The dark mage awoke with a start, his eyes snapping open as he felt the presence of a powerful source of magic nearby. He rose from his bed, his body stiff and sore from the long night of studying ancient tomes and practicing forbidden spells. He knew that he should be cautious, that the source of this magic could be dangerous or even hostile. But he couldn't resist the temptation to seek out its power.
He donned his black robes and made his way through the dimly lit halls of his fortress, his steps silent as he moved like a shadow through the darkness. As he drew closer to the source of the magic, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his palms slick with sweat.
Finally, he reached the room where the source of the magic was located. It was a small chamber, the walls lined with shelves of ancient texts and arcane artifacts. In the center of the room, there was a glowing orb of pulsing energy, surrounded by a swirling vortex of dark clouds.
The dark mage approached the orb, his eyes locked on its pulsing light. As he reached out to touch it, he felt a surge of power flow through his body, filling him with a sense of exhilaration and strength. He closed his eyes and whispered an incantation, feeling the magic course through his veins like a living thing.
As he opened his eyes, he saw that the room had changed. The shelves of ancient texts were now filled with glowing tomes of dark magic, and the vortex of clouds had grown larger and more menacing. He knew that he had unleashed something powerful, something that could change the course of his life and the fate of the world. And he was ready to embrace it, no matter what the cost.