The Coven of the Black Rose

Chapter Fourteen: Another Ally

The prince's face was stunned and baffled. "It is not possible..." He muttered. "If you're a true royal blood, then why didn't you help them earlier? You've been even keeping your staff with yourself, all along."
Asha planted her staff on the ground. "I don't have to tell you anything but thank you for reinstating the power in my blood."
"So...it's true..." Hagan shook his head, then his expression turned hard again. He raised his staff and it glowed when summoning another lightning. Naturally, Asha expected it, so she opened her shining palm to him, similar with what Hagan did earlier. A light spherical barrier was summoned around them, protecting her as well as Tasra and Tessa. The lightning hit her barrier, but her protection stood still. Asha did not even flinch. The feeling of summoning a spell was truly relieving. She put her hand down and the barrier vanished in the air.
The prince shook his head, again, in disbelief. He furiously pointed his finger at Asha. "Now! Catch her!" The wolves started to growl at her, preparing themselves to lunge. The two other light sorcerers prepared their staffs while their hippogriff flew few feet away above the ground.
Asha held her staff and gave a smile to Hagan. "Too late for that." Her eyes flared yellow.
The prince took a step back. "What are you doing? Stop that and surrender to us now! Don't make my task any difficult!"
"So you're just tasked by your father, too?" She laughed. "Why don't your lazy king capture us himself.
Hagan took a deep breath. Impatience ran over his veins. He glared to the dragonhawk and called upon it with a whistle. It turned to him and screeched. Hagan nodded at it. The winged beast faced Asha. "You may withstand light sorcery, but how about a chance of surviving a dragonhawk's flame? I am the prince of Forgon, in case you've forgotten. I still have my army with me."
Asha widened her smile. "Are you so certain?"
Hagan raised an eyebrow but didn't reply to her. "Now!" He signaled his army to attack her as he pointed his staff at Asha. The two sorcerers were about to cast their fire blast to her yet, suddenly, their hippogriffs screeched then flew above. They drifted sideways in random directions. The sorcerers were distracted, trying to calm their hippogriffs. 
"Hey, stop it!" The sorcerer pleaded to his pet.
"Calm down!" The other one cried.
Nothing happened to them. Their pets just got wild. One tried to tame it and saw its eyes were flaring yellow, like Asha's. He was startled then glanced at his comrade, who could also barely control his hippogriff. "What's happening to them?! Look at their eyes!" He accidentally dropped his staff, his grasp shifting to his hippogriff's neck.
"I don't know either!" His staff slipped off his hand, too. His grip almost slipped off.
Hagan was stunned watching them. He knew he couldn't do anything to make it stop. He was clueless on why the hippogriffs' eyes were flaring yellow and why they were behaving restlessly. The sorcerers have no choice but to grasp tightly. "Our prince, help us!" Right after they called to him, both hippogriffs flew higher and higher to the clouds. Later on, they made sudden movements and shook themselves.
"No! No!" Both the sorcerers screamed as they lost their grasp and fell off their hippogriffs.
Soon, Hagan heard their bodies fell on the surface. He cannot see them since they were far enough, and it was dark in the woods. The prince was already frightened on what he witnessed. But his fear would never outmatch his pride as the prince of Forgon.
Hagan shook the thought off his mind then faced to Asha. "You thought it's enough to defeat me?" Hagan heard the wolves growling. But this time, their flaring yellow eyes were glaring at him. "This is outrageous! What did you do to them?"
"Maybe you wanted to ask your dragonhawk." Asha replied.
Carefully, the prince shifted his glance to the winged beast. The dragonhawk's eyes was normally yellow and shining when it breathes flame. Yet this time, its eyes were bright yellow like with Asha's, and for all the other beasts the prince has. His heart pounded in fright. The dragonhawk turned to him then tilted its head. By then, the prince realized something. "The spell of possession..." He spoke to her in awe. "I know it is one of the forbidden spells nowadays. The Highest House itself forbade the casting of possession spells among all light sorcerers." He gave her a sharp look and pointed his finger at her. "But you! How did you cast it? It was only the-"
"Tome of Az'Tahra." Asha interrupted. The wind has calmed down.
"Impossible! How did you know about it?" He took few steps away from her. "We saw how it was casted away to the flames! How could you possibly know about it?"
"So curious, eh?" Asha laughed. "Do I even need to answer your questions?" The dragonhawk screeched, once more. It opened its beak to breathe fire at him. Hagan summoned again his barrier to protect himself against the destructive flames. At the same time, the wolves lunged at him. Fortunately for him, they cannot break it nor pass through it.
"How could you do this?" He hissed. The prince opened his other palm and let it shone, fortifying his barrier. Hagan grunted when he noticed that his protection was weakening.
