The Devil's Cursed Witch

Wordlessly, Draven's gaze lingered on the two women, particularly on Sierra, whose face remained hidden beneath her hood. He tried to recall if he knew such a woman but there was nothing he could remember.

"I'm not sure what you're implying right now. All I know is that we need to help Morpheus. We can discuss these other matters later," Draven stated.

"Before we proceed, could you explain exactly what happened that day?" Evanthe inquired.

Nodding, Draven recounted the events on the day of mourning, as well as everyone's involvement in detail.

After listening, Evanthe said, "He must be at the Witch Clan's Spirit Shrine if Cornelia is trying to retrieve his soul."

Draven agreed, and in an instant, they transported to the outskirts of the Spirit Shrine, a grand stone structure accessible only to the highest-ranking witches of the clan.

"I sense a strong energy barrier around it," Evanthe observed. "Cornelia, always so reckless. She needs to prioritize her own safety."

"What's happening?" Draven asked, concern evident in his tone.

"Cornelia is so desperate to save him that she's using up all her energy," Evanthe remarked. "I must go inside before she continues this way and endangers her own life. Wait here for me." With that, Evanthe prepared to enter the shrine, her determination clear in her stride.

Evanthe, gliding effortlessly inside the boundary of the Spirit Shrine, landed gracefully at its entrance, guarded by Silvia and Thalia, Cornelia's apprentices.

The apprentices were taken aback at the sight of their queen, whom they had last seen a century ago when they were nothing but young witches, training themselves under the guidance of the queen. Yet, her distinguished presence was unmistakable.

"Your Eminence," they both kneeled immediately in reverence.

"You two have grown into fine witches. It seems Cornelia has mentored you well," Evanthe observed, appreciating the growth in their power essence. "Please, stand up."

Remaining respectfully bowed, Silvia and Thalia responded, "It's an honor to see you return, Your Eminence."

Evanthe gave a simple nod and announced, "I am entering the Spirit Shrine."

Without hesitation, the apprentices stepped aside, watching in awe as their queen approached the door. It was sealed with Cornelia's powerful magic, a barrier impenetrable to most. However, Evanthe's own formidable powers allowed her to pass through effortlessly, demonstrating the extent of her abilities as she vanished beyond the door.

Inside the ancient stone structure, Evanthe observed Cornelia, deeply engrossed in her task. She was seated on a small stone platform, facing another where Morpheus's body lay. The intense energy radiating from Cornelia was dual-purpose: preserving Morpheus's body and attempting to restore his soul.

Evanthe noted the profound dedication in Cornelia's efforts, 'Love knows no bounds.'

Approaching Morpheus, Evanthe placed her hand gently over his heart, still bearing the mark of an unrecovered wound. She closed her eyes, extending her senses to probe his body. She detected the faint presence of his soul and the nearly destroyed energy core. Yet, amidst this devastation, something extraordinary caught her attention—a mysterious divine energy guarding his core.

'What is this?' Evanthe pondered, intrigued by the discovery. 'This immensely powerful divine energy shielding his core—it's neither Cornelia's nor Morpheus's. Whose essence could this be, safeguarding him? Someone is protecting him that's why his soul is still in existence despite being harmed by the divine weapon.'

Despite her surprise, Evanthe composed herself, refocusing on the urgent need to help Morpheus. Standing beside the stone platform, she closed her eyes, channeling her formidable powers to assist in the healing process. Her presence alone added a significant boost to the efforts already underway, strengthening the hope for Morpheus's recovery.

Meanwhile outside, Draven turned to the hooded woman, "Lady Siera, do I know you?"

"You used to know me, King Draven," she said. "But it seems you have no memory of your past life in the heavens."

Draven conceded, "I have no such memories, nor do I believe I have any connection to the heavenly realm. A god of war? It seems too far-fetched."

Sierra persisted, "You may not believe me since you recall nothing, but it's the truth. You were once a powerful god revered across all three realms—a god of war whom everyone respected."

Draven, intrigued, asked, "Then what am I doing here in the human realm? How did I come to be here?" His curiosity about his origins had always been a part of him, and now Sierra appeared to offer a path to those lost memories.

"I'm not sure of the details," Sierra admitted. "When chaos engulfed the heavenly realm, I was dealing with the consequences of my own actions. All I heard afterward was that the god of war no longer existed, believed to have vanished into the realm of nothingness. It's somehow connected to the deity of fire."

Draven's interest peaked. "Tell me about her, this deity of fire."

Sierra explained, "Her existence has been erased from all three realms. What remains are probably just legends created by her followers."

Driven by curiosity, Draven pressed further. "Why? What exactly did she do?"

"That I cannot say, nor do I possess the entire knowledge. Speaking about her will lead to heavenly punishment, and I cannot afford that at this moment when I have to protect my daughter," Sierra added.

"Then you can tell me about the God of War," he said, understanding the implications and strict rules that heaven follows. If he was related to the deity of fire, knowing about him might give clues about Ember's past life.

"I already told you who you were, and I don't know why or what you are doing here," she replied.

"You said previously that 'my existence here explains why she is with me.' By 'she,' you meant Ember, the reincarnated deity of fire, didn't you?"

Sierra nodded, only to hear Draven again, "Why would you say that as if I am meant to be with her? What's my relationship with her? Were we close when we were in the heavenly realm?"

Sierra simply nodded, unwilling to say more. "If I say more about her, I will be punished by heaven, and they will discover her presence here, which will put her in danger. If you do not wish to expose her to the heavenly realm, do not make me talk about her. I do not fear punishment, as being punished by them is nothing new to me.

What I fear is the safety of my daughter and my old friend, whom I used to cherish like my own sister."

"What can be done to avoid putting her in danger? How will we know everything?" Draven asked.

"The day she gets her core fixed, she will regain all her memories, and what was wiped about her from all three realms will be restored."

"I wonder what she did for the heavenly realm to completely erase her existence?" Draven mused.

"Trying to save the world and becoming the most powerful being in the process comes with a price," Sierra replied. Before Draven could ask more, she added something even more shocking.

"How did you become a Black Dragon and possess the power of darkness?" she inquired.

"What do you mean?" Draven asked, puzzled. "Wasn't I always a Black Dragon?"

"You were a powerful god with divine light powers. Seeing you now with the attribute of darkness, and as a Black Dragon, is surprising," she answered. "If you don't mind, may I scry through you?"

There was a pause on Draven's end, but then he consented, "Go ahead."

"Give me your hands," she requested, extending both of her hands, which were covered in scales.

Without hesitation, he placed his hands in hers. Her being a friend of Evanthe was enough for him to trust her, though he couldn't see her face.

Sierra closed her eyes, and a silence ensued while she finished scrying through Draven's body.

Releasing his hands, she explained, "Your divine power is weakened or suppressed, and now darkness flows through you. But that doesn't mean your divine power is useless. It seems it was recently triggered, and you have even utilized it."

This reminded Draven of the incident from the day of mourning. Left helpless in a cave, he had used a different kind of power that destroyed the cave, aiding his escape.

"You are right," he affirmed. "Where can I know about myself or how can regain those lost memories if what you have said about me is true?"

"I am not sure how you lost your memories and how you will regain it. Maybe the day when she regains herself, you will face the same," Sierra answered, "First I need to meet her and make sure she is the one."

Draven simply offered a nod and both of them waited for Evanthe to return.