73 Someone’s There

HAELAN'S POV

"And you're leaving today?", Atrius noticed the small bags that I placed near the door. I plan that before the first ray of the sun come into sight, I'll be off to the greatest journey I'll ever take part of.

"I have to", I said as I keep looking through the books. "That's why I'm here looking for a map going to Caluso. I found one before but it got wet from the rain", I continued to flip the pages in the hope to finally at least get an idea how to go to the Snow Mountain. Traveling without a map is very risky, and it will waste so much time.

I noticed Atrius nodded slowly as he stood up and went to the back shelves of the library. Moments after, he came back with a loadful of books in his arms as he carefully drop them down on the cushion. I could only be thankful for Atrius for keeping me company in flipping hundreds of pages of books for a single map.

"Atrius, why are you helping me?", I asked suddenly. "I was expecting you'd be angry with me for being secretive, but not this", I said.

"Well, I see you as my sister", Atrius spoke lowly.

How impeccable of Atrius to see me more like his own blood. "Hey, you just found out I'm a woman", I said.

Atrius scratched the back of his head. "I don't know. You don't look like you'll cause harm.. From the day I saw you help Ottis out of the Forest of the Forgotten, I knew you're not like some self-centered warriors out there", he said.

"Does that count?? That was training! How would you know I wasn't showing off?", I asked as I lifted my brows at him.

"Well, if you're going to show off, you should have come out at least first place ", Atrius gave me a smug look with his arms crossed on his chest. I almost forgot, he was the first one who came out of that forest. Then he laughed with me that eased the tension that I've been feeling. "I'm more worried about this girl Agalea", Atrius said as the smile on his face faded. "In Greco, witches are isolated. They are feared.", he added.

I didn't realized that Agalea is a witch and a mean-being. All along, I thought Agalea is a poor, unfortunate servant who's being maltreated by the people around her. Witches are known to be wicked and hurtful. How ironic that a Celestial Healer possessed a vessel that of a witch.

"Aren't you going to ask me not tell everyone about everything you told me? Especially about you?", he asked.

"I wanted to, for crying out loud.", I chuckled softly as I smile at Atrius. "But, I know that you have known about me long enough.. and you could have told the lords when you had every chance. But still you haven't", I said as I look at him intently. "I have no ill intentions of this kingdom. The mistakes and dilemmas against my people were before my existence, that my lamented heart only bears tears of sympathy with no grudge. ", I said as she close the books. "I just want to go home", I added with a deep sigh.

I was about to get another book when something passed by the door of the library outside that gave me shivers down my spine. Something dark paid a visit, an unexpected guest that no one wanted. I stood up as I search for my hilt in my surcoat. Then in soft steps, I made my way to the door.

"What is it?", I heard Atrius asked as I open door gently. "Helena?", Atrius called.

Atrius and I peeked our heads out to the right as we focus our eyes in the dark hallway lit with a few torches. "Someone's there", I whispered as we look fixedly on the end of the corridor.

"It's too dark, I cannot see anything", Atrius said in a lowly voice. I told him to wait and stay quiet. From where we're standing, I can feel the dark aura that it exudes coming from the other side. In silence, I can hear its ghastly crawls. Not too long, the flames of the torches flickered and subsided. A black entity swiftly made a headway.

"That's… a mystic healer", Atrius said in surprise.

"I told you the walls are not working", I said as I went back in the library.

"Haelan, that's the lords' chambers", Atrius said as he look me in the eye.

I swallowed a lump in my throat and wet my dried lips as I exhale sharply. "Alert the other warriors, Atrius. I'll follow it", I volunteered.

"Be careful", he said as we go on our separate ways.

Going through the dark hallway, I trailed the unwelcomed mystic healer. Worried for the lives of Lord Harlan and Lord Callaghan who might be in deep sleep at the moment, I made my gentle strides quicker and longer. When I reached Lord Harlan's chambers, the door was already open. I let myself in with an ounce of fear and tons of prayer. My eyes widened when I saw the unspeakable condition Lord Harlan got himself into.

"Lord Harlan!", I found Lord Harlan being strangled in the air by the mystic healer just by his bed. I immediately called the wind to pull the mystic healer away that made it drop the old man. I ran to Lord Harlan who's unconscious but breathing. "Lord Harlan! Wake up!", I said as I sense the mystic healer coming back again.

I stood by the bed as the mystic healer float in the air. It's starting to make an orb of black smoke that seemed to have current of lighting inside. I pulled out the hilt from my surcoat, and nonhesitantly made an energy sword. I thought I dropped something, but I didn't have time to check.

The mystic healer fired me up with two consecutive blows as I manage to swerve and hide. On its third attack, my energy sword hit its dark orb and was able to slice it in half. As I swirl the strong winds making the mystic healer spin out of control, I heard Lord Harlan shout. "Hit it with your sword Haelan! Trust me", he said weakly.

Even with doubts and fear, I thrusted my sword forward plunging the tip of the sharp blade of my energy sword towards the mystic healer. In a matter of seconds, it vanished into thin air. I could tell that I have become stronger and more in control of my powers.

I hurriedly ran to Lord Harlan who's clutching to his chest with a frown. I held his hand and closed my eyes, as I restore the health of the old man. Moments after, his skin color changed from pale to pink, his cold hands are now warm as he breathe with no wheeze. As I stare at Lord Harlan, I sensed someone coming who seemed familiar. When I looked back, he covered my nose using a fabric with sweet-smelling scent that immediately put me to sleep…