Chapters 25 - 29+ Side Story
Side Story 1 : Lilah’s Workshop
She pushed open the large, thick wooden door with ease -- a contrast to her petite frame. The dander floating about in the room flitted furiously as new air found its way in along with the stale.
“Agh. I’m beat.” She groaned, as she removed and tossed her black cloak to the side, revealing long blonde hair and a beautiful crimson dress. She next hopped up and down as she pulled off her black, ankle high heel-less boots. She carelessly tossed each to a different corner of the musty, cluttered room. Pushed against the walls were junk of all types; tables, chairs, trinkets, charms and bobbles. The sheer amount of objects in the room was quite impressive.
“I don’t get why I have to keep wearing this thing anyway. It’s not like anyone in this town gives a shit who I am.” Lilah remarked as she walked further into the room, undoing the black satin headband which covered her deep blue eyes. As the fabric slid down it revealed a strangely shaped brand which resembled two broken lines, positioned directly in the center of her forehead.
Rather than placing her belongings with care, Lilah seemed more concerned with making her way to a table near the back of the room. There a lantern flickered, illuminating the sparse lighting of the dim room. She passed the haphazardly boarded windows, which streamed additional rays of scattered sunlight through them, and took a seat in a raggedy wooden chair.
“Let’s see… what to make next..” She said, her thoughts focused solely on a small leatherbound book sprawled open on the desk. It’s cover was made of burned leather, though the type of leather could not easily be discerned due to age. Next to the book were several pieces of scrap metal, leather and what appeared to be various dehydrated animal parts. Lilah was so engrossed reading that she failed to notice a rather large creature slink into the open door behind her.
It’s flesh was so dark purple that it appeared black, only when light struck the right could one see tones of orchid. It was clearly humanoid, as it stood on two legs though looking at it one would never tell as much. It’s feet were flat and round-shaped like an elephant. It didn’t seem to have a neck, rather its head and shoulders were connected totally to its thick, muscular trunk. It’s nose resembled that of a reptile and it’s mouth was broad and wide, filled with sharp white teeth. The strange face was rounded out by two large white eyes both devoid of pupils. On its forehead a red symbol pulsed faintly which resembled an upside down triangle with several smaller triangles within.
Though the creature was imposing ,menacing in all senses of the word, Lilah seemed oblivious to its presence. The heavy thud of its footsteps echoed and in some cases caused the old wood floors to creak as it walked. Finally after several steps it took up a place behind Lilah, gazing down at her as it took deep, heaving breaths.
“What do you want ,Solstice?” Lilah said suddenly, a tone of irritation obvious in her voice.
“Play.” The creature’s voice was low, labored and deliberate as if it struggled to pronounce even the most basic of words.
“Not yet.” Lilah answered without diverting her attention from her book.
“Play!” It repeated, this time more loudly, its voice taking on a more insistent undertone.
“I said, no. You’ll get to play when the time is right.” Lilah responded as she flipped the page of her book and ran her fingertip down several paragraphs before stopping.
“Ah, this looks like it could be fun. He he.” Her girlish laugh did not match the demented smile which quickly spread across her lips.
“Now!” The creature shrieked, turning its massive body to smash a nearby table. It’s large round hands easily snapped the table in two, sending all manner of items flying as its fist left a huge dent in the floor.
Lilah stopped laughing to herself and abruptly closed the book.
“Ah. You ruined my moment.” She remarked as she got to her feet and turned to face the heaving creature. It’s chest flared dangerously as it struggled to contain its anger.
“I said--” Lilah began, “ No.” This time she lifted her left hand and snapped her fingers. A red and black energy enveloped her hand and the creature known as Solstice shrinked backwards in fear.
“Sorry. Sorry! Sorr--” It broke down into apology after apology but it was much too late. The red symbol on Solstice’s forehead flared with the same dangerous energy building in Lilah’s hand. It soon enveloped the creature’s body and in response Solstice howled in pain. It flailed its large, thick limbs wildly as it moved backwards and stumbled into a pile of nearby junk.
“Please! Please! Good! Good! Sorry!” It pleaded as the ominous red and black energy coursed through its body causing searing pain. The torture continued for several minutes, the pained scream of the creature could be heard out on the streets -- at least it would have been heard if there were anyone around the abandoned building which Lilah called her “Workshop”.
