Ezra groaned his head was pounding and really groggy. His eyes slowly opened and at first everything was blurry, but as his vision cleared, he saw a woman with curly black hair and light brown skin. She was slim and wearing a red dress with a green belt that had creepy eyes all around it. The hood she wore shone slightly brighter from afar it looked like a regular hood but up close it was a velvety fabric soft enough to not mess up the woman's hair. Ezra slowly sat up and noticed that the woman was pouring something into a wooden cup.

"Who are you?" Ezra asked. "Why did you save me?" the woman said nothing and started pounding some dried ingredients together and from the way it sounded, the woman was mumbling something. "Hello?" the woman made her way over to Ezra and kneeled in front of him with the cup. "What's this?"

"It's supposed to help you heal," the woman said. Ezra politely took it and sniffed it, the liquid didn't seem threatening, in fact, it smelled sweet like flowers and a few other herbs. Ezra hesitated he wasn't sure if he should trust this woman or if she was one of those people who wanted to take him to the castle. "I did not poison it child. Just drink it. Trust me." Ezra nodded and placed the cup to his mouth, he drank from it and instantly felt better. "There, see? It's not so bad now is it?"

"I guess not.." Ezra said and focused on the woman. "Who are you and why did you save me?"

"My name is Galena," the woman said fixing her hood. "I am a priestess of healing."

"How come I've never heard of you in any of the lore?" Ezra asked.

"Because I keep my work secret," Galena said. "The king doesn't like anyone who is more powerful than him, he would much rather rule with an iron fist, and if he discovers anyone with magic or things more powerful, he gets it."

"Would that be why he wants me?"

"I am not sure, but after seeing that marking on your wrist, I can tell you it's not good especially during this time and age." Ezra set the cup down, the lady knew about the tattoo and possibly even knew about his powers.

"Oh, this?" Ezra said trying to figure out if the woman knew about his powers. "I don't know how it appeared like this, it's been hurting since I got here." The woman smiled softly at him, although Ezra thought he was playing things cool and hiding anything that could point him to someone from another time.

"Ezra, you do not need to hide that from me," Galena said. Ezra was taken aback when he heard the woman say his name. He hadn't even introduced himself yet, and she knew who he was. "I assume you are wondering how I know your name?" she asked. Ezra remained silent as Galena helped him stand, he wobbled a little but regained his balance. "Child, everyone knows who you are, your destiny has been written for years, and not just because you are meant to stop the devil himself, but because of who you are."

"How do you know all this?"

"I am a high priestess, not just of healing but I know things of the old religion," Galena explained. "Please, walk with me." Galena gestured for Ezra to follow her, seeing as how the woman helped him, Ezra didn't see a problem. He caught up with Galena, who was walking through the forest.

"What did you mean about my destiny? I thought I already fulfilled it." Ezra said, confused.

"You fulfilled the first part of your destiny, there are bigger things in the works Ezra," Galena said. "Look around you, everything has a life and everything has a purpose, sure each bush, tree or animal doesn't understand it, but as human beings we understand way more than we let on."

"Are you the one Rowena told me to find?" Ezra asked.

"When she told you to go to the castle, she didn't actually mean to the castle," Galena explained. "She meant you needed to find me, which under these circumstances, you have."

"But this marking, and those people back in the village, how could they not notice a woman in red living amongst them?"

"I took on many disguises Ezra," Galena responded. "The girl and her sister, those were just illusions conjured up by me."

"No, that's impossible.." Ezra said in denial.

"You should know by now that nothing is impossible, once you set your mind to it, you were on the right path Ezra. When you came to the village, didn't you noticed few people were there?" Ezra thought back to the second village that he and his family passed through, there wasn't a single soul in sight, when Ezra finally put the pieces together he looked at the priestess in shock.

"That was you the entire time?"

"I had to test you Ezra, to see if you were the one in the prophecy," Galena said. "I understand you aren't the only one, but you are the only one aside from your mother who bears that mark," Galena pointed to the angel marking which was fully connected. "That mark alone is powerful, it counteracts anything evil, it just didn't start forming until you confronted the devil and that angel."

"How would a high priestess know anything about the Christianity religion?"

"I told you I know everything," Galena answered. "Plus, I go to church and worship both God and the Pagan religion."

"How could this mark be so powerful as to ward off things that are evil?"

"That I cannot tell you, but when the time is right, your other gifts will surface and once that happens things will get worse."

"But how do I know what's going on?"

"You will know in time," Galena and Ezra were walking for a good few minutes before they stopped just outside the forest and facing the large castle. "I can only help you this much," Galena pulled out a ring with a red jewel in the center and handed it to Ezra. "Take this, once you free your family you'll be able to use it to get back to your time frame," Ezra politely took the ring. "I also want to warn you, Ezra, once you are discovered by the king, he will challenge you in a fight. If you get hurt, the king will use his own personal sorcerer to take away your powers, each strike means you lose a power. Pay extra close attention to the way the king fights, once you see a pattern make your move."

"But if I'm using my powers wouldn't I get a hit?"

"No, you will not, Ezra with powers like that, do not rely on them," Galena said. "Powers do not help you, only your own skills and strategies will. Good luck child, and make sure that once you defeat the king and free your family, break the ring and it will send you back to your own timeline." Saying nothing else, Galena disappeared leaving Ezra at the entrance of the forest and a large castle towering over him.

"Looks like it's now or never." Ezra said to himself and approached the castle searching for a way in.