《Parallel Curses [Supernatural/Horror]》


 Chapter 1 - Nis? // Whispers from Far Away

    40¡ã55''54.0"N 47¡ã30''40.9"E ¨C Somewhere in Oghuz, Azerbaijan


    18.05.2024- 22.30 UTC +04.00


    ¡°¡­reports speak of further disturbances in the Oghuz District. State forces recommend remaining within protected wards,¡± a television with cracked audio played in the background.


    I was far enough from whatever they thought was happening in Oghuz. Smoke of multiple cigarettes was occupying the small cabin, while I was trying to lay out a plan that could increase my chances of survival.


    The night had fallen hours ago. If any of Adil¡¯s men were to approach, I would be defenseless. But the bet was exactly that: none of them would ever think to head so far away from the action to look for lost whispers.


    ¡°And we are indeed in safety. Do not let this rainy night create fears. There are no so-called ?ziyy?t in Oghuz. The fights have reached Imishli and have already stopped there. Sleep tight.¡± A man said calmly on the television before the sound faded out.


    Even though all windows were closed shut, I felt a breeze as whispers from far away, warnings of my coven from around Oghuz, reached me:


    --Reach for the bow, Starling.


    --Approaching from the west, H?k¨¹m?.


    --Deflectors settled in the north domain.


    Other whisperers were reaching out and communicating among the members of the coven. The last one had not signed off with their name, but it was claiming someone had set up deflectors in an area warded in the north ¨C that was where I was. I spat some of the tobacco I was chewing. I closed my eyes, although it was almost unnecessary within the dark cabin.


    --No shadows cast in the north ward, Nis?.


    My eyes swelled and cried tears as I whispered. Whispering for so many days and nights took a toll ¨C but I was confident my senses were intact. I had sensed nothing in the north.


    I stood up from my chair. I repeated, sending my whisper out to whoever could hear me, signing off with my name:


    --No shadows cast in the north ward, Nis?.


    I whispered once again for good measure.


    I waited patiently and then approached the curtains of the nearby window. The sand was carefully put around the edge of the window, completely undisturbed. Outside the barren fields were empty, and the night stars cast no shadow.


    --The bow is in, Starling


    --We delay in the west, H?k¨¹m?.


    My allies were exchanging whispers, but no whisper came from the unknown messenger.


    --Who spoke of deflectors, Nis?


    I whispered again looking outside. Rain fell silently on the ground, but I was sure the whispers had reached me. Someone sent a warning to this ward and now was not coming back. Whispering between so many Cursed sometimes felt like talking through a broken radio: voices were not clear, nor direction or intention.


    I got dizzy, as I spread the last whisper to the entire coven. No one responded.


    --Is north safe, Starling


    The head of the coven had picked up my worry. Another question I could not answer. I had spent days and nights whispering far away, but nothing had ever reached this ward. I grabbed my coat and a candle. I turned off the TV. I picked up some sand and blew it over the candle, which lit in a light red flame.


    Stay lit only for me I said enchanting it.


    I opened the door, carefully stepping over the sand circle. I looked outside into the field. Everything was empty. I gazed as far as I could, and I could see no shadows.


    --I can see till the lights of Daymadere and hear the laughs and dance in K?rimli, but I feel no shadow, Nis?


    I sang the last whisper. I found it easier to sing to the winds when I was not in the ward, and I felt no tears in my eyes this time.


    --We maintain the bow, Starling


    --Stay vigilant Nis?, H?k¨¹m?


    I looked around the empty field. It was silent and the candle¡¯s light helped me see till far ends not all Whispers could see. If there was a man of Adil, I would have heard, instead of this: absolute silence. I could listen to a butterfly trip over my ward.


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    --Oghuz falls


    --Oghuz falls


    --Oghuz falls


    Suddenly the winds whispered. And then nothing.


    Starling, I hear nothing- I almost whispered, when I realized the verity of my sentence. As the lighting crackled far in the mountains, I could still see the rain around me falling, as it did, the whole night. But there was no sound, no music of the drops. The silence was supernatural: someone had exerted a silence Curse over this area.


    ¡°These are neither deflectors nor Cursed nor shadows,¡± I said to myself, to ground me. The candle¡¯s light protected me from whatever hex was cast across the ward, and I still had my voice. But the night had gone silent.


    In hexes like this, it was tricky. Whatever kind of Curse was used to freeze the sound of the ward, had covered everything like a sheet of calm. If I were to disturb it too much, it could easily overwhelm me, and I would never reach the other wards to warn them in time.


    I had to reach the cabin, with slow steady steps.


    --Zephyr, Zaman, Kaz fear the silence, Nis?


    I tried to whisper as quietly as possible. The candle flickered as my words flew in the wind around it.


    --Zephyr, Zaman, Kaz fear the silence, Nis?


    I kept repeating as I took small steps, hearing nothing but my whispers. I reached the circle around my cabin. It was undisturbed. I jumped over it, and the moment I did, the sound of the rain smoothly fell into the backdrop as it should. Whatever Cursed, they could not break my wards.


    --Zephyr, Zaman, Kaz fear the silence, Nis?


    I had just entered the cabin, the one place the silence hex would not reach. I put my coat on the side and left the candle on the window. I headed to the table again. Grabbed some tobacco and started chewing.


    I had failed ¨C whatever happened, I was deceived in my ward. For my own sake, I could now only hope any threat that cast that hex had passed and left without a trace and without finding my cabin, mutually undetected.


    I could only hope the silence was the aftermath and not the introduction. I bit my lip.


    --Something is approaching Oghuz, I failed, Nis?


    I whispered finally. This was my failure, mistaking silence for the absence of a threat, and I had to warn the others. I could only hope at least nobody would ¨C


    My breath stopped. I started gasping for air. Somebody had caught my whisper, keeping it captive, creating a unique feeling of being deprived of a voice and oxygen while technically breathing.


    ¡°Re- lease me,¡± I commanded angrily to whoever was attacking me, striving for air. There was no one in the cabin besides me, but I was not alone anymore.


    The TV turned on, with distorted sound.


    ¡°Definitely! No reason to worry everyone! In fact, reports just dropped in: Caspians have vowed to stand by us. This is wonderful news! The Government will crack down on these unholy gangs.¡±


    I started scratching the table. I needed the pain in my fingers to wake up my nerves and unplug my lungs. I scratched until my fingers and palms bled.


    ¡°You cannot bend my,¡± wind I strived to say, but I, the TV, and the rain went silent. I fell from the chair, still grasping for the shortest of breaths.


    I crawled towards the window and my candle. I needed its light to use my warding powers.


    ¡°Please¡­ Light up¡­¡± I tried to command the candle from afar. A whisper interrupted me.


    --The bow was lost. Abandon wards, Starling.


    --I repeat, abandon wards, Starling.


    This was meant to be a warning from my coven¡¯s leader but now acted as a mockery. Whoever was catching whispers in my ward, let this one pass on purpose, to reach me and break my spirit. Whoever let this whisper reach me, wanted me to know despair.


    --I repeat, abandon wards, Starling.


    I climbed holding myself from the wooden wall, unable to breathe except with short spikes of pain. I stood up from the floor and blew on the candle, which ignited in a green weak flame. I could breathe again, but only for a moment.


    The window was open. The rain fell silently on the field outside. And there I saw a man standing. On his left hand, he held a big platan leaf, shining green under the stars'' light.


    He started walking towards me.


    Stay lit only for me I whispered to the candle, again and again, Stay lit only for me.


    The man was stepping decisively towards the cabin. But as it approached the line of sand he faltered. He stood there, holding the platan leaf. Whoever he was he could not simply pass over the invisible divide of my ward.


    He raised his hand and released the leaf, which seemingly followed a whimsical gust of wind. My eyes followed it.


    Stay lit only for me and keep me in your ward, I prayed to my candle.


    My eyes were in tears again. Suddenly, I realized that if this was to be my final night, I could not even hear the rain due to this damned hex.


    Stay lit only for me and keep me in your ward, and stars light the sands and keep it lit for me I kept praying.


    The platan leaf flew right through the window, dispersing the sand warding it. I stood still in fear, and as it landed and touched me, I heard my very own whisper, the one I had sent minutes ago:


    --Something is approaching Oghuz, I failed, Nis?


    It echoed my voice. The man was gone outside the house, but the sand line on the window was broken.


    ¡°Look what the wind brought to me,¡± said a voice behind me, and cold hands grabbed my neck, ¡°now, time to send a whisper for me.¡±


    ¡°Whe-re,¡± I gasped as the candle fell from my hands. His hand stayed locked on my throat while his other one poured sand on my hands and around my feet.


    ¡°These sands are from way too far. I cannot,¡± I begged ¡°Please do not make me.¡±


    ¡°I heard the Azeri Whispers are the strongest. Do not disappoint me,¡± he said and started squeezing my throat.


    ¡°Please, please.¡±


    He said a phrase in a roman language, Spanish perhaps, something I could not comprehend but a short enough message for me to be able to repeat.

 Chapter 2 - Demi // Spark

    6¡ã32''44.6"N 6¡ã06''00.5"W - Sassandra-Marahou¨¦, Ivory Coast


    ¡°There is no way we can reach Kou¨¦tinfla by night if we go through the jungle and the hills. The trip would simply be too hard, even if the path is shorter¡± Guarin said in French, and Rox translated in Baoul¨¦ for the few in the group that could not follow.


    ¡°The last village we passed through, was not safe either,¡± I said emphatically.


    The group stayed silent. We had begun this trip as a group of six, but the route through the usual pitstops and villages had already cost us one team member, the only one with a curse besides me.


    Akissi spoke in Baoul¨¦ with a hint of irony in her voice. Rox translated ¡°It would help if you were forthcoming about your special ¡­skills¡±, but it was obvious from her tone that ¡°skills¡± was Rox¡¯s editing.


    I decided not to respond. They might have had mixed feelings about having a Cursed among them, but they knew their chances of survival would decrease dramatically without me. The group would have to decide what my silence meant, as they waited awkwardly for someone to break it.


    ¡°Demi¡± Guarin said seriously towards me ¡°I will not ask you why you suggest going through the wilderness. But if this is the route you suggest, I will change my vote. I am with Demi¡±


    Kouadio stood still and said something that needed no translation ¨C he disagreed with us.


    Rox responded and then translated ¡°We three disagree, Guarin, we follow you if you want to lead through the forests, but if this is a vote, we cast to stay on the formed path. I am sorry Demi.¡±


    I was sorry, as a familiar sensation in my stomach tightened its grip through me. I was not worried about myself ¨C but for them.


    ¡°Ok good¡± declared Guarin ¡°We should be there in a couple of hours, and we avoid the night. Keep going!¡±


    These hours would be long for sure.


    ¡°Who do you think has it?¡± Rox asked me, while we were walking in the middle of the procession.


    ¡°I cannot see through enchantments Rox¡± I responded.


    ¡°Crossing that off the list,¡± she said and laughed ¡°but seriously, that is all that burns my mind right now. Probability-wise, it could be Kouadio¡±


    Kouadio was walking expressionless at the rear of the group holding both his and our lost comrade¡¯s pouch. We each had one, enchanted especially for the mission: impossible to open until we reached Yamoussoukro. But only one of the pouches actually carried the mission¡¯s objective.


    A provision, in case any of us decided to betray the group¡¯s purpose and keeping us all protective of each other.


    ¡°That is, if the assignment was random¡± I answered her ¡°Me and Marin would have the biggest targets on our backs. Or now only me at least¡±


    I had lamented Marin¡¯s death enough the past day, but still, I could not simply just brush it off.


    ¡°So you say, the Cursed could be decoys¡± Rox shuddered ¡°That means it could be on me¡±


    ¡°It matters not, in the end,¡± I said.


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    ¡°Shh¡± Guarin interrupted us. We all stood still, silent.


    Akissi made a sign to all of us to hide in the overgrowth next to the path. We all obeyed and hid as trained.


    Not twenty minutes had passed, and a heavy car passed through the rough path. Some men in it were discussing loudly in a local dialect as the car was blasting some radio commands. Rifles were hanging on their backs.


    None of them was Cursed, or at least I did not sense so.


    I touched my arm and tried to seek my pulse. I held my breath and closed my eyes. I started hearing eight more pulses, four belonging to my companions, and four disappearing into the distance. Once I could not hear them anymore, I exhaled.


    ¡°Move along,¡± I said. This was our usual protocol.


    Akissi said something in her own dialect, that Rox did not translate. Then, she repeated in broken French once close to me: ¡°At least she has some use¡±, just loud enough so that I could hear it. Guarin must not have heard, Rox shot an annoyed glance at her but said nothing.


    Not more than half an hour had passed when I sensed the change. Any Cursed would have.


    ¡°We have entered someone¡¯s domain,¡± I said.


    ¡°Well, we expected that. There should be a village just across this turn before we reach Kou¨¦tinfla. They must have set up camp for us¡± Guarin said in a flush of positivity.


    I was not so sure, as the domain was not at all familiar to me, and I was not skilled enough to understand its nature.


    Behind us, Kouadio let a scream loose and then went silent. Rox and Akissi pulled their guns and we turned around, only to see Kouadio falling to his knees, his tongue cut and falling on the ground. He only gurgled blood falling down. No one dared make a step.


    I looked at his fall: he was exactly at the spot I was when I detected the domain.


    I signed to all of them:


    Do not speak. This is a screaming hex.


    He was attacked by a curse that caused him to yell at us, perhaps warn us or even cry out our names, and his tongue was ripped out as a consequence. If a Cursed wasn¡¯t nearby, they were going to be here soon to find who trespassed.


    Akissi started slowly walking towards the shaking body of poor Kouadio, heading to the two pouches. I pulled her hand. She looked angrily at me and I gestured No! at her.


    Her eyes widened, as Guarin whispered ¡°Shit¡±. Most possibly this hex was set up to pick up the relic¡¯s aura and attack only the bearer. Rox was right, Kouadio had it on him and that¡¯s why he only got ambushed by this devious hex.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Rox asked with her pistol out aiming towards the wilderness, trying to spot any movement.


    Kouadio spat blood on the ground as his last blood pumps were trying to keep him breathing, although he was utterly doomed.


    ¡°If anyone picks this up, and cannot hold their scream, this is their fate¡± I said ¡°So not an option.¡±


    No one volunteered to be courageous. I could feel all of us thinking the same thing: if this hex got Kouadio, our heavy bodyguard, to scream, there was no hope anyone else could keep the hex at bay, all the way to our next stop.


    ¡°Demi, if you have any ace up your sleeve, this is the time,¡± Guarin said, but there was no need. I was convinced that was the right moment.


    ¡°Akissi, you are now close to him,¡± I said while Rox translated to her ¡°On my signal, you will have to stab his heart and kill him at once. Brace yourself as the hex that killed him could trigger on your contact. A clean kill is your best chance.¡±


    I turned next to me.


    ¡°Rox, be on the lookout. Guarin, look at the ground. Two steps away from you there is a small spider. You have to catch it and bring it here alive. Make as few steps as possible.¡±


    Guarin obeyed, and you could feel his steadfastness in every step. We all knew whoever controlled this domain could have more hexes, and every move could be a potential trigger.


    The moment he came close, the spider jumped and landed on me on its own.


    I started speaking in fluent Dida. The spider crawled through my back on my head. I crouched a bit as I was chanting to it. The spider spun a web and floated a bit in front of my eyes.


    My eyes teared up. I gave the signal to Akissi. She jumped and quickly pierced Kouadio¡¯s chest.


    Jump I whispered in Dida.


    The spider jumped across spinning her web from my head during its long jump. It landed on Kouadio¡¯s forehead.


    Akissi jumped away and swore disgusted, as more small spiders started crawling from Kouadio¡¯s wounds and started spinning their web around his joints and arms.


    Spark, I whispered in Dida again.


    Rox started praying shocked, as Kouadio¡¯s body started springing up, thin web holding and moving his legs. I raised my hands up and spiders jumped and brought their web on my hands.


    Move.


    The body that once seemed to be hanging from an invisible web, started walking, still tied to my web. It passed to the front of the group.


    ¡°As long as he tests the front, we follow in its steps,¡± I said to the group.


    They all looked at their fallen companion and then looked at me. It was not shock or disgust exactly in their eyes ¨C I knew this look all too well. It was pure fear. They finally understood why I had not revealed my curse so far: so that they didn''t realize my role in the group. I was not here to protect them from dying. I was here to keep them functioning even if they did.

 Chapter 3 - è°©ngel // Here in N.T.

    76¡ã00''08.2"S 53¡ã43''31.2"E - Nuevo Trujillo, Spanish Antarctic Colonies


    18.05.2024 23:00, UTC+03:00


    The sun was shining, as it always did in late May. All you could see was endless white, contrasting with the endless blue of the sky, making your eyes hurt. Or at least it made my eyes hurt, no one else found the Paseo so scary ¨C in fact it was a common place for young couples to meet.


    She definitely thinks that¡¯s what we are, a couple. I anticipated her arrival in nervousness, dread even. A slight Antarctic chill breeze hit my exposed face, but I was not sure what was more painful: subzero wind, or the conversation that would follow.


    Another breeze. I let myself look towards the icy expanse beyond the Paseo and tried to guess how manic the winds must have been for them to penetrate the domain of Trastamara. According to the weather report, I was dressed in very light spring clothes, not accounting for a slightly exposed Paseo.


    A mistake I made, but not just myself, apparently. I spotted Lucia with my peripheral vision, dressed lightly and shivering as she approached me. Her beautiful smile shone ridiculously white and happy the moment she saw me, and I avoided matching her enthusiasm. I waved at her with reserved confidence, hoping she would notice and perhaps get a first warning that I could not match her excitement today.


    She started striding faster towards me, completely in ignorance of how unbelievably sexual she looked in the way she dressed and walked. Others looked towards her either lustfully or jealously as she passed by to come over. I blushed looking at her, as her indisputable looks only made this worse.


    ¡°Hi-i ¨¢nge-el¡± she jumped on me and hugged me ¡°Oh I missed you so much¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, shocked ¨C we had already been to a restaurant last night. ¡°Was it a day already? I remember our awesome date like it was yesterday¡± I added trying to sound excited.


    I was terrible at this. She laughed.


    ¡°You bug,¡± she pinched my arm ¡°Is it supposed to be cold today?¡±


    ¡°No, should have been fine. This is the Antarctic breeze¡±


    ¡°No way. That¡¯s super cool!¡± she said and moved a bit closer to the edge of the enormous wall. I followed her unwillingly, holding her by the hand. I was a bit afraid of heights, and there was something uncomfortable about approaching the domain¡¯s border that I could not quite express. Sure, watching the fields of eternal ice outside the walls, while sitting in spring clothes in a city with Spanish weather would be enough to boggle someone¡¯s senses, but there was something more. It was more than a feeling, perhaps a chill I got when approaching the edge, a sense of curious danger, similar to a child approaching an expensive piece of antique china.


    ¡°Come on! Breathe Antarctica!¡± she said and breathed in the frozen breeze.


    ¡°That could be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I feel that the wind we are breathing in here is a bit more recycled than the one outside. I absolutely love this,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Okay but just,¡± I said and handed her a wool jacket I was holding ¡°just cover up a bit at least¡±


    ¡°Aw, cutie¡± she answered and she took it from my hands. She quickly snuggled and smelled it.


    She looked deep into my eyes. I am sure she only had good intentions, but this only exacerbated my awkwardness. Unfortunately, she seemed to always take this as a sign of vulnerability, which was inexplicably a good sign for her.


    ¡°Uhm, let¡¯s walk¡±


    The almost-midnight sun was shining bright, only reminding me how much I missed the winter months. Although the climate was controlled by the domain of Trastamara, the sun was not. We were walking holding hands for the past ten minutes, not really talking. She seemed content. I felt tiny bugs crawling inside my skin.


    ¡°So, what is your plan for next year?¡± I started.


    ¡°Mmhm. I was thinking about the art major at Pizzaro Residence. I was not really sure, but I have been looking through my grandma¡¯s art over the past weeks and trying to replicate things. It seems like it is in my blood¡±


    ¡°Nice!¡±


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    ¡°Plus, I get to stay here in N.T. and get to walk the Paseo with you¡± she giggled ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Eh, I am thinking of actually going to Europe. Spain or even France?¡±


    She stopped our walk.


    ¡°¨¢ngel that is major news,¡± she said with an indeterminate attitude ¡°How come?¡±


    I shrugged it off.


    ¡°Was just thinking I want to see different places you know. High school was a bit much, and maybe there is something actually interesting over there,¡± I blurted out without thinking about it too much. I noticed her expression change from shock to anger.


    ¡°Besides you, of course. You are very interesting. But you know I want to travel now before my studies¡±


    ¡°What the fuck ¨¢ngel!¡±


    ¡°Look, Lucia. It is not exactly easy or fair. But in the end, we are only seventeen, and I have been thinking for a while about my priorities. It was fun, but it was always just about the fun for me. And it has been great!¡± I said to her as fast as I could. Or at least I thought I did, half-way through the sentence, the sun was so bright I had to close my eyes and really focus to get the words out. Cold sweat, shaky hands.


    ¡°¨¢ngel, you are not making any sense. Do you need to sit down?¡± she said getting us towards a bench.


    ¡°I¡ªyes I make sense? It might not be easy to accept Lucia but we need to end this¡± I kept talking but as she sat me on a bench, legs shaking, I started hearing myself speaking and nothing made sense. I was not speaking Spanish, not any other language I recognized for that matter. A family of four next to the bench looked worried at us and the mother of the group turned to Lucia and said something.


    The noise was very muffled.


    ¡°Lucia. I do not understand¡± I tried to say, but again I spoke in tongues. She was now clearly talking to me, but I could hardly tell what.


    Then I felt it. As if something cracked beneath the palm of my left hand, a ripple of electricity passed through me.


    I stood up quickly and grabbed Lucia.


    ¡°We have to run,¡± I said and started running in panic. I could not hear what she said but she started following me.


    ¡°¡ª hear me ¨C where are¡± she yelled at the top of my lungs.


    It did not matter. Even if I did not know what I was running from, but I knew we had to reach those¡­ stairs.


    Why¡ª


    The walls shook as if the earth and wind decided to revolt against gravity. Both of us fell on the floor. Suddenly, my hearing came back. I could hear children screaming and crying. People were looking in shock and wonder. I turned back.


    White mist was engulfing the Paseo, starting from where we were in our walk fifteen minutes ago. The mist was quickly expanding on the wall. Due to the distance, it was not easy to estimate its speed.


    ¡°Lucia, we need to run,¡± I said, as the realization rippled through all the civilians currently on the Paseo. We both started sprinting, heading towards the closest stairs.


    I wished really really hard that we would be faster than the wave of ice. My mind was having difficulty processing what it was sensing; an unnatural scenery, breaking the rules of physics, in a way only that a cursed origin could. The impossible must have happened: the domain was collapsing, before our very eyes.


    ¡°¨¢ngel!¡± She screamed at the top of her lungs. She usually was a good runner, but her panic did not help. I dared to look behind us and saw the white clouds of ice menacingly enlarging and closing the distance on us. I noticed some people, running like us, being engulfed by it, rendering their screams audible only until the cloud reached them.


    These clouds of air were so much lower in temperature than our surroundings, I did not dare fathom what would happen if we were to be engulfed alongside the others.


    ¡°Run!¡± I yelled. We were almost there, at the stairs. Children screaming and a man yelling some names behind us suggested to me that the cloud probably claimed the family that was just beside us, moments before chaos was let loose.


    We grabbed each other¡¯s hands and jumped towards the stone stairs. We glided on the floor and quickly tumbled down the stairs. I hugged to protect her as she cried, and I bruised myself all over during the fall. The light of the Antarctic sun dimmed as the white cloud expanded above our heads, turning everything gray.


    I closed my eyes, wondering if the icy embrace of the Antarctic would reach us now that we had fallen so far down. Maybe the damage would be limited only on the Paseo, and the cloud would not crawl further into the city. Maybe we were still safe. And as I kept thinking that, and moments passed without feeling anything, I thought we had survived whatever was coming. I mustered the courage and opened my eyes, holding my breath.


    Silence, white ice. The cloud was over us. But no cold.


    ¡°Lucia, I think we are fine,¡± I said untucking her from my hug.


    Her frozen body tumbled over next to me, and then I heard a haunting sound as if the finest crystal was breaking. Her left side shattered in bloody red pieces under the fragility of her frozen weight.


    I jumped back crying her name, not daring to even breathe inside what I assumed was that white mist that had chased us before.


    She was dead. A piece of ice shattered in pieces. Then the realization hit: I was not. I was not even cold.


    I let myself breathe. You could see particles of water freezing in the air as I breathed out, but it did not hurt when I inhaled.


    <CITIZENS ¨C THIS IS A PSYCHIC PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. EVACUATE NORTH CHINESE DISTRICT. THE DOMAIN HAS BEEN BREACHED, WITH NO SURVIVORS. RETREAT TO SOUTH CHINESE DISTRICT>


    My head hurt from the psychic intrusion.


    ¡°No survivors?¡± I said out loud, engulfed by white anywhere my eyes could see. ¡°Then what am I?¡±

 Chapter 4 - Nis? // A safe house in K?rimli

    40¡ã55''54.0"N 47¡ã30''40.9"E ¨C Somewhere in Oghuz, Azerbaijan


    18.05.2024- 22.45 UTC +04.00


    ¡°It will kill me,¡± I cried ¡°Please!¡±


    I started squirming in his cold hands.


    He did not relent. I could not know if he possibly even cared, but the reality was I had never sent a message so far.


    ¡°Please at least. Let me hear the rain,¡± I sighed. He did not let go of my throat. But it felt as if he did let go of some control ¨C and suddenly I could listen to the rain, every single droplet, hitting the ground, my cabin¡¯s roof, and the borders of my ward. For reasons unclear, he had shown some mercy.


    I left my gaze drifting guided by the sound of the rain and the clouds clashing ¨C I could hear the people of Daymadere and hear the songs in K?rimli, even where the stars shone in the south of Oghuz. I finally thought, there was a way I could still protect them.


    And as I started whispering his message, I channeled the strength from all the life around me to ensure that my service to this unknown man, would let me cast one last hex.


    Blood started dripping from my nose and ears. I whispered far away, past Bagdad, past Damascus or Cairo. Further than I have ever reached, a whisper in a tongue I cannot comprehend with consequences I could not fathom. Past the sands of Libya, I was looking for covens that could not have possibly heard a whisper from so far away.


    At the same time, I looked inward, in my ward. And as I delivered my whisper to the ends of Sahara, I am sure he heard my very last whisper for none other than himself.


    The debt of life you are taking forbids you ever from approaching this ward again, as long as the rain still plans to fall


    The rain sounded stronger than ever before, and for a moment I let myself drift painlessly away with my whispering, as my body fell to the ground, in a pool of blood.


    I awoke to the intense smell of flowers, in clean silken sheets. I felt a searing pain in my throat as I tried to yawn. I tried to rise from the lying position, but found myself unable to do so, my hands utterly weak to support me. The room was well-lit, with the beams of a setting sun piercing through the curtained windows.


    This was not my house, but something about that flower smell permeating the air was familiar, and my senses reassured me I was safe.


    I tried to recall how I ended up here, but I could not. I remembered I was supposed to be on a mission: ward and protect fields south of Daymadere. But, protect from what?


    I made another attempt to rise from the bed, a bit more successful. Overwhelming fatigue and a desire to stay lying down pulled me like gravity but I managed to put my back against the bed¡¯s headboard.


    Next to me, on the nightstand, there was a small glass of water and a bag of crushed leaves. A note next to that recommended: ?ay for a painless sleep. I moved towards it and released the powdered leaves into the water. I instinctively tried to whisper to it. Again, shearing pain in my throat


    I teared up. I could not whisper through this pain, and I could not remember why. I drank the tea.


    I woke up to what it seemed hours later, covered in sweat. I did not try to speak. Judging by the lighting in the room from the curtained window, I could not have slept that long. I gave it another go at standing up. As I got off the bed and as the after-sleep mind fog cleared, I noticed I was not wearing any clothes. A set of silken robes was lying on the desk across the room.


    Again, I found myself trying to remember what had happened. I reached my neck with my left hand, double-checking it was intact. If anything, my head was in its place.


    I donned the robe. No questions would be answered by me just staying in a random bed. Near the room¡¯s door, I hesitated. Where was I walking to? I went first towards the window and looked outside. All I could see was a small garden and Persian silk trees. This could be anywhere in the region.


    I went back to the door and passed through it, into a living room spacious enough to host a kitchen as well. The house I was in was decorated in brown, gold, and warm red colors, much like the bedroom I was in. A man was cooking something in boiling pots in the kitchen, but the flower aroma was covering any culinary smell.


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    ¡°Here you are,¡± said the man in the kitchen ¡°I am Ramin. You are in a safe house in K?rimli¡±


    He left his cooking utensils and looked towards me. He was shorter than I was, with kind eyes and a two-day stubble beard. He was looking at me dead in the eyes, I think more like a courtesy of trying not to acknowledge me wearing nothing but a robe.


    ¡°I apologize for the lack of proper clothing to offer you. I was supposed to wait for your coven to bring me your appropriate clothing. No idea what is taking them so long,¡± he explained, and I could sense worry in the way his voice lingered over the last word. ¡°So long¡±.


