Master Ki Bou's POV:
A day after yesterday,
I was occupied by the workload when King Amadon passed on his work to me; making an effort to encode the resources exported to the other realm, decoding the imported products of the realm, and analyzing the orders and cases of confidential matters that were classified by the law and order of Alvenrass. It's been a long time since I left the Ministry of Realm to focus on finding the Offspring of Power and creating a private institution of my own, but then, things spiced it up when the newly crowned King called something under wraps and made me his subordinate under his sovereign. Everyone at the camp knew that I was working with the King, making certain action plans at it, but other than that, it remained confidential, as it is. I was not publicly announced as part of the King's administration but rather, a secrecy.
I lie low at the camp, underground, as the enemies lurk to find me and the stone. While working, someone entered the room without knocking on it. I took a glance at it and saw Mill walking forward at me after entering the room, obtaining something on him.
"Mill, what is it?" I uttered in a low tone and turned back to my paperwork.
It's a rolled piece of paper.
"I don't know, I guess it's another report from the palace," I stopped for a while and took the paper he was holding. I was wondering what it inside of it, then slowly unfurled the piece and started to read it silently.
I was appalled by what I had read. I slowly put it down on the table, unaware I was dazed for a moment.
"Master Ki Bou, are you okay?" Mill uttered and tapped me on my shoulder.
I flinched.
"I am. Well, the Medical Council sent this letter to the Palace and the King forwarded it to me," I answered.
"Then what's the matter, Master Ki Bou?" Mill asked.
"A condition called Red Roots Disease had mutated and there was a sudden increase of cases at the Central City, the Medical Council was calling for assistance from the palace, it said here that the number of cases is unusual as it tripled the number of cases a day, the staffs also showed symptoms of the disease and it's getting worse," I responded.
"An epidemic," Mill answered.
I nodded. This might be one of the Dark Curse effects, it's getting closer and started affecting the human body. The worst case is, it's happening in Central City, the economic center of the domain. I need to act on it before it starts corrupting the economic and social state of the domain and the minds of the people. I need to do something.
"What should we do, Master Ki Bou?" Mill asked.
I took a deep breath and consciously tapped my finger at the table.
"Gather them now, we'll have an urgent session," I commanded Mill. He followed after and let him walk out of the chamber.
...
FLASHBACK.
"No, this can't be," Amir said.
He was hushed for a moment. Then, they heard him chuckle. The others were alarmed and baffled. How can he laugh like that knowing that he's a threat to the entire world? They were uneasy right at the moment regarding Amir's situation.
"Amir?" Ki Bou called him.
He gradually turned around to fronted them. The moment he does is the moment of revelation. Everyone was terrified...
"I know..." He said in a deep devilish tone.
...when they saw Amir with a menacing smile. His glaring eyes were pitch-black and nerves from his face were showing up.
"I know that I am...the Dark Curse!"
Everyone was terrified and stepped back behind me.
"Master Ki Bou, what should we do now?" Niala uttered, totally frightened.
"All of you! You go to the Clamores Village and stop the war at the Stone Gate, now! I'll take care of Amir," I demanded, everyone nodded and drove away.
Meanwhile, I faced the Dark Curse alone.
"This is not you, Amir! You need to wake up! You can control it as much as you can!" I uttered, while slowly walking towards him.
He was just giving me a creepy smile. Feels like he was possessed by someone. Sharp nails slowly emerge, and his skin tone is turning darker and reddish than his natural one.
"Amir wake up!" I uttered in a loud voice.
He raises his arm and points a finger at me. Then out of nowhere, a strong force of dark red flashes of light came out and blew me away. I didn't manage to dodge because of its speed, but luckily, I did activate my healing magic sooner before the attack.
I was down on the ground after that force. I slowly stood up when he walked towards me with that menacing smile on his face. Then, with a velocity-like light speed, eyes wide open, there he was right in front of me, still with that menacing smile that creeps me off and beats me with his uppercut punches, blood spat out of me, and almost choked with my blood. Multiple punches I received but still managed to recover as I'm in a constant healing process. I used immunity as my defense to his forceful attacks. As soon as I got the time to at least dodge his punches, I responded with Air Magic, air whispered right in his ear, and blew him off away from me, down on his knees.
"Stop this, I know that you're still Prince Amir that we know! You are possessed by that Dark entity inside yours, but you still can control yourself! Remember that you are the Light Offspring of Power, you are our hope, the future of this realm, — of Alvenrass! together with the other Offspring of Power, Amir, It all depends on you," I uttered in conviction, walking towards him.
He laughs at it. As I walked forward toward him, the chuckling got louder. The deep tone of the laugh made the ambiance heavy and gloaming. But I insisted on halting, rather, keeping myself going to him.
