Torrack sat quietly in his chamber, the weight of the day's events still settling in his mind. He had managed to save Prince Aidan from the curse, transferring the dark energy into the Shadowbane Lily. But as he stared at the plant, now resting on the windowsill, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was still so much more he needed to understand.He could sense the curse within the plant, its energy simmering just beneath the surface, but no longer malevolent or chaotic. It was almost… peaceful.
Torrack knew he had made progress, but he wanted to understand the curse on a deeper level, to learn its secrets. He wondered if he could reach out to it again, enter that strange dreamlike state where he had first made contact with the curse's consciousness.Closing his eyes, Torrack focused his breathing, slowing his heart rate as he cleared his mind. He reached out with his aura, extending it towards the Shadowbane Lily.
He could feel the energy of the plant resonating with his own, a connection forming between them. Slowly, he allowed his consciousness to slip deeper, moving beyond the physical plane and into the shadowy realm where he had encountered the curse.
The familiar sensation of falling enveloped him once more, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself back in that dark, twisted landscape. But this time, things felt different. The air around him was charged with energy, vibrating with a power he hadn't felt before. He looked down at his hands and saw his aura glowing brighter than ever, pulsing with a vibrant intensity.
Torrack stretched out his aura, testing its limits, and was surprised at how far it extended, reaching beyond the shadowy terrain and into the darkness beyond. He could feel the landscape around him reacting to his presence, bending and shifting in response to his energy.
It was as if he was not just in the curse's mind but in a place where his aura had a physical presence, where it could interact with the world around him.With a deep breath, Torrack focused his aura further, reaching out towards the heart of the darkness.
He could sense the presence of the curse, still lurking somewhere in the shadows. But now, it seemed less like a frightened child and more like a curious observer, watching him from a distance."Are you there?" Torrack called out, his voice echoing through the void. "I want to talk to you. I want to understand you."For a moment, there was silence, only the faint hum of energy vibrating in the air.
Then, slowly, the darkness began to shift, forming into the familiar shape of the child he had seen before. But this time, the child seemed different—less afraid, more confident, as if he had grown stronger since their last encounter."You're back," the child said, his voice calm and steady.
"Why?"Torrack stepped forward, his aura radiating warmth and sincerity. "I want to learn more about you," he said. "About what you are, where you come from. I want to understand why curses like you exist and if there's more to your existence than just bringing pain and suffering."The child tilted his head, his eyes glowing with a strange light. "I don't know why I exist," he said softly. "I was born from the prince's pain and fear. But now…
I feel different. I feel… alive."Torrack nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. "Curses are alive," he murmured. "They have thoughts, feelings. They can change, evolve. Maybe they can even be something more than just a curse."He stretched out his aura further, feeling it wrap around the child, enveloping him in a gentle embrace.
The child didn't resist, instead, he seemed to welcome the contact, leaning into Torrack's aura as if seeking comfort.As Torrack focused his energy, he felt a new sensation, something he had never experienced before. His aura seemed to take on a life of its own, stretching beyond his control, reaching out into the darkness. He could feel it wrapping around objects, touching them, moving them.
He felt a strange thrill, a sense of power he had never known.He looked at his hands, flexing his fingers, and watched in awe as his aura responded, stretching out like a pair of invisible limbs, grasping at the shadows around him. He could feel the objects in the darkness, their shapes and textures, as if he were holding them in his own hands. It was exhilarating, intoxicating."What are you doing?" the child asked, watching him with a mixture of curiosity and awe."I don't know," Torrack admitted, a grin spreading across his face. "But it feels… incredible."He reached out with his aura again, this time focusing on a small, shadowy object nearby.
He could feel its weight, its shape, as if it were a solid object in his grasp. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled it towards him, watching as it flew through the air and landed in his hand.Torrack laughed, a sense of exhilaration flooding through him.
He had never felt so alive, so powerful. He wanted to push further, to see what else he could do in this strange realm, where his aura seemed to have a physical presence.He turned to the child, his eyes shining with excitement. "There's so much we can learn here," he said. "So much we can do. I want to understand more about this place, about you. Will you help me?"The child nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "I think I would like that," he said. "There's so much I don't understand either. Maybe we can learn together."Torrack's heart swelled with determination. He knew this was just the beginning, a first step into a world of endless possibilities. He would continue to explore this strange realm, to learn more about curses and auras, to push the boundaries of what he thought was possible.As he drifted back to the physical world, his mind buzzing with excitement, he knew he had found a new purpose. He would stay in the castle, study with the king's scholars, train with the knights, and continue to explore the depths of his own abilities. There was so much more to discover, so much more to learn.But for now, he was content to rest, to let his mind settle, to prepare for the challenges ahead. He had a feeling that this was only the beginning of a much larger journey, one that would take him to places he had never imagined, and he was ready to face whatever lay ahead.