    ¡°What¡­ happened?¡± I asked with a raspy voice.


    ¡°Oh, please protect your voice,¡± he said and ran towards the kitchen, bringing me a hot cup of a pink liquid ¡°Rose tea. Bought it from Caspians¡±


    I nodded as a thank you but looked at him with enquiring persistence.


    ¡°Starling did not give me any details,¡± he said ¡°They brought you here two nights ago, deep into the darkest of night. Your face was covered in blood, still breathing¡±


    ¡°Did they make it?¡± I asked. My voice was weak and cracking, but I did not feel any pain. Whatever wounds I had sustained, they had healed quite quickly. I could remember I was in agony; and beyond worried I had failed my coven. As much as I could strive to remember, I could not.


    What were they supposed to achieve, even? I remembered it was crucial, but why?


    He sat uncomfortably across the room. ¡°Well, no? Yes? I am not sure. Starling said they failed and was tight-lipped about the details. However, any pressure on Oghuz has stopped. They also stopped the wild propaganda of the last weeks. At least on the radio.¡±


    I felt my head hurt. No matter how much I tried, I could remember but fragments of that night. ¡°So, I was attacked,¡± I said trying to recount what happened.


    ¡°Yes¡±


    ¡°But who did I whisper¡± I asked in complete confusion ¡°I remember¡­ a desert. Far away¡± I could feel the sand falling on my hands and feet as I was compelled to whisper a message far away. It was in another language, something Latin sounding.


    ¡°I do not know. Look, you can take some of my old sister¡¯s clothes, in the wardrobe,¡± he said eagerly going towards the kitchen ¡°Meanwhile I hope Starling shows up soon.¡±


    I did not pick up the worry in his voice, instead, I simply found my way toward the bedroom again. Searching into the wardrobe I indeed found some clothes that could potentially fit me. As I started changing, I felt uneasy.


    I still did not know where I was, or who this man was. He knew Starling ¨C which I guess was a positive sign. But still, there were so many gaps in the story to fill. For starters: where were my clothes? Why was I so calm?


    As I dressed myself fully, I could not help but feel cozy. I decided to cut myself some slack. Even if I did not remember, something horrible must have happened to me that night, and Ramin ¨C whoever that was ¨C had given me refuge, clean clothes, and a chance to heal. I opened the windows of the room and inhaled deeply. The evening breeze mixed with flower aroma filled my nostrils.


    ¡°Hey, dinner is ready!¡± Ramin yelled from inside.


    Not much was said while we sat around the dinner table. The hot soup made my throat feel better, so I could chat, but neither of us initiated any important topics. I spent most of the time observing him and trying to get to know him. I learned that he was also Cursed, a satellite of Starling¡¯s coven, maintaining a safe place if anyone needed it.


    A small radio was playing music, a song that sounded familiar. Perhaps from my days in the Caspian Sea? I could not tell.


    ¡­v? onlar?n


    i?i yaln?z,


    i???? tapmaq idi¡­


    A male voice sang through an unstable radio connection.


    I looked at Ramin and wondered what his curse was. The moment the thought jumped in my head; I pushed it away. It was beyond rude to ask someone that, and improper of me to even be curious about it. My head hurt a bit.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked with visible concern ¡°Need some more soup?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ no, I am fine, really,¡± I said, but I was not. I knew what this headache was, a premonition, a warning. A similar feeling to when I would receive a whisper, but instead generated by my subconscious. ¡°I could do with a bath if that is alright¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said ¡°Of course, it is in that corner. There are clean towels already there for you, and they are already warmed up. I can stay and clean up a bit here¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡±


    The bathroom was already steamy and lit only by aromatic candles. I closed and locked the door behind me, making sure no one would interrupt me. It felt important to do so, and I could not shake the feeling something was off. I paused.


    Why my sudden paranoia? Everything was fine.


    I turned on the faucet to fill the bath with water. I blew some candles out and closed my eyes standing outside the bathtub. I tried to deprive myself of senses: no sight, no smell, no hearing but the water running. I tried to sense any shadows or even any whispers from the rest of the coven.


    I did not dare to whisper, as my body did not feel ready. I was still hoping there would be someone reaching out to me. Nothing. Complete silence.

 Chapter 5 - Khalida // No Calling like this

    27¡ã20''N 15¡ã25''E  - Sabha District, Libya


    20.05.2024 - 15.30 UTC +02.00


    The off-road 4x4 car struggled when we opted to go through the dunes, even though that was exactly its purpose.


    ¡°Others got a Calling sister, but not like this¡± Qadir said. He was obviously worried about the quest I had decided to accept, but still joined in for the ride. He was Cursed like me, a young man able to hear the Nabd. It was a common curse in our tribe ¨C a Curse that passed on from protector to protector of the area, allowing us to hear the blood of our enemies and never be caught off guard.


    Mostly, the few Cursed that would be born would then always stay on the family¡¯s land and use our Curse to protect it. In a few rare cases, the Curse would evolve to a Calling.


    I smiled at him. ¡°We are not that far baby brother; you can still get off and run back to Sabha, maybe catch a ride to our home¡±


    ¡°And leave you on your own? You¡¯re joking,¡± he said angrily.


    Our driver confirmed directions with the rest of the convoy. We had made the decision not to make a stop ¨C we had enough fuel to reach Waw al Kabir and perhaps stay the night there. Crossing to Chad would be our next problem, but reaching the south was our primary goal for now.


    I heard the responses from the rest of the convoy, coming in through the communications and confirming the plan. Our family had enough connections in Fezzan to ramp up proper custody for me during the trip. They provided an ambitious budget to Qadir and I, and a promise of riches and power to our entourage. A Calling was a chance of a lifetime for any family, and my family did not have any such curses in the latest centuries. I was the first, as far as records showed, and that excited our parents. Qadir shared that excitement, although I could feel his worry sometimes.


    I was also excited, in a way ¨C but more carefully optimistic. When the Calling overwhelmed me, my whole existence and purpose were aligned with it, and it did not seem like I really had a choice but to obey its direction. This was the way Callings worked for all that bore that Curse. There was a limit to how much excitement I could have, when I was but a vessel.


    ¡°Relax,¡± I answered to him ¡°It will probably be nothing. Remember Munya? Traveled all the way to Tripoli, only to come back later just a bit richer.¡±


    ¡°Well, that would not hurt,¡± Qadir said. We stayed silent for a while. A Calling to Tripoli was not that hard to fulfill, and there were quite a few mystical stops on the road to Tripoli, mapped by other Cursed to share knowledge. A Calling towards different states of central Africa seemed like a suicide mission.


    I had been reading through the journals my mother provided me with in preparation for the trip, books inherited by Cursed generations of the wisest Fezzan scholars. I had learned particularly a lot about the dangers that one could face chasing a Calling. The scariest one was the existence of Maydan, spheres of influence that powerful Cursed could expand around them and force away any Cursed that does not work for them. There was a whole set of politics of the Cursed world, overlapping with the usual people. Cursed leaders able to expand such spheres of influence could eventually shape the fate of whole countries.


    I knew for a fact that neither I nor Qadir had such a Curse. As unique as it was, a Calling was not stronger than any Maydan, but it did bear its own plans. If these plans were clashing with the wishes of any other Cursed in my way and I stepped into their Maydan, who knows what could happen. To make matters worse, the plans of my Calling were unclear. I only knew that as I travelled south, it did not compel me to change direction. And as I chased its direction I could only guess what its purpose was.


    ¡°Khalida, get out of your head,¡± my brother said, noticing me visibly worrying ¡°It will be fine. Have some sleep, I will be on the look-out.¡±


    That, I could trust. He might have been young but his sense of Nabd was more than enough to protect us from immediate danger.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said and laid my head on his shoulder. He might have been seven years younger than me, and would always be my baby brother, but I was glad I could feel his protection.


    I slept like a log. No dreams, no Calling.


    ¡°Hey sis, wake up,¡± my brother said ¡°We got very delayed by the weather, but now we are in Waw al Kabir¡± I looked outside of the car window. The sun was setting prematurely on a sand hill on our west. But right outside of the window, a small town sprawled between the sand hills.


    ¡°We have found rooms in a nearby hostel. We can rest there and buy more fuel tomorrow morning¡± he explained as he opened the door for me.


    I exited trying to push the sleepiness away from my eyelids. I nodded and started following him.


    As we walked through the town, some of our entourage drifted towards a tavern near our hostel. It seemed like a good option to calm the nerves.


    My brother was just about to ask me ¨C ¡°I am not hungry¡± I answered him immediately.


    ¡°No, we have skipped two meals, you need to eat,¡± he said but my attention had already waltzed away from him.


    I looked dead ahead in the center of the street. ¡°No. There is somewhere I need to go first¡± I said and started walking.


    ¡°Khalida!¡± he yelled at me and then scoffed in despair. He signed towards two of the men of our caravan, who stood up disgruntled and started following me ¡°Khalida wait for us!¡±


    Honestly, there was no reason not to follow them into the tavern and eat before venturing into the town ¨C but that was not how a Calling worked. It was pushing me already to act, and I had to follow before I would lose its trace. It was beckoning me to walk through the town now.


    I could see the inquiring eyes of the people in the streets I passed by, fixating on me. Three men on my trail, all of us strangers, I was sure people were already suspicious just by looking at us.


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    I must look like a celebrity with her entourage, I thought, but I had no intention of slowing down. I turned around a shady street.


    ¡°Khalida, these streets are empty,¡± my brother whispered next to my ear ¡°What are we doing here?¡±


    I pointed towards a house with no lights on at the end of the street.


    ¡°There is someone there I need to meet,¡± I said.


    ¡°Sister, use your senses. These houses are abandoned.¡±


    ¡°This one is not,¡± I responded contrary to my senses. Indeed, my sense of Nabd was picking up no pulse, no blood pumping there. But I knew I was right ¨C the Calling could see through whatever was hiding them from other Curses.


    As we kept walking towards the house, a small candlelight lit near an open window.


    Qadir pulled a small firearm out of his pocket, and the two men following us did the same.


    ¡°Khalida, whatever is in there does not have a pulse. Please-¡±


    I turned towards him.


    ¡°Listen. This is what you signed up for. If we are to follow my Calling, decisions will not make sense. Your role is not to doubt me, but to escort me.¡±


    <WELL SAID, YOUNG ONE> an old woman¡¯s voice echoed in my head.


    ¡°Shit did you hear that¡± Qadir said. He turned towards the roof of the house next to us. ¡°Look¡±


    Three crows perched on the side of the roof watching us, completely unmoving and still.


    <TELL YOUR MEN TO STAND DOWN> The same voice echoed in my head as one of the crows opened its mouth.


    I raised my hand and showed I agreed. The two men lowered their weapons, while Qadir hesitated. With just one glance from me at him, he obeyed.


    <THEY CAN WAIT OUTSIDE>


    ¡°Stay here. If I don¡¯t return in fifteen minutes, storm the place¡± I said to them, loudly so that the crows could hear me.


    The crows flew away from the nearby roof and towards the candle-lit window of the ominous house. I followed.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Qadir said.


    As I opened the door to the house, I found myself in a dark hallway. I did not need hesitate; I walked directly into a door to the right of the entrance. I walked confidently as if I knew the layout of the house.


    ¡°Peculiar,¡± an old woman sitting in a kitchen said, right as I stepped in, ¡°how could you possibly find me?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± I responded examining the room. Stuffed with vases containing spices, herbs, and tea leaves, a fire stove, and a table too big for just one person. The woman looked directly at me, but I looked at her clothes. Covered entirely in robes with weaved symbols I could not recognize, only her eyes and the front of her face were visible. Judging from her looks, she could easily be older than seventy years old.


    ¡°I have warded the house with my strongest hexes. No mere witchling like you could be able to sense through that,¡± she responded. She lifted her arm holding a long cigarette and smoked, puffing a big cloud of herbal aroma into the room.


    ¡°I am guided by a Calling, and I am supposed to ask you something,¡± I stated unsure of what I even meant. She did not react but only smoked a bit more. For a few moments, there was nothing but awkward silence in the room. I found myself twisting my wrists awkwardly.


    ¡°Well, I am all ears,¡± she said eventually.


    All that time I was standing in the entrance of the kitchen, as if I was waiting for permission. I moved ahead towards the table and approached a chair. As the woman nodded, I sat across.


    ¡°I do not know. I really don¡¯t. The moment I stepped into the room the Calling left me¡± I admitted. ¡°The stop in this town was not even part of the initial plan. But, as soon as I stepped out of the car, my Calling pushed me. It felt like you would answer my question, so I followed¡±


    ¡°Young one, I have answers to many questions, you need to be specific.¡±


    I felt ashamed and patronized ¨C but rightfully so. I had barged into this presumably powerful Cursed person¡¯s house, and I did not even know why. And maybe, that was the point.


    ¡°Why do I not understand my Calling?¡± I asked her a question I dared not ask not even my mother ¡°I know Callings are supposed to be secret, but I have absolutely no clue where I am even going. Is this how it is supposed to work?¡±


    ¡°So you are lost,¡± she said standing up. As she rose from her seat, she revealed she was taller than I expected from a woman her age. Her eyes pierced through mine.


    ¡°I might have something for you¡±


    She walked towards the drawers of the kitchen behind her, and started looking through a variety of items: from books to cooking utensils, some ugly hand-made talismans, even animal fur. She hurled things around, seemingly knowing exactly what she was looking for.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A map for your journey¡± she responded cryptically ¡°but it is not for free.¡±


    She turned facing me, holding a paper scrolled in her palms. I looked at her. Who knew what kind of curses she had? There were all kinds of malicious Cursed people out there ¨C how did I know she was not one of them?


    ¡°Let me make it easy for you. One of my Curses is Dealings. I can offer you treasures in return for powerful pacts. Your actions will abide by the pact I set until it is fulfilled or I break it.¡± I had never heard of a Curse like this. Could she be lying?


    ¡°This map will show you the routes in Central Africa to avoid the most powerful and treacherous Maydan. Without it, you don¡¯t stand a chance to reach much further than the borders of Chad.¡±


    I stood up. I had no interest in making any Cursed bargains. The risk outweighed any benef-


    ¡°What are your terms?¡± I asked compelled by my Calling. I saw her smiling. This old witch knew how a Calling worked, and she enjoyed toying with me.


    ¡°Hm. Here is your question after all ¨C and I have an answer¡± she approached ¡°Once you fulfill your Calling, you will have to come back here to me, and have a cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Then, you die,¡± she responded coldly ¡°So? Is that a deal?¡±


    No chance. This was simply too random, and binding my fate like this was idiotic.


    ¡°Yes, it is a deal¡± I responded and grabbed the map from her hands, hating with every fiber of my body that I was Cursed by such a careless Calling. I felt my jaw tighten in pain.


    ¡°Good. Now please go. Your men will start to worry outside¡± she said calmly approaching her table again.


    My hands were trembling. I had just bound my life to her ¨C for what? What was even the point? To have tea? Why would my Calling force me to accept this?


    ¡°Khalida?¡± my brother yelled the moment I exited the house ¡°I was ready to call the rest of the men. I could not sense you¡±


    I ran to him and hugged him. I could feel his worried breathing. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I have what we need.¡±

 Chapter 6 - è°©ngel // The survivor

    76¡ã00¡¯08.2¡±S 53¡ã43¡¯31.2¡±E ¨C Nuevo Trujillo, Spanish Antarctic Colonies


    19.05.2024- 00.00 UTC +3.00


    <CITIZENS ¨C THIS IS A PSYCHIC PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. EVACUATE NORTH CHINESE DISTRICT. THE DOMAIN HAS BEEN BREACHED, WITH NO SURVIVORS. RETREAT TO SOUTH CHINESE DISTRICT>


    The announcement persisted once again in my head. My girlfriend¡¯s shattered body was lying right next to me, as I tried to regain control of my breathing. One bizarre thought kept popping up in my mind.


    Why am I alive?


    I knew fully well the sub-zero temperatures around me would not have crystallized me instantly like Lucia ¨C so there was something more at play. On the other hand, I was only wearing a T-shirt in Antarctica, and I only felt mild discomfort from the breeze.


    I looked at my exposed arms and hands, as I tried to make sense of what happened. My hands were even sweaty from the stress.


    ¡°Am I dead? Am I a ghost?¡± I asked out loud, wondering if hearing the question would make it less ridiculous. I was very much alive and, besides the bruising from tumbling down the stairs of the Paseo, feeling fine. I checked my pockets. My phone was completely shattered, and as much as I would wish to function, it would not respond to any of my button pressing.


    A thumping noise came from the direction of the Paseo. My skin crawled and I turned towards the general direction of its walls, but I could not tell what exactly I heared. It sounded as if something collapsed, but the sound was carried away by the thick white sub-zero temperature cloud that was covering the area. The cloud held strong all over around me, limiting my vision to only five meters or so. Orienting myself would be difficult, but not impossible if I simply chose to walk as far away as I could from the direction of the Paseo. I shot a last look at Lucia¡¯s remains and the guilt overwhelmed me. I had somehow managed to make her final moments an awkward teenage break-up, although I am sure she probably did not care anymore.


    Okay, focus. I had to get out of there and find someone to explain to me what was happening. Mourning Lucia respectfully would have to wait for another time.


    ¡°It was good knowing you and eh,¡± I said, feeling more frustrated than sad. I hadn¡¯t asked to be the one to survive and I felt immense pressure to say some impressive honorary words. But I had nothing, and no one was around to see or hear this. ¡°Bye,¡± I said awkwardly and started walking through the white cloud.


    I kept walking for a good ten minutes, unfortunately still very much inside the white cloud of ice. I was now in the Chinese District, an area that used to be something like the Chinatown of N.T. From the announcement before, it sounded as if its southern part was safe, so I had a good amount of walking to go through.


    It was not heavy on the legs, so much as on the mind. The entire area was normally heavily populated and quite developed. While civilians here might have had a minute or so to evacuate more than we had at the Paseo, most of them were caught running in the street, now completely frozen in place. I could not help but look at the people of all ages who had since turned into ice sculptures in their final pose. Some of them seemed like they were running in the street, and some were completely shattered. Perhaps they jumped from a nearby window in panic, as the cloud engulfed their home.


    A terrifying thought invaded my mind: what if whatever was keeping me warm would stop doing that any moment? Maybe I was just lucky for a passing moment, spared by some kind of divine providence ¨C and then any second I could just turn into a frozen sculpture. The thought ironically caused me to sweat even more, but I decided to start walking faster, paving my way through the snow. Running on the frozen roads was not an option, but feeling the increasing risk I was in I did not hold back and picked up the pace.


    It must have been a total of thirty minutes of walking fast in this condition. I had stopped looking at the frozen people around me, realizing that I could not carry the thought of all the thousands of dead people surrounding me. Finally, the fog had started to thin out and I could hear commotion and noise dead ahead.


    ¡°Help!¡± I started yelling as I ran ¡°Please help!¡±


    These last seconds before I exited the fog were the most terrifying. The idea that I could just freeze over a few meters before escaping urged me to make sure people heard me and witness that I had at the very least reached so far. So, I yelled as much as I could I was running.


    ¡°I am here! I am here!¡±


    Eventually I exited the fog and ran into what looked like an emergency camp. Tents were set up everywhere in a plaza I could no longer recognize. People were wearing heavy coats, and what seemed like doctors ran around tending to people lying on beds. Some of them did not visibly look hurt, just unconscious. Others had limbs frozen over or cut off.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    As I walked in the middle of the scene, I realized immediately I looked out of place. I was wearing my summer clothes, I was probably the most in shape than anyone else, and I had yelled so loud that the entire camp was looking at me.


    A doctor came right towards me looking perplexed. She pulled a flashlight to look directly into my face as I winced back. Covered in fur and snow, hands trembling and her breath visibly shaking, she was revealing a stark contrast with my demeanour.


    ¡°You-do you- are you alright?¡± she asked, visibly more in shock than I was.


    ¡°Yes, I think so? What is happening?¡± I asked confused. People rose up to look at me, or turned around whispering. No one dared come near however. The doctor called two of what must have been her assistants that hesitantly approached. She started giving them orders to cover me in blankets and lead me to a tent.


    ¡°Please tell me what is happening?¡± I insisted.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know right now,¡± she said, with a quiet voice, trying to compose herself ¡°but we need to get you somewhere warm, and quick. You must be¡­ freezing.¡±


    I followed her as we crossed the small camp, approaching a huge military tent, rippling and moving by the cold streams of wind. The tent pulsed and jumped when we opened the zip cover. Inside, more people were cramped, covered in blankets and gauze around amputated limbs. The tent kept some warmth and provided refuge from the powerful winds outside. It was clear however, people would quickly need some proper hospitalization.


    ¡°Please wait for me,¡± the woman said, and left me sitting on a chair ¡°I will be coming right away,¡± she said, albeit a bit reluctantly.


    I obeyed. I had no option. A radio inside the tent was broadcasting news from across N.T through heavy static. I felt numbed by panic as I tried to understand what the radio was broadcasting. This was way bigger than I initially feared. Were other places affected? Had this cloud reached the center ¨C were my parents okay? Or did they turn like Lucia? The sound of her shattering into pieces haunted me. I gradually sank into anxiety and realized I began feeling cold. I held even stronger onto my blankets and tried to calm myself down.


    I waited in the tent but dared not make a sound to complain. People lying in there were hurt and moaning in pain I could only try to imagine. I looked at my watch and realized that I had been waiting for a good while.


    I stood up still holding on to my blankets and walked towards the exit of the tent. As I opened the entrance only a bit, I saw outside a crowd had gathered. Not just any crowd: soldiers dressed in military equipment and holding rifles. I was about to head back and sit at my place when I noticed my doctor talking with them.


    A feeling of doubt and paranoia crawled up my spine. I looked around in the tent I was in; all the victims of the attack were lucky if they were conscious, and only having lost one arm. And here I was, jumping out of the cloud of icy death looking all fine. How many questions must have been raised? I obviously knew I had nothing to do with what happened ¨C but the realization that I looked more guilty than anyone else in this camp quickly hit.


    The doctor pointed towards the tent, and I stood back. Did they see me looking? Were they here for me? Were all these guns here for me?


    I started sweating again and I dropped the blanket. Should I wait and explain to them? Would they even wait for me to explain or was I about to get into deadly trouble? Should I run?


    Suddenly, the regular black military-grade tent stopped moving, as if it had turned to stone. I stopped hearing the commotion outside or inside the tent.


    ¡°You have to come with me,¡± a voice said. I turned startled towards the middle of the tent, where a young man was standing. He was also wearing a big coat, different from the rest. One hand was wearing a glove, while the other one was exposed. A peculiar symbol glimmered on the back of his palm.


    His expression was worried but more confident than mine. His sharp and imposing characteristics only made his command sound more serious, although he was only slightly older than me. Twenty-something perhaps. He pointed outside.


    ¡°There is a whole battalion of troops ready to storm the entire camp to get their hands on the Survivor,¡± he stressed with a purposeful intention the ¡°survivor¡±. Was I supposed to be this survivor? I wondered what he meant by that: so many in this camp had survived the onslaught of ice, much as I had, although not unscathed like me.


    Everyone else in the tent seemed to not bother worrying about the weird man in the middle. It was as if only I could see him. I started doubting myself: was I hallucinating?


    ¡°My ward can hide us, but only for a while. You either stay or follow.¡±


    His ward? What was he even talking about? I sensed the tent trembling again, and apparently whatever his hand and symbol were doing, was quickly dissipating. I had to make a call. Once he saw my decisiveness, he started walking towards the exit of the tent.


    ¡°Muffle your ears, stay close and don¡¯t let even a whimper out¡± he commanded, keeping his arm up. I listened and put my hands against my ears, and as he opened the tent, I did even more so.


    It sounded as if all the sounds of the camp were magnified to the tenth-degree. The young man started running across the camp, avoiding all the soldiers that were walking towards us. I stayed next to him to the best of my abilities, trying to hold myself from yelling: the noise was absolute madness.


    Whatever this man was doing, no one noticed us running among the soldiers. It was not as if they could not see us, sure they glanced at us. But at the same time, they averted their gaze as if we were unimportant.


    The man kept running and I ran next to him. And for the third time that hour, another terrifying thought crossed my mind. If the soldiers came for me thinking I had something to do with that white cloud, why was this man helping me?

 Chapter 7 - Nis? // RUN

    40¡ã58¡¯57.7¡±N 47¡ã29¡¯11.3¡±E ¨C K?rimli, Azerbaijan


    20.05.2024 ¨C 17.30 Local Time


    I inhaled and exhaled. I tried to go back into that night. I remembered¡­ locking myself in the cabin, spreading sand around it to create a powerful ward. And I waited long for¡­ for what? What happened? I felt inexplicably tense the more I pushed myself to remember. And then as unexpected as always, my eyes opened to a vision.


    All I could see was an endless desert, houses built in the sand, and no vegetation in sight. It was almost midday. The vision intensified.


    I was floating in the middle of the scenery, looking around for whatever might indicate the importance of this location. This was clairvoyance. It was not what I initially was aiming for, but it could reveal unexpected clues. My subconscious had pulled me into this vision for some reason, even if I did not know why. I grew still and tried to examine my surroundings.


    My clairvoyance usually worked in real time so if now it was midday there, this place must have been very far to the west from here. Europe has no such deserts. Africa?


    I tried to walk on the sun-scorched sand of this desert. I kneeled and touched it, sifting through it, to see if it triggered anything.


    ¡°Ah,¡± I exasperated a surprised cry.


    Something sharp had bit me under the sand. I could feel my finger bleeding, vividly in the vision. I started shifting the sand around, looking for it. For the sign. A small scorpion jumped out of the sand and skittered away. Its body was dark like charcoal, but its legs were white like sand. Morocco, or Western Sahara. I just knew some-


    -how. I woke up from the vision in the middle of the bathroom. The bathtub was almost full, but then again, it did not matter. I immediately noticed my finger was bleeding, also in real life. A small but tactical nick at the edge of my finger. And then right in front of me, the mirror of the bathroom was smothered in blood. Not randomly, but shaping a word in Azerbaijani, in Arabic.


    RUN


    As I read the word, I froze, and my heart started pumping blood faster into my brain. My powers have been trying to warn me all day, and now telling me to run. I picked up a wet towel and quickly cleaned the mirror. Was Ramin the one I had to run away from?


    I stopped the running water, the bathtub almost full and ready to overflow. The intoxicating smell of flowers emanating from the bathtub aromas nearby blurred my vision.


    Is he fucking with my head somehow? Is it this aroma? I almost tripped and fell wondering this.


    ¡°All good Nis??¡± he asked from outside the door.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I said with a cracking voice.


    ¡°All right, let me know if you need anything,¡± he said and I heard him moving away.


    I went into the bathtub. I was in no condition to run anywhere right now ¨C and even if I was, I had no clue where to go to find my coven. I had no idea why I had a vision of the Sahara Desert. And I had no clue what this man wanted from me. But I had an obvious idea of how to get all my answers from him.


    I found myself standing in the kitchen, humming some melody I had long forgotten. Ramin was cleaning the dishes, and I was holding a cup of tea. I closed my eyes trying to remember again.


    RUN


    A message I had left to myself, an indeterminate amount of time earlier. As I slowly left the teacup on the table, I had to convince myself not to relax with this cozy feeling. I was under the influence of some substance, enchantment, or perhaps an aggressive ward: I was being kept hostage. I sat down, even though I knew I had to run.


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    ¡°What¡¯s that song about?¡± Ramin asked me as I kept humming a melody.


    ¡°The sun. About the day that the sun went out, and people had to invent light to find themselves¡± I explained. I laughed a bit.


    ¡°It does not sound that funny,¡± he said jokingly.


    No, it wasn¡¯t. But my mind was sending me subliminal messages, trying to break me free. I kept humming the song as I looked straight into the tea in my teacup. What was the reason I was cooperative? Was it a poison in the tea? Was it the food? Did Ramin do something to me while I was asleep?


    As I kept humming, I tried to exert my ward, just enough to flicker the lights. Ramin did not seem to notice. Something kept a strong hold over me, and I seemed unable to stop my good attitude, even though logically I should be trying to run away.


    I tried once more while humming with a bit more flair. The lights went off.


    ¡°Oh no, another outage,¡± Ramin cursed ¡°Since this domain war has started it has always been like this. The municipality blames the bad infrastructure, but there is nothing one can do against shadows. I need to go restart the generator, maybe give it the good-old spank¡±


    I nodded; and pretended I was lost in the melody I was humming. The moment he left I stood up, as I kept going with my melody ¨C not because I was compelled to, but to remind myself what I intended to do, in case I forgot. I started going through the drawers of the kitchen. All I needed was a candle, or even a lighter perhaps.


    My ward powers were quite powerful, as they could nullify most malicious curses. If anything could help release me from this situation, that was it. That said, my ward powers were balanced out by quite strong restrictions. They were interacting with light, and if I tried to create a ward I usually -at best- disabled simple electricity like I did a moment ago. Furthermore, I could only concentrate on a ward I would cast around small open flames. I had already learned that if I cleansed sand through those flames, I could create a fine powder that I could use to define wider and more permanent warded areas. All I had to do was sprinkle cleansed sand around the area I needed to ward and ascertain no one broke the circle.


