Lira and Alexander exchanged glances, the tension that had built up between them slowly dissipating. They both let out a collective sigh of relief. The experiment had worked, and the mouse had survived the infusion of energy both from Alexander and the blood-red crystal.
"Well, that was… unexpected," Lira said, a hint of amusement playing on her lips. She reached forward and carefully scooped the mouse up, placing it back in the cage where it immediately curled up, still glowing faintly from the absorbed magic. The tiny creature looked oddly content, like it had just been through a magical feast.
As Lira closed the cage and turned toward Alexander, there was a playful glint in her eyes, her raised eyebrows challenging him as if to say, *What next?*
Alexander, sensing her unspoken challenge, smiled briefly before his gaze shifted to the blood-red crystal resting in the glass container. Without hesitation, he reached out and grasped the crystal, feeling its smooth surface warm to the touch.
As soon as his skin made contact with it, a surge of power shot through him, like a sudden rush of warmth that coursed from his fingertips to the very core of his being. The moment his fingers closed around it, Alexander felt an intense rush of energy coursing through his body. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced—a torrent of power so vast and abundant that it seemed to fill every fiber of his being. He felt the blood-red energy flow into him, as if the crystal were a conduit, an endless wellspring of life that nourished him from within.
Without a word, Alexander sat down cross-legged, grounding himself as he prepared to fully absorb the crystal's energy. His breath deepened as he slipped into a meditative state, his surroundings fading into the background. In his mind's eye, the world around him vanished, leaving only the magic space within—a vast internal landscape where his powers dwelled.
Inside this space, Alexander saw the familiar sight of stars that symbolized his magic. They were twinkling faintly, their light dim after his previous exertions. But as the blood-red energy from the crystal began to flow through his body, those stars grew brighter, their light intensifying with every moment. Below the stars, the once dry and barren landscape of his magic space was now showing signs of life, as if a drought-stricken field was slowly being revived by nourishing rains. Patches of green appeared, spreading across the desolate ground.
As he delved deeper into meditation, Alexander's entire body seemed to become transparent in his mind's eye. He could see the intricate network of magic circuits running through him, lines of energy that connected every part of his being. The blood-red energy flowed through these circuits like a river, flowing freely and revitalizing every part of his being. The sensation was intoxicating, filling him with a sense of strength and renewal unlike anything he'd ever known.
The energy entering his body took two distinct paths: one stream followed his throat into his heart, while the other descended through his esophagus into his abdomen. Alexander's consciousness instinctively followed the larger of the two streams, the one that flowed into his heart.
As the blood-red energy surged into his heart, Alexander's attention was drawn to the dark power residing within his left atrium. Inside his heart, in the left atrium, the dark power that he had been struggling with for so long had taken root. It had already occupied a significant part of the atrium, its dark tendrils reaching deep into his essence.
Now, under the relentless pressure of the blood-red energy, the dark power was being forced to retreat and shrink, its grip weakening. Yet, even as the dark energy receded, Alexander noticed something that filled him with unease. A small portion of the blood-red energy was being absorbed by the dark power. It was slow, almost imperceptible, but it was there—feeding it, helping it grow stronger.
Seeing that, an idea occurred to him. Perhaps he could guide the blood-red energy, limit it in a way that would trap the dark power.
He concentrated, focusing his mind on the blood-red energy flowing into the left atrium. Slowly, he began to guide the energy, shaping it with his will. He imagined the blood-red energy forming a protective barrier around the dark power, wrapping it like a cocoon, trapping it inside.
It was a delicate process. Every time the blood-red energy wrapped around the dark power, the darkness tried to consume it. But Alexander persisted, using all his concentration to ensure the cocoon remained intact. Minutes passed, though it felt like hours, but finally, the dark power was fully encased in a blood-red cocoon. The cocoon pulsed with the same vibrant energy as the blood-red crystal, shimmering with an almost liquid quality as it surrounded the dark power.
Alexander exhaled slowly, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. It was not a perfect solution-The darkness within was still eating away at the energy slowly-, but for now, it was enough. The cocoon would at least slow the dark power's growth, buying him time to figure out a more permanent solution.
But as he focused entirely on keeping the dark power sealed away, something else happened—something unexpected. Deep within the blood-red crystal, an energy body that had been hidden from sight stirred, had entered his body alongside the rest of the energy. It was subtle, masked by the overwhelming flow of the crystal's power, but it had followed the second stream of energy that had slipped into Alexander's abdomen unnoticed, embedding itself deep within him. This energy, unlike the rest, had a distinct presence—an awareness, almost as if it had a will of its own.
It remained unnoticed by Alexander, who was still basking in the relief of having controlled the dark power. The hidden energy pulsed faintly, waiting, as if it were biding its time.
After a few minutes, Alexander slowly opened his eyes, his meditation coming to an end. He exhaled deeply, a sense of relief washed over him, and he allowed himself a small smile.
Lira, who had been watching quietly from the side, smiled as she saw him emerge from his deep meditation. "How do you feel?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.
Alexander blinked a few times, still adjusting to the return of his normal senses. "Better than I expected," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. "The blood-red energy... it's powerful. I have fully recovered."
"And, an extra surprise." A fireball of normal flame appeared in his left hand. "I think I've managed to contain the dark power for now."
"That's incredible, Alexander." Lira's smile widened, her eyes full of admiration and curiosity. "How did you do that?"
"You're really getting stronger, Alexander." After hearing what Alexander did, Lira praised him again.
He nodded, though a lingering sense of unease remained. "But I'm not sure how long I can keep it contained. The dark power is still absorbing some of the energy. It's slow, but it's growing."
"We'll figure it out," Lira assured him, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "For now, you've made progress, and that's what matters."
And deep within his lower abdomen, the hidden energy pulsed faintly once more, waiting to reveal its true nature.