《The fake Oracle》 Chapter 1 - A desperate deal Chapter 1 ¡°Let me help you¡± Neera could barely piece together the words that came from the mysterious woman¡¯s lips. The woman stood in front of the only window in the room. The mountains shot up behind her and the moon made her dark hair glisten. Her face was covered in shadow, but her tall proud figure and intimidating aura was unmistakable. It took a few seconds because of her hazy mind, but Neera managed to recognize her as the honored guest from the banquet a few hours ago. Neera listened carefully when the maids had helped her get ready. They talked about the beautiful diplomat from the empire who had come to give them the iron they so desperately needed in their mountain kingdom. When they talked about Iron, Neera had stolen a glance at the small iron trinkets that hung around their necks, and cursed her fate as she so often did. If only she was born like all other children. She had always thought that it was weird that the evil spirits hadn¡¯t possessed her body despite not wearing an Iron amulet for protection like everyone else. But Neera was too busy starving on the streets to give it much thought. It was only when the maid that took her in one freezing winter night discovered that she wasn¡¯t wearing any Iron, that it became important. Things had happened so quickly. She had been presented to the king, and after having a priest confirm that she truly was unprotected, the king had proclaimed her to be the royal seer. That¡¯s when it all went wrong. Neera had performed that night at the banquet as she had done many times before. But in their need to impress the foreign dignitaries, they had given her too much of the toxic herb that made her hallucinate. She was weaker than usual, and could barely move her mouth to speak the ¡¯prophecy¡¯ the king so desperately wanted. The drugs they had given her were far too strong for her small and malnourished body. The world around her became unrecognisable. Colours became distorted and from the shadows in the corners of the large hall, frightening figures arose. She collapsed on the floor convulsing and screaming at the monsters she saw all around her. When the king realised that his precious seer was completely unable to pretend to have a vision, he ordered the guards to remove her. They dragged her screaming and crying from the banquet hall. The last thing Neera saw before they knocked her out, was the prideful king kneeling before a beautiful dark haired woman, apologising profusely. Neera took great pleasure in knowing she had ruined their chances to impress the empire¡¯s representatives, and fainted with a smirk on her face. When Neera came to, her mind was still cloudy, but the vicious monsters from her drug induced hallucinations were gone. She sighed in relief. Her body was paralysed and she could barely move her head. There was no one to fight, no one to spite, and no one to prove that she still had the will to live hidden inside her, so she gave up on moving and let her head fall onto the ice cold stone floor. ¡°Need a hand?¡± Neera was sure she had hallucinated the voice. There was no one in this world that would ever offer her any help. She laughed coarsely. She was still stupid enough to hold out hope, even if it only was her subconscious. ¡°You really do look like you¡¯re struggling.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. There it was again. That arrogant voice, that sounded like it was used to commanding never begging. Neera hated it, hated how different it sounded from her own. Neera glared in the direction of the imaginary voice, and was shocked to find a figure standing in the exact spot where the voice had come from. ¡±No need to look so hostile, I¡¯m only here to help.¡± Yeah right, Neera thought. No one ever wanted to ¡®just help¡¯. Nothing in this world was free. Neera had learned that the hard way when the king had discovered that she was a defective seer. When he realised that he wouldn¡¯t get any visions out of her, his goodwill had quickly disappeared. That¡¯s when she was thrown into the dungeon like room that would become her home the next eight years. That¡¯s when they had begun putting drugs in her food. That¡¯s when they had begun dragging her to the banquets and forced her to perform like some toy. It was when her life had become hell. Often she caught herself thinking that she wished her immunity would disappear one day and one of the evil spirits would possess her body. Then finally, everything would end, and if she was lucky, the spirit would hurt a few of those that kept her locked up here, before she died. This option seemed like her only way out of this terror where they wouldn¡¯t even let her take her own life. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you believe me.¡± Neera scoffed, at least the imaginary figure seemed to have some sense. ¡±Good, skepticism is a valuable skill.¡± Praise was unfamiliar to Neera, and she hated the small grain of pride she felt at the woman¡¯s words. ¡±But I promise you, I¡¯ll never lie to you.¡± There was a determined sincerity in the woman¡¯s voice that made Neera want to believe her. But Neera wouldn¡¯t let herself be fooled again. ¡°Let me help you.¡± The woman took a step closer. Then another and another. Her steps echoed in the room, and Neera glanced fearfully at the door, worried the guards would rush into the room at any moment. This was the first time someone had truly spoken to her in years, and she could admit that she desperately wanted the woman to keep talking. Even if what was coming out of her mouth was nonsense. But no guards came, and the woman walked across the room, until she was standing in front of Neera. Then, this woman who looked like she had never been beneath anyone her entire life, kneeled down. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡±Neera.