    The best was sand scorched by the sun, which was the fastest to cleanse. I had trained long on Caspian beaches to develop such rituals. I had gone through intense training alongside Zephyr, a Whisperer from Zaqatala. These were blessed times: connecting with the elements of the Caspian Sea and tuning into the bright sun¡¯s rays.


    I looked at the oven in front of me. Where was I again? Not the Caspian Sea, and I haven¡¯t heard whispers from Zephyr in a while. I had to


    RUN


    and for that, I was trying to find something. I stopped humming and cursed. What was it?


    Wait, what melody was I humming?


    One day the sun went out, and people had to invent light to find themselves


    I said that part out loud, and let my hands guide me through the kitchen¡¯s drawers. I could hear Ramin cursing and coming back up the stairs, failing to reignite the lights I had killed


    There were no candles. But there, a box of matches. That should do. I pulled a few matches out of the box. Without rubbing them on the side of the box, I kept one out and waited for Ramin to march into the room. Once he did, I blew on one of the matches, and as if it knew, it ignited on its own. A red flame sparked and for the first time in hours, I could think straight again.


    As he entered the room, he looked confused and then startled. I said nothing, only looking at him as intimidatingly as I could.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°I am¡­ Ramin,¡± he said coming closer. He was not threatening, he seemed more drawn to my lit match.


    ¡°Why are you keeping me here? Under whose orders?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer¡± I commanded.


    ¡°No¡­ please. It feels, different¡± he said and then looked around. ¡°Where are we?¡±


    Before my match¡¯s flame would go out, I blew on another one.


    ¡°Stop these goddamn games¡± I yelled at him ¡°This is where you are keeping me. But I have allies¡±


    ¡°Keeping you? I am not even sure where we are¡± he insisted, but I had already started whispering.


    --Starling, Zephyr, anyone. I am locked somewhere in South Oghuz, Nis?


    Suddenly, Ramin jumped towards me.


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t!¡± he said as he grabbed my arms and stopped my whisper.


    ¡°Do not touch me, vile man!¡± The match fell on the ground, but before it could go out, I blew on the third one. He backed off.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand! We must run away, and you just warned them!¡± He screamed at me.


    ¡°Starling will save me from you, but you are free to run. I have no intention to harm you, but they will.¡±


    ¡°But I cannot without your flame. This¡­ What day is it?¡± he asked in panic.


    For a moment I tried to decipher what he meant. His reaction to my breaking whatever controlling hex was placed upon me was opposite to what I expected.


    ¡°It was May eighteen when I was hurt. Not sure what day is today,¡± I responded before he would yell again. The look of despair on his face said all I needed to know. ¡°You are not my captor, aren¡¯t you? You are my cellmate.¡±


    I looked out the window. Who was keeping me here? I searched my pocket for more matches and readily blew on one more.


    ¡°How do you know Starling?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°I¡­ do not remember. But I know they have to do with us¡­ being in this house. I remember telling you they are coming soon, and all I could feel was fear.¡±


    My heart started pounding. I was in a coven created by a very powerful Cursed individual who hid behind the persona of ¡°Starling¡±. They had more Curses than I knew and were a very dangerous influential person who I thought were working to protect me. But now, it seemed there was a good chance that this Ramin said the truth and I was imprisoned in this warm cozy house by Starling¡¯s orders.


    Was I supposed to trust this man? And do what?


    RUN

 Chapter 8 - Demi // What I am

    6¡ã35¡¯44.9¡±N 6¡ã04¡¯44.2¡±W ¨C Near Kou¨¦tinfla, Ivory Coast


    18.05.2024 ¨C 20.00 UTC+00:00


    The wilderness became the natural choice of path. Even Akissi, once she realized how slow Kouadio could move while Sparked by my curse, she agreed that staying on a road was just too risky. Well, it always was because of the nature of our mission, but even more so, because it would be increasingly difficult to explain our companion¡¯s state to even a simple civilian crossing our path.


    Admittedly though, the path through the wilderness led by a Sparked body was not only slow but also quite exhausting for me. Once the sun set, we tried to continue, but our progress was so slow that when Guarin suggested we make camp, no one really voiced their opinion for or against that and simply obeyed. Although, no one had really voiced any opinion the last hours.


    Akissi knew Kouadio personally, so she was the one most affected by his current state. I could see in her expression that she despised me even more for not letting him find whatever peace he should, but also her uneasiness with agreeing with the status quo. Really, what other choice did we have? If indeed these lands were a domain designed to kill us if we carried what Kouadio had in his pouches, one would have to volunteer to risk his life and carry it instead. Seemed like a pointless argument given how Kouadio was dead already, and no one would want to be my next Sparked.


    Guarin had another type of concern. As we sat around the fire and I drank some water from my waterskin, I quickly noticed he looked troubled by thought and busy trying to work out a solution. It didn¡¯t look like a moral trouble like Akissi¡¯s ¨C no, it was something more practical.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be far from Kou¨¦tinfla,¡± he said to Rox and I. Akissi was gone in search for anything edible in the surrounding area.


    ¡°And why do you sound like this is something bad?¡± Rox asked.


    ¡°Well, for one thing,¡± he pointed towards Kouadio, standing still lifeless a bit further from the camp.


    ¡°Do not worry. As long as I am alive, he is attached to me¡± I clarified.


    They paused.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± he said in the end ¡°The first problem is he is a temporary solution.¡±


    Rox and I were focused on him ¨C this situation was right up his alley, finding problems in solutions and vice versa.


    ¡°I mean, eventually, when we reach the town, we will have to leave him behind. We can¡¯t just walk around with a zombie. One of us will have to carry his things. And we saw how instantly that hex worked on Kouadio. What if the domain extends to that point?¡±


    We all sat in silence.


    ¡°Not a fan of the z-word,¡± Rox said ¡°But I get your worry.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe the entire area is under this scream-hex domain?¡± I wondered ¡°This would take a very powerful Curse¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the second issue. We were supposed to meet more support there. After Marin¡­ I called in for reinforcements.¡± Begrudgingly, he tried to start a small campfire. Rox seemed lost in her thoughts, and I suddenly felt hopeful. The reinforcements would probably have at least one more Cursed, and I would no longer carry the weight of this entire team. Not that Akissi was not a capable threat in a fight, but even she could not do much against such powerful hexes.


    ¡°And these reinforcements. Would be of the Cursed kind.¡± Rox said exactly what I was thinking, although she looked more worried than relieved. Even for a more progressive person like her, a Cursed individual remained a hard pill to swallow.


    ¡°Well, yeah. But someone is controlling the area so¡­¡± Guarin said.


    ¡°¡­so either our enemies found our reinforcements, or they haven¡¯t arrived yet¡± I finished his sentence.


    ¡°Which leaves us¡­¡± he managed to start some smoke with his sticks and matches ¡°completely alone.¡±


    Akissi dropped a basket with roots and vegetables next to us. She said something in Baoul¨¦.


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    ¡°We were always alone,¡± Rox translated.


    The atmosphere of the small group only got worse while Rox prepared the sad tasteless stew of whatever those roots were. No one had anything smart to say, and our position seemed as desperate as it could. Even Guarin did not dare discuss what we would do tomorrow: wait for reinforcements that may never arrive or proceed ahead completely alone. Who knows what waited for us in the next town.


    ¡°You know, I just need to ask,¡± Rox said breaking her silence, her voice audibly trembling with a hint of sadness ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do the spider thing with Marin as well? Why didn¡¯t you have him carry all our pouches from the moment he died?¡±


    ¡°Kouadio might have been alive now¡± I added ¡°Is that why you ask?¡±


    I sighed, I guess it did not matter at that point.


    ¡°I cannot spark Cursed individuals. The Curses we bear¡± I hesitated ¡°destroy what people usually have, you can call it a soul if you want, that my spiders aim to Spark and animate.¡± I explained. Akissi cursed in her unique way.


    ¡°So, the only way for this to work would be one of you to die first. Actually, that is exactly why I was paid for this job¡± I said trying to sound as neutral and calm as I could. I have gone over this conversation with so many different groups of mercenaries like this before. Some went well, some went bad. But I had learned that if I showed emotion, that was when people got the angriest.


    No one said anything. Rox just looked right at the pot she was making the soup in, clearly trying to hold back whatever she was going to say.


    ¡°Marin knew this. But still jumped in the middle to save you, not because of the mission. You were never essential. But because he was a genuinely, stupidly, good person¡± I said in the end.


    Guarin stood up and went towards his tent. Rox showed him the pot of boiling muddy soup, but he gestured goodbye. The rest of us had a bowl of the concoction and then turned in for the night. Akissi would have the first watch, not that it mattered to me. I chose not to say, but Kouadio would automatically charge anyone trying to even approach me threateningly.


    ¡°Just wake me up in a couple of hours,¡± Rox said and headed to her tent. As I did as well.


    In my tent, I opened my backpack. I took out a small journal, that I kept the past decade through my missions. It was written in a coded form of Dida, so no one would ever be able to read this. Nonetheless, I always hoped that one day, once this diary was filled up with enough horrors, and I ended up dead and forgotten, someone would break its code and read it. Sometimes I even referred to that future reader. It was perhaps the easiest way to battle the loneliness of my Curse.


    I wrote everything from the last couple of days, until my eyes could not take it anymore.


    I guess. I just really hate what I am.


    That was the last sentence I wrote before falling asleep.


    At first, I heard the blood moving. Sleepless blood and hearts racing. My bloodsense was strong on dreamless nights ¨C but was this real or just a dream? I shifted and shook on my sleeping pouch. And then in a spike of action, I felt blood moving and striking. I struggled to shake the sleep and open my eyes.


    I heard a scream.


    ¡°Why PLEASE STOP¡± were the crying words that made me finally jump up. This was not a dream. I could now clearly hear there was a deadly commotion in the camp. And then ¨C a gunshot.


    ¡°Guarin?¡± I yelled. Struggling to realize what was happening, I closed my eyes: I felt only two more pulses outside, which could only mean one of us was either far enough or dead. I would not take any chances: still inside the tent I commanded ¡°Kouadio, kill¡±.


    Bracing myself, I exited my tent, and to my horror, I saw Akissi holding her machete, lifeless and shot in the head near the campfire. Blood was spilled everywhere around her forehead. Guarin was bleeding out near his tent, lying lifeless seemingly in a pose trying to crawl toward the campfire. And in the center of it all was Rox, holding her hand up menacingly. A small dark pebble floated just on top of her palm.


    I tried to register what exactly was happening. Rox, sweet Rox, the one Marin had died for and the only one who I thought liked me in this group, had killed everyone but me. Not only that, but she also had a powerful enough Curse to replicate the effect of a gunshot with all but a pebble on her hand. I could only guess what she could do.


    Kouadio was already obeying and was running toward her, following my command. A Sparked man, two times her size. She did not even flinch at the sight of him. She looked me dead in the eye. Was that remorse in her eyes?


    I did not even try to take a step to the side. I heard a gunshot, and it felt as if warm water had spilled across my chest. No pain, no breath. I fell to the ground lifeless within a second.


    But I was still there, standing taller than Rox, going towards her. My huge arms grabbed her. She looked at me in horror, as if she had just realized her terrible miscalculation. Kouadio had some of me still in him. And I had orders to execute.


    ¡°I am sorry, Kouadio I am sorry¡± she begged screaming as I pinned her on the ground ¡°Please please I HAD NO CHO-¡±her sentence was cut short as at full supernatural strength, I grabbed the stew pot that was left outside and pushed it over her head.


    Again, again and again.


    Until I breathed again. I looked at my arms covered in blood and spider webs, and then at the woman with the pulverized head. I looked to my left; Akissi was shot in the head. On my right, Guarin had all but bled out just outside his tent. On my back, I was dead.


    Demi¡¯s ¨C my- lifeless body with a big open wound in her chest right at the center.


    For the first time in my life, I looked beautiful and peaceful. Rested. I turned to the sky as I heard the noise of helicopters approaching.


    I was out of time.

 Chapter 9 - Elena // It is cold out there

    On The Transantarctic Rail, somewhere in the Commonwealth Territory


    67¡ã30¡¯57.0¡±S 106¡ã26¡¯47.1¡±E


    19.05.2024 ¨C 03.30 Local Time


    I exited the Briefing room. I swept away the sweat from my forehead and headed to the toilet. I locked the door and poured water on my face, pulling the handle all the way to the cold side. The cold had to shake me straight.


    It will be okay, I said to myself, and looked at the mirror. It was hard to believe how good I looked given the circumstances. My long hair was wrapped into a professionally made braid, that I would not dare do normally. But, shockingly enough, the position came with personal stylists. No one associated with Trastamara Royalty could dare not always look stellar. I stared myself in the eyes.


    ¡°It will be fine,¡± I said. I looked through the mirror at the window of the bathroom next to me. Snow and ice hit the vehicle with nature¡¯s rage, but the Transantarctic, at its extreme speed, could hardly feel it.


    ¡°Ela, you are needed in Wagon 3, over¡±


    The unexpected words from my earpiece shook me more than the water did.


    ¡°Wagon 3, Ela, Over¡±


    I pressed the button on my earpiece and responded.


    ¡°Are you a five-year-old?¡± I asked annoyed. I hated when he called me Ela, but there was no point in clarifying again. I grabbed a towel and quickly dried my face.


    I cursed and looked at the mirror again. No, the make-up was intact. Not that I cared, but I wouldn¡¯t want to go through a mandatory glow-up session again.


    I exited the bathroom, quickly walked past Wagon 3, and found Miguel. It was simple enough ¨C this was a common commercial train, repurposed for our mission. Most of the wagons were empty. Two or three agents rested in each one.


    ¡°It is Elena for you,¡± I barked at the T-4 agent, once I found him sitting and exhibiting his silly grin. He laughed. I despised that kid ¨C well, everyone did. He had the behavior of an amateur, and when they paired someone with him it was never a choice.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± he responded ¡°What¡¯s the gossip then? I saw more T-3s passing by earlier, I know the briefing is over¡±


    ¡°It is for 3s and above. And for the love of whatever you hold sacred, go take a break. I don¡¯t need your nagging,¡± I said. He had no respect for authority or hierarchy, so I did not expect him to abide. From the very first week we were staffed together, I had realized that there was no reason for me to exhibit proper behavior either.


    ¡°Ouch, that bad?¡± he closed in with his annoying smile ¡°Don¡¯t worry you got me¡±


    He patted my shoulder. I grabbed his arm and twisted it. He shrieked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me boy,¡± I hissed at him, as he backed off.


    ¡°Ok calm down sheesh.¡±


    ¡°Go. Take. A. Break.¡± I pronounced slowly, but he was already heading away. He¡¯d rather do it before I order him, lest he appears obedient.


    ¡°I will be with the guys in 5¡± he yelled.


    The guy was a walking menace, but unfortunately, for good reason. People with such combat-useful Curses were rare, and his Curse had limited to no downsides. I knew indeed if things ever were that bad, he would probably be the one to rely on in the field. His lack of discipline had kept him from rising in the ranks, but no one from the top brass dared fathom not having him in our already very limited roster.


    I sat on a seat with a table and looked outside the window. Not that I could see anything on the white canvas, but the nothingness calmed me a bit.


    I cursed again. Maybe it was that bad. I thought about Marcelo ¨C he probably would be lying devastated in his wagon. All the diplomatic envoys, the exchange of gifts, letters, promises, and his hard work have gone down the drain within that last weekend in London.


    The Spanish Colonies and the Commonwealth have been stuck in these Antarctic Negotiations for decades, as both states were divided on their ties with the motherland Europe. Marcelo Trastamara was the first Prince to attempt to sponsor heavily these negotiations. And more importantly, he was one of my closest friends.


    ¡°Hey Ela,¡± I heard Marcelo¡¯s kind voice in my earpiece. He was the only person I accepted to call me like this. And even encouraged.


    I smiled. ¡°I was just thinking about the hot boiling mess you landed on.¡±


    I heard him laugh a bit, and that improved my mood.


    ¡°Oh I will be media dogfood once the news reaches N. T.¡± he responded ¡°But we have quite a while before that happens. I gave a gag order.¡±


    ¡°You should be sleeping,¡± I added.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡±


    I looked around me a bit guilty. No one was in Wagon 3, but still, I felt uncomfortable at the idea anyone would realize my closeness to the Prince. T-1s were of course aware, but Marcelo had also made sure this information does not leak to anyone below that level.


    Perhaps Miguel knows, I thought, annoyed with how he was always trying to pick my nerves by calling me Ela.


    ¡°What will happen now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I think it will be a while before we see each other again. I will have to travel to Madrid and play prince. I am sure my mother has already sensed the Domain shift and is preparing me a private jet.¡±


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    ¡°Maybe I can come to Madrid as well?¡± I asked, with a begging tone.


    He did not respond. Both of us knew that I would go at great lengths to protect him, as I had done many times. And both of us knew that when things got serious, he always chose to go ahead alone, for that very reason.


    ¡°Ela, I don¡¯t think it is a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Shit Marcelo not the same thing again. Spain is not safe for you.¡±


    I heard a beep on my earpiece. Someone was trying to reach me on another frequency.


    ¡°I need to pick this up, stay on the mic,¡± I said as I stood up from the table. That conversation had given me some resolve: it would all be fine because I was not going to leave him alone.


    As I stood, I noticed something peculiar. The snow outside was not hitting the windows with the same force, and in fact, I could feel the train¡¯s movement a bit.


    ¡°Ela, pick up. Why are we slowing down?¡± I heard Miguel¡¯s voice on the new channel.


    ¡°I am here, I am here.¡± I hesitated ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    There was nothing said in the Briefing Room about a planned stop and frankly, there was nothing so far from the Trastamara Domain border. We wouldn¡¯t reach the first towns for hours. But undoubtedly the train was slowing down.


    The lights of the train flickered. I tuned out Miguel¡¯s annoying voice and tuned into the channel of T-3s. There was already chatter there. All agents reported status of their assigned wagons.


    ¡°¡­Wagon 2, we are good¡±


    ¡°Wagon 3 as well¡± I said. The reports kept coming, as the lights flickered.


    ¡°Wagon 5 as well, but turn on your screens!¡± said a worried voice.


    I quickly picked up a remote at the center of the wagon and turned on the TV screen. An emergency news bulletin from Nuevo Trujillo, the frontier city of the Trastamara Domain, flashed up on the screen. A wave of ice had engulfed its northernmost districts. Drone scenes of buildings covered in icy mist played in the background, as well as videos from emergency campsites with people that had got caught at the edge of the catastrophic event.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± an agent said over everyone else¡¯s silence.


    TRASTAMARA DOMAIN COMPROMISED? Was the title of the news bulletin, as a reporter was explaining how no survivors were expected in the northern Chinese district. The tally of dead would reach many thousands. All the injured were the ¡°lucky¡± ones far enough from where the Domain collapsed, who also managed to leave the area just in the nick of time and only got partially frozen. The imagery was beyond disturbing.


    I raised my hand to change the channel back to Marcelo. His mother was the royal Cursed that kept the old Domain up, so if it was compromised that could only mean one thing.


    Before I even could do that, Miguel overrode the channels with his yelling.


    ¡°Hostiles in 5! Hostiles in 5!¡± his scream hurt my ear and made me wince.


    The lock-down bars started rolling on every window ¨C as someone activated full lock-down on the stopped train.


    I clicked the earpiece to the only channel I cared about. ¡°Marcelo!¡± I yelled but got no answer. I pulled my gun off my belt. I was alone in my wagon, and I was ready to sprint towards the actions. The only thing that kept me from moving was a hope that I get first a reaction from Marcelo.


    ¡°Marcelo, do you hear me?¡±


    The train was now entirely stopped. I could not hesitate anymore and started running towards Wagon 4, assuming people were running in position around the reported hostiles.


    I felt tense as I ran: Marcelo was in Wagon 6, in a room sealed and not reachable by anyone. Nobody had this piece of information but me, and perhaps the T-1 overseeing the operation from the HQ in Santiago. That was the whole security plan: a huge train usually used for commercial rides and a member of the Royal family hidden in one of the wagons.


    But knowing where he was made me even more desperate. Marcelo was on the other side of whatever was happening in Wagon 5, and I could not tell anyone. Of course, everyone would treat all wagons with the same attention ¨C and no one would run to Wagon 6. This was a standard security protocol. Right before opening the door to 4, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that a strike so near his wagon could not have been a coincidence.


    But what strike exactly? From all the chatter on the general comms after Miguel¡¯s call for help, no one indicated what was happening.


    I entered Wagon 4, where a few agents were sitting next to the closed door to 5, their guns raised and on the ready.


    Another T-3 ¨C whose name I did not recall ¨C looked at me right away. He was older than me, with a grey beard and a wide build. He held an automatic rifle.


    ¡°We have lost contact with all agents on 5. But we got the wagon surrounded from 5 and 6.¡±


    I let out a small sigh. If we had agents on Wagon 6, Marcelo would be safe for now.


    I switched to Marcelo¡¯s channel once again. I needed to make sure he was safe.


    ¡°Do you hear me, are you safe?¡±


    ¡°We have not heard a single sound from in there, maybe their comms is jammed¡± the agent explained, thinking I was trying to reach out to the agents inside Wagon 5. I ignored him as he gave orders to his earpiece, asking for the emergency radio contact.


    ¡°We need to get past Wagon 5,¡± I yelled at the T-4 agents next to us. Nothing else mattered until we secured Marcelo.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have command here, we¡­¡± the man said but then paused looking eerily right at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for your assessment, we need to secure the breach¡± I barked at him, to no avail. He completely ignored me as he passed next to me and walked towards the window. I would not accept any disobedience at a moment like this ¨C I grabbed his arm.


    As I turned, I saw that not just him, but also the rest of the agents around me walked towards the barred windows, with an empty expression and apathetic glare.


    ¡°Agents!¡± I yelled at them, to no reaction. My first instinct was to look outside and see what they were looking at ¨C but my training kicked in. I crouched in a corner, a few rows of seats further away from the door. Something was pulling their attention away and that could only be one thing. I changed the channel to emergency frequency.


    ¡°Do not look outside. I repeat, do not look outside. Code Black. Do not look through the windows. Code Black.¡± Code Black was a confirmed Cursed threat. Nothing could enthrall people¡¯s attention and control it like that, except for a Cursed individual.


    All my allies were now entirely fascinated, not even blinking, looking outside at the Antarctic landscape that now had grown silent and unmoving. The train¡¯s full rest was a stark reminder that we were fully exposed to outside threats if someone could breach the train¡¯s hull.


    No one responded to my emergency message. I stood there in silence, ready for anyone to jump in from any of the doors. Or the windows even. They might have been barred but a weapon strong enough could bend them. I spiraled trying to think of all the potential ways things could escalate. I switched again at Marcelo¡¯s frequency.


    ¡°Marcelo, please talk to me,¡± I whispered. At this point, he was either also fascinated by whatever was happening outside or perhaps even in danger. Nothing but static played back at my ear.


    ¡°Ela, can you hear me?¡± I heard his voice, barely through the static ¡°It is cold out here¡±


    ¡°Where are you, Marcelo?¡± I yelled. I felt my skin crawl, as a breeze blew through the train.


    The train¡¯s lights turned on and we started moving again.


    The static went completely dead as if the other side had killed communications. ¡°Marcelo please¡± I whimpered, but I fully knew at that moment, with the train inexplicably picking up pace again, that he was gone.

 Chapter 10 - Nis? // No One Is Home

    40¡ã58¡®57.7¡°N 47¡ã29¡®11.3¡°E ¨C K?rimli, Azerbaijan


    20.05.2024 ¨C 19.30 UTC +04.00


    ¡°Who put you in here?¡± I asked Ramin. We were sitting facing each other in the kitchen of the cabin, under the light of my warding match.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he sighed, ¡°and I am not sure how long I am here¡±


    --Do not speak to anyone, I am coming right away, Starling


    The whisper echoed in my head. The match¡¯s light dimmed as I lost focus: they tried to bend my will again. I weighed my options, but then I remembered what my premonition was.


    RUN


    ¡°Grab my hand,¡± I said. I did not trust this guy, but if anyone had answers it would be him. Plus, I felt pity for him. If he was telling the truth and I abandoned him here, he would be lost again in this hazy aromatic fever dream of ¡°all-is-well¡± that we were before. I could not stand by it.


    Ramin quickly ran next to me and grabbed my arm.


    Stay lit only for us I prayed to the match, and its flame changed to green. We started walking slowly. I had never done this with matches. There was a limited number of them, so I was extra cautious with the flame. We passed through the kitchen and reached the door to the garden; we would leave through the back door.


    Or rather we would have. The doorbell rang as we tried to reach the door, with a chime that sounded like a bird¡¯s melody. Ramin tied his hands around my arm.


    ¡°Hi, it¡¯s us¡±, a friendly voice sounded from outside, its command passing distorted through the ward I had cast around us. I felt Ramin ready to let go, possibly influenced by the command, but I held on tight to him. At this stage, I was safer if he stayed with me.


    We kept walking, in tiny steps, now in the center of the house. We were now closer to the backdoor than the front door, but we both knew that whoever was just ringing that bell had no intention of simply letting us go.


    I stopped walking for a moment, hesitating. Perhaps they thought we already left, and it was better to hide inside?


    ¡°I guess no one is hOmE,¡± the distorted voice screamed from the outside.


    And as it did, I could see in the back of my eye, one by one, our glasses breaking. The mirror on the wall crumbled shattering in hundreds of pieces and flying around. The wardrobe glass door and the window exploded, with all the pieces piercing through objects in the house. If I were not in lethal danger, I would be in awe of this exposition of what seemed like translucent pyrotechnics: every glass in the house bursting and hurling in all directions.


    And quickly the glasses were dyed in blood.


    Ramin¡¯s eyes begged me for help, as a big shard of glass was protruding from his shoulder. Blood was quickly oozing out of the wound.


    I put my finger in front of his lips. He had to endure this in quiet.


    I looked around as the glass dust settled around the house. I was not hurt; my ward should have protected us both, I thought, but for some reason only protected me.


    Was I still weakened? It did not matter. I pulled out another match and blew on it, praying my hardest for my Curse to suffice for what was to follow.


    Stay lit only for us.


    The door unlocked from the outside, and very slowly opened forth.


    A man and a woman walked inside the house, both dressed in everyday attire, but wearing the signature bird-like mask. Covering the upper part of the face, a black feathery mask mirrored light in iridizing patterns. They were from Starling¡¯s coven, and under their official guise.


    They slowly walked inside the house, while we stood in the middle of the large room, hoping my match¡¯s ward would be enough to leave us unseen. I kept my finger on Ramin¡¯s lips, as he tried to hold on to me.


    ¡°There is no one here,¡± said the man with a familiar voice.


    ¡°For our good, I hope she is hidden somewhere,¡± the woman said ¡°I will check the basement¡±


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    The man did not respond to her, and she simply ran towards the door that Ramin had used not so long ago to fix the power outage I had caused.


    The man maintained a concerned pause before he started moving around. Behind the bird mask, you could tell he tried to remain focused. He walked slowly around the room, examining the ravaged furniture. He was wearing a pair of gloves, and he avoided touching or even getting close to most items. I wondered if he knew about the kind of enchantments put through the place to keep me and Ramin under mental restraints.


    Ramin grabbed one of the matches from my left hand and held it near my face. I blew on it, as I threw the one that was almost burning out.


    Stay lit only for us, I whispered.


    We did not have unlimited matches, so I hoped the pair would quickly leave. Ramin was also quickly bleeding out, so it was a matter of who would run out of time first.


    The man with the bird mask focused on us. Maybe it was the split second that I took to change matches, but it was unmistakable that he was directly looking at our spot. He took a few steps towards us.


    I did not worry. If he could see us he would definitely have acted or called for help. I did wonder what his brain was telling him though: when I was warded like this, people willing to harm me could not locate me, but I was not invisible.


    He stopped half a step next to us. I could even hear him breathe ¨C but instinctually both Ramin and I held our breath. The man kneeled to examine the floor near Ramin.


    -- Nis?, if you are hurt please answer me. We will find a way. Zephyr.


    A whisper reached me, but I did not doubt even for a second it was sent by the man right in front of me. I felt anger overwhelming me. That man was Zephyr. Why would Zephyr be hunting for me? What did I do to deserve it?


    I could not do anything of course, and I would definitely not answer him.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡± The woman asked appearing from the door of the basement.


    The man stood up looking at his gloved hand.


    ¡°Yes. Blood. They are hurt.¡± He said showing the glistening red on his glove, pointing at the ground right next to Ramin. His wound had resulted in significant blood loss, and I could feel him tremble weakly next to me. Some of the blood had found its way and pooled outside my ward. ¡°They can¡¯t have gone far,¡± Zephyr said ¨C I was now sure that was him, the more I heard him the better I recognized his voice.


    As they walked towards the door, I blew on another match, igniting it with my Curse.


    The masked woman turned and looked back, her expressions unclear behind the black feathers.


    ¡°Are you sure none of them are not hidden here somehow?¡± she asked.


    Zephyr paused, and I could swear looked right at us.


    ¡°Of course not. I would have found her.¡± He opened the door and exited behind her.


    We waited for a few moments before we could breathe again. They were gone. I looked at Ramin, whose color was getting paler by the second.


    ¡°You have to pull¡­ the glass out¡± Ramin said eventually.


