Chapter 103: The Value of Curse of Weakness

That evening, Jess stopped outside Surena Caledon's home. He listened for a while to make sure nothing strange was happening inside, then knocked.

"Who's out there?" It was Surena's voice.

"Jess Seso. Remember me?"

Bang!

The door flew open so hard it nearly struck Jess in the nose.

Surena glared at him and forced out two words. "You brat!"

"I'm not here to argue with you, Surena. Where does Gakin live?"

Surena's face twisted with anger. "You came here that day and made Gakin look like a fool. Ever since, he's taken it out on me every single day! It's all your fault! I've got nothing to say to you."

"What does that have to do with me?" Jess was baffled. "I don't care about your stupid problems. I need to see Gakin, and it concerns the interests of our entire group. You'd better give me a straight answer. Otherwise, if you delay us learning new magic, I'll tell Gakin next time I see him that you got in my way. You know how obsessed he is with spells. He takes his embarrassment out on you now—do you think he'll stop if you prevent me from bringing him a lead on new magic?"

"You arrogant little brat!" Surena raised her hand as if to strike him, but Jess caught her wrist.

"Tell me where Gakin lives! It's one simple question. How long are you going to keep acting like this?"

Surena froze. Jess was far stronger than a female warlock who'd hardly trained her body. She suddenly lost her nerve.

"He... lives two streets away, across from the fur shop. The house with the black roof. Go down the hall on the first floor. It's the first door."

Jess released her hand with a shove and hurried down the stairs.

Following her directions, he reached the black-roofed house. A light was on downstairs. As he passed a window, he heard two men arguing inside. One was Gakin.

"I don't understand. Don't you trust me?"

"It's not that I don't trust you," Gakin replied. "The main problem is your limited ability to understand incantations, Erlan. You can't rush this. You need patience..."

The other man was Erlan? What was he doing at Gakin's house so late? Jess had never heard Erlan speak in such a serious tone before, so he hadn't recognized the voice.

"The problem is that the spells you're teaching are all wrong, Gakin!" Erlan said angrily.

"Wrong how, Erlan? I don't understand why you keep doubting this and doubting that." Gakin sounded helpless, almost as though he was holding his temper back.

Jess went up the stairs and into the hall, following their voices to the door.

"You're deceiving us," Erlan demanded. "You're making this whole group work for you. Ursula, me, Surena, and that new kid. Do you think we're all your little followers?"

"We're friends..." Gakin said.

Erlan cut him off roughly. "Enough with the pretty words. You and Gardes use us to gather magical materials and money, then feed us fake spells. You think I don't know? Surena's practiced one Curse of Agony for months, and it's so weak she might as well stab somebody with a knife. What kind of damned magic is that? You think I've never seen real magic? I'm from the Brotherhood. I'm not some farm boy or bricklayer who wandered in off the street. Are you looking down on me? Do you think I'm stupid?"

Gakin's voice was perfectly calm. "If you want to learn real magic, you can go to the Wizard's Sanctum next door."

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"You know damn well how the Wizard's Sanctum admits students! Are you making fun of me?" Erlan was truly furious now.

"I never—"

A sudden crash came from the room, cutting Gakin off.

"Let go!" Jess heard a muffled cry, followed by clattering. Gakin was probably being beaten.

Jess knocked.

"Who is it?" Gakin asked.

"Jess. Jess Seso."

"Ah... Jess. Come in. Just push the door."

Jess entered. Gakin was getting up from the floor, while Erlan glared at the doorway.

"Erlan. You're here too."

"Jess." Erlan nodded, cleared his throat, straightened, and smoothed his shirt.

Gakin touched the corner of his mouth to check for blood. Then he sat down, supporting himself against the desk.

"What brings you here?"

"When's our next meeting, Gakin?" Jess asked.

"What day is it today?"

"The fifteenth."

"This Sunday, the twentieth," Gakin said. "We'll hold a meeting then, and everyone must attend. I've already told Ursula Deline and Gardes. Now Mr. Erlan knows too." He looked at Erlan again. "You can let Surena know for me."

