Capable Shaman

"Don't cry," Prince Sunrei and Pines scrambled to their feet and tried to calm Gin-Ren but Aries pulled them away from the captivating lady.

"Stay here," he firmly said.

Fortunately, Pieffer came and she was the one who sat beside Gin-Ren and calmed her down.

"What happened?" the princess glanced at the men with inquiring eyes rather than a judgmental glare.

"It's my fault," Aries and Gin-Ren chorused.

"I tried to kiss him," Gin-Ren had quickly added. "I tried to stop myself but the urge is only getting stronger. I like you, Aries. I like you ever since that day you saved me from the Head Shaman."

"Did the Head Shaman put a curse on you too?" Pines glared at Aries. "You keep on attracting women."

"No. It is only me who had been cursed… and…" Gin-Ren looked down on the dusty floor with hesitation. "I had been cursed… because I…" she closed her eyes and blurted, "I asked to be cursed…"

"You… asked for it?" Pines could not believe what he just heard. "Why will you ask for it? Do you like getting a lot of attention?"

"Pines!" Prince Sunrei glared.

"What?!" the Fish House Leader stared angrily back at the prince.

"I was a fool…" Gin-Ren was still staring at the floor. Her eyes filled with regret. "That day when the Head Shaman had caught me, I told her how hateful it was being born as a Zodiac Knight. My parents had to hide me away just to keep me safe. I cannot live like a normal girl anymore. I hate how everything around me was changing for the worse. I hate the Head Shaman and all the shamans in this village. They had the ability to communicate with the dead and make peace with them but they just… stopped doing it. Negotiating with the corrupted souls became too exhausting for them and because they had given up… it led to the downfall of our village. I wanted to run away as they did. But before I could leave this place, the Head Shaman had caught me. The only thing that came to my mind back then was that if I get myself cursed, I will never be qualified as a successor."

"They were doing it for a long time, I understand how exhausted they had become," Aries seriously said. "I am absorbing souls for only a few days but I already feel drained. You haven't done it at least once but you already hate the fact that you have to do it for the rest of your life. Who wants to be born with a heavy burden? Who wants to be born in a dangerous world? None of us did but we still have to accept this. You have an ability that is more powerful than those shamans. You can do things that even the Head Shaman could not."

"You had been reborn a few years later than most of the Zodiac Knights because the Head Shaman did her best for everyone in this village," Princess Pieffer added. "I know you are still young but the House of Maiden needs a new leader. Learning will never be hard for you because you are destined to lead."

"And we are here for you," Aries murmured then cleared his throat. "I am also learning a lot of things which can be extremely confusing and exhausting most of the time but running away is not an option. Even if we run away to some other dimension, our fate will still catch up to us. Delaying things will only cause more suffering. These children need a safer home. Help us release you from the Head Shaman's curse then let's rebuild the barrier around this village."

"You said the same words when you saved me from the Head Shaman," Gin-Ren smiled but with sadness in her eyes. "But you left in a hurry before you can help me. You said there was something urgent that you need to take care of. I waited," tears poured from her eyes. "But you didn't return. I've been waiting all this time."

"I'm sorry," Aries cleared his throat. "I…"

"I understand," Gin-Ren sobbed, wiped the tears in her eyes, and smiled with a bit of confidence in her eyes. "The important thing is you are here now. Thank you for coming back. And I am sorry for not being strong enough to release myself from this curse."

"Saving the children and protecting yourself from the curse is enough," Aries said and got up on his feet. "Will you help us find a capable shaman?"

Gin-Ren nodded with determination.

^########^

The white-haired Zodiac Knight had escorted Aries and Princess Pieffer to the Northern Border of the House of Maiden.

Standing at both sides of the entrance to that border was the same beautiful statue Aries had seen on the central shrine but those sculptures were a few feet smaller. Serving as fences were groups of tall trees lined neatly around the border. There were ropes hanging from the branches with warding talismans on them.

