Chapter 53: Both Ends of the Curse

A point of light soon appeared in the darkness, but this radiance carried no joyful hope. It was a murky, chilly gray. This color pulsed and in the next moment expanded to become the dominant view throughout his entire vision. Simple lines slowly emerged, gradually forming with the gray into an eerie spatial existence.

With a slight turn of his gaze, he could notice the towering, ancient, and broken high-backed throne not far away, and the strange rib-like structures surrounding it. A faint mist drifted everywhere, carrying a sense of inexplicable familiarity… Constantine narrowed his eyes slightly. He slowly stretched out his body. A soft luster composed the form of his body within his vision. When his concentration focused, the bodily structure was drawn out from the energy that resembled a ball of light.

This was Hartdiel’s Soul Channel.

But as Constantine looked around, he found the light in this place was much brighter than when he first saw it. The youth tilted his head back slightly and noticed the originally endless darkness in the sky had transformed into a sticky gray cloud mass. Yet, the expanse of pale gray made the sky seem completely without any sense of distance or depth, appearing infinitely remote yet frighteningly close. Countless cloud masses churned within, forming vague, shifting shapes, undulating like a sea brewing giant waves before a storm, or like the legendary river of death burying countless souls.

The Lich’s figure stood beside the throne. It was still the image of a skeleton with skin draped in a black mage robe. Only the orange firelight in its eye sockets jumped continuously, causing Constantine’s heart to skip a beat when their gazes met.

“What happened? What is this? A compatibility test for the new amulet?” Taking a few steps forward, the youth tensed his nerves. Although confident the Lich could not find a loophole in the soul contract, Constantine also understood well that nothing in the world was absolute.

“The Curse on you has activated…” The Lich’s voice was as cold and flat as ever, but this completely uninflected tone made Constantine’s heartbeat quicken severalfold. “Damn it…” After a slight pause, the youth cursed under his breath.

A flicker of regret undoubtedly stirred in Constantine’s heart now. Clearly, the recent days of smoothly proceeding Holy Light treatments, the Bequli Gem obtained without much effort, and the smoothly crafted amulet… the overly smooth resolution of various problems had evidently caused him to lose some vigilance. This also made him overlook Hartdiel’s earlier reminder; once the Vampire mage who cast the Curse made certain preparations, the Curse still possessed the possibility to activate at any time.

“Although this method may displease you, I could only pull you into the Soul Channel immediately. Otherwise, the Curse’s power would affect your Soul. Even a moment’s delay longer, and you would likely turn into an old man instantly…” The Lich showed no concern for the youth’s dismay; it simply performed its explanatory duty. “For a brief period, I can ensure your Soul remains unaffected by the Curse, but this process will not last long.”

“You did well! But what about the Soul? Didn’t you say the medium for this Curse’s effect was blood? If you’re only protecting my Soul, then won’t my body…?”

Constantine urgently interrupted his magical advisor’s explanation… Although he had often complained about this new body’s growth speed, and although he had effectively lived two lives with an actual age entering middle age… Constantine had no intention of becoming an old man yet. He was on the verge of reaching an age to enjoy life’s pleasures. If he suddenly became an old man now… Forget being old, even entering middle age would already be a huge loss!

“Acting on blood does not mean it relies on blood to harm you! Fundamentally, so-called Necromancy spells are all Magic that deals with the Soul. From this perspective, as a branch of Necromancy, Curses are no exception… Have you ever seen someone Curse a lifeless object? Even the lowest Undead creatures are immune to most Curses precisely because they lack a Soul! A Curse must act upon your Soul first, only then will it produce corresponding reactions on your body. Now, I have pulled your Soul into the Soul Channel, so you are already under my spiritual protection…”

“So that means… this Curse will erode your Soul? Won’t you be affected?”

“Of course not. The Curse’s target is not me, so naturally it cannot unleash its power against me. Moreover, that idiotic bat used an Aging Curse. Even if there were some effect, in my current state where the body has long vanished, the strength or weakness of a bit of life force is merely an insignificant existence to me…” The Lich spoke as if narrating the most ordinary matter, not something concerning the potential annihilation of two souls.

“However, although using the Soul Channel as mental protection, it now appears this is not so simple. This Vampire has probably established some kind of amplification Magic Array… He likely anticipated the recent developments all along. Even though the Curse’s power has been suppressed and weakened by Divine Magic, with such compensatory measures, it is still sufficient to reduce you to dust!” The Lich raised its head slightly, the orange points of light in its sockets flickering incessantly. Its calm tone carried a hint of a sigh. “Fortunately, we have another source of support… Thankfully, when you collapsed, that Vernal also infused a portion of dispelling power. Combining our two powers, we might be able to resist, even eliminate, the Curse’s force.”

