And so, Clairra visits the old mage in his humble home. She enters from the open door without knocking for she knows the mage is aware of her presence. There was no living room or any chair. She was directed to a messy room of books lying everywhere and the old mage sitting in the air, holding one in his hands.
“There is no way to get to the Sage unless he wants to see you, my dear priestess,” the old mage, Heije bluntly told her. He was not even looking at her.
“How important is this Sage? Why can’t I get to him?”
“Let me see,” he closes his book and with his wrinkly face looked at her, “he can easily turn the emperor of the North against you.”
“Fair enough.” Clairra clears her throat. “I am certain you know what troubles we have here on our land, old mage. You know very well that the demons are attacking us. I have to do some--”
“It’s always you that has to do something, my dear priestess,” the old mage interrupted her, “Why not the generals? Why have not the elders that live on top of that sacred tower? Why must it always be you?”
“Simple. I am the priestess of the land and I need to protect innocent people. They look up to me and it crushes my soul when an innocent one dies.”
“The men in this land are capable of protecting the weaker humans, my priestess. You need not of the Sage.”
“I do! The Demon Lord had come close to the tower and I shot a sacred arrow and it didn’t get any closer to him! It lost its glow!”
“It appears to me that you want the Demon Lord dead.” The old mage raised a brow at her, making her forehead crease. “Isn’t it what you want, my priestess?”
For a moment, Clairra fell silent. It does sound like killing the Demon Lord is equal to the rest of the world's peace.
“Once the King dies, the followers will stay in the shadow, barely stepping in the light again.”
“Wrong,” the old mage disagrees, his chuckle echoing. “You are so young, my priestess. They are demons. Once the Demon King dies, a new one will arise. They are not far from humans. Even us humans have voids in us.”
“If I cannot kill the Demon King then I should make him my puppet to control the good and the bad. I am sure his followers will follow him and I will control him.”
“Clever but he is not dumb, my priestess.”
“That is why I need to find the Sage!” Her voice getting a little high. When she noticed it, she looked away. “Please, old mage. I need to protect our people!”
The old mage had no choice and released a sharp breath. He finally stood straight and looks at Clairra defeatedly.
“The Sage bargains. He is wise and you are not welcome which you will explain yourself when you meet him. His conditions are pricey. You have been warned.”
“Th-Thank you! I will be careful and I promise I will re--”
With just the wave of the mage’s hand, Clairra was already in a hall with a ceiling so high and pillars surrounding her. It was dim in there and it smells of dust. She was not finished talking yet the mage had teleported her somewhere. This could be the Sage’s home.
“Hello? My apologies to have barged into your home! I am in need of you--”
“Who dares disturb the silence of my tower?” The loud scream of a man echoed in the hall had Clairre covered her ears. “Leave before I annihilate you!”
“I am the High Priestess of the East and I demand you to help me, Sage of no name! I will not leave unless--”
“Priestess from the East?”
Now the voice was calm and it was coming from-- Clairre turned and saw someone with white long hair. He has some kind of light ball in his hand and his eyes had no iris nor pupil at all.
“Ye-Yes. Are you the… Sage?”
“Why are you here, priestess? Who told you to come to my tower?”
“No one! I seek help from the old mage in our land and I was not wrong to ask him.”
“And you think I will help you as the old mage did?”
Clairra could not read the Sage. He has no look on his eyes and his ever-so-pale face has no expression to show. Does he even see her?
“I want to bargain,” she answered. That’s when she saw a glimpse of reaction. It was for a split second but it was enough to give her the audacity to try.
“What do you have for me, priestess?”
She has nothing to offer him.
“What do you want, Sage?” She turns it around,
“That’s a tricky question. I do not want anything, priestess but your life would be something I could grasp.”
“My life?” Her brows immediately knitted together. This is suicide! “How am I going to protect my people when I am gone?”
“That is for you to make amends for, priestess.” The Sage took a step closer to Clairra and they stared at each other’s eyes. “You want to control the Demon King and I have the perfect spell for you. Chain him with a kiss, be his bride and you will be a Queen that he follows.”
“What? That’s ridiculous! Kiss a demon and marry him? Have you gone mad, Sage? Is this what you mean that it will cost my life?!”
“Now, now, don’t be so mad, my dear priestess. This isn’t what you predicted but this is what it is.” An evil grin plastered in the Sage’s mouth. “What would it be, priestess? The death of many or the death of you?”
