Deviation

Chapter 5: Change of Fate

Rosa read in her mother's grimoire: boundary spells are curses that bound subjects by blood, territory, or devotion. The boundary spell transforms its subjects into animals. Each curse must be dealt with separately from the other.

At this moment, she realized that Kamal is cursed as a horse to be devoted to Delia. Blossom's family are cursed as rabbits because they were in the vault near a vicious rabbit beast. Also, Rosa's curse to turn into frogs on every full moon, is passed down to her descendants, thus transferred by blood.

For the purpose of breaking the frog curse, Rosa understood the assignment: I must unlink her blood from her mother's blood. First, I should get a vile of mother's blood to spill in the fire as instructed in the grimoire.

However, she suddenly recalled Delia's face expression after their odd conversation and connected the fact that her mother's acquaintance with Delia since school days meant the most obvious explanation: Delia cursed her bloodline by such atrocious metamorphosis!

A frantic Rosa needed to lie down because of the fatigue that came after running errands all day. She has every right to rest: first, she thought of a method to get close to Delia and steal her wand for a while. Second, she checked the moon cycles to make sure that there is a full moon tonight. Third, she placed the wand in a pentagram she painted with her own blood, then she circled it with the fire she ignited. So, Rosa definitely earned her right to rest!

But, as soon as she closed her eyes for a snooze at the bottom of a tree, she felt the ground slowly moving. The frog was petrified when sounds emanated from behind her, and saw a jaded sword bursting through the bushes. The warrior Iris' military movements startled Rosa.

Iris then apologized for the scare she gave her: "hello kind frog, I did not mean to startle you. I am simply trying to follow the map given to me. Excuse me for the sudden disturbance. My name is Iris. My family and I were exiled from our homeland".

"What brings you here? You could flee to other places", Rosa sprinkled an identity spell on Iris. "you are a mere warrior, a soldier".

"Oh very well Miss Rosa". Iris adjusted her armor. "But I am not a regular soldier. You see ... we had to escape the terrible massacre. I still see it so vividly: fangs diving deep into the external arteries of the neck, streets flooding with bloodbaths, the heartache of leaving because of persecution."

"And I suppose you know about me", Rosa cut her off as Iris raised her suspicions.

"I have been looking for you. I am a vampire hunter".

that is why, my mother had to continue her work as a florist in a place where she can feel comfortable around earthy creatures".

As Rosa was carefully listening, she looked at the time and interrupted the conversation: "I need to immediately go before it gets dark outside".

They saluted each other then carried on with their lives. Little by little, both of them arranged several meetings and, time after time, their acquaintance turned into friendship.

Blossom's family terribly missed her after her long voyage away from home. They called me to check up on her. So, against my best judgments, I collected my belongings and went back to the forest. She needed a camping trip to get in touch with her inner self and try new experiences. How did the decisions she make affect her?

When I visited her, she greeted me with content: "I have truly missed you". Although back in her human form, something was different. I could feel it deep in my bones. The black magic of the woods must have stained her. "I have brutally harmed my health when I drank the potion that Delia gave me. She tricked me. I thought it would dismiss my lesions. Day after day, my eyes turned from dark brown to fully black as if there were no eyeballs. My teeth grew bigger as I converted into a human form".