BURDEN OF A CURSE

“Curses are a powerful form of dark magic. The only person who can remove them is the caster or those of their bloodline. Only some curses can be broken.”

The bookshelves towered over the young girl. They formed into tight rows that went around the room and climbed up two floors high. There were plenty of hidden nooks and secluded spaces, perfect for getting lost in studying, if it wasn't for the darkness. She couldn’t see clearly without her candlestick, after an arms length everything was grey to her. There were only small lamps by doorways, and there was no sunlight.

Decades of history and forbidden magical knowledge were kept safe here. Students and scholars came and went every night. The other students were older in age, and were much more skilled. They were mostly demons, therefore didn’t have a need for candlelight.

The library despite being dim and cold was a home to her. She often fell asleep laying on top of the heavy wooden cases by the stone wall, they were as sturdy as a tree. If a student didn't see her, and moved the ladder, she would be stuck until someone found her. The shelves were made to suit a demon's large height. They were over 12 feet tall and dwarfed her. She didn't feel small. This was the only place she belonged. Even if she only ended up by mistake.

She followed the stairs, curling upwards. Her books pushed to her chest with one hand on the wooden railing. Heavy gothic doors led to other areas of the temple and special grimoires, most were locked. Those occasional moving doors and pages turning were the only noises in the library. She pulled a key from her belt to enter a tiny room.

It had a small, almost pathetic looking shelf compared to what was downstairs with only a dozen bound books and alchemy supplies; vials of blood, flowers and sun dried bones. In the center of the room were statues of demigods bowing to an altar. She placed her collection of books onto the dark stone table and grabbed a vial. The blood was black by dark magic with a crimson hue. It was some of hers. It had a unique shimmer, and had a warning label wrapped around it. It wasn't safe to be consumed, and had unknown risks. The scholars loved a challenge, and discovery.

In the private room, she searched inside the books. She held onto hope that one of the books here might be able to help her with her infliction. Every night the hunger grew. She would lose control at the slightest hint of anger, and become a beast. Tonight, she blacked out, then her blonde hair was knotted with dried blood, her fingernails had meat pressed between them, and her tongue had the taste.

Her eyes couldn't stay open, and her body ached. After trying spell after spell, weariness finally pushed her down. Hours into her slumber, a veiled woman approached her.

“Noor,” she said in a voice that woke her instantly.

The girl raised her head and quickly tried to hide the powerful spellbook underneath the others. “Did you need something, Melas?” Noor felt her face, she was still human. Her skin was soft and furless.

“You are not supposed to be here. This is not a study hall.” The witch grabbed the book beneath her hands, “Nor are you supposed to be using these. Omisha and I agreed. This will only further your insatiable hunger.”

“I need to go find my brother, and Willow.”.

“That will have to wait another day.”

“I don’t have the time. They both could be dead by now! It's been a month since I've heard from them, and nothing has helped.” Her voice grew raspy in her desperation and her throat squeezed close.

She sighed. “I need to find a way to free you or they won't want to see you.” Melas took her key, “You are no longer responsible for taking care of supplying this room. Not until you learn.”

She took a breath. “Ok. I'm leaving tonight.”

“The day we found you, you looked just like this. So, you sought vengeance again, or is that the blood of innocent people you wear?”

“It was just sheep!” She cried, “There is no way to free me. I told you the person who cursed me is long gone.”

“It proves persistent, but I know we can find a way.” Melas rests her hand on the girl's shoulder.

She brushed it away and groaned, “Give up.”

“I was worried it would come to this. You are an open fire near an oil spill. I’m sorry. I can’t let you leave in your condition.”

Tendrils tangled around the girl’s legs and dragged her down to her knees. She tried to wrestle free, but they constricted tighter. Melas took the books and walked to the door with her head down. Her dark veil covered any expression of emotion. The girl screamed at her, bearing her teeth. Her pupils began to narrow, bone pushing through her fingers to form claws.
The door slammed shut and locked, then the magic released her. She clawed at the unmoving door, growling. Her jaw twisted into that of a wolf and dark fur sprouted from all over her. Only anger persisted, she attacked everything around her in a blind rage.

Until she fell down to the floor with her back pressed to the corner of the room. There was no more anger. Just numbness. Dark blood dripped from her nails. She slowly transformed back into a human girl, her hair glowed golden, and the fur faded into a haze. The veiled woman returned when the room became quiet.

“What if I can't be cured? Do you expect me to stay here forever.”

“I live with a curse, I know what it does. You can't live like this.”

“Why not free yourself. Why do you only offer it to me?”

“You would be easy to cure. The person who cursed me has no interest in freeing me.”

“What happened? Why can’t you be cured?”

She sighed. Her hands glided between the claw marks against the furniture. “Years ago. My face was a thing of beauty, I was envied by the women of the temple. I was the only angel studying. My wings and feathers were a gentle white like snow, much different from the horns of my peers. Omisha would never tell you that’s the woman he fell in love with. Not someone he can't look at. My curse blinds people who see my face, staring too long can make it permanent. Those are the consequences of living with a curse, never being seen again, losing a part of yourself.”

“Who did this to you?”. She growled. “I'll get them to free you!”

“Impossible. He hates everyone like us.”

“I never said I'd ask nicely.”

“Violence creates more violence. Revenge is why I'm like this. The church of Blanche freed their goddess from the dark one's curse, but they wanted revenge on us, on Omisha. For centuries our followers retaliated on every violent act with another. I was defeated and taken to their church. The priest believed I was evil, that I betrayed my true people. He stripped me of my clothes and dignity. After my humiliation, he put a curse on me so no one could ever see my face again. Nothing can convince him.”

“There is nothing you can do?”. Noor solemnly said. “At all?”

“The curse on me is made of light magic, dark magic will worsen it not break it, same in reverse. Your ailment is similar, but somehow when you were cursed you began developing the ability to cast black magic. So there is hope you can be a normal girl again.”

Noor's eyes drooped and she slumped over. It felt like it physically weighed on her to keep the secret.

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