Legend has it that the presence of the White Lily flower gracing the cover of the holy books of the Arlinite faith serves as a symbolic manifestation of Arlin's purity, the revered sun god. Yet, a dissenting perspective contends that the inclusion of this pristine bloom is more a testament to Arlin's personal fondness for the flower than an allegory of divine purity. While the scriptures of Arlinianism illuminate myriad truths about our world, one enigma they intentionally shroud in ambiguity is the true significance behind the choice of the White Lily.

A paragraph from a page in "Revelations of the Arlinite Faith Holy Text " book, by Calen von Stomwisper.

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Emily's POV

"S-Save me?" Emily echoed, her voice tinged with confusion.

"Yes, that's right." Thandor affirmed.

"But, but, how? Is that even possible? I mean, I'm a witch. How can you.....?"

"Oh, it is possible. It will require some effort on my end, but it's nothing I can't handle." Thandor stated with confidence.

Emily grappled with conflicting emotions. She had resigned herself to the idea of death, but now that Thandor told her he can save her, suddenly a part of her felt both hopeful and relieved. There was a part of her that wanted to live after all.

"B-But! How? I'm...I'm a witch! I have these scary powers! I don't even know where I got them from! Can someone like me be really let free?" Emily raised her voice as she spoke. Her voice shook with her as tears came down from her eyes.

This was the first time she cried since the attack on her village. She felt as if she was so emotionally drained, she couldn't cry, but somehow this strange, kind man brought the tears she held for so long out.

"You poor girl. Listen, these powers, magic or whatever you desire to call them, it's unknown how someone gets them. It could be through inheritance in the blood, or it could be random. Not much is known about people like us, unfortunately." Thandor spoke in a gentle voice, offering what explanation he could.

People like us?

"People like us? W-Wait are you also....?" Emily asked, tears still lingering in her eyes, as she began to piece together the puzzle.

"Yes, dear. Just like you, I'm also a witch. You can say that's a big reason why Durthon isn't too fond of me," Thandor confirmed what Emily had suspected.

A witch? Thandor is a witch?

Emily felt a profound sense of confusion. How was Thandor a witch, and why was he free and not confined to a cell like her? And not only that, Thandor also somehow had the ability to save her?

Thandor let out a small laugh, amused by the confusion written on Emily's face.

"I see you didn't see that one coming, huh?" he remarked with a playful smile.

"N-No. I mean, I don't understand." Emily admitted her bewilderment.

"You see, Emily, there is this special group called A-" Thandor began to explain, but was abruptly interrupted by a voice from behind.

"Your fifteen minutes are up!" shouted a knight Emily did not recognize. Thandor turned to face him.

Alright, I'll be leaving." he said, turning back to look at Emily. "I'll be back tomorrow, I promise. Hold on until then, okay?"

With one last reassuring smile, Thandor turned and walked away, leaving Emily alone once more.

She wasn't sure how to process this. Can she really be saved? Can she really have hope? Should she trust a witch to provide her with hope?

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I'm not sure, I'm not sure what to think anymore. Maybe believing in his words and promises isn't a good idea, but what do I have to lose at this point?

Emily pondered, her mind swirling with uncertainty in the solitude of her cell. One thing was for certain though, she didn't want to die, she wanted to live.

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The next day.

The following day arrived, and Emily's anxiety loomed large. She feared that Thandor might not materialize, that it was all an elaborate ruse to play with a desperate girl's hope. Somehow, the hours in her cell on this day felt longer than the cumulative three days she had spent in captivity.

When he said he'll come tomorrow, he didn't look to be lying to me, but what if he was? What if I'm only believing in him because I want what he's saying to be true?

Emily's mind churned with doubt as the minutes crawled by. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching. Swiftly turning her head to identify the source, her eyes locked onto the deep blue eyes of a figure she had been anxiously waiting for.

