82 - Devil Marks

Watching the mesmerized kids, Zack couldn't help but feel satisfied. Originally, he had planned to serve them steaks, but Fannie had convinced him otherwise, worried that the sudden intake of lots of meat might overwhelm their stomachs. So, they settled on porridge with some meat instead.

As the kids took their first slurps of the porridge, some of them even started to tear up, including Asher. 'It's been so long since I've tasted something this good. Have I ever tasted anything this delicious before?' he wondered. But it wasn't just the taste that moved him; hidden in each bite was a sense of comfort, a taste of home. 'Perhaps this is what they mean by 'home cooking,' he thought.

Soon, everyone finished their porridge. Zack had ensured that each portion was suitable for the individual, with only a slight variation in the thickness of the bowl's bottom to maintain uniformity. He didn't want the kids to overeat or harbor any grudges over unequal portions. So, when the kids insisted on washing the bowls, Zack gently collected them using his magic, keeping his little plot hidden. There was no way he was going to let them catch on.

Zack cleaned the bowls and stowed them away in his ring. Then, Ivy rose and addressed the kids, "Alright, time for bed, everyone."

The kids grumbled but obediently followed Ivy outside. Asher gestured for the older teenagers to follow suit, leaving only Zack, Fannie, Asher, and another boy named Lucas, who served as a vice leader of the group, in the hall.

"Now, please tell us your request, Sir Zack," Lucas said respectfully.

Zack chuckled. "No need for formalities, just call me Zack."

"How can we do that? Sir Zack is our benefactor, and not to mention, a wizard," Lucas replied, his tone turning serious. In the Fulminar Empire, despite being ruled by wizards, encounters with wizards were rare, and rumors about them were often negative, depicting them as arrogant figures more so than nobles. While the younger kids might be more casual with Zack, the older teenagers, like Lucas, were more wary due to these rumors.

"Alright, if that makes you more comfortable. But hold on a second," Zack said, waving his hand. The large table disappeared into his storage ring, and then, with another wave, a gentle flame appeared in the center, floating softly.

"That's better," Zack said, smiling as he held his palm over the flame. "We understand your wariness, but we assure you, we mean no harm. Perhaps seeing this will convince you. Fannie?" He motioned to Fannie.

Fannie adjusted her bracelet, and instantly her hair and eyes transformed from brown to black. Lucas was taken aback, but Asher still seemed skeptical. "Still not convinced, huh?" Zack said, nodding to Fannie. She plucked a hair and floated it towards Asher.

"You can check it if you want. Without the wizard's influence, it should return to its original color, right?" Zack suggested.

Asher examined the strand of hair in his palm, waiting. After a few moments passed and the hair remained black, he closed his eyes. When he reopened them, his expression was more determined. "I apologize for my skepticism. It's just hard to believe, especially since Miss Fannie doesn't have devil marks."

"Devil marks?" Fannie queried.

"Don't you see? These are devil marks," Asher pointed to the black patches on his skin.

"I see. We weren't aware of such a thing. Could you explain more about these marks?" Fannie inquired.

Asher proceeded to explain the origin of the marks. A few months prior, he had experienced sudden pain in his forearm. Upon inspection, he discovered a black smudge on his skin. It was unlike any scar; it seemed as if his skin had originally been that color. Someone had even dug into the black patches and found that the blood and muscle underneath were also black. Over time, the patches grew larger and began to appear in other areas, including his face.

These marks only intensified the aversion people felt towards him, compounding the prejudice he faced due to his black hair and eyes. The black patches were dubbed "Devil Marks," and those who bore them were labeled "devil descendants." Eventually, he was expelled from the only place willing to employ him, and no one else would take him in for fear of contracting the marks themselves. Left with no other options, he survived by foraging wild plants and hunting small animals in the forest. Occasionally, he managed to sell some herbs, always keeping himself tightly covered to conceal his skin.

However, there were times when he was discovered, resulting in his expulsion. On the bright side, his herbs were never stolen, as no one dared to touch anything he had handled. Days passed in this manner, but the black patches continued to grow, accompanied by increasing pain. He instinctively knew that if he allowed the patches to expand unchecked, it would ultimately lead to his demise.

Then, while wandering the market in search of a buyer for his herbs, he heard a rumor. The Lightning Desolation, sometimes referred to as the Solar Grave, had the power to purify these "devil marks." It was said that when a person with black hair and the marks was cast into the Lightning Desolation, the marks would diminish on their body.

The Lightning Desolation was a forbidden territory, known for its lethal lightning mana residue. Venturing too deep without proper precautions would result in death from inhaling the violent mana. Despite the risks, the people chose to exile the black-haired individuals there, hoping they would perish and be purified, thus preventing the spread of the "devil marks" disease. Aware of the potential for his demise, Asher decided to confront the forbidden place in hopes of suppressing the marks. He reasoned that rather than accepting a slow and certain death, he might find a slim chance of survival.

To his surprise, Asher found that he could breathe within the forbidden territory, albeit with some difficulty compared to the outside air. More importantly, his devil marks began to shrink upon entering, though they stopped diminishing after reaching a certain size. Thus, he embarked on a new life within this forbidden land. Eventually, he encountered other black-haired individuals and confirmed his suspicion: the phenomenon only affected those with black hair.

As resources were scarce, starvation claimed many lives. In response, Asher rallied the survivors and established a settlement, organizing tasks to improve efficiency in resource gathering and management. Thanks to his efforts, they managed to survive for three months. However, their situation remained dire. Despite gathering just enough food to stave off hunger, they were teetering on the brink of starvation, with no end in sight.

