"Sarkaz horns? Interesting, she must have been using art, yet I didn't sense anything." Axel said.
"I didn't feel anything either but it's perhaps due to my natural ability to see through illusion based arts that allowed me to see something." Alice said.
Axel returns to his desk, taking a seat into his chair. He dug into his desk and pulled out a stack of papers.
On the top sheet was a sketch of a large black pyramid. On each page showed a different side of the pyramid along with its dimensions of 15 meters wide and 5 meters high, below it were notes of observations made over the months.
"The appearance of large objects of unknown origin, the sudden attack of our men and now the arrival of sarkaz and outsiders. " Axel said as he flipped through the pages with a fine comb. "I'll go to our researchers to see if they have any more information on this object, I'm not going to burden you with all the work."
"Lord Axel, I can manage the researchers too. I'm sure you have other important matters to attend to. I can han-" Alice said.
Axel raised his palm causing Alice to stop talking. "A leader who pushes everything to his subjects, is no leader. That's my philosophy, and I will follow that. Understood?" Axel said with his authority all so present in his voice.
Alice, understanding it's a losing battle, could do nothing but nod her head.
"Good, now you are dismissed." Axel said as he made his way towards the door and left.
As Axel makes his way down the hall, he grabs out of the stack of papers a letter. A letter from Enciodes Silverash himself.
"Lord Axel, I do wish that life has been favorable towards you and your subjects in recent times. With the arrival of Rhodes Island and their expertise in medical and modern technology. I do wish you would open your hand to them. I know you aren't fond of outsiders but as both men of nobility, caretakers of our subjects along with being devout followers of Kjangandr. We both wish the best for these lands, so opening up to them to see what they can do might not be a bad idea, also do I wish to use Rhodes Island as a way to form a more friendly relationship with you and the rest of the Palerouch family. The Silverashes will gladly extend a hand in friendship, we do wish for you to not hesitate to call upon us in your times of need and the same is true for us. May Kjangandr smile upon."
-Enciodes Silverash.
With Rhodes Island leaving the building with Alice not far behind them.
"Lord Axel was an intense fellow, wouldn't you agree Sharp?" Amiya asked.
"Indeed he was, he reminds me of Silverash. Intense in very subtle ways, this is why I let Kal'tsit deal with all the diplomacy." Sharp said as he rubs his head. "I have to say you are getting better everyday Amiya, you looked like Kal'tsit in there for a moment."
Amiya tried to cover her face as she felt her cheeks flare up in embarrassment by the praise, but her with her ears standing straight up wasn't helping her. "I wouldn't say all that, I still have so much to learn from Kal'tsit." She said,
Sharp could only rub Amiya's head, it lasted for a moment before Sharp made his way towards Alice.
"What do you need?" Alice asked.
"Would a tour of the local area be within your schedule? A clinic makes people feel safe, so adjusting to the local area would make things smoother." Sharp explained.
Alice could sigh. "I'm sorry but two of our men were attacked last night by a mysterious suspect. Their means of attack are nowhere to be found." She explained.
"Would you perhaps like our assistance, as a token of friendship?" Amiya asked as she stood next to Sharp.
Alice sighed again as she wondered if this was a smart idea or not. Axel wants this solved as soon as possible since the mysterious pyramid.
"Follow me." Was all Alice said as she walked towards the outpost/base that the victims were held.
Amiya's face brightened up at the successful attempt. Amiya always felt as if Alice didn't like them due to her usual blank expression but perhaps she was wrong. Wasting no time Rhodes Island followed Alice to the outpost.
It didn't take long before they all reached the infirmary, the smell of chemicals permeated the building. Alice led everyone to the room showing them the two victims as they were getting their bandages replaced.
The various markings were clear for everyone to see, markings with no sense of logic to them. No pattern could be seen at a glance, no reason behind each mark could be found.
Amiya could tell that the two were in pain. She makes her ways towards the pair of beds, without thinking she reached out towards and gently grasped their hand. With the activation of her arts, a wave of emotions seep into Amiya's body.
Her eyes rested on the victim as she allowed their emotions to enter her. The despair, the anger, the sadness they built within their hearts was clear to her.
"Can you explain what happened to them?" Sharp asked.
Alice explained what happened, the marks on their bodies, the location and various information they found out. Which isn't much.
As she talked Lappland looked around and noticed that Marth's eyes were locked on the markings on the victims bodies. Marth's faces grew whiter with each moment.
Marth made her way next to Amiya as she looked at the marks. She moves her hand and gently touches the victim's chest. Noticing that there isn't much indentation on them, it was like touching a piece of paper with writing on them. You feel the small inclines of the pencil both nothing big enough for you to really notice.
