Wrath of king's curse

[Desert, somewhere near Ryett ruins] :

Sky stumped first ,Falling with a thud, trying to get up only to stumble again on Luka's weight pressing her down.

"Aha, sorry"

Pulling himself up embarrassed by it, he was cautious to not let the fine dust seep into his wound. On a distance there were strange columns and beneath a huge protrusive rock used as a shade the people they've saved sat in groups, they looked had plenty of time waiting there, some even served themselves some vegetables soup while the others lunched peacefully while chatting with different expression from the one they put before, relived smiles. The scent of food assaulted Sky's nose.

"I didn't know we have leftovers" She speculated.

"That thing... yeah we didn't!"

Walking toward the groups in deep thought, he paused seeing a familiar figure and with each step it get clearer to his vision. When their eyes met he saw her surprised face running toward him.

"Young master!! finally! We're able to find you!"

Sky was on her feet curiously glancing the woman seemed in her twenties on a butler uniform beneath a coat.

Actually, more guards with uniforms similar to Kale's spred around doing noyhing but observing everyone.

Recalling what that obscure prince said, hesitant to consider those guards alleys or foes, Sky summoned her sword where Luka immediately stopped her shaking his head.

"Don't worry, Sussie is one of the main family butlers"

"Sussie?" Sky quizzed.

With half bow, Sussie was stood in front of the with a smile.

"Good morning young master and master's friend. I'm Sussie Medhall, the butler assigned to serve master Luka"

Sky pensived finally getting a track of time, it was already morning as awkwardly confirmed looking back to Sussie.

"Hi miss Sussie.."

Redrawing the sword, Sky put in alert again by Sussie's sudden shift of expression into a serious one noticing Luka's wounded shoulder.

"Young master! Your arm!!! P...please excuse me!"

Pull Luka carefully to a strictly guarded tent and where the Greens family are.

Sky directed her focus for a moment to where they went ignoring her growling stomach suffering hunger. The seven unparalleled columns of stone seemed to be there for ages, they were partially eroded by the winds. They tinted black but that seemed an original color, a shade of brazen covered the base one of the columns. Sighted a wide teleport circle in the middle with some ruins scattered around a nearest to columns, all the landscape reminded her of the teleport gate at mile town except this one looks more like old fashioned or rather clumsily made in a hurry.

"Maybe I should study ruins too..?" Sky mumbled to herself.

"Why?"

Hearing her voice again Sky heave a sigh when Nova questioned her, a couple of seconds of silence passed before she replied;

"Well, I want to know more about the hidden history or at least to find a meaning in them"

"What in the past is in the past, there no point on revising it".

A shade of sorrow and guilt loomed on her face where Sky glanced her with curiosity.

"By the way, about that person named Zen I..."

"Yea I heard the boy, mostly he will trade his information for food supplies,...I think"

Said Nove interrupting her while sighting at far away Natalie trying to enter the tent.

"Why food? How odd, can't they hunt animals or monsters" Sky scoffed. Shooked her head, Nova said;

"With fog posion being even much thicker in the farthest areas from your capital I doubt anything will stay a live there, unless thoses of demonic mana or with mana barrier tricks not to mention the pills you guys took earlier, I'll say I'm impressed by your development"

"Hold on, that mean those worms have demonic mana? Then what about the slaves?"

Rolling her eyes, Nova restored answering her;

"No, they don't. Its the other option, mana barrier and it's a big one covered this whole area. Hmm...leaving me wonder how great this person's mana is?"

Just when she was about to inquire, a horrible scream heard from the tent directed everyone's glances to it with troublesome expressions recognizing who's voice this is.

"It seems the anesthetic effect is gone"

"Poor boy" Said Nova with a sigh.

Although Sky wanted to go and see him it will only make the tent crowded, Natalie and now Feng were already standing before the tent wrestling the gurads to break, they were so worried.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Turn around, a half breed boy around five or more gazed at her with big eyes, he reminded her of little cute brother Dean.

"Yes?" She softly replied stooping down.

The boy looked nervouse continuously rubbing his palms together when she glanced him.

"Th..thank you for freeing us" He muttered.

It clenched heart awared that those kids went through a lot than just a hell from the burn marks circling their necks and hands.

She forced a smile for his manners stroking his black hair.

"No need to thank me, it's Feng who wished for your happiness all along"

"Brothers Feng!!, hehe I knew it, so brother Feng is your boss?"

She twitched on that thought, but think a small lie wouldn't hurt Sky nodded just to see more of the boy's pure smile, he skipped back laughing and joined his friends.

"I wonder how sad Ray would be if he was alive to see what you human did to those half breeds offspring"

"Ray? Who is that?" Sky wondered on Nova who glanced pondered at the kids.

"You..., you really don't know your own history or humans brats erased those facts?"

Sky recalled the book of golden era, it did mention a ringing name, Ragen.

"You mean, Ragen?" Sky quizzed.

Nova bursted laughing hilariously holding her stomach spitting that name.

"So...you tell me that black market dealer was mentioned but not the actual party members of Lionel? That's just so lame!"

Yeah, just like Sam said once, stories can be twisted, by adding or removing some facts, he and Nova may easily pal on this.

While the latter enjoyed the good joke, Sky thought how knowledgeable she is specifically about that era and Lionel, which made her pensive her real identity as shadow lord.

"Frey was mentioned though as one of his party before the curse exists" Sky said.

"That it? So peoples have facts sliced about him..."

Reviving more hazy pieces from the books while Nova shared more of her thoughts.

"From what I think; all the talk about Lionel and even him causing the fog is just distorted rumors by someone knows the real truth about him and his followers"

"What?!! Lionel w...wasn't behind the curse?"

Sky stuttered thunderstrucked by her claims, it's not like she didn't know everything she learned is distorted, but Lionel responsibility of the fog couldn't be real! Its not like Sam said, or maybe he himself is ignorant about this fact. But since Nova was there...? So many questions clashed on her brain. Seeing Sky at that state, Nova scratched her dimples feeling upcoming headache.

"This's just a hunch, am not sure myself" Nova replied.

"A hunch? Weren't you existed at that era?"

"I did but, sadly... I died before the clash between Lionel and demon king, and never witnessed the curse formation. Plus, I..."

Nova paused suddenly the digressed; "Nevermind, as I was saying....".

Feeling its inappropriate to ask her how she died Nova continued...

"...Ray, was half beast as well, a merchant joined Lionel in his quests for sometime untill....I don't quite remember for how long"

"I wanted to ask for awhile, but how do you know so much about Lionel?"

Sky was curious about this, and caught Nova off guard, as she frowned spacing out, her body started to become more transparent.

"Nova?!!"