    ¡°You will bleed out¡±


    ¡°Trust me,¡± he said grunting in pain ¡°Please do it now¡±


    He turned his back to me, and I could finally see the shard of glass sticking out of his shoulder blade and ripped clothes. I noticed the skin around the wound had taken a coal-like color. As I touched it, it felt like coarse ashes were oozing out of the wound.


    I pulled the glass out. The grey powder started shifting, and it seemed like it was quickly cauterizing and healing the wound. The ashes had a mind of their own, and I was fascinated by it. Ramin quickly turned around.


    ¡°You are one of them,¡± I said, and I did not know if what I felt was fear or excitement. I had never seen a Shadow before in my life.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± he said, but he looked guilty to admit it. Or even ashamed.


    I grabbed his hand tight. ¡°You will explain. But first, we need to leave this place.¡±


    We walked for a while through the town. I had my remaining matches at hand, ready to use them if we needed to quickly be warded. The more we walked away from that house, the more this feeling of forced coziness and drowsiness withdrew. And Ramin did not bleed at all anymore ¨C sure our clothes looked a bit roughed up, but that was not a priority. Something else was, and I was surprised to admit it.


    ¡°We need to find food immediately,¡± Ramin said. Alongside the feel of warmth and safety that the house had forced upon us, there must have been some kind of sustenance hex, as it suddenly felt like I had not eaten properly for longer than I should. I wondered if my memories of dinner were even real, or if Ramin and I just pretended to eat.


    I quickly agreed and the first diner we found that was half-full, we sat in it. We knew the two Starling-masked Cursed were looking for us, so once we sat at the table and ordered, I asked for a candle from the waitress, who simply brought one without questioning the request.


    I lit it and left it in the center of the table. If they were to pass, they would hardly notice us. And Zephyr personally knew that was the case ¨C and that¡¯s why he had whispered at me, hoping I would answer and reveal myself. What I could not piece together was whether he had really detected us in that house and let us go, or simply lied to his partner in crime about my Curses.


    ¡°Won¡¯t the waitress find us now? I think the point was to eat eventually,¡± Ramin joked stopping my lingering thoughts.


    ¡°That is not how my ward works.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± We both looked at each other a bit awkwardly.


    ¡°So, a shadow and a seer enter a bar,¡± Ramin tried to joke again.


    ¡°It is dinner. And you are not a shadow. At least I can¡¯t sense so.¡±


    ¡°I am a half-blood. I can switch it on and off.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Khalida // Higher than the Upside-Down trees

    21.05.2024 ¨C 16:30 UTC +01.00


    I slept less than an ideal amount of hours last night. Before the dawn broke, I decided to study the map gifted to me by that mysterious lady in Waw Al Kabir.


    Well, not gifted. It was a trade, a trade with an even more mysterious cost for me. My skin crawled when I remembered the woman¡¯s words:


    Once you fulfill your Calling, you will have to come back here to me and have a cup of tea


    There was something ominous in this deal I had so eagerly accepted, and I had promised myself to make it worth it.


    It was proven not so hard: the map was full of details of Maydan expanding in different areas, from Mali to Sudan, with information about their owners, aggressiveness, and even interaction with non-Cursed people. Two examples were especially intriguing for our trip: the Maydan around the Tibesti Mountains in the East and the Maydan around the A?r Mountains in the West.


    It seemed like the volcanic area around the Tibesti mountaintops was under the control of a quite politically powerful Cursed clan. Living in secret from the normal people of Chad, Cursed individuals had gathered there to form their own commune ¨C but were quite guarded against outsiders. Passing through that area would be risky.


    On the other hand, the area around the A?r Mountains was controlled by a Cursed matriarch who used her curses to allow the area to prosper, with water, life, and Cursed-born oasis¡¯. This Maydan was not something we were unaware of before, as it was one of the few areas in central Africa where Cursed people had been thriving and openly co-existing with non-Cursed citizens. However, the map had the extra information of the clear borders of influence of that Curse, and it would be easier to navigate through Niger and head south.


    That didn¡¯t fly well with Qadir initially, as we were instructed by our parents to avoid that region: the people from those Mountains perceived clans such as ours in a quite negative light. The argument did not last long though, when I told him our current plan to cross to Chad through the Tibesti region was probably even more dangerous.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pass through the middle,¡± I offered the solution, suggesting to him the only possible route between the two regions ¡°We cross through Niger, but stay as close east as we can. We don¡¯t come close to any of the two regions. We circle around Chad, and we go to N¡¯Djamena from Cameroon¡±


    He quickly agreed and we boarded our fully fueled vehicles and went ahead with the itinerary. Our entourage seemed awkward about the change of plans at the beginning, but I had armed my brother with good arguments. In the end, the men in our company had signed up for the whole trip and to get paid when it was done: this would extend the mission but make it safer.


    The trip was long and boring. Both of us were sitting in the passenger¡¯s seat, my brother had just woken up from a quick afternoon nap.


    ¡°You know, I hope you are right really,¡± he said.


    ¡°Depends on how accurate the map is. We can¡¯t know for sure. But Bilma is not part of any of the two Maydan, and the best case for us to stay the night and refuel.¡±


    Qadir mumbled something.


    ¡°Look, let¡¯s just be happy we dodged the trouble we were running to,¡± I tried to argue once again ¡°We are now way more to the South than we would have been if we had tried to go through Chad. My Calling led me to this map for a reason, and so far, so good.¡±


    ¡°Aha. That¡¯s nice!¡± he said and shook himself off the worries ¡°Look!¡±


    As we turned through the dunes, it became quickly visible through my window: the skyline of the town of Bilma.


    My brother rushed towards my side of the car excited.


    ¡°Wow¡±


    Tall buildings ¨C not quite as tall to call skyscrapers, but taller than what my brother and I have ever seen up close¨C caught his eye already from a distance. Bilma was an oasis town, and it was living up to its name: buildings looked covered in green while we approached, as probably vines and ivy trees blended with the city.


    ¡°Okay, I guess your ideas are cool sometimes,¡± Qadir said, and I could not help but smile a bit. Before I could say anything, he had already jumped into his phone searching for a fancy hotel to stay in. Before I could even ask him to show some restraint for our limited budget, he was already bargaining over the phone.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome!¡± yelled the hotel manager as our cars entered the parking lot. Next to him, two members of the staff sported excited smiles.


    My brother matched his excitement exiting the car and already started discussing an upgrade. One of the ladies ¨C who must have been a receptionist ¨C approached me.


    ¡°Would you like me to guide you to your room?¡± she asked nicely and showed with her stance that she would accompany me regardless. I followed her towards the tall hotel.


    ¡°Fitting¡± I mentioned as we reached the entrance: Baobab Inn, written in Arabic and Latin. The hotel was surrounded by tall Baobab trees, planted to encircle the building. Some looked taller than others.


    ¡°Yes, we are very proud of our garden,¡± said the woman ¡°and our suite guests always love living higher than the Upside-Down trees¡±


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    I smiled at her and followed her inside the hotel.


    That night I slept better than I had for many nights. The trip had started a few days ago, and at no point until now had I considered there could be time to relax. The wind blew from the windows all evening, allowing me to sleep at just the right temperature. In the morning, I had a full breakfast in my room, looking out the window. The maids of the hotel had done their best to prepare a bountiful meal and juice from what I guessed was a local production of fresh fruit. Qadir did not hold back on the expenses. I appreciated that he wanted to care for us, but I also feared we would soon run out of our budget.


    I looked at the baobabs¡¯ sky-reaching branches below my room, and I thought the receptionist was right. There was something about eating breakfast just above such magnificent trees. Their branches spread like an upside-down root system, and I could imagine them choking the air around the hotel, draining it of the gases needed for them to grow taller. I decided that these trees had a sense of danger around them, and I respected them for it.


    I let my gaze wander away at the skyline of the city until my phone started vibrating.


    It was a while since I had it connected to a stable enough WiFi, and after turning it on an hour ago, it had been going non-stop with updates and notifications. I checked it out again, to make sure none of these were a text by Qadir.


    Some news caught my eye: international help was sent to the Antarctic Colonies, and even some representatives from the African Union were making statements about sending relief packages and ¡°supporting against a new war of terror¡±. Before I could read more, my phone rang showing Qadir¡¯s number.


    I picked it up.


    ¡°Hello, Miss, uhm. We are sorry to wake you,¡± a man said, almost too afraid to address me.


    ¡°Who is this? Where is Qadir?¡±


    ¡°Walid, miss. I am from the convoy, the car behind you. We ¨C uh ¨C found your brother, he was in some kind of, uh, situation. He is okay, but he is in the hospital.¡±


    I sprang up from the chair. I put the phone on speaker as I reached for my bags.


    ¡°What happened, is he okay?¡± I yelled at the phone.


    ¡°Yes, yes, he is okay now. Well, he is a bit hurt, but we thought we should call you. He is in the hospital two streets down from the hotel. A car is coming for you.¡±


    His voice was worried, and that made me tense.


    I did not bother preparing my messy hair at all, I dressed and ran as fast as I could.


    I was right outside his door in less than a quarter of the hour, but it seemed like a day had passed. I did not understand how he could have possibly ended up in the hospital. Being in a foreign city and country made it a whole lot more difficult to plan what my next steps could be.


    I decided asking myself questions would not help. I had to speak with my brother.


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± I asked the doctor standing outside his door. Some of our convoy¡¯s men were sitting far behind me. The man had a stern and strict look as if he was almost scolding me for my rude language.


    ¡°We do not know Miss, he was brought in the middle of the night. He has extensive injuries and probably a concussion.¡±


    ¡°Can I see him? Please.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but he is under a lot of painkillers right now. Please be gentle around him.¡± The doctor opened the door behind him, and I tried to hold my tears. One of his legs was in a cast, his chest was covered in gauze, same as his left hand. His head was wrapped around with some kind of plastic wrap, and his eyes looked black, as if hit.


    ¡°Qadir?¡± I asked as I approached. We were alone in the room.


    ¡°Sis¡± he said, and you could hear he was in pain.


    ¡°What¡­ what happened to you? Did you get in a fight?¡± I asked him.


    He looked right at me.


    ¡°Yes. I think so.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡± I said, and he flinched at the hint of anger in my voice.


    ¡°I¡­ do not remember. I don¡¯t remember anything.¡±


    ¡°Okay. The doctor said you are very badly hurt, and need some time to heal¡±


    We both sat in silence.


    ¡°What about your Calling?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I paused. There was nothing to say about it. Part of me hoped that my Calling would take over now and suggest a course of action and make the decision for me. It did not. ¡°I think that is not important right now¡±


    ¡°I am sorry sister,¡± he said, and I could see his eyes filling up with tears.


    I approached him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± I pulled a handkerchief from his nightstand. ¡°Whoever did this to you, that¡¯s the one that should be sorry. They messed with the wrong family.¡±


    He laughed a bit and then visibly ached.


    ¡°Khalida Ashour. What are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°Where are your clothes?¡± He nudged towards the wardrobe in the room.


    ¡°I asked them not to wash them,¡± he said.


    I opened the wardrobe and found clothes reeking in blood. Pants, a long blouse that must have been expensive, and a half-torn scuff. No shoes.


    ¡°Good,¡± I responded. I used the handkerchief and passed it through all the clothes. I was sure almost all of it belonged to my brother. But that did not matter, as I only needed the rest of that almost that would be foreign.


    The handkerchief had turned a shade of dark rotten red by the end. I squished it tightly in my hands and closed my eyes.


    I recalled the training with my mother. Every living thing has a Nabd.


    Immediately, I heard my brother¡¯s pulse. His pulse was worryingly weak, but I had enough of a sample to listen to it clearly. I tried to zone it out completely, sending it as far as possible to the back of my mind. His heart rhythmically danced in the background of my earshot ¨C and then, I picked it up. It was like an illusion of a sound, only a percentile of what my brother¡¯s pulse sounded like. That one percent of his assailant¡¯s blood was indeed there and was like a homing beacon for me.


    I smiled. I had not done this in a while: listening to the Nabd not to guard, but to hunt. It was intoxicating.


    ¡°Khalida, please no. It must have been a stupid robber or something¡± my brother protested, but after listening to my little brother¡¯s weakened Nabd, I opened my eyes angrier than before.


    I stood up, carefully placing the handkerchief in my pocket.


    ¡°You,¡± I said and went back towards him. I petted his head with my hands, blemished by his blood ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing¡±

 Chapter 12 - Elena // Thousands died

    On The Transantarctic Rail, somewhere in the Commonwealth Territory


    67¡ã30¡¯57.0¡±S 106¡ã26¡¯47.1¡±E


    19.05.2024 ¨C 03.30 Local Time


    I collected my thoughts. Whatever caused the train to stop and then proceeded to hypnotize the crew, must have been of Cursed origin. Was I simply fortunate enough not to be affected by it? Were there others that were as confused as I was?


    Before I could even refocus myself and stand up, everyone started talking again, and the comms grew full of worried chatter. Electricity was back and it seemed as if everyone had ignored my warning about a Cursed threat.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I asked the agents in the room. They were no longer fascinated next to the windows, instead, they were chatting worried about the train¡¯s stop.


    The train started slowly moving, and the door to wagon 5 opened.


    ¡°Miguel, what happened with the hostiles?¡± I yelled at him, as soon as he exited.


    ¡°There were people outside the train, approaching,¡± he explained ¡°One moment they were there, the next moment they were gone.¡±


    ¡°The next moment? We were waiting right outside for you to respond!¡±


    ¡°Aw, were you worried Ela? See Ricardo, some T-3s care,¡± Miguel joked. The bearded T-3 that was standing unexpressionless a moment ago, who apparently was named Ricardo, laughed.


    ¡°Compose yourself, Elena. At worst, this was a failed terrorist approach. We are all safe and accounted for,¡± said Ricardo.


    I looked at Miguel, then Ricardo, and then I looked at everyone around me. I expected any moment now for someone to admit to this being a sick joke.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I barked back as the train was picking up speed ¡°You were all¡­¡±


    Ricardo interrupted me arrogantly.


    ¡°All that matters is the cargo is safe. And we will reach N.T. in a few hours to announce the good news,¡± said Ricardo.


    They don¡¯t remember, I realized.


    ¡°The cargo?¡±


    ¡°Yes, nothing was stolen! Elena, snap out of it and join the T-3 channel. We have all the gifts from London.¡±


    What? What gifts?


    ¡°Can you relax?¡± Miguel said with an annoying hint of condescension, pointing at my arms. I was so tense that I was still holding my firearm in both hands. I relaxed my grip over it, trying to piece things together. I changed my earpiece¡¯s frequency to the T-3 channel.


    ¡°What about the prince?¡± I asked.


    The agents looked at me confused.


    ¡°Am I the prince?¡± Miguel said jokingly, assuming a mocking aristocratic posture. Some agents laughed; Ricardo looked at me worried.


    ¡°Prince Marcelo Trastamara ¨C Ricardo, I hear nothing about him in the channel.¡±


    ¡°I am not sure what you mean Elena,¡± Ricardo admitted ¡°Prince Marcelo is in Santiago with his mother. Why would he be on the channel? Maybe you need to lie down a bit?¡±


    I decided to stop listening to their nonsense. Whatever had happened in the last ten minutes, it had messed up with their memories.


    I started running, ignoring their surprised yelling. I passed through wagon 5 and went inside wagon 6, which had a few private rooms. I started forcing the doors open with my pass-card. I looked at every single room: no one was there. Not even that ¨C there was not a single sign of anyone using these cabins. No signs of struggle, or a breach from the windows. It was as if Marcelo had never been there, to begin with. Could it be that he had lied to me? Was he in another wagon? Did someone extract him safely? Or was he abducted?


    My mind raced through all possibilities.


    ¡°Ela¡± I heard Miguel¡¯s voice behind me. He had run behind me following me. ¡°You are creeping me out. Is it the travel lag? Changing so many time zones is tough in Antarctica.¡±


    I turned around ready to yell at him, but I saw him ¨C for maybe the first time ever ¨C genuinely concerned. As the train continued accelerating and piercing through the snow of Antarctica, some big chunk of ice was hurled into the window, resulting in a loud thump. I almost jumped and pulled my gun out, turning towards the window.


    All I saw was my reflection, and I looked like a crying mess.


    I hated that of all people Miguel was seeing me like that. I tried to compose myself.


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    ¡°There is no one here Ela,¡± Miguel said worried, and I know he meant well. But that was the problem. There was no one there.


    The final day of the trip felt like a hazy dream. No one among the agents dared mention the perceived mental breakdown I had. It was easier for me to pretend in front of them that this was all it was: a woman losing it in the middle of the action, ¡°but now I am fine, thanks¡±. I despised myself for allowing it, but I had no way to explain to my colleagues what really happened, and if I leaned further into my story other T-3s would find a reason to report me as unfitting to serve.


    So, instead, all I did was observe everyone¡¯s behavior and, occasionally, space out in Marcelo¡¯s secret comms channel. There at least, I was met only with silence.


    In the briefing with the T-2 responsible for the operation, I did not even dare to mention the Prince¡¯s name. During meetings, I could see T-3 Ricardo looking at me, ready to comment on whatever I was going to say, but I did not fall for it. All I needed was to get to Santiago and prove Marcelo was missing.


    To my surprise, Marcelo¡¯s absence was not the only thing that had changed collectively in everyone¡¯s memory, confirming further my theory of Cursed interference. The mission¡¯s purpose, outcome, and all the reports we had submitted had changed. Instead of us paying a royal visit, it was the Queen¡¯s most trusted Trastamaran envoy who had called us over on the other side of Antarctica in London, to collect gifts and antiques donated by the Commonwealth to the Spanish Colonies. This was seen as a major improvement in the two nations¡¯ relations, and the Spanish Colonies decided to give it the royal treatment, meaning a full train with T-Agents.


    Except that story was the complete opposite of what I had experienced in London. We were the ones bringing gifts, and Marcelo was shunned and ridiculed. I wondered if this whole ¡°re-writing¡± was an attempt by the royal family to hide their failure, or maybe an attempt by European agents to maintain the peace in Antarctica. I did not care about politics, to be honest ¨C all I wanted was to find Marcelo, but in order to do so, I had to figure out what exactly had happened.


    My first attempt failed quite dramatically: disproving the ¡°gifts from London story¡±. I could not even believe it when I saw it, back at Wagon 24. Gold bars and gems, pieces of art ¨C among them even a framed oil painting of the Queen. For all intents and purposes, this was a train full of wealth heading successfully back to the royal family. Someone had gone into big trouble to make sure that this new story tracked. After that quick attempt at sleuthing what happened that night, I stopped actively searching and chose to simply observe the other T-Agents, hoping at least one of them would exhibit any unexpected behavior. I had days until the train reached Santiago anyway.


    Or at least I thought so.


    ¡°All agents on comms, we are approaching Nuevo Trujillo and you are expected to disembark in an hour¡± I heard from the comms, while I was trying to rest in my room.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed as strongly as I could, standing up.


    ¡°The royal family has agreed to lend assistance to the border-based population hit by the recent attacks. Please join the Briefing room for details on your new assignment, in ten minutes.¡±


    I sat still in my room. This could not be a coincidence ¨C me being one of the few pulled out from the direct train to Santiago and left on a stupid side quest. I scoffed. Tied my hair in a quick braid and packed my things.


    Calm yourself Ela, I said to myself, almost how I knew the Prince would say.


    In the room, there were only two T-3s, me and that idiot Ricardo, and only a handful of T-4s, among them Miguel. I had no doubt my luck would have it that he disembarked with my team.


    The T-2 of the operation, Azura, a thirty-plus-something-year-old with already graying short hair and a tall build, was standing stern and right in the middle of the room. We were at Wagon 1, the driving wagon of the train, with wide windows on the sides revealing the harsh white of the Antarctic.


    ¡°I will be honest with you, this is not a humanitarian mission¡± she said, as doors behind us closed. No one else was in the room besides our team, not even her secretary or right-hand lieutenant. ¡°This is now a mission with T-2 clearance. Your chips are all upgraded now. You hold your rank but will get access to information that is confidential for normal agents. If you share anything said in this room, it will be considered high treason and you will receive no leniency in martial court¡±


    I remained still and held my breath.


    Is this it? Will she admit Marcelo was taken?


    I saw Miguel and a few of T-3s moving uncomfortably. My comms started spiking with noise as the clearance was downloaded via satellite through to our T-Agent chip, at the back of our neck. Once the noise stopped, T-2 Azura pressed a button on the control deck.


    Images and footage of a destroyed city and people frozen played on the screen. Footage from Nuevo Trujillo. I tried to keep my eyes from rolling ¨C of course, it would not be as easy for me to focus on my goals.


    ¡°Approximately thirty-six hours ago, the northern part of the Spanish Colonies was found under an attack, presumably of terrorist origin, using the ice of the Antarctic to obliterate ten percent of the city¡¯s livable area. This far everyone knows.¡± Azura started explaining ¡°However¡±


    She paused and turned to Miguel, who was quite disgustingly smirking.


    ¡°The fuck is wrong with you son? Thousands died.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, yes of course. It is just such an honor to be in such an important mission.¡±


    Azura did not try to respond and continued.


    ¡°However, the Sagrada of Trastamara have confirmed indeed that this was not just any extreme attack. The Trastamara Domain itself has been breached, and it cannot be reconstructed. A similar attack could continue devouring Nuevo Trujillo, and possibly the South.¡±


    No one said anything but we understood what this meant. Hundreds of thousands could die if this happened again, and we were heading exactly there.


    ¡°We have issued no evacuation notice. Trains from Santiago and Santa Ines are preparing to head North if needed, but there is nearly not enough space to support the population¡± Azura continued to explain ¡°So time is of the essence.¡±


    ¡°Permission to ask,¡± Ricardo said.


    ¡°Granted¡±


    ¡°Time to do what? If the Domain collapses, everyone is gone¡±


    ¡°Tsk¡± I said almost angry at his incompetence ¡°Ricardo, if the Domain is down, it means someone Cursed is holding it down. The Queen¡¯s Domain cannot just be torn down like that. There is a Cursed individual with equal or perhaps stronger Domain powers than even her.¡±


    Azura nodded.


    ¡°Correct¡± She clicked her controller again, filling all screens with various low-quality pictures across a devastated neighborhood of Nuevo Trujillo. In them a figure could be seen, clearly walking through the streets, inexplicably unharmed, among broken bodies and frozen statues of people.


    ¡°Across the entire area, there was only one Survivor. This person somehow is keeping the Trastamara Domain down and is a walking nuclear bomb. Get in the city, find them, and neutralize them¡±


    Ricardo nodded, looking at me. I tried to look as smug as I could, and kept my focus on the pictures on the screens. And, exactly as I felt during the attack when I lost Marcelo, I could not shake the feeling something was terribly, terribly off.

 Chapter 13 - Khalida // Big cats, lions, same thing

    22.05.2024 ¨C 12:00 UTC +01.00


    Getting around Bilma proved easier than I originally thought. Although I lacked any knowledge of Kanuri, the local dialect, most of the locals spoke Arabic quite fluently. The city was also quite busy with merchants, businessmen and women, schoolchildren, and even the occasional family strolling in the park. The busy streets provided enough cover for an unassuming traveler like me to wander around, without raising much suspicion.


    I had made a mental note to keep the use of my Curses to a minimum discreet degree, at least until I could figure out what the stance of the population and the authorities was. Reconnaissance would have to be a bit more traditional today, keeping any Calling at bay and simply relying to my hearing of the Nabd.


    It didn¡¯t take long to figure out the layout of the city. The parks seemed to be quite integral for Bilma¡¯s design; buildings were built haphazardly in seemingly randomly developed streets, to accommodate the large parks with their tall trees and small pools of water. What must have been initially a Sahara oasis, was now developed into a sprawling city. At least, that was the only explanation I could think of, as it was obvious that such a city so far away from any ocean could only be sustained by an extremely fortunate volume of water.


    People seemed to enjoy being part of such a natural arrangement. The city¡¯s buildings guided vines and plants to grow around them, and at the top of the tallest buildings, solar panels shone and powered Bilma.


    Unfortunately, I was not there for tourism. In fact, I was not supposed to stay there more than a day or two, and now my stay had been extended violently by my brother¡¯s condition.


    I sucked my teeth in anger recalling the state at which he was when I visited him in the hospital.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone but the doctor come near,¡± I had commanded our bodyguards, doubting the very reasons we were relying on them to begin with. What was the point, if my brother could simply decide to leave their protection? Apparently, last night he managed to ¡°escape¡± their supervision and go have fun in the naughtiest parts of the city. If I was not so deathly worried about his injuries, I would be screaming at him till the end of the month.


    ¡°Absolutely childish,¡± I said to myself. If he wanted to visit casinos or cabarets he could have done so with his bodyguards and now I would not be going into all this trouble.


    I looked around at the street while I strolled, patiently waiting for the sound of the Nabd of his attacker to be detected by my Curse. Whoever it was, they were not far, as I could clearly distinguish it if I focused on it. However, they might have been anywhere within a few kilometers. So, while my Curse would inevitably lead me to them, I had to be a bit smart as well.


    A bell rang as I entered a small pub, just as it started operating for its mid-day visitors. It was the fourth I was trying already in the bar district of the city, where I assumed I could retrace my brother¡¯s steps.


    I sat in a corner table. A waitress not far older than me approached me, initially asking something in her local dialect.


    ¡°Is there something for lunch?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not much. Some palm nut soup,¡± she responded, quickly changing to Arabic ¡°You will have to wait just a bit, we only just now opened up.¡±


    ¡°I have time,¡± I responded, and I was not lying. This is the first place I had entered the past hour, that reacted with my sense of the Nabd. As she left for the kitchen, I looked around in the empty room. There was no one.


    But my sense would not lie. I closed my eyes and tried to focus. I did not hear a pulse, I was, however, close to something. Something that was not in this room empty of people. I considered my options, opened my eyes, and walked towards the restroom. I paused for a moment outside the two doors and I entered the male toilets.


    A disgusting stench hit my nostrils the moment I got inside.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I sighed as I tried to hold my breath. The toilets were empty but surprisingly messy: the dumpster was tossed around, and one door of the stalls was broken. I walked inside trying to follow my sense, and checked inside the stalls.


    The broken door creaked as I forced it open.


    I bit my lip. Amidst the mud and the dirty floor, there was a piece of a scarf, seemingly torn in half. It was my brother¡¯s, and had blood stains on it, possibly what had triggered my senses. I had no intention of taking it back, so much doused in dirt that it would never recover. It had anyway served a purpose, a first quick lead to finding out where something happened.


    I was ready to depart the scene when something unusual caught my eyes, just a momentary glimpse of what looked too delicate to be among the mud, right behind the scarf, and dropped on the floor. I walked into what I hoped was mainly the mud that covered the floor to take a better look. A big white flower was left lying next to the scarf. Although it appeared familiar, I did not recognize what kind of flower it was. With a center rich in needle-like threads, and petals pulled back, a couple of them plucked even, it was not the standard bloomed flower you find in a shop.


    I picked the only petal that seemed not to touch the muck of the stall, and I put it carefully in my pocket.


    I left the toilet as quickly as I could, disgusted by what I had possibly breathed into the last minute.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°That is not the women¡¯s room,¡± the waitress said the moment I exited the bathroom door. She must have been waiting for me. I got startled but tried not to show.


    ¡°Oh, no wonder it is so messy, of course,¡± I chuckled innocently. ¡°Well, is it normal? So much dirt, I mean.¡±


    She pointed to the other door next to me. I waived as if my needs were already met.


    ¡°Not quite. I heard there was a fight here last night,¡± the waitress said, almost excited to share the gossip. ¡°Fortunately, I missed all the action on my night off.¡±


    ¡°Oh, lucky you, must have been so wild,¡± I said, trying to pass as little interest in it as possible. I headed towards my table. ¡°Is that usual though? Fights here I mean.¡±


    ¡°Some local gang beat up a kid, that did them dirty. Or something,¡± the woman paused ¡°You¡¯d better not be a blogger or something, I want no business in that stuff. Last time press was involved in this neighborhood it was not fun for them either.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, not at all. Just, you know, I just love the gossip. Can¡¯t seem to resist.¡± I scoffed and giggled as I sat at my table. I was trying to play the role of the silly young girl, but I had a feeling I had never learned to act this way, and it showed. I was sure I was not fooling that woman.


    As if right on cue, the woman paused and looked at me suspiciously.


    ¡°Tell the Ngam K¨²r¨¤, again, I was not here, okay? I want no trouble.¡±


    I did not know how to respond to her. Ngam K¨²r¨¤? That must have meant something in her dialect.


    ¡°We are out of soup,¡± she said emphatically as I delayed responding. ¡°Maybe find another place for lunch.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡± I lied ¡°Have a good day!¡±


    I exited the store promptly.


    So, I finally had a lead. I was now in a proper restaurant in a nearby street, my stomach full of a local delicacy I could not pronounce, and my hands holding the bloody handkerchief. I focused on my brother, making sure his pulse was still beating in the distance. After a moment of silence, I sighed with relief detecting him alive.


    I put the handkerchief back in my bag and pulled the white petal out of my pocket. I had no idea what to make of it. But the Ngam K¨²r¨¤ was not as difficult. A quick online search revealed they were a kind of local mafia, a gang of sorts that operated in most of this area. They were not often involved in violent crimes, but there were a lot of drug busts in the past years associated with their members. For better or worse, they were not infamous enough to warrant more online documentation of them. I would have to seek them on my own.


