ALL NOVEL Chapter 4: Curse and first target.
She looks something like this now. Ignore that she has no arm; I'm not good at editing.'Wake up! Wake up!' The urgency in the voice awakened me from my sleep, replacing the peaceful vibes of the night with a sense of alarm. As my senses cleared, I felt the gentle weight of an arm over me in a lovely hug. Glancing to my side, I saw Mira's face; she was sleeping peacefully.
'Why did you wake me?' I asked telepathically, more out of curiosity than annoyance, but no one answered.
Before I could get an answer, the abrupt knock on the door surprised me, but not Mira; she seemed to be a heavy sleeper. Remnants of last night – clothes scattered and a curious strand of blonde hair looped around a chair – painted a striking picture of the events that had developed.
"Who's there?" I called out cautiously.
"Open the door! It's urgent," the voice outside replied, tinged with panic.
I cautiously approached the door, peeking out just enough to meet the person's eyes. However, with a surprising force, she barged in, pushing me aside. It was the Goddess.
"We need to secure this room immediately," she declared, moving a table and other objects against the door. The sound of commotion outside grew louder.
From the bed, Mira was cautious, her voice confused. "What's happening?"
Then, another voice, this one more desperate, pleaded from outside, "Please, let me in! I mean no harm. I want to protect you!"
As the situation intensified, Mira's demeanor changed. She lunged at the Goddess, her gaze manic. "You are the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen," she whispered, fingers closing around the Goddess's neck.
Reacting swiftly, the Goddess chanted a spell, releasing a brilliant light. Mira's grip loosened, and her eyes cleared, leaving her dazed.
"What just occurred?" Mira murmured, her eyes vacant.
The pounding on the door grew more intense. "Open up! I'll keep you safe," the voice outside promised, panic evident in his tone.
In a panicky voice, the Goddess explained, "I might have accidentally revealed my presence earlier; while drunk, I deactivated my invisibility spell. Do you know how Oersted's curse induces fear in everyone? Mine is somewhat different."
My impatience bubbled up, "And that is?"
"Anyone who lays eyes on me becomes uncontrollably attracted to me," she admitted, blushing from embarrassment.
The door shook under increased force, and a new voice joined the first, jealously screaming, "Leave her be! She's mine!"
Turning to Mira, I tried to break through her daze. "Mira, how powerful are you?"
She answered hesitantly, "Class A."
Chaos erupted outside, with the door finally giving way. "I'm here to rescue you!" one man cried, only to be tackled by another.
Deciding it was time to act, I lifted Mira and the Goddess. "We're leaving," I declared, determined to protect them from the madness that had ensued.
"Aren't both of you naked?" The Goddess asked, but we had no time to dress.
With the cold air hitting everywhere in my body, we hurriedly exited. The streets close to the bar and Mira's room were chaotic as people shouted, "She's mine!" and clashed with one another. The Goddess looked apologetic. "I didn't think it would go this far," she admitted.
Every jump from roof to roof, every swift maneuver, felt more liberating with our lack of attire. But it wasn't the time for exhibitionism. Our priority was escape.
Reaching the city wall, I took a final run through the exit. Finally, leaving the city. A few passersby noticed our predicament, their reactions a mix of shock, humor, and, for a few, a crazed look of desire; luckily, they lacked the speed to reach us.
I sighed, "Let's find somewhere to hide, and next time, Goddess, be careful with your spells."
Outside the city gates, the forest's dense canopy offered a brief break from prying eyes. I quickened our pace, hoping the thick vegetation would conceal us.
Once we found a relatively secluded spot, Mira finally snapped out of her daze. "Why am I in the middle of the woods without clothes?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing in confusion.
I gestured towards the Goddess, "She's the reason."
The Goddess nodded, remorse evident in her eyes. "I made a mistake."
I couldn't help but inquire, "Why didn't you just go invisible again after your mistake?"
She responded, "There's a cooldown for that spell. It's not something I can just toggle on and off."
Exhaling a sigh, I added, "When you can, head back to retrieve our clothes. And preferably without causing another town-wide frenzy."
A pressing question came up as I tried to piece together the prior evening. I asked the Goddess, 'Who's our first target based on your strategy?'
Her telepathic reply sent a rush of anticipation through me, 'Someone you would be eager to see. Sarah!'