《Sustaining the King's Life》 Prologue Sapphire skies waited for the dusk like colors saturating and mixing, akin to a canvas getting painted. The turquoise-colored ocean beamed and splashed empty waves echoing in the tranquil breeze along with ghastly winds and pocket-mist surrounding the afternoon dusk. It took a second for Faustina to return to her conscious. The smell of herbs and medicine lingering her nose as usual was no longer there. She wondered why her bed, made with straws, was so soft. She heard the splash of cold seawater into the rocks upon the shore. And then her eyes fluttered open, eyeing the spectacle. A large Victorian window hung like a portrait in the arctic white wall, as gigantic ceilings of luxurious gold glistened across the whole room. The bed she was in was massive, with feathery comfort of white sheets and the faint smell of lavender. If she''s not mistaken, she is in a place where she never dreamed to be. The castle walls. Faustina searched for her duffel, perhaps to drink an anti-hypnotic medicine her late master created. Maybe all that mayhem she caused last night was a dream, maybe this was not real, MAYBE she''s just hallucinating. "Leaving so soon?" Faustina sat still and turned to her side slowly.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. A topless, handsome man with platinum blond hair flashed a smile, kindred to the sunset; warm and mellow. Their gaze locked and then at that moment, she realized he was lying next to her, like a beautiful sculpture made by a skilled artisan. His chiseled body glistened from the sun''s rays coming from the window. His eyes were an unusual pair of gold and blue, the color of the sea and the comforting sun. "K-king Alexander!" Faustina bowed immediately, knowing who the man was. And then that was also the time she realized she was naked in the King''s chambers. She covered her body immediately, wrapping a blanket around her as she bowed once more. "Raise your head, my doctor," He said, chuckling softly. "You need not bow yourself before me. You are a savior of the king, the savior of the nation." "Yes." Faustina says, even if she did not agree with such heavy statements. Right now there are just too many things going to her mind. She faked a smile, trying to mask her frustration. Waking up next to him made her even question her decisions that led to complicated circumstances. The reasons behind the events that kept on appearing; things that were all befallen and connected to her. Faustina''s magic, her own identity¡ªwho she really is. What did her master conceal for years? She still wondered if she did the right thing that night¡ªa pact which will be in her bearing for her whole life. Her hazy memories and her bemusement were slowly fading away as flashbacks of her master''s death flooded her entire system. She wanted to scream in frustration, but unable to do so. She promised herself to be strong - especially in front of the king. She stared at Alexander''s golden-eye, and then to the mirror at the front of the mattress. She stared at herself. Their eyes matched peculiarly; a proof of the completion of the ritual. The contract has been made. The contract to sustain the king''s life. The Book of Spells T??s ?s ?? ?? ???????. T?? ???? ?s s???? ??????? ??? ???? s????s ???? ?? ?????. ?????? ???????? ??????????????????: ?????????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????? Evigilare faciatis - "awaken spell" - - resipisco: awaken from "sleep" - concieo: move - expergefacio: a stronger form of "awaken" by electrocution. - expergiscor: a milder form of "awaken" by electrocution. - expergo: a light form of "awaken"If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Reprimere - "Halt" - prohibere movere (stop moving) Reditio - "Revert spell" Archive Information Transmissio - "send across" ; pass information Accipio - "accept" Quaenam in illis - "decipher" meridiem - "glow" ATTACK SPELLS adolebitque - Burn ignis VULNUS - fire slash Rig¨¦scunt - Freeze voragine gurges aquarum - water whirpool SPECIAL ATTACKS: Ardens gladius ex Feuer - Scorching sword of Feuer ?????????? ???????? ????????????: The Veritas Promise // The Promise of Veritas - A type of spell that is usually bestowed upon a master towards his slave. Veritas Promise is an oath of Truth, where the castor and the included participants will agree to never utter a word about a certain ''truth''/an event that the castor needs to hide. The castor will bind the participants to his/her blood and this results to the participants to feel extreme pain when trying to speak out this certain ''truth''. This spell is an extreme act of loyalty and usually, only slaves and servants are the only ones included in this particular act. ?????? ????????''?? ????????: ?????????????? ???? ???????????????????? ???????????????? Nusquam - "Nowhere" Chapter 1: Sustaining the Kings Life Sapphire skies waited for the dusk like colors saturating and mixing, akin to a canvas getting painted. The turquoise-colored ocean beamed and splashed empty waves echoing in the tranquil breeze along with ghastly winds and pocket-mist surrounding the afternoon dusk. It took a second for Faustina to return to her consciousness. The smell of herbs and medicine lingering her nose as usual, was no longer there. She wondered why her bed, made with straws, was so soft. She heard the splash of cold seawater into the rocks upon the shore. And then her eyes fluttered open, eyeing the spectacle. A large Victorian window hung like a portrait in the arctic white wall, as gigantic ceilings of luxurious gold glistened across the whole room. The bed she was in was massive, with feathery comfort of white sheets and the faint smell of lavender. If she''s not mistaken, she is in a place where she never dreamed to be. The castle walls. Faustina searched for her duffel, perhaps to drink an anti-hypnotic medicine her late master created. Maybe all that mayhem she caused last night was a dream, maybe this was not real, MAYBE she''s just hallucinating. "Leaving so soon?" Faustina sat still and turned to her side slowly.