Chapter 18

THE VENINE TEMPLE AT THE ISLE OF GILMORSH.

Hera is seated with Robert in a spacious grand room discussing with him in a low voice.

"Hera, the message is clear but the mission isn't. How do we go about it? Robert seated opposite Hera asks.

Hera smiles, "Patience Robert… Patience."

"Patience? The goddess lives amongst us and we're were not even close in finding her. Hera our people have waited, the Gilmorsh's have been living subdued in the trauma of the massacres and betrayals perpetrated decades ago. They live hanging on the hope of the Venine goddess who will rekindle the dwindling light in the kingdom.

Now the prophecy is this close to come to fruition, but yet we can't …" Robert says in frustration but his sentence is interrupted with a knock.

Hera smiles and leans back on the chair adjusting her flowing dress. The door opens to reveal a young girl of about ten years. She walks over to Hera and genuflects in greeting. Hera smiles and pecks her forehead.

"How're you, Maia?"

"Pleasant, priestess." She answers in a smiling vibrant tone.

"Good to hear."

"I wish to inform you that Kayden has regained his strength. He's currently at the artifact chamber." Maia says with a bowed head.

"Okay, send him over."

"Yes priestess." Maia says and dashes off.

Minutes later a knock is heard as the door opens to reveal Kayden.

He walks in, faces Hera and bows while turning to Robert and doing same. He turns to Hera,

"Priestess, you requested my presence."

"Have a seat Kayden." Hera says with her usual smile.

Kayden sits a few inches beside her as Hera studies him.

"Kayden, I don't wish to jump to conclusions or listen to rumours, which is why I'm giving you the benefit to explain what happened. You were spotted in Balcroft by my allies and informants, then you came back extremely weakened like someone with a near death experience, thank goodness you were nursed back to health and strengthened. So Kayden, what actually happened?" Hera says and crosses her legs staring at him intently. Robert leans back in his seat and squints his eyes at Kayden.

Kayden sighs, "When I relocated here with my mother, I had a close friend or perhaps a lover who I left behind. She was the reason I went to Balcroft, I went there to bring her along with me."

"So was your mission successful?" Hera asks.

Kayden runs his hand across his face, "Well it happened that she was sold to the royal family and already is the current Prince's mistress. I tried to take her with me but before I could the prince appeared, which later ended a physical confrontation and worse."

Robert sighs, "You're very much aware that the Gilmorsh's aren't accepted in Balcroft right? You know the history between the Gilmorsh's and Balcroft. You're very much aware of the hate and despise held against us by Balcroft, you know that right? And you risked your life stepping into the kingdom, not just the kingdom but the Royal house!"

"Robert." Hera says in a calm voice to placate and stop him.

"What about the marks on your chest and back Kayden, what about that? Because I'm aware that only a sword or knife could have done that, and the possibility of being alive after a sword has been pierced through your chest is unlikely. How did you make it out alive and how did the sword mark almost heal in less than a day. Something doesn't add up, what happened Kayden?" Hera asks in her usual calm voice.

Kayden shakes his head in confusion, "I'm confused as well priestess. When the verbal confrontation between the Prince and I got worse, he struck me with a sword unbeknownst to me. I struggled with my life in the arms of my friend, his mistress. After a while I became unconscious, it felt like a dream but... but…"

"But what?" Hera urges him.

"But it felt real. It felt real." Kayden says with trembling lips staring into empty space.

"What felt real?" Robert asks sitting straight.

"In my unconscious state I saw my friend blazing with fire. Her eyes were fiery gold with specks of fire in them while her body blazed with fire with ice beneath her feet."

"Then what happened?" Hera asks with furrowed brows and a serious look.

"When I woke up, I saw her lying unconscious on the floor. I carried her and made a move to leave with her but the already scary looking prince stopped me from doing so."

Hera uncrosses her legs and stares at Kayden, "And what's the name of this friend of yours."

"Griselda." Kayden answers.

"Age?" Robert asks.

Kayden pauses for while with furrowed brows, "She's probably seventeen or eighteen."

Hera lets out a loud gasp.

Robert pauses his look at Hera, then to Kayden.

He interlocks his fingers with a slightly bent back, "If there's one thing I'm sure of, she's a Gilmorsh. Then if there's another I'm unsure of, she's…"

"The goddess who will be birthed to live among men. The one with the power over life and death." Hera says in a state of trance.

"You were dead Kayden but she brought you back to life." Hera says.

"Hera are you sure that…" Robert begins but is cut off by Hera.

"Robert since time immemorial, no one, I mean no one has ever wielded the power over life and death. Humans, vampires and the rest wield the power to kill but only with physical attacks or poisoning." Hera laughs like a maniac.

"But the goddess, my goddess… our goddess… she kills and gives life by her mere touch, breath or words. The events corresponds Robert, the prophecy I had reveals that she has been birthed eighteen years ago, the prophecy never lies.

