The Hybrid Fateful Sorrow

The Disease

In the middle of the forest near the Masse village, where Bran Stockholm and an Old woman standing in the gruesome dead body of Jowan the Vaxia mercenary.

An old woman wearing a long lilac robe, opposite to her old age was her lovely tune. Standing with a book tugging on her chest.

Facing the young boy as she started to speak.

“But you did see him again.”

“Have I seen him again? What do you mean by that?” Bran confusingly asked.

As she moves closer and speaks through his mind.

“Think young man, who do you think? Who do you suspect the most? Who is the person you feel bad about the most? A stranger in your place. A man filled with mystery and full of desire.”

“There is someone, a man, a newcomer. Someone I hadn't seen before mysteriously came to our village,” Bran announced. 

“I see. How is this stranger? What is strange about him?” The old woman asked.

“I think he's manipulating a dear friend of mine, ” Bran replied as he looked away.

“The beast has a power, young man. A power that could very much change the world. Aside from his godly strength, the man has the power of suggestion, ” the old woman explained.

“Power of suggestion? Godly strength? How would I last against someone like that, ” he said with the fright showing in his eyes.

“The power of suggestion, to manipulate someone's head, operate their minds into your liking, ” the old woman said.

—

'I don't feel any kind of danger, this is not normal, this is crazy. Why am I not afraid of you!?' She thought as she looked back at Wolfvir's vermillion red eyes.

“Poor Amelia the first one to be struck by that power, ” The old woman added.

“She was under a spell?” Bran anxiously asked.

“So what did I see was a deception? Them? Being together was a lie? He was using her? Changing her mind into loving him?” Bran continues to ask.

“That's plausible, young man. The beast we are talking about is capable of doing that without remorse, ” the old woman explained.

Walking back and forth as he takes the information to his head. He stops to speak.

“So what can we do? How do we beat him?” Bran asked the old woman.

“The man in question, the one with an immense amount of power. The disease itself came from old blood, cursed by the world. A power to control, to hunt in the darkness, to charm angels into submission. A delusional monstrosity of power that lurks in the same darkness we all will have to take, ” the old woman said as she walks closer to Bran.

“The beast has the blood of a hunter, a werewolf, and the blood of the darkest creature, a bloodsucking evil, a vampire, ” the old woman added.

“A vampire? The one in the books known to seduce their victims? I was right all along! There is something wrong with it and with him!” Bran said.

“Would you do it? Would you stop him?” She asked.

'The buzzing sound of flies increasing. The eerie smell of a dead body rising. The cold air is worsening. They all trying to tell me something. They have witnessed the horror of this beast and that I don't have a chance against.'

“I don't have power against someone like that. No, it's impossible, knowing things will not change the fact that I'm nothing against him!” He loudly said.

“He might be powerful, but everyone has a flaw. The beast has a weakness he is susceptible to fire and silver. That might not kill him but it will weaken him enough for this potion, The Godsbane, a potion created by a God itself, ” she explained.

“What would that do? How should I use it? Make him drink it?” he asked.

“It was made by The God of life, he goes with many names and titles, The Gardener of Men, The Justice and The Relinquisher, The Purity, a God without a partner. He may not be known to this world. His strength and miracles may not work here, but the knowledge he acquired guided me through this quest, ” the old woman said as she procured the potion from her pouch.

The old woman is holding a lavender-like liquid revolving inside the bottle.

“A whole potion of this would be able to kill him, but he would be able to smell it from afar as soon as he does his instinct would be to avoid it. Your best use of this is to coat a portion of it in your silver weapon, reserve it for a whole month to clearly remove the smell. That's how you'll get it near to him, ” she added.

“It would kill him?” Bran asked.

“That portion in the silver weapon won't kill him, but it would paralyze and abnormalize his body, morphing without his consent. Showing you the beast he is hiding before you poured the whole bottle at his body, killing him, ” the old woman said as she proceeded to give Bran the Godsbane potion.

“You have a month to prepare, make used of it!” she said.

“I don't know if I could do this! I'm not that brave? Why me? Why does it have to be me?” Bran dreadfully said.

“Who is that man to you?” She asked.

“He is no one, a stranger!”

