Cursed Odyssey

The ornate walking stick struck dirt like a war drum.

*Tap-tap-tap-tap.*

Lord Adrian burst from the holy house, pristine robes clinging to sweat-slicked skin. The red plume atop his crown bobbed frantically as he stumbled down the path, white knuckles strangling his staff.

His turmoil was unmistakable even in the dying light. Every onlooker's attention snapped to his figure.

What happened? some wondered, while others thought, So he finally found out...

Lord Yrell summoned me to discuss the village's future, but those plans are worthless now. What in sanctum's name is happening? That outsider Joseph—stabbed in the chest by those Rert district rats? Even I expected better of them! To think they'd go this far... what could he have done to provoke them? I pray to the ancestors—keep him alive!

"Lord Adrian!" A group of humans approached, worry etched across their faces.

"Is it true? That outsider was nearly killed in the Rert district?"

The news has already spread. Adrian studied them solemnly. His expression gave them their answer.

"Don't concern yourself with that outsider. Leave everything to me."

A long pause stretched between them before someone responded.

"We have our utmost trust in your divine judgment, my lord!"

"My lord, I heard from a friend who witnessed it all!" another burst out. "That boy wanted nothing more than to help them—the zotts—just as he helped us! And how was he repaid? With scorn, abuse, and ridicule! Then they tried to kill him! Please serve justice, my lord! I beg of you!"

Adrian's eyes widened. Such words he could have never expected.

"Quiet, Orry!" His friend whispered, pulling on his arm. "He's an outsider!"

"I don't care!" Orry raised his voice. "Don't worry—I hate his guts too! But we need him for the sacrifice! What they're doing is sacrilegious. Why blame me for speaking truth when they're at fault? Like an animal, we'll use him for all he's worth, then dispose of him for sacrifice! I'm certain that's the same wisdom our lord Adrian has seen, which is why he let them roam free! We've benefited so much from your judgment, my lord!"

Adrian furrowed his brows. "Quiet, both of you! That's enough! I promise I will do my best for the village's sake. I will deal with this personally!"

The group stopped and bowed their heads quickly.

This village has truly changed. Adrian activated his spirit vision.

In every Zott and Human stomach throughout Hano village sat little orbs—arcane residues left behind by Adrian himself. With these, he could track everyone's movements. This was his first act of arcane power, a rarity in the village. Not even Yrell, the Zott leader, possessed any arcane abilities.

Initially, not everyone had received an orb, but after recent beast attacks in the forest, it became mandatory—especially for children. If they ventured too far from the safe zone, Adrian would be notified.

He couldn't maintain spirit vision long, so he used it sparingly. Now, despite already knowing Joseph's location, he used it to find the boy.

Oh ancestors... protect him... let him live...

---

In a small hut in the village center:

The air hung heavy with burning incense, its smoke curling from a brazier on the desk—a fragrant counterpoint to drying herbs nearby.

Joseph opened his eyes, though he had never truly slept. He had always been awake.

The room was familiar—a space he'd visited before to mend his shattered hand. Alma's small hut. The old Zott woman's first-act arcane powers, though slower and less potent than the prison warden's, still worked wonders. She could heal most wounds as long as the limb remained and the injury wasn't lethal. However, sickness lay outside her capabilities—that belonged to herbalists like Lady Anne.

Joseph's hands crawled to his chest, searching for the hole that should have been there. He found it completely healed. His body felt weak—her powers worked partly by drawing life energy from the rest of his body and concentrating it toward the injured area—but he'd be fine with some Ki rejuvenation.

Slowly, he turned his head. The window beside him framed the setting sun, its dim light highlighting a sitting figure beneath it.

His guard—always trailing him like a shadow. The man's head drooped like a wilting flower after a harsh storm, hands resting on his bloody sword. He looked more corpse than living man. Joseph had never seen him like this—so utterly defeated.

Oh, my dear guard... worry not... it was not your fault... Joseph smiled inwardly but refrained from speaking.

Now is not the time.

Then he heard sounds from beyond the door. His ears perked as he listened to an exchange between a man and Alma, the village healer.

Soon, the door opened, revealing the old, confident figure of the elegantly dressed village leader. Adrian, the human lord.

At least, that's what he showed on the outside.

"You're awake!" Adrian exclaimed. "Alma just told me you might not wake for days! She said it was a miracle you weren't stabbed through the heart!"

"I guess I got lucky." Joseph chuckled nervously, his voice hoarse and raspy. "I didn't expect a personal visit from your majesty. Were you truly so worried about me?"

The question caught Adrian off guard. His eyes widened slightly before he recovered, lips curling into a practiced sneer.

"Worried? Don't think too highly of yourself! I was just worried my sacrifice would die, that's all!"

"So you were worried!" Joseph laughed, mischief sparkling in his crimson eyes.

Adrian took a deep breath. "I said no... just... just don't get too comfortable, boy. You have no idea the mercy I've bestowed upon you and your friends. You should have been locked away, out of sight."

Joseph's smile curled as he probed, "So why change your mind?"

