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Kaelen's mind was a blur.
The darkness swallowed everything—the room, his friends, even himself. It was as if the very essence of the world had faded, leaving only an oppressive void. For a moment, Kaelen couldn't tell if he was alive or dead, trapped in a nightmare that had no end.
Then, a voice.
It was faint at first, like a whisper carried by the wind. But it grew louder, clearer. Kaelen could almost hear his name.
"Kaelen... Kaelen..."
His eyes snapped open, the darkness fading into a sickly green glow. His body was sprawled on the cold stone floor, and he could feel the weight of the orb's energy still pulsing within him, thrumming like a heartbeat. But it wasn't just the orb. The storm, that familiar rage that had always been with him, was merging with something else now. Something... ancient.
Slowly, Kaelen pushed himself up, his head swimming. His body felt like it was on fire, the storm inside him barely contained. The room around him was silent, save for the sound of his ragged breathing.
He blinked rapidly, trying to focus, but the shadows in the corners of his vision seemed to move, flickering with an energy he couldn't quite understand. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry, his voice hoarse.
"Kaelen?" Lira's voice echoed across the chamber, cutting through the haze in his mind. She sounded... different. More distant.
He turned, his vision still blurry, and saw her standing at the edge of the room. Garak and Dorian flanked her, both of them holding weapons, their expressions tense.
"Are you... alright?" Lira asked, her voice laced with concern. "What happened? You... you touched the orb, and then..."
Kaelen could feel their eyes on him, but their presence felt strangely detached, as though they were far away, like ghosts. His mind spun, and the storm inside him roared louder, demanding control.
"What... did I do?" Kaelen muttered, barely able to form words.
"You..." Garak paused, his eyes narrowing as he took a step forward. "You lost control. That thing... whatever it was, it took hold of you."
Lira's face was filled with worry. "We tried to stop you, but you were... gone. It was like you weren't even you anymore."
Kaelen looked down at his hands, his fingers trembling. The dark energy still pulsed within him, but now it felt... different. It wasn't just his power—it was something else, something deeper, something older.
"I... I couldn't control it," Kaelen admitted, his voice shaking. "It... it was like it took over me."
The storm surged again inside him, but this time, Kaelen felt something change. It wasn't just a power he could wield—it was a presence, a sentience, whispering to him, urging him to embrace it.
"Kaelen..." Lira's voice was softer now, her hand reaching toward him, but Kaelen took a step back, suddenly overwhelmed by the presence inside him. He didn't want to hurt her, but the power, the storm—it was pushing him.
"I need to get out of here," Kaelen muttered, his voice strained. "I need to get away from this place."
He turned sharply, not waiting for their response. His mind was clouded, the storm warring with his own thoughts. He could feel the orb's power still within him, coursing through his veins like poison.
Lira called after him, but Kaelen couldn't stop. His body moved on its own, carrying him out of the chamber, through the twisting corridors of the temple, toward an unknown destination.
---
As he walked, the walls seemed to close in on him. The weight of the dark energy pressed against him, suffocating him with each step. The storm inside him surged again, and Kaelen felt his control slipping. He could hear the whispers louder now—dark, tempting promises of power, of freedom.
"Embrace it, Kaelen. You were always meant for this," the voice cooed. "You are nothing without it. You are power."
Kaelen's fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't answer. He couldn't. The words felt too true, too familiar. But in the back of his mind, he could hear Lira's voice, distant but firm.
"Kaelen, don't forget who you are."
But Kaelen was lost in the storm now. The power surged, urging him forward, filling his every thought. He could feel the temple's energy growing stronger, the storm inside him echoing with it. This was it—this was what he had been seeking. This was the truth.
But the further he went, the more disoriented he became. The path seemed to stretch on endlessly, and the shadows in the corners of his vision grew darker, more insistent. He could hear the storm whispering, but now it was as if it was all around him, alive in the very walls of the temple.
"Kaelen..." A voice called out. But this time, it wasn't Lira's.
The voice was deep, ancient, and it came from everywhere, vibrating through the stone beneath his feet.
"Come closer, Kaelen."
A cold shiver ran down his spine. He stumbled forward, drawn by the voice, by the promise of answers, of power. The storm inside him pushed him forward, making him walk faster, until he came to a massive chamber, larger than any he had seen before.
At the center of the room was a vast pool of water, dark as night, its surface smooth and still. But within the water, something moved—something ancient, something alive.
"Is this... what you've been searching for?" the voice rumbled. "It is not too late. Come, and embrace your destiny."
Kaelen's heart raced as he stepped toward the water. The storm roared within him, the power surging with each step he took. He felt as if he were standing on the edge of a precipice, about to fall into an abyss that would consume everything he was.
"Do you see, Kaelen?" The voice was a whisper in his ear, though no one was there. "This is your true power. Accept it."
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