PART 4

"Chàros!" A voice called out to me as I finally got back.

I held out my palm showing that I'm not ready to talk.

It was Alata, she seems to be talking to me but I couldn't hear anything nor can I talk. My head was spinning like anything.

I decided to ignore everyone and focus on my breathing and recovery first.

After a few seconds or minutes the ringing stops, my hearing is back. Also I build up enough air to circulate the blood around my body normally.

"Chàros! What happened?" Alata asked.

I took a deep breath then respond her.

"It's nothing. It's just that I am getting a bit rusty. Don't worry about it I'm totally fine." I said.

"I see that's good to hear but what happened to him?" she asked.

After recovering fully I answered.

"Since he wasn't going down willingly I decided to delete his head because that's the most logical way to make sure someone's dead. It was a lot tougher compared to a normal human's head."

Alata seems a bit unpleasant to hear that and so is everyone around.

"Hehe...I see." Alata forced smiles.

"What?" I said looking at the bystanders.

Everyone quickly went to their tables and started drinking and opened their ears at the same time.

"Chàros." Someone called me." Can I ask you your opinion on the matters of Alata?" He asked as I shifted my attention.

"You are?" I asked.

"Sorry for my rudeness. I'm Timothy Lockhart. Also I'm one high mage." Timothy introduced himself.

"Go ahead."

"Yes! Do you think it's possible for such an event to occur?" He said.

I understand what he meant by this and exactly the answer he needed because he himself doubts it because that it's entirely impossible for such cruelty to happen from just jealousy but... Truth be told it's not entirely impossible in this case.

"I get how you feel but it's possible."

"I see."

"However, It's impossible for everyone to feel the same about one person and it's also impossible for them to agree to destroy someone's life based on jealousy. But it still can be made to look that way as a cover." I said.

"How so?" Timothy asked.

Alata, Schylla and the rest of the group listening were also concerned with the answer and listened carefully.

"I'm just saying that someone planned it by brainwashing everyone using some kind of a spell. And this mastermind was probably driven by jealousy which still makes the case a cause of jealousy. Also aren't you guys acting different from before? " I said. "Why the sudden change in mind?" I asked.

"Now that you mention it." Timothy said and thought about it while placing his hand on his chin and leaning a bit.

I stood up and took a chair to sit on.

What's this? Is he serious or he's just putting on a show? If they're serious then they were also influenced.

"Are you saying that you feel different from before?" I decided to get into this further.

"I do feel somewhat different."Timothy said.

"Now that you mention it, why are we rude to her?" Schylla said.

They don't seem to be lying and It doesn't look like he's the only one who has changed but what could be the reason?

Thinking about it there's a few possible reasons.

Assuming that it happened during my time inside the domain it could be that this guy lying here was a vessel used for a cursed manipulation. It was quite a reasonable idea but I also can't rule out the possibility that it has to do with the irregularity that happened inside the demon domain as well.

"I'm not sure but could it be his doing?" Timothy pointed at the headless body lying beside me.

His assumption was close but that's not the case. This was something more complicated and if it's really what I have in mind then there should be one more vessel which I've sensed back home.

"No. That's impossible." I said.

I have to disagree with him even though I don't have the exact answer.

"Could you tell us why?" Timothy asked.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you that but it's not his doing, that's all you have to know." I answered.

"That's too bad...cause we're just judging her based on the rumors and order but now after finally listening and talking to her we came to understand everything." Schylla and everyone laughed.

"I hope that's the case." I said and everyone suddenly stopped laughing.

They might not know it but they were influenced by unknown entities.

"I hope Panora already figured out the use of that thing I gave her." I muttered to myself.

"By the way Chàros." Alata finally spoke up. "I've been wondering for quite a while now but what's that glowing thing from your pocket."

Alata pointed at my left leg as she noticed the weird light emitted from my pockets.

"This?" I pulled out a crystal with the shape of a heart embedded in it and showed it to her.

It looks like some fictional power up crystal so I took it is what I would say but I can't pull a joke at the moment.

"This is!!! No way! Impossible! Where did you get it." Schylla asked excitedly and enthusiastically.

I move the crystal away from her reach.

"It's a secret." I said in hope of some sarcasm but it didn't turn out well.

"Oh I see." Schylla said losing her interest to near zero.

"Is it something useful?" Alata asked Schylla.

I was about to answer it but since it seems like Schylla is stacked with knowledge I'm sure she knows it.

"I'll leave it to you, Schylla." I muttered to myself.

She then quickly lit up as I handed her the crystal and started explaining.

"Oh... well it's not exactly useful for us humans mostly but it's the rarest magic crystal and there are only a few of it. It has a unique ability but no one really knows the ability as it's not in the record book so only descendents of those who once possessed them know it and they refused to share what it does but the problem with this crystal is that it's rumoured to be usable only once." Schylla briefs it down for everyone.

Schylla seems to know what this crystal does and it appears that she's hiding it but if she really knows about it her next action is gonna reveal everything to me.

I need to know the condition of a human using it cause the ability of this crystal is too broken.

"Well I don't know about its history but I'll be going now. Let's go, Alata." I called.

"Wait!"

Bingo!

"Would you like me to tag around?" Schylla said.

"I don't think I'll like that but it's up to you." I responded.

"Can I join as well?" Timothy spoke up. "I'll like to see how this story ends."

"If it's you Timothy it's probably fine but Schylla, Don't you think you're forgetting your duty?" I said.

I'm sure she has someone to replace her but just for insurance I needed to remind her of it.

"If you don't want me to tag along just say it." Schylla said.

I totally didn't expect that response but it's reasonable that she thinks that way.

"Can I-"

"Sorry, I can't allow more than two visitors to tag along." I said as someone tried to offer a spot.

Schylla somehow lit up as she heard that because she's among the two.

It's past midnight now and it's a full moon night. We have to hurry before early morning otherwise it's gonna be impossible to perform the spell.

"It's getting late, let's go." I said to Alata.

"Wait!"

Schylla quickly ran upstairs and came back. It seems she was asking her dad to take her place.

We left shortly after she came back.

"Aahhh!" Schylla screamed at seeing the ghostly figure of Aestes. "Sorry."

Schylla apologized as Timothy gazed at her to signal how disrespectful she was.

"It's okay. You're not the only one." Alata said.

"Since we're here, I want to ask you something, Schylla." I said.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Back in the guild you said something about only the descendants of those who used it knew about it." I spoke a simple statement.

"And?"

Seeing the face of Timothy and Alata it shows that they haven't noticed it yet.

"I want to ask you what the price is for using it. Before you deny knowing it let me just say this, we're running out of time." I said to her.

It might just be me being pushy but we're really running out of time, knowing that Aestes body was cursed and it still hasn't worn off and it was mainly focused to separate his soul and mind means that the demon plans on taking his body.

They first have to weaken the soul of the human first so that they could cut the connection of the soul and the mind fully and this usually happens in just a few days but it's been 9 years for Aestes. However considering that Aestes is an honoured child of the gods it's possible that he's been holding the curse back longer than anyone.

But this will all end today just a few moments before sunrise that is if I fail in this purification.

"Did you hear? Oii Chàros." Schylla called.

It appears that she already explained it but I've completely missed everything.

"Sorry I didn't listen, can you repeat it." I said.

"Seriously?" She asked.

She kept it short this time because it's becoming more and more emergency.

So according to Schylla this crystal is called The Gem of Life although it's appearance is close to that of a crystal heart.

And only a god can use it to revive a human without a side effect but a human can use it too although it took seven life just for the reward of one.

There are three conditions for the Gem to be usable, first off is that the soul must be present and second is that the maximum requirements must be met for the sacrifice. The last one is currently unknown.

"Okay everyone move away from the circle." I said as I drew a simple White circle around Aestes bed.

What I was about to do is different from what they'd expect but I have to do it while I still have the chance.

I walked up to Aestes who was completely immobilised with enhanced rope.

I put my right hand on his forehead. For a glimpse I was taken somewhere and was back again.

"From here on and out you shall be named Adriel which translates 'God is my help'. And YOU shall be released when you're called with faith." I said and crushed the Gem.

Then moments later something strange happened...

A loud heartbeat... as if it's taking its last beep struck me.

I wondered what was going to happen and as I didn't expect, the worst possible outcomes really happened.

My blood burst out from my body with cuts that came from nowhere.

"Chàros!" I could hear Alata calling out to me.

Suddenly I started to feel numb and my body became heavier as it gets harder to breathe.

What? What is this feeling? It's hurting all over my body.

Before I even realised it I was lying on the ground dipped in my own blood, losing consciousness slowly.