Enchanter's Journey

Chapter 4: To You From You

         - "What have we done? What have I become?"-

Ermos watched in shock as Zachary's eyes, which had been burning with a dark energy just moments ago, suddenly began to emit a strange, white light. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and the control that had been holding Zachary captive was suddenly broken.

Zachary's eyes began to glow with an intense, blinding white light, and he let out a low, guttural growl. Ermos stumbled back, unsure of what was happening.

As the light grew brighter, Ermos realized that Zachary was fighting against the curse that had taken hold of him. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and he was suddenly immune to its control.

Ermos watched in amazement as the dark veins on Zachary's skin began to turn blue. The dark energy that had consumed him seemed to be retreating, and Zachary's body was no longer wracked with pain.

Zachary's eyes slowly returned to their normal color, and he blinked in confusion as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep. He looked around, disoriented and unsure of what had just happened.

Ermos felt a surge of hope, knowing that Zachary had somehow broken the curse. He approached him cautiously, not wanting to startle him.

"Zachary, are you okay?" Ermos asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Zachary turned to face him, his expression dazed. "What happened?" he asked, his voice weak.

Ermos explained everything that had transpired since he had brought Lyra to him, including how Zachary had tried to heal her but had ultimately transferred the curse to himself.

Zachary's eyes widened in horror as he realized what he had done. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Just then, Lyra stirred, groaning softly as she opened her eyes. She looked around in confusion, not remembering anything except for the monstrous creature that had attacked her.

"What's going on? Where am I?" she cried, her voice shaking with fear.

Lyra's heart was pounding in her chest as she struggled to make sense of the situation. She looked around, her eyes darting from Ermos to Zachary, and back again. It was all too much to take in - the darkness that had consumed her, the curse that had threatened to end her life, and the sacrifice that Zachary had made to save her.

Her mind flashed back to the moment when the curse had taken hold of her. She remembered the way that her body had contorted, the agony that had wracked her every limb. She shuddered at the memory, feeling the terror of that moment come flooding back.

Lyra buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with sobs. She couldn't believe what she had done, the monster that she had become. She was terrified of herself, and she didn't know how she could ever live with the knowledge of what she was capable of.

Zachary moved closer to her, his hand reaching out to touch her shoulder. "It's okay, Lyra," he said softly. "You're safe now."

Lyra looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I don't understand," she whispered. "What happened to me?"

Ermos stepped forward, his expression grave. "You were cursed," he said, his voice low. "But Zachary was able to break the curse by taking it upon himself."