[Warning: This chapter contains sensitive content, such as murder, gore and blood.]
After Nimueh's pain eased up a little, she quickly resumed sprinkling the ash on the burning coals, and muttered incantations with great difficulty.
The dark magic that was still swirling in the sky and trying to break through the shield of light became much bigger and the dark whispers turned to piercing screams, but it was still useless against the shield of light.
The initiates smiled in satisfaction at how seemingly powerless the dark magic was against the shield they had created, but it seemed that they had rejoiced too soon.
An arrow from nowhere suddenly hit one of the initiates on the shoulder, causing him to shift from his stance, but he quickly got back into position, ignoring the sharp pain. It didn't stop there, so many arrows continued to be fired towards them.
One of the initiates looked downwards from where the arrows where coming from, and saw that it was Nimueh's assistants that were shooting arrows at them.
The initiates used their metallic shields to block the arrows, while still trying to illuminate the light from the moon to prevent the dark magic from passing through, but they knew it won't be long before one of them would be shot down.
Just like they had expected, one of them was indeed struck on the arm by an arrow, which made him let of his shield, ruining the illumination they had created.
When Nimueh's assistants saw this, they finally stopped shooting, and dispersed.
The dark magic finally passed through, and headed straight to the royal chambers.
Ronan who had seen this, ran after it, his face conveying his feelings of helplessness. He couldn't help remembering the dream Queen Namarie had narrated to him.
"I had a dream last night. I dreamt that a black shadow entered my belly. Could the dream possibly be hinting that I'm pregnant?"
Ronan fell on his knees, gazing up at the sky. Has everything really been predestined to happen this way? He couldn't help but think.
The guards finally caught up to him, and surrounded him with the tips of their swords pointed at him, while he just knelt there, not bothering to put up a fight.
Meanwhile, Queen Namarie was in her chambers, laying down on her bed while facing the ceiling. She was wearing her nightie, and a purple gemstone was on her lower abdomen.
She was awake, and was all sweaty. Nervousness and a bit of fear was eating at her, as she waited for what was going to happen.
The dark magic finally entered her chambers, and began to swirl above her, and after a while it entered through her duvet and into her body.
She began to feel uncomfortable, as she moved her head left and right continuously, her face reddening in tremendous pain, then she soon stopped moving and lost consciousness.
….
Very early, the next morning, Queen Namarie was visited by the midwife, the Queen Dowager, and Nimueh.
The midwife did her thing, inspecting the stomach of the Queen, while the Queen Dowager and Nimueh patiently waited.
After a while, she looked up at the Queen Dowager and smiled. That smile had said it all, and no words were needed.
The Queen Dowager turned to Nimueh, and smiled. "Good work. This is all thanks to you. You'll be rewarded handsomely for this."
Nimueh bowed with a pleased smile, and said, "I offer my humblest thanks, your majesty." She paused, and raised her head. "However, it's not over yet."
Meanwhile, in Hera's room, Hera who was still unconscious on her bed, finally moved, slowly awakening.
She sat up on the bed, feeling her head spin. Then she saw her hands which were still back, and the memories from last night came flowing back.
"Dark magic!" Hera exclaimed with widened eyes as she inspected her hands and body, and when she confirmed it to be truly dark magic, she screamed in fright.
….
Night fall came, and someone dressed in black barged into Hera's room. The person then slowly walked towards the bed, holding a sword.
When the person got close enough to the bed, they noticed that the bed was empty, and was only filled pillows covered with a duvet.
Then from behind, the person was suddenly attacked by someone holding a dagger, but they easily evaded the attack, and pushed the attacker to the floor.
Hera landed on the floor, letting go of the dagger as she groaned in pain, and when she raised her head, it was no longer just one person standing in her room, they were now up to ten. She immediately recognized them to be Nimueh's assistants.
She was still trying to process what was happening, when Nimueh also walked in. "Don't struggle and just come with me." Nimueh warned, "If you do, then I will pray that your soul goes to heaven."
Hera looked at Nimueh in disbelief. "How can you, the chief shamaness who is supposed to protect the kingdom, be defiling the castle with dark magic?" She asked, "Are you not afraid of the consequences?"