Finally she released the subjugation spell and walked over to the creature, which was now passed out in the center of the room. She thrust her heel down sharply on the back of its head several times, the impact making a dull thudding noise with each blow.
“Know your place Nox.” She growled, she coldly gazed down at the creature for a few moments longer before returning to her place at the desk.
Chapter 25 : Dispelling The Curse (1)
It was now mid afternoon, around three or four pm by Takuma’s best guess. Rather than rush out to meet Dot and Chloe, he decided to take a nap in the presence of as many cursed items as possible. The idea was to gather as much mana beforehand, in the hopes that he could completely remove the curse in one go. Since he had no idea of the amount of mana required, all he could do was stockpile as much as possible given the time he had. While there wasn’t a strict time table for curing Dot, there was something that Takuma wanted to discern...
“What kind of world doesn’t have clocks, watches or a way to tell time?” He thought to himself as he walked towards his destination, Dot’s general shop. Although Takuma finally reached Rank three and unlocked his ability to learn and use general skills, after having a look he decided it best to come up with a plan after gaining a bit more experience.
With over a hundred General skills to choose from and a limit to which he could currently acquire, such a choice would affect his ability to function for many levels to come. Many of them offered utility of some sort, for Takuma he wanted a better idea of what threats the world at large might offer to himself before making such a decision. Ultimately he decided to make good on being an adventurer by doing just that -- going on an adventure or two. With that in mind, he decided to focus on other things.
He also couldn’t help but think of the Cursed Statue and the mana it would require to purify it completely. In theory he could probably accumulate the amount of mana needed in less than a week -- that’s if he used most of his free time to gather mana. This seemed highly impractical given everything else he was currently faced with, so for now he decided to focus on removing as many of the problems in his way which, of course this thought made him grimace as well...
207 cursed items! What could he possibly do about the plethora of cursed relics which now appeared on his mini-map? As he walked he would occasionally pass a person holding such an item. He couldn’t help but wonder what havoc these items might be wreaking on these people’s lives. Men, women, children -- it seemed that no one was safe from unwittingly carrying these dangerous tokens of various shapes and types. If things continued in this manner, Dot would most likely take the blame for selling dangerous items to the populace. Whoever was responsible for such a thing -- Takuma simply had to get to the bottom of it for both his own sake and the town of Arnia. Tackling a problem on such a large scale would require some organization, planning and most likely money -- or at the least pull with the right people.
“I need to establish myself and build a reputation so that more people will trust me, maybe a trade shop? Takuma’s Purification Pub? That would kill two birds with one stone. Although it would also be problematic unless I figure out where all these items are coming from in the first place…” He was speaking to himself, as usual, when he finally reached the front of Dot’s General Store.
“Definitely a business of some type. It shouldn’t be too hard.” He said, replying to his own self-imposed series of questions as he entered Dot’s.As the door closed behind him, Takuma noticed her standing in the usual spot behind the counter.
“Takuma! Hi!” Dot said as she moved to greet him halfway. He couldn’t help but notice slight bags beneath her eyes, she looked tired -- more weary than he’d seen her lately.
“Hello Dot. Do you have some free time today? I think I’ve figured out a way to fix your ‘problem’.”
“You mean...the curse? You’ve already found a way to get rid of it?” Dot said, her demeanor taking on an air of hopefulness.
“Yes, but.. I have to warn you. This could be very, very dangerous. Life threatening even. I just want to make sure, before we do anything, that you understand the risks.” Takuma explained.
In response to this Dot cast her gaze downward, as if taking a few moments of reflection before giving her answer.
“Yes. As things stand, I don’t have a choice anyway. If things go well then this curse, which has claimed the lives of so many of my ancestors can finally end with me.” Dot finally gave her answer.
To this, Takuma could only smile.
*No risk, no reward.* He thought to himself as Dot’s determination served to fire him up for success.
Nearly thirty minutes later the shop was temporarily closed and Chloe joined Takuma in Dot’s bedroom. He took some time to explain the process to both of them so that they fully understood what was about to happen.
