Beings of Aqina

Chapter 5: The pact with the devil

The pair met up at a mezzanine, overseeing a place of howling monsters. Master Harland and Lady Frieda behold the grounds of down under. They gazed upon the thousands of beasts, small and large, trapped in their elemental enclosure. A zoo of magical creatures at the mercy of the corrupted healer's guild. Harland stood at the edge of the scaffolding with a head dressing covered around his forehead. After two weeks of applying the fairy fungus ointment, he still suffered. Rath's bites were poisonous, and they had a tinge of stinging magic. His head throbbed with blue veins almost popping out from his skin.

Lady Frieda just watched, almost entertained by the sight of his suffering. She was clean from any effects. No scratch marks and no bruises. She gave a light smirk to Harland. Frieda thought she did better. She believed her abilities were greater and her ascension to a higher class would soon be a reality. She proved it and all against the Adamas Canem. "Take it easy, Harland. You don't want to leave a bad impression during the annual feast," Frieda said.

"I suppose you're right, lady Frieda. But, even with this infectious disease crawling under my skin, my powers would still usurp even the strongest of them," Harland replied. His swelled-up eyebrow carried itself, barely revealing his eyes to the lady.

"I think not," she said, gleaming with her self-confidence. She struts the platform turning away from Harland as she returns to higher grounds.

The Healer's guild annual feast returns on the eve of autumn. Once a year, the men and monsters rejoice over the sacrifices that they have made throughout their journey. Their servitude is a symbol of commemoration to their goddess, Aqina. To save and protect those who were weak. And to remember those who are dead. The guilds of the land shared the same principles. All of them were the servicemen of the people. Long after the disappearance of the astral beings, the guilds were the sole protectors of the realm, the repelling force against the soulless beings. For many years they served, and for many years they perished.

"The one who rules the healer's guild governs the land." A popular saying within the establishment. Years after the goddess departed, her subjects were left disarrayed. Many tried to establish authority. Leaders came and passed, and commanders ruled and died. The evils that were brought forth from the depths of eternal damnation steal the souls of the people of Aqina. Little by little, the demons beneath corrupted the minds of even the righteous and true.

Underneath all the chaos, an astral prime set forth on a mission to lead the healer's guild. A grandmaster of the elements, Morbus prime, came to power. He and all his followers succeeded in sealing the abyss of damnation during the war of the five. His struggles made him the first-ever guild leader, maintaining his decade-long position.

Both pillars stand before the throne room, though no throne was seen in sight. The two great pillars stemmed under the marbled floors. No room for a monarch; faith was the ruler. The towers were tall, eclipsing every member of the room, with two gods' statues placed at the top of each of them.

Aqina, the Goddess of Life, possessed the great powers of the five anima spells. Hers was the power of rebirth, Eftacen. Then comes Artemis, the God of nature. His disciples and followers were the creatures that roamed the earth – beast and trees alike. So were the very fabric of every world there was.

Harland followed Frieda steadily. His march was slow and calm. His age affected his posture. He glanced around, watching the rest of the masters taking their seats, hungry after a day of hunting. Though Frieda was still up and about, she had a strong bond with her peers, a necessity when one is eyeing the chance to prove herself.

"Lady Frieda, I believed you had the wolf in secure containment?" Said Volgar. A general of the healer's guild. His golden cloak shined brightly into the moon rays, a badge of honour that any master would murder to obtain. "Yes, the young wolf did not pose any trouble for me. Though, I could imagine most casters in this hall would," she replied. Her chalice of wine filled lesser than the rest. The lady was cautious, always seeking opportunities when others were not.