The energy still hummed inside Aaron like an overcharged battery, crackling under his skin long after the battle had ended. He could feel the power coursing through his veins, surging and swirling like a storm he couldn't quite control. His hands tingled with it, the faint remnants of magic sparking off his fingertips as if it were alive, waiting to burst free again.
"That was... something," Tobias muttered, still catching his breath as he leaned against the alley wall. His eyes hadn't left Aaron since the moment he unleashed that massive wave of magic.
Aaron, who was still half dazed from the overwhelming rush of power, managed a shaky grin. "Yeah. I don't really know what I did back there, but hey, it worked, right?"
Gretna stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied Aaron with concern. "You tapped into the crystal's energy. That much is clear. But you have no idea what kind of long-term effects that could have on you."
Aaron shrugged, though his shoulders felt heavier than usual. "Long-term? I don't think we've got time to worry about the long-term right now. The Veil just got a taste of what I'm packing, and I'm guessing they're not gonna sit back and chill after that."
Gretna's expression darkened. "That's exactly what I'm worried about, Aaron. You don't understand. These magical amplifiers—" she gestured toward the cart, where the shattered remains of the crystal lay glowing faintly—"they're unpredictable. They were designed to enhance power, but the effects aren't always reversible. You could've overloaded your own magic. Burned yourself out."
Aaron's grin faltered as the gravity of what she was saying started to sink in. The surge of energy that had felt so exhilarating just moments ago suddenly didn't seem so thrilling. He glanced down at his hands, still crackling with tiny arcs of energy.
"So... what, I'm like a walking time bomb now?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light, though his stomach twisted with unease. "Any chance I can just turn it off?"
Gretna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's not that simple. The crystal boosted your magic, but it also destabilized it. The more you use your powers, the more unstable they'll become. You need to be careful."
Aaron exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Right. Careful. That's kind of the opposite of what just happened back there, huh?"
Tobias clapped him on the shoulder, his smile strained but supportive. "Hey, you saved our asses, Aaron. We wouldn't have made it out of there without you. Just... let's figure out how to keep you from blowing up next time, alright?"
Aaron chuckled, though the knot of anxiety in his chest didn't ease. "Yeah, next time, I'll try not to go full supernova on everyone."
As the adrenaline from the fight began to wear off, the reality of what they'd just done hit Aaron like a freight train. They had struck first. They had taken down members of The Veil and disrupted their supply line. It was a small victory, sure, but it also meant they had painted a giant target on their backs.
"We need to move," Gretna said, her voice snapping Aaron out of his thoughts. "The Veil will have felt what just happened. They'll send more after us, and they won't be caught off guard this time."
Aaron nodded, his mind already racing through what their next step should be. "So what's the plan? We hit another one of their supply routes? Maybe find out where they're hiding and blow the whole thing up?"
Gretna shot him a warning look. "You can't keep throwing your power around like that, Aaron. We're lucky we survived tonight."
"Yeah," Tobias added, his tone more serious than usual. "That was a big move, and they'll definitely retaliate. We need to lay low, regroup. Find a way to counter their next attack."
Aaron didn't like the idea of running. Not after what they'd just accomplished. But he knew Tobias and Gretna were right. They couldn't afford to get reckless. Not when the stakes were this high.
"Fine," Aaron muttered, kicking a loose piece of debris on the ground. "We lay low. But for how long? We can't just sit around waiting for them to make the next move."
Gretna crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "We won't have to wait long. They're already planning something big. I've been hearing whispers in the underground—The Veil is preparing for a major ritual. Something that could tip the balance of power in their favor."
Aaron's heart skipped a beat. "A ritual? What kind of ritual?"
"The kind that involves sacrificing someone with immense magical potential," Gretna said quietly, her eyes locking onto Aaron's. "Someone like you."
Aaron blinked, his brain struggling to catch up. "Wait, hold up. You're saying they want to sacrifice me?"
Tobias stepped closer, his face tight with concern. "It's a ritual to siphon power. If they sacrifice you, they could take all your magic—use it to fuel whatever twisted plan they've got."
Aaron's mind reeled. This was bad. Worse than bad. They didn't just want to control him—they wanted to consume him. Take his power and leave him... what? Dead? Drained? He wasn't even sure which option was worse.
"Okay," Aaron said, swallowing hard. "So now we've got a deadline. They want to kill me. Great. Just great."