“In a nutshell, I have two ways I used to purify curses. The first is called ‘Partial Purification’. It will diminish the duration of a curse by one fourth. This means I’d have to use it four separate times in order to fully remove the curse. The problem is that, using this method the curse seems to react, usually growing more severe. With a life threatening curse like yours, I’m afraid this would be fatal. My second skill, one I recently acquired is called ‘Instant Purification’. With this I can remove the ill effects of a curse in one go, provided I have enough mana to do so.” Takuma began with the first part of his explanation.
“The main problem is, there’s no way for me to tell exactly how much mana I need to use in order to remove the curse on you Dot. With that in mind, my plan is to use Partial Purification a few times to weaken the curse, then remove the effects completely with Instant Purification. I tested this a few times with cursed items before making my way here and it works as intended. At least… on normal objects. Weakening the curse requires less mana than outright purifying it, so in theory it should work.”
Both Dot and Chloe listened with bated breath as Takuma explained his intentions. One was filled with quiet determination while the other felt a creeping concern take hold. Chloe had been present during the purification of the Goddess Amulet, thus she knew what to expect. With that in mind, what Takuma revealed next was not a surprise to her.
“In the event that your health begins to suffer during this process or the pain becomes too great, Chloe will use her abilities as a healer to treat you.” Takuma further explained.
“Is there no other way?” Chloe asked, hopeful that another alternative would present itself.
Takuma couldn’t help but think back to his experience with the Cursed Statue and the crippling effects a botched instant purification had on his psyche. The thought alone was enough to cause a panic to creep over his heart. He fought this feeling within a few moments however when he thought of all Dot had to lose.
“I could try the ‘Instant Purification’ outright.. But there’s a good chance it would completely render me unable to help at all. Also, I’m afraid the effects for Dot could be...much worse.” He didn’t want to say it, but Chloe seemed to pick up on his implication that a failed attempt could possibly be deadly.
“It’s a risk I’d rather not take, if I can help it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not afraid of suffering a bit more if I thought it would help. But, if attempting this caused anything to happen to Dot. I’d...rather not take any chances.” Takuma said as he left it at that.
“I see.” Chloe said as her arms instinctively pulled Dot closer.
“Well. I’m ready.” Dot said after a few quiet moments between the trio.
“When do we begin?”
Chapter 26 : Dispelling The Curse (2)
Takuma decided to take another hour to accumulate some mana. This came after Chloe asked to gather some materials needed to perform her most powerful healing abilities as a precaution. Dot also decided to take the time to mentally prepare for what was to come. With this in mind, the three parted ways for a short time to tend to their own affairs.
------------------------
Chloe couldn’t help but feel anxious. It was her duty as a healer class to keep the good health of those in her party.
*Heh, my party?* She thought to herself as she opened the door to her shop. She wondered when the thoughts of being close enough to anyone she could consider a “party” began to creep in. This was something she generally avoided thinking of, considering the outcome of her last group of party members. As usual, the scent of various floral oils and medicines filled the air.
She walked to the back of her shop, picking up items on display here and there as she proceeded.
*This will be good for poison relief. Nausea. I guess some regenerative potions would be good too.*
Chloe then opened her store room, a sixteen by six meter area of shelves filled with various ingredients of all types. Her class designation, Herbal Mage, relied on a very specific type of catalyst to use her skills. Due to this, the mana drain was low for the most part and materials were consumed to allow her skills to have extremely potent effects. She walked through the dimly lit store room in the same fashion as her shop, grabbing various raw materials from the shelves and placing them into each of her various waist satchels. Upon making her way to the back of the room she found the item she’d come for, a beautiful glowing flower. It’s white metals mingled with soft tones of fuschia and pink gave it an otherworldly appearance, almost like a ghost flower. Moon-Ghost Lily, it’s official name, one of the most rare items uncovered through months of adventuring -- only to never be used. The item itself gave off a soothing effect which was pleasing to the eye and a gentle fragrance that functioned to calm the mind.
Chloe gazed down at this flower, hesitant to lift the small glass case which contained it. As thoughts of faces she had long since pushed away into the back of her mind began to surface, she hoped she wouldn’t need to use an item so potent. She reached forth apprehensively before taking the flower from its place. She then held it up to her gaze for inspection, a nervous sigh issuing forth from her lips as she tucked it into a satchel space all unto itself.
