"Achan, hold her tight!" His father yelled after seeing the young boy's staggered look.
"But Pa? She bled too much! Removing her spleen would cause her death!" He answered, though young, his knowledge about their family's Practice was almost flawless.
"If she can't make it, it means the Darkness had already taken her, we're doing our best here!" His father exclaimed as he stuffs pounded herbs on the woman's wound.
"If you can't do it, move! You're taking too long, we need to Purify her now!" His father shoved him away, grabbing a sharpened stone and pulled the woman's insides and looked for the spleen.
Achan, disgusted by the scene, ran out of their operation room straight into their bathroom to puke.
This is his family's "Practice", he knows the risk of his father's job, but what can he do? This has been his reality ever since they were born, a long history of their family. Their ancestor's practice, dating back to the beginning of time.
"She could have lived if you just didn't chickened out!" His father yelled, furious from the death of their last patient.
He knows what's about to come, but he's already used to it. What can he do? He can't leave his father, he's trap inside their house he now feels like a prison. His family, now long gone. What can he do?
"My daughter!" A scream by a bereaved mother filled their house.
"We're sorry Mrs. Realte, her Chakra point had been corrupted by the Darkness, too much where her body could no longer handle a simple Ritual-" His father tried to reason, but no grieving person would listen to excuses.
"You! You let her die! You said you could cure her? You said she could recover faster on your hands than what doctors could provide us?! She was supposed to ran for president on her father's behalf!" The mother yelled as she tries to swing her hands on the Spiritual Healer.
"We cannot do anything more for her, First Lady..." His father said, unfazed.
"This is why you should never doubt yourself! On situations like what happened earlier, you cannot lose, toughen up Achan. Do not let fear overcome your potential! You're the son of the Great Babaylan, stop wasting all my teachings!" His father whispered on his weakened body.
There lies Achan, wounds across his back from his father's belt.
"Senator Rilion's coming next, you better heal up. We got work to do!" His father sighed, as if he finds ecstasy on beating his own son.
"I won't!" Achan mumbled.
"What?" His father knelt in front of him.
"I won't answer to your orders anymore!" Achan yelled, furious by his father's actions.
'How can he not show any remorse? We just killed a young woman, the daughter of our President?!' He thinks to himself.
"Pfft, you're my son, you can't disobey me!" His father unbuckles his belt as the young boy started to stand up.
"I won't be your son anymore! I hate you! I hate this! I don't want to live like this anymore!" Achan screamed.
"Achan! Don't force me to use my strength against you!" His father yelled.
"I hate you!" Achan yelled as he ran towards his father's room, grabbing all the books on his table.
"Achan? What are you doing?!" His father tried to catch up to him, but his younger physique made him faster.
"You can't hurt anybody anymore!" He said before jumping out of his father's windows and ran away.
He knew that taking his father's books would disrupt his ability to function, for his father's memory was far from reliable.
"Mama, Ate, where are you? Please help me!" Achan whispers as he cower under a bridge on a rainy night, hiding his presence away from the world, hugging a set of books that he stole from their home.
"Achan? You cannot hide away from me, come back home and we'll talk this through!" His father's voice echoed throughout their tiny village, sending a cold shivering feeling for Achan.
He knew his father was but a ghost of the man he once was, warped by greed, poisoned by power, and indifferent to the lives crushed beneath his feet. No longer driven by justice, nor by love, but by the blood-soaked wealth of a Corrupted Practice that robbed the innocent of their futures. The man he once admired had long vanished, leaving only a hollow figure, blinded to the power he helped to create.
***
Achan's P.O.V
"ACHAN?! What did you do?" Miss Irene's voice destroyed the silence in the air.
"I'm meditating!" I opened my left eye to look at her distraught face.
"You changed! The Achan I know won't act like this- is it because you fully embraced yourself? Is that why you're being like this?!" She screamed while shaking me.
"Miss Irene, what are you talking about?!" Slightly irritated, I tried to make my tone as cordial as possible.
She's messing up my concentration.
"Why are you ordering our men to find all Grimoires around the house? Are you also gonna burn them like what you did to that?!" She said as she points at the burnt book on my balcony.
"These books are a danger to society, I cannot let anyone open these ever again!" I plainly answered as I finish my meditation.
"How are you gonna help Young Master if you'll destroy all the things that we needed to-"
"Who told you that these books are the answer to his cure?" I stood up, finalizing my meditation.