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. A topless, handsome man with platinum blond hair flashed a smile, kindred to the sunset; warm and mellow. Their gaze locked and then at that moment, she realized he was lying next to her, like a beautiful sculpture made by a skilled artisan. His chiseled body glistened from the sun''s rays coming from the window. His eyes were an unusual pair of gold and blue, the color of the sea and the comforting sun. "K-king Alexander!" Faustina bowed immediately, knowing who the man was. And then that was also the time she realized she was naked in the King''s chambers. She covered her body immediately, wrapping a blanket around her as she bowed once more. "Raise your head, my doctor," He said, chuckling softly. "You need not bow yourself before me. You are a savior of the king, the savior of the nation." "Yes," Faustina says, even if she did not agree with such heavy statements. Right now there are just too many things going to her mind. She faked a smile, trying to mask her frustration. Waking up next to him made her even question her decisions that led to complicated circumstances. The reasons behind the events that kept on appearing; things that were all befallen and connected to her. Faustina''s magic, her own identity¡ªwho she really is. What did her master conceal for years? She still wondered if she did the right thing that night¡ªa pact which will be in her bearing for her whole life. Her hazy memories and her bemusement were slowly fading away as flashbacks of her master''s death flooded her entire system. She wanted to scream in frustration, but unable to do so. She promised herself to be strong - especially in front of the king. She stared at Alexander''s golden-eye, and then to the mirror at the front of the mattress. She stared at herself. Their eyes matched peculiarly; a proof of the completion of the ritual. The contract has been made. The contract to sustain the king''s life. Chapter 2: The Night Her Master Died Faustina vaguely remembers what it meant to have a life with her biological parents. What it is like to go to town without concealing her identity. How it felt like to live without the fear of getting captured. How it felt like being normal. The Heilens are the race captured by the slave traders, which is because of a rare black hair carried by particularly this "special" bloodline; resulting into making them a constant target generation after generation. None among the people of the country knew what the Heilen bloodline could have other than a unique hair color that nobody in the country possess. Few had said that this certain clan bears a vast potential to exhibit a vigorous magical prowess, and the Heilens are endowed with abnormal strength; a rival to the Albinos, their opposite, others claim. Slave trading is a tradition done even back at the ancient days. It signifies inequality between the world. It is an indirect sign that those who are in power are above those who are born with nothing. Slaves trading is widely overlooked because of its convenience, and the petitions to relinquish this certain practice were nothing but pipe dreams to the righteous. Feuersturm Empire is a country in the Zuerst continent. Zuerst is divided into seven countries ruled by different kings; five countries in Zuerst permits slave traders, namely: Feuersturm, the fire empire; Verteidigerin, the battlefront country of Zuerst; and the Elizabethian, Victorian & Antonettian kingdom, which are three small archipelagos in this continent. These countries permit every aristocrat or even the common folk a slave of their own; the remaining two countries: Eissturm, the ice empire isolated from the rest; and Gr?nland Kingdom, the country of peace, do not. Escaping the traders was an everyday battle for Faustina back when she was a little child. Until she met Eula, a witch; a woman who practices medications, who creates ''potions'' with herbs, and healing people without incantations like sorcerers. Witches are not referred to as doctors because of their gender. It is said by ancient scriptures that women cannot do anything other than give birth and provide pleasure. This, of course, did not apply to sorcerers and clairvoyants as well as noblewomen and royalty. They only apply it to peasants; the ones born with nothing. Eula took Faustina as her apprentice when she adopted her. Faustina had Eula as a mother figure; a teacher. Adopting Faustina was an unspoken declaration of being her child, a silent yet certain expression of "Yes, I am your family now." Although it was not discussed between them, it is clear for Faustina. In Faustina''s sixteen years of existence, she knows nothing but this: Eula is her one and only family. "Ack!" A cough of blood startled Faustina, making her crush the green herb faster. She immediately plunged it to a wooden cup filled with lukewarm water afterwards, sweating profusely. She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she stirred the medicine and swiftly took a ladle to make her master drink. Her hands were trembling, maybe because of fatigue. She was working night and day without any rest, after all.