When Clairra could not answer, she was teleported back to the messy room of the old mage. The old mage, Heije closes his book and look at Clairra.“So? How was it?”
“He told me to come back when I have an answer.”
In her tower, Clairra prayed at her altar and seek guidance from the highest gods. She asked for guidance but like before, it showed her a different person from a different world.
“Why do you keep showing me this? What am I supposed to do with her?!”
She sat down on a chair and massage her temples. To chain the Demon King with a kiss? That is hard enough to do, what else to marry him? But who will he marry if she bargains with her life?
Serra recalled the lady in the Holy water. She rushed towards it, and her eyes grew. A soul from a different time that wants to die! I can switch us! But the questions remained in her. If they switch souls… this lady could attempt to die again. If only this lady’s soul she can go and bargain but it needs to be hers.
“Can this really work?” she asked herself. "What if she messes up like I will?"
With thoughts clouding inside of Clairra's mind, she could not sleep at all. Her days were outnumbered by the days the lady from the other era is counting her hours. She has to move but how? How is she supposed to kiss that demon?
Back in her spot where the pollen of the flowers glows, she picks one and sighed heavily. She pretended these flowers were dandelions and wished it was a little bit easy for her. Why was she forced to be a sacrifice? Why did her parents sacrifice her?
It wasn’t so long until Clairra realized somebody else’s presence and she turned to the same tree the Demon King was. She glared that way until those crimson eyes appeared.
“And once again you are here!” she hissed.
“Not bad.” She hears him say. “Last time you were busy adoring the flowers and I indulged with my time of peace.”
“Why do you visit once more, Demon King?”
“The moon shines the brightest in this spot. That’s why the moon flowers stay bloom.”
In a blink of an eye, the demon was already standing in front of Clairra. The unprecedented speed he has, made the glowing pollen sway in front of them. When it cleared they came eye to eye.
Clairra has never seen someone as charming as the Demon Lord. But it was not the case. She inhales deeply and calmed herself. Either way, she was going to die.
“Meet me here tomorrow, same time, demon. I have something for you.”
“I do not trust humans.”
“And I do not trust demons,” she fires back at him. His jaw tightened for a moment. “Do we have an agreement?” she added.
The demon looked away and back at her. "Tomorrow then, human."
"And you are here once more, priestess of the East."Clairra swallowed hard as she raises her head. She was scared of the tomorrow without her looking after her people but this sacrifice that she's going to make is for her people. And to the soul that's from another world, she hopes she doesn't try to die in this era as well. "I have decided," she stated. "I bargain my soul for that spell, Sage of No Name.""Very well," he uttered, taking heavy steps towards her and stopping when he was in front of her. His finger slowly lifted and touched her forehead. A crescent moon marking appeared on her forehead but after a second, it disappeared. "Your lips are to be touched by the demon's lips and he will be under your command.""Will it really work?"The Sage of No Name slowly nodded his head. "Once you do, your soul will be bargained. You're wise. You would not show up in front of me if you had not found yourself a solution, priestess of the east.""Of course!"For the first time, the Sage
Slowly getting Serra's consciousness back, she gradually opens her heavy eyes only to find a weird setup. She spent her time just gazing, wondering if it was the ceiling or a hood of a bed. Am I in heaven? She raises her hand and moved her fingers. It seemed real but her hands were looking softer than she remembers. She doesn't even remember having a soft bed. When she realized that, she abruptly sat up, looking at her surrounding through what seemed to be a thin curtain that was tied to the poles on each corner of the bed. Serra felt like she was in a lucid dream so she decided to pinch her arm but all she felt is a little pain from pinching herself."What in the world is this?" she murmurs under her breath. "Is this how it is to die?"Right at that moment, there was someone knocking on the door which made her look that way. Before she could utter any words, it suddenly opened, revealing someone who is as pretty as a sunrise. Perhaps an angel."You're awake!" the lady gasped the mo
(Serra's POV)The letter didn't contain why I couldn't remember living as Clairra. Written there were just details of who Clairra is, her responsibilities as a priestess and to take care of her husband-to-be. If I am really Clairra, why would I write that letter? Have I known that I would forget?"My priestess, is the temperature of the water just right?" Eyaren asked.I open my eyes and turned to her with a smile. "Yes, it is. I'm just really wondering why there have to be so many servants in this room when I can bathe myself." "I can make them leave, priestess.""Please do."Eyaren did as I instructed. Finally! Time for me to think. I still can't shake the fact that this seemed like a dream or an experiment. What if I was just saved to be fooled into thinking I'm in another universe? Scientists are crazy. The world has gone insane so it can be the answer.This isn't my only problem. I am going to get married soon to someone I don't recall ever meeting. Do I even love him? Maybe w