Similar to how people can detect if something was caused by their arts or by natural means due to whether there are originium remains within the fire and its state. The same applies here as Marth realizes that the cause of these marks wasn't arts. The presence of mana was clear to her.
'This can't be right. The only who could do that was Mr. Apollo, there's no way he would do this to innocent people. I know he wouldn't, so who did this?' Marth thought as she continued to observe the marks seeing that it was a very basic curse, one hardly leaning to a specific school of magecraft.
"Is there anything you notice?" Sharp asked, hoping that Marth's less than usual teachings may help.
"I think I can. Let me try something." Marth said as she dug into her bag pulling out a piece of paper and pen.
The form of the curse was like that of a simple puzzle, all she had to do was draw the inverse of that puzzle. Due to the unbiased nature of the curse, it couldn't be routed in any school.
Everyone in the room did nothing but watch as Marth did her thing with the drawing appearing like a magic circle. Before long Marth placed the paper on the victim's chest along with pulling out a silver cross.
"The vileness of the world is numerous, to counter the vile we have the virtues. So bury and destroy it with virtues, to bury the seven sins we use the seven virtues."
As Marth said in this incarnation the magic circle glowed with a soft white light, a light that could be considered divine to many. The cursed marks started to reseed, as if they were being devoured by the light like a wild beast.
Within seconds any evidence of the curse existing was no more, like time was reversed.
Alice, bewildered by the act, frantically touched both victims, seeing if what Marth did was an illusion, but the relief painted on both victim's faces conveyed that the curse truly was gone.
"Guess you are useful even when Apollo isn't here." Lappland said as she tapped the top of Marth's head with a sheathed blade.
Alice regaining her composure returned her stare to Marth, ignoring the constant flicking on her head. Alice sticks out her hand. "Thank you for helping them. I wasn't able to find a way to help them."
Marth was surprised by the gesture and the longer than expected sentence from Alice. She could only respond with a handshake of her own. What happened is what many would consider a rather sad handshake at that with Marth's arm flopping like a fish out of water.
Amiya could do nothing but smile softly as the joy she felt from Alice short yet genuine appreciation for what Marth did.
With the victims coming to, Alice did another round of questioning hoping that with the curses gone they would be able to remember. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful as whatever the victims said before was all they knew.
Seeing that no progress was being made Alice wished the two to get well before leaving with Rhodes Island behind her.
"That's one problem done." Alice said as she looked up to see that it was already night time, she turned her attention to Rhodes Island. "Do you have a place to stay?"
Amiya could only scratch her neck. "Well we didn't expect to stay here for so long so we didn't think of booking an inn."
"Then I offer my residence to you all. We have spare rooms at the orphanage." Alice said.
"Oh, no. We don't wish to impose on you." Amiya said as she started shaking her hands.
Alice grabs one of Amiya's hands. "Please, it will be my pleasure to help you all."
Seeing that she couldn't deny the offer due to their sleeping situation she accepted the offer.
Alice led Rhodes Island to the orphanage which didn't take long, however the closer she felt something was off. There was no screaming, while the walls were thick, those kids were loud enough to hear them from a mile away.
Alice quickens her pace causing those more observant like Sharp, Matterhorn and Lappland to notice that something may be off.
Alice pushed the door open to see nothing. No kids running around, none of the older kids staying to the side and keeping watch, lastly her mother nowhere to be found.
Instead at the front, where Alice's mother teaches the kids, stood three people, both who are familiar. Under the light on the ground was Alice's father; his mouth, arms and legs were tied up. The fear and worry in his eyes were clear as day as a long his the top of half of his body were the same curse marks as the victims earlier today.
"Welcome."
Everyone turned attention to the other person. Their all black attire, and their white goggles was Alice needed to feel something.
"Dad!" Alice shouted instantly drawing her blade.
"Hello Alice, I hope you don't mind me. I'm just borrowing some people for something." The Hiker said as he stood up pulling out a knife from one of his pouches.
The Hiker did nothing as he grabbed the other people whose back was towards Alice and the others. With hair as white as snow and eyes redder than blood. Along his body were curse marks as well. Those from Rhodes Island saw the already bad situation get worse. Especially for a lone sarkaz girl.
"Mr. Apollo!" Throwing caution to the wind as she raised her hand with a magic circle forming on her hand. "Let him go!"
The Hiker places their finger over where their mouth would be. "Quiet child, we are indoors. No need to scream." The Hiker pulled out a piece of paper and threw it on the ground a distance away from them. "I'll be waiting."
Like a bad horror movie, the Hiker and their victims started to liquify. Their skin turning black like ink, before they were completely gone, the Hiker got one last line out.
"It would be such a sad thing if all those kids showed up dead, wouldn't it?"