How the Emperor trapped a Witch

Chapter Ten: Aftermath

Note: Some swear words in this chapter as well.

"Something feels wrong." A guardsmen in front of the gate says looking out to the forest. "I don't know why, but I'm getting the heebie jeebies."

The air was quiet and still; like the world was waiting with baited breath.

The other guardsmen nods in agreement, his armor clinking softly. "It feels like something is going to happen soon."

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"Your finally here." Captain Kimbra says to me as I entered the room. "Took long enough."

"I had some difficulties." I sighed, setting down my bag. "Took me longer then it should of to get back."

"At least your here now." Captain Kimbra sits down and gestures for me to do so as well. "I might as well tell you why I messaged for you to come back immediately Alaric. It's about Celestia."

"Is everything alright? Is she okay?" I tensed up, ready to run straight to the woods.

"She's been acting strange." She says, watching me closely. "It got worse after you left- she came into town and set up a barrier. However, she wouldn't give me a reason why."

Captain Kimbra sat back, the chair creaking from the movement. "Do you know anything about it?"

"No." I shook my head. "I tried to ask, but she would always avoid it. I knew that she was stressed-but I don't know the cause."

"She wouldn't of set up a barrier around the town if she didn't think that something was going to happen soon..." Captain Kimbra pauses, staring at me. "Maybe that's why she sent you off."

My breath catches in my throat and the bottom of my stomach falls as I mulled over her words. 'That's why she was acting strange. She was trying to get me to leave... but for what?'

My question was soon answered as a guardsmen rushes into the room.

"I'm sorry Captain. " The man pants heavily wiping off sweat. "But there is a report of a fire in the forest and sighting of demons!"

Captain Kimbra and I look at each other before running out of the room.

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"This isn't good." I look up at Captain Kimbra as she pulled out her sword from a demons chest.  We were currently in the forest, but there was many demons blocking our path home.

A demon tried to sneak up behind me, but I didn't even glance back as my sword relieves it of its head. My eyes were trained ahead of me, where I could see trees on fire.

'Celestia.' I continued forward, taking down anything that dared to appear before me. 'You have to be alright. If not...'

Captain Kimbra trailed behind me until we finally arrived. I barely took in the fact that the barn was collapsing from tall flames and the grounds looked like a battlefield before locating Celestia.

She was being dragged back underneath of what looked like a humanoid demon.

"A higher demon!" Captain Kimbra gasps. "Sh*t!"

I watched him grab her and noticed that she was wounded with her clothes ripped revealing her soft skin- then something snaps inside me.

I released my dominating aura, intending on crushing his heart which cause him to freeze in fear.

I step forward, but Celestia pulled out her wand and pointed it into it's chest. Light bursts from the wand which turns the night into day- before slowly fading away.

I put down my hand that had shielded my eyes, and see Celestia laying weakly on the ground- the smell of blood wafting in the air.

"CELESTIA!" I rushed forward as she tried to sit up and caught her. I looked her over, seeing the deep wound on her side. "Celestia, look at me!"

Celestia looks up at me, looking confused. "Y-your here? Wh-yy?"

"Yes. I'm here." I pulled her closer to my chest, my heart pounding hard. "Your safe." 

"I'm okay." She murmurs "J-just nee-d to rest....."

"Celestia, you need to stay awake." I felt her go limp in my arms as I said that and started to shake her. "Celestia, Celestia!"

"Don't shake her." Captain Kimbra squeezes my shoulder, calming me. "Let's get her inside." 

I picked Celestia up as Kimbra opens the door and headed for her room, gently placing her on the bed and covering her partly with a sheet.

"There is a box of bandages in the cabinet to the left of the sink. Towels are in the drawer." I say to Captain Kimbra, moving past her to enter the study. I quickly grabbed herbs and potions for bleeding and infection then rushed back to Celestia's side. 

I placed everything on the bedside table and took a closer look at the abdominal wound. Captain Kimbra hands me wet and dry towels which I used to clean around the deep gash, feeling rage the more I uncovered.

The wound was deep, the blood was tinged black and shined like there was an internal light. I knew that wasn't natural, it had to be from the spell. Minutes passed as I carefully used potions and herbs on the wound before tightly binding it; causing Celestia to whimper in pain. I then took care of the other wounds on her leg and cheek. 

"Celestia." I brush her hair away from her pale face as she starts to stir. "Can you hear me?"

"L-let g-go!" She starts to thrash about, causing blood to stain the white bandages.

"Celestia! Celestia, it's okay." I grabbed her hands. "It's me. Your safe."

"Alaric..." Her eyes focus on mine and I place my forehead on hers.

"Yes. Your safe." I held her hand tightly to reassure myself. "I will not let this happen again."

Celestia suddenly starts whimpering again and curls up. 

"What's happening?" I tried to get her to focus on me again "Tia!"

She weakly gestures at the strange sigil drawn on her body and says "Gri...moire..." It only took me a second to understand before I ran back into the study and grabbed her Gilmore.  I place it before her and she manages to use a small bit of magic to open it.

I tear through the book looking for the sigil then paused once I did. Captain Kimbra reads over my shoulder and gasps. I knew what the sigil was and could barely contain myself: that demon had a easy death.

I wanted to rip him to shreds for casing such a spell on her. 

"What can we do?" Captain Kimbra's whole body shook with rage, her face extremely terrifying. "Is there a potion or a spell-"

"No." I cut off, setting the Gilmore aside. "There's only one thing I can do."

"Celestia." I looked down at the wounded witch. "Are you okay with this?"

She looks up with parted lips and swallows. "I-i knnow.I-i'm ssorryy" She shakes and squeezes my hands tightly.

"You don't need to be sorry." I soothed and smiled gently at her. "I will take responsibility."