Curse Status... Huh.

…

"…I will kill them all!"

The demon general boosts himself with his foot hardly, so hard that the hard soil beneath him cracks, and he finally blasts away in a quick move.

Meanwhile, on the dragonians' side, Taizun is leaning against the collapsed steam dragon. He gasps uncontrollably. He suffers from severe fatigue after using the high level ice magic.

In his mind, he speaks, "Using [Divine Ice Spear] is a bad move. It consumed too much mana energy to the point that my body couldn't handle the aftermath of using that magic. How idiot I am to use that against a battered monster."

Suddenly, his mana sensing ability detects a fluctuation of mana energy. It skyrockets greatly as it closes towards his position. Taizun quickly realizes this as a major threat.

He forces himself to stand up despite the fatigue he had. "You got to be joking. This immense amount of mana… possibly, the demon general is going after us now!"

While pressing his chest hardly, he spawns his spear once more. Soon, his guess was right. Within a second, he saw a quick flash of red light coming towards him in an alarming rate. In response, he casts an ice magic.

"Frozen Shield" He then swings his spear in an arc upwards, causing a large shield made out of ice to appear in front of him.

In the next second, the shield of ice shatters as if it made out of fragile glass, shocking Taizun abysmally. The creature managed to tear through with its extremely powerful punch. Taizun barely evaded, but thanks to his reflex, he managed to leap out of its striking path.

"…That was close," he thought.

The glimmering shards of ice from Taizun's magic reveal who broke through his defense. "So my guess was correct… it was the demon general that came here."

Toma Zil, the shadow demon general, recognizes the carcass of his underling lying stiffly on the ground, slowly disintegrating into thin air. He gashes in rage.

"You will PAY for his death!"

Shortly, Toma takes a stance and generates the same magic circle beneath his feet, the one that has three arrow-like from three different points.

Taizun realizes he's in a heap of trouble, and risks of losing his life to the demon general. In a few seconds, he speaks to himself, "Dammit, barbecue head… why did you let him out of the furnace too early? This is not even medium rare…"

…

..

.

Moments ago, Ognist had reentered the village with an abundant of injury. As he entered, he met a lot of Imperial soldiers that got shocked upon seeing him. Ognist stated that he's okay and won't die because of 'small injury'. The soldiers offered him several potions to heal himself, but hence of his old age and his race being Dragonia, he couldn't heal himself to the fullest, even with a surplus of potions.

He commented that the potions were not compatible for Dragonians in the first place. Healing potions also had a weakened effect towards aged people. A moment later, he said that he could no longer afford drinking potion.

"Overdrinking potions is bad for my health. I believe you had learnt it back at the academy. You boys keep it for yourself in case of emergency," he said while walking away from his men.

Shortly, he moved his steps quicker and turned into half running. "I must go to that explorer party. I remember one or two of them were healer mages…"

And now, he finally met them, treating dozens of villagers in the area. Upon arriving, though, he hit his right shoulder unto a building wall hardly, causing a big breaking noise.

And that noise is what makes Marco and his friends saw the dragonian reflectively. They are surprised to see retaining injuries within the dragonian. Seeing him in that condition, they felt a glimmer of hope is fading away.

"Marco…hah…!" he called him while gasping. He held his hand to his shoulders after hitting the wall previously. "Marco… huu… hah…!"

Before he can continue saying anything, Marco rushes to him, followed by Pio.

"DUDE! You look horrible!" Marco yelled out loud. "What happened man?" he asked.

"Mister Fire Dragon is looking all jacked up!" Pio announced in concerned voice.

Surrounded by them, Ognist yells to them that the injury on him is nothing to be concerned of. But shortly, Nina comes to him and offers.

"That's not a minor injury. You're badly injured. Those wounds would be fatal if left not treated. Please, allow me to heal you!"

Ognist, stunned by her quick decision, could not convey another word. He only hums in acceptance to her offering. Before he can ask for healing magic, she stepped in firsthand and voluntarily offers her help.

