Chapter 13: Verevihm

The town of Kõrgus loomed in the distance as Juhtmed, Lian and Kaitsja rode alongside the mysterious woman. Her posture was calm despite the tense glances from the vanguard. 

Arelion had reluctantly agreed to let them investigate the woman's claims meanwhile he return to Dervain Estate. 

The group maintained a wary silence as they approached the gates of Kõrgus. The town was bustling, its streets filled with merchants and travellers. The imposing spires of the central cathedral pierced the sky, casting long shadows over the market square.

The woman, who had introduced herself as Nerisa, guided them towards a quieter area. "We'll be safer here," she said, gesturing to a modest, dilapidated inn. "This is a reliable place."

Kaitsja raised an eyebrow. "Reliable? This place looks like it's barely standing."

Nerisa ignored the comment, dismounting her horse with ease. "Remain sceptical if you like, but you'll thank me for remaining discreet." She pushed open the door, revealing a dimly lit interior with a handful of customers hunched over their drinks. The innkeeper barely glanced at them before returning to polishing mugs.

Juhtmed followed her inside, motioning for the vanguard to stay outside. The group sat down at a table.

"Im thirsty," kaitsja said he walk up to the bartender and leaned on the wooden counter, and look at the bottles stacked he tapped the counter lightly to catch the bartender attention. "Do you have something for me and my friends over here." As he show his group seat by a sign of his head. The bartender without a word he reached for a bottle of dark amber and pour four glasses, kaitsja take the four glasses and return sit back. They drink expect for juhtmed and Nerisa.

Juhtmed leaned lightly forward, "Now that we are here why don't you tell us, what do you gain from helping us?" he asked, his voice low.

 "The crescent moon is not a normal symbol, it's a mark that has been buried in the shadows. I don't know why Rovan uses it", replied Nerisa.

Lian frowned, her arms crossed. "We thought that this as maybe had a link with an ancient guild, but we got it wrong."

"This as nothing to do with an ancient guild," Nerisa said. 

Juhtmed's jaw tightened. "How do you know that?"

The air in the room seemed to freeze. Kaitsja's hand went to her blade and pointed it at nerisa, and at the same time, Lian's eyes began to glaze over. As for Juhtmed, he didn't understand what was happening. "Explain yourself," Kaitsja shouted.

 Nerisa sighed. She gets up from the table and approaches Kaitsja. Lian already seems to have lost her mind. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill any of you, my only purpose was to see you." As she looks at juhtmed.

Kaitsja gritted his teeth as he tried to resist, "You have to leave Juhtmed, I don't think I can hold out much longer..."

Juhtmed got up and tried to leave through the front door, but the men in the tavern stopped him. "You can't leave now," she says.

Kaitsja collapses on the floor, powerless, and Juhtmed immediately throws himself on top of him. "Kaitsja..." he says, testing his lice.

"I didn't kill them, dont worry. I just put them to sleep, and as for the guard at the entrance, he won't intervene for a while." As she return to her sit.

Juhtmed stares at her, "So it was all a lie, why..."

"I already said I was interested in you," with a slight smile on her face.

Juhtmed clenched his fists. His instincts screamed at him to draw his dague, to strike first—but he forced himself to remain still. If she wanted him dead, she would have done it already.

Nerisa leaned back, watching him with a knowing expression. "You still don't know who you are..," she mused.

Juhtmed's eyes darkened. "And what do you know anything about me?"

She smiled faintly. "A lot," Her fingers traced the rim of her untouched glass. "You hesitate, even now. You're wondering if I'm a threat or an ally. If I wanted you dead, you'd be on the floor next to your friends. But I didn't kill them, did I?"

His jaw tightened. "Its doesn't mean I trust you."

Nerisa chuckled softly and she gestured to the empty chair across from her. "Sit. And listen."

Juhtmed hesitated, looking at Lian and Kaitsja. Their breathing was steady, but they were completely unresponsive. He couldn't just leave them. But he also knew he wouldn't get another chance to learn what Nerisa knew. Gritting his teeth, he sat.

Nerisa folded her hands together. "The inverted crescent moon is just a symbol, use by Rovan i don't know why he use it."

"How can i know what you're saying now is the truth?" Juhtmed said. 

