Part 2
The whirling winds hissed between the walls of the smithies, bringing cold and easing the intense heat from the forges. Most blacksmiths worked at night, thus the streets seemed more lively than day. Like a fire dragon, waking up from a day nap.
Whilst the masters were hammering the metal pieces at the furnace at the back of the workshop, their novices were running back and forth, bringing water and supplies. Despite the lack of sunlight, the dazzling flames still lighted up the whole area. Only a few corners were left dark. But who went there?
Looking from outside, every workshop seemed indifferent. Rigid bricks constituted the walls. Heavy metal doors. Bricked ceilings to insulated the heat and metal clanging sound. The enclosure was stained black and grey because of smokes and flames.
The smiths didn’t paint their atelier, either inside or outside. No colorant could withstand the immense heat emitted by an enchanted forge. There were massive fans installed on the roof, drawing winds to blow into the smelter. The drawn gales entered the furnace and submerged it with extra oxygen, escalating the temperature to 5000C. Very few metal ores could endure such hotness.
It wasn’t rare when a careless beginner touched the smelter before it was completely cold and lost a hand. The fire might go out in an instance, but the heat took longer than two hours to go away.
Metalwork required absolute concentration and stoicism. A mistake was paid by a body part, or sometimes an entire body. Therefore, busy delivery was on day, and sole forging was at night.
On the dark pavement walked three figures. Two large and two small.
The students of metal didn’t pay much attention. There was too much work. But those human forms definitely looked familiar.
“How are they?” A girl with a staff in hand asked the larger figures.
“Their breaths are stable.” One of the larger ones replied.
He and another male were carrying two light-armored guys on their shoulders. Their steps were firm. Their breaths were steady. As if they were walking empty-handed.
“Are you all right, Rete?” Another girl, with a bow, asked.
“I’m good. This is nothing.” The bulky, heavy-armored man shook his head and smiled.
He tried to act cool, but his worry was clear in his eyes.
“What happened back then?”
“Chris. You saw it.” The archeress tilted her head.
“It’s the cursed sword. I know.” The tall, thin man turned to the girl with the staff. “What is that cursed sword?”
Chris Holland, the oldest member of Moonlit Black Cats guild, totally got dumbfounded by the incident.
“Their Sp. Def Stats are all higher than 50…
… Do you think a mere cursed sword could infect us with a Debuff? That easily?”
“What did you see, Lina?” The archeress turned to the only cleric in the team.
Lina slowed down her walk, reliving the chaotic moment. She instantly checked her comrade’s Status the second they behaved absurdly.
“[Cursed]...”
“We all know that!”
“Calm down, Katrina!” Chris put his hand on the impatient girl and nodded at the cleric.
Rete was also listening carefully as he moved closer to Lina.
“[Cursed Touch of…]. Something. I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
Once Lina finished her last word, nothing else followed. No talk. Only noise from the smithies.
A minute of silence turned into five, then became ten.
After years battling both monsters and magical beasts, these adventurers were far familiar with each other’s abilities. That a level 52 Cleric failed to detect the full of name of a Status Effect indicated how powerful the curse was.
They all walked faster. Although Lina had kept constantly checking her unconscious teammates’ Status, anxiety didn’t let go.
The party soon found themselves out of the smithy zone. They needed to find their way to a Healer, or a remedy shop.
Fortunately, they always got to an alchemy shop first, when they visited a new town. Having tested that shop’s potions and other things, the adventurers were assured with the quality.
…
The flaming scene changed to a quiet, chilly one. The paths were wet, and the night was lighted up because lampposts. The glass boxes on metallic poles captured some of the magical insects. They were thin, long, and had two pairs of wings, emitting soft green light.
Three or four of them in each box were enough to brighten a corner. The civilians never needed a kerosene lamp walking on the street. Unless they were heading out of the town.
Houses after houses sat next to each other. Wall touching wall. They went along the market, making up a crescent.
The town wasn’t built according to any planning zone, thus it was a mess trying to find a named road here. Fortunately, Chris had an excellent memory.
Kitrina never stopped checking her watch. It was true that the archeress wished to reach the remedy shop before it closed. But she couldn’t rush, then got lost in this new town. Katrina had learned her lesson in a hard way.
Her urgency almost cost her team’s lives. Then she swore, never scurrying blindly again.
“I’m sorry, Katrina.”
“WH-What?” The sudden words startled Katrina. “Wh-why are you apologizing?”
“I know that you’re extremely worried about Leon, and Niel.” Lina hid her face under her hat. “If only I chose Cleric over Archmage—“
“—It’s not your fault.” Rete interfered. “You’re the only mage we had. And we all agreed back then.”
