The journey didn't take long.
By the time Soral and the others arrived
the royal palace stood before them, towering, silent… tense.
No music.
No celebration.
Just unease.
At the gates
rows of royal guards stood in formation.
The moment Leo stepped forward, they straightened.
Guard Captain (firm, alert): State your—
He stopped mid-sentence.
His eyes shifted past Leo—
and landed on Soral.
A pause.
Then
he immediately lowered his head.
Guard Captain (respectful, slightly tense): Lady Soral.
Soral barely glanced at him.
Her expression was calm but her eyes were already scanning everything.
Soral (casual, uninterested tone):You look nervous.
The captain stiffened.
Guard Captain (tight voice):The situation inside is not stable, ma'am.
Soral smirked faintly.
Soral: "I can tell."
She walked past him without waiting.
The guards instinctively stepped aside.
No one dared stop her.
Inside the palace
the atmosphere worsened.
Servants whispered.
Knights stood alert.
Some even looked… afraid.
Lisa (low voice, observing): This isn't normal for a royal illness.
Soral (quietly, eyes narrowing): Of course it isn't.
Suddenly
a figure approached quickly from the corridor.
Royal robes.
Heavy steps.
The King.
His eyes immediately locked onto Soral.
Relief hit his face clear, unhidden.
King (hurried, almost desperate): Lady Soral—!
He stopped in front of her, slightly out of breath.
King (lowering his voice, urgent): Thank you for coming…
Soral looked at him for a moment.
No bow.
No greeting.
Soral (flat, direct): Where is she?
The king froze slightly
then nodded quickly.
King:…This way.
They moved fast through the halls.
The deeper they went—
the heavier the air became.
Dranexx's gaze shifted slightly.
Dranexx (telepathy, low):…You feel that?
Lisa (telepathy, serious): "…Yeah."
Soral said nothing.
But
her smile was gone.
They reached a large door.
Guarded.
Sealed.
The king stopped.
His hand trembled slightly as he reached for it.
King (quiet, strained):…She's inside.
A pause.
"…Whatever this is… it started three few months ago."
Soral's eyes flicked to the door.
Then back to him.
Soral (calm, but sharp): Did anything unusual happen before that and why didn't you mention anything about it sooner ?
The king hesitated.
That alone was enough.
Soral (eyes narrowing): …You're hiding something.
King Madura (hesitates, voice trembling slightly): …
Soral (speaks sharply, eyes narrowing): What happened? Speak now!!
King Madura (low voice, avoiding eye contact): Um… she found something… and then the next day, she fell sick.
Even I don't know what it is…
He swallows hard.
Even her eldest sister couldn't find a way to heal her… so she went on a journey to look for someone.
He pauses briefly.
Because… she can see the future.
A silence falls over the room.
King Madura (thoughts racing): A group of twelve… she said…
His eyes slowly widen.
Could Lady Soral be the ones…? No… wait… she and her companions…
Yes… that makes sense now… yes, I see…
Soral (calmly, but firm): Your daughter…?
She exhales softly.
Well, leave that aside. Let's move. I need to see her and find out what's happening to her.
King Madura (breathes out in relief): Oh… thank you, ma'am. And please… be careful.
As they walk
Soral (telepathy, voice echoing in their minds): Did you guys feel that…?
Dranexx (telepathy, calm):Oh yes… I do.
Lisa (telepathy, serious tone): This sickness isn't ordinary… that much I can tell you, Lady Soral.
Dranexx (telepathy, slightly concerned): Hey, love… can you handle this alone, or should we help you?
Soral (telepathy, confident, almost dismissive): Hmph… there's nothing I can't handle.
This is just a minor problem leave it to me, honey.
Soral reaches the door…
She opens it and steps inside.
The moment she enters
The air shifts.
Thick. Heavy.
Poisoned.
But it wasn't something that could affect Soral.
Soral (calmly, scanning the room): Oh… I see now.
Her eyes sharpen slightly.