¡± Even though it was difficult to get the words out, It felt good to say her own name after so long. She hadn¡¯t heard it since she had become the royal seer at ten years old. ¡°I have an offer for you Neera. You¡¯ll have to keep pretending to be a seer, but you¡¯ll at least be protected and treated with respect.¡± Neera doubted the offer. It sounded too good to be true. Neera knew she should turn away the woman, it was the safe choice, to stay locked in this room where she knew exactly what to expect. But Neera desperately wanted the woman¡¯s offer to be real. She wanted to escape, even if the life waiting for her on the other side was worse than the hell she was living in right now. She knew she shouldn¡¯t but still, she let her hope get the best of her, and with all the strength she had left in her body, she forced her arm up. She stretched it out and readied her hand for a handshake. She would make a deal with a monster if it meant she could have a chance at a different life. The woman took her hand and shook it gently. Neera thought she saw a spark of respect in her eyes. The moonlight hit the woman¡¯s face, and finally Neera could see it clearly. Neera was sure that she had just made a deal with something otherworldly, because no human could be so beautiful, and she felt a tinge of fear for her future. ¡°Name?¡± Neera managed to ask. She wanted to at least know the name of the person who she had just handed herself over to. ¡±Illiya.¡± ¡®I hope you don¡¯t betray me Illiya¡¯ Neera thought to herself. She had no idea what the future held, but she knew that this woman, whom she had barely known for half an hour, would be at the center of everything, for better or for worse Chapter 2 - A promise to herself Chapter 2 Neera wasn¡¯t called by the King for the next few days. It was supposed to be cause for celebration. Finally she was granted a few days of clear headedness and peace from the monsters. But instead she wished every day that the King would send for her, and the maids would feed her the drugs. She knew it was the withdrawals speaking. The relentless headache and the nausea that made the world spin. Her body was cold and shaking and then all of a sudden it was like she was burning up. In her awful state she wondered if the woman that had promised her a better life had ever existed. Perhaps she was some cruel figment of Neera¡¯s imagination, a creation of her desperation. She even imagined that someone visited her at night and ran a soothing hand over her forehead and down her cheek. But Neera knew that no one in this castle would ever show her such kindness. It was night time and Neera was desperately wishing for that calm cool hand to grace her with its presence once again, when suddenly she was lifted up. She woke instantly and tensed,, trying to fight whoever had pulled her up from her makeshift bed on the floor. Her head was spinning and her vision was blurry. She couldn¡¯t make out the figure, but even in her panic she recognised the soothing touch. She fought even harder to escape. Something that felt so wonderful could only mean disaster. She had already been fooled once by a kind hand. Despite her best efforts Neera was too weak to resist with any real power. She could feel her consciousness slipping and her body becoming limp. Then it all turned dark while Neera cursed her fate. Neera¡¯s face felt warm, not the burning heat of the withdrawals, but the light caress of sunlight. Her body was covered by heavy soft blankets. She wanted nothing more than to sink back into sleep, but voices made her immediately alert. She couldn¡¯t fully open her eyes, but she still listened intently, trying to identify the speaker. ¡±I don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll wake up. Her body is in a terrible state, but I gave her something to deal with the worst of the withdrawals.¡± It was a man¡¯s voice. Deep and calm. ¡±Good job Joell, we¡¯ll need her healthy for the journey¡± If Neera had any energy, she would have exclaimed in surprise. It was that woman, Illiya. The natural arrogance, that somehow inspired trust, was unmistakable. Neera would recognise it anywhere. ¡±I¡¯m just wondering why we¡¯re not killing that awful man who calls himself king.¡± This time it¡¯s another woman, but her voice is lighter than Illiya¡¯s. It¡¯s airy and sweet despite the words spoken. Neera tried to speak up, to voice her agreement, and to her surprise a strained sound came out her dry mouth. ¡°Oh she¡¯s awake.¡± The airy voice came closer to Neera. Neera tried desperately to open her eyes.. She was defenseless without her vision. The light was blinding. It took a minute to get used to it, but finally Neera could look around. The airy voice belonged to a tall girl. Her face was sharp and soft at the same time. With big round eyes and high pronounced cheekbones. She was leaning over Neera, looking at her with curiosity that was deceptively harmless. On the other side of the bed, stood a man who was even taller. He was well built, but not massive. He had shining hair the colour of sunlight. His eyes were the colour of honey and droopy. He looked like he would give good hugs. Neera caught the thought and squashed it. She couldn¡¯t afford to relax and trust. A few metres away, standing in front of a door, stood Illiya. She was just as regal as the last time Neera had seen her. She wasn¡¯t as tall as the other two, but somehow she seemed to take up even more space without even doing anything. The sun streaming in from the window made her black hair look impossibly soft, and her skin like it was made from liquid gold. Her eyes rested on Neera, and they seemed to pierce through Neera¡¯s anger and distrust to the fear that always hid beneath the surface. The worst part was that Illiya didn¡¯t seem to judge that fear, she was simply observing it, like it wasn¡¯t a sign of weakness, like it wasn¡¯t something to crush and hate. ¡°My name is Joell.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Laya.