It was a bright sunny morning in the land of Ardania, or as it was more popularly referred to as the forsaken forests. As per theory, no human settlement should have been here, being it a land of monsters but there existed many in abundance.

An anomaly that would soon prove to be a source of great ire and pain for many, but the wheel of time tended to take things slow. So today was another one of the many peaceful days as had been continuing for past six months, and in a little village inhabited by few hundred settlers, children ran through the area amok, busy with their games.

Since the settlers had established their huts in a dispersed manner, there was quite a gap between each settlement, where roughly sixty to seventy family who mainly thrived in subsistence farming, hunting and gathering.

Finally having gotten their break from labours of the day, a group of three children –two boy and one girl, decided to venture into the nearby forest, to pluck some wild berries for themselves.

Adult reasoning as to why it was forbidden to go into such a nice and dark forest had never well settled with any of them. Now that all the adults were inside their home, busy in their own leisure, it was perfect time to sneak into it. The leader of the trio, Samael, was a small tortoise-shaped head boy, whose moles seem to be forming a zig-zag pattern across his face.

His parents were the strictest out of three, having told him off several times to refrain from doing this and that. Despite that, he was the naughtiest one of them all and today, as per agreed among trio, he had stolen a large blanket from home so as to carry back the fruits from the forest.

"Are you sure we should be doing this? Mikhael, the younger boy asked the group leader, in a timid voice. The trio had already proceeded quite a distance into the forest but now as it started to thicken, reservations were appearing in Mikhael's heart about carrying on further.

"Why not?" Samael gawked at the latter. "Even Ziana who is usually so uptight, agreed to this."

"I am not ever uptight..." Ziana cut in, pushing her braided brown hair to back, with much indignation in her voice.

"S-sure." Samael twisted his lips, holding back the words. "Anyway, Mikhael, no need to be scared. If anything happens, I will save you."

"Thank you, El" Mikhael's eyes beamed brightly with hope while Ziana scoffed at Samael's white lies.

Save him! That guy would be the first to run away with tail between his legs at first sight of danger.

The trio looked here and there, but much to their disappointment, were unable to locate any berries. At one moment, something had shone so red behind the bushes, they were sure it couldn't be anything else besides ripe berries. Then on closer look, they realized it was just spill over pomegranate extract over small peaches.

After half an hour of walking, scrounging around, in the leaves and getting their sandals soiled, the exhaustion started to get to them.

"I want water..." Mikhael whined, his hands reaching forward as if hoping to grasp the clouds itself. It sure would have been nice, if he had magic like the Bandit Princess of the West. As per the rumours, one time when she had been separated from her army in the hot dry deserts that were abound in the East Ardania, she had called upon her sword , which sung so beautifully that there was a heavy downpour within seconds of it, as if rain was falling down from heavens itself, having pleased the gods.

"Make do with your saliva." Samael rebuked him, himself in a state of panic since he had forgotten the marks he had placed in forest, to be able to return home.

'Ew..." Ziana raised her hands to hide the repulsed look etched on her face. "Why are you always so disgusting with your solutions?"

"It is inside your body...too. " Samael teased her, making a face as she shook her head vehemently to refute.

"Don't lump me in with likes of ...you." She stated, her arms crossed.

"Umm...guys!" Mikhael's voice interrupted the duo, as he raised his finger, pointing straight towards an old oak tree. "I think I heard a sound coming from there. Maybe someone is there"

"Huh...are you an idiot" Samael squinted his eyebrows. "You should know very well, that no one ventures in this forest, let alone live unless ordained by..."

"But I saw it..." Mikhael protested, with a sense of conviction.

"Mikhael, you must be really going light-headed with thirst and all." Ziana spoke calmly. "Don't trust your sight too much. It tends to show illusion in such a state. Come, Samael, let's hurry."

Ziana led the march towards a place she believed to likely contain a pond. After all, she had a good affinity to nature due to her magic. Trusting her intuition, the other two also followed the same.

