AUTHOR'S POV
MEANWHILE
King Galen returned to Wicce. Loud and proud, he carried the sword of the kings and wore the thin crown with rubies that King Silvius used to wear. Tonight, either he finds out the location of Helena, or he'll put Wiccan blood in his hands.
This is the start of a new tyranny.
A new era under the regime of Galen, a king who sat once on his throne and started seeking for his soul traveler. May it came by surprise, the kingdom welcomed the prince forcibly with fear and deception.
On fastest warhorses, King Galen and his escorts arrived in Wicce before midnight. He was stupefied to see that Wicce has come up with a new barrier. He didn't wondered how. Wiccans have their ways all the time. But with Syria by his side, he wasn't bothered by it at all. "Do something about this. Make it quick, for I no longer bear patience anymore", he commanded.
"Yes, Your Highness", Syria replied as she enter Wicce.
The huts are all unlit. Everyone is sound asleep, with not one knowing that death is knocking at their doorstep. As Syria walk the lantern-lit path to Iaso's cottage, she brought with her the treacherous intent of betrayal and redemption.
"Hello, Iaso", Syria greeted after a few knocks on the door of the only home with lights coming from inside.
"What a pleasant surprise, Syria.", the leader of the coven let her in. "I never thought I'd have a visitor at this time of the night", she said.
"I almost didn't make it", Syria took off her thick brocade black velvet coat and hang it on the wooden coat stand by the door. "Things are not well in the palace.The King was murdered today", she sat by the dining chair in front of a pile of books.
"Oh", Iaso thought that the King's death would give more power to Galen, and add more danger to them. She poured her visitor a cup of tea, as she sat on the opposite side of the table.
"and… Argus was found dead beside the King. Before he died, he unleashed a few dark healers", Syria get a whiff of the hot beverage prepared by Iaso, then she put it back down on the matching floral saucer.
"That doesn't make sense.. Celeste wouldn't let that traveler die", Iaso figured how Yereah's soul was freed. However, she couldn't fathom how Celeste could let such thing happen.
"Did you receive what I sent you?", Syria asked.
"I did, I'm still figuring out how to unbind the soul in the talisman", Iaso answered.
"That explains this mess. Celeste did use the oldest untrackable spells", Syria took one open book, closed it and placed it down. "I see you have built a new barrier. I am relieved", Syria said.
"Luck came my way.", Iaso simple answered. "Have some tea, before it gets cold", she offered.
"We don't believe in luck, do we?", Syria thought. "And I don't drink tea at this time of the night, it would keep me awake", she pushed the teacup forward.
"Well, I do now. A royal came needing my aid. We made the best trade I could ever gift our people", Iaso curved her lips up. Wonderfully, Helena gave them a present that built their friendship and trust. "But, may I ask, what brings the high priestess here?", she blurted out.
"Is that the key to the barrier?", Syria glanced at the scepter by the window.
"Hmm?", Iaso smile faded.
"Did you scare her enough to go to Caluso?", Syria whispered with grimly smile.
Iaso lost her mind for a minute. Her heart sank, that for a moment… she forgot to breath. Then, she laughed uncontrollably until she was out of breath. Her eyes became all teary, as she pant heavily. "Ahhh… That's what I thought, Syria would never pay me visit after I assigned her as the next high priestess", Iaso said as she calm down. "But why would you kill Argus, Celeste?", she asked.
Syria remained smiling eerily. Her eyes glimmered with a faint glare of evil Iaso have never seen before. Losing the smile all of a sudden, she leaned forward as the lights inside Iaso's home flickered. "Why? Simple. He have served his purpose", she said.
"I don't understand. You and Argus wanted to rule to kingdom together", Iaso wondered.
"Who even said that? You?", Syria chuckled softly at Iaso's assumption. "Argus is only a part of the plan. It was a pathetic move actually, but what can I say… as long as I get the task done, the easier I rise above. Look at me, I'm the high priestess now.", Syria squinted her eyes at the leader of the coven. Slowly, Iaso felt her arms and legs starting to petrify, that she could barely move them. Celeste's dark margic is too strong, she can't fight it.
"You and…", Iaso snapped from all the misconceptions that she made. All along she thought Celeste and Argus were in this together. She then realized, that the soul travelers were clearly a diversion, who served as pawns in Celeste's deadly schemes.
"Don't act like you didn't know. You knew I wad coming before you opened the door. You even brewed me a nice cup of tea. Belladonna?", she cackled as she stood up and grab hold of the scepter in the living area. "Thanks for this. My King would be absolutely delighted. But before I go, where did you send your little bird to?", she asked.
"To… hell", Iaso gritted her teeth as she couldn't move her body from her neck down. Blood started to trickle out from her nose, as she take long deep breaths.
"Alright Madam Leader of the Coven! It was nice seeing you. Unfortunately, I won't ever see you again", Syria wore her coat preparing to leave the cottage. Before she closed the door, Iaso have completely turned into a stone, breathing her last breath.
The high priestess returned to King Galen's side, along with Helena's scepter. "Your Highness", she offered.
King Galen handed it over to his knight. "Kill them all", he ordered blatantly. Immediately, the barrier was broken with one single hit using Helena's scepter. The royal knights fired up their torches and started burning the huts. All hell break loose, when the entire village was covered with flames. Burning intensely and brightly, the Wiccans who were sleeping before the catastrophe hit weren't able to escape the wrath of King Galen. His thirst for blood is very difficult to satisfy, that he decided to kill every Wiccan there is.
Through the fire, King Galen breezed into Wicce. As if it was music to his ears, he listened to the screams and helpless pleas of the Wiccans tortured by the blaze. He watched the innocent children slowly burn and die, as he savour the savagely fiery warmth in the cold night.
"They went this way, Your Highness", one of the Royal knights traced the tracks where Helena might have gone to.
Looking into the dark forest, King Galen smirked with an anticipation that he'd be reunited with the love of his life. "To Helena!", he shouted. As they leave, the monsters lurking around Wicce attacked and ate the remains of the Wiccans who were dancing in the flames.