¡± The girl interrupted. Joel sighed. ¡±I¡¯m a doctor. I¡¯ll be taking your pulse now.¡± Neera immediately tensed, but she didn¡¯t move her hand when he lifted it and rested his fingers on her wrist. Neera knew that she was sick, and she needed her strength if she was going to fight or flee later. This man truly seemed like a healer. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°It seems like the medicine I gave you earlier is working, but it¡¯s going to wear off soon. The withdrawals will come back. We need to get you off the drugs.¡± Neera did her best to nod. She wanted nothing more. If these people could truly make her healthy, she would trust them for now. ¡°The bad news is that we can¡¯t slowly wean you off them, we¡¯ll have to force you off immediately. The good news is that It won¡¯t take long, two weeks at most.¡± Fear gripped Neera, but she crushed it quickly. Two weeks of withdrawals would feel like hell, but if freedom laid on the other side, she would gladly persist through the nightmare. Neera nodded, determination shining in her eyes. She thought she saw a small smirk on Illiya¡¯s face out of the corner of her eye. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will be alright.¡± Joell sounded so confident, so kind, and Neera almost found herself believing him. ¡°And we¡¯ll chop off that awful king¡¯s head.¡± Neera giggled at Laya¡¯s enthusiasm, but it turned into a coughing fit. ¡±We can¡¯t kill the king unfortunately, we¡¯re here on a diplomatic mission¡± Joell sounded so reasonable that Neera almost wasn¡¯t disappointed. Almost. ¡°We could permanently injure him. I could do it veeeeery discreetly.¡± Laya looked toward Illiya with her big eyes. Illiya smiled like you would when you indulge a child and nods. Laya jumped up and grabbed Neera¡¯s bony hand. ¡°Oh this is going to be great!¡± ¡±But, we have to tell him that we¡¯re taking Neera first, then he can¡¯t use her as leverage.¡± Illiya dampened Laya¡¯s excitement. She sulked but nodded. Illiya took a step closer to Neera¡¯s bed, and Neera¡¯s heart skipped a beat when the light hit Illiya¡¯s eyes. They were pale blue, with such power and confidence, Neera had a hard time imagining anyone ever resisting Illiya¡¯s will. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell the king that we will be taking you back to the empire since you technically should be with the church since you¡¯re immune.¡± Neera had only ever heard of the church in stories, and seen its magnificent buildings from the outside. Its priests promised salvation and protection from the evil spirits that came from the underworld. They were the ones who bestowed iron amulets to newborn babies, and the ones who blessed the dead so they may find their way through the underworld safely. If you were not blessed by a priest after you died, the evil spirits would consume your soul on your journey, and you would never make it to the other side. Neera had always despised the church, blaming them partly for her imprisonment. If they had only given her an iron amulet when she was a child, her immunity would never have been discovered and she would still be living in the streets, just as hungry but free at least. Neera knew the stories of those with immunity. The maids had told her about them when she had first arrived at the castle. People with immunity were rare, born once every 500 years, and said to be oracles. The church believed it was their holy duty to protect the oracles. Neera knew that the king had gone against the church by keeping her. But the church held little power in the mountain kingdom, all the way on the edge of the continent. It¡¯s headquarters were in the Empire after all. But Neera also doubted that the church would treat her any better. She would still be a prisoner. ¡°No.¡± She managed to whisper with her hoarse voice. ¡°I¡¯m not going to the damn church.¡± For some reason Joell and Laya looked at her with pity. Neera glared at them, hating how, right now, she was completely dependent on their pity. Only Illiya looked at her with respect, but also with mirth, like something was amusing her. ¡±What¡¯s so funny?¡± Neera knew it was a mistake to ask. To ask with a voice full of venom. This was her only ticket out of here. But her pride always seemed to get the best of her. She had been treated like an animal for so long, this one chance to act like a human was addicting. ¡±That the people in this castle called you weak.¡± Neera¡¯s eyes widened and she had to do her best to keep her mouth from falling open. She clenched the blankets to keep tears from falling from her eyes. She wouldn¡¯t cry. Not because someone showed her respect for the first time. Neera refused. She made a promise to herself. She would make sure that people always showed her respect. She would become a person who garnered respect no matter where she went. She would rise from this filth she had been living in, and she would turn into someone powerful, someone respected, and secretly deep in her heart, she added that she would be someone who was loved. The next few days passed in a blur. Neera was in and out of consciousness, but when she was awake she realised that at least one of the three was always in the room with her. Finally on the fourth day, Neera felt fully awake and alive. She knew the withdrawals would come soon, so she enjoyed what little time of sanity she had. Joell left the room when he noticed that Neera was completely conscious. He returned with Laya and Illiya. Illiya began explaining s plan with a calm voice. A plan to inform the king that Neera was going with them to the Empire. There was a big dinner in an hour. Illiya would bring up how strange it was that the oracle hadn¡¯t been handed over to the church¡¯s custody. When the king began making excuses, Illiya woud mention how Neera had been staying in her quarters the last few days, and seemed to have no idea that she should go to the church. Then Joell would bring Neera into the banquet hall and yell at the king about Neera¡¯s unhealthy state. Illiya would then ask Neera if she wanted to go to the Empire. All Neera had to do was nod. It seemed simple enough, but if the withdrawals returned before the plan was carried out even saying yes would be a struggle. But Neera nodded to Illiya anyway when she looked at her for confirmation. She wouldn¡¯t miss the king''s expression at being caught for anything in the world. Chapter 3 - The journey has begun Chapter 3 ¡°Are you ready?