*This time, it will be different.* She thought to herself as she focused her scattered thoughts and turned to leave, a new sense of determination swirling about her.
----------------------------
Meanwhile Dot decided to take a bath. Although she wasn’t in need of one, it was the most relaxing act she could think of on short notice. She sprinkled flower petals in with the water, their oil mingling with the bath water to provide a crisp, relaxing scent.
Dot’s mind couldn’t help but wander as she sank into the steaming tub of water. She wondered how her life would change after today, rather whether she’d even have a life. She tried not to think about that as she pulled water up across her shoulders and chest. She tried to savor the small sensations which accompanied the water dripping down onto her flesh -- and a part of her wanted to take this simple pleasure in as if it might be the last.
“Mom..” Dot whispered as she sank down further into the water, relaxing even more. Ever since she’d heard that it would be possible to cure this hereditary curse, her mother came to mind more often than not. Dot couldn’t help but wish that her mother could be present, and could be cured as well.
She struggled with the thought even now as she soaked in the relaxing warmth of what could be her final bath.
*Is that a selfish thought? That I want more than what I’m being offered?* Selfish or not, she told herself it was logical -- or perhaps a very human thing to desire. It was what anyone would want, everything -- even more than the scrap of hope that she’d been offered.
She couldn’t deny that despite the brave face she woke up and put on everyday, the feelings which came to mind in regards to her mother had always been intertwined at best. Resentment at having gone too soon, and the same for even stealing Dot’s zest for life at exposing this horrid curse. For the same reason, she also felt endless sorrow for her mother who did the best she could with such little time and a horribly dealt hand.
Dot would often think of all the time stolen from her family. All the memories and experiences they could have had together which they would never be able to get back. This feeling of sorrow and loss quickly turned into rage at the unfairness of it all. Now, a man she’d just met some days ago offered to fix such a momentous problem that had been present in her life for decades. Dot felt silly, childish and small at having leapt at the chance presented in front of her, but still she would claim it even if it cost her life..
--------------------------------------------------
“It’s time. Are you two ready?” Takuma said, having finally returned. The amount of mana he managed to acquire wasn’t necessarily all that significant when compared to his current amount of just over 9,500. The truth was, in addition to acquiring extra mana he also wanted to look for relics which might impart some lifeguarding effects. Unfortunately there was no such luck, at best he could only allow Dot to borrow an item that would regenerate vitality slowly over time. Such an item wouldn’t help if the worst case scenario came to pass.
Both women nodded, prompting Takuma to take off his Goddess Pendant and place it around Dot’s neck.
“I’m not sure how much this will help, but it should provide some additional protection.”
“Now…Let’s get started.” Takuma said as he directed Dot to get as comfortable as possible. Chloe took a seat next to her on the bed, as the process for dispelling the curse began.
Chapter 27 : Living Curse (1)
“Drink this.” Chloe said as she pulled a small vial from one of her many waist satchels.
“What is it?” Dot held the vial up to the light to take a glance at the fluorescent fluid within.
“It’s a regenerative potion, one of the best. It will help you counter the effects of your curse should things get too straining.” Chloe explained. She also pulled out two types of flower heads and placed them both in her palm, crushing them as she infused her mana into the technique. The blue and yellow flower petals turned into a mist like smoke which wafted around Dot’s body before spiraling into her nostrils.
“These two should lessen any pain you feel to a degree, and give you some extra resistance against poison. I’ll also be watching over you directly. You have nothing to fear.” Chloe said with a smile that made even Takuma believe her confidence. He had to admit, after his experiences with curses in the past few days he felt less than optimistic.
*But, if I can’t even do this, there’s no way I can save the Goddess.* He thought to himself as he rolled his sleeves up and stepped forth, placing his palm on Dot’s forehead. He took a few deep breaths before finally uttering his first skill use, ‘Partial Purification’.
Right away an aura of white energy began to envelop Dot’s body, from her head to her toes and finally rising upwards as the effect dissipated.
“How do you feel? “ Takuma asked, half expecting a violent reaction. Dot gazed up at him and then looked to Chloe for confirmation before responding.
