When Jerald saw us soaked at the city gates, he quickly caught on that something had happened but he didn't pry much into it. The ride back to the crooked house was calm, if one has to address it. The pouring stopped halfway and we reached home at dawn. Luckily the kids were sleeping which saved the explanation.
Once inside, Alexia went straight to change her clothes. She tied a long rug on celling which gave her somewhat privacy. Meanwhile, I directly took my clothes off and went outside to wash my face.
'Are you two going to make up?' Dora asks me while my head is submerged underwater.
'That's not important, the illusion faded and the curse is rampaging right now, any bright ideas?'
To my question the mouse giggles. 'Hihi. The curse was never tamed in the first place, the illusion only hid it temporarily. As time passes the intensity will only increase.'
'I know that much. As a witch, what would have you done if you were marked my baal?'
'Cut off my marked limb and attach a new one.'
As I slowly washed my hair colour slowly turned platinum to black. "Yeah, cutting Alexia's entire torso sounds like a plan."
Dora climbs on my shoulder and whispers. 'On the contrary, she can become a witch!'
I fold my index finger and snap Dora off my shoulder. "Shut up."
I walk inside the house to see Alexia changed into her day to day clothes. We made subtle eye contact, I decide to start a conversation. "Uh. The coin pouch is there, behind the pot. If you like it, then use it."
Alexia heard my words but did not respond whatsoever. This infuriated me, I put my self respect on the line and she didn't even bother to respond. With an irritated look, I lied on the bed and fatigue took over in span of minutes.
When I woke up it was well past afternoon, the strong sunlight on my face told me. I sat up and yawned.
"Look! It's Altaris!"
"Did he wake up?"
Gerblt and Fran ran to me and clung onto me. "Altaris tell us about yesterday!" "How was the food?"
I rub my eyes and lazily answer in one word. "Good."
"Where did you go?"
"Far."
"Did you meet many people?"
"No."
"Why did sister Alexia threw her dress away?"
"I-I- She did?"
"Yes, sister took it away."
Yesterday's events flashed before my eyes, I regretted telling Alexia about Helen. 'What was I thinking? She is just a child.'
Suddenly, my stomach growled. 'I didn't eat anything last night.'
"Have you eaten?" I asked Gerblt.
"Yes! You know, Rushian and Alexia brought fish today! It was sooo good."
"Yes. Yes."
"Is there anything for me?"
The kids looked at eachother confusion and shook their head in the end. I chuckled as I pushed myself off the bed. "Of course not." I walked to the corner and took out Melsier's blade. "Where is Alexia and other?"
"They are at the river! Washing everyone's clothes."
"And Kela is with aunt Meloni."
I wore my coat which had Dora sleeping in it. I reached out to the coin pouch and scouped 5 bronze coins. "Should be enough. Now listen, I am going to the dungeon city. Make sure to tell this to Alexia."
The kids were now used to me going away constantly, that saved me from all the crying they did the first time. As I opened the door, Fran asked me. "When are you coming back?"
I thought for a second, I really wanted to dive deeper in the dungeon. But I can't leave Alexia alone for long, who knows which creep she might attract next.
"Soon."
With that, I was off. It was late evening almost night, when I reach Cross dungeon city. On the way, I thought of many ways to lift the curse off Alexia's body but each method required tremendous resources and power which I lacked both, for now.
'Luckily, the curse isn't something lethal, I seen plenty of succubus and dark fairies living their lives while attracting many suitors. I am sure, she can find a till I come with a permanent solution.'
Dora talks in a mocking tone. 'Well, succubus consumes bodily fluids and dark fairies eats dreams. I am sure, the girl would find her place.'
'Shut up.'
When I reached the guild premises, the scene in front of me was something else. Till now, I only experienced the empty guild with few to no people in it. But now, the forest was full of people.
On open plain grass, spellcasters displayed their unique spells. A old man in red robe and red hat created a tiny flame tornado while his colleague, a young guy in khaki robes pulled out a special dust from his pockets and blew them on the burning tornado. The bright orange flame turned to lime green in seconds which looked beautiful.
On the other side covered in dense trees, two sword wielders swung their blades and cut down the multiple trees. The female swordsman managed to bring down more trees and proudly received a coin pouch from the loser.
The atmosphere in the guild was totally different than outside, also this was the first time I saw someone's face in Cross dungeon city. Mostly warriors walked with no masks while majority of magicians still hid behind the mask.
At the guildmaster's statue, in the centre of the forest, many people formed a circle and were cheering loudly. My curiosity piqued and I decide to check it out.
My small and nimble body made squeezing through easy but rubbing my nose at tall men's hairy chests was not a pleasant. Maybe it was because the city's warm and humid weather which made every male to go half naked, the female warriors also didn't wear much clothing either. It was just leather top with a chainmail and short leather pants on bottom.
Magicians on the other hand always has to wear a robe representing their element and faction. Robe for element and hat for faction.
I finally reached front of the crowd and saw two people having a standoff. A man and woman. The crowd cheered "Myleane! Myleane! Myleane!"
The name sounded feminine so I assumed that it was the name of the woman.
'Myleane, a crimson haired woman with decent muscle mass.' That was my first thought. Besides that, she appeared really tall than the other guy.
'Is this a strength versus magic duel?'
Sadly, I was proven wrong when the man pulled out a dagger. Myleane cracked her knuckles and took off her clothes. The crowd cheered very loudly. Under her tight shirt and pants, she wore heavy chainmail instead of undergarments.
The man leaped at her.
Myleane carefully side stepped and caught the man in her large arms. The grip must have been very tight as the man dropped his dagger and struggled to breath.
My interest was lost the moment the man drew his dagger, I turned around to leave.
Unknowingly, I missed an eye contact with the red haired woman. I sensed her in my mana field but brushed it off as a mere stare.
I made way to the guild's main office and found myself in another problem. "How am I supposed to find Stella among all this people?"
The guild office was in utter chaos, people arguing over quests, staff counters being overflooded and a fistfight happening the restaurant above. For now, I decide to go to Stella's counter then I see if she's there or not.
Just as I took the first step, my mana field overwhelmed my mind with warnings. Before I could even turn back, I was picked up by my neck. "Hey kid, that sword. Where did you get it?"
Everyone around me noticed but no one stepped up to help, even the guards just watched.
Some even started to whispering. "Hey, who's that?" "I don't know but I think he picked fight we Myleane." "Myleane? The red beast?"