The Devil's Cursed Witch

Morpheus and Aureus arrived at the Wood Elf Clan territory. As they flew over the treetops, Morpheus instructed his nephew. "Be careful. These tree spirits are sensitive to the intrusion of strangers."

"Tree spirits?" Aureus asked as he looked at those normal looking trees.

"Hmm! They are not normal trees like what we have in Divine Eagle Clan territory. Wood elves live inside homes made in the trees with tree spirits. These trees have their own thoughts and instincts and can act according to them. Though they can not hear or talk, they can sense the things around them clearly. If they feel any threat, they don't bother to refrain themselves from attacking."

It surprised Aureus, "I have just heard it from mother when I was a child but I thought she was just making up a nice story to entertain me and then I forgot it like any other stories."

"Why don't you try going near them to check if those were simply stories or there is truth in them?"

Aureus looked at his uncle, "Shall I?"

Morpheus nodded, "Go ahead but be alert. Don't go too close."

Aureus heard it and flew closer towards the tree tops carefully. Just as he reached a little closer where the tree spirits could sense the stranger, all the trees around started to shake their branches at the top as if trying to drive the stranger away. The trees closest to him moved their branches even to attack him.

Aureus immediately moved back as he didn't wish to hurt those tree spirits. "Seems like, I won't be able to get past these trees."

"You can. It's just that it's your first time here and these trees have never sensed the essence of your soul or your powers before. They can feel the essence of our powers or our souls and can remember it forever. They can differentiate everyone based on their essence and identify them."

"That's amazing I must say," Aureus praised as he looked at the trees which were calm now.

"Wait here. I will be back in a while," Morpheus flew down through the trees and no tree spirit attacked him. After a while he returned to Aureus, "We can go now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Both flew down and this time no tree spirit attacked Aureus. They landed at one bridge connecting tree houses and Aureus asked, "What did you do?"

"Not me but Leeora. She can control and command these tree spirits. She instructed them what was needed and the tree spirits understood."

Just then Leeora stepped out of the home, "Welcome to the Wood Elf Clan, Aureus."

"Thank you, elder Leeora," he offered her a light bow and watched his uncle looking at another home connected to the bridge. It seemed to be empty as there was no sound coming from that house.

"Please come inside," Leeora instructed.

"You go ahead. I will be there in a while," Morpheus said to Aureus and looked at Leeora who nodded to him.

Aureus went to Leeora's home while Morpheus went to the empty home on the other side of the bridge connected to Leeora's home. This home belonged to Ember.

'When she was here, I never got the chance to visit her home. That dimwit Dragon ordered this tree spirit to not let any male come closer to her residence,' Morpheus chuckled at that silly act from Draven, '...and he acted as if she was nobody to him when all he was trying to do was to keep her for himself. Stubborn Dragon, he better be good to her at least now.'

Morpheus entered inside that small tree house and this time the tree spirit didn't stop him. That small house was quiet and even though no one lived there, the few things it had were placed neatly as if it was waiting for its owner to return but sadly she won't return.

Small wooden bed covered with a thin soft mattress with animal hide spread on it, enough for only one person to sleep.

Morpheus chuckled as he looked at that small bed, "Only her tiny body can fit on this bed."

Little things she had were placed just like that- a clay water container with a clay cup placed over the lid was still there. Morpheus picked up that cup and observed, 'She must have used this one to drink water.'

He placed it back and walked towards the shelf with neatly folded clothes of the previous owner. From those clothes he could still smell her sweet unique scent, in fact this empty home still had her scent lingering inside.

He stood by the window and looked outside, only to see the palace in front at a distance. 'Did she spend her time sitting by the window, looking at that palace, not knowing she will end up living there?'

He was trying to feel her presence in each and everything inside that house by thinking how she spent her time here.

Just as he was about to leave that home, his gaze noticed something placed on the wooden drawer chest. He went there and picked it up. It was a finely carved pendant which had a tree carved on it which was available in the city shops of the ronan as it was the crest design of the Wood Elf Clan. Behind the tree carving, her name was carved on it- Ember.

Morpheus didn't think much and took that pendant woven in a thin thread. He left the home and walked along the bridge to go back to Leeora's home but then heard familiar voices.

"....sire is always going somewhere these days and returning late at night. I wonder what he is so busy with."

"He is a King and must have important things to deal with, Erlos."

"Hmm, that is true."

"How is Ember? What is she doing in the palace these days? Her lessons are on halt as well."

"Miss was resting in her chamber the entire day and didn't even come out," Erlos replied.

"What? What happened to her? Is she not well?" Leeora asked in her worry filled voice.

"Well, Elder…." Erlos stopped and there was a sudden silence inside the home.

Leeora understood she had asked something wrong as worry about ember took over her mind. Erlos kept quiet while Aureus was the same. Previous night his sharp hearing senses heard those loud noises from the west wing of the top floor of the palace which he didn't wish to hear.

Leeora cleared her throat and looked at Morpheus who had entered the home. "Oh, Morph, you are here? Have a seat. I will serve you three some freshly baked bread." She immediately changed the topic and that awkward silence inside the home disappeared.

Aureus looked at his uncle and understood he had heard what they were talking about. Morpheus sat in the chair and he looked at Erlos with a playful gaze.

"Seems like you gets lots of free time these days, kiddo."

Erlos smiled at him sarcastically, "I was trying to know how it feels to be an idler like you."

Morpheus smirked playfully, "Well, it feels great. I believe you will enjoy it."

In reply, Erlos simply rolled his eyes at Morpheus.

Leeora brought the bread for them. The sweet scent of those freshly baked breads spread in the house.

"Elder, it looks tasty," Erlos immediately picked up one and started to eat. Aureus and Morpheus picked up as well and started eating.

"It tastes really good, Elder Leeora," Aureus complemented.

"Thank you, Aureus," Leeora also sat in one chair.

"As Morphues finished one bread, he looked at the two young ones. "Erlos, as you are free, take Aureus to visit Ronan."

Though Erlos loved to disobey Morpheus, in this matter he agreed, "I will."

After they talked and finished the bread, Erlos and Aureus left while Morpheus stayed back with Leeora. He needed to talk about Leeora's visit to the Black Witch Clan head, Zelda.

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A/N- We are just 250 golden tickets away from the 3rd place in golden ticket event. Keep voting.

There will be a 10 chapters MASS RELEASE for both novels of the "Devil and Witch" series with most important events in the novel plots.

The surprise about Aureus will be revealed as well.