¡± Joell¡¯s words seemed far away in Neera¡¯s spinning head. Unfortunately the withdrawals had hit her just before they had to walk to the banquet hall. Joell had to support her all the way to the huge doors that they were standing before. Neera doubted she could answer without throwing up, so she nodded with clenched teeth. The guards in front of the doors looked at Neera with disgusted faces, like she was a rat who had crawled its way into their homes. Neera glared right back at them, icy fire in her eyes. And she silently prayed that Illiya would really take her away from this place. ¡±Open the doors.¡± Joell commanded. Gone was his gentle timbre and instead he sounded like he could make the earth shake with his voice alone. Neera felt safe hidden behind his angry demeanour. The knights cowered and pushed open the heavy wooden doors. The light momentarily blinded Neera. But strangely enough, the hall was completely silent. You could almost hear the snow landing on the ground outside. The king was sitting on a platform on a chair that was too small for his enormous stature. He was double the size of everyone in the room, but Illiya was the one taking up the most space. She was sitting on his right in the seat of honour. Her face was as calm as always, but a dangerous ice cold anger was simmering in her blue eyes, like lightning, ready to strike. The king¡¯s tanned skin had gone pale. He looked like he wanted to flee, but Illiya¡¯s gaze kept him nailed to his ridiculous throne. Joell broke the silence and began his performance. ¡°You pathetic excuse of a king! How could you go against the church like this! To treat a holy oracle like this! You deserve far worse than having your crown taken from you.¡± Joell pointed at the king with an accusing finger. Neera almost laughed at the king''s indignant expression. He looked like he wanted to chop Joell¡¯s head clean off, but he couldn¡¯t out of fear of Illiya. It was wonderful, seeing the fright Neera had experienced so often, manifested on the king''s face. Illiya turned her eyes to Neera, and Neera straightened her back best she could, she stumbled a little, but Joell managed to steady her discreetly. ¡°Do you wish to go to the church?¡± Neera knew they had prearranged this whole performance. It was all fake, and nothing about it should feel important. And yet it did. Her answer felt important. Like this was the first step towards a future she was in control of. She knew that it was just an illusion, but she physically felt the weight of the words coming out her mouth. ¡±Yes, I want to go to the empire.¡± Neera almost collapsed at the toll of speaking, but she looked up nonetheless. She had to look at the king. To meet his eyes, and show him the defiance in her own. She wanted to show him her victory. He was glaring at her, like a child who¡¯s candy had been stolen, and in that moment he looked pathetic. Neera might have spent her life starved, drugged and locked up, but at least she still had some resemblance of dignity, this man in front of her had lost all dignity the moment he imprisoned a small child for his own gain. Neera had seen enough. She nodded to Joell, who helped her stumble away. She walked through the doors with her head held high. The next day Neera was sitting in an open carriage, waiting for the big group from the empire to depart. Neera was with Joel in the carriage, who had been charged with looking after her during her episodes of withdrawals. The sun was high in the sky and the snow was glistening on the mountain tops. It was a wonderful day to leave the awful castle and its nightmares behind. The only thing missing before they could leave was Illiya. Joell¡¯s eyes widened in shock, before he began snickering. He pointed at something behind Neera. She turned around and saw Illiya walking beside a man in a wheelchair. It took a moment before Neera realised that the crumpled man was the king. His legs were bandaged and bloody. His head hung low and his shoulders were hunched. Neera looked towards Laya, who sent her a satisfied, almost innocent looking smile. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. There was such a stark contrast between the king and Illiya that Neera giggled alongside Joell. Illiya nodded to the king, not even bowing, and began walking towards her horse. As she walked past the carriage, she made eye contact with Neera, and smirked. Neera returned it with a huge grin of her own. Illiya mounted her horse gracefully, whistled and the whole group began moving in sync, riding towards the empire. The first few days of travel was a strange mix of the fresh mountain air that smelled and tasted like freedom, and a nausea so bad that Neera had to throw up over the edge of the carriage several times. Joell supported her the whole time, like a solid rock after a long day of walking. It was only on the fifth day that Neera felt well enough to join the others around one of the campfires. Neera spotted Laya and walked over to the fire she was sitting by. Joell was beside her, and Illiya across from her. Neera almost stumbled, too focused on Illiya. Neera wondered why, despite her much higher status, she was sitting with the others. Neera just couldn¡¯t figure the woman out. Illiya stood out no matter where she went, and yet she insisted on living and eating with people who were technically below her. She treated them almost like friends. Illiya was sly and coy, yet regal and elegant. She was kind, and yet something cold and deadly gleamed in her eyes sometimes. It was like she had a million different faces, each one more fascinating than the last. Neera sat down on the ground somewhere between Laya and Illiya. ¡±Neera, you¡¯ve finally joined us, how do you feel?