Bab 77: I'm not a victim. I'm not prey.

"Marie, what on earth is happening?!" Fesalia exclaimed, her voice tinged with a hint of hysteria, as she whirled around, already on the brink of panic.

She had just emerged from a period of seclusion with her spouse. Let us assume that Feza accepted and acknowledged that she would not be the sole one with her beloved, but now that she had the opportunity to spend time alone with Svyatozar, she took full advantage of it. Thus, it was necessary for her husband to assign one of his seven forms to her during his absence, and she promptly disappeared with him to her chambers in the palace, where she remained for a week without leaving.

She sought to make up for the years of abstinence she had endured since she entered puberty, when hormones began to run wild, and for the first time, she viewed Svyatozar as a potential partner. She had no intention of letting go of her beloved for at least a year, and during this time, she planned to focus solely on satisfying her desires. However, today, a calamity befell Svyatozar, the cause of which she could not determine on her own.

At that moment, as Svyatozar writhed in agony, she passionately embraced him. And in the instant when their bedchamber was rent by the anguished cry of a beloved one, tearing apart the fabric of reality and space, she felt a surge of fear, but immediately attempted to steel herself, banishing panic to the recesses of her mind.

Swiftly extricating his convulsing form from her embrace and laying him beside her, she commenced her examination, through which she discerned severe damage to his aura. However, she could not pinpoint the cause of these injuries, and, most alarmingly, new lesions continued to manifest on his spiritual form.

Fesalia's strength did not lie in the realm of healing, so with a flick of her telekinetic powers, she swiftly transported Svyatozar to Maria, an archmage renowned for her healing abilities. The scene unfolded in a chamber where Maria, now Fesalia's sister-in-law and a replacement for her deceased mother, stood amidst a group of "sisters". On a grandiose pedestal adorned with intricate diagnostic pentagrams, five unconscious forms lay before them. Without hesitation, Fesalia positioned Svyatozar alongside the others, her heart filled with a sense of urgency.

May approached Fesalia, embracing her from behind. Her voice was gentle and reassuring, "Calm yourself, dear. Maria is the finest healer in existence, and she shall bring him back to life."

Meanwhile, while May endeavored to assuage the fear of their youngest sibling, Maria was engaged in a process of diagnosis and contemplation, her brow furrowed with perplexity at the sight of the damage to her husband's spiritual essence and aura. Her only course of action was to provide immediate assistance, focusing on closing the wounds and redirecting the necessary energies to restore the damaged areas.

She had long since eschewed the use of spells and other conventional medical techniques, preferring instead to rely on her strong-willed exertion of control over her powers and the delicate precision of her craft. She did not need to clothe her intentions in intricate magical constructs or elaborate energy structures, adhering to a clear and orderly logic. Instead, Maria tailored her strength to the specific tasks at hand, manifesting her innate energy precisely where it was needed and maintaining control over it even after it had entered the patient's body.

«What has befallen him?» Koneko addressed her friend for the first time since their husband's incident. There was no need for anyone present to inquire about Svyatozar's well-being or seek prognostication regarding his recovery. Each of Svyatozar's consorts possessed the wisdom and power of a goddess, allowing them to discern that Maria had effectively restored him, leaving no further damage to be inflicted. A few moments of slumber, and he would regain his senses.

«I too would like to know», the «elder» wife said wearily. However, her weariness was not the result of physical strain from complex medical procedures, as Maria did not need to exert herself particularly in that regard. Rather, it was a mental exhaustion and emotional stress. Nonetheless, this was the first time she saw her idol — her husband — in such a pitiful state, unyielding and unwavering, as she had always assumed he would be. She could never have imagined there was anything in the world that could threaten her beloved.

"Something has inflicted immediate harm upon his aura, impacting his very soul. I have rendered every conceivable assistance in mending the shattered shells, and my conclusion is as follows: our husband has encountered grave peril on his journey," Maria elucidated, her brow furrowed with concern, before continuing. "As soon as his state stabilized, I endeavored to ascertain the whereabouts of Svyatozar's seventh body, which has fallen into distress. However, I was unable to pinpoint its coordinates, neither through our matrimonial bonds nor through the bodies themselves. Nonetheless, I am certain that the seventh one is still alive, and his body remains intact, but I regrettably failed to reach him."

