Flashback…
After piecing together the clues from Cornelia and Leeora, Morpheus left his nephew, Aureus, in the care of Erlos, before heading towards Millow Circle under the guise of the night.
The arrival of the Divine Eagle at her front door surprised the Black Witch.
"Pardon for the sudden visit, Zelda."
"What are you doing here so late in the night, Commander Morpheus?" Zelda asked as she opened the door for him.
"To talk about important matters."
"That vision?" she asked and turned to go back inside her home. "You could have come in the morning."
Morpheus followed behind her after closing the door. His gaze landed on the lit candle on the corder, its wax half-melted. "I can see you could not sleep after knowing that vision. I happen to be free enough to share your worries."
"As if your presence can ease that worry?" she chuckled hoarsely before sitting on the rocking chair. Her turbid eyes watched as he made himself comfortable on the couch. "The future has been written. We can merely be spectators watching destiny unfold before our eyes."
"What if… we can be more than spectators?" he asked, a carefree look on his face. "What if we can save a life destined to end?"
Zelda's expression hardened."What are you trying to imply?"
"Exactly what you heard," he replied calmly.
"Please do not make a fool out of me, Commander."
"I don't think there is any problem in this world which has no solution."
"It is a destiny we are talking about. There are laws that will never be broken."
"There is none?" He raised a brow. "Are you sure?"
Zelda averted her gaze from him. "There is none."
"Why do you not sound confident to me?" he asked.
Ignoring his question, her turbid eyes returned to meet his. "Commander Morpheus, the world does not allow us mortals to change a person's destiny. Birth and death, such a cycle, is part of the natural order of the world."
Morpheus quietly gazed at the old Black Witch, his thoughts unknown. After some time, he sat with a straightened back.
"Zelda, be honest. I believe you saw more things through Leeora's vision than she herself had seen."
Zelda stayed quiet.
"It is about Draven, isn't it?"
Zelda refused to respond.
Morpheus continued, "??As the saying goes, 'In times of chaos, it is the quiet observer who sees the most.' Those who caught a glimpse of the future might have missed many clues, but not you. You know for sure that the one stabbed in those visions was Draven."
Seeing the determination in his eyes, Zelda felt as if the eagle had already seen through the truth. Regardless of her confirmation, even if she denied it, Morpheus would not believe her. She nodded in the end.
"Do you think Agartha can afford to lose the King, Zelda?"
She shook her head. "I know we can't but—"
"Destiny? We can change it."
Before the witch could refute, Morpheus continued, "Imagine if the future you saw comes to pass. What happens after? Do you think Agartha will remain the same Agartha we know?
"You are one of the oldest surviving witches—how many wars have you witnessed? Twenty? Thirty? Before the tragedy of Lvenor a hundred years ago, there had been constant battles against the enemy humans. They massively outnumbered us back then, and we suffered many defeats and many of our people died in order for the rest to survive. The most we could do was ask the warriors of each clan to persevere and help each other out, allowing the weak and the injured to flee towards safety.
"Tell me. Who had been fighting in the frontlines? Was it not the Devil King of Agartha, the Black Dragon Draven?
"Who protected the races, buying them enough time to recuperate and train new warriors after every conflict? Who allowed the large races to coexist peacefully along with the smaller clans? Was it not Draven? Who was the only existence able to control all those arrogant old fogeys, whose pride soared through the heavens given they are strongest or the leaders of their kind? Who?
"Draven is the one who is holding Agartha together. With him gone, you know what can happen. Do you think I can handle the ensuing chaos on my own? My reputation might hold sway within the beastmen, but do you think those elves will bow down to a shapeshifter?
"You do not need the gift of foresight to see the future I speak of. It would be utter chaos. Forget the thirty or so Black Witches, even all the witches and warlocks would have no place in Agartha once the various races began putting the interest of their own kind first.
"Then, what if our old enemies began to take advantage of this? What if the humans sent an army of a million soldiers? Even if traversing through the mountains would take months for a marching army, they had succeeded before—they could do it again even at the cost of casualties. What if the black magic practitioners join in?
"Do you understand why Draven cannot die?"
The witch's thin body trembled in horror. Morpheus was not lying nor was he being an alarmist. Such a future was highly likely to happen.
"Zelda, help me," Morpheus persuaded. "I am telling you this because I trust you and your knowledge. Help me save Draven. Even if it is just a clue—"
"Destiny," the old witch started, "it belongs to the realm of the gods."
"That much I know."
"The ancient scriptures say that changing destiny…it is not impossible, but it's forbidden for us mortals. But the price…"
A flicker of hope shone on Morpheus' eyes.