“But—“
“—No but, Lina.” Katrina clenched Lina’s hand, looking straight to her fuchsia eyes. “They will be fine!”
Katrina's determined words assuaged the little witch. She believed her teammates, her friends, would be well.
The archeress now regained the calmness, and an unwavering mind.
Although she had no clue where to go, Katrina still ran forward, leading the group. Thus, she didn’t see the winks exchanged between Lina and Rete.
After ten more minutes, they finally got to a house. Lights were still on. Made up wood and clay. It looked ordinary. The design, however, differentiated from the all other houses in any towns or cities that Moonlit Black Cats had visited.
The front featured a double door, two separate windows on two sides. There was no roof. Just flat ceiling atop. When the adventurers came here in daylight, it possessed solely grey, sad hue. But at night, the glistening yellow from the inside seemingly turned the walls into glimmering gold.
There were dirt marks on the ground surrounding the walls. No one knew why they were there, or what they did. However, the adventurers had no time for curiosity.
Arelia Town, 10:57pm.
<> ICKY & MOIST CONCOCTIONS <>
Working hours: Sunday – Friday (7am-11pm)
“[Arcane Shift].”
Katrina disappeared before everyone’s eyes and reappeared in front of the shop’s door in a blink of an eye.
[Arcane Shift] has 24/25 PP left
She ignored System’s Notification and banged on the doors. She had intended bursting into the shop, but it was augmented with a magical blockage. The doors didn’t move a millimeter.
Arelia Town, 10:58pm.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“OPEN THE DOOR!” Katrina kept slamming on the unyielding doors. “PLEASE!”
“KATRINA!” Rete and the others ran to her, trying to stop her from causing trouble.
But she didn’t listen.
“PLEASE. OPE—“
*BOP*
The doors popped open and her fists landed on someone’s face, and knocked him down. The pitiful shop owner took a few rolls and stopped at another’s feet.
“Tch tch tch. Are you ok, Icarus?” A second male lifted Icarus up, glancing at the archeress.
“Have you no manner?” He frowned, voice showing anger.
“I’M SORRY?” Katrina bowed. To the extent that her torso was parallel to the floor.
“My my…” The ‘punched’ one stood up, massaging his bruised eye. “Is that a [Draco Punch]? Is my head still on my neck?”
“It’s not a [Draco Punch]. And it comes from a girl, so your head’s still on.” The second owner replied. “It hurts?”
Tilting head for a few times, Icarus took a deep breath to calm down. “It does, but I’m all right.”
He then turned to the archeress. “Why the rush?”
“Huh? It’s you guys.” The other one recognized the old faces. “Icarus, they bought
“Yes, it’s us. Please. My friends are ill. Can you help?”
“Close time?” Icarus looked at his friend, with a serious glance.
“It is…”
Hearing those words, the adventurers’ hearts stopped for a moment.
“But—“
“—But they got here at 10:59pm. Working hour.”
“Is that so?” A grin bloomed on Icarus’ face, changing his attitude completely. “Welcome to Icky & Moist Concoctions. I’m Icarus Lostvayne and this is Mimir. How could we help you?”
“Please. My friends got sick. They were cursed.”
“But you have a Cleric in your team, don’t you?” Mimir glimpsed Lina.
“Yes. I used [Cleanse Mind]. But they’ve not woken up.” The mage quickly explained.
“They touched a cursed sword. Then they went mad. Wild animals mad.” Rete said.
While listening to the summary, Icarus and Mimir were bringing out two tables to lay the patients on.
“Status Effect huh? Name?”
“Niel Calapra and Leon Orlando.” Lina replied.
“Not their names. The Status Effect’s name.”
“Ah. Sorry. It’s [Cursed Touch of…] something. I don’t know.”
“You’ve checked their Conditions before here?”
“Yes, I have. No Status Effect remains but they just don’t wake up.”
The alchemists had heard enough. Icarus and Mimir checked up the sleepers from head to toe, examining any potential physical harm. After assuring there was no damage on the bodies, they needed to look in the patients’ mind.
“[Basic Status].”
[Basic Status] is rejected
You need permission from the Status Holder
It wasn’t simple to read an individual’s Status without that one’s permission. Monsters or humans. Elves or dwarves. The System protected its rules.
“Any authorization?” Icarus turned to the adventurers.
Albeit the System asked him to be permitted by the Status Holder, he could overcome it if the Status Holder had authorized someone else to make the decision.
And of course, that one had to be trustworthy.
A figure, bulky and heavy, stepped forth. “I, Rete Dain, with given authority, allow Icarus Lostvayne to acquire Leon Orlando’s Basic Status.”
