Chapter 211 - Only Witchlings

"I feel sick," one of the witches murmured, clutching her stomach.

A chorus of agreement followed as the others echoed the sentiment.

Sonder felt strange, too—not sick, exactly, but weaker. She couldn't explain why.

They pressed on through the forest. The oppressive darkness had long receded, yet the canopy of twisted trees still allowed only the faintest slivers of light to seep through. There was no path to follow, but Vell led them forward, trusting his instincts. He relied on neither magic nor any supernatural means to guide their way.

If Targe wished to meet them—Sonder, the witches, or Vell—she would show them the way. And so, he surrendered to her will.

If danger arose, he could handle it. But if the witch of the forest simply did not wish to see them, he would not force the encounter.

Yet, as they ventured deeper, the forest itself began to change. Life stirred in the undergrowth, and light, however subtle, grew more abundant.

The streams, once murky, shimmered with a clearer blue. The trees stood taller, their trunks less gnarled, their branches reaching skyward instead of twisting inward.

The dead silence gave way to the hum of insects and the distant calls of birds—sounds that had been absent until now.

A path emerged beneath their feet, growing more defined with every step until it became a cobblestone road winding through the forest.

But as the forest came alive, the witches seemed to wither.

Their strength slipped the farther they walked.

A dull ache pounded in their heads, their stomachs twisting with nausea. Their legs grew heavy, their knees threatening to buckle. One witch collapsed, another retched onto the stones.

One fell unconscious.

Sonder felt lightheaded, dizziness creeping into her vision. She instinctively turned to Vell. 

"What's happening? What's wrong with them?" she asked, her voice unsteady. 

Two witches struggled to carry the unconscious one, barely managing to stay upright themselves. 

"You're standing near a presence far beyond their strength. This is what happens to those who cannot endure it," Vell said.

Through the haze in her mind, Sonder still found herself asking, "Shouldn't the same thing happen when people are near you?"

She couldn't remember his answer.

Then, at the end of the road, a clearing opened before them. 

A small cottage stood there, and beside it, a woman was waiting.