Only Aily and Scias remain seated. Aily shows uncomfortable look in her face when the dragonian appeared. Scias, however, didn't really know what to do so he remains where he is to make sure that he wouldn't be a hindrance.

"C'mere, sit down with us," asked Nina kindly.

"O-Oh… right, thank you."

As the dragonian in the form of an aged man sits, he grunts in a bit of pain. For Nina, it is obvious that he is holding his aching pain. She quickly tends to his lesion.

"What happened, Ognist?" Marco asked firsthand.

"Ach… I made a small mistake back there," said Ognist calmly. "That demon got the best of me. But worry not, folks. I am not that easily defeated."

"Mister Ognist, I will begin now."

Shortly, Nina begins her healing magic.

"Heal"

A soft light illuminates above Ognist's body, wrapping him with it. The outline of the dragonian's body is filled with the gentle light.

But… something went wrong.

The injuries within the dragonian's body do not heal entirely. After a few seconds, Nina notices this and halts her healing process.

Scias notices it, too. But he remains unmoved.

Ognist feels something was odd. He received healing directly from a healer mage yet several of his injuries did not heal. With Nina suddenly stopping her healing magic, his bad feeling rises greatly.

"Good lady, what's the matter?" he carefully asked.

"…I'm… I'm sorry, but some of your injuries… my healing magic failed to heal them!" Nina declared in disappointment.

"What the—are you serious?" Ognist retorted.

"Nina, did your mana energy run out again?" Marco asked in suspicion.

Nina shakes her head, "Nay," she answered. "I still have enough mana energy to cast simple healing spells, but strangely, I couldn't heal him…"

Nina steps back a little and bows down. "I'm so sorry!"

The fire dragonian shakes his head, "Don't you worry, young one. It's no big deal," he said with a forced smile.

Shortly, Ognist held his forehead with both hands while looking down to the soil.

In his mind, he speaks to himself, "What in the blue blazes is going on here? If there's any effective and quick heal, then a healer mage is the best choice. Moreover, I cannot rely on potions to heal hard injuries, not to mention that I am old which enfeeble the effects of the healing potion."

After a brief pause, Nina called his name. "Mister Ognist, Mister Ognist? Mister Ognist!"

Repeatedly calling him, Ognist was still deep in thoughts. But soon, Ognist notices her. "O-Oh, what is it?"

Nina looked at him intensely. Her tense sight could scare him anytime, soon. With utter assuredness, she speaks to him, "I think I know what's going on…"

Seeing her saying that, Ognist sense of danger tells him that she will tell him an unpleasant info.

"Please, excuse me!" she stated.

"Mana… Perception!"

The outline of her pupils enlightened. The color of her eyes interchangeably transforms into series of colors before finally staying into her original brownish color. Geometrical lines form visibly within her eyes as she sees through Ognist.

The fire dragonian is stunned to see such ability from her.

Shortly, Nina found out something. "Sir Ognist… your body… there are threads of spiky vines tying around you!"

A bit shocked, Ognist replies, "Eh? But I don't see any of them…" while he seeks for the so-called spiky vines in his body.

"Well, of course you couldn't. Many strange things can be seen through my Mana Perception ability, including these strange threads of spikes," Nina explained politely and seriously.

"I-Is that so? What's that supposed to mean?" Ognist asked curiously.

"I'm sorry, but a curse status has been inflicted upon you," Nina answered.

"Ah?" Ognist retorted. "Curse status?"

"…Yes," said Nina while deactivating her Mana Perception ability. Shortly, with utter disappointment she says "If I remember correctly… if you are cursed… then healing magic can do no good to treat your wounds."

Ognist stands unperturbed, only his eyes that shrunk as he heard her say that.

"I'm… I'm terribly sorry," said Nina while bowing again.

Regaining composure, Ognist closes his eyes, "It is okay. You've done your best," Ognist stated kindly.

