Witch of the Gate (Part I): Empyrean Crystal Soul

I am feeling a cool sensation on my forehead. When I open my eyes, I am lying on a soft bed made of leaves. A pretty aroma of flowers is on the air.

I am at a wooden room with wooden furniture. There is a cup of a strange juice on the table.

I get out of the room. There is a veranda out of the small house and I realize that this house is in a tree. From the veranda I can see more other trees with little windows and doors. Then, I realize that we are at Green Valley.

-“Miss, how do you feel?” I hear Lucida’s voice behind me. She is also holding the cup that I ignored previously.

-“I think that I feel better.”

-“Then, drink this, too. It will help you recover faster. It is a medicine of the elves.”

I take it and drink it. So, we are indeed at the Green Valley. I suppose that I was sick for the last days and my companions brought me here as I was unconscious.

-“Where are the others?” I ask.

-“The two elves are talking with their elders. The beast woman and the human warrior are relaxing at their abode, too. The fairy is flying around the Green Valley as she has to fill in her mana from the nature.”

-“Did you relax?” I ask her. I bet that she was taking care of me all this time.

-“I slept quite a bit.” She only answers.

I lie down on the bed again. I still feel a little tired so, until Tarragon comes to me, I will sleep a bit more.

-“Unbelievable!!! So much has happened while I was not here.” Dalion is surprised as she is present when I report to the royal couple and the elders of the tribe.

Dalion was already captured when the Elves were trying desperately to find a solution. She was not here when they received the oracle.

In a matter of fact, except the company that was formed to go through the Gate and the Higher Elves of Green Valley, nobody else knew about all these.

I explained the reason that the previous Witch of the Gate didn’t respond to our call as she was injured by demons. I also explained that I found the person from the oracle but she was not willing to help.

The king and the elders are listening with furrowed eyebrows. There is anger and agony on their faces. They sacrificed some elf blood to the Tree of Life, so they could receive the oracle. They don’t like the idea of an inactive witch. They don’t even care about her life in Earth and her trauma.

One of the elders suggests to forcing her but it is not a solution. If she doesn’t want to help, there is not going to be a change in Etheria. Dalion is silent. If it was before, this strong willed elf would agree with the elder but now that she met and got to know Miss Daphne, she won’t agree to force her.

My king father is also silent and skeptical. His face has a serious expression as he is contemplating the facts.

-“What is your opinion, Prince Tarragon?” He asks me.

-“I think that we must help her to save her grandmother. The previous witch of the Gate can convince her to act for the sake of Etheria.”

-“What if she won’t take action?” A elder asks.

-“At least the previous Witch of the Gate can help us to some point.”

-“Then, I will give her the other ingredient to make a metamorphosis potion and you are going to travel northeast to the Tower of Sins.” The king says and I thank him. With a deep breath, I get out of the throne room. I need to relax so I can travel again.

-“Prince Tarragon!!!” I hear a familiar voice behind me.

She is Ortensia, my fiancée. She is the daughter of one of the elders. She looks excited to see me but I also see some sadness in her eyes. She stands in front of me and bows lightly.

-“Miss Ortensia, how are you?” I ask her.

-“My mother died, your Highness. The demons attacked and they took one of the Fruits of Life.” She explains and I realize how those demons passed over the Gate.

-“My condolences, Miss Ortensia.” I say to her. She nods at me and she walks beside me as I am going to my house.

-“You are going to leave again!” She says with sadness when I tell her that I must set off to a new journey.

I haven’t met with this fiancée of mine for a while. Our marriage was decided from our parents. We have only met about a couple of times and then, I received this mission. I don’t feel anything special for her.

On the other hand, she seems to deeply admire me and love me. I can’t understand how she loves someone she had barely met. Anyway, I need to rest for a while so I don’t have time for her.

The same day I woke up, everyone came to visit me and be sure about my health. The first one to visit was Dalion and then Tarragon. Gina also came together with Leonard Ostin.

Lucida who was staying with me, made some herbal tea for the visitors. As I didn’t get out of the house they had provided me with, they were narrating what they saw and did in this place. They also suggested to taking a walk, but I didn’t want to.

Then, one day after their visit, a female elf visited me holding a small wooden chest. There was the shell of a larva which leaved in a Orioli tree in it. It was the second ingredient I needed to make the metamorphosis potion.

The female elf guided me to a room which seemed to be a laboratory for alchemy. In there I could make the potion. Even though I didn’t have the book with me, my photographic memory was enough for me to know the recipe and the method of preparation.

That female elf became my assistant and helped me gathering the rest of the ingredients. I learned some new methods of culturing and preparing those simple ingredients, which made the final product more effective.

Her name was Ortensia and she was really willing to help me. She was gentle and patient with me. She must have been a master alchemist as her techniques were amazing. The final ingredient of the recipe was a part of the person you want to change into. So, she brought some Ork flesh.

With the ingredients I have I can only make three potions. So, three people will infiltrate into the Tower of Sin and will take my grandmother’s soul.

The potions were ready in three days. Three days were the time of rest of my companions. Of course, Lucida would follow me. Tarragon and Gina wanted to see this mission until the end. Finally, Cielo was ready to accompany me again.

However, one more companion was added and that surprised me. It was Leonard Ostin. He asked us to follow us and help us with our mission without even knowing what this mission was about.

He looked at me deep in my eyes with the crystal blue of his and I shivered for a moment. I could guess that he was really strong and capable for this kind of journey. He was a blessed human at least that was the characterization that the other tribes gave to people with the light attribute.

However, I didn’t know his intentions. At first, we didn’t go well together. He wouldn’t even talk to me. Then, during our journey to here, he was always sarcastic and caustic to me reminding me how weak I was. Now he wants to follow me again. I can’t understand him.

Tarragon and Gina didn’t have any objection. They even welcomed him as one more strong ally would be a reassurance. Lucida and Cielo hadn’t any opinion. Then, it was decided for him to follow us.

With that way, we had to explain to him the purpose of our mission. When he heard that we would travel to the Tower of Sins, I saw him tightening his fists and his eyes lightened with a dark light. I could see how he hated that place.

Anyway, with the company ready and a good plan in action, we are ready to departure once more.