Chapter 14 – Cursed

[<-User- must wake up>]

'Urgh… damn it, Aesa. I was having such the nicest dream; I was a demon lord and the entire world was mine to command. I even made the pope my footstall just for the sake of it'

[<-User- must check status>]

'Fine fine then, status'

[Name: Ikarus | Species: Phoenix | Level: 21]

[Health 3,499/3,500]

[Stamina 3,500/3,500]

[Magicka 3,500/3,500]

'What's the big deal? The only thing that looks weird is that my health is minus one, I probably stubbed my claw while sleeping or something'

I guess this is a good time to give a quick status update. Yesterday after dealing with the bandits and having to deal with a mother who was extremely pissed off at me, I finally got around to putting the four thousand points in.

If it isn't obvious, I didn't know what to focus on so I thought, screw it and just make everything the same. Everything has its own merits so I really couldn't think what to avoid investing in. The only thing that I maybe considered not investing in is stamina but even then, more energy means I can do more which in turns leads to me fighting longer. Heck, I can miss days of sleep as well with high stamina. Unfortunately, I can't leave anything behind right now.

Thinking back to the fight, killing them bandits for the EXP didn't make me feel sick or anything, I don't know if that's a good thing or bad. Ah, forget it, who cares?

Anyways… back to system.

[<-User- has received hereditary curse -dragon descendant->]

'That sounds pretty badass to be honest, what's it do?'

[<-User loses 1hp every day until death. Health effected by curse -dragon descendant- won't recover while curse is under effect>]

…

"WHY THE HELL HAVE I RECEIVED THAT!?!"

<Urgh… come on Ikarus, it's really early. You've woken up Minos as well>

"*Yawnnnn*… Cu?"

"Now you know how it feels being woken up all the tim- Wait, where's father?"

At the moment, it's just me, mother and brother in the cave with mother and brother just waking up. Father must have left in the night; I really hope it isn't what I think it is again.

<He's fetching me a gift; he should be back very soon. What are you shouting at anyway?>

"I'll tell you in a second, I need to speak with Aesa for a second"

<Aesa?>

"Yeah, that's what I named the voice. There is a deadly serious issue happening right now, can't speak any longer"

'Aesa, can you give be some more information, why have I received a curse like that?'

[<Does -user- need word hereditary explained?>]

'No no, I know what it means. It's basically a curse from my parents or ancestors then? Why have I received it just now though? I doubt they would purposely harm me'

[<G.A.P doesn't know>]

'Okay… if I lose one health point a day… three thousand, five hundred… I would have roughly nine and a half years of life left? There has to be a cure, right?'

[<Affirmative and unsure>]

'What about recovery? Does my health not recover from attacks while the curse is under effect?'

This curse might be even worse if I can't recover from wounds and damage, every hit I take could literally take months or years of my life. This is beyond terrible right now.

[<Negative. Curse -dragon descendant- only applies to total health, recovery health doesn't apply. Example being if -user- lost any amount of health due to injury, health would still recover to current cursed level, 3,499>]

'Phew… at least that's a little weight of my shoulders. Wait, what if I increase my stats by levelling up? Would that give me more time while I search for a cure?'

[<Affirmative. -User- hypothetically could live additional 163,167 days if -user- maxes out health>]

'Okay… let me do the maths quickly… erm… I'm getting there… got it! That's still over four hundred years!? Why is this even a worry then? It's not great but I've got loads of time to deal with this'

Thing is, if I keep levelling up, I could in theory keep fighting against this curse for hundreds of years. The main problem is, I'll just have to keep on killing things nonstop and I'd rather try and look for a cure then become a battle junkie. Actually, that's not completely true, becoming a battle junkie isn't the worst thing ever but I'd rather not be forced to.

Then, a devastating realization came to mind.

'Shit, what about Minos? He might get this curse'

[<Highly unlikely. Curse -dragon descendant- mainly takes effect once certain level has been reached. Target -Minos- has met level and shows no signs of curse>]

'But there's still the slight chance he might get it though?'

[<Affirmative, but extremely unlikely. 0.002% chance of target -Minos- receiving curse>]

'It's tiny but there's still a risk, I've got to speak to mother for now'

I've also remembered something else. For my own sake, I'll never be able to buy that sub-system sacrificial lamb ability draw if I'm always having to invest my points into health, I need to sort this curse out not just for Minos but myself as well.

"Mother… me and Minos might have a big problem in the future coming up"

I've got to be one hundred percent deadly serious here, this isn't for my own sake. I swear to God or the Gods, I'll destroy any potential danger that gets put at Minos's feet. Damn it, I can now understand completely why mother is so overprotective.

<What is it Ikarus, you look stressed>

"Mother… I have a curse inside me called dragon descendant, the voice just confirmed it with me"

<WHAT!?!>

Tears started to flow from the dragon's eyes like a river, even I was shocked from her reaction.

"Mother, calm dow-"

Before I even have a chance to speak, mother rushes to me and starts squeezing the life out of my bird body. I don't think I've ever been hugged this tightly.

