Volume 5 – Chapter 19(Curse)
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Author Note:
[ ] = When Twilight is speaking.
{ } = When talking through Telepathy.
' ' = When thinking in your mind.
<< >> = When talking with your Pokémon or Tamed Beast.
--- --- = When describing a certain period of time OR Another place.
** ** = Point Of View i.e., POV
/// /// = In Call
" " = System and when talking to it.
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Jean: Please.
Said Jean as pointed towards one of the chairs for Primis to sit.
Nevertheless, Primis just shook his head and said no.
Primis: I am good. I am only here to give company to Lumine. So, you should focus on her.
Jean: If Your Excellency says so.
Showing a wry smile, they both turned to Lumine.
Jean: What do you want to discuss, Lumine?
Lumine: It's this.
Saying Lumine took out a red teardrop-shaped crystal from her inventory.
Jean: It's...…a crystal embedded with some kind of power...…Lisa, are you able to analyze it?
Lisa: Let me take a look.
Leaning closer to the crystal for some time, she opened her mouth.
Lisa: I can see impurities in the crystal, but upon further inspection...
She stayed quiet for a few seconds and let out a sigh.
Lisa: No, I'm sorry. I can't make a proper analysis at the moment. Give me some time. I'll take a look through the library to see whether any book has information about it or not.
Jean: Ok. I'll leave it to you then.
Nodding Lisa extended her hand towards the crystal while replying.
Lisa: Understood. I'll let you all know if I make any progress. Though wouldn't go and have high hopes. Old books contained ancient texts hence it's difficult to decipher. Not to mention---Ouch!
She yelped in pain and pulled her hand away which just barely touched the crystal.
Lisa: Gosh, that hurt! The impurities in the crystal hurt when I was about to grab it.
While she was rubbing her fingers, Jean tried to grab it and felt the same pain as Lisa felt.
Jean: Ouch!
At this time, Lumine carefully reached for the crystal and grabbed it.
Lisa: I see. It appears to react to Visions. The impurities and the elemental energy we embody repel each other. It's strange though.
Jean: Indeed.
They looked at Lumine and saw that she didn't possess a Vision.
Jean: She has no Vision.
Lisa: But she has elemental abilities and doesn't appear to be affected like us.
'Lumine: Maybe because I am from another world.'
While they were discussing with each other, Primis, who was looking at crystal in Lumine's hand noticed something and turned his gaze to Jean and Lisa.
Just when they decided to let Lumine keep it, Primis moved and seized Lisa's arm.
Lisa: Ow! I-Is…there something wrong, Y-Your Excellency.
Primis didn't reply, he just kept on looking at her arm for a second and removed her glove. Still, there was nothing in her hand.
Lumine: Mr. Erste...
She softly spoke his name. But Primis remained silent.
Suddenly, a bluish aura was released from his hand and passed through Lisa's arm before dissipating.
SSS!!!
As everyone was astonished by such unfamiliar power, all of sudden a reddish black smoke came out of Lisa's hand. To be more specific, from her fingers which touched the crystal.
Paimon: What is this smoke? Paimon is feeling uncomfortable just by looking at it.
Instead of replying, Primis grasped the smoke, and it disappeared into his hand.
THUD!!
Jean: Lisa!
Holding her head using her free hand, Lisa fell on her knees.
If not because of Primis holding her other hand, she would be lying on the ground.
Before Jean could help Lisa, Primis let go of her arm grabbed Jean's.
Jean: What are you doing!?
Without giving her any chance to do anything, Primis swiftly removed her glove as a bluish pulse also passed through her arm before the same reddish-black smoke came out from her fingers.
SSS!!!
Once he took it away, Jean also felt her head getting heavy and fell on her knees.
THUD!!
Paimon: Why are you hurting them, Mr. Herrscher!?
Asked Paimon fearfully while hiding behind Lumine.
Ignoring her, Primis' gaze never moved from Jean and Lisa who were currently leaning on the table.
Many emotions could be seen going through their eyes though they appeared more unfocused and lost.
Makoto: Their Visions.
At her Makoto's sudden words both Lumine and Paimon turned their attention to Jean's and Lisa's Visions and noticed that their Visions had dimmed.
Paimon: Eh!? Are they losing their elemental powers!?
Primis: Not yet.
Said Primis as he put his hands on both Jean's and Lisa's head.
GLOW!
Soon his zenith power covered them whole before their Visions turned normal and they both returned back to themselves.
But their heads were still somewhat heavy.
At this time, they felt a foreign power entering and easing that heaviness.
Moving their eyes up, they realized that it was Primis who was helping them, so they closed their eyes to enjoy this comfortable feeling.
Finally, once Primis confirmed that they were fine, he removed his hand and turned to Lumine.
Primis: Put that teardrop away and make sure that no other Vision holder comes even in its contact. Otherwise, they will also get cursed.
Paimon & Lumine: Cursed!!!
Primis: Yes. And this is not a normal Curse. Once it is attached to someone, it will make that person lose their goals, desires, and ambitions slowly slowly.
Makoto: Those things are what someone requires in order to obtain a Vision! If they lost them then...
Primis: They will also lose their Elemental powers. And their Vision become turn masterless.
Paimon: W-What if they regain their ambitions?
Primis: It's useless. Once some lose their Vision, they wouldn't be able to get it again. Even if their desire will be stronger than before.
Makoto: What a dangerous Curse. I have never heard of it before.
'Primis: Because it doesn't belong to this world.'
Lumine: What about me? Even if I don't have Vision, I can still use elemental powers.
Primis: You will be fine.
'Primis: For now.'
Lumine: Ok.
