[57.3] Two Toes Lighter

I didn't wait for him to finish his sentence and gave my wand a twirl. I allowed the magic to cover my body and envelope us both as I held onto Chief Gonza. I kept my mind steady as I recalled the textbooks I had read written on teleportation.

Imagine the place you want to go.

The strongest memory I have of the Macabre City was the art gallery, so I will just focus on that.

The world around me began to shift and turn dark. The world disappeared around me and only Chief Gonza was the only thing nearby.

At first, it was easy…

But then…

I grit my teeth as unimaginable pressure started pressing down on me. I clung to Chief Gonza in an attempt to ground myself, letting out a scream as I felt hands tearing at my clothes and hair. It truly felt like someone was trying to rip and pull off my limbs.

As I screamed, even the air from my lungs was being pulled out until I was choking on nothing.

My vision was completely dark.

The world was completely silent.

All that was left was the uncomfortable pressure stealing the air from my lungs.

Hurts hurts hurts hurts hurts- Ah! No! I'm losing focus!

Macabre forest!

Macabre forest-

My skin was set ablaze, as if I was being burned alive.

My mind flashed to another place. For a moment, I could see the tiled floor and overarching walls. Flames burst around me, burning my skin and turning it to a crisp.

HURTS! IT REALLY HURTS!

F*CK!

I clenched the parchment in my hands but felt a beating heart instead.

That's right! I'm not there!

I have something far more important in my hands!

I suddenly opened my eyes, watching as a forest appeared from a shining hole. I shoved Chief Gonza into the hole, watching as he fell safely onto dense bushes on the ground. After he was through, the hole was quickly closing up and was barely large enough to crawl through. I frantically tried to pull myself through that small hole, but that silent void was almost alive, trying desperately to pull me back in and swallow me permanently.

I grunted from the effort as I pulled myself out, my arms shaking trying to release myself from its suction. After my torso was free, I grabbed a nearby branch and pulled the rest of my body out, but the hole was already closing. I let out a painful scream as I felt it cutting into my skin.

If it couldn't keep me inside, it was going to take whatever limb it could.

I quickly pulled myself out, ignoring the scraping of my skin until-

*POP*

I fell forward, landing next to the unconscious Chief Gonza.

I wanted to groan and just lay on the ground, but I was on a time crunch. I forced myself upright, arms shaking while I did. I stood up and hobbled over to my wand which fell a bit farther away, ignoring the throbbing stinging in my foot. I felt sweat dripping down my forehead and ignored the terrible shape I had to be in as I collected my wand. I summoned my ice chunk and struggled to roll Chief Gonza on top of it.

My vision blurred as I raised into the air, flying forward over the tree line. However, my body was losing strength from the teleportation spell, so the ice melted as I continued. Luckily, I arrived at the village where a crowd was already gathering.

The ice chunk melted completely and dropped the two of us nearby.

Caldwell, who had already seen the entire thing from start to finish, ran over to me and screamed, "YOUNG MISS!?"

I held up a hand breathing heavily, "Help… Gonza…"

"Gonza?"

He turned to Chief Gonza who was already struggling to breathe. He no longer could offer any screams as his face was turning purple.

I spat out with much effort, "Tiger… Family… Curse…"

Calwell understood and shouted, "Lele!"

The tiger mom appeared forward, grabbing Chief Gonza and turning around, "Lee. Prepare the altar to get rid of a killing curse."

Lee nodded and ran off to do as she asked. She picked up Chief Gonza as if he was a bag of feathers and rushed to follow her husband. Caldwell quickly helped me up and the two of us ran after her, not wasting any time. They led us to a straw shack where Chief Gonza was thrown onto a concrete slab.

Lele spun him onto his stomach, checking out his back.

I stared at her in worry, "Will he be okay?"

She shook her head with a firm look, "I don't know. It's bad. It's a demonic curse, but there are traces of holy magic."

"What does that mean-"

Lee threw down several bowls, each with different colored powders inside. He carefully put down several tools and knives, each one I didn't dare think about what they were used for.

Lele spoke without looking away, "Reika. I will need you to leave. You won't want to see this."

"But I-"

She grabbed the small blade and cut into his skin along the spine. Worm-like tentacles stuck out, and she quickly went to war with them, slashing and throwing a strange powder at them.

I held back the urge to vomit, "I-I will wait outside then."

"Come, Young Miss." Caldwell led me out of the little shack, "We can wait out here."

I bit down on my lip, the throbbing in my body was getting so much stronger now, it was almost impossible to ignore. However, I kept thinking back to Chief Gonza.

Is he going to be okay?

Lele looked so serious…

Caldwell placed his jacket over me and let out an uncomfortable cough, "Y-You should wear this."

"Huh?"

I looked down at myself and it was only then that I realized the messy state I was in. My dress had holes in it as if acid was poured over it, my skin was covered in burns and bruises, but what was most nauseating was-

My face went pale, "I… I should have five toes on my left foot…"

Caldwell blinked in confusion, "Young Miss?"

I looked at him already feeling light-headed, "I am missing two toes, Caldwell."

"Eh? Two toes-"

My body swayed and I fell to the ground, completely passed out.