Besides it's absolutely impossible to be struck by a sword and have the marks healed in less than a day, only the goddess possess such powers."

Hera shuffles closer to Kayden and lifts his shirt revealing only a faint red mark on the chest area. On his back is another faint red mark, rather covering a larger area.

Robert sighs and leans back in his seat. "Kayden since your friendship with her, have you noticed anything odd about her?"

Kayden shakes his head in the negative, "No, not at all. Zelda has been a normal teenager. Even when we sold items in stalls next to each other, we..." Kayden pauses frowning.

"What is wrong? Did anything happen then?" Robert asks shuffling closer.

Kayden opens his mouth to speak but stops.

"I just remembered an unusual occurrence that I hadn't given much thought then. Then, most of the sellers including Zelda and I often sold some vegetables in high demand at a particular time. It was a common practice then, during some seasons some vegetables tend to be in high demand due to certain reasons. The issue then was that during the early hours of the morning, the vegetables were fresh but during mid day, it loses some moisture content and some turn light yellow in colour which deters buyers from buying them. These occurrences never happened to Zelda.

Due to this most buyers who happen to come from far and near buy from her only. 'You'll never see a yellow or rotten vegetable in Zelda's stall,' they'll always say. I once asked her why and how her vegetables always remain fresh even under harsh weather conditions, but it seems she's oblivious to the reasons for it.

I never gave it much thought until now."

Hera furrows her brows and crosses her legs.

"We'll have to find her and bring her here. If one thing is sure, she's a Gilmorsh, and if my assumptions are right, she's connected to the goddess in a way or is the goddess herself which I'm sure of, either way, we have to find her and bring her home." She says.

Robert inhales sharply, "Hera, according to Kayden, the girl now lives at the Balcroft Royal house as the Prince's mistress, how are we meant to penetrate the security and leave with her under the watchful eyes of Prince, especially after the incident with Kayden?"

Hera smiles, "You make us appear weak by your words Robert. All creatures humans and vampires alike tremble at the mention of the Gilmorsh's. Various warring kingdoms have aligned to appear stronger in order to fight their fears against us dominating them.

Can the power wielded by the Gilmorsh's be compared to any, Robert? The foolish humans and vampires think they have it all to prevent and filter us from living in their kingdoms, yet we live directly under their noses undetected, the Gilmorsh's trade and interact with them daily without any slight detection.

It may come as a shock to them when they realize that half their population are Gilmorsh's." Hera laughs standing up, she walks over to a window and stands beside it.

"But…. Does she have no idea of her powers or her roles?" Robert asks confused.

Kayden coughs slightly while glancing at Robert, "I doubt if she really has any idea of her powers. I mean, Zelda has lived a tough life growing up, receiving no parental care or affection from her parents to an extent that she was sold off as a mistress. I believe that if she had any knowledge of the power she wielded, she would've done something long ago."

Hera sighs and looks outside through the window, "My goddess has lived a lonely life for so long now without any idea of who she is or what power she possess, she must be marred with confusion at her at her supernatural abilities. We have to bring her home, here at the Venine temple to let her know more about her powers and her role in the lives of our people.

We have to before… Wait!"

Kayden and Robert tense at her words as Hera turns to look at them.

"Kayden, who else was with you when she healed you?" Hera asks.

"Prince Aidan." Kayden answers shrugging but halts staring at Robert as realization dawns on them.

After some seconds, Hera spoke up, "Prince Aidan might be aware now of her powers and her identity as a Gilmorsh. Her safety there is in compromise, we have less time on our hands to bring her back."

"And also less assurance that we'll bring her back. Knowing her powers and identity, he must've kept her under his watchful eyes and tight security, waiting for us like a prey. If he hasn't taken any measures on this then this might be a ploy to ensnare and trap us." Robert says.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Robert you undermine your powers that much? If he wishes to play then play we will, the roles shall be reversed then. If a tree stands in the path of our success then it shall be cut off." Hera says smiling.

"But that mission is for the goddess alone. She will be the one to slain the offsprings of the Balcroft like they did to the Gilmorsh's decades ago. Besides, don't you think killing the Balcroft Prince will lead to some upheaval and eventually war?!" Robert asks.

Hera scoffs walking over to the door, she reaches and faces Robert, "Trust me, my goddess will be delighted at the elimination of the man who caused her anguish by buying her and making her a mistress. And for the war, it can't be evaded, it's meant to come sooner or later by the way.

It's time these kingdoms feel triple what we went through decades ago.

You should leave at sunset on the mission to bring her back, Robert, you'll be accompanied by Kayden and three other I'll assign you, the powers should be enough.

Use your magic unsparingly especially your magic in the art of deception and… make use of your smokescreens.

And Robert, you haven't failed for once in a mission, I wouldn't like it if this turns out to be your first time. Find our goddess and bring her home." Hera says turning the door knob and leaving abruptly.