Knock! Knock! “Is Arad awake?” Alcott knocked on the door.
“Get in,” Arad replied immediately, and Alcott opened the door, walking in.
“How are you doing?” He asked, “Do you feel any pain or nausea?”
Arad shook his head, “I don’t feel any different. Is there a way to even determine if I was cursed?” He glared at Alcott and Ginger.
“You passed out for a moment, and Ginger could tell. You got the curse, but I’m worried you’re not showing symptoms.” Alcott replied with a worried face.
“I should be fine. Can you get the vampirism off me?” Arad glared at Ginger. He needs Mom back.
“Fine, I should be able to take it off. Just give me a moment.” Ginger replied with a smile, extending her hand toward Arad and closing her eyes.
Arad waited, looking at Ginger’s face, and saw it sweating.
Alcott and Aella stared at her. ｎｏｖ𝚕．𝚌ｏｍ
“You are taking longer than I expected,” Alcott commented.
“Be silent. It has gone too deep.” Ginger mumbled, touching Arad’s neck, “Just give me a moment,”
After a minute, “How long will this take?”
“How deep is your body?” She mumbled. “I keep reaching for the vampirism curse, but I can’t grasp it.”
Arad could see Ginger’s eyes moving under her eyelids, “No, the closer I get to it, the slower I become.”
Something sparked in Arad’s mind, “Ah! About that, I’ve sealed them in an infinite void so they can’t escape.”
Ginger stopped, “You did what?”
“It wasn’t technically me, but an innate ability of me. To protect me from the curses, it sealed them deep within the void. They won’t be coming any time soon,” Arad smiled.
Ginger lifted her hands, “You did what?” She grabbed him by the shoulders. “Doesn’t that mean we can’t access the curse with magic from the outside?”
Aella and Alcott looked confused, “What are you talking about?” Aella asked with a puzzled face.
Ginger looked at them, “Imagine the curse as a person you don’t want to meet. So you threw him to the other side of the continent. Neither of you can reach the other.” She explained It would take her almost as long as the curse to take over Arad to catch it.
“What should we do now?” Arad asked.
“Simple, deactivate your ability, and I will take my curse off,” Ginger said with a smile, but Arad scratched his chin.
“I can’t access the innate ability. It is too focused on keeping the curses sealed to listen.” He can’t even talk to Mom, “We must stop one of the curses first.”
Ginger glared at him, “How are we supposed to cure what we can’t reach?”
It was then that the realization hit Arad. He is stuck with the curses. “What should I do?” He said, looking at Aella, worried.
“It will be fine. Magic will clear the Lycanthropy and will be able to cure the vampirism.” She was listening, unlike Alcott, who got left in the dust.
Arad giggled, “Yeah, magic will work.”
“Let’s hope so,” Ginger said, standing up. “I will start preparing for the worst case and track the progenitor. Can I have some of your blood for that?” She smiled, and Arad handed her his forearm, shaking a bit. “Don’t bite me,”
“I won’t. I need a drop.” Her fingernail extended, poking his finger.
“How about vampirism? Is there a way to cure it like Lycanthropy?” Arad asked.
“You also need to find the progenitor,” Ginger replied.
Aella looked at her with a smile, “Do you know the progenitor of your blood?”
Ginger paused, “Well, I’m a pureblood vampire.” She looked back at them, “I’m the progenitor for my blood. You have to kill me if you want the vampirism curse off.” She said with an ominous voice.
Aella laughed, “Stop joking. That can’t be right.”
“I’m not joking. But unlike Lycanthropy, I can lift my curse at will if I can reach it.” Ginger looked at them, “Cure Lycanthropy, and I will lift my curse immediately.”
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! “Ginger, the alchemist, and a healer have arrived,” Nina called them from the hallway.
As everyone sat in silence, Alcott had to break it. “Let’s go and get this curse cured so we can sleep at ease.” He opened the door, seeing Nina smile. “Arad is lucky. Not only one healer is present, but seven people are willing to try.”
Hearing those words, everyone stood up, “Are you sure?” Arad asked with a gasp.
“Yes,” Nina smiled, “A group of mages from the capital have arrived here looking for Alcott about the recent dragon incident. They can lift the curse and are happy to help for free.”
The group rushed to the meeting room, where they found eight people, Two high-level clerics, three wizards, and two druids. The last one was the alchemist with his potions laid on the table.
“Are you sir Arad? Sorry for what happened to you. Please take a seat, and I will start,” The alchemist bowed down slightly.
“You are polite,” Alcott glared at the alchemist, “What is with that?”
The alchemist laughed, “Sorry, I heart the heroic tale of how he wrestled two werewolves to save his companions. The fact he won that fight is enough to gain my respect.”
“It is intriguing indeed. What class are you, young man?” One of the wizards, a greybeard with a long beard and a funny hat, smoking a pipe, asked with a grin as he brushed face bush.
Arad looked at him, “A sorcerer, red draconic bloodline.”
One of the druids stood up, “I won! Heard that? I was right!” He almost started dancing.
“We bet on what class you were to beat two werewolves.” Another wizard, a short hag with a wrinkly face, said with a smile.
“Arad, did the alchemist start?” Aella opened the door, walking in. She had to deliver Ginger’s orders to Jack.
The moment she walked in, the expression of the hag changed, “What is this long ear doing here?” She pointed her twisted finger at her.
CRACKLE! Lightning sparked from her nail, and another wizard rushed to stop her, but he was too late.
The spell flashed toward Aella. THWACK! As the lightning bold was mid-air, Arad swung his fire-engulfed fist down. BOOM! It looked like his flames consumed the lightning, but he used his void to break the spell.
“HAG!” Arad glared at the hag, his eyes fixed on her head, “I WILL RIP YOU TO PIECES!” At that moment, Arad’s frightful presence exploded, consuming the whole room as the hag fell on her ass, shaking. As if glared on by a true dragon, she felt her life hanging on a thin tread.
“Stop this.” Alcott stood in the middle, “And you, respect yourself and keep your thoughts to yourself.” He glared at the hag.
“Ho! What power and pure magic, you must be close to your ancestor.” The greybeard smiled, “I would say a third of the fourth generation. That’s rare. Usually, sorcerers only appear above the tenth generation in the family.”
The two clerics nodded, and so did the remaining wizard and the druids. “We might be seeing the rise of a new S-rank. Alcott, please take care of the new talent.” One of the druids smiled.