Chapter 10: My Secret

Upon arriving at the castle, they received a new accessory for their uniforms: a brooch with the symbol of the Priests’ Shields and a beret adorned with a white feather. These items served so subordinate units would recognize those who worked directly for the king.

The king was quite debilitated, but he gave his blessing to the new warriors who would serve directly under the High Priest. His daughter greeted them and apologized for the moment not being ideal for celebrations, but assured them they would have maids and all kinds of support during and outside missions. They thanked her and headed toward their new quarters.

Helena was still deep in thought about what had happened in the forest and why she had responded to the blood the way she did, but soon she remembered what she had heard about Anna.

Helena (nervous): “Master… can we talk?”

Anna: “Yes, and I can already imagine what it’s about.”

Helena and Anna entered a luxurious room meant only for private conversations, while Mary went to her room to sleep.

Helena: “Master… I’ve heard the rumors about you, but I never asked what truly happened,why you killed your husband and your daughter. I remember you always said that, for a good relationship between master and apprentice, there should be no secrets. I’ve always told you about my fears, my feelings, my dreams… so I thought it would be fair for you to do the same. Don’t worry, I won’t hate you no matter what happened. I just want the truth.”

Anna exhaled softly.

Anna: “All right… I’ll tell you my secret and what happened. As you already know, Henrik and I were once lovers. Our relationship became shaken by uncertainties about the future, but on our last meeting we were together, and I became pregnant with my daughter. He never knew the child was his, especially because instant-message magic was only invented two years later, and I didn’t know if he was even alive.

I found a new love, an alchemist named Willen and we fell in love and married. He accepted my daughter as if she were his own because his family had died in a train accident caused when a group of raiders attacked to steal the cargo, causing the crash.”

Helena looked sad. Helena: “How awful… he must have been devastated.”

Anna: “Yes… but we found someone to share our pain with, and the short years I lived with him were the happiest of my life. We received a mission from the former High Priest, Calleb. It was almost like a war campaign against a cult rising inside the city with the intention of invoking two Voices: the Voice of Lust and the Voice of Despair.

My daughter couldn’t stay at the orphanage because she had parents, and besides, the place was full of children at the time due to a goblin invasion that had devastated a village. The orphanage was also being used as shelter for the homeless.

Calleb did everything to ensure that my daughter had comfort and safety while we were on the mission, even assigning ten soldiers to protect me. Norbit ,who at the time was a scout knight, the only one who did not go to the war happening near the neighboring country’s sea, was tasked with guarding me.”

Helena: “I didn’t know Priest Norbit had once been a knight.”

Anna: “He was, and one of the strongest. He used a glove with flexible claws that extended for several meters and cut through anything they touched. That’s why he was assigned to my escort, his relic served both offense and defense.

My husband was the one who created the protection circle that is now used to annihilate goblins. The Church wanted him to seal the temples of that cult to prevent creatures from the underworld from entering the city.

When we reached the temple, we were attacked by undead wolves, you don’t know them, but they were people with lycanthropy who released lightning. Besides being dangerous, they were extremely destructive. Half the group died before we even reached the temple, but we couldn’t retreat. If we did, they would head toward the city and spread across the entire country.

We entered the temple and I was holding my daughter’s hand. Suddenly, a red mist appeared along with several devilhands. Norbit was tasked with fighting them. There were so many that no one could keep track of anything inside that place. Willen cast the Salvation spell, but he was struck by a curse mark launched by the Voice of Lust, which began melting his arms. I didn’t notice that the Voice of Despair had placed a mark on my little girl.

I had to kill Willen… but I grabbed his manuscripts. And when I looked back… she was no longer my daughter. She had become a creature of exposed flesh and serrated teeth with horns, devouring one of the soldiers. I found a Freedom Gun… and I pulled the trigger.”

Anna began trembling, sweat dripping down her face.

Anna: “I never wanted to do that… she was my treasure, my only daughter, and I let her turn into a demon. The Voice of Despair laughed at me, and I stood there powerless, staring at the corpses of the two people I loved. I saw the Voice of Despair, a woman in a black dress, she attacked me, but one of her fingers was cut off by Norbit, who was ready to sacrifice himself. But Calleb used Willen’s manuscripts and cast a sealing spell, sealing the temple and stopping the chaos. I was carried out along with Norbit, and the bodies were removed shortly after. When we got outside, my daughter’s body returned to normal, meaning her soul wasn’t corrupted. The soldiers who witnessed it said that outside, five days had passed, but for us it had been only a few hours. That’s when the rumors began, that I had killed my husband and daughter to save supplies, and killed Willen because he was too weak for the battlefield.

I was so broken that I didn’t deny the rumors. We were welcomed with honors and celebrations, but no one knows what actually happened that day. The king didn’t allow us to talk to the newspapers or speak to the public, only that the priest had sacrificed himself to defeat the evil. Norbit took me to work at the orphanage with him, and we abandoned our posts. From then on, I became the trainer of the next generation of knights.”

Anna breaks down crying, and Helena hugs her.

Helena: “I’m so sorry, Master. I can’t even imagine the weight you carry. I’ll never leave your side, you can count on me.”

Anna thanks her apprentice and falls asleep in her lap.