    I picked up my phone and called my brother.


    ¡°Still nothing,¡± he grunted ¡°I am sorry sister. I do not recall anything.¡±


    ¡°I will ask you once and only once will I forgive your response, this first time.¡±


    ¡°Ask away,¡± he said audibly confused.


    ¡°Were there drugs involved?¡±


    ¡°Sis, no! What the hell?¡±


    ¡°I will not ask again¡±


    ¡°Khalida, do you think I would let you run away and hunt someone if all it was I just got high and jumped into a fight?¡± He asked. ¡°Wait, why? What did you find?¡±


    ¡°It was a gang. Some kind of local drug gang. I think.¡±


    I could hear him grunt on the other side of the call.


    ¡°Khalida, just leave it. This reminds me of nothing, and it seems like you are ready to jump into trouble. Will anything I say change your mind?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said.


    ¡°Be fucking careful then,¡± he said and cursed ¡°I love you¡±.


    ¡°Rest well, Qadir¡± I said and stopped the call.


    After my lunch, I went shopping in the city and returned to the Baobab Inn. I was planning to find the best dress fitting for the bar districts and explore the area at night. How difficult would it be to track any member of a gang? I was quite late by the time I returned to the hotel, and the sun was almost setting when I got next to the entrance, shopping bags at hand.


    The wind shifted my hair, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I dropped the bags on the spot and started to walk around the hotel. Once again, I was compelled by my Calling at the worst of times.


    Most times when the Calling took over me, it felt more like an invisible counsel, an unseen guide smoothing out the kinks and twists of my thoughts and casting the light forward. Other times, it was a cruel puppet master, openly disagreeing with the nature of my free will and strutting me around. This was one of these times. Even if it seems harmless, the fact I lost complete control over my decision-making reminded me why this was called a Curse.


    I was led behind the hotel, where the maid I had met yesterday was tending to the garden. I waited and observed. She was holding a watering can and poured water on the flowers. When she was almost done, she turned to one of the biggest Baobab trees next to her, and emptied the rest of the water can, before leaving it and grabbing the rake to collect fallen leaves.


    I doubted this tree needed watering; I thought as I approached her with slow steps, but I could only appreciate her intention of tending to the whole garden. I noticed the branches of the Baobab tree ¨C full of white flowers, still tightly closed and not bloomed. A couple of them were lying on the ground, next to the maid who was now leaving them behind when raking the rest of the leaves.


    I walked towards one of the fallen flowers and picked it up.


    ¡°Oh Miss, don¡¯t do that,¡± she said chuckling a bit, ¡°Everybody knows, never pluck a flower from the Upside-Down tree, or the big cats will rip you apart.¡±


    I pulled the petal from inside my pocket and compared it: it was undoubtedly the same flower that was dropped next to my brother¡¯s scarf. My Calling subsided, whatever its intentions were, now feeling somehow satisfied.


    ¡°I am sorry, big cats?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. They are cursed. Big Cats. Oh no, that¡¯s not right,¡± she said visibly struggling with Arabic. ¡°Lions. That¡¯s the word¡±


    ¡°Ngam K¨²r¨¤¡± I responded.


    She laughed. ¡°Yes, yes lions, big cats. Same thing.¡±


    ¡°Same thing,¡± I said, as my skin crawled.


    Message received. This was my Calling warning me. Don¡¯t pluck the flower, or the lions will eat you. I wondered who the flower was and who the lions were in this metaphor.


    As my Calling formed a new plan in my mind, the flower opened in my hands, revealing its peculiar interior, with juice oozing from its needles.


    ¡°I guess I have to answer the Calling,¡± I sighed.

 Chapter 14 - Demi // Kouadio, kill

    6¡ã35¡¯44.9¡±N 6¡ã04¡¯44.2¡±W ¨C Kou¨¦tinfla, Ivory Coast


    19.05.2024 ¨C 06.00 UTC+00:00


    I walked slowly in the now-waking streets of Kou¨¦tinfla. I had left everything useless behind, at the scene of the crime, but I had kept what I needed: Akissi¡¯s machete, Kouadio¡¯s, or rather, my semi-automatic rifle, and five enchanted pouches in the backpack.


    I carried Demi¡¯s/my body for the first hour as well, until I found a place to hide it in the wilderness. I hated it with all my being, but I could not leave it exposed.


    Being hunted for the entire night, I used the advantages of a Sparked body that did not ever tire. I had circled the wilderness around Kou¨¦tinfla for hours, constantly followed by search teams and two separate helicopters. Whoever was looking for me eventually gave up or lost me a few hours before sunrise, but I knew they would come back looking for me if I carried all that mattered in my backpack.


    I felt one of the many spiders keeping me Sparked, walking on the nape of my neck, its little bites stitching my rotting flesh together. I lifted my vest, hiding the small spider from sight.


    I had considered running away, hoping the Curse that Demi/I cast on this body would run forever keeping me/Kouadio alive. I could have a chance to cancel out a gruesome screaming death, perhaps as a reward of my feats in life before being Sparked. Alas, the memory of Akissi, Demi/me, and Guarin lying dead, and Rox¡¯s battered head haunted my thoughts. I could not abandon the mission.


    So here I was, walking through the empty and unsuspecting streets of Kou¨¦tinfla, where we were supposed to meet allies for a mission that now I knew was never supposed to succeed. I was sure of that. This was a set-up. In Demi¡¯s body, I might have been smarter. In this new Sparked body, my thoughts were cloudy. Kouadio could not figure out why Rox betrayed us.


    But his/my instinct was unmistakable. We were all set up to fail and get as far as we could carrying a powerful artifact through a cursed land. Rox¡¯s mission was to kill all of us. Kouadio was always supposed to die screaming, Demi was meant to die in her sleep


    But here I was, a mix of both and a mutation of a Curse and mortal, walking towards the inn that was our meeting point. A man stood outside the door smoking a roughly made cigarette, that looked abnormally large.


    I am not sure who he was, and as he stood up to speak, I shot my rifle. The ingredients that made up his innocent head splashed over the outside wall of the inn. I grabbed his cigarette and gave my mouth something to chew on.


    I opened the door of the inn. Two men were on the ground floor of what looked like a restaurant: one was already ducking behind the bar and the second was half-asleep, drunk at a table in the corner.


    I shot first the man behind the bar, letting multiple rounds spray towards him, splashing crimson red innards across the wall. The drunk man yelled something towards me as he fell scared off his chair. I walked towards him and shot him point-blank.


    I waited exactly two seconds to count the steps on the upper floors of the inn. Maybe I did care a bit for my safety, but that was not how this mission would end, me safe and sound drinking beer. No, it would end in answers, and if senseless murder is what it took, this Sparked body had its cursed orders.


    Kouadio kill, my/Demi¡¯s last words echoed in my head as I started walking the stairs up. I could hear people running. As I stepped on the first floor, a bullet flew next to me and missed me. I fired back and hit my mark. A young boy dropped dead in the middle of the corridor; a crude pistol appropriate for his untimely death dropping from his hands. A woman screamed, and another man started begging.


    Kouadio kill, I heard again, almost convincing me this was an order, as I shot every single one of them, floor by floor. Everyone that fought back, that begged, that ran. Some of them were armed and belonged to the group that had hired us and came here to help. Some of them were simply renting a room for the night.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    By the middle of the second floor, I reached my last round of ammo. I continued with Akissi¡¯s machete to save the rifle for when I absolutely need it. Luckily these floors were emptier and quieter. That made it easier to focus. I felt my dead tendons rip with every slash, and Demi¡¯s spiders crawling into my skin fixing my body, my hardening muscles and stiffening skin.


    As I entered a room, a man holding a pistol waited for me. He shot right at my chest, and tens of spiders sprawled forward stitching me back together. I lifted my machete and I saw a primal fear in his eyes, as he sprang and jumped from the window, breaking the glass and landing three floors down. I continued.


    I knew a secret. Oblivious men begged. Useless men were scared. None of these people I killed knew why I/we were betrayed and killed, so they were of no use. I had to find the one that would not beg, the one that would not be scared. The one that would bargain or try to reason with me.


    When I reached the fifth floor of the inn, cars full of armed men were already surrounding the building. I could hear their scared voices from a megaphone they used to let me know I was surrounded. Useless.


    <ROX WAS RIGHT I GUESS>


    I turned around. There was no one on the floor, besides two men cut by machete and left bleeding on the floor.


    <YOU ARE UNPREDICTABLE>


    The terrain changed and my vision suddenly was limited by a blurry border, almost like a glass crystal surrounding me five meters in all directions.


    I looked at the ceiling, now gone and replaced by a glass, almost visibly held by what looked like a hand. All sounds outside the inn were muffled by this barrier. No, not a barrier.


    A supernatural force had stopped my rampage, putting and holding a literal glass around me. Like how you trap a bug you do not want to hurt.


    I was still at the inn, but also not. I was a little spider trapped in a glass. I hit the glass walls with all my force. I could see a hand holding the glass at the top as if a giant had decided to toy with me.


    ¡°Great sense of humor,¡± I said in Baoul¨¦.


    Was this real? Or in my head? Probably both.


    <ANGER IS BAD FOR THE HEART, DEMI> said the voice. Was it a woman¡¯s voice? I was not sure. It sounded androgynous. <I WILL LET YOU OUT IF YOU PROMISE TO BE A GOOD LITTLE GIRL>


    ¡°How about you let me out, and I make sure you bleed fast enough not to hurt.¡±


    The voice exited my head and then rematerialized somewhere outside the glass.


    ¡°Listen here you little cockroach¡± the voice became raspy as it screamed through the glass. I saw a huge, distorted face on one side of the glass, wide eyes with bright blue and red mascara. They were the eyes of the giant holding the glass. Watching me, threatening me. ¡°Your little tantrum has alerted the stupid men of this town, that are now surrounding you. If you do not cooperate with me, I will squish you like a little goat tard under my boot, before they even get to you.¡±


    I laughed.


    ¡°I was so wrong. I thought the one behind this would not be scared. But you are.¡± I waved my machete towards the giant eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t do shit, because I have what you need in my backpack. And if your hexes could have killed me, you would have done it already.¡± I kept on laughing. ¡°Keep me stuck here for all I care!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god¡± the eyes rolled back hard ¡°the insolence of this fucking thing. I can¡¯t believe I woke up at six for this.¡± The voice sighed. ¡°I will break it down to your level: you are a psychopathic rotting zombie. I am The Haunt. Fucking OBEY!¡±


    The hand started shaking the glass, hitting me everywhere. Spiders sprawled from my bruises to heal them.


    I sighed and grabbed my machete, lifting it and reaching for my neck. I stuck my tongue out and winked at the face outside the glass trap. I figured, if this thing was playing with my brain, my brain was a liability. Luckily, I did not need it.


    <NO, NO, NO> The Haunt¡¯s voice screamed as I pierced through the bottom of my chin and through my skull.


    I hadn¡¯t thought of my parents in years. Unfortunately, I did not remember how they looked. But I swear, my mother was there. That was my mother.


    ¡°--- don¡¯t worry. We will weave it back. I promise.¡± I was little, and she smiled at me. She stood next to me, and I felt her hands holding me tight, hugging me.


    ¡°I miss you,¡± I said.


    ¡°I know baby, hold still. We need to be sure the wound heals. And then we will go outside and watch the clouds. How about that?¡±


    I felt pain as I felt her weave. And weave, and weave.

 Chapter 15 - Elena // Nothing to fear

    76¡ã00''08.2"S 53¡ã43''31.2"E - Nuevo Trujillo, Spanish Antarctic Colonies


    19.05.2024 05:00, UTC+03:00


    The train pulled into a gradual halt in N.T. main station. I winced going out, facing a low hanging sun, in an otherwise busy station.


    ¡°Compose yourself,¡± I hissed at Miguel, who was yawning next to me. I understood that the jetlag was getting the better of him, but we had to be emotionless for the next minutes. As the doors opened in front of us, flashes of cameras started capturing our every move, journalists yelling questions trying to tosh microphones towards T-2 Azura. We simply followed behind her, not allowed to say anything or reveal any emotion.


    T-2 Azura made a quick pause half way through the disembarking stairs, letting everyone get enough pictures of all of us. The reporters at the front went into a frenzy of questions, some more non-sensical than the rest.


    ¡°Are rumours of the Queen visiting true?¡±


    ¡°What are the T-Agents doing here? Is the Domain collapsing?¡±


    ¡°A message for the citizens of Nuevo Trujillo? A statement for the victims?¡±


    T-2 Azure ignored all questions. Once she deemed enough pictures of the team assigned were enough, she starting walking down the stairs. Some accompanying T-4 Agents ran ahead to clear a path through the press, allowing us to move still ignoring all the frantic questions.


    ¡°What is Santiago doing to support N.T.?¡±


    ¡°Did the Domain collapse because the Trastamara House is in danger?¡±


    I quickly glanced the reporter that asked the question. He was a man wearing a hat with the brand of Madrid News: Polo Sur, a famously royal-critical newspaper based in Europe.


    We crossed through the members of the press and approached a huge vehicle that would lead us to our next stop, presumably the T-HQ of Nuevo Trujillo. In the background, the train started warming up its machines, planning to hastily leave towards Santiago, signalling for good that I am stuck in N.T. until further notice.


    We got into the car, still chased by reporters¡¯ flashes. Once the car doors closed and the double windows were raised however, no sound penetrated the walls of the car, not even the car gears shifting to start our trip.


    ¡°That was easy enough,¡± T-2 Azura said. No one said anything; Miguel also seemed to have lost his usual smirk.


    The car proceeded with its itinerary. I stood perfectly still in the car, listening to the white noise of my earpiece, tuned to the now unused personal channel I used to maintain with Marcelo. There was no other channel for me to use now besides the one of my new team, and anyway we were all in the same car.


    And it calmed me. I just knew that if Marcelo ever found a way to communicate, that would be the one.


    The car stopped outside the T-HQ.


    ¡°Follow me men,¡± Ricardo said, as he exited the car first.


    ¡°Elena, Miguel, Gitana,¡± Azura added ¡°You stay in. Your specialties are needed.¡±


    I saw Miguel grin excited. I nodded in agreement. I had a guess to what this meant, and as sure as I was that this was the right thing to do, it never made it easier. I wondered if Gitana thought the same: she was sitting on the other side of the passenger seats of the vehicle, looking outside the window. She rarely voiced any opinion or preference, but I had no doubt she was going to be part of this mission due to her unique Insight Curse. She was a humble T-4 that had not attempted to rise the ranks and never used her Curse unless commanded to. The three of us have had a combined specialty in interrogations that had been used many times.


    Once the doors closed, I heard my earpiece forcibly changing channel. T-2 Azura started whispering her briefing of the situation over the channel. There were no videos this time, nor files. We would have to memorize her report.


    ¡°You will be dropped off to Base Oso, one of the four bases at the edge of the now collapsed Domain. We received reports from the Spanish Military that the Survivor interacted there with some of the volunteers and a doctor before escaping custody by unknown means. Utilize your combined Curses to extract the full description of the individual. Leave no trace behind. Erase everything. Copy?¡±


    ¡°Copy.¡± Miguel said.


    ¡°Understood,¡± I added. I hated when they called my abilities a Curse, but officially that was how I was classified. I just liked to believe I am good at my job.


    Gitana simply nodded.


    The doors opened again. ¡°I will be in comms with you. Use this channel only.¡± Azura stressed. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    She exited the car, and as the cars closed, we headed to our new destination.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she be more useful with us?¡± Miguel scoffed.


    ¡°T-2s do not approach Code Black territories. They know too much to be killed.¡± I explained. I added the last bit, just to see him squirm in fear.


    It did not take long to reach Base Oso. Calling this a Base was an overstatement, it was a makeshift camp at best and the Spanish Military was controlling its entrances. The spring Spanish climate was no more in this area, forcing us to wear our polar suits to conbat the cold. We all knew of course that these suits would only buy us a minute or two in case of another Domain collapse.


    It became crystal clear once we stepped in the camp that the Spanish Military was not there only to protect the gates of the camp. They also prevented anyone from leaving the premises. Everyone looked at us in desperation, even the medical volunteers, as we exited the car. We were quickly sent into the building that was the center of operations ¨C probably a grocery store before calamity hit it ¨C and into an empty windowless room.


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    There were fifteen people inside, all wearing medical or volunteer suits. It would be a long day.


    ¡°Do not fret,¡± I said as soon as I saw them. ¡°We are here to help.¡± Their faces lit up and smiled.


    I went ahead in the next room, while I heard Miguel call the first one: ¡°Sanchez, come over here buddy.¡±


    We all sat in a round table. I was across the Sanchez, a guy of Asian descent in his late twenties, Gitana was on my left holding a big notepad with blank paper and a pencil, and Miguel sat relaxed on my right.


    I smiled.


    ¡°So, what is your name? I am T3-Elena.¡±


    ¡°I am Haoyu Sanchez,¡± he said in Spanish, with some minor accent.


    ¡°I presume you are a local refugee from the Chinese District of N.T.?¡± I politely asked.


    ¡°Yes madame.¡± Chinese-Spanish families were common in the north of Nuevo Trujillo, in what has been dubbed as the Chinese District


    I nodded with worry. ¡°I am so sorry for what happened at the very heart of your home. We are here to help you the best we can. So, tell me what you experienced.¡±


    He looked hesitant at first and we all stared at him for a good half a minute in silence.


    ¡°I was in the center when we heard that something happened to the Paseo. I ran as fast as we could, as some of my family leaves around, but luckily south enough. Once I learned they were safe and sound, I conscripted myself to the nearest camp to help people hit by the edge of the Breach.¡±


    ¡°The breach?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s how we call it around here.¡±


    ¡°And why did you volunteer?¡±


    ¡°I am a nurse. I knew I could maybe help. Noone survived in the north, but people that were at the border of this area were in need of medical attention.¡±


    Miguel did not move, neither Gitana. This was my part of the job. Easing them into it.


    ¡°Are you sure no one survived the north?¡±


    ¡°Well, some of my colleagues claim they saw someone survive. But I think they are just making it up. No one can possibly survive this.¡±


    I looked at him a bit and I laughed. Gitana nodded, ever so slightly, negatively.


    ¡°Sorry you are right. My friend here always makes up stupid stories as well. Let¡¯s talk about the day then¡­¡±


    I continued the discussion pretending to be interested in other details of his story. After ten minutes, he was sent out before the next person joins.


    It took a few tries to get to the first person that interacted with the Survivor.


    ¡°Dr. Linda P¨¦rez. You were one of the few leading the medical efforts in Base Oso.¡± I spoke. ¡°We thank you for your noble service.¡±


    ¡°It is my duty¡± she responded. You can see the signs of exhaustion everywhere on her. Black circles under her eyes, her arms featuring cuts and bruises, a hastily made braid to rule her unruly long brown hair, a sweaty blouse.


    Before I could even ask anything, Gitana nodded and put her pencil on the notebook in front of her. Miguel raised his hand and moved his fingers as if about to snap his index and thumb.


    I reached out to her hands on the table.


    ¡°You have nothing to fear,¡± I said.


    I smelled the sea and the salt, I felt the sand beneath my feet. I was wearing my summer clothes, standing on the beach. Dr. P¨¦rez was next to me in her swimsuit, holding a cup of what could be a coconut rum cocktail. Near the beach, but far away, two children were playing by the sea.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked smiling at her.


    ¡°Cala Pregonda,¡± she said, exhilarated ¡°I love this place.¡±


    ¡°And your children too?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°My nieces. My brother¡¯s children.¡± She turned to me. ¡°Have we met before?¡±


    ¡°No, I just saw you hanging out here. I found it a great view.¡±


    I found myself flirting her. It was not on purpose, but it seemed that was what she was projecting to me. She smiled back and started walking towards her nieces. I followed suit.


    ¡°Are you from here?¡± I asked her. ¡°Or just your brother?¡±


    ¡°My brother and I grew up nearby. This is our favorite beach. Until I left for Antarctica. To make a future for us.¡± She hesitated a bit.


    ¡°You must have succeeded. You are now back here.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± She giggled. ¡°I became a medical doctor. Surgeon. I worked so hard.¡±


    ¡°Wow, looks and brains!¡± I cheered her up.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I saw her losing her focus on the scenery being created for her, trying to recollect her thoughts.


    ¡°What are your nieces names?¡±


    ¡°Solana and Luz,¡± she said ¡°Solana like our mother. Javier loved her dearly.¡±


    Javier, her brother. Solana and Luz, her nieces.


    ¡°Tia Linda!¡± we heard her nieces calling from afar waving her hands. I could not quite see their faces.


    Linda looked towards me.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen them in a long time, have you?¡± I asked, almost feeling pity I couldn¡¯t offer more at this stage.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡­¡±


    We got this Elena. Retreat. Gitana was calling me.


    I caressed Linda¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°You have nothing to fear.¡± I told her ¡°Go have fun with them.¡±


    I heard Miguel snap his fingers as I exited Linda¡¯s soothing fantasy. I was right where I was before, in the middle of a cold windowless room where we interrogated Linda. Dr. P¨¦rez. As Miguel snapped his fingers, she laid on the table in front of us, blood spilling out of her ears and mouth.


    ¡°Was it nice?¡± Miguel asked, unfazed.


    I ignored him and I turned to Gitana.


    ¡°Tell me you got him,¡± I said through my teeth.


    She turned her notebook towards me. A very detailed portrait of a young adolescent man stared right back at me. He had fear in his eyes, shock even. Was he shocked at something he saw or did? Or maybe shocked at us, killing a doctor just to get a drawn glimpse at his face. Gitana had outdone herself with a portrait as vivid as a photograph. We had a face of the Survivor.


    Unfortunate Linda¡¯s blood dripped on the floor, disrupting the silence.


    ¡°Good job, Gitana.¡± I said. ¡°Miguel, no trace. Get rid of her.¡±


    ¡°Does she have any family?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No. No family.¡± I answered. ¡°She was a lone scientist.¡±


    I untied my braid and sighed. Gitana looked at me expressionless. I wondered if her Insight could see into my Soothsaying, and whether she knew I lied. If she did, she did not say. It did not matter. Finding the Survivor would be easier than initially thought. Day one, and we had his face.

 Chapter 16 - Khalida // I will crash a party

    18¡ã41''34.2"N 12¡ã55''10.6"E - Bilma, Niger


    23.05.2024 ¨C 01:00 UTC +01


    I gazed out the window of the suite. I could feel my pulse through my neck veins. This was the adrenaline of the Nabd-hunt, fueled mad by my Calling. There was something I was supposed to do in Bilma, for that I was certain now, and it was only a matter of me surrendering for the night. Whether my Calling was triggered by the attack on my brother or by simple coincidence, it did not matter. Allowing it to guide me was my best bet right now.


    My initial plan was a quite standard one: walk out at night from establishment to establishment, waiting until I would walk into one with members of the Ngam K¨²r¨¤ or simply until my sense of Nabd kicked in, fueled by the traces of my prey on the blood-riddled cloth tucked in my pocket.


    Unfortunately, my Calling would beg to differ, driven by its own ambitions. I looked at the flower of the Baobab on the palms of my hand. The Baobab tree outside my balcony was not in bloom ¨C but the single flower in my hand had somehow acted as an omen when I had picked it up earlier today. I had to follow my Calling.


    My phone rang.


    ¡°Yes, Walid,¡± I asked, still looking outside the window.


    ¡°Your brother is now stationed in his room.¡±


    ¡°Did Mr. Yakubu protest?¡± I had paid the owner of the Baobab-Inn a handsome fee to allow us to extend our stay indefinitely, and let our men turn my brother¡¯s room into an infirmary. It was a risky move financially, as it almost emptied half our budget. If our mercenaries knew of this, we would lose many of them. But it did not matter, as my Calling was holding the driving wheel right now.


    ¡°Not at all. He is a friendly guy, Miss. What should we do now?¡±


    ¡°Choose three of your men. I need an escort team in Bilma. Have them ready with a car in ten minutes. The rest of you stay with my brother and even if a single leaf lands weirdly out the window, you give me a call. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    I hung up the phone and turned towards the mirror. I hadn¡¯t looked as well dressed in weeks. I wore a dress with three layers, in different shades of bright or washed-out white. I placed the alien-looking white flower of the Baobab next to my ear.


    It fitted perfectly.


    I was not sure if anyone would find me desirable in this dress. That was not what I was going for. I untied my hair from its tight braid, and let it flow and spring naturally up and down around my head, much like a lion¡¯s mane. I smirked at the thought, as this was exactly my intention. Desire? Maybe. But with a hint of fear.


    It was not a long ride to the unknown. Passing through various neighborhoods of the center, I let my Calling decide the evening. I commanded one of our men through the relatively empty streets. It was one hour after midnight on a Wednesday, but I was sure this city did not sleep.


    ¡°Here,¡± I said as we pulled up next to a big venue with a modern design. Its balconies and windows were lit, and its corners were covered with thick-leaved vines.


    Two men were at the club entrance, wearing the characteristic expressions of bouncers.


    ¡°Please park nearby and be ready,¡± I said to the driver ¡°And you two. Come with me and keep your eyes focused.¡±


    ¡°For what miss?¡± one of them asked, but I did not answer. I was already heading out of the car and towards the club entrance. They joined, somewhat begrudgingly.


    One of the bouncers spoke in Kanuri to me, as I came near in. Then he repeated in broken Arabic:


    ¡°This is a private establishment madame.¡± He smiled approaching me.


    ¡°I am not a madame,¡± I said, without reciprocating the smile. It felt as if seconds froze, and I focused on the bouncer¡¯s Nabd coming closer. I could count the moments and could feel his pulse joining mine ¨C and although mine raced faster with adrenaline, his pulse slowed down. And down, and down.


    The man collapsed right in front of me. ¡°Shit,¡± said one of my men, perhaps caught off guard by my approach.


    ¡°Oh no! Sir, something is up with your friend!¡± I said with the most damsel-in-distress voice I could muster. The second bouncer ran towards us, yelling the man¡¯s name.


    As he closed in, he collapsed into a deep sleep as well. I looked around, as I commanded my two men.


    ¡°Take their mics. Gag them and put them in the trunk. They will be asleep for a while, so now you are the bouncers. No one gets in or out.¡±


    ¡°And you miss?¡± one of them asked.


    ¡°Oh, I will crash a party,¡± I said.


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    I took the elevator to the fifth floor. There was no one else to stop me, except for myself.


    What am I even doing? Is my Calling broken?


    The elevator¡¯s bell rang as it opened its doors on the fifth floor. I was now in a huge luxurious ballroom with low lighting, its western side was practically an enormous crystal window. It was not exactly glass, as its crystalline texture was visible from the other side of the room, and it filtered the outside lighting with a scarlet hue.


    As the bell rang, everyone turned to stare at me. Around twenty men and just as many women, dressed in revealing and expensive dark, red, and gold outfits were now looking at me. They were in groups of two or three and from their body language, I had just interrupted all their discussions.


    My dress¡¯s white was dazzling compared to the darker d¨¦cor, and it worked in my favor. I tapped into all their Nabd.


    I could feel their heartbeats, their blood flow, their intensity. Some of them were bored, some annoyed. Some were worried, and some were excited to see me. I held onto their Nabd. This was not a friendly visit.


    I breathed in deep, and as I held my breath, I could feel everyone¡¯s heart slow down, just enough. Nobody was moving.


    I walked down the stairs in front of the elevator, and as I approached the crowd, I heard a few glasses fall, perhaps from the faintest of hearts.


    I started speaking in Kanuri, the way I had rehearsed.


    ¡°I was told that if I pluck the flower of the Baobab, the lions will get me. I am here for the pride¡¯s leader.¡±


    A man¡¯s pulse rose ever so slightly. I raised my hand and pointed at him.


    ¡°You shall take me to them.¡±


    He snapped out of my hex and hesitantly walked towards me. He passed by me and towards the elevator.


    I joined him in.


    ¡°As you were,¡± I said in Arabic just before the doors closed and released everyone from my control.


    The man in front of me was terrified, as I could hear his heart rate with no effort. With a shaken hand he pressed the button to the ninth floor. He was not simply afraid of me, but also our destination.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± I told him trying to control and bring down his heart rate.


    The bell rang once we reached the ninth floor.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I said, as I stood back. Once the doors opened two bullets hit his sternum and dropped bleeding, buying me a valuable second to sense and grab onto the Nabd of the gunmen.


    ¡°That is rich.¡± A woman¡¯s voice said in perfect Arabic. The room was the same size and style as the one on the fifth floor but only partly lit, primarily with a dark blue hue at the room¡¯s center. This was the real private party, with only four people sitting around a table. A fifth one, equally well dressed, was holding a bottle of liquor. At the center of the room, a woman with tightly braided hair was smoking an extremely long cigar, explaining the thick smell of tobacco.


    In a moment, seven men around the room collapsed. The gunmen that had fell under my sense of Nabd.


    ¡°That is tiring,¡± I responded.


    The woman sucked on the cigar with an unusual passion. One of the men around her attempted to say something.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± The woman said. ¡°The lions speak now.¡±


    I approached the group slowly. I had interrupted some serious scheming, that was very obviously led by that woman. Future plans were being formed, a celebration of old plans perhaps, probably illegal and related to that Ngam K¨²r¨¤ gang.


