We turned into the corner, a small tavern came into view, its wooden sign swaying gently in the light breeze.
A glowing lantern with a dark raven perched at the top was clearly painted against the weathered wood. Warm light spilled from the windows, softly illuminating the street, while muted voices from inside conveyed an atmosphere of cautious watchfulness.
This is it. A traven named Veiled Lantern, and a secret guild house of Mortem.
"Is this the place you are looking for, my lady?" Revan warmly asked.
I nodded. "Yes, this is it." I replied.
Revan opened the door, nodding for us to enter first. Inside, rough wooden tables filled the room, and a few patrons glanced up briefly before returning to subdued conversations. The atmosphere was tense yet quietly welcoming.
Zilda beside me looked at me in confusion, "My lady, what kind of business do you have here?" She whispered.
I hesitated for a moment, "I... It's nothing special. I just need to meet someone, and ask some questions." I replied.
Revan's eyes darted sharply as we moved further into the tavern, carefully scanning every shadowed corner. The soft murmurs and wary glances from the patrons made it clear that trust was a rare commodity here. Each step we took felt like walking a fine line between safety and danger.
He stopped at the farthest corner table and motioned for us to sit. We complied silently, settling into the worn wooden chairs. Shortly after, a server approached, a man whose face bore the visible marks of countless battles, his expression guarded yet professional.
"Snake or crow?" he asked, directing the question to Revan.
Snake or crow. Those were codes, snake is for a pass to meet with Mortem and make a request, a crow is for seeking informations.
Revan shook his head. "None of those."
The server's eyes flicked toward Revan, a hint of respect mixed with caution in his gaze. He nodded slightly before turning his attention back to me.
"Then what will you be ordering, my lady?" the server asked, voice low and steady.
I glanced briefly at Revan and Zilda, "Both. Snake and crow." I answered firmly.
Revan and Zilda's eyes locked onto mine, a silent question hanging heavy between us.
"My lady, what do you mean?" Zilda asked quietly, confusion clear in her voice.
Leaning closer, Revan murmured into my ear, "My lady, he is not asking about food or drink." His tone was low and cautious.
I realized the weight of my words, but there was no room for hesitation. Lives depended on this.
I faced Revan, "Sir Wilom, I need you to do me a favor. I'm not asking you to withhold information for Evander, but please don't stand in my way. Like your commander, I have many problems to bear. I don't need a hindrance who will get on my way." I stated, my voice steady but commanding
His expression flickered between confusion and concern. Beside him, Zilda stared at me, disbelief and a complex mix of emotions gleaming in her eyes that I couldn't decipher.
"I need both," I said. "I require answers and assistance."
The air grew heavier, the reality of my request settling in. The path ahead would be perilous, but there was no turning back now.
Revan rose from his seat, "Then, I shall oblige, my lady." he said, his voice low and respectful, barely above a whisper.
The server regarded me with a measured look before nodding slowly. "Very well. Wait here. Someone will see you shortly." He said before leaving.
We waited quietly, the soft morning light streaming through the dusty windows. The low sounds of early patrons and shifting chairs filled the room, but our corner felt tense and still.
After a few minutes, a tall big built man came and stared at us.
"You asked to see Mortem," the man said, his voice calm but guarded.
I simply nodded.
"Follow me," he ordered.
I exchanged looks with Zilda and Revan, then we rose and followed the man. Leaving the bustling room behind, we ascended a narrow staircase leading to the second floor.
We stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.
The man faced me, "Only one may enter. Leave the knight and the maid outside." he said, his voice was firm.
I had sensed it before that they knew who I was. It was obvious they recognized Revan, but I couldn't understand how they know me.
"I understand, but Sarul allowed me at least-" Revan began.
The man silenced him with a chilling tone. "Knight." he said, voice sharp enough to send a shiver down my spine, "Do not complain. You know the rules."
Beside me, Zilda whispered, "My lady, is this truly right?"
I offered her a small, confident smile. "It will be," I assured her.
I steeped forward, "I understand. Then, I will enter alone." I said.
Before Revan could respond, I fixed him with a stern glare. He fell silent, bowing briefly but bitterly.
The man then pulled the door open just wide enough for me to slip inside, then motioned for me to enter. I stepped into the dark room, confusion settling over me as shadows swallowed the space. Reflexively, I glanced back and saw the door slowly closing behind me, sealing me within the gloom.
I swallowed hard, feeling my heart pound faster than ever.
What the hell?
I glanced around nervously. Suddenly, the lights flickered on, and a cool gust of wind swept through the room, drawing open the curtains by the window and pulling back my hood. Seated at the table, bathed in the gentle morning light, was a figure cloaked in black, their face hidden beneath a deep shadowing hood.
