The Silver Curse – Volume 2, Chapter 6: Echoes of the Curse
The Battle Intensifies
Yuto's breathing was steady, but his grip on his sword tightened. The silver rings on his fingers pulsed faintly, as if whispering to him, urging him to let go, to give in. The direwolves closed in, their golden eyes locked onto him and Mira.
Mira dodged a lunging beast, slicing her dagger across its flank. "Got a plan, or are we just winging it?"
Yuto exhaled slowly. "I've got something. Cover me."
She snorted but did as told, shifting into a defensive stance.
The rings pulsed again.
The world around him sharpened, every detail crisp. He could see their movements before they made them.
A direwolf leapt—Yuto sidestepped effortlessly, his blade cutting across its neck in a clean, fluid motion. Another lunged for his exposed back, but he twisted, kicking off a tree and slashing downward.
Blood sprayed onto the forest floor.
The curse was awake.
The Whisper in His Mind
The last two wolves hesitated now, sensing something wrong. Yuto could feel it too—the way his body moved faster, the way his mind processed every shift in the battle with unnatural ease.
Then came the whisper. Low, ancient, insidious.
More. You can take more.
His heart pounded, his fingers flexing against his sword. The power within the rings was intoxicating, an endless well of strength waiting to be tapped.
Why hold back?
They are nothing before you.
"Yuto!" Mira's voice cut through the haze.
He blinked, realizing he had nearly lost himself to the pull of the rings. He had moved without thinking, his blade inchesfrom a wolf that had already collapsed.
The fight was over.
And he had nearly gone too far.
Aftermath
Yuto stepped back, shaking his head. The remaining direwolves had fled, their instincts screaming that they were no match. The forest returned to an uneasy quiet.
Mira sheathed her daggers, her expression unreadable. "That was… something."
Yuto exhaled sharply, trying to steady his racing thoughts. "Let's get back to Valkris."
He didn't miss the way Mira's eyes lingered on his rings before she nodded.
The Silver Curse was growing stronger.
And it was only a matter of time before it demanded more.
End of Chapter 6