《Cursed Children》
Prologue: The Curse of Unanswered Questions
¡°Don¡¯t go near him. It¡¯s dangerous¡±
¡°Disgusting. His parents must be killers or something¡±
¡°How pitiful. I wish someone would help these cursed children¡¡±
A small child curls up in a dark alleyway, the snow slowly covering him up, as he wishes the snow would block out the noise from all the comments on his insignificant life.
Shut up. You don¡¯t know anything.
He wonders why these people who know nothing about him, call him dangerous.
You never knew my parents.
He wonders why these onlookers act as if they knew his parents and their sins.
You, none of you, have ever had the heart to truly help someone like me.
He wonders why these hypocrites wait for others to take action, and not take it upon themselves.
His senses slowly go numb from the cold. He opens his eyes to see a sliver of the world before the cold takes him ¨C but only darkness welcomed him. The snow has completely buried him.
I guess this is the end. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Suddenly, a moment before he decides to give up and offer his consciousness to the cold, light enters his eyes. A faint glimmer of hope fills his thoughts ¨C until he notices the numerous pebbles being hurtled towards him.
¡°There he is! I told you he was just hiding from us under all that snow! Throw some more pebbles at him!¡±
¡°Are you sure this is a good idea? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s moving at all¡ why isn¡¯t he saying anything?¡±
¡°Grandma told me this one¡¯s curse is not being able to speak. That way, he can¡¯t tell on us to the adults!¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of these Cursed Children? My parents told me they were spawns of the devil!¡±
It was a group of 4 boys, around his age, with a fistful of small pebbles in their hands. His skin, numb from the freezing temperature, did not feel much when the thrown pebbles hit him. The blood drawn from sharp stones was the warmest he felt since he decided to settle in this alleyway.
Why must these children, who only use their mouth to spread even more hate¨C be the ones to be safe from suffering?
He lifts his hand. Blood was oozing out from a cut in his palm. He smears some of the blood on his numb arms to spread some of its warmth. He had so many unanswered questions. Maybe the warmth of some more blood would keep him alive long enough to seek these answers.
¡°Hey, he¡¯s standing up¡¡±
¡°What? You think we should start running?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be such cowards! What can he do anyway, there¡¯s no way someone like him would be able to -¡°
To the boy¡¯s sudden surprise, what he was saying was cut off, and no sound came from his throat. He looks at his friends ¨C whose faces, only filled with terror, were looking at another direction.
The boy slowly turns his faces toward the cursed child. Blood ¨C the child¡¯s own blood ¨C was smeared all over his body. He was steadily walking towards them. He heard the sounds of his friends who started running away, and as he began to do the same, he trips on a stone he had dropped earlier. The cursed child¡¯s hands started to reach for him ¨C with his eyes seeking answers, a manic smile across his face.
He tried to scream for help ¨C but nothing could be heard from that alleyway, save for the sound of slowly melting snow.
[The Fool and The Magician] Chapter 1: Welcome to the City
The first challenge to the new start of my high school life. Lina thought to herself as she began climbing a steep hill on her way to her new high school. I never thought there would already be hardships on the very first day¡or on all the following days for that matter.
The fresh spring air blew down the hill, welcoming her and dozens of other students on their way to Arcana High School ¨C which, aside from its intriguing name ¨C has no interesting characteristics or backstory in particular. It was a completely normal school filled with mostly completely normal students; but like they say, there are always exceptions to the rule.
Sweat trickles down Lina¡¯s peach colored skin, and downward wind is ruffling her shoulder-length auburn hair. She wore a completely normal school uniform: a black tie over a white blouse, and a blue skirt just right above her knees. At first glance, she would look like a completely normal high school girl by every standard.
¡°Aah¡I¡¯ve already been left behind by the other students. Climbing hills like these isn¡¯t really my forte¡¡± she says as she catches her breath for a bit ¨C halfway up the hill, where she was the only student left climbing. ¡°I even told myself I¡¯ll overcome any challenges in this fresh start I¡¯ll have...¡±
¡°No¡I won¡¯t give up this easily!¡± Lina picks up her bag and resolutely stands up. She starts climbing up the hill again, walking faster than she did before. Although her bag was just a standard school handbag, she was carrying it with both hands ¨C as if it were as heavy as a bowling ball. The trees along the path sway along with the wind, their branches seemingly cheering Lina on.
