Chapter 11: Targeted
Emi looks around. Lucius wasn't seen yet. They sat under a tree, while they waited for him. Cole was busy arranging his belongings, they were ready to move to their next destination.
"We might be able to reach Vermillion Empyrean in a week fastest." Lucius suddenly appeared behind the bushes.
"Vermillion Empyrean?!" Cole stood up, shocked.
"Are we going to Vermillion Empyrean?!" Emi was surprised too. She went standing near Lucius.
"Yes. It seems so." Lucius said unsure, he was bewildered too while Cole felt defeated.
"They intentionally did it, didn't they?" Cole said angrily.
"Apparently." Lucius agreed.
"Argh!" Cole messed his hair in frustration.
"Seems like you've fallen into their trap." He stated.
"Shut it, Lucius! That Justin! When I see him, I'll surely beat it out of him." Cole becomes fiery.
"What happened?" Emi was still confused, she turns to Lucius.
"Nothing really, but seems like the guards intentionally lead us towards Vermillion Empyrean." Lucius explained.
"But we went through Strymir Empire's gate." Emi clarified, dumbfounded.
They did go into it, with the name largely spelled out at the end of the gate by a banner when they went towards it.
"They might have purposely switched it. I've never set foot in Vermillion Empyrean again, so I no longer recognize the path. Whatever it is, I should have noticed it. Since Justin didn't even care to chase after me. Damn it!" Cole punch the tree beside him and made a hole in it.
Emi stood up and pushed him to sit down, calming him down.
"Calm down. Being angry now wouldn't help either. In a week, we'll reach the main capital city." Emi reminded him as she uses her magic and healed the tree's trunk.
"Sorry, I lose my cool and even took it out on the tree too." He apologized.
"It's fine. So what is the plan?" Emi asked both of them.
"Given that they have thoroughly set it up, if we turn around now, I'm quite sure they have prepared enough soldiers to stop you." Emi regarded. Cole thought for a moment.
"I know a way but it is risky. Besides, if we return to the main city capital, I'm sure we'll get chased around if they found us. Are you guys fine with that?" Cole asked.
"It's fine." Emi smiles with Lucius nodded in agreement.
=================================
"Did you hear? Someone said the Dragon Princess has returned." Murmur was heard from the town folks.
They reached a town and went to a nearby restaurant to eat. Finally a proper meal from the long trip.
"That's impossible. Are you sure?" They gossiped.
"Yeah! They said they saw her at the South-West Border." It probably started when they were trying to run away.
"I'm sure it's just another imposter." A lady said.
"No. They said this time she's the real one!" Emi glances over at those who was talking about her.
"Looks like they heard about you by now." Cole stated.
Rumors have started and the news of her return has begun to attract the others.
"Was there someone posing as me before? They were talking about it." Emi was curious.
"Quite many actually. But mostly got captured." Cole revealed.
"Captured? By whom?" Emi asked.
"Everyone literally. It reached an agreement that no one should pose as you and everyone who tries will be prisoned." Cole explained.
"That's a bit extreme…" Emi was surprised to hear it.
"Who even initiate that issue? But I'm a bit happy to hear it." Emi smiles as she drinks her strawberry milk drink.
"You are an important figure in this world. Surely none would agree for anyone to be faking as you… Especially when…" Cole pauses.
"What is it?" Emi was anticipating.
"To be honest, life was not really at peace since you've been sealed." Cole began to open the problems that have occurred.
"What do you mean? I was sure that none had been a threat before I was sealed" Emi said.
"I guess that was what they all thought too when they sealed you. But they were wrong. After they sealed you, hoarders of demons began to emerge from Aberrant Mortala and began terrorizing the lands. They tried to look for you and undo the seal, but you were already taken and hidden away." Cole said.
"That's impossible! Mi-…." Emi stopped. She shakes her head.
"Anyway, it's impossible. The Demon King Satan reached an agreement with the Messengers to stop the fighting." Emi clarified.
She clearly remembered what he said.
"It is true that Demon King Satan made the agreement but as soon as you were sealed, the Demon King Satan died and the new Demon King emerges, beginning to send all his monsters to destroy humanity." Cole explained. They sat in silence.
"New Demon King?" Emi ponders.
"Demon King Lucifer." Cole mentioned, his face was serious.
"Lucifer?" Emi contemplate.
That name rings a bell, but who?
"Have you met him?" Cole asked. Emi shakes her head, she doesn't remember.
"No. It's the first I heard of him." Emi said.
"By the way, have you met Demon King Satan before?" Cole asked. Again Emi shakes her head.
"No. I've never seen him but I've heard of him from a friend. Cole, what has been happening actually? I've been so busy thinking about my Father only." Emi said.
"When Lucifer, The Evil One ascended the throne, he ordered all the demons to attack the people on land but the angels came and the Divine Warfare began. Both sides had great losses but the people suffered the most because the land was turned into a battlefield." Cole explained.
"Then what happens?" She asked.
"They all retreated, but that didn't stop the demons from coming. As we speak now, I'm guessing somewhere there is a war occurring." He continues.
"So it's been ongoing since then." Emi was a bit speechless.