"Are they not necessary?" Her expression changed.
"Nope, they're more like a nuisance!" I shrugged my shoulders as I close the balcony's door so that the ashes of Papa's Grimoire won't get to us.
"Well, you are the expert!" She surrendered, staring at the herbs scattered on my table that I took from their kitchen.
"They no longer work for a reason..." I opened up after a few seconds of silence.
I know she's a little confused as to why I am asking Chief to find all their past Spiritual Healers' Grimoires, she, at least, deserves to know my reasoning. She's the one who worked hard trying to research them after all.
"They're too invasive for a normal human's body and the process often results to a patient's death!" She said.
"So, you knew?" I looked at her with shock.
These Rituals were originally created for our kind, that's why they would never fully work for them!
"I know, but we need to seek all methods to find for his cure-" Her eyes flickered with gloom.
"You made him go through all those treatments?!" Baffled, I raised my voice.
I couldn't imagine the pain the Young Master must have experienced, and she said all methods? Even the forbidden once?!
"After her mother and the Boss' closest friend's deaths. We grown desperate to find cure- we can't possibly lift the curse? At least, we could try to save one of his loved ones!" She started to cry.
"FUCK! Why didn't you find me sooner?!" I yelled, weakened by my frustration, I chose to sat on the floor.
I witnessed all those books could do, what a thousand years old Curing Method does! A barbaric way of treatment!
"Can I ask you a question?" She wiped her tears and sat next to me, we started staring at the ashes of my father's Grimoire getting swept off by the winds.
"Is this why you hate your father and his work?"
I nodded, recalling all unnecessary deaths that me and my father caused.
"If only I had the courage to disobey him in my earlier days..." I whispered.
"Was he that bad?" She added.
"No, he's the best Quack Doctor in the land..." I answered.
"Then why do you hate him so much?"
"Because of his ability, it made him blind- do you know how many unfortunate people he chose not to heal just because they couldn't afford for our treatment?!" I looked at her.
"How his power destroyed him and his family?" I continued.
"Must be hard, I'm sorry Achan!" She said as she went in for a hug.
"I'll deal with all the Grimoires, just focus on making the cure-"
"No, I need to be present when you burn the books!" I stopped her.
"Okay, let's go then?" She stood up and smiled at me.
"Miss Irene?" I stopped.
"Yes?"
"When did the Curse affected the Young Master?" I hesitantly asked her.
I need to know.
"Five years ago..." Her face saddened after realizing how long her Young Master's been suffering.
"Then we still have enough time!" I smiled, cheering her up.
"Thank you for your efforts, we truly appreciate you helping us!" She smiled.
"Can I ask what made you choose to help the Young Master? Did you two had a talk or it's because you found out about Maiden's Remains?" She asked as we walk out of my room.
"It's the latter, when I found out about the Witch's curse, I knew I needed to do something about it!"
"What do you mean? Do you know Silvia personally?"
"Silvia? Nope, I just wanted to help with her grief. No soul would want to stay suffering for eternity!" I sighed.
Maiden's Remains, a very powerful curse that makes the target lose everything they love, in exchange for the caster's life. But to cast a very powerful Curse, one must be eager to pay the price, an eternal suffering. As days go by, the caster's Soul would get stripped, hair by hair until their sanity vanishes and their overall consciousness fades. In short, they must feel the greatest form of emotion to cast it. Betrayed love that turned to hate, stripping their humanity that once was pure.
An innocent Witch, sheltered from the real world by their elders, experiencing a heartbreak for the first time. It's not unnatural for them to rely on the only thing they know, but using a very powerful Curse as this? I'm sure she might be regretting her actions right now!
"Did your father knows how to deal with her?"
"Nobody knew how to deal with Maiden's Remains, that's why it's called like that. Only the Maiden that left the curse could release her own hatred against the man that betrayed her..."
"Then, lifting the Curse was never an option?" She asked, worried for her Boss' future.
"That's what I'm here for, you should have searched for me five years ago!" I tapped her shoulder.
"We tried, but you and your father are both elusive Babaylans. It's as if there's a secret society that helps you stayed hidden!" She chuckles.
"Well, thanks for finding me just in time!" I smiled before inviting her to continue walking.
"Oh, Young Master, where you there all this time?!" Miss Irene exclaimed as we were both startled by the silent Young Master, standing before us.
