18. Eternal Slumber

Bao stepped even closer to the bed. The nightstand already filled with empty bottles of elixirs and potions in many different colours while on the ground lied various ointments that released a strong stench, mixed from the smells of all the different containers.

"How... how did this happen?" He asked.

"I don't know." The carriage guards answered. "I was... was there... the whole time and I... then she collapsed... and you are the only one who can help her!" Only incoherent sentences came out of the knight's mouth.

"In... in which way should I be able to help?!" Anger lit up in the servant's eyes that stared at him. "Don't... don't get me wrong I am but a simple peasant wouldn't it be better to request the aid of a Healer or Medicus for such emergencies?"

"As if we wouldn't have already tried that! We tried everything potions, herbs, ointments everything! Our last hope lies in you. Right before the madam collapsed, she especially mentioned that you would be able to heal her."

"M... me? Why me?"

"I would have already told you if I knew it! Actually, I hoped that you would know what we need to do..."

Everyone's eyes were still fixed on him like laser pointers marking their target, only the angry expression had changed to that of faith and hope. Seconds and minutes passed while Bao's wrinkles on the forehead multiplied as he tried to fit the puzzle pieces together. Why only he and how?

"You said, that she explicitly told you, that only I can heal her?"

"Yes"

"I don't... sight, please tell me the whole story as detailed as possible."

The guard nodded.

"It was nothing new that a kings offshoot got cursed, poisoned, sick or deadly injured and since this country's king had personally requested for the madams help to lift his son's curse, we travelled back as soon as possible. So far, except for the encounter with you, nothing unusual happened." The knight made a dramatic pause to catch some breath. "When we arrived at the castle the king and his wife already anticipated us with a parent's worried look stamped on their faces. Leaving their pride and authority behind they begged our master to cure their son and so she accepted. And here is where things started to go south. When we analyzed the kid's curse we discovered that he has been put into eternal slumber."

The faces of the servants standing around the bed turned into petrified shocked busts, the only one confused by this reaction being Bao. From their reaction, he presumed that the curse must have been something worse than a nuclear disaster.

"What exactly is Eternal Slumber?"

"That..."

"Asleep yet awake, dead yet alive, hungry and thirsty yet satisfied." As if she were in trance a servant said those words.

"Basically it's like he would be dead but he can still feel, see and hear everything... to call it cruel would be an understatement." He hissed through his teeth. "But it's not contagious, is it?"

"No."

"Then what does she have?"

"I don't know. When she tried to cure him, she herself started to get pale and staggered. At first, I thought that she started to ran out of mana during the healing process, which per se is already a rare thing to happen, but then her knees gave in and she collapsed on me losing consciousness. To the king I said she'll need some rest since it is a long process to break such a curse since I didn't want to cause a panic. While rushing back in the carriage she woke up again for a brief moment saying that only you would know how to heal her."

"Was that her exact wording?"

"No, it was more like 'If anyone can heal me and the son from this curse then it's him, David'."

"I still don't understand." He shook his head "How should I be able to heal them?"

"There is no hope, this curse can't be healed." One of the maids collapsed on the ground and burst out in tears.

"Why that?"

"It is incurable. It was brought upon Nelenia with the appearance of the players meaning that exceptional strength and knowledge is needed that has been long since lost. "