Curse Carrier Book 1 Of The Curse Carriers Series

Prologue: Beginning

Zetsubō-Tekina POV

The small frail girl lays still gasping for air. It's like a heavy weight is on her chest, crushing the air out of her lungs. Tubes in her nose make her breathe from a tank of pure oxygen. Her body feels heavy as stone and she can't even move the tips of her fingers anymore. Little by little every part of her is failing and shutting down. She lays still with her eyes open ever so slightly. She's awake and aware of what's coming in just a few moments. She doesn't like to sleep through this part as it's very confusing when she does.

She's lived through enough lives and died enough times to know when her final moments have come. She spends those last moments thinking over the life she just lived. It wasn't very long so there's not much to think about. She was born little more than ten or so years ago to parents that loved her very much. She was a normal healthy baby for maybe three or four years. Then she had gotten very sick and had to go to the hospital. Ever since then she had been in and out of medical care her whole life. Every time her stay got a little longer until she could no longer leave. This time she had been in the hospital for over a year. There was no longer anything that could be done to save her.

Her struggling heart finally stops and her vision begins to fade. The drugs in her veins make her passing nearly completely painless. The blackness last for only a brief moment before she hears a voice calling to her. She recognizes the voice and finds herself searching for the source. She hasn't heard this voice in so many years she had begun to forget the sound of it all together.

And just like that she feels herself being dropped into her new life. She had been born again. She opens her eyes expecting to look into the eyes of her new parents and to begin the cycle over. Instead she sees her reflection and beyond that darkness. Her reflection shows a girl with snow white hair and golden eyes. She's already almost three years old by the looks of it. She's floating a warm fluid and a mask is covering her face. She can feel tubes in her throat providing her with air and food. She moves her head and lifts her hands to find they're full of wires. She pulls the wires out and pulls the tubes out of her mouth. As soon as she removes the life support systems a red light begins to blink. She hears a click and the fluid immediately begins to drain through a vent in the bottom of the cylinder. She kicks her legs and her head pops up above the surface and she gasps for air. As soon as she can she puts her feet down on the floor of the cylinder. As the water drains though she feels heavy and collapses to the ground barely even able to sit up.

She hears something else click and the glass walls around her begin to rise. As it rises she gets a better look at the room she is in. There's other cylinders with other white haired girls floating in them. They all appear to be deeply asleep though. The room is dimly lit and the walls and floor are covered in thick cables. They must lead to the life support systems of everyone here.

She turns her head as the only door slides open and a man in his forties or fifties walks in. His skin is tan and ever so slightly wrinkled. He has chestnut brown eyes and well groomed black hair. His features remind her slightly of the central American peoples. He walks up to her and looks down and smiles warmly.

"Welcome, Zetsubō-Tekina. I'm glad you finally joined me." He says with a faint accent.

Tekina looks at the man suspiciously. "Who are you?" She asks. Her voice sounds hoarse as if its never been used.

"That's mean little sister." He smiles and kneels so he's down on her level. "You don't recognize you brother?"

Tekina feels a flicker of surprise and examines the man again and finally sees it. Underneath the skin of this human is her twin brother. "Kowasu." She mutters. Alongside her brother though she can see someone else. "Who is this person?" She asks.

"My associate's name is Samael. He has been very helpful in helping to reunite us." He says. Someone walks in behind him and hands him a white towel. He wraps the cloth around Tekina's shoulders.

"Associate?" She questions. "Kowasu, what's going on?"

"Samael has agreed to help us cure your condition. He's going to help us fulfill the prophecy." He smiles at her. He picks her up and carriers her towards the door. "You arrived sooner than I expected but all the better. This vessel has never walked but it is still young so the degradation should be easily reversible."

"So that's why I can't walk." She looks up at the human face, "What prophecy though? This isn't a condition that can be cured easily."

"This vessel has been created with you in mind. It should last longer than the last few you've inhabited. It should last the next twenty years at least. In that time we have to gather the five hundred cursed spirits to break the seal." He tells her.

"Five hundred cursed spirits. Kowasu, even three existing at one time is unheard of. These goals are unrealistic." She points out.

"Good thing I'm not just looking for any cursed spirits. Several hundred pure spirits are born every year." He replies.

Tekina feels sick as she starts to realize what he has in mind. "That's awful! I refuse to be a part of that!"

Kowasu stops smiling and looks at her coldly. "This is no longer just about you. If it makes you feel better I'll even track down your little pets. And as long as you don't try to screw things up they will remain safe." He threatens.

She closes her mouth and looks down submissively. She knows her brother and she knows he's not one to make idle threats.

"Good girl. Now lets get you cleaned up." He smiles at her again.