The lightning, his once obedient servant, now thrummed with a wild, untamed life of its own.
In the heart of the storm, a shadow loomed. It was not just a shadow but a sentient force that had lain dormant.
His actions, meant to purify, had instead opened a pathway for this ancient entity to reconnect with this plane.
The presence surged through the connection they shared, filling Lassim with dread so profound it chilled his very soul.
His mind raced with horror as his brain froze upon coming in contact with whatever this being was.
Mari’s voice, urgent and fraught with worry, cut through the turmoil. "[Lassim, you must stop now! This entity, whatever it is, it’s ancient and dangerous. We must sever the connection!]"
Zaphy, usually the spirit of unbridled enthusiasm, added her plea, her voice trembling with the force of the storm. "[Brother, it’s too strong! Stop right now! It’s so scary!]"
But the entity was formidable. Each attempt Lassim made to pull back his energy seemed futile, as if the ancient being had subtly entwined itself with the very essence of the realm.
Straining against the overwhelming presence, Lassim felt every bit of his power dwarfed in the face of this ancient consciousness. He specifically had a feeling like it wasn’t even looking at him or had even noticed his presence. It was just such an incredibly powerful and awe filled existence.
The sky erupted with a blinding flash as Lassim, with a desperate effort, wrenched himself away from the connection, severing the bond with a force that left him gasping, weakened, and deeply shaken on the cold, hard ground.
As he lay there, the silent, ominous weight of what he had touched—a sliver of Khaalseru’s immense, slumbering consciousness—loomed over him.
It hadn’t spoken, hadn’t moved, yet the mere brush against such a colossal will left Lassim haunted by the chilling realization of the entity’s existence and the dark potential it held if ever fully awakened.
Sanvra and the team, who had been stationed at a safe distance to observe and monitor the experiment, rushed towards Lassim as the last remnants of the storm dissipated into the cold night. Their feet crunched through the frost-covered ground, their faces etched with concern.
As they approached, they found Lassim lying on the ground, his breathing labored, his face pale under the constant moonlight.
Sanvra was the first to reach him, kneeling beside him, her hand reaching out to check his pulse.
"[Lassim!]" she exclaimed, her voice laced with worry. "[Can you hear me? What happened? Are you alright?]"
Lassim’s eyes fluttered open, his gaze unfocused as he tried to orient himself.
He managed a weak nod, still gasping for air. "[I—I’m not sure...]" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "[It was something vast... ancient... I felt like it didn’t even notice me, like I was nothing more than a speck of dust to it.]"
Zaphy had materialized outside and hovered anxiously and protectively nearby, her form flickering with residual static energy. "[It was so scary, Sanvra! The storm grew wild, and he...
he just collapsed!]" Her voice was tinged with residual fear as she sent a mental connection to Sanvra, a first for her as she just instinctively tried it when previously in the Spirit Induction stage she wasn’t able to.
A Drow that was a member of one of the hunting teams but had recently signed up to be a guard for Lassim approached carrying a heavy medical kit.
He pushed through to Lassim’s side, his experienced hands quickly assessing the young man’s condition. "[Let’s get him stabilized first. We can figure out what he’s mumbling about after he’s recovered,]" he stated, pulling out some basic first aid supplies.
As they tended to him, Mari, quieter and more composed than Zaphy, added, "[It was more powerful than anything we’ve ever sensed Sanvra. This entity, this consciousness—it was beyond our current understanding. Lassim, did it communicate anything to you? Any intent or emotions?]"
Lassim shook his head slightly, the memory of the encounter still vivid and terrifying in his mind. "[No, nothing at all. There was no communication, just an overwhelming presence. It felt like touching the mind of a sleeping giant, unaware of my existence but terrifying in its mere being.]"
Sanvra, seeming to have an inkling of what he was referring to, had her eyes light up briefly with a flash of white before dimming quickly before anyone could notice. "[We need to be cautious,]" Sanvra said softly, her eyes fixed on Lassim. "[Whatever was encountered today, we’ll learn more about it later. We should first document everything that happened and keep a close watch on this location.
If his interaction has stirred something within the realm, we may need to prepare for unforeseen consequences.]"
Master Tolen nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed in thought. "[Indeed. And perhaps we should consider limiting further experiments of this nature until we have a better grasp of what we’re dealing with. For now, let’s focus on Lassim’s recovery and maintain a vigilant observation on the environmental changes around the barriers.]"
As they helped Lassim to his feet, supporting him as they made their way back to the village, the group was quiet, each lost in their thoughts about the implications of what had just transpired.
The air, although still filled with the cold of the eternal winter, seemed charged with a new tension, a silent acknowledgment of the unknown they had just glanced at.
As they reached the village, Lassim found himself grappling with an uneasy blend of awe and terror.
The encounter with the ancient consciousness, though brief, had left a profound imprint on his psyche.
Now alone in his cabin after being assisted inside, he rested on one of the chairs under the dim glow of the enchanted fire stove. He mulled over the limits of his powers, the vastness of what he had touched, and his role in this complex tapestry of ancient magic and current crisis.
His hands trembled slightly as he poured himself a drink of some herbal water, an attempt to steady his nerves.
Meanwhile, Sanvra walked along the snow-covered paths of the village, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
As Khaalseru’s high priestess, she had always believed in the deep connections and the divine plans of the gods, but Lassim’s recent encounter had brought a new urgency and a plethora of questions.
Standing under the shadow of the towering clouds above that forever trapped the moon in a cage similar to their own, she looked up at the pockets past them where stars’ light barely peeked through. She pondered a new heavy responsibility now resting on her shoulders.
Internally, she debated the wisdom of sharing the full depth of her suspicions with Lassim.
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On one hand, she knew that knowledge could empower him, perhaps prepare him for what might come; on the other hand, the burden of such knowledge could be overwhelming.
"He is the star that was foretold, isn’t he? The one meant to guide us through this realm’s eternal darkness," she thought to herself, the weight of prophecy mingling with her protective instincts towards Lassim. Her heart was torn between her duty as a priestess and her growing fondness for the young man who had become so crucial to their community’s future.