Did he hear everything we talked about?!
"You both sure had grown closer, you both are disgustingly sweet to each other!" He mumbled with an irritated look.
"We're sorry, we were just about to prepare for your treatment!" She hurriedly took my hands and were about to pull me aside.
"What makes you so sure that you can cure me?!" He grabbed my wrist to stop us.
"Because I know this Curse more than any Quacks you hired?!" I leveled to his irritation.
His stupid temper gets to me, why do I feel such great irritation whenever I'm around him? Was he always been this ill tempered?
"All the Quacks that tried to act high and mighty, thinking they could cure me are now dead. Powering Silvia even more, don't be like one of 'em!" He scoffed.
"Oh really? Then it would give me so much joy to see your shocked face when I manage to cure you!" I wrenched my hands free from his grasp and pulled Miss Irene away.
"Uhm, Achan? Should we go back and apologize?"
"No way! Even thought he's your Boss' son, it doesn't mean he could go around and be a basic asshole, we're literally doing our job, let him be. I'll be free after lifting the Curse anyway, no need to act submissive!" I said as we walk outside the house where Chief and the others are gathering.
"Achan, Miss Irene? We're done collecting all the Grimoires!" Chief Clarence greeted us.
"Thank you Chief, you're the best!" Miss Irene's voice suddenly gone soft.
"No prob. when it's you!" Chief smiled as they both stared at each other.
"Hmm?" I smirked after sensing a familiar atmosphere that surrounds them two.
"Should we burn them now?" Brian asked.
I can see him being hesitant to hand me his lighter.
"No need, I just need a moment alone!" I said.
"Are you sure this is the way? What if you need it for later?" He put the lighter on his pocket.
"Don't worry, I already possess all their knowledge, and we no longer need to pass down this Practice to the future generations!" I smiled, hiding away my grief.
No Gifted child should ever learn their way of life like this!
It's settled, I made up my mind...
I shall forge a new way of learning Spiritual Healing for the next generations. With the money that I'll gain after these, I could take over our Coven and correct our ancestor's way of teaching- heck, I could even erect an institution just for people like us!
Now that's overreaching!
Though. I know I could do it, I possess the power to do it- and this time, I would try to embrace it!
"What are you doing?" A voice interrupted my meditation.
"Why are you here? Can't you see I'm busy?" I opened my left eye and stared at the Young Master standing in front of me.
"Doing what? Praying for your God's help?" He scoffed.
Is being sarcastic his only way of provoking me?
"No Spiritual God would be able to save you from her, you better find a stronger, more powerful one, an actual God. A God that-"
"I don't do Gods, they're nothing but a being full of trickery!" I rolled my eyes before standing up to go to the pilled books behind him.
"Trickery?" He followed me.
"Yes, forming a contract with a God means you must devote yourself to them. All your past Spiritual Healers must have done that, and that's why they failed to cure you and your father!" I said before pointing my finger to a book on the top of the pile.
A book with a drawing of a giant serpent, the God of Snakes.
"Master Goodway's Grimoire? How did they find that?!" He said before taking a step to reach for the book.
Before he could touch it, I grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the pile.
"Release!" I whispered.
"Why are you-" He stopped complaining when a lightning suddenly stroke down from above, igniting a giant flame.
"Devoting yourself from a God you formed a contract with restricts you from using other forms of Magic, and that's what made their treatments ineffective!" I continued my explanation as we both stare at the burning pile of books.
"So that's why they all seemed powerless against Silvia and her curse!" He pulled his hands off mine.
"It's not just that, Miss Silvia's just a very powerful Witch, and no Spiritual Healer could ever overpower any Witch!" I said that confuses him even more.
"You thought all people with Gifts are the same?" I chuckled.
"What do you mean?" He turned to me and stare at my eyes.
A sudden flutter on my stomach occurred as he intently listens to what I'm about to say.
"Wi- Witches doesn't form contracts with a God unlike the Spiritual Healers, they form bonds instead with multiple Deities, making them more favorable by the Gods. Because it makes them compete against each other to gain a Witch's favor, helping them feel good about themselves!"
"Are you saying that a God or more could also be helping her with this Curse?!" He frowned.
"No, it means the Gods are mad at her, making the Curse more powerful for no Gods would want to meddle with a Curse, forcing Spiritual Healers to fully depend on their God's verdict- whether they would want to interfere or not!" I added, which made him get even madder!
