Chapter 18: The Coven’s Reaction

Isolde was a faithful Warden of the Coven, a staunch believer in rigid rules, in following laws, in respecting traditions, and in upholding order. To her, duty came before anything else. Relying on one's moral judgement against the established norms and traditions was a road to disaster. After all, rules came to be due to necessity; they came from the collective wisdom of generations. Therefore, even when it seemed expedient to do so, ignoring rules ultimately brought more harm than good. The individual is limited in their capacity to grasp all the nuances of the world, of the historical precedents of rules, and of the consequences of their actions. Through the generations, humans grew in wisdom and adapted rules to better suit living with one another and to live in harmony with nature. Those who ignored the rules ignored the fundamental, concrete reality of civilized society and nature.

The Witch, Jenny, was a perfect example. She had broken the Coven's laws, knowingly or not. While there was disagreement about her exact knowledge of those laws, it remained a fundamental truth: she had broken Coven law and unleashed a powerful, walking disaster upon the world, one capable of untold damage. Isolde had decided to kill Jenny for this very reason, but had been thwarted by the Demoness. What’s even more humiliating and strange for Isolde was that she was saved by the very person she had tried to assassinate.

Jenny the Witch had, at the cost of her own well-being, saved her. This troubled Isolde to no end. On the one hand, she couldn’t forgive Jenny for breaking the laws; on the other hand, she owed Jenny an unrepayable debt.

The Coven had called for a meeting following the Feldhauptmann Sebastian von Alderburg’s untimely demise. All the witches in Silberwald had celebrated the news, screaming in jubilation, 'The Scourge of Witches is dead!' Many of the common folk seemed equally delighted. Isolde couldn’t blame them; she had seen firsthand the horror that man had brought here, and she was more than happy that scoundrel was dead.

What truly worried her was the identity of his killer. It was, unmistakably, the Demoness Jenny had summoned. It wasn’t difficult to figure out. Reports described the Demoness as a greater demon with ash grey skin and blood red eyes, exactly matching the one Jenny had summoned. Furthermore, the official Church wanted posters sought an 'Anna Seris,' a name unknown in Coven records. Thus, the Coven quickly deduced that 'Anna Seris' was none other than Jenny, disguised by glamour.

Jenny, therefore, had become a hero among the Witches, which gave Isolde a major headache. There were so many unintended consequences that could happen from this. Even if Jenny did have control of her Greater Demon, which Isolde very much doubted, what would Jenny’s reputation mean for the other Witches? How many more Witches would now be tempted to summon a Greater Demon, too? If a novice Witch could do it, why not them too? This was a slippery slope that could quickly plunge the world straight to hell, and it was all Jenny’s fault. So, while Sebastian's death greatly pleased her, the unintended consequences of his demise profoundly worried her.

She went inside the meeting hall, which was surrounded by a semi-circle of pedestals, where the elders stood. They looked down forebodingly at her. Isolde had requested to come here to talk about Jenny’s fate, and she was not sure what she could possibly say about her.

“Warden Isolde Silberwolf, you have admitted to violating our Coven’s decision and hunted Jenny Nachtdorn on the night of her exile. Is this true, Warden?” The central elder, named Melisanda, asked.

“It is true, Elder. As indicated in my report, I disagreed with the decision reached by this council, for it went against the Coven’s laws. I sought to rectify what I deemed a misjudgment by hunting the Witch, Jenny Nachtdorn, on the night of her exile. I had hoped to put an end to what I presumed was a dangerous threat, not just to the Coven, but to humanity itself.”

Melisandra looked down sternly, “You do realize that the elder council has a right to interpret the law as best suits the circumstances. Laws aren’t always clear-cut and must be adapted to a variety of situations. By taking the law into your own hands, you, yourself, have violated the laws you claim to hold so dear.”

Isolde bowed deeply. “I understand, Elder, but due to the unique circumstances and the threat posed by a Greater Demon, I had deemed it necessary and in the best interest of the world to take matters into my own hands. I do not seek forgiveness, Elder, and I would gladly accept any punishment for my insolence.”

Melisandra raised an eyebrow and said, “Why have you come forward to speak on behalf of Jenny Nachtdorn now?”

“As I had indicated in my report, I was saved by Jenny Nachtdorn from her Demoness despite my attempt to assassinate her. This event has troubled me greatly, for I am now divided in my thoughts about Jenny.”

Tilda interrupted. “It does not matter that Jenny may have done some good. That Witch is a clear threat to all of us. Her actions have caused chaos. She must be dealt with at once.”

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Melisandra raised her hand. “Enough, Tilda. You have made your point numerous times.”

Veylin chimed in. “Jenny is just a young novice who made one mistake. She is trying to do good; she is not a threat to us. I think we made a terrible mistake by exiling her. We should bring her back into the fold, that we might monitor and properly guide her.”