Asha pulled her staff then pointed it at him. Its gemstone illuminated, blasting a beam of flame to Hagan's direction. He fell into his knees as he held his barrier for longer. The prince started to pant in exhaustion. "This can't be-" Suddenly, his barrier has been broken. It silently dissolved in air with a force, knocking the wolves away. The dragonhawk closed its beak. Asha pulled her staff. Glancing on the bodies of Tasra and Tessa. They were still covered by her healing magic aura. She knew that soon, they would wake up and was pretty certain that they were still alive.
Asha strode forward, going towards the prince. From behind her, two bolts of orange lightning struck her. It was painful that she lost her posture. Glancing several feet behind her were two light sorcerers. She totally forgot about them since they were trapped in tree branches a while ago. Without hesitation, they threw another wave but this time, she blocked it by summoning another barrier around her. She swiftly glanced at the wolves who just got on their feet. They stared at her as if they were waiting for her next command. Asha nodded to the wolves then they aggressively charged to the sorcerers. When they saw the beasts going towards them, the sorcerers were about to cast lightning at the wolves. With a thought, Asha's barrier dissolved immediately and she blasted them with flames. The sorcerers were knocked to the ground and grunted in pain. Their cloak was slightly burning but they ignored it and noticed the wolves were about to lunge at them. In fright, they have no other choice but to ran away as quickly as they could since their staffs were dropped few feet away from them. Soon, they were out of sight. Although their footsteps and growls got weaker deeper in the darkness around the woods.
Asha heard soft footsteps and saw Hagan walking away sluggishly. She did nothing and let the dragonhawk do its thing. It opened its beak, breathing flames to block Hagan's way. Both exasperated and exhausted, he glared at Asha.  Trying to run in any other direction would do nothing good for him to escape. Hagan knew it. "Are you a Deheron?"
Asha smiled and took steps forward. "Again, is that a question that I have to answer?"
"Interesting..." Hagan chuckled. "Only the Deherons from the Second House of Light Sorcery had grandchildren. Only their family was the one who had association with the sorcerer Az'Tahra. I thought your grandparents burned it right before our eyes. But it seems like they're too mischievous..." He shook his head with a dry smile. "Oh...I am certain that they will imprison you once the light sorcerers of the Highest House know about this. The tome isn't made forbidden for simple reasons. The spells of Az'Tahra were unbearably menacing when it is in wrong hands. That is why the Supreme Light Sorcerers themselves decided to forbade it. And here you are, freely using it from beyond our oath..."
Asha remained silent and didn't reply to him. She glanced to the dragonhawk and it opened its beak to breath fire again.
"Any last words, young prince?" Asha said.
"Stop!" A male voice spoke behind her. She turned and saw Tasra standing. He still has his bruises on his body with his clothes and cloak tattered. He whispered an incantation then large vines sprouted beneath Hagan. Naturally, it snared his feet and entangled his arms, forcing him to drop his staff.
"You do even know how to use light sorcery's healing spells." Hagan said. "I can see that you're a great sorceress, yet you chose the wrong side of the war. What a waste."
Asha ignored him and just stared at Tasra in awe. "Honey...are you fine?" She walked towards him. Tasra just gave her a nod then faced Hagan.
"Now what? Why don't you kill me?" The prince grunted. "Even if I die, the whole Forgon and all the Houses of Light Sorcery won't show any mercy upon this land once they saw my corpse lying here."
"Surely, they won't see their lovely prince here." Tasra said and walked towards him. Asha was confused, yet he let him do whatever he wished. "You're our prisoner now and you will tell me everything what is Forgon up to."
Hagan laughed. "You think I will? Just kill me, I would never speak about our plans."
Tasra glanced to Asha. "Looks like we have someone to keep from now on."
Asha smiled. "Clever plan."
Tasra faced Hagan again and went closer to him. He touched the prince's face that was rattled by confusion and terror. "What...what are you doing to me?"
"Samras, hipinos." He whispered.
"Hey! What did you..." Hagan didn't finish his words as he felt his eyes got heavier. Drowsiness took over him in an instant. "...to..." His head bent sideways when he fell asleep, with his body still standing while being entangled by the vines.
"So it's true..." Tasra gave Asha a stern look, waiting for her to continue. The flare in her eyes have quenched.
"Yes, apparently..." Asha lowered her head upon responding. "I'm sorry..."
Tasra thought about everything else. He heard a glimpse of Asha's and Hagan's conversation earlier. Of course, he was surprised about everything he eavesdropped from them. The sorcerers of light were the ones who mainly killed their parents and his kind. They were a hefty burden in the life of their coven. Undeniably, he has unbearable rage for them over the years of his life. They were more powerful than them, given that the light sorcerers have a powerful kingdom along their side.
"I know that it is hard for you and I shouldn't-" Asha continued and sniffed, with tears dripping across her cheeks. In her surprise, her words were interrupted by Tasra's comforting hug.
