Chapter 34 - The Unworthy and the Champion(IX)
Raven eyed the self-proclaimed Peter Parker suspiciously, "You predicted this? The existence of a curse? How?"
The mysterious individual didn't seem too surprised by the sudden revelation. There was only a hint of excitement building up underneath his voice.
"I didn't predict anything. I guessed. Big difference. Sereya Voss' secret art should have ended the monster, but it broke free. That was the first clue. Illogical, irrational. You see, irrational is another word for curse magic. So, I started thinking; either it could be a powerful ritualistic magic, terrifying innate magic, or—"
"—a vengeful curse." Raven finished the mysterious individual words. "And if it was a curse, the supernatural entity couldn't be the monster. The monster is only its enforcer, its black knight. Interesting, I take it you are adept at curses."
"Funny story. My sister once told me I was as short as a little thingy dangling between a toddler's between. So, I cursed her to crave only short men with bald men. Next thing we knew, she surrounded herself with an entourage of dwarves. Her face red with disgust, but she couldn't help it because the curse was too strong. She never got over it. My family was left aghast for two years. Hmmm… what a crazy time. I took a picture to immortalize the moment. Wanna see it?"
"You are a nasty one, aren't you? Not very much like Peter Parker, " Trix yelled. "Show me the picture."
"That was during a very tough period of my life. To battle the black venom that was my sister, I had to become her. I have changed a lot since then, I assure you," chuckled Peter Parker.
Kai interrupted, "Can we focus?"
Everyone fell silent. Kai was unusually prickly after the encounter with the noble called Braston. They all felt something change within him. What exactly did Branston say to him?
Raven coughed, bringing everyone's attention to himself. "Peter Parker, can you eliminate the curses?"
"Exorcism? Hmmm… tell me everything you saw in the lake. I have to understand the curse to be able to exorcise it. Do not leave out a single detail."
Kai, Raven, and Trix poured out everything they saw in the lake. They each had different versions but when it all came together, it painted a very powerful picture.
"Wow… a ritual to absorb the females. You see, curses are really irrational. They don't feed off energy and whatnot. They feast on emotions. What you are describing to me appears to be a ritual to feed off the emotion of the female victims. The monster didn't kill them. It merely disarmed them, and the curse did the rest."
"What emotion are they feeding off?" Trix questioned.
"Picture it. A woman is thrown into a lake, chained to an iron ball. The doings of a male or a group of men, most likely. What does she feel in the waning moments leading to her death? Fear— no one would wish to die in such a way. It is beyond cruel. Helplessness— she felt weak and useless. And finally— Rage, so much rage it could boil an ocean. It was this rage that birthed the curse."
Raven said, "She feeds off the helplessness of the female victims."
Peter Parker corrected, "That and the brutality enacted by her knight—the monster— on the male victims. It's a perfect balance."
"Then how do we stop it?"
"The mirror tactic. A very simplistic method but equally as ancient. The ancient ones were a wonderful bunch when it came to solving magics or finding loopholes. To exorcise the curse, we use ritualistic magic and feed it the opposite of itself."
Kai shook his head, "I'm not following you."
Suddenly, Trix's eyes brightened. "We must be everything it wants to be. The woman was killed by a powerful male. So, the curse would be killed by a powerful female. One that does not feel weakness or fear."
"Yes, we must appeal to its emotions. Showing it a life that it never had. The mirror tactic, huh?" Raven smiled.
Raven realized there was still so much he didn't know about magic. The mysterious individual effortlessly solved the case even without entering the lake. If that wasn't magical expertise, he wondered what was.
Peter Parker said, "We have two options. We could break the chains while fighting the monster in the lake. Or we could go the riualistic way with an exorcism ritual. Do not worry though. We aren't doing anything."
"What???"
"Did you think you were the only one capable of solving the case? No, far from it. There are others way ahead of you at this moment. All we have to do is watch."
"What are you saying?" Kai frowned. He didn't like the idea of observing, especially after everything they had done.
Peter Parker smiled mysteriously, "Have you ever heard of the monster that is Xylia Rivera?"
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"So, what do you think? You can't deny the pros."
At a particular corner of the grove, a voice asked. It belonged to a woman— her tone dripping with confidence and a dangerous arrogance.
Sereya Voss, frozen in place, stared at the figure beside her in stunned silence.
This lady, no older than herself, stood like a storm ready to break. Wild red hair framed a face with fierce burgundy eyes that burned with passion and defiance. Twin silver-plated pistols hung at her hips, their mere presence a quiet warning that she was more than capable of using them.Everything about her screamed danger.
Sereya Voss could not believe this person was offering her a role at her side. Even she, a second-generation noble, had heard the whispers about this person; there was no youth in Charmire that didn't know of her.
"Miss Xylia Rivera—" Sereya Voss politely said, but she was interrupted.
"Please, call me Xylia. No need for formalities between growing friends."
Sereya Voss changed her tone awkwardly and replied, "Well then, Xylia, you saved my life earlier. I can't possibly say no to you. That is a debt I aim to repay."
Xylia Rivera's smile sharpened. "The preliminary round is not a matter of life and death. You do realize what I am asking, right? A partnership that determines our future. Your arcane sigil bears so much promise. Together, me and you, we could tear up any academy we choose."
With a sudden motion, Xylia Rivera held Sereya Voss' face, her burgundy eyes reflecting in Sereya's warm eyes. "I want you to say yes because you believe it, not because you owe me."
"Ahh, there's no rejecting you, is there? Well, consider me charmed," reluctantly sighed Sereya Voss, before breaking out into a smile.
"Perfect. First, let's deal with this annoying monster. It has gone on for too long. After that, we thwart the other rounds as we rally allies. And then, the academy. I promise you, this is going to be a fun ride."