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Faustina''s dark-brown eyes were like fallen autumn leaves. Seeing her only guardian befall with such agonizing pain. Her black hair was tied into a bun, a habit her master told her to have, in order to prevent contamination with the medicine they are creating. "Faustina," says Eula in a very weak voice, "I don''t think I am going to live much longer." "Don''t say that," Faustina softly said, as the ladle touched the dried lip of her master. Eula''s fair complexion was now pale. Her red hair was unkempt, although Faustina combs it every day. "Is the medicine working?" Faustina asked, "are you feeling better, Master?" Eula unleashed several fits of cough. Blood trickled at the side of her lip. "Months have passed," Eula said weakly, "maybe it''s finally the time..." Faustina feigned a smile, "You''re going to be better, Master. Just wait for the medication to take effect. I''ve added a hundred percent concentration of the herb, and I went to the forest to search for those mushrooms the book was referring to." "You have been researching night by n¡ª" Eula coughed, "¡ªight. It''s not working. You have been pushing yourself too much, Faustina... but I don''t think I..." "Don''t be pessimistic... please." Faustina''s last word broke. She clenched her jaw and tried to smile. "You''re going to be okay." Faustina stared at her master. She knew Eula was suffering. She could not even sit down, let alone lift a finger. Her body rejected the ingestion of food a month ago, and now it does not even react to any medicine. Her body is filled with spasms of agonizing pain by dusk to dawn. "Faustina." Eula says, "y-you have been my apprentice for so long. For seven years of practicing medicine we have been through our own battles and the like," "Master...?" "I''ve taught you everything I could teach. Our home... this small cabin in the mountain have kept you safe from the traders..." "Master, don''t try to speak¡ªyour condition is worsening!" Faustina says as Eula coughed several times once more. "I want you to leave this cabin when I die. I want you to go and see the world..." Faustina kneeled before the bed and held the hand of her master. Her mother. Her only family. For years they have been together and now Faustina can feel it¡ªthis is the day. Like it has been predestined. It felt so surreal now. Eula says, almost tentatively, "from this day on your battle will be harsh... to escape those traders is one of them... to survive..." "Master..." "I..." Eula''s green eyes shined with tears and sorrow, "I''m sorry..." Faustina cannot hold it any much longer. Her strong front broke into smithereens; its fragments are tears coming from her eyes. Her sobs were slowly breaking into loud cries of agony. Holding the limp hand of her master was like hanging into her sanity. No, she does not want Eula to go. She doesn''t want her mother to go. She does not want to be alone. "If you see the trader... run..." Eula says, her voice was getting smaller, "if you see the king..." Faustina stared intently as Eula mumbled a breathless whisper. A final breath. Faustina shattered into a loud lament, mourning her master''s death. She embraced the lifeless corpse of her only mother. Her only family. "If I may intrude..." Faustina froze. It''s as if time stopped. Her heartbeat slowed and grew loud, as she turned around slowly from the door. The moon was shining brightly against the silhouette of a smiling man. "I am deeply sorry for what sorrow you have experienced." He says, sympathetic. "Such sadness has befallen your heart, such crestfallen melodies from your cries." "Wh-who are you?" "Oh, you may call me Jonathan," he says as he bowed. "I am a Warlock and a Doctor." The man smiled. "I have come to collect, oh¡ªI meant... to acquire something special, my dear." Chapter 3: A Pleasant Interruption Faustina vaguely remembers what it meant to have a life with her biological parents. What it is like to go to town without concealing her identity. How it felt like to live without the fear of getting captured. How it felt like being normal. The Heilens are the race captured by the slave traders, which is because of a rare black hair carried by particularly this "special" bloodline; resulting into making them a constant target generation after generation. None among the people of the country knew what the Heilen bloodline could have other than a unique hair color that nobody in the country possess. Few had said that this certain clan bears a vast potential to exhibit a vigorous magical prowess, and the Heilens are endowed with abnormal strength; a rival to the Albinos, their opposite, others claim. Slave trading is a tradition done even back at the ancient days. It signifies inequality between the world. It is an indirect sign that those who are in power are above those who are born with nothing. Slaves trading is widely overlooked because of its convenience, and the petitions to relinquish this certain practice were nothing but pipe dreams to the righteous. Feuersturm Empire is a country in the Zuerst continent. Zuerst is divided into seven countries ruled by different kings; five countries in Zuerst permits slave traders, namely: Feuersturm, the fire empire; Verteidigerin, the battlefront country of Zuerst; and the Elizabethian, Victorian & Antonettian kingdom, which are three small archipelagos in this continent. These countries permit every aristocrat or even the common folk a slave of their own; the remaining two countries: Eissturm, the ice empire isolated from the rest; and Gr?nland Kingdom, the country of peace, do not. Escaping the traders was an everyday battle for Faustina back when she was a little child. Until she met Eula, a witch; a woman who practices medications, who creates ''potions'' with herbs, and healing people without incantations like sorcerers. Witches are not referred to as doctors because of their gender. It is said by ancient scriptures that women cannot do anything other than give birth and provide pleasure. This, of course, did not apply to sorcerers and clairvoyants as well as noblewomen and