Lord Of The Mysteries: The Glass Angel

Chapter 30: It's a Curse

As Stewart flew, he felt his vision start to blur. (This must be because of the negative effect of the wings of glass, I used too much stamina running.) Stewart thought when his stomach started to hurt and his throat became parched . Stewart knew that he had to land or both he and Xio would have a small chance of survival. Xio noticed Stewarts change in expression as well and asked. "You ok?" Stewart wanted to conserve energy so he didn't reply and started to descend to the ground. Stewart landed by a river and leaned against a rock panting. He felt tired... very tired... Stewart slowly shut his eyes as he fell asleep.

Again Stewart entered a dream, this one short. He couldn't remember much from the dream but he remembered the only things he said in the dream. "GET OUT OF HERE, QUICK! I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU." Then something he couldn't remember. "I KNOW IT WILL WORK I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY THERE IS NO TIME. I HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS AGAIN IN THE FUTURE!" Zhao Kong was yelling at the top of his lungs as if he was trying to be heard above load background noise.

Stewart startled awake to the sound of a crackling fire and a night sky full of stars. Stewart sat up and looked around. "You're awake?" Xio asked. "Yes, what happened when I was asleep?" Stewart asked. "Nothing much... But I still can't figure out why the zombie would chase us." Stewart decided he should comb through the confusing information his dream gave him later and said. "The zombie may well be after me. I warned their enemy about an impending attack but I have no idea how they found out."

"Have you considered other options like the bird I saw you targeting?" Xio asked. "It could be them, but I have to correct you on something they're targeting me, not the other way around." Stewart explained. "By the way I never got to ask. What are those birds anyway?" Xio asked. "I know a lot of things but that's one thing that I don't know." Stewart answered, staring at the crackling fire. "Do you have any clues?" Xio asked. "No, all I know is that they grow strong very fast and they most likely do that by absorbing some kind of energy out of people." Stewart said in thought. "They might be some tamed mystical creature, something from the spirit world, a creature created through mystical art or even a curse. But those are just speculations." A night fell silent again. "That does not narrow it down at all, from what you just said I could only make out that they are not human."

"Do you have any food?" Stewart asked. "No, I didn't plan for what happened so I didn't bring any food." Xio replied, sighing. "How far are we from Backlund?" Stewart said, closing his eyes. "From the pace you were flying, not that far a hour walk at most. But it is too dark and I don't have any sense or night vision abilities." Just as Xio finished Stewart raised one of his arms pointed at a spot in the river and thought (One.) The wings on Stewarts back opened startling Xio as a feather shot out into the river. Stewart sensed a large fish in the river so he attacked it without a second thought since he had not eaten anything since morning. Just as Stewart praised himself for hitting the fish Xio asked. "How are we supposed to get the fish? The river is very deep and you don't seem like the type who can swim." There was another long silence. "Never mind."

June 6th Year 1349 5th Epoch , Backlund

Stewart woke up still leaning against a rock with Xio laying on the ground still asleep some 3 meters away. Stewart was just about to stand when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his left arm as if it was smashed by a hammer, then a burning sensation starting from his toes and quickly spreading to the rest of his body. Stewart fell to his knees with a thud and let out an agonizing scream which woke Xio who ran over to check on him as soon as she noticed what was happening. Just when Stewart thought it was over he felt a stabbing pain as if a nail was being driven into his heart. Stewart felt a hot liquid build up in his throat and coughed blood spilled out of his mouth. Xio was an experienced bounty hunter but still did not know how to react to this sudden situation.

The pain slowly faded as Stewart sat up and immediately checked his arm and was relieved to find it ok. Stewart did feel the spirituality in his body boil, it was more chaotic than when he just ascended to sequence 8. The pain subsided but Stewart spirituality became more chaotic. He heard indistinguishable ravings as his joints felt more mechanical than biological. Luckily that was as far as it went Stewarts spirituality calmed down. Stewart gasped for air, the air he breathed in smelled like iron. This happened within the span of 5 seconds. Xio finally reacted after recovering from shock and passed her canteen to Stewart hoping that it would help. Stewart grabbed the canteen and drank all the remaining water without a second thought.

After Stewart recovered a bit he passed the canteen back to Xio and said. "Thanks" In a slightly raspy voice. "What happened!?" Xio asked in a hurry. "I was attacked... Most likely by the same people who sent the birds after me... If that's the case then the birds are most likely created by a mystical art or a curse... and from my knowledge no pathway is good at both of those things." Xio just listened as Stewart continued. "And there is no mystical art that I know of that can attack a person at such a range without even causing a ripple of spirituality... So both of these. Are most likely curses."