Gretna nodded, her expression grim. "That's why we need to move fast. We need to find out where and when this ritual is happening, and we need to stop it before they get the chance to use you."
Aaron paced, the electric energy still buzzing in his veins making it impossible to stay still. "How do we even stop something like that? I'm barely keeping my powers from going haywire, and now we've got a secret society of magical lunatics coming after me?"
Tobias grinned, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "We've faced impossible odds before. We'll figure this out."
Aaron paused, staring at Tobias. He appreciated the optimism—he really did—but this felt different. This wasn't just some theater disaster or a street fight gone wrong. This was his life on the line. If they screwed this up, there was no coming back from it.
"Yeah," Aaron said softly, though his voice lacked its usual bravado. "I hope you're right."
That night, sleep didn't come easily. Aaron lay on his back in his small room above the theater, staring up at the cracked ceiling as the events of the evening replayed in his mind over and over.
The surge of power, the rush of magic, the way it had felt so natural and dangerous all at once. He'd never felt anything like it before—like he was holding the reins of a wild beast that could tear him apart at any moment if he wasn't careful.
His hands still tingled with the aftershock of it all. The faint hum of energy buzzed under his skin, even now, hours later, refusing to settle. Gretna had warned him that the crystal's effects might not fade right away, but Aaron hadn't realized just how much it would linger.
He turned over in bed, trying to shake the feeling that his body wasn't entirely his own anymore. Every muscle felt coiled, ready to spring, and his thoughts were a chaotic swirl of anxiety and anticipation.
In the back of his mind, he couldn't stop thinking about The Veil—how they had known about him all along, how they had set this trap, waiting for him to show up. And now, they wanted to sacrifice him.
Great, he thought bitterly, just what I needed: a cult of power-hungry psychos who want to kill me for my magic.
Aaron sighed, rolling onto his back again. Sleep wasn't happening. Not tonight.
With a groan, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, rubbing his face. Maybe if he walked around a bit, it would help clear his head.
He got up and wandered through the darkened theater, his footsteps echoing softly on the creaky wooden floor. The empty stage loomed in front of him, the dim moonlight filtering in through the high windows casting long shadows across the space.
Aaron stood in the center of the stage, staring out at the rows of empty seats. The theater had always been his sanctuary—a place where he could be himself, crack jokes, and escape from the weight of the real world. But now? Now it felt like everything was crashing down around him, and he didn't know how to stop it.
He raised his hands, staring at his fingers as tiny sparks of magic flickered between them. This power—it was his, but at the same time, it felt like it was slipping away, becoming something bigger than him. Something he couldn't control.
"You're not a hero," Aaron muttered to himself, the words bitter on his tongue. "You're just a guy trying to survive."
But deep down, he knew it wasn't enough. Surviving wasn't enough. If they were going to stop The Veil, he had to be more than just the sarcastic guy on stage. He had to be something else. Something stronger.
But can I really do this?
He wasn't sure.
The next morning, Aaron found himself in the theater's main room with Tobias and Gretna, sipping on stale coffee and pretending like he hadn't spent half the night pacing the stage.
"We're moving," Gretna said, breaking the silence as she set down a map of Nostoria on the table. "I've managed to narrow down the location of the ritual. It's happening soon—within the next two days."
Aaron's heart thudded painfully in his chest. "Where?"
Gretna pointed to a spot on the map—a secluded area on the outskirts of the city, near the old ruins. "It's isolated. Easy for them to perform the ritual without being disturbed."
Tobias leaned in, studying the map. "That's where they're going to try and... use Aaron's magic?"
Gretna nodded. "If they succeed, they'll take his power and use it to fuel their own magic. They could reshape the entire balance of power in Nostoria."
Aaron swallowed hard, the gravity of the situation settling over him like a heavy cloak. "And if we stop them?"
"Then we cut off their biggest source of power," Gretna said firmly. "And we stop them from taking control."
Aaron took a deep breath, trying to steel himself. This was it. This was their chance to strike. But it was also their most dangerous move yet.
"We'll be ready," Tobias said, his voice steady. "We're going to stop them, Aaron. You're not alone in this."
Aaron looked at Tobias, then at Gretna. The fear was still there, gnawing at the edges of his mind, but there was something else, too. A flicker of determination.
Maybe he wasn't a hero. Maybe he was just a guy trying to survive.
But maybe that was enough.
"Alright," Aaron said, his voice quiet but resolute. "Let's end this."