Chapter 78: Reverend Insanity [part 3]
I jerked, searching the darkness of the room with my eyes.
My heart pounded furiously in my chest, almost choking me with its frenzy.
But there was nothing.
Only the oppressive shadow that surrounded me, enveloping everything in a cloak of darkness.
The whispering voice had vanished, dissolving into the air like a breath of wind.
Yet, the sense of imminent danger persisted, like an invisible hand squeezing my throat.
Whoever or whatever had spoken had not revealed itself.
I remained still, the knife still clenched in my bloody hand, listening intently.
The silence was total, but it was a silence charged with tension, as if something great and terrible was lurking just beyond my field of vision.
The energy in the air was palpable, an electric thrill that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I bent down again towards the creature's body, but the feeling of being watched did not diminish.
It was as if the darkness itself was scrutinizing me, trying to penetrate my mind.
The core still pulsed, its iridescent light dancing sinisterly, but now there was another presence in the room, something intangible and unsettling.
I tried to calm myself, to ignore the growing anguish that gripped my stomach.
I had to understand where that voice came from.
Was it a warning? Or perhaps a trick of my tired and wounded mind?
I leaned closer to the core, closely observing the luminous liquid swirling inside it.
Perhaps the answer was there, hidden in the slimy substance that seemed to come alive.
As I leaned closer to the core, its iridescent glow seemed to intensify, pulsing in sync with my heart.
The energy it emanated surrounded me, an invisible current that tickled my skin and buzzed in my ears.
Every fiber of my being was aware of the strange attraction of that core, a dark temptation inviting me to uncover its secrets.
But the whispering voice I had heard had left an unease that I could not shake off.
For a moment, I found myself considering the idea of abandoning the core, leaving it to its dark wonders and moving away from that source of darkness.
But greed and anxiety kept me tied to that spot.
The air around me seemed to thicken, as if the darkness itself was condensing, ready to pour over me if I made the wrong move.
I felt an intense cold piercing through me, a chill coming from within, almost freezing my thoughts.
I straightened up, trying to rationalize; I had to make a decision.
Stay and risk being consumed by that strange energy, or abandon everything and retreat into the darkness, leaving the mystery of the core unsolved?
The choice seemed impossible, but the growing sense of danger forced me to move.
I straightened up, the knife trembling in my bloody hand.
My heart was still pounding in my chest, but a cold clarity began to seep into my confused thoughts.
The darkness around me seemed to tighten, as if wanting to suffocate me, but instead of scaring me, that feeling excited me.
I felt the power, the unknown, all within reach, and my greed drove me to discover more.
The energy of the core pulsed with a vivid, iridescent light, dancing on the walls, creating sinister and deformed shadows.
Every beat of that light seemed to call me, whispering promises of unimaginable secrets.
I was aware of the danger, but I couldn't resist.
My desire for knowledge, for power, was too strong.
I looked at the creature's body, now just an empty shell, and felt a thrill of excitement run down my spine.
I had destroyed that monster, I had defeated it, and now its secret lay before me, ready to be unveiled and claimed.
My mind, increasingly wrapped in madness, found a perverse pleasure in all of this.
It was like a game, a dark and dangerous game, but one I couldn't do without.
I felt the weight of the power I could obtain, the knowledge I could acquire.
And that thirst for knowledge, for control, and for the possibility of gaining power pushed me beyond all reasonable limits.
Every fiber of my being seemed to vibrate in tune with the core, an irresistible attraction driving me to ignore the danger.
My madness fed off this attraction, growing like a fire that couldn't be extinguished.
My desire to explore, to discover what lay beyond that veil of darkness, overcame every fear.
I felt I was stepping towards the unknown, but I couldn't stop.
My rational mind screamed to flee, but my greed and madness screamed louder.
I leaned even closer to the core, watching the colors dancing on its surface like will-o'-the-wisps.
It was hypnotic, seductive, and every fiber of my body longed to immerse in that light.
The feeling of being on the verge of discovering something great, something terrible, electrified me.
With a twisted smile, I raised the knife, ready to make the final incision.
My hand trembled, not with fear, but with anticipation.
The core pulsed with increasingly intense light, as if responding to my gesture, as if it were alive and aware of what I was about to do.
With the knife raised, every muscle tense, I felt a shiver pass through the air.
It was as if the darkness itself breathed, a wave of energy pulsating with its own life.
The core before me seemed more alive than ever, its iridescent light playing on the walls and ceiling, creating grotesque figures dancing in the shadows.
I leaned even closer, the glow of the core enveloping me like a cloak.
I felt the call, a silent voice whispering in my ear, promising unimaginable secrets.
The temptation was too strong, and as the knife approached the slimy surface, a shadow moved at the periphery of my vision.
I froze, my heart pounding even harder.
I was not alone.
Something great, something terrible, was hiding in the darkness, watching me with invisible eyes.
The air grew denser, charged with an electric tension that made the hairs on my skin stand on end.
I could almost hear the creature's breath, a low hiss coming from all directions.
The darkness tightened around me, suffocating, like a pitch-black cloak.
The creature was there, hidden in the shadow, and its gaze penetrated me to my soul.
A shiver of terror ran down my spine, but I couldn't stop.
I had to go on, I had to uncover the secrets of the core.
With a decisive move, I incised the surface of the core.
A luminescent liquid began to ooze out, dancing like liquid fire under the iridescent light.
Every drop seemed to contain a universe of secrets, a promise of power and knowledge.
The call grew even stronger, a seductive song filling my mind.
As I collected the viscous liquid with my fingers, I felt the creature's presence drawing closer.
It was big, massive, and its breath became more and more audible. But I didn't stop.
My mind was intoxicated by the power I felt flowing through my fingers, and my greed outweighed any fear.
Without hesitation, I brought the liquid to my mouth. The taste was indescribable, an explosion of sensations that overwhelmed me.
Every fiber of my being vibrated in tune with the core, a wave of energy passing through me, making me part of something greater, something terrible.
The feeling of danger was even greater, as if the being who had spoken had come even closer, so close that I could feel its hot breath on my neck.
But I did not stop.
I drank to the last drop, feeling the power pouring into me, transforming me.
The world around me changed, the shadows became deeper, the darkness denser.
I straightened up, feeling a new strength growing within me.
That sensation was still there, much closer, as if it were a threatening shadow ready to strike at any moment.
But now I felt different, I felt powerful, invincible.
With a twisted smile, I faced the darkness, ready to claim my new power.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone