Sixty-one

"I called my mother a few years ago..."

With a loud bang, the ash smoke pouring out of the fireplace turned into a black cloud.

"Sorry, didn't know you were with kids."

"Cats... Cats can talk?! The boy froze.

An old black cat took two gulps and wagged its tail lazily.

"It's a full moon night, are you coming, Lilith?"

"Wait until I find my socks."

4

"So... Is the witch called Lilith? ”

The bishop flipped through the books with trembling hands.

"She's... She's a recorded witch, sinister and cunning, and she'll take innocent people..."

"Turn into a pig."

"How do you know?!"

"Demons always take pleasure in it." The man said calmly.

"Write it down! Write them all down! The bishop was a little excited: "Your Excellency Adam, did you also participate in the witch's ball next?!" ”

Adam nodded, "It was a ball full of blood and horror, witches took pleasure in killing, and I had to recite the holy scriptures to keep my sanity." ”

5

"Is this the witch's ball?"

The clouds lifted, and it was a pale frost moon.

Under the moon was a bonfire, and a group of women sat around.

"Come and let my sister pinch it!"

"Oh my God, he's grown so tall!"

"Brother Adam, have you ever considered... Dating me? A girl in a dress approached quietly.

The young man took a step back: "Aunt Carrie, I know your actual age. ”

"Sisters, turn him into a pig!"

"Stop Carrie!"

Bonfires lit up the night sky, and the laughter of the witches was like water waves.

"I'm sorry, that's the way we old girls."

The old cat leaped over, stretched out, and became a red-haired woman, well maintained, mature and elegant.

Adam knew her, she was Oriana, the wife of the county guard, and only a few people knew that she was also a witch.

"You're not worried about your husband knowing?"

"He knows." The woman smiled, "He knew it the first day we met. ”

Adam was stunned, and the woman blinked, and then turned into an old cat, lying by the campfire, her wedding ring tied to her tail, and never left.

In the second half of the night, a pale man played the six-stringed piano.

"That's Lorenzo." The woman snorted, "Shameless vampire." ”

"I guess he dumped you." The young man smiled wryly.

"Watch your words, brainless humanoid ingredients." The woman snapped her fingers: "Is it a bad personality!" ”

The young man didn't speak, he sat in the gap between the forest and the moonlight.

The sound of the piano was like waves, washing away the dense water vapor.

"Lilith, what does love feel like?"

"It's the method you humans use to hurt each other." The woman turned her back.

After a long time, she lowered her head, and in the distance, Lorenzo buttoned up and left with another vampire girl.

The bonfire was extinguished, the witches mounted their broomsticks, and only the women remained in place.

"Old woman, you don't look good when you cry."

"Shut up, little bitch."

6

"And then?!"

The Bishop raised his eyes, "How did you survive the demon's minions after the horrible ball?" ”

"I killed the witch, opened the barrier with her blood, and escaped from the Demon Forest." The man said, "After that, I was rescued by the passing knights, and since then I have joined them until today. ”

"You killed the witch?"

"Yes."

"But I've heard that witches sing vicious songs, and no one is immune, and they bewitch all the upright!"

"Then apparently I'm more upright than they are."

7

"What did you just hum?"

The young man sat in a chair, holding a knife in one hand, gently peeling an apple, and it was raining outside the window, and the raindrops were beating against the edge of the window, making a tinkling sound.

"The Witch's Song."

"Can you sing it well?"

"Little cub, you've been asking for a lot lately, and you're not cute at all."

Sometimes women also sigh that human beings are growing up so fast, in just a dozen years, they have become like this, and now she is almost talking to a damn food with her head up.

"Everybody grows up." Adam handed over the peeled apple.

"Oh."

The drizzle in the courtyard beat the blades of grass, and it was drowsy outside, and the end of the horizon was said to be the royal city, now shimmering with a hazy light.

"I stole your broom the other day." Adam said suddenly.

"Oh."

"I went to the royal city, met the princess who ran away, and we had a meal together."

"And then?"

"No then."

"What kind of girl is she?"

"Just a little girl."

"You're just a little cub."

The woman clutched her wand and got up and walked into the rain, which wet the evil black robe.

"Little cub."

"What's wrong again?"

The woman stood in the rain, wiped the rain from her face, and smiled: "Turn you into a pig!" ”

A dark and bloody circle appeared beneath his feet.

"What are you doing?!"

"Everybody grows up." The woman turned her back: "It's not good to eat when you grow up, to be honest, I'm tired of staying with you for so many years, so stupid human, you rejoice, I don't want to eat you now, you can get out." ”

Intense black clouds pressed down, and there was an inexplicable lift, sweeping everything up into the sky.

"If you are lucky enough to marry a princess one day, remember to be kind to her, you are my top ingredient."

