Return of the Legendary Runesmith

Witches had always been a secretive community in ancient times.

They kept themselves hidden from the world, never mingling with others. Some believed they foresaw an ominous calamity, one that would plunge humanity into peril—so they chose to stay apart, untouched by worldly affairs. Others whispered that the witches themselves were the very reason Darkness appeared in their world.

Whatever the truth, one fact was recorded beyond doubt: witches never lived among common folk.

"However," Annabelle spoke, her voice carrying the weight of memory, "there were rare times when witches revealed what they could truly do." She paused, her gaze distant as she recalled. "Anyone foolish enough to pry into their domain… either never returned, or came back with an empty head."

Ariana's brows shot up. "Empty headed? Like… senseless?"

Annabelle shook her head gravely. "Worse. Their eyes gouged out, their minds broken, their bodies shattered. Left alive, but nothing more than a husk. A complete vegetative state."

"That's cruel," Ruby muttered under her breath.

Annabelle's eyes softened, though her tone was firm. "They always left warnings, Ruby. Witches marked their boundaries with one condition: only those who had already lived their life could step inside. To all others, trespass meant doom."

Adrian, listening quietly, found himself nodding. Fragments of his own memory told him the same. Witches loathed outsiders who tried to sneak into their world—or even glimpse beyond their towering barriers.

To him, witchcraft remained a mystery. No scriptures. No records. Not even fragments of their language or spells had survived the ages.

Ruby, heiress of the Vermillion family, spoke up, her voice laced with frustration. "Even with all my family's archives and resources, I've never come across anything tied to the witches."

Ariana nodded. "Nor did my mentor, or anything I learned as a Warden."

The silence that followed was heavy. Annabelle finally said, "The witches never made exceptions. No one ever stepped beyond their boundaries. No one ever entered and lived to tell."

Adrian leaned back, his expression darkening. "Then only two possibilities remain. Either our knowledge of them is too scarce to understand what they've left behind…" His gaze hardened. "…or one of the Acolytes carries a witch's bloodline."

The room chilled. The second possibility felt all too real.

"But doesn't one need witch blood to wield their spells?" Ruby asked softly. It was more a guess than a statement, but it lingered in the air.

Adrian shook his head. "If my memories are correct, witchcraft is like Runesmithing. It doesn't demand blood—it demands talent, and knowledge."

His words dropped like stones into water, leaving ripples of unease.

Ariana looked between Ruby and Annabelle, her voice trembling. "Doesn't that mean… we're doomed?" She forced a dry laugh, masking her fear. "From what I've heard, witchcraft allows delayed chanting, deadly hexes… and even your bullets failed to counter it, Adrian. Worse, they couldn't heal the wounds it left behind."

Adrian hummed low, his eyes narrowing. "You're right. Which means one thing—"

He leaned forward, his tone steely.

"We can't afford to neglect this."

But the two who had wielded witch sorcery were already dead.

That left only one possible lead: Armodius's pupil—the same man who had stood beside him during that meeting with Adrian in the Tower.

Adrian thought for a moment before turning to Ruby. "You can use Echo Trace to see where they went, right?"

Ruby nodded. "Yes, but only within a certain time frame. When I checked the base, there was nothing—no trace of their movements."

Adrian exhaled a heavy sigh. "Then there's no point in going back."

Annabelle spoke up, her eyes steady. "I can search for them, Darling." She had her suspicions about where they might have gone. If that path turned up empty, she would send her spies across the land until they sniffed them out.

But Adrian gently shook his head. "No, Bella. It's okay." He ruffled her hair with a faint smile. "You've already done more than enough. You deserve a vacation."

Annabelle's lips curved as she leaned into his touch, a soft hum of contentment escaping her.

Adrian then turned to Ruby. "Don't worry. I'll ask my friend for a remedy. I'm sure those marks will fade soon."

Ruby let out a quiet sigh. "What's the point? My to-be fiancé has already seen me like this."

Ariana chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "And trust me, he likes those marks."

Ruby blinked, flustered. "Really?"

Ariana smirked. "He likes rough, wild beauties."

Ruby's eyes widened. She spun toward Adrian with a questioning look.

Caught off guard, Adrian's face flushed. He shot Ariana a glare. "That was supposed to be our secret! And Bella—don't you dare take that knife."

"Uuu…" Annabelle pouted playfully. "Now I want a scar too."

Ruby could only stare, stunned by the revelation—but as she thought of Ariana, it did make sense. With the scar tracing over her left brow, the tattoos curling along her neck, and the way women often admired her even more than men, Ariana carried a raw, untamed beauty.

She grinned, "I am keeping this scar."

Adrian slapped his forehead.

….

Since it was already late, they decided to spend the night in Adrian's room. Returning now would only raise Ruby's parents' worry—especially with the marks still etched on her arm and face.

They laid out mattresses across the floor, leaving the bed for two people.

And that's where the real dilemma began: who would be the one sharing the bed with Adrian?

The three women stood in a circle, eyes sharp, tension crackling in the air like a battlefield before dawn.

Annabelle narrowed her gaze. "I deserve that spot. I put in the most effort during this mission."

Ariana crossed her arms with a smug huff. "Please. I'm his fiancée. That spot already belongs to me."

Ruby awkwardly scratched her cheek. "Ah… I don't even know if I should be fighting for this…"

"Of course you should, Ruby," Annabelle encouraged, giving her a little push. "Now, come on, give us your reason. Why should you be the one?"

Ruby thought for a long moment before blurting, "Maybe… because I haven't gotten the chance until now?"

Both Annabelle and Ariana exchanged a look, then shook their heads in perfect unison.

"Nah. Too weak."

"Not even a real reason."

Ruby instantly fell out of the contest, her shoulders slumping.

"...."

Meanwhile, Adrian was already stretched out on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The women's little showdown faded into background noise for him as his mind wandered back to what had happened earlier.

The more he replayed the events in his head, the stronger a nagging feeling grew. He knew something about the witches… something buried in the fragments of his memory.

But no matter how hard he tried to piece it together, the image refused to take shape.

Closing his eyes, he muttered, 'Need to finish the fifth thread and get back my memories.'

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.