Chương 103: Chapter 108: This will be fun

"I couldn't help but notice that you gave me access to your whole status, but not the specific text of the curse… is it that bad?" he asked me.

"It can be used against me," I said after deliberating on how to broach the subject.

"That's not so strange. Most curses are debilitating enough on their own that they don't need that, or insidious enough that, as in your case, you will get fucked over by it the moment you make a mistake, and sooner or later, all make mistakes." He poured two glasses from the new bottle into two new glasses.

"So, you got cursed at birth, on a planet with zero magic before the integration. I checked the world records before accepting to come here. Your world has never been in contact with any form of magic. Never."

"Are you certain? Then where could my curse possibly have come from?" I asked him through clenched teeth. I could feel rage boiling from within. I had to stop myself from slamming a fist on the table. What the fuck was going on? Why was I cursed?

"Positive. Anyway, while many creatures like dragons and anything magical can be glimpsed in dreams, don't ask me how that works, it's way too complicated. You wouldn't understand and it would take too long." He sipped his new glass, then continued.

"As I was saying, while many things can be glimpsed, there was no actual magic or any kind of magical energy on your planet before. Now, good luck. But the thing that makes sense in your case, the only explanation that I can find actually, is simple. Reincarnation."

"Rein- are you kidding me? Is reincarnation real?"

"Of course, as real as Space and Time, Fate, or Order and Chaos if you prefer. But that is something you don't need to know right now. There will come a time when you will have to touch the Concepts and Laws, but now it's not the time." Then why are you constantly going off topic? I was starting to lose my patience with this guy.

"Can you please get to the point if these things don't concern me?"

"Uh? Oh yes, of course! Well, I was saying, reincarnation is the only explanation. Someone cursed your soul, probably before killing you, or in the process of killing you. Mind you, I'm not a curse expert, but that is something really hard to do. You must have pissed off someone really powerful in your past life for making them go to such lengths to curse you. And more, this is probably not even your first reincarnation suffering from this thing, actually." He stopped to sip his drink.

Mine remained untouched in my hands. With the level of strength I was applying to the glass it ought to shatter already, but it gave no sign of damage at all. My thoughts constantly churned around. Could this really be what happened? Am I being punished for what I did in the past?

"Haa, actually this may very well be the last of a long series. Probably you repaid any karma you had to, and the universe provided! Now you are given the chance to break the curse, somehow. I'm sure you'll find a way," he said dismissively while waving a hand. So it took me several lifetimes to balance the scale? What the hell? It can't be right… I can't believe this is the explanation for all my woes. I needed more. This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I already have a way, but you told me it felt somewhat familiar. Do you have any idea who could have possibly cast this on me, even a clue?" He looked at me seriously now, scanning me with his aura again. The sensation was unpleasant, but I let him. If something could be understood by this, he could soak me in that aura of his.

"I have met this figure only one time, many, many years ago," he said in a serious tone. He shivered for a second, then recomposed himself.

"I can't pronounce her name aloud, because it is cursed. You don't really want to do it, trust me. I could hardly bear the consequences myself, and I'm way more powerful than you can imagine. But what I can tell you is this. One day my master and I went on an expedition. I was still in training at the time, and I pitted myself against a guy, a hybrid, half celestial, half wraith. Semi-corporeal and a really hard opponent to deal with. In the end, I prevailed, albeit barely.

As I was about to finish him off, a presence brought me to my knees. If it weren't for my master, I would be dead just from that." He threw back another glass, then took mine too.

"Her aura was so foul and cursed that it was impossible to even survive her mere presence. She demanded payment for hurting her student. My master decided to agree instead of fighting. He said that even if he won he would have lost, then offered her a treasure fit for the guy, something that was very, very valuable. She took it, then she killed her own student for failing her. Curses ate at him alive. In the end even his ethereal half got chewed on by the curses.

He died screaming worse than I ever heard anybody do. Then she disappeared as she arrived."

"She is known as the Witch of Merion, and honestly, she scares the shit out of me. I can feel a glimpse of her in you, woven in your aura." That's… not comforting, and way less useful than I thought. I could do nothing with that. I had a name, well, a title more than anything, and the knowledge that this character was way more powerful than I could possibly imagine. So there was basically nothing that I could do.

But if she was the one who cursed me, I swear that one day, it doesn't matter how distant, I will get her, and she will pay. She will regret having done this to me.

"Yeah, that's it. This is all I know. Sorry pal, but I can't really help you more than that. Even with your curse, you said you have a method? I hope it's a good one. Removing that seems pretty hard. And I can't help you, but maybe you can find an answer in the shop. If you get what I mean," he said while winking.

"I used the answer already," I told him as my mind spun in circles.

"I have to evolve my curse resistance trait three times at least and then wear the Crown of the Tyrant of Aaranor. You can't tell me where he is, right? Even if I pay?" He stared at me with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Makes sense. As I told you I have no expertise in curses, but those are a hell of a steep set of requirements. Anyway, no, I can't tell you anything unfortunately. The rules stop me from giving any information regarding the whereabouts of the Kings." So it was one of the seven kings in the end. At least that was good to have confirmed.

"I'm already at the second evolution, and I have a token saved for the last, but I'll see if I can manage by myself. Only tracking down the king will be required. I'll deal with him when I find him."

"Don't get cocky. The Kings are much stronger than anything you faced until now, but I have a solution."

"For finding them?" I asked. Hope grew in my heart. He shook his head, mirth and probably the alcohol lighting up his sharp features.

"For your cockiness! Come, let's spar a little! Nothing better than that for giving you some good pointers. And you still have to make me experience your aura, and tell me the whole story of how you got it! I did most of the talking and kept my end of the deal. Now it's your turn." He got up and settled himself in the middle of the training hall.

"Show me your best. Don't worry, I will limit myself to your total stats," he said while taking out from thin air a bracelet that he promptly wore on one of his arms.

"This will be fun!"