Curse

I step forward, grabbing the chin of the burly Raven who had charged at me, forcing him to look into my eyes. His skin is cold beneath my fingertips, but the malice burning in his eyes sends a chill down my spine.

“Tell me why you were hurting these people,” I demand, my voice steady but simmering with anger.

He grunts, stubbornly resisting. I can feel his muscles tensing under my grip, his lips pressing together in defiance.

“Fine,” I say, my patience wearing thin, “I’ll find out myself.”

Summoning a circle of water, I swirl it around him before freezing it solid, locking him in place. His eyes widen with the realization that resistance is futile. I press my fingers to his chin again, sending a pulse of energy through him, connecting with his mind. The connection is immediate, his thoughts flickering into my consciousness like a dark and twisted film reel.

A conversation plays out—his voice speaking to someone I can’t see, asking why they must kill or weaken every male fairy over the age of eighteen. The reply is cold, emotionless.

“Kill the men, and the women will become yours. Without fairy men, their line will become nothing but a distant memory.”

I recoil, the sinister intent behind the plan hitting me like a punch to the gut. It’s not just murder—it’s a calculated attempt to wipe out the fairy race, to enslave and dominate the women left behind. I see the dark fantasies he harbored for the women, the things he planned to do once the men were gone.

I feel sick.

Letting go of his chin, I take a step back, disgusted. His face twists into a smug, lecherous grin, and I can smell the vile lust radiating off him. My stomach churns, my blood boiling in my veins. This monster deserves far worse than anything I could give him.

Rage begins to consume me, my body trembling as my fury grows. A dark energy wells up inside me, seeping out of my hands. It’s cold, powerful, and terrifying. I watch as a shadowy black aura wraps around him, tendrils of darkness creeping up his body. His eyes widen in fear as a rune appears, glowing on his forehead, and suddenly, the same mark brands the other Ravens around us.

Their pained screams fill the air, like music to my ears. I’m making them feel the very agony they intended for the fairies. Every ounce of suffering they’ve caused is returning to them tenfold. Their bodies convulse, their faces twisted in torment.

But then, my attention shifts to one of the Ravens, a younger man at the edge of the group. He isn’t screaming in pain like the others. He’s crying.

Intrigued, I walk over to him, grabbing his chin the same way I did the leader. Searching his mind, I see flashes of his thoughts—he’s been resisting, feeding the fairy children in secret, and holding back from hurting the innocent. Regret pours out of him, genuine and raw. He never wanted any part of this.

I take a deep breath, feeling the black energy wane. Gently, I remove the mark from his forehead.

“You will become a protector of this village,” I say, my tone soft but stern. “If you so much as think about mistreating them, you’ll suffer the same fate as these men.”

His head snaps up, eyes wide with gratitude and relief. He nods frantically, thanking me, swearing his loyalty with every breath. I release him, watching as he retreats to the side, tears still streaming down his face.

My focus returns to the remaining four Ravens, still writhing on the ground, their tortured cries filling the air.

“I feel no remorse from any of you,” I say coldly, my voice dripping with disdain. “Take this as a warning to all who serve the Dark Sorcerer. If anyone tries to harm a fairy and I hear about it, I will make them regret ever living.”

The black marks on their foreheads pulse with energy, their bodies shaking as I continue. “These curse marks now store your magic. You will never cast another spell as long as I forbid it. You have three months to redeem yourselves before the magic destroys you from the inside out.”

Their eyes widen in terror as they realize the weight of my words. Without their magic, they’re nothing. I see fear finally replace the arrogance on their faces.

“Now, LEAVE,” I command, my voice booming with finality.

Scrambling to their feet, the four Ravens scurry away like rats fleeing a sinking ship, stumbling over each other in their desperation to escape.