The Blind Witch
Chapter 38

I am glad I did not have to feel guilty over making you my oracle. But it was not just me that had a hand in this success; other gods blessed you throughout your life, ensuring you got here.

Two days have passed since Clarissa defeated Erebus. Two days spent burying or burning the dead. It was a time spent recovering and mourning. There were no celebrations. There were no cheers leaving the mouths of those who survived. The fighting had been brutal and took its toll on the people.

But today, there would be no more mourning. Clarissa sat at the end of a long table that had been constructed within the Grand Hall of Thresnora. To her left was Aiden, and to her right was Ophelia. Behind her stood Victor, her ever-present guard. Further down the table were human kings, alphas, Priests and Priestesses of the covens. Even a few vampires were brought to the table.

The room that had sat in total darkness for many years was now lit up. Clarissa’s fireballs danced overhead, creating enough light for all to see. But all eyes were on her, their Queen of Queens. All looked to her for guidance on how they should move forward.

“Leaders of the world, we gather here today to discuss how we should proceed with our future,” she started as she looked around at the various auras and orbs that were around the table. “I have thought much about what to do with those we have fought against. And I have decided that we shall put to death those who led the fight against us, or at least those that remain.”

There were some gasps around the table. A few instantly agreed to the punishment, but several hesitated, especially the witches.

“Witches do not seek to punish with death,” Craigen stated as he stood from his chair. “This is not how we should do things.”

“And how do you propose we do it?!” Clarissa questioned harshly. “Should we let the people who were in charge of the countless deaths go free? Should we allow them the chance to run off, only to do it again? Because that is what has been happening for hundreds of years. Requiem and vampires have been allowed to run rampant without oversight, and I shall no longer stand for it. I may be a witch, but I am the Queen of Queens, first and foremost. So yes, we shall punish the remaining vampire lords, humans, and alphas who fought against us.”

“What do we do about the people who shall now be leaderless? What happens to their keeps, packs, or kingdoms?” Aiden questioned.

“We shall allow for the people to choose their new kings, alphas, lords, whatever they wish to have. But whoever they choose must be approved by the existing Leader Council.”

“Even Requiem?” Ophelia inquired. “Shall they be allowed to remain, even after everything they have done?”

“Yes, Requiem shall be allowed to remain as a recognized coven,” Clarissa answered. “But I will assemble a committee of humans, wolves, and witches. This committee shall oversee not only Requiem but all of the vampire keeps as well. No more do I want to hear blame being placed on rogues. All witches belonging to Requiem will be documented, and the same goes for vampires. This committee will be responsible for tracking the members and helping to establish laws around them.”

“Not only that, but I intend to personally oversee the reinstatement of the Coven of Stardust, also known as the Fallen Coven. With Erebus’ defeat, the witches with dark magic shall once again be worshipping Nyx. This temple, along with others, shall be brought back to their former glories.”

“Is it not up to the Gathering of the Wicca to determine what should happen with covens?” Someone questioned.

Ophelia looked to Craigen with a raised eyebrow. She was curious if he would fight Clarissa on her decision regarding the covens. But he only shook his head.

“The remaining High Priests and Priestesses have already discussed that we shall abide by whatever the Queen of Queens says. There shall be no pushback on the reinstatement of the Coven of Stardust from us.”

Clarissa smiled at his words. She was hoping not to have to fight against the Gathering. She closed her eyes as everyone around her began to speak, adding their thoughts. She could hear Nyx whispering to her. She had heard the Goddess often since Erebus was killed. Aiden noticed that Clarissa seemed to be in her own world, not listening to those around her.

“It is getting late,” he stated. “Let’s call it a day. Tomorrow, we meet again to decide on the committee.”

Everyone began to leave Thresnora one by one until all that remained was Aiden, Ophelia, Victor, and Clarissa. Ophelia seemed nervous as she fidgeted with her hands.

“I have something that I want to announce to you two,” she said softly. “I wish to retire as the advisor to the King of Kings. I am tired and want to escape Haerford for a while.”

“Of course,” Aiden replied. “But who shall the Lode Star send in your place?”

“Sybil,” she smiled. “She has already told Craigen that she and Vi will not leave you two.”

“So Craigen already knew you were planning to retire?” Clarissa questioned with a smirk.

“I’ve already told you once that the love is one-sided.” Ophelia retorted as she turned away. Perhaps it was one-sided. But she could not help but want the comfort that only comes from lying with someone intimately. She still had a long life ahead of her. Perhaps she would allow herself to feel the emotions she had pushed deep down. Without saying another word, she left the temple, returning to the camp that was down below.

“And what about you, Dad?” Clarissa questioned as she looked at him. “I am the Queen now. You are no longer required to protect me.”

Victor frowned as he walked over to Clarissa. He pulled her tightly into an embrace.

“I shall never leave your side,” he whispered into her ear. “Even when I can no longer protect you, I shall stay with you. I will never again abandon you, this I swear.”

After Victor released Clarissa, she leaned against Aiden. His warmth was comforting and relaxing after the recent days. Aiden put his arm around her, pulling her close to him. He kissed the top of her head and enjoyed the scent of cedar and jasmine.

“I cannot wait to take you back home,” he whispered.

“Can we actually do something first?” She questioned.

“What would you like to do?”

“I want Victor to take me on that pilgrimage,” she answered. “I want to go touch Nyx’s Stone. I have heard her talking to me, telling me to visit it.”

“Of course,” he chuckled. “We can go visit her stone first.”

