quilts, were positioned neatly against the wall, each flanked by a polished bedside table. Resting on one of the tables was a classic, brass lamp with an ornate base, its delicate shade filtering the light into a mellow, nostalgic hue. Opposite the beds, an old black rotary telephone sat quietly on a wooden console, its coiled wire and brass detailed a relic from an old era. The young girls were sitting respectively in both of their beds.

"The story earlier still bugs me.", started Alyss. "What kind of an amateur witch would forget to clean up the place they did their ritual?"

"And why would normal citizens find it so easily.", added Sonya.

"The first thing taught to witches was to not reveal themselves to humans. Doing something stupid like making a ritual in a public place and not clearing it is a straightforward way to break that rule."

While the girls were talking to each other, outside the windows, one could hear a ruckus. They were definitely back. All the missing adults were back from their witch hunt in the nearby forest. Some men were holding crossbows and some were holding handguns. Some women were holding a torch, some were with pitchfork in their hands.

During middle age, those equipment were mostly used by traditional witch hunters. But the citizens of Carnforth, here, were not professional witch hunters, worse, they have no clue about Witchcraft or Witch Hunt. According to the gentleman at the reception, they were inspecting the forest everyday to look for witches in case they would go back there.

Experts would change their method if it didn't bear fruits on a first try. Amateurs would make many mistakes, repeat the same process, and hope for a different result.

"We need to find those witches."

"Sooner or later, they would try to curse us."

"They would kidnap our children."

"And offer them as sacrifices to Satan."

They were talking to each other, convincing themselves that they were doing all of that for the greater good.

Alyss and Sonya were watching them from inside their room, through the windows.

"Shall we make our move then?", Alyss asked while giving it a thought.

"First thing first. We need to call at your place and reassure Laurencia. I am sure she is worried about us since we haven't called yet."

"Ah yeah, I was so tired of the voyage and got into the witch atmosphere story that I almost forgot that."

Alyss jumped on her bed and took the black rotary telephone and started to turn the rotary part.

A telephone ringed in the house of the Liddel.

It didn't take much time for the little Laurencia to answer the call.

"You are calling the house of the Liddel and it's Laurencia you are talking to.", said the little girl as if she was the head of the house.

"How are you doing Laurencia?"

"Oh~ it's you, Big Sis Alyss. I am glad to hear from you."

"Yeah, sorry to call only this late. I was tired from the voyage."

"It's fine, I'm reassured that you have arrived at your destination safely."

It was just a regular chit-chat between sisters. But it was necessary. They had no one else. If not themselves, who would do that for them. So Laurencia always enjoyed this kind of conversation with her sisters.

"Is your big sister home?"

"Yes, hang on a second, I will call her for you.", answered the little girl. "Big sis Dedicatus, it's big sis Alyss. She wants to talk to you."

Laurencia's voice echoed through the mansion and reached Dedicatus, who was in a small room that was used as a library.

The one called Dedicatus came out of the room like lightning and her sister passed her the telephone.

Dedicatus Liddel,

She was the eldest sister of the three. As the twin of Alyss, she looked like her mirror image. The way she used a top knot chignon hairstyle, and used a matching headband, everything about Dedicatus would suggest to anyone who saw her that she was Alyss's twin sister. The only difference was that she wore a white medical eye patch that was covering her left eye. The said girl wore a casual oversized white T-shirt that almost covered her blue denim shorts.

"Ayo my lovely lil’ sister, what can ‘dis one do for ya?", asked Dedicatus the moment she received the telephone.

"First, don't be a pain in the ass, we don't have much time. And second, we'd like your opinion regarding the situation here in Lancaster."

Alyss was direct in her request. On the other side of the telephone, Dedicatus was putting on a baby face and was playing with the telephone's cable.

"How can ya be so mean to yer lovely big sister? Ya didn't even care to wait for me n' my goodbye kisses."

"This is why I always say you are such a pain. Don't waste our time if you can't help. Bye..."

"No no no, wait! Big sister can help. Debrief her the situation."

Alyss explained every detail of the situation to Dedicatus, the occult ritual in the forest, the witch hunt, everything...

"So, did ya two find any irregular sign while walkin' down to the town?", asked Dedicatus. Her expression became serious all of a sudden.

"Well, we did foresee something that points out that there are some witches who live in this place."

"As expected of my gifted sister.", she smiled while saying those words. "So what's yer next move? Based on Wicca n' Witchcraft, today should be ‘The Walpurgisnacht’, or ya can say ‘The Night of Witches’."

"Since you’re more knowledgeable when it comes to occultism and paganism, what should we do according to you?"

"Ya both better prepare yerself first. Also, avoid makin' yer move durin' ‘The Witching Hour’. Their dark magic is amplified at their peak durin' ‘dat time, and since it's their Sabbath, thin' can get even more dangerous if they trynna summon some f****d up devils."

"If we wait for too long, the situation will worsen. And if it arrives at the door of the Vatican, The Roman Catholic Churches will put their noses everywhere, starting a real witch hunt. And the witches may also prepare something to deal with this... I’m not even mentioning the possible intervention of The English Puritan Church or even The Russian Orthodox Church yet..."

"Gotcha,‘dis great sister of yers will find a way to deal with the impendin’ menace. Do what ya're supposed to do n' trust her for the rest.", declared Dedicatus. "By the way, Sosonette is next to ya, right?"

"Why the question?"

"Tell her ‘dat I love her, that I will wait for her to come home safely n' then relieve all her fatigue with my secret massage skill. She hafta take care of her precious butt for..."

But before she managed to say all those words, the sounds of a call being hung up could be heard through the telephone. The transmission had likely stopped.

"Darn it, ‘dat lil’ brat didn't even lemme finish.”