Tangled Lives

CHAPTER 11

As I lay on the ground, gasping for breath, the storm finally began to ease. The dark figures had receded into the forest, the ritual complete, but the cold weight of the curse still wrapped itself tightly around my soul. Every breath I took felt heavier, burdened by the dark power now pulsing within me. I could feel it—alive, restless, like something crawling under my skin, waiting to take over.

The woman—Druvan's mother—stood over me, her face lined with exhaustion but tinged with satisfaction. "You have done well, detective. The curse is now contained. The ancient power will not spread."

I nodded weakly, the effort of speaking too much for my weakened state. But as I slowly sat up, the air still thick with the remnants of the storm, a terrible thought crossed my mind. I had assumed that Druvan's mother was trying to stop the curse, that she was simply a grieving woman seeking closure. But now, with the power inside me, something didn't feel right. A darker, more sinister truth began to creep into my consciousness.

I stared up at her, my vision still swimming, but my instincts—now sharper, enhanced by the curse—began to scream at me. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. "Why... why did you really want the curse bound inside me?" I managed to croak out.

Her eyes flickered, just for a moment. A fleeting shadow passed across her face, one I hadn't noticed before. And then her expression hardened. She took a step back, her voice suddenly cold. "Because, detective," she said quietly, "this was never about saving you or Druvan."

My heart froze.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, forcing myself to my feet despite the unbearable heaviness in my limbs. "You said the ritual would stop the curse!"

A slow, chilling smile spread across her face. "Oh, it will stop the curse from spreading, yes. But I never said I wanted it gone. No, detective, I needed someone strong enough to bear the curse for me, to contain it while I... ascend."

I stared at her, confusion mixing with the growing terror in my chest. "Ascend? What do you mean?"

Her eyes gleamed, and she took another step toward me, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The power of Narbali is ancient, far older than you or I can comprehend. But it is not just a curse, detective—it is a gateway. A gateway to unimaginable power. And the one who wields it... will become a god."

My blood ran cold. "You... you planned this all along. You used Druvan. You used me!"

She nodded, unashamed. "Druvan was meant to be the vessel, but he was too weak. His death was necessary to activate the final phase of the ritual. But when I saw you, when I realized you were connected by blood—well, let's just say you were the perfect candidate."

I staggered back, disbelief flooding my mind. All this time, I had thought Druvan's mother was trying to stop the dark forces, trying to protect us from the curse. But now, I realized the horrifying truth. She had orchestrated everything—Druvan's death, the ritual, even leading me here. And now, the curse wasn't just bound to me—it was fueling her ascension.

"You won't get away with this," I hissed, adrenaline surging through my veins despite the curse's grip on me. "I'll stop you."

She laughed softly, the sound chilling in the night air. "Stop me? You can barely stand, detective. The power inside you is already consuming you. Soon, you'll be nothing more than a shell, while I take what is mine."

As she spoke, I could feel it—the dark power inside me stirring, growing stronger. But instead of overwhelming me, something strange happened. It didn't feel like it was trying to destroy me. It felt... like it was trying to communicate.

And then, it hit me. The curse wasn't just a mindless force of evil. It was ancient, yes—but it was also sentient. It had its own will, its own desires. And in that moment, I realized what it wanted: revenge.

Against her.

Druvan's mother had been manipulating this power for her own gain, but now, it was within me. And I could feel it, pulsing through my veins, waiting for me to take control.

"You think I'm going to die," I said slowly, feeling the dark energy swirl and coalesce around my core. "But you've underestimated the curse. It doesn't want you to ascend. It wants you."

Her smile faltered, just for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she sensed the shift in the air. "What are you talking about?" she snapped, her voice sharp.

I grinned, feeling the power surge within me, no longer a burden but a weapon. "The curse is alive, isn't it? And it knows what you've done. It knows you've betrayed it, twisted it for your own purpose. And now, it wants you back."

She took a step back, panic flickering in her eyes. "No... that's impossible. I control the curse. I am the one who—"

But before she could finish, I unleashed the power.

~*~

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