Corven's last thoughts were naturally of Seren. The thoughts of a dying man. Then darkness took him. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Echo. She was in his grasp, looking frightened.
"Did you die too?" he said.
"Zombie!"
He put Echo down on the dirt, gently.
"You're not a zombie?" she tilted her head.
He touched his neck. It wasn't wounded at all but his clothes were still covered in blood. He touched his chest. His heartbeat was still absent. A familiar cold feeling.
The curse.
"Does that mean you're immortal?" Echo asked.
He tried to stand up. A crushing pain tore through his mind. He screamed.
His Achilles didn't heal. The bones and muscles still showed. Blood still dripped.
Corven lay on the ground holding his left foot. He definitely wasn't dead.
"Why didn't it heal?"
Echo stared at the wound.
He couldn't answer. He was biting his tongue.
Echo ripped a piece of cloth from the shirt of a dead adventurer.
She tried to wrap his foot but without thumbs it's hard. All she accomplished was drenching the cloth with blood.
"You need a doctor," she paused, "No... only magic will help."
"I know..." he gritted his teeth.
"It's late. The only guy that will help you is him."
Echo didn't want to mention him. But it was Corven's best chance of keeping his left foot.
"Lucien."
"I'd rather lose the foot..." Corven mumbled between breaths.
Echo shook her beak. She knew how stubborn he could be at times.
"Would your new crush be okay with that?"
He closed his eyes. Would Seren like a guy without a foot? She's perfect so she would, right? He wanted to believe it.
"Fine..."
It was still dark so Echo had to lead and she couldn't carry Corven. A blade without an owner lay on the ground. Echo brought it to him.
Corven grabbed the sword and used it as a walking stick.
"Thanks..."
Echo started to fly but he waited for a bit. He checked his pockets for his pouch of coins. He had it and he also found the necklace.
He held it tightly in his fist. For a moment he forgot about the excruciating pain.
Then he put it around his neck, hiding it inside his shirt, and he began walking after Echo.
They walked until they reached the edge of the forest. A familiar city loomed over it. Ursula was the biggest city in the south.
"Can you get in from the South gate?"
Corven shook his head.
"The fastest way to Lucien would be through one of his tunnels."
Echo nodded and Corven followed. His breathing grew heavier with each step. He had to stop more than a couple times to regain composure.
She led him to one of the sewer drains. In the distance, 2 men stood guard. The same guys that stole his pouch back in the city.
"I can take it from here," Corven said.
Echo landed on his shoulder.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," he took out his flask and handed it to her, "If things go as planned I won't be coming to the forest for a while."
"Right... learn magic and get the girl," she nodded twice, "It's not like I can enter the city."
"One slip up and word will get to the inquisition," Corven said.
"But you get to enter without issue," she said bitterly.
"A talking crow is far more suspicious," he countered.
She sighed, "Come back as soon as possible."
Corven nodded.
The crow flew away.
He limped to the two men who recognized him.
"What happened to your leg, rat?"
Blood was flowing down from his foot, leaving a trail behind.
"Does it matter?"
They stared at each other.
"No," the cigar man said after a while, "What do you want?"
"I need to see Lucien," he said matter-of-factly.
The man puffed out a smoke cloud and looked him up and down. He took out a linen bag and threw it at Corven.
"Put it on."
It had the smell of blood, dirt, grime, sweat, piss, and whatever else you can find in the sewer system.
"I'll take the rat to boss. Stay here."
Corven put it on.
The cigar man led the way. It was an hour walk in the sewer. It wasn't pleasant. The man didn't stop to wait for Corven to catch his breath.
They walked until they reached a ladder.
"Leave the sword."
Corven dropped his makeshift walking stick.
"Up you go."
He climbed until he could see blurry light and hear the sounds of men chatting.
Corven still had the bag on his head. The man grabbed him by his shoulder and led him onto the streets. Then he took off his bag.
Corven was standing in the middle of a living room, a room bigger than his own store.
"Fetch boss."
One of the maids ran to get Lucien. A moment later, Corven heard two pairs of footsteps. Lucien entered the living room and stopped in front of him.
"Corven."
A punch towards his smug face would be perfect. His hand was itching but he couldn't.
"You look horrible," Lucien said, "What happened to your leg?"
A couple of maids gasped as Lucien lifted his left foot from the ground.
"I need to use one of your healers," Corven said through gritted teeth, "I can pay," he said as he took out his pouch.
Lucien chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Corven raised his voice.
Lucien shook his head and signaled to one of the maids to bring over a healer.
"We're friends, aren't we?" he smirked, "No payment needed."
Corven laid his head on the sofa pillow. He didn't want to see his face but Lucien was approaching him, his hand was reaching for his Corven's chest.
Corven didn't want him to find out about his curse. Lucien's finger brushed his chest. Corven's breath caught. Too late. Like a magic trick, the chain disappeared.
"Where did you get this?"
Lucien's smirk dropped for a second. He held the mana necklace. The gem was a violet square with a soft glow.
"Is the blood from the previous owner?" Lucien smile returned.
Corven sat upright on the sofa and tried to grab it back but Lucien pulled back.
"If you're caught with this, you'll be executed."
Corven reached for it again.
"I need magic," he said, frustrated.
"Why?" Lucien asked.
"It doesn't concern you."
A woman in her forties entered the room with a white grimoire in her hand. She took a glance at Corven's leg and frowned.
"This will take some time, Lord Kaos," she said.
"Then get to work," Lucien glared at her then turned towards Corven.
Lucien put the necklace back on Corven's neck.
"So you stole a mana gem. What's next in this grand plan of yours?" he asked.
Corven wanted to shut him down again because he needed his help but he didn't want to owe him.
"Magia Academy," Corven said reluctantly.
Lucien smirked.
"Are you going to steal someone's identity?" he teased again.
The woman knelt beside his foot and placed the book on her knee. She started reading out a spell.
"Do me this favor and we're even," Corven said with conviction.
The bones in his feet started healing first; the snapped ones merged into each other and his tendons healed too.
"Your body's exhausted so you'll fall into sleep soon," the healer said.
"Even? I didn't know I was in your debt," Lucien chuckled.
Corven wanted to reply with an insult but before he could think of one, he fell asleep.
"Maids, bring him to the guestroom. Miss Elia, it's time for you to earn your salary," Lucien said.
Elia nodded and followed Lucien into a carriage.
"Where to, My Lord?" the coachman asked.
Lucien adjusted his cuffs, voice cold as frost.
"To the bookstore. The old man's waiting."