Celestia: The Cursed Witch

xxxiv

A week later, Celestia was finally ready to leave for the South. She stood in front of Jeremiah's house, holding her bag tightly. Her training with Freya had ended two days ago. It was tough, and she had bruises all over her arms and legs, but she made it. The rest of the days were spent walking around the Northern Region, taking in everything. She wanted to remember the peace before going to a place known for chaos.

Flint stood beside Freya. They were having a quiet moment.

“Take care of her,” Freya said.

“I will,” Flint promised. “Don’t cause trouble while I’m gone,” he added. Freya chuckled.

“Just go before I change my mind.”

The group gathered in front of the gate with their horses. Leon, Esther, Theodore, Nash, Dan, and a few others from the Vlada clan were ready. Kieran stood beside Celestia, his hand resting protectively on her back.

Jeremiah and Freya came to send them off.

“Stay safe,” Freya said and hugged her mentee. “Do not forget what I taught you. It'll come in handy,” she added.

“I will, Aunt Freya. Thank you,” Celestia said, her voice a bit shaky.

“If anything happens, contact us,” Freya reminded her.

Before their group could leave, Jeremiah pulled Adelaide to the side.

“I’m going to wait for you again,” Jeremiah said, his voice low and serious.

Adelaide looked at him, surprised. He wasn’t smiling like he always did. His eyes were soft, and she could see the honesty in them. She paused for a moment, then gave a small nod.

Jeremiah smiled.

“That’s enough for me,” he whispered before walking away. “Go,” he added.

With one last wave, they left.

The first day on the road was peaceful until late afternoon. As the sun began to dip behind the trees, the group walked through a narrow path surrounded by thick woods. That was when a small group of bandits jumped out from the trees.

“Give us your food and gold!” one of them shouted.

Leon stepped forward without fear.

“Wrong move,” he muttered.

Before anyone else could react, Leon moved quickly. He dodged the first attack and punched one of the bandits in the stomach. Another bandit tried to stab him, but Leon twisted the man’s wrist and threw him to the ground.

One more bandit rushed at him with a long knife. Leon ducked low and kicked the man’s legs, sending him falling hard. The fourth one hesitated, but still ran toward Leon with a loud yell. Leon grabbed a nearby stick, spun it in his hand, and hit the man across the face. He dropped instantly.

“Stay behind me!” Leon shouted to Celestia and the others. “We'll deal with it. There's no need for your team," he added. Kiera nodded and stepped back, honoring Leon's leadership.

Nash joined in, pulling his short blades from his back. Two bandits went after him, but he smiled and blocked them with ease. One tried to sneak from the side, but Nash stepped aside and elbowed him in the jaw.

Esther stood behind a rock and whispered a spell. A flash of light burst from her hand and hit one of the bandits trying to run. The man froze, held by her magic.

“We should tie them up!” Theodore called out.

“I got it!” Dan said, pulling ropes from their packs.

Flint helped by kicking away weapons the bandits dropped while Dwayne stayed beside Celestia, guarding her closely.

After a few more minutes, the fight ended. The bandits groaned on the ground, tied up and defeated.

Leon wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at everyone.

“Is anyone hurt?” she said.

“No, we’re good,” Nash said, breathing heavily. Celestia looked around in shock.

“That was fast…”

“They were sloppy. They do not know this area for sure,” Leon said. “But we can’t let our guard down. There could be more,” he added.

“Let’s move before trouble finds us again.”

They left the bandits tied to a tree with a note for the local guards. Then they continued, hoping to find an inn.

Night had fallen, and they still couldn’t find an inn to rest. The group decided to stop by the side of the road to also let the horses eat. They built a small campfire, placed their blankets on the grass, and sat around the fire to eat a light dinner.

Celestia sat close to Kieran, but her eyes kept glancing at Leon. She wanted to ask something. After a while, she finally spoke.

“Leon,” she said softly. “What does the South look like?” she added.

Leon looked up from the fire. He was quiet for a second, then answered.

“It’s different from here. Hotter. The air feels dry most of the time. There are wide deserts, strong winds, and few trees.”

“Is it dangerous?” Celestia asked.

“Yes,” Leon said with a nod. “Very dangerous if you don’t know where to go. There are bandits, wild beasts, and even magic storms,” he added.

“Magic storms?” she asked, her brows pulling together.

Leon chuckled a bit.

“Yes. They’re rare, but when they happen, you’ll see lightning made of pure magic in the sky. It can destroy a village if it lands. I guess it was never written in the book,” he said.

Celestia grew quiet. Kieran held her hand tighter.

“But it’s not all bad,” Leon added. “There are kind people too. Villages that survived the war. The sunrises there are golden and strong. The wind carries music during market days,” he said.

“Sounds… wild,” Celestia said, trying to picture it.

“It is. But you’ll get used to it,” Leon smiled.

“I hope I can help,” she whispered.

“You already are,” he said.

The group stayed silent for a while, listening to the crackling fire and soft sounds of the night. Far away, a wolf howled, and the stars above lit up the dark sky. Everyone slowly lay down to rest, knowing another long day waited for them tomorrow.