The Devil's Cursed Witch

The two then appeared at the Spirit Shrine. This time, Evanthe allowed Sierra to enter the shrine to assess Morpheus' situation.

"No one outside the Coven is allowed to be here, but I am allowing because I need your help with something," Evanthe spoke.

"I will help you with what I can," Sierra spoke as she followed Evanthe.

"I want you to scry through his body and check his core," Evanthe spoke.

"Anything wrong there?" Sierra asked before holding Morpheus' hand.

"There is a strong power that is protecting his core. This power is what saved his core and soul from vanishing entirely." Evanthe informed, "I want to make sure I am not mistaken."

Sierra did as she was told. After a few moments she opened her eyes and looked at Evanthe who looked impatient to hear her.

"It's Ember. Her power is protecting him," Sierra answered, seemingly surprised herself at the finding. "And trust me, it's a miracle."

"Is it possible to even bring someone back from the death when their core was destroyed?" Evanthe asked, "It was a divine weapon, which is once used, nothing can save the person."

"You are right. Other than heavenly emperor, possibly no one must be capable of doing so," Sierra replied, "For one to do this miracle, they need to be equal to or on par with heavenly emperor. Ember, no wonder she is most powerful, and everyone back then feared her."

"I am sure she herself is not aware what she had done," Evanthe added, "But how did she even do it. Wasn't his soul meant to be perished after he was stabbed, and his core was destroyed?"

"Maybe desperation to save him must have made her do it," Sierra answered.

Evanthe recalled the vision she had on that day when Morpheus was hurt, and Ember had awakened her powers. "What you said makes sense. Before he could take his last breath, her powers surrounded his core and preserved what was remaining of his core and soul.

According to what I saw in my vision that day, I believe it happened that very moment when he was trying to stop her from destroying everything in anger. But it took time to show its effect, and everyone considered Morph was gone. Thankfully, Cornellia finally noticed the presence of his soul, or he would have been buried by now, not knowing his soul was still protected."

"What's your plan now?" Sierra asked.

"To wake him up as soon as possible," and Evanthe continued to articulate more of her powers to Morpheus' healing.

"I think we should get Ember's help once more to aid his healing core. After all, her power is what's protecting him," Sierra suggested. "At this rate you would end up losing lots of your powers and might take you time to regain them."

"It's alright. Not like I have to go fight any war," Evanthe spoke, not stopping her powers, "We cannot take Ember's help. From what I know, she is unable to control her powers. If we try, it might end up causing more harm than help if she fails to control them."

Sierra once again checked Morpheus' body and said, "His body is absorbing your power really well, but to bind his core, he would still need Ember's power. Otherwise, even if he wakes up, he won't be stable anymore."

"I can foresee the possible difficulties that might follow, but we will think about it once he wakes up," Evanthe said, her gaze turning serious. "In the world of beasts, what Ember has done unintentionally, can draw another meaning. If the beast clans get to know it, it would put Ember in difficult situation. Draven and Ember are happily together. We should not disturb their peace."

"What if we need Ember to stabilize his core later. How will you handle it?" Sierra asked.

"I don't know," Evanthe answered, sounding helpless, "but It might bring another chaos in her peaceful life. I only wish by that time we can find some other way to stabilize his core. For now, we need to conceal the fact that it was Ember who saved him."

After a while, Evanthe and Sierra stepped out of the Spirit Shrine, Evanthe visibly exhausted but she tried to conceal it.

"You scolded Cornelia, but you are doing the same," Sierra frowned.

"There is a difference between hers and my powers. I can handle it," Evanthe answered, "You dare not underestimate the Queen of Witches."

"My bad, Your Eminence. I forgot you are invincible."

Just then, Evanthe spotted someone standing outside the compound walls of the Spirit Shrine. Her lips curved into a light smile as her gaze met a pair of beautiful golden eyes staring at her from a distance, eyes she had not seen for the past two decades.

"He has grown up into a beautiful divine beast just like his mother," Evanthe mumbled, catching Sierra's attention and prompting her to follow her gaze.

"Is he Aureus?" Sierra asked.

Evanthe nodded and walked out of the boundary wall of the Spirit Shrine.

Aureus, who had heard of Evanthe's arrival, finally made it to visit her after taking care of the work that his commander uncle should have been doing. Since the day Aureus stopped the war between the Divine Eagle and Fox Clan, he was asked to handle Morpheus' work until he wakes up. Out of respect for his uncle, Aureus agreed.

He was hesitant to meet her, not knowing how he should feel seeing her after so long. But the moment he saw her, his eyes conveyed the emotions one would have upon seeing a long-lost family member.

When Evanthe reached him, he bowed to her, "Your Eminence..."

"Is this how you used to call me in the past?" Evanthe interrupted him.

Aureus raised his head to look at her, remembering what position this woman held in his life, one like his mother, his saviour and protector, the one who gave him home and people who he could call his own when he was left alone in this world full of dangers.

"Mother," he finally spoke, "I am glad to see you again."

"So, am I," Evanthe replied, "You make me feel proud as I heard a lot about you since I arrived here."

Aureus didn't know how to react to this praise, but he jumped to important part. "How is my uncle."

Evanthe's expressions were assuring, "Your uncle is tough bone to survive anything. Do not worry, he will wake up soon. And you do not need to thank me for that."

Aureus swallowed the same words he was going to say and simply nodded.

"Drayce told me how you protected Seren," Evanthe commented.

Hearing that beautiful name, emotions in his eyes changed to that of longing ones which he tried to conceal in front of Evanthe and asked, "How is she doing? Drayce as well?"

"They both are fine. When I left them, we had dealt with the difficulties coming along her coming of age. She is safe now," Evanthe answered.

'She is finally of age,' Aureus thought, his heart feeling unsettling. She was of age that meant she and Drayce would consummate their marriage. Drayce would mark her and form a mate bond between them, and then Seren would belong to her mate alone.

It hurt think that the female he had given his heart to, would not be his ever. Maybe, just like his uncle, he was meant to spend his life alone while praying for wellbeing of that woman and watching her happy with her mate.

Aureus collected his thoughts and pulled out a light smile that didn't reach his eyes, "Glad to know it."

Evanthe smiled back as she observed this young eagle when he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"Now you are back to your real home, I believe you will find a beautiful female for yourself as well and let me see another of my son happy."

To this, Aureus simply nodded and asked, "Any estimated timeline till my uncle wakes up?"

"In coming few days. Your uncle is keen on sucking my power dry, he is recuperating that well," she replied with a chuckle.

Aureus' gaze finally landed on the woman in white hooded robe, only to hear her, "I am Sierra, Seren's mother."

Aureus bowed to her as he greeted her politely. 'Seren's mother. Finally, she found her. I believe Seren must be happy.'