He gripped Hazel’s hand that caught his collar. “Do what you want, but father wants that man”
“He wanted him? Then why are you wounding him to oblivion? From what I saw, it is as if you want to murder him. “ Hazel said.
Alexandris removed Hazel’s hand off him. “It doesn't matter, the cryologist is equally valuable. “
Hazel scoffed at Alexandris’s response. In her eyes, he's gone too far. For him, it was a matter of picking who's valuable or not, what's useful and useless. An ugly trait she observed from her father. “How preposterous. I won't allow you to touch either of them.”
His face grimaced as he faced his Hazel. “What are you going to do? Use your Erudition on me?” he said.
“Quite the opposite really,” she beamed a smile at Alexandris. She stretched her arms and conjured a twenty sided dice, “Dice, let this outcome be on your hands''
She threw the dice high up in the air, veering to come down and pick its outcome. Hazel then drew a small piece of glass from the ground, running it along her palms to let the blood seep outside. “Did you know father kept a suspicious amount of books relating to dark magic?”
“...”
“I did not think much of it, for a country that relied on the gods, dark magic is highly suspicious. But it was his collection that taught me this,” she said then afterward she gritted her teeth as the sharp pain plagued her palm. “This time, I won’t allow you to do as you please.”
“[Sacrificial lives of the immovable]” Revolting dark miasma emanated from her and the two men. Oozing, pulsing as it flowed like water yet floated like a leaf dragged by the wind. Alexandris could not help but retch on the suffocating aura of the hex. “Dice, as I cast this hex onto those unfortunate souls, use all of my aetheric energy to fuel this hex, amplify it, let those who touched them suffer a horrible death, and those of which are my brother and his men.”
Sacrificial lives of the immovable were a dark magic that belonged to the closed off continent Terralumn. It was mainly used as a deterrent for any thieves as its main function was to induce damage to whoever touched the hexed item as per the condition of the caster. In this case, Hazel was hoping that this curse was enough to stop Alexandris from his tracks for a while. She knew this curse had its limits, normally it lasted for several months as the damage caused by the hex was more or less punishing.
But her condition she set consumed the duration and transformed into potency.
Touching either Arise or Stanzi would result in an agonizing death. Every orifice of their body oozing with
Then as the dice rolled onto the ground, vying to choose the outcome it landed on…
[18]
His body jolted in shock as he swerved his arms and exclaimed, “Are you mad? You're willing to kill me for these commoners?”
“Exactly, I can’t allow you to devolve into a monster like our father.”
“I'm your family, you can't do this to me!”
“Family? Don’t jest, brother, from what I’m seeing right now- you’re devoid of any familial connection.”
Ha…haa
A deranged silent hiss of chuckle escaped Alexandris’s lips. “I can't believe this… You win”
“Only for 7 days, I know your Dungeon Master’s long term effects only last for 7 days,“ he said. “It won't be long.”
Alexandris withdrew from the Rolsen district. The buildings continued to collapse from the lack of foundation. And the debris resulting from Arise’s fight was scattered throughout the district.
“This damage… How could we explain this to the crown… Knowing father, he'll cover it up- how pathetic,” Hazel sighed as she approached Stanzi in the house. Wounded as debris of glasses were inlaid upon his body.
“Boy, wake up,” she said in a low voice, she tapped him slightly to wake him up.
“This is pitiful, I am sorry for my brother’s actions.”
“W-what…?” Stanzi stammered, his lips contorted as he felt the sharp pain all over his body. Everything felt like a blur to him; the last thing he remembered was the loud booming sound that tore his defenses to shreds. Sent him flying to a glass window which impaled him in several parts. He could feel the shards of glass being pulled out of him followed by a searing pain that closed his wounds.
“This is pitiful, I am sorry for my brother’s actions.”
Her lips squirmed with disappointment, looking at the victim of her own family. In honesty, Hazel was on the verge of giving up. The resistance against her family seemed impossible but she pulled through- odds against her.
