[ A curse that even Rezo can't easily break is not beyond imagination. If he were all powerful, he would have lived a very different life. But the unsuccessful Flow Break seems taxing to Rezo, and that shouldn't be the case, should it? He could just be tired from travel and work...

That's no explanation. This is the same man Zelgadis knew he couldn't take on without the Philosopher's Stone. Rezo has not come out of death unscathed.

He asks his question before Zel can formulate one of his own, and he's forced to switch gears. ]

I presumed as much, given that it's a water-based curse.

[ There's a tinge of uncertainty in his voice, and it's only in part because he's second-guessing his assumption.

The curse being the same isn't a leap of logic to make, but they won't know for sure until the other shoe drops. ]

Even then, the curse on the villagers seemingly targets "humans", though it could be that "sapience" is the real deciding factor. Best-case scenario, I find out what being one-third cursed entails.

[ That would be funny if the stakes weren't so high.

The worst-case scenario is impossible to guess with so many unknown factors at play.

Whatever is wrong with Rezo can't remain an unknown factor, for both of their sakes. ]

Here's what I do know. We're both going to be a lot worse off if you don't tell me what your deal is. I can buy that we're facing a powerful opponent here, but I've never seen a healing spell take that much out of you.

[ Right before Rezo had to give up on Flow Break, he looked like neither the miracle-working Great Sage nor the terrible sorcerer that would have sacrificed anything and everything to see the world with his own eyes.

There was only an old man sitting there. ]