“It's over, Olivia. The fungal root has been destroyed.”

Their mission was a success. It was time to leave. They all left the area as quietly as they had entered it. A few hours had passed by the time they returned to their airship. The eclipse was about to start. They could see the eclipse in the sky. All eyes were now on the horizon.

The men aboard the airship looked ready to have fun. It was time to celebrate a mission well done. There were no casualties. The Captain ordered a small party to be held on board before returning to the palace. They needed a break.

“Here, I have put some good food together.”

They all enjoyed their meal. Afterwards, they made jokes about the mission they had just accomplished. Rinaldo couldn't hide his surprise when he saw the paladin remove his helmet, revealing the person inside. It was Victor.

“You look a bit worse for wear.”

“I got hit with some of that strange energy.” Victor shrugged. “But it isn't too bad. I guess my armour protected me somewhat.”

The eclipse was underway. The sky was going dark, and the moon appeared. Soon, the moon would completely cover the sun. Rinaldo sat next to a window. The others sat around a table. They looked at the eclipse in amazement.

Rinaldo looked out the window. The eclipse seemed like it would go on forever. He watched as the moon covered the sun. “What's so special about an eclipse?”

“Well, the sun has always been the brightest thing in the sky,” Victor explained. “But during an eclipse, the moon blocks some of that light. This doesn't happen everyday, and when the moon blocks the sun, it produces a strange energy. It can be powerful, but sometimes bad things happen.”

Victor's words echoed through Rinaldo's mind. Was there anything to worry about? The others were quiet. The sun reappeared after some time. It was getting brighter and brighter. The eclipse was ending.

He turned to the others, asking for their thoughts. One by one, they replied that the eclipse was magnificent. He then realised he had never seen a total solar eclipse before. That was one of the greatest experiences of his life.

“Do you think this will happen again?”

Victor shook his head. “Not any time soon. It was a once in a lifetime thing.”

“I wonder how long it would take for something like this to happen again?” Olivia joined in. She had a thoughtful look on her face.

Rinaldo smiled at Olivia. “I'm sure we'll be able to find out together.”

The captain then announced it was time to return to the palace. Everyone agreed. They would continue the celebration back at the palace. While the airship was returning to the palace, Rinaldo thanked Victor for the help he gave them.

“Well, I only had a small role to play, really. So I just did what was right.”

Olivia then added her two cents. “If it wasn't for you, we would have been in serious trouble. I'm glad you were there to help us.”

“Oh, no need to worry. Just think of it as one big team effort.” Victor smiled at his words.

The captain announced the airship had arrived. The journey back to the palace passed in a blur. They arrived at the palace. Everyone was in good spirits. They were ready for more fun. They all made their way to the dining area. The captain asked them to make themselves comfortable at the tables.

“It's time for a feast!”

Rinaldo and Olivia sat at one end of the table, and Victor sat next to them. It was hard to believe the paladin who helped them was Victor. He turned around and looked at Clarissa.

She said nothing in the airship, and kept to herself. However, Rinaldo could see she had changed when he saw her again. She was talking to Olivia and Victor with a bright smile. It seemed as if everything was turning out well for her.

Rinaldo didn't know how she survived, but he was glad she did. “I have to admit that I don't understand what happened to you.”

Clarissa smiled. “I am going to explain, but we need to eat first.”

A few moments later, a servant brought in a large meal. Finally, everyone had enough to eat and drink. Rinaldo ate the delicious meal, and the silence became awkward. He took a moment to look at Clarissa sitting there, doing the same.

Victor pulled the chair over to sit down next to Clarissa. “The Black Sun can't unseal the Black God as originally planned, so they settled on an alternative plan. They kidnapped witches to use as the Black Goats' vessels.”

Clarissa nodded. “The Black Goats will trap the world in an eclipse and enthral everyone inside it.”

That didn't happen, obviously. Everyone still had their free will once the eclipse was over. The eclipse's end was proof of their success at stopping the ritual, but it didn't explain how Clarissa survived. Rinaldo was about to ask when Clarissa resumed.

“I should have died when I become the Black Goat, but I am the reincarnation of the Great Witch Quem.”

The room was quiet again, and everyone sat there, eating their food. He looked at Clarissa, whose eyes were closed. He was trying to process everything he heard. “The First Saintess of the Central Church… is a witch?”

Witches were the offspring of a spirit and a mortal woman or their descendants. They inherited magic from their fathers, which gave them the power to do all kinds of things. As a result, witches were often the most powerful spell casters, but that power was a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, they could do just about anything they wanted. However, people like the Black Sun could use them to do many nasty things. Witches could be tortured, and forced to do whatever their captors wanted them to do. Sometimes, they even killed them.

“Yes. She was one of the two strongest witches in the world.” Clarissa looked at him, and gave him a sweet smile. “She had the gift of healing and used her gift to heal the sick and serve the church.”

Clarissa told them as a reincarnated person; she had the soul and memory of Quem. It was a part of her soul, but Quem herself was a separate person from her. When the fungal root tried to assimilate her, Quem saved her from a fate worse than death.