A gentle hum drifted in the wind.

It was a witch's song.

People say that the witch's song is sad and painful.

It's how they eat their souls.

8

"Worthy of the Knights." The bishop nodded and held up the Holy Grail: "I have no problem, you are still a knight of light, and you have passed the review." ”

Then he poured the water from the cup on top of Adam's head.

"After tonight, you will be the White Knight of the Empire, and I hope you will take care of the Church."

"Nature."

Adam stood up, his silver armor glistening in the light.

"But there may be a coincidence."

The bishop frowned: "Three years ago, the witches' assembly was raided by the people of the Inquisition, and we captured one of the demons and imprisoned her in the dungeon, and her name is the same as what you just said... Also called Lilith. ”

The man's expression did not change.

"yes, she's damned."

9

The red-haired woman was tied in the middle of the atrium square.

Now only dry bones remain.

Surrounding it was a giant bonfire made of firewood several people tall, with only dark red sparks remaining.

Adam knew the woman, who used to like to turn into a black cat and gossip on Lilith's windowsill.

It is said that when she was burned to death, there was really a guy who rushed out of the crowd.

"She's my wife! Not a witch! ”

"Oriana! I'm coming! I'm here to save you! ”

After the bonfire was lit, the red-haired witch watched her husband and sang softly through the fire.

It was the witch's song.

People cover their ears for fear of being robbed of their souls.

10

"She was sewn in the mouth."

"Because she scolded too badly." Adam whispered.

Through the narrow dark passageway, Adam saw the iron coffin that held the witch in place, and as the head of the knighthood, he was one of the few people who was qualified to enter the dungeon of the Holy See.

"How do you know, Commander?"

"I guess."

In front of me is a humanoid coffin, which is said to have been designed to be sealed in order to prevent the witch's spell.

Adam's hand touched the silver-plated casings and did not speak.

Now a slightly tired man, he had returned to the hut in the Demon Forest, but there was nothing, and the wind swept everything away on that drowsy, rainy afternoon.

He remembered the snap of his fingers once in a while.

Stupid humans, you guys always make a fuss.

"Adam, why are you here?"

The king stood in the doorway, the blood of the dungeon making him reluctant to enter.

"to make sure the demon has been punished."

"Good." The king smiled: "Tonight is the ceremony, are you ready?" ”

"I was born for this."

The king nodded, and suddenly leaned forward: "I know that some people in the city say that you are the witch's cub, but whoever makes my blind baby daughter like you, I can bear it, and even make you a white knight, but I advise you not to give me an inch." ”

"I know."

Adam got down on one knee.

"I'm going to light the fire with my own hands tonight."

11

The evening fireworks display lasted for an hour.

Next is the much-anticipated witch burning.

Adam, the White Knight of the Empire, will light a bonfire with his own hands to symbolize the victory of light, and then he will go to the palace to marry Princess Fiona.

Heavy drums rose from the ends of heaven and earth.

The iron coffin was carried up to the atrium square, and no one dared to release this vicious witch, they were to burn it together with the coffin.

The horn sounded, and Adam, the White Knight, ascended the steps in the eyes of everyone.

In his hand is a sword that symbolizes light, and his gaze is clear and transparent.

"Ignition!"

The White Knight raised his torch.

The crowd went wild.

"Burn her! Burn her! ”

The White Knight didn't move.

"You know, I met the princess many years ago in the royal city."

The knight's laughter came from the iron mask, and the urn sounded with anger.

"She was really beautiful back then."

The White Knight took a deep breath, and then with all his might, he threw the torch into the night sky!

"But all I had in mind was another person, a lazy, vicious, and wicked woman."

Just before everyone had time to react, the sword that symbolized light pried open the iron coffin.

"He... What's he doing! ”

"Stop him!"

"Where are the knights!"

"Your Majesty, the head of the regiment last night... Send the Knights out of town! ”

The light of the sky split like a slit, reflecting the woman's pale face.

He wanted to say that you are not old yet, or the same as that night, and that your bedtime story is so bad that I want to close the coffin again now.

The woman's eyes rolled slightly, her lips opened and closed, and she grinned.

"Little cub, you've grown up."

"Old woman, you still haven't changed."

"Turn you into a pig."

"I'll wait."

12

Many years later, people will tell the story of the Witch's Night.

The White Knight of the Empire opened the iron coffin in the atrium square.

The man who was supposed to symbolize light carried the witch on his back.

They rushed into the encircling formation, crimson blood and pure white swords that brought rose-colored raindrops, and the wicked woman sang on the man's shoulders all the while.

It was a witch's song.

Grief and grief.

Some say that the White Knight fell many years ago.

He joined the Order only to save the demon.

He was bewitched by the witch and became a captive of the witch.

and eternal suffering.