Elysara and Aureth followed Alexander's directions and arrived at a secluded grove, hidden by thick trees and vibrant wildflowers. In the center stood a quaint hut, its walls entwined with ivy and surrounded by a small, lush garden.
As they approached, they noticed a young girl no older than eight, her golden curls bouncing as she plucked fruits from a low-hanging branch. Her delicate hands worked quickly, her humming soft and melodic, blending with the rustle of the trees.
Elysara paused, glancing at Aureth. "Is this… her?"
Aureth furrowed her brow. "Surely not. Alexander said she was the priestess."
The girl turned toward them, her large green eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Who are you?" she asked.
Elysara blinked, stunned. "We—we're looking for a Katherine. The priestess. Do you happen to know her? Is she here?"
The young girl looked at them with a furrowed brow, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Katherine? I've never heard of such a name," she said, her voice soft but filled with curiosity. "But why do you need her?"
Aureth and Elysara exchanged a brief glance, unsure how to respond, but then Aureth spoke. "We seek her help. We are on a path to stop the Hunger, and we believe she may hold some answers. We've been told she has knowledge of the Songbearers."
The girl remained silent for a moment, her gaze thoughtful as if assessing them carefully. After what felt like an eternity, she nodded. "You seem earnest enough. Perhaps you are worth her time."
She stood, brushing the dirt from her hands and looking over her shoulder toward the path leading away from her garden. "Follow me. I'll take you to where you may find the answers you seek."
Elysara and Aureth exchanged another glance, but there was a sense of urgency in the girl's words that urged them to follow without hesitation.
The girl led them through the dense, winding forest, her steps light and quick, as though she knew every inch of the terrain by heart. Elysara and Aureth followed closely behind, their minds filled with questions they barely knew how to voice.
The path was slim, lined with thick trees that seemed to close in around them. It wasn't long before they came to a small clearing, where a modest stone hut stood nestled between two ancient oaks.
The girl turned to face them before leading them to the entrance. "This is where she lives," she said simply, her voice soft yet resolute.
Aureth and Elysara exchanged another look, both surprised at the humble nature of the place. It was far removed from anything they had imagined for a priestess, yet something about it felt right.
The girl pushed open the wooden door, revealing a small but cozy interior. Shelves lined the walls, filled with herbs, jars of unknown substances, and old scrolls. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm glow over the room.
As Katherine entered the hut, the warmth of the firelight flickering across her face, something strange began to happen. Elysara blinked, startled as the girl's appearance began to shift before her eyes. Her features seemed to blur, the air around her rippling as if in response to some unseen force.
In the span of a few seconds, the young girl was gone, replaced by an older woman, still the same face, but with more years, wisdom, and power in her gaze. Katherine now stood before them, a priestess in the truest sense of the word. Her hair, once a soft cascade of curls, now held streaks of silver, and the robes she wore were far grander, adorned with intricate symbols of protection and power.
Aureth and Elysara both stood frozen in shock, their eyes wide as they took in the transformation. She was the priestess they had sought all along.
"I know this must be confusing," Katherine said, her voice deeper now, resonating with an authority that hadn't been there moments before. "I conceal myself in this form to avoid detection. The fewer who know of my true identity, the better. But with you two, I feel it is safe to reveal myself."
Elysara's voice barely above a whisper, asked, "How… how can you do this? How can you change like that?"
Katherine's lips curled into a small, knowing smile as she moved toward the fire, her movements smooth and sure. "It is a gift of the priestesses one that allows us to take on different appearances when the need arises. It helps us hide from those who would seek to harm us, to protect the sacred knowledge we carry."
Aureth exhaled slowly, still taking in the transformation. "So you are Katherine the priestess, the one who knew Vanessa."
Katherine nodded solemnly, her eyes clouded with sorrow. "Yes. Vanessa was a dear friend, and her death has caused a great deal of pain to this land."
The revelation of Katherine's true identity only deepened the mystery of their mission. But one thing was clear now: They had come to the right place, and Katherine was their guide.
"Thank you for trusting us," Elysara said, her voice firm despite the unease that lingered in her chest.
Katherine smiled softly, her gaze gentle. "It is not just trust. It is necessity."
Katherine took a moment before speaking again, her eyes scanning the room.
"There is something more I must share with you," she said quietly, her voice lowering to a whisper as though she feared being overheard. "While it is true that many of the Songbearers have fallen to the assassins, there are still others alive. Three remain hidden, scattered across the entire kingdom. But they are not safe, and time is running out."
Elysara and Aureth exchanged a glance, both of them feeling the weight of her words.
"They are in hiding?" Aureth asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and concern. "Where? How can we find them?"
Katherine nodded, the lines on her face deepening with the burden of knowledge. "They have chosen to remain hidden, for they are marked, just as Vanessa was. The assassins will stop at nothing to eliminate them. But if you can find them, if you can unite them, you will have a chance to restore the balance before the Hunger consumes everything."
Elysara felt her heart quicken. "How do we find them? We barely know where to start."
Katherine's voice softened as she continued, the seriousness of her words hanging in the air.