Many, including Asher himself, were on the verge of giving up. They harbored resentment toward the gods for their perceived injustice. Throughout their lives, they had endured torment simply because of their hair and eye colors, and now they were afflicted with a disease that seemed to seal their fate. For those who had not entered the Lightning Desolation, death had come swiftly, while those who had entered were merely postponing the inevitable.

Despair gripped many, leading some to choose to end their own lives, believing it preferable to death by starvation. Only those with an unyielding will to survive remained. Even they teetered on the edge of surrender, but they refused to give up, driven by their desire to shield the younger children from trauma and protect them at all costs. Asher and the other teenagers would have considered ending their own lives as well if not for this commitment.

As Asher spoke, tears welled in his eyes, threatening to spill over. He lowered his gaze, hoping to conceal his emotions from the others. Lucas, too, bowed his head, struggling to hold back his sobs. His own experiences mirrored Asher's, resonating deeply with the shared suffering.

Suddenly, Asher felt a warm palm on his head, a touch that felt unfamiliar yet comforting. Overwhelmed, he couldn't contain his tears, though he fought to suppress any audible signs of distress by biting his lip.

Sensing the boys' trembling beneath his touch, Zack sighed and continued to pat them gently. Gradually, their tears subsided, though they remained bowed in embarrassment.

Trying to shift the focus, Zack interjected, "Now that we understand the situation better, it's even more crucial for us to stay here and enlist your cooperation."

"Fannie is dear to me, and forgive me for being harsh, but I wouldn't want her to endure what you've all been through," he continued, his tone sincere. "So, while I investigate the cause of these marks, I'll provide you with food and share some wizarding knowledge. My hope is that even after I leave, you'll be equipped to care for yourselves."

Pausing to gauge their reactions, Zack noticed the eager gleam in Asher and Lucas's eyes. "However," he added, "whether you become apprentice wizards will depend on your dedication and effort."

Extending his hand for a handshake, Zack proposed, "What do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Asher and Lucas practically leaped from their seats in jubilation, almost opting to hug Zack instead of shaking his hand. Eventually, Asher vigorously shook Zack's hand, expressing their full cooperation and determination to learn.

In the months that followed, Asher would come to realize that their perseverance had been fueled by a lingering hope for a miracle. And indeed, that miracle arrived in the form of Zack and Fannie's visit to their settlement.

***

For the next few days, Zack and Fannie hunkered down inside the settlement. Zack dove into investigating the cause of the devil marks, while Fannie took charge of teaching the kids magic.

After some digging, Zack unearthed a startling discovery: the kids' bodies were constantly absorbing mana. But here's the kicker: because they couldn't control it, the mana went haywire inside them, killing off cells in its path and leaving those black patches behind. Luckily, the mana also had a healing effect, so it repaired the damage right away, sparing them from having rotten flesh hanging off their bodies.

According to Zack's knowledge, everyone involuntarily absorbed mana from the outside, but these black-haired kids were getting hit with way more, and it was going berserk inside them. At first, he thought it might be because of the fierce lightning mana residue in the forbidden zone. But the kids said their marks were worse outside.

Since the rampant mana was what killed the cells, Zack figured even outside, where the mana was gentler, it still turned violent once it got absorbed. But why? 

He could only check this by asking one of the kids to go outside and observe, but that felt wrong. It'd be like asking them to hurt themselves. But if he didn't, the theory would stay unresolved. Asher, seeing Zack troubled, pestered him to spill.

"So, that's what's been troubling me," Zack finally admitted after a bit of hesitation.

"Come on, Sir Zack! That's not much of a request. Remember, we survived out there for months before we got here. Leave it to me!" Asher thumped his chest, all confidence.

But, hey, I heard it's pretty painful. Let's forget it and focus on something else," Zack said, turning away. But then Asher grabbed his wrist.

"Please, Sir, you've done so much for us. Let me help a bit, or I won't be able to sleep tonight knowing I could've done something," Asher pleaded, eyes locked on Zack's.

Zack mulled it over. With a sigh, he caved, "Alright, just for a bit. I promise you won't have to endure it for more than a minute." Zack cursed himself because he realized he actually agreed with Asher's idea ages ago. Why did he even bring it up? It would've been better to keep quiet.

But he realized he was truly afraid of Fannie developing the same symptoms as the other black-haired kids. That's why Zack was anxious to solve this problem as soon as possible..

At first, he thought of taking Asher to the edge of the Lightning Desolation to test the theory. But then he realized, wouldn't stepping outside essentially remove the rampaging lightning residue? Instead, he could use his magic vehicle to isolate the residue, making the inside like outside the forbidden zone.

Inside the cabin with Asher, Zack closed the door. He'd already filled it with lightning residue from outside.

He took a deep breath and asked Asher, "Ready?"

Asher nodded, "Start whenever, sir!"

Zack closed his eyes, invoking his [Body Enhancement - Mana], causing sparks to dance across his skin. Then, he activated [Lightning Flesh], intensifying the sparks. Golden-winged shoes crackling with lightning, [Talaria], appeared on his feet, signifying his [Triple Enhancement].

But that wasn't all. He'd crafted a spell specifically for this experiment, one he'd never used before. An intricate magic circle covered his right eye, glowing brightly. His right eyelashes turned golden, crackling with tiny electric arcs. When he opened his eyes, his left remained the same, but his right underwent a drastic change. His black pupil vanished, replaced by a stunning golden one. It shone brilliantly, and upon closer inspection, the golden hue was made up of countless intricate symbols weaving together.

[God Series] - [Eye of Ra]!