"Amir wake u—"
Before I even finished my words, he raised his head, and a blazing ray of light with a dark and red tone in it flashed in his eyes. As fast as my reflexes could do, I used a Barrier Magic to shield myself. The Dark Curse is stronger than I imagined. Amir stood while a blazing ray kept coming out, and walked approaching me with ease, meanwhile, here I was stapled with my foot to the ground, I used my Earth Magic to pin and hold my foot at the crust.
...
"Amir wake up!" I yelled. Yet, he didn't respond to it.
A six-horn slowly peeked on his forehead. This ain't it, he's not Amodeus nor Amir! It was something else, a demon from below has risen.
As closer as he approached me, the power got stronger and I couldn't get hold of it. I was on my knees now, ...
Ki Bou!
La Nemesis!
Let me do my own thing!
You can't!
I can! You're my vessel! I am your edge! The rest of your magic won't work on this demon, but I am.
But I'm using it now, what's not clicking?!
You! So I'll switch myself out and put him to my barrier.
As soon as La Nemesis and I switched up, she didn't hold back on it and used the energy as much as we yielded together.
"Barrier Magic: Cell of Hell!" I uttered.
My foot rose from the ground, Dark Amir never took out his creepy gaze at me. He raises his arm and points open hands at me, suddenly, a ball of pitch-black torrent of energy slowly comes up, and I can sense the immense energy coming through him. Stronger than the Offspring and the Demon Childs. On the other hand, a wide range of silver hexagonal net-like mesh emerged through thin air, slowly compressing within our area. Then, a dark ball of heavy energy floated ahead, meanwhile, the barrier slowly compressed and engulfed the Dark Amir, my eyes couldn't take off the dark orb of energy right in front of me, and I could feel that in no time it would explode and possibly could put my life at stake. The moment that the Dark Amir was completely caged in the cell, the dark orb vanished. Took my glance at Amir and saw him in an unconscious state inside the barrier. I descended and walked forward.
That's the least that I could do, Ki Bou! So do take care of him to not escape in my barrier magic. He's a threat!
I know, La Nemesis!
By his state, he was not in his full form despite you having a hard time defeating him. What's more, if this boy right here is in his full form? Possessing both the Light Magic and him being the Dark Curse?
I will hide him. Put him away from people! As long as no one dares to touch this barrier we are safe!
You gotta be careful, Ki Bou!
I will.
END OF FLASHBACK.
...
"First of all, I do apologize for the sudden disturbances to your holiday, It was all so sudden when I received a letter coming from the palace..."
I uttered, apologizing to them.
They were seated, with no reaction at all, probably annoyed at me.
"You can keep your salary, it's all yours! But, I don't have a choice but to postpone your rest days,"
After uttering those words, I hear them sighing and frowning in disappointment.
"But I'll double it once we're all done with this mission," I added.
"And the mission?" Marcus asked.
"Ah, yes! The mission, ..."
I sat on a chair, positioned.
"A Red Roots Disease had mutated and there was a sudden increase of cases at the Central City, the Medical Council was calling for assistance from the palace, it said that it tripled the number of cases a day, the staff also showed symptoms of the disease and it's getting worse," I responded.
They positioned their selves at where they sat, implying that they had all ears on me.
"What? Iyan ba 'yong parang halos mamatay kana sa init at kati nitong dulot sa balat mo? 'Tas parang nagkakaroon ka ng pulang pantal-pantal na parang ugat ng isang halaman?" I responded, describing the disease.
"Exactly!" I said.
"It's curable!" Li exclaimed.
All gaze at him.
"It's a common disease na nakukuha sa mga pagkaing berde kapag hindi ito maiging naluto. You know --- the green leafy vegetables! I already cured lots of people with that kind of disease, ... — "
"But this is different, Li," Marcus coldly cut Li off from speaking.
"Master Ki Bou," Marcus uttered diverting his gaze at me.
"Yes, As I have said it's getting worse, and to end this as soon as possible, we need to act on it!"
"So, what's the mission?" Freia delightedly uttered.
I smiled and sighed.
"Freia, as the team leader of your team, you, Kidlat, and Shaowi will travel to the Realm of Raiyan; seek help from the Queen, and look for a cure or resources that could help resolve the issue. You might meet the other team that was assigned there and you can pass the message on to them so that they can help you also, understand," I commanded.
They nodded in agreement.
"Now, since Amir was not here, Marcus will be your temporary leader. The three of you, go to the Central City - Medical Center and do your thing! Do further investigation about this case, assist them if they need service, and talk with the assigned Medical Doctor of the Central Hospital on what conditions and resources are needed to act on," I added.
I stood up from where I sat.
"This might be one of the Dark Curse effects, it's getting closer and started affecting the human body. The worst case is, it's happening in Central City, the economic center of the domain. We need to act as soon as possible before it starts to corrupt the people's minds," I added.
"So, when we will start?" Kidlat asked.
"Now," I answered and didn't hold back at it.
- END.