Chapter 123 Calm Before The Storm 5 (1/2)
Storing Lovina's diary in his inventory, Zero left her apartment with a heavy heart and even heavier thoughts. The witch explained to him how she'd been searching for a way to break her curse and how Merlin answered her prayers with a vision. Zero was troubled. He knew what that vision meant. That was something that only happened when none of the Gods could answer a prayer. Baal once told him before that he had a similar dream of being in nothingness. That same nothingness was what Zero entered whenever he meditated. He'd hear the voices and sometimes he'd answer them. Lovina's words made Zero swallow his.
”You're who Merlin sent me, right? I've been waiting for so many years, I'm so happy that the curse can finally be broken...”
Those hopeful eyes haunted the young boy. He was a doctor and he wanted to save everyone that he could. Vrald asked him the question before the lab explosion. He'd answered very confidently that he would save anyone that he could and that he understood it wasn't possible to save everyone. He could only ease their sufferings like how he could only keep Zoe company when the village is no more. Half of Zero wondered if it would be alright to always find Lovina when she is reborn again and bring her to Half Moon village to keep Zoe company on his behalf. The other half of him was disappointed at himself for trying to take the easy way out. He hasn't even tried to break the curse before he thought about an alternative. Zero shook his head. He'd think about it later. For now, he had to get to Soon's. The necromancer wanted to talk to him about magic and Zero wondered if the lich had some difficult favours to ask of him too.
Interestingly enough, Soon sent both his zombie friends away. Zero was served tea once more and accepted the cup gracefully. Unlike Lovina who made Zero wary with her friendliness, Soon made Zero feel at ease by being very open.
”Don't become an adventurer. I heard that you have superb healing magic that may have already surpassed your teacher but don't become an adventurer.”
Zero blinked. He'd never intended to become one and reassured Soon of that. ”I want to travel and become a wandering doctor.”
Soon relaxed when he heard this and sighed wistfully. ”That's good. A wandering doctor is even better. You'll become less easily attached to people and things this way.”
Zero was curious and decided to ask a little more. ”Why don't you want me to become an adventurer?”
Soon put the cup down and snapped his fingers, letting the illusion magic fall. Zero didn't seem startled by the sudden change of appearance even when the lich looked at him with empty eye sockets.
”Are you not afraid? This is how I truly look like.”
Zero deadpanned. How could he tell Soon that he'd already known what liches looked like? If anything, he was more terrified by zombies losing a limb.
Seeing that Zero wasn't reacting, Soon scoffed and cast the illusion again. ”Nobody wants to become a lich. If it weren't for those two fools, I would've never done this.”
Zero nodded. He knew that Peter, Manny and Soon were adventurers in the same party but he was curious about how they became what they were now.
”I can see the question flying over your head. It's very simple. I was a young and foolish adventurer who thought that immortality was a great thing. What mattered to me was how I could continue adventuring with my friends. It was even better that they couldn't die twice after becoming zombies. All I had to do was continue to supply them with mana and make new bodies each time they fell. Imagine my surprise when the humans we fought for turned their blades against us, calling us demons serving under the Demon Lord we wanted to kill.”
Zero winced. It would hurt a lot seeing who you thought was a friend turn against you. Yet Zero understood a little more about the creatures called humans and why Wiser seemed to hate them so much.
”Is that why you came to Half Moon village?”
Soon raised a brow. ”Not really. We didn't come here. We were dragged over by a crazy witch.”
Zero was surprised at that revelation. ”Lovina dragged the three of you here?”
The lich sighed, heavier this time. ”You have no idea. I couldn't even win her in a fight. Don't you dare underestimate her. She's actually one of the most powerful magicians I know. As a lich, I should be a high-tiered magician with the ability to fight a dragon one on one. Lovina is a true monster in human skin. Her knowledge far surpasses mine. Did she tell you how she was a master in dark magic?”
Zero didn't respond. He knew it when he appraised her secretly when she was crying but he wouldn't say it. Mii was able to unlock a little more information about Lovina after their chat.
Soon didn't seem surprised. ”In any case, I just wanted to tell you not to become an adventurer.”
Zero smiled. ”Don't worry, I won't. I don't want to have to kill Bell.”
Soon looked at him for a few seconds before barking out a laugh. ”I'm still so amused by how you can call a Demon Lord with such a cute nickname. Didn't he protest against it?”