He was really stunned and couldn't believe what she was. At the moment, he did not know how he will feel about Asha being a light sorcerer. It was still Asha, anyway, and she protected them from the prince. As longer as he felt the warmth in her body, he recalled on how he hid his warlock powers from her. Tasra naturally understand on why Asha did the same to him. He even understood that hers was more difficult to hide compared with his warlock identity.
He hugged her tighter and whispered. "Yeah...Yeah. I get it. I understand, Honey." Deep in his heart, he knew that, of course, he will understand her existence as a light sorcerer. Regardless if he was a human or a warlock.
Asha sobbed. "I hope you understand."
Tasra softly rubbed her head. "Of course, I do. I get it why you didn't tell it to me ahead, or even before. You have nothing to worry about, Asha." He pulled away from her and wiped her tears with his fingers. He continued and beamed. "Looks like you're the one who has something explain later."
She smiled back. "Yeah, but I think we have to deal with him first." Her glance shifted at Hagan.
Tasra gazed at him as he thought on how and where they could take him. In his will, the vines released him and fell back on the ground, leaving the prince's sleeping body on the ground right before the crackling flames which the dragonhawk has blasted earlier. "I know a place where we can keep him. But I don't know how we will carry him."
"But I do." Asha replied, having an eye contact with the dragonhawk. "Let our friend handle this."
Asha and Tasra took off Hagan's damaged, blue cloak and threw it on the raging blaze nearby. "How long will he be asleep?" Asha asked him.
"Probably for longer. Don't worry about it."
Asha nodded. "So where will we keep him?"
"Back to the farm. Hopefully our cabin was still safe and undamaged." At once they glanced at Tessa who grunted unconsciously. "I'm glad she's alive!" Tasra said in glee. "And, yeah, so am I. What did you do to us?"
"Healing magic." She replied. By then, he realized why her wounds and injuries have healed earlier, even that they were attacked by wolves just last night. He doubted that it would instantly heal by just sleeping.
"Oh, makes sense." He said. "That's great to hear. So what about Tessa? Will we tell her right now?"
Asha was stunned by the question for a second. "Yeah but I'll take care of it. She might be frightened."
Tasra agreed and they both went to wake up his sister. "Tessa...Tessa..." Tasra shook her body. Soon, Tessa opened her eyes and felt relief upon seeing him.
"What...What happened?" She rose and everything was fuzzy on her sight as her mind recalled everything that happened before she collapsed.
"Everything's alright." Tasra said and helped her to get on her foot.
Tessa looked around and saw Asha in surprise. She took few steps away from her. "Asha? You're a..."
Asha nodded and forced a smile. "I am."
Tessa's eyes widened. They cannot determine if it was in fright or amusement. "But how?"
His brother patted her back gently. "I know right. You have nothing to fear, Tessa. She's still the Asha we know. I assure you."
She gave him a skeptic look but nodded at him. "When did you know about this?"
"Just before you wake up."
"Oh..." At least she was more convinced by then. "So where will we go now?"
"To our cabin." Tasra said. "But now, we'll have our first guess to bring in our underground stronghold."
Tessa raised an eyebrow. "But Asha isn't immune from the stronghold's enchantment, is she?"
Tasra laughed and faced the sleeping prince. "Asha won't definitely go with us."
His sister followed his glance and understood what he meant. "Is he the prince of Forgon? The one you were talking about earlier?"
"Yes." He replied and turned to Asha. "Shall we go now?"
"Surely." Asha nodded at the dragonhawk then it flew towards their side, lowering its flight so that they could climb on its back. Tessa frowned at them. "Are you sure that this is safe? I really have no idea what is happening right now."
"Everything's fine, Tessa." Asha said while climbing at the dragonhawk's back. "It's safe and you're with us. Don't worry."
Tasra climbed next and reached his hand to his sister. "Come on. Else you have to make your own way out of here."
"Of course, I will come with you." Tessa chuckled then took Tasra's hand. At last, they were all mounted on the rough-scaled surface of the winged beast's back. Its flapping of wings causes their hair and cloak to be blown by the wind. Leastwise, it was comfortable and warm to settle on such beast, and was wide enough for them.
Asha placed her palm on the dragonhawk's scales. "Bring him with us." The winged beast flew away and snatched Hagan's body with its beak. "Let's go home now to our farmland." In response, it flew higher to the sky, then went to the direction leading back to their home. It seemed that the dragonhawk know where their farm was. It was just fascinating as Tasra thought.
"What if they saw us?" Tasra asked to Asha. "It is not possible if none of them would notice that their prince is missing."
"It doesn't matter." Asha replied with her glance shifting on the trees below. "They will notice it, anyway. Especially he is the prince. They may have scouts everywhere. Just hide him on a place where they cannot find him easily."