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CHAPTER 5: OF CURSES AND GODS
Quest Window: [The Plot]
Background
It all began with the gathering of the Great Sages. They were seven, four men and three women, who swore loyalty to the Angel Queen, ruler of Eden, immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Within these sages dwelled a power never before wielded by mankind, or any mortal race, for each was a peerless genius amongst their peers, and together their combined might could frighten even the gods.
Under the kind guidance of the Angel Queen and the protection of the Seven Sages, the kingdom of Eden prospered, bringing wealth to both high and low born and as much happiness as peace can foster. But with the brightness of good fortune came the darkness of envy. The neighbouring kings could not quell their desire for the treasures of Eden.
And that greed would doom them all.
One by one, the lands of Pandore fell prey to the fires of war. In this sea of angry flames, few were those who sided with Eden. Overwhelmed by the numbers, even the might of the Great Sages could do nothing but slowly lose ground. At the sight of her beloved kingdom burning, despair dug its claws in the Queen’s heart.
She cursed the gods, cursed Fate, and above all, she cursed the greed of men. To save what little was left, she abandoned herself to the darkness. The one once called the Purest Maiden became a demon of the battlefield. The Seven Sages, in their loyalty, followed their beloved ruler into madness, unleashing onto the world countless horrors.
Faced with atrocities defying imagination, the kings at last recognised their folly. But alas it was too late. To survive, they could only attempt to mimic their foes and create monsters more terrible even.
The war became nightmare, and the world devolved into hell.
Eventually, after decades of bloodshed, the fighting came to an end and Eden emerged victorious. But there was no rejoicing. Only tears. The ones now called the Black Queen and her Seven Dark Lords wept for all that had been lost, as not even the death of all their enemies had saved their cherished home. The army remained, but Eden, the kingdom, had been ravaged beyond recognition—as had most of the known world. It was a wonder whether the continent would ever fully recover.
Crushed by sorrow, the Queen vanished.
With nothing but bitterness left to unite them, the Seven Lord also each went their own ways.
One, master of alchemy, secluded himself to continue his research.
One, strongest warrior amongst all, could not bear to abandon his Queen and roamed the world in search of her.
Another one went with him. Weaver of curses but sick of body, she knew how little time she had left to live and only hoped for one last meeting with her most important person.
One returned to the wilderness with her beasts, whose company she preferred to any other.
One simply disappeared, dispersing into the shadows.
Two, who together reigned supreme on blood, souls and death, had fallen in love. However one died from her wounds on the morrow of the last battle. Left alone with their infant son, and originally a foreigner to Eden, her husband chose to move back to what remained of his birth country and raise the child.
Thus came the end of an era. And some things, that should not have been forgotten, were lost. History became legend. Legend became a myth. And for seven and a half thousand years, the continent gradually reconstructed itself anew from its ashes. Today, little to no memory remains of what fire had burned the land down in the first place.
Until, one day, someone disturbed relics best left to rest.
…
*dun* *dun* *DUUUUN* (LOL!)
PS: That’s where you come in and try to stop everything from going to sh*t. Be a good apostle of Me, protect the balance, and all that…
Sincerely, Bob, God of Chaos and a Few Other Miscellaneous Things.
Objectives
Stop the bad guys before they destroy the world, by any means necessary—and I do mean any. (I tried to keep it simple for you. No, no, don’t thank me.)
Stage 1: Join the fun! [Checked] ✓
The Seven Dark Lords may have left this world, but their legacies remain (which honestly is part of the issue). Locate one of their power and seize it for yourself! Careful, others might have their sights on it. Hint: power might be closer than you think.
Secret clue: Power isn’t far indeed! By completing the seemingly inconsequential request of the old chief of Kansas village, you have obtained the trust of this mysterious individual and been granted access to the forgotten valley of Nowhere. There lives a mysterious enchantress who may (or may not) hold the mysterious secret to this mysteriously mysterious power you mysteriously seek. Very mysterious.
Stage 2: No strings attached…? [In Progress]
You have finally obtained the antique power of the First Progenitor of the Vampire Race, one of the Seven Dark Lords, Markus Sangbleu, the BloodSoul. Congratulation! However, it would seem the last holder of the power isn’t willing to let go of it quite yet.