Aiden leaned against a ruined building, watching Victor lead Clarissa into a dry field. They were heading toward Nyx’s Stone, the meteor that had fallen from the sky thousands of years ago. Clarissa could see the rock as it came into her vision. It appeared to be steaming as if it had just fallen from the sky. As they neared it, she could hear the rock calling for her, whispering to her. It was Nyx calling for her.

“Here we are,” Victor stated as he released her hand. “Nyx’s Stone. The source of her magic.”

He ran his fingers along the smooth stone. For Victor, touching the stone gave him a small surge of energy. The equivalent of replenishing his magic with water from the Sacred Mountains. But in his soul, it created a connection to Nyx. Though he could not see her nor hear her, he could feel her. Clarissa knelt on the ground in front of the rock. She watched as Victor’s orbs began to glow brighter as he touched it. She reached her hand out, placing it firmly on the stone. She closed her eyes as the wind rushed around her.

Clarissa could feel herself sinking onto a cold floor. As she reopened her eyes, she realized that she was no longer in front of the stone. She looked around, noticing pillars and the sun's rays shining in through curtains. She turned her head and saw Nyx standing nearby. Clarissa smiled as she stood to her feet.

“It is good to see you again, Clarissa,” Nyx said.

“Where are we?” Clarissa questioned as she approached the Goddess.

“We are in the astral realm, otherwise known as the realm of the gods and the eternal,” Nyx answered as she held out her arms. “But specifically, we are on Eorpe, the astral plane that resides above the Earth. And this is my home.”

Clarissa looked at Nyx with sadness before looking down at her feet. The realm of the gods. Was this to be her home, too? Was she to leave Aiden now that she had absorbed Erebus’ powers?

“Walk with me,” Nyx instructed as she walked through the curtains.

Clarissa followed her. She lifted her head when she saw the vastness of space that lay before her. Nyx stepped off of her stone balcony, walking through the emptiness. Clarissa summoned the darkness around her feet, carrying her towards Nyx.

“You seem comfortable with your powers,” Nyx remarked as she watched Clarissa.

“It feels natural,” Clarissa replied as she looked around. “I just have to think, and it happens.”

“That is good. It just means I will have to spend less time teaching you,” Nyx smiled.

“What shall happen now that Erebus is gone? What shall happen with me?" Clarissa inquired.

"What do you think should happen to you?" Nyx countered curiously.

"I absorbed Erebus' powers. I took hold of his darkness, of his lightning and thunder. Am I a Goddess now?"

"You were always a Goddess. Taking what was his did not make you as such. But it did enhance your powers." Nyx explained as she held out her hand. A cloud of darkness began to swirl around it before it formed the shape of a baby. "When I created you, I gave you a piece of myself. I no longer had the strength to fight Erebus on my own. I needed help. At first, I tried with Lydia, but we were not compatible. Then Frigg suggested that I make you."

"I watched the witches of the world until I settled upon your parents," she continued. "I created you, molding you after the image of your mother, then I placed you in her womb. In putting a piece of myself in you, it made you the child of the eternal: my child. Though I did not birth you, you were born a goddess."

"Why could you no longer fight Erebus?"

"I am old," Nyx answered as she looked at Clarissa. "I no longer have the energy that I once had. And after nearly a million years of being with him, he drained me. It seems as though he expedited my death."

"What do you mean, death?" Clarissa questioned. "You are eternal."

"Eternal does not mean what you think it means," Nyx replied with a soft smile. "The word eternal was given to the Ancient Gods by the mortals. To them, gods live forever. One mortal does not live long enough to see the birth and death of a god. Not even mortals who call themselves immortal. They, too, die before they see the sun setting on a god. But the sun does set. My time shall come, and you shall be here as my replacement."

"And I will be Goddess of the darkness?"

"And you shall be Goddess of the darkness, among whatever other titles Pantheon gives you."

"Pantheon?"

"All in due time," Nyx said as she touched Clarissa's shoulder. "I shall teach you everything that you need to know. You shall mold stars and create universes in the emptiness left by Erebus. But first, you must live out your mortal life. You still have much you can do. And I want you to experience it all, for when you are a Goddess, you shall need the perspective of those who worship you. It will ground you. The wonders you shall create will outshine all that I could have done. But for now, enjoy your life. Enjoy the man that you call king. Enjoy the wonders that you create with him and the memories you shall make. And when you are ready, you shall return to live with me."

"What if I am never ready?"

"You shall be, child," Nyx replied with a shake of her head. "One day, you shall call to me to retrieve you. It won't be tomorrow or anytime soon. But you will know when you are ready. Now go. I shall see you again."

Clarissa watched Nyx fade from her vision as she fell through space. And suddenly, she was back on Earth, looking at the stone. She removed her hand from it and took a moment to catch her breath.

“Do you feel replenished from touching it?” Victor asked, unaware that Clarissa had left.

“Yes,” she whispered.

She looked up at him, at the dark clouds and magical orbs floating around. Clarissa began to feel a heaviness in her heart. Nyx was allowing her a chance to live with those that she loved. And though it was bittersweet to know that she would outlive them, she had hope in her heart. Hope for the future, of what she could do to honor them in her next life.

“Is something wrong, baby girl?” Victor inquired as he watched her. She was unmoving as she looked at him. It was as if she was looking through him.

"No. I was just thinking to myself,” she answered as she stood to her feet. “I’m ready to go home now.”

Victor smiled as he took her hand and placed it on his arm. He led her back to the ruined town. Back to Aiden, to his loving embrace. Back to what was to become the rest of her mortal life. With the powers that she possessed, she would change the world around her. For she was Clarissa, the Queen of Queens; the protector, the shield, and the sword of the people.

Author's Note: For those wondering, there is one more chapter left! The Epilogue!!

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