"Also..." She casted her glance suspiciously at Samael who seemed to be lost in his thoughts. A trait he only used to exhibit when he had royally screwed up. "I knew you would miss the marks so I have spotted several one along the way as well. We will be fine, so stop worrying."

"W-What . For real, Ziana." Samael dropped to the ground on his knees, bowing his head against the ground in relief, his right hand crumpling the sheet. "Wait a minute. I don't like your so firm faith in my failure."

Ziana shrugged, not caring to reply. Such smoothness was indeed rare to see in one's brain.

CLANK!

The trip stopped wondering whether they had fallen to deliberate deception of senses but the noise was too unmistakably loud to simply disregard.

CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!

The sound echoed strongly, reverberating incessantly within the silent forest, emanating from an old oak tree.

"W...what was that?" Mikhael's ears perked up, the nervousness creeping inside his heart naturally. "I t-told you, didn't, I? There was something behind that tree."

"S-shut up." Samael hit the latter behind back of his head, though his teeth were also jittering with fear. "It is probably some wild animal."

"But then w-why did the sound felt like that of armour " Ziana pointed out, her voice trembling with fear. "Unless you are suggesting some bear wore it on their own, after spoils of some scuffle with some of the humans."

"Sheesh..." Samael enclosed his fists, steeling his spirit as he ran his eyes through the duo. "Why are you guys always so quick to draw negative conclusion? "

"Don't you understand the predicament we are in?" Ziana looked at the latter sharply. "Idiot."

"I do..." He admitted, putting his arm around Mikhael. "But don't you think with all three of here and our magic, we can survive any threat."

"W-well, that is ...certainly true." Ziana much to her reluctance, had to give in. Regardless of the circumstance, there was no doubt that their trio had always been able to successfully handle any obstacle, even magical ones in the past.

"Then keep a strong heart, everyone." Samael interlocked his fingers, putting his leg back in a fighting stance. "Whatever it is, whoever it is, I am sure we can handle it."

The words hung in thin air, as the rapid sound that had persisted for so long, halted suddenly. The wind blew softly, making them feel the quaintness of the nature as the leaves fell slowly to forest bed.

A silhouette emerged, from behind the tree, which gradually painted into the sight as all eyes rose up in shock.

The figure stood still, with a fiery red hair, and poison lily violet eyes, hair dishevelled without even an ounce of fabric to hide her flesh.

"It is a girl." Mikhael whispered softly to his friend's ears who shook his head. "No, don't be fooled. She must be the banned witch."

"The banned witch." Ziana looked at Samael incredulously, before locking her eyes again on the strange girl. Why was she not wearing any clothes? Despite the unconcerned expression on Samael and Mikhael, she felt embarrassed to be here.

"Yes..." Samael continued, pointing his finger towards the girl's red hair and then tracing in air the outline of her body. "Look at her. Don't you see she is Mad Maezania, the witch of calamity who got cursed with red hair and inability to ever cover herself up, for the evil atrocities?"

Mikhael's eyes widened as he noticed the marks on her abdomen. That burn mark! Indeed, there was no other way. Only an evil witch of the tale that his grandpa used to tell, could have it.

"Stop looking at her already, you two." Ziana, unable to contain her frustration, covered both of their eyes with her hand. "Can't you see she is confused and unclothed?"

"She is the witch of calamity." Samael tried to wring his eyes from her hand. "Who cares...?" he said, though his cheeks were tinged with red, unable to completely ignore the situation despite his bravado about her being a witch.

"That is irrelevant." Ziana continued firmly, on her ground. "You shouldn't be looking at a girl in such a state despite the circumstances."

"Ah...you are always so snobby," Samael sighed, finally pulling away. "Fine. I won't look anywhere beside her feet."