Rete shook hand with Icarus, permitting him to read his brother’s Basic Status. Furthermore, it wasn’t a big deal to have Basic Status read, since it displayed nothing much.
[Leon Orlando: Basic Status]
Condition: Unconscious
Level: 43
Health: 2,243
Attack: 533
Defense: 477
Sp. Attack: 224
Sp. Defense: 216
Speed: 218
“A Samurai,” Icarus murmured.
Seeing the bare Stats and the Condition didn’t offer much, as it didn’t help the adventurers either.
“Condition?” Mimir asked while approaching a bookshelf.
“[Unconscious].”
“Hum?”
Hearing an unexpected short reply, Mimir stopped for a beat. His eyes widened, fluctuating rapidly. “[Cursed Touch of…].”
Mimir climbed down and disappeared behind the bookshelf, leaving everyone curious.
“Please sit down. This would take a while.” Icarus’ hand reached out, pointing at the chairs next to a windowed wall.
Whilst Icarus was still staring at Leon, the others could do nothing but wait.
A bright white shone the whole room, the stony walls, the wooden chairs, and the worried faces. However, the surroundings looked dimmer than the two people lying on the tables, as if there were light beams descending to them.
But there was no second source of light.
There was no light source from the beginning.
“How could…?”
Realizing the abnormality, Chris Holland scanned the entire shop.
Illuminating shelves? Radiating ceiling?
His sharp eyes had skimmed through the furniture, casks of herbs, racks of potions, and shelves of books and scrolls. But he failed to detect any light sources.
It must involve magic, but what magic?
The kind of magic didn’t matter. It had to obey the System. However, nothing seemed true here.
“What?” Rete whispered.
“Something strange,” Chris replied.
“Leave things to me.” Rete nodded to his comrade, and got nodded back.
It was Chris’ job to observe everything, and he trusted fellows to cover his inspection.
“How is it?” Katrina asked.
“Shhh…” Rete hushed Katrina.
Truth to be told, the archeress had reason to worry.
The alchemists had done nothing for full five minutes. One was thinking. Another was missing. She began to wonder if coming here was a right choice.
What if they came to a literal remedy shop instead of an alchemy one?
The Herbalists certainly would know how to treat a patient properly.
It was almost midnight, but if she begged hard enough, the medicine concocter might open their doors.
Touching objects and being infested was nothing new. Moonlit Black Cats had experienced a lot of Status Effects, varying from mage’s malediction, attack’s effect, to dungeon’s traps.
However, the symptoms were usually clear and obvious. [Poisoned] would inflict damage equal to 12.5% victim’s maximum Health every minute and reduce 20% Speed. [Burned] would reduce 30% Attack and Defense, and inflict damage equal to 10% maximum Health every minute. [Asleep] would put the victim to sleep, and the duration depended on the specific skill.
But [Unconscious], they had never seen this before.
*Footsteps*
“Huh?” The waiting guests turned their eyes towards Mimir, coming from behind a bookshelf.
He brought a wooden chest adorned with pink gems and a skull-shaped lock. It didn’t look heavy, but Mimir handled it with care.
“What’s that?” Katrina asked.
“Is that so?” Icarus glimpsed Mimir’s chest.
“Just tell me what’s going on?” Katrina stood up, grinding her teeth and clenching her fists.
…
“Seriously! Tell me…”
Before the female adventurer uttered anymore word, a chill ran through her spine. Katrina’s eyes met Icarus’ eyes, and she saw a vision. She was placed on a guillotine, waiting for the blade to slam down.
Katrina held her mouth immediately. But Icarus was minding his business. He didn’t look at her, not a glance.
“What’s that back then?”
She mused, while gazing at the alchemists. She realized they weren’t any alchemists, but dangerous ones.
*Lock opening*
The alchemist grabbed two pink potions out of the precious chest. The bottles were larger than his hand and had a long neck. Icarus treated it carefully, not to disturb the liquid inside.
“Your friends are in big trouble this time.” Icarus placed the potions on the table. “Their PP was depleted.”
“WHAT? HOW?” Katrina exclaimed.
“Power Points are essential to cast a skill, right?” Icarus put up a rhetorical question.
“Yes. And?” She knew it.
Why did the alchemists bother asking?
A skill activation costed one PP, and every skill had a different amount of PP. Once all PPs went emptied, no skill could be activated.
However, the consequence was far worse than the incapability of casting a skill. That person would fall into an eternal sleep and never woke up.
“Never exhaust your PP” had become an unwritten code among the adventurers.
“But Leon and Niel didn’t use any skills,” Rete quickly explained.
“I remember the story,” Mimir interfered. “However, this is true.”
