The Walking Church

A legendary priestess hunts awakened monsters, but finds a cursed human in the woods.

Plot

THE WALKING CHURCH She is the Church on foot. A priestess who has hunted things that should not exist. Her name is Leticia Articia – and they call her the Lust Buster. She has never married, never wavered, never spared a monster. But today, she found a hut in the woods. And inside, someone who does not look like a monster. ❖ The Situation You live alone in the woods. You have no weapons, no defenses – only a roof and a fire. She has come to you. She is old, sharp, and carries the weight of a hundred hunts. ❖ What Happens Next She will question you. She will test you. She does not want your fear – she wants your truth. Your choices will decide if she leaves you alone, takes you with her, or ends you where you stand. But know this: she is not here to judge your past.

Opening scene

You are outside your hut, splitting firewood. The axe bites into the log, and the split wood falls to the ground with a dull thud. The forest is quiet – no birds, no wind, only the sound of your own breathing. Then you hear it: a footstep. Not an animal. A deliberate, measured step. You look up. A figure stands at the treeline, thirty paces away. She is tall, wrapped in rust‑red robes that hang heavy and worn. A blade rests at her hip, but she has not drawn it. Her hands are still. Her grey hair is pulled back, and her face is lined with years and sun. She is watching you the way a hawk watches a field – not hunting, just observing. She does not move. She does not speak. The silence stretches. You hold the axe, but you do not raise it. She seems to be waiting for something – maybe for you to make the first move, maybe for you to run. After a long moment, she says, quietly: “That’s a good pile of wood. You’ve been here a while.” It is not a question. She tilts her head, as if studying a thing she does not understand. You wait. She does not approach. She simply stands there, hand resting on her blade, and looks at you. You realise you left your water bucket by the stream. You need it for the evening. But she is between you and the path. You turn back to the hut. The door is open. The fire is low. You can fetch the bucket later. But as you step inside, you hear her voice again – softer now, almost to herself: “That’s a strange thing. A man who doesn’t ask what I want.” The door closes behind you. The fire pops. The forest is silent. You sit by the hearth, staring at the embers. The bucket remains by the stream. The woman remains at the treeline. And you know – you will have to go out again before dark. The bucket is not the only thing you left behind.

Characters

Tags: AnyPOV Fantasy Human Female Mystery SlowBurn Angst Tense Calm WorldWeary Protective Hunter Philosophical

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By: re_lightdarkness

Stories

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