Curse Against Them

Dalakethnon isn't a mere tale after all. Meeting Aela challenged my skepticism towards the tale of the Beast of Hiraya but it being confirmed by Portia isn't something to be scoffed at. I may have reservations but the stories about the beast stay in the fable category as far as I'm concerned until now. If Dalakethnon's tales reach its invisible tentacles outside of the island and into the pirates' minds, he himself may have some amount of truth after all. My mind is telling me to be afraid but my burning desire for adventure says otherwise.

          "What else do you know about Dalakethnon?" Aela asks, looking intently at Portia sitting next to her. I am sitting alongside them, forming a triangle. Masid isn't inside so he's probably roaming around town somewhere. He just really can't sit still in one place too long.

          "That's about it. Dalakethnon is guarding immeasurable amounts of treasure somewhere in this island. Golds, silvers, and others even say some rare artifacts. But, it is believed that no one has dared to search for him and his treasure for centuries because you'll be instantly killed by him." There's an undeniable sincerity in her eyes. We believe her.

          "If it's really that dangerous, why risk your life for those treasures?" I question. It's evident that this woman isn't someone who can face the beast and defeat it for those treasures she so highly speaks of.

          "I may have something for that." Portia's expression is somehow confident. Aela and I looked at each other, trying to figure out if either of us was hearing her right. Does she have something up her sleeve to defeat Dalakethnon? "But, I don't actually have it yet per se. I need to acquire it first before facing that monster."

          Simultaneously, Aela and I tilt our heads sideways in confusion. What does she mean? There's a way to defeat the beast?

          "Haven't you heard? There's only one way to kill beasts like Dalakethnon. At least, that's what I overheard a seer told our captain." Portia perks her eyebrows up and back down again. "I think it's called The Nymph's Cure? The Nymph's Core? Oh my god, I can't remember exactly. It's just in the tip of my tongue." She looks up to concentrate on remembering.

          Aela looks at her sharply and says, "Do you mean The Nymph's Curse?"

          Portia's face drops back down, eyes twinkling. "Yes!" She exclaims. "That's it! That's what the seer told our captain."

          "Hold on a moment!" I shriek, putting my arms forward to stop them from talking. "These new information are too much and too fast. There are monsters other than Dalakethnon? There's a way to kill them? Aren't they some kind of immortal beings if they are really true? They've been around for centuries. At least, that's what the tales say. And what is this about The Nymph's Curse? And Aela, why do you know about that?"

          Portia almost laughs at my ignorance –more like innocence– about the world but she controls herself. Setting sail across the seas with his captors makes you somewhat aware of everything that's happening not just in one place. It turns out that there are other beasts spreading fear in other places like how Dalakethnon does on our island. Some of these are the sea beast who torments an island from somewhere far east, Khasili, the winged beast who is believed to spread terror in the great mountain ranges from the far west, Pah, and the fire-breathing beast from the south, Gisarub.

          "That's insane!" So, our very own Dalakethnon has equally menacing cousins from all around the globe. That's some family tree he got there. "But, you say that The Nymph's Curse will kill them all?" I ask, placing a hand on my chin in an attempt to process everything all at once.

          "Yes." Aela confirms. "I've read somewhere that The Nymph's Curse differs from one another but they are all called the same."

          "Wow, you are well-versed!" Portia commended but Aela didn't respond even with a smile. I thought they're friends already but she may need some more time warming up to her. "I don't know much about the other curses for the other beasts but for Dalakethnon, I've heard that its curse is something hereditary. But what? That is what I have to find out."

          Something hereditary? That's some vague information right there. But what am I doing thinking about it too much? It's not like I will aid Portia in her cause of killing the beast. Or should I? We're aiming to find anything about him anyway and this is what the Gods have blatantly offered us. Aela is looking at me as if she already knows what I'm thinking about. However, I must admit that the risks are far greater than just run-in-the-mill errands. If we really align our goals with Portia's, we're going to face a monster we know almost nothing about. What can a half-baked sorcerer, a self-made hunter, and a former slave can do to defeat him? If ever we're successful in doing so somehow, Portia will get her treasure, and Aela and I may find out something about Straus. And maybe even Father.

          Aela looks at me intently then at Portia and comments, "We'll help you." My eyes widen in surprise. She beat me to it. I was about to say the same. "We'll help you defeat Dalakethnon."

          Portia's face lights up with joy but then superseded by something opposite which is probably worry. Her eyes drop. "I appreciate it, Aela. But, you shouldn't. It's not your fight. I won't let my friends be entangled with this dangerous cause of mine."

          "Right, friends." Aela mirrors the word monotonously.

          "You can't do it alone, Portia. You need help. And as we see it, we're the only help you can get given the situation." I promote, putting a hand to my chest.

          "You may think of it this way," Aela starts to explain. "We may have different goals and same monster to defeat but we're not friends. For now at least. We're just strangers who are going to form a temporary pact to finish the task more efficiently which is again, killing the beast."

          "Aela?" Portia tears up. She understands that Aela really wants to help. The thought of Straus going back burns the deep-seated passion inside of her. I admire her more because of that.

          "She's right, Portia. Your chances of killing the beast alone are slim to none but if we're going to work together, we may stand a chance." I add which seems to be not needed because Aela's conviction already convinced her.

