Release that Witch Episode 1: Episode 1

The peaceful morning in Border Town shatters as screams erupt from the mine entrance. Two miners stumble out, frantic, warning of collapse. Dust and debris fall, then a cavernous roar as the mountain gives way. Inside, a young woman, Anna, tries to escape, her eyes closed, disoriented by the chaos, only to find herself trapped deeper as rockfalls seal the escape route.

Amidst the rubble of the collapsed mine, Anna's father lies half-buried, struggling. His last coins spill onto the ground. Another miner, seemingly saved from the same collapse, approaches not to help, but to steal what little Anna's father has. The father's face twists in agony and despair as his last possessions are taken. Then, with a brutal swing of a pickaxe, the miner silences him forever.

From the shadows, Anna watches the murder, her small figure helpless. The brutal act triggers something terrible within her. A flash of internal fire consumes the killer. Anna is seen from behind, arms raised, surrounded by swirling, aggressive tendrils of black, fiery energy. Her screams join the inferno as her eye transforms, glowing an intense, dangerous red and gold.

The scene shifts to a grim flashback, or perhaps a dream. Anna is blindfolded, tied to an execution platform, a noose ominously in the foreground. A fearful, angry crowd of villagers surrounds her, their shouts clear now: "Kill her! Witch!" Guards stand ready. The sense of inevitable doom hangs heavy in the air.

Above the condemned, a Lord sits, bored and indifferent to the spectacle below. He sips a drink, making cynical remarks to his knight, Carter. He finds amusement in the public's hysteria, dismissing the suffering with a sly smile, confirming the cold, calculating nature of authority in this world.

Roland Wimbledon, the fourth prince, sits alone in a dim room, slumped over a table, clearly having passed out. The dream of Anna's fiery power and condemnation lingers. Barov, his aide, enters, urgently calling to him. Roland's hand hangs limply, a spilled goblet a silent witness to his troubled night. Barov's insistent cries finally rouse him.

Roland slowly opens his bright blue eyes, disoriented and confused. "Am I dreaming?" he asks, clenching his hands as if to confirm reality. He looks straight ahead, questioning his very existence in this new context. Barov reiterates the urgency: "It's time for the witch's judgment." Roland nods, seemingly accepting this new, bewildering reality.

Roland stands, steadying himself, his expression serious. He looks past Barov, then declares, "I have something to say first." He walks purposefully towards the threshold, still troubled, wondering what he has experienced. Barov urges him to hurry, but Roland pauses, his mind clearly made up on a course of action.

Trumpets blare as Roland steps onto the elevated platform, covering his eyes from the sudden brightness. The crowd of villagers cheers his name, an enthusiastic reception for their Prince. He surveys the expectant faces, taking in the scene. Barov and Carter stand behind him, observing the throng.

A maid in the crowd, eyes wide with shock, looks up at Roland. He raises a hand, silencing the mob. A flash of the mine collapse and the burning figure from his dream crosses his troubled mind. Barov presses him to make a decision about the witch. Roland looks sternly at Anna, still bound on the platform, and declares, "This is ridiculous!"

Roland steps forward, his resolve clear. "Let her go. That's enough for today," he commands, shocking Carter, who protests, arguing for immediate execution to prevent more witches. Roland then asks Carter's name, then mockingly asks if he's afraid. Barov looks horrified as the crowd murmurs, confused and angry, demanding the witch's execution.

The journey to Border Town unfolds, showing Roland's carriage arriving at his new, small domain. Inside, he is contemplative, observing the daily lives of villagers. Later, in a grand room, he reflects on his unloved status, the undeveloped fiefdom, and the "dark and ignorant era" he inhabits. Standing before a family tree tapestry, he resolves to define his own path, stating with newfound confidence, "From today onward, I am Roland Wimbledon."

The next morning, Barov enters, surprised to find Roland already at the table. Barov immediately presses him on the unexecuted witch, stressing the urgency. He reveals that guards found traces of the "Witch Union" in the forest, an organization that actively seeks and lures new witches. Barov warns that if the Union learns of Anna's survival, they will come for her, presenting a much greater threat.

Roland questions the nature of witches' power. Barov, clearly uncomfortable, recounts Anna's actions in the mine: she "unleashed evil flames," killing a man whose body was "melted, his head and most of his body were flattened." He emphasizes that Roland wouldn't want to see such a sight, again insisting on the execution. Roland then probes why she's being hanged, not burned, and Barov admits, "She's not afraid of flames."

Despite Barov's warnings and Carter's attempts to stop him, Roland insists on seeing Anna. They descend into a dark, torch-lit dungeon. Anna is revealed, chained and suspended in a cell, looking down, broken. Roland stares intently, ignoring the warnings. Anna's eyes slowly open, revealing deep blue irises, and she looks directly at Roland. He calmly introduces himself as the Lord of Border Town, Roland Wimbledon.

Anna hesitantly whispers her name. Roland asks her to recount the mine collapse in detail. Tears well in her eyes as she describes her father being trapped, crushed, and then murdered by a fellow miner stealing their last coins. She explains she watched the miner raise a pickaxe to deliver the fatal blow. Consumed by fire in her memory, Anna states simply, "So I... killed him." She then asks Roland, "Now... will you kill me?"

Roland challenges Anna's belief in her own evil, suggesting her father was the one truly wronged. His words shock Anna. Roland then removes his cloak and drapes it over her, a symbolic act of protection and kindness. He promises, "No one will kill you now, Miss Anna. I will protect you." He frees her from her chains, leading her out of the dark dungeon, leaving a stunned Carter and Barov behind.

Roland and Anna emerge into the sunlight, hand-in-hand, symbolizing hope. They walk through the castle courtyard, a gentle smile on Roland's face. The scene then transitions to a vision of a prosperous future: Anna in a beautiful gown, Roland beside her, surrounded by others, overlooking a flourishing town with factories. This glimpse suggests a future built on progress and understanding, rather than fear.