CASTLE OF IVÁDIA A few moments after having seen the painting Varia was making. Knitting, Cera was at the kitchen supervising what was to be cooked for breakfast. She felt a light touch on her shoulder from behind and she was startled. She turned back to look over her shoulder and she chuckled as she saw that it was sister Imogen. “Sister, I haven't seen you in a couple of days. Where have you been all these time?” Cera said with a grin and sister Imogen laughed. “We met yesterday at the passage to the library,” she said to Cera and Cera's eyes met the ceiling as she tried to recall what she said. “Oh! Forgive my forgetfulness. I do remember now,” Cera said to her and she laughed. “It seems like old age has caught you better than it caught me,” Sister Imogen said and they both laughed. Cera stopped laughing as a question came to her mind about Varia's drawing. She would like to share the question in her mind with sister Imogen who was still standing before her. “Imogen, have yo
CAVES OF EFLIE Iasias was still sitting by the tree with Elvio next to him. The sun had risen fully, and the radiant energy from the sun grazed the soil. They were both sitting under the tree, but there was nothing to say to each other anymore. Iasias believed that Elvio was finally accepting it, whereas Dalmatius was not yet willing to accept it. Domminick had a neutral feeling about it, and he could not decide wether to accept it or not. “It itches me,” Iasias whispered underneath his breath as though he was only talking to himself, but his intention was for it to reach Elvio's ears. “Let me see what is going on there,” Elvio said and Iasias nodded as he slightly raised his back off the tree. Elvio reached for the piece of fabric that runs around Iasias waist to chest region, and he pushed it down a little to get a glance at the wound. “Elvio, Elvio, Elvio talk to me, please Elvio,” Iasias asked of Elvio as he continued to ignore Iasias as a result of his bewilderment. He did
MOUNT SICA After travelling for so long as it seemed to Iasias, since he had no energy left in him, and he had exhausted everything he had left on trying to get away from Eflie... It seemed Mount Sica was how far it could take him. He crashed at the top of mount Sica, and transformed back into human. He screamed due to the pain he felt, as he landed on his back. He was lying on his back even though he had an open wound on his back, he just thought that it could not get worse than it had been the couple of days. Turning to his side, he saw the clothes he took lying and waiting for someone to throw them on. Iasias sighed as he grabbed one of the trousers and tried to put it on while still lying on the ground. He succeeded in putting it on and also reached for a shirt as it was extremely cold out here, especially since it was night now. The light from the moon shone brighter on him here at the top of the mountain than when he used to be on the ground. He believed it was because of t
TOWER OF IVÁDIA Nika was walking down the stairs after spending a few moments with Varia, and now she was headed down stairs to her room. She saw Althea standing by the entrance to her room, leaning her back on the wall and looking so angry. She could not really tell if it was anger or sadness. Nika approached Althea and she turned to get a glimpse of Nika's face, and turned back to her folded arms. “Sister, are you alright, why are you standing here all by yourself?” Nika asked and she ignored her. “Sister, is everything alright?” Nika asked her again, placing her hand on her shoulder and she slowly pushed it down. “Sister, have I hurt you?” Nika asked and she ignored. “Yes Nika, yes! You hurt me, and this decision you have made is going to hurt everyone inside the walls of the castle,” Althea said and Nika's brows furrowed. “Are you still talking about the agreement we have with the dragons?” Nika said to her. “We do not have any agreement with the dragon, you do!” She said,
MOUNT SICA — CAVES OF EFLIE Iasias eyes opened up and it met the sun. He shielded his eyes quickly with his left arm, squeezing his eyelids tightly to avoid the light from the sun. He could not look into the sky as the result of its intense brightness. He tried to sit up properly and the rough bark of the shrub scratched his wound. He groaned through his clenched teeth as he reached for his back. He brought out his hand from his back, and he saw that the wound was still bleeding the slimy green fluid in place of blood. He closed his eyes again as he rested his head back on the shrub. A thought came into his mind and he jolted up, eyes-wided as he sat back up. “I’m still alive! How is this even possible?” He whispered underneath his breath, baffled. When he closed his eyes last night in this same position, he thought that was it. He didn't expect to see the sun shining upon him after that. “Atticus! Yes, he journeyed for three days with his injured wound to get to us on the fourth
TOWER OF IVÁDIA “Sister, there are here!” Althea said to Nika immediately she walked through Nika's door and she was startled. She sat up and put on her shoes quickly. “I want you and Varia with me, everyone else stays within the cloaked castle, and only three of us shall do the trade. The walls of the castle shall remain cloaked during the entire process,” Nika said to Althea and she nodded. “Fetch Varia, and meet me at the inner gate,” Nika added, and she nodded and walked out of her room. “Diserti emulos caneris depoy,” “Diserti emulos caneris depoy,” “Diserti emulos caneris depoy,” Nika recited the line after reading it from the page she tore from the spell book. It was not something she would want to forget at this moment. It has never come to use before. Maybe it was lying in the spell book waiting for this very day. She walked out of her room, and before the inner gate she stood. “Sister, we are ready. They might get impatient and leave if we fail to show up soon,”
IVÁDIA—EFLIE They have been walking through the forest for a long time, Domminick noticed that the people they were leading to freedom were not even happy. It seemed like they did not even know that they were free yet. None of them had uttered any word ever since they began this journey. Domminick, Dalmatius and Elvio transformed partly after walking a long distance from Ivádia, and all three of them were in front, leading the way to Eflie. “Elvio, Dalmatius, do you think everything is right with this people, am I the only one who can see that they are not showing any sign of happiness. I would be rejoicing if I was amongst them,” Domminick said to both of them and they all agreed. They were whispering to themselves as they did not want the people to hear them. “Yes, I've been thinking about the same thing you just said Domminick. It is strange to me that they aren't rejoicing, as if that is not strange enough, they also are not talking,” Dalmatius said and Domminick nodded. “Do
TOWER OF IVÁDIA Nika was still sitting on her bed, wondering if what the dragon said to her was true. She did not even feel the need to sleep anymore. The thought was making her restless and she could not find enough peace to help her fall asleep. Her door opened up and even without looking at the door, she could tell that Althea was the one coming into her room. She always kept an eye on Nika to see if she was up late at night, and she always made sure that she got enough rest as she possibly could. “Althea, have you not gone to bed yet, why are you here at this time of the night? It is quite late you know?” Nika said to Althea as she looked to her and she nodded. “I knew you would still be awake by now. I know you are still thinking about what the dragon said earlier today, about Isidora and how she died. Do you not think you are wasting your time thinking about what our enemies claimed happened to your mother?” She said to Nika and she sighed. “Being our enemy or being our fr