CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Darkness swallowed me whole. A stormy sky swept tears of rain upon a crumbling temple.

The structure, once majestic now stood as a testament to the passing of time. Ivy crawled up its walls, as if trying to claim the temple as its own. The air reeked of dampness and decay.

Within the temple's heart, I found myself standing atop a pedestal, draped in black robes that billowed around me like a dark cloud. The fabric seemed to absorb the faint, flickering light of candles that danced in the shadows.

A whisper, low and husky, caressed my ear "With a great injustice done, a great injustice shall be undone"

The words echoed through my mind, leaving an unsettling resonance.

Suddenly I jerked awake, my heart racing as if I'd been running from the darkness itself. The memory of the dream lingered, haunting me like a specter.

I lay there catching my breath and wondered what the voice was referring to.

The dream's eerie feeling lingered, refusing to dissipate. Something weirdly drew me to Sundara, I couldn't explain why, but the connection felt undeniable.

I tossed off my covers and got dressed in the darkness, my fingers moved swiftly over my riding leathers. The night air was crisp as I made my way to the stables, the moon casting a silver glow over the grounds.

Tyrant, my war stallion nickered softly as I approached. I caressed his muscular neck, feeling a sense of calm wash over me.

As we rode toward Sundara, the scenery blurred around me, the dark silhouettes of trees, the occasional flash of a rabbit darting across our path. The wind whipped my hair into a frenzy, but I didn't feel it. My focus was on the city ahead, and the inexplicable pull that drew me to it.

We arrived in Sundara just as the first hints of dawn began to creep over the horizon. I guided tyrant through the quiet streets, the buildings looming above us like sentinels.

The city was still asleep, but I felt a sense of restlessness, like the very air was alive with anticipation.

I dismounted Tyrant near the square, my eyes scanning the surroundings. The square was dimly lit, the only sound being the distant howling of wolves.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensation that had drawn me here. It was still there, a gentle tug on my instincts.

As I stood there, the sensation grew stronger, guiding me through the winding streets.

I walked, my feet carrying me towards… something. I didn't know what, but I was determined to find out. The houses around me grew increasingly run-down, the windows boarded up, and the doors hanging crookedly on their hinges.

Then I saw it, a large, abandoned house loomed before me, its presence seeming to fill the entire street. The windows were boarded up, and the door hung crookedly on its hinges, like a gaping mouth waiting to swallow me whole.

I turned the rusty doorknob, and the door creaked open revealing a room that seemed frozen in time. The air inside was stale, and a thick layer of dust coated every surface. A large, ornate mirror hung on one wall, its glass cloudy with age. I explored the ground floor further, finding nothing but empty rooms and shadows, but that nagging feeling persisted, urging me to continue my search.

I made my way upstairs, my footsteps creaking on the worn wooden stairs.

The upper floor was just as deserted, but I sensed something… off.

I sensed something unnatural in the air, I followed the sensation to a door at the end of the hall, my heart beating slightly faster.

I opened the door, revealing a dimly lit room. I walked in a few steps, when the door closed behind me making a loud noise.

I pulled the door, but it refused to open, I turned, in hopes of finding another means to escape when I saw them. Two women, the older one sat on a velvet sofa while the younger one stood beside her.

"Welcome child, we've been expecting you" the older one said. She wore black robes like the one I wore in my dream, her hair was white as snow and her face held wrinkles depicting old age.

The younger one is tall with choppy dark hair and piercing green eyes like mine, her delicate features made her have an ethereal quality.

"Who are you?" I asked. Strangely I wasn't afraid, perhaps I thought that what I would find would be much worse.

The older woman spoke first "I am Eleanora Shadowbane, High priestess of the triple goddess" I stood startled as realization dawned on me "You're one of the nine" I breathed, she smiled softly and turned to the younger woman "She's smart"

"Yes child, I am one of the nine, the eighth to be precise. You are the ninth, the last of our kind"

"That's impossible" I breathed "I am not a witch"

Eleanora stood with the help of the younger woman, she stood in front of me and placed her hand on my shoulder "Yes you are child, you may not know it, but you possess great magical power. Meeting the witch here some time ago, unlocked your abilities, now they lay dormant, waiting to be used"

I rubbed my temples, finding this all terribly confusing "How is this possible? Neither of my parents are witches, and I come from a line that see witches as enemies"

She chuckled "I may be a high priestess, but even I cannot tell the whats and whys of the universe"

I did my best to understand all she said, it wasn't difficult, I am a witch, with great magical power waiting to be used, but I still had questions.

"I had a dream," I started, but she cut me off.

"About your destiny. You are destined to bring back the old ways, the age of magic will return, and you must see that it happens"

"How do I do that?" I asked.

"By taking your rightful place upon the crescent throne" she answered.

I hadn't realized when I started laughing "I mean no disrespect, but that is never going to happen"

"Why is that?" she asked, as if she didn't know the answer already.

"Korghon already has a king"

The woman beside her spoke next "A false king, not chosen by the triple goddess. You are the chosen one"

Eleanora smiled "This is my granddaughter Kaida Blackwood, she is a Bendrui priestess" I read about that briefly in the book. Bendrui priestesses are women whose magical powers wasn't enough to ascend to the rank of high priestess.

"It's lovely to meet you" I said.

All of a sudden, Eleanora's expression hardened "We don't have enough time, my time in this world is coming to an end"

Kaida closed her eyes, as if accepting the situation, but I did not understand "What does that mean?"

"I have lived for over a hundred years waiting for the last high priestess that was destined to bring back the old ways, and I have. The clock is ticking, she must be officially ordained, Kaida get the water" she ordered, and she did as she was told.

"Come closer child" she told me, and I obeyed.

I knelt before Eleanora, heart racing with strange anticipation, Kaida stood beside her holding a small bowl of water, her face held no emotion.

I could see that Eleanora's eyes were clouded with the weight of her impending passing, yet her gaze locked on mine.

"My child, fear not, you were chosen by the triple goddess herself, are you ready to take on this mantle?"

I wasn't sure if I was ready, I still had a lot of questions, but I wasn't in a position to say no "Yes"

With a frail hand, she gestured to Kaida, who stepped forward with the bowl of water. Eleanora dipped her fingers into the bowl and sprinkled a few drops of water onto my forehead.

"By the power of the triple goddess," she whispered, her voice trembling, "I ordain you, Natalya Kastillion, high priestess of the triple goddess and last of our kind"