13 Pyres and a Sacked House

The city smelled like shit, literally. While the 'rich' area is quite clean, the slums smelled so bad, that even Mikael wanted to throw up. The river that almost divided the area was polluted, it looked blue, but there were traces of oil that shines when the sun is up.

Mikael and Lambert were walking towards the Hierarch square of Novigrad. In the middle of the square, there were pyres, with men and women tied on top of it. They were begging to be spared, and screamed that they were innocent, but they were ignored.

A man then walked towards the pyre, bringing a torch with him. He was wearing full leather armor, with chain and plate sewn to it.

The man spoke loudly to the crowd in front of him, preaching about the blasphemy of mages and all things magic, he warned the crowd to report activities of magic if they were ever to find one. Then, the man threw the torch to the pyres, burning the people that were tied to it slowly, and painfully.

Soon, the screams of men and women echoed throughout the square, but instead of grim faces, Mikael found himself in the middle of a cheering crowd.

Mikael clenched his fist as he saw the burning, not comfortable with it at all.

Miquella then appeared before him, with a face of disgust and mockery.

"There's nothing free about this city." spat Miquella. "Mages burned, shops sacked, and innocents wrongfully killed."

"You know if they're innocents or not?" questioned Mikael calmly in his head.

"I could tell if one has practiced magic or not," he said. "I am a mage myself, if we are using this world's standard."

Mikael watched as a woman burned on a pyre, screaming that she was innocent, that she never used magic.

"She is telling the truth." Miquella confirmed. "She is just at the wrong place, at the wrong time…"

"Then are we going to do something about it?" questioned Mikael, impatient.

"Not now." Miquella said. "Not in Novigrad. This city is too big, and too guarded. Remember, do not attract too much attention."

After saying that, Miquella disappeared into golden dust, leaving Mikael with his own thoughts.

Then, Lambert spoke. "Listen kid, don't provoke those witch hunters," he said. "Or you'll be burning with those mages."

Mikael hummed. "Mind telling me about those witch hunters?"

Lambert looked around, a couple of hunters were watching them. He tapped Mikael's shoulder, and pointed to the side. "Not here. Let's go to Merigold's shop."

Mikael and Lambert then walked to the side of the Hierarch square, and into an alley, where there was a shop. Well, the shop's long gone now, because when Mikael and Lambert approached the shop, it had already been ransacked, herbs everywhere, books thrown, and broken glasses on the ground.

"Thought as much." hummed Lambert. "She's quite a famous sorceress after all… come on, let's check the shop, might have a clue on where she's gone to."

The two then entered the shop, it was a mess, just like the outside. Desks were destroyed, lockers opened, curtains torn, and paintings defiled.

Lambert knelt to the ground as he saw something. "Blood." he said. "Quite old."

He stood once again, before searching for clues.

"So… Witch hunters…"

"Sons of bitches they are." scoffed Lambert as he opened a drawer, revealing some women's underwear. He whistled, and continued his explanation. "They use the name of the church of Eternal fire to prosecute mages and sometimes even non-humans."

"Why aren't you burning now?" questioned Mikael.

"Witchers are special… maybe… I don't really know the details of it, but I suppose we're still useful to the church. We were once human after all…"

Mikael opened a chest, women's clothing, mostly leather. He closed it again, and continued searching.

But then, Lambert heard something from the outside, making him tell Mikael to not make a noise.

Lambert crept up to the front door, and saw that it was just a bunch of looters.

"Fucking hell." cursed Lambert, and opened the door.

As soon as the looters saw Lambert, they raised their brows. "Who're you?"

"Get lost, not your property." told Lambert.

"No, you sod off. This place's abandoned, we claimed this house first."

Mikael got out of the house, and questioned Lambert. "What's going on?"

"Looters." answered Lambert.

Miquella then appeared beside Mikael, and spoke. "Dominate their minds, no one's here. You might get the location of the sorceress."

Mikael hummed. He walked to the front of those looters, who scoffed at his appearance.

"A brave cripple?" sneered the looter.

Mikael sighed, and his eyes turned sharp. "Where's the sorceress that lived here?"

The two looters suddenly went to a state of trance, making Lambert confused.

"W-We don't know…" spoke the looter flatly.

"Really?"

"B-But…" he stuttered. "I-I'd look in the Putrid Grove…"

"Putrid Grove?" questioned Lambert.

"M-Mages hid there… along with the beggars…"

"Well, where is it then?"

"I-In Lacehalls… there's an alley… knock on the gate… need a password…"

"You know the password?" questioned Mikael.

"N-No…"

Mikael sighed. "Fine, right, you can fuck off now."

The looters then stiffly walk away from the house, leaving the two alone.

"Know what? Don't want to even question it." Lambert stated, walking to the house once more.

"Good choice." chuckled Mikael.

Miquella then appeared beside Mikael again. "It is still not good enough. It is obvious that you have bewitched them. If you use it in public, they will know."

"I know, I'm trying alright." scoffed Mikael.

Miquella disappeared again, and Mikael walked towards Lambert.

"What are we waiting for then?" questioned Mikael.

"Might find some rare ingredients here." stated Lambert as he opened a drawer. "And maybe some… things…"

Mikael sighed as he massaged his forehead. "Fucking hell…"

"Hey! I'm a witcher… always short on coins. If there's an opportunity, then I'll take it."