The Curse of the Demon
The howling wind and snow gradually ceased.
Yet, the biting cold still raged high above, tugging at the hem of the girl's garment.
Standing quietly at the edge of the receding airship, instinctively tightening the thick cotton cloak draped around her, the girl named Yaya exhaled a gentle breath of mist.
Her distant gaze lingered toward the city nestled deep within the mountains, and as her lips parted slightly, an ambiguous sigh escaped.
"Ah…"
On this darkest of nights, even the stars above were shrouded by thick clouds, their brilliance obscured.
From this vantage point, the city lay completely engulfed in a profound and terrifying darkness, devoid of even a glimmer of light.
Darkness…?
The girl fell silent, for indeed, it was a deep and despairing darkness—at least, so it was for the innocent populace.
Why did this winter feel colder than any before? It was a chill that penetrated to the very bone.
A shiver ran through her inexplicably, and she pulled her cloak tighter around herself before finally retreating to the warmth of the indoors.
After all, despite timely rescue, her injuries were not ones that could heal in a day; remaining exposed to the frigid winds would be of no benefit to her recovery.
However, the girl froze in her tracks.
Having just turned away, she was momentarily paralyzed.
Silence.
In that instant, it seemed as though time itself had come to a halt in her world; everything… fell silent.
The howling winds above ceased…
The incessant clattering from the airship's engine vanished…
The joyous chatter within the brightly lit cabin faded into oblivion…
Time… seemed to have stopped…
A light emerged.
Behind her, amidst the once impenetrable darkness enveloping the mountains, in the direction of that city, which had seemingly extinguished all hope, a radiant and beautiful light… appeared.
That beam of light, rising from the depths of despair, tore through the cold and dark night.
Its brilliance illuminated the snow-covered peaks, the delicate and fragile silhouette of the girl, and the airship that had brought them away from calamity…
Suddenly turning around, under the dazzling radiance, the girl's face bore an expression of incredulous shock, and…
A fear that penetrated to the depths of her soul…
"Ugh, these Noxian scoundrels are utterly unreliable! What steadfast allies they claim to be! Bah! They just abandoned me and my dear apprentice amidst that horde of zombies! What happened to the promise of mutual support? Ugh…"
Spitting in frustration, the handsome middle-aged man grumbled, "These fellows must look down on us from Zaun, huh?"
"Let's not forget, if it weren't for my significant efforts in procuring that Joseph's skin mask, how could they have easily acquired Ezreal's map? Now that the mission is complete, they're tearing down the bridge behind them and throwing me to the wolves? Do they think I'm easy to bully?"
"Hmm… It's not my style to let them off so easily. Hey! Al, my dear, sweet disciple, do you have any clever ideas to help your dashing master deal with those Noxian rascals?"
Rubbing his chin in contemplation, Warwick turned to his disciple beside him and inquired, "How about we publicize that map across the continent? Those Noxian bastards want to monopolize the secrets of the ancient treasures, so let's stab them in the back, shall we?"
Treading through the thick snow, the youth named Singed walked silently amidst the desolate mountains, his mood evidently somber.
"Oh dear… my foolish apprentice, it seems you're not in the best of spirits. But I urged you to leave Tianxin City for your own good."
With a mischievous grin, Warwick continued, "I know you wish to remain in Tianxin City to assist the civilians, but consider this: the virus hidden within them has already sealed their fates. Whatever you do now would be a futile effort, destined to yield no results."
"Moreover, Tianxin City is exceedingly perilous at present. The sooner you leave, the sooner you distance yourself from danger. I'm only looking out for your well-being," Warwick said, feigning innocence, "Why aren't you grateful?"
"Danger? What other threats exist in Tianxin City besides those zombies?" Perhaps irritated by the incessant nagging, Singed retorted defiantly.
"Heh heh… You're unaware, but allow your master to enlighten you… Hmm? Well, that was swift and decisive; good thing I made my escape… Heh heh, this saves me the trouble of explaining."
"Look back, my dear foolish apprentice," Warwick said, a hint of surprise in his voice as he stroked his chin, "Let me show you your master's foresight."
"Hmm? What's behind? What's behind?" Turning in confusion toward the direction of Tianxin City, Singed froze in shock the next moment…
The brilliant light shattered the endless darkness, its dazzling radiance overwhelming the young man's entire field of vision.
A violent and ominous wind surged from the opposite side of the valley, tearing apart the silence of the night, whipping up a storm of dust and snow…
…
After months of ravaging the southeastern region, the wild snowstorm finally departed.
However, in its wake, it left behind a thick blanket of snow across the terrain.
Amidst this silver-clad expanse, a tattered figure trudged through the deep snow, each step a struggle in this wintry realm.
