The entire Coldwater family waited in the hallway to Sable’s room. Duke and Duchess Coldwater both sat on chairs directly facing the door. Gilles stood on the side looking rather bored. Viola on the other hand paced around the hallway, agitated. Bryson paced on the other side of the hallway equally agitated as they waited.

After Sable collapsed, she was quickly brought back to the manor with Bryson and Viola, leaving the Frosts behind. Inside her room Sable was currently being attended to by various doctors and nurses. Now currently behind a closed-door Sable’s condition was currently only known by those inside.

Upon hearing about Sable, both Coldwater parents rushed back to see her. Now they could only wait for an answer from the doctors. Duke Coldwater was emanating anger as he sat staring at the door. If Sable was aware of this, she would have been shocked by the amount of care they were currently showing.

A second later the door opened. Out emerged several doctors and nurses who approached Duke and Duchess Coldwater who were demanding answers. Out from the room also slipped out Florence who stashed away a pair of white rubber gloves in her medical pouch.

She quickly weaved her way past the group of adults and over to Bryson. She nudged her head to indicate for Bryson to move around the corner. Upon completing her request Bryson asked, “Well?”

As Florence opened her mouth to speak Viola quickly bounded the corner. Bryson raised his eyebrows at her in surprise.

“The doctors are only talking to mother and father. The girl seems like the only source of information.” Viola shrugged.

“Where’s Lord Gilles?” Florence asked.

“He… he doesn’t care. He had to be here because we were all here.” Viola explained with a look of disappointment.

“I see.” Florence said choosing not to comment on the matter further, “Well, Lady Sable’s condition is serious.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Bryson asked.

“She’s currently comatose.”

“How?” Viola exhaled out.

“It’s from a… curse.” Florence said slowly as she seemed to be thinking.

“Curse? From what? From where?” Bryson asked mind racing.

“Are they able to undo it?” Viola asked.

“No.” Florence said.

“No? What do you mean no?” Viola asked getting agitated.

“This is old powerful divine magic. It will take a while to even discern the specifics of the curse.” Florence said, “Nothing happened when she was in the stadium?”

“With her the whole time, nothing weird.” Viola said adamantly, “She went to the bathroom and came out and collapsed. But there shouldn’t be anything that would cause a divine curse in a stadium bathroom.”

“And an extinct disease from the southern continents shouldn’t just appear in a rural northern village.” Florence said, “Something is wrong here.”

“Like some sort of powerful being is messing with the Coldwater family?” Bryson mused.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“A lot of enemies have been made through the generations,” Viola said folding her arms.

“Whatever the case is, the only ones that can analyze the curse is either a high-end scholar or holy man.” Florence said.

“We have plenty to pick from. I just hope one of them can figure this out.” Bryson said.

“Do the doctors know anymore?” Viola asked hopeful.

“No, just as clueless.” Florence said shaking her head.

“Great.” Bryson said through gritted teeth.

***

“Yaaah!” The pixie shouted as she slammed her body against the cage door again. The bars reverberated from the force and the hinges to the door pulled ever so slightly more apart. Some snow that had gathered on the bars fell to the ground below.

“Come on!” She yelled out in frustration panting. She had been trying to escape from her cage for the past two hours. Blasting the lock with magic and slamming into the cage as it slowly budged while snow fell atop her head.

One more push. She thought as she stretched her arms out towards the cage door. Concentrating, a ball of energy began to form. Humming from the volatile energy, the sphere shot sparks outwards at random points. The pixie launched the ball toward the cage and after a bright flash and the sound of cracking metal, the door shattered apart onto the melted snow.

“Yes!” The pixie cheered as she rushed out of the cage and flew around in circles stretching out her wings, and letting the cold air wash through her.

After a minute of celebration, she remembered her current situation. Afa, the Goddess of Heroes trapped her in that cage and sent her to gods know where. All because of Hallow.

The pixie clicked her tongue in frustration. She should have known that Hallow had bad intentions for her, he lied to Afa to get her kicked out.

Why? She thought. Why me? It didn’t make any sense why he would target her. She wasn’t a threat, what good came from banishing her? Where even was she?

The pixie looked around her snowy environment and breathed the air around her. It definitely isn’t the Realm of Gods. She seemed to be in some mortal plane.

“Strarth?” She wondered her brows furrowing. Why? She wondered only getting more confused as she figured out her location.

A cold gust of wind blew by and she quickly hovered behind a rock for reprieve. Shivering she continued to look around as snow fell around her. Her wings suddenly felt a lot heavier and she found herself out of breath.

I need some shelter first. She thought as she began to move in search for some.

***

Sable laid in bed eyes squeezed shut breathing ragged as she tossed and turned in her bed. An older man in holy attire stood above her praying. His hands clasped around a necklace with the symbol of Afa Goddess of Heroes on it. A couple of doctors were also in the room. In the corner of the room Duke Coldwater stood there staring at them intently.

Right outside of Sable’s room stood Bryson, Florence and Viola watching in. It was a strange sight watching this priest work. But according to him he would be able to figure out a cure, he selected personally to be a holy messenger of Afa, apparently. He did have the credentials and the magical prowess at least.

“This feel’s… off.” Bryson said slowly staring at his sister in visible pain.

“Tell me about it.” Viola muttered.

“I don’t trust him.” Florence whispered suddenly.

Bryson raised a brow at her, “Why’s that?”

“Those who gain their powers from the divine. I don’t trust them, it’s… unnatural.” Florence said.

“Unnatural? Don’t you have a small metal tube that shoots out massive explosions by pushing magic through it?” Bryson scoffed.

“She has a what?” Viola asked.

“It’s my weapon, a hand cannon and that’s different.” Florence explained, “Magic is still explainable, you can break down the elements to it understand the theories. Divine magic is different, it’s an anomaly.” She said shaking her head.

As Bryson was about to comment on that, the priest made a loud gasp. A moment later the priest was glowing. He opened his eyes and outshot golden light.

Bryson could see that it was magic, more than that, it was magic he hadn’t seen before. Is this holy magic? He thought.

The holy phenomenon only lasted for half a second before the light vanished and the priest returned to normal.

“What the-” Viola began before Duke Coldwater confronted the priest who keeled over catching his breath.

“What happened?” He growled.

“I… I just received a message on your daughter’s infliction.” The priest said after a moment.

“And?”

“Your daughter is afflicted with an ancient curse. There is a cure.”

“What is it? Tell me.” Duke Coldwater demanded clamping a hand onto the priest’s shoulder who shuddered in reaction.

“She requires divine pixie dust.”