The Lost Mage's Journey

Chapter 34: The Dragon's Curse

Scene 1: Leaving Lusitania

It had been four long, torturous years since Alex had left Lusitania. He remembered that night clearly, the night he made the hardest decision of his life. He had stood outside the gates of the palace, watching the lights flicker in the windows as Lyka and her family carried on with their lives.

It should have been a peaceful sight, something that brought him comfort. But instead, it brought him nothing but pain.

Alex (thinking, pained):
"I had to leave... I couldn't stay. Not with this power inside me."

He had told himself that over and over again, but it didn't make it any easier. The dragon's blood that coursed through his veins had begun to corrupt him, warping his body and mind. He had felt its pull—felt the darkness creeping into his thoughts, whispering lies, tempting him with promises of power. But Alex had resisted. He left to protect Lyka from himself.

But no matter how far he went, no matter how much distance he put between himself and Lusitania, the dragon's blood followed. It consumed him. It was relentless, always waiting for a moment of weakness to take control.

Scene 2: The First Transformation

The first time he lost control, he had been traveling through a quiet village nestled between the mountains. It had been a peaceful place, untouched by war or corruption. But Alex... he had brought ruin to it.

That night, the dragon's blood had surged through him like fire, twisting his body until he no longer recognized himself. His muscles had expanded, his skin hardening into black, scaly armor. His fingers had elongated into claws, sharp and deadly, and when he looked in the reflection of a nearby stream, his eyes had glowed a deep crimson.

He had become a monster.

The power was intoxicating, overwhelming. He remembered the rush of strength, the raw energy that coursed through him. But along with that power came the hunger—the desire to destroy, to unleash havoc on everything around him.

The village that had once been a place of peace had quickly become a battlefield.

Villager 1 (shouting, terrified):
"Run! Run, it's a monster! Save yourselves!"

Alex roared, the sound more beast than human as he tore through homes and buildings with reckless abandon. Fire spewed from his mouth, consuming everything in its path. People screamed, fleeing in terror as the once-peaceful village was engulfed in flames.

The more destruction he caused, the more the dragon inside him fed on his fury. He was lost in the chaos, the humanity slipping from his grasp as the beast took over.

But amidst the destruction, a single voice cut through the roar of the flames.

Child's Voice (crying, pleading):
"Please... someone... help..."

Something inside Alex shifted. He turned, his dragon eyes locking onto a small child, huddled in the corner of a burning building, tears streaming down her face. For a brief moment, Alex's heart clenched. The humanity he had thought was lost flickered inside him.

Alex (thinking, desperate):
"I... I have to stop. I can't... I won't hurt her."

With every ounce of strength he had left, Alex forced the dragon's blood back, fighting for control. His body trembled, the black scales retreating as he returned to his human form, collapsing on the ground, exhausted and horrified by what he had done.