“I…. I feel fine. I don’t have any pain. And--”
“Urk!” This was the sound Dot made as she coughed. Her hand went up instinctively to cover her mouth but it was pointless as a thick black spray of blood and black substance splashed on Takuma’s shirt. He felt a tiny amount even spray him on the cheek as he watched Dot fiercely grab her chest amidst the fit of coughs she was now suffering.
This much was to be expected, although Takuma found the amount of fluid coming from Dot’s body to be alarming, he also thought back to their original treatment for her.
Chloe began to flow her green mana energy into Dot’s body directly, an extension of her healing capabilities. After a few seconds it seemed as if Dot’s coughing began to calm down.
“Chloe, is it okay for me to proceed?” Takuma asked, deferring to the healer to access Dot’s health.
“Yes, it’s fine. Continue.” Dot said through her coughs. Takuma couldn’t help but shoot a glance over to Chloe who also nodded as well.
“Partial Purification.” Takuma said as he once more placed his hand on Dot’s forehead and activated the skill. This time the reaction was immediate and terrifying. Dot’s body began to seize up as she lurched backwards, falling onto the bed.
Chloe struggled to keep Dot from hurting herself during what she perceived to be a seizure, but it soon turned out to be much worse. Fluid began to seep out of Dot’s eye sockets like tears of pitch black ink. Within this liquid were red particles which Takuma immediately identified as blood -- Dot’s blood.
What’s more, this liquid didn’t absorb into the fabric of the bed, it began to pool together like a puddle of goop. Dot’s mouth opened as more of the fluid issued forth, forming a large puddle on her chest and abdomen. The liquid began to undulate and twitch, finally taking form as tentacles of black liquid began to wildly lash out at anything nearby.
“Takuma! Is this supposed to happen?!” Chloe shouted as she struggled to restrain Dot’s thrashing body.
“I- I have no idea. This is getting bad though!” Takuma shouted. Chloe was doing her best to help Dot in this instance but she couldn’t help but be thrust into the deepest throes of concern. The fluid seemed to be coming from everywhere, nostrils, eye sockets, mouth -- pain would be the least of Dot’s worries. At this point she would suffocate long before she had to worry about pain.
“Takuma, you need to finish it now. If you don’t she won’t make it!” Chloe said, finally getting to her feet to take a spot next to Takuma. She reached into her bag and pulled out the Moon-Ghost Lily, holding it in her palms as the black tentacles lashed wildly at anything within reach. One of the whip-like cords caught Chloe on the cheek, drawing blood.
Takuma on the other hand leapt forth, seeking to touch any portion of Dot’s body to begin the final attempt.
*I hope I have enough mana to cover this..* He thought to himself as he laid his hand on her abdomen and struggled against the black mass which quickly wrapped itself around his forearm.
“Instant Purification!” He grunted as several more of the tentacles wrapped around his other arm, neck and even his waist. Dot’s body was pulled upwards from the bed, as if it was no longer her own. Her skin had now turned a pale white color, pasty and grey while her eye sockets looked hollow. Her eyes were pitch black, so glossy that the light streaming through the nearby window could reflect on them.
[-6]
[-8]
[-9]
The tentacles viciously began to tighten around Takuma’s body, constricting his breathing as the effects of his skill began to take hold.
“C-Chloe, this is hurting me. It has to be worse for Dot--” Takuma could barely get these words out as the pure, white light began to radiate from his palm. He could practically feel a large mass of mana being drained from him as the skill’s power ate away at the black tentacles. Within the next few seconds Dot’s body slowed its convulsions until finally the black fluid turned into particles of white energy and slowly faded away.
Takuma could do little else but fall back on his hands as the tentacles grip finally slackened. Chloe on the other hand quickly took a spot next to Dot on the bed and turned her onto her side. The remains of black tar in her body slowly issued out of every orifice, her eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
“Her vitals are very weak. She’s… she’s on death’s door.” Chloe said as she placed the Moon-Ghost Lily on Dot’s chest and activated her skill.
The beautiful flower turned into tiny particles of white and pink mist which covered Dot’s entire body, even flowing inside of her mouth and nose. Chloe closed her eyes, focusing all of her energy on supplying the spell with mana. After what seemed like one too many tense moments, Takuma was relieved to see the color slowly return to Dot’s face.
