NOVEL WEB XXI. Dark Clouds Above
Morning comes. It was a sunny day, its light showering the busy streets of the slums. Shortly after waking, Rel makes his way to the orphanage. Faya was already up.
Rel: Morning. Are you feeling better?
She looks at him and nods slightly.
Faya: I'll feel much better come the afternoon, though...
Rel wished she had changed her mind... Still, that wasn't the only topic that brought him there.
Rel: We... We need to talk about Virno.
Faya's eyes widen and she gets closer to Rel.
Faya: Is he alright...?! Was he home?
Rel: Yeah he showed up, eventually. It's not so much about him, as it is about his family... I, uh... Overheard a conversation his mom had with the doctor.
Faya was caught somewhat off-guard by this.
Faya: The doctor...? Well, I guess it makes sense... If Virno was hurt the doctor probably went to check on him, since he was around and all.
He shakes his head.
Rel: If I heard it right... Virno is cursed.
Faya: ... Cursed?!
Her face displayed a mix of shock and disbelief.
Faya: Cursed how...?
Rel: It has something to do with a sword his dad once tried to get... His father failed, and the sword cursed him in return. Since then, its voice tormented him until the day he passed... Now that he's gone, the curse was transferred to Virno. The voices will keep calling to him, and getting stronger over time... With the only way of breaking the curse being to claim the sword.
Faya was deeply saddened by all of this.
Faya: That's... Horrible...
Rel: Yeah... But it gets worse. The doctor theorizes that, because father was already quite old when he tried to claim the sword, the curse didn't end up affecting him too much. But Virno is much younger... His mind won't be able to resist the voice as well as his father's. It may get to a point where he fails to resist altogether, and ventures into the sword's resting place in an attempt to claim it... And...
Faya: And...?
Rel: ... It's the kind of place people aren't supposed to come back alive from.
Upon hearing this, Faya gazes at the ground.
Faya: So... It's only a matter of time until he goes to claim it...?
Rel nods.
Rel: The doctor said that he would train him, though! That he would prepare him so that, when the time comes, he'll be ready to succeed and obtain the sword. Then, he'll break the curse. Though, Virno's mom didn't seem too pleased with the idea...
Faya: I can imagine... Accepting to train your son in preparation for something that could potentially kill him... No mother would want that.
Rel: Yeah...
He sighs.
Rel: Anyway, I thought you should know about this. I don't really know what to do with any of it, though...
Faya: Well, we have to do something. We'll talk to miss Anya ourselves it we have to!
Rel raises his brow.
Rel: Miss Anya...? You already know her name?
She blushes slightly.
Faya: E-everybody knows her name already, she's started helping around the orphanage!
Rel laughs, noticing how embarrassed his question had made her. Then he pauses for a moment, weighing his next words carefully. He clears his throat.
Rel: So, going back to what you said... I guess there's no talking you out of today's fight...?
Her face turned dead serious. There was no turning back.
Faya: I've been waiting for this moment for too long, Rel. There's no chance I'm letting it pass by.
Nothing in the universe could deter her.
Rel: Alright... And is it okay if Virno and I come support you? Or would you rather not have anyone there?
Faya: No. Don't come.
She didn't hesitate to answer.
Faya: It... Won't be pretty.
Rel was concerned.
Rel: Wait, what do you mean...?
Faya: ... It won't be pretty for Barr. I'm not going to hold back today. I'm going to make sure he never touches another girl ever again... I don't care what I have to do to accomplish that.
Faya wasn't planning on pulling any punches... And she didn't want her friends to see her in that state.
Rel: I understand. Then... I wish you the best of luck. And... Please be careful, yeah?
She nods.
Faya: Don't worry about me. Worry about the poor sods in the audience who will get traumatized for life after I'm done.
He smiles.
Rel: We'll talk after the fight then. I'll swing by Virno's place to see how he's doing, if he can walk we might swing by after you're done! We should all do something to celebrate... But we'll see about that when we're all together. See you later!
She smiles back.
Faya: See you...!
At the same time, Virno was still home, sleeping soundly. He dreamt of the lake once again...
Disembodied voice: Your father... He was too weak. Too weak to conquer me. Too weak to care for his own... Too weak to save even himself.
Virno was standing at the edge of the lake's water. This time, strange ruins had risen from deep underwater, emerging at the center of the body of water. The voice came from within them. Standing at the entrance of the ruins was a familiar figure... His father, staring back at him.
Disembodied voice: Look at him. Look at the face of the man who caused you so much pain and suffering... And for what...? For knowledge? Fame? Wealth...?
Virno wanted to tell the voice to shut up, but he couldn't speak. His voice had been snuffed out. His father turns to face the entrance of the ruins, and walks in. Virno tries to scream, to tell him to turn back, but again no sound would come. The voice laughs.
Disembodied voice: What are you waiting for...? Go after him! Show him you're better. Stronger. More capable. Isn't that what you really want?
Virno didn't budge. Tears began streaming down his own face.
Disembodied voice: Coward... You choose to sit idly by, when you could still save what you have left...? He may be gone forever, but you still have reasons to fight.
He felt a force sucking him into the ruins, like a strong wind. He tried his best to fight its sway...
Disembodied voice: You may try to resist me now, but you are only delaying the inevitable. You WILL come to me. It is only a matter of time... And of how much you're willing to lose.
Suddenly, the wind got much stronger. Virno's feet lift off the ground, and he flies in the direction of the ruins' entrance.
Disembodied voice: Yours is a battle of ceaseless sacrifice, von Virtus... Remember this.
As its dark, foreboding entrance approaches, he wakes...
Virno: NO!!!
He was sweating profusely. It was only after he calmed down that he realized how badly his torso hurt. His sudden awakening had made him move too abruptly, and the pain was now almost too much to bear...
Virno: Argh...
Upon hearing her son's scream, Anya bolts into the room.
Anya: VIRNO?! What's wrong?
She goes to him. Virno was still flinching in pain...
Virno: It's... Nothing, I just woke up from a bad dream...
With her help, he slowly lays down once again.
Anya: I'll fetch you some water and some meat...
She leaves hastily to fetch the food.
Virno: Meat...?
After a brief moment, she returns with a glass of water and a small chunk of beef.
Virno: Mother, how...?
She shakes her head.
Anya: Don't worry... It was a gift. Now, please eat.
Virno bites down on the meat, hard. It had been months since he had tasted any... He was hungrier than he thought, and ate it so fast that he was having trouble swallowing. He takes the glass of water and downs it all in just a couple of gulps.
Anya: Better...?
Virno nods.
Virno: Thank you...
While he appreciated her staying at home to care for him, he knew how bad their financial situation was. The fact that neither were working that day meant that there probably wouldn't be enough coin to purchase any food for their upcoming meals...
Virno: But please, you can go. Head down to the orphanage, I'll be fine...
She shakes her head.
Anya: In the afternoon, perhaps. But I want to spend at least the morning here. Now, get some more rest... I'm sure your nightmare won't return anymore, not with a belly full of meat!
She smiles. Virno wishes he could believe her words... But he knew the voices probably wouldn't let him rest easily.
Virno: Alright... I'll sleep some more. Thank you again...
She caresses his cheek and kisses him on the forehead, before leaving the room. As she closes the door behind her, she made no effort to disguise her concern anymore, as her face betrayed it...
Anya: A bad dream... He doesn't usually have those, not so bad that they make him wake up and sweat like that... Could it be...?
She suspected it could be the curse, worried for her son's future...