5 The Oracle's Vision

Yllana stared at her palms and concentrated the energy from within her to flow through her fingers. Thin flashes of white light started to dance on top of her hands. She bit her lip as she came to a realization. She is a mage now but her heart yearns for swords and spears.

She caught Lucien looking at her with a smirk on his face. "If you hate being a mage that much, there's nothing wrong in not pursuing it."

"I'd rather hold swords," she whispered out of the blue. She clasped her open palm and the white slivers of light vanished. She took the dagger that he gave to her and stared at it on eye level.

Just as she was turning the blade slowly something caught her eye. The reflection on the silver blade was different. The red hair was the same but the eyes...have a different color now. "Lu-Lucien... " her voice was trembling as she stared at the widely opened eyes in the reflection, "What color are my eyes?"

The last time she looked, it was of gold. That is also one of her trademarks as a Holy Knight. She was the only Holy Knight with that gold translucent eyes. And that is the only mark they know about her. Her five years of service in the army of the North Kingdom, she has attained the topmost spot as a cultivator among the sectors of the knights.

"Red. Blind idiot." he sat opposite her under the tree and stared amusingly at her, puzzled with her questions. He seems to enjoy her current state of stupidity. But there was something looming over his thoughts.

"No... but... " she was at a loss for words. How could she explain to him that this was not her eyes' original color? They were gold before, not red! The blood red color stared at her mockingly at the sharp edge of the blade.

How could she go back now if her eyes were the only key for her to regain her foothold in the knightdom? Now, not only her powers were gone and changed into a different path, her eyes also have changed after the battle. It was as if she was reincarnated?

No, she have her original body. She knows it based on the tattered pieces of armor she got rid of when she woke up. She sighed exasperatedly.

There is no way the Emperor's Palace will recognize her now. She can now only go back to her family.

A tear slowly managed to slip out of the corner of her eye. It was for a brief moment and she quickly wiped it off. But no matter how quick it was, Lucien saw what happened.

"Accursed one, you have awakened." A soft and soothing voice which could calm senses came down from the sky. A figure in white robes with a long white staff descended. The woman was blindfolded with a thick piece of white cloth and her long white hair was tied back tightly. In the middle of her forehead is a mark of a white crescent moon. From the way she looks, she is around twenty years old. But Lucien knows better as his brows furrowed and his gaze followed the woman in white. She slowly approached Yllana in light and unhurried steps.

"I wonder what's an oracle doing here and pointing out at random people telling them they are cursed." Yllana stood up in front of the oracle and spoke inquisitively. She has seen an oracle way back in the King's Palace when she was still a knight. But that oracle only looked at her and smiled.

This is only the second time she would meet an oracle but now it was talking to her. Oracles have this solemn aura around them which gives off a calming feeling to anyone who sees them.

"I was just wandering about in this area and felt the awakening of a natural born mage. You are quite the surprise however. A natural born mage but awakened only at 19 years? This is...puzzling." the oracle was facing her and felt another wave of aura behind her. She suddenly turned around and pointed her white staff in front of Lucien. In that side of the forest, a white light burst from an unknown source. The villagers shuddered and looked at that side of the forest before running inside their houses and shutting their doors and windows.

"You..." the oracle hissed as she put on a fighting stance as if ready to battle anytime. Her brows wrinkled and seemed as if looking intensively at the entity she was facing, her solemn features are now gone replaced by a sharp emotion. "You have no right to be here! You are only bringing danger here!"

Lucien looked annoyed at the oracle and with a sigh, he turned around facing the village and walked out of the forest leaving the two behind.

"But...he saved me." Yllana stared at Lucien's departing back. She was fighting the urge to stop him and wait for her but she stood rooted on her spot. She couldn't move.

The oracle's solemn aura returned when she sensed that Lucien was walking away. "I can see nothing but a dark future for him. As for you, your curse will bring the greatest downfall in this mainland. I am only here to warn you. I never thought I would run into someone like him. I will await your fate Accursed One."

"I am cursed?" That's right. She vaguely remembers something that the demon king whispered to her before she lost her consciousness, something about a war. While she was deep in thought, the oracle already turned into a flash of white light. Her mission was done.

When she noticed she was alone in the forest, she ran to the direction where Lucien disappeared into. No matter what, she has to remember what that demon king's last words were. An oracle's words is something that can never be a trifling matter. In her mind, Yllana changed her goal for the time being, she needs someone to make her remember her last fight with the demon king. She cannot return yet to her family or the King's Palace. She was afraid of bringing her curse along with her.

Thump!

She bumped into someone's back. It was Lucien. He waited for her. She gently massaged her forehead.

"You need a powerful mage." he said then looked at her from the side. "Only a powerful mage can turn curses around if you're lucky enough to find one. But if you can't, then you should turn yourself into one." Without another word, he continued walking.

Yllana followed behind, deeply immersed in her own thoughts. Knights are only good in combats. Mages, however, are good in spells and potions among other things. But to lift a curse, a mage should be really powerful. She don't know any powerful mage around the rank of Holys. This is a big problem for her.

When they reach the end of the village, they found a group of villagers surrounding a wide wooden table. Lying on the table was a small child about the age of ten. The child looked familiar in Yllana's gaze. She frowned. Yellow hair and fair skin. She gasped. 'That was the child the demon impersonated last night!' Lucien, in front of her was also shocked upon his realization. Something is not right in this village.