Chapter 148 - The Undead Princess

Faustina panted heavily, defeating the apparitions by the light emanating from the magical hexes she conjured, and from the Lumos of her staff. Her nerves were still restless, but they didn't bug her so much now. Her body got used to the pain, and thus she was able to cope up quickly. It became a stinging persistence—but it was nothing she couldn't have handled. 

Inside the balcony was a room that had a canopy bed covered in dust. The room was filled with wooden debris and planks that were abruptly hanging on its ceilings. A crooked chandelier also dared to fall as it dangled above Faustina.

Faustina, who was holding her staff vigilantly, looked around the room. She turned her head right and left, wary of whatever it is to come. 

The dark castle gave the vibe of a long-abandoned fortress—but it was more than rats and ruins. The castle emanated an eerie atmosphere that sent an occasional shiver down anyone's spine. And it had embodied such a dark aura it felt as if eyes were on each wall—ever observing, perpetually trailing behind.

Faustina was left by the group in pursuit of Leviticus' who had gone on ahead. They were with Anakin, who had 'exposed' her. Faustina waited to be sent back to the academy to fail; however, there wasn't any magical hex that dared to send her back to Magierstadt. 

"The teachers know the truth,"

Faustina believes it to be so. There was no other explanation other than that… unless the teachers weren't against fraudulent examinees. And that can't be possible, considering the professors told them beforehand that mana crystals aren't allowed inside the dungeon. Faustina 'had' something worse than a mana crystal, which just recharges one's mana. 

She had a mana revitalizer—something that steals mana.

But she didn't 'have,' it. She was framed. Although Faustina couldn't just point hands to whoever she thinks the culprit might be—she has a rough idea of who it could possibly be. But she has no proof. She couldn't just march down back to Leviticus' group and say: "It's him, not me!" It would only turn bad for her, considering how vile it might sound.

Besides, Faustina didn't have to prove herself to anyone for something she didn't do.

Faustina glanced down to her nerves, which were still pulsating.

'If this is the mana revitalizer's doing, then they should go back to normal, right?' Faustina thought. But no—the mana revitalizer didn't look like it was the one responsible for Faustina's swollen arms. If anything, that crystal fragment actually helped her. She was able to sustain her mana because of it. 

And it might have helped her arm a bit.

Ever since she had thrown the crystal fragment, her arm pulsated quicker, but the pain was still the same. It was like her mana was reflowing back to her, or something else involving Faustina's magic. Whatever it is, she couldn't tell.

But one thing's for sure.

The crystal ended up in her pocket AFTER the elemental race.

When her magic went out of control, Faustina was certain that before that she didn't have anything in her pocket. The crystal wasn't the gem ruby, which was essentially red in color. 

And for the whole while Faustina had ambled through the castle walls, she wondered why.

**

Albinos.

They are a clan that is bred to kill. The first albinos date back to the dawn of the Magi tribe. Albinos were said to have risen from the continental cliff, their homeland. It was said that they are mutated beings that were the polar opposite of the Heilens. 

Their evil counterpart.

Unlike Heilens, who have an unclear power—Albinos are well-defined. They are assassins in the soul and are bred to kill. They fit to be hitmen and were number two in the slave market for the course of many generations. These Albinos have the characteristic of paper-white hair and blood-red eyes. Their skin is pale rather than fair, and their white teeth-baring fangs. Some slave merchants cut these sharp fangs of Albino children because it was considered too dangerous for their owners—but some tend to keep the fangs.

Those who keep their fangs are the assassins who grew to feast on blood as either their secondary or primary source of food. These Albinos are then called as 'Vampires' who repast on human blood to refill their mana. They are a lot stronger than their kin who got their fangs removed. Albinos whose fangs are removed grow their teeth back but as no longer sharp ones.

The shawled man grinned, showing his fangs. 

"It is time to feed. Now then, I wonder how you're doing, the king's fair maiden?"

**

"You want the information about Magierstadt." Says the man. "Orwell Lotheringwood."

Orwell tightened his grip around his staff.

"I mean no harm," the man says, raising both of his arms in defense. "Everyone would know you. That is no surprise."

The man's gaze then drifted to Faustina's. Even without seeing his eyes through the cloak, Faustina knows that the man was looking at her.

"Interesting," the man utters.