The tortured soul of Princess Victoria Sangbleu has been trapped for two millennia into a failed curse of her own doing, passing from host to host, carrying her baggage of grief and insanity. As the current host, you have access to Victoria’s power (amongst other things…*wink-wink*) but you aren’t the true holder of that mighty power just yet. In the current state of things, should Victoria’s soul be destroyed or leave you, that power would become lost to you.
You don’t want that, so better get working on breaking that curse~
Stage 3: [Locked] 🔒
Success conditions:
- Seize the ancient power before anyone else gets to it ✓
- Break Princess Victoria’s curse
Failure conditions:
- Let the power be snatched away from you ✘
- Lose the ancient power of the BloodSoul
Rewards:
- A unique class ✓
- Full control over the BloodSoul powers
“Aaaaagh, darn it!”
God of Chaos, my arse on fire! More like God of Internet Trolls! Wait until we find a way to kill deities…
I thought you were happy about this?
Oh, I am—to a point. I just hate being made for a fool.
With a sigh, I dismiss the window with an annoyed sweep of my hand. The gesture isn’t even necessary because the interface responds perfectly well to mental commands, but it helps ease up my frustration. With another command, I bring up a second window.
Curse: [Hatred of the Betrayed Soul]
Background
Victoria Sangbleu, Royal Princess of the Kingdom of Erwyn, daughter to Karl Sangbleu and Winnifred Vangarn, was once upon a time found “infected” with vampirism on the night of her twentieth birthday. She was discovered in a hallway of the castle, covered in the blood of a kitchen maid she’d just slaughtered.
Horrified by the monster his daughter had become, the king immediately ordered her to be put to rest. It was Queen Winnifred however, who begged her husband to spare their “cursed” child. Sensible to his wife plea, Karl changed his mind and Victoria was sent away to Bluerose Castel, the antique and hidden fortress of the Sangbleu family, to be imprisoned in secrecy under the pretence of illness.
Unfortunately for the Princess, at that time, her husband, the Knight Captain Ambrose Corbin, had been away from the castle, on a three-month long campaign against an army of monsters which had descended from the mountains in the west of the kingdom.
When he returned, his beloved had already been hidden away. Thinking it was mercy, and using the risk of contagion as an excuse, the royals kept the truth from Ambrose and refused him the right to visit Victoria.
The location of Bluerose was such a secret, even the princess’ husband was not privy to that information. Only the two monarchs knew, and a few chosen servants bound to silence with potent curses. Ambrose had no choice but to bow to the sovereigns, for a time.
As weeks, then months passed, Ambrose grew restless. He confronted the King and Queen, again and again, his aggressiveness rising every time until they were forced to lock him up, lest he acted with more than just words and caused a rebellion—which he eventually did, but without sufficient support, it failed miserably.
A year after the failed attempt at revolt and Ambrose’s subsequent re-emprisonment, however, a terrible plague ravaged the country, taking the lives of thousands, including the two sovereigns. Half the country perished.
As his popularity amongst the common was still high despite his past actions, Ambrose was released to lead a troubled and headless kingdom. However, even as Regent, he could never find those servants who knew of his wife’s whereabouts. Likely they too had been carried off by the plague.
For years he researched documents and archives, interrogating men and woman without rest, progressively losing his mind to his quest.
Until one day, he discovered an old crumbling parchment telling of the secret location. Only, it had taken him a decade to find it.
Meanwhile, for ten years, the princess remained locked behind a magical barrier inside the Obsidian Tower of Bluerose Castel. The antique fortress was enchanted in such a way very few servants were required for its upkeep. They lived on the grounds with their families, were born and died as servants of Bluerose, and each was bound to the land by magic and unable to leave—truly the perfect secret hideaway. However, in these dire circumstances, it had unfortunately also become the perfect oubliette.
Every day that she spent in her gilded cell, unchanging, forever beautiful and ageless, Victoria’s resentment for her father steadily grew, festering, menacing to drag her down into the abyss of underlying madness that her metamorphosis had brought. Yet, the princess still fought her inner demons, supported by the belief her beloved would one day rescue her from this hell.