Past the entrance that was guarded by beautiful statues were stone stairs that appeared endless. The steps were not steep but there were hundreds of them.

They ascended the flight of stairs for nearly two hours before they reached the landing. From there they saw a tiny shrine and a few bamboo houses. That place looked a little normal compared to the rest of the areas in the House of Maiden. The influence of the corrupted Head Shaman seemed to fail in contaminating that place.

Children were peacefully playing outside their houses. Men and women were fully clothed. Some were doing the laundry. Others were preparing for lunch. And most of the men were taking care of their little farm. The elders were gathered around the shrine. All were holding prayer beads while tirelessly chanting words that Aries could not understand.

"Shaman Mina," Gin-Ren quietly called when they approached the chanting elders.

They all stopped praying and glanced at Gin-Ren with a smile of relief.

"The Zodiac Knights have finally arrived," one of the elders had slowly gotten up on her feet. She was an old woman with a pair of green eyes. "Keep on praying," she told the rest of the elders then motioned for Aries, Princess Pieffer, and Gin-Ren to come with her.

The old woman led them to a bamboo house nearest to the shrine and asked them to sit on the patio.

"Aries, I'm glad that you convinced Gin-Ren to become the next house leader."

"You… know me?"

The old woman smiled kindly at Aries. There was no surprise or confusion in her eyes, unlike Aries who could not get used to people knowing him beforehand.

"Life will always be hard for the Zodiac Knights," the old woman had said. "But you, Aries, will suffer the most. Losing your memories can only mean that you had been in a traumatic incident."

"Is it in the Book of Legends?"

"No, Aries," the old woman laughed. "I saw it in the stars. Even now, great sorrow awaits all of you."

"You don't have to read that in the stars," Gin-Ren bitterly furrowed her brows. "Our lives are already full of tears and sufferings. We came here to ask if you…"

"I can help in breaking the curse the Head Shaman had cast on you," the kind smile of the old lady was not fading.

"I guess you are Shaman Mina."

The old woman laughed and said, "Yes, Aries. I am Shaman Mina. As for the three of you, no introductions are needed. I already know who you are. Let's just talk about breaking the curse."

"How long will it take for the curse to be broken?" Princess Pieffer curiously asked.

"It all depends on Gin-Ren," Shaman Mina seriously replied. "Summoning a spirit is not that easy."

"Why do we have to summon a spirit? Don't you know how to break my curse?" Gin-Ren glared suspiciously at the old woman.

"The Head Shaman is the one who had cursed you. She is the only person who can take it away from you."

"Gin-Ren told us about it," Princess Pieffer politely informed Shaman Mina. "But we cannot rely on the Head Shaman."

"The corrupted soul inside the Head Shaman will not take it away from Gin-Ren for free," the old lady nodded agreement. "But I believe in Head Shaman Aurora. She will help us. We just have to separate her soul from the corrupted one."

"We already tried but we could not eject the corrupted soul from the Head Shaman without killing her. Gin-Ren will die if we kill the Head Shaman," Aries explained.

"I can help in delaying the effect of the curse. But it will only last for a few minutes," the smile in the face of Shaman Mina had faded. She had become terribly serious. "Gin-Ren needs to undo the curse faster than my spell could hold out."

"That sounds dangerous," Princess Pieffer anxiously murmured.

"I will die either way," Gin-Ren said with courage in her eyes. "I should die fighting."

"You will not die," the princess sighed then smiled with confidence. "Aries and I will not let you die any time soon. We will save Serestral first and you will have a chance to live a normal life."

"I want that," a spark of hope glimmered in the eyes Gin-Ren.

"You only have two days to master the summoning technique," Shaman Mina suddenly looked like a strict teacher.

"Ah… can I also learn the summoning technique?" Princess Pieffer eagerly asked. It seemed that she wanted to learn everything even though she could not master it.

"I also want to learn it," Aries stood right next to the princess.

Shaman Mina only smiled and began to teach them the basics of summoning a spirit.

^#################^