A/N
This story is unedited so apologies for grammatical and spelling errors if any.
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Zachary (POV)
As I struggled through one book, the professor had already breezed through four. Hours of relentless research, fueled by ten cups of coffee, left me exhausted and frustrated. My last brain cell felt like it was about to give up when I heard the professor's excited exclamation, "Ah! Finally, something!"
My heart leapt with hope. "What is it?" I asked, my eyes bright with anticipation.
"Wait," she instructed, and I obeyed, watching her closely. Her eyes scanned the pages rapidly, her brow furrowing in concentration.
The seconds dragged on, feeling like an eternity. Finally, she turned to me, her expression shifting to one of disappointment. She pulled her glasses down and sighed deeply. "There's some terrible news."
"The kind of magic exists in the folklore of Ethera, The Magic is known as Cipherium. The first Queen, Queen Ina's son created this magic," the professor explained solemnly.
"Wait... They could create magic?" I asked, my curiosity instantly sparked.
"Well... not anymore. Legend has it that Ethereans who could control three or more elements could create various types of magic....... It's a shame they're extinct now," she lamented, her tone tinged with sadness.
"Am I among the few who know they didn't go extinct?" I wondered silently to myself.
"And how did they go extinct?" I queried. "From what I've heard, some crazed queen was wreaking havoc on the kingdom. Sage Bhairav intervened, sacrificing himself. Their energies clashed, and those who could wield more than two elements lost their abilities. It resulted in the extinction of the entire bloodline of three or more element holders. Since then, no one has regained control over three or more elements."
"Hmm..." I mused, a heavy silence settling between us as I absorbed the weight of her words. "So, what were we discussing? Ah, yes, Cipherium. It was crafted to safeguard and clandestinely monitor enemy activities. Initially entrusted to his adopted daughter and biological son.
But, when the daughter ascended to the throne, his son—consumed by jealousy—wielded his powers to create havoc for his sister, often plotting against her and attempting her life. He crossed all limits when he employed young girls as pawns in his schemes. It is also believed that he initiated the movement toward total patriarchy.
Eventually, his sister had to imprison his powers and exile him. Moreover, it's widely speculated that he is the progenitor of all existing dark energies.
Cipherium is an exceedingly complex form of magic, making it incredibly rare and challenging to master even in its own time. In today's world, where magic holders are restricted to controlling only two elements, the existence of Cipherium seems almost impossible to achieve"
"Do you think it's possible to revive this magic?" I asked, my voice tinged with both curiosity and urgency.
"If someone has mastered at least four or more elements, which is nearly impossible," she explained, her tone grave and thoughtful.
"May I pose a question?" she inquired, her eyes narrowing with curiosity.
I nodded, signalling for her to proceed.
"Did you hear me when I said it's folklore?" she asked, her voice sceptical.
I nodded once more, comprehending her point.
"So, you understand that there is a possibility that an element holder of more than two elements never existed, and this is all just a story concocted by some random writer?" she continued, her scepticism palpable.
"Flying without magic used to be a myth as well," I countered, my tone defiant. "Communicating without a mind link to someone in another country was once considered impossible. Who among us believed that there was no deity living on the moon until one of us went there? Egalitarianism used to be a myth too... well, it still is. But you get the point, right?"
She nodded, acknowledging my argument.
"So, what are you going to do?" she asked, her voice softer now, almost compassionate.
I made a series of exaggerated thinking faces, attempting to lighten the mood. "I... don't know," I admitted finally, my voice nonchalant yet resolute.
I diverted our attention from the weighty topic and instead caught up with the professor about her life. We reminisced about her childhood, my childhood, my parents, and so much more. It lifted my spirits and seemed to lighten the professor's mood as well.
As soon as I left the professor's house, I mind-linked Fiora.
"Where are you?" I asked.
"With Samragyi, why?" she replied.
"Can you take me there?" I inquired.
"Let me ask Samragyi," she responded. I waited patiently for her reply. A few moments later, she rejoined the mind-link.