Sadly, only tragedy awaited.
The day Ambrose finally reached the keep where his wife was detained, he was deceived and betrayed…by his own weary, biased, and clueless mind. Madness had taken root in him too over the years. Upon seeing the pale face, the bone white hair, and the blood red eyes lunging at him bearing fangs, he reacted on instinct and slew the overjoyed Victoria. Too late he recognised her expression for the smile it had been and too late he recognised his transformed beloved, whose face had faded in his mind over the past decade.
Mortally betrayed successively by the two men she held most dear, her father and her beloved, the Vampire Princess fell into despair and finally lost her mind to insanity. In her dying breath, she unleashed chaotic powers she had no idea she possessed, nor how to control. She created a Grand Curse that doomed the object of her hatred, Ambrose, but damned her own soul in the process.
Two millennia later, her tormented spirit still lingers inside the Obsidian Tower, acting as a medium for the curse she created and devolved over time into a vengeful being in whom only faint traces of the scared girl of the past remains.
Effects
You are now the bearer of Victoria’s curse.
Your body becomes as Victoria’s had been on the day of her death. Some slight variations may or may not occur depending on your original physique. Alterations brought by former victims do not transfer and the body is reset for each new recipient.
> All [Body] attributes are replaced by Victoria’s.
The [Cursed Soul of the Blood Princess “Victoria Sangbleu”] possesses you. Her tormented wails of despair and hatred weaken your mind. The impact may vary according to your mental strength. Your body now houses two souls.
> [–50%] resistance to all mental attacks and negative status.
> All [Soul] attributes are stacked with Victoria’s, save incompatibility.
> Attributes related to the divine remain unaltered, save incompatibility.
You are now unable to leave the [Obsidian Tower]. (Sucks to be you…Sucks. Get it?)
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
> All penalties linked to death are temporarily lifted.
> Victoria’s bed is set as your respawn point.
Known release condition: Transfer the curse to another man. (Which would mean failing that quest I gave you, so…don’t do that.)
With a groan, I look away from the blue box and towards the table where books and parchments are piled up around that stupid crystal cup. The [Background] part of the curse description used to be practically empty until I read those books. The information added itself afterwards, although only a very condensed version of the whole story. And that story in turn is only a small fraction of what the books contain.
These were actually written by Victoria and former hosts of the curse. In truth, many are just pages after pages of demented rambling. Even Victoria’s, past the first year, looks like something a murderous sociopath would write, including many…err…creative ideas on how she’d deal with her father if she could, as well as…err…creative ideas on what she’d do with her husband after he find her.
Let’s just say that girl has a lot of imagination.
Can’t we re-read the part about the foursome with the wyvern and the golem?
Not now.
Aw…
Later, maybe, if you behave.
Yeee-haaah!
Back to the subject of the diaries, the only one relatively coherent—and by far the most enlightening—is Ambrose’s diary…if of course, you manage to read around the countless paragraphs of self-loathing and apologies. I swear, this man has raised whining to an art form!
“Although…” I sigh and roll back on top of the large canopy bed. Grabbing one of the many pillows, I hug it and rub my head pensively against its fluffiness. “I suppose I’d be pretty upset too if I spent ten years looking for my wife, only to kill her myself by mistake, then be cursed to look like her while her voice screams horrors inside my head all day long.”
What a moron.
“Well, sure, but…Hell. I am uncomfortable with it. And I never knew the girl.”
Shame. She seems like a riot.
No, he was the one who revolted.
……sigh.
I’m getting better at dealing with this curse, though. Plus, I’ll admit I cheated. I’m usually all for immersive gaming, roleplaying, and setting the pain levels to [Real]…but constant wailing inside my head is just a bit past my threshold.
After barely half a day, I muted the game. It’s not like anything makes any sound in this damn tower. There’s just thunder outside. And somehow that doesn’t stop me from hearing my own voice. I think it’s in the options—somewhere in the menu—but I’m too lazy to check.
Letting out another groan, I mumble a command, needing to once again convince me this is really happening. “UT Command. Open [Status Window].”