¡± Laya looked at Neera with genuine concern and a twinge of pity. ¡°I¡¯m alright, getting better.¡± Laya nodded with a huge grin, like it was the best news she had heard all day. ¡°Would you like some food?¡± Neera looked towards the pot that Joell gestured to. It smelled amazing, and Neera smiled at the thought. Just being able to smell food without disgust was great progress. Neera nodded, and Joell began scooping a generous portion into a bowl. ¡°We¡¯re almost at the border. Soon we¡¯ll be leaving this country behind.¡± Illiya glared at something in the distance, but quickly turned her gaze to Neera who smiled gratefully. So far, Illiya had lived up to her promises. The thought of leaving behind everything she had ever known, made butterflies explode in Neera¡¯s stomach. Not a trace of fear could be found. She was so close, she could almost taste the future that she had dreamed. Neera looked around at the people surrounding the fire, and she wondered, like she had many times before, if their kindness was simply a facade, hiding a more cruel truth, but unlike before, Neera felt a grain of trust in her heart, that these people had good intentions. If anyone could help Neera build a better future, it would be them. And she noticed how she didn¡¯t seem to mind a future where they could all sit together, laughing and smiling with warmth and safety. ¡°I swear I¡¯m not made for sleeping on the ground.¡± Laya sighed and kicked a particularly sharp rock. ¡±You¡¯re the youngest of us, stop complaining. Even Neera hasn¡¯t said a word about it.¡± Joell sent Laya a reprimanding look that made her roll her eyes and imitate his voice. Neera chuckled and decided to comment on the ground where she had slept the past few nights. ¡±This is a great upgrade. I love the ground. It¡¯s so soft and warm compared to what I¡¯m used to.¡± ¡±Just wait till we get you a real bed Neera, you might just cry.¡± Illiya teased Neera. ¡°Never. I only cry for two reasons. Either I need to get out of a sticky situation, or I''ve dropped my food on the ground.¡± ¡±I''ll remember that when you go through your first heartbreak.¡± Neera looked at Illiya with surprise. It was strange having someone talk about her like she could be loved and have a normal relationship like a normal person. ¡±I have a feeling that it will be Neera who will be breaking hearts.¡± Joell looked at Neera with pride and Neera blushed slightly at the compliment. ¡±Of course, that¡¯s obvious.¡± Neera hid her embarrassment behind cockiness. ¡±you never know, you might just meet someone who sweeps you off your feet.¡± There was something cryptic about the way Illiya said it, like she was the oracle, not Neera. ¡°That would take a lot, as I said, I love the ground.¡± Illiya laughed and Neera couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. The four of them sat and talked until the night grew so cold they had no choice but to crawl under the thick woollen blankets. They slept close to the fire that night, and close to each other. Neera fell asleep to the rhythm of people breathing around her, and she almost felt safe. Chapter 4- The strange village Chapter 4 The withdrawals returned with a vengeance. Joell was a sweetheart about it, and Neera tried her best not to snap at him at his every kind gesture. But along with the withdrawals came a small voice inside her, telling her not to trust, not to care, to push everyone away before they could betray her. Neera hardly had the energy to fight the negative thoughts. Joell tried to cheer her up by telling her that they would be arriving at a small village soon. She could get a bed and a bath. Things that were mostly foreign to Neera, but still sounded good, especially if the look on Joell¡¯s face was anything to go by. When the caravan stopped all of a sudden, Neera looked at Joell for an explanation. ¡±We¡¯re here. Even if it doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± Joell¡¯s voice was low and subdued. Neera looked around and realised that they were indeed surrounded by small huts, nestled along a river. None of the huts had any candles lit, or fires burning. It was completely dark. They were little more than shadows in the landscape. No one came out to greet them. It was dead silent, only the running water of the river could be heard. Eerie didn¡¯t come close to describing it. Neera had a feeling that finding a bed and a bath would be a hard task. Someone from their entourage went up to the closest hut and knocked on the door. There was no response. It was like the whole village was abandoned. ¡°I swear, just two months ago, this was a normal place.¡± Joell sounded as confused as Neera looked. Illiya quickly took control of the situation. They were still on the edge of the village, so she decided to set up tents. People worked quietly, like the eeriness of the village was infectious. Illiya gestured to Neera and Joell. ¡±We¡¯re going to the inn further up the road, maybe they can explain.¡± She frowned, glancing around a last time before she began walking. The inn was situated in the central square of the village, which was more like a patch of dirt that no one had built anything on. The building was smaller than Neera had expected and she wondered if there was even space for just the three of them. Even this building stood dark and brooding, and was not the least bit welcoming. Neera suddenly envied the ones setting up the tents, who were probably also setting up some campfires. Illiya opened the door, and walked inside. Laya followed, looking almost unsettlingly unbothered. Neera glanced at Joell who shrugged and walked inside as well. Neera hurried to follow him. The inn was one big room, with an unlit fireplace in the middle and three tables surrounding it. The windows were covered by big blankets, and it smelled stale. At one of the tables sat five people, huddled together around a single lit candle. The three children turned their heads away and hid from us, but the man met Illiya¡¯s eyes head on with a hostile glare. Illiya smiled at him, but this only seemed to make the man more wary of us. Laya stepped forward with her arms held up, which seemed contradictory to the daggers strapped to her legs. ¡°We¡¯re just here for some food and a room.