"So it is indeed possible! Even if it's forbidden, I will be the one to pay the price. I will be the one to bear responsibility for everything. All you need to do is tell me how to save him."
Silence enveloped the cottage, the flickering flame of the candlelight the only movement within. Morpheus was patient. He knew Zelda was wavering in his favor.
The witch took a deep breath.
"Mirroring destiny!"
Morpheus did not need to ask, as she proceeded to explain.
"Destiny cannot be changed, or else mortals will suffer the wrath of heavens. That means death is inevitable. However, there is a way to cheat the divine gaze of the heavenly being who oversees Destiny and Fate—and that is to mirror what is meant to happen. As long as we cloak ourselves with an ancient spell boosted by divine power, we will be able to fulfill the needs that allow us to deceive destiny, and the first requirement is to replace the most vital elements with similar properties."
"You mean to say, if the target of death is a divine beast, then another beast who fits the requirements can replace his identity. Blood is meant to be spilled, and that cannot be avoided," Morpheus clarified.
She nodded. "And that divine weapon, its birth cannot be avoided. At the same time, it should fulfill its destiny, otherwise such an evil weapon would bring danger to others. That means it is necessary for that weapon to take away the soul of a divine beast."
Morpheus processed her words. "So mirroring means we can fool destiny and save Draven as long as we replace the identity of the person stabbed by that divine weapon?"
She nodded. "That is the gist of things, but it is not that simple. The King is no ordinary divine beast. Be it his strength or status, a being who can match that—"
"A candidate for that already exists."
Her eyes widened with incredulity. "You are not planning to…"
"Since that part has been solved, let's not talk about it," he interrupted her, aware she had guessed his plan. "What more do we need to pay attention to?"
Zelda took some time to regain her calm. "The first vital element is that someone will die in his stead. The second vital element involved His Majesty being stabbed by that divine weapon."
"But that kind of weapon, you say it will destroy the soul of whoever it stabs. How are we going to have the weapon stab him but not let him die? We do not even know how that weapon was made, much less who made it."
"A similar, albeit weaker weapon can be created. Since I have seen the vision, I am able to determine the level of divine power it possesses. Forging a replica will be difficult but not impossible."
"So we have to fulfill both vital elements but in separate places," Morpheus said. "The issue would be who are the other parties involved in that vision. If it is Ember, then he would immediately come to her side even if we manage to separate them. Can you confirm if the one stabbing Draven is his mate? Leeora seems to believe it's her."
Zelda shook her head. "I am not sure about it, but from the kind of divine energy I sensed from the weapon, it does not seem to have the fire attribute."
"That's good to know. That naive little female won't be able to bear the guilt of killing her own mate, but if it is her destiny to dye her own hands with blood, then the more reason for me to stop it. Otherwise, that weight on her conscience will ruin her life."
"You care for the King's mate," Zelda commented.
"I care for both of them," he replied.
"Care is a shallow word when you intend to die in his place. Such loyalty is unparalleled."
Morpheus bitterly laughed. "Loyalty? I wonder."
"King Draven will never approve of you sacrificing your life in his stead."
"Does it matter? Even if he complains, I will not be alive to hear it."
Seeing the warrior acting so willfully, the witch could only shake her head. He was taking the matter of his own death lightly.
Morpheus then asked, "The person, the weapon, what else? What are the other vital elements? I think I heard Leeora saying herbs and a few other things. Are they important enough to matter?"
Zelda nodded. "Lady Cornelia mentioned seeing camellia flowers, while Leeora saw wreaths and baskets of herbs."
"Herbs and flowers?" Morpheus repeated under his breath as he attempted to recall something he heard. "Few days back, I think Draven mentioned in a meeting about memorial gifts on the day of mourning. Perhaps this is related to that."
"That is highly possible."
"Such a kind gesture for each clan, giving their loved ones meaningful gifts, that will paint me in a good light. Those graves in the Netherfields were warriors. As the Commander, that gesture will suit me better than the King. What do you think?"
Zelda was bothered by his easygoing attitude, but she had to agree with what the Commander was saying. After all, with his imminent death, the least she could do was allow him to do as he pleased.
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A/N- The third book of "Devil and Witch" series has been launched today on webnovel app. It is a story of Dragon and a new queen of witches- A black witch, who I have mentioned before in this novel.
Title- The Devil's Betrothed.
It is the entry for WSA 2023 contest. I wish all of your support once again as this can be the last WSA I am participating in. Let's get a Gold this time, I believe we can. <3<3
You can find the novel in my webnovel author profile or you can simply search the title in webnovel app.
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