The Veil of Darkness
Chapter 315: Finding Answers (Part Three)

Chapter 315: Finding Answers (Part Three)

"Just like Light and Darkness, the dark energy can’t be destroyed either. You can’t control it, nor can you store it in something. Unless you find a way to seal it away just like my mate did back then, there’s no way of stopping it." Esmeray told her truthfully.

"Where to seal it then? It will need a whole lot of abandoned space..." Even before she could finish speaking, Annalise already knew the answer. So, she asked the next important question - "How to seal it then?"

Esmeray shook his head before answering, "I have no idea. There are powerful spells out there used for creating seals but not even all of them combined can keep the dark energy sealed. The spell that she used back then had only been used once till this date and she was the one who created it. Considering your abilities that are similar to hers, there’s a possibility that you can find that spell again somehow or can just create one of your own."

Annalise stared at Esmeray in silence, not sure if she was feeling devastated or thrilled. There was actually a chance to save their world but then it all depended on her.

"Thank you, Esmeray, for answering all my questions truthfully. I won’t expect you to help us but I also won’t be expecting you to be a hurdle in our path. Let’s not be opponents even if we can’t be allies." She said the words of her heart out loud before she stood up and left his house.

* * * * *

After the day of her talk with Esmeray, Annalise became even more focused on her training. If she wasn’t helping the servants to look after the castle and its residents, then she could only be found either training with Kenric, Damien, or Valerius or just spending hours while reading through all the books available in the secret library of the castle.

At first, everyone appeared quite worried to see her suddenly dedicating every second of her free time to training, but then they soon started helping her.

Her dedication to her training became the heartbeat of the Cursed Castle. Every moment of her free time was spent honing her skills, preparing for the impending war that loomed ever closer.

She didn’t tell her husbands about her talk with Esmeray because first, she wasn’t sure how to introduce him to her mates since the man didn’t want to be known by anyone, and second, because she was afraid they would stop helping her if they found out that she was the one who needed to face the dark energy head-on if they wanted to stop it from destroying their world.

However, keeping them in the dark for way too long was not in her plans. She just wanted to talk to Esmeray once again and make him agree to meet the Dark Lords.

-

As the morning sun cast a warm glow over the castle courtyard, Annalise stood, sweat glistening on her forehead, engaged in a heated practice duel with Kenric. Their swords clashed, the sound echoing through the stillness of the morning.

"Keep your guard up, Little Bird," Kenric advised, parrying a particularly fierce strike. "Your opponents won’t show mercy." He too had been going hard on her during weaponry training sessions these days and his strictness was only proving fruitful as Annalise had improved a lot in such a short time.

She nodded her head in response to his advice, her eyes determined. "I know, Kenric. But I won’t be caught off guard."

The two continued to train for the rest of the morning before finally ending the session at lunch break. Instead of only having one weaponry training session in a week like before, she was now having three of them per week.

-

Later that day, in the library’s secluded corner, Annalise sat hunched over a stack of ancient tomes where Elijah joined her, pouring over a thick leather-bound volume.

He was the last one to return to the castle after the successful council meeting in the Midnight Realm as he was preoccupied with his Crown Prince’s duty in the Mortal Realm. Unlike the others, he usually helped Annalise search for clues, answers, and spells through the mass of books as he was neither able to cast spells nor was he good when it came to physical combat. But he had the gift of knowledge and understanding which made him another perfect addition to their small circle of friends.

"Have you found anything useful, Elijah?" Annalise asked, her fingers tracing the intricate patterns on the pages. After spending so much time in each other’s company, they all decided to just give up on the formalities and titles while addressing each other.

Elijah looked up at her and smiled. "I think I’ve stumbled upon a spell that might help us strengthen the castle’s defenses. It’s complex, but with time and effort, we can master it."

Annalise’s eyes gleamed with excitement. "Show it to me."

Since she couldn’t directly tell them that she was looking for a sealing spell to seal the dark energy, she lied about finding powerful spells to help strengthen the already existing wards and also for creating new sealing wards that would prove helpful in the future.

For the time being, no one seemed to be doubting her but she knew too well that she couldn’t keep things hidden from these people, especially her husbands who won’t let her go for once again keeping things from them. She needed to talk to Esmeray as soon as possible but the man had been nowhere to be found since the day of their last meeting.

-

Under the shadow of twilight, Marley and Ezra stood in the castle’s training grounds, flames dancing along their outstretched arms. Annalise stood between them, her hands wreathed in controlled sparks.

Ezra and Marley were the first ones to return to the Castle after the council meeting in the Midnight Realm, and upon their arrival, they too joined Annalise and her husbands in training. Since both these men were dragon shifters and had good control over fire elements, they proved great training companions for Annalise, Kenric, and Annalise’s dragon familiar.

"You mustn’t let your fear control you," Marley said, his voice steady as he guided Annalise’s movements. "Fire is power, but it’s also balance."

Ezra added, "Feel the flames, Annalise. Understand their rhythm and dance with them."

The two dragon shifters guided her while Kenric and Damien watched from the sidelines, keeping eyes on their movements and tactics.

Her black dragon familiar turned out to be of great help as it learned Ezra and Marley’s teachings almost immediately and then patiently guided Annalise through the use of the fire element.

Her soulmate bonds with her mates also proved helpful as she learned to control and master different elements, another reason for everyone to believe that she was related to the late Light Fae Queen since only light could control all the magical elements.

-

In a room overlooking the courtyard, Leela and Annalise channeled their energies, forming delicate patterns of frost and ice in the air. The cold air around them seemed to thicken as they practiced together.

"Your control has improved, Lisa," Leela observed, her voice tinged with approval. Being a mer, she had great control over ice and water spells, and since Valerius was busy, Annalise was seeking Leela’s help while learning control over these elements.

Annalise smiled, her breath visible in the chilly air. "Your guidance makes all the difference, Leela. Thank you so much for being so patient with me. You have been a great teacher."

"And you are a great student, dear Lisa. If you have been my master’s disciple instead of me, my master wouldn’t have gotten grey hair this early." Leela chuckled while talking about the Mer Queen.

Annalise smiled as she shook her head at the girl’s words before the two of them continued practicing.

As days turned into weeks, the castle’s residents became a tight-knit team, each member contributing their unique skills to the growing arsenal of knowledge and power. The bonds forged through training and preparation were unbreakable.

And so, as the world outside braced for war, the Cursed Castle stood as a beacon of hope, its residents united by their shared purpose and unwavering determination.

But little did they knew that while they were honing their skills to face their enemy, the latter was also crafting another plan to shake their worlds.