¡°I made it! ¨C that wasn¡¯t so hard after all.¡± Lina exclaims as she reaches the top, smiling a little but obviously fatigued. From here on, it¡¯s a relatively straight part toward the school. The hardest obstacle is over ¨C time to begin my new life as a transfer student ¨C
¡°Hey you!¡±
¡®Eek!¡¯ Lina lets out a squeal in surprise, then scampers over to hide behind a concrete post to her right ¨C
¡°You have the nerve to graze the boss and not apologize about it?!¡±
¡°Who the hell do you think you¡¯re disrespecting here?!¡±
¡°I told you, I already apologized. Are you deaf or something?¡±
Hearing different voices from a about a few meters across the street, Lina assesses the situation. Three students wearing blue blazers are ganging up on single guy. Two of the students wearing blue blazers were surrounding the guy; one had a nose piercing, while the other was wearing shades ¨C she decided to call them nosey and shades. The third student was a head taller than the others while having a bulky, intimidating figure. If she tiptoed, she thought, the top of her head would barely reach his gruff chin.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Aah, these must be what you call ¡°student delinquents¡± ¨C the city sure is scary. That big one must be the ¡°boss¡± while - wait, isn¡¯t that lone guy¡¯s uniform the one from our school?
The guy being surrounded was only wearing an unbuttoned white uniform over an inner black shirt, standing out as he¡¯s surrounded by blue blazers. Although he¡¯s not wearing a neck tie (which is supposed to be part of the dress code, Lina thought) she could recognize the crest of Arcana High on the guy¡¯s chest pocket. Being surrounded by three others, Lina couldn¡¯t get a glimpse of him.
The ¡°boss¡± as Lina decided to call him ¨C broke the silence first. ¡°You sure are cocky kid. What are you, a second year? Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡±
This is too much tension in the air for me ¨C I think he¡¯s even in my year too. I just hope that student from our school would apologize and end this -
¡°Are you supposed to be someone I should know? Well, if you were such a whiny baby that you¡¯re hurt from a small bump on the sidewalk - than I¡¯m surprised I haven¡¯t heard of you.¡±
Lina almost fell backwards from disbelief - what is he doing?! Is he trying to get himself killed?!
¡°You! How dare you insult the boss!¡± Nosey snapped and swung at the guy - as the lone student hopped to the side to evade it, Lina observed. He looked like a typical delinquent ¨C he had unruly black hair, an unbuttoned uniform, and a mean look on his face. Lina didn¡¯t think he looked that bad ¨C in fact, his toned figure partnered with the fact that he was a ¡°delinquent¡± would put him as good-looking in other people¡¯s books.
But there¡¯s something about his face. His eyes in particular ¨C it just seems ¡ depressing. And the way he dodged the punch, there was something unnatural about it ¨C
¡°Wait ¨C did he just hop a full 2 meters to the side?¡± Lina whispered to herself.
¡°You¡¯re gonna pay for that ¨C¡° Shades started to say, cracking his knuckles as he walks toward the lone student - when the boss put a hand on Shades¡¯ and Nosey¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Stop it. Look around. We¡¯re already gathering enough attention, and we can¡¯t get suspended for violence at the very start of the year.¡±
Lina looks around them and finds a few spectators, some of them students like herself, worriedly watching from the side.
¡°How about we follow the rules and settle this with a Trial? If you think I¡¯m the person who¡¯s a real baby here, then you wouldn¡¯t chicken out right?¡± The boss said with a grim smile, while his subordinates were sweating from the force of his hands gripping their shoulders.
Eh? Delinquents following ¡ rules? A Trial? What¡¯s happening? A glint of curiosity appears in Lina¡¯s eyes.
¡°Sure ¨C I¡¯m feeling lucky today, so you can even choose the contest. You better not regret this.¡± The lone guy said with a bothered look on his face. Maybe it was only Lina¡¯s imagination, but she swears he took a glance at her direction and shook his head.
