Back at the Del Montague estate, Helena was still seated in her room. It was nearing dinner time and she still hadn't done anything other than polishing her sword. She did not know if the Duke had woken up as she hadn't gone to check. She hadn't seen her mother either.
Alex and Felicia were locked up in the Emerald room excluding her as always. She wasn't used to this kind of silence.
Her mind went back to the same questions that had plagued her since yesterday. Where was the Pope? How could he have just vanished? Didn't he know what was happening? Didn't he know that the people, noble, royal and commoners, were all expecting him to offer an explanation for what had shattered her special day?
How could he leave me to fend for myself? I don't know what's happening. I don't know what this new threat is that's causing the church ground to keep shaking. What do I do? The attention is on me now. People will look to me for answers and I will be made a fool. I can't do anything without his guidance.
Helena felt both angry and scared. Just when she thought her life would get back on track, she had been thrown an obstacle.
Should she go back to the church? But what would she do? Lead a search party to find the Pope? But wasn't that already being done? The Emperor had ordered it. If the Pope did not come back on his own by tomorrow, a full blown hunt would begin.
Helena didn't know why but she sensed some animosity from the Emperor when he spoke about the Pope. It did not seem like he held the man in high esteem. He appeared suspicious. As if he did not truly see him as a holy being.
And now with his sudden disappearance, would the royal family turn against the church? What would that mean for her? She was the Saintess. She was just supposed to lead the prayer and occasionally do some healing. That was it. She did not want to involve herself in this mess. She just wanted to be praised and worshipped.
Feeling overwhelmed, Helena decided to seek her mother for advice and comfort.
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Inside the Emerald Room, Alex held Felicia is his arms and tried to keep her upright as she gasped in pain. Her whole body was drenched in sweat as she desperately tried to rid herself of the pain the mark was causing her.
It had gone from a minor throb to a unbearable burn. It felt like hot nails were being pressed into her chest one by one. She bit her lips bloody as she tried to stop herself from screaming out.
Initially they were examining the Holy Sword. Alex was convinced all the answers were imbibed within the runes. The two of them had joined hands, with her merging her power with that of the sword. Then Alex had pressed his thumb onto one of the symbols.
It was a simple triangle. It was the simplest of the symbols and yet, he sensed that it may be the most powerful one on the sword.
Suddenly both of their eyes had clouded and a sharp pain had entered their minds. They did not see anything.
But they heard the sound of water splashing, countless screams, a beast roaring and then Alex's voice came in.
"In exchange! Burn! Seal him in and set them all free!"
More screams followed. Then Felicia could hear her own voice mixed in. She was sobbing hysterically.
In the next instant, everything went silent and they collapsed. Temples throbbing and eyes stinging. That had never happened before. Since when did their visions hurt? And why had it entered directly into their minds as opposed to the infinity loops.
Was this a message from the Goddess or was it from the sword? Or was it both?
Alex recovered first, pushing himself up into a seated position. He touched Felicia's arm. "Are you okay?"
Felicia nodded, also lifting herself. "What was that? Why did it hurt like that? It feels like I just banged my head into a wall." She rubbed her chest. The pain there had dimmed.
So had the glow.
Alex noticed it as well. He rubbed his eyes before glancing back at the Holy Sword. It was still hovering in the air, with the triangular symbol illuminated. Strange thoughts began to enter his mind.
"What does that symbol mean? It caused us to hear all that, didn't it?" Felicia asked, trying to blink the sting out of her eyes.
"Why did we only hear? Why didn't we see anything? And what were you saying?" Felicia grew more frantic with each question.
Alex pulled her into an embrace. "Be calm, sister."
Felicia didn't realize it but she was weeping like a waterfall with her entire body shaking. She held Alex tightly, staring at her hands which wouldn't stop glowing and sparking. Her magic was as unstable as her emotions.
Alex too was disconcerted by what he'd just heard and the possible implications, but he forced it down so as not to further agitate his sister.
Just as Felicia's breathing was slowing and she was regaining her composure, her chest exploded with pain.
Her body was ripped out of Alex's embrace and shot up into the air. She shrieked as she slammed into her dressing table, effectively shattering the mirror upon impact.