"Where are you?"
"In the town, why?" I responded.
"Are there people around you?" she asked.
"No," I said, glancing around. Suddenly, a bright whirlpool formed in front of me.
"Get in," Fiora instructed.
I did as she said and entered the whirlpool, finding myself standing before Fiora.
"Wow, this is so cool!" I exclaimed, marvelling at the phenomenon.
"I've been longing to show you this! I finally got the chance," she said excitedly in a baby-like voice, jumping around me.
My heart instantly warmed as she hugged me tightly, her bright smile lighting up my world. Just then, I heard a throat clear, and I turned to see their queen, Arnica, and four other people standing there, watching us with knowing smiles.
Gently, I removed Fiora from me and quickly fixed my demeanour. "You wanted to be here?" their queen asked.
"I need to talk to you," I said, my voice serious.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked, matching my seriousness.
"In private," I insisted.
"It's okay. None here are harmful; instead, they're going to help us. But if that's still not okay..." She flicked her hand and created a shimmering bubble around us. "Inside this bubble, whatever we discuss, no one will be able to talk about it outside without my or your permission," she assured.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. "What is Cipherium?" I asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," she admitted, glancing around.
"The untraceable magic," the women in white dress among the four spoke up.
The others looked at her, furrowing their brows in thought. "Aeesh! Maharaj Rudravir's legendary magic," she clarified.
"That's anuvartamāyā," the man in peach print interjected.
"Yes, The word Cipherium is used by magic holders who don't speak our language," the woman explained further.
The group nodded in understanding, then turned their focus back to me. "What about it?" the queen asked.
"Someone's killing men using that magic," I said gravely.
"Impossible. That magic can only be used to spy, not kill," the woman with curly hair stated, her tone sceptical.
We all looked at her, concerned about her intellectual abilities. the man with glasses then spoke up, "But Cipherium is like trying to juggle four flaming torches while riding a unicycle blindfolded. It takes a master of at least four elements and a good chunk of eternity to even wrap your head around it. How...?" The room felt extreme and they all looked at each other with something that they understood but, Not me,
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I looked at Fiora. "So, we're dealing with a stealthy magician who's also a master chef because this is some next-level magic recipe," I quipped. When no one smiled, I got the hint that this was serious.
"Are the victims all men?" the spectacled man asked.
"Yes," I replied sceptically.
They all exchanged glances before turning back to me. "Alpha," Arnica said, "let's have a conversation over tea."
We settled into their queen's study, sipping tea that was absolutely phenomenal. I made a mental note to ask for the recipe later
Slowly and steadily, Arnica discussed the possibility that a person—or should I say spirit, ghost, or whatever you wish to call it—was behind the murders. She started with the story of a Queen's abuse, the chaos she caused as a result, her eventual capture, and the havoc created by her dark flux—or ebon, or energy, or whatever they wanted to call it. The narrative was as twisted as a soap opera. The main part, though, was this: it escaped. She has centuries-old knowledge of magic.
I sighed inwardly. "Great, we're in deep trouble," I thought. "Just what we needed—an ancient, vengeful magician"
I glanced around the room, taking in the expressions of everyone present. The gravity of the situation was etched on their faces
"So, this ancient sorceress," I began, trying to wrap my head around it, "she's got all this knowledge and she's using it to kill men?"
Arnica nodded solemnly. "Yes, it appears so. The victims are all men, ancient magic was used, and we believe it is connected to her. It's just a possibility though"
I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair. "And this magic she's using... it's Cipherium?"
"Possibly," curly-haired women spoke up. "Or a variant of it. Cipherium is difficult to master, but with centuries of knowledge, she could have modified it to suit her needs."
"Fantastic," I muttered. "An immortal magician with a grudge and custom-made magic. Just what we need."
How is she still alive?" Fiora asked, her voice tinged with confusion and concern.
"She isn't alive," the Queen clarified. "It's believed that she died, and her vengeful energy transformed into this ebon flux, which translates to 'negative flowing energy.' Positivity can neutralize it, but no matter how much we try, we cannot match the magnitude of her flux. My theory is that she is absorbing a singular type of energy that maintains a balance. But what kind? That, I haven't figured out."