Nina conveys her next thought, "I… I can use Purify to get rid of the curse status from you, however…"

"—No," Ognist quickly replied and with a higher tone. "You will not use that to me," he said seriously.

"H-Huh? But—

"—No buts, lady, don't bother your mind and body with such ideas," Ognist remarked solemnly.

Aily stands up quickly, "Why would you decline her offer? It's for your own good!"

Marco tries to resist her from raging, "Whoa, calm down Aily…"

Suddenly, a loud explosion followed by a small quake happened in an instance, surprising everyone. There's a shard of brightness in the far distance, but it was not too visible for they are blocked by buildings and trees.

"…What… in the world was that?" Marco asked while looking at the source of the loud noise. Ognist turned a bit nervous upon experiencing such great power.

"Could it be…?" Ognist muttered in his mind.

But shortly, Aily returns her sight to Ognist, continuing her rampant anger.

"If healing you could help defeat that evil demon, then why would you not accept her help?" Aily asked again in a ruthless way.

"Geez, Aily, calm yourself!" said Marco.

"Aily, that's impolite of you," Nina stated.

Almost in an instance, the entire party had dismissed the quake from before. Scias and Pio, however, stood up almost instantly in response and stance on guard.

"Such magic with high usage of mana energy will only tire her. I heard it from you, too, Marco. She's nearly run out of mana energy, right? Then don't even bother using that magic on me." Ognist explained calmly.

Hearing his explanation that favors Nina's safety and well-being, Aily sits back down with remorseful face, "You're right. I… I didn't think of that. I'm… I'm sorry."

"Even so!" Nina yelled. "I wouldn't mind myself. Sir Ognist, I will be okay!"

Nina's lips tremble, in her mind flies some thoughts, "Isn't he and his friends the key to win against a fearsome demon general such as Zil? If he falls, then what will happen to this village?" But not to her expectations, Ognist refuses, "No means no,"

"How many times should I tell you?" Ognist solidly said it this time. "I poorly recommend you doing that kind of thing. Sacrificing your well-being for others is great, but to sacrifice yourself to a single old man like me is unthinkable,"

"But still—

"—IF you insist on using it anyways, then the best choice would be the villagers, not me. I did say it before and I will say it again. I am not that easily beaten."

"That's right," Ognist thought. "I should've not enlisted her help. I shouldn't have come to Marco's party. I should've stayed in the battlefield. This lady, she would end up using her life energy if she continues on using her healing magic. Worst case, she would die because of her own magic. But me? I am a Dragonian. I will never die because of using magic carelessly because we Dragonians will be unable to use magic once our mana is dried out.

Meanwhile, humans know no limits. They can still use magic, but in the cost of them using their life energy. I've met thousands of humans. I've seen them doing that kind of thing repeatedly.

It grieves me to think as well… that she is willingly to sacrifice her life to make sure the battle is won. Meanwhile, I didn't even dare to sacrifice my own life to save my familiars.

I swore to Marco that I will win against that demon, but I returned to him with this ill-looking self. What is wrong with me?"

…

Suddenly, Ognist receives an incoming contact magic. He recognizes the flow of mana energy from it.

"Contact Received."

A tiny magic circle appears from beside his ears. It is the form of the contact magic, after all. From it, a static voice fading in and finally becoming audible to his ears.

"...————NIST! OGNIST!"

The voice was deafeningly loud. Ognist barely able to withstand such tense voice, he shouted back at him.

"Taizun, dammit, don't shriek on the Contact magic, my ears will bleed!"

Taizun replies rapidly, his voice sounds trembling, "Pardon me. It took some effort to call you. Now come over here, quick! I need reinforcement from you! Zeugen… Zeugen is unconscious."

"W-Wha—Taizun, what happened?"

Shortly, blast of objects possibly trees breaking apart one after another is heard through Ognist's ears. He is shocked to hear it.

Taizun continues on, "Don't ask me what happened, barbecue head. Ask yourself why you let that damn shadow demon loose! Now my hands are full!"