(Varion Temple- The Interior Sanctum)

(A number of Hours Later…)

Evening had fallen and a full moon may very well be seen shining excessive above within the sky.

The temple was dimly lit by the quite a few torches and holy relics positioned all through the constructing.

The pope’s announcement on the grand meeting was nonetheless being broadly mentioned in hushed whispers however there was one place within the temple that remained silent.

The Interior Sanctum.

The residence of the saintess… no… the previous saintess Elisa.

There was a aspect room linked to the Interior Sanctum which served because the saintess’ private bed room.

Tonight, was going to be Elisa’s final night time within the place that had been her house for over 5 years.

Elisa sat up on the mattress and took one other go searching her room. It was sparsely furnished because the saintess was alleged to be a being with out worldly needs.

That was full nonsense after all however Elisa was pressured to take care of her look as a devoted and constant member of the church.

Cough! Cough!

Elisa huddled over in ache as a collection of violent coughs ravaged her already skinny physique.

Her frail look wilted, and he or she gave the impression to be on the verge of dying.

A shadow fell throughout the face of the previous saintess as she stared on the flecks of blood that now stained the mattress.

This was nothing… she had endured worse…

There was nonetheless a lot work to be completed.

Elisa closed her eyes and stretched out her proper hand in direction of the closest wall. Her palm rotated clockwise after which counterclockwise as she muttered just a few inaudible phrases.

A beam of sunshine burst out of the previous saintess’ proper palm however as an alternative of holy gentle this magic was darkish and scary.

It crammed the room with an aura of dying and decay.

If a mage had been within the room at that second… his worldview would have fully shattered.

What was popping out of Elisa’s palm was corrupted mana. Magic particles that had been contaminated with dying vitality.

“Nerium vontains eprer nrhe!” Elisa muttered quietly as she completed the mantra. A portal made fully out of darkness appeared on the wall.

Three figures slowly walked out of the portal and dropped down on one knee respectfully.

They have been members of a race lengthy considered extinct.

Darkish elves.

Pointed ears, stunning appearances and faces that gave the impression to be untouched by the ravages of time.

They seemed no totally different from common elves aside from their gentle brown pores and skin, muscular physiques and eyes that glowed pink.

The 2 darkish elves on the best and the left wore heavy plate armour and carried longswords on their hips.

The darkish elf within the center in distinction wore solely a easy white gown and gave the impression to be considerably older than the opposite two with wrinkles current on her timeless face.

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It was uncommon to see a darkish elf with wrinkles as their highly effective vitality often prevented any traces of growing older.

A bit of white cloth lined the center darkish elf’s eyes, but it surely didn’t matter as a result of she had been blind for the final 2 hundred years.

“We greet the princess,” the darkish elves spoke in unison as they made an odd gesture utilizing their palms.

Elisa remained on the mattress and stared at her subordinates with no emotion in her eyes. She allowed them to stay frozen in place for a number of minutes.

Regardless of her impolite behaviour, not one of the three elves within the room dared to even utter a single phrase of grievance.

Seeing her fellow darkish elves made Elisa really feel unusually nostalgic. It had been years since she left her house within the Merean Swamp.

However now was not the time for reminiscing.

“Stand up from the bottom,” Elisa ordered expressionlessly.

The three darkish elves rose up from the bottom and stood at consideration. The previous saintess acquired up from the mattress and slowly walked in direction of them.

“Soothsayer… plainly your imaginative and prescient was solely partially right,” Elisa coldly spoke as she approached the blindfolded darkish elf.

She gripped the elder girl by her chin and harshly pulled her face ahead. Cruelty and sadistic glee gleamed in her eyes as she noticed the prophet flinch.

“Soothsayer… soothsayer…” Elisa’s unkind phrases echoed by means of the room.

“The actual saintess has certainly appeared however… you stated that the pope would maintain me right here for a number of extra years.”

“As an alternative, I now discover myself exiled to the outer areas… inform me soothsayer… did you expect that this is able to occur?”

Elisa’s harsh voice turned to a delicate whisper however her candy tone was like a serpent wrapping across the neck of its prey,

“Soothsayer have you ever gone mute?”

“Or maybe… is your capacity not as nice as you declare?”

