Chapter 49 - A MESSAGE RFOM THE HEAD PRIEST

Saint Ava shortly answered, "From Head Priest."

"What did he say?" Veronica inquired.

Saint Ava responded, "Something terrible happened. He wants your aid."

Veronica was confused. "My aid? As in my healing power?"

She was still under training and there was no official report sent to anyone that she was ready to become a healer.

Then why so suddenly?

Saint Ava slightly frowned. Her beautiful brows pinched together in obvious displeasure. She seemed offended by Veronica's question. "What else are you good at? Do you think he will call for you because you are good at wiping dirty floors? They already have plenty of people to do that."

"You don't have to say that to me like that." Veronica sulked. While she was being trained by Saint Ava, they had become quite close.

"You said you would become good at healing and learn everything needed diligently, but the way I see it, you have just become a good maid in these past six months." Saint Ava glanced at her arm. "Well, at least the scar is completely gone."

"Didn't I do well?" Veronica felt proud whenever she thought about it.

Saint Ava didn't give her much space to joy over this little accomplishment of hers. "It's only because I didn't cut my arm today. I feel weak after losing so much blood already."

'Always hurting my weak point,' Veronica thought. She scratched her head. "I did tell you to teach me another way."

Saint Ava pointed out another weakness. "And you cannot use your power without seeing an injury. Even now."

"I'm sorry!" Veronica apologized and bowed deeply. She didn't want to get another deathblow from her.

Saint Ava moved her hand as if to shoo her away. "Enough. Pack a pouch of fruits and leave immediately."

'Am I being kicked out?' Veronica pondered, feeling confused and heartbroken.

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No matter what Veronica thought, the situation seemed utterly serious. She could sense it. She set out on her journey to the temple after saying her farewell to Saint Ava.

At first, she had a hard time adjusting herself to the sunlight. The weak sunlight was too much to bear after spending six months inside the temple. Thus, she covered her head with the hood. The cold breeze and snow in the mountain path weren't helping her either. She lost her way twice before reaching the temple.

The temple seemed quieter than usual. Everyone in the temple was busy working, but their faces were unexceptionally gloomy. In that atmosphere, it was hard to even breathe. This always happened when someone died.

"…" Veronica had a bad feeling about this.

The other priests and priestesses saw her but they didn't bother talking to her. They only gave her a slight nod and she did the same in return.

Veronica directly went in the direction of the inner temple. She found the Head Priest praying in the prayer room. She sat on a chair close to the door and waited for him to finish praying.

When he was done, he turned around and saw her. He stared at her and then signaled her to go out with him.

She silently followed him to an empty room. After they entered the room, he closed the door.

Veronica looked around and realized that it was the Head Priest's office. There were lots of books in the bookshelves, neatly perched along the four walls of the chamber. And, sitting in the middle of the room was a big wooden table. It was surrounded by so many chairs.

In spite of being curious of the letter he sent her, she greeted him first, "Head Priest, may the Goddess bless the light upon you."

"Likewise. Child, how is your training going?" The Head Priest went to the business straightly.

Veronica hesitated before answering, "It's not the way I expected it to be."

"Hmm…" The Head Priest sat on the chair and allowed her to sit as well.

Veronica fidgeted with her fingers and then asked him, "Did something happen? You sent an urgent message and everyone looks upset."

The Head Priest confessed, "Something terrible indeed happened. That's why everyone is upset."

Veronica gulped. She had never seen someone donning this kind of sorrowful expression. "What happened? Did someone…" she couldn't utter the word 'die' to finish her speculation.

The Head Priest looked at her and let out a deep sigh. "We just heard a piece of news. Half of the healers just disappeared a week ago."

"I beg your pardon?" Veronica couldn't understand his words, yet her heart was thumping loudly.

The Head Priest narrated shortly, "As you know, the healers are always hired by other kingdoms at the time of war. Right now, a war is going on between Riverhill and Synetia."

"Riverhill and Synetia…" Veronica mumbled. She took a trip down to memory lane and tried to remember where she heard those names. And, she did. "Wait, aren't they neighbors? Why are they fighting?"

She remembered that Riverhill and Synetia were the north countries.

There is a mountain range, the Alss, between Utahill and Synetia. Synetia is a bigger country than Utahill. Situated on the right side of Synetia is the country Riverhill, the kingdom of rivers. These three large countries depend on Riverhill for water supply. It's a large country with a strong army. It's a powerful nation.

The Head Priest responded, "It's because they both set their eyes on the barren land between the two kingdoms. It belongs to no one. It's a desert. A desert tribe lives there."

Veronica asked him, "What does it have to do with our healers? Did they hire our healers?"

The Head Priest gave a nod. "That's right. Both Synetia and Riverhill hired huge numbers of healers. They both took the best healers by paying a huge sum of money. It just shows how serious they are. The royal palace is almost empty. Only a few senior healers and newbies are living there."

He added, "The fight was bloody. It had been going on for more than two months. Everything was normal but then suddenly something terrible happened. At night, in the camp of Synetia, a light came from who knew where and swallowed almost all the healers that Synetia hired from us. They are missing for a week."