When he opened his blue eyes, he saw an entrancing blond woman. Her face contained a degree of regret as she looked at him eagerly. Hazel smiled as she saw Stanzi woke up from his injury. “There you are, I can’t carry him alone,” Hazel said, her voice seeming worried. “I closed off your wounds but I apologize if I leave any scars. Cauterizing has its limits and it is the only way I know to heal you in some way.”
“Since the people fled, no one is here to help us. My foolish brother caused quite a fuss.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
She glanced at the utter destruction of the Rolsen district.
Experiencing shock from Alexandris’s attacks, he felt light headed, like his head up in the clouds. Then he asked as his words slurred, “Who are you?”
The lady smiled and dusted herself. She introduced herself, “I’m just a passerby, you can call me Hazel.”
“A passerby?”
“Do not fret over it, we need to save your friend,” she said gently. “Like I said earlier, I can’t carry him. He’s too heavy for me.”
As Stanzi rose, Hazel looked away. Her eyes locked on Arise- lying on the floor, blood sputtering as dust from the collapse danced in the air. She gritted her teeth as she tapped her foot repeatedly… She thought to herself, ‘You vanished three months ago out of nowhere, where did you go? And why did you become his target… I can’t keep up with anything anymore… Lum-’
Stanzi interrupted Hazel, he tapped her shoulders as his arms wrapped under Arise as he lifted him like a princess. “He’s not that heavy… well at least for you.”
She let out a chuckled, “That’s true.”
Though panting, he carried Arise through the streets as Hazel followed him; She led him to the carriage and went inside. “We’ll go to Cedula district,” she said to the coachman.
“No, can we please go to Calica district… I think she can help us.” Stanzi uttered, as he held Arise tightly.
“If that’s your choice, then, Mr. Will, please let us go to the Calica District.” She ordered the coachman.
The carriage shook as it passed through the desolate Rolsen district. Hazel observed the two, Stanzi held Arise dearly as his face was strewn with guilt and worry. She feels like Stanzi does not trust her completely, his hands clasp pieces of Arise’s clothes as he tries to pull him closer.
“H-hey, aren’t you holding him pretty tightly?… Make some space for him, you might hurt him if you pull him closer.”
He winced as his mouth slightly opened. His hold loosened as he looked at him.
Upon observing Stanzi, she thought.
‘This person clearly has a troubled past. He might blame himself for what happened to them’.’
‘I could feel pity.’
Clop clop clop…
An awkward silence descended inside the carriage. Stanzi’s eyes avoided Hazel’s.
He thought to himself, ‘Those two merchants were after Arise’s ice cream formula… But that noble, I’m sure he came for me- I hate this.’
He clenched his fist as he held his head down. ‘To think Arise went this far just to protect me… I wish I could repay him. I’m a calamity to people around me.’
“Hghh…” Arise quivered as his wounds were aggravated by the shaking of the carriage. Stanzi snapped out of his world as he heard Arise.
“A-are you okay?”
‘I’m worried…”
“Answer me,”
“Quit doing that,” Hazel said, her legs crossed as she looked at Stanzi with a neutral expression. “You’re making it worse for him, let him be; wounds can be painful.”
“Sorry,”
Stanzi calmed down, but he occasionally winced everytime Arise made a sound. But, it itself was a good sign for him- if Arise made a sound, it means he was still alive. The carriage had a few bumps from the uneven roads of the kingdom. They were approaching the Calica district. Hazel saw numerous people outside their homes holding candlelight as they shared stories about the recent incident in Rolsen.
[“You heard what happened?”
“No, indulge me about it.”
“So, I heard the Rolsen district is in utter destruction. And the blame for the few eyewitnesses is a man with brown hair.”
“How did he destroy the district?”
“It was because of the duke’s son… I heard they fought in the district.”
“He used a spell release, everything around us got cut without reason.”