Her smile didn't waver. 

She leaned forward slightly. "You can't, but what i'm going to reveal you is only the truth."

Juhtmed mind was racing can he trust her word, or is she working for Rovan. So many question but nobody to answer them.

"So what is this truth so important that you going to such extremes?" His voice was low.

"Iv'e been waiting this for years." Nerisa's crimson eyes gleamed. "And now you are in front of me."

He looks at her in confusion. "What this all mean?"

Nerisa tapped her fingers against the table. "Let me tell you a story that has been erased in book and history. Centuries ago."

She leaned back in the chair and fixed juhtmed with an intense gaze. "Did you ever heard of the Verevihm..." she began her voice low.

juhtmed look at her with confusion, what is verevihm and what this has to do with everything. "Iv'e never heard of it.." he said.

Nerisa lips curved into a faint smile thought her eyes maintain a serious gaze. "Im not surprised that you don't know."

juhtmed face frown, "What this has to do with everything?"

"Im going to the point, and be short." she replied her tone sharp. "Verevihm were a race of people who existed a long time ago, they were a proud people and warriors, they had their own customs and gods, these people lived only to conquer and dominate."

"What happened to them.." juhtmed ask.

"They were genocides, their people were on the verge of extinction, some of them managed to survive and their descendants are either in hiding or in ignorance." Her voice cold.

juhtmed confuse and troubled. "By who, and why?" 

"By the first emperor, I don't know the reason for this action... but all I know is that a prophecy reached one of the elders, that one of our own would rise up and avenge us, he was described as a child will come, his hair like the sun's, heal the wounds of his people, and in his rush, a new world will emerge. So that those who have suffered may at last be free." She finally said.

juhtmed is confused, first she talks about genocide and now a prophecy, I shouldn't have skipped my philosophy lessons. "So what all this has to do with me..?"

Nerisa smile, "I believe your the one who's been talking. I've been waiting for this moment for many years." as she leaned back to her chair.

This make no sense Joon said in his thought from what i know on juhtmed he considered as a extra cause of his mother bad lineage, it make really no sense for him to be a sort of messiah. 

"And how i could be your sort of messiah or whatever?" He ask her.

Nerisa sighed. "The truth is that all the descendants of Verevihm have bright crimson eyes and are the only ones to possess them. It was a kind of gift given by their god so that his people would know who was one of them."

juhtmed smile, "So this mean that your one of these descendant...but that don't explain how i could be your sort of messiah."

But Nerisa only shook her head. "Didn't you heard the child will have hair like the sun, your blonde shiny hair and your crimson eyes is the proof of that."

Juhtmed watched her calmly. "Even if that's was the true why do you think i'll help you get your revenge?"

Nerisa smile. "Well. I didn't expect you to do things when i know currently you hold no power to really protect yourself, its why i need you to get stronger physically and as a prince."

Juhtmed running a hand through his hair. He needed to think, what if what she said is the truth, i mean it wouldn't be crazy knowing i transmigrated in this body something that only appeared in novel i use to read something like that shouldn't surprise me. Maybe i transmigrated here to be there sort of messiah?

Nerisa suddenly stand up and walk to the backdoor, "I've tell you what i know its up to you to believe me or not i'll see you when time come. And don't worry your friend will soon wake up, its unfortunate that we could't speak longer." As she walk away from his sight, the inn door slammed open. the vanguard who was waiting outside enter in the inn.

"My Prince," he barked. "Are you alright?"

Juhtmed froze.

The vanguard walk closely to juhtmed, "My prince is everything alright?" As he glanced at Lian and Kaitsja, who still unconscious. "What happen your highness... and this woman where did she go?" 

Juhtmed stood up "She escape..."

"I need to go after her." he exclaims.

"She probably too far for now...help me to carry them outside they are still alive." 

"Your highness...has you ordered." As he take kaitsja to carry him on his shoulder and walk outside, juhtmed him take Lian and carry her outside.

"What happen inside your highness?"

"We drink she must had pour something without we notice it.." He said as he puts Lian's back to the wall of the inn, in his though i don't need to tell him what really happen inside.

Juhtmed in his though, Things are getting more and more complicated since i transmigrated in this place, what i should do now?