The cavern pulsed with an overwhelming energy, and for a moment, Torrack felt suspended in time. The dragon loomed above him, a magnificent creature embodying the very essence of power and wisdom. Kaelith stood beside him, her eyes wide with awe, instinctively bowing her head as the immense presence pressed down on them.
For what felt like an eternity, the dragon remained silent, surveying Torrack with ancient eyes that seemed to hold the weight of countless ages. Kaelith's heart raced, feeling the magnitude of the moment. She could sense Torrack's anxiety, his unease, but she also felt a strange kind of hope radiating from him, even in his blindness.
Finally, the dragon broke the silence. "I need to see if you are ready for what comes next, young boy. Come close to me. Ask that female to bring you to me; I need to touch you."
Torrack nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He turned toward Kaelith, who stepped forward, grasping his arm. "This way, Torrack," she said gently, guiding him closer to the colossal creature.
As they reached the dragon, Kaelith stepped back, allowing Torrack to stand before the being of legend. The dragon lifted one massive paw, its scales shimmering in the faint light of the cavern, each movement graceful despite its size. The sheer force of its presence was enough to make Torrack's knees feel weak.
"Do not fear," the dragon's voice resonated in his mind, wrapping around him like a warm embrace. "I will not harm you."
Torrack felt the weight of the dragon's paw as it touched the top of his head, an electric sensation coursing through him. It was as if the very essence of the dragon was flowing into him. "Now," the dragon spoke out loud, his voice rumbling through the cavern, "we both can hear me. Torrack, do you feel that energy moving out of your body?"
Torrack nodded slowly, overwhelmed by the sensation. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, an endless tide crashing against his very soul. "Maybe you are ready," the dragon mused. "Thank you for coming to me, young boy. I needed some more energy to continue with this conversation."
"Why have you come to me? "The Dragon asked. Torrack found his voice, though it trembled slightly. "I heard you might be able to cure my sight. Is this something you can do?"
The dragon's laughter boomed through the cavern, shaking the very ground beneath them. "Cure you? Give you sight? Oh, Torrack, I have been waiting… and waiting."
As the echoes of the dragon's laughter faded, he began to tell Torrack a story—a story woven with ancient threads, tales of glory and sorrow, of life and death. The dragon began, his tone shifting to one of somber reflection. "I was once revered as a god among my kind, and among humans, venerated for my strength and wisdom. But time has a way of stealing all that is vibrant and vital."
Torrack listened intently, feeling the weight of Shadow's words. "I have grown old, many millennia ago. My life is fading, and soon I will perish. I am tired of living this lonely existence, waiting for a time that no longer exists." I am also the last of my kind and have been for many centuries.
"Loneliness?" Torrack echoed, a pang of sympathy swelling in his chest. "But you are a dragon—a creature of power and majesty."
Shadow nodded slowly. "Indeed, I was once a being of great strength. But even dragons are bound by fate. I cannot go to the afterlife until I pass all my knowledge to something—or someone—else. It is fate that has brought you here, young boy."
"The dark god…" Torrack murmured, recalling the words of the old healer. "He brought me here."
"Yes," Shadow confirmed. "He helped you enter this world. Only someone from a different realm can receive all my power. You were chosen, Torrack. But this is not just a gift; it is a great responsibility. You will bear the weight of my legacy."
Torrack's mind spun with the enormity of Shadow's revelations. "What do you mean?" he asked, struggling to comprehend the implications. "What does it mean for me to bear your legacy?"
"This entire forest belongs to me," Shadow continued, his voice heavy with sorrow. "I have been feeding off its life for centuries, but there is no more time. I must pass on my knowledge and gifts, and you, Torrack, are the vessel I have chosen."
"Will I get my sight back if I receive your powers?" Torrack asked, hope igniting within him.
"Yes," Shadow replied, his voice steady. "But understand, this process is unlike anything you can imagine."
"What will happen to me? Will I transform or something?" Torrack pressed, a mix of excitement and fear coursing through him.
Shadow paused, his gaze penetrating. "I do not know. No one has ever received all my powers before. It is a process shrouded in mystery."
Torrack felt the weight of uncertainty settle upon him, but something deep within urged him to accept this fate. He was ready for whatever lay ahead. "Let's do this," he said firmly. "But first, what is your name, dragon?"
Shadow's massive form shifted slightly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I have been given many names over the centuries", but I call myself Shadow, so you may remember me by that name."
With that, Shadow lifted his paw once more, resting it gently on Torrack's head.
As soon as the dragon made contact, a massive surge of energy flooded into Torrack. It was overwhelming, an unstoppable force that coursed through his body, filling every cell with light and heat. Torrack gasped, feeling as though he were being torn apart from the inside out. The energy was pure, ancient, and vital, yet it was also chaotic and wild.
He dropped to his knees, the world spinning around him. "Kaelith!" he managed to shout, though it felt distant. He could hear her voice, faint and distant, but she was fading, just like everything else.
Torrack's vision blurred, and then his stomach turned violently. He leaned forward, throwing up the meager contents of his stomach onto the cave floor. It was a release of all that was inside him, but it did little to alleviate the surge of power flooding through him. Darkness closed in, and as he began to lose consciousness, he heard Shadow's voice resonate in his mind.
"Thank you," the dragon whispered, the warmth of its presence wrapping around him. "Thank you…"
And then everything went dark.