CHAPTER 216: CURSE AND CURE [2]

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

It spoke with neither warmth nor hatred. Just presence.

"...Akamir."

He didn’t answer immediately. His grip on Sephrina tightened before he slowly let go. She stood beside him now, silent, pale, but alert.

The will of Kros didn’t move forward.

It didn’t need to.

It felt like everything else in the world had moved back.

"What do you want from me?" Akamir asked quietly, eyes never leaving hers.

The creature tilted its head as if she was almost curious.

"You walk in the body of a child but carry a soul older than it should be."

Akamir instinctively felt his skin crawl as her voice felt distant.

"...What do you mean?" He asked, though he already knew the answer.

"You know the answer."

Her voice echoed in layers, like whispers stacked on top of each other.

"Would you like for me to not ask about it?"

Sephrina tensed. Akamir raised his hand slightly, signaling her to stay calm.

"I would appreciate that." He replied softly. "Greater One, Kros."

A strange hum echoed as the creature’s tendrils pulled back, writhing slowly like waves.

"Your kind doesn’t understand what you’ve broken by touching my corpse."

"About that...." Akamir replied, slightly lowering his head.

"I would apologise in their stead." He said earnestly. "They weren’t aware what they were against."

".....You are a strange creature, Akamir."

The creature turned its head slightly, its many eyes blinking in unison.

"And yet... you interest me more than this world ever did."

Akamir’s jaw clenched. "So what now? Are you going to try and take over me next?"

"No. You are incomplete and I do not possess broken things."

That one hit harder than he expected.

Before he could speak, the creature continued.

"But I will watch you."

Akamir blinked in confusion.

"And when the time comes, you will choose whether to become part of my world..."

She remained silent for a while.

"...or destroy it."

Akamir didn’t say anything as he kept on staring at her without any words.

Kros slowly turned her head as she looked at Sephrina.

Her eyes glanced at their hands that were intertwined.

"The world is real or not depends on you."

Kros said, looking at Sephrina as if conveying a message.

"If you want it to be real, it will be so."

Sephrina didn’t say anything as her grip tightened on Akamir’s hand.

"Apart from that."

Kros continued, her voice still coming in their head.

"You are a terrible Empress."

Sephrina immediately bowed her head. "I sincerely apologise for my negligence."

"...I understand."

Kros nodded slowly.

"Your curse makes you unable to do anything."

"..."

Sephrina didn’t say anything else as she lowered her head.

Kros floated closer as her gaze fell on the key in her hand.

"Your race fascinates me....."

Kros said as she stared at Sephrina’s face.

"....It makes me want to destroy it even more."

Sephrina’s eyes widened as she looked at Kros in horror.

Kros slowly moved back as her body began to fade slowly.

"Wait—!"

Sephrina quickly raised her hand with the key.

"You will grant us a wish right?"

Kros looked at the key for a moment before she nodded once.

"...Yes." She replied. "That is what I have intended to do."

Sephrina felt hope flicker back in her mind as she looked up.

"T-then." She whispered softly. "I wish for you to take back your curse."

Kros looked at her for a long while as she asked. "Is that your wish?"

"Yes." She nodded in response. "That is what I need."

"Are you sure?" Kros asked again. "I can cure your curse, Sephrina."

Sephrina turned silent as her body trembled.

Her grip on Akamir’s hand tightened even more as she responded. "I do want that." She responded. "...Just take the curse back."

Kros shook her head in response.

"That isn’t possible, child."

She replied. "Your entire race is already infected with the curse."

Sephrina’s eyes dimmed down. "W-what?"

"Your entire Kingdom is already cursed because of Lewin." She replied. "There is no saving them."

Sephrina’s body felt like it had lost all its strength as she leaned over Akamir.

Akamir quickly grabbed her as he looked at the being. "Is there nothing you can do?"

"Her race tried to mutilate my body, child." She replied, her voice flat. "You think I would let them go easily?"

"But...." Akamir looked at her. "They all are innocent."

"I know." She replied, her voice low. "But what about it?"

"..."

Akamir turned silent as he got the gist of it.

That being had no regard for the life of the others.

Kros began to fade away as she looked at them in silence.

But just as she was about to go away, Sephrina looked at her once again. "Is there nothing that could change your mind?"

Kros slowly turned to look at the girl as she asked. "There is something, do you want to know?"

Sephrina nodded eagerly. "Yes, please tell me!"

Kros looked at Akamir. "We will see each other soon."

Saying so, she moved her face and Akamir immediately felt dizzy.

His grip on Sephrina’s hand loosened as his body was thrown back.

---

"Huff.. Huff..."

Akamir drew in deep breaths as he found himself back in the real World.

He looked around as he found himself right beside the tent that had Kros’ body.

Nayomi floated closely as she looked at him concernedly. "Hey, Akamir are you alright?"

Akamir didn’t reply as he pushed himself up and began to run.

"What happened when I was gone?" He asked, his voice filled with tension. "Where is everyone."

"When you lost your mind, that thing began to infect everyone."

She replied. "Everyone within the kingdom is now infected with the curse."

Akamir bit his lips as he rushed towards the palace.

He saw everyone laying on the ground with their bodies melting away.

Akamir quickly reached the palace as he entered without a second thought.

He moved around until he found Sephrina’s room as he forced inside.

Sephrina was standing as she looked outside the window.

"Sephrina?"

Akamir called her.

"She asked something impossible, Akamir."

Sephrina replied without looking at him, her voice dead.

"She asked to burn the world tree to save everyone."