    No. Something else was happening as well. Not everyone there had the same intentions. One of the men, the one holding the bottle of liquor, was trembling, his Nabd fueled by adrenaline, much like mine. He was caught red handed.


    ¡°You. What is your name?¡± I asked pointing at the man.


    Everyone looked at the woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, answer the question,¡± the woman said, not taking her eyes off me.


    ¡°Kabiru,¡± he said, with a deep voice.


    ¡°Kabiru. You should drink now,¡± I suggested


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Kabiru protested.


    ¡°You heard the girl,¡± the woman said, always with the same stern look right at me. ¡°We were about to share a glass. Have the first shot.¡±


    The man trembled, as the woman puffed a cloud of smoke out her mouth.


    ¡°Drink,¡± she said.


    Behind me, I heard the elevator¡¯s bell ring, as more people were about to enter the room. I froze, as a feeling of dread started rushing through me, replacing the confidence of the adrenaline from before. Not just because my hexes of the Nabd were all but drained at this point. But also because the Calling that has been surging me and motivating me the past minutes through the city and this venue, suddenly disappeared.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah,¡± the woman said towards me, as I heard guns armed behind me ¡°Let Kabiru have a drink before you shoot the girl. Let us see what happens.¡±


    Kabiru held the bottle with a shaken hand. He put the bottle¡¯s lid on his mouth and seemingly gulped but faked it. The woman stood up, revealing her abnormal height, perhaps over two meters tall. She left her cigar on the table. She looked right at me before she turned to Kabiru.


    ¡°The girl had a great idea. Drink, Kabiru.¡± She grabbed the bottle with one hand, and with the other one, she grabbed his face and opened his mouth. The man downed a few gulps instinctively before he started to fight back with his hands. The tall woman let him go and left the bottle gently on the table.


    Kabiru fell on his behind on the floor crying, trying to spit the liquor out.


    ¡°Speed it up,¡± the woman said sucking the air through her teeth, ¡°take him out of his agony.¡±


    This command was for me. I tuned into his Nabd. He was indeed in agony. I could feel his heart beating erratically, betraying his desperation. I breathed out as deeply as I could, emptying the oxygen of my lungs. And with my exasperation, his heart rate almost doubled. The blood inside his veins sped up, spreading whatever it was that he imbibed, exponentially faster.


    ¡°No, Lioness, I will-¡± he tried to say, as the veins in his skin turned white. He fell on the ground. Soon his Nabd disappeared from my senses.


    The woman turned towards me and smiled. I did not even dare to breathe. I hardly understood what I had just done and why my Calling had led me to barge into all of this.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be. Guns down,¡± she said and everyone behind me obeyed ¡°That is one cursed flower right there.¡±

 Chapter 17 - Nis? // Your Kind

    20.05.2024 ¨C 19.45 UTC +04.00


    ¡°That is not possible,¡± I said, although I had to admit all I was taught was from Starling¡¯s coven. A Half-Shadow? What did this even mean?


    Ramin was sitting across the table. He chuckled.


    ¡°Of course it is. Probably more common than pure shadows nowadays,¡± he said as he grabbed the drinks from the waitress¡¯ disk. The waitress left some appetizers and burgers on the table.


    Ramin did not even hesitate as he devoured his burger.


    ¡°Unbelievable. Really. So. Amazing¡±


    ¡°How long were you in there?¡± I asked him. I felt that his intense hunger could not be explained by his character.


    ¡°Depends on what year it is. You told me it is May already.¡± He said digging through the final piece of burger,


    ¡°Eh, 2024.¡±


    ¡°Ah, shit. That must be¡­ eight years then¡±


    I almost choked on the water.


    ¡°What did you do? Starling must have had a reason. Not every shadow is kept prisoner for so long, not that I have ever heard of.¡±


    ¡°Ehm, honestly? I do not remember. But it cannot be worse than what you did.¡± He clapped back. ¡°Think about it. The last thing I remember was the year 2016, when I was in Baku. Whatever the reason, the one you call Starling took me away and put me in that Cursed house. That said, they kept me alive for so long¡­¡± He paused going through another burger ¡°The moment they think you escaped, they glass bomb the house. So, I really need to know, what it is that you have done.¡±


    He was right. That reaction must have been proportional to something that I had done. Or something I had learned.


    Or both. I recalled the vision about the Sahara and a message I had sent that night.


    What could I have possibly done?


    ¡°I have only fragments of memories,¡± I admitted to Ramin. It felt like my brain was bleached clean, and I could only remember random whispers I received that night and only limited visual details. ¡°I was warding a house south of here, hoping to protect south of Oghuz from¡­¡±I vaguely gestured in his direction.


    ¡°Shadows?¡± Ramin asked. Sitting under the light of the candle in that diner made the question sound literal, but we both knew we were not referring to the absence of light.


    ¡°Yes. Something happened that night. I think¡­ I met another Cursed.¡± I dug through my mind. It was difficult even away from the mind fog that the house had created over the last few days. The memories were locked behind a semi-transparent wall. ¡°He forced me to whisper, or caused a vision? I am not sure exactly. But it somehow has to do with a place in the Sahara. I really can¡¯t make sense of my memories.¡±


    We looked at each other. The awkwardness was palpable.


    ¡°By the way you are looking at me,¡± he repeated my vague gesture ¡°things must have gone more awry than I thought. I remember the radio talking about domain wars. Is it because of us?¡± he said troubled.


    These were hard waters to navigate. Shadows were a very particular breed of Cursed people that always existed in the region. Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and even south Russia and north Iran, all hosted sporadic minorities among the Cursed covens of people called Shadows. They tended to have obvious Curses, always associated with darkness, decay, or like in Ramin¡¯s case it seemed like ashes. They were shunned by the Cursed who tried to hide among the normal mortal world, exactly because of their particular curses. Where I was from, associating yourself with shadows was considered taboo.


    They also had a dramatically shortened lifespan, most of them not living past forty, succumbing to their own curses. Or at least they used to. A couple of years back some innovative mortal medication was uncovered. It boosted the shadows¡¯ health and allowed them to push the boundaries of their powers without consuming their lifespan.


    I did not share most of my background¡¯s prejudices against shadows. If anything, I felt a combination of pity and curiosity for their Cursed fates.


    ¡°Your kind,¡± I paused choosing my words carefully ¡°revolted a couple of years ago. They have found a way to establish a domain in Baku, forbidding other Cursed to enter.¡±


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    I waited a bit to gauge his reaction. He seemed perplexed, confused even, but not sad about it. I continued explaining.


    ¡°Well, Baku was the center of activities for most covens, which created a lot of hostility between the covens. Which are now vying for control of the areas around the Caspian Sea, which in turn has created more and more alliances and betrayals across covens in the area¡­ My coven is in active domain war with Adil¡¯s Coven, from Shaki through Q?b?l?.¡±


    I omitted the history of some covens persecuting and executing Shadows as punishment for their perceived insolence. I was never directly involved in these crimes against Shadows, but I am not sure how that information would help me build rapport with the only ally at hand.


    ¡°I see,¡± he answered ¡°Not much I can do about all that. What¡¯s the plan for us?¡±


    The question caught me off guard, but I had started to realize his personality was more direct than what that cursed house had tranquilized him into revealing before.


    ¡°Well, our case is bigger than those domain wars. My clairvoyance showed me the West Sahara. As far as I know, there are no shadows or covens like as in West Africa¡±


    Ramin scoffed and protested.


    ¡°Are you expecting us to travel to the other end of the world, on a hunch?¡±


    ¡°Look, I have no other lead, family or friends. My only close friend was that same masked man you saw, hunting for us. I have nowhere to go, so I may as well get a plane to Morocco and find out what is hiding there. But you can go back to whatever weird family you are from.¡±


    He must have felt some of the pain and desperation in my voice.


    ¡°Did you miss the part where I was locked in there for almost a decade?¡±


    After a moment of awkward silence, I second-guessed my words.


    ¡°I apologize. My head is all fuzzy. I can¡¯t imagine how your head feels. And I am sure you do have a family somewhere looking for you.¡±


    He did not say anything, and we were both left lost in our thoughts and my candle¡¯s warding light.


    I was without a coven or allies, and I knew I must have uncovered something big for my coven to hunt me like this. If there was any way to fix how my life was unexpectedly shattered, that was to find out what I had learned that night.


    Ramin was a shadow prisoner of my coven, held against his will for years. There was no reason for our common trip to continue. We might have been enemies in proper circumstances.


    ¡°That¡¯s very far,¡± he sighed ignoring my innuendo to separate, ¡°How are we going to find a flight to Morocco?¡±


    I scanned him with my eyes. Was he planning to tag along in my crazy plan ¨C and was I really okay with it? I weighed my options. His help could prove very advantageous, a half-shadow that can switch his powers on and off.


    ¡°If only I knew a shadow,¡± I said in the end ¡°so that we could go through Shadow territories together.¡±


    He popped a cute smirk. I had to admit, there was something I really liked about him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find a bus then,¡± he said.


    I waved to the waitress. As she came near my candle¡¯s ward, I whispered.


    ¡°We were never here.¡± We waved at her and left, as she blankly returned to her post. I felt shame for using my Cursed ward to not pay in a diner, but given we had nothing but our somehow torn clothes and a box of matches, I decided we were owed a break.


    I followed a similar strategy when we visited a nearby clothing store and when we bought tickets for the bus ride to Q?b?l? Airport. Ramin did not seem to protest but did look at me suspiciously every time I whispered a ward and lit a match.


    ¡°So can you simply do whatever you want?¡± He asked when we had finally settled in our seats on the bus to Q?b?l? Airport.


    ¡°Hm, I wish,¡± I said and lowered my voice ¡°I can make a cashier ignore me and gift me things. I can protect myself, and perhaps you, if someone with bad intentions is nearby. That¡¯s about it.¡±


    ¡°It is quite handy.¡±


    ¡°Well, the more people I must trick the more impossible it is. I can make a bus driver ignore us. I can¡¯t make a whole airport work in our favor and let us on an international flight,¡± I explained.


    ¡°I see. So, we do need money,¡± he quickly deduced.


    ¡°And more matches,¡± I sighed ¡°I am almost out.¡±


    The drive was uneventful. A part of me wished Zephyr would whisper back at me again, with an explanation, but I knew that wish was futile. Even if he did reach out, responding to him would pose a major risk. Some people could trace whispers, and with Q?b?l? Airport being right out of Starling¡¯s Domain, I would not bet they would not dare follow us out there. I decided to not use my energy thinking about my old coven. I had to figure out a way to get enough money to buy two tickets out of Azerbaijan and anywhere to the south.


    Perhaps I could use my ward enough times begging for money around the airport. It could work, but we would need to make sure people would not get to us. The more people I tried to affect with the same ward, the more we would risk garnering attention. But yet, it was the best idea I could think of.


    Once we reached our destination and we exited the bus, I realized how futile my thought process was. The entire parking lot, airport market, and overall vicinity were heavily patrolled by government police carrying automatic guns.


    Government ads were playing in every corner, with a very clear motto: SEE A CURSE, REPORT A CURSE.


    ¡°That was a major detail you left out, Nis?.¡±


    ¡°I did not. Things must have happened during the past couple of days. The government is cracking down on the covens.¡± I said worried but started walking as the rest of the people towards the airport entrance, trying not to seem suspicious.


    ¡°And that includes¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am sure it includes you too. Just. Just stay normal.¡±

 Chapter 18 - è°©ngel // Another domain emerges

    76¡ã00¡¯S 53¡ã43¡¯E ¨C Nuevo Trujillo, Spanish Antarctic Colonies


    20.05.2024- 21.30 UTC +3.00


    I stretched my legs, bored in my tiny room. I missed my home and my family. But I could not leave ¨C they would not let me. I was not even allowed to make a phone call, and I was sure at this point my family was probably having my funeral, certain I was a piece of ice somewhere in the Chinese District.


    They knew I would be on the Paseo that day, my mother had even ¨C ironically ¨C scolded me for going without a jacket. And now, I was lying in a specially made suit, covered in wool and hexes, making sure I could comfortably withstand the Antarctic cold.


    I was in that room for more than a day and my anger and panic was all but gone. In the first hours, I did not care, I was just happy to have a room to rest. But then, when they would not let me leave, I realized I had not been saved. I had been captured. That man, the one with the glowing rune on his hand, had led me successfully somewhere in the Northern Chinese District, to what I hoped would be answers to my questions. But all I had found was this cozy cell.


    I kicked the edge of the bed. It was annoying how good I had been sleeping and resting there. The food they brought me was also nice, and sometimes I had to remind myself I was a prisoner. The problem was, I was not clear what I was imprisoned for.


    When the domain at the Paseo collapsed, I survived it. That was not a crime, right? Or perhaps it was? Maybe the government wanted the domain to fall, and a survivor was a problem. And then the people that had me closed up in a room now were some kind of paramilitary organization, tasked to keep me away from everyone.


    I scoffed. I had been left alone in my own head for way too long. This scenario made no sense.


    ¡°Here we go.¡± The door opened. The young man who had led me here was standing right in front of it. He showed me a pair of manacles on his left hand. ¡°Will you need these? Or can you just follow me in silence? I would much rather not use these.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked. I was not planning to fight back, there was nowhere to run. We were in an abandoned, half-wrecked skyscraper somewhere in the frozen parts of the Chinese District. Only parts of it were safe and untouched by the cold, secured by specialist Cursed people belonging to this group.


    ¡°He is here to see you. He took the trip just for you.¡± The young man answered.


    ¡°Who is he?¡± I asked, but the man only smirked. With a wave of his hand, he implied I should just get up and follow him.


    And I did. The building was occupied by more people wearing the same suit as we both did. They all stared as we passed by their rooms. It was bizarre walking through that building; it must have been a simple residential high-story house before the cold cloud hit it. Now, this militia was occupying rooms such as kitchens, playrooms, and nurseries and had turned long hallways into operation centers. However, there was an improvisation to everything around me, that I could not exactly explain.


    I followed silently the young man through a hallway and the stairs to higher floors. I peeked through the window of the staircase. We must have been at least on the ninth or tenth floor, as it looked higher than I have ever lived in an apartment. The outside was covered in snow.


    ¡°Alright. That¡¯s your cue.¡± The man said, pointing to a door.


    ¡°Are you not coming?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I will sit this one out.¡±


    I felt my throat dry a bit, and I let out an awkward cough. The man opened the door and pushed me in.


    Whatever the room used to be before, now it was entirely emptied. Only a few objects were in strategic positions: a desk with a lamp and a bottle of water on top, and two chairs on opposite sides. I did not need to be an expert to recognize an interrogation room. I had seen enough movies. As a reflex, I turned around to count my exit routes.


    The door behind me led to where exactly I had come from. The closed glass windows into a ten-story fall. I guess that was it. I would have to go through whatever this was and just hope that whoever was going to interrogate me would believe me when I said that I had absolutely no clue what was happening.


    ¡°This is not an interrogation, ¨¢ngel.¡± A manly voice interrupted me, trying to counter my worries. A man in his forties, wearing a worn-out version of my suit entered the room from another door. He had hair reaching his shoulders and a kind look in his eyes, almost apologetic. He approached in slow steps. ¡°This is, at the very least, a confession. Would you like to sit?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ yes,¡± I said, heading to the chair. The man mirrored my move and sat at the same time I did.


    ¡°You have been treated well, I hope.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t complain,¡± I answered uncomfortably, ¡°well, I would like to be able to leave though.¡±


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    The man nodded in understanding.


    ¡°I am sure you do. And after this conversation, I assure you, you will have the choice to do so. But before that, I want to make sure you understand what is happening.¡± I could tell the man was carefully choosing his words. He maintained a calm demeanor almost like when in a funeral: he seemed honest, but at the same time somber about his honesty.


    He noticed that I was staring at him.


    ¡°You are freaking me out,¡± I blurted out and then bit my lip.


    He chuckled.


    ¡°Yes, you are right. I forgot my manners. I am Salvador. Salva for short. You have no reason to fear me. I cannot hurt you. To be entirely honest,¡± he said and paused ¡°I am the one that fears you.¡±


    ¡°Uhm, okay.¡± I smiled at his stupid comment. Was this his way to make me feel comfortable? What did that mean?


    ¡°¨¢ngel, do you know what a domain is?¡±


    ¡°Like the Trastamara Domain? What keeps us warm? Well, kept.¡±


    ¡°Yes, like the Trastamara Domain.¡±


    ¡°It is a curse, right? Magic. Some Cursed people have this power, to protect lots of people.¡± I explained what I had learned in history at school.


    ¡°Did you know there are many domains out there?¡± Salva asked.


    ¡°Well, I assume London is also under one. I know in Spain they are illegal. Only allowed here in the Colonies, to protect us.¡±


    ¡°New London is a whole other story. But you are right. Domains have been a problem in the past. Domains are the most powerful and rare type of Curse. A way for a Cursed to influence cities, states, even whole countries.¡± Salva poured some water into one of the glasses. He whispered into it.


    ¡°It is easier if I show you. I am Cursed with Insight. I can offer it to you, freely, if you agree.¡± He handed the glass of water to me. It seemed unusually clear and transparent, even more so than water usually did. Something I could not picture before seeing this with my own eyes.


    ¡°Salvador?¡±


    ¡°Salva is fine.¡±


    ¡°Salva. What does this have to do with what happened in Paseo?¡± I asked, terrified of the answer.


    He nodded and pointed at the glass of water. Annoyed, I drank it up, and as I did, mist engulfed us both. We were no longer sitting in a room, but we were hovering among the clouds. I saw him move his lips.


    ¡°Follow my voice,¡± he said, the voice reaching me not in sync with his mouth. ¡°I will guide you through the Insight.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said as if I felt like falling through the clouds.


    ¡°Domains have been used for many purposes. Europe was plagued by wars for a good century, when aspiring Cursed used their domains to define their territory.¡±


    ¡°The Great War?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. Domains were used extensively. Protective, aggressive, controlling. Sometimes respecting political borders. Sometimes not.¡±


    As I fell through the clouds, I could see balls of fire, missiles, and airplanes around us. Women and men cried. Whispers carried hexes in the wind.


    ¡°After the wars, most countries in Europe signed a treaty that forbade domains. Anyone with a domain Curse had to be registered and monitored. Even sent to exile, if that¡¯s what¡¯s necessary. Some domains are stronger than others, ¨¢ngel. And two domains cannot coexist.


    ¡°Humanity has thrived in Antarctica because of them. When the House of Trastamara reached here centuries ago, the First Queen established one of the most long-standing domains in history. This kind of domain is not recreated. Only inherited and expanded. A domain that protects from all cold and binds us all into the House¡¯s will.¡±


    We hovered over the Antarctic colonies. I could see the trains connecting through all the major cities. Santiago¡¯s towers, the defining characteristic of the capital¡¯s skyline, grew tall.


    ¡°The House¡¯s will?¡±


    ¡°The Cursed can control everything their powers allow, within their domain. You must understand that. Everyone in a domain is at the mercy of its ruler.¡± He said and continued.


    Controlled? By whom? The Queen? This sounded like a wild conspiracy theory. But the Insight continued.


    ¡°What had started as an experiment, had evolved into a utopia. Generation by generation, royals inherit the domain. An unbreakable one. Until now.¡±


    The towers started crumbling.


    ¡°Another domain, meant to be more powerful than even the Trastamara domain, emerges.¡±


    I started flailing my arms around.


    ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± I waved my hands around as if to disperse the mist. The insight stopped immediately. Salva looked at me perplexed, if not surprised.


    ¡°What does this have to do with me? What are you insinuating?¡± I asked trying to catch my breath.


    Salva did not move an inch. He looked ready to say something but did not dare move.


    ¡°That I have something to do with the domain falling? That I killed all these people?¡± I felt the whole room turn around. This made no sense. Or it made a whole lot of sense. I felt tears gathering up in my eyes.


    ¡°No, boy.¡± He grabbed my hands. ¡°Please listen to me. You did not kill these people. The House of Trastamara did.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked ready to cry.


    ¡°You did not kill them. You could only save them! The way you saved yourself. The same way you can save everyone if you learn how to use your curse.¡± Salva shook my hands and looked into my eyes. ¡°The Sagrada and the Queen brought down the domain because somehow, they sensed you there. ¨¢ngel, they culled everyone trying to ensure you die as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I am not Cursed.¡± I said, calming down.


    ¡°That remains to be seen. You are certainly not blessed, my boy. You have much to learn.¡±

 Chapter 19 - Demi // Release

    6¡ã35¡¯N 6¡ã04¡¯W ¨C Kou¨¦tinfla, Ivory Coast


    20.05.2024- 19.00 UTC +00.00


    ¡°Please, mother. No more silk.¡± I pleaded. We had been going through this for what seemed like hours, days even.


    She took a momentary pause, her hands hovering above my head, before leaving the needle next to my head.


    ¡°With enough time, I can stitch you right up again. But we can have a break. It must be so tiring for you.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, you are perfect.¡±


    ¡°Come on stand up,¡± she said, ¡°let¡¯s make you some tea.¡±


    I stood up. I could only see from one of my eyes, but I was well familiar with the small cabin I was in. The orange light of a setting sun was pouring from the window.


    I clumsily found my way toward the door that led to my favorite balcony. A rocking chair was prepared with some sheep fur. I sat on it and drew the fur around me to keep me warm. Although the sun shined right on me, there was a numbing coldness unnatural to these parts.


    ¡°Hey mum,¡± I said and as my voice cracked, ¡°don¡¯t forget the honey.¡±


    ¡°Of course baby,¡± she said from inside the cabin.


    We were alone, but it was just the way I preferred. I loved my siblings, but the chaos the whole family gathered was too much for me today. My mother was enough.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, doubting myself, ¡°Where are¡­¡±


    ¡°Your sister is out to the shops. Here is with extra honey,¡± my mother said, handing me a hot cup of tea. The herbs in it mixed with flower honey generated the familiar aroma of home. ¡°And your brothers. Well, they probably are somewhere causing trouble.¡±


    I chuckled. My brothers were always like that. Or were they? I strained to remember how they looked.


    ¡°Sh now. Don¡¯t tire yourself, baby, the stitches won¡¯t hold that much pain. You know what,¡± she said and went inside, before coming back with her needle and her silver silk, ¡°Let¡¯s keep it up while you are resting. Enjoy the sunset.¡±


    I tried to divert my attention from her weaving to the sun setting behind the all-familiar hills on the edge of the horizon.


    ¡°I have not seen such a beautiful sunset before,¡± I admitted to myself, in Baoul¨¦. I saw the purple, the orange, the scarlet color of the sun piercing through the humidity of the jungle on the horizon. ¡°I really haven¡¯t.¡± The view was like a distant memory, but it was not mine.


    ¡°I know baby,¡± my mother said. I sensed something in her voice. It was how her voice cracked every time she fought with my father. A sense of sadness overwhelmed me.


    She had not stopped weaving and operating on my head. I gently stopped her and turned around.


    Her eyes were brown, with a hint of green. Her dimples and kind cheeks did not betray her age, one could say she was the same age as me, her hair shorter than mine. She was holding back some tears, but she was smiling.


    ¡°You are not my mother, aren¡¯t you?¡± I said in disappointment. As much as I knew what I was experiencing was impossible, I wished I could have felt my mother¡¯s hand one more time.


    ¡°No, Kouadio.¡± The woman that was not my mother caressed my cheek. ¡°But this is all I can do, to protect her. This is what I know. To comfort, and to weave.¡±


    ¡°And to add the honey in the tea,¡± I said, ¡°Is this what her Curse looks like from the inside?¡± I wondered out loud, but inside what, I would not know. This was no mortal realm. And I was not a mortal.


    ¡°Perhaps. This is all I have known,¡± the mother said. Not my mother, but a lonely mother.


    I drank some tea. She continued stitching my head.


    ¡°Here it is. All done.¡±


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    ¡°I love you,¡± she whispered, or I did, as my eyes sprang open. I was in a back alley, somewhere between a house and a tall building, covered in a leather blanket and a wet jacket. Had I picked those from the trash when I ended up here, I could not remember. I had no idea what day or time it was, but the sky looked like the start of a spring evening.


    ¡°Did you see her?¡± I was not alone in the alley. A hooded woman stood right across the street. I sprang up surprised. My hands tried to reach for a gun or a machete, but there was nothing.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked. Was she the voice that trapped me last time? The Haunt?


    The woman came closer and pulled back her hoodie.


    ¡°No more killing, Kouadio,¡± the woman said. She was I, Demi.


    Or rather I was Kouadio, and she was Demi. Alive, standing right in front of my own self, I¡­


    ¡°Close your eyes. It makes it easier,¡± Demi said, and I obeyed. It indeed made it better. My brain could not accept her image as separate from, well, us.


    ¡°I saw you dead,¡± I said.


    ¡°I saw you dead as well. But part of my Spark was protected in you. I keep coming back, Kouadio, but that is my Curse to bear, not yours,¡± Demi¡¯s voice said. I heard her taking some steps closer, as I felt my body relaxing.


    ¡°I did see her. The mother, at the cabin near the hills,¡± I said. ¡°She seemed to be waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°I know, I am waiting for her as well,¡± Demi responded. I kept my eyes closed as she was coming nearby. I felt an itch around my body. ¡°But I have responsibilities to the living. And a responsibility to you as well. I am so sorry for all this pain and the killing. This was not meant to happen.¡±


    I nodded. I somehow knew she was honest and meant well. I opened my eyes.


    I took another step toward Kouadio¡¯s standing body, as he eerily looked right at me. I raised my hands¡¯ palms up right in front of him.


    ¡°Release,¡± I commanded, and small white and silver spiders jumped off his body, running towards holes in the ground. One, the largest, landed on my palms, as Kouadio collapsed, hastily decomposing.


    It was a large white spider, with silver linings across its body. It calmly waited, as I lifted my arms, and let it crawl in my mouth. I felt it find its way into my insides, trying all different directions. In a moment, I was complete. All the things I had done trapped in Kouadio¡¯s body, echoed in my head like a dream. The blood, the murder. And the Haunt.


    ¡°So, it was indeed all a set-up,¡± I said, glad that it was Kouadio¡¯s body that had to discover and go through that, and not me.


    I searched Kouadio¡¯s corpse for the enchanted pouches, the initial mission¡¯s purpose. He had them all still on him.


    I grabbed them and put them all in my backpack.


    I looked at his de-sparked rotting body, and I felt guilt for what he had to go through before I managed to find him, a loose broken Sparked on the run stuck in a murderous command. There was no time for a funeral, but I grabbed some mud from the street and poured it on him. I found solace in the idea he had seen my mother before I released him, but I sensed my anger at my Curse.


    I could remember every horrible thing I did while within his body, but nothing from the After. It was only Kouadio that got to see her.


    ¡°You were a brave warrior,¡± I said, and I left the alley.


    I picked up the phone from my pocket and hit the speed dial.


    ¡°I need your help. Meet me in the usual place. I will be there in a few hours,¡± I said as I headed back to the car I had been using the past couple of days.


    I downed a glass of koutoukou, sitting in the bar I frequented back when I used to live in this town. Getting all the way to Yamoussoukro took only a couple of hours. They were as uneventful as my trip before finding Kouadio.


    Whatever psychic curses The Haunt possessed; they seemingly could not find me. Or perhaps they were still searching for me in Kouadio¡¯s body. His rampage in Kou¨¦tinfla, although unfortunate, had proven very useful. I was now sure that our employer had somehow set us up, and someone named ¡°The Haunt¡± was waiting for us at our initial meeting point. I could no longer fulfill the mission, but that had left me with the enchanted pouches. Only the receiver could open them. I did not dare even try to untie them, as I am sure the protective enchantments on them would, at best, incapacitate me.


    A slender teenager entered the bar. He was slightly taller than me, with traditionally feminine piercings on his left ear. His hair had grown since the last time I had seen him. His eyes searched around. When he saw me, he came nearby.


    ¡°Drissa,¡± I said.


    ¡°Teacher,¡± Drissa said and nodded.


    ¡°You are in danger,¡± I said as he sat next to me, ¡°anyone who knows me is. But you are the only one I can trust.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say my last assignment angered the wrong curses,¡± I sighed as I slid a paper toward him, ¡°This is a bank account. There is not much inside. Empty it and take your parents and leave the Coast for a few months. Take a flight to Tombouctou. Or you have family in Sunyani, right? I don¡¯t know, anywhere. Until things calm down.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Before you do that, you have to tell me. You know many newly Cursed. Is there anyone with attunement to objects? Enchantments?¡±


    The boy sat in silence for a moment.


    ¡°I know someone. But if helping you would bring him trouble, you can forget it.¡±


    ¡°Drissa. You owe me. And I have sworn that as long as I live, I will let no harm come to you.¡± I noticed his worried expression. ¡°Same as your friend, if you introduce him to me. He can be under my protection. Until I resolve this. But I need someone to break a curse. Or else, there is no hope for either me or you. And if I am right, for no one at the Coast.¡±

 Chapter 20 - Khalida // A woman too rich and too criminal

    18¡ã41''34.2"N 12¡ã55''10.6"E - Bilma, Niger


    23.05.2024 ¨C 01:15 UTC +01


    ¡°You can leave us.¡±


    I turned around and looked at the gunmen. Now it was my heartbeat that was picking up pace, as the gunmen reluctantly headed to the stairs and elevator. It was no curse. I knew I had done something big, but the Calling in all its wisdom had now subsided. I had to make my own choices from that point onwards.


