Turning around, Zeal felt the world shift beneath him; soft, warm, unnaturally gentle. The mattress cradled his body like a memory he didn't recognize, coaxing breath back into his lungs and thought into his bones.
His eyes quickly snapped open as he sat up fast, heart thudding, gaze sweeping the room like a blade.
He unnaturally found himself lying atop a pink bed, its surface impossibly plush, as if spun from silk and sleep.
Around him stretched a chamber so lavish it bordered on absurd; walls painted in blushing hues, curtains that shimmered like starlight, and furniture carved with delicate, floral filigree.
Everything gleamed. Everything glowed. Everything was pink.
It was a shrine to softness, a temple of comfort, and this somehow unsettled him.
The air smelled of roses and sugar, cloying and sweet, like a dream trying too hard to be kind. Plush toys watched from polished shelves, their glass eyes too still. Even the chandelier above him dripped crystals shaped like hearts, catching the light like frozen tears.
"How did I even end up here?" He thought while looking around, eyes tracing the soft curves of the room, the shimmer of silk, the glow of crystal. It was too perfect. Too gentle. Too far from the pain he remembered.
He tried so hard to remember how he end up here, and that's when it came.
Like a floodgate torn open, memory surged through him.
The spears.
The frost.
The betrayal.
His breath caught, chest tightening as the truth clawed its way back into his mind.
Irine.
The girl he had loved since childhood.
The only one who ever saw him and yet, the one who nearly killed him.
His heart twisted, a wound deeper than the spears she'd thrown.
If it hadn't been for that woman…
"Wait… that strange woman," he muttered, eyes widening, pulse skipping.
He tried to recall her face, but it was smoke, blurred and elusive.
She had worn an ancient witch's costume: a long, flowing cloak black as midnight, and a jagged-brimmed hat that shadowed her features.
The only thing missing was a broomstick and she would look like a complete ancient witches, but Zeal hadn't cared at all.
She had appeared like a ghost, like a warning, like a savior.
He remembered the orb.
The command.
The mist that invaded his body like living shadow.
And then—something else.
A flicker.
A message.
"Was that… a system interface?" he whispered, voice barely audible and, suddenly, the air shifted.
[Congratulations! You have been granted the Trinity Hex Curse.]
A dark black background computerized screen with crimson writings suddenly materialized in front of his eyes.
Zeal stared, breath frozen, as the words pulsed with quiet finality.
He tried to understand what was happening, or the words displaying but he couldn't. His mind was too chaotic to make sense of what was happening but still, the system didn't disappoint as more text came displaying.
[Note, the Trinity Hex Curse is a unity of three different mother Curse]
[1.The Curse of the Whispering Root]
{Locked}
{Conditions for unlocking is blocked by a witch-warlock bond}
[2.The Curse of the Crimson Veil]
{Locked}
{Condition for unlocking: The user must die}
{Caution! The user has a 1% chance of triggering the curse. A failure to a curse trigger leads to a permanent death.}
[3. The Curse Hollow Fang]
{Partially unlocked}
{Limited by the Witch-warlock bond}
{Suggestion: The user should terminate the Witch-warlock bond to receive the maximum potential benefit of this curse}
[Caution! Terminating the Witch-warlock bond will lead to permeant disconnection from the previous witch and her magical attributes]
Zeal had to pause for a moment after reading what was displaying.A witch-warlock bond was something too sacred among the witches and warlocks, so how could he just terminate it.
It was something of great benefits to both of them and Zeal knew it.
Normally, a warlock, although they can perform some supportive magic, they certainly wouldn't be able to cast the elemental spells. Not that they are disconnected to magic, no. They can still perform some with spells and rituals, to certain degree and level.
This had always make them weaker than witches, making them to submit to witches who rule over them. And for a warlock to perform an elemental spell, they must form a sacred binding bond with a witch, which is typically known as the Witch-warlock bond.
This would enable them to cast elemental spells of the witch they are binded to. Like for instance, since Zeal is binded to Irine, an ice witch, Zeal can cast ice elemental spells, but then, it still wouldn't be as strong as that casted by Irine.
It isn't like the bond is only of benefits to warlocks. Witches also benefits from this as this enables them to tap on to the strength of the next rank, and help them breaking through the ranks at a rapid speed.
Normally, there are Fourteen different ranks created based on a witch strength, and are as follows.
1. Ashling
2. Whisperkin
3. Glimmereye
4. Threadwitch
5. Frostchant
6. Gravebloom
7. Thornshade
8. Wyrdcaller
9. Duskscribe
10. Myrrhveil
11. Starbloom
12. Dreamthorn
13. Netherbrand
14. Cindralith
The Ashling rank is the weakest while Cundralith being the strongest. However, this ranks does not affect a warlock as a warlock is just a warlock and their strength is determined by the witch they are bound to.
Now lets say, if a witch from an Ashling rank has formed a witch-warlock bond, it's guaranteed for them to cast a spell as strong as that of the witch at the Whisperkin rank. And that's not the end of it, they are also able to break through the ranks at a rapid speed, especially when dual cultivating.
That's why the Witch-warlock bond is sacred as it always leads to marriage. So yeah. Forming A witch-warlock bond is like being betrothed to someone. It's like agreeing to be someone wife, and someone's husband, a reason why the Witch-warlock bond is optional to everyone, but of benefits to those who forge it.
Anyways, after digesting everything displaying, Zeal finally proceeded with what was displaying.
[Name: Zeal Imoh]
[Race: ???]
[Class:???{ Break the bond to select a class}]
[Grade:??? {Break the bond to receive a grade}]
[HBT: Normal]
[Level: 0]
[Exp: 0/50]
[HP:10/10]
[Strength: 10]
[Durability: 10]
[Dexterity:10]
[Stat points: 0]
[Savage points: 0]
Zeal looked at the screen, its crimson glow painting his face in war and wonder.
A thrill surged—he had a path, a purpose, a power.
But joy tangled with grief, like silk wrapped around thorns.
To break the bond was to betray her.
To keep it was to remain shackled.
The system offered strength, but at the cost of something sacred.
He felt like a man standing at the altar of his own undoing—
blessed, cursed, and utterly torn.
The system didn't stop just there though as there were some more texts displaying.
[Elemental magical]
{Ice spells- Limited}
[Quest Screen]
[Main Quest: Taminate the Witch-warlock bond]
After going through system and learning everything he possibly could, Zeal had to just think about closing the system and it did disappear from his sight. And when he thought of opening the system again, the screen would automatically pop in front of his eyes.
This left Zeal to wonder of all the benefits he might receive after terminating the bond, they were unknown, seems amazing but at the same time afraid to be disappointed. It left him to wonder though, wouldn't this betray his oath to Irine?
He was so conflicted, not knowing what to do at the moment. And thus, he choose to shove the thought to the back of his mind as tried to figure how he ended up in here.
And in that moment,
"You are finally awake." A sweet melody came from the entrance of the room that forced Zeal to quickly turn around.
His eyes landed on a young girl of the same age as his, charming that forced Zeal to a dazed state, with blood streaming down his nose with his heart skipping a bit.