Another Blow to the Heart

A hum, followed by a loud ring filled the air inside the church walls. But it was exclusive to the Garden of Promise. 

The infinity symbol appeared in the air and from the hoops fell three people. First Alex and Felicia, then Liam shortly after, holding her hand.

They plunged directly into cold water of the large fountain. 

"Dammit," Felicia cried out, smacking the water. "This is the second time we've landed in cold water. As if the mountain air near the border wasn't freezing enough."

Shuddering, they got up quickly stepped out. All of them were tense as they thought about what they'd just escaped from. Their eyes spun about, expecting the Pope to appear. 

But it was silent.

Too silent.

Had the festivities for Helena already concluded? Also, why did the garden appear a bit disheveled. It wasn't damaged the way it had been when Alex had first retrieved the Holy Sword, but it didn't appear as neat as it should be. Especially since, it had just undergone repair.

Something had happened here.

Putting his sword away, Alex began to walk out of the garden. Felicia and Liam followed him. All three of them looked around and saw that pictures hung loosely and vases had tipped over. 

"Did a windstorm sweep through here?" Liam asked.

"I think our fight with the Pope may have caused it. We released so much magic it may have made it's way up." Alex concluded.

"Crap! Does that mean people got hurt again?" Felicia asked.

They rushed towards the open courtyard ignoring the odd looks thrown their way and gasped when they saw the damage. It looked like it had been hit with an earthquake. Did this mean that this spot was directly above the Demonic Prayer room?

There were very few people there. The only ones left appeared to be the cleanup crew.

Where were the priests? The royal family? Helena and most importantly, the Pope? Wouldn't he have to present himself to explain things?

"My lord! My Lady!"

They spun around when they saw a knight bearing the coat of the Del Montague family rushing towards them.

He took if their appearance with boggled eyes. "What has happened?! Lady Felicia, Lord Alexander, were you--"

"Never mind, tell us what happened here," Liam inserted.

The knight looked at Liam before meeting the expectant gazes of the Grand Duke's children.

"There was another earthquake. The whole church, even the grounds outside shook. But it appears the rumble was the heaviest here. The royal family has left---" The man's word cut off when he remembered his task. "The Duke is looking for the two of you, my lord. My lady. His grace is most angry and the Marquis Del Findel is looking for you as well, Lord Liam."

"Let's go." Felicia stated.

As the four of them headed to the church's entrance, the Del Montague knight inquired them again about their haggard state. Felicia and Alex waved him off.

"Felicia! Alexander!"

"Oh, Liam! Thank the Goddess!"

Alex and Felicia flinched at the sound of the Duke's voice. Or rather, his roar.

There was nobody else around. Just the two families waiting for their missing children. Alongside, their respective knights and coachmen.

"How long has the Duke been waiting for us?" Felicia squeaked.

"About half an hour, my lady." The knight replied.

Oh, well that wasn't so bad. The fuck was that man so angry about? Who couldn't spare half an hour? Felicia thought. Or maybe his anger comes from a place of fatherly love and concern? Nahhhh!

Liam gave Felicia's hand a squeeze before running off to meet his family. He was going to tell them everything. Now that the Pope knew of his involvement, he had to ensure his family's safety. To prepare them for the worst should the Pope come for all of them.

Besides, keeping secrets wasn't even a thing in their household. The Del Findel's were very close.

His parents and sister's eyes bulged when they took in his appearance.

The Duke, Tyren and Helena didn't fare much better. Initially, the mother and daughter pair were planning on just standing back and enjoy watching the Duke lambast his rebellious children for disappearing and being tardy a second time. But the Duke was silent. He was too shocked. As were they and their knights.

Felicia and Alex fully examined themselves for the first time and realized that they looked worse than they thought. They were completely drenched, to the point they were dripping. Their clothes were torn and in some places ripped open. Especially Alex, who looked like he was wearing a honeycomb from the number of holes on his shirt and pants. They were also covered in what appeared to be green powder. It had dried and stained their hands, cheeks, hair and ears. Alongside, plenty of blood stains from their own wounds. It was worse on Alex. He had a particularly bad blood spray from when he'd severed the Pope's arm. It drenched the side of his face like red paint. 

Even though they'd just fallen into a fountain, it would take a lot of soap and even more scrubbing to clean the stains off their faces and bodies.

Felicia shook her hair and saw green powder fall off like dandruff. She gave herself a sniff. At least she didn't smell bad. Not physically, just the black magic. She could differentiate now.

The Duke recovered from his shock. "What!? What is this!? Why do you look like this!? What on earth happened to the two of you? Where have you been!? Where did you take the Young Marquis with you!?"