    ¡°You too,¡± the tall woman ¨C Kabiru had just called her Lioness ¨C commanded the rest around the table. The three men stood up and left. They were dressed impeccably, much like the guests on the lower floor. One of them winked at me as he passed by and headed to the elevator.


    It only took five minutes until it was only me and the Lioness in the room. Well, and Kabiru¡¯s body, contorted by the poison.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± the woman said, ¡°poor Kabiru. All he had to do was stay in his lane.¡± She kneeled and grabbed the bottle with the tampered liquor. She stood up and stared right at me.


    ¡°You want some?¡± She asked. I looked at her perplexed, as she poured some of it into her glass and promptly drank from it. ¡°Ah, it also tastes vile. This would have never worked. Even if it could harm me.¡±


    I tried to piece everything together. I had not dared speak a word, hoping my Calling would soon take over again and get me out of where it had led me.


    ¡°I thought you spoke Arabic?¡± The woman asked me.


    ¡°Yes, I can,¡± I responded ¡°, and I thought this was poison.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she said, pouring it on the floor next to her, ¡°as if I would have drunk something¡­ so sharp at the tongue.¡±


    She walked toward me. Funnily enough, I felt a kinship with this towering woman, her imposing way, long hair, and dark skin. All these men feared her and obeyed her. No, it was not kinship. It was respect.


    ¡°Why did he try to do this?¡±


    ¡°Desperation,¡± she answered, after a moment of thought, ¡°I am sure the others had warned him not to take such a chance. No man can hurt me. I hail from the mountains. And where are you from, f??l¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Libya. I am nothing more than a passerby.¡±


    She sneered at my answer.


    ¡°Oh, you are definitely more, f??l¨¦,¡± she said, calling me to what I guessed meant flower in her local dialect. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Khalida.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Alright f??l¨¦, I think that would do. My name is Aisa.¡±


    Even though she shared her name, I somehow felt she was not expecting me to use it.


    ¡°What do you want of the lions, f??l¨¦?¡± Aisa picked up a lighter and lit her long cigar again.


    ¡°My Curse led me here. I had to stop him. I had to meet you.¡±


    She waved her hands as if she said well here I am.


    I decided to choose my words carefully.


    ¡°I do not intend to stay long in the city of Bilma. This is but a temporary delay to my plans. I will look for a safe passage to the South. In the meanwhile, I had to reach your side.¡±


    She puffed a long cloud of smoke and sneered again.


    ¡°I am not sure what your endgame is little flower, but I have no Curses to offer. No power you do not already wield. I am but a woman too rich and too criminal to be safe company.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless,¡± I interrupted her and for the first time during the conversation I took a few steps towards her, ¡°you need me.¡±


    ¡°I do f??l¨¦. I need someone of your talent, for my security detail. A witchling like you can see things others cannot. And I have good reason to think some powerful people want me dead.¡±


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    She scoffed at Kabiru¡¯s lifeless body.


    ¡°And I do not mean him. But we can¡¯t discuss this more now. I have meetings to attend. Here,¡± she said and gave me a metal card. There was an address carved on it.


    The men that I had previously incapacitated started shuffling around, moaning as their blood pressure was normalizing again.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°A business proposal. You get to walk free now, me paying you back for getting rid of the weak.¡± She stepped over Kabiru and headed towards the elevator. ¡°But if I see you again in this club, I will remember what you did to my men, and with my debt paid, I will order them to shoot. So, if you want to reach my side, go to this address. And ask for Yahaya.¡±


    She pointed to the stairs on the side of the elevators.


    ¡°The lift is for VIPs honey.¡±


    After Aisa¡¯s men led me to our car, I awkwardly commanded Walid to release the unconscious men from our car. No one dared say anything, probably since Aisa had already informed everyone to let us go. We simply got into the car and left.


    Walid circled through Bilma for almost an entire hour to make sure no one was following us. The unnecessarily long drive was unbearable and silent. I could sense the two men wanted to know what happened, but after what they had witnessed me do at will, they were too scared. I could sense their blood curl.


    But I was also scared. I flipped the metal card that Aisa had given me and hid it in my purse. I had to straighten my story with our men, Qadir, and then choose if I would give in to my curiosity. The Calling had led me to her for some reason, and I had started doubting this had anything to do with Qadir¡¯s beating. I plucked the Baobab¡¯s flower from my hair.


    ¡°I thought I would find the culprit if I gave in, and let it lead me,¡± I said to Qadir the next morning. The first thing I did when I woke up, was to join him for breakfast in his room.


    ¡°And?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I got into a bigger mess. Brother, this Curse. It is too unpredictable. Too powerful. You know, how we usually can feel the Nabd? Put someone to sleep? While I obeyed the Calling, the Curse grew. I held whole rooms¡¯ hearts hostage.¡±


    Qadir put down his spoon slowly. He swallowed the sweet cereal he always had for breakfast.


    ¡°Did you say rooms? How many people?¡± I was not sure if he was excited or scared.


    ¡°They were many. Brother, I¡­¡± I looked outside the window of the hotel room. The Baobab tree¡¯s branches were sitting still, a light warm breeze going in the room as it passed through its leaves. I wondered why I was blessed with such a Curse.


    ¡°It was amazing. So much power¡­ But brother. I do not know why. I thought if I let loose, it would lead me to solve your mystery. Take my anger out on the petty thief that did this to you and walk away.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it did. Maybe to find them, you had to do¡­ what you did.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? The questions are more than the answers. I do not know why my Calling led me South, and I do not know what it wants me to do here.¡±


    ¡°It wants you to grow strong. You saw it, as you told me. Whole rooms, obeying your curse. What¡¯s next? A town?¡±


    I turned to him. I needed someone to ground me and understand me, but more often than not Qadir failed to do so. His Curse was dormant for most of his life, and he had way weaker control over the Nabd. And more than anything, he did not know what it meant to give in to the Calling. Being terrified of yourself and what it might make me do. So far, it was only things I agreed to, at least partially.


    ¡°I think it has other plans. I think I need to let it lead me. Maybe we are meant to stay in Bilma a bit longer.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± he said trying to cheer me up. But we both knew better; he had no choice. He knew that if my Calling decided to take me away and head South as initially did in Libya, I would have to leave him here to heal.


    In a sense, we were both happy it did not. But I felt something had changed, somehow my Calling¡¯s plans changed. And I was but a pawn.


    ¡°Today I will have to go for another field trip. Alone this time. Please rest, okay?¡± I said and kissed his forehead. He looked at me with wide eyes. He knew he could not change my mind.


    ¡°Just, use your phone if you need anything!¡± He yelled at me as I walked away. ¡°I can send the guys to get you from anywhere.¡±


    A taxi could take me to my destination in ten minutes, but I chose to walk. I held the blooded handkerchief in my pocket, using it, just in case. The pulse of my prey was still audible, as far as always. On the other hand, my Calling was nowhere to be felt. I was alone this morning.


    After an hour of walking around and trying to orient myself in this new part of Bilma, I realized the address did not exist. I looked at my phone, contradicting what I saw around me in an alleyway between two buildings covered in vines.


    Every time I would go through the alley and into the next street, the location on my phone would flip, as if the location system was previously malfunctioning.


    I looked at the metal card again. The letters were clearly the postcode address of a building that my phone indicated to be here, but it did not exist.


    A thought crossed my mind. I remembered Aisa¡¯s words from last night.


    A witchling like you can see things others cannot.


    I took out a book out of my bag. One of the many Fezzan books I carried through our trip, this was the one that I had studied the most. I flipped through its pages.


    Protective Wards, Invisibility Wards, Tattoo Wards¡­


    There was information on all kinds of warding Curses.


    ¡°Manifold Wards,¡± I spotted it finally. I read through the passage and walked back into the alley.


    According to the book, these wards were hard to find and impressive to witness, but once you knew where to look, it was easy to trespass them. Their whole point was that they were manipulable. A Cursed stronger than the one who set those wards should easily bend them.


    I looked right into the vines that covered both buildings, left and right. I reached with my hand into the vine. I felt it there, hidden among the leaves and the asphalt of the building. Another side. I twisted and pulled. I twisted again. It felt as if reality itself unraveled, as I saw the alley bend and break, revealing a new path.

 Arc I Epilogue

    That is what a curse is.


    A curse is deeply rooted in what they wish, not what they fear. Not a twisted wish, not a punishment. Don¡¯t be confused. No one punishes them for their curses.


    Only the harsh reality of what could have been if they had wished no more.


    A curse is just a wish.


    Isn¡¯t that brilliant?  A world riddled with curses, a history of pain and wonder, all for people who did not halt wishing.


    They wished for love, fearing hate.


    They wished for control, fearing loss.


    They wished for eternity, fearing death.


    They wished for riches, fearing the others.


    They wished for peace, but only once they did not fear war anymore.


    Why do you weep? We aren¡¯t cursed. They are.


    They will make their wishes true. We won¡¯t. We aren¡¯t cursed.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    That is what curses reveal. Seeing what could have been.


    And they will never outlive them. So maybe weep for them.


    The singing was not always in a language she had sung before, but once someone would come to the cabin in the After she would always change her tune, to match what the visitor would need to hear. She would change the melody, words, and rhyme.


    Something to put a spark in their soul, as she often would have to do, before she starts weaving them back together. Some stayed silent, and a few laughed. But most of them wept, as they had no wish fulfilled if they were meeting her.


    This song was taught to her by one of her many visitors in the After. She was one of the few who smiled and worked together with her to weave as much was needed. Time passed in mysterious ways in the cabin, and she was one of the few that she enjoyed weaving, for however long she stayed with her. Sadly, she was young, but she reminded her of her daughter.


    ¡°How do curses work?¡± The young woman asked her on her very last day, although none of them knew that back then.


    ¡°Well, there were always curses, as old as humans are. Only a few of them really discover theirs. I learned mine, only after I came to the After.¡± She responded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I am Cursed. In fact, most of the people I have met, were not. I only met her¡­ You know.¡±


    ¡°I know. They are not the most popular. Cursed. In some places, they are adored, and revered. In others chased. But they have their role to play. They are needed.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± The young woman asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the world be simpler, if they did not exist?¡±


    ¡°The world would be simpler if none of us did. Reality does not cater to simplicity, sadly.¡±

 Chapter 21 - Elena // A soothsayer in my ranks

    76¡ã00''08.2"S 53¡ã43''31.2"E - Nuevo Trujillo, Spanish Antarctic Colonies


    21.05.2024 14:00, UTC+03:00


    I was finally getting used to the Nuevo Trujillo time zone and adjusting my sleep schedule. It was always an issue when traveling across Antarctica. The colonies across all states had agreed to maintain the European time measurement based on global meridians. It was a way to remain connected to the rhythm the rest of the world worked under, but it made no difference when most of the year we were under the sun.


    I clicked on the headpiece on my ear. I had found the static to be a soothing stable companion the past few days, a reminder of why I had to be done quickly in N.T. and find Marcelo.


    Luckily, I was one step closer, and as I was entering the T-HQ for the first time in the two days I was in this city, I could feel the tension of our breakthrough in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Gitana and Miguel were next to me, as we walked into the T-HQ of Nuevo Trujillo. Admittedly, it looked as advanced and imposing as the T-HQ in Santiago. Twenty stories high, it was an ominous combination of glass, metal, and contemporary designs of balconies. Reaching its gates, our head-chips clicked, allowing the doors to open. I am sure there was some kind of additional hex or ward warning someone that we had just entered.


    T-3 Ricardo was waiting for us before the security control. He nodded in respect. It must have been known how many details our special team had uncovered in the past two days. I wondered if anyone guessed what we had to do to get them; if yes, no one complained.


    The security control was busier than usual. Guards with firearms were in every corner, employees, and agents passed through three levels of search. Mirror panels were installed around each level, integrated seamlessly into the high-tech design and style of the building, but remaining the most traditional piece of security against curses. Silver mirrors.


    ¡°New toys,¡± Miguel said, and I could sense a hint of annoyance in his voice. Gitana did not say anything, but I could also feel the same awkwardness. My stomach tightened.


    ¡°New generation deflectors. Installed them yesterday. No curse passes through,¡± Ricardo explained, ¡°but do not worry, you get your special entrance.¡±


    Ricardo led us through a side door into a different set of security control measures. He had to scan his retina before doing so and type our agent codes. My head chip clicked once more.


    We proceeded through the same searches and controls, but there were no deflectors installed there. I could not explain it, but this somehow enhanced the tightness I felt. Getting in T-HQ via the back door.


    I saw some guards examining our data in tech pads, our faces, and fingerprints. Curse data, it read, and I could see right under my name.


    Soothsayer


    I rolled my eyes and continued to follow the process, like Gitana and Miguel.


    There were not many pleasantries before we presented the full report. T-2 Azura seemed eager, anxious even to listen to our findings.


    We had spent the last couple of days interrogating more people in Base Oso, but not very successfully. The pencil-drawn picture Gitana had managed to draw out of Dr. P¨¦rez¡¯s mind was all we had until we changed tactics.


    ¡°T-3 Gitana¡¯s insight flared up again yesterday. A truck of remains recovered near Paseo had just arrived at Base Oso. Relatives had driven over to pick up whatever they could identify,¡± I explained, ¡°And Gitana could sense a link with the Survivor. Someone who would recognize his face if interrogated. Of course, there were many people, and we had no resources to handle them all. But there was¡­¡±


    ¡°A list of all the relatives, T-2 Azura. I found it and cross-referenced it with everyone who was found near the Paseo,¡± Miguel chimed in excited he could show off, ¡°Hoping to find someone looking for the Survivor¡¯s remains, but failing to do so.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± T-2 Azura asked, too eager to care for hierarchy and happy to directly dialogue with a T-4.


    I did not bother. I nodded Miguel to go on.


    ¡°Unfortunately, all of them did eventually. No one was looking for our Survivor. Well, good for them, and rest in peace, and so on. But,¡± Miguel made a dramatic pause, and after he saw T-2 Azura¡¯s unimpressed expression changed tune, ¡°there was a very tragic couple of parents. They had the most difficulty identifying her daughter, and hence I looked through their search declaration. Funnily, in their many search reports they had said, and I quote ¡®She was out on a date with a guy her age¡¯. When the remains were finally identified from a piece of ID the poor girl was carrying with her, it was revealed she was found all alone in pieces.¡±


    ¡°T-4 Miguel, is that right?¡± T-2 Azura asked.


    ¡°Yes, madame.¡±


    A vein visibly pumped into Azura¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Could it be she was simply stood up and died alone a horrible death?¡±


    ¡°Or, she was out with our Survivor?¡± Miguel insisted. I stepped in ¨C as much as I hated the guy, I needed this meeting to end on a good note so that I continue with my life.


    ¡°T-2 Azura, everyone¡¯s presence in the Northern Chinese District has either been identified, corroborated or accounted for by some means. T-4 Miguel¡¯s discovery, as lucky as it was, is the only remaining unidentified individual. The authorities can learn more from them and make sure whoever their daughter was dating is either alive in N.T. or found dead there. The pictures from T-3 Gitana should be enough.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    T-2 Azura looked at all three of us. Gitana, silent as always, left the originals of her drawings on the desk in front of us.


    ¡°Very well. You are all dismissed,¡± and as we all nodded and were ready to head out, she added, ¡°T-3 Elena. Please stay.¡±


    Miguel winked at me and followed Gitana on his way out.


    ¡°What do you make of all of this?¡± She asked me.


    ¡°May I speak freely?¡±


    She waved me to sit as she sat as well.


    ¡°I noticed the deflectors in the T-HQ today. Before, we traveled through the city and saw the army present everywhere. There should be no Cursed strong enough to misbehave within the Queen¡¯s domain. This is not a terrorist protocol. I can tell when I see war preparations. I am just unclear on who we are fighting up against. This young boy¡­ I don¡¯t know. It does not fit well with this. There is more than I know, I think.¡±


    T-2 Azura looked at me, one hand holding her chin up, the other on the desk. She tapped her fingers a few times. I could see by the way she was looking at me, she was thinking. Perhaps even weighing her options; how much would she be allowed to share with me, I wondered.


    ¡°There is always more. But you know what you have to know. You are an excellent agent. With real prospects. Try to remember. And don¡¯t jeopardize that.¡±


    If that was a test, I hadn¡¯t passed it. She only gave me a warning and an encouraging word, but I was fully aware of the circumstances.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said simply.


    ¡°I need you and Miguel to look into that couple he mentioned.¡± She stood up, expecting me to leave.


    I half-opened my mouth ready to protest. I tried measuring my thoughts carefully before spitting any words. This was work for the lowly ranked, for T-5s at best. Besides not trusting Miguel¡¯s detective work, I had other priorities.


    ¡°T-2 Azura, with all due respect. I have a position of Royal detail. I am supposed to report back to Santiago Towers eventually. My duty awaits.¡±


    Prince Marcelo needed me, but I could not say that. She turned her back to me, and I could see she was either trying to hide her anger or feign it. She turned towards me again.


    ¡°Is it so hard for you to fathom why I would want to have such a powerful Soothsayer in my ranks when dealing with the greatest crisis since the founding of the Colonies? Can you not imagine how irreplaceable your power is if the domain crumbles and the masses panic?¡± T-2 Azura said calmly, but her unwavering voice was revealing she had already made up her mind. She was not asking for my opinion; the questions were courtesy. She would not let me go. ¡°As far as I am concerned, you are swamped, occupied, and busy beyond measure, with an urgent mission in Nuevo Trujillo. Alas, the Royals will have to wait. Go find that rascal Miguel and go through the full list if you need to. You are staying until the crisis is over. Dismissed.¡±


    I stood up, nodded, and left. I exited her office trembling from the tension. I turned both of my headpieces on and tuned into Marcelo¡¯s channel. The static blocked out all thoughts and emotions.


    I just had to push through.


    During lunch, I sat near Gitana and Ricardo, luckily as far away as the building allowed me to sit from Miguel. I am sure he was enjoying himself showing off to his peers and telling high tales of his adventures near the Breach. The televisions around the canteen played dramatic footage from the Chinese District.


    After Ricardo updated us on what happened the last couple of days updating the security of the T-HQ and the surrounding area, we did not talk much. I zoned out listening to the static more than him. I bet he was expecting us to reveal to him how our Curses allowed us to find the Survivor¡¯s face. Instead, we sat in silence to eat the usual fish dishes that Nuevo Trujillo was famous for.


    ¡°Ela, can you hear me?¡± Ricardo asked, or at least I thought he did.


    I raised my head rolling my eyes.


    ¡°Yes, Ricardo. I am right here.¡±


    Gitana stared at me perplexed. Ricardo was swallowing down some of those mashed potatoes that were overflowing his dishes.


    ¡°Ela, can you hear me?¡± I heard a voice again, but I could see it was not Ricardo¡¯s lips moving.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Gitana asked me, clearly worried. I am sure even without her invading my dying mind, she could sense enough.


    ¡°I¡­ I have to go for a moment¡± I stood up and walked as far as I could.


    ¡°Ela, can you,¡± I heard now clearly through the static on my headpieces.


    I clicked one of them, without believing I was hearing his voice calling me.


    ¡°Marcelo? I am here, Marcelo!¡± I whispered, looking around me making sure no one listened. I had left to the farthest part of the canteen inside T-HQ.


    ¡°Ela, don¡¯t trust what they say. I am captive! Ela, I need your help.¡±


    I looked around paranoid once more.


    ¡°Marcelo, tell me where! I will come get you. Marcelo!¡± I yelled through the static. But then his voice was gone. Behind me, I could see Ricardo looking at me all suspiciously.


    I tried not to process what just happened, as this would let my face reveal my emotions. It was impossible. A thousand questions popped into my head, as I was walking back to our table.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Gitana asked.


    I nodded. ¡°Just, you know. Sleep deprived. Stress from what we did in Base Oso.¡± I remained cryptic on purpose so that none of them could follow up with questions I could in no way improvise an answer.


    I sat back in my chair and dared only to look at the fish in front of me. I had to go to my room to think about this, and first I had to finish lunch as inconspicuously as I could.


    ¡°Tra-sta-ma-ra! Tra-sta-ma-ra!¡± The crowd inside the canteen started chanting, the employees, the agents even.


    I raised my head with the rest of the table, only to see the thing I least expected on national television. A live broadcast from Santiago, drone footage of the Queen making a speech from her tower. Next to her, the rest of the royal family, waved at the drones and smiled for the press.


    ¡°All we stand for is unity!¡± The Queen was starting her impassioned speech, but I could not care less.


    Next to her, Prince Marcelo Trastamara, heir to the throne, was smiling at the drone cameras, even winking at them.


    I felt my lip waver. This made no sense.


    Ela, don¡¯t trust what they say.


    Marcelo¡¯s voice echoed in my head, as the Queen continued with her speech, now broadcasted in higher volume as someone in the canteen had raised the volume of the speakers.


    ¡°We will dissolve the shadows surrounding our domain. The royal domain is stronger than ever before!¡±


    I looked around me. Gitana even was smiling, Ricardo was chanting with everyone else. All I could hear was Marcelo¡¯s words as I saw him standing next to her Majesty, his mother:


    I am captive! Ela, I need your help.

 Chapter 22 - è°©ngel // Unit Bermellè´¸n

    76¡ã00¡¯S 53¡ã43¡¯E ¨C Nuevo Trujillo, Spanish Antarctic Colonies


    21.05.2024- 14:00 UTC +3.00


    After the discussion with Salva, I took the whole evening and the next morning to wrap my head around what I had learned, shifting around in my room. I eventually decided to try cooperating with my captors ¨C or saviors if I were to believe him. This way, I thought, I would understand more about my situation. It was early afternoon, after eating lunch alone in my room that I decided to ask the young man who was responsible for me to finally introduce me to the rest.


    ¡°Liang Hanying. You can call me Hani,¡± the woman in front of me said in perfect Spanish, while her appearance and name betrayed her Asian descent.


    ¡°She is our Instructor, and I am Oriol,¡± said the young man who since extracting me from the makeshift camp in the Chinese District has always been by my side, watching over whatever I did. He had just introduced me to this thirty-something-year-old woman with long black hair and a striking unusual beauty.


    ¡°¨¢ngel V¨¢zquez,¡± I blurted out, not even thinking before giving my full name, copying the Instructor. It was common courtesy to reveal your last name if the other person did as well. In a world full of Curses that could use your given name at birth, such an action exhibited higher trust and respect. I did not doubt that both of them would communicate my full name to all who needed to know it within the day. I bit my lip but then continued, ¡°Nice to meet you Hanying.¡±


    My accent was quite good, as spending most of my time in the Southern Chinese District and learning Mandarin in school I had a good grasp of the language.


    Hanying picked it up and proceeded in Mandarin.


    ¡°You can trust your name in my, mister V¨¢zquez. We are here for the same reasons.¡±


    Oriol looked between us somehow annoyed.


    ¡°She is responsible for Unit Bermell¨®n. That¡¯s where you and I belong,¡± he explained in Spanish.


    ¡°Cute,¡± I responded.


    Hanying waved at both of us to walk towards the elevator. I tried to remind myself that this building was designed as an apartment complex and not a military base, especially when I found shocking things like silly little elevators in it. It even played soothing music when in it.


    ¡°So, what does this so-called unit do?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡°She instructs us. We have quite a few units, groups of Cursed, each unit around a dozen people.¡± Oriol explained, and Hanying smiled.


    ¡°Bermell¨®n is a new Unit. We made it with old and new recruits, right after the domain collapsed,¡± Hanying said. The elevator indicated we reached floor 7 via a distorted ring of a bell.


    ¡°Okay, who is we?¡±


    ¡°What did Salvador explain exactly?¡± Oriol seemed annoyed at my ignorance.


    ¡°We are Escapadas. All of us,¡± Hanying said making a point of using the female version of the word in Spanish ¡°Cursed and non-Cursed, all working to escape the Trastamara Domain.¡±


    ¡°And you are lucky we found you now. Our members have been increasing in the past months, this is the best we have been,¡± Oriol added.


    I somehow already assumed that this was a group of reactionaries or terrorist rebels. I had trouble picturing it, as there was no mention of such a group in the local media, and at least I had never heard of something like that existing in N.T. The premise was also a bit nonsensical; there was nothing to escape from or to. This was the only safe place for us, with the Antarctic cold surrounding us for thousands of miles outside the Spanish Colonies.


    As we walked outside the elevator, I noticed it must have felt considerably colder, as Hanying and Oriol zipped their jackets tighter. I did the same, although admittedly I felt no difference. There were quite a few people around, but most of them were not at a desk or working on a computer as on the other floors. A couple chatting in one room, a few more exercising in another one. I had to remind myself that this building used to be a residential one, and these rooms were family apartments.


    ¡°Why did the members increase?¡±


    Oriol shrugged. ¡°The domain probably is weakening. More and more people are not affected by the Queen¡¯s hexes. I don¡¯t get it, but it works for us.¡±


    Oriol talked about the topic in such an aloof way, that I sensed he did not know Salva¡¯s theory about my Curse and how I was possibly related to the Trastamara domain.


    ¡°Who knows how these things work,¡± Hanying said in Mandarin, looking at me. She winked and smiled, hinting that she knew or suspected something. I could not decide if that made me more or less awkward around her. She continued in Spanish. ¡°Domains are not my specialty. But I know quite a lot about Curses, and I help awaken them.¡±


    ¡°As I said, she is the Instructor,¡± Oriol said, ¡°and here we have the one and only Bermell¨®n seer! Cecilia!¡±


    A young woman was sitting across a hall, in an empty room, in a meditating pose. I shifted awkwardly where I was standing. I have been meeting and talking to more people over the past few days than I used to talk in school. Socializing was not my favorite pastime.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°CECILIA! Oy!¡± Oriol yelled at the woman, who tilted her head in desperation. We walked towards her, as she started standing up.


    ¡°Oriol you sweaty pig, stop oinking,¡± she cussed and then followed up with more profanities.


    I blushed hearing these words come out of her mouth. Hanying noticed and chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s just how they greet each other,¡± she said in Mandarin, in a mix of an understanding and condescending tone.


    ¡°The newcomer finally decided to join our team,¡± Oriol said, ¡°Come say hi.¡±


    Cecilia looked right at me and smiled. She was a bit taller than most women I had met ¨C but then again, most women I had met in my life were just now finishing high school. Her face exhibited a different beauty, a somehow androgynous style, and a lovely smile.


    ¡°Hanying, have you lost your mind, that is a child,¡± she said in Mandarin.


    ¡°Almost eighteen and I speak Mandarin,¡± I hastily added. Cecilia flicked her tongue and widened her eyes.


    ¡°Okay great,¡± Oriol scoffed, ¡°do I need a translator?¡±


    ¡°Our Warden is right, let¡¯s be respectful and let him join our discussion.¡± With Hanying¡¯s command, both Cecilia and I nodded.


    ¡°Did he say eighteen?¡± Cecilia asked looking at the Instructor.


    ¡°He will be under my tutelage. Oriol, as a Warden, it will be your duty to protect young ¨¢ngel and keep him out of trouble. Cecilia, I expect you to keep them both under your ever-vigilant sight. Understood?¡±


    Both nodded. Hanying winked at me and then she left without saying more.


    Cecilia turned to me.


    ¡°So. What can you do?¡± Oriol looked at both of us interchangeably.


    It was widely known that inquiring about one¡¯s Curse was rude. That being said, I never considered myself being Cursed, and I did not even know how to answer that question myself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t even think I am Cursed, but Salvador insists,¡± I said, ¡°I think I am supposed to prove him right.¡±


    Cecilia bit her lip.


    ¡°Hm, I love me a good mystery. What do you think?¡± She asked Oriol.


    ¡°He survived the collapse,¡± Oriol said, ¡°so whatever it is, it is powerful enough.¡±


    Cecilia started walking down the hall, and Oriol jumped right next to her, almost ignoring me.


    ¡°Some warding hex maybe? Or an ice-related curse. That would be quite handy!¡± Cecilia said excitedly, while she and Oriol started throwing wild guesses.


    I just stood there looking at them walking away. Their excitement had me frozen like a deer in front of a truck. I was taught all my life not to think about Curses and the Cursed.


    ¡°Oy Angel, move your culo,¡± Oriol yelled at me, snapping me out of my string of thoughts. They were already almost turning around in the hallway. I ran behind them.


    We didn¡¯t walk long, although listening to both listing possible Curses made it seem way longer. I resisted the urge to reveal to them what Salva thought, and it was telling that none of their guesses was about a Domain Curse. It was not simply rare ¨C it was unheard of. Only the Royals had a Domain, and these people were Escapadas.


    We reached what seemed to be a huge living room with a television and a kitchen. Someone had gone into a lot of effort to transform this recently destroyed apartment into a big leisure room: different couches were lined up, around a big television, the windows were enhanced glass to insulate from the cold, and the kitchen had a functioning coffee machine and fridge.


    A few people were already there, most of them part of Unit Bermell¨®n. Cecilia briefly discussed with all of them, exhibiting her social butterfly skills, while Oriol introduced me to most of them. I tried to remember most names and faces, but my social anxiety blurred most of them into the same person. I purposefully stayed near Oriol and once people realized I had nothing interesting to say, they left us be.