She sighed and continued to speak. "More calamity would come upon this kingdom. The King would die after struggling with an illness, and the royal household will be bathed with blood."
Nimueh just smiled. "Seems like you still have enough energy in you, seeing that you still have strength to talk." She said, before facing her assistants. "Kill her."
The one closest to Hera immediately raised up her sword to slash at her, but Hera quickly picked up the dagger she had been holding earlier, and stabbed the leg of the assistant, before she then pushed past them and ran out of the room.
When Hera got outside of the quarters, she stumbled upon Queen Namarie in the garden. Hope immediately shined in Hera's eyes, as she held unto the Queen's legs. "Your majesty, please save me! If I die, there would be no one to take care of my mother and brother."
"Don't worry too much about your family, they would be following after you as well." Hera heard Nimueh said, and she looked behind her to see that Nimueh and her assistants had also come out to the garden.
An old woman and a young boy were brought forward, and made to kneel.
"Hera!" The woman exclaimed when she saw Hera, and Hera, in turn, shouted, "Mother!"
She stood up and wanted to run to them, but Nimueh's assistants who were standing behind her mother and brother, immediately unsheathed their swords, and slashed the throats of the mother and son.
Hera paused in her tracks in shock. Queen Namarie also seemed to be in shock as she looked at Nimueh with wide eyes.
Hera ran to the limp bodies of her mother and brother, wailing In agony as she hugged their bodies. After crying for a while, she then turned to face Nimueh.
"You killed my innocent mother and brother because you want to play with dark magic?" She said in seething anger. "How dare you!" She screamed and ran towards Niwueh.
Something unexpected happened. As Hera charged towards Nimueh, her body got suspended mid air, and she held Nimueh by the neck, pushing her backwards until her back hit the wall. Then she slowly raised her up with just one hand.
"Die, you witch! Die!" Hera screamed, her anger reflecting in her voice.
Nimueh struggled, and coughed, but Hera's grip was unnaturally strong. Seeing their master in such a state, Nimueh's assistants all charged forward with their swords, but before they could get close enough to her. Hera turned around, and stretched her free hand towards them. Her eyes turned to a dark shade of purple, and a gust of wind blew, throwing Nimueh's assistants off their feets.
They all crashed against the castle walls, and fell to the ground, unconscious. Queen Namarie who had witnessed this, couldn't believe her eyes, and could only open her mouth in shock.
Hera focused her attention back to Nimueh who she still had on choke hold. "The rule is that you can see another person's future, but can't see yours. Now let me enlighten you. Your dark magic will be the death of you, and your body would be burnt to ashes with the holy fire. You are going to die, just like that, without leaving any trace."
The sound of flesh being cut, suddenly filled the air, cutting off Hera's words. Hera's face slowly drained of color as looked back to see the Queen holding a bloodied sword. The Queen had stabbed her from the back.
Hera let go of Nimueh, letting her fall to the ground, while Queen Namarie dropped the bloodied sword to the ground. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were wide as if she had just realized what she had done.
Hera looked at the Queen in disbelief and disappointment. "So you were in on this too?" She said weakly as she moved closer to the Queen.
Queen Nemarie moved backwards, but her legs had weakened due to the many emotions she was feeling at the same time, and she fell, sitting on the ground.
Hera also fell on her knees, and slowly crawled towards the Queen, but she paused when she heard sounds. The sound of crying babies.
Hera laughed without humor, and said, "Congratulations, your majesty. You are pregnant with twins." Then she continued to crawl towards the Queen.
Queen Namarie tried to scoot away from her, but Hera grabbed her dress in a strong hold, and continued to crawl towards her, until her right hand was placed on the Queens stomach.
"However… on the twins' eighteenth birthday, they will die." Hera said causing the Queen to be filled with fear, "And if they somehow manage to escape death. They will live a life that would be more painful that death itself."
"The people that love them will die! And those that they love will also…" Hera stopped talking, and grunted in pain.
Nimueh had gotten up and picked up one of the swords of her assistants, and stabbed her from the back, cutting off her words.
Hera let out a groan, and rolled over on her back. She coughed up blood and her breath became labored as she slowly closed her eyes in death. Thunder rumbled in the sky, and a heavy rain began to fall.