I Am The Only Witch Hunter

Teddy felt the cold touch of a raindrop on his face. His eyelids fluttered before opening completely.

Somehow, he was dragged to the Rottin Woods. The man looked down and saw he was tied to a tree.

Teddy tried to wriggle himself out but the rope didn't budge.

"Don't waste your strength. My knots are sublime." a voice echoed in the cold woods.

Teddy looked over and saw Siderius stuffing his pipe with some dried leaves.

"You… How did we get here?" Teddy said.

"I carried you here, of course. How else?"

"Are you going to torture me?"

"Please, Teddy. Torture only works some of the time. What prevents you from telling me lies just to let you off the hook?"

Teddy tried to form a smile. "Yeah… So what are you going to do? Are you just going to kill me?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Teddy. I will kill you. But not now. I need to take a look inside that brain first."

"What… What do you mean by that?"

Siderius tapped his finger on his temple slowly and rhythmically.

"I am a wicca. Don't forget about that, Teddy. I'm literally going to look inside your head. Then I will know whatever it is you know."

"Fuck!" Teddy screamed. "Help me! Someone help me!"

"It is half a day journey to Blacklungs, Teddy. And I chose a very secluded area in the woods. No one is going to hear you.

Stay still."

Siderius grabbed Teddy's neck and held him still. His free hand drew a seal onto Teddy's forehead.

"Everything is going to be over soon."

"No! Please! No! They're going to kill my family!"

"Tough luck, my friend. But it is none of my business." Siderius shrugged.

"Wait! Wait a minute! Just look for whatever you want to. But please save my family! I will do anything! Anything at all!"

"Anything?"

"Everything!"

"Hmmm…"

Siderius took the serrated knife out and cut Teddy loose.

"I do need some servants."

Teddy fell to his knees. He turned his head back and saw the empty grass field behind.

Siderius only smiled.

"Thinking of running? You can try. You may have a chance."

Teddy shook his head. "It's pointless. You aren't the same you from a few months ago.

Your power grows fast, Snow."

Siderius pulled out his signet ring and put it on his middle finger. On it was the symbol of the Baron of Snowfell, a six-winged snowflake.

"That is!" Teddy widened his eyes.

"Kiss my signet ring, Teddy. From now on, you are a servant of Lord Siderius Snow Satterblade, Baron of Snowfell, High Noble of Eldoria.

Your life will become mine. I decide when you live or die. I decide what you eat and do. I decide your entire life.

Swear your loyalty to me and you may live."

"Lord Siderius Snow Satterblade…"

Teddy let out a bitter smile. "How things change so quickly. The actor from that day has now become a lord.

Before swearing my loyalty, I want to ask one question, my lord."

"Go on!"

"What happened to Thane and Germort?"

Siderius grinned from ear to ear. "They met their maker."

Teddy gasped. His shaky hands touched Siderius' hand gently like lifting a pound of gold. He kissed the signet ring.

"My life is now yours, Lord Siderius Snow Satterblade. From now on and forever more.

I swear to give my loyalty, my life, and my soul. In exchange for the protection of my family."

"Snarky bastard. You just add the last part." Siderius said.

"If you can't guarantee this, you can kill me, torture me, do whatever you like." Teddy said.

"A man of family, I see. Fine. I will protect your family. But they will belong to me as well. Any objection?"

Teddy trembled. He believed that Siderius didn't need his cooperation to find out facts about the Shadow Blade. The Shadow Blade would kill his family no matter what.

It didn't matter if Teddy told Siderius or Siderius looked into his mind, it was all the same to Shadow Blade. It was betrayal. And betrayal resulted in fate worse than death. A fate of seeing those who were close to you walking to their death.

Siderius was his only hope.

"Me and my family now belong to you, my lord!"

"Smart choice. Now lay down!"

"My lord?"

Siderius shoved Teddy on the ground. His hand immediately started the sign sequence. Teddy's vision blurred as he went into a coma.

Siderius lifted the pipe up to his mouth. "Let's see what this Shadow Blade organization is."

He took a puff of the Red Candy. His eyes were clouded. A string of line reached out from his forehead and connected to the seal on Teddy's forehead.

Meanwhile, in Blacklungs.

"What do you mean Teddy was snatched?!" The handler of the Shadow Blade smacked her hand on the table.

It was a woman with bright red hair wearing a tight sailor suit.

"Please forgive us, Handler!" All the assassins knelt down. Their heads lowered deep.

The handler threw a cup to the wall. "Useless pieces of shit! How can you let one man attack our organization?!"

"He… He wasn't a man, Handler! He had a flaming blade. We suspect that he is a wicca."

"A male witch?" The handler said. Her rage immediately dispersed and instead, fear took over.

"Are you sure?"

"We aren't sure, Handler. But no man could summon flame easily like that!"

The handler bit her fingernails. "Fuck!"

"Summon all of our brothers back. Pause all missions. We need to be on guard."

"Yes, Handler!"

"Tell the messenger to come here. I need to send a letter to Lord Frere."

Back in the woods. Teddy once again woke up from his slumber. He wasn't restrained this time and lay freely on a trunk.

Teddy slowly got up, trying to figure out what had happened. He saw Siderius sat near a campfire with a piece of meat rolling on top.

"Come. Let's eat." Siderius said.

"Thank you, my lord." Teddy went over there and sat opposite Siderius.

"Should we do something, my lord? They will kill my family!"

"They aren't going to do anything. There is not even a witch in your organization. If you're a handler, would you waste your time killing a forgettable underling's family?"

Teddy shook his head. "But still. We don't know exactly what they will do."

"I know exactly what Jenny will do."

"How did you know the handler's name?"

Siderius stared at Teddy like he's looking at an idiot.

"Oh right… You looked into my mind." Teddy scratched his head.

"Just eat, Teddy. We're going to need to replenish our energy for the fight." Siderius passed a meat sower to Teddy. "It's rabbit meat. I don't like rabbits because they don't have a lot of fat. But it is the easiest game in the woods."

Teddy received the woods in a daze. Siderius' change of attitude seemed bizarre to him. "What do you think Jenny will do, my lord?"

"Probably summoned all your mercenaries back to guard the stronghold. Then ask for help from another witch. I would guess someone like Lord Frere."

The two continued to eat in peace. There were many questions circling Teddy's mind but he didn't dare to ask.

Once they're done, Teddy looked up.

"Why are you showing so much mercy to me, my lord?"

"You aren't the one who killed my mother. I have no quarrels with you."

"But still… You accepted me as your servant without much thought."

"Hah!" Siderius let out a laugh. "Remember I told you to prepare for a fight? You're coming with me to the Shadow Blade. If you're willing to kill those who were once your allies, it would be pathetic of me to not spare you.

What do you think, Teddy?"