royalty. They only apply it to peasants; the ones born with nothing. Eula took Faustina as her apprentice when she adopted her. Faustina had Eula as a mother figure; a teacher. Adopting Faustina was an unspoken declaration of being her child, a silent yet certain expression of "Yes, I am your family now." Although it was not discussed between them, it is clear for Faustina. In Faustina''s sixteen years of existence, she knows nothing but this: Eula is her one and only family. "Ack!" A cough of blood startled Faustina, making her crush the green herb faster. She immediately plunged it to a wooden cup filled with lukewarm water afterwards, sweating profusely. She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she stirred the medicine and swiftly took a ladle to make her master drink. Her hands were trembling, maybe because of fatigue. She was working night and day without any rest, after all.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Faustina''s dark-brown eyes were like fallen autumn leaves. Seeing her only guardian befall with such agonizing pain. Her black hair was tied into a bun, a habit her master told her to have, in order to prevent contamination with the medicine they are creating. "Faustina," says Eula in a very weak voice, "I don''t think I am going to live much longer." "Don''t say that," Faustina softly said, as the ladle touched the dried lip of her master. Eula''s fair complexion was now pale. Her red hair was unkempt, although Faustina combs it every day. "Is the medicine working?" Faustina asked, "are you feeling better, Master?" Eula unleashed several fits of cough. Blood trickled at the side of her lip. "Months have passed," Eula said weakly, "maybe it''s finally the time..." Faustina feigned a smile, "You''re going to be better, Master. Just wait for the medication to take effect. I''ve added a hundred percent concentration of the herb, and I went to the forest to search for those mushrooms the book was referring to." "You have been researching night by n¡ª" Eula coughed, "¡ªight. It''s not working. You have been pushing yourself too much, Faustina... but I don''t think I..." "Don''t be pessimistic... please." Faustina''s last word broke. She clenched her jaw and tried to smile. "You''re going to be okay." Faustina stared at her master. She knew Eula was suffering. She could not even sit down, let alone lift a finger. Her body rejected the ingestion of food a month ago, and now it does not even react to any medicine. Her body is filled with spasms of agonizing pain by dusk to dawn. "Faustina." Eula says, "y-you have been my apprentice for so long. For seven years of practicing medicine we have been through our own battles and the like," "Master...?" "I''ve taught you everything I could teach. Our home... this small cabin in the mountain have kept you safe from the traders..." "Master, don''t try to speak¡ªyour condition is worsening!" Faustina says as Eula coughed several times once more. "I want you to leave this cabin when I die. I want you to go and see the world..." Faustina kneeled before the bed and held the hand of her master. Her mother. Her only family. For years they have been together and now Faustina can feel it¡ªthis is the day. Like it has been predestined. It felt so surreal now. Eula says, almost tentatively, "from this day on your battle will be harsh... to escape those traders is one of them... to survive..." "Master..." "I..." Eula''s green eyes shined with tears and sorrow, "I''m sorry..." Faustina cannot hold it any much longer. Her strong front broke into smithereens; its fragments are tears coming from her eyes. Her sobs were slowly breaking into loud cries of agony. Holding the limp hand of her master was like hanging into her sanity. No, she does not want Eula to go. She doesn''t want her mother to go. She does not want to be alone. "If you see the trader... run..." Eula says, her voice was getting smaller, "if you see the king..." Faustina stared intently as Eula mumbled a breathless whisper. A final breath. Faustina shattered into a loud lament, mourning her master''s death. She embraced the lifeless corpse of her only mother. Her only family. "If I may intrude..." Faustina froze. It''s as if time stopped. Her heartbeat slowed and grew loud, as she turned around slowly from the door. The moon was shining brightly against the silhouette of a smiling man. "I am deeply sorry for what sorrow you have experienced." He says, sympathetic. "Such sadness has befallen your heart, such crestfallen melodies from your cries." "Wh-who are you?" "Oh, you may call me Jonathan," he says as he bowed. "I am a Warlock and a Doctor." The man smiled. "I have come to collect, oh¡ªI meant... to acquire something special, my dear." Chapter 4: Away From Here Faustina vaguely remembers what it meant to have a life with her biological parents. What it is like to go to town without concealing her identity. How it felt like to live without the fear of getting captured. How it felt like being normal. The Heilens are the race captured by the slave traders, which is because of a rare black hair carried by particularly this "special" bloodline; resulting into making them a constant target generation after generation. None among the people of the country knew what the Heilen bloodline could have other than a unique hair color that nobody in the country possess. Few had said that this certain clan bears a vast potential to exhibit a vigorous magical prowess, and the Heilens are endowed with abnormal strength; a rival to the Albinos, their opposite, others claim. Slave trading is a tradition done even back at the ancient days. It signifies inequality between the world. It is an indirect sign that those who are in power are above those who are born with nothing. Slaves trading is widely