If they had fought openly, John Lopez thought he could have easily beaten this old man. But in terms of insidiousness? He was no match for him.
He didn't even know when he had been cursed.
This curse was subtle, aimed directly at his spirit.
His mind was clear. He could still feel everything, but his body—his eyes, his voice, his ability to move—was paralyzed. It was as if the world had turned into a haze of silence and stillness.
The curse could only be broken with spiritual force.
At the current level of his spiritual strength, it would take at least an hour to break it. An hour of helplessness. An hour of being completely at the mercy of the man who had cursed him.
John Lopez had never expected the old man would slip a curse into the wine jar. It was so sneaky. So insidious.
The wind howled in his ears.
John could feel himself being carried by the old man. Where they were going, or why, he couldn't yet tell. His mind was spinning, but his body refused to respond.
In less than twenty minutes, he heard a soft, concerned voice cut through the fog in his mind.
"Uncle, John Lopez… What's wrong with him?"
The voice was familiar. Concerned. Anxious.
The fifth sister?
John's mind struggled to focus, to latch onto the voice. Angela Clark. She was the one who spoke.
Angela was a simple soul. She had been searching for her master, Gianna Semel, but had failed. Instead, she had stumbled upon a massive tomb, something out of a legend. Just as she was about to enter it, Gianna had pulled her away.
"He's been poisoned. It's very serious," Perry Moreno's voice echoed, breaking John's focus.
Angela's voice trembled. "Poisoned?" Her voice faltered as she processed the words. "John Lopez is so powerful. How could he be poisoned?"
Perry Moreno didn't answer right away. He only shook his head grimly, as though he didn't even have the words for it.
Angela's concern only grew, and she pressed harder. "Aren't you skilled in medicine? You taught him, didn't you? You should be able to save him."
Perry Moreno sighed, looking far more worn than his years should have shown. "There's a way to save him, but I can't."
Gianna Semel, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward with an impatient snort. "What do you mean by that? Just say you don't want to help. But don't pretend it's a matter of 'can't.'"
Angela's eyes filled with panic. She took a step forward, desperate. "Uncle, please! Don't just stand there! You can't let him die!"
"Don't worry," Perry said, though the words carried no comfort. "I can't do anything right now, but there's a simple way for you to help him."
Angela's heart pounded as she waited. "What do you mean?" she asked, voice trembling.
Perry glanced between the two women, his gaze flicking back to John, who lay motionless on the stone bed. After a long pause, he lowered his voice. "The poison is unique. Very potent. It will take John Lopez down in less than half an hour."
Angela gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. The room grew tense with the weight of those words.
"But…" Perry continued, the corners of his lips twitching. "If a woman can... be with him in the next half-hour—"
Angela froze.
The words hit her like a punch.
"Say what?" Her voice was barely a whisper, her face flushing deep red.
Gianna Semel's face hardened, her eyes flashing with sharp anger. "Why the hell are you looking at me like that? No. It's impossible! I won't be part of this!"
Angela stood there, stunned, her mind racing to process what she had just heard. "Master, what are you saying?"
"I can't do it, Angela," Gianna said with a sigh, avoiding her gaze. "It's not that I don't want to help him... but it's not something I can just do."
Angela stood there in silence for a long time, struggling with the absurdity of the situation. "What's the reason?" she asked, voice shaky. "Why can't you just help him? This is life or death!"
Gianna bit her lip and glanced at Perry, her expression unreadable. She turned to Angela with a heavy sigh. "Because it's not just any kind of cure. The poison will kill him in half an hour. But there's a method... it's complicated."
Angela's eyes filled with tears again as she nodded slowly. She had to make a choice.
Gianna's voice softened. "Angela, I know this is difficult. But it's the only way."
Angela's mind was in a whirlwind, and for a long moment, she couldn't process the words she had just heard. It felt like a cruel joke.
But Gianna's expression remained grave, as if this were her only option. Finally, she whispered something in Angela's ear.
Angela's eyes widened. Her face turned crimson as the words sank in.
Gianna sighed deeply. "I'm old, Angela. I'm not someone who can just do... that with him. But you? Well, you're his sister."
Angela stood frozen, torn between her shock and the desperate need to help John. The weight of the choice hung over her.
"I can't do this…" Angela's voice cracked, her body shaking.
Perry Moreno sighed. "I knew it. It's not an easy thing for anyone. But it's the only way to save him."
"Why does it have to be like this?" Angela muttered under her breath, stepping back, feeling betrayed by the twisted nature of this 'cure.'
"Well, there's no other way," Perry said with finality. "We're too far from town. It's a long shot, but if you hurry, maybe you'll find someone willing on the way."
Angela could only nod weakly, looking at John with a mix of sorrow and guilt. She stepped outside to try and find help, leaving Perry and Gianna in the room with the unconscious John.
Inside, the curse on John's body was still at play. Though he couldn't move, couldn't speak, he could hear every word.
His mind screamed at the thought of the situation. He wasn't a fool. He knew what the two were suggesting.
He only hoped Angela wouldn't fall into the trap.
But would she?
She was kind, naive, trusting—too innocent for her own good.
And yet, as the silence stretched on, John realized he had no control over what was to come.
Angela, always so eager to help, might find herself caught in this very web, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.