“The First Aspect? Isn't that the one who cursed the various races that refused to serve her?”
“That’s right. She is the source of the curse.”
“So, if I get rid of her, the curse will end?” Alex swallowed hard, feeling a lump in his throat.
“Yes, but getting rid of her is impossible under these circumstances,” replied the Lady, her tone shrouded in mystery.
“Why?”
“You’ll see. The important thing is this: the source of the Gnoll curse is here. This is my gift to you. What do you want to do with her?”
“What can I do with her?”
“Whatever you want.”
Alex noticed the Lady had been intentionally vague in her response, and the expression on her face suggested something was preventing her from speaking clearly. Curiosity and fear mingled within him.
“What’s wrong with her? What are those worms crawling all over her body?”
The chained woman was infested with insects and repulsive bugs that constantly moved over her skin. Pale larvae and necrophagous worms crawled over her limbs, while beetles and other carrion insects dug small tunnels in her flesh. It seemed as though her body was in a perpetual state of decomposition, kept alive only by the dark magic of the curse.
The woman’s skin, pale and withered, was dotted with dark spots and oozing sores from which the insects emerged. The stench of rotting flesh filled the room, making Alex instinctively cover his nose.
“She is trapped in an endless cycle of decay and regeneration,” explained the Lady. “It’s the physical manifestation of the curse she cast upon the races. Her suffering is unending, and her power is bound. Most of her power was taken away, but the other Aspects have shared a small portion of theirs with her, just enough to keep her alive. Many different things plague her: curses, primordial pains, limitations that the current Aspects should receive but instead share with her. Others come from both new and ancient horrors that feed on her suffering and misery.”
A chill ran down Alex’s spine as he took in the macabre scene. He knew dealing with this abomination would not be easy, but he also understood it was the key to freeing the Gnolls from their torment.
“She suffers the consequences of the curses eternally because the other Aspects keep her alive? Why don’t they just release her?”
“This is how they circumvent the restrictions. Whenever they need to be punished, they redirect most of the punishment to her. Everything that torments her grows stronger by feeding on her suffering.”
Alex looked at the Aspect again, trying to see something in her eyes. However, he could only see two long centipedes constantly crawling in and out of her eye sockets, feasting on the regenerating eyeballs. This vision brought back the chills, making him tremble with fear.
“Then what do I do?” Alex asked, his voice trembling.
“You have two options,” the Lady said enigmatically. “You can start destroying her slowly and gradually. This would greatly weaken the other Aspects and destabilize the balance of power, weakening the entire world. Or you can insert your own power into her, one that acts like a parasite, feeding off and taking over the Gnoll curse. This would allow you to break the curse over time and make yourself stronger.”
Alex fell silent, pondering the options. The idea of destabilizing the entire world filled him with fear. However, the other option, though risky, offered hope for the Gnolls and an opportunity for him to gain power.
After much deliberation, Alex made his decision. “I’ll choose the latter,” he said finally. “I’ll insert my own power into her.”
The Lady nodded, a glint of approval in her eyes. “It’s a dangerous decision, but also the wisest. Prepare yourself, for the path you’ve chosen will not be easy.”
Alex approached the chained woman, his trembling hand forming a fist. Following the Lady’s guidance, Alex channeled all his power, activating his tattoos and enveloping his fist in a faint crimson glow, then extended it toward her. Upon contact, he felt a surge of dark, twisted energy that almost made him recoil. But he held firm, concentrating his power and letting it flow into her, like a silent poison infiltrating her system, which finally formed a beetle on the Aspect’s forehead.
Immediately, Alex felt a sort of connection, a knowledge and a strange but faint power settling in his arm and slowly climbing to his forehead.
The woman let out a guttural moan, her body shaking violently. The insects and parasites on her skin began to writhe and fall off, as if something inside her was expelling them, though futilely as they soon returned to her.
“Well done,” whispered the Lady. “You’ve taken the first step towards a new destiny, both for you and for the Gnolls. You’ll need to return regularly to renew your curse upon her and claim the portion that your curse has seized, about every three to four months.”
Alex watched as the woman began to calm down, her breathing becoming more regular. He knew the process would be long and arduous, but for the first time, he felt a spark of hope.
The air in the room seemed to clear a bit, and Alex took a deep breath, preparing himself to face the consequences of his choice.
He felt conflicted. On one hand, resorting to this method made him feel dirty and impure. His internal nature energy tried to push him towards the other resolution, wanting to cleanse such rot from the face of the planet. He could almost hear the voices of nature spirits whispering in his mind, urging him to eliminate all this corruption once and for all.
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However, his ash energy incited him to not see this as a life but rather as a necessary sacrifice. It was an opportunity to use another's suffering to gain power, a sacrifice not paid by his people and that would make him and his people stronger. The ashes whispered promises of power, of strength, of revenge against those who had cursed the Gnolls.
“Are you okay?” The Lady’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Alex blinked and looked at the chained woman, seeing her body tremble under the influence of his power.
“Yes, it’s just that... I feel like I’m choosing between two parts of myself,” Alex admitted, his voice laden with uncertainty.
The Lady observed him with a penetrating gaze. “Every choice has its consequences, Alex. Nature calls you to purify, but the ashes call you to take what you need. This is the dilemma of anyone who wields such opposing powers.”
“How can I be sure I’ve made the right choice?” Alex felt a knot of doubt tightening in his chest.
“There is no certainty in this, only conviction,” replied the Lady. “Life is full of hard choices. Sometimes, to achieve a greater good, we must dirty our hands.”