Ziana's eyes still remained unconvinced but she conceded at last, removing her hand from Mikhael's as well, who had already fallen unconscious, being of weak heart. After all, she couldn't exactly afford to be too obstinate. If the person standing before them was really the witch they spoke of, then seeing her naked would be least of their worries. They wouldn't even get a chance to scream before their lives could be taken away.

Damn! She should have remained in her bed after all. Her father had also promised to make her favourite cake today. How could she also be tempted by avarice like despicable Samael?

Both Samael and Ziana raised their guard up, as the red haired woman stepped closer, though by her gait, a bit hesitatingly.

"I will try to negotiate. " Samael whispered to Ziana, who rolled her eyes but kept quiet. Maybe it was best to let him handle things. After all, he was the best in village at cooking up false stories.

"Fine. " Ziana nodded her head." But don't spite her off."

"Trust me." Samael flashed his white teeth, grinning widely before lurching forward, just few feet away from the figure.

"Umm..." He coughed lightly, his eyes naturally drawn to her face, which held a strange doll-like charm. "Can y-you please just let us go? We swear we won't tattle tale to our parents. Also, your hair is really cool"

The red-haired woman grumbled, as her face wore an unpleasant smile.

"I-Idiot." Ziana face palmed herself, as she tugged at his collar, dragging him behind. "I knew I shouldn't have let you do anything. Now she is angry."

"......"

As the duo quarreled with each other, in whispers or by clear bickering, the woman watched them intently.

.....

She hadn't expected to survive the fall, but she did!

She hadn't expected to be found, but she was!

She hadn't expected to be saved from the destined humiliation, but she was!

Had it been an adult human which would have seen her, she would have wanted to die with humiliation though she probably would have refrained at last moment. But now, it was fine. Being seen by mere children was nothing to concern about.

Yet, what was concerning was the depth of malice in that Angel's heart. If it wasn't clear already, then it became even more starkly transparent as she heard the first words directed at her in this world.

""RinLiLun Yú-keFi MeReNiaMiMe ZinKeNa TiaMiNa KeTu? Wen MiMeLiTiaMi RinTiaNaNa TiaLiMi Tu LunTiaNaTuLiSun. LiMe FiKeLan VaRinFiVa Va NiaFi Va ReMiNiaLi RinFiFiRe"

She couldn't make sense of a damn word that the short haired-boy with too many moles, had spoken so confidently. Though maybe it was not the best suited for moment considering how he had been instantaneously pulled by the other girl, whom she could only presume to be his friend.

An unpleasant smile crept up her face before she grumbled.

This was far too cruel, even for a bastard like Syleaz. When she had been resting under the shade of oak tree, she had hesitated to come out, unsure as to who could be there. After seeing the presence of human and that too, children, she had felt a momentary relief.

Enough to come out even in her state.

Now with this language barrier, how the hell was she supposed to seek any help from these kids to bring a pair of clothes? At this rate, she would have to either venture like this for days simply within forest, in hopes of landing upon some discarded cloth or go out like this into the town.

Both were equally horrifying!

Just then, she felt something soft poke in her thigh and her gaze lowered down to find out the little girl was looking at her eyes intently. But that wasn't all. Pushing back the screaming boy with her hand, she had a crumpled white sheet, spread out on her tiny palm.

Even without words, it seems her distress had been conveyed to the girl.

And though the little girl's words, "Va LanFiRe Mi NaLanVaMe SeFiMi MeLunNa NoKeTia Lun", couldn't be understood by her, she felt happy.

Gladly welcoming the gesture, she grabbed the crumpled blanket briskly from girl's hand who quickly withdrew back, maybe out of apprehension. But the apprehension remained short-lived, as the white sheet wrapped around Inana's shoulder, its long silken fabric draping her flesh with ease, upto the knees.

Seeing the fear vanish from both children's eyes, Inana also felt soothed. At same time, with now her concern subsided, her eyes burned with passion more fiercely than ever before.

Yeah! She was definitely going to kill that god.