Chapter 12: Infiltrating The Castle

It was already dark when Aria returned to the palace. Palace guards had fallen asleep giving her room to walk to her room without fear. She entered her room and locked from within letting out a sigh she had held all along. Leon had gone to his post so there was no need to worry on his account. She was about to head to her bed when a familiar voice startled, her stopping her on her tracks. She froze still tilting her head to the direction of where the voice was coming from. She felt knots form in her stomach as a dark figure came into view inside the dimly lit room.

"Lord Blackwood," she recognized him once he came out of the shadows, "what are you doing in my room at this hour?" He moved around the room ignoring her questions ,then came to a halt before looking at the princess suspiciously.

"Maybe I should ask you what you were doing outside the palace walls during the night,princess?"Aria heart hammered inside her chest as Blackwood eyed him with his poker face waiting for an answer.

"I....I...I was....just. I just missed the capital." She finally managed to form a sentence. Lord Blackwood seemed unsatisfied with the answer but he eventually nodded. But Aria sensed that he knew more about her quest in the capital. What if he was the one who had sent those people to spy on Leon earlier during the day.

"I will not tell your father about this, but next time make sure to be careful, my lady." He said that with a smirk on his face and left the room. How on earth did he know she left her room at that hour of the night? Maybe he knew more. What if she had left the magic book and he found it? Aria was sure to be careful dealing with Blackwood. She would keep an eye on him. But she was also grateful that he decided tell no one about it, especially her father.

Putting the stream of thoughts at the back of her mind, she climbed her bed ready for sleep. Tomorrow she would put into practice whatever she had learnt. In order to cope with someone like Blackwood, she needed a few tricks up her sleeve. She did not take long before sucumbing to the world of dreams.

I tossed and turned in my bed, unable to shake the feeling of unease that had been lingering in my mind since Blackwood left. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I was jolted awake by a vivid dream.

I found myself standing in the middle of a battlefield, the ground littered with the dead and dying. I looked down at my hands, and to my horror, I saw that I was holding a glowing orb of magic. I knew in that moment that I was the cause of this destruction.

Panic set in as I looked around, trying to understand what was happening. That's when I saw her, an old wise woman, walking towards me. She had long grey hair and a serene look on her face. As she got closer, she spoke in a clear and calming voice "With great power comes great responsibility, young one. You must learn to control your powers if you want to use them for good."

I knew she was right. The guilt and shame of causing this destruction was overwhelming. I could feel my eyes stinging with tears. The old woman continued, "You are not alone, there are others like you, who possess elemental powers. You must find them and learn from them."

I awoke with a start, my heart racing. I knew that this dream was a sign, a call to action. I couldn't ignore the responsibility that came with my powers. I needed to find others like me and learn how to control my powers before it's too late.

As I lay there in the dark, I couldn't shake the feeling of fear of the destruction my powers can cause. The book had clearly stated that magic can overwhelm its vessel who would lose control over it if not well controlled. Now I understood the meaning of those words clearly. Who the hell was that woman. I tried to figure out her face but the more I tried, the harder it became. I gave up and went back to sleep. It would surely be a long night for me.