The Crown's Fire - Chapter 154

Chapter 154: Wave of Confusion
At Mount Sorel Temple

“How are you feeling?” Lucrezia asked as she attended to Katelina, who had just woken up after receiving her punishment from the heavens.

“Water…” Katelina weakly murmured, and Lucrezia immediately handed her a glass of water.

“I feel strange all over my body, and my head is aching. Wait… Why are you here?” Katelina questioned, furrowing her brow as she looked around.

“Where am I?” she murmured. “This is not my chamber.”

Lucrezia frowned in response. “You’re in one of the chambers in the temple of Mount Sorel. You were unconscious for days after receiving the punishment from the heavens,” she explained.

Katelina had just woken up, so she might have been experiencing temporary side effects.

Days ago, a sharp lightning strike had hit the hut where she was staying, rendering her unconscious. Her vitals were normal, and it seemed like she was simply sleeping.

Magnus, the head of their guild, assumed that the punishment had been directed through her inner core. However, it was too early to assess the damage, as Magnus had deemed it unsafe to check Katelina’s inner core until she woke up.

“I’m at Mount Sorel? Punishment? What’s going on, Lady Lucrezia? Why am I here? Where are my parents?” Katelina fired off questions in rapid succession.

Before Lucrezia could answer, the door swung open, and Leviticus entered. “Sister! I’m so glad you’re finally awake!” the boy exclaimed, rushing to embrace his sister, tears streaming down his face.

Lucrezia turned to the servant she had assigned to Leviticus and instructed, “Please call Magnus.”

Magnus had a better understanding of heavenly punishments, so Lucrezia wouldn’t dare to check on Katelina herself. But it seemed that Katelina had lost some, if not all, of her memories. Lucrezia wondered if she had also lost her abilities, but Magnus would surely know.

“You… Who are-” Katelina trailed off as she gently pushed Leviticus away, confusion evident in her eyes.

“Sister, it’s me, Levi,” he sniffled while staring at her with a pout.

“Levi, come here and let your sister have some space for a while. I think she can’t remember everything,” Lucrezia murmured as she gently pulled Levi to her, giving Katelina some space to gather her thoughts.

“Lady Lucrezia, what is going on? Where are my parents? Where’s mother and father?” Katelina’s voice trembled with worry.

“What is the last thing you remember?” Lucrezia probed gently.

Katelina furrowed her brow, trying to recall. “I… I remember waiting for a falling star on the balcony before midnight of my eighteenth birthday. Then, I suddenly felt strange, and there was something in my head, but I can’t quite remember… It felt like my head was going to burst…” Her voice trailed off as she struggled to piece together her memories.

“She lost her memory before her gift of foresight and clairvoyance had awakened,” Magnus interjected, his tone grave.

“Master Magnus,” Katelina acknowledged with a slight bow.

“You’re confused right now, Princess, but we’ll guide you slowly. Don’t feel nervous or burdened,” he reassured her.

Magnus exchanged a glance with Lucrezia. “We have to call for Luis and Asura…” he declared, indicating that they needed to involve Katelina’s guardians to help her navigate this confusing situation.

Lucrezia nodded in understanding. Katelina had instructed them to call for Luis and Asura in case of an emergency before she received her punishment.

Magnus examined Katelina carefully while Lucrezia led Leviticus outside to give Katelina some privacy.

“What’s wrong with my sister, Milady?” Levi asked, his voice trembling with concern as he wiped away his tears.

“Hmm, nothing’s wrong, my dear, just that she lost her memory… I’m not entirely sure, so let’s wait for Lord Magnus to check on her first. Later, I will bring you to see her again, but for now, let us give her some time to process things,” Lucrezia explained gently.

“I hope she gets well soon. Last night, I dreamed of attending a Global Summit, and my sister will meet her future husband there. It’s that man…” Levi muttered.

Lucrezia’s eyes widened in surprise. She and Magnus had recently discovered that Levi also possessed the gift of foresight, albeit with different abilities from Katelina. His visions only extended to the future, unlike Katelina’s, which encompassed both past and future.

“A Global Summit for all kingdoms, for unity and peace talks…” Lucrezia mused aloud. She recalled King Ezekiel mentioning this event to them before. It was the first thing he proposed after his coronation, eager to foster unity among the kingdoms. He had entrusted their guild with managing the historic event.

She gently patted Levi’s head and said, “You said it’s that man? Have you seen him before?”

“Yes, I saw him when my sister and I tried to escape the demon king. It’s that man whom my sister saved. She will marry him… the dragon king,” Levi stated firmly.

“I see… It seems like their destinies together can’t be severed, no matter what. Fate’s immeasurable power is truly amazing,” Lucrezia hummed thoughtfully.

*****

As Katelina sat in silence, Magnus’s glowing energy permeated her being as he delved into her inner core, examining the remnants of her shattered memories and lost abilities. Though there were countless questions swirling in her mind, she knew they would have to wait until Magnus finished his assessment.

After what felt like an eternity, Magnus finally spoke. “You lost your gift of foresight and clairvoyance, Your Highness,” he declared gravely. “And it seems like some of your latest memories were also shattered by the heavenly lightning strike. But it’s a good thing that other than that, nothing seems amiss. Just that the dragonrider’s blood in you is dormant.”

As Magnus explained the extent of Katelina’s memory loss, she felt a wave of confusion and disbelief wash over her. She couldn’t comprehend the idea of losing three years of her life, let alone the notion that her parents were no longer alive.

“I’m really confused, Master Magnus. I don’t even understand what you’re rumbling about,” Katelina confessed, her frustration evident in her crumpled expression. “All I honestly care about is seeing Mother and Father. Also, that boy… Why did he address me as Sister? I mean, Levi is just two years old!”

“Your Highness, like I said… Your memories were shattered because of the heavenly lightning. You lost three years of your memory,” Magnus reiterated gently. “And I know this will be too much for you, but your parents were already gone. You lost them three years ago during the Demon King of Helion’s siege of the Kingdom of Zion.”

Katelina’s lips parted in shock. “What are you saying, Master? That can’t be! There’s no way that happened!”