The Devil's Cursed Witch

Though Ember was raised as a human, now that she had started to develop her own Fire, her power was somewhat affecting her unstable emotions, making her feel cranky and irritated even at the smallest things.

“Miss, are you sure you don’t need anything else?”

Since she woke up, Ember was unusually quiet and simply let her servants do what they wanted to take care of her. As soon as they left her chamber to give her more time to rest, she opted to leave bed  and sit on the same window sill where Ray’s cage was located.

She stared at her pet who was busy jumping here and there inside her cage, eating once in a while, sometimes playing on the swing. Time passed idly like that.

Though her eyes were at her pet, her mind was somewhere else, her thoughts lost in memories she thought she had buried deep in her mind.

‘I miss my nanny.’

For some odd reason, an overwhelming sense of grief weighed her chest. It was like back when Gaia had left her alone.

Gaia. She was Ember’s everything, the only person in her world, and yet she lost her life because of her. For as long as she could remember, she took care of Ember like her own child, and in the end, the only reward she had for her years of dedication was death.

That day, Gaia went down the mountain early in the morning. They needed to get the necessary supplies inside their cave before winter arrived. During the winter, the entire mountain was covered in heavy snow for the entire three months and it would be difficult for them to leave the mountain.

Along with food like cereals and grains, they had to have other basic survival items like medicines and various other necessities with them. However, it was not easy to get supplies since she had to trade secretly in the villages near the foot of the mountain. In order to not expose herself, Gaia would always start to procure supplies for their cave slowly at least a month or two ahead.

That day should have been like all the other days, but her nanny didn’t return even after the sun had set. In order to lessen interaction with the villagers, Gaia would only purchase things at the market at the guise of a traveler, and she would never spend more than a day away from the cave. She would always return before the sunset but that day she didn’t.

The cursed mountain where they live was a dangerous place to be at during the night. Due to the nature of the place, the pitch black darkness and the fog that could not be dispelled by a torch could easily cause ignorant passersby to be lost or injured. Though it boasted nothing but dead trees, poisonous insects and the rocky steep slopes could still kill unlucky stragglers.

That was one of the advantages of the terrain that allowed Ember to grow up safely in that mountain.

‘I shouldn’t be worried. Gaia knows this mountain like the back of her hand…but what if she met an accident? What if she lost her footing and fell?’

Finally, in the middle of the night, Ember was shocked awake upon hearing the first sign of noise at the mouth of the cave. She didn’t even realize she had fallen asleep while waiting.

‘Gaia is back!’

With a bright smile, she lit up a lamp and hurried out of the cave to welcome her, only to see a sight she would never forget in her lifetime.

“Did you buy a lot? What happened—Gaia! Is that…b-blood?”

Ember ran towards her nanny who was lying face down on the ground. Her body was severely wounded, her traveler robe almost torn to shreds and the clothes underneath drenched in blood. It looked like she had been harmed with a  sword and there were several arrows sticking out from her back. One could barely see the small rise of her torso to indicate she was still breathing.

In panic,  Ember immediately kneeled on the hard ground and held the shaft on an arrow, intending to pull it out.

“G-Gaia? You are awake, right? Please tell me you are. Tell me what to do. What do I do to treat you? I-I-I don’t know what…should I pull out the arrow first? Do I break the arrow and then clean the wound? Tell me…please don’t fall asleep…I will bandage the wound so you won’t bleed anymore…”

Gaia had her eyes closed but she was still awake. She groaned in pain but she smiled as she heard Ember’s voice.

“Little… Princess…”

Her voice was weak and could barely be heard.

“Gaia, let me get you inside the cave. I will treat your wounds inside, so stay awake, all right?” Ember proceeded to help her get up but she could only put Gaia to lay on her side.

“Little Princess… listen to me…”

Ember shook her head even though Gaia could not see her. “Talk once we’re inside the cave—”

“…listen to me… carefully….”

“Let me treat you first, Gaia!” Ember cried out.

“…no use…I cannot be saved…” She coughed out blood, but after that, she was able to speak more clearly. “Don’t feel bad, little one. I am old… I am happy that I at least get to die in your arms…”

“Gaia, don’t say that…”

“Little Princess, you will be alone from now on but…you know how to protect yourself and survive…Do not let anyone harm you. Do not die…Protect yourself well…You are strong…You can do it even without me now…”

“No, Gaia, I…I still need you.”

“Apologies, my Princess. I cannot serve you anymore…please survive…”

“Gaia!”

“The villagers caught me…they will soon come for you. Run if you must…hide if you must…remember my words…Do not die…”

With this, Gaia let out her last breath, but at least, the fact that she was able to meet Ember before she left the world caused a small smile to linger on the corner of her lips.

That night,  the sound of Ember desperately crying her heart out echoed within the darkness of the forest.

“Gaia, don’t leave me please…”

“I am scared…”

“Please don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone.”

“Please wake up! Don’t leave me!”

“Gaia, I need you!”

“Gaia!”

After spending that night next to her dead nanny, Ember could not remember the next events well. It was as if her own heart was covered in fog. She only had a brief recollection that she buried Gaia’s body somewhere near her cave, but those days felt like she wasn’t truly alive.

Tears rolled down Ember’s eyes when she remembered that night. It was the most painful moment of her life. What she wanted in life was simple—to have a happy life with just the two of them. It didn’t matter to her that she starved on most days or that they lived inside a cold dank cave. She didn’t need family or friends or anyone else.

Gaia was enough.

But even such a simple dream was mercilessly destroyed just like that.

Whoever had written her destiny, must have been a cruel person to not spare her any moment of happiness.