I Became a Wendigo in a Fantasy World

2 – Episode 2

Scadi was born amidst disgrace and contempt. The reason was because she was born with cursed white hair and red eyes.

In a narrow village where people were born and lived their entire lives, her white hair was an anomaly that contradicted age, and her crimson eyes evoked blood.

Difference soon turned into discrimination. People labeled her as a cursed child and discussed the reasons why they should kill her, bringing misfortunes that hadn’t even occurred to their mouth.

The reason she was able to survive was thanks to her mother, who was the tribe’s shaman, and her immeasurable love for her that disregarded any curse.

“Touch my daughter even the slightest and your body shall rot in agony, your soul will know no salvation and wander in eternal torment!” She would not be aware if she were a mere shaman but Skadi’s mother was a shaman of excellence, notorious even amongst other tribes. People feared not only the curse that Skadi held but also her shamanism and the spirits of the great nature. If the curse is an unseen terror, a shaman’s power is a tangible force. Skadi’s mother expressed her will by summoning a burning wolf, tree roots, soil, and a bear composed of rocks, and so began the uneasy cohabitation of Skadi and the villagers. Despite the curse, Skadi grew up as a beautiful maiden. Ironically, even that was believed to be ominous by the villagers.

“Look at those seductive eyes. She would drain the vitality of men to survive. It’s her spell when young men in the village fall into illness.”

“That vicious hussy. That pretty face, did she get it by sacrificing to the evil spirits? She’s destined to be a witch, not a shaman!”

While a wife having an affair with the next-door man cursed Skadi for her husband’s emaciation, another woman spat profanities when the man she loved looked at Skadi. Skadi’s reaction was of disbelief. Why they blamed their problems on her was beyond her comprehension. Still, Skadi refrained from voicing her dissatisfaction for she had learnt the hard way that they wouldn’t listen. Instead, she used her time gaining knowledge and power from her mother. Fortunately, she was blessed with talent for shamanism. Seeing the unseen, reciting primordial script left by the gods, she matured into a well-prepared shaman. But, she wasn’t without issues.

She couldn’t make a pact with any spirits. While spirits had peculiar and naughty sides to their characters, that wasn’t the reason she couldn’t make a pact.

“I’m sorry, my child. Mommy is sorry.”

“No, what could be your fault, Mom? It’s all, all due to my shortcomings. Why would you apologize when I am the flawed one?”

Not only humans, but even spirits felt an aversion towards her white hair and red eyes, choosing not to make a pact. Her mother apologized to Skadi till her last breath. She believed that her daughter was shouldering her sins. Regrettably, Skadi wasn’t even allowed the time to mourn for her mother’s death. She was attacked by the village patriarchs immediately, without time to conduct the funeral.

“Kill the witch! Kill the witch!”

“She was deserted by the spirits, she is the cursed one. Let’s burn her, make the spirits happy!”

Some did for their deep-rooted superstitions, others for their amusement. If not that, just to lust after a beautiful woman.

As soon as the shaman took his last breath, the people attacked his hut like starving wolves. Skadi had no choice but to leave the cabin full of memories with her mother and run away. The problem was that the ones who craved for her were far too relentless. She ran through the forest as if her heart would burst, looking back fearfully.

Torches flickered in the forest as darkness descended. She trembled in fear, as if the lights were the eyes of wild beasts. As she ran through the forest, she called out for help from the spirits. She wished for anyone to save her.

“O blazing wolf, O bear born from the earth. By Skadi, the daughter of Brynhild, I beg you – please give me your assistance!” She called out for help from the spirits with whom her mother had made contracts, but it was a vain endeavor. The spirits were arrogant and unfeeling. They weren’t kind enough to help just because of a mere familial contract.

As the spirits remained silent, she continued to call out the names of the spirits, recalling the knowledge she inherited from her mother. The Snake that drinks rocks, the Giant born from an ancient tree, The Hawk that eats lightning…

Her spiritual eyes saw the magic twisting and turning around her. She realized they were spirits, but she wasn’t glad. If they wanted to help her, they would’ve shown themselves instead of roaming around in the form of magic.

‘Screw this world, screw these spirits!’ It was clear that if they were not here to help, they came to witness her death. Skadi seemed to hear the taunting laughter of the spirits.

“The witch is there!!!” Skadi wished that she were a real witch. At least then, she could control evil spirits to kill those who were after her.