But she, being the goddess of dreams, had long since come to believe that there were no places that were truly inaccessible to her. Wherever there was any form of life, even if it were not sentient, there was a connection to the realm of dreams, and thus the possibility for it to extend its influence to that place.

Immediately, it seemed as though Svyatozar had found himself in a location utterly devoid of life, and this did not contribute to his mood or optimism. "What are we to do?" May asked her companions in a grave and tense tone. There was no hint of the soothing demeanor she had maintained to calm Feza's panic and hysteria; now, she appeared before her friends as a goddess of the Ayakashi clan, utterly serious, prepared to destroy and kill for the sake of her husband and kin!

"Let us await Svyatozar's awakening. He will then decide on the course of action and whether to extricate body number seven from its predicament.

Despite Maria's ardent desire to hasten to Mexico and seek solace in her husband's presence, she acknowledged that Svyatozar having arrived there would render her assistance futile, if not altogether detrimental.

Thus, we await his awakening and deliberate our course of action."

Feza concluded their conversation, still nestled in Chanterelle's embrace. Her rebellious emotions had been subdued, yet even in the face of impending death, they failed to elicit such profound passion and emotion. This once again affirmed the depth of her affection for her beloved.

And after the joint decision had been reached, all the wives of Svyatozar took their seats on a diminutive sofa, which they had materialized before the pedestal where the six bodies of their husbands were united in a state of healing slumber. They eagerly awaited the moment when their beloved would awaken.

****

"Well, this was to be anticipated," the thought flashed across my mental landscape at the speed of lightning, that it was improbable that lower-level energies would be capable of harming this entity, and even if they were three times more powerful and perfect compared to mortals, they would not yield any meaningful result.

It was clear that the heaviest artillery would be required to confront the monster within whose belly I found myself. I had already formulated a strategy to inflict damage upon this creature and potentially eradicate it, but it would necessitate an unparalleled effort on my part and the overcoming of numerous obstacles.

A few minutes ago, I was mired in a state of melancholy, beset by anxiety regarding my uncertain future within the confines of a subterranean creature, a creature that represents a threat to the very fabric of the universe, perhaps even the multiverse. Now, however, I am overcome by an unbridled sense of exhilaration. I am prepared to engage in battle, to launch a daring assault.

While my plan may be fraught with uncertainty, offering no guarantee of success, I am resolute in my determination. Sitting idly by, waiting for the tide to turn, is not my style. I am an individual of action, and if my fate is to perish in the attempt to vanquish this monstrous foe, I shall do so with grace and effectiveness!

I embarked on my plan, determined to ignite and fully commit all my spiritual faculties to the task at hand. This was essential to charge my atman, accelerating its energy generation through the application of pressure, ultimately achieving the peak performance of my ninth layer. This approach is the sole means by which I can attain the highest level of efficiency and cultivate my divine power.

As previously mentioned, my current location is entirely isolated from all dimensions of my universe, rendering me incapable of accessing my vast reservoir of divine energy within the realm of the One. Divine light, a vital resource for my current endeavor, was sorely lacking.

My prior experiments with assimilating energies through the creature's medium have yielded only rejection of the concept of light. The most potent manifestation at my disposal is therefore a derivative of Ba-Chi in the form of luminous grace.

The entity that consumed me cannot have arisen naturally, for its very nature is abhorrent to the process of procreation. Such an abomination would be incapable of bearing and giving birth to any life in the vast expanse of the multiverse. This implies that this creature is the product of some unnatural experiment, calamity, or anomaly, having either been the victim or willing participant in some event that distorted its true essence, transforming it into what it is now: an extraordinary being with an insatiable appetite for energy.

In the case of this adversary, the most effective method of confronting his powers and the effects he exerts upon reality will be the divine and radiant grace. Several concepts immediately come into conflict here. The entity that consumed me is nothing more than a personification of sin, almost an embodiment of gluttony. It is his reaper and avatar. Moreover, at least as it was previously, I cannot speculate, this being is a dark entity.

