Aurora rummaged through her desk, frustration building as she failed to find what she needed. With no choice, she began scouring every shadowy corner of the dimly lit room. Finally, atop the cupboard, she spotted the book she'd been looking for and tore out a blank page.
She quickly etched a spell onto the torn page. Instantly, a green aura wrapped around Lucian's body. Her eyes narrowed, sensing something off about the magic. As an unfamiliar sensation washed over her, her eyes fluttered shut in concentration.
Suddenly, a violent gust burst forth from Lucian, tearing through the room like a storm. Valuables neatly arranged on shelves were tossed into disarray. The gale pushed both of them back.
Aurora stood frozen, staring at the scattered artifacts. Strangely, her gaze drifted to Lucian's face—his eyes twitching ever so slightly.
Lucian stirred. His eyes flew open, catching a glint of light cutting through the gloom. He realized the room was a mess, a fact that surprised him. Strangely, he saw a woman staring at him with a sharp gaze.
Unsure of how to react, Lucian averted his gaze, silently hoping to escape her piercing stare. A crash broke the silence. Nathan rose to his feet, brushing dust from his robe. His eyes widened in surprise when he turned to Lucian. He smiled, relieved to see his friend unharmed, the strangeness gone.
As he moved to speak, Aurora stopped him.
"What's wrong? Is something strange happening?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"It's nothing," he replied, though his tone betrayed his confusion.
"Huh, you scared me," she said, approaching Lucian and inquiring about his condition.
Strange occurrences were commonplace in this world. A vivid memory flashed—blood gushing from his mouth. He blinked back to reality, swaying slightly as the vision faded.
"Oi Faldera, are you alright?" Nathan asked, worry etched on his face.
"Oh—yes, I'm fine, but my head is a little dizzy."
His body slumped against a table. He sighed, his mind racing. Would this body remain alright?
He looked at Aurora, who was tidying up her scattered valuables. Unfamiliar with the woman, he turned to Nathan.
"Is she your friend?"
"You could say that."
Aurora was a renowned investigator in Nother City. Nathan often sought her help with minor issues, but Lucian didn't understand their connection, so he dropped the subject.
"This place is weird, huh?"
"Oh… that's normal. It's your first time here," Nathan replied softly.
As they chatted, a call summoned Nathan.
They stopped talking. He walked towards the source of the call, Lucian following, curious about what the woman would find – and perhaps, witness something unexpected.
Aurora showed them the scrap of paper she'd used for the spell. Strangely, it was now covered in ancient script.
Unable to read it, they were baffled. The writing was bizarre and confusing.
"When did that appear?" Nathan asked, his expression serious.
This was unprecedented. Aurora couldn't answer, her mind consumed by anxiety.
Oddly, when Lucian touched the paper, a head with countless, strange eyelids materialized before his face.
Their conversation ceased, their attention riveted on the monster's sudden appearance. Shock, disbelief, and awe were etched on their faces.
Lucian leaped back, the monster pursuing him relentlessly. He glanced at a book, tore out a page, and frantically began writing a spell he remembered from Faldera's memories.
But the multi-eyed monster wouldn't let him concentrate. It hurled nearby objects, aiming to disrupt his spellcasting.
Despite the chaos, he finished the spell, aiming it at the monster. He closed his eyes, praying for its success. When he opened them, the monster had vanished.
Relief washed over him as he wiped the sweat from his temples. Nathan and Aurora stared, disbelieving that Lucian had vanquished the monster.
"Huh… you're pretty amazing, Faldera," Nathan said, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Not bad yourself," Lucian replied with a small smile.
Lucian saw Aurora smile and gave a small nod in return.
"Ugh, that monster was a real nuisance. Suddenly appearing and causing a ruckus in my secret room."
After saying this, Aurora was startled to discover one of her books destroyed and pages missing. But she shrugged it off; books could be replaced, but lives couldn't.
She turned to Nathan; he'd helped so much, she asked him to help clean up. He couldn't refuse, and helped her tidy the room.
Lucian, overhearing, joined in, putting things back in their places: spellbooks, small tools, chests, and more.
Lucian wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a weary sigh. He then asked Nathan if they should continue their journey.
Nathan shook his head. He wanted to relax for now. Lucian, hearing this, simply nodded in agreement.
He gazed at the dilapidated ceiling, the neglected walls, and the small animals nesting within. It wasn't a place for habitation, but Aurora used it for its tranquility and privacy.
"Hey Nathan, can we get out of here?"
The room was becoming increasingly stuffy, the air thinning. They both headed for the exit, followed by Aurora carrying two books.
He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling instantly more comfortable.
"Huh, it's always best to have a well-ventilated room," he muttered sarcastically.
"There's something I need to tell you," Aurora said, stopping, her eyes serious.
Nathan immediately understood; something important was coming. He glanced at Lucian, who hadn't been informed. He nodded, urging Aurora to speak.
The torn page from her damaged book suddenly unleashed a curse from Lucian's body. When he was told about it, his eyes widened in shock, yet he remained strangely calm.
Seeing Lucian's indifferent expression only made them even more curious.
"Wait, did you already know about this?" Aurora asked, her face filled with surprise.
"No, just forget it," he replied briefly, which only made the two of them more curious about what he had just said.
"Hey, Faldera. Are you sure you're okay?" Nathan asked anxiously after hearing his strange answer.
But Lucian responded as if it was nothing and that it wouldn't burden his body. Meanwhile, Aurora began explaining in detail.
She hadn't known at first, but when she found the piece of paper with a word she understood written on it, she started to believe the curse had just been released and was now residing inside the book.
Hearing that sparked his curiosity, and Lucian asked how the curse attacked its target's body.
Without much hesitation, Aurora gladly answered, explaining one by one how the curse worked and where it came from.