"Not only them, but diabolical organizations also beginning to emerge. We need to be careful for you too." Cole reminded her. Lucius was serious on that matter too.
"Me?" Emi was surprised.
All of a sudden Death came out of her shadow and hissed, threatening. A small cloaked child was terrified and quickly ran away.
"Death? What's wrong?" Emi asked but he slitters away chasing the kid.
"Death!" She went to chase him, and the two of them then went after her.
They ran through the back alley while Emi was struggling as she was barefooted, it hurts her feet from the harsh path.
"Ugh! Enough of this!" She used her wings and flew away, creating strong gushes of wind.
"Emi!" Lucius called out to her, but she didn't pay attention to him. Emi had a very bad feeling.
"Hurry, after them-" Cole shouted, but Lucius already jumped to the roof, chasing after her.
"He's so obsessed with her." Cole was in disbelief. Emi looked around for the two of them.
"Emi!" Lucius barely catches up only for her to fly at high speed and created a loud collision at a corner, standing before Death and the child.
Cole appeared on the left and Lucius jumps down to the right. The child was surrounded by them.
"I'm so sorry. Take your money back. Please don't hurt me!" He pleaded to the ground.
"So we wasted all that energy to chase a pickpocket?" Cole sighs.
Emi storms towards the child and pulled his hand up before dropping down the replica core.
"Why did you steal it?" She asked menacingly.
For once, they were shocked to see a grim expression on her, she was furious.
"He took the replica's core... I'm sure he just thought it was something valuable." Cole tried to reason with her.
"I wish it was that simple. I've seen how people used innocent children to do their hideous bidding." Emi said.
She looked at the boy who was trembling with fear.
"Tell me who sent you." Emi commanded.
"I'm so sorry, I really don't know. There were these white-cloaked men who told me to take this thing, they promised to pay me large money." The kid cried out of fear.
Emi glances over at Death and slowly calmed down. She let her wings disappear.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry to scare you." Emi apologized and hugged the boy while caressing his back, calming him down.
They went back to the restaurant and sat with the boy, giving him food.
"What's your name?" Emi asked him.
"Daniel." He replied.
Daniel had black hair parted in the middle and gray eyes, wearing a brown shirt and dirtied black pants, with only slippers.
"Why did you do the job asked?" She wanted to know.
"I needed the money…" He pauses and they waited for him to continue.
"Living has been hard, I needed money to support my family. Our farm was destroyed due to the drought and my family is getting sick by an unknown sickness, weirdly I was unaffected. Now I can only rely on stealing to provide food for my family." He let out.
"There is a lot of information given but I'm interested in the unknown sickness." Emi stated.
"It's been going around by now. Some people just get sick overnight and no one knows why. If they went to do a check-up, the doctor said they were healthy but their appearance wasn't. I don't understand too." Daniel explained.
They didn't know such sickness was around.
"If nothing is being done, my family will die like everyone else." Daniel cried his heart out, clearly, he was afraid.
A young boy facing such a situation, surely is unbearable, after all, he is still just a kid.
"It's okay. Don't worry." Emi tried to comfort him.
She suddenly felt an eerie aura. Two figures in white cloak watch over them on the corner.
"He failed." One of them said.
"Then, he had no more use." The other declared.
He started to chant and Daniel began to feel uneasy. He holds his chest.
"Ugh." He grunted.
"What's wrong?" Emi asked, worried.
"I don't know…" He responded.
Emi tried to reach to hold him but Death instantly warped around her hand tightly.
"Death, it's hurt!" She exclaimed in pain.
Emi knew something was wrong but she forced her hand to touch the boy and lifted his shirt.
"Plague Curse. So this is what's been causing people trouble." Emi said as her hand felt a burning sensation. A seal slowly began to disappear from Daniel's back.
"Are you okay?!" Both of them were shocked. Lucius tries to hold her.
"No, don't touch me. I've touched his curse. It might go to you too." Emi said. Lucius was even more worried.
"Miss. What's happening to me? It really hurt." Daniel grunted before falling to the ground.
Everyone else was terrified to see the changes in Daniel's condition, he looked as if his life was being sucked out.
"Lucius, hold him, but cover him first with the cloak." She requested and Lucius quickly do so.
"He was infected by the curse too but the curse was suppressed. I'm guessing this might have to do with these 'white cloaked men' he said before." Emi concluded.
Lucius laid Daniel on the ground while Emi sat beside him.
"What do we do?" Cole asked.
"Cole I need you to find those men. I did feel something eerie, I'm guessing they might be nearby, bring Death with you, he can sense them." Emi said. Death was hissing.
"Don't worry, I won't die. You wouldn't let me after all. Just hurry back, I'll try to cure it and also keep Cole safe." Emi told him.
Death quickly move to Cole, and both of them rushed. The curse began to move through her hand, and Lucius saw how the curse made her skin seems lifeless, grayish as if she was sick.
"The curse!" Lucius was getting even more restless.
"Don't worry, Lucius." She smiled.
"It's a curse. It's a curse. What can I do?" Emi thinks as she watches around.
