CHAPTER 215: CURSE AND CURE [1]

Akamir couldn’t help but smile even more. "Are you here to congratulate me on MY wedding?"

"AKAMIR!!"

’...Ahh, maybe I shouldn’t have teased him too much.’

Akamir thought as he grabbed the sword from a fallen soldier’s body.

Lewin didn’t give him time to gather himself as he rushed towards him in an instant.

With a guttural yell, he launched himself at Akamir, sword raised high.

Akamir met his charge head-on, their weapons collided, sending a shockwave around the place.

This time, Lewin wasn’t holding back.

Each swing of his sword sent shockwaves through the air.

His strikes were brutal, shaking the very foundation of the ruined church.

Akamir gritted his teeth as he blocked, each impact rattling through his arms.

Lewin wasn’t just attacking, he was trying to crush him.

Akamir kicked him off as he pushed himself back.

’The difference in size is really pissing me off.’

He thought as he stretched his numb hand.

Right now Akamir was nothing but in a child’s body with immense strength.

But fighting in such a body was really difficult for him.

That was why Lewin was able to overpower him.

’Alright, let’s go with this.’

Akamir didn’t try to match Lewin’s strength now. He just had to redirect it.

He used Lewin’s weight against him, sliding under heavy blows and jabbing at openings.

The more Lewin pushed, the more Akamir moved around him, striking where the opening was.

Still, it was clear.

Lewin had the upper hand in raw power.

Akamir was pushed to the edge, forced to dodge with tight movements and make space whenever possible.

But then, he began to see it—small cracks in Lewin’s form.

A delay in footwork. Overcommitment in swings. Rage was starting to control him.

That’s when the shift began.

’He isn’t that strong huh?’

Akamir stopped trying to dodge him as he began to read his movements.

He elbowed Lewin in the ribs again, forcing a grunt from the man.

Then came another hit across Lewin’s hand, causing him to loosen his grip.

Akamir pivoted, slashing across Lewin’s shoulder before ducking a counterattack.

Lewin snarled. His aura exploded.

"You damn rat...!"

Crimson sparks danced at his fingertips.

Akamir’s eyes narrowed.

Lewin raised his hand and hurled a blast of disintegration toward him.

Akamir dove to the side, the beam grazing past and reducing a marble pillar to dust in seconds.

Another noble, caught in the blast, screamed before vanishing into ash.

Akamir rolled and pushed forward, trying to get closer but Lewin didn’t stop.

More beams shot from his hands that reflected his rage.

Each missed Akamir but tore through the floor and ceiling, leaving nothing behind but ruin.

"Lewin!!" Akamir shouted. "You’re killing your own people!"

Lewin’s response was another blast, and this one narrowly missed Akamir and took out a section of the far wall.

Akamir leapt through the chaos and landed a hard kick to Lewin’s side.

Lewin stumbled on his feet as he gasped for air.

Akamir didn’t give him time to recover.

He punched him square in the face.

Then again and again.... he kept on punching his face.

Blood sprayed from Lewin’s nose as his head snapped back.

Akamir grabbed his collar, pulled him in, and slammed his forehead into Lewin’s—hard.

Lewin collapsed to one knee, dazed, blood trailing down his face.

"I don’t understand why bother with this?" Akamir asked as he glared at him. "You are already too deep—."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW FUCKER!!" Lewin snapped, trying to punch him again. "ONCE I GET MY HANDS ON KROS’ POWERS I WILL—."

BAMM!!

Akamir picked Lewin mid-sentence and slammed him on the ground.

Lewin tried to punch him once again but Akamir grabbed his arm and broke his wrist.

"ARGHHH!!"

Lewin screamed from the top of his lungs as his hand fell.

Lewin looked up, fury still burning in his eyes but his body wasn’t responding anymore.

Then— click.

The sound echoed through the broken chamber.

Both of them turned toward the source.

Sephrina stood at the edge of the altar, her hand on the glowing door.

"No...." Lewin mumbled, his eyes filled with fear. "No.. this can’t be!"

"It’s open," Sephrina said as she looked back at Akamir.

Akamir didn’t hesitate as he nodded towards her.

He let go of Lewin and ran toward her, sword still in hand.

Lewin growled behind him, dragging himself towards the door.

"No..." he said, his voice cracking. "Don’t do this! I am not ready!"

But Lewin couldn’t do much as his body wasn’t listening to him.

Akamir stopped in front of Sephrina, chest rising and falling.

Even though she wasn’t fighting, her job was difficult as well.

She looked exhausted, pale, drained but her eyes were steady.

He nodded to her. "I hope it doesn’t backfire."

Sephrina didn’t say anything as she placed her hand on one side of the door.

Akamir placed on the other one as they both pushed the door open.

The world beyond the door wasn’t bright.

It was dim and quiet, with walls of pale stone and floating dust.

The air felt... ancient. Like something no one had breathed in centuries.

"NO! NO!" Lewin’s scream echoed from behind them as they stared inside the door.

Akamir felt goosebumps all over his body as he quickly grabbed Sephrina’s hand.

He pulled her towards him as he fell down holding her body tight.

As soon as they fell to the ground a figure burst out of the door.

...It was the manifestation of KROS’ will.

The thing looked exactly like her with a long elongated body and tentacles all around her.

Was it perhaps the influence of the World, but now she also had a woman’s mouth on her.

Her body floated in the sky for a second before she jumped towards Lewin.

It was just a second and Lewin was completely engulfed by her body.

Right in front of their eyes, Lewin’s body began to dissolve within her.

Lewin’s screams were swallowed by the silence that followed.

The creature... the will of Kros—hung in the air like a curse unspoken.

Its form shimmered, shifting between a woman’s silhouette and a mass of writhing tendrils.

It devoured Lewin’s body without mercy, pulling him into itself like smoke into a flame.

His voice broke into choked gasps before it, too, faded.

Within seconds, there was nothing left.

Slowly the world also began to disintegrate as everything was fading away.

Akamir, still clutching Sephrina protectively, stared at the spot where Lewin had stood.

Kros slowly turned to look at them as Akamir let go of Sephrina.

They now stood alone within the darkness with the will of Kros.

The mouth of Kros slowly opened up but no voice came out.

Instead Akamir heard her voice in his head.

"I have been observing you for a long time,"

It spoke with neither warmth nor hatred. Just presence.

"...Akamir."