<What's wrong darling?>

Oh, father has just returned into the cave. Is that a gigantic bouquet of flowers? Is that the gift he's gotten mother?

<Ikarus is dying!!>

Why is mother trying to kill me off so quickly!? It's just a curse.

<What are you on about darling?>

<She has what Pegasus had!>

<Little one has dragon descendant!?!>

Pegasus? Who's that? Ah, I can't deal with this right now, even father is starting to look a little weepy and depressed. Just what the hell is going on? This isn't that big of a deal, at least yet.

"Mother, for the love of God, get off me for a second!"

I throw myself out the crying dragon's grasp and try to calm both of them down.

"As I was saying, I'm cursed but it's not like I'm going to drop dead tomorrow, I've got at least nine years left before needing to worry…"

Mother was still crying and it looked like father was struggling to keep it in, I needed to continue before they get worse.

"… However, this is just the minimum amount of time I have left, I could still get over four hundred years if I distribute correctly. That's only if I can't find a cure and I'll definitely find one"

<It isn't as simple as that little one, your oldest sister had the same curse>

Oldest sister? Is that who Pegasus is? I'll ignore my parents terrible naming since it's another Greek mythological styled name and I've got to figure out what's going on right now.

"Pegasus?"

<Half a millennium ago, me and your mother had another child. We spent a good fifty years together before the curse started to take its full effect>

So, I had an older sister called Pegasus, bit unsure what to make of that. I'm not really going to feel any attachment to someone who died hundreds of years ago, am I?

Father is only answering since mother is too worked up right now, I wonder if this is roughly around the same time mother apparently wiped out an entire continent? Okay, it really is a good thing that pervert didn't kill me, let's move on.

"Listen, I can just find a cure for it, alright? It's a curse, all curses have cures and besides... four hundred potential years to find one isn't exactly making me worry all that much"

<There is no cure to dragon descendant little one, it is a curse that will always ends a dragon's life early>

If we get rid of the obvious fact that I'm not even a dragon, this should be a terrifying realization to me. But for some reason, I feel like father is gravely wrong about this. It's a curse, not a disease. This is a fantasy world after all.

"Tell me father… how did you and mother go about finding a cure then?"

I don't care if this came across as snarky, I know exactly how these two would have acted in the situation. Dragons are extremely emotional creatures; they wouldn't have been able to think rationally in that situation.

<What do you mean little one?>

"What I mean is how did you actually look for a cure, did you look for help or did you just burn down city after city?"

Suddenly, intense anger appears on the dragon's face and his aura went blacker and eviler than anything I've ever witnessed in this world. Even mother's crying face looked shocked at the sight.

<Are you saying, me and your mother are responsible for your older sister's death, Ikarus!?!>

When he aggressively used my name, chills ran down my back while facing down the terrifying dragon. I have to stand my ground here though despite the fear that comes with facing him.

"Don't put words in my mouth father, you know I never said that! My point is, while searching for a cure, did you ever ask for human help?"

<Why, in the actual fuck, would we ask, for human help!?!>

I knew it, of course they didn't. I'm not blaming them in the slightest, my only point is that pure anger and devastation wouldn't have found a cure. It says a lot about their emotions that father is better at controlling it then mother yet is still aggressively looking like he wants to kill me right now, I can see it in his eyes.

"Father, you underestimate just how intelligent humans can be. This isn't a matter of strength or devastation, it's a matter of finesse and intelligence. There's a reason why weak little humans can live for so long despite their obvious flaws"

After hearing my explanation, he closes his distance between us and looks like he's hit his boiling point. Heck, even I'm worried what's going to happen next, he really looks pissed.

<Dermakvar! Stop! If you dare lay a paw on her, I promise it will be the last thing you ever do!>

At least mother's here to defend me if things go bad, it won't though, will they?

<You actually think I would dare lay a hand on my own flesh and blood!? I'm fucking infuriated because that she's right, why the hell would I want to hurt her? You actually think that little of me that I would do such a thing!?>

Father thinks I'm right? Just what the hell is going on right now? He's stepped back slightly and calmed a tiny bit as well.

<No Dermak, but I've seen that look in your eye before>

<I have that look because of regret, not from anger. If we had asked for help back then, we might have saved her>

<Wait, you actually believe that Dermak!?>

<Unfortunately… I think I do>

Thankfully, the anger and sadness have all calmed down slightly now, I feel like I was close to being killed though, father wouldn't do such a thing, right? No, he wouldn't, but his anger is terrifying though. I actually don't know who is scarier, mother or father.

"Listen… I know this is a sore topic for you two but can we go back on topic? I'm not worried for myself since I've got more than enough time to deal with it, I'm slightly worried about Min-"

<Minos has it!?!>

"Cu?"

Oh, Minos didn't go back to sleep, he's just been observing this conversation. I have to respond as fast as possible to mother right now though, she'll start crying again.