Beneath the gray, tattered cloak, strands of gray and white hair mingled with a face chiseled cold as stone.
A small fox, no larger than a clenched fist, curled up on the indifferent man's shoulder, sleeping soundly; with each gentle breath, wisps of black light flickered around the creature's tiny form.
Surprisingly, beneath the worn cloak, it became evident that the man's once-dark hair had increasingly interspersed with gray strands.
From a distance, this man, now mostly adorned with gray hair, might evoke the image of a weathered elder, with the few black strands appearing insignificant and frail amidst the predominance of gray.
Gradually approaching a wind-sheltered boulder, the indifferent man, resembling a weary old man, slowly leaned against the cold rock, sliding down to sit upon the frozen ground.
What should have been a simple, unremarkable action now seemed laborious and arduous for him…
With trembling fingers, he reached into the pocket of his chest, slowly retrieving a newly crafted map.
Those hands, which had once snuffed out countless lives without a tremor, now shook as if afflicted by the ravages of age, causing the map to quiver in the icy wind…
Struggling to spread the map upon the cold snow, Xiao Mu Yu's gaze remained steeped in chilling frost.
He coldly scrutinized the map, a testament to lives exchanged, silently imprinting the intricate patterns formed by its countless lines into his memory.
(Ha ha… Oh, human boy, you've truly bled profusely this time. To set up that magical array, you used half of the magical stardust in one go; how generous of you, hahahaha… But for such a measly map, was it worth the waste of so many precious resources?)
"…" Ignoring the demon's taunts, Xiao Mu Yu extended his trembling hands, slowly and laboriously placing the map back into his chest pocket.
(Tsk tsk tsk… Struggling even to hold a map? Human boy, it seems your demon curse is acting quite wildly now, hahahahaha… But fret not, you've sent so many innocent lives to their rest; the demon curse is merely excited. You should graciously forgive it, heh heh…)
(After all, it usually only torments you, this cold, unfeeling, dark, and selfish scoundrel, which is hardly amusing. Yet this time, you've annihilated so many lives at once; for this poor creature, it's akin to a lifelong pauper suddenly striking it rich and becoming a noble, so it's only natural for it to be thrilled… hahahaha…)
"..." Leaning against the cold rock, Xiao Mu Yu spoke with a frigid demeanor.
"Does the curse have feelings? You might as well say that because I've extinguished so many lives, for the first time, the curse within me has consumed such a vast amount of life force, and now my body hasn't adjusted to this surge, resulting in my current condition."
(Ha ha… You're not wrong there, but while you've sacrificed much for this paltry map, to me, this transaction seems utterly unwise. Yet, your esteemed self seems quite willing to be swindled.)
(Now, to soothe your wounded spirit, I have some good news to share, heh heh… Human boy, guess what this good news might be? Guess right, and I'll tell you.)
"..." With cold eyes closed, Xiao Mu Yu remained silent.
(…)
"..."
(AAAAHHHH!!! It's happening again! I can't take it anymore! Alright, alright! Human boy, you've won again! You stoic face!! I curse you to a lifetime of impotence!!!)
"..."
(I… Forget it; quarreling with a stoic like you is the most foolish thing in the world. This great demon lord is magnanimous and won't hold it against you; I'll just tell you directly, and remember to be grateful, you rascal.)
(This time, you've guided so many lost lambs, leading them away from the sins of the mortal realm and into the embrace of compassion in paradise, having done such a noble deed. Thus, the goddess shall bless you, young man; your benevolent heart shall illuminate the continent… hahahaha… cough cough…)
(Because you've performed such a grand act of kindness, I estimate that the goddess will reward you by ensuring the demon curse will not manifest for a time. Heh heh… How does that sound? Happy, human boy? Good deeds do indeed reap rewards, hahahaha…)
Suddenly opening his eyes, Xiao Mu Yu asked coldly, "Are you saying the demon curse won't manifest?"
(Aiya… Of course it won't, especially since you've done such a 'great deed.' Good deeds do reap rewards, heh heh… But this is only for a limited time; once the demon curse absorbs all the life force it has consumed, you'll still face the same fate, so don't rejoice too soon, young man. Do you understand?)
"Is that so…?" With eyes slightly closed, Xiao Mu Yu replied coldly, "I understand. Then let's head to the Shurima Desert next."
The icy wind howled through the air, bringing with it a bone-chilling cold. The indifferent man, with eyes closed in apathy, ceased to speak, quietly leaning against the massive rock as if slipping into slumber.
A ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a gentle light, yet in this icy, snow-laden world, this glimmer felt somewhat frigid.
The world fell silent.