The light of grace will simultaneously strike at both manifestations of the monstrosity. The light will engage in a battle against the darkness, while its grace endeavors to heal the corrupted essence of the being, thus significantly diminishing its vampiric nature and granting me greater control over the forces I possess, which are essential in my confrontation with this enemy.

To inflict harm upon this monstrous entity with its incredible strength and regenerative abilities, manifesting as divine healing light, requires me to unleash an immense amount of power simultaneously, pushing my ninth shell to its limits in a way I have never before encountered. If I am to extricate myself from this predicament and strive for survival, I must take this course of action.

My strategy must be a single, sustained strike, placing all my resources into this effort. Delaying this action would result in my stagnation within this stomach indefinitely. Moreover, it is imperative that I act swiftly, lest I risk encountering my wives and the remaining six bodies within this space. Upon regaining consciousness following the traumatic experience, they will undoubtedly attempt to uncover the truth, potentially following me through the portal in Mexico, thus plunging themselves into the same perilous situation I now find myself in.

Well, I have no alternative. Either I vanquish this creature, or I must do everything in my power to self-destruct. I can only hope that, should the worst come to pass in this impending «battle», in which I perish here, my remaining bodies in the wider world will survive unscathed.

«Well, it is time to demonstrate to this creature that it erred gravely in its decision to attack me.» My spiritual shells were humming with overexertion, and if the ambient energy were not a vacuum, reality would be distorted by the fluctuations in my psyche.

As I ascended to the pinnacle of my spiritual development, a concentrated stream of radiant grace burst forth from my divine ninth sphere, emanating under immense pressure with maximum intensity. My impact was not merely a manifestation of my soul but also a result of the artifacts at my disposal. The strain was immense, and I sought to alleviate it by employing additional amplifiers, which would divert some of the burden from my physical form, which was now radiating an extraordinary amount of luminous energy into the surrounding space.

The role of my anti-demon chain and the staff of the archmage had never before been so crucial. It was not that these tools were incapable of performing such tasks, but rather that there had been no need for them. Now, however, I required every resource at my disposal to enhance my prospects for success and achieve a favorable outcome.

As soon as my energy burst forth and surged towards the boundaries of my stomach, which in turn drew my abdomen towards them, I became aware of certain movements and transformations in my surroundings.

First and foremost, due to the immense saturation of space with my celestial power, I was suddenly granted a sense of lucidity, which was entirely rational. Despite the fact that I had not yet reached the infosphere of the cosmos, thereby establishing contact with my six remaining bodies in my realm, either through my wives or even through clones, I discovered a connection with the numinous tree situated there, allowing me to tap into its energy, and subsequently, with the reservoir of strength in the realm of the All-Father, from which the Ba-Hion current, preserved since the reign of Yahweh, flowed towards us. With each passing second, the influx of energy grew broader and more potent!

And I also felt the increasing pain, accompanied by the anger of the entity, which began to experience what could be described as a human equivalent of heartburn. As the concentration and intensity of the light aspect of my condition in its digestive system grew, so did the pain within the creature, now resembling severe gastritis.

It is challenging to adequately describe the precise nature of the monster's experience to fully capture its current state. However, I was not content to leave it at that. "Now, I shall impart to you the sensation of ulcers opening within the stomach of this creature!" With this resolve, I ventured beyond the boundaries of what my soul could safely endure, channeling the flow of available power through myself after establishing connections with my personal domains and those bestowed upon me by Yahweh.

It was a painful endeavour to maintain the increasing pressure of the divine power flowing through me, my staff, and chain, which were inextricably linked to me, my very essence, permeating the surrounding space. Despite the agony, I redirected a portion of my mental focus towards disregarding it, in an attempt to mitigate the attention I might otherwise have paid to my injuries sustained due to the strain exerted on my spiritual shells during the process of subduing the creature.

My prediction proved accurate, and the outcome even surpassed my expectations. The monster proved incapable of assimilating my divine power, having transcended a threshold beyond which its capacity to absorb my healing light exceeded its regenerative abilities. The energy body of the creature, which I had subjected to such ferocious assault, failed to recover in time.

