Echo of the Curse

The road had been long and unforgiving. Exhausted, wounded, and covered in dust, the three looked like shadows of who they once were. None of them remembered what real rest felt like anymore. At last, in the stillness of evening, they arrived at the edge of a magical forest. The air was fresh, and the trees shimmered faintly under the light of fireflies dancing among the branches. The flora looked like something from a dream—rare glowing flowers opened their petals to the moon, while the leaves whispered ancient legends.
— We’ll stop here — murmured Raizen, barely able to stand, his eyes heavy with sleep.
Without another word, they dropped their belongings onto the soft grass. In moments, a fire crackled to life, its warmth gently caressing their weary faces. They sat around it, each lost in their thoughts.
— Kuragane, get the food Morwen gave us... and then let’s sleep — said Mizuki, yawning deeply, tears of fatigue gathering at the corners of her eyes.
The smell of food revived them instantly. They began to eat like people unsure whether they’d see another meal.
— I don’t know what this is... but it’s amazing — Raizen said with his mouth full. — After all we’ve been through... The sooner we defeat Malvor, the sooner we can live in peace.
Kuragane and Mizuki nodded faintly, offering small smiles. They were drained, but Raizen’s words sparked a faint glimmer of hope. After a few moments of silence, Mizuki looked up, eyes reflecting the firelight.
— And once this is all over... what will you do?
Kuragane slowly raised his head, his voice barely a whisper.
— Truth is... I’ve never really thought about it. Maybe I’ll hunt down the remaining demons. I don’t think I could live knowing some are still out there...
— And you, Raizen? — Mizuki asked, her gaze locked onto his red eyes, which now seemed strangely calm.
Raizen stayed quiet for a few moments. Then he spoke, his voice holding a rare sincerity that surprised even himself.
— I haven’t thought about it either... I never had a dream. Probably would’ve gone back to a life as dull as before. Honestly... before I met you two, my days felt meaningless. I even thought... once I defeated Malvor, I might just end it all. But you two... you reminded me what it’s like to actually feel alive.
His words hit them like an invisible blow. Mizuki buried her face in her sleeves while Kuragane let out a deep sigh.
— You said it in such a way... now I’m crying — Mizuki whispered.
— Didn’t know you could get so emotional — Kuragane added with a genuine smile.
— Alright, don’t turn this into some tragedy — Raizen huffed dramatically. Then he turned to Mizuki. — But what about you? What do you want after all this?
Mizuki looked up at the sky, her smile soft and innocent.
— Me...? I want to marry a handsome prince and live in a palace in the clouds... no wars, no pain.
Her eyes sparkled, her smile lighting up the night. The other two burst out laughing—genuine, contagious laughter.
— Hey! Don’t laugh! — she pouted.
— Okay, okay. Let’s sleep before the fireflies put us to bed — Raizen chuckled.
Just then, Raizen stood up—
A sharp arrow sliced through the air, missing his ear by a hair. In a heartbeat, all three were on their feet, eyes scanning the dark forest.
From the shadows between the trees, golden eyes stared back at them in silence. Long, shining blond hair glowed under the moonlight. Dozens of bows were drawn—arrows ready to turn them into pin cushions.
— Elves... — murmured Raizen.
— Will we ever get to sleep properly? — Kuragane sighed.
Mizuki reached for her bow, but before her fingers touched it, three thin darts flew with astonishing speed. They had no time to react. The moment the darts hit their skin, darkness consumed their vision.
Everything went black.
They felt their bodies being dragged across cold earth, muffled elven voices echoing around them. Their minds were clouded, the sleep-inducing poison from the darts spreading through them. Eventually, as the effect faded, Raizen, Mizuki, and Kuragane woke up inside a stone cell. The bars were carved from some kind of glowing, pulsing wood—enchanted, without a doubt.
Two elves stood in front of them. Tall, elegant, their skin pale as snow, their sharp eyes glared silently at the prisoners.
— We must kill them. They’ve stepped on sacred ground — one hissed with hatred.
— Not without the king’s word — the other replied coldly.
Raizen rose with effort, gripping the enchanted bars.
— Please... Don’t kill us. We’re not your enemies! Call your princess — she’ll recognize us! Only we can stop what’s coming!
