The Endless Night
Time passes—or so I assume. Days, weeks, maybe months have slipped by, but it's hard to know when you're trapped in an endless night. The world here is smothered in darkness, where shadows grow heavier, and the quiet whispers of the void start to feel like company. I've been improving, getting stronger, sure, but this place is suffocating. It feels like it's slowly gnawing away at my patience. Homizd told me I'd get used to it, that the monotony would fade, but that thought unsettles me more than anything. I don't want this to feel normal.
To distract myself, I've thrown everything into honing my Absolute Insight. It's at a point now where it can handle analyzing vast amounts of information without breaking a sweat—or, you know, without breaking me . The issue? Time. It takes so damn long. When I asked it to break down the curse enveloping the forest, I was equal parts impressed and frustrated—it estimated fifteen years to fully crack the mystery. Fifteen. Years. I'll probably have gray hair by then, if this cursed world even allows for such luxuries. Still, it provided some surface-level details on the curse, enough to keep me on edge.
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The Forbidden Forest Curse
Name: Eternal Veil
Type: Ancient Dark Magic
Nature: The curse has turned the forest into a sealed-off prison, trapped in eternal shadow. It denies both entry and escape, leaving the forest locked in a ceaseless night.
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What It Does
- Anyone who approaches is hit with this sickening sense of disorientation, like the world is slipping through their fingers. Time becomes meaningless.
- Light—natural or otherwise—doesn't stand a chance. Even flames flicker out, suffocated.
- The forest itself feels alive. Whispers rise from the trees, and shadows slink and crawl like they're watching you.
Magical Anomalies
1. The Black Mist: A dense, crawling fog that clouds sight and muffles sound.
2. Shifting Paths: The forest distorts space itself, constantly looping travelers back to their starting point.
3. Shadow Guardians: Invisible creatures protect the forest, striking anyone foolish enough to test the curse's boundaries.
Origins of the Curse
The Eternal Veil wasn't placed here by some god—not even close. It was woven by an ancient entity. As punishment or retribution, who knows? But for some reason, it decided the forest deserved this prison.
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Breaking this curse would undo everything:
- The forest would awaken, sunlight spilling across its twisted, broken landscape.
- People trapped inside would be freed.
- The mist and those shadowy guardians would vanish like a bad dream.
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When I first read all this, none of it shocked me. Homizd had already told me bits and pieces before. But one part stuck with me: it wasn't a god who cursed this place. It was something older, something ancient. That revelation hit hard. The idea of gods, of divine intervention? It feels laughable now. Perhaps it always was.
After sitting with this for a while, I realized I needed to do more. I asked Homizd to teach me a few spells, just the basics. His response caught me off guard.
"Magic," he said, with that wise but irritating tone of his, "is a journey—a long one. If you focus too much on spells, you'll miss the bigger picture. Strengthen your body alongside your mind. Let the energy flow within you. Use it to rebuild, to empower."
It stung a little, hearing him say that I wasn't ready, but he was right. Grudgingly, I thanked him and asked Absolute Insight for help drafting a training regimen. Its response? Simple and yet daunting. Thanks to the unique way my body had changed since arriving here, I could focus energy into small parts of myself—fingers, limbs, whatever—and gradually fortify my entire body. With time, I'd be able to harden my skin to the strength of diamond and wield a power that was, frankly, unreal.
The catch? Time. Eleven years. That's what Absolute Insight said it would take to complete the transformation. And even then, my strength would only be acceptable compared to this world's warriors. Not exceptional. Just acceptable. But I had no choice. If I wanted to survive, I needed to become stronger—not just in magic, but in every way. So I threw myself into the training, trusting that Homizd wouldn't lead me astray.
It's been a month, and I've barely scratched the surface. The pinky finger of my right hand? It's the only part of me I've managed to fortify so far. One finger. Still, I'm not discouraged. The process is excruciatingly slow, but each step forward feels monumental.
As for magic, I've learned a handful of basic spells. Well, thirty, to be exact. They're small, foundational tricks—many of them combinations of simpler abilities. Individually, they're unimpressive, but together? They're a start:
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Basic and Foundational Spells
1. Faint Light: A dim, soft glow.
2. Gentle Breeze: A light, cooling wind.
3. Small Spark: Just enough to light a fire.
4. Water Droplet: One perfect bead of water.
5. Weak Sound: A faint noise, barely louder than a whisper.
6. Low Heat: Slightly warms a small object or area.
7. Light Cool: Slightly cools the surroundings.
8. Minor Move: Gently moves lightweight objects.
9. Mild Scent: Creates or neutralizes faint odors.
10. Air Bubble: Forms a tiny bubble of air.
11. Partial Shield: Summons a small shield to block weak attacks.
12. Simple Reflection: Reflects light off surfaces.
13. Thin Fog: Creates thin mist in a confined area.
14. Echo Sound: Generates simple sound echoes.
15. Soft Shock: Emits weak electric shocks for small objects.
16. Surface Slippery: Makes a small area slippery.
17. Limited Glow: Temporarily illuminates an object.
18. Partial Stick: Makes a small surface sticky.
19. Color Shift: Changes the color of an object's surface.
20. Minor Vibration: Induces faint vibrations in objects.
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Combination Spells
21. Light Breeze: Fuses "Faint Light" and "Gentle Breeze" for a glowing wind.
22. Glowing Fog: Combines "Thin Fog" and "Limited Glow" for luminous mist.
23. Tiny Flame: Blends "Small Spark" and "Low Heat" to create a tiny flame.
24. Water Chime: Mixes "Water Droplet" and "Weak Sound" to replicate dripping water sounds.
25. Brittle Ice: Combines "Water Droplet" and "Light Cool" to create fragile ice.
26. Pleasant Aroma: Fuses "Mild Scent" and "Faint Light" to perfume a space.
27. Shocking Fog: Merges "Thin Fog" and "Soft Shock" to create electrified mist.
28. Vibrating Alert: Combines "Minor Vibration" and "Echo Sound" as a warning signal.
29. Warm Vapor: Mixes "Water Droplet" and "Low Heat" to generate steam.
30. Gentle Rain: Utilizes multiple "Water Droplets" to create a light drizzle.
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Mastering these spells took effort, but Absolute Insight made the process far smoother. I absorbed one spell per day, with a little help from Magisynthesis along the way.
Now, as I sit and reflect, I feel calm—calmer than I should, probably. If it weren't for Absolute Insight anchoring me, I might be drowning in doubt, especially with Cyrus's warnings replaying in my head. But for now, everything feels... manageable. And for now, that's enough.