Night fell upon the palace, cloaking its upper chambers in a profound and unnatural silence. In a small, dimly lit room, Zero lay motionless on the cold floor. His body was bruised, his face scarred, and his soul weary. The battles of the day had taken their toll. But this night… this night was different.
A familiar chill stirred within him—a silent storm rising from deep inside. The curse he carried, long dormant, had begun to awaken. Like a slumbering volcano, it stirred with a creeping unease, whispering cold words into his mind.
From the shadows of his consciousness, a voice emerged.
"There is no turning back now," it whispered, its tone both threatening and strangely tempting."Accept me—or perish."
Zero writhed in pain, unconscious yet resisting. Somewhere in the depths of his mind, he answered back.
"I won't surrender to you… But I will draw strength from you. We will coexist."
A battle ignited—light against darkness, flame against shadow. And at the heart of it stood the curse, embodied as a figure with glowing red eyes. It was darkness itself.
Outside the sealed room, the corridor stood still. Three princesses—Lyria, Venya, and Aurora—waited in silence. Concern etched across their faces, they approached the door, sensing the unstable energy within.
Lyria extended her hands, summoning a gentle energy that shimmered faintly in the air.
"Zero… hold on," she whispered, her voice trembling."You have to control it before the power overwhelms you."
Venya's expression was resolute.
"You're not alone. We'll fight this together."
Aurora smiled faintly.
"Even in the deepest dark, we will stand by your side."
Within the sealed room, Zero's eyes slowly fluttered open. The air was thick with frost and mist. His area expansion—uncontrolled and raw—had transformed the room into something unearthly. Crystal shards of ice floated midair. Cold mist circled him like a living storm. An invisible barrier sealed the room, impenetrable from the outside.
He sat up slowly, breathing heavily, and realized—somehow, he had managed to stabilize the power within. A fragile equilibrium had been formed between the light and the darkness in his soul.
The curse spoke again.
"Accept me. Together, we are strong. But this power... it must be controlled. Let's make a deal."
Zero's reply came without hesitation.
"I won't let you rule me. But I cannot destroy you either. We must find balance."
He looked up, and saw the princesses through the shimmering mist. Lyria had reached out her hand, her warmth cutting through the cold air like sunlight through clouds. A silent connection passed between them—no words needed.
Lyria whispered, "Even your darkness is light to me."
Zero smiled faintly, "And you... are my guiding light."
In that still moment, words lost their meaning. Only feelings remained. The storm inside him quieted.
He slowly began to retract the boundaries of the area expansion. The chaotic curse and the light inside him started to intertwine, finding harmony. With this power, Zero knew—he could now shape not only his own fate but the fate of the entire kingdom.
He looked toward the dawning sky through the high windows of the palace.
A new day was rising.
And Zero had learned—power was no longer a curse.It was a guide.