Paimon: Wait! Doesn't that mean if there are more such teardrops outside then the people who touched them would be losing their Visions soon!
Primis: Yes.
Jean: We must do something to find and help them.
Jean and Lisa had collected themselves by now and stood up.
Turning to Primis, they bowed their heads.
Jean: Thank you for your help, Your Excellency.
Lisa: You really saved us.
In return, Primis nodded his head and accepted their gratitude.
Lisa: Now the question is how we will find the remaining crystals.
Jean: Where do you find this crystal, Lumine?
Paimon: In the forest on the outskirts of the city.
Lumine: To be more specific, it was at the place where Stormterror was resting.
Jean: Resting?
Lumine: Um. While passing through the forest, we saw Stormterror and hurriedly hid ourselves. When it flew away, it left this crystal behind.
Lisa: You cuties are lucky that it didn't notice you.
'Lumine: Well, it did.'
Jean: In other words, Stormterror is one responsible for distributing these crystals all over the Mondstadt.
Lisa: Let's spread the news about the crystals, Jean. So that people would be cautious about it and notify us in case they saw it somewhere. We also must make a team of Knights who will look for the crystals separately.
Jean: I agree. By the way Lumine, do you know what makes you special to be able to use elemental power and remain unaffected by impurities?
Lumine: No, not really.
Jean: Alright, let's think about it later. Well, Lumine, actually The Knights of Favonius have another favor to ask of you.
Lumine: Hmm? What is it?
Jean: Please accept the title of Honorary Knight… and the gratitude of the Acting Grand Master.
Lumine: H-Honorary Knight…
Paimon: …of Favonius!?
Jean: We ask for your continued assistance in finding some answers. Stormterror's rage and corrupted crystals because Mondstadt's peace hangs in the balance.
Lumine looked down in thought before looking back up to Jean.
Lumine: I accept the title of Honorary Knight.
Jean and Lisa looked at each other and smiled in appreciation.
Jean: Thank you, Lumine. We'll continue to discuss more about plans to tackle the issue in some time.
Lumine: I will help however, I can.
Jean: Um. Now, Your Excellency. For helping us in finding such......…
Though, Jean words were stopped midway as a dumfounded expression on her face.
Getting confused, Lumine, Paimon, and Lisa also turned their head towards the direction where she was looking and in the next second, the same happened to them.
Why? Because Primis and Makoto were no longer there.
Paimon: Ahh!!!! He ditched us again!!!
Shouted Paimon which snapped them back to themselves. When Jean and Lisa gave Lumine a questionable look, she started scratching her cheeks in embarrassment.
Lumine: Uh...…You will get used to it.
Jean: ...…
Lisa: ...…
.
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Primis and Makoto who left the Knights of Favonius headquarters were making their way outside of the Mondstadt.
Since they both were under the parasol that Makoto was holding, it obviously attracted attention.
Still, they ignored them and continued walking.
However, Makoto noticed something. Some of the people or knights were looking at Primis with disdain.
Seeing this Makoto raised one of her brows and muttered.
Makoto: My Lord.
Primis heard her but remained silent. There's no way that Makoto noticed but Primis didn't.
Nevertheless, he didn't care and soon they walked out of the Mondstadt gate.
After walking across the bridge to the other side, Primis brought his right hand forward and looked at it.
SSS!!!
The same reddish black smoke came out of his hand. It was the one he took from Jean and Lisa.
"Primis: You know what to do."
"Um."
A dim Seven-colored light appeared out of nowhere and engulfed the curse. Makoto was looking at it was fascination.
'Makoto: Amazing. This light contains more than one element. And none of the elements are fighting with each other.'
A second later, it was as if the curse got stronger and had gained life of its own.
It then broke out of Primis' gasp and flew in a certain direction.
Looking at Primis nodded inwardly.
'Primis: Yes. Take me to the source.'
Primis: Let's follow.
Makoto: Yes, My Lord.
Next both Primis and Makoto tailed behind the curse making sure not to let it out of their sight.
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While Primis and Makoto were looking for the source of Curse, Lumine and Paimon exit the headquarters after discussing future plans with Jean and Lisa.
Though Lumine didn't seem happy as she was pouting in frustration.
Paimon: In the end, it was still Mr. Herrscher who helped us understand the truth of that crystal.
Lumine: Hmph. I don't want to talk about it.
Paimon: Ok. By the way Lumine, there is something else we didn't discuss with them.
Lumine: That guy who was with Stormterror, right.
Paimon: Yes.
Lumine: I will at least find that guy without Mr. Erste help.
Paimon: Speaking of which, that guy down there looked just like the one we saw with Stormterror.
Said Paimon as she pointed towards the guy down, causing Lumine to widen her eyes.
Lumine: That's him!
Paimon: What!?
They both then sprinted and floated off as they followed where they last spotted the guy.
Lumine: He shouldn't have gone too far!
Unfortunately, they lost the track of him and have no clue where he went.
Lumine: Where did he go!?
Said Lumine, completely annoyed and hit the ground cutely with her foot.
Paimon: Oh, Paimon Know! Lumine, use your Elemental Sight to track him down.
Lumine: Elemental what?
Paimon: Elemental Sight! Only those with Visions or elemental sensitivity have this ability.
Lumine: Okay then how do I activate it?
Paimon: Paimon doesn't know. Maybe similar to how you use your Anemo power, by instinct.
Lumine: That's not helping, Paimon. *sigh* Still, let me try.
She then closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. Now, she could see some green footsteps on the floor.
Lumine: Found it.
Paimon: Woah, your eyes flashed in Aqua green just now!
Lumine: Alright, Paimon let's follow.
Paimon: Aye!
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*A/N: Please throw some power stones.
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