"Back to the business." Orwell firmly stated. "I gave you the payment. Now, talk."

"Impatient, eh? Lotheringwood," the man exclaims.

"Information doesn't come cheap, after all," Orwell says. "I paid the price. I think you should speak now."

"No need to intimidate me." The man chuckles and then grins. It showed Faustina his fangs. Fangs to only the sides of his mouth.

"Information to Magierstadt itself. I barely recall anything significant."

"I paid you," Orwell says.

"Aha. Yes." The man then held his staff. "They are brewing something dangerous."

"What do you mean?"

"It's nothing out of ordinary, Lotheringwood." The man exclaims. "Magierstadt has always been Magierstadt. Dangers that magic conjure isn't uncommon here, no?"

"Yes." Orwell answers. "But anything related to the Forsaken? Is it related to that?"

"My lips are sealed." The man says. "That is the extent of five thousand shellings."

"How much for it?"

The man snorted. "And who said I am selling THAT information to you?"

"Fine, then don't tell," Orwell says. "What more could you tell us? About the professors?"

"Is it for the incoming young lady here?" The man says. "Nothing much I could tell except watch out for Professor Mariam. She is very strict."

"I already told her that. Did we waste five thousand shellings for this?" Orwell says.

"No, you didn't." The man then had the snakes in his staff slither away from the wood as they come alive. The two snakes then found their way to his fingers. They hissed silently, like murmuring whispers of the night.

"There is information I got from a reliable source." The man says. "And by far, would be the last information I could give you."

"What is it?" Orwell asks.

Faustina flinched as she met the man's gaze—and for a second, Faustina saw his red eyes gleam.

"They are reforming the exams." Says the man. "And I heard it won't be good for those whose magical capabilities are weak."

The shawled man, an Albino with fangs that lingers Magierstadt's streets to give information, do the dirty business, and sell materials to the dark market, had given a hint to the girl who was desired by the most evil. 

The reformation of the Academy's exams was a piece of top-secret information, and it would worth way more than five thousand Shellings. Nobles would come to him with thirty thousand shellings for that piece of information, and yet—for such a cheap price, he gave it to her.

But he wasn't helping Faustina.

"Consider it as a favor for Alexander Octavius, the Ninth." The Albino exclaimed as he ch.i.p.s a fragment of a red crystal. "I will only use this much dark magic to give that child leverage."

"You must do your job, Assassin. I will assure you that I am not the same as Father. He is patient. I am not."

"Yes, Pride. I will make sure this will count and wreak havoc to that child's mana," the shawled man said, glancing at the dark-haired young man whose eyes were bloodshot red, compared to his'. "Say hello to L.u.s.t for me, would you?"

"I'm sure she'd be delighted." Pride exclaimed. "Now do your job properly and follow Father's plan if you want your life to be 'normal,' Vampire."

**

Faustina ambled her way to the passages, only seeing ghosts that had terrified her beyond her wits. But as she passed through these apparitions, their effect on her dwindled until she didn't even battle an eye upon seeing one.

Faustina noticed a strange door that had intricate patterns all over it. It wasn't the same as the others which looked plain and unkempt. This one… it was polished all over and had a rather girlish theme to it. 

Reaching her hand to the doorknob, Faustina felt as if she was doing something wrong—like walking into a trap.

But then…

The door purposefully opened, and then dragged Faustina inside its darkness. Faustina blinked several times, seeing nothing but obscurity.

And then, IT appeared.

Like from a play from the story Snow White, a stage light appeared from above, illuminating what seemed like a glass coffin. Faustina, with the peculiar desire to saunter forward to see the one lying in the coffin better, went ahead and followed her yearning. She peered down below.

Lying in the coffin was the figure of a beautiful girl, eyes closed, and was peacefully asleep. She looked beautiful—no, ethereal, even; however…

"Isn't this… the princess from the portrait?"

"Yes," it was a voice from behind. "Beautiful, aren't I?"

And as Faustina turned her head slowly, her eyes met that of a girl's face ridden with maggots and rotten flesh. It leaned towards her and then smiled widely.

"Tell me I'm beautiful." She said; her voice deep and demonic. "Isn't the princess b e a u t i f u l?"

Faustina held her breath as the darkness enveloped her entire body.

"Now do tell..." The girl said. "Is the undead princess beautiful?"