The Devil's Cursed Witch

Zelda let out a sigh. “The new Queen of Witches was indeed born twenty years ago, it’s just that our sights had been blinded, making our race unable to gain certainty of her birth. If she had died, those with the gift of foresight would have felt it, or at least be given a proper vision. However, that was not the case. That was why her life or death had become a dilemma none of the witches could solve, but I for one swear on my soul that she exists, but that is all I can confirm. Your Majesty, the entire witch race doesn’t know her existence, much less where our new Queen is.

“Think about it, is it even possible to hide her from us witches? If someone hid her then who can it be? Someone who is powerful and cares for the witches. Someone who doesn’t want the Queen’s existence to cause any disaster.”

Everything pointed towards Evanthe.

“Did you come across Evanthe?” Draven asked.

“No I didn’t but I know only Her Eminence can do it. No one but a queen can know about the new queen better than anyone else. From what I gather, Her Eminence Evanthe must have suppressed the new Queen’s powers to hide her.”

“Hide her from?”

“Your Majesty knows the answer,” the old woman said as she continued, “Every witch will be enlightened as to the existence of the Queen, and once it becomes known she is one who has the power of darkness, then who would come after her? Witches like Zaria? What will happen if that newborn Queen falls in the hands of Zaria?”

“She will use her to rule the entire witch race,” Draven answered.

“Having a Black Witch as a queen itself is bad news and if she falls in the wrong hands and is raised following a twisted belief then that new Queen can bring an even bigger disaster than anything Zaria could ever bring.” Zelda explained and chuckled. “How sad is it that instead of feeling relief that at least the new Queen is one who shares the same nature of powers as I, what I feel is immense fear that her rule will be the downfall of our people?”

Draven pondered over her words.  “Evanthe was the one to hide your Queen, that means if we find either one of them, it can lead to finding the other.”

“I won’t ask why Your Majesty wishes to find them. I merely answered your question to pay you back for the mercy you have shown us Black Witches. After sharing this secret with you, me and my people won’t owe you anything.”

“I sheltered the innocent ones who had nothing to do with what happened back. You are my people and my responsibility. You never owe me anything.”

Draven was about to get up and leave, but then Ursula came to the drawing room with an apologetic expression.

“Your Majesty, Sister Zelda, pardon my intrusion. We have a visitor waiting outside. The High Elder of the Wood Elf Clan, Elder Leeora, is here to see you, Sister. Should I ask her to wait?”

It surprised the other two.

“What a special day today is, to have esteemed guests in my home,” Zelda commented. “Let her in.”

Afterwards, Ursula led  Leeora to enter the drawing room. The elderly elf was shocked to see Draven there as well. It was so unlikely for outsiders  to visit the Black Witch village.

What kind of concern did the King of Agartha have which brought him to this place?

Though she momentarily lost her composure, Leeora got back to her senses and immediately bowed to the King who was looking at her with his usual flat gaze.

“Leeora of the Wood Elf Clan greets King Draven, the ruler of Agartha.”

On the other hand, Draven might appear unbothered, but he was equally surprised to see Leeora for the same exact reasons. However, he did not say anything and merely received her greetings.

Leeora turned to the owner of the house.

“I extend my greetings to you as well, Lady Zelda. I apologize for coming unannounced.”

The old witch scoffed. “What lady? It has been a century since I lost that title. Besides, don’t talk to me so stiffly. Do not forget how you are much older than me.”

Leeora laughed at her grumpy response. “How are you, Zelda?”

“Just how you are seeing me,” the old witch replied offhandedly. “Have a seat if you don’t mind sitting next to a Black Witch or I would have to stand to let you have this couch by yourself.”

“Please be seated,” Leeroa said and went to sit next to Zelda on that couch.

“What brought you here, Leeora?” Zelda asked. “I believe you are not so free to come this far to spend time with your old friend.”

Leeora hesitated for a while as the King was there. This was a private matter she wished to consult on her own, but thinking about how it might be someone connected to him, she decided to talk about it in his presence. “Recently, I had an ominous premonition, and I thought you could answer the questions I had regarding it.”

“What kind of vision?”

“Death!”

Regardless if it was the result of divination, a prophecy or a premonition, no being could ignore any vision that had relations to Death.

“Death…?” Zelda’s raspy voice repeated with a grim expression.

“Yes, and that feeling was so prominent and real that I can’t help but be restless. I…I am scared to lose a person close to me again,” Leeora answered with desperation coloring her tone. As she explained to them what she had seen, her anxiety became more apparent. “…so can you check from your side if we can try to figure out the identity of this person?”

Instead of an answer, Zelda asked her a question. “Why find me instead of  the Head Witch?”

The elf had no choice but to confess, “I went but… I discovered she also had the same vision.”

“Is that so?” The Black Witch pondered for a bit. “Even the strongest witch gets shaken when she gets a vision related to the matters of the heart. It will be difficult for her to figure it out without a calm heart, so the Head Witch herself needs help in this case.”

Leeora asked, “Didn’t she come to you?”

“I am not the only one who she can seek advice from,” was all Zelda said before standing up with the help of her cane. She walked towards one of the walls of the drawing room where a door was hidden behind the long dragging curtains. “Follow me. Let’s see what else is hidden in your vision to make you this anxious.”

Leeora was about to stand but then turned to look at the still seated Draven, “Your Majesty…”

“Go ahead,” he said without moving an inch from the chair.

With a light bow, Leeora then followed the witch behind those curtains. It was considerably dark inside, one where a human being would have a hard time seeing his hands in front of him, but for an elf, the light seeping through the gaps of the curtains was enough for her to see Zelda sitting in front of a table covered in black cloth. She signaled for Leeora towards the chair opposite hers. “Have a seat.”

Leeora sat down without a word, and the next moment, she saw the cloth covering the table flew away on its own, exposing a pure black glass orb placed on a velvet cushion in the center of the table.

“I don’t need to tell you what to do, right?” Zelda spoke.

Without hesitation, Leeora placed her hands on the orb.