Beauty of the Curse

Prologue

“Queen Demonry was proven to be behind the curse!”

Perhaps the meaning of love turned out vague as the warfare between humans and sorcerers began to transpire two thousand years ago. There was an untold civilization under the dominance of Erosians that has been forgotten by the evolving generations and remains unrecordable by history until now. At the same age, a newly crowned queen — a very first female leader of Erosian empire, and the one who implemented democracy — never expected that throne would apparently be the source of her eternal nightmare.

Grabbing the queen's hair, dragging her helpless body, and casting it into a cruel fate were the response of people to the circulating news. There was only one person behind this biggest downfall of the queen: the king of humans, her lover, Plutus.

“Oust that witch!” Reckless suspicion was natural to humans that time. However, they wouldn't accuse her if they haven't found pieces of clue. Those horns on her head, black-shaded lips, and cape that covers her blood-stained skin somehow proved this all. Everyone believes that sorcerers like her are the cause of incurable maladies that circulate all over their land.

Plutus's people always demand for peace yet they were the ones who started this chaos from how they pointed blades directly to queen Demonry's throat; showered a bucket of salt; and how mockery became evident in every motion of their mouths.

The queen was unable to move and the only words she could utter were "how long will they be this ridiculous?" knowing people advocate "love" as they put halos around their head yet unaware of their blindness — bindfolded by the bandage of ethnocentrism like how every religion thinks that their perception is superior among other existing beliefs; and a bandage of fanaticism like how people voted and praise crocodiles who only intend to obtain rank, fame, and wealth. The use of love gradually turns cliché as time passes by. Such greedy ones often use it as a trick for the weak-minded, and those weak-minded-ass humans drove the queen to misery.

A massive economic breakdown began to cause destruction to Erosian Land as they sent the queen to a dank cell. It has caused a large poverty to the people of Erosian and made them realize that they haven't defeated the curse yet.

The disappearance of such civilization happened after a ten-year war between humans and sorcerers. They made flame before fire flooded their whole place as they cut the queen's head off, thinking that it would be the end of their so-called curse. Unfortunately, that was the beginning of all bad lucks. They have triggered all the sorcerers, and as a first step of vengeance, the sorcerers dealt with evil to resurrect the queen and formulate their one and foremost objective in this world:

“To curse the next generations of humans.”

Queen Demonry's heart were invaded by vengeance as she resurrected. She was not just fooled by humans' so-called "love" back then but also a victim of toxic relationship with such son-of-a-bitch king, Plutus. She never got old within two thousand years because all the wounds he has left remain fresh. However, queen Demonry was able to study witchcraft to learn medicine; discovered the relationship of science and magic; and investigated how people easily get fooled by that damn love.

Humans don't believe in the existence of sorcerers in this modern age, and it is a big advantage of hers. She is able to disguise as human and to pretend like an ordinary professor who moves to different schools. She curses every student under cover; prohibits them to express love, and once they disobey, death would take them over.

              
      
JONA'S POINT OF VIEW

“A true love's kiss! Iyon ang lunas sa sumpa!” I screamed after reading the first page of the book.

Austin's furrowed eyebrows greeted me as I turned my gaze to him.

“It's irrational to think that true love's kiss could break the curse,” he responded, “how would it be possible if anyone's prohibited to express love nga?”

Napakamot ako sa sentido.

This book intrigues me whenever I check its cover because it looks hoary and magical. Napulot ko lang ito sa EA Library kanina, sa ilalim ng isang antigong bookshelf. Hindi imposibleng pagmamay-ari ito ng sinaunang estudyante rito sa Eros Academy.

But what makes me interested was the weird feeling I'm having with this book. Mukha siyang mahiwaga at dahil mahilig ako sa fantasy novels ay sinilid ko na agad sa bag ko. Among the books I've finished reading, this one hits strange. Parang totoo. Parang hindi nilathala ng pangkaraniwang tao!

If ever what was written here is a true story, life would be horribly thrilling.

Mabilis kong isinara ang libro nang bumungad sa pinto si Ma'am Labay. Huminto siya sa tapat ng kanyang table at malalim na bumuntong-hininga. Hindi yata maganda ang timpla niya ngayon. Ano kayang nangyari?

"I want to inform you all that I am no longer your adviser this coming semester," she stated.

Napatayo ako. "Iiwan mo agad kami, ma'am?"

Ma'am Labay has been my favorite teacher despite how strict she was with us. She was the only one who treated us, Class X, as real students. According to many, kami raw ang worst section sa buong Eros Academy kaya halos basura na lang kung ituring kami ng ibang teachers. Now, my high school life might get worse, knowing that my dearest teacher is leaving.

"I apologize. I tried to stay but it's the authority's decision to replace me." Niligpit niya ang lahat ng naiwan niyang gamit at isinilid iyon sa kahon.

Kakaiba ang awra na ipinakita ng mukha ni Ma'am Labay. May kutob ako na hindi niya nagustuhan ang ano mang nangyari bago siya pumunta rito.

I swallowed hard as the spirits whispered in my mind. Madalas itong bumabagabag sa akin, madalas din nagkakatotoo ang instincts at prophecies na biglang nagp-pop up sa utak ko. Sa hitsura pa lang ni Ma'am Labay, alam kong may hindi magandang ambiance sa loob ng admins' office. Siguradong marami siyang hindi sinasabi sa amin.

             

"Kilala niyo po ba ang new adviser namin?" Agad kong tanong.

               

She looked into my eyes, sharply, as if she's giving me a warning.

               

"Her name is Queen Demonry.."