A P H I A
"Are you alright, Lady Aphia?" Aloisia worriedly asked. One of the knights gave me water to drink. We've been scouting the whole forest and mountain since this morning, and it was dark already. We haven't checked the entire area yet. I am using my power to restore all the wilted plants and trees caused by monsters.
"I'm sorry, Aloisia. I need time to rest." I sat beside the tree.
"It's alright." She yelled to all of her knights to take a rest first. "You got exhausted from using your magic since this morning." She said as she sat in front of me.
"Probably. There is still a lot of work to do." I said as I looked around the area. "I did not know that the monsters caused so much damage."
"We have to defeat them no matter what happens. It's the reason why we are working hard, right?" She asked while smiling, and I nodded at her. "We will stop our scouting tomorrow, and we will visit the field and residential area first. We will continue the scouting the next day."
"Thank you for granting my request, Aloisia. I'm afraid they will take time to recover, so I think of helping them in the best way that I can."
Aloisia smiles at me. "You have a good heart, Lady Aphia. Our God chose the right person to be our priestess."
"Stop it." I chuckled. "I am just using my power to a good use." I think I haven't done so much yet. It's just the start of my journey in this world. I don't want to disappoint Erskine and Prince Kalmin. They have taught me everything to make me strong.
The knights gathered some fruits and vegetables for our dinner. They also caught fish from the river. We had a healthy dinner.
The next day, we reached the foot of the mountain early morning. We visit the fields first and find the farmers looking problematic at their crops. They bow their heads after seeing us. Aloisia introduces me to the farmers, and they are surprised to meet me.
The flow of water returned two days ago, but I learned that they couldn't see any improvement with their crops yet. The crops are still wilting. I check the condition of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I also check the condition of the soil. "What do you think is the problem here?" Aloisia asked as I checked the soil.
"It's the soil." My brows are knitting together. "It is infused with dark magic." I was amazed that I could sense and see dark magic now.
"Dark magic?!" She exclaimed in shock. "Can you do something about it?" She worriedly asked.
I smile at her. "Don't worry. I know how to eliminate dark magic." I said, and she sighed in relief. I need to check first how vast the whole field is. I need to survey the area above. "Archangel," I uttered, and my wings appeared on my back.
All knights and farmers gasped in shock and amusement. "They have already seen my wings the other day, right?" I asked Aloisia as I looked at her knights, who still looked shocked.
She chuckles. "You can't blame them. It's not that angel wings are ordinary to us humans. It's mesmerizing." She said as she stared at my wings.
"Well, you have a point," I said before flying. I surveyed the whole area, and I was shocked to find out that the whole field was as wide as half of the mountain. I position at the center of the field. I breathed out as I prepared my prowess in eliminating the dark magic.
"Dispel magic," I uttered, and my magic gradually flowed from my hands onto the soil. It's a cloud of gold dust that slowly spreads across the field. All of us looked at it with amusement and shock.
I was surprised at my own magic? What the heck?
I checked the soil again after a few minutes. I smile after finding out that I successfully eliminated the dark magic. I also have to heal the crops to make sure they grow.
"Heal," I discovered that I could use my prowess heal on animals, plants, and trees as well. The wilted crops are now well flourished.
"Thank you, Lady Aphia." The farmers said at the same time. Their warm smiles make my heart jump in joy. I feel glad to serve the people of the kingdom.
"It's my pleasure," I said to all of them while smiling. "Please don't hesitate to ask for my assistance if you need help," I announced, and they all nodded.
Aloisia and her Order scouted the whole area first before going to the residential area at the plains a few kilometers away from the fields.
The village chief welcomes us to their small town and thanks us for stopping the flood in their area. "Is there something that we can help you with?" I asked as we walked around the village to check the area.
He sighs while shaking his head. "The flood that lasted for a month gave us health problems, Lady Aphia." His people are suffering from typhoid fever, cholera, and leptospirosis due to floods.
"Please take me to them. I can help them." I said to the village chief. Aloisia ordered her knights to scout around the village while we were attending to the needs of the people.
Adults and most children are suffering from water-borne diseases. I use my prowesses heal and cure disease to heal all the affected individuals. Every adult and child I heal smiles brightly at me, and I can't help but smile back at them. The parents and the village chief thank me for healing all of them.
"You are the priestess, right?" A cute little girl approached me. She is holding a beautiful flower.
I sit in front of her. "Yes, I am," I said as I pinched her cheek, and she giggled. "You are so pretty. Are you feeling well now?" She was one of the children who suffered from typhoid fever. Now that she's fine, I can sense frail magic inside her.
She nods while smiling. "Thank you for healing me, priestess." She said.
"It's my pleasure. You may call me Aphia. What's your name?" I asked while smiling at her.
"I'm River." She said, and my smile widened in amusement.
"You have a beautiful and unique name, River," I stated, and she giggled again.
"This is for you." She gave me an unfamiliar white flower.
"Thank you. I love it!" I wonder what kind of flower this is.
"We are calling it Queen of the Night." Her mother approached us. She smiled at me as she caressed her daughter's cheeks. "It's a flower that rarely blooms and only at night. Its flowers wilt before dawn." She explained, and I nodded while staring at it. It's a shame that it will wilt before dawn. "She wants to give it to you because you are precious, Lady Aphia."
I shake my head while smiling. "No. Please don't say that. I am just a typical human like all of you."
"You are an angel." River uttered, and we all smiled at her cuteness.
"Do you want to fly?" I asked, and her eyes widened in shock. "Fly with me, River." I offered my hand, and she excitedly took it.
"Fly! Fly!" She shouted while the people around us were excitedly watching us.
"Archangel," I uttered, and my wings appeared on my back, scattering gold dust around us.
"Woah! Wings! Angel!" River shouted while giggling. I hugged her from behind and carried her. We fly over the village while the people below are cheering for us. River was giggling and shouting as we flew back and forth.
"You are an angel!" She said one more time when we landed. She is still very hype from flying. I hugged her before planting a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, Lady Aphia." She said, and I nodded at her.
"It's my pleasure to fly with you, River." Her mother thanked me for letting River experience how to fly. The whole village prepared a feast for us, and we gladly joined them.
"No drinks during the expedition?" I asked Aloisia as I brought her a grilled squid. We sat in front of a bonfire as his knights were enjoying the food on the long table behind us.
She shakes her head. "We are not allowed to drink during an expedition." She stated, and I nodded while eating my squid.
"You have shown us that you are not just a priestess, but a person who adores and cares for all of us, Lady Aphia." My mouth gaped open in shock. "What?" Aloisia asked as she laughed at my reaction.
"You've been complimenting me since I joined your Order, Aloisia. It's good for my soul but not for my heart. You are creeping me out." I said frankly, and she laughed at me.
"I am just telling the truth, Lady Aphia. You are amazing, you know that?"
I shake my head. "No. I don't want to think and assume that I am amazing. I always remind myself that I am just an individual with a big responsibility for the kingdom. I am just one of you."
"Always keep your feet on the ground."
"I will unless I have to fly." We looked at each other and laughed at the same time. The night is getting chilly. I guess we have to stay for the night.