The Devil's Cursed Witch novel Chapter 422

Flashback…

After piecing together the clues from Cornelia and Leeora, Morpheus left his nephew, Aureus, in the care of Erlos, before heading towards Millow Circle under the guise of the night.

The arrival of the Divine Eagle at her front door surprised the Black Witch.

"Pardon for the sudden visit, Zelda."

"What are you doing here so late in the night, Commander Morpheus?" Zelda asked as she opened the door for him.

"To talk about important matters."

"That vision?" she asked and turned to go back inside her home. "You could have come in the morning."

Morpheus followed behind her after closing the door. His gaze landed on the lit candle on the corder, its wax half-melted. "I can see you could not sleep after knowing that vision. I happen to be free enough to share your worries."

"As if your presence can ease that worry?" she chuckled hoarsely before sitting on the rocking chair. Her turbid eyes watched as he made himself comfortable on the couch. "The future has been written. We can merely be spectators watching destiny unfold before our eyes."

"What if… we can be more than spectators?" he asked, a carefree look on his face. "What if we can save a life destined to end?"

Zelda's expression hardened."What are you trying to imply?"

"Exactly what you heard," he replied calmly.

"Please do not make a fool out of me, Commander."

"I don't think there is any problem in this world which has no solution."

"It is a destiny we are talking about. There are laws that will never be broken."

"There is none?" He raised a brow. "Are you sure?"

Zelda averted her gaze from him. "There is none."

"Why do you not sound confident to me?" he asked.

Ignoring his question, her turbid eyes returned to meet his. "Commander Morpheus, the world does not allow us mortals to change a person's destiny. Birth and death, such a cycle, is part of the natural order of the world."

Morpheus quietly gazed at the old Black Witch, his thoughts unknown. After some time, he sat with a straightened back.

"Zelda, be honest. I believe you saw more things through Leeora's vision than she herself had seen."

Zelda stayed quiet.

"It is about Draven, isn't it?"

Zelda refused to respond.

Morpheus continued, "??As the saying goes, 'In times of chaos, it is the quiet observer who sees the most.' Those who caught a glimpse of the future might have missed many clues, but not you. You know for sure that the one stabbed in those visions was Draven."

Seeing the determination in his eyes, Zelda felt as if the eagle had already seen through the truth. Regardless of her confirmation, even if she denied it, Morpheus would not believe her. She nodded in the end.

"Do you think Agartha can afford to lose the King, Zelda?"

She shook her head. "I know we can't but—"

"Destiny? We can change it."

Before the witch could refute, Morpheus continued, "Imagine if the future you saw comes to pass. What happens after? Do you think Agartha will remain the same Agartha we know?

"You are one of the oldest surviving witches—how many wars have you witnessed? Twenty? Thirty? Before the tragedy of Lvenor a hundred years ago, there had been constant battles against the enemy humans. They massively outnumbered us back then, and we suffered many defeats and many of our people died in order for the rest to survive. The most we could do was ask the warriors of each clan to persevere and help each other out, allowing the weak and the injured to flee towards safety.

"Tell me. Who had been fighting in the frontlines? Was it not the Devil King of Agartha, the Black Dragon Draven?

"Who protected the races, buying them enough time to recuperate and train new warriors after every conflict? Who allowed the large races to coexist peacefully along with the smaller clans? Was it not Draven? Who was the only existence able to control all those arrogant old fogeys, whose pride soared through the heavens given they are strongest or the leaders of their kind? Who?

"Draven is the one who is holding Agartha together. With him gone, you know what can happen. Do you think I can handle the ensuing chaos on my own? My reputation might hold sway within the beastmen, but do you think those elves will bow down to a shapeshifter?

"You do not need the gift of foresight to see the future I speak of. It would be utter chaos. Forget the thirty or so Black Witches, even all the witches and warlocks would have no place in Agartha once the various races began putting the interest of their own kind first.

"Then, what if our old enemies began to take advantage of this? What if the humans sent an army of a million soldiers? Even if traversing through the mountains would take months for a marching army, they had succeeded before—they could do it again even at the cost of casualties. What if the black magic practitioners join in?

"Do you understand why Draven cannot die?"

The witch's thin body trembled in horror. Morpheus was not lying nor was he being an alarmist. Such a future was highly likely to happen.

"Zelda, help me," Morpheus persuaded. "I am telling you this because I trust you and your knowledge. Help me save Draven. Even if it is just a clue—"

"Destiny," the old witch started, "it belongs to the realm of the gods."

"That's good to know. That naive little female won't be able to bear the guilt of killing her own mate, but if it is her destiny to dye her own hands with blood, then the more reason for me to stop it. Otherwise, that weight on her conscience will ruin her life."

"You care for the King's mate," Zelda commented.

"I care for both of them," he replied.

"Care is a shallow word when you intend to die in his place. Such loyalty is unparalleled."

Morpheus bitterly laughed. "Loyalty? I wonder."

"King Draven will never approve of you sacrificing your life in his stead."

"Does it matter? Even if he complains, I will not be alive to hear it."

Seeing the warrior acting so willfully, the witch could only shake her head. He was taking the matter of his own death lightly.

Morpheus then asked, "The person, the weapon, what else? What are the other vital elements? I think I heard Leeora saying herbs and a few other things. Are they important enough to matter?"

Zelda nodded. "Lady Cornelia mentioned seeing camellia flowers, while Leeora saw wreaths and baskets of herbs."

"Herbs and flowers?" Morpheus repeated under his breath as he attempted to recall something he heard. "Few days back, I think Draven mentioned in a meeting about memorial gifts on the day of mourning. Perhaps this is related to that."

"That is highly possible."

"Such a kind gesture for each clan, giving their loved ones meaningful gifts, that will paint me in a good light. Those graves in the Netherfields were warriors. As the Commander, that gesture will suit me better than the King. What do you think?"

Zelda was bothered by his easygoing attitude, but she had to agree with what the Commander was saying. After all, with his imminent death, the least she could do was allow him to do as he pleased.

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A/N- The third book of "Devil and Witch" series has been launched today on webnovel app. It is a story of Dragon and a new queen of witches- A black witch, who I have mentioned before in this novel.

Title- The Devil's Betrothed.

It is the entry for WSA 2023 contest. I wish all of your support once again as this can be the last WSA I am participating in. Let's get a Gold this time, I believe we can. <3<3

You can find the novel in my webnovel author profile or you can simply search the title in webnovel app.