"Are there any light mages or wizards here?" She shouted. Everyone just murmurs.
"Light magic? Can it really cure?" Someone asked.
"Curses are made from dark magic, light magic can counter it." Emi said.
"Can't you do it?" They asked.
"I'm- I'm a nature mage. I can't heal curses." Emi hesitated.
"Looks like there's no one." Lucius also didn't know what to do. He never encountered such a curse.
"This is terrible. If we can get to the main city, I'm sure there are light magic-based wizards and mages or even witches." Emi babbled.
"But we are still a bit far from the main capital city." Lucius regarded.
"Miss?" Daniel called weakly. Emi leans towards him.
"Miss… Am I… Going to die?" He asked as tears come running down his face.
Emi was heartbroken to see him suffer like that.
"How many are there having the same condition as him?!" Emi shouted, asking the townspeople.
"There are a lot of them who suffered like him in our town's clinic. I'm a nurse there." Suddenly a lady emerges.
"Give me the rough number." Emi requested.
"Ah yes! Around 150 people." She said.
"150? I can bare it." She said while smirking.
"What are you trying to do?" Lucius was concerned and puzzled. Emi pulled out her arms to her left and right.
"Barrier!" Emi called out and a large dark-tinted barrier covered the whole town.
Everyone was astounded to see her power.
HIISSSS!!! Death hissed loudly.
"Emi? What's happening?" Cole was dumbfounded. From Death's reaction, he knew it was Emi's power.
"Come forth. Ejectors!" Emi called out. Two black holes were formed in front of her palm and monsters resembles of snakes with sharp teeth appeared and circled her.
"Dark magic! She's a dark mage!" They all scattered away.
"Hah, expected!" She chuckles. The Ejectors were surrounding her.
"Take all the curses, bring them back to me." She commanded and the Ejectors flew away searching high and low, passing through people carrying the curse.
"No, Emi! You couldn't bare it alone!" Lucius tried to reason with her.
"It's fine. I'm the Dragon Princess after all." She smiles weakly, the curse was affecting her.
"Dragon Princess?" A young lady said. The Ejectors went past Cole and Death.
"Something is happening. We need to hurry!" Cole said as Death jumps off him. He turned into a wolf and instantly ran away.
"Hey! Wait up!" Cole quickly tries to catch up with him. Death barked and Cole was alerted by it.
"Fire Magic: Acceleration!" Cole rushed beside Death and saw two figures running away, clearly, both of them are the ones they are looking for.
"Let's get them!" Both Cole and Death separate ways to ambush them.
From the side, Cole appeared out of the blue and kicked one of them, sending him flying, and hitting the building at their back.
The other one was shocked and prepared to attack Cole before Death came and kicked him away to the same spot. Both of them were injured from the impact, staggered.
"Sorry, but we need to arrest you really quick." Cole said.
"It won't be as simple as that. Besides, this town is beyond help anyway." He smirked.
"I do not quite agree with you. Do you even know with who are you were dealing?" Cole smirked.
"The Dragon Princess." Someone said from on top of the roof; who had been watching them. Death jolted which made Cole surprised.
"Narc, we've done what has been requested." Both of them bowed to him.
Narc was wearing a white hood too, but his eyes were covered by a black cloth.
"Good."
"What do you actually want?" Cole asked. Narc looked at the sky.
"That. What a magnificent view, impressively large amount of magic power. I can feel them. I can sense them. I can SEE THEM!" He praised while looking at the clouds of Ejectors flowing into one place, on his lips was a wicked smile with astonishment.
"Emi?" Cole was alarmed.
"Emi was her name." Narc's smile faded.
"What are you planning to do with her?!" Cole asked. Both his subordinate immediately jumps beside him.
"Necromancy: Undead." Narc called out and hoarders of undead out of nowhere appeared.
It took them by surprise. The undead was agile, Cole and Death tried to fight them off.
"As if we are going to tell you." Narc ridicule.
"But with this, we can finally confirm the return of the Dragon Princess. It's not only you who have waited for her return." He smiled mischievously.
Cole tried to reach for them but kept getting blocked by the undead.
"It seems we must get going, you must forgive our discourtesy." Narc bowed down like a nobleman which made Cole stunned. Narc opened a portal.
"Till we meet again." They went inside the portal. The undead then suddenly vanished into thin air.
"They got away!" Cole grunted.
"Wait, the barrier disappeared too!" Without them noticing, the barrier already disappeared.
"We need to go to Emi now!" Cole and Death rush back.
When they reached back, Daniel was lying on the ground with Lucius beside him. Everyone else stood far from them, which bewildered them.
However, what is most worrying is that they couldn't see Emi. She wasn't there, Cole quickly went to Lucius.
"What happens? Where's Emi?" Cole asked him.
Lucius didn't respond. Instead, he slowly pulled out his hand, to which Cole looked at it.
"Yo. Cole." Emi said weakly while trying to smile.
She was as tiny as a thumb, lying on Lucius's hand, she didn't have the energy to pull her body up.
Luckily, Lucius was wearing his gloves, so the curse didn't affect him.
"What?..." Cole was speechless. That was such a bizarre moment.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone