The Wandering Fairy

Chapter 293: Prison of Shadows and Reflections

Chapter 293: Prison of Shadows and Reflections The surrounding silence gripped Ynixia’s heart coldly, crushing it tightly beneath mountains of unease as the seconds passed. There was no mistaking the grimness of her situation. At this very moment, the Shepherd was practically boxed in from both sides.

Mordred stood ironclad, guarding the entrance to the throne room, while the Witch of Envy rested casually upon the glass throne itself, peering at her with that same, familiar gaze from above. She was mocking her, the soft flapping of Her ghostly butterfly wings almost made it too obvious with their gestures.

Ynixia grit her teeth. “Why in the Black Stars are you even here! You never bothered showing up to such events in the past!”

Her voice echoed for all to hear across the ancient, shadow draped hall. No reply came.

“Answer me!” She yelled again with persistence, but it was all pretty much a facade. Her mind was clearly much more focused on finding a path that could lead toward her survival.

She continued sheepishly eyeing the two legendary beings with obvious suspicion, awaiting a reply that likely might never arrive. Predicting their next move was practically impossible.

Though, If she had to be honest, Ynixia was grateful for their current inaction. Her desperate inquiries were nothing more than attempts at buying time. She needed to figure out a way of escaping this predicament, and fast.

Before Mordred’s arrival, Ynixia believed there was still a chance at victory against Morgan the Fairy. After all, the Black Flame incantations she was taught at the temple were said to be remnants of Oblivion Himself. Only she, the Holy Maiden, was capable of learning them.

As the story goes, these ghostly, black and white flames were said to possess the power of burning divinity itself. Although the ancient records chronicling such tales are mostly believed to be nothing more than myth, there was no mistaking its fearsome power, regardless of the penalties and limitations she might need to mitigate after using them.

Even though she and Morgan were several Tiers apart from each other, those incantations could still have bridged that gap with enough preparation and planning. Being a core member of the Avalon Empire meant possessing knowledge on its deepest, most sinister enemies, and the Lady of the Lake was certainly on these documented lists. As long as she could find a way to use Her flaws against Her, Ynixia’s chances at victory wouldn’t have been so slim.

At least… that would have been the case if Mordred hadn’t shown up as well. Her calculations had all become useless after that. Fighting a single semi-Ascended Grade being was already beyond crazy, but two of them at the same time?

That would practically be suicide.

As She continued analyzing Her surroundings, Morgan suddenly stirred—shifting slightly above the crystalline throne. Her dark crimson lips curled slightly as She uncrossed Her legs then crossed them again, slightly leaning back against the reflective seat while observing the cornered prey standing before Her keenly. The trepidation in Ynixia’s eyes was certainly delectable to see.

“So you want to buy time, huh? Interesting.”

Ynixia froze, her face turning pale.

Morgan chuckled. “Fine. I’ll give you the time you need. Do what you can to figure out a way to escape this predicament.”

Hearing this, the Shepherd couldn’t help but feel a mix of relief and anger. She clutched her fists tightly. It was a feeling that reminded her of how weak she truly was at the moment.

If only I had consumed the rest of the shadows in this castle before meeting Her… Damn it!

“As for your question…” Morgan sighed, oblivious to Ynixia’s thoughts. “I’ll entertain that as well, I guess. I’m very bored, you see. Remaining in one place for countless millennia weighs down on even the most stoic amongst us, you see. Especially when there is nothing to waste your time on.” She shook her head slightly.

Ynixia, however, paused after hearing a certain word. “Millennia?” She furrowed her brows, staring at the enchanting woman in confusion.

Morgan nodded with a slight smile. “What, does it surprise you to know I’ve been in this place for so long? Or perhaps you’re simply shocked at how old I’ve become… Indeed, I am nothing more than a simple old hag, nothing like the enchantress they used to call me.” There was a slight tinge of melancholy in her voice.

Ynixia frowned, shaking her head. “If all old hags looked and acted like you, Avalon would have vanished much sooner.”

Upon hearing this, Morgan broke out into laughter—her chuckles filling the entire royal chamber. “You truly are an interesting child. What an imaginative mind, indeed… No wonder Lancelot favors you so heavily.