Status Window
Avatar Name: Victoria Sangbleu (Elric Walker) Level: 16 (127) Race: Dhampir (Human) Class: BloodSoul (Solar Knight) Gender: Female (Male) Subclass: Princess (–) Marital status: Widow (Single) Alignement: Darkness, Chaos (Sun) Affiliation: Kingdom of Erwyn (–)
Titles Ageless Beauty, Army Slayer, Awakened, Betrayed, Broken Heart, Cannibal, Chaos’ Apostle, Cult Founder, Death Addict, Defender of Cuteness, Demon Slayer, Destroyer of Relics, Dorothy’s Big Brother, Dragon Slayer, Enemy of Order, Exhumer of the Past, Experimenter, Explorer, Flower Enthusiast, Free Spirit, Gambles with Fate, Happy-Go-Unlucky, Harbinger of Subjective Justice, He Who Stops Children’s Cries, Heretic, Human Cataclysm, Immortal Exiled Princess, Indirect Slaughterer, Legendary Daylight Seamster, Lich Slayer, Lilith’s Toy, Living Legend, Loved by the Sun, Merfolk’s Public Enemy Number One, Mermaid Princess’ Trusted Confident, Myth Slayer, One Stalked by the Gods, Phoenix Slayer, Princess of Erwyn, Progenitor, Sweet Tooth, Royals’ Least Favourite, Salami Slayer, Sheltered Lady, Suicide Warrior, Suicidal Food Tester, Suspicious Candyman, Temple’s Bane, This is not what it looks like I can explain, Tormented Soul, To The Last Breath, Trickster, Under Influence, Unlawful
Body & Soul Health: 130 (4,970) Mana: 6,770 (2,720) Stamina: 110 (5,150) Reputation: 1,000 (37,030)
Basic Stats Strength (STR): 11 (215) Wisdom (WIS): 245 (133) Agility (AGI): 35 (182) Intellect (INT): 277 (172) Vitality (VIT): 13 (197) Charisma* (CHA): 265 (137)
Additional Stats* Dexterity: 17 (78) Leadership: 40 (14) Divine Affinity: 219 Luck: 47 Endurance: 65 (102) Nobility: 58 (–) Erudition: 80 (69) Perception: 94 (57) Intuition: 45 (45) Tenacity: 158 (98)
Prime Magical Affinities Fire: 2 Low Nature: 1Mid Water: 2 Mid Void: 2 Low Air: 1 Mid Light: [Locked] (2 High) Earth: 1 Mid Darkness: 3 Low
Sub Magical Affinities Blood (Darkness): 2 Low (–) Mind (Darkness): 1 Low Holy (Light): [Locked] (2 High) Poison (Nature): 1 Low Ice (Water): 1Mid Runes (Void): 2 Low Lava (Fire): 1 Low Soul (Darkness): 2 Low (1 Low) Lightning (Air): 1 Low
Remaining SP: 0 *Stat Points cannot be added to this stat.
“Ugh.” I push my face into the pillow and scream, rolling around on the bed.
It helps.
When I eventually calm down, I glance over my new stats once again and sigh. Gender aside, I’ve become some kind of ridiculous glass cannon. I’ve got enough mana to blast off a dragon, probably, but I’d also probably die if that dragon as much as sneezes in my general direction.
Fucking stupid.
Wouldn’t have said it better myself. This curse has made a mess of my stats.
We do look smoking, though.
I’m not even sure how certain aspects of this curse work. For example, since I’m some sort of half-vampire now, my light magic is sealed and I lost my alignment to the Sun God—Okay, till there, I follow. But the title [Loved by the Sun] is still active. I don’t get it. Why would the Sun God love the de facto Queen of Vampire?
That’s what the title [Progenitor] means by the way. The system says it’s because Victoria was an [Awakened] descendant of that [Markus Sangbleu] guy, the [First Progenitor of Vampires]…Whatever that means.
There’s probably something on the subject in one of those books. I still haven’t finished reading all of them, and there are more in other rooms of the tower. I’m still hoping I’ll find more about the curse, and especially on how to break it—since apparently I can’t use the standard way. No matter how obnoxious the quest giver is, I still want to finish that [Plot] quest.