Once awoken, Serra abruptly sit up, wide awake while touching her neck with shaken hand. She feels alright, no pain or anything but she’s just scared. Was it a nightmare? She asked herself. “You’re awake,” a masculine voice said that made her look up. Her eyes immediately grew large to see the man who was draining her life in the nightmare. “It seems like your spell had worked on me.”Spell? What does he mean? Serra was left to stare at him with furrowed brows. Earlier she thought it would be the last pain but here she is ending up alive again. Strange enough, she don’t feel any pain in her body. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stated. “Who are you anyway? What’s your deal with me?” He raised a brow, a smirk forming at the side of his mouth. Sera couldn’t help but feel alarmed by it but she could never shout. “You tricked me, Priestess. And now you’re acting like you don’t know who you’re betrothed to.” It took Serra a couple of moments to finally figure it out. Thi
Serra was told to rest by the demon that took her. It has never occurred to her until now that she doesn't know his name yet. She couldn't sleep knowing she is in an unfamiliar place again. Why don't I check the place? Tiptoeing to the door, she reaches for the handle. Her face lightened when she found the door unlocked. She sticks her head out, looks right, and then left. There was no guard at all so she opened the door wider and stepped outside. The only lights were from candles and she felt terrified. "Ha! This is nothing compared to my way home in that other world!" She muttered and bravely made her way to the hallway. As she goes on, she finds scratched paintings and most of them ruined, hanging for their existence. Some of it is even on the cold floor already and she swallows hard, thinking about the danger she might encounter. Not long enough she finds herself in front of a staircase. This seemed to be a ballroom with a roof made of glass in which the moonlight reaches the
"Zeirux is the name given to me," he answers and before she could ask any more questions, he snapped his fingers and he was gone in an instant."What the heck?" Serra gasped. She knew this world is full of magic but to see him disappear like that shocks her. "I can never escape him if he can teleport!"The very next day, Serra woke up later than Zierux had expected so he teleported in her room. He got worried that the damn human who tricked him would get an upset stomach for not getting her meal at the right time. But as soon as he sees her in a messed-up sleeping position, he knew he was overreacting."Does she always sleep like this?" he mumbled, frowning as he strides towards her bed. Zierux stared at the priestess he once trusted, his eyes blazed with hatred at her betrayal. He can't seem to shake what had happened between them. That very night, he let himself feel what humans called love and on that same night, that feeling was taken away. A soft groan snapped Zierux out of his
The sight of food had Serra drooling and she could not help herself but dig in. She didn't care about what these men thought of her until this new guy asked. "Has the priestess always behaved like this?" She chokes on it and coughs, reaching for a glass of water. "I hear the Priestess is scary but I see you're a joker," he added.How do I act? she asked herself. How the hell does a priestess act? Ah! Right! Royalties in movies! I'm sure they use more words and go around the bush!Serra clears her throat and fixed her posture before smiling at Narth. "My apologies. I could not stop myself from seeing the delicious meal prepared. I shall keep in mind the persona that you have in me."The trembling of her legs was quite obvious to Narsh and he smiled it away. "Forgive my calling you a joker," he apologized and she flashes a smile. "From today on I will be attending you on the sideline. If I may ask, how are you finding the maids?""I just met them," she answers. It would be useful if
"This is my town?" Serra asked in disbelief, looking at her surrounding. It was packed with people since it was the central market where people bargains for their goods or sell off their potions or whatever things they have. "Life here is so simple!" Like the rural areas in the other world, this is so like it. There are stalls everywhere. She wonders if the outskirts of the land are as lively as the central city. Since they didn't have much time to explore, they needed to teleport here. She could not complain because if the Demon King knows of their disappearance, it will be an earful."The streets are packed so I suggest you don't wander too far, sister." Serra looks back and opened her palm which Narth had stared at with a raised brow. "And what is that?" he asked."Hold my hand so we don't lose each other," she cheerfully answered."I shall not," he said. The warmth was dangerous but he dare not say. "It is not good that I hold the hand of my brother's bride.""Ridiculous!" She in