CHAPTER 554: INVASION

Isabella has fallen in love with a local nobleman who promised to marry her. She was an orphan finally having her home. Callista was aware of Jonah. She had seen him staring at Isabella longer than he should have most times.

His gaze and voice were always calm around her. She was glad Isabella was finally leaving this place. Most priests saw denouncing their vows as forbidden but Callista knew this was for the best.

"I would love to leave with you." She chimed. Isabella smiled, she was more than happy that Callista was leaving here with her. To her, this little girl was like her little sister.

The day of Isabella’s denouncement drew closer. While preparations were made for the event, Jonah started visiting Isabella more frequently, and they also started planning their wedding to be held in a local church close to Jonah’s home.

Then tragedy struck again, a few days before Isabella’s denouncement ceremony. The northern temple was attacked. Draconia was at war with a neighbouring kingdom that had infiltrated the neighbouring lands.

The temple, unfortunately, was within this region. Screams and terror filled the atmosphere. The air was thick with tension and smoke. Isabella ran her hand not letting go of Callista.

The entire temple was in chaos and their only hope was to escape through the woods. Her hope was to get to the neighbouring town and maybe reunite with her beloved.

"Run, Callista, we can’t let them catch us. ". She urged Callista. They were lucky enough to flee to the forest. The temple was completely in flames. Callista glanced back at the place, her former home, with complicated feelings. Her eyes glanced forward at Isabella’s hair, which was scattered in the wind. Her blonde hair burned like the flames under the moonlight.

The night air burned in their lungs as Isabella dragged Callista forward. Their legs were numb, the earth uneven, but they didn’t stop. The sound of hooves cracked against the silence, drawing closer, closer like a storm chasing them down.

"Run, Callista!" Isabella gasped, clutching the child’s trembling hand.

But the girl stumbled, her foot catching against a jagged stone. She fell with a cry, skin tearing, blood smearing her knee.

"Isabella....I can’t...please leave me." Callista cried. This was her fault. She was the cursed one. Callista cried out remembering Agatha’s voice. Maybe it was better she just died and ended this life filled with bad luck. Isabella paused, then turned to the girl on the floor, who had lost all hope. She could still hear their pursuers but she could not leave Callista here.

It was like abandoning her family. She gritted her teeth, her hands clenched. Her determination fuels her life. "We are leaving here together, Callista." She declared.

"You can still move." Isabella’s voice broke as she crouched, lifting the child onto her back despite the weight. Her breath came ragged, but she forced her legs to move. Every step was agony, but stopping meant death.

She started to run again. The hooves were drawing closer.

A sharp hiss cut the air. An arrow ran past her hitting a trunk. Her heart raced; they were closer. Callista pressed her eyes, her hand wrapping tightly around Isabella’s shoulders while she prayed a silent prayer.

Soon it started to rain arrows at them. Isabella choked, knees buckling, but somehow kept running with Callista clinging to her shoulders.

Amidst a rain of arrows, one struck her leg. Pain seared her, her pace slowed down. Still, she did not let go. She gritted her teeth and continued running, her head was going numb because of the pain...

A sharp scream escaped her lips. Isabella tripped again, falling on a tree root, which fell on her face. The sand got into her mouth. Callista was pushed off her back from the impact. Her bones cracked, and she slammed against a tree trunk, almost knocked unconscious.

"Callista," Isabella cried crawling to Callista. Callista’s eyes were barely open, and she stretched out to hold Isabella’s hand. Isabella smiled at Callista. "Don’t worry everything will be alright." She chimed, ignoring the pain in her body. She lied to the girl. "Come on, stand up." She urged Callista struggling to stand.

The girl was too weak to stand, barely clinging to her consciousness. Time wasn’t by their side. The riders descended like wolves, circling them, their laughter torn through the night striking terror in their heart.

Steel flashed under the moonlight, crossbows drawn, directed at Callista. "The young one goes first and maybe we can have some fun with the lady before ending her." One of the chuckles.

"Just end it. Why do you want to touch a priestess?" one barked out, disgusted.

The bolt was raised, ready to pierce through both of them. Isabella closed her eyes accepting her fate. Her hand squeezed Callista’s hand as if reassuring the little girl.

"Wait."

The command cut the air. A new figure emerged, tall and cloaked, eyes glinting with something unreadable. His gaze swept over the trembling girl clinging to Isabella’s bloodied back, then to Isabella herself, pale and staggering but still shielding the child.

"Don’t waste them." His voice was calm, cruel in its certainty. "Look at them. Their beauty is worth more than their deaths."

Callista’s small sob echoed in the night. Isabella, shaking, pressed her face against the child’s tangled hair as tears slid down her cheeks.

She knew. She knew this was the beginning of chains.

The beginning of slavery. Many lost their lives that day both from the temple and the nearby town. It was known as the biggest loss in Draconia’s history.

The journey was rough; the entire period, Callista clung to Isabella. Their eyes were lost in hope. Maybe it was because they intended to take the girls to serve their special needs, the soldiers were gracious enough to treat Isabella’s wound.

When they finally arrived at a foreign kingdom, they were barely skin and bones. Isabella was very frail and, despite her condition, protected Callista.

They were taken in by the man who stopped their death. Later, they found out he was a general and one of the kingdom’s princes.

Living in a castle might have seemed like a dream to others, but this was the beginning of Callista’s biggest nightmare.