"So, there's no remedy to fight off this murderer?" I asked, feeling a sense of helplessness creep in.
"There is, and that's what we're working on," the peach print man interjected.
"How much longer?" I pressed, the urgency evident in my voice.
"I can't say. We're all trying our level best," he explained, the weight of the situation apparent in his tone.
"So, what do we do until then? Let her kill more men?" I said, my agitation rising.
The room fell silent, the gravity of my question hanging heavily in the air. Everyone's eyes were on the Queen, waiting for a solution.
"Can't we talk it out?" Fiora asked, her voice cutting through the tension in the room.
I turned to her, curiosity piqued. "What would you say?"
She took a deep breath, clearly choosing her words carefully. "I would tell her that the world has changed. We have policies against this kind of violence. There's no longer any belief in the superiority or inferiority between men and women. Everyone is equal now."
A heavy silence followed her words, then the white-dressed woman broke it. "If that works, her energy will neutralize itself, solving the problem."
A flicker of hope sparked in the room. Eyes widened, glances were exchanged, and for the first time since we began this grim discussion, there was a glimmer of possibility. Slowly, all eyes turned to the Queen, who held the final decision in her hands.
The Queen's expression grew thoughtful, her gaze sweeping across each of us. She took a deep breath, the weight of responsibility clear in her posture.
"Talking it out with an ancient, vengeful spirit isn't exactly a guaranteed strategy," the Queen said cautiously. "But if there's even a chance that it might work, it's worth trying. We need to craft a message that speaks to her pain, her history, and the changes that have taken place since her time. It's like a test where no less than a hundred per cent is accepted."
"But how do we even reach her?" the man in the peach print asked, scepticism etched into his furrowed brow.
"That's a piece of cake for me," the Queen said, her tone shifting. "The elephant in the room is the one who will talk to her and will be her direct target. If anything goes wrong, that person will lose their life, and we won't be able to stop it."
"Who's gonna take that risk?" Seconds later, everyone's hands shot up, excluding mine and the Queen's. We exchanged a look, a mix of pride and fear.
Fiora interjected, "Let me do it. I know almost all three realms. I would be the best, considering I brought the idea, shouldn't I be in charge?"
We all giggled at her enthusiasm. Maybe she didn't fully grasp the gravity of the situation. "This is not a competition or a game, Fiora," I said gently.
"I know. It's not just that I suggested it; it's because I'm the one who is not familiar with her. I don't have any prejudice against her. Moreover, I'm a woman myself. I can understand better. Given my age, according to the magical world, I'm still a child. If she's protecting women, she most definitely won't hurt me," she explained.
"But..." I began, wanting to object, but she cut me off.
"I understand it's dangerous, but think about it. I'm the best choice," she stated with unwavering determination.
Theo, at the back of my mind, suddenly got angry and took control. "No, Fiora is not going," he stated firmly, his tone brimming with anger. The others looked at him, instantly going into a defensive mode, except for Arnica, Fiora, and the Queen.
Fiora immediately hugged Theo, smiling brightly at him like a child. Theo, forgetting what he was angry about, smiled back at her and nuzzled his nose to hers. The older members of the group, wiser than these two lovebirds, turned their heads away, giving them some semblance of privacy.
"Could you both maintain some distance? We're not in private," I mind-linked to both of them.
Thankfully, they separated. "I will be there if she's going," Theo declared rudely to the Queen.
The Queen eyed him sceptically. "I didn't plan to send her alone anyway. I'm not that foolish, Theo," she replied, matching his tone.
"I don't trust your intelligence. The current situation speaks volumes about your strategy and intellect," Theo mocked.
"What are you doing, Theo? Is this the time to start a fight?" I said to him in the background of our shared mind.