¡°Then we¡¯ll settle this over at the arcade. I¡¯ll be having fun destroying your cocky attitude ¨C we¡¯ll settle the conditions there.¡± The boss, with his lackeys in tow, passes by the lone student ¨C
¡°¨C You have some nerve ... for a Cursed Child¡± the boss tells him as he passes by. The lone student takes on a serious expression, then turns around and follows.
The other onlookers started to disperse; some to head to work, some to their respective schools ¨C this was the norm to them ¨C save for a certain auburn haired girl, who couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity.
¡°Cursed Children ¨C those who were born with a disability that cannot be explained nor cured by the laws of this world ¨C a disability that can be afflicted to another person temporarily if the cursed one wills it.¡± Lina giddily follows them, excitement on her face. ¡°Interesting ¨C it wasn¡¯t a mistake to move to this city after all!¡±
[The Fool and The Magician] Chapter 2: The Trial at the Arcade
Briggs cracked his knuckles as he led the way towards the Arcade.
What a fool. The person who was challenged has the right to choose the form of contest the Trial will take ¨C why would he give over that advantage?
Briggs glanced behind him. His subordinates surround the fool to make sure he doesn¡¯t run away ¨C but Briggs doesn¡¯t think he would try to anyway.
There was something about his eyes when I called him a Cursed Child ¨C did I hit actually hit the mark? Briggs smiles at the thought of his guesswork bearing fruit. He has absolute confidence in the arcade game he¡¯s going to pick. He can¡¯t lose.
Then what was the reason for how uneasy he was feeling?
¡°We¡¯re here. Let¡¯s discuss the terms of the Trial.¡± Briggs turns around and put on his best intimidating face to the fool. The student stares back, not the slightest bit intimidated. ¡°It¡¯ll be a one-on-one at the game I¡¯ll choose at the arcade ¨C If I win, you hand over all the money you have and apologize on your knees. I feel like spending a lot today, after all¡± Briggs forces a smug grin, as sweat trickles down the side of cheek.
¡°Then If I win ¨C ¡°
¡°Don¡¯t bother telling us what you want. It can be anything ¨C you won¡¯t have a chance of winning against me anyway.¡± Briggs pointed to himself.
¡°Well, if you say so. Betting ¡°anything I want¡± is quite the prize anyways ¨C¡°the fool said with slight smile. ¡°I ought to set a few conditions before we start, if that¡¯s fine¡±
¡°Name it.¡±
¡°All conditions in this contest must be fair for the both of us.¡±
¡°GAHAAHAHHA¡± Briggs bellowed. ¡°You think I¡¯d need to cheat to beat a runt like you?¡±
Briggs enters the arcade and points to the machine closest to the door ¨C a Hammer Game, where you have to hit the rubber area the hardest with a provided plastic hammer.
¡°The score is from zero to a hundred ¨C whoever gets a higher score wins. But we have to make things interesting right?!¡± Briggs looked at the fool with an evil look in his eyes, then raises his sleeved arm in front of the fool¡¯s face. ¡°We won¡¯t be using the hammer. We¡¯ll be using our fists.¡±
The air feels tense; the subordinates are watching from each side of the door, sweating, while the arcade personnel were watching from the side, unable to approach them.
¡°Well, if you¡¯re done with the tough act, you can go first.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡°Tsk.¡± Briggs grits his teeth and turns around toward the machine. Who does this brat think he is? Anyway, I¡¯d never lose in this game¡
Briggs gets a coin from his pocket and slots it into the machine. The welcome screen shows, and the rubber area you¡¯re supposed to hit with the hammer lights up.
Briggs raises his hand above his head and clenches it. The average force of a person¡¯s punch is from 25 to 50 kilograms ¨C this is considering how heavy their arm is and how fast they swing it.
Briggs begins to swing his arm downwards toward the hit mark ¨C too bad for him, I have weights around my arm ¨C added to how fast I swing it -
His fist hits the target with a resounding force, the machine wobbling for a second, before starting to measure the power ¨C rapidly changing from a 0 to a 100. The words ¡°Congratulations!¡± flashed on the screen.