He was also greeted with two unexpected surprises. A loud cracking sound startled everyone in the room as a large wisp of grey smoke began to collapse on itself into a central point just above Dot’s body. Takuma braced himself for the worst, but was surprised to find out that a new alert accompanied this phenomena.
[Quest Completed : A Living Curse ]
[Obtained Item : Curse Root ]
Chapter 28 : Living Curse (2)
The imploding mist finally formed itself into a sphere, which resembled a snow globe filled with billowing mist of various dark colors.
[Curse Root (Quality : ???) [Curse Rank 6] - A mass of negative energy with a sentient mind. Compatible with organic and inorganic material. ]
[+2,500 XP.]
[+1,250 XP.]
[+300 System Points.]
[The Curse System has gained enough XP to level up. Would you like to do so now? Y/N]
“Takuma? What… what is that?” Chloe asked, her eyes transfixed on the item which appeared from thin air.
Takuma could worry about the new benefits awarded to him later. For now the small orb which had somehow found its way to his palm was his main concern.
“Is...is this the curse that was inside Dot?” Takuma said, voicing his concern. The sphere was cold to the touch, not icy cold but rather devoid of all warmth. So much so that just holding it seemed to be sapping his own body heat.
“So curses are items?” Chloe asked.
“No. Well, maybe. I honestly have no clue. I’m new to all of this as well, but this one seems different than all the other curses I’ve dealt with before.”
The sound of Dot stirring as she coughed up the last of the black fluid within her body was enough to derail the conversation for a later time.
“Dot. Oh, I’m so glad. How are you feeling?” Chloe asked as she leaned over Dot, who was now laying down on the bed. Though she seemed weary, Dot couldn’t help but smile.
“I feel… great. Better than I have in a long time. It’s like this dark veil was lifted. My entire body feels…..good.”
Takuma couldn’t help but smile upon hearing this. Not only did he manage to purify his rank 6 curse, but he helped to save someone else’s life in the process. Still, the experience created even more questions to be explored.
What was a ‘Curse Root’? Why did he acquire this mysterious item upon cleansing Dot’s curse? Was it due to the fact that it was attached to a person? The description of the item was off-putting to Takuma as well.
*A mass of negative energy with a sentient mind. Is this thing alive?* He thought to himself as he held the baseball sized orb closer to his face. As he peered into the swirling black mist within, the shape of a face began to contort and appear. It was brief but unmistakable, as if the object was answering his question.
“Holy fuck that’s creepy.” Takuma uttered, having become completely oblivious to his surroundings upon gazing into the Curse Root.
“Takuma?” Chloe’s voice finally reached him.
“Would you mind stepping out for a bit so that I can give Dot here a look over? I want to be sure she’s fine.” Chloe asked.
“Oh, sure. No problem. Take all of the time you need.” He said before bowing to Dot, a smile on his face as he excused himself from the room. Once he had a bit more space, Takuma decided to check his quest log for more information.
[A Living Curse
Curses have many effects and take on many forms. After all, when you stare into the abyss…
Condition : Purify Your First ‘Living Curse’] This was the description of the completed quest ‘A Living Curse’ which triggered upon purifying Dot’s body.
*So this thing is definitely alive then?* He couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of foreboding as he looked at the object. Ultimately he decided to put it away and worry about it later.
“Yes. Accept the system upgrade.”
So far the system had not disappointed him. Every 100 points Takuma acquired would upgrade it. In addition, sometimes the system would upgrade based on his own personal set of skills. And much like before, Takuma was not disappointed.
[The Curse System has leveled from 5 to 8.
‘Interaction Upgrade’ has been improved. You can now view in personal information such as vitals, Resistances, Weaknesses and habits of hostile or neutral targets.
‘System Scan’ has been unlocked. By focusing on a target you can begin analyzing it. Scanning will take time, depending on familiarity with the target and system level.
‘Success Probability Module’ has been unlocked. At a glance you can now discern your level of success in regards to completing actions. This includes purification of cursed items, attacks or status afflictions.