Alex couldn't think of a response. He looked briefly at Helena and Tyren who wore the same expressions of disbelief. He was almost tempted to laugh when Felicia spoke up.

"We fell, into a lake and..uh, some paint. We went to the church's painting room and got into an accident when, the, the earthquake happened. We tried to wash ourselves in the fountain inside the Garden of----"

"Enough!" The Duke boomed. "Do you take me for a fool? Do you hear yourself right now? Tell me the truth! Where have you been and what did you get involved in?! I told you both specifically to never leave the church by yourselves without armed guards! You...you've clearly been involved in an attack! Look at the state of your clothes and is that, that's blood on your head Alex!"

The Del Montague knights were looking at Alex and Felicia intently, trying to gauge their appearance to figure out what kind of attack they'd been involved in.

"Your Grace, we will explain everything to you. But not here. Once we are home and behind our secure walls without any outside eyes and ears on us." Alex stated in a clam tone.

The Duke was baffled. So were Tyren, Helena and the knights.

"What have you two gotten involved in?" The Duke asked in a grave tone. The look in Alex and Felicia's eyes was empty. Haunted. It alarmed him more than their appearance. "Are you wounded?"

"We will tell you and only you, Your Grace." Felicia replied. "We are in danger and we can't afford to make any more mistakes. I will not speak a word out here and place all of our lives at risk."

The Duke studied their expressions for a long time. The silence was so loud.

Tyren and Helena held onto each other, feeling a dark cloud settle over them.

Finally one of the horses gave a neigh.

"Very well. Get in and let's go." The four of them boarded the carriage and left the church grounds.

Felicia watched the cathedral fade from the window, her stomach churning. It was so beautiful for a house harboring so much horror.

The mood was very sullen. Even Helena and Tyren didn't speak a word.

Helena sat with the Holy Sword on her lap, stroking it with her finger. She had wanted to boast to Alex about it and watch Felicia melt with jealousy, but the look on Alex's face was very stern and uninviting. She knew he would ignore her should she speak. 

Alex looked very consumed by his thoughts.

Felicia too.

Both mother and daughter were bursting with curiosity. No doubt what the Duke had said was correct. The two of them had been attacked again. But this time Liam had been involved. They'd seen him looking very much disheveled when he'd gone to his family. But the Del Findels' had departed immediately, as soon as their son came out. So Tyren and Helena did not see if he was as much of a mess as Alex and Felicia.

The Duke's eyes remained on his children. Both were staring as if looking into an abyss and their bodies were slumped with exhaustion. What was happening to his children? Why did they look as if they carried the weight of the world on their shoulders?

When they reached their estate, Felicia started rubbing at the mark on her chest. She didn't know what it meant. Would the Pope come for her here? Had he placed a curse on her? She felt like crying. Not only had they failed to acquire the red ruby, but they'd gotten involved in two horrific clashes where they'd nearly died.

And now the empire would know. The Aurors from Imperium and the knights of Elysium had both arrived at that spot where they had fought the Devil. Now that area was going to be examined. And the presence of demonic magic there was more potent than it had ever been before.

Word would spread like fire.

The Emperor would learn of it.

And if she, Liam and Alex showed their faces to one of the men who'd been there, what were the chances they wouldn't be recognized? 

They had vanished from the spot like they were criminals when in hindsight, they probably should have stayed longer and explained themselves. But they had been scared by the number of weapons pointed at them. They had been exhausted from their battles with the Pope and the snake he'd sent after them.

Felicia had been magically spent.

They had just wanted a break, but now....word would spread about the three vanishing witches who'd caused such a ruckus at the border. The Pope could hide his dark prowess with a concealment spell and not be spotted. He had been in the game longer than them. He would have a lot of sly tricks to maneuver his way out of suspicion.

Walking through the doors of their manor, Felicia and Alex ignored the sputter and gasps of shock by the servants. Looking a hot mess was the least of their concern.

"Felicia. Alex. Wash yourselves and then come to my office immediately. I want all the answers within an the hour," The Duke commanded.

Felicia and Alex wordlessly nodded.

"Brother," Helena tried, but Alex just walked upstairs.

Felicia put an arm around him when she saw his knees wobble. 

The maids swarmed them, asking them questions. The two of them just walked like sludges to their rooms. Some maids rushed away to heat up water for their baths.

Just as they were about to depart for their individual rooms, a young boy, no more than 13 years old came running towards them. Felicia recognized his as one of the lads who helped in the kitchen. She could tell by his expression that bad news was approaching.

The mark on her chest throbbed.

He bowed before them. "My lord. My lady. I'm so sorry to be the bearer of bad news..." His voice trailed off as tears filled his eyes.

Felicia knew. She did not know how she knew, but she knew.

Hildegarde was dead.

Her vision went black.