    ¡°You will get used to it,¡± Oriol said, ¡°I was younger than you when I joined. I am now twenty.¡±


    I looked at him and wondered how long he had been part of this organization. But for the first time since I had met him, a part of me relaxed. He understood me somehow, and Hanying had assigned him to stand by my side.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I almost said and then the most peculiar thing happened. It felt like someone; actually not just someone, Salvador, whispered right into my ear.


    --Find a television and have a look.


    The whisper ended as quickly as it came, and it felt as if a passing breeze shuffled my hair. I turned towards Cecilia, whose facial expression revealed she had sensed something similar.


    ¡°Can we turn the television on?¡± I asked. Most people ignored me, but then Cecilia yelled at one of them who was sitting on the couch. He quickly clicked on the remote control and a shaky image from the capital of the Colonies sprung right onto the screen.


    ¡°Are these the Santiago Towers?¡± Someone asked, and Cecilia shushed them.


    The drone footage was live from the balconies where the Queen was giving a speech surrounded by the Royal family.


    ¡°We will dissolve the shadows surrounding our domain. The royal domain is stronger than ever before!¡± The Queen declared. She raised her hands and light emanated from them, a dazzling display of her Sun keeping the Trastamara domain in a different climate than the rest of the unwelcoming Antarctica. ¡°I bear the light of our foremother, and I shall cast it onto you,¡± she continued with her speech. The room¡¯s attitude turned sour.


    ¡°Why are we listening to this bruja?¡± Someone asked. A few chuckled, but some waited anxiously to hear what the Queen had to say.


    Something grasped my attention. The pull was immediate.


    ¡°The man next to the Queen. Who is he?¡± I asked unable to move my attention away from him.


    ¡°That is Marcelo Trastamara. The heir to the throne,¡± Cecilia said.


    ¡°Marcelo Trastamara, I see,¡± I said, and as I whispered his name, I was no longer in the abandoned apartment complex with the rest of the Escapadas.


    The light on my side blinded me, and so did all the drones¡¯ lights flying around us, with their cameras and flashes.


    I was standing right next to the Queen, on the balcony high on the Santiago Towers.


    I panicked and looked around frantically for an exit. Where was I? Who was I? What was happening?


    Then everything went dark.


    ¡°The Prince! The Prince! Somebody, bring the doctor!¡±

 Chapter 23 - Nis? // Starling is Coming

    40¡ã49''37.0"N 47¡ã42''45.1"E ¨C Q?b?l? International Airport, Q?b?l? region


    20.05.2024 ¨C 21.45 UTC +04.00


    My mind raced as I looked at all the security guards stationed at the airport. This could be good, as a major encounter with anyone from Starling¡¯s coven would be unlikely. The airport should be a relatively safer place. However, this rendered my plan of using my curse to grift people quite moot.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Ramin said ¡°Follow me.¡±


    We walked through Q?b?l? Airport. It was quite busy, even though it was late for a Monday. There were not many flights left operating for the next few hours, but at this rate, sleeping in an airport would not be the worst outcome.


    We walked towards one of the many caf¨¦s in the airport.


    ¡°Do the thing. How you sensed me, how you sense us Shadows,¡± he said.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± I looked around. There were quite a few policemen in the area.


    ¡°They won¡¯t notice. And we need to find a shadow, if my plan is going to work,¡± he said.


    I nodded slightly, unsure why I would trust his plan. But in the end, it was true no one could notice. We sat in one of the caf¨¦s. I closed my eyes. Using my cursed senses outside of a ward was possible, just not as powerful. After focusing for a good couple of minutes, I turned to him.


    ¡°There is someone. In the kitchen. A shadow.¡±


    Before Ramin could stand up, I grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Ramin. Shadow society has changed in the last few years. I¡­ Just don¡¯t mention me.¡±


    He winked at me.


    ¡°Not everything could have changed. Do you think using one of your matches is too risky?¡± He asked tilting his head towards the kitchen.


    ¡°Just once,¡± I responded unsure. We looked around making sure no one was looking towards us.


    Stay lit only for us, I whispered and blew on it. Its green flame lit weakly, but now we were warded. We quickly walked towards the kitchen of the caf¨¦, a messy place with three men frantically cleaning and preparing dishes.


    ¡°The eldest,¡± I said, pointing at a man looking well beyond his sixties.


    Ramin exited my ward and headed towards the man. One of the men reacted ¡°You are not supposed to be back there!¡± but Ramin ignored him. As he stepped next to the middle-aged man, he whispered something at him. The man, startled, jumped up with whatever he heard.


    Ramin looked towards my direction and then went into a back room with the man.


    ¡°Damn it, Ramin,¡± I sighed and used another match. I sobbed silently, trying to maintain my focus. Remaining unseen and unnoticed in such a busy place took its toll, second by second. My head felt like it would split open.


    I could not hold on to wards like this anymore, it was becoming clear. The men in the badly lit kitchen lifted their heads and quickly glimpsed towards me.


    Stay lit only for me, I whispered my prayer. Their attention was diverted once more.


    After two minutes that felt like hours, Ramin came back without the cook.


    He came towards me, and I let him see me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I hopefully have the money for at least a flight out of here,¡± whispered once close enough to be warded by my match¡¯s light.


    He rushed ahead and outside of the caf¨¦, back into the main corridor of the crowded airport. I put out the match, hoping to preserve some of my willpower; I was sure I would have to light a match a couple more times before we managed to sneak into an airplane.


    ¡°How? Why did he give you money?¡± I asked and I noticed Ramin averting his gaze before he would respond.


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    ¡°You would not understand,¡± he said cryptically. He headed for the nearest ticket counter, which was empty before I could ask more questions.


    I could not argue anyway. I barely had the energy to discuss with him. I simply followed him towards a check-in desk. There were no police around and only one employee nearby. I braced myself, as I inevitably would have to use at least one match for one more command.


    ¡°The best I can do for you is a flight leaving in twenty minutes, Saudi Arabia. At Red Sea Airport. But you have to hurry,¡± the clerk said after Ramin explained our hurry to leave.


    ¡°Okay, we take it,¡± he said. I almost wanted to protest, this was not even half the distance to Western Sahara, not even reaching Africa. Ramin sensed my uneasiness.


    ¡°Honey, this is for the best. We shouldn¡¯t overextend our stay here any longer,¡± he said, grabbing me by the shoulder. There was an uneasiness in the way he spoke.


    ¡°Okay, Red Sea sounds lovely,¡± I responded awkwardly.


    ¡°Alright, your passports please?¡±


    I lit another match.


    ¡°Just book these tickets in your name and your wife,¡± I suggested ¡°Use your details. And then forget all about it.¡± Tears rolled down my cheeks. I was severely overextending myself today.


    The clerk obeyed and I kept the match lit until he handed us our boarding passes. We left as quickly as we could towards the boarding gate.


    We quickly passed the security control, without much hustle.


    ¡°Ramin. I need to rest. They will control our passports in Saudi Arabia.¡± I said once we were past security, trying to catch my breath. I would run out of energy before running out of matches.


    ¡°You will sleep in the airplane. We can¡¯t stay here long¡­¡± he said.


    But I could not hear him anymore, as everything turned black and I fell into his arms.


    I was walking outside. The wind was blowing against me making me wince and pushing my dress against my body.


    ¡°Ramin!¡± I yelled as I turned around to look for him, but I was alone, walking outside what looked like an airport.


    ¡°Right. Q?b?l? airport. That¡¯s where I was when¡­¡±


    Lighting struck in the distance, catching my attention. Dark thick clouds were gathering in the north.


    ¡°Ramin! Where are you?¡± I yelled, and I could not even hear me scream. I looked down at my hands. I had no matches to light, and I did not remember why I was standing there. Another lightning struck, and this time the wind carried the thunder. The storm was coming closer.


    I gazed into the storm, and suddenly I felt its dark cold humidity freezing on my skin, I heard more thunder and a bird¡¯s song. Birds were flying inside the clouds, and their dark feathers iridized with each lighting that lit the sky.


    ¡°Starling. She is coming, with the entire coven,¡± I said to myself, trying to think against the noise of the wind and the coming. I started running towards the airport. Its lights flickered and went dark. I had no idea why I was outside on my own, but I had to find Ramin. That Shadow was all I had close to an ally and a murmuration of Starlings was heading right at me.


    I ran, but I could not make the distance, as the airport remained in the same spot. No, it was not the airport ¨C it was me, running but not moving.


    ¡°This is farsight,¡± I finally realized, catching my breath. I was not there; I was only having a vision.


    I turned around again to face the storm, now convinced that it was induced and conducted by some kind of Curse. I focused on the clouds again and tried to look for a starling that I would recognize. Hopefully Zephyr. The murmuration started shifting through the clouds, probably warned by my meddling and sensing being watched by a seer.


    ¡°Zephyr I know you. You would come,¡± I whispered. If I could trust anyone in my coven before the events of the last days, it would be him. If there was no way to avoid the incoming clash, I wanted him to at least explain to me why I was imprisoned and subsequently hunted. I let my senses spread and fly among the clouds and the starlings. None of them was him.


    ¡°H?k¨¹m?. Of course, it¡¯s you,¡± I said through my teeth. A vicious witch, one of Starling¡¯s top ranks. I tended to avoid working with her, as her willingness to obey any given order without hesitation always bothered me.


    As if she heard me even in starling form, she turned towards me. A force pulled me away from the cloud. I tried to grab onto it, as it violently hurled me through my air.


    It was a mirror breaking. This made no sense, as H?k¨¹m? should not have the means to do this to my farsight. The sky around me was fracturing as if made of glass and something had shattered it. I was hurled back into my position outside the airport, watching the storm approaching. But now, everything around me was breaking into a million pieces.


    I heard a commotion, but it was not the commotion of murderous birds or glass shattering. It was people complaining as they stood outside a boarding gate. I was back, inside the airport, with Ramin.


    I grabbed his hand, who was now sitting next to me with a look of despair.


    ¡°They are coming Ramin. Starling is coming,¡± I said to him.


    ¡°Finally! You scared the crap out of me! What was this?¡± He responded. He was not only annoyed, but I could see him shifting somehow uncomfortably.


    ¡°Ah, did I pass out?¡±


    ¡°No! Well for a moment, but then you stood up and have been by my side for the past ten minutes saying nothing. I thought you had a stroke.¡±


    I snapped my fingers at him.


    ¡°Ramin. No time to explain. We need to leave. They are coming to get us.¡±

 Chapter 24 - Khalida // That witch saw me coming

    18¡ã41''34.2"N 12¡ã55''10.6"E - Bilma, Niger


    23.05.2024 ¨C 11:45 UTC +01.00


    I stepped in the path opening in front of me. The world had rearranged the building in front of me each side of the alleyway mirroring the other. Vines crawled all the way on the wall and arched over the path, shading the inner part of the path.


    I took a few careful steps, tightening my grip over my mother¡¯s book. My Calling did not react or try to control me, and I could sense nothing of the Nabd, so I must have been alone.


    The vines behind me circled the entrance, and I could sense the mirroring walls closing in and rearranging behind me. I was in the manifold ward. I pulled out my phone and used its flickering flashlight to see ahead. There was a door at the end of the pathway. I started walking towards it.


    ¡°Sh,¡± a voice whispered through the corridor. The shushing sound echoed again and again. I was not alone, but I could sense no heartbeat.


    ¡°I am looking for Yahaya,¡± I said, not in the most confident way. I had already had my second thoughts about following through Aisa¡¯s offer.


    The whispers intensified, as a feeling of dread engulfed me. Something unnatural was sitting behind me, I could feel its breath and its gaze upon my body, but there was no Nabd to sense. My phone¡¯s light weakened.


    ¡°Shush,¡± a voice whispered. Its echo commanded silence and ripped it apart at the same time. I started running towards the door ahead of me, not daring to look behind. If I did, something terrible would happen.


    I ran to the end of the path, I pushed the door open, and the whispers ended. A woman, startled as I burst into the building, yelled and I heard plates falling onto the ground.


    A woman scolded me, in an African dialect. It sounded southern. I looked around in frustration: I was in what looked like a library and a kitchen at the same time, with tables and chairs arranged in the middle, and shelves of books lining the walls.


    The woman cussed as she looked at the mess she had just made. She was about to say something to me when she noticed me. Her eyes rolled back, revealing the grey whites of their backside.


    ¡°Who are you and what do you want?¡± She asked in Arabic.


    ¡°I am Khalida. Aisa sent me, she said to ask for Yahaya,¡± I responded as quickly as I could. I raised my hands in what hoped would be recognized as a sign of a peaceful approach.


    The woman¡¯s eyes turned normal, and I saw her weep tears of strain.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the phone?¡± She asked, pointing at one of my hands. I still held my phone with the flashlight on.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a¡­ never mind. It was dark outside,¡± I said and hastily turned it off. As I was talking to her, I could not help but notice: she was very young. There was a momentary pause as we both observed the other one.


    Perhaps she looked younger than she actually was, but she could not be older than twenty years old. She was dressed in clothes that would look already too hip and risqu¨¦ for me to try, her legs covered in a long jean skirt and a colorful headscarf.


    ¡°So, are you Yahaya?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No. Yahaya is gone. I am her pupil and the master of this ward,¡± she answered. ¡°State your business. Did you bring food?¡±


    I was taken aback by her formal behavior and the question. It did not match her image. She looked like a high-school dropout. And why did she think I had food?


    ¡°Aisa told me if I came to find Yahaya, I would be able to help with a problem she is facing. So here I am. No food I am afraid.¡±


    ¡°I do not know who Aisa is,¡± the girl answered.


    ¡°The Lioness?¡±


    She raised her eyebrows and clicked her tongue, ¡°No clue.¡±


    ¡°From the Ngam K¨²r¨¤?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what these cats are. You will have to wait for Miss. And help me out with the mess you caused,¡± she said, pointing at the dishes that were lying broken and their pieces scattered across the floor.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. It was clear this was not the moment to ask more questions. I helped quickly with collecting the pieces from across the floor and threw them in the trash, while the girl scooped up remains of food diligently.


    Once we were done, she offered me a chair and a table.


    ¡°Here. You can read a book while you are waiting,¡± the girl said pointing at the shelves around the big room. I wondered if there were more floors to this place.


    ¡°Sure, I can wait.¡±


    No more than ten minutes had passed when the girl joined the table with two cups of tea. She sipped some while offering me the other.


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    I nodded thankfully.


    ¡°So, you look like you are from the North,¡± the girl said.


    ¡°Hm. Libya. That¡¯s a nice tea.¡±


    ¡°I am from Nigeria originally. My name is Tiwalade. But I have spent most of my life here in Bilma, studying under Miss.¡±


    ¡°What are you studying?¡±


    ¡°My Curses. I am the one protecting this ward, but Miss taught me how to,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Was it your trick? The one with the shadows outside?¡±


    ¡°I call it mindmist. This was just a hex I had placed, as extra protection. But it cannot do much more than scare someone,¡± Tiwalade explained. She started talking about the mindmist hex and how her Curse lets her instill fear in others. I admired her excitement about her Curse. I always feared explaining mine.


    After she had walked me through all she had learned to do with the mindmist and the manifold wards, she offered more tea. I realized she was enjoying my visit more than she let on. It was almost as if she was bored here. Too bored.


    ¡°So, say, how long is Yahaya going to take to come back?¡±


    ¡°Uhm. I do not know. Anytime now, she should be back.¡±


    I awkwardly turned to follow her as she stood to make some more tea.


    ¡°Well, how long is she gone?¡±


    The girl did not respond.


    ¡°Tiwalade where is your Miss?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She has been gone for almost a week now. She said she would be back in a day, so she is now very late. But she won¡¯t take long, I am sure,¡± Tiwalade explained. In her optimism, I could sense some desperation.


    I stood up worried.


    ¡°Have you told anyone? Or,¡± I paused, ¡°have you even left this building at all?¡±


    ¡°I cannot, okay? I just cannot. If I leave the manifold will not unravel for her. She will not be able to return.¡±


    ¡°So, for the past week¡­¡±


    ¡°I had plenty of food, don¡¯t worry. And there is a game console in my room. It got lonely but I can handle it. But now food is running out, but luckily you are here,¡± she said as she quickly hurried through the kitchen and searched in a box. I heard coins shuffling around. She grabbed some of them, along with some bills, and handed them to me. ¡°If you bring some nice cereal, I would be very grateful. And soy milk. I am vegan.¡±


    I grabbed the money speechless. Tiwalade¡¯s previous serious and strict fa?ade had dissolved into what really should have been: a desperate teen who was only now learning how to be an adult without a parent.


    ¡°Uhm sure. But Tiwalade! Please focus. Where is your Miss? Did she say, where she would go or what she would do? Maybe I can get some help for her.¡±


    ¡°She never says. It will be fine,¡± Tiwalade bit her lip. I thought it was just dawning on her, the gravity of the situation. Her Miss was missing for a week, and all she needed was a stranger to snap her out of her fear of considering it. ¡°Maybe she is not fine. She did say someone called her. She had to be somewhere. I don¡¯t know much. But she told me that I should not go into her room.¡±


    I could not even respond to her ¨C that¡¯s how fast my Calling snapped my limbs into motion. I started walking towards the other side of the room.


    ¡°Wait, let me show you!¡± Tiwalade ran ahead of me. As she headed right into the wall, it unwrapped, wrapped, and unwrapped again to reveal a staircase. The whole building was wrapped under her Curse.


    I followed her as she mumbled in her dialect. On the next floor, we turned right into a corridor and right onto a door.


    ¡°Here. I think you are right, we need to check this,¡± Tiwalade said, although I had not spoken a word since my Calling had taken over me. There was something I needed to see in this room.


    She waved her hand over the door, which unlocked promptly. I made a mental note of the handiness of her Curse ¨C probably there was nothing that could be hidden from her.


    As the door opened, I gasped in awe. The room¡¯s east side was covered in circular windows, letting the sunshine in and gifting us a nice view of the city of Bilma. The room itself had furniture carved in wood around its perimeter, along with a big bed that was left in a visible mess.


    What had triggered my awe and Calling was however in the center of this circular room. It was meters wide from both sides, and it seemed designed in proper scale: a whole model of Bilma, all carved in wood.


    ¡°She is¡­ unique,¡± Tiwalade said, feeling obliged to explain what would seem like a mad hobby, ¡°but she has her reasons. She is trying to protect Bilma, from the shadows. Not like other Cursed. I swear.¡±


    She sidestepped and rushed towards a desk in the northeast part of the room. She started shuffling through her papers and letters, mumbling again in another language.


    I could not share her worry. Frankly, I did not care for Yahaya, more than the mystery that was now surrounding her. I sensed from Tiwalade¡¯s Nabd that she was afraid for her Miss, but also afraid of her. Of a potential punishment for stepping into her inner sanctuary. I had no reason to fear that. My Calling was moving me, feeling me with confidence, as I stepped towards the miniature Bilma.


    I walked around it until I started orienting myself. There was detail in each pool of an oasis, the sky-high buildings, the parks, and the neighborhoods. I found Aisa¡¯s club. The wood was covered by black stains as if dark dye was poured over it again and again.


    ¡°She did not even leave a note,¡± Tiwalade complained. I ignored her.


    I walked around the circle once more, scanning the city¡¯s wooden model. There it was, the Baobab Inn, with the Upside-Down trees, where we had been staying for the past few days.


    I initially felt a surge of horror and worry. My Calling subdued them, leaving me with a twisted sense of breathlessness. The Inn¡¯s wooden model was splattered in a red dark substance, which pooled and dried around the trees.


    ¡°Khalida, I think we might need to find another way,¡± the girl complained and then started brainstorming some ideas, which I could not hear, as I heard my own Nabd pulsate and feel me with anger.


    ¡°That witch saw me coming,¡± I exclaimed. I raised my hand, and for once I agreed with my Calling. I took a deep breath in. I felt Tiwalade¡¯s pulse stop.


    ¡°Sharara,¡± I commanded. Her pulse reversed, or at least it felt like that. Her eyes stared blankly right at me.


    This was new. My Calling was making me stronger, but I had heard of this. I knew what to say.


    ¡°You will lead me to your witch. Your Curse will open the path.¡±


    Tiwalade, for once completely silent, walked clumsily towards the window of the room. Her movement was cold as her heart, which was now beating backward per my command. Tiwalade started praying in her native tongue, while the circular windows started shifting like a kaleidoscope.

 Chapter 25 - Demi // Something worth killing for

    6¡ã47''56.7"N 5¡ã16''33.8"W ¨C Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast


    21.05.2024- 09.00 UTC +00.00


    We were walking in the streets of Dioulakro, in the southern part of the capital of the Coast. It was not heavily inhabited, with mostly abandoned houses and wide unbuilt areas. I could see Drissa felt comfortable walking around in this area, but all I thought about was how exposed we would be if the wrong people looked for us.


    Drissa casually greeted an old man walking in the street, exchanging a few words.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t picked up any of the Baoul¨¦ language?¡± He teased me.


    ¡°I was only taught French. You know that. Is your friend nearby?¡±


    ¡°You also speak that Kru thing from the west. I have heard you once.¡±


    I chose not to respond and looked around. We were walking alone in a long street, and the morning clouds were gathering, bracing for an outpouring of the usual rain.


    ¡°Come,¡± Drissa said and pulled me into one of the alleyways on the right. His phone rang, and he picked it up anxious.


    ¡°Oue, we are coming in two. Yes. Just wait.¡±


    He hung up, and he stopped walking.


    ¡°We are almost there. But, Teacher, listen to me, nothing happens to him okay?¡±


    ¡°I have already promised that.¡±


    ¡°No. Promise this. If anything ever happens, you protect him first, then me. Okay?¡± Drissa¡¯s eyes were getting wet as he said that.


    I tilted my head a bit. Who was this guy?


    ¡°You know I have a debt of protection with you. I cannot¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to meet him or not? First, you protect him, then me.¡±


    I paused. I was not sure Drissa was aware of how heavy the oath I had sworn for his protection was, and how now he was asking me to extend this to a random person. But I had little to no options.


    ¡°First him. Where is he?¡±


    He nodded and continued walking through the streets.


    I noticed we were now passing through a street we were before ¨C we must have been going in a big circle. I deduced Drissa had not decided to trust me until he made me promise. This picked my interest more than it insulted me ¨C I had taught him to be careful and trust no one, and thus I was proud, but who exactly was this guy that I had not heard of before?


    He eventually went into one of the backyards of a house that looked abandoned. No open windows, no light, and weathered unpainted walls. As we stepped closer, the main door opened. A tall man in his twenties opened it, initially appearing threatening with his stern look and athletic body type. He smiled as he saw Drissa and me and revealed his kind features.


    ¡°Hi. Thank you,¡± Drissa said at the entrance. There was a moment of awkwardness between the two before the tall man initiated a handshake and patted Drissa¡¯s back.


    ¡°Of course, mate, you can always count on me. And you must be the Teacher?¡±


    I looked at him, a bit lost in my thoughts. He must have been not much older than twenty-one or twenty-two. I could hear his heartbeat; that man was not approaching his thirties but was definitely an adult. His body language showed some familiarity with young Drissa, which triggered my need to seem a bit more protective.


    ¡°Teacher?¡± Drissa asked feeling the uncomfortable silence.


    ¡°You can call me Demi.¡±


    ¡°Julien,¡± he responded and extended his hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t do handshakes. But I am pleased to meet you. I am told you have talents I might require.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss this inside,¡± he said and pointed towards the house.


    I nodded and turned to Drissa. I had to convince him, if anything.


    ¡°Thank you for this. I give you all my wishes, wherever you go,¡± I patted his shoulders, ¡°Please keep you and your family safe!¡±


    Drissa was at first perplexed, and then gently pushed my hands off his shoulders.


    ¡°Are you serious? I am not leaving the two of you,¡± he said following Julien inside the house.


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    I followed them startled.


    ¡°Drissa, I told you; you have to leave the city!¡± I said using the most commanding voice I could.


    ¡°Not until you and Julien are done with whatever this is!¡± He yelled, going ahead into the house. I cursed and weighed my options as I followed them.


    The house was not big; the entrance hallway led into a partly furnished living room with a big carpet, pillows, and a table. There was a small TV in one corner, and candles were the only source of lighting as windows were closed shut, with nailed-in planks. Next to the entrance, there was a door to a small room that probably was meant to be the bathroom, if anyone ever attempted to equip it with a toilet or any plumbing. This was not a decrepit building, as everything felt and seemed sturdy and new ¨C but it was not meant for habitation.


    Driss had taken her place and sat on a pillow with his arms leaning back. Julien stepped into the living room and waited.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, ¡°Drissa told me you are a good person. I shall treat you with respect then. I have nothing to pay you for this service. This will probably be dangerous, but I will do everything in my power to protect you both. But trust me when I say we are doing this for the good of the people in this godforsaken country.¡±


    Drissa leaned forward. Julien was not smiling anymore.


    ¡°If Drissa says I have to help, I don¡¯t expect payment.¡±


    I stepped forward. It was time to tell my story.


    ¡°I am a mercenary. I use my Curses to support dangerous missions from Guinea to Ghana. Usually, retrieval or delivery missions, where my employers would rather not use a standard delivery service. This was one of these cases, with payment greater than usual. Five of us, get a parcel from Liberia and bring it to a small town nearby. There, our employer would bring a car convoy and bring us all to a private airport they trusted in Yamoussoukro. The flight was planned for somewhere to the East, but I do not know more about it as our mission would end there, once we handed the parcels.¡±


    ¡°Kou¨¦tinfla. It was in the news. They talked about a massacre,¡± Julien said. Drissa moved on his pillow awkwardly.


    ¡°To say the least, things went south. There is a new domain in the area to the southwest from here. Someone called The Haunt.¡± I paused to wait for a reaction.


    ¡°Never heard of them,¡± Drissa said, ¡°were you involved in the attack?¡±


    ¡°I am the only surviving one on my team. I have reason to believe our employer used this Haunt-guy, and I no longer aim to complete this mission. But I have still the parcel on me. And I reckon if I can open it and figure out what it is exactly that I am delivering, I can understand why everything has gone south.¡±


    ¡°And you need me to open the parcel because it is enchanted closed,¡± Julien said.


    ¡°Exactly. It is enchanted, as you guess. But,¡± and as I said that I took out the five pouches, ¡°it is five of them. Well two of them most probably have the item we need.¡±


    I pointed out the ones Kouadio was carrying when he was killed by the screaming hex.


    ¡°How do you¡­¡± Drissa aimed to ask.


    ¡°You do not want to know.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Julien asked, ¡°so you want me to open five pouches?¡±


    ¡°The thing is. I do not know what kind of hexes reside in those. Possibly, once opened, we can be tracked or targeted by all kinds of Curses. So, I want you to only risk it if you can handle it. Otherwise, I am happy to go on the run. Maybe find someone else who can do it.¡±


    I finished my story. I did not feel guilty bringing these kids into this. I was Julien¡¯s age when I had to die the first time. A Curse is meant to be used anyway. Drissa being here felt wrong, however, as there was no way he could help. Julien looked at me, probably thinking along the same train of thought.


    He walked towards a room in the back, and he came back holding a rifle. He extended it to Drissa, who stood up awkwardly.


    ¡°You take this, and you run point outside. If anyone comes near, ring me on my phone. You do not shoot. You only have this if you are cornered. Ring me and run, you hear me? You find Karidja and you tell her what happened.¡±


    ¡°Julien I am not leaving¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen. I know. You are a brave kid. But if your teacher is right, and we get into trouble, we will need someone to call for help. You are that someone.¡± He pushed the rifle onto him.


    Drissa looked at me.


    ¡°He is right. This is just in case things go wrong,¡± I said. Drissa reluctantly stepped out.


    I was left alone with Julien in this room.


    ¡°What is in there?¡± He asked me, without hiding his aggressiveness.


    ¡°I do not¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave your long words out of this, woman. Speak, what did you bring to Drissa?¡± Julien¡¯s muscles visibly tensed and broadened as he spoke. His facial expression turned sour, and his jaw tightened.


    All pretense of a good and respectful attitude was gone. I tried to interpret his change of attitude: was it that Drissa never communicated the danger beforehand? Or was Julien being overprotective of Drissa, like I was?


    I did not fear him. I had a handgun at the back of my belt, and I had the training of disposing men like this. Admittedly, that would clash with the promise I had given to Drissa.


    ¡°Charming,¡± I responded, disregarding his threatening body language, ¡°I suspect some kind of weapon. Something worth killing for. There are many legends in West Africa about Cursed artifacts that can kill, dominate, and bring down civilizations if we were to believe the stories. It could be any of them.¡±


    ¡°If you were to hazard a guess?¡±


    ¡°I lack the knowledge; I was hoping your Curse could reveal this.¡±


    ¡°I harness the knowledge of my ward,¡± he said and walked around the table, coming closer to me. ¡°I know everything about anyone and anything, that enters my ward. Including how to break any enchantment that is presented to me. This does not mean I necessarily have the means to break it. So, this is a big gamble.¡±


    He was now standing in front of me, looking down at me. I stiffened my arm, ready to respond to violence, if that was to happen.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± he smiled, ¡°I haven¡¯t set up my ward yet. But once I do, I will not just know things about you. I will know you.¡±


    His words made me uncomfortable, but I was now committed to doing this.


    ¡°I am an open book,¡± I said, and I dropped the five pouches on the table in the middle of the living room.