***Other system features have been made available and will be revealed as necessary to the user.*** ]
“So a lot of quality of life upgrades, but still all very useful. I wonder what other features this last line refers to?”
The amount of experience gained from the ordeal was significantly less than Takuma anticipated, but after thinking it over he realized this was probably a good thing. Since his Instant Purification would drain mana based on the XP gained from the process, he ate through 5,000 mana just to purify the curse. This amount was easily more than half the amount he’d been able to amass over the past two days.
“Still rank 6 curses are...scary.” He whispered to himself as he thought back to the black tentacles which gripped his body. Though he’d already begun to regenerate his health and his wounds were healing, the bruised flesh throbbed from the sheer strength of being clenched so tightly.
Takuma was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the door to Dot’s room open and close behind him.
“Is she doing okay?” Takuma asked.
“Yes. She’s stable. She shows no signs of lasting damage internally and she seemed emotionally spent. Other than that, she’s great.” Chloe responded, though Takuma couldn’t help but feel as if Chloe had something else on her mind.
“Takuma… I--” Chloe started, but ultimately grew quiet.
“What is it?”
“These curses are so dangerous. I’m honestly just...really worried about you. Are you okay?”
“Oh. That’s.. Yes, I’m fine. Better than fine actually.”
Chloe then held up his amulet, returning it to him before she added.
“She’s sleeping, for now. But she wanted me to let you know that you absolutely have to come talk to her tomorrow so that she can thank you properly.” Chloe said with a smile of gratitude.
“I’ll be doing that anyway. Actually, this is probably as good a time as any to tell you about it.” Takuma said as he gritted his teeth at the prospect of explaining Arnia’s ‘curse’ situation.
*Perhaps it’s better if I leave out the actual number of cursed relics…*
Chapter 29 : Takuma Tends The Shop (1)
“207? Are you serious!?” Chloe practically shouted upon hearing the numbers. She tried to keep her voice down, with Dot sleeping in the next room, but she walked over to the counter and braced herself upon hearing the grim news.
“Yes.” Initially Takuma wanted to avoid the subject altogether. He didn’t anticipate Chloe’s astute line of questioning, so he decided ultimately that to be more forthcoming.
“Are any like the one we just dealt with?” Chloe next asked.
“I honestly can’t say. I can only tell they are cursed items but if you’re asking about curse ranking… I have no idea.” Takuma confided to Chloe. This was a lie, to a degree. Takuma could infer the basic strength of a curse by the color which appeared on his mini-map. However, he wasn’t entirely sure how reliable this information was, partially because the blighted statue didn’t register on the map at all. It was safe for him to assume that if there were powerful curses within the town borders that he might not be able to distinguish their presence at all.
“What will we do? What can I do?” Chloe asked next. She was wearing a pained expression, almost as if she’d suddenly been tossed into the deep end of the pool. Takuma recognized that look, he’d worn it many times in the past himself. Luckily he’d already determined a plan to weaken the effects of as many cursed items as possible.
“Dot’s shop. I don’t necessarily have the connections to make demands of citizens, but if you and Dot ask people to return here so that their items can be ‘improved’ with a new service…” Takuma’s explanation trailed off as Chloe seemed to put two and two together.
“That will allow you to remove the curses and save you some time and energy as well.” She remarked, her worrisome expression lightened somewhat in the process.
“Indeed. But, before that, there’s something I need to do.” Takuma said as he decided to share his suspicions, finally.
“The delivery woman, Lilah. What do you know of her?” Takuma asked.
“Not very much. She hasn’t been in the city very long.” Chloe responded as she filtered through her thoughts.
“She stays out of trouble and seems to get along quite well with all of the shopkeepers. To my knowledge there’s never been a problem between her and anyone else. Why?” Chloe then asked.
“The last time Lilah made a delivery, I noticed that the level of miasma in the shop increased by a great deal. I felt as if something might be up, so I managed to purchase the delivery from Dot and inspect it. Every single item in the box, without exception, was cursed.” Takuma explained.
“What? Are you serious? That...that happened almost a week ago. Takuma, why didn’t you say something sooner?” Chloe seemed somewhat annoyed at Takuma’s decision to keep the information to himself. For Takuma it was expected, but also he had his reasons.
