"Oh… Yeah, that…" Heloise's bustling energy took an instant nosedive at the mention of her curse. "I've tried so much shit to get rid of it! Spells, potions, creams… Nothing works! I feel it squirming in me even now. It's like, an itch I can't even scratch."

"Creams?" Zulema raised a brow curiously.

Heloise nodded pathetically, unzipped her jacket then pulled the corner of her collar. The fair, pristine skin of her shoulder was marred by the blemish of the mark left by that monster. It was a strange, almost indecipherable symbol that seemed to almost react when looked at. "This here. Some nasty baddie bit me during one of my little girls' night out and it ruined my life forever."

"'Girls' night'?" The ex-priestess repeated with concern. "You mean some dangerous endeavor that you no doubt involved Alma in somewhere that inevitably led to a nightmarish situation that was way over your heads."

"Uh, yeah?" Heloise looked at her gobsmacked. "That's like, what I said!"

"I swear to…" Zula grumbled.

"Sorceress." Derleth interrupted, leaning down as he looked closely at the mark. "What exactly did this to you?"

"Huh? What was that asshole's name again…? Oh, right. It was some wannabe alchemist named Zosimos. He worshipped some guy named Neb something…? Nebu… Neblun… Nebin… Neblina! That was it!"

"Neblinath. You claim he was a follower of the Clouded One? That is impossible. That is not someone you would have survived an encounter with, much less defeat using magic."

"Believe it, Derley-baby! Used some of his counter-magic to bake up a petrification spell that did a number on him! I saw with my own gorgeous eyes as his creepy stretchy arms turned to stone."

Derleth's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Pale and stretchy…? I see. Much more is beginning to make sense."

"You wanna enlighten us then?"

"The creature that passed this mark onto you was not blessed by the Clouded One's othering, but rather is a consequence of it. You see, Neblinath is another powerful Outer One—an incorporeal being formed of a nameless mist that feeds on the energy borne of magic. He transforms his followers into creatures that absorb magical essences that fuel him directly. Like most Outer Ones, he exists solely for his own benefit, and is a very clear danger for one such as you. He is quite literally the antithesis of magic."

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

"What? An Outer One? That like, a step above Azotha? What in the world?! Ugh, are you telling me there's an even stronger fuck out there?! Not to mention, you're saying my epic win was a complete fluke?! Sure, it might've taken me needing a special staff, modifying one of his own spells and it was a 2v1, but that doesn't make it any less my victory!" Heloise suddenly clutched her shoulder in pain. "Ow! Fuck!"

"The only reason you still yet live is thanks in part to your actual othering. This alchemist did not pass an othering on to you after all; it passed onto you its burden of collecting magic. Such a thing would have consumed a witch entire, but it seems Azotha's othering has counteracted and found a balance with this curse you've taken on."

"Oh dear," mumbled Zulema. "I had no idea you had taken on such a hardship, Loise. I'm so sorry. Though, it is strange Alma never mentioned it to me. I would've prayed over—"

"No!" Heloise blurted out. "I have my own secrets I don't want Alma knowing about either. I'm sure you understand."

"That's surprisingly sweet of you."

"Oh, shut up." The witch rolled her eyes before turning back to Derleth. "So I'm being haunted by some kind of anti-magic being, even though I'm a witch? And why I half-transform into one of those… things? Ugh. That would explain why I can absorb magic now… But is there no way to get rid of it?"

"Not in any pleasant method you would care to hear about," replied the eldritch man. "However, you may be able to use it to your advantage if you figure out a way to master it. A sorceress with her own anti-magic barrier would make you an unstoppable force. Yes… Perhaps we may be able to help each other out."

"Derleth!" shouted Zulema. "You are not suggesting she join our little crusade!"

"Oh my Dark God! You mean your crusade against the Scarlet Church? I'm totes there!"

The ex-priestess groaned. "Loise, how can you say that so readily? This is going to be an extremely dangerous endeavor. You know what the Church is like. You could lose your life."

"And miss out on possibly the craziest adventure of my young life?! Besides… It's about time I faced my deadbeat papa and gave him a piece of my mind!"

"Heloise!" Carthas called from somewhere up above. His wings flapped loudly as he made a landing beside her. It seems he had done some exploring. "This place is fuckin' huge! I flew a whole minute and still couldn't reach the ceiling! Hey, what's with the look? What'd I miss?"

"Carthas. You know how I always said I was meant for greater things?" Heloise had a smug, toothy grin on her face. Her fingertips rested on her chest as if to declare yet another victory. "I always knew labor wasn't for me. I've always been a supporter for witches in STEM—Sorcery, trickery, esoterics, and magic! And I'm going to be the most powerful witch that's ever lived! Starting with taking down the Scarlet Church!"

Zulema sighed, shaking her head in defeat.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.