“It makes me that much more curious about your dreams…”

“Just answer my question,” Ynixia clicked her tongue in annoyance. “What did you mean by millennia? Your age isn’t really that surprising to me—you were already a thousand years old by the time you met Arthur.

“No… what I find more fascinating is your willingness to sit upon that throne.”

The room once again sank back into silence. Ynixia stared deeply into Morgan’s ethereal figure, patiently awaiting her response. But… her mind had already formed its own conclusion. She was simply hoping for the Witch of Envy to confirm it.

As the legends go, the Throne of Glass was once said to possess a strange ability: anyone who sits within its crystalline grasp becomes enshrined… as a reflection.

You would essentially lose your physical body—becoming nothing more than a projection that your subjects can see, but never touch. It was through this methodology that the rulers of Hyades Castle remained impervious to outside attacks. After all, you cannot exactly ‘harm’ someone who doesn’t even exist on the same dimensional plane as you. And as for the throne itself, no one—not even those who possess the title of Saint—were capable of destroying it.

Back when the Azratheil and Aznacus families ruled Hyades Castle side by side, the lords of each house would take turns to sit upon the throne, becoming one with its power. While one family guards the lands, the other rules strategically from within these shadowed reflections, unafraid of any possible danger. And after several years, the two families would once again swap positions, allowing them to foster a deeper relationship.

Back then, many didn’t even view the two families as separate houses. The trust and devotion between these ‘seperate’ royal factions ran that deeply. And perhaps without it, the Hyades people likely wouldn’t have been able to survive the Age of Mythologies for so long.

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And indeed, just as the trust they had built crumbled to pieces, so too did their entire nation fall as well. Because the Throne of Glass was never meant to be just a symbol of power, but that of cowardice.

Ynixia clutched her fists, grabbing onto the seams of her ornate gothic dress.

“You know the drawbacks of using that throne better than most, Morgan. Although it does grant you some form of immortality, it also prevents you from leaving willingly! Unless someone wishes to take over your position on the throne, regaining your physical form is impossible! You can’t even use most of your abilities within its reflective prison.”

It was for this reason that the Azratheil and Aznacus families divided the duty of commanding the throne between themselves. Without a replacement, the house lords would have been stuck within its prismatic clutches for eternity. And… It was through this exact flaw that the Azratheil family managed to defeat the Aznacus family and their allies.

They took advantage of the fact that the Aznacus House Lord was already imprisoned within the throne during their fearsome betrayal. In the end, He as a Saint had no ability to interfere in the slaughtering of His own kin—watching helplessly upon the crystalline high seat as the people He was meant to rule over perished before His very eyes.

Of course, this horrific tragedy and the throne’s limitations that caused it were largely forgotten after Arthur’s reign. He

for whatever reason seemed unbothered by it at all. Sitting on the Throne of Glass never disadvantaged Him in the slightest.And that now brings us to the Hyades Castle of today. Although decrepit and forgotten by the annals of history, that disastrous flaw still remains implanted within that throne’s very existence.

Why would someone as cunning and careful as the Witch of Envy purposefully subject Herself to such a scenario? In fact, Ynixia might have never even bothered attempting to fight Her with the Black Flame incantations if she wasn’t subjected to such harsh restrictions. The incantations she wanted to castwere said to have been used against divine beings, so this was the perfect opportunity to test them against the Throne of Glass and whoever occupied the royal seat.

Because of how illogical all of this seemed, Ynixia could only assume one thing: Morgan might have never willingly chosen to sit upon the throne on Her own.

Perhaps… Perhaps She was forced to do so by someone else. And not recently either—thousands, if not tens of thousands of years ago…

As if reading her thoughts, the Lady of the Lake finally answered. “Your assumptions are indeed correct.”

“How… How Preposterous!”

“Is it really?” Her smile deepened. “Before your abrupt sleep, when was the last time you heard of me.”

The Shepherd imagined numerous fragmented scenes from the past, finding nothing that could prove when exactly she had last heard of the Witch. But although there wasn’t anything definitive, she could still tell that mentions of her had become rather infrequent for the last two or three thousand years… At least from her own memories.

“Strange…”

“It isn’t strange, child,” Morgan shook Her head in pity. “Why do you think this throne room was sealed after Arthur left the castle? To preserve His legacy?