“I also heard that the man demolished all of those houses with his mind without using aetheric energy.”
“Also, when he destroyed it, many strange structures and altars appeared.”
‘What is he? A superhuman?
“Is he the devil’s advocate?”
“Stop with the nonsense,”
“What do you mean nonsense?”
“Everything you said is impossible, what kind of creature can do that?”
“I told you he’s the devil.”
“Quit the frivolity.”]
Hazel listened in disbelief as she thought, ‘They are exaggerating.”
As the miasmic air of speculation and ridiculousness drift through the skies. Stanzi promptly yelled.
“Stop here,“ The carriage halted in front of a sizable house. It looked extravagant for a house in the common areas.
He carefully boarded off the carriage as he dashed to Mel’s house.
“Mel, Mel! Arise needs help.” Stanzi hurriedly opened the door as he rushed him inside the house.
“What happe-”
“Oh god, what are those cuts,”
In a panic, the woman cast [Summoning seal: Faust], the earth gathered in one spot and transformed into a human-like body. It moved as Mel gave Faust an order. “Get the periwinkle herb and slime condensate.”
Stanzi backed himself in the corner as he watched Mel tend to Arise. Mel could read what was on Stanzi’s face… Despair.
“What are you doing there?” she asked, her voice was hoarse as she grinded the herb into a paste and mixed it with the condensate. “He’s not gonna die, not yet… Get me the vodka Arise made.”
Hearing her orders, Stanzi ran to the hallroom and grabbed the bottle containing a clear liquid.
A few seconds had passed; Stanzi came back with the bottle, he opened the alcohol and handed it to Mel. “Hold him,” said Mel, as he crushed the herb.
As Mel put down the pinkish mixture beside Arise, she looked at the bottle. “From what I heard from Arise, this is supposed to kill ‘bacteria’ and if what he told me is correct about healing magic’s replication… then this healing mixture will do the same thing to the ‘bacteria’.”
“Brace it,”
Arise flinched as the slimy mixture was applied to his wounds. Even unconsciously, the application of alcohol then the medicine sent a jolt of searing pain from his wounds, like a fire was burning his body. His body moved jittery, almost like he was being exorcised. In response, Stanzi held him tightly as Mel exercised the application of medicine.
It lasted for thirty minutes, large gashes on his body closed slightly as a response to the healing property of the mixture. Stanzi sat catching his own breath as Mel wiped the sweat off her forehead.
Hazel, who was standing outside for the past thirty minutes recognized Mel, “So you’re associated with her… The manic alchemist.” she said.
“Y-yes, I failed to mention that huh.” Stanzi replied, panting like a dog.
“Manic alchemist, how rude.”
“Ah, I apol-”
The purpled haired woman stared at Hazel with her amber eyes. “Look who we have here, a pretty damsel.
Hazel smiled nervously.
“You clearly did not mention this, so I’m supposed to be asking you this Stanzi, you’re associated with such an adorable lady?”
“I am not,” He denied his claims
“Wait what, excuse me,” Hazel’s voice remained in the background as Mel continued.
“Don’t need to deny it, I know she’s pretty. But, one thing I wanted to ask is, why are you associated with nobility?”
“Like I said, I’m not associated with her,”
Hazel agreed in a sweet tone, “That’s right.”
To him, what Hazel is- was just a savior who happened to pass by. She said it herself, so he could not feel bothered by it
“Welcome to my abode, Miss Hazel Rhoeia.”
Hazel put her hands together and bowed slightly.
“Well then, excuse me for intruding your home,”
But, what Mel failed to realize… the utterance of the word… the relation of the family he hated the most… The mere presence of the Rhoeia family filled him with rage.
“Rhoeia…”
As the blueish aura escaped Stanzi, the air became dense, water froze as the mixture from Arise’s body did. Both women shivered as Stanzi unknowingly released his magic- with rage swirling through his mind. He could not control himself, not that much better than a gambling addict.