Under normal circumstances, this conversation would have escalated before I could even finish my sentence. But she didn't respond at all; instead, she started forming a plan to gather the information for her talk. When I thought about it carefully, none of them reacted to my agitation or sarcastic comment. They all remained unnervingly calm. Now that I observed closely, all of them—except Fiora—looked half like zombies. Was there another tension lurking beneath the surface?
"You're ignoring me," Theo said, his voice tinged with frustration.
The Queen, unfazed, continued outlining her plan. "We need to compile a comprehensive history of her life and reign. Every significant event, every personal tragedy. We must understand her pain if we're to communicate with her."
Theo's anger simmered. "Do you see this? They're all just... indifferent," he muttered to me in our shared mind.
"Maybe there's more going on here than we realize," I replied, my mind racing to piece together the odd behaviour.
Fiora gently touched Theo's arm. "Theo, let's focus on the task at hand. The sooner we understand this spirit, the sooner we can figure out a way to deal with her."
The Queen nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Indeed. This is no time for internal conflicts. We need to present a united front."
Theo's agitation spiked. "You're acting like a zombie."
"Now, what kind of new species is that?" the Queen replied, her tone calm but with a hint of curiosity.
"Fully dead people with no emotions and just one goal: eat brains," Theo said, his voice dripping with frustration.
"And what relevance does that have here?" the Queen asked, her voice tinged with exasperation.
"You look like one," Theo retorted bluntly.
The Queen sighed lightly, rubbing her temples. "I don't have time for this. Can we please focus?"
"Amba," Theo said, his voice softening as he used the Queen's name, capturing everyone's attention. "You're not okay. Is there something else going on? Hiding it won't help."
"I'm alright, Theo, don't worry. Let's..." Before she could finish her sentence, Theo stood up and enveloped her in a hug, his arms firm yet gentle. He slowly caressed her back, offering silent comfort. Almost immediately, the Queen hugged Theo back, her grip tightening as if holding on for dear life. Moments later, she started sobbing in his arms, her façade of strength crumbling.
How could I forget? Aside from being a Queen, she's a single mother, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She must be feeling alone and burdened. Theo, with his innate sensitivity, sees what we normal men often miss. Now I understood why women around me are drawn to him—my mother, Fiora, Ziwa, and even the Queen herself.
The room fell silent, the air thick with emotion. I watched as Theo held the Queen, his presence offering her a refuge she desperately needed. It was a poignant reminder of the frailty beneath the royal exterior, and it struck a chord deep within me.
After a few moments, the Queen stabilized, regaining her composure. Though she appeared more exhausted than before, her determination shone through as she began sketching out our next steps. Theo broke the silence, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "I apologize," he said, drawing confused looks from everyone, especially the Queen.
"You're a very capable leader and intelligent as well," he continued, sincerity clear in his tone. Amba—our resolute Queen—smiled, her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and gratitude.
"Aww! Thank you. So, that means I don't look like an 'oombie'?" she said, a playful note in her voice.
At last, the tension melted away, and everyone smiled. "That's 'zombie,' and no, you still look like them—lifeless. You should rest if possible," Theo replied with a smirk.
Amba made a face at his insult. "You look like a sloth that overslept and woke up three days later, all swollen," she shot back, her playful tone a stark contrast to the earlier seriousness.
Their banter continued, lightening the mood in the room. Their playful insults, far from offensive, were a testament to their bond and respect for one another. The others began to laugh, a genuine, hearty sound that felt like a breath of fresh air.
Amidst the laughter, I heard Fiora's voice in my mind. "Are they long-lost siblings?" she asked, her tone light and amused.
"Maybe. Who knows—past life siblings," I replied, chuckling at the thought. Fiora's laughter followed a sweet, comforting sound that warmed my heart and reminded me of the importance of these moments of levity, even in the face of our daunting challenges.
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A/N
Word count:- 3000
Hello, my lovely readers, I hope you all are doing well
Here, is the 36th chapter of my book
I hope you all liked it and have a great day ahead
Ok
Thank you
Love you
bye:)
Until next time
Happy reading 💐
Date:- 10/07/2024