Thread: The Mistress of the Woods (Aldir and Voly)

The Woods of Cantos were known for a number of things wicked beasts, twisted paths that seemed to lead no one, and darkness so thick that one could almost take a knife to it. Of all the dangers it held, however, none made one's blood turn to ice quicker than the witch. Most of the neighboring settlements knew well of the wicked woman and ways, of the magic she weaved and the depravities she committed. She was the subject of many campfire stories, and those who did dare speak of her did so in hushed whispers. Some had claimed that she'd escaped to the woods when the last emperor called for a cleansing on those who practiced the arcane arts, while others believed that she'd been born in the forest and had been raised by wild folk who were known to occasionally lurk about. There were even few who suggested that she wasn't even human, and instead was a demon who wore the skin of a woman. Regardless of the truth, however, the people of the neighboring towns could agree on at least one thing. Whatever the woman was, she had forsaken her soul long ago. For as long as most remembered, she tormented them. The kidnappings had been constant, a couple of villagers disappearing ever year or so. A few had tried to fight back and send hunters into her domain, and yet they'd suffered all the more. Poisoned livestock, salted earth, and even plague were consequences of going against the ruler of the forest. Some had even petitioned to the capital in hope that the emperor would be capable of dealing with the issue, and yet with the empire currently embroiled in a war the most people could hope for were the occasional squad of patrols and the occasional hunter looking to make a quick bit of coin. Even they proved no match for the mistress of the woods, and after the second patrol had vanished the people found themselves essentially forsaken. It grew to point that some of the villages had lost hope almost entirely, and help sate the witch's seemingly endless appetite. One life, so a couple dozen more could live comfortably. To Len, it had seemed like a fair enough idea. That was, at least, until she'd found herself chosen to be the 'one'. Deep within the woods, far away from her village of Rena, the young woman laid in a state of near unconsciousness. She had been drugged, a common herb having been used. Her eyes only partially opened, her mind foggy, she'd remain in the state for another hour at the most. By the time she awoke, it'd already be too late. The are where she'd been left in were home to ruins, a relic of an age long since passed. Crumbled walls and moss-covered stone created a meek shelter, and the place was one of the few landmarks in the massive forest. It was the Rena villagers had left their past sacrifices, laid upon the stone slab that Len herself had taken residence of. Hands bound above her head, and feet strapped together, even if she had the strength the girl would not be able to escape. Barely more than a teenager, eighteen years of age, the young maiden was hardly difficult on the eyes. Long dark hair formed a pillow beneath her petite form, and even in her current state the woman's bright blue eyes still seemed to hold a bit of a spark. She'd been stripped of her clothing, two pieces of cloth covering hiding what little of her modesty remained. Noticeably, upon her belly, a symbol had been drawn as well. Simple in design, nothing more than a circle with an X in the middle, it the none the less served to mark her as a sacrifice. She had been disowned by the village, and now as to serve the witch's own machinations. Her life was, essentially, over.