Lorian ran towards the village without waiting any longer. He arrived at the village in a short time and immediately started running towards the point where screams were coming from, the sheep center. Lorian had no intention of helping the adults. They were nothing more than filthy beings. Lorian believed that only small children were innocent in this world, and their innocence needed to be protected. Only then could the disgusting system that governed the world be overturned.
As Lorian ran, he heard the sobbing voice of a little girl from an old wreckage. "P-please h-help me!"
The girl's cry pierced Lorian's heart like a knife. The wail echoing through the debris was the purest form of a human's helplessness, fear, and nearness to death. He didn't blink as he rushed toward the wreckage, each step cracking the ground, leaving short but deep marks. As he passed through the shadows of the trees, the wind that hit his face wasn't enough to wipe away the dried blood on his cheeks. His eyes gleamed with a misty determination; the spark burning within him was fed by the shadows of the past.
Lorian quickly turned back. He began lifting the stones from the wreckage one by one.
"Hang on..." he whispered. "If you're there... hang on..."
When he reached a collapsed hut, he paused. The embers of flames tore through the sky, leaving behind a black soot. Among the smoke, a trembling silhouette of a child appeared. A little girl, maybe five or six years old... She wore a torn dress, panic in her eyes. She was trapped inside the hut, a beam had fallen, blocking the exit.
"Hey!" Lorian called out. "Don't move! I'll get you out!"
But the child only cried, unable to speak from fear.
Lorian moved quickly. Using all his strength, he tried to lift the beam, but the weight was more than he had expected. He tried to gather his Essensia energy, but his body was still drained from the previous battle. He gritted his teeth, his muscles trembled, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. But he didn't give up. With a grunt, he exerted one last burst of strength. The beam fell aside.
"Good job," he said, kneeling down. "Now, hold on to me."
The girl hesitantly approached him. Lorian gently picked her up and carried her outside. Just as he stepped out, the hut collapsed with a loud crash. As dust and smoke mixed in the air, Lorian pulled back. His heart was pounding. The little girl was still crying, but now there was a glimmer of trust in her eyes.
"You're okay now, you're safe," Lorian said, his voice softer than usual.
But the peace didn't last long.
[Warning! High-level aura detected!]
Lorian's eyes immediately darkened. "What?" he muttered, looking around.
From deep in the forest, a hum rose. The trees suddenly began to tremble. The ground shook slightly, and a dark energy was approaching. The little girl clung to Lorian even tighter.
[Danger Detection: Serpent Drake approaching the area.]
"Shit..." Lorian muttered. "So you've come."
A massive silhouette appeared in the sky, among the dark smoke. Its long body, covered in armored scales, shook the earth with every movement. Its eyes gleamed, and smoke poured from its mouth. Its tail was cutting down trees on the ground. This was no ordinary beast. This was a creature of a curse, one that even the elements respected.
[Warning! Enemy Level: Mid Rising / Specialized in Poison and Fire.]
Lorian quickly carried the girl to the nearest intact hut. "Don't leave here, no matter what!" he said. "If I don't come back... run."
The little girl nodded, her eyes still filled with tears. Lorian took a deep breath and turned back.
Before him, now stood not just a Serpent Drake, but a new turning point in his fate.
"Hey!" he shouted at the creature. "If you want me, come and get me!"
The dragon roared. It shot a poisonous gas from its mouth. Lorian barely managed to leap aside, but when the gas touched the ground, it destroyed the grass and darkened the stones. This poison wasn't just deadly to the living; it killed the land as well.
[Warning! Protection Zone being created.]
A thin, greenish shield formed around him. This was the system's final defense. But it was only a temporary solution.
Lorian, pushing his energy, summoned the Cursed Spirit once again. The dark and purple flames materialized before him.
"This time... we fight together," Lorian said.
The Cursed Spirit flew toward the dragon. The creature hissed and then struck with its tail. The Cursed Spirit dodged, but managed to recover mid-air. At the same time, Lorian used his Dark Lightning ability. A dark bolt of lightning fell from the sky, scorching the dragon's left shoulder. The beast howled, but it was still standing.
[Ability: Light Devourer activated.]
Lorian raised his palm to the sky. A small glowing energy orb appeared and flew directly towards the creature's eye. A scream echoed.
"Yes!" Lorian shouted. "You're hurt, aren't you?!"
But it was a mistake.
The creature grew enraged. It reared its head back and then shot a thick, purple fluid from its mouth. This time, Lorian couldn't dodge. The liquid struck his leg, and his skin immediately began to darken.
"Aghhh!"
He collapsed onto his knees. The pain was unbearable. As his vision blurred, the system's voice echoed once more.
[Essensia Energy Critical! Immediate intervention needed!]
Lorian gritted his teeth. Tears streamed from his eyes as one hand pressed against the ground. "No... not yet... I'm not dying yet..."
In that moment, something inside him shattered. The boundary was crossed. A deep power began to awaken. Time slowed for a few seconds. Silence fell. The beats of his heart were clearly audible.
[Cursed Summoning recommended, Master!]
"Heh... So this is my last chance? Fine. Let's do this!"
Lorian's pupils changed. His eyes turned completely black, and dark smoke began to swirl around him. Strange symbols began to glow from the cracks in the ground.
"Now is the time to gamble..."
He slowly stood up. The pain was replaced by fury. With each step, the ground cracked. The Cursed Spirit, sensing its master's power, grew stronger. Its flames intensified.
The dragon hesitated.
Lorian stretched his palm forward. The surrounding Essensia energy began flowing toward his body.
A new circle formed on the ground. It was inscribed with ancient symbols Lorian couldn't read, and surrounded by chains.
The concentrated Essensia energy rapidly flowed into the circle.
From the circle, a shadowy figure emerged. Lorian couldn't see what it was.
The figure swung one of its arms to the side, and soon the chains and circle disappeared as if they had never been there.
The figure emerged from where the circle had been and approached Lorian. After studying him for a moment, the figure knelt before him. She was a girl with long black hair and purple eyes.
[Cursed Summoning successful.]
Lorian ignored the notification. Right now, he only wanted one thing: To destroy that dragon.
"I've been free for a long time... Thank you... Master."
Lorian only nodded, and before losing consciousness, he pointed at the dragon with a sign. The curse, seeing Lorian's vision fading, quickly rushed forward and caught him before he collapsed.
The curse gently laid Lorian down on the ground.
"My first task... will be completed successfully, Master."
The curse, now looking at the girl Lorian had summoned, trembled in fear. The girl before him was the oldest and most powerful curse, a being whose power surpassed even dragons.
The spirit trembled and approached the girl, "I-I salute you, my Queen!"
The girl looked at the spirit. "Why would you summon such a weak spirit? You should have called me right from the start, Master. Oh well, what's done is done." She turned her attention from the spirit and focused on the dragon. The dragon, like the spirit, had frozen. The thought of defeating her never even crossed its mind.
The girl grinned. "Let's not waste any more time and finish my first task!"