Way of the Knights

Chapter 287 - Meeting

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"Believe me." Lucy stated, "No matter what you do to me, or how hard you scour this place. You won't find what you're looking for here.

After hearing what she has to say, Raven's expression changed and turned sour. 

This girl might be their enemy but there is no reason for her to lie, specially in this terrified state. Raven knows what effects his presence have, specially when one sees what his soul actually looked like. 

'If there's anyone who's powerful enough to plant her soul inside the Queen's body have her control it, I couldn't think of anyone other than Vit'hum. Maybe he did this during the time when he's still taking control of Alastair.'

'However, this doesn't make sense.' Raven's frown became even deeper, 'This woman told me that the reason why she's placed in here is because Vit'hum wanted to search for the remaining consciousness of the Queen. But what for? What does that half breed want from her? Her memory erasing technique? Her Druid Bloodline? What could it be?'

'This is bad, I can't be distracted by distant questions.' Raven shook his head and looked at Lucy. 'I know that she's still here. The King and the others recovering their memories are a great proof of that. For now, I should deal with this place for her inevitable return.'

Raven raised his hand and all the poison laws inside the Queen's consciousness started condensing at his fingertips. As the murky fog of poison slowly disappeared from her psyche, golden inscriptions started flowing out of his other hand and illuminated the whole place. 

Working fast, Raven placed a heavy restriction on the ball of poison and attached it to Lucy's stomach. The girl couldn't do anything but to watch as he cleaned up the place like it was nothing. 

After doing all this, he poked Lucy's forehead using her finger. This caused her to lose consciousness and fall into a deep sleep. Raven stepped out of her cage and reinforced it with his own inscriptions, this is just an insurance in case she tried to escape.

Once he's done with all of this, Raven managed to take a good look at the Queen's psyche. What he saw didn't make him happy. 

It was at a bad shape due to the erosion of the Poison Laws. This proved that Lucy was the one who gained enlightenment with the laws and not the Queen herself. This resulted in a disagreement inside the Queen's physical system. 

'She really isn't here.' Raven inwardly thought, 'And even if I return her here, I doubt that she would be safe. Her psyche is badly damaged, her longevity had been ruined from long exposure. Damn it! This doesn't look good.'

Raven tried searching for any traces of the Queen but saw nothing. Even after searching every corner of her psyche for even just the smallest clue, he got nothing. In the end, he could only sigh in defeat and think for some time. 

'Where is she?' Raven pondered, he then traced everything back to when it all happened. Finally after a while of being in a deep thought, he got one important yet uncertain clue.

His soul returned to his body. As consciousness returned to his body, he opened his eyes and saw the expectant look on the people around him. He also discovered that Balmung and Luna were already present at the scene. Judging by the look on their faces, they were also expectant.

"I saw someone but not the Queen." Raven stated, bringing the atmosphere down inside the King's chambers. "Vit'hum placed a Tormented Soul inside the Queen's psyche, we knew her by the name of Lucy. I don't know for how long but the Queen's psyche is in a bad shape. The medicines that we currently have won't be enough to cure anytime soon."

"I placed her in slumber, so she wouldn't be able to take control of the Queen's body. I also took care of the corrosive substances inside her psyche. For now, let's hope that the Queen's life force is still powerful enough to recover on it's own."

"But…but Mother is…" Luna stuttered as she held the Queen's hand, crying as she felt that she would never have the chance to talk to her again. 

Raven grabbed her by the hand and said: "Don't lose faith yet Princess. I still have one more lead remaining."

Everyone's eyes brightened, before anyone could say anything Raven looked at Alexander asked: "Uncle, please summon the Sigil of Fated Love once again."

Hearing his words made the King's eyes brightened. "Are you saying she…"

"I don't know if it's possible but it's better than nothing." Raven nodded. "I don't precisely know how the sigil works but it's everything we have. She isn't in her psyche but you all recovered your memories upon seeing her face, that is an obvious sign that she's still here somewhere, because if she's not then it's impossible for you to remember anything."

"Please summon the sigil Uncle." Raven said. 

Alexander wasted no time and held the Queen's hand. Pouring his deepest affections on the touch, a sigil appeared at where their hands connected. As soon as Raven bored sight at the pulsing red sigil, he immediately moved and sent his soul towards the sigil.

Raven's body down, thankfully Luna was there to catch him. Alexander kept holding Elizabeth's hand, allowing the sigil to remain seen. All they could do now, is hope that Elizabeth is really inside the sigil and for Raven to find her.

***

"Woah." Raven uttered as soon as his vision adjusted. He gazed at the blue skies above him, the vast green field where he stood and bountiful sea beyond the horizon. 

He felt awe as he took the sights in, murmuring to himself: "Am I really inside the sigil? This looks like an alternate space altogether. Why is it like this?"

"No, I shouldn't be distracted." Raven said while shaking his head, "Seeing a space like this exists means that there is a high chance that the Queen is here. Even more so that my soul was able to go in here. I have to start looking for her."

Raven then started levitating in the air, trying to take advantage of a high altitude to lessen the time he needs to search. 

As he went higher and higher, Raven looked everywhere for traces of the Queen. He spread all of the spying abilities he had in order to cover more ground. 

Eventually, he found a lead. Somewhere east at where he is currently, there is a strange altar made out of crystals. A similar scene when he first met Luna in this lifetime.

Without any hesitations, he immediately flew like a shooting star towards the crystal altar. His speed was so fast that he arrived in no time, and as he landed in front of the crystal altar it reminded him even more of the first time he met Luna.

Sitting on the center of the altar, a figure could be seen. She was wearing a long white gown with golden hemming. Her hair is kept in a long braid, she facial features were extremely similar to that of Luna's. She could even pass as her big sister in all honesty. 

There was no doubt in Raven's mind, this woman is none other that Queen Elizabeth herself. 

Raven stepped onto the altar, wanting to approach the slumbering Queen. As he took his first step, the Queen's eyelids fluttered open and immediately sensed him. She got up and instantly summoned a golden sword pointing at Raven. 

"Who are you and how did you got here!?" The Queen's matured voice echoed in Raven's ears. 

Showing signs of peace, Raven knelt on one knee and paid respects. 

"Greetings, Queen Elizabeth. My name is Raven Valorheart, I apologize for disturbing your sleep but please know that I have no intentions to harm you. I only seek to help you with your current predicament."

The Queen was silent for a bit, Raven knows that she's still on guard. Knowing this, Raven remained in his position, not moving an inch just to prove that he indeed have no intentions of harming her.

"Lift your face up." The Queen demanded, still pointing a sword at him. Raven did what she said and saw the Queen studying his face. After a while of studying him, he heard the Queen said:

"I can see resemblance of Luis and Eva at your face." The Queen lowered her sword and gazed at him with uncertainty. "But you still didn't answer my question. How did you get in here?"

'Good thing my soul took form of my young self. Good thinking me.' Raven inwardly celebrated. He then proceed to answer the Queen's question.

"My search for you lead me here, Your Majesty. The King and your children deeply misses you, I ought to do everything in my power to reunite you with your family. I took a gamble and it paid off since I was able to find you here."

"My husband and my children? They remember me?" The Queen asked in a puzzled tone.

Raven frowned and said: "Your Majesty didn't know? The King, your children and your accomplices regained their memories about you upon seeing your face."

"What did you say!?"