Alex nodded slowly, his thoughts tangled in a web of conflicting emotions. He looked at the chained woman, now calm, and the crimson beetle on her forehead, a mark of his power. He wondered how long his journey down this dark path would be and how many times he would have to renew the curse on her.
“Do I really need to return every three or four months?” he asked, hoping for confirmation or perhaps an alternative.
“That’s right,” confirmed the Lady. “The curse will feed on her and your power. You’ll need to return to strengthen your influence and claim what your curse has taken. This is the pact you’ve made.”
Alex prepared to leave, feeling the weight of his decision. Each time he renewed the curse, each time he claimed the power it had seized from her, he would remind himself why he did it: for his people, for the freedom of the Gnolls, and for the strength he needed to face the other Aspects.
The air in the room seemed to clear a bit, and Alex took a deep breath, preparing himself to face the consequences of his choice. He knew the process would be long and arduous, but for the first time, he felt a spark of hope.
As he walked away, he couldn’t help but reflect on the duality within him. Each energy tried to pull him in a different direction, and he would have to find a way to balance them to keep his humanity intact. His mind returned to the image of the centipedes feasting on the woman’s eyeballs, a reminder of the darkness he was immersed in.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure," Alex murmured to himself.
“You must stay strong, Alex,” said the Lady, as if reading his thoughts. “Power corrupts, but it also gives you the tools to change the world. Only you can decide how to use it.”
With these words resonating in his mind, Alex concluded this matter and, together with the Lady, left the room, ready to face the challenges ahead. He knew that every decision he made from now on would shape him, not just as a leader of his people, but also as a human being.
Now Alex could return to the matriarchs and truly ensure he had a way to deal with the curse. It was no longer an exaggeration or a maybe in the future; he now possessed the knowledge to begin. He had received a portion of the curse’s power by inserting his strength and had a way to alter it.
Alex and the Lady returned slowly to where the meeting was taking place in silence. The Lady decided to give Alex the space he needed to reflect on the events that had occurred.
Before reaching the area, Alex stopped and faced the Lady.
“Are you also an Aspect?”
“You are a keen observer.”
“…”
“No and yes, I am not an Aspect per se, rather I am part of one.”
The Lady saw the disbelief on his face and proceeded to explain, "Every relatively large forest has its own spirit, and we are all connected through the roots of the world. Together, we form the Aspect Magran."
"In what way are the forest spirits different?" Alex inquired.
"In every way, essentially. For example, I adopt this form and am called The Lady. In other parts, they may take on different forms and styles. Each one has a separate memory, and the only thing that unites us is the central will of the Aspect Magran. Therefore, we can't intervene too much in the affairs of beings beyond our intrinsic function, which is to distribute the benefits we gain from thwarted invasions."
"I see. It's a good thing I asked. It could have been dangerous if I entered another forest thinking I knew its spirit."
"You’re already thinking about conquering another forest when you haven’t even pleased this one?" The Lady teased.
Alex was taken aback, frozen in place.
"I'm just joking. There's no need to blush. Anyway, let's go see what the other beasts have to say."
Alex, slightly embarrassed, soon regained his composure. As they returned to the hall, he saw the six creatures still engaged in their disputes, arguing as if reaching a consensus was toxic.
"Very well then, since it’s been decided that we will recognize Alex, do you have any questions?"
The great creatures furrowed their brows or performed a similar action upon hearing The Lady unilaterally declare Alex as the sovereign.
The first to speak was the silver-backed lion. "What does this mean for you, boy? What do you plan to achieve in the future?"
"The Iretar Peninsula is very large, and although I don't have a way to know the exact dimensions, the forest uses no more than a third of its surface. The reason we remain in the forest is to increase our strength to the point where we can go out and claim the rest. For the forest itself, I only hope to use the outskirts."
Next was the wolf. "You have no claims on the resources within and the beasts that inhabit it?"
"At first, no. The resources are useful to me, but I don't plan to enter the forest to fight for more. Besides, I don't think it's necessary. Now that we know each other, I wholeheartedly believe that sooner or later you will contact me to trade resources. For me, trade is the best way because it will benefit us all and grow our trust."
Then came the great gorilla. "What about the armies? How do you plan to defend the forest?"
"Against armies from other factions in Glamoria, it goes without saying that it will be my responsibility. For invasions from other planes, I will participate but on equal footing with you. If you want me to contribute more, I expect compensation for it."
Somehow, the great gorilla didn't seem to like that answer but asked no more questions. Next was the great stag.
"Boy, how confident are you in carrying out your plan?"
"Forming a kingdom in Iretar? If I focus only on the south, it's practically a done deal. The problem is dealing with the north. At the moment, the factions of the two great Aspects fighting for dominance are in a heated battle, and I must seize this opportunity to cut any influence they have in the area. It will be more difficult and bloody, but I believe it's possible. You could say I have 70% confidence."
Both the griffin and the dragon asked no questions, and so The Lady declared the meeting concluded.
"My dear Alex, I have more things to do with these unruly children, so you'll have to leave first. But before you go, allow me one last thing."
The Lady approached and took Alex's necklace. It represented his union with nature and seemed to feel a kind of ecstasy when touched by The Lady, beginning to emit a green glow. She whispered words to the necklace that, surprisingly, Alex could not recognize. Then it returned to its normal state as if nothing had happened. No matter how much Alex tried to find what had changed in the necklace, he could not find anything, not even by searching within his own soul.
"Thank you very much for everything. If there's nothing else, I'll leave with Athena."
The Lady stayed there, waving goodbye until Alex could no longer be seen.
"I really hope he succeeds. I wouldn't like to fall into Sera's hands."