“She may be a simple delivery person, although that seems unlikely. Truth be told, even I have no clue how curses are born. Looking at something like this, it makes me wonder.” Takuma said as he lifted his right hand and called forth the most recent acquisition, the Curse Root.
Chloe immediately shuddered and took a step back. It seemed that even she was receptive to the negative energy pouring off of the strange orb.
“What is that?” She asked, her complexion slowly turning more pale by the moment.
“This is the curse which resided within Dot. Somehow it turned into an item called a ‘Curse Root’. I’m not really sure what to think about this myself, but if my speculations are correct then something like this might be used to implant curses into people or objects. In fact, the description of the item even suggests that the Curse Root is compatible with organic and inorganic materials.” Takuma finally put the item away, after all he didn’t want Chloe to pass out on him.
“That’s horrid. And..you think that Lilah may be involved with spreading curses around town?” Chloe felt sicker by the moment, and not due to the effects of the Curse Root. The idea that someone was willingly or consciously afflicting others with curses of this magnitude made her blood run cold. The average person would be powerless to do anything at all, let alone identify that they were even cursed!
“I don’t want to accuse her of anything until I know more, but there’s another reason I suspect she may be directly involved.” Takuma responded.
“Just look at your reaction to the Curse Root. Almost immediately your skin grew pale and you started to look faint. Lilah on the other hand strolled into this store with a box full of cursed objects. The miasma those objects emitted didn’t seem to affect her in the slightest. This means she either has a means to counteract the effects of miasma, or that she’s resistant to it. Either way, she’s definitely involved somehow. We need to better understand her role in all of this in order to flush out the perpetrator.”
“So, what’s your plan exactly?”
“Would you happen to know where she lives? If so that would make things much easier on my part.” Takuma first asked.
“No, I know that she lives in the southern part of town. That area is a bit of a slum, and not that safe to boot. My gods. Takuma..do you really think it’s her?” Chloe seemed to grow more sure of Takuma’s suspicions by the moment. He simply nodded solemnly before continuing.
“See if you can pinpoint a location for Lilah’s home. If not, no worries. I’m going to stay here with Dot for the next few days until Lilah shows up again, then I’ll shadow her.”
“That’s it?” Chloe asked, she felt as if the plan should be more...complex.
“Yes. I’ll have to play the situation by ear depending on what happens, but it shouldn't be too difficult to pull off.”
Chloe was silent for a few moments before she reached into her pocket and fished out Takuma’s brass ring.
“Here, before I forget. Besides, it sounds like you just might need it.” Chloe sighed, suddenly she felt spent. It wasn’t really a surprise, for she’d used most of her mana during the purification of Dot.
“I’m...tired.” She said as she handed the relic back to its rightful owner.
“It’s not surprising. Thanks for your help today. It wouldn’t have gone so smoothly without you.” Takuma was truly grateful to Chloe. She smiled and patted him on the shoulder a few times before she moved to exit the shop.
“I’ll see what I can find out. If you need me don’t hesitate to find me at the shop.” Chloe remarked as she left the general store. Now, left to his own devices, Takuma’s mind began to process the events of the day. He couldn’t help but feel as if he was missing some part of the puzzle but his instincts suggested Lilah would be a pivotal key in unraveling the mystery.
He was tempted to simply walk around town and talk people into allowing him to purify their relics but ultimately he decided against it. It might serve to alert anyone watching for such behavior. Takuma waited for a few hours more before awakening Dot. During this period he chose to spend his time reading up on various bits of lore from the Curse System. With the shop closed no one entered for the remainder of the day, thus when Dot awoke he pitched his idea to her.
He also decided to avoid telling her about his suspicions against Lilah altogether. Instead he simply said that he wanted to contribute to her bed rest and continue purifying any cursed items he came across.
“That’s a great idea. I’d really appreciate it as well. Truthfully, I feel like..shit.” Dot said, still bedridden from the intensity of having her curse removed. With his plans set in motion all Takuma had to do was wait.
*Tomorrow. If things go as usual, Lilah should make a delivery soon.* Takuma thought inwardly as a sense of nervous anticipation washed over him. Soon, soon he would have an answer to the mystery of Arnia’s mass curse outbreak.
