Chapter 259 - The Legacy of Light (2/2)

”Aye the Shadows,” said the High Priestess, ”They have another name in the Oracle's Predictions though. He called it Chaos. It was said that in the final year of the Unholy Reckoning, that Chaos would begin anew, forever a path presented to this world”.

”And we know nothing of this Chaos?” asked Devina.

”Only that the Gods themselves decreed that it should be eradicated, and that our Ancestors followed through with their Will,” said the High Priestess, ”The Oracle mentions nothing on what form it will take, nor what we can do to defeat it, but defeat it we must”.

Devina turned her eyes from the book back to the High Priestess, ”But if we do not know what form it takes, how will we know how to defeat it? Where it even lies?”

The High Priestess nodded, ”All questions that we strive to learn answers to. And one of those answers came to me in the first year of the Unholy Reckoning when I found a newly formed Magician in the streets of our own great city mixing Shadows with her Light”.

Devina's eyes widened, ”Me? But it is only now that I learn of this Chaos”.

”Nevertheless, the Oracle was clear,” said the High Priestess, ”Devina Lightbringer, she who bends light around shadows, shall be the first to uncover a strand of Chaos”.

Devina opened her mouth, words of protest forming but not moving past her lips in her surprise before she looked back at the book, ”The Oracle wrote of me?”

”He did. I knew who you were the moment I saw you, and your potential shone through unconditionally,” said the High Priestess, ”Now that you have been named one of the Sparks, you will inevitably be given a task to prove your worth. When the new year dawns, one by one, you and the others will all be sent to find the Strand of Chaos before the end of the Unholy Reckoning. I pray you do not disappoint the Order”.

”It only says that I will be the first to uncover it, then, not what I will do, or even if I will survive it,” Devina stated carefully.

The High Priestess leaned forward, placing her hands on Devina's cheeks, ”You are Devina Lightbringer, one of the holders of the Legacy of Light and a Spark of the Holy Order. You will do your duty. You will spread light where there are shadows”.

A year later, when she was sent out at the height of summer to track down that strand of Chaos, it had been the first time she had ever left Havellion. Her entourage consisted of Six Holy Paladins. Priests and Priestesses trained in combat, and over the past year, assigned to Devina to become her bodyguards and servants.

So, when the final month of the Twelve Years of Unholy Reckoning dawned and she was still no closer to her pre-destined goal, Devina could not help but feel a sense of absolute hopelessness. Was the Oracle wrong? Surely he had to be wrong at some point. He'd been reading things in the stars that the gods had predicted for thousands of years after his time.

A knock sounded on the door of her rooms and Devina turned to watch as Aina, one of her Paladins, entered.

”The Priest is asking if you would be willing to offer blessings today. Several in the city have heard of your arrival,” Aina stated.

Devina took a deep breath, looking out at the streets around the Holy Order's Church here in Estode. Then, knowing her duty as she'd always been taught, Devina stood, ”Help me into my robe would you, Aina?”

Aina stepped forward to do just that.