Still dark. I can't even move my fingers. The feeling is like all your nervous cells have been removed from your body. Leaving only bones and muscle without anything to move them. Have I died? At least Roland and Richmond are safe, or so I guess.
Suddenly it changes to very bright on the outside, only covered by my eyelids. I try to open my eyelids. They felt heavy as if something is obstructing them. I try my best to open them.
It becomes dizzy for a moment, everything seem to be shaking wildly. But my sight becomes steadier eventually. Still one eye however. I try to grasp my surroundings. It is.... wooden walls, with an unlit fireplace in front of me. Am I in a cabin?
"Oh, you finally wake up. I was starting to get worried," That's a familiar voice I heard on. My hearing has returned too, it seems.
I am laying on a bed, covered by a blanket. Roland stands beside me. For a moment, he looked glad but quickly return to his usual expression.
My body feels hot, and still numb on some limbs. "We're safe... for now. Don't worry. You've gotten a very bad fever since we came here. Best you rest well, restore your energy,"
"W-where's Richmond? And.... where is this?" I ask him, in a very low voice. Even Roland has to lend his ear nearby to hear me.
"This is Ashbourne, a small town by the valley of Drarf Highlands. Richmond's out there, talking with the mayor," he proceed to grab a wooden chair at the corner of the room to sit beside me, laying helpless on the bed.
"We've been here for three days after that miraculous teleportation you did back there in Woodshire, in case you've been wondering." Teleportation?
"The people in here are nice enough, although they keep a distance with strangers," he reveals his burnt leg which is wrapped by clothes and herbs, "They have a little but useful collection of old books. And what more shocking, is their garden of rare herbs! Even burnt wounds can be healed quicker by them than our conventional potions!" he clearly shows his enthusiasm on this news.
"Oh, in case you forgot, you're not allowed to reveal that curse of yours in front of them. Wouldn't want to have them afraid and shocked for life of that hideous seal." Ouch, that's quite a good way for mocking.
"I'm going out for a while," he stands up and takes his step towards the door, slightly limping. "Have a nice rest. Don't go wandering outside, okay? I'll check up on you later."
He leaves the room. My body still feels heavy. Even slightly shifting my legs is a difficult task. Come to think of it, it is becoming colder than usual. Is it just me?. My eyelids become heavier and heavier than before. By the time I realize, it is now dark, and cold.
-------------------
".....Power.... Do you want power?"
"I can give it to you....."
Those words has been repeated many times in my dream, but I cannot utter any words to answer them. I don't know how.
It's already morning again. I can safely conclude it by seeing the warm sunlight entering the room through the window. The control of my body has returned, but it's still uneasy as I had practically not moving any limbs for the whole day. It seems like I have been sleeping for a whole day since my encounter with Roland right after I woke up yesterday. Wonder how those two are doing.
I try to sit up. My sight goes shaky for a moment. I slowly get off from the bed, trying to stand up and look by the window. It's a beautiful view, with a green pasture spans widely and children playing around by the plains nearby. I haven't seen that peaceful kind of sight for a long time since joining with ASAC.
The door creaks, signalling someone come. I turn my head from the window to look. It is Richmond, accompanied by an unfamiliar woman.
"Glad you're awake. You've been sleeping for twenty hours straight!" He looks relieved. My fever is completely gone too, by the way.
"Jason, here is the mayor of Ashbourne, Mrs. Heather Connuit. She wants to meet you personally," he introduces the woman behind him and she nods in approval. She is wearing the casual clothes with a pair of glasses, without any jewelries on sight. Unusual for someone with a particular position such as mayor. Her natural brown hair is beautifully formed into a bun on the back of her head.
I bow to her, as a mean to show some respect. But my joints movement is still stiff. "I apologize for my manner, Mrs. Heather. My name is Jason Gregg, a member of ASAC's spec ops,"
"No need to worry," her voice is clear but refined in tone, "Your friend here has told me about you... and your condition,"
What she's referring to: my sickly condition, the curse, or both? "And you wanted to meet with me personally?"
"Yes, it's about your eye. Please sit down so we can have a talk," she grabs a chair and gives me permission to sit at a nearby chair. Now we come face-to-face, Richmond's standing still. Guarding the entrance.
"The curse.. Or Decagram Star.. I've read some ancient books in my library about seals. Well, most of the history said that a seal made by mortals are sure to have its consequences in many ways... But you've been seeking ways to remove it, don't you?"
"Yes."
"The only possible option that has been recorded in history for that is to remove the body part where the seal is planted. In your case.... That eye of yours needs to be removed completely," That is not the answer I was expecting. But somehow that idea has ever crossed my mind and perhaps the others too.
My face turns to the ground. "Is there really no other way?" I urges her.
"Sadly, no. I'm so sorry about that," her voice turns somber but returns to normal again, "But there is still a way. You've got to control it into your own bidding. Perhaps by that, your eye can turned to the way it was."
"Control it?" Darrius did mention about 'taming' it to your own will.
"I'm still talking about the history and its possibility that the past cases can be applied for today," she continues, with a slight smile on her face, "A seal made by mortals are bound to have its own mind, a small bit of its creator's thoughts," That'll explain why Darius's can be tamed by Master Seth.
"All you have to do is to conquer that mind in the seal and then, the eye turns to your will. I managed to decipher this information from some ancient writings in the tome your other friend brought to me," she must be referring to Roland, and the ancient tome he held tightly in our last chase.
"What will happen if the seal is under my control?"
"You can use its power as you wish. Such as forming a strong barrier and teleporting a group of people as you came here using that. With less consequences, perhaps." she explains.
"I see," So there is hope, "And any suggestions on how to conquer that seal's mind?"
"I'm sorry, but many of the pages have been torn or destroyed by time. So that's all the information I managed to find. I've also informed that the curse has the ability to read the thoughts of its user, but it can't do anything to interfere with them, so I'm sure overpowering its mind is possible,"
"I understand," Not fully understand it yet, though. Nevertheless, I need to thank her and show my courtesy, "Thank you so much for your help in deciphering and informing me those important information, Mrs. Heather. I'm going to keep that in mind for good," I bent my body to bow at her.
"It's okay. Thank you for the three of you for giving me the chance to read that tome. So I figured I should let you know what the contents are. I really like to investigate that tome more thoroughly, however." she looks somewhat sad.
"We are sorry. But we need to bring that tome back to ASAC as the result of our mission," Richmond interrupts, but still politely.
She turns to Richmond "Don't worry about it.... RIchmond, right? Are you going to leave Ashbourne so early?"
"Yes, we have to report immediately of our findings. Now that Jason has recovered, I say that we are ready to leave."
