"I bet he won't be able to sell a single log of wood with such a pitiful presentation, sometimes I feel like animals are really better than humans!" She said to herself and followed Darcy. 

After cleaning off the cobwebs, sweeping the floor, and arranging an ample amount of logs on the racks provided, they were good to go. The shop had a pleasant smell of wet soil which made the atmosphere warmer and comfy.

 "How are we supposed to sell even a single log? We aren't even amidst the busy zone!" Miska complained. 

"You know, I have been a trader for 3 long years, it's basic human instinct. People give the first priority to kinds of stuff which are really important in their day-to-day lives, tell me what season is it?" Darcy asked. 

"It's Winter, I suppose." Miska replied without an ounce of excitement.

 "Yeah and what is it that we do to keep ourselves warm from the cold? We lit the fire! And what is the most important ingredient in lighting a fire, besides the fire itself? It's the wood!" Darcy completed. 

"Yeah! Yeah, whatever." Miska replied, sat down, and closed her eyes.

 She opened her eyes after a few seconds to find out that all the wood kept on the counter had disappeared and Darcy was sitting comfortably on a chair with his legs folded, counting a huge bundle of notes.

 "Where's all the wood?" Miska asked as she got up in surprise. 

"Well, Never teach the fish to breath in water!" Darcy replied, destroying her ego completely.

 "It's time to go now, I have finished selling all the bunch I bought here from our cottage." Darcy said as he finished counting the bundle. 

"You mean all of it?" Miska asked. "Yeah, what do you expect?" Darcy got up, and they started their journey back to the inn.

 It was around 11 in the night at that time. The entire market was deserted, no soul was to be found, shopkeepers had packed all their stuff, locked their shops and had left already. 

"I see no one around, they might have gone to visit the festival the lady was talking about." Miska suspected. 

"Maybe." Darcy said. 

It was a new moon night, the sky was embedded with stars. There was this faint noise of crickets as Darcy and Miska were walking through the streets. There was a banyan tree situated just at the corner of the road, Darcy spotted the outline of a dark figure sitting under the tree, there was a wisp of smoke all around him. As they got closer to the figure they saw that it was an Astrologer who had closed his eyes and seemed to be thinking of something very deeply. Darcy and Miska ignored him and continued ahead.

 "You might be needing my help?" The astrologer said silently. 

"No one needs help of fakes like yourself, let's go Miska!" Darcy said and they continue ahead. 

"I suppose you figured what was troubling you then." The astrologer continued his tone.

 Darcy halted for a second, he then advanced towards the astrologer and grabbed his neck, "Darcy!" Miska barked. 

"Reality is always disappointing, son!" The astrologer said coughing as he tried to free himself from Darcy's grip.

 "I know all your tricks, you get it? How you destroy people's lives by telling them all the glamorous stuff, which they dream of. How you charge them a hefty amount of money and fool them! My family got destroyed due to the so-called Supernatural mystics like you, You bastard!" Darcy shouted and pushed him harder towards the tree, finally releasing his grip. 

The astrologer collapsed on the ground coughing. "Your life is going to change tonight, You will meet-" Darcy launched a blow straight at the astrologer's face before he could complete his words, and he fainted. 

"Son of a bitch thinks he can predict my future!" Darcy said and spitted on his face. 

"I write my own future, you got it!" Darcy said, his face was red as a plum with rage. 

"That's enough, Darcy. Let's go!" Miska said. While on the way to the inn as Darcy neutralised, they spotted a huge mob a few miles away just on the brink of the Forest of Fraternity. 

"That is the festival, I suppose." Miska guessed. 

"Yeah, I feel so." Darcy said and continued towards the inn. 

"Hey, how about giving it a visit?" Miska asked.

 "Miska, I am really tired right now, Maybe later." Darcy said avoiding the topic. 

"Just for a few minutes, please!" Miska said and made a face which Darcy couldn't resist.

 "Ok, I lose but just for 15 minutes." Darcy said with a short grin on his face. 

They reached the outskirts of the town where the festival was being held and mixed with the mob. "Let's go in front!" Miska said and went ahead. 

"Miska!" Darcy cried and followed her. 

There was fencing which separated the people from the show. They reached the very front row of the crowd, and what they saw with their eyes was nothing less than terrifying. There were 5 women who were tied individually to a huge cross, at the brink of the forest, their eyes were covered with a cloth with stains of red on it. There was a huge bonfire right in the middle of the ground encircled by 7 people who were wearing white gowns and a white zucchetto. By their appearance they looked like priests from the local church, each of them was holding a holy book and were facing the fire directly. There was a man standing just in front of the women tied to the cross, who Darcy thought reminded him of someone. He was wearing black robes with a long cylindrical cap, his white beard almost reached the ground. He had wrinkles all over his face and his eyes were closed all the time. 

"Snow!" Darcy said.