Erlan said nothing. He looked from Jess to Gakin, then fixed his gaze on Jess.

"You heard us arguing outside, didn't you? You came in to save this fraud."

"Erlan, leave him out of it," Gakin said wearily. "What will it take for you to believe me? The more impatient you are, the harder it will be for you to master magic."

Erlan ignored him and stared at Jess.

"Has this bastard taught you any spells? He claims we should share everything and all benefit, but he gives you useless incantations and asks for money, treasure, whatever you fought to take from gnolls or bandits. Then he tells you the spells will work if you practice enough. Right?"

"He taught me summoning spells and... Curse of Agony. Not one of them works. No matter how often I practice, nothing happens. He told me dark magic welcomes anyone willing to walk the path of dark arts. What am I? Not a person?"

"If you mastered a spell," Gakin said, "you wouldn't have to risk your life collecting those things, Erlan. Our group needs income to survive. Ursula makes potions for us, and Gardes uses his talents to organize our collection of spells. His family is well-off, too, so he can pay some dues. You're the same. Magic is hard for you, but you have connections and strength. You can contribute in other ways..."

"Screw you." Erlan pointed at Gakin's nose. "Then tell me. What has Surena contributed?"

Gakin was speechless. Erlan looked more and more pleased with himself.

He gave a cold laugh and answered his own question. "Forget it. We both know."

Jess thought that if he were Gakin, he couldn't have endured that.

But Gakin did. He wiped a trace of blood from his lip.

"You should go home."

"You really think I'm an idiot," Erlan said. "Two gold coins. Pay me, and I'll leave the group. From that day on, we'll have nothing to do with each other. I'll never come looking for you again. How about it?"

"I don't have that much money, Erlan. Please be a little more patient. I'll teach you properly and help you find the right way to learn shadow magic. You have to trust me."

"Like hell I do." Erlan grabbed Gakin by the collar and lifted him out of his chair. "I think I've been patient enough, Gakin."

"Erlan," Jess said suddenly, "calm down. Don't hit him—"

Erlan laughed contemptuously. "What are you, his bastard son? What's your connection to him? What has he given you that makes you so eager to defend him?"

He dumped Gakin back into the chair, turned toward Jess, and clenched a fist. His knuckles cracked.

"It's none of my business," Jess said. "I just don't want things between you to get too—"

Erlan spat and came toward him, his mouth twisted with rage.

Jess knew he was about to become the man's punching bag.

"A-li-na..."

He'd barely started the incantation when Erlan reacted. The man thrust out an arm, caught Jess as he moved, and slammed him against the wall.

"What spell is that? Did he teach it to you?!"

Jess didn't answer. He drove a hard punch into Erlan's arm. The blow was so heavy that even Erlan cried out in surprise.

The moment Erlan loosened his grip, Jess finished the entire Curse of Weakness at top speed.

Erlan tried to strike back, but his brow suddenly furrowed. His legs buckled and he staggered backward, barely catching a bookcase before he fell.

He stared at his own feet in disbelief, then looked at Gakin. Gakin's expression had frozen too.

Jess could sense Gakin's shock—and how hard the man was trying to hide it.

"What kind of coward's spell is this?" Erlan grunted as he struggled to get up. Slowly, even his arms weakened. When he finally stood again, he could barely walk.

"What did you do to me...?" he forced out through clenched teeth.

He threw a feeble punch toward Jess. Jess merely stepped aside, and Erlan pitched face-first onto the floor.

The powerful man whimpered on the ground, tried several times to push himself up, and eventually managed to rise by leaning against the wall.

"Give us a little more time, Erlan," Gakin said, lowering his head. "If there's still no progress, at least give me time to save some money and compensate you. It may not be two gold coins, but I haven't forgotten everything you've contributed to the group over the years."

Erlan nodded, his face a sickly yellow. Before long, he was vomiting out the window. He retched for quite a while before turning back.

He glanced at Jess, then Gakin, muttered something under his breath, pushed open the door, and hurried away.

"You didn't come just to ask about the meeting, did you, Jess?" Gakin asked quietly. "What do you want in exchange for that spell?"

"First tell me what you've got," Jess said.