“A stranger that stole someone that I greatly care about, ” Bran said as he reminisces the day he spent with Amelia.

“Love... is a good motivation. You will have to stop him, ” The old woman said as she started to walk away.

“Don't worry young man, everything will go the way it should. Every moment is written and will happen, whether you like it or not, ” she said as she continued to walk away leaving the young man with a quest.

——

In the sister's house, Elise quickly moves to get her shawl.

Amelia delighted from managing to finish the jam without delay, wearing her wool clothing as she converses with Amadeus who stands ready on his brown belted fur as they wait for Elise's return.

“We are ready to deliver this jar of cloudberry jam, ” Amelia said while lifting a basket filled with a jar.

“We managed ten jars, is this good?” Amadeus asked with a basket of jars in his hands.

“Yes!” she said, smiling.

With Elise coming in with her dark green shawl, protection for the cold.

“We'll have enough for our princess's upcoming birthday, ” Amelia added as soon as she saw Elise.

“It's her birthday soon?” he asked.

“Yes, on the 3rd night of October, ” Amelia replied.

“I hope the snowfall will start soon!” Elise said.

“I hate snow, it's cold and gray,” Amelia replied.

“But it's fun to look at!” Elise said excitedly.

“Well if that's what you wish for your birthday, I hope it does fall soon, ” She replied.

“Thank you, sis!” 

“We should go and deliver the jam now, ” Amelia said.

“You are good to walk? I can hold the other basket, ” Amadeus asked.

“It's great and Lady Munzen potion works great. Didn't feel any pain since I woke up, ” she said as she slightly slaps her patched thigh.

“Alright, I'm glad to hear that.”

——

At the Masse village, the sister Amelia and Elise with their Ex-knight companion Amadeus. Visiting houses to deliver the cloudberry jam. For their last destination to the Bucklers and Sword tavern just after they left the Longrider house.

“I can't believe it, lady Jewel the wise have died from sickness, ” Amelia said.

“They were talking about her, she seems old, ” Amadeus said.

“She was, but she was also known as a strong woman despite the fact that she is old. It was mostly thanks to her food that gives strength and lengthens lives, ” She replied as they continue to walk.

“I guess that's why she was wise, ” he replied.

“Yes, the nutritious and most healthy food. It was also written in her recipe book, ” she added.

A middle-aged man was walking towards them. A tall man with a black-haired ponytail. A well-built tanned body, wearing a white tunic and a dagger on his waist.

“Hey there!” he yelled at the sisters and Amadeus.

The tall ponytail man walks closer to them.

“I'm glad to see fine beauties out in the sunlight, are you guys selling something?” the man said.

“Yes, a cloudberry jam, I have four left, three are reserved for the tavern, ” Amelia replied.

“Ah but lots of people in here are getting sick, I suspect it's from bad food or tainted water, I'll avoid it for now, ” the man said.

The ponytail man moves his hand towards Elise's head without her consent the man gently taps and rubs her head.

“What a sweet-looking girl! Your green eyes are out of this world! Tell me you are from Grearian right?” 

Elise slightly backs away from the man's sudden movement, as she utters a word.

“Thank you, but I don't think so, I'm a Grisian.”

“Hey, ” Amadeus let out with a firm voice.

“Hey there, so, you are the famous, hmm Amadeus?” the man said.

'Who is this guy? How does he know my name? Is he a soldier, a knight?'

“You know each other, Amadeus?” Amelia asked.

“Ah no, this is the first time I have met him! But the Lady of the night has been talking about you a lot, describing everything to me. It almost felt like I had already seen you. But still, I have to see it for myself and you didn't disappoint me, ” the man said with a serious tone.

“Lady of the night, is that a flower?” Elise asked.

“Who are you?” Amadeus asked with a hint of agitation.

'Why does it seem he knows a lot about me!'

“No, young lady. We will all meet her when the time comes from all of us, ” the man answered.

“And Amadeus, I'm deeply honored to finally have met you, oh how entertaining it was, ” the man said as if he was talking of meeting somewhere else.

“To answer your question. I am Juno, I'm afraid time doesn't stop for all of us. Till we meet again God of all.”