The Healer's Crown

Chapter Fourteen

They party had made their way back to Seraphina's village, the air thick with mist as they morning sun cast long shadows across the rugged terrain. They moved patiently across the jagged cliffs, retracing their path but with a different sense of urgency. Their goal is to return the temple in her village to unite the worshippers.

The mountains paths were treacherous and steep; the wind howls around them, throwing them off balance periodically. Caelum watched Seraphina closely, preparing to steady her if she was thrown off of balance. Although his demeanor is calm, he faces contorted with worry. Seraphina, despite her exhaustion from her use of magic, pressed on. Although, ever now and then, she throws a quick glance to Caelum, thinking about the trails that they have gone through together.

The path leads them down the mountain through the forest that clings to its side. The towering trees blocked out the morning sun, leaving the forest in a shroud of darkness and mist. The wildlife sounds echoed through the trees, adding to their feeling of isolation. Despite the beauty, Seraphina is too focused on her mission to appreciate it, and Caelum is too focused on Seraphina.

They traveled until night fell, their exhaustion causing their journey to be extended. The fire is lit, providing warm and light to the party. Above them, the bright stars cut through the darkness of the night sky, an ode to the balance between the two sisters.

Caelum sits next to Seraphina on a fallen log, his knights sprawled out around the fire on the ground. The Lunaran Cleric sat a little further away, praying quietly. Caelum is sharpening his sword, as Seraphina tends to the fire; throwing small sticks into the grow it slowly. Silence lingers between them, periodically broken by the cracking of the fire.

"Do you think that my village will still be standing when we get back?" Seraphina asked, her anxiety getting the best of her. Caelum looks up, thinking for a moment.

"It has to be. We've come too far to fail now," He replies. His confidence gave her some comfort, but Seraphina could feel the uncertainty between them.

"So..." She starts not knowing how to formulate her words, "what happens between us?"

"What do you mean?" He asks, stopping what he is doing and giving her his full attention.

"If the curse is broken... what happens to us after?" She asks again.

"We've been bound by this and forced together, if that no longer is the case..."

"Do you want to go back to your life?" He asks, he eyebrows furrowed. Seraphina swallowed hard, and her pulse quickened. Life without the curse felt so distant, but now that they were so close to breaking it, the reality seemed to hit them.

"Caelum, are you asking if I would stay?" She asks, leaning towards him slightly. His eyes met hers, his piercing blue eyes locked with hers brown ones. He reached out and placed his hand over hers.

"Yes," he takes a deep breath, "curse or not. I still want you by my side, not because of prophecy or duty, but because I've never met a more empathetic, strong-willed, intelligent woman. I could not imagine anyone better to rule Virelda with me."

Seraphina's heartbeat quickened, and her face blushed at his admission, "Caelum, everything is happening so fast. My whole life has been thrown into chaos when this curse pulled us together. I've changed a lot since then - I've learned even more - but I don't know if that's enough."

Caelum leaned in closer, "I understand. When this curse is broken, and if you want to leave, I won't force you to stay. But I needed to tell you that. This is more than duty and prophecy to me now."

There is a long pause as Seraphina tries to reason with her emotions. The connection she feels to him, the trials they've endured, his moments of vulnerability through his facade, they all weighed on her heart heavily.

"If we break this curse, we would be free to choose," she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "without the gods... or the past."

Caelums' expression softened as he gave her a small reassuring smile, "Then we will see what the future holds."

They sat there for a moment longer, and she shivered slightly in the cold. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his torso. His touch was warm against her skin, and he ordered one of his men to throw a larger log on the fire. Slowly, they fall asleep around the fire, Seraphina in Caelum's arms.

The following morning, they set out again. The landscape began to change as the forest broke for rolling hills and meadows; they had begun to descend into the valley. The air became warmer, and the mist began to clear. Rolling hills of grass and wildflowers was a stark contrast to the rocky, mostly barren Crescent Mountains.

Despite the relative peace of the valley, both of them feel a growing sense of urgency to unite the sisters. They passed the small river near Seraphina's village. The water was clear and cold, Seraphina stopped to think about the boy she healed on the shores. Right before her life was plunged into chaos. Seraphina kneels by the river, dipping her hands into the cold water. Caelum stood behind her, looking over the distant hills that led to her village.

"We're almost there," he says, his voice low.

As they approached the village, the once familiar village seemed different. The village center was quiet, unlike the normal bustle that Seraphina was used to. The fields, usually full of crops, had begun to whither. Seraphina's heart clenched at the sight of her village, but her resolved hardened at the sight, and her determination grew. Caelum walked beside her, quiet and alert, his eyes scanning the village for threats.

Finally, they reached the temple that sat a small distance from the village. The stone walls lined with creeping vine, moss, and flowers. The arches that had accepted worshippers for centuries looked almost foreboding. Seraphina walked ahead, brushing her hand against the rough stone. Caelum followed her, his hands idle.

The Temple is silent. It's aura heavy with ancient power. Seraphina sensed the ancient rituals that were performed here and reminded her of the time that both of the sisters were worshipped. The mistakes made generations ago weighed on them as Seraphina and the Lunaran Cleric stepped into the heart of the temple. She could feel Aurelia's presence: through the growing flowers against the stone and the light that filtered through the windows. However, she felt a darker presence here: Lunara's forgotten influence. The balance felt fragile, but Seraphina and the separate Cleric locked hands.

The walls seemed to hum with energy with energy of the ritual that they were about to perform; to restore the balance of light and dark, between the two sisters. The goddesses had once shared this space, but the curse fractured the balance that Seraphina and the Lunaran Cleric were desperate to restore. Seraphina gripped the talisman on her neck, and she thought back to Darian; it was as if he was guiding her in this moment. Suddenly, the incense morphed into a figure, and Darian was in front of her for a fleeting moment, smiling.

Are you ready?" Seraphina asked, his hands gripping his harded.

For a moment, it felt like the air was too thick to breathe. They struggled and sweat beaded on their brows. The power of both goddesses surged into the space, and the darkness and coldness of Lunara met the radiance and warmth of Aurelia. They circled each other in a celestial dance of balance.

Suddenly, the room changed, and a stone statue of Lunara sat next to Aurelia. The statues intertwined as the energy in the room began to combine, no longer in opposition. A delicate shimmer orb appeared between the two statues, an eclipse showing both the darkness of Lunara and the light of Aurelia. The curses weight lifted, and a darkness that had seemed to envelope the temple faded away.

"Is... is it over?" Seraphina gazed upon the bright orb, her eyes wide. The Lunaran Cleric's hand grasped hers, and he smiled.

"It is done. The balance is restored," Seraphina nodded, and her chest tightened. Everyone stood in a moment of silence, the power of both gods lingering in the air. For the first time in a long time, the temple was at peace.