The Royal Mark-Chapter 282: Eternal Punishment
The three women hastily head to the infirmary only to find a room with a few healers and empty beds.
"Where is the King of Arcanis?" Rylie asked one of the healers.
"King Christopher was feeling better already especially when he saw Prince Rocco after Kaizer brought him here. So when King Allister visited him together with Madam Valeria and Princess Milda, he went with them. I think they are going to check on Princess Neia since they asked one of the water mages to go with them," the healer said.
"Did they ask Kaizer to go with them?" Elsa asked.
"Yes, I think so, since they are all left together."
"Thank you," Elsa uttered before dismissing the healer. "Let’s go to Neia’s room, now..." she told Rylie and Arla.
The infirmary was located near the main entrance of the castle to provide easy access to the citizens and wounded soldiers while the guest rooms were located at the back of the castle where it was quiet and serene. It also provides the best view of the flower garden.
It was a long walk but Elsa urged Arla and Rylie to walk in haste in fear that Milda had already performed the counterspell since she had the three elements that she needed to complete it.
When they arrived in the guest wing, the door of Neia’s room was open, and the sound of panicking voices inside made them run towards it. What welcomed them was a half-shifted princess and two kings holding her down.
"What happened here?" Elsa asked Valeria who was in the corner of the room comforting Milda who was shaking and sobbing.
However, instead of her grandmother, it was Milda who responded to her inquiry. "I swear, I followed the instructions in the book meticulously. I replicated the same steps we took earlier with Laureen. But instead of improving, she suddenly exhibited that behavior.
She became furious and seemed on the brink of transforming, but then she let out a loud scream, as though in pain, and didn’t fully shift. I’m at a loss for what went wrong. I assure you, I didn’t intend to cause her any harm!" Milda continued to cry, afraid of having made an error.
"I believe you," Elsa said in a low voice.
"You do? Then why is she like that? Is it because it was not you who cast the elements needed?" Milda questioned, she was confused about what was happening to the Princess of Arcanis.
"No, not because of me and you did not make a mistake. It was bound to happen..."
Elsa walked towards Neia and hovered her hand above her face. "Aer Erit," she uttered.
Neia gasped before falling unconscious.
"I blocked out the air in her body just enough to make her faint. Let’s hope that she’ll be calmer when she wakes up."
"What happened to her?" Chris asked and added, "Does this mean that the spell does not work on my sister because it was stronger and could only work on Laureen?"
"No, the spell worked. It saved their life. Laureen and Neia will live and will soon be fine. But the spell does not include healing their inner wolves. The wolves took the damage the most and unfortunately, they will die. It was the purpose of Yvonne’s spell anyway, and she succeeded..."
Both Chris and Stefan stared at Elsa flabbergasted. They both know that some werewolves are born without an inner wolf especially those who are half-breed. But losing them is a different case.
Their inner wolves are like extensions of their souls, something that can’t be simply removed when you want to. But it is something that both kings knew was possible. It is not common knowledge but it was not the first time that it happened in history.
"I see..." Chris replied with a loud sigh before carrying his sister and placing her to bed.
"Will her wolf die before she wakes up?" Stefan asked.
"I am not sure when will it happen, but it’s guaranteed. It may be today, tomorrow, or next week. All I can say is that there’s no way for us to save them," Elsa stated.
"What do you mean?!" Andrius arrived just in time and heard King Stefan’s question. "I thought the spell was a success?"
"It freed them from the witch queen’s spell, but the damage done to their wolves cannot be undone. I’m sorry Andrius, I don’t think we can still do anything. They will live and that’s the most important thing," Elsa replied.
"I know, but, for werewolves like Laureen and Neia, their inner wolf is part of their being. How can they live without them?" Andrius remarked.
"You are right. For us, losing our wolf is like losing ourselves, but I assure you that it will not kill them. There had been cases in the past where it happened. Those werewolves survived but together with their inner wolf, their powers and abilities vanished as well," Chris mentioned.
"So, it means that when a werewolf loses their inner wolf, they turn into a human?" Elsa’s curiosity was suddenly piqued by this new information.
"Indeed. Before the ancient conflict between angels and demons, werewolves, vampires, and witches were all once human. Our forebears were cursed for aligning with the demons, a punishment that endures eternally and passes down to all their descendants," Chris explained.
Milda finally stopped sobbing and asked, "Hmm... If that’s the case, Laureen and Neia turning into a human is not so bad after all, right?"
"It depends on the person. We can speak with our inner wolves ever since we are young, and losing them is like losing a best friend or a family member. But it’s worse than that since it’s part of us, so I think losing them is like losing your mind.
In the past, those who experienced it had gone mad and insane. Some even killed themselves. That’s how bad it can get. But like I said, it depends on the individual on how are they going to handle the misfortune..."
Both Andrius and Stefan clenched their fists after hearing Chris. Their fear just got worse and could only imagine what the two women do and feel once they learned that their wolves would be gone soon.
"Your Majesty! Your Highness! Please help my daughter!"
All heads turn at the panting voice at the door. They saw Laura holding tight on the door jamb as she caught her breath.
"Laureen..." Andrius murmured before running out of the room.