As she stumbled and ran, she didn’t notice a tree root hidden in the dark and tripped over it. She groaned from the scrape on her knee.

“Ah…huh?!” Had it been true that misfortune came in a series? Skadi covered her mouth and shivered without getting a chance to overcome her pain. A large bear stared at her, drooling. Skadi eventually shed tears amid the threat that it could tear her apart at any moment. She emitted a sigh with a sense of hopelessness.

‘Well, it might be better this way. It’s better to die in one go rather than suffer as a plaything for the men…’ Her mind was in confusion with the conflicting desires to live and to give up.

Just when she was about to give up, a massive ice spear flew in with a roar and pierced the bear’s heart.

“Kaaak!!!” She shrieked and curled up. Despite that, her spiritual eyes were examining the ice spear. It was no ordinary spear.

The ice spear, filled with magic, had probably frozen the bear’s blood, as not a drop spilled out. The spear, half embedded in the ground, remained unscathed.

She didn’t know of all the spirits that existed in the world, but she knew for sure that none of the spirits within her knowledge could have done this.

‘What kind of entity has such power?’

Her gaze traveled beyond the bear.

There stood an entity she had neither seen nor heard of in her life.

In the darkness, a giant wearing a deer’s skull was watching her, and she felt as if her heart was freezing.

Wendigo sighed. It instinctively realized the woman saw it.

‘How long has it been since I vowed to avoid humans, maybe two hours?’

Indeed, the world never worked as one wished it. If he had told anyone about it, he would have died of embarrassment.

Wendigo considered just leaving it like this. It was clear the bear was dead, and the only person who saw him was that woman.

Of course, if the woman went back to the village, she would say, ‘There was a monster in the forest wearing a deer’s skull!’ But he honestly didn’t think people would believe her.

The only evidence was the dead bear and a spear. The spear would melt away once it revokes its powers, and as for the corpse, there’s no way the frail woman could drag a bear.

Just as he was leaning towards the option of leaving, he realized the woman was yelling at him. He listened to her voice.

“Sprite or evil spirit, it doesn’t matter. Great one, please help me!”

Wendigo was taken aback. He didn’t expect the woman to speak first. Given that she’s addressing a hideous monster, she must not be an ordinary woman.

And if she’s asking for help, she must be having a problem.

Wendigo quickly tapped his abacus. What could he gain by helping her?

‘Judging by the fact she’s asking a monster for help, she must be well-versed in dealing with beings like me. Otherwise, it would be normal for her to run away screaming.’

When you experience something strange, you should ask someone who deals with strange things.

At least judging from the way she’s talking to a monster, in terms of sprites or evil spirits, she must know quite a bit.

Wendigo kicked the ground and ran towards Scadi. She felt a sense of awe at Wendigo who was silently approaching.

‘He is definitely not an ordinary sprite!’

Wendigo had not known, but his body was a collection of mysteries. Although his aura was cold and a little dark, it wasn’t evil enough to be called a demon.

When Skadi felt him approaching, she also felt the spirits withdraw. Through the mystic energy around her, Skadi realized that the spirits were trembling in fear. For the normally arrogant spirits to recoil in fear, he must not be an ordinary spirit.

‘I must hold onto him!’

‘The tinge of danger in his eyes makes me feel like I’ve hit the wrong nerve…’

Wendigo looked at Skadi with wary eyes. She was a beautiful woman from afar, but up close, her gaze was overwhelmingly intimidating. He decided quickly to help her, find out what he needed to, then part ways.

“So, what’s this favor you’re asking of me?”

“I, Skadi, daughter of Brynhild, greet the great spirit. Please, take pity on this humble shaman…”

“Ease up. Just tell me what you need.”

Skadi looked at Wendigo in surprise. The spirits she knew were all arrogant, comparable to proud tribe leaders and famed warriors. Naturally, shamans treated spirits with the utmost respect, fearful of the tantrums they often threw. The chaos they caused was headache-inducing – some going as far as burning houses, ruining fields, even taking lives. Given these dangers, shamans were naturally cautious, and spirits seemed to enjoy this… but he showed none of this.

‘Is he a kind-hearted spirit, despite his appearance?’

Skadi couldn’t believe her own thought. A kind-hearted spirit was less likely than a gentle ogre.

And yet, she couldn’t deny him right before her eyes…

Looking conflicted, Wendigo urged her.