"No no no no no, he doesn't have it! I just want to know so if the extremely rare impossible chance of him getting it comes up, there's a cure already in our hands"

<Little one, you really are selfless>

<You really are a good sister>

The way these two are talking is starting to stress me out because I'm confused on something, am I'm supposed to be worrying more about myself with this curse? No no, I shouldn't. We are literally in a world of magic and I'm able to fly the skies as a bird, humans will definitely be able to cure this.

Seriously though, I'm a freaking elephant sized mythical phoenix who is able to power kick anything and have a flamethrower for my magical weapon of preferred choice, I actually bet a cure will be easy to find.

Okay, I've just jinxed it. Ikarus… you fucking idiot!

"Anyway… outta curiosity, do you two even know what causes dragon descendant anyway? Learning about it might help with a cure"

<It's a power struggle, little one. When too much power occupies in the body, it has an internal conflict which unfortunately eventually kills the dragon. It obviously must apply to the phoenix species as well>

<Me and your father both had siblings who had the curse while growing up so it clearly is partially hereditary, I really hope we can find a cure though>

Even though mother is getting a little worked up again, my mind can't help but wonder.

'Aesa, it was the bandits and contract killer ability combining that caused it, wasn't it?'

[<Impossible to determine>]

I think I know what's caused it. Spending four thousand points in rapid succession after killing those three might be the cause. Obviously, I must have had a high risk of gaining this curse and now I'm stuck until I can remove it. I feel like my impatience might have contributed as well but I can't help with that, alright?

An idea comes to mind that might help with brother.

"Can I make a suggestion? NEVER, allow Minos to hunt excessive amounts of creatures in one go"

"Cu…"

<We can but it seems slightly confusing Ikarus>

<Why should we limit him, little one?>

Minos, this isn't the time for getting sad, I'm trying to help! I think I'm getting stressed out as well now, this is starting to tire me having to try and calm and explain to these dragons.

"It's just a theory but I don't want to increase the risk of him getting the curse. Other than eating, don't let him overly hunt for fun. The slower he grows up, the safer it probably will be. I can't stop him since I won't be around to help"

<You're giving up already, little one?>

<Ikarus, you just said you want to find a cure!>

Why are they getting so worked up again? Mother has even gone teary eyed again as well.

…

Oh, damn it, that's not what I meant! These two are really stressing me out now. I've got to explain what I meant quickly.

"I don't mean I'm giving up on life, don't try and kill me off that quickly again! I meant… I have to leave to find a cure. There's no way I can stop Minos from excessively hunting while I'm away, can I?"

<Little one, why do you think you're going alone?>

<Yeah, we can ask the humans together>

That… has to be, the worst idea, I have ever heard in my entire year and a half of life as a phoenix and the twenty-three years spent as a human. This cannot happen for so many obvious reasons that I could spend days explaining it and not even be close to finishing.

"No, there is zero chance of that happening. Do I really have to explain to you why that is the worst idea I have ever heard? I wish I was exaggerating"

<We can use our human forms to blend in, Ikarus>

<Even though I despise it, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make>

These two look so fixated on this but there is no way this will work, a peace conference in the cave is a much different task then blending in with humanity. I'll try giving them a simple reason and hopefully they listen.

"Mother… you literally are over seven foot tall, and tower above every human, your form wouldn't blend in with a single woman on the entire planet…"

That wasn't meant to be mean but I need to emphasize what she looks like; her breasts alone would draw attention from every man on the planet. And that perfectly leads me on to father.

"… And father, do you think you can curb your anger when mother gets men staring at her nonstop?"

<What!? Why would they be staring at her!?>

He's already getting angry at that alone, there's no way these two can be around humans for excessive amounts.

"*Sighhhh*… I've just got to come out and say it then, haven't I? It's her breasts father, human men find large breasts appealing. Mother will get stares wherever she goes"

<Those dirty little perverted mortals! I already want to rip them to pieces!!>

<Dermak, calm yourself! You just proved Ikarus's point, why are you such a jealous lizard?>

Father of course reacted terribly to that and mother tried to calm him but I think even she got a little uncomfortable with my comment, my point still stands now. That's only the tip of the iceberg on why this is a terrible idea.

"I can go into more reasons why that is a terrible idea but we could be here all day and still not be close to finishing. Point being, I've unfortunately got to do this myself"

Both the dragons understood what this meant and both looked uncomfortable at the prospect of me leaving, it's unfortunate but there isn't any other choice. I could wait a while but I want to find a cure as soon as possible.

"Cu…"

Even Minos can sense that I'll have to leave the nest, I still can't handle his sad cu's but I must persist.

…

It feels a little sad now, need to think of a distraction… Oh, what about the flowers?

"Erm… father… were those flowers for mother?"

A large bunch of tall sunflowers is in a pile on the floor, clearly being dropped when emotions were running high.

<Ahem… it was me and your mother's anniversary. Clearly that type of thing can wait when something more important has come up>

<Ah right, it's been either seven or eight hundred years now>

<I honestly can't remember as well darling>

That seems to have lightened the atmosphere a little bit.