Lady Utopia’s expression grew more serious, and she drew Evan and Mina aside. "There’s something I might have forgotten to mention," she began, her voice low and urgent. "The demon’s curse isn’t necessarily a magic spell in the traditional sense. It’s more like a disease, an illness. Any demon can inflict it, and once someone is cursed, they slowly wither away until they die."
Mina’s eyes widened with shock. "So, it’s not just about breaking a spell. We need to treat it like a disease."
Evan frowned. "That complicates things. If it’s a disease, it could spread among our ranks, weakening our forces even further."
"Something like that, but not exactly," Utopia said. "This is why our situation is so dire. Even those who survive the battles come away cursed, and eventually, they’ll succumb. The presence of you two and the aura of your blessing from our goddess is helping to suppress the symptoms, but it’s not a cure."
Mina looked around at the wounded knights, her resolve hardening. "We need to find a way to cure this curse, or at the very least, develop a method to manage its symptoms more effectively. If it’s an illness, then maybe there’s a way to neutralize it or slow its progression significantly."
Evan nodded. "We need to rally our healers and mages to research this. Maybe there’s something we’ve overlooked, something that can counteract the curse."
Utopia sighed. "We’ve tried so many things in the past, I dabout something would work now, but perhaps with your insights, we might find something new. I’ll send word, we can’t get all the healers and mages due to the current state of things, but we should be able to gather some of our alchemists. Meanwhile, we need to maintain our defenses and keep the morale high."
Evan and Mina nodded as Lady Utopia’s words sank in. They knew the gravity of the situation demanded immediate action.
"Right," Evan said. "We’ll start by dealing with the remaining demons. We can’t afford to have them lurking around and attacking when we’re vulnerable."
Lady Utopia nodded in agreement. "I’ll leave the task of hunting down the stragglers to you two. I’ll return to the command post and coordinate the gathering of healers and alchemists. We need all hands on deck if we’re to find a solution to this curse."
Mina touched Utopia’s arm lightly. "Be safe, Lady Utopia. We’ll handle things here and join you as soon as we can."
"Stay vigilant," Utopia replied, giving them a nod before turning and heading back towards the main camp.
As Utopia disappeared into the distance, Evan turned to Mina. "Let’s move quickly. The sooner we take care of the remaining demons, the sooner we can focus on helping the wounded."
Mina nodded, her eyes looking around the area. "I’ll keep an eye out for any demonic auras. Let’s start to the east; I sensed some activity there earlier."
Together, they moved through the battlefield, their senses alert. Evan led the way, his sword ready, while Mina followed closely, her staff glowing with a faint, reassuring light.
Meanwhile, in the distance, two figures observing the battlefield standing on a rocky cliff side watched with interest. The cliff provided an eagle’s eye view of the chaos below. It was a perfect vantage point, far from the eyes of the heroes and knights.
Demonic hero Tom stood with his arms crossed, his piercing eyes fixed on Evan and Mina as they moved through the battlefield. Beside him, the demon general of greed, Leandora, watched with a calculating expression.
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"So, Tom," Leandora began, her voice smooth and filled with a mix of curiosity and challenge, "when do you plan on defeating Evan?"
Tom, without taking his eyes off his target, gave a small nod. "After watching him in action, I believe his aura would weaken me. It’s potent and would make the fight more challenging."
Leandora raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting from Evan to Tom. "It’s the same for all demons who face the heroes. What I’m asking is if you think you would still win regardless."
A smile slowly spread across Tom’s face. "I would struggle," he admitted, a dark gleam in his eyes. "But in the end, I’m confident I would come out on top."
Leandora’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. "That’s what I want to hear."
She turned to leave, her cloak billowing slightly in the wind. "I’ll leave you with a horde of demons to command," she said over her shoulder. "I have other plans. I’m going to recruit more nobles to our side. If we can get enough of them, we can make the kingdom crumble from the inside."
Leandora’s plan was ambitious, but Tom had no doubt she would succeed. She was a master manipulator, her charm and cunning making her a formidable ally. As she disappeared into the shadows, Tom turned his attention back to the battlefield.
He watched as Evan and Mina dispatched the remaining demons. The sight of Evan’s aura, a bright, almost blinding light, made Tom’s skin crawl. It was a clear reminder of the power the heroes wielded.
As Tom surveyed the battlefield, his gaze fixed on Evan, he finally straightened up and rolled his shoulders. "Alright," he said, his voice a low rumble filled with resolve, "it’s time to move out."
He muttered under his breath, a dark grin curling on his lips, "No offense, Evan, but I will be taking your head today."
…
The towering rooftops of the Royal Castle Academy glinted in the early morning sunlight, casting long shadows over the gardens and bustling courtyards of the Holy Empire’s capital. Akun and his companions followed closely behind the knight captain as they approached the main gates.
The knight captain, strode forward, leading the way to the entrance. The guards at the entrance straightened and saluted sharply, their hands snapping to their swords in a show of respect.
"At ease," the knight captain ordered, his voice firm.
"We are on official business, escorting these visitors to the Royal Castle Academy by direct order of His Majesty." Discover hidden stories at freewebnovel
The gatekeeper looked at the group momentarly before nodding and waving them through.
The massive iron gates creaked open, allowing Akun and his party to step into the academy’s grounds.