CHAPTER 6

It will be dark soon and I need to find shelter. The last few nights of sleeping on the road have not been a pleasant experience. Although this part of the Empire is safer than it used to be, there are still evil creatures about, waiting to kill the unwary. The last band of Orcs was almost too much for me alone. It would be better if I could find others who were of like mind in fighting these vile creatures and the Forces of Chaos.

"The Forces of Chaos! How pretentious that sounds, that I Gilchrist Hauk, newly graduated from the Witchhunter's Guild, am off to pit my faith and skills against the vast might of Chaos! Dark was the day and dire were the events that set me on the path of the Witchhunter!

Looking back, my old life seemed years ago and I as innocent as a child. I was apprenticed to Vishder Scibus the Alchemist as a boy. At first it was pure drudgery; cleaning flasks and bottles, keeping the powders sorted and stocked, and clearing up debris after an experiment gone awry.

Later, as I got older, being allowed to assist in brewing the different potions, or watching over an experiment and adding the right ingredient at the proper time. It was mostly trial and error when Vishder was embarking on a new experiment; there were many failures. I was able to avoid injury to most of them with my ability to flee at the moment before the explosion occurred. This was due in part to my excellent hearing which enabled me to hear that certain way chemicals hiss and bubble just before they explode.

All in all, Vishder Scibus was a fairly decent master as masters go. He saw to it that I could read and write and as most of his clientele was of the nobility, he made sure I was well versed in etiquette so that I could wait on customers or deliver various potions to their homes. He also put me in the way of various treats such as the time Binabon Greatharp came to town and was a guest at the Earl's castle. He was giving a special performance to some select guests and my master was invited. To my delight he allowed me to go with him. I had heard much of the great bard and was looking forward to the evening. I remember being enthralled by his ballads of legends and heroes, of dark times and light. I was especially thrilled by the songs of Sigmar and Ulric. I have to say though that the dancing left me cold. It was beyond me why a grown man would get up in front of a crowd and dance without a lady partner. It didn't seem as if he was all there mentally. I will admit I had never seen such a complexity of steps. How on earth could you remember them and why would you want to?

Anyway, Vishder was quite a decent master and my prospects as his apprentice were excellent until....

It was about eight months before my apprenticeship was over when Vishder came back from the booksellers. He often goes there to browse for any interesting books that might aid him in the making of his brews and potions. This time he came back all excited. He said he'd found a book that might prove useful, but that he had to read very carefully before actually trying the experiments. He said the spells were pretty strong and he wanted to be sure of what he was doing. So for the next 1½ weeks I waited on customers, filled and delivered orders, and made fresh batches of potions. During this time a change seemed to come over Vishder. He spent nearly all of the time in his rooms, and for the most part neglecting personal hygiene and nourishment. He seemed furtive and sly and having a queer gleam in his eye whenever I talked to him about a particular potion or brew.

One day one of the local gentry came in and specifically asked to see the master regarding a special potion to restore his receding hairline. I went to the master's rooms and knocked on the door. Receiving no answer, I was just about to call to him through the door when I heard the sound of low laughter, the likes of which sent a chill down my spine. Squatting down and peering through the keyhole I could see Vishder and yet somehow he seemed different. Realizing I had been away for a longer time than I should have, I hurried back to my customer and proceeded to blather at him till he quite forgot why he had come and he was late for another appointment. After he left, I hurried back to Vishder's room. I was just getting ready to knock when the door opened and there was my master looking his normal self. He told me he was going out as there were some special ingredients he needed for a particular experiment he was ready to try.

As soon as he left, I hurried back upstairs to his room. I needed to get a look at that book and find out what it was. I was sorely afraid for my master. He had locked it away but that was no problem for me as he was apt to lose his keys and I had some spares made. As soon as I touched the book, I knew there was danger when I opened it and started reading. After the first couple of lines I knew that I was seeing and touching pure evil. I quickly closed the book and locked it back up. I went back downstairs and brooded by the fire. I was horribly afraid; for myself and more especially for Vishder. I knew then that if he had even tried one of these foul experiments has soul would be damned forever. A few minutes later I heard him return. He told me he wished to be undisturbed for the rest of the evening and quickly went upstairs. As soon as I heard the key turn in the lock I knew I hadn't much time. I hurriedly ran out and down the street. As fast as I could run and I headed straight for the Witchhunter's Guild.

After explaining the dire events of the day and my own fears, five Witchhunters went back with me to Vishder Scibus' shop. One went in with me while the other four took up positions around the shop to cut off any escape. The senior Witchhunter, Bromley, and I went up to his rooms.

We could hear arcane chanting and I quickly used my spare key to unlock the door. Inside we could see Vishder with the book open in front of him. It was glowing with an eerie greenish black light and the words of the spell he was chanting hurt me to the soul. We could see a rift opening in the air and "things" hideous things trying to come through. I wondered if we were too late. I saw Bromley reach into his pouch and pull out a vial of holy water. He opened it and threw the holy water over Vishder and the book. Vishder screamed in agony and the book smoked. The air immediately started to crackle and grew hot as if it were on fire and the rift closed locking the evil away. Vishder turned and saw us and started a new spell. Bromley quickly reached into another pouch and pulled out an amulet. I later found out this was the Amulet of Charadris. Its power is to nullify magic and it is a very potent weapon. The book stopped glowing and Vishder ceased chanting. As soon as the amulet took effect, Bromley pulled out his pistol and shot Vishder point blank in the heart. I watched, horrified as he swayed and then fell to the floor. I ran to him and as I gently raised his head into my lap, he opened his eyes and looked at me. I could see recognition in them and he said to me, what was done had to be done, but not to worry as I had brought him back to himself. The Chaos Magic hadn't had him for very long and now that Bromley was destroying the book with holy water no one else would be captured and subverted by it either and then he closed his eyes and was gone. Great was my grief and sense of loss. Bromley reassured me that I had done the right thing. I asked him how could such a thing happen and could it happen again? He told me it was happening every day in some form or another all over the Empire. Bromley told me my quick-thinking saved Vishder and possibly the entire city from damnation. I looked at him and said in a hard voice, "It's got to be stopped." He looked at the determination in every line of my body and said "You can help to stop it, become a Witchhunter and you'll get the power to stop it." I looked at him a moment longer and slowly nodded my head. My course was set. I had a path to follow. We walked out into the night together.

Now I see my reminiscing has deviated me from my immediate goal, which is to find shelter. It is now after dark and I'm still on the road. Wait, I see a light up ahead. Yes, I believe it is a village and there is the Inn. I hope its not full, but at any rate it's better than alone in the dark on the hard ground. I wonder what kind of people are in there, and would there by chance be any stalwart adventurers who would be willing to join me. And so with these thoughts I opened the door and walked in.