overlooked because of its convenience, and the petitions to relinquish this certain practice were nothing but pipe dreams to the righteous. Feuersturm Empire is a country in the Zuerst continent. Zuerst is divided into seven countries ruled by different kings; five countries in Zuerst permits slave traders, namely: Feuersturm, the fire empire; Verteidigerin, the battlefront country of Zuerst; and the Elizabethian, Victorian & Antonettian kingdom, which are three small archipelagos in this continent. These countries permit every aristocrat or even the common folk a slave of their own; the remaining two countries: Eissturm, the ice empire isolated from the rest; and Gr?nland Kingdom, the country of peace, do not. Escaping the traders was an everyday battle for Faustina back when she was a little child. Until she met Eula, a witch; a woman who practices medications, who creates ''potions'' with herbs, and healing people without incantations like sorcerers. Witches are not referred to as doctors because of their gender. It is said by ancient scriptures that women cannot do anything other than give birth and provide pleasure. This, of course, did not apply to sorcerers and clairvoyants as well as noblewomen and royalty. They only apply it to peasants; the ones born with nothing. Eula took Faustina as her apprentice when she adopted her. Faustina had Eula as a mother figure; a teacher. Adopting Faustina was an unspoken declaration of being her child, a silent yet certain expression of "Yes, I am your family now." Although it was not discussed between them, it is clear for Faustina. In Faustina''s sixteen years of existence, she knows nothing but this: Eula is her one and only family. "Ack!" A cough of blood startled Faustina, making her crush the green herb faster. She immediately plunged it to a wooden cup filled with lukewarm water afterwards, sweating profusely. She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she stirred the medicine and swiftly took a ladle to make her master drink. Her hands were trembling, maybe because of fatigue. She was working night and day without any rest, after all.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Faustina''s dark-brown eyes were like fallen autumn leaves. Seeing her only guardian befall with such agonizing pain. Her black hair was tied into a bun, a habit her master told her to have, in order to prevent contamination with the medicine they are creating. "Faustina," says Eula in a very weak voice, "I don''t think I am going to live much longer." "Don''t say that," Faustina softly said, as the ladle touched the dried lip of her master. Eula''s fair complexion was now pale. Her red hair was unkempt, although Faustina combs it every day. "Is the medicine working?" Faustina asked, "are you feeling better, Master?" Eula unleashed several fits of cough. Blood trickled at the side of her lip. "Months have passed," Eula said weakly, "maybe it''s finally the time..." Faustina feigned a smile, "You''re going to be better, Master. Just wait for the medication to take effect. I''ve added a hundred percent concentration of the herb, and I went to the forest to search for those mushrooms the book was referring to." "You have been researching night by n¡ª" Eula coughed, "¡ªight. It''s not working. You have been pushing yourself too much, Faustina... but I don''t think I..." "Don''t be pessimistic... please." Faustina''s last word broke. She clenched her jaw and tried to smile. "You''re going to be okay." Faustina stared at her master. She knew Eula was suffering. She could not even sit down, let alone lift a finger. Her body rejected the ingestion of food a month ago, and now it does not even react to any medicine. Her body is filled with spasms of agonizing pain by dusk to dawn. "Faustina." Eula says, "y-you have been my apprentice for so long. For seven years of practicing medicine we have been through our own battles and the like," "Master...?" "I''ve taught you everything I could teach. Our home... this small cabin in the mountain have kept you safe from the traders..." "Master, don''t try to speak¡ªyour condition is worsening!" Faustina says as Eula coughed several times once more. "I want you to leave this cabin when I die. I want you to go and see the world..." Faustina kneeled before the bed and held the hand of her master. Her mother. Her only family. For years they have been together and now Faustina can feel it¡ªthis is the day. Like it has been predestined. It felt so surreal now. Eula says, almost tentatively, "from this day on your battle will be harsh... to escape those traders is one of them... to survive..." "Master..." "I..." Eula''s green eyes shined with tears and sorrow, "I''m sorry..." Faustina cannot hold it any much longer. Her strong front broke into smithereens; its fragments are tears coming from her eyes. Her sobs were slowly breaking into loud cries of agony. Holding the limp hand of her master was like hanging into her sanity. No, she does not want Eula to go. She doesn''t want her mother to go. She does not want to be alone. "If you see the trader... run..." Eula says, her voice was getting smaller, "if you see the king..." Faustina stared intently as Eula mumbled a breathless whisper. A final breath. Faustina shattered into a loud lament, mourning her master''s death. She embraced the lifeless corpse of her only mother. Her only family. "If I may intrude..." Faustina froze. It''s as if time stopped. Her heartbeat slowed and grew loud, as she turned around slowly from the door. The moon was shining brightly against the silhouette of a smiling man. "I am deeply sorry for what sorrow you have experienced." He says, sympathetic. "Such sadness has befallen your heart, such crestfallen melodies from your cries." "Wh-who are you?" "Oh, you