"T-Thandor!" she exclaimed, reaching towards the iron bars. "You actually came." she said, her voice carrying a mix of relief and gratitude.

"Good day, Emily. And of course I came, I promised you after all." He said as he approached Emily. Durthon wasn't with him this time, which made Emily feel relieved.

"So, Thandor, will you be able to get me out of here?" she asked, her tone a blend of hope and trepidation.

"Yes, though sadly not today, but tomorrow. I would have had you leave that cell today if I had my way, but a certain general did not make it easy on me." Thandor explained, sounding annoyed when he mentioned Durthon.

"General? You mean Durthon?" Emily asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, him. He really hates our kind, as I'm sure you figured out." Thandor answered

Our kind...

It was still hard for Emily to think of herself as a witch.

"I'm sorry, Emily. Even if it's just one more day, I'm sure staying in this dreadful cell is far from comfortable." Thandor expressed, his voice laced with genuine sympathy.

It really wasn't comfortable. The straw pallet offered little respite, and the meager meals left much to be desired. Emily couldn't shake the feeling that prolonged confinement would take a toll on her well-being.

"I...I can handle one more day." She said as she forced a smile.

"I suppose I should take this chance to explain a bit more, about our situation and yours." Thandor began, wanting to finish what he wasn't allowed yesterday.

"A-Alright. I'm listening." Emily nodded as she looked at Thandor.

"Emily, you see, there is....a secret group, a group only a very small select group of people in the Kingdom of Arixad are allowed to know of. It's called Aludell."

Aludell? A secret group?

"Aludell is a secret group that works for the King. It's a relatively newly formed group. It's duty is to serve his majesty while remaining in the shadows. The exitance of this group must never made public." Thandor continued to explain, sounding serious. Emily tried her best to keep up with him.

"You see, what sets this group apart from others who serve the King is that it's made up of witches. I'm the leader of that group, and I would like you to join it." Thandor stated, fixing his gaze on Emily, awaiting her response.

Aludell is a group made up of witches? And it serves his majesty?!

It was hard for the girl to wrap her mind around that idea.

"Y-You mean the King is using....witches?" Emily spoke, scared to let out the words out of her mouth.

"Yes. King Aricad II sees some benefit in utilizing our abilities, so he wants to employ us to his advantage where he can. However, this also means that the existence of our group must remain a secret at all costs. I'm sure you can imagine how the public would react if they found out that their King has witches working for him." Thandor explained further. Emily found it all difficult to believe, but she doubted Thandor was lying to her. What would be the point of conjuring such a fantastical tale?

"Okay, I think I get it, but what does Aludell have to do with me? Why do you want me to join it?" Emily asked, her nerves palpable.

"You see, Emily, in this country, witches historically only had one fate: death. However, you, I, and the other witches in Aludell are fortunate. We're presented with another fate, another choice—to live in service to his majesty." Thandor explained, his voice carrying a somber tone.

Serve his majesty? Could I really do something like that?

" I know that might not what you want to do with your life, Emily, but joining Aludell is the only way I can save you. If you joined, Durthon will be forced to let you go. Afterward, you'll accompany me to where I and the other members of Aludell reside. Our home is here in the capital." Thandor continued, emphasizing that Emily's options were limited if she desired to live—and he wasn't wrong.

"Aludell...What sort of people are in it?" Emily asked. She knew Thandor was a kind man, but she had no idea what these other members would be like. Knowing they are witches did not make her feel any better, it was the opposite.

"There are four members besides me. Three boys and one girl, all around your age, actually. I serve as something of a teacher to them." Thandor shared, the thought of those four putting a gentle smile on his beautiful face.

Emily felt hesitant and scared. She's not sure what she's getting herself into, but she knew if she wanted to live, she had to join this group known as Aludell.

After a minute of silence, Emily finally spoke in a shaky voice.

"A-Alright, I'll join. I'll join Aludell! Please, take me with you, Thandor!"