I'll need a vacuum.

22

I was dusting myself, because the detonation had given off dust and I was dirty. Kamo surveyed the surroundings, with a satisfied expression. I congratulated him.

"Cheer. You eliminated it on the first try."

He turned, his eyes narrowed again and unreadable.

"Yes. You helped me too, your idea was effective."

"Good teamwork." I concluded.

I joined him, waiting to know what to do next. The mission was over so we could go back, right ? Kamo didn't seem motivated to leave the place oddly.

" We're done ? Can we go back?"

He didn't answer right away, his nose in the air, looking for something invisible.

" I.. there is something strange again.. wait.."

I scanned the surroundings, a little more attentive. The stress had subsided since the curse died, and I was exhausted. I didn't have much energy left and I just wanted to go back to bed. Kamo stood stoically for a moment, thinking, then stared at me. I hadn't moved, I was waiting for him to finish his inspection. I raised my eyebrows, to show him my incomprehension of his attitude, and my desire to leave.

" I feel something really weird. We need to double-check the inside of the building. Come on."

Apparently he didn't leave me a choice. Well, it would be quick and once done, we'd go straight back. So I followed him, and we passed through the various abandoned offices. Once inside, I too began to feel a palpable unease, something clinging to the skin, a visceral fear. Kamo was right, there was still a problem here. I approached him, I had to inform him of my current weakness before we fell on the origin of the discomfort, and we died stupidly because I had not communicated.

" Kamo.. I whispered, I have almost no more cursed energy !"

" What ? Already dry ? But you did almost nothing ?"

I pouted embarrassed, I couldn't tell him that I was absolutely not used to using this power and that inevitably, I was unable to manage it properly. I had to pretend to be a little experienced... but no apology came to me. I answered him by shrugging my shoulders with the air of saying "aha, it's bad luck huh".. I was really, really bad as an exorcist. He shook his head, annoyed.

"Thanks for the info anyway. It's useful to know that I could only count on myself if we encounter a problem."

Indeed, he was my only way to survive now. The air thickened and the unease increased. Kamo stopped, his hand outstretched to warn me.

"There is another curse here. I feel it. It's not far from there, and based on it energy, it's much more powerful than the one we defeated.

He glanced at me.

" Stay behind me."

I nodded curtly, fear having cut me off. I felt the malignity of the curse and it had nothing to do with the one before. It was TERRIFIC. Nothing like the ones I accidentally blew up before. My whole body was shivering with fear and if I hadn't expended the majority of my cursed energy, my power of destruction would have already kicked in. How could we have missed its presence? Kamo drew his bow and drew it. I was two steps behind him, scanning the cluttered desks and debris that littered the large room where we were. Daylight filtered through the windows, and the reflections of the sun playing in the suspended dust dazzled me as I looked outside. I squinted to make the reminiscent image disappear when an icy current made itself felt. My back was covered in a cold sweat, my body reacting even before I understood that I was in danger.

The curse was standing right next to me.

It towered above me, its humanoid body all in protruding musculature. Its long arms ended in shiny blades from the elbow, and its feet, arched like a cheetah's, had very long, curved nails. Yuck. Its face was expressionless, eyes closed, and a thin mouth crossed its face like a pencil line. Its whole being gave off an impression of restrained violence and hatred, which exuded like poison into the surrounding air. I was asphyxiated by its oppressive presence.