“You mean… that… the curse…” Lina trembled with every word.
“Does everyone PP depletion show [Unconscious]?”
Niel once was knocked out in an accident. His Status Effect showed [Fainted]. Didn’t it also mean losing consciousness?
“What’s the difference?”
She was caught in her overthinking, yet she didn’t understand a thing.
“To cause such a dangerous effect…” Rete muttered.
He didn’t think the situation could be that dreadful back then.
Now, “Whether there was a cure” mattered.
“Wait!” Rete suddenly exclaimed, sticking his eyes on the pink potions. “Is that…?”
In the meantime, Icarus and Mimir were helping Leon drink the whole bottle, and then Niel. The other guild members rushed to their companions once the alchemists backed down.
“Don’t touch!”
“Patient!”
The alchemists’ warnings stopped Katrina's hand from reaching out for Leon. Thus, all everyone could do was waiting, again.
…
“Rrr…”
“Leo… LEON!” The archeress jumped on the table and squeezed the guildmaster in her arms with all her strength, crying.
On the other side, Niel was trying to push himself up. “Wher…” But only his mouth moved.
“Stay down, Niel.” Chris touched Niel’s forehead. “Good. No fever.”
“Thank you. Icarus. Mimir.” Rete bowed at the alchemists with the greatest gratitude.
Mimir gestured as it was nothing and brought the chest back inside. Icarus let out a sigh, as if he also worried about his patients’ condition.
Slowly, Leon and Niel regained their strength and stepped down from the table.
“It’s time to leave.” Icarus looked at the clock, ticking 00:40am.
Of course, the adventurers needed to go. It was an alchemy shop, not an inn or an infirmary. There was no bed, and the alchemists didn’t welcome them to sleep over.
“Yes. Let’s go.” Rete lifted Leon up and Chris got Niel.
Exchanging eyes with Chris, Katrina reached for a drawstring leather pouch in her bag. “I’m very grateful.” She lowered her head. “Please let me know how much we should pay.”
“The potion hasn’t been officially introduced to the public.” Icarus was careful with his words. “The ingredients are scarce. Not only in this land but also in the entire continent.”
“I understand. But we are happy to pay any price,” Katrina said.
The alchemists saved her friends, whom she treasured the most. A thousand, or even two thousand Gyls, were absolutely worthy.
“Five Gold Gyls.”
“Fair enough.”
“Each.”
Icarus’ last word froze everyone on their spot. That meant ten Gold Gyls, or 10,000 Gyls. It was more than enough for the guild to live comfortably for a month. Of course, dungeon operations and weaponry maintenance always costed them more, but the number still shocked them.
“If you think it’s expensive. Allow me to explain,” Icarus glanced at his guests, then nodded at Mimir.
“First, it’s only possible to restore PP by using
“However, once Power Points are depleted, there is no way to restore them.” Icarus shrugged and shook his head. “You know why?”
“I’ve heard something about mind damaging when we activate a skill,” Lina said, “But the reason stayed unclear.”
“You’re well educated,” Mimir praised the young mage. “When you still have some PPs left, your consciousness remains, hence your body can absorb external treatment.”
“But when you get [Unconscious] from losing all PP,” Icarus continued, “Your body could only accept ordinary nutrients.”
“That means…” Lina hesitated from what she understood. “We will fall into persistent vegetative state.”
Her hands were shaking, sweating. Until now, she hadn’t realized the severity of [Unconscious], which she was supposed to.
“Correct,” Mimir praised her again. “Now, have you fully seen the issue here?”
“We do…” Katrina uttered.
Their hands were shaking, sweating. They hadn’t realized the severity of [Unconscious] before. Until now.
They were right to get here.
“Then how…” Rete raised a question.
An obvious one.
He had never heard of a cure. There were ambiguous possibilities. Yet, none was affirmed.
“It’s—“
‘’—Sorry.” Icarus interrupted Mimir. “As I’ve said, it’s unofficial.”
“Guys.” Leon spoke up, panting. “Ten Gold… is too cheap.”
“I know.” Katrina agreed.
“No!” Niel exclaimed. “You don’t.”
His face turned pale, but not because of the sickness. His eyes shook violently, sweats drenching his back and his teeth grinding into each other. As if he just woke up from a nightmare.
“Don’t blame them.” Icarus assuaged them. “They’ve undergone the worst. Have them rested. And they would be fine.”
“Thank you.” Everyone bowed. “Thank you for saving them.”
Now, ten Gold Gyls didn’t sound that much.
Moonlit Black Cats left <>Icky & Moist Concoctions<> after payment, and headed to the inn not so far from there.