“How laughable… In actuality, this place has been my eternal prison, and in a way, also my salvation.”

“Prison…” Ynixia’s eyes widened. “You mean you were sealed within this chamber for… for that long?!”

Dread coursed through Ynixia’s veins. She glanced around in utter horror. This place… It was absolutely void of anything interesting. Just the mere thought of spending an eternity in this place made her head spin.

There aren't even any books! Nor magecraft equations… Or anything to do for that matter! How can anyone mentally survive this?!

Although Ynixia herself had also awoken in a far distant future cursed by endless shadows, she had fortunately been spared from the pain of having to consciously deal with the passage of time. The coffin allowed her to rest peacefully, ignorant of the changes happening around her.

All of this made her rethink a few things. While there was no mistaking Soren’s insanity, this woman sitting before her was on a completely different level! Not even the most severe case of brain damage could ever compare to Her lunacy!

“You’re thinking of something totally disrespectful right now, aren’t you…” Morgan frowned slightly with a sigh.

“But truly, it wasn’t as bad as you make it out to be. When nothing remains, the mind usually steps up to fill in the gaps. I’ve imagined and written countless novels, theatrical performances, poems… I’ve pictured playing many games with myself, and have even talked to friends that are only visible to me.”

“.....” Ynixia was left speechless.

After a while, she shook her head with a sigh. “I just don’t get it. How can someone of your calibre be defeated so easily and sealed within this place? Although Arthur was stronger, He was still never able to catch you.

“Hyades Castle might hide many secrets, but it isn’t special enough to bind someone of your calibre forever…”

Silence once again filled the air. During this time, Ynixia had never stopped analyzing every nook and cranny of the place. Although there weren’t many ways for her to escape, the few strategies she had thought over did have a high chance of succeeding. Her Black Flame incantations were still her most useful trump card at the moment.

Behind her, the leviathan of a knight stood firm at the throne room entrance, guarding it with no qualms whatsoever. The woman he was carrying over his shoulder was also still unconscious, but according to her observations, Ynixia was certain she possessed one of the most important keys to their survival:

The [Card of Insight].

There was no questioning it. That golden card glowing ethereally amongst the shadows… she could recognize it even from several miles away. After all, it was what allowed her to form a bond with Soren to begin with. The contract it provided was essential for their fateful connection.

Soren must have instructed her to send me that card. Whatever information it possesses is likely crucial to our escape. He must have figured something out by now…

The question now, however, was how she was going to retrieve it. There was no way Mordred would allow her to approach so easily…

But before she could think any further, Morgan’s voice echoed across the chamber once more:

“My capture was inevitable, regardless of Arthur’s own capabilities. There was no defying that fate once He captured the Star Apostle’s heart. My resistance would have been a threat to His eternal rule—allowing me to roam freely would have been against the new Age He was hoping to create.

“Of course, it was also partially my own choice that compelled me to stay within this… gloomy chamber. Unlike King Arthur’s blindness, I saw with full clarity that His reign would never last forever, despite fate’s unwavering support.

“And so I decided to stake everything on that gamble. I willingly submitted to the fate he had manufactured and allowed them to seal me within this chamber. I knew that I would eventually prevail—I would be the last one standing amongst them.”

Her smile twisted into an even more sinister expression.

“And just as I had guessed, the world once again reflected my prediction. Not only did His reign actually end, it was He who chose to plunge it into darkness!How utterly comical!” She laughed hysterically.

Hearing this, Ynixia could only look away in disgust, clicking her tongue.

After a while, she turned back toward the witch, her gaze sharper. “So why haven’t you left yet? Arthur’s world has crumbled just as you had imagined it would. Why remain in this castle for this long?

“Surely you didn’t willingly submit to this imprisonment without coming up with a solution to escape, right?”

“Of course, dearest Holy Maiden.” She chuckled. “The solution to my woes already exists within this dark, forgotten castle. No… perhaps it would be easier to refer to them by name instead.

“It's someone you have always cherished… Someone I had cherished deeply as well…”

Hearing this, Ynixia’s eyes suddenly widened—a violent tremor ran through her body.

“You… Don’t tell me!”

The Witch of Envy simply smiled, feasting on Ynixia’s mortified expression through Her eyes.

“Indeed… It is exactly who you think it is~”