Had I not been so focused on the intricacies of the creature's absorption of all forms of energy, had I found myself in an ordinary space with a rich tapestry of forces that permeate the living world, my actions might have unleashed a resonance capable of rending the fabric of reality, allowing primordial chaos to spill forth.

But at that moment, I did not care about the possible consequences. The pain I was feeling gave rise to an all-encompassing, wild, and unbridled rage within me, akin to that which is inherent in semisentient basilisks and dragons. I yearned to seize the throat of this individual, who regarded me as suitable food, as if I were prey! I desired to inflict harm upon him, to rend him limb from limb!

Fierce fury clouded my thoughts, for I felt consumed by some mindless beast! Me, a mere mortal, a creature who had escaped the fate of becoming a receptacle for the most esteemed Dark Lord in a world where I had been reborn, whose memory still resonates through the ages, the one who had devoured the very soul of the most renowned warlock, who had managed to outwit even the Morrigan herself, the one whose very existence elicits tremors of fear from those who are aware of my nature, those who stand at the pinnacle of the global hierarchy in the realm I inhabit.! All the moral precepts that had been instilled in me through education were stripped away, and I yearned to tear down, humiliate, subjugate, and experience horror and dread at my own presence, trapped in the belly of a monster that now writhed and convulsed with unbearable agony. He might have cursed the moment he saw me as a victim and struck, but it no longer mattered. I would obliterate him at all costs!

Such were my sentiments and desires today, yet my rational, conscious aspect of my mental being remained unwavering in its analysis of the situation and vigilant vigilance over environmental shifts.

Apart from being able to sense the psychic emanations emanating from the creature's mental body, which had now begun to exude horror and fear of the future in addition to rage and the urge to kill, I was also able to discern the miserable state of the beast by the dramatic change in the situation in my prison, which was the creature's stomach.

The monster was clearly in agony, violently thrashing about and abruptly shifting its position in space, causing chaos in its abdomen. It was akin to being in a cement mixer. All the countless adamantine armor and weapons I had discovered there were in constant motion, rushing through the belly at a speed of several hundred strokes, smashing against the walls of the belly and me, who was suspended in its center.

Had I not been wearing armor crafted from the same celestial metal, I would have been pierced and then dismembered, reduced to finely chopped mincemeat.. It is worth noting that the creature did not inflict any harm upon me through its actions, rather, it caused significant damage to itself!

Within the span of five minutes since the commencement of my liberation of power, I was able to almost entirely dissolve and dismantle the monster's abdomen. However, this process also resulted in substantial damage to myself, with approximately one-tenth of my spiritual shields reduced to dust. Nonetheless, I continued to augment my strength!

My rage remained unabated, and as I sensed the mounting and escalating terror of this steadfast and self-assured monster, it merely fueled my anger further, along with the thrill of the hunt. At this moment, I resembled a savage beast on the trail of its prey, hastening forward and disregarding my own plight. There was only one objective: to pursue and apprehend this creature, which sought to evade me and conceal itself from my righteous pursuit!

And from these thoughts, my jaws parted, and my teeth metamorphosed into fangs. Thereafter, my very instincts compelled my essence to transform into a wingless dragon still, clad in impenetrable armor, utterly disconnected from its surroundings! This was the crescendo of the existence of the beast in whose belly I had recently found myself.

The creature before me was a colossal being, its size ten times greater than my own, stretching for a length of nearly two kilometers. This became apparent as my essence began to permeate the semi-ethereal, semi-material form of the dragon, revealing its true magnitude. Indeed, the creature that had consumed me proved to be an immense representative of the dragon race.

My own true form as a dragon was not insignificant either, reaching a length of approximately two hundred meters. However, as I infused the creature with my concentrated bai-hion energy and breached its boundaries, a spatial connection was established with my six remaining bodies in the realm.

Upon this connection, my wives joined me, transforming into enormous, two-hundred-meter-long, identical wingless dragons, occasionally adorned with feathers. Upon their arrival, they reassured their mates that all was well, implying an impending confrontation with the fossilized creature.