So you're not sick…
She steps forward.
You were cursed by a demon.
A weak voice echoes from the shadows
Princess (fragile voice): Who… are you…?
She coughs violently.
Please… stay away from me… or you'll get infected too…
More coughing her body trembling.
Princess (voice breaking): Please… I don't want anyone to suffer because of me…
Her hands clench weakly.
Just let me die… it was my own fault I ended up this way…
Her breathing becomes unstable.
Please… let me suffer alone
Soral (interrupts firmly, raising her hand): Shush.
She steps closer, completely unfazed.
I will heal you.
Her tone leaves no room for argument.
And you will share every detail with me how you were cursed… and what it is you found that led to this.
Her eyes lock onto hers.
Got that… princess?
Princess (low voice, shaking her head slightly): You… can't heal me…
She coughs again, weaker this time.
My curse is beyond any normal purification…
Her voice drops even further…
I was cursed by the demon of—
Her words trail off… the air in the room growing heavier.
Princess (low voice, trembling): I was cursed by the demon of
The air suddenly tightened.
Her voice cut off.
A sharp, invisible pressure filled the room… like something didn't want that name spoken.
Soral (eyes narrow slightly, voice calm but deeper): …So it even blocks its own name from being spoken, huh.
The shadows in the room begin to stir unnaturally stretching… twisting…
Princess (panicking, weakly reaching out): P-please… leave… it will notice you
Soral (steps forward, completely unfazed): Notice me…?
She lets out a faint sigh.
Let it.
She raises her hand slowly
A faint aura begins to radiate from her… heavy… oppressive… absolute.
The poisoned air trembles… then begins to distort.
Soral (calmly): A mere demon's curse… daring to rot a human like this…
Her eyes glow faintly.
How irritating.
The shadows suddenly lash out like claws trying to consume the room
Dranexx (telepathy, slightly amused):Oh… it's reacting now.
Lisa (telepathy, focused): That's not just a curse… it's a tether. Something is watching through it.
Soral (telepathy, calmly): I know.
She places her hand gently on the princess's forehead.
Princess (weakly struggling): Don't… it will
Soral (firm, soft tone): Be quiet.
Silence.
A pulse erupts.
Not destructive…
But absolute.
The moment her power touches the curse
Reality distorts.
The shadows SCREAM
A voice echoes… not from the room… but from somewhere far beyond
??? (distorted, furious): WHO DARES—!?
The entire space trembles violently.
Dranexx (telepathy, smirking): Heh… looks like you got its attention.
Soral (coldly):Pathetic.
Her aura intensifies
Crushing.
Overriding.
Soral (voice firm, absolute): You dare place your filth on what is under my watch…?
The curse tries to resist writhing, twisting, rewriting itself
But—
It fails.
Because the moment it touched Soral's power
It was already decided.
It would be erased.
Soral (quietly): Disappear.
Snap.
The curse shatters.
Not broken…
Not purified…
Erased.
Completely.
The presence on the other side goes silent
Cut off.
As if it was never there.
The room returns to normal.
The poisoned air clears.
Princess (breathing stabilizes, eyes slowly opening): …I…
She looks at her hands… trembling.
I'm… alive…?
Soral (calmly, turning away slightly): Of course you are.
She glances back at her.
Now… speak.
Her gaze sharpens slightly.
What did you find…?
Princess (fear returns to her eyes): I… I wasn't supposed to see it…
Her voice shakes.
It was hidden… sealed deep within the ruins…
She grips the sheets tightly.
A fragment…
A mark…
She looks up at Soral—terrified.
Princess (whispers):
….of something that shouldn't exist in this world.
Outside the room
Akube (quietly, uneasy): …Yeah… this just got serious.
Dranexx (smirks faintly, eyes gleaming): Kufufufu… now this is getting interesting.
Far away…
In a place where light does not reach
Something… opens its eyes.
??? (low, amused): …So… it's begun.
kufufufufu
To be continued.....