Adrian scoffed, eyes narrowing. "I have my reasons. A child like you could never understand a sage elder's wisdom!"

Wisdom... Joseph couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.

"Well, seeing that you're fine, tell me what happened." Adrian sighed, trying to calm his nerves.

"I think it'd be best if the guard explained instead. I might have a biased perspective. I'd rather you hear it from an unbiased, non-outsider." He tilted his head toward the sleeping guard.

Adrian looked confused, then followed Joseph's gaze. Only then did he notice the guard's slouched, motionless figure—so still Adrian had thought him invisible.

"Arise, soldier! What is the matter?"

The guard looked up as though rising from the dead, blinking at the world and his leader.

"My lord..." he muttered. "Sorry, I fell asleep." His voice cracked with a yawn.

"Now is not the time!" Adrian continued. "Explain what happened! How could you let this happen? Who's at fault?"

"My lord, apologies. I have failed you greatly. It was all my fault—I underestimated the danger of the Rert district."

The guard explained everything in detail. Joseph listened without interjecting. The guard's account was objective, sticking to facts with little opinion. He only elaborated on why he'd thought it safe to enter that part of town, but made no excuses for missing the assassination attempt. He took full blame.

Adrian took a deep breath, hand clenching his walking stick as he finally sat down.

So it wasn't the boy's fault after all... damn them...

"Sir, if you want to assign a different guard, I have no objection." The guard's voice trembled. "If you wish to relieve me of duties, I have no qualms either." He lowered his head sincerely.

Adrian waved his hand. "That's fine. You can continue guarding him—after all, you're now the most experienced person." He paused, something cold flickering in his eyes as he stared daggers. "But promise me... such a thing will never happen again."

"Yes, of course! Sir! Thank you so much for your mercy!"

"Praise the ancestors." Adrian replied calmly.

"Yes! Praise the ancestors!" The guard straightened, strong again.

"Does that mean my freedom will be restricted?" Joseph blurted.

"Yes, it does! I absolutely can't have anything like this happen again!"

Abruptly, Joseph interjected, panic coloring his voice as if realizing the gravity. "But sir! I still have so much to give this village! I can't just sit by and wait for my last day on sanctum! I want to leave a good mark on this world—a lasting impact! Please, I beg of you! There's still so much!"

His voice carried not desperation, but the determination of one who was self-assured.

Adrian paused, hands clenching, wrinkles furrowing as he lifted his gaze to bore into Joseph's. A moment of silence stretched as they looked into each other's souls before Adrian finally responded.

"I'll hear you out. What do you have planned?"

"Agriculture, fertilizer, hunting, crafting—I plan to triple everything's efficiency!" He rushed his words. "For my current plans, I've been watching deer around our land's edges. I've noticed many shed their antlers. These aren't just discarded bones, but a source of great strength and nourishment for the earth. I need to gather shed antlers to crush into powder that will make our crops even better—maybe triple the growth speed! You have methods for testing my sincerity—I'll accept any test! Are you really going to let this incident, this act of violence, bend the knee to their will?"

Adrian bit his lips. He didn't need a lie detector to sense the sincerity in the boy's eyes. He knew Joseph was right.

Tomorrow he'll be taken by those prison outsiders... So perhaps giving him a little freedom, squeezing the last benefit from him before he disappears... would be the best outcome. If I could convince those prison people to deal with the ancient Lagos, it could all be averted. Then maybe with his advancements, the village would never face a hungry winter again... Besides, locking the outsider away would indeed be admitting defeat—exactly what those Zott criminals wanted! It would be like admitting my power, my will, had been diminished by uncultured violence! I, the human lord, could never admit such undermining of my authority. Yes, there was so much on my mind I wasn't thinking properly... Yes! I'm doing this for the village's sake! For my people and their future!

After all that, Adrian finally responded.

"Fine." He sighed. "But I'm also assigning a second guard to monitor you at all times!"

"I—I understand! Thank you so much for your generosity!" Joseph beamed.

Such a happy little boy... if only he knew his fate's end was even closer than expected... I would pity him if he were anyone else... but this outsider will finally be forever out of my hair... thank the ancestors... oh ancestors, please protect us from Lagos and allow me to bargain with those prison people... Adrian smiled as well.

---

Zephyr

Adrian, the human leader...

From the moment he entered, something was off about him. The more he spoke, the more apparent it became. No matter how he tried to hide it, it was clear as day to my eyes.

The indents on his palm where he gripped his walking stick were white. His knuckles bulged from excessive force, yet he maintained composure despite his shaky voice.

But most apparent was his robe—usually pristine, now marked with white stains of both wet and dried sweat. Dried sweat that he'd smeared away before ever learning of my condition, likely since morning.

Something had happened between now and this morning!

Adrian was a proud man who cared for his appearance. He would never have been so careless before. But now, he was clearly unsettled and off-kilter. Despite the act, it was obvious even he could no longer hold back that subtle, growing panic.

Something else had definitely come up. It seemed there would be a change of plans.

Quickly.