“You’re quite leisurely for needing help. Isn’t it a serious issue?”

“Ah, there are thugs chasing me…”

“There she is! The witch is there!!”

Just like the saying that a tiger comes when you speak of it, the men chasing Skadi suddenly appeared. They were all holding weapons, glaring at Skadi with scary eyes until they noticed Wendigo and jumped in surprise.

“That’s the usual response. But…what’s this?”

The Wendigo scanned over them and felt disgust. He couldn’t understand the reason, but their dirty desires were evidently transmitted to him.

“Is this also the Wendigo’s ability?”

Reading the dirty and foul emotions from others was not a delightful task. He took the spear that was stuck in the bear.

The tribal warrior, Gundar, pointed his axe towards the Wendigo and bravely shouted out,

“The witch has summoned an evil spirit. But do not fear! A demon that has shown its true form is nothing but a monster that can be slain!”

People who were hesitating regained courage from Gundar’s words. Gundar had a notorious temperament, but also his superb combat skills were equally famous.

When other warriors came forward, the crowd cheered. The Wendigo found this sight absurd.

To be reacting like this even after seeing a beast twice the size of themselves. Do these people of this world lack fear?

“Are they not scared of me?”

“They don’t know the power of your spirit, sir. That’s why they can make such foolish remarks.”

Skadi laughed at the people’s foolishness. Seeing their ridiculous attempts to throw their lives away due to mere desire and superstition was amusing.

The Wendigo sensed both sadness and anger from her. He didn’t quite know the whole story, but at least he knew she had lived through ill-treatment.

‘They don’t seem to be good ones at least.’

He converted his ice spear into a sword.

The crude broadsword with its rectangular tip, although large, released a terrible coldness around it.

Despite the distance, the cold swept over the warriors. It was so strong that it hurt their skin.

One of the warriors realised something was amiss and expressed concern.

“That doesn’t seem like an ordinary fiend. Shouldn’t we just retreat?”

“Ha, have you forgotten what that witch is? Unlike my superior shaman mother, she’s never made a single deal with a spirit. However powerful the fiend she summoned might seem, it can’t be that powerful! That form is just a facade!”

Ignorance sometimes becomes courage. The warriors swallowed their fear after Gundar’s cocky retort. They couldn’t back away and be shamed as warriors.

Gundar laughed at them silently. In fact, his confidence was due to something he believed in. He put his hands on the necklace around his neck.

‘As long as I have this demon-dismissing charm that I got from helping a shaman of another tribe, no evil spirit can touch me. While the others risk their lives fighting, I’m going to get the glory and that woman’s body too. hehehe.’

Gundar had already faced a demon once. Whenever the light of the demon-dismissing charm shone, it weakened the demon, and, in that state, a few strikes with an axe was enough to dismiss the demon.

“So, I have no idea what kind of evil that woman is, but if there’s a weakness in this escape, I absolutely cannot fall for it!

‘If we just catch that woman, the evil can’t do anything. Catch her!’

With determination, they charged towards Scaredy.

The Wendigo glanced at them for a moment and then, with an intimidating look, captured the woman. Knowing that he was going to mock them, Gunther let out a scornful laugh.

‘Don’t even think of escaping from this powerless-looking net!’

The Wendigo’s net was torn apart. The net that had slowly tightened made a tearing sound as it explosively accelerated, and Gunther was shocked.

For a moment, as his eyes widened, the Wendigo’s net had already reached right in front of him!

Gunther dodged with agility, but he couldn’t escape death.

The net that captured the woman spread rapidly, following the trajectory of the Wendigo’s net. Gunther felt the pain of his skin being torn and peeled off.

‘Ah…ahh.’

The net tore into the skin. Flesh and blood, even down to the bones, were entangled in the net. As death slowly approached, he felt frustration.

At the time of confronting the evil, the talisman that had emitted a holy light and protected him, why didn’t it help this time?

Gunther, still with unpeeled eyes, forcefully moved to check the talisman’s weakness. The talisman had lost its original color and was covered in black.

The talisman wasn’t malfunctioning, rather it couldn’t withstand the Wendigo’s net, as if it were a talisman of a mere ritualist.

Only then did Gunther realize that he wouldn’t survive this encounter. However, it was too late.

His head was caught in the Wendigo’s net. The ground brushed against his head, which was cut off and rolled with terror and despair.

The half-cut bodies lay around him. A weighty silence fell over the forest.