“What are the chances of that?”

Constantine looked up as if realizing something. He noticed this world was changing again… The clouds in the sky swirled incessantly, gradually twisting into an ugly vortex. The subtle yet distinct transformations within the clouds were so evident; the effect made the cloud layer appear terrifyingly low, as if the pillars of the Celestial Realm had collapsed. The vortex’s center seemed less than a few hundred meters from the ground. Looking up now gave one the feeling these heavy cloud masses could fall at any moment.

“Soul confrontations hold infinite possibilities; no one can fully grasp the probabilities… Only a powerful Soul can grasp more chance of victory… What follows is a contest of Mental Power.” The Lich raised one hand, its slender bones deftly tracing countless symbols in the air. Suddenly, a shockwave erupted in the sky!

A confrontation of mental power? Constantine felt a slight relief. If it were this type of contest, it was simple. At least Hartdiel, being Lich-level, was no match for him, so that gay Vampire should be even less of a challenge. Other aspects? He didn’t care.

But before the youth could show his complacency, Hartdiel spoke as if seeing through his thoughts.

“Your Mental Power is indeed, among all beings I have encountered, the one with the most bizarre and potent variations… But that does not mean you have much chance of winning. Because the opponent you face is not the bat itself, but the Curse power he has mobilized through the incantation… In other words, you are directly confronting the Weave of Magic and the Deity! Every counterattack of yours will trigger the energy within. Once one wave of the Curse’s power is neutralized, another, stronger effect will immediately manifest! This continues until one side between the two crumbles.”

The voice was as hoarse and calm as ever, but clearly, the true meaning in Hartdiel’s words this time was enough to make Constantine tremble. He couldn’t see his own expression now, but even without a mirror, he knew his ordinary features were likely utterly contorted…

“So, how long can I last?”

“That depends on your ability to master the knack… If you can precisely neutralize the Curse’s power each time, the intensity increase will be very slow, allowing enough time for the Curse removal effect to gradually take hold and eliminate the Curse completely. But if your power exceeds the Curse’s force, the natural reaction of Magic power will immediately strengthen the next attack to a degree exceeding the surplus… Your Mental Power is, after all, limited. Once exhausted, the Curse will act upon your Soul. You will be affected by the Curse’s effect. That over-stimulated life force will turn you into an old man in an instant, then your overwhelmed Soul will shatter… You will vanish. Your Soul won’t face judgment by the God of Death, and no Deity you believe in can save your life.”

“And now… the confrontation begins.” The Lich’s fingers slid slightly. The clouds in the sky were torn by an invisible blade, exploding outward! But the force creating the vortex did not dissipate. Instead, it contracted, then stirred up even more violent gales within the clouds, fiercely pressing downward!

Constantine jolted in alarm! His feet suddenly became very heavy, not just heavy but also numb and weak. This weakness, once it started, immediately spread through his body with the speed of a wildfire. It seemed all the muscles in his body were successively losing sensation at a terrifying speed! His feet had just gone numb when his waist immediately softened, unable to support his weight and starting to bend. Then the feeling of weakness swiftly rose to his chest; even his lungs lost the strength to breathe, and his heart seemed too lazy to beat. His head felt both large and heavy. The speed at which this sensation traveled through his body was unimaginable. The feeling from his feet had just reached his nerves when Constantine blinked slightly, but as his eyelids closed, that power seemed to have already surged to the crown of his head! Even the strength to open his eyes was beginning to drain from the youth’s being!

…

Moonlight slanted down through the skylight covered in spider webs, illuminating this ugly, filthy, foul-smelling, dark, and grimy room. The light that filtered in seemed specially calculated to make human faces look like demons. Under this gleam, several walls full of patches and scars were illuminated by a strange red light, much like a face scarred by some vile disease. Yellow-pus-like dampness and charcoal-drawn obscene figures seemed to become bizarre incantations in the flickering light, constantly contorting their forms.

On the originally black, trash-littered ground, intricate patterns were now drawn with something red, like fluorescent dye. The patterns consisted of circles and irregular designs, with densely packed strange characters written in the gaps. A dazzling series of bright red curse script characters filled the surrounding space with a bizarre aura. It was a peculiar smell, a mix of rust and rotting meat, potent enough to make anyone with a normal sense of smell empty the contents of their stomach. But now, at the center of these characters and symbols, a figure stood quietly.

