Celestine flexes her hands into fists and straightens out her fingers, testing the strength her new power brings. It has changed little except for the thickness in her skull as it's slowly packing with more and more information about holding a descendant's power. Except for the few journals in the satchel slung along her chest, she doesn't have all the information she needs to use this power to its extent.
Limitless. The power Celestine now holds will grant her limitless in the ways of magic, and nothing will stop her from fully taking advantage of this. When this is over, when they find a way to use a spell on Roux and get the king's influence out of her head, Celestine will go back to Lona and learn everything she can, down to the last shrivel of information.
She's never felt more excited in her life. The entire world feels open to her now like nothing can stop her, and not only does the power feel limitless—Celestine does too. She views the world with a renounced sense of opportunity. The journals in her satchel are untouched, but she can't wait to dive into them and learn the most important things Luna wanted her to remember.
It's all written, from the smallest of spells to the largest.
They cleared the Oxpea Mountains days ago and are now heading east, back in the direction of the capital. The only thing different about the journey back is their new companion, Citlali, who tagged along. She's had enough of Lona, apparently, and wanted to see what hell Mailan had gotten itself into. Two witches of ground in one city will not bode well for the structures—or the sanity of anyone aware.
Dalis walks in the middle of them, checking Celestine every now and then. Out of everyone, she's the wariest about the transformation. Not only is giving up a power for another extremely dangerous, but going about it, seemingly without a care, is even more destructive. And Celestine has put little thought into it.
Changing herself into another witch wasn't a difficult process at all. It happened within minutes; Luna had the spell ready and was more than eager to get the switch started, taking the power of gardens for herself and handing Celestine an entire bucket full of skills and magic, so much she could hardly keep up with her abilities.
Slowly, she'd learn how to use everything. Relief will begin once Roux is secured from the king's control and moved safely somewhere else so no one can ever think of hurting her again. This is Celestine's motivation, she will allow no other alternative. She didn't take this magic, only to watch her sister die. She must—more than anything—she must make this work.
"Isn't Arego around here somewhere?" Citlali asks to break the silence they've been experiencing all day. No one has anything to say, they're too busy thinking about what this transformation might do when brought into the business of the capital. What the king might do if recognizes the ancient power within his grasp.
"We'll reach it by sunrise tomorrow," Dalis says. "We'll stop shortly and rest for the night. Those mountains were treacherous, my legs are still sore."
Scaling the Oxpea Mountains hadn't been the worst of their problems. They had to sneak around Kliat Mines to make it there in the first place, the only place crueler than Fosux and the only place brave enough to kidnap anyone walking nearby and force them to work. Often, residents of Lona are never heard again once they travel in that direction and stray from their homes where no one can hear their protests.
Now that they're safely on the other side of that, Celestine can say she's more than glad. The world is a dangerous place, and although she had wanted to explore the kingdom in the past, she's seen enough. There is plenty of untouched, uncharted territory she'll never see in this lifetime, but...she's fine with that. The world will always be there, as will she with this power.
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Aligning the Forgotten ✓
Fantasy[Book 3 of the Grounding the Storm series] Renit's worst nightmare has come true. Roux isn't at his side, and he's banished from his throne and his crown, leaving him nameless and on the run. While trying to escape his father's cruel reign, he has t...