The elves stared at him with contempt. One of them kicked his hands violently, sending him crashing back to the floor.
— Silence, filthy demon! You save the world? Don’t make me laugh. You’ll be the first to be sacrificed!
Mizuki and Kuragane were beginning to stir, looking around, still dazed.
Suddenly, a powerful presence filled the room. The elves stepped aside instantly. A tall, imposing figure entered—an elderly elf, with long white hair and beard, and golden eyes burning like twin suns. He held a staff engraved with runes, and his very presence silenced everything.
— These are the intruders, Your Majesty — one guard said, voice trembling. — We captured them last night.
The old king, Sylvandor, stroked his beard slowly and spoke in a deep, thunderous tone.
— Those who tread upon our sacred ground are to be sacrificed. Only by this act can we keep peace with the spirits of the forest...
At that moment, Mizuki stepped forward, eyes blazing with determination.
— I am an angel! And under the sacred pact between elves and angels, you have no right to detain me! Or have you forgotten your place? Do you want to bring a curse upon your forest?
Her words struck like thunder. When she unfurled her silver wings, a gentle light filled the cell. All the elves dropped to their knees, eyes wide in awe.
All... except the king.
— If you’re an angel... why do you travel with a demon? — he asked, gaze fixed on Raizen.
At that moment, a soft, sleepy voice came from behind the king.
— What’s with all the noise so early?
A young elf girl appeared, her long silky hair flowing, her eyes wide with wonder as they landed on the prisoner.
— Raizen?! Is that really you?! I can’t believe it!
Her face lit up in an instant, and she shouted excitedly:
— Open it! Open it right now, Father! He’s my friend!
The king turned to her, clearly taken aback.
— How do you know this demon?
— When I was about sixteen, I got lost in the forest...I fell into a deep pit, and he... he saved me. Ever since, for more than a year, we met in secret every day. We talked, we laughed... Then one day, he vanished. I thought he had died... But now he's alive! Open the gate, Father, I have so many questions for him!
Sylvandor sighed deeply and nodded.
— Now I understand why you were so withdrawn back then... Open their cell.
An elf quickly unlocked the bars, and Princess Lyra ran straight to Raizen, hugging him with tears in her eyes.
— Where have you been? Why did you leave me? I missed you so much...
Mizuki, visibly irritated, crossed her arms.
— I don't understand how you could miss this fool...
The others burst into laughter, and the tension in the air eased.
The king stepped closer and said gently:
— Come with me. I apologize for what happened. Let us speak in peace, in my home.
Together, they walked toward the largest house in the village — a magnificent structure built upon the branches of an ancient tree, its leaves glowing softly in the morning sun.
Under the clear sky of Eldara Forest, the gentle sunlight bathed the elven village, filtering through the emerald foliage of the ancient trees. The air was cool, carried by a magical breeze, and birdsong echoed softly through the houses suspended in the trees. In the grandest dwelling of the village, carefully built on the limbs of a sacred tree, King Sylvandor sat alongside Raizen, Mizuki, Kurogane, and Princess Lyra.
— Thank you for answering my call, said the king with a gentle voice, sitting upon a living throne made of entwined roots. And I apologize for the unfriendly welcome... these times have taught us to be cautious.
Raizen nodded slightly, his expression serious.
— Your caution is justified. The demons are on the move again. I sensed their aura the moment we entered the forest.
Sylvandor sighed and looked past the open window, over the ancient treetops.
— Since the demons attacked the western borders, we've been forced into isolation. Many of our kin perished defending the sanctuary. That's why the guards acted... harshly.
Lyra, sitting close to Raizen, spoke softly:
— My father's heart has remained warm, even if time has hardened him. The peace of the forest hangs by a thread.
Kurogane, in a grave tone:
— Still, what are demons doing here? Have they already crawled their filthy way into everything?
The king stood up and pointed to a dark spot on an old map.
— The Shadow Fortress. Once abandoned, now it's the lair of one of the darkest demons: Zartham, Lord of Corruption. He's the one who cursed my daughter.
All eyes turned to Lyra. She avoided eye contact and lowered her head.
— In dreams, I hear voices, feel rage and shadows. Sometimes I wake up with black eyes and a thirst for destruction. The spirits say Zartham wants to turn me into a living portal to their realm.