…The attire, like that of a young noble, clashed so starkly with the filthy and eerie surroundings. Yet the red light gradually emanating from his body made him blend with the strange atmosphere… Long breaths echoed from his nostrils. A hint of pleasure showed on that cold, arrogant face, as if he were standing in a field of flowers.

If any holy priest witnessed this scene, they would undoubtedly shout this figure’s identity the first moment.

But at this moment, apart from the Vampire standing silently in the center of the Magic Array, there were no other Humans present.

In the next moment, the Magic Circle composed of the surrounding Runes also erupted with a crimson, glaring linear light. Those crimson traces radiating from this figure across the ground began to flow like blood, eerily streaming toward this humanoid creature who viewed blood as a delicacy.

“Wooo…” A mournful, drawn-out roar suddenly pierced the surrounding silence!

And immediately following was another tremendous crash!

Countless crack lines resembling smiling faces appeared on the crumbling wall. Then, an even louder impact sounded. The decrepit structure could no longer withstand such powerful external force. Amid flying bricks and stones, the ugly, pitch-black wall finally ended its service, shattering into countless fragments and billowing dust in that sound! It allowed the object that caused the impact to enter the space!

What broke through the wall was a tall Human figure. The impact force made him roll several times on the ground before he finally straightened his body, barely stopping himself at the outer edge of the Magic Array composed of countless symbols. The bloody light illuminated his figure clad in Full Plate Armor, towering like an iron tower. But on the thick metal armor covering his chest, a horrifying mark was now imprinted. It seemed caused by some sharp instrument; the sturdy armor plates had been sliced open, half gone, revealing a gash from the right side of his neck straight down into his chest. The massive wound had nearly severed his head.

Yet he immediately straightened his posture!

The burly warrior threw back his head and let out a furious roar, as if that huge, blood-gushing wound simply didn’t exist, and charged once more toward the unknown outside the wall! A Vampire Spawn was always the most faithfully devoted servant, never retreating half a step even if ground to dust. Although they lacked spellcasting abilities, the increased strength and terrifying regenerative capabilities gained upon becoming Undead were enough to terrify any opponent. And with the Vampire Spawn’s roar, his already burly body suddenly swelled by nearly half! Even without weapons, those iron-clad fists were still sufficient to penetrate most defenses.

The warrior’s bull-like charge continued for over a dozen feet before it was halted by a dull, teeth-grating sound… A hand emerged from the swirling dust, lightly touching that fist. Then the warrior’s body, weighing several hundred pounds along with his armor, was stopped dead in its tracks in a bizarre charging posture.

Undoubtedly, this was a beautiful hand. Skin like congealed fat, fair and slender fingers formed a stark contrast with the iron-clad fist.

But the effect it brought was terrifying… abnormally terrifying.

In the next instant, a crisp snap came from the Vampire Spawn’s elbow, and then the elbow joint bent upward at a strange angle! The Undead Creature showed no surprise. As if feeling no pain, it swung its other hand, which had been poised long ago, while bellowing with its utmost volume, “Go…”

The following word should have been ‘die.’ He likely meant to shout ‘Go die.’ But the monster didn’t get to roar it out, because his mouth vanished in an instant. Not just his mouth; his entire head shattered all at once. Flesh, blood, and bones suddenly became a small, silently exploding firework, scattering and splattering in one direction! The spurting blood drew a bizarre arc in the air before falling toward the center of the Magic Array!

“Hmph!” The Vampire standing at the very center of the Magic Array showed no desire to move his body, merely emitting a soft, cold snort. Then, the blood in the air seemed pulled by some force, coagulating in the air into small spheres!

“This beautiful lady, visiting late at night, might I inquire as to your purpose?” Gently opening his mouth, he sucked the crimson spheres inside. The Vampire dressed like a young Noble took out a pure white handkerchief and wiped the corners of his mouth with a standard Noble’s gesture. Beside the two Fangs protruding from his mouth was a chilling smile.

“Disgusting existence…”

From within the gradually dissipating dust, a woman spoke. She was spotlessly white from head to toe, not a speck of dust on her. Her voice was soft, sweet, and incredibly melodic. Yet this voice, which used no threatening vocabulary, was enough to make all listeners feel an icy, murderous aura.

A rolling wave of silvery-white mist surged forth. Wherever it went, it instantly froze a massive wall of ice crystals out of thin air. This huge, sharp mass of ice crystals extended outward like a giant living creature, spreading continuously along the surrounding walls. Sharp ice spikes grew wildly from the walls. Even though the Vampire was an Undead being, he still felt infinite chill. Those ice spikes spread; colliding with them would only result in being impaled, frozen stiff, and becoming part of this icy crystal.