Mother called for the council meeting and the whole realm was put on high alert. Michael went back to his base while I underwent days of torture in the form of training. Tydus might not be the best father but he was a very good teacher - in just a short time, I had learnt how to identify dark and warm energies.
Maybe if he had been the one teaching me from the onset, my wings would be present now... who knew?
I had been officially assigned to the Halo by mother but a shocking twist of event took place. Penelope was assigned to be with me with the aim of looking after me.
"She is a better fighter. Just in case the Templars do not appear on time, she can protect you." Mother had tried to explain after the meeting but all it did was make me mad.
I walked in anger to my chambers. Merinda was cleaning up the room when I entered like a raging dragon - her wings waved slightly and I knew she was anxious. Merinda had never liked it when I get angry, she said it made her very nervous. Not nervous because she was scared I would punish her but nervous because she was scared I would do something stupid that would make my competitors have the upper hand.
One would think she was just a gossip-loving servant but Merinda was actually a 100years old angel who was highly crafted in the art of 'making you see your stupidity before it gets you killed'. She was my go-to person during the times when my emotions got the best of me.
"Better fighter?" I chuckled in annoyance as the words rang in my head.
I knew I was not the best fighter - I had lost a lot of sword fights in the Royal academy - but the keeper was very much capable of protecting me from harm...not Penelope!
"Do you think Penelope fights that well too?" I turned to Merinda with my hands positioned on my waist in impatience.
"Is that why you are so angry?" Merinda asked with an eye roll.
"Well, yes. Why would mother tell her to take care of me like I am some sort of child? It is preposterous!"
Merinda laughed long and hard, and I could not help but think I had said something very funny.
"Why are you laughing?" I asked in confusion.
"Heavens princess! You do have to learn to not let these insignificant things bother you. Yes, Lady Penelope fights better than you and so what? You are the next queen, she is not...she is meant to serve you just as Queen Gabrielle has assigned her to! You need to see things from a larger picture, princess..." She laughed again. When I gave her a glare, she stopped but a smile remained on her face.
I waved my hands dismissively, "Forget about it! Dress me up, I have been assigned to assist in guarding the Halo every dusk."
"Yes, princess."
Penelope and I arrived at the Halo. The Halo was a beautiful castle that was surrounded by clouds. The clouds were put in place by the keeper and acted as a shield to alert him of any incoming danger but unfortunately, the clouds were not made to detect wraiths. The Templars were positioned at the outer gate while the both of us and the keeper included, went into the inner gates.
I gasped in awe at the inner chamber of the Halo. The place was bathed with an exquisite ethereal energy different from the one at the palace. There were all sorts of powerful relics and I was suddenly hit by different auras, both dark and warm. I tried to tune it down so as not to alert Penelope but I sensed a very dark energy coming from a part of the Halo which caused me to stumble.
Penelope scoffed, "You are scared already."
I ignored her and keep moving forward. An orb containing a beautiful blue streak of light drew me close.
"It is beautiful. What relic is this?" I asked the keeper.
"That is the magic of souls." The keeper answered much to my surprise. He had always been mute from day one.
"Magic of souls? What does it do?"
"The magic of souls is no weak relic. It looks beautiful but it is a dangerous relic that was used by demons to exchange souls between humans and demons."
I look at him in surprise, "That means a demon could occupy a human body if they possessed this?"
"Yes, but for a short period of time before the human starts to disintegrate. The human body is too weak to carry a demon's soul in it."
I nodded in understanding. The fact that there were numerous dangerous relics here made me fully understand why mother wanted it heavily guarded.
"What about this?" Penelope asked while pointing to a vessel containing a flaming eye. An actual flaming eye that blinked.
"That is the Alseer. It is a relic more powerful than three Faeres combined. It gives you an exact, accurate description of the past, present and future." The keeper answered.
"What are Faeres?" I asked curiously.
"They are fortelling demons." Penelope answered without looking at me. "Why is the Alseer banned?" She continued.
I tried not to take offence at her dismissiveness and focused on making sure I did not fall prey to the supernatural weight of this place.
"This kind of relic in the hands of any being, will turn such a being to a god and we mere supernatural beings cannot handle being gods," was all the keeper said. He released a breathe and it was strange how I knew it meant he was not entertaining any more questions.
But why have I been feeling a strange energy coming off him that I was not comfortable with?
His aura was difficult to read and I did not know if it was because he was a keeper. They said keepers were so involved in the deep supernatural things that they lost touch with their souls.
"You did not answer my question from before...are you scared?" Penelope started again and I almost groaned out in frustration.
"Can you stop whining?"
I was satisfied with the murderous glare she sent my way but that did not stop her.
"You really do need to grow those wings so you can grow some boldness, do you not think? I think..."
"I really do not care what you think, Penelope...now if you will just seal your lips, I will be very glad." I walked away from her in annoyance.
My head started to feel light headed as I took a corner towards the innermost chambers of the Halo. The dark energy coming from there made me want to pour my insides out.
"Oh, Everlight..." I gasped at the discomfort. I had the urge to run out of this pressuring place but I needed to prove to my mother and the whole of Celestial that I was fit to be queen even without my wings. I had to prove to them that I did not carry Ramon's curse or whatever it was they thought I possessed that was stopping me from forming wings.
I was about to turn around and make my way back to Penelope when something whiffed past me.
The heavy stench of evil made me cringe. What in the light was that?
"Penelope?!" I called out but I am left unanswered. I was about to call for her again when I saw it. Its form was like that of an endless abyss, the shadows swirled around it like bending rays and the wraith looked straight through my soul, its red eyes gripped me in its hold.
"You wish to have wings..." It wheezed. "But you are never going to."
I tried to fight it. The words seemed true, my mind wanted to believe it but I knew something was not right. I was frozen and could not do anything.
This was not the plan, Lilith!
I tried to remind myself to wake up but I could not stop its words from resonating in my head like a song. It was playing with my mind, I knew but its hold on me was overwhelming.
I tried to talk but suddenly, it charged towards me with its mouth open like it wanted to suck me in.
I readied myself to be torn apart when suddenly, Penelope flew in and used a blast of light from her wings to push the wraith away. It shrieked and disappeared instantly.
Templars rushed in at the commotion while I stood stuck on my spot with my mind, a jumbling mess. I was just attacked by a wraith and could not do anything.
"The keeper was actually the wraith all these while. He attacked me and put me in the same mind hold that you were captured into but I got out of it just in time to save you." Penelope told me. I could hear the cockiness in her voice and nothing was more annoying.
I kept silent and just nodded at her words. I felt so ashamed and was about to walk away, when I noticed that the dark energy I sensed that made me highly uncomfortable when I first stepped into the Halo, was nowhere to be found.
"Princess, the orb of doom has been stolen!" A Templar shouted in panic.