Lady of Curses

Aella saw the situation that was unfolding, and she tried to use [Curse of Weakness] again on the creature but nothing happened. Aella knew that it wasn't possible to use the same curse multiple times on the same target, but she had to try. 

Lying down on the ground, helpless, Aella couldn't do anything as her black eyes reflected the guard's fate. It probably wouldn't kill him, but he would get badly injured. While Aella's mind was racing the real world was still moving, and it only took a few seconds before the creature was ready to fire its shot. 

Seeing this Aella got ready for the sound and the result, but she didn't expect the actual outcome. Suddenly, green vines came bursting from the ground, wrapping themselves around the creature. In a blink of an eye, they fully immobilized the creature, all its limbs were tied, and before it could launch its attack the creature's head was forcefully angeled at the sky by the vines wrapped around its forehead. 

*Sssssssiv...* The ball of compressed air shot in the blue sky never to be seen again. After the attack was diverted, a vine penetrated the back of the creature's neck and a second later the same vine expanded in size, decapitating the creature while at the same time showering the horned guard in its blood.

Without its head, the body felt limp to the ground while the vines went back to the ground. ''What are you doing Adir?'' After all that a feminine voice could be heard, and the owner of it didn't sound happy.

Looking in that direction Aella saw who was the owner of the displeased voice, and it was Maya. She was standing some distance from the blood-soaked Adir with a judgmental stare. ''Just trying to preserve the peace in this settlement.'' Adir answered while at the same time cleaning some blood off his face.

''I presume getting your face blasted off wasn't part of the plan.''

''No, it wasn't, that thing had some kind of ability that didn't allow me to use mine when it was touching me.'' With most of the blood that was on his face cleaned, Adir looked back at Maya.''Plus it had some strength and endurance. I'm reckoning that before it became a mana gobbler it was someone who couldn't decide their path, or got too greedy becoming a jack of all, master of none.'' 

''I see, you think he became like this because of that?'' Looking with her three green eyes at the creature's corpse, Maya theorized why the mana gobbler showed up.

''Probably, after all, not many like him get summoned, and this one likely couldn't wait for his next advancement resulting in him absorbing too much mana in too short of time.'' Adir turned his in the same direction Maya was looking, while he voiced his thoughts.

''Well, a fool is a fool nothing we can change.'' Turning her head a little Maya saw Aella just laying there, and decided to approach her. ''How're you doing, healers should be here soon so just hand in there.'' Maya crouched down to get a better look at Aella while informing the laying girl that a healer should be here soon.

''If you don't count that my body is in agony... and it hurts a little to talk then I'm surprisingly good.'' While Aella answered Maya's question with a little sarcasm, she had other things on her mind. 

''I see..., as I said earlier someone should soon be here to take care of you, unfortunately, I need to do some things so I can't really accompany you, but you should be good, bye for now.'' Seeing Aella give a small nod, Maya stood up and went to do her own things.

Aella wasn't concerned about her physical status, well that's not true, but the concern was insignificant compared to her other problem, her mentality. Aella was pretty sure she shouldn't be so calm about all this, something was wrong but she didn't know what. The only soothing thing she could think of was that her mind was just in shock and she would get the full emotions later, but even that was getting some doubt from Aella.

Because of what happened yesterday, the whole surviving thing, her body changing, finding herself in an unknown place, those all would put some stress on a person's mind. Yes, she had a little breakdown in the forest, but that was all. Aella presumed that it was weird that she didn't break down this morning or at least give it some thought about all that but decided to visit the library.

Her mind is registering all that like it was nothing, and Aella was sure that she wasn't that mentally strong. It was somewhat of a problem if something or someone is messing with her mind, but of course, if whatever it is has no malicious intent and only wants to protect her, Aella didn't mind, after all not getting your mental state thrown in chaos was nice.

While Aella was having an inner debate about her mental state she started to feel somewhat warm. Getting out of her thoughts Aella started to look around as much as her physical state allowed. She didn't need to look far before she found the reason the warm sensation was coming from. 

Aella didn't know when but someone had gotten near her without Aella noticing, probably because she was immersed in her mind. The person's hand was emitting something similar to the sun's warm rays that were aimed at Aella. By this Aella concluded that this was the promised healer that came to take care of her wounds. 

While she was getting healed Aella took a better look at her savior. The healer looked like a young energetic girl, with a bright smile plastered on her face, her eyes looking at Aella like two golden suns, her gorgeous yellow hair slowly swaying in the wind while the sun reflected golden light from her locks, her dark skin contracting their golden glow. Her sun hat casts a shadow over her face while she herself protects Aella's eyes from the sun's rays.

Aella was captivated by this healer, so much so that she was the only thing she could concentrate on right now, the pain or the worry about her mental state just disappeared the moment Aella saw this sunny healer, the only thing that could get her out if this trance was the soothing voice that came next. ''Hey, it looks like you're back with us. Just give me a moment and you should be back to full health.'' The healer's smooth voice comforted Aella, while her bright smile reassured Aella that she was in safe hands.

The warmth Aella was experiencing from the healing slowly started to dissipate, until it was completely gone. ''You should be good to go.'' The healer said while offering her hand to Aella. Taking her hand Aella confirmed that truly her body wasn't in pain anymore and she could move her body freely without any complications. 

''Thank you.'' 

''You're welcome.'' The healer's bright smile remained as she answered to Aella's gratitude. ''But you're quite unlucky, you were the only one that was this seriously injured in this incident.'' 

''Do these kinds of incidents happen often?'' Aella was curious and wanted to know if something similar would occur any time soon.

''No not really, usually the inside of the settlement is safe, and even if something like the mana gobbler appears like this one the lord gets rid of them pretty fast. It just happens that this time the lord was summoned at the moment, so the guards took the lord's place.'' 

Hearing the healer's explanation made Aella think that she truly was somewhat unlucky that something like this happened on her second day in this world, but at least she survived. 

''We need a healer here!'' Aella wanted to talk with this healer more and ask some questions, but it seems she was needed elsewhere.

''Comming!'' The healer turned and answered the call before she turned back and looked at Aella. ''It was nice meeting you, but I got to go.'' Giving one last smile the healer turned on her heel and went to where she was needed.

''Right, the library!'' Turning her gaze away from the healer's retreating back, Aella remembered her initial goal, before she was pulled into this mess. Getting back on track Aella made her way to the library, with the goal in mind of finding more information about everything that was going around her and with hope to get some answers to her questions.