Zero shook his head. ”He was all for it. In fact, he wanted something that sounded more buddy-like but I couldn't think of anything better. All the chummy nicknames he came up with crept me out.”
”Let me guess,” Soon smirked. ”He wanted something like Lord Sloth?”
Zero deadpanned. ”That's way better than Baal Baby.”
Soon shuddered. ”You're right. I still can't get over the image gap of the Demon Lord who destroyed an entire country with a sneeze and the Demon Lord who wanted to be called Baal Baby.”
Zero shrugged. ”He said that he was sorry about the destruction. Not many people know it but Baal has a bad case of sinus. I'd cured him of it so it shouldn't happen again although I don't know if he'll remember to cover his mouth when he yawns the next time.”
Soon gave Zero an incredulous look and Zero only shrugged in response. It was the truth and nothing could change that.
By the time Zero left Soon's place, it was time for the guards to switch. On his way back, he met Camie who beamed at the sight of him.
”Zero!” the giantess waved and ran over, causing the ground to tremble a little under her weight. She was so tall that even when she squatted, Zero had to crane his neck upwards to meet her eyes.
”Hello! I suppose you are Camie?”
Camie grinned. ”You're well informed! I've been dying to talk to you ever since I saw you at the feast. I'd been so busy the past few days but I'll be off for tonight. Would you like to join me for dinner? Vrald told me that you loved listening to stories about battles. We're having spit-roast tonight at the cave.”
Zero salivated. ”I'll be there!”
Camie laughed heartily and waved goodbye. Once there was no one in sight, Zero quickly called Hua Tuo to inform his teacher about the sudden dinner plans.
”Spit-roast?” Hua Tuo blanched at the idea. There was too much meat in the diet lately and Hua Tuo felt the heartburn in his chest.
”I see, you can join them. I'm feeling a little unwell for meat so I'll join Cleo for dinner. Just remember to be back before midnight.”
Zero beamed and thanked his teacher before bouncing off to find the kids. There was still some time before dinner so Zero thought he'd ask if they wanted to play a few rounds of tag before that.
Fate had other plans for Zero. In the clearing, two magicians were fighting. However, upon closer observation, Zero noticed that it was a fight but a spar.
The two teen magicians looked very similar to each other with their fair blond hair and pale skin. Their hairstyles were also similar, both sporting a short bob hairstyle. They wore matching blue magician robes but Zero realised that there was a slight difference. One of them wore knee-high stockings and shorts while the other wore thigh-high white stocking with shorts that resembled a skirt.
Their voices were different and it didn't take long for Zero to realise that one of them was a girl. He was so surprised that he failed to dodge a water bomb heading straight towards his direction.
Splash!
Zero yelped when the cold water hit him. He wasn't harmed by the stray shot thanks to the overpowered enchanted clothes the Great Gods gifted him. The tracksuit wasn't wet but Zero's hair was. Yxaan and Xvyal paused when they heard the yelp and hurried over to the source.
Zero wondered if someone had secretly planned an event called 'Meet the Magicians” Day today. Somewhere in the multiverse, a writer chuckles but Zero doesn't hear it. He continued to reassure the twins that he was alright.
Yxaan and Xvyal introduced themselves and Zero had difficulties pronouncing their names.
”Ye-ll and Vi-ul?” Zero tried with a cringe. The twins didn't seem to mind and nodded with appreciation at the attempt.
”It's yee-ull and Vee-ale but that works too,” Xvyal grinned.
Yxaan giggled. ”You can call us Yal and Val like everyone else in the village.”
Zero heaved a sigh of relief at the nicknames. ”What language are your names in? I've not heard of it.”
The female twin blinked. ”It's the language of our Star ancestors. Yxaan means Bright. Xvyal means Forever.”
Zero nodded as the Yxaan help to dry Zero's hair using heat magic. In no time, his hair was dry again but the only problem remained was how messy it was. She tried to make it more presentable by combing through the tangles with her fingers but it didn't work. Zero gave up and pushed everything up so that his fringe wouldn't cover his eyes. It was high time he had a haircut and Zero wondered if Hua Tuo would help him with it. He didn't exactly want to poke his eyes out trying to do it himself.
”What were you doing here? Don't you know how dangerous it is to be near where magicians are practising? We're no archers and if it had been a pillar of fire or a bolt of electricity it would have been terrible.”