I Awakened A Divine Curse

Auren lay in his bed, the thought of what the final boss of the Trial could be pressing against his chest like iron weights.

He was scared—first that they wouldn't be able to defeat it, then second that they would. While Auren remained deeply skeptical about whether he would live again, it wasn't that he didn't want to try.

He wanted to try, but right now he was terrified of that trial. That temptation to try could very well spell his end.

But if there was any chance that Hope hadn't woven him into this place, then he'd gladly take it.

However, what were the odds of that?

Maybe the Archons weren't powerful enough to weave such a mighty world? But he couldn't bring himself to believe Hope lacked the power to weave a simple human into this place so he could serve as a gruesome warning to others—showing what happens when a curse chooses you.

Auren closed his eyes, his heart clenching.

'It wasn't even my fault…'

It truly wasn't his fault he was so unlucky.

Auren's frown deepened.

'Wait. Unlucky? How can I be unlucky? It's not my fault everyone wants to choose me! Hope just lost his chance! That's why he's acting like a child and throwing me into trials to torment me. If I do manage to get out of here... I won't stop until he kneels at my feet. I'm going to shatter every one of these senseless rules and stand not just at the peak of humanity, but at a peak that threatens even the Archons themselves—starting with Hope!'

Asenya suddenly sat up, grabbed her pillow, and hurled it at him.

"Ow!"

"If you're going to sleep, then sleep peacefully! Stop squirming around like a snake!"

Auren blinked in surprise.

"I'm squirming?"

He sighed and smiled.

"I guess Relisè really was right when she said I toss and turn a lot. I thought she was just making it up."

"I don't care who the hell Relisè is. Give me back my pillow."

Auren placed the pillow gently on his own and rested his head on both.

"Goodnight—even though that's pretty ridiculous to say since there's never really morning here."

Asenya frowned and watched him settle peacefully on both pillows before she let out a breath, stood up, and walked out of the room.

A few moments later, Asenya sat perched on the cone of one of the towers, staring into the bleak, endless sky with hollow eyes.

"Are you still looking for him?"

A soft, tender voice spoke beside her, making her frown as she recognized it without needing to turn.

"Priestess. What are you doing here?"

The woman finally showed herself, standing behind Asenya. Her hair was white and spiky, falling over her shoulders in rough, uneven waves. Her blue eyes glinted pale in the endless darkness.

"Priestess. That's a cold thing to call your mother."

Asenya's frown cut deeper.

"You've done enough. Leave me alone."

The woman stayed silent for several seconds. Then she looked down and leaned on the long wooden staff she carried until she lowered herself behind Asenya, who didn't seem to care at all.

"With all the knowledge you've gathered across your few years of coming here, I'm sure you've learned the awful truth that has shaped this world—and how much of a lie everything else feels."

Asenya didn't respond right away. She let the silence stretch. Then...

"Is that why you pulled Dawn out of the sky?"

The woman smiled warmly.

"That was simply an experiment of mine. Besides, it's not my fault the two nations are tearing each other apart because of some worthless fool who isn't worth spilling blood over."

"So you do know about everything happening after all."

"Of course I do. I am the High Order, one of the very few remaining from the Old Times."

Asenya scoffed.

"Yeah, sure. That's why you have a habit of picking up strays and forcing them into schemes and plans that could destroy their very existence."

The Priestess smiled and tilted her head slightly.

"I see you're still holding grudges."

Asenya didn't look at her or respond. She just stared into the sky with steel in her eyes for several seconds.

"By the way, setting up a trap for me in Night Temple... that was clever of you. You try everything you can to keep me tied down, but I promise you I'll get what I'm looking for."

The Priestess slowly rose.

"You are a strong child. And yes, you will succeed. I just don't understand... why leave all this truth and venture into a lie?"

Asenya didn't respond. However, the Priestess slowly walked back and vanished into thin air. Only then did a low whisper escape Asenya's mouth.

"Because that lie... is where my family is..."

***

With the swiftness of darkness itself, someone moved through the lightless corners of the Keep. The figure was fast—seeming to merge into and out of the shadows as they moved.

They appeared in the vast hall of the main keep, then disappeared again, only to reappear in the narrow passage that led to another chamber.

Two guards stood in front of the double doors. The young person in dark, sinister armor had already gathered several small stones from outside. Upon getting inside, he threw the stones in two different directions, watching the guards.

Both seemed confused for a moment, then ran in opposite directions to check what was happening. In that instant, Auren flowed forward and vanished into the room.

As he reached the King's chamber, he moved slowly forward. The man with his fat, swollen belly slept with two naked women beside him.

Auren flinched back a little when he saw them. But he steeled himself immediately.

'You have something to do here. Don't be a child.'

Auren grabbed the King and dragged him roughly. Before anyone could wake up, both he and the king were gone.

The first woman to wake up stared at an empty bed, then screamed.

The second woke up and also started screaming. The rest was chaos, but by then Auren and the King were already on the roof of the keep.

The old man sat on the ground of the roof, wide awake and shaken. A dark frown twisted his face.

"You... what are you doing?!"

Auren faced the sky. A long sword materialized in his hand as he slowly turned around.

"The Dark God has passed his judgment. Human... you are to die."