The Alpha's Blind Fate
Chapter 35: At The Moon Shrine

Chapter 35: At The Moon Shrine

MOON

Zina’s attempts to hold in her screams were futile the moment her hanging shoulder was snapped in place by the healers that stayed at the Temple.

Her scream of pain still managed to resonate in the Temple through the gag lodged in her mouth. Such was the terrifying height of pain she found herself in. Being without a wolf was indeed tasking. With her body lacking the ability to heal itself, Zina did try to get by each day at the palace without inflicting pain on herself. But that mission itself was impossible considering her pathetic life was partly in Eldric’s hands.

A fact that she had worked so hard to change. For six suffocating years, it was true that she had lived quite the life.

Sybril, one of the elders of the Temple regarded the Theta impassively, then spoke. "So the king has made up his mind to murder Daemon NorthSteed? Do you think the Arctic Wolf has caught wind of your plans?"

"He is not wise enough." Zina simply gritted through the pain.

Sybril, an old woman who was born and raised at the Temple regarded the Theta of the NorthSteed pack without emotion. The very woman that all of the Arctic North worshipped, and whose fame spread throughout Vraga. Currently, the woman rumoured to be the reincarnation of the moon goddess herself was very much human. If anything, she looked like a fragile thing ready to break at any moment.

Sybril striked her staff against the imposing ice rocks that decorated the Moon Shrine of the temple. "You must be careful." She said to the Theta, her words holding a hint of warning.

Zina WolfKnight merely shrugged her black dress on the moment the healers were done resetting her ailing joints back in place. Even though it still hurt to move her hand, she stood listlessly.

The Moon Shrine of the temple of the Arctic North was one of the three shrines that existed in the temple, and a space that had become Zina’s abode. The Moon Shrine was a natural space that boasted ice-like boulders, and a natural waterfall that gave way to a hot spring.

Parts of the grounds were eroded, and the hot spring flowed through them. It was in great contrast to the ice hardened rocks that stood as wedges, an unnatural phenomenon dubbed the handiwork of the gods. The roof of the natural space was a transparent, rare glass that showed the stars and moon whenever they hung in the sky.

How the hot spring did not melt the ice rocks, and how the ice rocks did not freeze the hot spring was a mystery inlaid in history. However the place was termed one of the highly spiritual places in the Arctic North.

Loving the calmness the space exuded, Zina had been grateful when the Temple allowed her to use it as a permanent residence. While their reasons had been that Zina’s powers were befitting of such a highly spiritual place, Zina had needed it for more selfish reasons.

In the days when she needed escape and reprieve from the Arctic Castle, the Moon Shrine was a place of rest. Just like now.

Zina faced Sybril, resting her blind eyes on the woman who looked frail and yet possessed an innate strength she easily exuded.

"I need the Temple’s help," she said in a pleading voice, "I can’t afford to journey to the GreenLands now."

Sybril said in a harsh voice. "Whether you want to or not is not up to you. The Temple has tolerated enough of you pulling the weight of your powers around. They will not go against the command of the Alpha King."

In a tight voice Zina gritted. "You know that I still have a lot of work to do here."

The woman sighed heavily, as if burdened by terrible news. "The Temple will be incensed when they get to know what you’ve been doing. It is one thing to declare the banished prince the saviour that will be fighting against the Deformed. It is another to attempt to pull down the Alpha King whom the temple have pledged their loyalty for."

Zina sighed just as an overwhelming despondence came over her. She wasn’t surprised that Sybril knew of the underhanded tricks she played at night. Just at that moment, Seraph came back from the mission she had sent the maidservant on.

Sybril glanced at the maidservant, then rested her ice glare on Zina knowing yet again what she had done. She believed in the dreams and nightmares that the Theta had painted for her. A nightmare of a world that would be eroded by monsters, and a dream of a world where the banished prince would rescue them.

They were treasonous, and yet, Sybril believed in her. But even Sybril could not help but think that the Theta’s motives weren’t entirely selfless. Something smelt of self harm in it.

Pinching the area between her eyebrows, Sybril asked. "Are you so desperate to die? What have you done again?"

