To His Hell and Back-Chapter 217: Puzzles That Fits-II

As Arabella turned another page of the ancient book, her eyes flicked up to Cassius. "Sorcerers and witches, how different are they really?"

"Not too different," Cassius replied, selecting another book from the shelf. The cover was cracked and brittle, and the pages looked so fragile that even a careless breath might reduce them to dust. "Witches are simply higher in the hierarchy. Think of them as queens, while sorcerers are their disciples. It was the witches who first taught the sorcerers how to harness power— how to cast spells, craft potions, and even defend against curses."

Arabella blinked, furrowing her brows. "So, if I’m understanding this right... sorcerers and witches were once allies?"

"Allies, yes," Cassius confirmed, glancing over at her, "but only when their ambitions aligned. Loyalty among them was often blind, many sorcerers would follow their witch into the flames if ordered to. But power corrupts, and not all witches were noble. When disagreements arose, some sorcerers broke away to form their own covens. Rebellion born from loyalty turned bitter."

Arabella leaned back slightly, her mind turning over the revelation. "That sounds less like magic and more like politics."

Cassius gave a small smirk. "Magic and politics often walk hand in hand, Arabella. Especially when both are fueled by desire for power, control, or freedom."

She hummed again and looked at the papers, lining one sentence he wrote with her finger, "But it’s said that sorcerers often uses their power as medicine against curses created by the witches. They don’t sound like ally but rather a world apart different creatures that are born to be against each other?"

"Because sorcerers cannot use magic like witches," Cassius pointed out, "So when the rebellion occurred, they need to have a power to go against the witches and thus they created medicines. But the bad witches would start cursing humans and the sorcerers would use their power to make antidotes. Humans sees them as two different entity due to one helping and one destroying the peace. But truth is, they came from the same place."

"That would make sense," Arabella agreed with him and then frowned, "So what is Morpheus? A sorcerer? A witch? How could we differentiate them? But I suppose witches are usually for female isn’t it? And Morpheus isn’t a female... unless he is..."

When she first saw Morpheus, his face was far too androgynous to the point that she became far too confused whether he was a woman or a man. He also had a long silver hair which didn’t help, making her to think he’s a woman until he spoke and his voice was unmistakably a man’s.

"He is a man and I suppose witches are mostly females. It’s also written that only female could easily form a contract with demons which must be the reason why the witches could gain power much more powerful than even those sorcerers."

"Then Owen spoke about something else," she reminded him, "About how Morpheus, their king, cannot step out from the castle and the land itself because of a curse?"

"Well you have asked the right question," a smile appeared on Cassius’s lips, clearly delighted to give her a new news. "I was reading through the scrolls that was compiled by Renard and Karnala. I found something very odd. Amongst all those scrolls and books regarding sorcerers and witches, a children book was mixed in it. Inside that book was a fairytale."

"A fairy tale for children?" Arabella frowned, "Is this about Morpheus?" ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

"I think so. The story isn’t very clear and the characters are not in the same name however, their appearance match. Specially the renown bright green eyes that the fairy tale kept repeating for hundreds of times."

She then saw him opening another book which had drawings over it. A simple drawing as if made from colorful colors and wet paint. In it was an adorable round headed characters whose eyes were significantly bright green.

"Once upon a time," Cassius spoke as though he was reading a bedtime, his voice bright but also sarcastic, "there was a boy with eyes so green they glowed in the dark. People said his eyes were kissed by the stars— others said they were cursed by the old moon. He lived a sincere life, always helping and was loved by those who knows him. He especially had the power to heal, something he had learned from his late mother who also has such bright green eyes. The boy then grew up into someone outstanding, a knight who would protect the weak and a doctor who would heal those who had been cursed with illness."

Arabella frowned as Cassius said, "That boy’s name is Morpheus, a name given by his mother. Once he was old enough, the King became interested in his achievements, wanting to have his help so to protect their land. Morpheus the sincere man who always wanted to help those in need at once accepted the King’s request and worked all his might in order to protect the land."

"That King is a human King?"

Cassius nodded to respond to her.

He added, "The King asked him to promise that he would help the land forever, unknowningly bounding himself into a curse that would forever bind him into the land. Forever. Forever. And the once bright and sincere Morpheus became black hearted upon finding out how the King had instead used him as a weapon rather than to protect their land. He became hateful and would do anything in his power to break the curse that was put on him."

"By marrying?"

"By mixing his blood," Cassius said, "By mixing his blood with a princess of the witches."

Arabella’s eyes slowly widened and Cassius snapped his finger at her, "You. You’re the daughter of the witches. But a few things in this story doesn’t really add up. Such as who could be powerful enough to curse Morpheus, or why Morpheus even fall into the trick and was cursed into protecting Versailles. Then the last question would be where was Morpheus when I destroyed this kingdom and overtook it. As according to the rules, he would have to protect the land yet he stood by and watch."