“Preposterous!” Tilda shouted. “Veylin is clearly biased towards the Witch due to their personal history. That Witch will cause chaos and devastation. She and her Demon should be dealt with at once.”

Melisandra waved her hand. “Silence, everyone. Order.” She took a moment to think and then looked at Isolde. “Tell me, Warden, what is your assessment?”

“Elders, I stand by the fact that Jenny has violated the Coven's laws. But she is now deemed a hero among many Witches, and neutralizing her could severely demoralize our members. Furthermore, she saved my life. Jenny is indeed reckless and dangerous, but she has also demonstrated a capacity to act for the greater good.”

Melisandra nodded. “You echo my thoughts, Warden. Jenny is too unpredictable, but she is also too valuable to antagonize. I propose that we have someone observe her.” She looked at the other five members of the Council.

Tilda scoffed, and the elder beside her looked displeased by Melisandra’s proposal.

“All those in favour?” Melisandra asked and raised her hand.

Veylin looked pleased and raised her hand immediately, along with the Elder to her right. It was three against two.

“Then it is decided.”

“Who will we send to observe her?” Veylin asked.

Melisandra nodded at Isolde. “We will send the Warden.” Her gaze held Isolde’s. “Consider this your chance to make amends for breaking the law. Go to Jenny, try to earn her trust, and observe her. This shall be both your sentence and your mission.”

After the meeting, Melisandra approached Isolde in private. “I have a way of locating Jenny for you. Follow me.”

Isolde did as she was told and followed the Elder. Despite her age, the old woman was still filled with vitality. Her face was strong, with sharp angles, and though worn by lines etched through time, the beauty of her youth still shone through. "Her black hair, full and thick, was streaked with silver that glinted in the low candlelight. They made their way through dusty halls filled with flickering candles and sconces. It didn’t take long before they arrived at the Elders' study.

It was a room filled with tomes strewn about. A low candle that was burning out was the only source of illumination. Melisandra took the candle that was at its last embers and began to light the other candles one by one until the room was somewhat visible, although still difficult to see. Thankfully, as a Warden, Isolde's eyes were magically enhanced to see clearly through the night. In the center of the dusty room, which was clearly in need of some cleaning, stood a crystal ball wrapped in silken cloth.

Melisandra strided over to the cloth, her long, wiry hands reaching out to undrape the ball. The smooth surface of the ball was revealed, encased in an ornate stand of gold, dark oak and silver. The glass contained an iridescent cloud of shimmering dust that swirled mysteriously. Melisandra rubbed her palms soothingly over the crystal ball, humming in a low-frequency chant that Isolde did not understand.

“Look into the ball, Isolde. Seek out the Witch, Jenny Nachtdorn.”

Isolde did so. The iridescent dust shimmered brighter, swirling until the image of the Witch, travelling on a steed with her Demon, appeared. Isolde observed until she noticed recognizable landmarks, and she knew where they were headed.

Isolde turned around and headed out of the Coven’s sanctuary. She prepared her steed with all that she would need for the journey. She packed five days' worth of rations, enchanted trinkets, and potions, and had her bracelet and sword ready. Before she could head out, Tilda emerged from the shadows, her frail, unassuming body hunched, old features shrouded in darkness. Frail grey hair peeked from under her hood.

“Isolde, a word.”

The Warden regarded her wearily. “What is it?”

“I hope you still know what must be done. Jenny must die. She is too dangerous to be kept alive.”

Isolde frowned. To some extent, she agreed with Tilda, but to defy the Council's direct order, even for a cause she partially believed in, was anathema to her duty.

“I will do my duty.”

“Isolde, don’t be naive. The precedent of summoning a Greater Demon without punishment has been set by Jenny Nachtdorn. If we tolerate her breaking the law, other Coven members will follow suit. You must take action.”

Isolde's face contorted in conflict, her hand reaching the pommel of her sword. “I know Tilda. I did your dirty work last time for that very reason. But I won’t be hasty again. Jenny’s fate is up to the Elders. I shan’t be judge myself, for I am the executioner.”

Tilda’s eyes burned in the darkness. Shadows elongated and twisted as her presence grew. “You were supposed to be loyal to me, Isolde. Through me, you were raised to the position of Warden. I made you. I can unmake you.” Lightning cackled between her fingers before she shot it at a nearby tree, which exploded into a shower of splinters.

With a smooth motion, Isolde slid her black rune blade from its scabbard. The red runes glowed in the darkness with power. “Do not threaten me, hag. I haven’t forgotten what you did for me, but that doesn’t mean you own me. I am loyal only to the Coven, and you alone are not the Coven.”

Tilda’s face contorted with rage, but she backed down. “Fool! You have doomed us all! I hope you can live with the consequences of your actions.” She retreated into the shadows, vanishing like a spectre into the gloom.