¡± Laya¡¯s gentle and friendly tone did nothing to calm the man¡¯s distrust. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°We were here just two months ago, we stayed here then.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, get out.¡± Laya looked at Illiya, who sighed and gestured for them to walk out the door. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°This is suspicious as hell.¡± Laya walked a couple of metres in front of the rest of them. Neera had made sure to situate herself between Joell and Illiya. ¡°Yes, I wonder what¡¯s made them so afraid.¡± Joell looked around with a gaze full of pity. ¡°We can¡¯t help them if they won¡¯t talk to us.¡± Laya shrugged and kept walking with easy steps. Neera looked at Illiya and noticed that she was deep in thought. Her eyes were scanning the dark buildings and she was wearing a small frown. Neera nudged her with her shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried. The plan was to stay here for a few days and stock up. I don¡¯t feel comfortable leaving everyone in a place like this, but the horses need food, so we don¡¯t have much choice.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait till tomorrow to figure out the situation. Maybe they¡¯ll be more friendly in the daylight.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Illiya¡¯s frown didn¡¯t disappear, but she still sent Neera a grateful look. Neera couldn¡¯t fall asleep that night, haunted by dreams of dark eyes dripping and the feeling of flesh and blood on her hands. Even in the sunlight the houses looked haunted. People slowly emerged from them like ghosts. Lifeless and slow, they moved around, never stopping to talk. Illiya and Joell had gone back to the inn to try and buy provisions so they could leave as soon as possible. Neera stayed behind, but that turned out to be incredibly boring. After sitting in the sun and drawing pictures in the dirt with a branch, she was ready to go crazy. ¡°Are you one of the people who have come to take me away?¡± Neera raised her head in shock. A few metres away stood a kid with a terrified look on his face. ¡°No?¡± ¡°So I can talk to you?¡± ¡°Surea€|¡± The child took a few steps forward. He looked down at her drawing with curiosity. He pointed at it. ¡°It¡¯s a tiger.¡± His eyes widened, and he crouched down to look at it closer. ¡°Why would I take you away?¡± Neera tried to sound lighthearted as she asked despite both the severity and the weight of her question. ¡°That¡¯s what momma says. Evil people are taking away the children to steal their iron.¡± Neera reached out to pay the kid¡¯s head but suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder roughly and pulled him back. ¡°Momma!¡± The woman gave him a stern look and pulled him into her arms. She sent Neera a terrifying glare, which made Neera raise her hands in a gesture of peace. The woman sneered and pulled the child away. Neera got up and hurried towards the inn to tell the others what she had learned. ¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s been happening.¡± Joell looked even more concerned than before Neera told him what she had heard from the child. ¡°Must be why the king was so desperate for more Iron. It¡¯s probably happening in other places too.¡± Illiya quickly connected the dots and the rest nodded in agreement. ¡°It also explains the bad news we just got.¡± Neera turned her head to Joell, waiting for him to explain. He sighed. ¡°We can¡¯t cross through the mountain pass to the west. She didn¡¯t really tell us why, just that we would die.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably where the possessed people are hiding.¡± Laya looked serious for once. ¡°Not knowing how many there are is dangerous. We can handle two but not ten.¡± It was strange knowing that there was something even Illiya couldn¡¯t handle. But even defeating two possessed people was impressive with their force of only 15 soldiers. ¡°We should go scout. Figure out how dangerous it really is.¡± Illiya nodded at Laya¡¯s suggestion. Neera couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous at the prospect of being left alone with Joell in the camp. Some of the soldiers would be left behind with them, but being separated from Illiya and Laya felt strange. Especially Illiya. At some point Neera had started to feel at ease around the woman. Safe even. Neera feared not only for her own safety, but for theirs as well. People who were possessed by evil spirits were incredibly hard to defeat. They were stronger and faster than ordinary humans. They were also cruel and felt no pain. Some of them even had special abilities if they had possessed the body for long enough. Normally you would need twenty skilled fighters to defeat a single one. They also rarely strayed from the place where they had possessed the person, so they usually caused havoc in poor and populated areas. Areas that usually didn¡¯t have a security force. Knowing that Laya and Illiya only had 5 soldiers with them made Neera uneasy. She also knew that this was the best plan of action so she swallowed her anxiousness and waved goodbye when they left the next morning. Chapter 5 - The attack Chapter 5 It was quiet in the camp without Laya and Illiya to make conversation with. The ones left were poor conversation partners, worried as they