- This easily exceeds what that little runt could possibly do. Briggs turn around with a victorious grin on his face to see his opponent¡¯s despair ¨C
The fool yawns. ¡°Are you done with your turn? Then hand me over your wrist-weights.¡±
¡°Huh?! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡± a sweat trickles down Brigg¡¯s face ¨C
¡°You agreed to the condition ¨C everything in this Trial goes fairly, right?¡± He stared at Briggs with those pitch black eyes. Briggs gulps, puts on a smile, and starts removing some weights. He drops a 5 kg wrist-weight on the floor. ¡°You have me. Try all you like ¨C it¡¯ll be useless anyway.¡±
¡°Really?¡± The fool picks it up, straps it on his right hand, then faces the hammer machine.
An evil grin encompasses Briggs face. Idiot! I only removed one of the weights on my right wrist ¨C my other 5 kg weight is still on. You can¡¯t beat my score with half of the weight I swung with.
The fool raised his right hand above his head, readying to swing the weight strapped across his palm.
It¡¯s useless. I¡¯ve alreadywon this. Briggs resolutely thinks.
¡°Oh, by the way ¨C I haven¡¯t said what I wanted when I win right?¡±
¡°Tsk. I said you can have whatever. Stop stalling and accept your loss ¨C¡°
¡°Well, I decided just now ¨C ¡°
Briggs watched as the fool turned his head to the side ¨C there was a crazy look in his eyes, and it sent chills through Brigg¡¯s soul.
¡°I want you to pay for the damages to the Arcade.¡±
¡°W-what?¡±
The fool swings his arm downward.
Briggs came into focus. The Arcade owners were arguing with his lackeys, something about paying up - ?
¡°It wasn¡¯t us who did it, it was that kid from Arcana! Let us go already!¡±
¡°We heard everything! It was a Trial, right? And you lost, so pay up, or we¡¯ll call the police!¡± The middle aged store owner said.
Lost? To that cocky runt?
The smell of smoke fills Brigg¡¯s nostrils. Brigg looks over to the Hammer machine ¨C
It was completely busted ¨C it was bent at a weird angle - electricity was sparking out at some of the parts, smoke rising from the target area. The screen was flashing ERROR in large red, and the sound of the police siren could be heard from afar.
¡°That fool ¨C where is he?!¡± He grasps Nosey¡¯s shoulder, which shook him ¨C
¡°EEE! Oh Boss, you¡¯re okay now? He just left after wrecking the machine! We couldn¡¯t believe our eyes either ¨C how is that even possible ¨C¡°
¡°Idiot! Why didn¡¯t you chase after ¨C¡°Briggs looked towards the door and spots a wisp of Auburn fleetingly passing through the arcade entrance.
¡°Interesting. It seems I wasn¡¯t the only one who cheated - He¡¯ll definitely pay for this.¡± Briggs clenches his fist to contain his anger ¨C blood seeps from between his fingers. ¡°Cursed Children huh? I¡¯ll make your life a living hell for mocking me like this.¡±
[The Fool and The Magician] Chapter 3: I Challenge you to a Trial!
¡°You can¡¯t be late to the opening ceremony at your very first day! You have some unfinished documents to settle, and you were scheduled to be toured around facilities early morning¡± reprimanded Ms. Prisma, her homeroom teacher ¨C a mature-looking woman in her 30s, wearing glasses and sporting a ponytail to tie of her smooth black hair.
¡°And I¡¯m not in my 30s, I¡¯m only 29¡± She sternly said while leaning forward.
Wah, what an overused joke. How did she even know I was thinking of that anyway? Lina thought, as she avoided her teacher¡¯s reprimanding gaze.
¡°But Ms. Prisma, there was something interesting that happened in front of the arcade ¨C¡°
¡°Hmmphh?! Arcade?¡±
Lina sweats as Ms. Prisma tries to interrogate her. ¡°Some students were fighting, and they decided to settle it at the arcade via ¡®Trial¡¯. I was just so intrigued, ma¡¯am!¡±
¡°Oh, so it was your first time seeing a Trial then?¡± Ms. Prisma leans back on her chair. ¡°Well, you did come from the country. You do know about the Cursed Children?¡±
Lina nods her head vigorously.