— That’s a crime against the kingdom! burst out Mizuki.
Sylvandor raised his hand calmly.
— We cannot attack alone. His dark magic has poisoned the land and withered the trees around. But perhaps... you, the ones from the prophecy, have a chance.
Raizen stood up.
— I won’t hesitate. If I must fight, I will.
— Thank you, Raizen... Lyra whispered.
In the week that followed, the three remained in Eldara, training alongside the elves. Kurogane fought wooden golems, his shouting echoing through the forest:
— That log has a personal grudge against me!
A druid laughed:
— Your shield is solid, but your reflexes are like... a sleepy frog's.
Mizuki refined her bow magic. One arrow ricocheted and pinned an elf’s hat to a tree.
— Oops, she said, giggling. Let's call it... modern art?
Raizen learned from Lyra how to control his demonic aura and listen to the forest. In one lesson, he stepped on a twig, startling a bird that burst into a fluorescent cloud.
— Stealth level: Raizen, Lyra muttered.
— What if my intention was to draw attention? he smiled.
— Then mission accomplished, walking alarm.
In the evenings, they sat together gazing at the sky.
— Have you found the answers you were looking for? asked Lyra.
— Not all of them. But I found something more important: people I can trust.
— I feel the same...
One evening, Raizen and Lyra walked alone through the moonlit forest. The air was cool, and fireflies danced around them. They reached a quiet glade and stopped.
— It's beautiful here, said Lyra. The forest is alive... but also peaceful, when you're with the right person.
Raizen looked into her eyes, serious, but with unusual warmth.
— I feel less lost when I’m with you. And that’s something I haven’t felt in... a long time.
Lyra bit her lip gently, stepping closer. He took a step toward her. Their breaths mingled in the night air.
— Raizen... she whispered.
Their faces were inches apart. One moment... and maybe they would have kissed.
But a twig snapped nearby. Raizen immediately turned, his red eyes scanning the darkness.
From a bush, a shadow withdrew. Mizuki, eyes slightly teary, tried to hide behind a tree. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to sob aloud.
Raizen looked in that direction but said nothing. Lyra closed her eyes and stepped back.
— I think... we should return to camp, she said with a weak smile.
— Yeah, you're right, Raizen replied, though his gaze remained a bit distant.
The next day, training continued. Kurogane showed up with all sorts of improvised gear.
— Why did you tie a rock to your sword?! asked Mizuki.
— To get used to heavier weight. I want to be faster without it!
— Or just dumber, she teased, shooting an arrow between his legs. Kidding! Maybe.
Raizen, quieter than usual, channeled his energy into fighting a massive golem. His red aura vibrated, but stayed in control. Lyra watched from afar, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
One evening after training, Mizuki sat alone on a rock.
— You okay? asked Kurogane, approaching with a cup of tea.
— Yeah. I mean... I don’t know. It’s hard.
— Raizen?
— Yeah. And no. It’s hard when... someone matters to you, but they see someone else.
Kurogane sat next to her and sipped his tea.
— If you want, I can beat them both up. I'd actually enjoy that.
Mizuki laughed through her tears.
— Thanks, but... just stay here. That’s enough.
At the war council, the plan was set:
— We can’t attack head-on. We need to destroy the source of his magic, a crystal hidden in the heart of the fortress, said Raizen.
— Kurogane and I will draw their attention, said Mizuki. We'll make an entrance—with flair. Then the elves will support us.
— Lyra and I will go through the tunnels and head straight for their leader, continued Raizen...
— It's risky, but it's the only option, the king approved, but that general still has his right hand and left hand, two very powerful demons.
— I'll take the two of them with Mizuki, finally a real fight! Kurogane exclaimed.
— Just don’t break the forest, Lyra warned him.
— I’ll only break the demons, I promise!
On the night before, Lyra searched for Raizen.
— Are you afraid?
— Yes. But I’m determined.
— Then promise me you'll come back.
— I promise, he replied, squeezing her hand.
The morning brought heavy clouds and silence. The group was ready. The leaves seemed to breathe with them.
— We fight for the entire world, Raizen said.
— And for what’s right, Mizuki added.
— And for a good fight! Kurogane said.
Thus, their journey to the Shadow Fortress began. And the forest, silent, whispered in the wind: The heroes have set out.