Elisa’s eyes briefly glowed pink as she struggled to comprise her killing intent.

The aged darkish elf trembled and shivered as she felt the chilly scythe of the reaper cling above her head.

She wanted to say one thing. The prophet was accustomed to the cruelty of the princess and knew that her life may very well be simply misplaced.

“Princess… I… the long run…it… it… it adjustments! I can see the general image however generally the finer particulars are off!” the prophet unexpectedly defined.

“I nonetheless see it! The prophecy! You… you may be the one to finish the human race and produce a few new period for our individuals!”

Elisa sneered mockingly and eliminated her palms from the prophet’s chin. She walked to her dresser desk and pulled out a rag.

The room was in full silence as neither the prophet nor the 2 guards dared to make a single sound.

Elisa dipped the rag right into a bowl of water after which scrubbed the palm that she had used to the touch the prophet.

As soon as… twice… thrice…

She hated to the touch different individuals… they have been all soiled… unclean… filth…

Aside from perhaps…

Elisa shook her head and pushed the face that simply appeared in her thoughts to the again of her ideas.

A chilly girl with quick cropped blonde hair and sharp angular options. It was a face that she couldn’t overlook… regardless of how exhausting she tried.

Claire Blanlyn was a noble paladin who had devoted her life in service to the Lord of Gentle. She could be disgusted to find that the one she protected was a darkish elf.

A faux… an imposter… a fraud…

Solely when her pores and skin had been rubbed to the purpose the place blood started to circulation did the princess cease her actions.

She positioned the bloody rag again on high of her dresser desk after which turned in direction of her two bodyguards.

“How has the investigation been going?” Elisa requested calmly. The darkish elf on the best reached into his pocket and pulled out a bit of parchment paper.

Elisa took the paper from his palms and browse the contents on the web page. Her face darkened and a horrible chill crammed the room.

It was an inventory of names.

From rich retailers to excessive noble households and even sure higher rank members of the church.

There was one factor in widespread between the individuals whose names have been on this listing.

They owned darkish elves as slaves.

Elisa’s eyes narrowed in hatred, and he or she burned the names of each single individual into her thoughts. She would by no means allow them to go… regardless of the value.

If solely she had extra time….

In line with the soothsayer, she ought to have been allowed to remain within the capitol for just a few extra years whereas the true saintess assumed her place as the subsequent successor of the church.

That point might have been spent trying to find extra slave house owners and uncovering the soiled underground slave market.

However now she not had the possibility.

Elisa let loose a heavy sigh and stared out the window on the stars that twinkled and shined within the night time sky.

What had precipitated the long run to vary?

There was no use pondering that query now. Elisa rubbed her temples and centered on enthusiastic about her subsequent steps.

“Myrin take the soothsayer again to the sacred land for relaxation,” Elisa spoke in a drained voice. The darkish elf on the left nodded after which led the prophet again into the portal.

Possibly this may very well be a blessing in disguise.

The outer area was a chaotic place that was exterior of the affect of each the royal household and the church.

Gathering her energy and recruiting new allies was potential. A sudden voice interrupted Elisa’s musing because the remaining darkish elf spoke up.

“Princess… it might be tough to contact us with a paladin by your aspect…” Kharis whispered hoarsely.

“Would you like me to kill the holy knight that the pope has despatched to protect you? It’s potential to make it seem like an unintentional dying.”

Kill Claire?

Elisa’s eyes flashed pink and earlier than she might react her hand had already gripped the throat of her clansman and was squeezing him to dying.

“Do. Not. Contact. Her,” Elisa growled because the stress surrounding her physique intensified.

The shadows beneath her ft wriggled and squirmed as in the event that they have been alive.

The darkish elf held in her grip struggled to breathe as his windpipe was slowly crushed. He tried desperately to nod, and a hint of sanity returned in Elisa’s eyes.

“I’ve my very own plans for the paladin. Don’t concern your self with that matter,” Elisa spoke calmly as if her outburst of insanity had by no means occurred.

The darkish elf on the ground gasped for breath as air lastly returned to his lungs.

His palms couldn’t cease trembling as he remembered the look within the princess’ eyes.

He would by no means convey up that subject once more.