may call me Jonathan," he says as he bowed. "I am a Warlock and a Doctor." The man smiled. "I have come to collect, oh¡ªI meant... to acquire something special, my dear." Chapter 5: The Kings Purpose Faustina continued to cry as she watched her home disappear from the far distance. The horses were galloping across the fields, back to somewhere beyond the mountain-forest. She overheard the soldiers talking. They were planning to take her to a carriage connecting to the main road back to the castle. Holding her breath, Faustina plunged into the ground and stumbled harshly upon the grass. The horses halted afterwards, and the soldiers were alarmed. She gathered all strength left inside her and ran as fast as she could back to where her master is. Her chance was slim. She was alone, weak and injured. Outwitting those soldiers will be walking through a thread''s breadth. But Faustina knew the mountain-forest more than anybody else. The ways where paths are too narrow for horses or men to even cross. She went south, thanking her petite body which helped in concealing her presence from sight as she let herself be engulfed through the branches of the trees. The rain poured harshly and the road she was taking became so muddy. Her ribs hurt, and she thinks she may have broken a bone or two. Everything drove her to agonizing corners, but what was driving Faustina to walk was the force from her heart. The driving force which screamed the name of her master. The scream of a lonely girl just wanting to be with her mother. Faustina knew she was too far from the cabin. There was nothing to light her path, so stumbling several times to the mud was another obstacle. The moonlight was no longer there, only grey clouds who cried from her master''s death. Faustina wanted to run. She could hear the soldiers getting nearer. She wanted nothing to do with them. She wanted to be with Eula¡ªshe knew from the moment they took her away¡ªthat she cannot stay still and simply leave everything to men she doesn''t even know. Even if he is the king. It took her a moment to realize she was getting nearer to the cabin after several minutes of running. Hope rose from her chest like a spark of fire. She tried to walk faster, quicker than before, even if the pain intensified; surging like a pang of poison in her veins at every second. She was wet from the rain and ragged from the mud. "Halt!" She refused to listen to the nearing soldiers. She knew they would reach her. She must run faster ¡ª Just a distance away ¡ª Faustina''s legs found the cabin. But to her confusion, there was nothing but silence. The rain which poured heavily is now mellowing like a calm before the storm. But contrary to its tranquil state, the home Faustina has is in a silent turmoil. Soldier''s corpses are dispersed over the ground, burnt to crisp. Some still twitched and mumbled deafening cries. Faustina stared in fear as her legs wobbled. Amidst the corpses, there stood the king. His eyes were downright blue, looking down with emotion so unreadable. He stood with his two Knights, severely injured.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! And then he collapsed to the ground and panted. "My King!" Says the man with the rust-colored hair. "Pay no attention to me," the King replies, holding his sword for support. He buried it to the ground as he knelt and took a deep breath. He coughed numerous times and blood trickled at the side of his mouth. Faustina stared at the king. A memory of Eula flashed before her eyes as Alexander continued to cough blood. Soldiers finally came and held Faustina to her place, making her stay still. Some soldiers came to aid the knights. "The nightmare is worsening." Says the other knight, his face identical to the other. "Brother, the medicine?" The other knight handed a small flask containing a translucent liquid, giving it to the king. Faustina saw how he drank the liquid and how it glistened, summoning a small magic circle around the king''s skin. The king''s body looked like it was carved with magic circles. His body was marked with too much patterns of incantations, like a tattoo which pierced too much of his skin. All of Faustina''s thoughts vanished as Alexander stood up and walked towards her. She clenched her jaw and remained vigilant. "Fair maiden of the mountains." "Where is Eula?" She asked, as tears flowed from her chestnut eyes. "W-where is my master?" The soldiers remained silent, while the two knights stared in sympathy as Faustina spoke. "Where is my master?" She asks, almost shouting. "Where is that Jonathan?! W-what happened to Eula?" "Jonathan, the High Warlock of the Seven Seas. A tremendously powerful magician ever existed. A criminal; not just an arbitrary one. The most desired by the Court. His presence was last seen by the Council." "His appearance today is least expected. I apologize, my Fair Maiden." Alexander says calmly, as he knelt down and bowed completely to Faustina. "I am sorry. We did not seize him sooner. We failed to come to your aid." "W-where''s..." "Jonathan escaped." Says the High Knight, "along with your master''s body." "No... why would he..." "We do not understand his purpose ourselves." Says the king. "T-then why are you here?" Asks Faustina. "Why did you come here?! Why?" She wanted to stop herself from spouting things that come from anger because she was standing before the king; however, she knew how hard it was the moment she felt the unadulterated rage and sorrow as she remembered her master. She can''t help but blame the man in front of her. She kept on pulling assumptions for her questions. Questions why a Warlock would want to resurrect an insignificant witch. She wanted to assume that this was just a dilemma where she and Eula were just caught in the middle. She wanted to think