Our adversary appeared to be a hybrid of a Chinese dragon, with its wide and expressive horned head, and a Komodo dragon, due to its size and proportion of limbs in relation to its body. The essence and vitality of our adversary resisted our metamorphosis, attempting to thwart it, but we paid it no heed.

All seven of my bodies, positioned in close proximity to one another, commenced to synchronize their rhythms, accelerating our transformation into our true forms. Within a mere minute, we had shifted into our basilisk states, literally rending the creature in two with our physical bulk.

The dragon that opposed us seven did not possess a fully materialized physical form but rather a semi-corporeal entity, its body consisting of an astral-mental projection imbued with a remnant of the vampire's devouring soul, embodying its essence in the form of anti-energies that denied the existence of any force beyond its own being. The stomach we had previously destroyed, in which I had been confined, served as a conduit for the absorption and transformation of external energy, effectively nullifying my ability to harness my own powers.

The analysis and comprehension of the events unfolding flashed through my mind in a matter of moments, occurring in the recesses of my consciousness, for I had now become a true dragon, one who had surrendered to unbridled, unrestrained rage, leaving nothing in its path untouched.

As we emerged into the open, I was guided by instincts beyond my control, driven by an irresistible force. I embraced the rightness of my actions and the absolute certainty of my intentions. It was as though the very fabric of the universe conspired to support me in my quest to consume this creature!

The dragon-slayer was in agony, yet far from death's door. Given time, he could have recovered swiftly and regained his strength. But I would not grant him such an opportunity.

The moment we were granted freedom, all seven of our forms leapt upon our rightful quarry! Three enormous, feathery, wingless dragons had already seized the back of the wounded dragon, with one of our forms beginning to tear at its tail, ripping off vast chunks of flesh and devouring them instantly. Meanwhile, two other forms, enraged by the sight of the basilisks, dug their fangs into the monster's paws, consuming them in a similar manner.

As those who had suffered the most at the hands of the dragon and who had been consumed by it, we chose to direct our fury and wrath towards its head, selecting it as our target.

That which now lay before me, the remnants of the once mighty dragon-slayer, was attempting to flee from our grasp, but in its weakened state, it could not hope to match our speed. As soon as I caught sight of such prey, my three other manifestations joined me in pursuit, swiftly closing the distance between us. With a wide-open maw, I seized the fleeing creature, my fangs locking onto its upper and lower jaws.

My rage was so intense that it surpassed the physical limitations of my form, enabling me to exert a forceful bite that shattered the energy constructs resembling bones and disintegrated the ectoplasmic flesh. The impact generated a powerful sound wave that caused the earth and surrounding stones to crumble into dust.

The sonic booms generated by the seven feathered basilisks as they consumed the dragon were of such magnitude that they obliterated the space within a radius of several tens of kilometres, leaving in their wake only rubble from those rare structures that had survived the earlier onslaught of the suffering dragon's stomach spasms.

Gazing into the eyes of the tormented and fearful dragon, I felt a surge of intense desire to inflict even greater despair and agony upon the creature, prompting me to attempt to commence the process of chewing, thereby exacerbating the damage inflicted by my fangs upon this abomination that saw me as prey!

At that moment, my consciousness was so enveloped by the awakening dragonic aspect of my being that I utterly forgot the fact that serpents are incapable of such an action, nor that my jaws were not designed for mastication. Indeed, only my divine essence responded with a rumbling to my desire, causing my mouth to transform, along with the musculature of my head and neck.

As soon as the metamorphosis was complete, I, like a rabid dog, began to shake my head side to side, tearing and shattering the energetic flesh and bones of the dragon, whose eyes no longer held even a glimmer of rationality; only horror and agony could be discerned therein. How delightful it was for me to witness his despair; I nearly reached ecstasy from it.

It was then that the vital essence of the dragon-slayer penetrated my esophagus and subsequently my stomach. My human consciousness was relegated to the furthest recesses of my mental realm, leaving me with the sole objective of maintaining control over my body, preventing my primal instincts from taking over. In this struggle, I found solace in the ability to witness the unfolding events.

