Journey to Become the Zenith

A New Trail Toward the Elmhart Family

”Then proceed.”

”Lift the curse.”

The assassin slowly rose.

His legs were shaky.

He felt heavier with every step towards the sisters.

Nira and Kary were still sleeping peacefully on their beds, their breathes were steady as if they were just taking a normal nap after a day’s hard work.

Clara instinctively moved forward.

Victor quickly raised one hand.

Clara immediately stopped.

”Trust me.”

Two simple words eased Clara’s heart.

She nodded.

The assassin stood between the two beds.

His expressions turned serious this time unlike before.

For the very first time since meeting Victor...

His fear seemed to vanish.

Lifting the curse required immense concentration.

A wrong move...

Could mean either the death of the victims or the demise of the caster.

He slowly placed his right hand on Nira’s forehead and his left hand on Kary’s forehead.

He closed his eyes.

Ancient words were chanted in the room.

They sounded harsh and unfamiliar.

Each word had a somewhat disturbing cadence that seemed to cool the air around them further.

Dark wisps started to slither from beneath the assassin’s sleeves.

They didn’t attack.

Instead...

They gently circled around the two girls like streams of black mist searching for something buried deep inside them.

Victor intently watched each move.

His senses were on high alert.

In case the assassin did something unexpected...

Victor would stop him at all costs.

The assassin continued chanting.

The dark wisps gradually seeped into the foreheads of both the sisters, vanishing inside them.

Several minutes passed.

Nothing seemed to have happened.

Sweat trickled down the assassin’s temple; his breathing grew uneven.

Finally...

He pulled his hands away.

Without a moment’s hesitation...

He revealed a small dagger hidden within his sleeve.

A tension immediately filled the room.

Clara gasped; Aria instinctually reached for her weapon.

Videl stepped to her side protectively.

Victor calmly observed without a hint of intention to intervene.

The assassin turned to Victor.

”I need to do it.”

Victor gave one slow nod.

”Proceed.”

The assassin took a deep breath, and swiftly drew the dagger across his palm, creating a long, thin crimson line that slowly oozed fresh blood. His face instantly turned ghastly pale. He carefully took a few droplets on his fingertips.

”The curse was anchored using my own life essence.” His voice was hoarse. ”Only my own blood can call it back.”

He touched Nira’s lips with a single crimson drop before repeating the same process with Kary.

As both of the girls swallowed the blood...

The strange symbols buried beneath their skin seemed to suddenly awaken. Dark veins popped out around their necks.

Clara cried out again but was silenced when Victor raised his hand once again.

The assassin resumed his chanting but his voice sounded thicker this time; as if he were pulling against something invisible deep in their souls. A low humming could be heard in the room, the air became unnaturally heavy. Then...

Black smoke began to trail out of Nira’s mouth. A few seconds later... It happened again from Kary’s. It was not like ordinary smoke but more like thousands of wiggling serpents Hissing within the room.

Clara’s expression changed. She thought the curse was attacking them again.

”No!”

she screamed as she rushed forward.

Victor caught her wrist gently.

”Take a closer look.”

His calm voice stopped her mid-stride. She forced herself to take a deep breath. The black smoke seemed to move away from the sisters and congregate above the assassin’s bleeding hand.

The blood on his palm started turning pitch black.

His body began to tremble uncontrollably as he drew the curse back into himself. Several unbearable seconds later... The last wisp of black smoke dissipated and the room started warming up again.

The oppressive feeling was gone. The assassin stumbled to his knee, breathing heavily. ”...

It’s done.” he panted.

”The curse...

Has been completely lifted.”

Victor moved toward the sisters. A warm Golden Zenith Aura flowed from his fingertip as he analyzed the Spiritual energy within them. There were no corruptions left.

Only the sleeping spell remained.

Victor finally gave a nod.

”Good.”

He placed two fingers on both the girls’ foreheads and passed some Zenith Aura into their body. ”The sleeping spell...

Is no longer needed.”

A sudden bright golden light filled the room and the spell vanished into thin air. After that... Slowly...

Very slowly...

The two girls’ eyelashes began to flutter slightly. Victor’s Golden Zenith Aura faded as the last of the sleeping spell died away. So quiet became the room that you could clearly hear the steady breaths of two little girls.

Clara stood rooted to the spot, her hand were trembling uncontrollably. She was afraid to blink in case she’d wake up and realize this had all been another dream. A heartbeat later...

The two little girls’ eyes fluttered open.

The two girls looked around the room in confusion before settling on a blonde woman standing in front of them.

The two girls blinked.

”Big Sis?”

Their voices chimed together.

This two simple words broke down the walls within Clara’s heart.

Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

”Nira...””Kary...”

She ran and pulled both her little sisters into her arms.

The two girls instinctively hugged her back in confusion.

Nira looked up in concern.

”Big Sis...””Why are you crying?”

she whispered as she reached up and wiped Clara’s cheek with her small hand. Kary rubbed her sleepy eyes before asking: ”Big Sis...”

”What happened?”

”My head...

Feels a bit strange...”

” I think I slept for really a long time.”

Clara could not reply. She just held her little sisters in her arms as if the slightest looseness of her embrace would make them vanish. Months of fear, sleepless nights, and despair vanished as the emotions poured out of her at once. She buried her face between the two girls and wept openly this time.

Videl smiled gently as she folded her arms and watched the emotional reunion. ”I’m so glad...”