Plague Doctor

Chapter 437: Temporal Shackles

The young witch, Keziah Mason’s pale green eyes were sharp. Perhaps as she claimed, she really could see their true form. Gu Jun’s heart skipped a beat. He shared a look with Yu Chi and then asked, “What real identity?”

“You two are strange, cylindrical creatures.” Keziah Mason said, “And you’re possessing these two men’s bodies.” She was telling the truth after all. Was this the witch from 1692 or 2022? Gu Jun swiftly assessed the situation. History was always shrouded in the mystery of time. The Salem Witch Trials might have two different temporal variations. Over at the Phecda World, the victims of the trial were innocent but in this world, the victims might be actually witches.

Based on the prison guard’s memory, Keziah Mason had the ability to open dimensional doors... In other words, she could have left her imprisonment any time she wanted but she preferred to stay. Yu Chi didn’t say anything and left this situation to Gu Jun, after all, the latter was more familiar with the witch. Other than that, Yu Chi was more interested in the oil lamp he was holding.

“Then what is your real identity?” Gu Jun asked. He believed Keziah Mason was that oak forest witch but even standing there, he had no firm evidence. He wouldn’t be a bit surprised the pretty woman turned into an ugly hag, perhaps that was inevitable.

“I am the sole heir of the Mason family.” Keziah Mason challenged, “I’m 17 and beautiful. I have inherited 10000 pounds and a big house at Arkham. I live alone in this New Land, so what do you think I am?” The girl smiled, “Gentlemen, have you heard of the tale, Little Red Riding Hood? I am that Little Red Riding Hood surrounded by packs of wolves.”

Gu Jun studied the witch’s gorgeous face. The woman was a natural born liar.

“Your house is a museum of occultism.” He countered. His host, Sam Maness had not been to Arkham but he did hear it from the others. His mind flashed with many creepy images drawn from imagination and the horror they elicited. “Everyone claimed that you’ve made a deal with satan.”

“To survive in the wilds, it’s only natural for Little Red Riding Hood to learn some skills to protect herself.” Keziah Mason said evenly like she was talking about someone else. “The Mason family was puritans, but my father, mother and siblings died... There was no reason to be sad for their death, illness claimed them, or perhaps fate did. Since God did not look after my family, I consulted other powers who might. What is wrong with that? Perhaps I am born in sin.”

“Then have you found that other power?” Gu Jun asked without prejudice.

“I did.” Keziah Mason nodded. “A very powerful force, one that deserves my worship.” Gu Jun had heard her claim something similar, something she would say in the future, “A presence with 1000 faces?”

“A presence with 1000 faces?” The girl was slightly startled before the corner of her lips curled into a smile. She mumbled, “So that is what I’m looking for.” Yu Chi caught that and turned to glance at his partner. They seemed to have inadvertently provided her with guidance. Gu Jun frowned. Did he really let something crucial slip? Or this was another one of the witch’s tricks?

“I understand it now.” Keziah Mason stroke forward and the ankle shackles rankled noisily. A brilliant light shone in her eyes. “Gentleman, before this, like every normal human, I foolishly thought this world was equal to what we saw on the surface. I believed time is linear with passing day after day. But you have made me understand that that is not the case, our eyes have fooled us. Time is circular, it’s a curve, an overlap, a cycle... it is anything but linear.”

Gu Jun listened to her quietly. Despite his caution and hatred of the witch, he had to agree with her statement. Because he had experienced the fluidity of time many times, in fact, he was experiencing it now.

“We knew each other from the future, right?” Keziah Mason turned over. “Me and you. I’m sure I don’t know this fatty.”

Yu Chi’s lips opened as if wanting to say, ‘actually I’m not fat...’

“Sir, I can see that you hate me.” The girl smiled. “But you have ever considered, I might not have the freedom of choice in the future. Ever since this moment, my way has been paved. Due to your current presence and the information you revealed, I would have to follow your script to worship the presence with the 1000 faces, to use those occult studies and become a witch. If you have not arrived here, I wouldn’t have understood these things and I might die in this prison. Then you would have no reason to hate me in the future.” She shook her head and sighed. It was unknown she lamented her fate or something else. “Therefore, I am trapped. You’re the one who put the shackles of time on me. Until we meet again, until your eventual second arrival, my freedom of choice has been stripped. I simply wonder... does this mean you have altered the passage of time or this is how it was supposed to be?”

“I haven’t even said anything.” Gu Jun said darkly. She was the one inside the prison and he was free but for some reason, due to what she said, he too felt the sense of imprisonment on himself.

“The fact that you haven’t said anything makes it worse.” For a certain moment, the faded green eyes dimmed. “You would only treat your enemies that way, you’re not my savior from the future. You’re not here to save the innocent witch. You’re none of that. We would be enemies in the future, haven’t that already been arranged? I would have to do the things that make you hate me.”

Yu Chi’s heart chilled and trembled. The girl was meticulous and cunning but her argument was flawless... If she did not become the witch, Gu Jun wouldn’t have arrived at the oak forest, he wouldn’t have transmigrated to the Wasteland World, they wouldn’t arrive at Pnakotus and end up at 1692...

Temporal shackles?

“You don’t even know who we are.” Gu Jun said with less conviction.

“But I will.” Keziah Mason said softly, “What I really don’t know is, with this temporal shackle, will the road towards the abyss be the only available path for me?”

Gu Jun’s mind was frazzled. Assuming the girl still hadn’t started her study in witchery, then why did the Yith send them here? What was the purpose? To complete a temporal circle?

“What do you think will happen if I kill you now?” Gu Jun asked.