Indeed, there was much to behold!

The seven feathered basilisks eagerly and frenziedly devoured the flesh of the dragon, not only in a physical sense, but also energetically and spiritually, as if their very lives depended on it. My perception was split, allowing me to simultaneously observe both the events unfolding in reality and the transformations taking place within my inner spiritual realm.

The substance that replaced the flesh and bones of the dragon — although not precisely the appropriate term, but the closest available designation — was a highly concentrated concoction of energies. In the confined space of the dragon's body, these energies became nearly palpable, capable of interacting with the material world. Once within me, the flesh and bones commenced to decompose, akin to the detonation of atomic bombs, unleashing a torrent of incredible energy.

But as if this were not enough for my wounded spirit, it transpired that I, alongside my physical form, also consumed the spiritual shells of my prey, devouring like a daemon the soul of the fallen dragon.

Upon realizing that the will of my victim had been utterly subdued and crushed, my primal manifestation of the dragon's essence, now in control of my body, stirred within me. My fifth spiritual layer of the soul, responsible for emotions and already on the brink of collapse due to exertion, suddenly awoke within me. Overwhelmed, I was swept away by an indescribable surge of delight and satisfaction at what I had accomplished, only to be followed by a series of events that I cannot fully comprehend!

These emotions, igniting my sensual essence and causing me to question myself, unexpectedly enhanced my resistance to negative influences, simultaneously catalyzing the regeneration of my soul!

However, at the same time, I observed that my soul underwent significant transformations, and it was truly extraordinary! My eighth layer merged with my ninth layer, rendering it impermeable to external energetic influences and shielding it from degradation.

Despite my status as a deity, I acquired strength through my own endeavors and without relying on the support of the followers who believed in me. This realization filled me with pride regarding the number of believers, and therefore, I could not be concerned that if I were suddenly deprived of external nourishment from the ba-chi, I would cease to grow beyond my divine self.

Now, I am utterly devoid of the possibility of losing even a sliver of my power. Even if confined for hundreds of millennia, I cannot lose a single grain of my divine essence, and no stagnation can affect my ninth layer. As long as my soul persists in its current form, so long as its layers remain connected to the atman, my growth will continue, even without any intentional effort on my part.. It is enough simply to exist, to live, and my very soul will sustain me, regardless of extrinsic factors or the energetic saturation of my surroundings!

However, with the realization of the positive transformations within myself, I have also become aware that my insatiable essence, akin to the dragon within me, yearns to devour my adversary's soul entirely. I have clearly seen and understood that this path would lead me towards the possibility of becoming Ermungand, a state that would not only result in my loss of self and reason, transforming me into a mindless, devouring entity, but it would also pose a grave threat to my beloved wives and unborn offspring!

This is an unacceptable prospect!

At that moment, I was not deeply concerned about my own fate or destiny. My thoughts were solely focused on my relatives. Instead of the fear one might expect in such a situation, a fierce and uncontrollable anger arose within me with renewed intensity! The savage and unrestrained fury of the primal dragon, the power of which I had unleashed within myself, formed a barrier against such a predetermined fate. My will, in the face of this rage, began to literally burn out any possibility of such an outcome in my evolving soul.

Only when my anger completely shielded my spirit from the mental and informational influence that attempted to manipulate my essence through the physical and spiritual remnants of the dragon that I had consumed, did it begin to abate and fade. However, at that point, I found the strength to intervene and not remain passive in the face of this confrontation.. As the animal fury of the dragon shredded the templates attempting to reconstruct my essence, I, who was at the back of my consciousness and possessed my mind, harnessed all the mental strength remaining at my disposal. I used my anti-demon chain and the staff of the Archmage to sever the dragon's soul from its "ectoplasmic" form, capturing it and imprisoning it within the staff's dungeon, depriving it of the opportunity to consume this substance as soon as possible.

Had I been connected to such a burden by an umbilical cord, more than one hernia would have surely ruptured. How marvelous it is that, as a god, I no longer fear such trials of mortal existence.