that maybe it is all the King''s fault¡ªthat they just happened to be caught in a spider''s web. "We came with a completely different purpose," says the knight, "a duty that you ought to fulfill." Faustina blinked in surprise. "A duty I ought to fulfill?" "We wanted to acquire your assistance, Faustina of the Heilen blood." Says the other, "to use a prowess to a very crucial task you alone can do." Faustina stared in bemusement as she remembered flashbacks of Eula''s last words. "If you see the trader... run..." Eula says, her voice was getting smaller, "if you see the king..." She parted her lips in astonishment as the knight spoke the words her master said at her final breath. "...form a contract. Form a contract to sustain King Alexander''s life. Th-this is your duty... but Faustina... do not adhere to the prophecy." "You are ordered, Faustina of the Heilen clan, to sustain the king''s life." Chapter 6: Drift, Faustina "Sustaining the king''s life?" Faustina asks in sheer bewilderment. Her jaw gaped in surprise as silence followed through. Faustina held her breath as she stared in shock. How was she supposed to react to the sudden weight of the words that the knight has said? Everything felt like a blur. Her master''s dying words and the king''s purpose. They interconnected like threads. But they were too weak for Faustina to simply succumb and believe to. There were too much questions that outweighed the presented answers. Perhaps because of the pain and puzzlement, nothing seemed to satisfy her questions. Her thirst for a rebuttal was nowhere near fulfillment. Her desire for answers were not quenched. She felt parched and dry in her throat, possibly because everything was now taking its toll. Slowly Faustina could only hear words without understanding what they meant. "...Lady?" And then a ghost-quiet silence followed, the moonlight was now dim and her eye were doors creeping to close. Later before she realized, she already drifted into a stupor of void, empty dreams. ** Faustina reminisced quite often. She realized that although most of her years were spent in studying and hiding, there were several times she actually went to the ''outside world'' as she liked to call it. The world is divided into two large continents; the Zuerst and Zweite continent. The country Feuersturm lies in the middle of the Zuerst continent¡ªwhich is branched into seven countries, or more specifically, "The Seven Seas." Faustina barely remembers anything about her childhood. It was like her life started at the age of nine, where she had met Eula. Only snippets and fragments remain in her mind; days of running away from the traders, living in the slums and the experience of extreme starvation, were her earliest memory. As far as she can recall, there were days where she would put on a cloak and tie her hair back in order to conceal her race. These were the days when Eula was strong and healthy. Eula used to take her to town, just beyond a small village located in the mountainside. Nothing near like the main city of Feuersturm, the Feuer Capital. The city where Faustina dreams to go to. "If you were to pick a place where we could celebrate your eighteenth birthday, where would it be, Faustina?" Eula asks while crushing the leaves of gingko. Its seeds were in a container, containing toxin. Small Faustina stared attentively as Eula boiled some of its leaves to the cauldron, and did processes that she still has not demonstrated. "Hmm." Faustina tilted her head, "survive first..." Eula stopped and let the pestle rest against the mortar. She ruffled Faustina''s hair, and grinned. "I asked the place, dummy. Did you read the books I gave you? Were you interested in going to even one of those places? If you are, then you should tell me so we can plan." Faustina paused for a very long time and had to recollect her thoughts. Eula gave her several books she bought from a merchant few days ago. Books that were of various genres. Faustina remembered a very enticing description of a history book about Feuersturm. Its capital¡ªFeuer Capital¡ªknown as the heart of the Zuerst continent. It was described as a lively city where everybody of different origins meet up. It depicts a ''beaming city with flickering lights at night,'' and a very popular phrase saying it is ''the smiling city of Zuerst.''Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "Feuer Capital!" Faustina immediately says. "I want to go to Feuer Capital." Eula blinked, as if she was not expecting such answer. But quickly retaliated with a grin. "The capital, eh? Youngsters sure dream high!" "You''re not that old, master." "Sureee." Eula says in monotone, as if she heard a very sarcastic remark. Afterwards she dumped the crushed leaves into a clear vial. When she finished, she stared at Faustina intently. "But in all seriousness, we''ll need lots of funds for that. I''ll make sure we''d go to the capital at the day of your adulthood." Faustina''s eyes widened in surprise. "We''re really going?" "You don''t wanna?" Eula asks, pouting. "I want you to at least experience being outside, plus your first time being an adult have to be special. And then we''d prove to everyone that women can be medics!" Eula grinned, and Faustina cracked a smile too. "You dream big, Master." "Aye. In this world, we have to dream, and just dream. That way we can escape the harshness of reality. We can envision. And do you know what''s the greatest part you can acquire from dreaming?" Faustina tilted her head. "It''s when you push yourself to make your dreams come true." Faustina hazily opened her eyes. She reached her hand to the front of her face, as if examining if she was still dreaming. A dark ceiling welcomed her eyes, as she reached her hand up front to the nothingness. Was she still