Sweet chirps of little critters sang me awake as the familiar blanket brushed against my skin. All I wanted to do was sleep again. Wait…sleep…?

I sat up immediately out of panic, rushing a jolt of pain from my core to all throughout my body. A groan escaped as I held a hand over my injury.

Wait a moment…injury?

My memory felt hazy, and my eyes were begging to be closed.

Injury…? Yes, injury…

I swear I had a hold pierced through my body from my last mission.

Realisation hit me harder than I expected. I was back home, I figured. Well, no wonder it looks and feels like my place, the sacred temple. I smacked my own head with the palm of my hand a few times, in hope of clearing my mind.

Okay…calm down and assess the situation, Thevaris. What are the last things you remember?

I remembered going to Elvenhya in a carriage… Then I met…a dragonoid…? Then I remember having someone as little as a little hare in my arms…then…the curse…did I fail at overwriting it…?

A wave of worry washed over me. If I did fail then…how did I get back here?

I was too lost in my own mind to not have noticed the presence of someone in my room. But I detected no ill intentions nor blood lust.

“Your radiance!” a young voice echoed inside my head as well as the sounds of broken platters and bowls.

I turned to look at the door and sure enough, there was a young priest at my door. Looking at how he abandoned such a fine tray full of food on the ground upon seeing me, I could tell I was in the right home. Before I was done grieving for the wasted food, the younger came launching at me before he pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Your radiance! I thought you wouldn’t wake up again!” the young priest cried.

“There, there, Elinor…, I am wide awake now…” I said as I gently patted his back. “Could you tell me what happened?”

The younger sniffled, trying to regain his composure.

“I- I don’t know…But when you c- came back…the elders said you were going to sleep for a long time. And- and…”

The words of the young priest were interrupted by another.

“Elinor… Let his radiance have some space now, will you?”

I glanced at the direction of the voice and mumbled to myself, “Priest Yevon…”

“Your radiance…you are finally awake after 3 months,” he said, awfully calm.

“Pardon?”

“3 months, your radiance. No more, no less.”

I took a moment to let his words sink in. Looking at myself where the spike had pierced me. The wound was no longer there, but a faint sensation of pain remained. Aside from that, I also felt deeply weakened. As if my faint connection to her mother goddess has been severed. This haunch of mine was no good. I must remain calm, I tell myself. The more I tried to draw my mind away from myself, the more prickly it felt on my skin. Something feels deeply wrong. My magic…felt like it was being stripped away from me. A feeling that I was not accustomed to.

I turned to look at priest Yevon. His face looking somewhat pitiful…of me…?

I could almost feel a frown on my usually inexpressive face.

“Have I been-”

Before I could finish, Yevon interrupted me, “His majesty is waiting for you, your radiance. He will tell you everything.”

I was not foolish enough to not know what that meant.

When I arrived at the throne room of the divine imperial castle, I failed to see anyone attending to his majesty. It was just me, his majesty and an ice cold atmosphere.

“High priest Thavaris,” his majesty called out my name with his royal, commanding voice.

I bowed my head to show my courtesy, “Your majesty…”

“You have finally awakened, I see.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

There was a moment of silence after I said it. It was as if we could read each other’s minds.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

“You already know why I summoned you, don’t you, high priest Thevaris.”

“Regretfully so, your majesty…I have been cursed, is that what you wished you tell me?”

His majesty sighed in annoyance. Not meant for me but the situation we were put into.

“I’m surprised to find out that you have been tricked by a mere mudblood, high priest Thevaris. What has gotten into you? You know better than anyone else that this is no such trivial matter. This is a national disaster!”

“I understand your majesty… It is entirely my negligence… Please, punish me,” I got down on one knee.

“No, high priest Thevaris, no. I should’ve known better than to put you in danger. I should’ve taken precautions,” his majesty said in displeasure. “What’s more important is… do you know what specific curse that had been conditioned upon you? Because the priests all over Huavlin has tried to diagnose you but none succeeded to make out a definite answer.”

“I can feel the curse in my veins, your majesty. I believe with the guidance of her divinity, I would be able to come to a conclusion.”

“Then do so,” his majesty commanded, so I did.

I exhaled as I let every drop of anxiety go away along with my breath, only focusing on the mother goddess. Her words won’t reach me, it never will.

But please… let me use your power again…

The core of my body glowed a luminous yellow-white colour as the appraisal began. And I prayed and prayed for an answer as I dissected my spiritual body. My heart was surrounded by lunar magic, dark matter surrounding it as if it was taking my heart a prisoner.

