Chapter 44: A Cure for the Cursed Ones... Three Days Countdown
The room was tense following Kimara's declaration. One of them would die in the next three days? She remained silent after her announcement, leaving the choice up to them.
'Damn, is this really the end? There's no way I can let Rotexa die for my sake. Even though I was reincarnated into this family, it doesn't give me the rights they have. Deep within, I know it. That's why I've kept silent, awaiting my fate.'
Ruthar shifted his gaze to Rotexa, who was deep in thought. Was she really considering dying for him? No, Ruthar could not accept that.
He opened his mouth and yelled vibrantly, "I will gladly forfeit taking the cure for Rotexa's sake!"
Rotexa gasped at his words, turning around with a distressed look. "Y-you don't know what you're saying... Let me die for you."
No matter how many words she said, Ruthar would not listen. He stood firm and stared at Kithara, who returned his gaze.
After a moment, Kithara nodded in acceptance. "You can never go back on your words as a Darkdawn. You really meant what you said, but I'm not sure you will like the consequences of not taking the cure."
'What does she mean? The nightmares are the only thing, right? Or is there more?'
Ruthar's heart palpitated as his eyes fell to the ground. "What's going to happen to me?"
Lady Taraha sighed subtly before explaining to Ruthar, "During the next three days, the nightmares will become real and start affecting your physical health. Nausea will set in, and most people go mad on the second night. It's a really painful ordeal, Ruthar."
Ruthar hadn't noticed his jaw had dropped until she finished speaking. This was worse than he had anticipated. "Uhm? What if I don't sleep? If I don't, he won't harm me. We just need a potion to keep me awake, right?"
Lady Taraha shook her head sorrowfully. "Poor Ruthar, the nightmare monster can summon you into a deep slumber whenever he sees fit, and the torture intensifies the harder you try to fight sleep."
Ruthar's legs began to tremble in fear, and he soon collapsed to his knees, dropping his head to the floor. 'What the hell is this? Being a twin to Rotexa has really placed me in the hands of death.'
"Can I... kill myself?" That was his final resort. Killing himself seemed more worthwhile than waiting for death from a homicidal generational killer.
"Death is not the solution. He would capture your soul and torture you for eternity instead of letting you move on to the afterlife. There is no wa--"
"There is a solution," Kithara interrupted. "This isn't the first time this situation has occurred, but it's one you will suffer through before achieving. Some call this method suicide, a worse punishment than death. You will have to wait three days for the cure to grow again. Only one person has survived this method in all of history, a fellow twin like you. But I expect you Darkdawns to show no weaknesses from this illness. If not, the illness might not be the only lethal aspect to worry about."
She turned to Ruthar and gave him a warning glance. "When I say Darkdawns, you are not excluded."
Ruthar nodded groggily before rising to his feet. He turned and began to walk slowly to the door. "We better get going, Lady Taraha."
---
It was already morning, and Ruthar was dressed in an adventure outfit given to him by Taraha. She had also dressed similarly.
According to what she said, she had an exorcism to perform on the outskirts of Spade Horus.
'She said she can't leave me alone, that's why I am following. She probably thinks being active in a mission might do me better, but my mood is totally zero.'
After their short change, Taraha chose to sit on the bed instead of heading out to complete her mission. This made Ruthar wonder if she was stalling because she was worried about him. But what were the odds of that?
He quickly cleared all thoughts, not wanting to delude himself.
Finally, the silence was broken by Taraha. "I called in assistance for this mission. He should be arriving very soon."
'Help? He? So she can't accomplish this mission with me as support. I feel underestimated,' Ruthar thought, looking at his childlike body, which appeared feeble and fragile. 'Uhm? What was Lady Taraha's nightmare season like? She seems really tense about the spirit entity. Should I ask her?'
Ruthar played his thoughts continuously until he gathered the courage to ask.
"What was your own time like? When you had these nightmares, what was it like for you?" He reframed the question to a simpler form.
Taraha let out a sigh and folded her hands. The question struck her composure more than Ruthar expected.
She bit her lips before speaking, "I spent two nights in the nightmare before I was cured."
"Two nights? What do you mean? Despite having a cure, you chose to spend two nights against that beast?" Ruthar was both surprised and scared. He believed it was crazy for her to take that risk. For what reason?
"Why did you allow the nightmares to lapse a day? Weren't you scared?"
She was, but she couldn't voice it. She only dimmed her eyes and let out consecutive sighs as though calming herself.
"I don't want you to die, Ruthar. I can't share anything about my own time of the curse with you. Please, no matter how pressured you are, never ask me that question again!" Her words cut through Ruthar's heart.
'I understand what she's feeling, but I have never seen anyone show such emotion towards me. She might have just met me not long ago, but she acts like she has known me for ages.'
"You know what, Sister Taraha! I am not scared of the spirit entity. Next time I see him, I'll kill him for you!" he yelled confidently, instigating a gasp from Taraha.
"W-what did you say?" Her voice strained, but Ruthar didn't understand why, at least until a few seconds later.
The monstrous voice he was all too familiar with echoed through his body, freezing him into a pillar.
'Gulp! How did he hear me?'
As the statement crossed Ruthar's ears, he instantly became woozy, stumbling like a drunkard before collapsing, losing consciousness quickly.
[User's mind is being tampered with, evolving...]
[Evolving...]
[Evolving...]
[Grade one fort wall has been invented, all entities have been blocked from your mind]
Ruthar's consciousness still drifted, but now all he could hear was the loud voice of the System, no longer the spirit entity.
'Is... is the system blocking the interference? The spirit entity? Thank God...'
[The wall has started to crumble]
[A powerful force is invading your mind]
'As I thought, that bastard wouldn't let me off that easily!'
[System error: cannot stop the entity...]
[Cannot stop the entity]
[Evasive measures will be taken... This might affect you psychologically]
'What's happening now? I don't quite understand...'
[Goodbye, User]