were. Silently they went about their day, trying to distract themselves from the possibilities haunting their minds. Periodically someone looked towards the road leading out of the village, scouting for a small group of people. But when they spotted no one they went back to whatever useless task they were occupying themselves with. Neera was helping Joell rewrap bandages, and checking the rest of the medical supplies. Frustrated when the bandage tangled for the nth time, Neera left the in Joell¡¯s capable hands to take a walk around the village, looking for more clues. She wondered if people were really stealing each other¡¯s iron. Normally there was enough iron to go around. The empire made sure that the surrounding kingdoms were receiving a steady supply of iron. It would be a catastrophe if there was a mass outbreak of evil spirits after all. The empire were the only ones with iron mines, which was also why it was so easy for them to remain the most powerful force on the continent. The empire was founded around 400 years ago, as a diplomatic alliance between several small states. They realised that they would be more powerful if they came together to dominate the countries around them. The emperor, the great father, came from a family chosen by that alliance. The individual states had since disappeared, and simply became the empire. The church was even older than the empire, with origins unknown, but just as powerful. Together the two ruled the continent with an iron fist, literally. And now Neera was headed to the empire, a place she thought she would never see in her life. If they weren''t killed by possessed people on the way. The thought brought Neera back to the reality of the uncertain situation, and she felt a chill run down her spine, like someone was watching her. ¡°Lady:¡± The child from yesterday came running up to Neera, grabbing onto her trousers The child was crying, with big red eyes and a runny nose. He looked panicked and could barely talk through the tears. ¡°I can¡¯t find my daddy.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He sniffled. Neera bent down and pulled him into a hug. He clung onto her like a lifeline, and she frowned trying to figure out how to help him. ¡°Come, we¡¯ll find your daddy.¡± She took his hand, and led him back to the camp where Joell was still pointlessly examining the medical supplies. Joell looked up when he heard the crying child, and concern immediately settled over his features. He ran up to Neera and picked the kid up, holding him close, making soothing sounds ¡°He can¡¯t find his dad.¡± Joell nodded and instantly started asking the child questions about the father. How he looked, his name and so on. The moment the kid had told them everything, Neera started her search. She left the child in Joell¡¯s capable hands, She knew of no one more caring, and walked around the village. She knocked on the houses, but got no answers. She walked up to the few people out in the streets but they immediately sped up when they saw her approach, fleeing into the buildings and locking the door. In her desperation, she strayed further and further out, beyond the edges of the village. The grass was high, almost enough to hide her. And enough to hide her attacker. She was tackled to the ground by a heavy weight. Her head hit a rock hard, and she felt it pierce the skin and the warm blood in her hair. Through her blurry vision she saw the dark veins covering the face of her attacker and the completely black eyes, devoid of anything human. It was an evil spirit wearing the skin of a human. It snarled and growled at her and she felt drool land on her cheek. Neera screamed with all her might, even though it was hard to catch her breath through the pain. It tried to bite her neck, but she managed to move her head just in time. Its nails pierced her skin. With another scream she used all her force to push the body off her. It barely moved, but she managed to get her arm free. She quickly reached for the rock under her head, and smashed it against the skull of the evil spirit. Again and again she hit the spirit screaming and trying to gather even more strength with each strike. The spirit seemed to barely register that she¡¯s trying to destroy its skull. It managed to bite her shoulder, but it only brought its head closer to her. With the sharp side of the rock, she plunged the stone into the side of the spirit¡¯s neck. The blood sprayed all over Neera, ice cold and wet. The spirit was weakened for a moment and she managed to push it off her completely. On unsteady legs she got up and ran, screaming and waving her arms over her head. In the distance she saw Joell and the soldiers running towards her. She hurried into Joell¡¯s arms and collapsed. She hears the unmistakable sound of a head being cut off before she loses consciousness entirely.. Chapter 6 - Recovering Chapter 6 Neera heard the deep voice before she saw the person it belonged to. The voice was right next to her. It wasn¡¯t raised in anger, but there was a simmering power and frustration that Neera wouldn¡¯t like to be on the receiving end of. Neera felt her hand encapsulated by warmth. The warmth of another person. The hand was rough, filled with callouses. Neera tried to squeeze the hand, but there was no strength left in her. The pain in both her shoulder and the back of her head reminded her of what had happened. She had been attacked by an evil spirit, and barely escaped with her life. Slowly the world around her came into focus, as her mind became clearer. She was able to pick out some of Illiya¡¯s words. ¡±How¡­survive¡­Should be dead.¡± Neera took a deep breath and tried to use her voice. She managed to make a pathetic sound, but Illiya quickly hushed her with a hand over her mouth. ¡°Shh¡­hurt¡­careful¡­danger¡­sleep.