Celestial (On Hold)

Chapter Eleven

Vaden's POV

Two days later, Isabelle was talking to Vaughn and Artemis about the country she was from, a place called France or something, at the dining table while I lay on the lounge reading.

It's also been two days since I've spoken to Zara. I hate to admit it, but not seeing her for so long has started to make me antsy even if I can sense where she is at any time. A sudden knock sounded through the room making me look towards the door then at Vaughn but neither of us moved because we couldn't feel anyone behind the door. He stopped Isabelle from going towards the door when another knock sounded but this time coming from the window in the wall next to the tv which was currently hidden by blinds.

A shadow moved behind the blind and the creature knocked again. Getting up I slid the blinds away to see a barn owl about to tap its beak against the window while a rolled-up piece of parchment was attacked to its left leg. Taking a second to figure out how to open the window the owl fluttered into the room making Isabelle gasp softly as it perched on the back of the lounge.

"Harriot," I greeted the bird who untied the parchment from its leg skilfully, "thank you," I took the parchment and opened it to read the message that was invisible to only those who knew how to read mana script, something I learnt in the witch's realm.

I frowned at the coded message, recognising the symbols and signs that I needed to read it properly, when another knock sounded this time from the door. With a nod, I told Vaughn to answer it. It was Silver.

"Hey," she greeted easily an aloof expression on her face as she strolled into the room like she owned it.

"Good evening, Miss Silver, what do we owe the pleasure of your fine presence?" Vaughn asked with a teasing smile and warm eyes.

Silver flashed him a smile before she looked to me then spoke to Isabelle, "Silver Vermillion, I heard about you from Zara, but it's nice to meet you in person anyway," the young Celestial offered her hand to the nervous girl with a small smile.

"B-Bonsoir," Isabelle greeted back while awkwardly shaking the taller girls hand.

"Right, now you two have to get ready. Orientation starts at three so you have an hour to dress into your uniforms and get to the main building by then, understood?" Silver clipped shooting me a sharp-eyed glare, which I only replied to with a raised eyebrow. Silver then noticed the owl on the lounge who started to preen its feathers while it waited. "Why the hell's an owl in here?" She asked incredulously.

I read the message again and frowned before letting out a short sigh, "I'm needed at Frostgrazen, Vaughn stay here and watch over Zara, tell Aviva where I've gone but not why. I'll be back tomorrow. Artemis, you're with me please."

"Wait wait wait! Didn't you just hear me? We have orientation this afternoon," Silver frowned at me, but I waved her off as I changed my clothes to my leather battle uniform that now had ruins inscribed into the fabric along with a black hooded cloak that surrounded me.

"Vaughn will tell me if there's anything I need to know about this orientation thing, but I have more important matters to attend to right now, Artemis, to me please," I told the girl while Artemis changed into her knife form which I strapped it to my thigh as I summoned another sword to me since I wouldn't have Vaughn, "as I said, I'll be back tomorrow. Harriot, the portal please."

The owl fluttered its wings just as glowing ruins appeared on them. I placed a hand on its back and the next moment the world was tearing itself apart only to put itself back together again this time however I found myself standing in the middle of a castles throne room that was completely made of ice and glass. Before me, sitting on a throne of icy elegance that was swamped with fur pelts where she sat was the Queen of witches, Nikita Dravix. The strongest witch in all the known realms.

I knelt before the icy perfection of the woman before me. Porcelain skin, pale and sharp that was almost like the ice around her without a single blemish made her seem almost a goddess sitting upon her throne. Arrow straight black hair liquid around her shoulders was the only soft thing about this woman, even her dark dark eyes could cut a person with a single glance.

"Your majesty," I spoke not bowing my head as I kept my eyes on hers.

"Rise Fonak (Hunter)," she ordered ice in her voice.

I stood and took a few more paces towards her till I was just at the first step, of two, that lead up to her, something that no one besides for her family and the most trusted of people could do. "I received your message, I will help," I told her seriously showing not an ounce of emotion for the queen looked down on emotion as something weak and pathetic.

Nikita nodded her head once, "I thank you, my Captain with show you to her room. When you find my daughter, I will have you not kill her captors but bring them to me alive," not even a hitch to her voice at the thought of her daughter, only ten years of age, in the hands of someone who wishes her harm.

A tall man in glass armour with a white cape stepped out from the shadow of the queen's throne. Snapping a closed fist over the left side of his chest he bowed low to the queen before turning to me and bowing again, though not as low. "Greetings Fonak," he greeted before ending his bow and motioning to a side door, "this way please."

With a final nod to the queen I followed the Captain out of the throne room and through hallways and up stair cases, servants and guards moving out of their way without a single misstep or slowing down. We arrived in the Princess' wing to find guards stationed outside the door.

Stepping through, I was almost surprised by how childlike the room seemed. There was emotion throughout the room in the left behind toys, in the drawings on the walls and the colourful pink and baby blue bed dressings. There was however the dark feeling of trespassers in the room.

The bed sheets were rumbled in a way that told of a struggle and the only window in this room was forced open. Left behind snow prints of large boots told me that there was one man and two women that entered this room. Walking to the window I found marks of where a grappling hook chipped away at the seal. Looking through the window, I was partially surprise by the height these captors had to climb to get to this room.

"Are there no wards around this room Captain?" I asked the man who stood silently, watching me move around the room.

"No. We assumed the castle was impenetrable," the man answered, no emotion in his voice.

"An obvious mistake I'd have thought the Queen would not have made," I commented just as coldly. I waved away the harsh rebuke the Captain would have given me before I stepped through the open window to drop easily six floors to the ice-covered ground bellow. Not a strain in my body at the heavy landing.

Amateurs, I thought darkly at the feel of disturbed mana all around me along with the discarded grappling hook and rope half buried in snow near the wall.

The little princess, Sahara, was a powerful little girl. Her mana and magick control was outstanding for her years, though she still obviously lacked the ability to use her knowledge to fight, but the sparks of her mana she was obviously trying to use was clear as day to me. All I had to do was follow the scent and hope the bastards don't hurt her.

Artemis, I need a horse please, I spoke to the old goddess. A moment later a horse taller than myself appeared in a hazy flash of grey light. The beast easily blended into the ice and snow with its dappled grey and white coat.

With practiced ease I hopped up onto the large mare and nudged her into a fast sprint through the snow, heading towards the forest on the east side of the castle.

Please comment and vote! Thank you!

I'm so sorry for taking so long, I've been trying to figure out some holes in the plot and it's been difficult.