half-asleep? Her body felt sore, and her throat clutched dry. How did she become this weak? She tried to remember what happened, how, and when. Her mind drifted into a static silence and she wondered why she cannot remember a thing. Is she dreaming? "You are drifting." says a voice, as if it heard her question. "Drifting?" "It is the ability to submit one''s mind into a sorcerer. Telepathy." "Who are you?" "I am no one," says the voice. "but one who shall answer." "Answer what?" "Confusion." "About what?" "Eula." Her named made Faustina''s mind to explode with scenes of battle, mourning and tons of questions. Everything sank in very quickly that she stood frozen wanting to scream. Nothing came out but ragged gasps and convulsing spasms as she hyperventilated. Eula. That''s right. How did she forget? How can she forget? "Give me answers. Please. Please!" She pleaded, almost desperately. "Why? Why did that guy take Eula? What was she telling me¡ªw-what can I do? What is the task she left me? How come I don''t understand any of this¡ªI was supposed to be her apprentice and yet..." "Do you know the disease ''Nightmare''?" Faustina frowned. "The disease Nightmare plagues a very unfortunate offspring of the royal family at the Zuerst continent. It is an illness that is present in only in every royal family of the seven countries. When Nightmare appears... and what it does the person possessing the disease..." Faustina waited. But nothing but silence came. "...no one really knows but the royal family." Another voice continued. "This is why for centuries we search for a cure. For centuries we did not know if we failed or we succeeded." Faustina waited. "A theory," says the first voice, "a theory we developed for a long time." The other voice continued, "to sustain the life of the one inhabited with this unfortunate disease." "A Heilen blood." "A ritual." "Binding of souls." "Tying the lifespan to the other." "A command," "An order." "Eula knew." another silent voice¡ªonly too different from the others¡ªsays in such a distinctive tone. "You are destined for this, Faustina." Chapter 7: Faustinas Resolution Down to a mere stomachache to internal hemorrhage were the cases Eula had set her hands upon. Faustina encountered various people with simple fevers to bleeding organs. Of course, being a local witch was not very much reassuring to the people who come by, and some even doubts the methods she uses. Faustina used to get mad every time an angry villager would ask Eula if she did the right thing, or even threatening her if she doesn''t cure or only worsen the disease a patient has. Faustina wanted to argue and tell them off; however, as years grew by, complaints became a part of their life. Being an apprentice of a witch has taught her so many things. Like adapting to a situation because nothing can be done to change it. Or so she thought. Faustina slowly opened her eyes, only to meet yet another gloomy black night. The sound of horses galloping and the sound of the wheels of the carriage stumbling upon rocks on the ground as bumps and a slight shake woke her up. "Awake so soon?" She immediately sat and remained vigilant, as she realized she was not alone. There was the knight with the rust-colored hair sitting just in front of her, wounded. She thinned her lips and stared at the window of the carriage¡ªthey were already beyond the forest, on the way to the castle. Faustina gaped in surprise. How much time did it take to actually go beyond the forest? The skies were not giving any hint of dawn, and yet they traveled as if it was just a blink of the eye. Faustina suspected sorcery. And sorcery¡ªwhat was that dream all about?This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Where are you taking me?" She finally asks. The knight raised his brow, as if he did not understand her question. Silence followed through as a passing ghost. "I-I''m not like what the people''s rumor. I can''t do anything special. I''m just... I don''t think I''m cut out to do such an honorable thing. I can''t sustain the king''s life. I''m not a doctor. I can''t even cast a spell or do something remarkable, Sir Knight." The knight remained unresponsive with his expression, but he spoke. "We do not really see any potential in you." He says nonchalantly. "My brother and I only obey the king. He summons you to the royal palace and we shall do what he wants without question." Faustina gritted her teeth. She clutched her torn-up blue dress, which was brown with dried mud. Soot was evident to her arms and her face; her hair was loose with twigs and leaves. She was a mess. There was no way such a man¡ªthe king¡ªwould choose her as someone to sustain his life. Everything confused her. Eula. She wanted to curse herself for being powerless. She wanted to cry. Faustina wanted to storm out of the carriage right now. But knowing there was nothing waiting for her back to the cabin made her discern that the only way to move forward is to adapt. Like what she learned from Eula; but not entirely so. She needed to search for answers. She needed that more than anything else. Eula''s death sparked too many questions. Questions that needed so much more than simple answers. Faustina stared at her own hands. Bloodied from the shard she picked up in attempt to retrieve Eula. Her heart hurt so much, and so did her body. It was hard for Faustina to hold her sorrow for such a long time, and as a result she started to cry once more. Eula did so much to soften her up. She covered her face with her hands as she wept and sobbed like a child. Silently mourning for her master. She was so powerless. She lied down as she curled to a ball, letting the tears flow as she closed her eyes. She will be stronger. And the second time she meets Jonathan, She will definitely bring Eula back.