"So, you're saying we're doomed for eternity?!" He yelled as the fire grows bigger, heating up the surrounding.
"That's why it's called a Curse, a punishment for a sin that one caused against the person or God." My explanation did not helped, at all.
But he needs to hear this, he must know the reason why his father's suffering.
"But why do I have to suffer too? I didn't do-"
"That's where I am stepping in, I'll free you from your father's curse... But you must learn to forgive, she didn't wanted you to get involved- but she can't just let her anger towards your father go that easily!" I hold his hand, trying to console his anger.
"I know, we've been trying to understand Silvia for years!" He evaded my gaze.
"Then my work would be easy if you understood the Curser's reason!" I smiled before lifting my hands.
"What are you doing?" He asked after seeing me stayed in silence.
"Maiden's Remains, the curser that bestowed this invocation upon the person who betrayed them. Silvia the Witch of the Forrest, free this child for no harm has been done against thee-" I started casting but a sudden powerful force stopped the movement of my tongue.
"He's the son of the man that betrayed me, no kin of that wretched soul shall survive my wrath!" A lowered register voice of a woman suddenly whispered through the air.
"Silvia!" I heard Miss Irene yelled as her and the others running towards us.
"Witch of the Forest, you're not this heartless! Take. It. Off!" I hardened my tone to hide away my fear.
This would be my first time doing such a powerful Ritual, please, Heaven, help me!
"And what are you doing here? Son of-" Her figure started forming next to us.
"I, Achan Allare, Scion of the Great Mage lift the-" My incantation was cut short when a blood suddenly burst out of my mouth.
"You cannot lift my Curse, Scion. No one can! You cannot ease the pain in my soul, no one can!" She screamed as she charges towards me.
"Achan!" Young Master was about to block her off for me but I immediately pushed him away.
He cannot be touched by the Curser, or he'll die!
"The Barrier's broken, Irene, help!" Chief yelled as he tend to the collapsing water fountain.
Barrier?
"You have no idea about all the pain and suffering Arthur caused me! My anger would only vanish when his entire bloodline vanishes with me!" She tried to strangle me but a pair of hands grabbed both hers and pushed her into the ground.
"If I can't ease your pain, let me at least help you move on!" I whispered underneath my heavy breath as I try to move closer to her.
"Is this why you knew about my Title?!" She screamed after realizing the owner of the hands that held her on the ground, unable to overpower it.
"Witch of the Forrest, I, Achan- *Pant*" My breath slowly escaped my lungs as I try to cast a different Spell.
"You can never lift the Curse, with that body, you can't!" She started laughing after recognizing me.
"Then, I shall cut your curse, at least I could save one soul!" I sighed after realizing the power her Curse contains.
All these years of her soul getting stripped, all those Healers she consumed, she had grown stronger indeed, also grown madder!
"Achan? Stop talking to her, help me fuel up the Barrier!" Miss Irene yelled as they all tries to keep the fountain up.
I stared at them and look towards the Young Master who's stunned, watching me with pain in his eyes, unable to come closer, weakened by the blood-curdling scene.
"Die!" Silvia tried to cover me with her black smoke but an invisible wall just pushed her smokes back at her darkened, dead body.
"What once was bound, a Curse that shackles an innocent, now be free. As tides return unto the sea, no force shall stayed present, nor fate decree. By word and heart, so mote it be!" I whispered as light escapes my body.
"You- AHHH!" Her screams echoed throughout the entire island, bringing a restless earthquake.
A sudden jolt of electric feeling came out of my body as the pair of hands tore away Silvia's form, unchaining the Young Master's bound from the curse.
"I- It's done?!" I heard him ask after the shaking ground stopped.
"Nope, you still need a whole week of herbal maintenance, your body's still infected with her corruption!" I whispered as my strength escape my body.
I think I overdid it, I shouldn't have attempted to take off the curse all by myself!
"Are you okay?!" He ran towards me and caught my falling body before I could hit the solid ground.
"I- I'm spent, I'll have to close my eyes for a moment, please don't let them touch the ashes-"
"I know, shh, just rest for now!" His voice softens, sending a lullaby-like effect to my ears.
"Thank you for saving me!" His voice echoed through my head as I started closing my eyes.
And before my senses faded, I felt a warm, soft lips touching mine...