¡± Neera didn¡¯t need to be told twice. The mere effort of listening was enough to exhaust her completely and she fell back into a deep slumber. In her sleep she was haunted by visions of the dark cold room she had lived most of her life in. The walls closed around her, as evil spirits sprouted from the floor coming closer slowly. She woke up in cold sweat, panicked and ready to fight, but was immediately soothed by the hand running through her hair. Illiya was sitting by her beside the bed, looking as regal as ever. But her brows were furrowed and black bags hung under her eyes. ¡°You look like shit.¡± Neera¡¯s voice was raspy and her mouth felt so dry it was difficult to open it to talk. Illiya laughed quietly, and removed her hand from Neera¡¯s hair, much to Neera¡¯s discontent. ¡°I could say the same to you.¡± ¡°Yeah well I was almost killed what¡¯s your excuse?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t trust anyone else to keep you safe. We might have killed all of the possessed people we could find, but the root of the problem still remains.¡± Neera blushed slightly, but decided to focus on the last part of the sentence more. Neera had probably misheard the protective edge in Illiya¡¯s voice. ¡°So there¡¯s still not enough iron?¡± ¡°No, the mother of the child told us the story of what¡¯s happening. She felt bad about her husband attacking you, even if he was possessed.¡± Neera felt slightly nauseous. She had killed the kid¡¯s dad. Bashed his head in with a rock. The child would probably never truly recover, and would most likely spend the rest of his life cursing Neera. The weight of his hate was already a heavy burden to carry. ¡°The price of iron has skyrocketed recently, so parents have been stealing other people''s iron to give to their babies. Hence all the evil spirits. ¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. There was an ice cold undertone in Illiya¡¯s soft voice. Her eyes were hard, and clearly looking beyond the small room they were in, like she was looking straight at the face of the culprit. Neera was afraid to ask. She felt that the knowledge might lead her down a road where she couldn¡¯t turn back. But she had already cast her lot with Illiya, so rather she knew exactly what she was dealing with. ¡°Why? Why is there not enough iron?¡± Illiya sighs, and she turns her gaze from the horizon back down to Neera¡¯s beat up face. Illiya looks like she¡¯s considering telling Neera. It takes her a few moments before she talks. ¡°This is a conversation best had with Joell and Laya. You should all know what we¡¯re dealing with.¡± Neera wasn¡¯t truly satisfied with that answer, but Illiya¡¯s tone made it clear that she wasn¡¯t in the mood to discuss the topic right now, Instead Illiya changed the topic. ¡±What I really want to know is why you didn¡¯t turn into an evil spirit when the possessed man bit your shoulder.¡± Neera shrugged, how would she know. But it was strange. Neera knew she was immune, but she had no idea that her immunity would stretch so far. ¡±But get some more rest, we can figure that out later when we get in touch with his holiness.¡± Neera swallowed. Part of her knew that she would be meeting important people when she got to the empire. She should be used to the fake glamour of royalty and power, but the royals she had met in her captivity were ants compared to the important people of the empire. Overwhelmed Neera leaned back into the pillow, closed her eyes and let exhaustion overtake her. It took almost a week before Neera could truly walk around again. She had spent a week going slowly insane, but Joell and Illiya had put her on bed rest until they determined that she was better. Being stuck inside the four walls felt a little like being back in the castle in the mountains, and Neera had to do everything in her power to remain calm. Luckily Layla spent most of her time entertaining Neera. Layla claimed Illiya had sent her away from the discussions with the villagers, saying that she lacked diplomatic discretion. Laya thought it was all nonsense, but the more Neera got to know Laya, the more she could see reason in Illiya¡¯s words. Neera had barely seen Illiya during the week. Only at night would the woman visit Neera for a short while. The moon illuminated the woman, like it was hiding underneath her skin. The two of them would talk quietly about what had happened during the day and the progress with the villagers, and Neera found herself looking forward to these peaceful moments with Illiya. Finally Joell had given Neera the okay to go outside, and she almost ran out the door. But she suddenly came to a halt when she saw how changed the village had become in the short week she was inside. People were walking around. Some stopped to say hallo to each other. Children were playing in the street. The sound of chatter filled the air. Neera saw Illiya exit a house with an old dignified woman. They were in deep discussion, but stopped when a villager called out to them, waving and greeting them. The soldiers tents had been erected in the middle of the square and they were mingling with the villagers who passed them by. Neera walked up to Illiya and asked what had happened in a voice filled with curiosity. ¡±I¡¯ve given them some money to buy iron. It¡¯s a temporary measure, but it should be enough for now.¡± Illiya furrowed her brows, like she was unsatisfied that she couldn¡¯t do more. Neera was moved by how much Illiya seemed to care about these people that she had never met before, or would meet again. It was so different from the nobility that Neera had met when she was a prisoner in the castle. Perhaps this was how someone with power ought to act. But Neera knew that Illiya made it look easy, and Neera respected her even more for it. ¡°But we need to leave tomorrow at day break, we¡¯ve already been delayed too much, and we will probably meet some more obstacles.¡± Neera heard the well hidden bitterness that creeped into Illiya¡¯s voice at the last word. Neera wondered what obstacles would cause this powerful woman to worry.