AUTHOR'S POV
The winds have suddenly calmed at Helena's command. The roots loosened their tight grip on the warlocks' arms and legs. Stellan contained his magic as he rush to Helena, pulling her away from her masculine friends. "Are you hurt?", he caressed her face to check for scratches. Helena held Stellan's hands and shook her head. Atrius, Jac and Ottis suddenly felt chills at Stellan's piercing stares. In the back of their minds, they wondered when did the two became this close.
Althea, who's still catching her breath with her palms on the ground, glowered to Iaso. "Are you completely blind, Iaso? To consider that you are the leader of this coven, you should know better! This person is the reason why my sister is dead! If we don't give her to Pince Galen, who else will have to sacrifice their lives for this soul traveler?", Althea yelled both in anguish and disappointment.
"Okay calm down Lady, that's not how to speak to your leader", Jacomus continued to intervene.
"Stay out of this, you imperial dog!", Althea yelled that instantly let Jac swallow his tongue.
"The prince is after this celestial", Althea's face trembled as she glare at Helena, then she looked in the eyes of every warlock who's stunned in fear and worry. "Clearly, Iaso formed a secrecy that might have provoked the Prince and broke our barriers. Brothers, if you don't want to end up like my sister, be my guest. All who's with me, let's get the damned celestial", Althea weakly stood back on her feet as she struggle to call for more rocks once more.
"Iaso, do something or else this won't end good", Stellan threatened the Wiccans to stop testing his patience.
Iaso have started to grow impatient at Althea's disobedience that's evidently fed with grief and fear. With a squint of her eyes, she used paralysis spell that seemingly turned Althea and the other warlocks to stone.
Althea couldn't move a muscle. She stood like a statue, with only her eyes can move. "Why.. are you.. protecting this.. girl? She's not.. Agalea, we do not need to honor the Wiccan's.. code", Althea mumbled with gritted teeth. Helena understood the power of the coven leader. That despite all of the witches and warlocks combined, they won't stand a chance to Iaso. A type of Wiccan she won't mess up with.
"Listen up Wiccans", Iaso brightened the lights of the lanterns even more to make herself seen. "There's a war coming. If you're up to a fight against a delusional celestial soul traveler with his legion of dark healers and a vile sorcerer, by all means, be at the forefront or lead the battle yourselves.", she said with hardened face. "What you have witnessed tonight… is a proof that this celestial soul traveler with a paladin is giving us a great chance to win an inevitable bloodshed in an unwinnable battle. Whether you like it or not, for the sake of staying alive, we shall support Helena", she declared. Stellan glanced at Helena who seemed to have heard this matter already.
Atrius felt Helena and Stellan are being forced to a battle that they cannot say no to. Well, he thought that paladins are intended to join all battles. But as for Helena, she should have a choice to be part of such life-endangering situation since she isn't originally from here anyway. Staring at Helena, he wondered what she thinks about it, knowing she's eager to soul travel back home. He then lowered his gaze when he met Stellan's eyes, staring at him blankly.
"I'm sorry, but whose orders are that from?", Ottis interrupted as he felt repulsed receiving orders from a Wiccan.
"This war involves not just the Wiccans, but also every person whether royals, warriors, paladins, civilians and individuals of certain title or stature in this entire kingdom. So, wherever that command came from, it doesn't matter anymore. We're talking about living or dying", she replied with distinction that made Ottis taken aback.
"The.. prince will… come back and claim… a life if we do not ..surrender the… traveler. What should… we do then?", one petrified warlock tried so hard to ask.
Iaso approached the warlock and leaned over, inching to his face. "Do you really think I am worried about that right now when I have a paladin and a celestial by my side?", she said before walking back.
"We can restore your barriers", Umbriel suddenly blurted out which stunned everyone.
"Not really possible, Priest… without all the things we need to restore our sealing spell", Iaso replied casually as if she have embraced having an inhabitable and unsafe home for Wiccans.
"What do you need?", Jac asked.
"The blood from the direct bloodline of this Kingdom", Umbriel said. "Sir Stellan is of royal blood, but his descendance is of different kingdom. They need a witch, a priest and the blood from King Silvius himself or anyone from his bloodline", Umbriel uttered. Atrius, Ottis and Jac gaped at Helena whom they knew is the King's child.
"Looks like you have a plan", Iaso is bewildered with the seriousness all over the nervous priest.
No one dared to break the ice. Stellan was expecting Atrius to speak up when Helena suddenly cleared her throat. "Try my blood", Helena said that caught Stellan off guard.
Iaso chuckled softly. "Soul traveler's blood won't make it", she said. But then, her smile faded when she saw the expressions of Helena, the priest and their companions. "I'm guessing it's worth a try?", she asked.
"Let's find out. I'm curious to know it too. If it works, you get your home back, and we'll be on our way. If it doesn't, I'll personally walk my way straight to Prince Galen, so you all won't have to worry about your safety", Helena offered that made Stellan uncomfortable. There's no way in this entire kingdom he would agree to let Helena go to Galen.
"Is this one of the celestial tricks?", Iaso asked.
"Why …would we waste… our time to something we… all know won't… work?", Althea asked with her eyes fixed on Helena.
"You've got nothing to lose anyway. How much blood do you need?", Helena said as she extend her hand to Iaso.
Iaso smirked as she face her petrified Wiccans. In a flick of her finger, Althea and the rest of the warlocks aged rapidly. Their skin wrinkled, and their hair turned grey. The flesh in their bones dried out. Watching in horror, Stellan, Helena and her friends left their mouths open while they witness how fast years flew by as the Wiccans lose their youth. Their loud moans were haunting like ghosts from the grave. And in just a few moments, they all turned to withered husks whose ashes were blown by the wind.
"Was that necessary?", Helena whispered audibly to Stellan. The paladin knight nodded as he snake his arm on Helena's waist. Iaso is marking herself to Helena as a powerful witch that can't be deceived.
"Rebellious wiccans are like polluted water that's hard to filter. I had to make such difficult decision because a Wiccan with an unbalanced mentality can no longer be tamed, whatever's causing the weight of the heavy burdens that they carry in their hearts. Sooner or later, they will find answers in the dark, and that I do not intend to deal with", Iaso explained as she put Celeste in her mind.
"I wouldn't mess with that coven leader", Jacomus whispered to Ottis and Atrius.
"I'm taking whatever orders she'll give me from now on", Ottis replied that gave Iaso a half smile.
"So, shall we?", Iaso shifted her gaze from Helena to Umbriel as the coven leader look forward to something very interesting.