“Stupid name for a quest,” I mumble against the cushion.
*ting*
A message from the Great God of Chaos: HEY! It took me a long time to find that name!
It sucks…hey. Sucks. Get it?“Your naming sense is terrible, Bob.”
Shush you, or I smash my head with a sledgehammer.
*ting*
A scolding from Bob, God of Chaos: You will use another tone with me, young lady!
“Is this supposed to be intimidating?”
*ting*
Uncle Bobby: Kind of?
“Well, you fail.”
*ting*
Chaos Bob says: Aw…Toby always says I make a terrible parent.
Toby is the God of Order…or Goddess…I don’t know. Gender is a bit of a moot point because both are conceptual beings. They don’t have any fixed physical form. Especially Chaos—for obvious reasons. I’ve never seen Order, though, but I’ve seen statues. All of them depict the divinity as kind of androgynous, although followers of Order refer to him as male. I prefer not to think too deeply about it.“I don’t wanna know. Your couple issues are not my problem.”
More so since recently—recently as in: two days ago—I discovered that these two are…kind of an item? Again, it’s complicated because they are also siblings…but they gave birth to all the other gods and goddesses…sooo…err…yeah.
Well, anyone with a little knowledge of Greek or Roman mythology—or any polytheist mythology really—would be able to tell you: Gods’ family relationships are messy, messy, messy.
Point is, Order and Chaos had a lover’s spat for what I can gather. For the past two days, on top on everything else I’ve had to endure, I’ve been forced to listen to Bob’s whining. Let me tell you, gods blow everything out of proportion, even whining! And I can’t disable his messages, because…well…god. Also, I’m technically his [Apostle], though I don’t remember ever signing up for the job.
*ting*
Bob: But! But! But! You’re the only one I can talk to about those things!
Once firm on my feet, I walk to the table. I’m thirsty. It’s annoying. In fact, I wouldn’t mind the recurring bloodthirst so much if only I had real blood to drink. But this synthetic mixture is just awful. I take a swig and force myself to swallow. “Uagh.”“I don’t care.” I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and stand up, taking a moment to stabilise. I’ve been getting used to the new weight distribution of my avatar. In particular the added mass in the chest area. The lack of friction between my thighs is surprisingly welcome, though.
Taste like crap.
I know. I don’t need you to point that out.
I point it out because you won’t say it.
I don’t like swearing so crudely.
I turn away from the table and towards the vanity. Since I’ve got nothing else to do right now—and since the nurse was nice enough to provide them without asking too many questions—I’ll see if I can put Steph’s advices into application.
*ting*
Bob: But! But! You won’t believe what Toby did to me this morning!
“OH SHHH-ugar! Whoaaa…” Startled by the sudden window, I stumble, trip, and fall forwards. My eyes widen as I see the corner of the vanity approach.
*BANG*
Head trauma [-146HP]
Pain explodes between my eyebrows then…nothing. Only darkness, and a familiar—much too familiar—blue box.
*tutu*
You have died.
.
.
.
You are currently exempt from the twenty-four-hour ban imposed on players in the event of [Death]. You will be revived at the closest registered [Altar] for your avatar in 3... 2… 1…
.
.
.
I open my eyes. I am lying on my large four-poster bed, amongst my fluffy pillows, staring at the beautiful blue rose carved into the redwood canopy. Between me and the carving, another blue rectangle is floating.
Welcome back, Victoria.
I groan. “Aw…dammit. Not again.”
*ting*
Bob: HAHAHAHA!! That was hilarious! You were like “Whoaaa!” and then *BANG* and there was blood everywhere! 10/10 Bravo! Clap-clap-clap!
My thin and elegant white eyebrow twitches in annoyance, and in my most deadpan tone, I drop, “I’m logging out.”
*ting*
Bob: What?! NONONO! I still haven’t told you what happened with Toby and that meteorite!
The beautiful bedroom immediately fades around me, replaced by endless whiteness and I feel my consciousness slipping as if drifting off to sleep. Just before my brain shuts down, I hear one last chime accompanying an incoming message.I ignore the god. “UT Command. Log out.”
That guy doesn’t know when to quit.
* * * * *
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