Her Divine Ability

Shuri spotted Madam Faye descending the stairs from a distance. Initially shrouded in dim light, her features became clearer as she approached. As Shuri had imagined Madam Faye to be an elderly woman, she was surprised to find that Madam Faye seemed no older than a woman in her early forties.

Standing tall in her heels, Madam Faye emanated elegance as she moved gracefully toward Shuri. Dressed in a sleek, floor-length silk gown that highlighted her slim, statuesque form, she perfectly embodied the image of a timeless woman who wouldn't age.

What truly astonished Shuri was the way Madam Faye's aura flickered with a multitude of colors, swirling and changing like a kaleidoscope. It was the first time Shuri had ever witnessed someone's aura exhibiting such dynamic shifts in colors and hues.

This mesmerizing sight left Shuri bewildered as she took a step back; she struggled to grasp the true nature of Madam Faye amid the ever-changing spectrum of hues.Top of Form

"Do you fear someone you can't read?" Madam Faye smiled meaningfully at her.

Startled by her question, Shuri could only stare back at Madam Faye scrutinizing her. Although Shuri wasn't able to read Madam Faye's true nature, her instinct told her that this extraordinary woman before her wasn't malicious.

"I…I'm just surprised," Shuri answered, trying her best to stay calm. "You seem to know me."

"Naturally," Madam Faye replied as she gestured for Shuri to take a seat at the table before gracefully making her way to the opposite end. "I wouldn't have invited you here if I didn't…"

"You invited me?" Shuri was confused.

Wasn't she the one who intentionally journeyed here to seek out Madam Faye?

"Ah, you see, the elderly couple who brought you here are my guides. No one can enter my realm if I don't invite them in," Madam Faye explained as she extended a cup of tea to Shuri. "Drink this. It'll eliminate your symptoms, though it won't cure you."

Shuri stared at the strange liquid in the cup, its fragrance suggesting ancient herbs with its deep violent color exuding an air of mystery. She reached out to touch the teacup but hesitated to drink it.

"You came here looking for me, but you don't trust me?" Madam Faye asked with a slight smile.

Shuri shook her head. "No, I just don't understand. We haven't met before, but you seem to know about my condition. Besides, your medication must be very expensive. I don't want to receive your kindness without knowing if I could repay you for helping me."

"Don't worry, you can definitely repay me," Madam Faye replied with a confident smile. "There's something you have that you can give me for curing you."

"Yo-You can cure me?! You really can cure my illness?!" Shuri exclaimed in disbelief as she jumped up from her seat.

"There's no illness I can't cure. Isn't this why you came looking for me? Just like your parents back then…"

"You even know who my parents are? But it makes no sense, I didn't come with them to find you. So, how did you know?" Shuri asked in bewilderment.

"That's a trade secret."

Madam Faye was unwilling to answer her, and Shuri didn't press further. Her priority now was to recover from her illness and live a long life with her husband and sister.

Shuri redirected the topic back to herself. "What can I give you for you to cure me?"

"The Vision of Judgement," Madam Faye replied in a serious tone.

"Sorry?" Shuri didn't understand what she meant.

Madam Faye smiled slightly. "Your divine ability to distinguish between good and evil, to judge someone's nature, and peer into their souls. It's very similar to the Eyes of God, and I want it."

Shuri was startled. This extraordinary woman seemed to know everything about her. She wanted to ask but didn't think Madam Faye would answer all her questions.

After seeing Shuri's startled expression, Madam Faye added, "What a considerate child. Even though you're so curious about me, you didn't use the Vision of Judgement to dig into me for answers. I like kind-hearted souls like you and your parents."

Upon mentioning her parents, Shuri realized something. "Did my parents give you a divine ability as well in exchange for saving my sister back then?"

Madam Faye shook her head gently. "Divine abilities are extremely rare, and your parents have no such ability. However, it seems your mother was very likable, enough for those silly fairies to bring her to the divine tree, where she received a divine blessing."

"That divine blessing…" Shuri muttered, having a faint idea of what it was.

"It's the divine protection," Madam Faye answered Shuri, knowing what she wanted to ask. "The divine tree grants many blessings, and the divine protection is one of them."

"So, did my parents die because my mum gave away the divine protection?" Shuri jumped to a conclusion.

"Well, all I can say is they could have been protected from any harm," Madam Faye stated casually but didn't explain further.

"Karlene would have been very upset if she were to know about this…" Shuri murmured to herself in distress as she thought about how her parents' death was a result of saving her sister.

"You don't have to sulk. It wasn't their fate to die this way just because they chose to save your sister."

It appeared that Madam Faye had taken a liking to Shuri to offer her a few words of comfort.

"Do you mean my parents' death wasn't fated?" Shuri asked.

Madam Faye leaned forward and gazed at Shuri with a subtle smile. "Every human is destined to die but the how and when of it are never predestined because the world is filled with abnormality. As you can see, both of us are one of those abnormalities, and it just so happens that I can save you from your coming death."

Shuri stared wordlessly back at Madam Faye extending her hand out to her. "So, what do you say? Will you trade your Vision of Judgment for my help to prolong your life?"