Defiance

3.0

Chapter 30

17 months later

Elysia

The number of patients was increasing at a speed unlike no other. It was bad enough we were strangled in a war but once again, the winter snow had bought hundreds of children, women, men, elderly to the castle healers. There was a strange plague going around; it was clear the gods weren't tired of hurting witches and their families. Worst of all, soldiers from the battle were returning after receiving a multitude of injuries. I went from bed to bed, patient to patient - checking temperatures, healing broken legs, curing coughs, fevers, and worst - curing wolf bites or claws.

Running those shifts in the infirmary, moving back and forth, going patient to patient was the only way I managed to keep myself sane. It was the only way I stopped myself from thinking about him or the war or even everything I had been through.

"Elysia!" Raesana called. "We have an emergency!"

"Raesana - there is always an emergency in the infirmary. No one's life is more important -"

"No! This is of absolute necessity - one of our High Priestesses - she's in grave danger!" Raesana, another healer of the King's castle and one of my closest friends, grabbed my arm aggressively and pulled me away from the patients who had arrived from the Kingdom central. However, I made sure to instruct the other healers on what they must perform while I was gone. This infirmary had become my home; though it hurt to see so many sick and dying men, women, and children - I knew I had a responsibility.

I had to save them but at the moment, Raesana grabbed my arm without any regard.

"You know - this isn't allowed. I am supposed to be in the infirmary at all times," I hissed at her.

"The King's orders are that you attend High Priestess Guienvere's wounds too."

"High Priestess Guinevere?" I asked in shock.

There were five High Priestesses of Esera; they were the strongest witches of Esera. Their magic ran deep and they could channel power unlike any other; one spell and you could be dead. One spell and you may regret being alive. The High Priestesses were the chosen strongest witches, witches whose magic never seemed to burn out. At the moment, all the High Priestesses were appointed to the battleground. I had never met or even seen a High Priestess but their stories were legendary for all the witches and wizards in Esera.

Ruvon, the kingdom capital, was the home to the King and Queen of the Eastern lands, along the High Priestesses of Esera. High Priestess Guinevere was the healing champion. She was a healer just like me and Raesana; Guinevere used her magic to heal the injured witches and wizards on the battlegrounds. I had never been instructed to heal a High Priestess before - what went wrong?

"What happened to her?" I asked. "Tell me quickly."

"We're not sure but one of the Moon Priestesses of the wolves had some strange power - illusions. She showed the High Priestess something unforgettable and now - she cannot stop screaming."

Illusions?

Being in the kingdom capital made me learn more about wolves than I ever did in my past. I always thought Moon Priestess only had the power to depict who were mates but recently, I heard stories where Moon Priestesses were gaining powers from their Moon Goddess. Powers that were aimed to hurt witches.

Powers such as illusions.

We ran through the castle rooms and doors until we reached the secluded room. The castle of Ruvon was as powerful and big as his castle yet everything about it was different. While his castle was hidden in the middle of a forest, the castle of Ruvon stood at the centre of a gleaming, bustling city. The castle could be seen for miles as it was built on the edge of a mountain. Inside, the castle was adorned with magic - moving visages, floating chandeliers. In the Great Hall, the ceilings changed every day - some days they were images of the night sky, other days paintings from ancient times and sometimes, it showed the battlefield. Unlike the cream marble and gold designs of his castle, Ruvon's castle was made of a mixture between stone and marble.