¡°Well, in this city, to prevent the abuse of the Cursed Children, unreasonable violence is strictly punished ¨C hurting or harassing someone could get you suspended to stay in the Correction department, or worse ¨C jailed for months.¡± Ms. Prisma adjusts her glasses as Lina listens intensely. ¡°This doesn¡¯t stop discrimination against Cursed Children, so the Trial system was implemented.¡±
¡°What does the Trial system do?!¡± Lina asks, her excitement evident in her voice.
¡°The Trial system is a way to settle conflicts between two parties ¨C where a contest of any form will be conducted, with the stakes to be discussed by the conflicting sides. The stakes can be anything ¨C
¡° - anything I want is quite the prize anyway¡± Lina remembers from the incident this morning.
¡°- as long as both parties agree on all terms and conditions. The Trial system is watched over by thousands of cameras planted over the city, and is monitored and recorded to a database.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°So the Trial system provides a way for the Cursed Children to fight back?!¡± Lina inquires.
¡° ¡®Fight back¡¯ is too aggressive of a term, but in a way, yes. The Trial system¡¯s goal is to place common people and the Cursed Children on relatively even ground.¡± Ms. Prisma says matter-of-factly. ¡°Bonds formed through settling conflicts will one day overcome the stigma against the Cursed Children. This the true aim of the Trial system.¡±
Ms. Prisma then lowers her voice in doubt. ¡°Of course, this is only in theory ¨C this city¡¯s experiment is to put this into practice and see if it does good for those cursed. The other cities are trying their own methods as well.¡±
¡°Then can I just challenge just about anyone to a trial?¡± Lina leans forward, her nose almost touching her teacher¡¯s.
¡°Well, if both sides agree ¨C wait, we¡¯re not done yet here! How about your tour around - ¡± Ms. Prisma tries to call Lina back as Lina dashes outside the office in a hurry.
¡°I¡¯ll get my own tour guide ma¡¯am, thank you!¡± Echoed Lina from the hallway.
Lina runs through the hallway, startling some other students. This was the kind of life she wanted to live ¨C one of excitement and adventure, something she didn¡¯t find at the countryside. She stops by for a moment to ask a fellow student ¨C
¡°Excuse me! What¡¯s the nearest way to the rooftop?¡± Lina hurriedly asks as she jogs in place.
¡°Um¡just climb the stairs up to the 4th floor, then the door to the rooftop is the last few steps¡±
Lina sighed heavily. No ¨C I won¡¯t let this stop me. If I can¡¯t get past this, how can I keep on going with my adventure?
¡°Um excuse me but¡ why are you looking at the stairs with such hate?¡± The random student asked, confused.
¡°No time to explain! Thanks for the help, I¡¯ll be off!¡± Lina runs off ¨C and slowly climbs the stairs, each step tiring her out, but without wearing the vigorous aura she¡¯s letting off.
2nd Floor.
The Trial System. The right for everyone to be on even ground ¨C where winner takes all and the loser loses everything.
3rd Floor.
The Cursed Children. Children who were born with supernatural disabilities ¨C and can use it to afflict others they truly abhor with the same curse, albeit temporarily.
4th Floor.
And lastly ¨C the Seeker. The legend of a cursed child who was born 20 years ago when the curses started to surface. He who was abhorred so much, discriminated against, and abused to the point of insanity. His pitch black eyes were said to be as if it was always looking for something ¨C to the point where he held no regard for the lives of those blocking his path. Rumor has it he¡¯s in this city.
The rooftop door.
I am Magileine Mountebank ¨C and this life of adventure, of deeply veiled mysteries, of those cursed and those who seek answers from God ¨C this is the life I want to live.
Lina smiled, put her hand on the door, and resolutely looked forward ¨C
Pushing open the door, she exclaims:
¡°I challenge you to a Trial, Seeker!¡±