"I misspoke," she said, her gaze steady but filled with sorrow. "All three of the remaining Songbearers are in the northern lands. You don't need to search the entire kingdom. You only need to head north, where the frost clings to the land and the mountains pierce the sky."
Elysara's heart tightened as she processed this new information. Her thoughts spun. She had hoped to spread out and search far and wide, but the northern lands… that was a place of danger and cold—a harsh place for anyone to survive, let alone three people in hiding.
Katherine continued, her voice low but insistent. "One is hidden near the great mountain of Skarath, deep within the cold caves where the wind howls through the cliffs. Another stays close to the ancient ruins of Vlerotha, within the frozen forests, hidden beneath the layers of snow that cover the land like a heavy blanket. The third… well, the third is in the farthest reaches, near the edge of Eldoria itself, where the northern winds meet the seas."
Aureth let out a breath, her concern evident. "Three Songbearers… all in the north. Do they know one another?"
Katherine nodded slowly. "They do. But they are divided. One holds a deep mistrust of outsiders, another has withdrawn completely from the world, and the third is… uncertain. But they must be united. They cannot face what's coming on their own."
Elysara stepped forward, "We'll go to them. We'll find them in the northern lands. We have to restore the veil."
Katherine's gaze softened, a flicker of something, hope maybe. "I knew you would. But remember, the northern lands are not kind to those who are unprepared. You must be cautious. These Songbearers, though powerful, have been hunted for so long. They may not welcome you right away. But if you can convince them, bring them together… you may just have a chance."
Katherine fixed Elysara with a piercing gaze, her expression intense. For a moment, she said nothing, just studied the young woman as if searching for something deep within her. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft yet filled with undeniable certainty.
"Child," Katherine began, her voice almost a whisper, "you have the mark of the Songbearers too."
Elysara froze, confusion flooding her mind. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a murmur. "I'm not a Songbearer."
Aureth, ever vigilant, stepped forward, shaking her head in disbelief. "I've watched for any sign of the Songbearer's magic in her, Katherine. She's not a Songbearer. There's nothing…nothing at all."
Katherine's eyes didn't waver from Elysara. She seemed to be looking right through her. "It looks like it's been suppressed," she said, her tone firm but gentle. "But it's there, Elysara. I can feel it."
Elysara felt a shiver run down her spine at the words. She had magic but nothing like the power of the Songbearers she had heard of, no signs that she carried the same gift her mother had.
"Suppress…?" Elysara murmured, glancing at Aureth for an explanation.
Katherine's gaze shifted downward, locking on the pendant around Elysara's neck. "How did you come by this pendant?" she asked, her voice sharp and curious.
Elysara instinctively reached for it, her fingers brushing against the cool surface. "It was my mother's," she said, voice trembling. "She gave it to me before she died. She said it was to protect me."
Katherine's brow furrowed slightly as she studied the pendant, her lips pressing into a thin line. Without a word, she raised her hands, slowly and deliberately, toward the pendant. Elysara's heart skipped a beat as she watched Katherine's fingers move with careful precision, an aura of power beginning to hum in the air between them.
The spell came quickly, an energy force that shot from Katherine's outstretched palms and struck the pendant directly. A bright blue light erupted from the pendant, swirling around Elysara's body. The room seemed to shift around her, her vision blurring for a moment. She gasped, feeling a strange pressure in her chest as the light intensified, then faded just as quickly.
As the blue radiance dissolved, Elysara felt something leave her, like a weight lifting from her body. A soft vapor, almost mist-like, exhaled from her, curling in the air before dissipating entirely.
Katherine slowly lowered her hands, her expression grave. She took a long breath before speaking.
"Your mother, Lyanna," she said softly, "she placed a suppressing spell on you. It was meant to hide your magic, to keep it dormant. She must have done it in the moments when she knew the danger the world was in, when she realized that her enemies would come for her and anyone associated with the Veil bearer."
Aureth looked stunned, her face pale as she took a step back. "She… she did this? To her own daughter?"
Katherine nodded, her voice calm but heavy with the weight of truth. "Yes. Lyanna believed that by suppressing your powers, she could protect you. She knew the world would be too dangerous for someone with the mark of a Songbearer. But now…" Katherine looked at Elysara with a touch of empathy. "Now it is time for you to awaken to who you truly are."
Elysara stood there, processing what had just happened. Her mother had done this to her, to keep her safe no doubt, but it left her feeling lost, unsure of what she really was.
Aureth was silent as she absorbed the revelation. Elysara's mind was racing, the truth hitting her in waves. She had always believed she was just a regular girl, a daughter who lost her parents. Now she learned her mother had kept an essential part of her life hidden, locked away for her protection.
Katherine looked at Elysara, her eyes softening. "You mustn't fear what you are, Elysara. It is your birthright. The world will need you now more than ever."
Elysara's hand instinctively went to her pendant again, her fingers trembling. "I don't know how to use this power. I don't even understand it."
Katherine's gaze remained steady. "In time, you will. You have all the tools you need. It will awaken in you when the time is right." She gave Elysara a knowing look. "You must trust it, trust yourself, and the magic will come."