Just as I reveled in my triumph, preparing to breathe a sigh of relief and wipe away the imaginary sweat from my brow, after ensnaring the dragon's spirit within the staff, another calamity befell me.

In the process of imbuing my adversary's essence into a staff, a spectral manifestation separated from him. Upon observing this phenomenon, I became aware that it represented an aspect of myself hitherto unknown to me. As this entity severed the final bonds tethering it to my newly acquired captive, it extended towards me, seeking to merge with my own being. I must confess, I was astonished, for it was a day filled with unsettling and extraordinary surprises!

After all, as far as my knowledge goes, in order to obtain a spiritual artifact that is me and embed it in your soul, one must perform a highly energy-intensive ritual. This ritual may consist of multiple stages, each determining its own level of complexity.

The ritual serves as a form of supplication to a divine entity, seeking the acquisition of my essence, which they grant in exchange for the energy channeled towards them during the ritual. This is a relatively simple yet risky approach to acquiring such a trait, as one cannot predict what the deity will bestow upon them.

However, if one possesses a clear understanding of their desires and serves as the architect of their future spiritual framework, this elevates the complexity of the ritual by several orders of magnitude, making it even more energy-demanding.

Without my consent or authorization to imbue my spiritual essence with the formation of a connection to the leader, it attacked me like a parasitic entity, attempting to infiltrate my very being.

And as if by fate, I had no strength to resist. I had already expended everything I could, and even more, and only my iron will kept me from fainting now. My dragon nature had already ceased pumping up my rage and faded into the background, as if falling asleep, handing control of my mind and body over to my rational mental component. But all my spiritual shields were depleted, overstretched, and I was on the verge of being struck by the backlash of my reckless actions!

My mother! I had only the slightest sliver of strength left, but I gathered myself and did not succumb to panic. In fact, I felt as if my spirit had abandoned fear and panic and was desperately trying to take charge of the situation. If I couldn't stop it, I would have to lead it.

And while Me has not yet fully integrated into my psyche, she is relatively malleable, allowing me to analyze her upon her initial contact with my spiritual layers. Upon realizing the nature of this entity, I could have sworn in exasperation! This spiritual construct is responsible for imbuing the dragon I had just devoured with the essence of its prey. In addition to Me herself, it also carried a curse.

The construct of the artifact was an incredibly intricate mental construct of darkness and chaos. However, the divine curse accompanying it was forged using the power of light!

And how I blessed the moment when I realized that I am both the Lord of Darkness and the Lord of Light! It is only thanks to my mastery over these forces and my ability to influence their very essence that I was able to break the curse first, for it was the most dangerous to me. Only after that did I begin to work on myself. While I was still searching for the key to unlock the dark trick that would drive me mad, the Dark Me had already infiltrated my soul almost entirely, leaving me with little time to at least adjust a few parameters, thereby altering some functions and stopping or even eradicating the most troublesome aspects.

As far as I can discern, this amulet transformed its owner into an energy vampire, with an infinite sub-dimension attached to it. This sub-dimension was a constant source of energy that the amulet drew upon, extracting energy from its host at a rate of twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, for the entirety of their life, from the moment they acquired the artifact.

With each new intake of energy, the host's body, serving as a conduit to this sub-dimension, became increasingly efficient at conducting energy. This resulted in a continuous increase in the rate at which force was absorbed from the surrounding environment.

I was able to impose a limitation on this ability, allowing me to activate and deactivate it at will. This was essentially all I was able to accomplish, aside from the fact that I could still completely replace another's darkness within the construct of the vampire's spiritual artifact Me with my own, and also incorporate the chaos that was present within it in a childlike vice, so to speak, to keep it out of harm's way. The thought and knowledge of someone else's energy splashing within me was utterly repulsive! Chaos, however, was unaffected by this, as it fundamentally cannot belong to any one person.

Once the artifact had fully integrated into my soul, and Me had become an inextricable part of me, I lost consciousness. My face, in its anthropomorphic aspect and as a single entity, merged with all other bodies that had merged with me. I wore a satisfied smile! I had survived, and emerged from this predicament with a measure of success.