Zina looked away, shame and another emotion she could not point burning at her. "Tonight, everyone will tell the story of the reincarnation of the moon goddess, and the great beast wolf."

Sybril striked her staff against the ice boulder again. "You really want to die. If the banished prince wants the throne, he can take it himself! You mustn’t do such unnecessary things!"

"Unnecessary?!" Zina screamed, and Sybril was taken aback. "I do not see, but do you know the amount of abomination I’ve seen in the palace?! Eldric NorthSteed is no king! And I feel responsible that he is the one on the throne!"

The atmosphere stilled in the face of her last words. Sybril regarded her impassively. "That responsibility is not for you to bear."

Zina, as if overcome with an emotion she could not voice out, gestured wildly. "I could hardly care to be self righteous at this moment. Do you know what they tell me they see at the city walls during the Taga meetings? Bodies of their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their husbands. Eldric has put everyone who is unable to pay the hefty taxes under the noose." Voice choking, she spluttered. "It is a pain everyday to not declare him a traitor.

"Your spiritual powers can only do as much. Do not cross the line again."

"Exactly! I thought I had power. The people worship me like they will do the moon, but in reality I am nothing. In the past six years, I’ve been no better than one of Eldric’s toy boys! It is why I must do this... lest I drive myself insane."

Sybril seemed to be mulling over what answer to give her. After some time, she spoke. "Go to the GreenLands. Use this opportunity to further your cause. That is the best thing I can think of."

In a choked voice Zina said, "Do you think I’ve not thought like that? Do you think I would make it there unscathed?"

"We shall take care of Lykom Lupus."

"Lupus is not the only problem. The rogues have joined the fray. And there are the high packs that form the Five Alliances, they find me unsightly!"

Sybril frowned, "I understand the Five Alliances, but the rogues? Why are they after you?"

Zina scoffed. "As if I would know the answer to that myself. Somehow, Lupus managed to convince them to take my life. The fact is, the moment I start this journey, I am not confident I will come out of it alive. Indeed, I also thought about how to use it for my cause. But of what use is it if I don’t get to the GreenLands alive. And then, there is the banished prince...."

"Do you fear he will take your life?"

"I would have rather preferred it if he did. But now, this feeble life of mine, I want to protect it for one more day. Surprisingly, many people have come to depend on it."

Sybril walked to her, clutching her shoulder in her frail, free hands. "You’re the Theta of the NorthSteed pack. You act as the priestess of the Arctic North even if it is not official. Of course many people depend on you."

Zina reckoned the woman in surprise. "A priestess?"

"Even though the Temple is cautious of appointing you as a priestess, I shall still convince them to acquiesce to you the benefits of being one. As such, you will have to journey to the GreenLands in the company of the Temple Knights."

Zina’s breath caught in her throat. "The Temple Knights? They only guard the Priests and Priestesses."

"Your vow of chastity already elevates you to the tier of a priestess. If it were not for your unclear background, you would have become one. Nonetheless, I am sure the Knights will not be entirely unwilling to guard the Great Seer of Vraga."

Voice choked with emotions that she could not swim out of, Zina said. "Thank you, Sybril."

In a hard voice, Sybril asked firmly. "Do you think it’s wise to mobilise the guild now that Eldric is suspicious of you?"

"I shall be extremely careful." Zina said not for herself, but for the sake of the members of the guild who now depend on her.

Sybril smiled sardonically. "What were you thinking when you decided to create such an organisation?"

Zina smiled sadly. She wanted to give Sybril an answer, but she didn’t know what to say to the woman was the reason why she mobilised an organisation of people that frighteningly resembled herself....

...people that were abandoned just as she was.

Zina took a step away in an attempt to leave. "I shall go attend the Taga Meetings. I find it is already late."

"Very well." Sybril said, not wishing to push further. "Be well, Theta."

"Be well, Elder Sybril."

The moment they stepped out of the shrine, Seraph who had been silent spoke in a slightly panicked voice. "Theta. I fear someone spied in my conversation tonight with the tales man."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.