“There is something I still didn't understand.” Rinaldo had to ask. He was that curious. “How can you get kidnapped, anyway? The security in the palace is the best in the empire.”

“Would you believe me if I say the kidnapper could walk through windows?”

A person assimilated by the fungal root would become an empty husk. They would turn into a moulded, a shadow of their former self. It was a terrible fate. The assimilated person could perform impossible feats, such as walking through windows like Ricardo, but they would lose their individuality.

That was how Ricardo could kidnap Clarissa and steal the Star Crown replica. After becoming a moulded and rejecting his humanity, he was a force to be reckoned with. It didn't stop Ahab's crew from capturing and imprisoning him in the dungeon in a room with no windows, though.

Rinaldo sat there, trying to process what Clarissa said. He didn't want to think about Ricardo, so he changed the subject. “Speaking of healers, can you heal the beast's plague or the moulded?”

Clarissa nodded. “I think so. I also have the gift of healing.”

Rinaldo felt a wave of relief wash over him. It seemed like he didn't need to contact the Central Church to ask for a miracle or spend some time looking for a cure in the Mage's College. He could help the beast folk girl under his mother's care and Ricardo.

The captain then announced the party was over. It was time to retire for the night. Everyone had to rest after all the excitement. Rinaldo didn't mind. He was glad to have time to rest and recuperate from the mission.

Victor then turned to Rinaldo. “We are going to meet again soon.”

“How do you know?”

“Just wait and see.” Victor smiled.

They all shook hands before they parted ways. Rinaldo took one last look at Victor, with a smile. He did not know what to make of the paladin. He was the most unpredictable of them all. Rinaldo just hoped he wouldn't do anything that would endanger himself.

Rinaldo returned to his room. He was in bed already, but he was exhausted. It had been a long day, and the excitement had him worn-out. He would have to rest for a while. He was lucky to have a nice place to stay at the palace.

After a short while, he fell into a deep, restful sleep. He didn't dream, not that he remembered any. Dreams were a mysterious thing, he decided. He needed to learn more about them. He didn't wake up again until the following morning.

Rinaldo got up early to get to his morning routine. He woke up at the same time as the sun, and the light was streaming through the windows, when he first stepped out. “How can it be morning already?”

It was a bright and sunny morning. He was glad to see the sun was shining brightly, and he was feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Rinaldo could see many people gathering in the yard, and a few people were milling around the palace.

“It's nice to see everyone in such good mood.” He greeted them, feeling good to be awake.

Many people smiled and waved as they passed by. It made him feel great. The air was pleasantly warm, and the warm weather made him feel better. He was a morning person, and the sun helped him feel awake and full of life.

Rinaldo made his way through the corridor. It was a day where he could do as he pleased. It seemed everyone had finished their morning activities and was milling around. He looked around as he approached the dining area.

The dining area was enormous enough for all the guests to fit in, and many people were already sitting for breakfast. So when he saw Olivia, he couldn't help but smile. First, he waved at her, and then she noticed him.

“Good morning.” She smiled back.

Rinaldo pulled out the seat next to her. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Pretty good, thank you.”

It didn't take him long to finish his breakfast. He took a big bite and enjoyed every bite. It was delicious. It seemed like this day would be a good day, after all. They stayed in the dining area for a while, talking and sharing a few laughs.

Rinaldo tried to avoid the talk of the Black Sun as much as possible. No one would ask him about the Black Sun or Ricardo if he was lucky. “What are you planning to do today?”

“I'm going to go for a walk. I would like to take a walk around the capital, have some fun, and see the sights. Do you want to come with me?”

Rinaldo nodded. “Yes. That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

They set off together. Rinaldo had always been the happiest when he was walking. He could always find the joy of life when he was outdoors. It was true even as a child. It was as if being in motion or on the move was the only way to live.

Walking was freedom. His spirit was soaring like the wind when he was walking, and it felt like he had wings. Meanwhile, Olivia was the happiest when she was chatting with someone. She was such a lively girl. Rinaldo would never be bored just by talking to her.

Their walk to the gate was a short one. Rinaldo knew it would just take a few minutes. It was a pleasant walk, and they talked about many things. Finally, the gate was open, and Rinaldo stepped out with Olivia. It was just the beginning of a beautiful day.

“I'm glad you could come with me today, Rinaldo.”

“Me too.” Rinaldo agreed.

He took Olivia's hand and held it when they were just outside the capital. Olivia was beautiful and vibrant, and it didn't matter how hard he tried to hide it, but it felt like she was the first person he'd ever loved. The feeling was so powerful, that he couldn't help but smile as he held her hand.

The walk to the capital had been a long and arduous one, but Rinaldo never noticed. He was that happy. Their conversation was a great escape from the worries he had. He didn't want to think about the Black Sun, the Supreme King, or Ricardo. He didn't want to think about anything else, except being with Olivia.

“Is something wrong?” Olivia noticed how preoccupied Rinaldo was.

“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Everything is wonderful.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just… you, Olivia.”