Oh Llewellyn… to make up for my mistake that day, I would die. For betraying your trust, I would give my life to you. But I can’t leave my responsibilities, not right now. At least let me see you again. Am I selfish to think that maybe an apology would make my heart feel less heavy?

The curse was unusual. Usually curses would suck the life energy of its victim dry until the victim is deceased. But this curse…It is attacking my spiritual body directly and sucking my mana instead of my life energy. The caster must know an elf’s life energy is far more abundant than other species with less life expectancy. But this pattern of the curse’s behaviour… I felt as though I was familiar to them.

My eyes widened in realisation.

“Tell me,” his majesty spoke.

“900 moons…” I mumbled. “I will die after 900 moons.”

“Impossible. 900 moons curse?!” his majesty exclaimed as he stood up in disbelief.

“I am positive…”

“How could that be… That curse is irreversible…” there was a hint of despair in his voice.

“Only the castor of the curse can undo it…” I whispered to myself.

My hands shook in distress. Was it fear? I couldn’t tell. I wasn’t afraid of death. More so I would gladly die if I could. Then what was it that I was feeling?

His majesty put his hand on my shoulder as he leaned into my ears, “Make this right, Thevaris… I can’t afford to find another priest willing to play the role of a pseudo high priest,” he commanded, his voice almost threatening which added to my horror.

I was speechless for a few moments. How long has it been since I was reminded of the fact that I wasn’t the destined high priest but a fake one. I gulped and took his words.

“I-...I will handle this, your majesty…”

“How?!” he exclaimed in anger.

“I-...I will negotiate with L- Llewellyn… Give him w- what he wants and make him undo the c- curse…” my lips trembled as I tried my best not to trip over my own words.

“What makes you think he would let you live?” the grip on my shoulder tightened.

I struggled to find my words even though I was trying my hardest to make sense of my own claim. I knew in reality that Llewellyn would never let me live especially after my betrayal but please grant me wisdom, my divine goddess. Anything to get out of this situation.

“This… this is our best option. Either that or I die, your majesty… I think I'd rather die trying than wait for the curse to end my life. B- but… there is another option…” I continued, “If we can…take down the king of outcasts before 900 moons…the curse will die along with him…”

The piercing gaze of his majesty became less intense and his grasp loosened. After a long pause of breathing and calming down, his majesty turned back to sit on his throne.

“The temple knights… take them and make this right.”

I regained a spark of hope at his words.

“You shall take them with u and travel to the north where the king of outcasts lies. You have no room for failure, high priest Thevaris. You know that their faith will crumble without you. You must make this right no matter the cost.”

“I…understand your majesty…” I looked down at the floor.

“One more thing,” his majesty continued, “There is someone else who can help you get to the land of outcasts. Recently, a mudblood was captured in the northern outskirts of Huavlin.”

A citizen of Elvina…? What might they be doing here in Huavlin far away from their home…? I thought to myself.

“You know what I want to suggest, don’t you, high priest Thevaris?”

I nodded in agreement. It seemed like his majesty wanted me to use the prisoner like a tour guide to Elvina. Although it does sound convenient, would the prisoner agree to this…?

“Put a condition on him. Tell him that you will give him rewards if he agrees to this.”

“A condition…such as a…trade curse?”

“Indeed.”

As much as I felt reluctant to agree to exploit a mere prisoner, I dared not show it on my face. It was his majesty’s order and I mustn’t protest, that was the rule. But if I agree to take him with me, I might be able to release him during the journey. Yes, that’s how I will do it.

“Thank you for blessing me with your grace, your majesty. I shall talk to that prisoner soon. I hope that you would make arrangements to gather all the temple knights for this humble servant,” I bowed.

The king raised his hand and dismissed me. I walked back to my chamber, lost in my thoughts. Why would a citizen of Elvina be in Huavlin, considering the political situation between the two nations. Is he an underling of Llewellyn sent to cause troubles or is he just here for another reason that I’m not aware of. I was confused but decided that it was best that I ask him directly tomorrow. For now, I shall let myself rest. The intense atmosphere in the throne room made my senses feel uneasy in every way.

It seemed that my situation was kept confidential looking at how the priests inside the temple greeted me and asked about my health without much worry in their tone. Of course…a sickness as common as mana deficiency could send an ordinary elf like me to a months-long coma. It wasn’t uncommon for them to see me sleep for 3 months straight. But I wondered, who exactly was taking care of my responsibilities while I was in a vegetative state?