Divinity's Trial

The Forbidden Arts

As Tur stepped out of the Core, the chamber's aura shifted, and the air around him seemed to thrum with newfound power. Luminous and Rama, waiting anxiously, immediately locked their gazes on him. They studied his every movement, his every breath, as if uncertain if the man standing before them was still the Tur they knew.

Rama's voice broke the tense silence, cautious yet commanding. "Are you still you, Tur?"

Tur glanced at them, his eyes calm but sharp, filled with the weight of the immense knowledge he had just absorbed. He smiled softly, trying to ease their nerves. "Yes. I am still me, though... I see the world very differently now."

Luminous, her brow furrowed, was not as easily reassured. "You absorbed the knowledge of seven forbidden grimoires—tomes that can corrupt the soul. How did you survive it so quickly?"

Tur nodded, stepping forward. "I used the Core to slow time. For me, centuries passed, but in the real world, it was but a fraction of a day. One millionth of true time's flow."

Luminous and Rama exchanged a glance, both astonished and uneasy. Luminous, her voice low and skeptical, added, "The magic you wield now... it is dangerous, Tur. It warps the soul. Are you certain you're still yourself?"

Tur's eyes darkened slightly as he replied, "The cost was great, Luminous. My immortality from Ortuzar's elixir held me through eons, but even I feel the strain. Yet, I have mastered the knowledge without losing myself."

Luminous, still distrustful, whispered coldly to Rama, "Chain him."

Rama blinked in surprise. "What? Why?"

Luminous' eyes remained fixed on Tur, her voice tight. "Something's wrong. His immortality... it doesn't account for eons. There's something else at play. We need to inspect him—now."

Rama, torn between loyalty and fear, nodded reluctantly. "Tur," he began, his tone now firm, "this is for your own good."

Tur's brow furrowed, his voice calm yet laced with a warning. "What is the meaning of this, Rama?"

"We need to be sure, Tur," Rama replied. "You've been touched by forbidden magic, and we have to know if you're still human or something else."

Before Tur could protest, Rama swiftly approached, calling forth enchanted chains that wrapped around Tur's wrists and legs. The chains were heavy, humming with the magic of suppression. Tur's eyes flared with a brief moment of indignation, but he held his ground, letting the process continue.

Luminous stepped closer, her eyes scanning Tur's body. "Remove his clothing," she commanded.

Rama hesitated for a moment but followed her order. The room grew tense as Tur, now exposed to their scrutiny, remained eerily calm. Luminous touched his skin, her hand freezing upon contact.

"His body... cold as death," Luminous whispered, her eyes narrowing. "This is necromorphosis. He's... he's not alive, not in the way we understand. His organs are preserved, perfect even, but his body resembles that of an elder lich."

Tur, unphased by the revelation, watched them both with an almost detached amusement. "I expected as much. Valnyr and the Core both warned me of the cost."

Luminous stepped back, her face hardening. "You're no longer truly human. You're in a preserved state, Tur. A lich. Do you realize what this means?"

Rama's face grew pale as the realization struck him. "This... this could mean your lineage is doomed, Tur. Liches... immortals like you, they cannot bear offspring."

Tur laughed, a sound that was unexpectedly warm despite the grim situation. "Offspring? Love? Marriage? These things mean little to me now. The only woman I ever cared for left long ago. My purpose lies elsewhere. I am here for my people and for knowledge."