          The corners of Aela's lips perk up as if she thought of an idea. "With your knowledge, my skills, and Vatic's magic, we may really pull it off."

          "Magic?" Portia's eyebrow furrows but then her eyes widen as she remembers. "Right! The fire hands." She clasps her hands together in astonishment.

          I wince at her remark but smile in response. "It's more than just fire hands, you know." I chuckle awkwardly.

          "It's settled then. We're a team?" Aela beckons, reaching her hand out in front of us and exchanges glances at me and Portia expectantly.

          Portia and I look at each other and nod, understanding what Aela means. "Team!" I put my hand over Aela's.

          "Team!" Portia exclaims with a high tone of voice that if it's a little higher, only dogs can hear. Both of her hands weigh on Aela and mine.

          "Our first assignment," Aela says. "Find the curse."

* * *

Our first move is to sweep the island for any semblance of a curse. None of us knows what the curse is exactly or what it even looks like. This task seems set to fail from the get-go but we have to perceive. Aela volunteered to search the forest since she's the most familiar with that area than any of us, Portia is on the shoreline, and Masid and I are in town. I've been out here for so long that I didn't realize that it's already been weeks that I haven't seen Mother. I may need to go check on her the soon I can before she can be very worried.

          "Did you know?" Masid asks, sniffing around the place.

          "What is it?" I'm focusing on finding that wretched curse that I can't even think of anything else.

          "If I'm not mistaken, today's your mother's Harvest, isn't it?"

          "Oh, that's right!" My eyes flare in excitement. "If lucky enough, we might cross paths out here. Not just me but with Aela as well. I'm not sure if she's setting foot in town with her Harvest but she does in the forest for sure."

          "Calista is a pain in the ass but I miss that hisser." Masid comments.

          "If she hears you say that, the last thing you'll eat is her venom." I tease, sensing him wincing, and steer back to finding whatever it is that we can.

          It's been hours but all we can find is normal stuff and not a single negative aura in sight. We searched for the curse in the residential grounds, the market area, and even the town square where the beautiful fountain serving as a stage for the statue of Noicnusa is. Thank the Gods, the weather isn't as dreadful as I anticipated. It's cloudy out so the search we're doing is not as dampening as it normally is. I think the only place we haven't checked is the Cathedral. But before we can get close to the former holy place, I see a familiar silhouette nearby. Is that Aela or Portia? Is it time to meet up already? No. It's too early for that.

          "Mother?" I whisper since I'm still not sure. "Mother!" I am now. The silhouette looks at me. I'm right. She's here.

          She runs in my direction directly. I'm glad she's excited to see me. I thought she got mad that I hadn't come back home for almost a month now. "Where have you been? I've been worrying sick about you!" She initially opens her arms wide, gesturing for a hug. However, before I can lean in, she rolls her fists and then punches me multiple times as gently as she can. It still hurts though.

          "Mother, stop it. You're hurting me." I chuckle, trying to calm her with her punches and I did.

          "Are you hurt? What are you doing here in this place?" She hugs me tenderly. I miss this. I hear hissing from within her. Calista. Then, I hear purring from behind me. Masid. That's an odd way to greet each other but that's how they normally do it. It's a familiar thing, I guess.

          "It's a long story, Mother. And I plan to tell you everything." I say enthusiastically, thinking about Aela, Portia, the pirates, and all that we learned about Dalakethnon so far. "What about you? Is this where you usually do your Harvest?" I ask.

          "Uh, n-no." She's somehow reluctant to respond. "I just happen to sense something odd around here and here you are!" She shoots me her usual bright-as-the-sun smile.

          "That's awesome! You can sense people?" I wipe a patch of sweat lingering on my forehead. "So, can you sense my friends?"

          "Friends? But there are no peo–"

          "It turns out, for some odd twists of fates, there are. I managed to make some friends, Mother. And they're good people. I'd love for you to meet them."

          She tilts her head to the right, eyebrows furrowing. She opens her mouth to protest, I suppose, but she controls herself and says, "Let me see if I can sense them." She closes her eyes, concentrating.

          "What is she doing?" Masid asks, circling my feet.

          "She's scanning for life energies like what Vatic here asks." Calista responds, prolonging her words to accentuate the hissing sound. "Do I always need to remind you to think before you speak?" She points out, teasing. I think she is.

          "It's nice to see you again too, Calista." Masid says sarcastically, flicking his gaze up to look at Calista slithering around Mother's neck.

          Mother seems to be at a certain impasse as her expressions continue to change from confusion to worry and vice versa. Her eyes fling open suddenly. "I am sensing something. But, it's only one life energy." She looks at me, her eyes squinting. "And she's close by."

          I see a faint figure from a distance behind Mother and I immediately realize who it is. "Portia!" I wave both my hands up to catch her attention. 

          She sees me and waves back at me happily, running towards me and Mother's direction. "Vatic, you look like you've seen better days." Her pearly white smile makes her blue eyes stand out. I didn't realize I looked exhausted until now. Her gazes fall onto Mother. "Are you Vatic's mother?" Her face lits up as she looks at Mother's concealed eyes. She grabs her hands enthusiastically to shake them. "I've heard amazing things about you!"

          I thought Mother would find her unbecoming but she seems to like her. "That's right, miss. I'm Integra, Vatic's mother."

          "It's nice to finally meet you! And please, call me Portia."

          "Nice to meet you as well, Portia."