"Welcome, thirteenth child."
A woman? Thirteenth child?
"Do not be afraid and have a seat child."
With a flick of her finger, a chair suddenly appeared across from her. It caught me by surprise.
She's a magician? Or a witch?
"I am neither," she said, amusement lacing her voice. "Sit now, child, for I will answer all your questions."
I hesitated, the unease swirling in my chest battling with the desperate need for answers. Slowly, I lowered myself onto the chair, the wood creaking beneath me.
"Who are you?" I asked bravely.
The woman leaned forward, but I still couldn't see her eyes.
"I can't tell you that," she said. "But I am here to answer all your other questions."
What? This isn't what I came for.
Devron Astral was the master of Mortem, the man I hoped to meet, to strike a deal and gain information. Yet instead, I had been led to this mysterious woman.
The woman's laugh was soft but tinged with knowing amusement. "You are all different, yet your thoughts run along the same lines," she said cryptically. "But your thoughts were wrap with those memories, yes?"
My brow furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"This is your second life in your memories right?" She asked, "In your knowledge you had life before but then died and woke up here... you are wrong."
I frowned, struggling to grasp her meaning. "What do you mean I'm wrong? I remember my past life I- you... know?" My eyes widened in surprise.
"How...?" I whispered.
She smiled faintly, "I know everything," she said softly. "Your memories, your doubts, the moments that haunt you. The life you think you lived is only a fragment of the truth."
My heart quickened.
"Then what is the truth? Tell me." I said.
"Norielle Graham," she called, "This is not your second but seventh and last life."
What?
I froze as the weight of her words crashed down, a shiver running down my spine.
"Seventh and last life?" I whispered, disbelief twisting through me.
"Yes, because of the Gods blessing you are able to live your life, suppose to be it was only six live but of someone's mistake it became seven." She continued talking, "Your curse were that you live six life all over again with memories, to suffer the same end. But someone tried to turned the world upside-down on your fifth life that your soul went to ano-"
I stared at her angrily, "What nonsense!" Anger fuel me.
Six life? Seven life? What the hell.
The woman remained calm and unyielding. "Your soul went to your parallel world so the Gods granted you your seventh life after dying foolishly." She continued.
Huh?
I can't understand what to feel, a swirl of emotions raging within me confusion, anger, disbelief.
I clenched my fists, struggling to steady my breath. "Wha... you're saying I am Norielle? In each of my first to fifth lives? All seven?" My voice trembled with disbelief.
She chuckled softly. "Oh, you have become smarter after your sixth life."
The hell?
She nodded slowly. "You are right," she said. "You lost most memories from your previous lives during your sixth life, but not entirely. Though those five lives ended the same, each was lived differently. Your mind grew confused, weaving new memories from scattered fragments, creating a mosaic of past and present."
My head suddenly hurts, then something hot came dripping from my nose. I already knew what it is so all I did was wipe it with a handkerchief I brought with me.
I chuckled in disbelief, "So I'm the pitiful wicked Norielle, after all this time?" I asked. "It's kinda funny, then, let me hear the rest."
She let out a sigh, heavy with disappointment yet tinged with a strange affection. "After all, no matter what, it is still you," she murmured. "Yes, you are."
"What do you mean by me being the thirteenth child? And the curse?" I asked, my voice edged with indifference.
Truth be told, I hardly cared anymore. I had already lived through my second life, those previous five held little meaning now. I might as well just end everything and rest.
She looked at me, her light pink eyes full of pity and sadness that burned through my chest.
"I won't let you," she said, her voice soft but firm.
My brow furrowed. "What nonsense are you-"
Before I could finish, a sudden force lifted me off the floor. A fierce gust of wind tore through the room, twisting the shadows into a chaotic swirl. Then, a blinding flash of light exploded before my eyes.
Thud.
I crashed onto the wooden floor, the air knocked from my lungs.
"What the hell?" I gasped, fury flaring within me. "That damn bitch!" I shouted, my voice echoing sharply through the room.
The door burst open, and Zilda and Revan rushed in. With Zilda's steadying hand, I slowly rose to my feet, still trembling from the sudden assault.
Zilda looked at me with worry and asked if I was okay, but I only nodded because I was too overwhelmed to speak. Meanwhile, Revan spoke to Sarul, asking questions but getting frustratingly few answers. I was left with so many unanswered questions, my mind swirling with confusion.
As I gathered my thoughts, I looked around and saw that I was inside an old and abandoned storeroom. The walls were cracked, and broken things were scattered on the floor, making the place feel quiet and forgotten.
That woman is definitely a witch.